As a follow up on the "obesity" topic, I came up with this prompt today in class:
Write a persuasive essay directed towards an obese person. Convince them of the error of their ways and attempt to persuade them into leading a healthier life-style. Be sure to include some useful advice on how they may conquer their infliction, both mentally and physically.
My group and I unanimously agreed that we all lack experience in persuasive writing when compared to other genres. Therefore, we decided that we would benefit most by straying from our familiarities and gaining experience in other areas.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
VOCABULARY #2
1) obesity (noun) - a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body
Example: America's obesity problem is a direct repercussion of poor diet and lack of exercise.
2) accumulate (verb) - to collect or gather
Example: The fats and sugars in unhealthy foods cause body fat to accumulate, especially when exercise is absent from the equation.
3) mass (noun) - the property of a body that is a measure of its inertia and that is commonly taken as a measure of the amount of material it contains and causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
Example: The more mass per volume in a substance, the higher the density.
4) disease (noun) - an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning
Example: Obesity is now considered by many to be a disease, and a widespread one at that.
5) diet (noun) - the usual food and drink consumed by an organism
Example: Many Americans' diets consist primarily of "fast food"/"junk food".
6) prevalence (noun) - (epidemiology) the ratio (for a given time period) of the numbers of occurrences of a disease or event to the number of units at risk in the population
Example: These poor dietary habits that Americans exhibit are directly related to our extremely high obesity prevalence.
7) stigma (noun) - a symbol of disgrace or infamy
Example: Due to the United States' staggering obesity rates, the social stigma that is attached to obesity has turned our global image into something to be ashamed of.
8) prevent (verb) - to keep from happening or arising
Example: With education, proper parenting, and some willpower; it is quite possible to prevent obesity.
9) adolescent (adjective)- displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
Example: Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to obesity if subjected to manipulative advertisements and/or irresponsible parenting.
10) cardiovascular (adjective) - of or pertaining to or involving the heart and blood vessels
Example: Obesity is known to directly cause various cardiovascular problems.
11) excessive (adjective) - beyond normal limits
Example: Excessive consumption of unhealthy food often results in obesity.
12) mechanism (adjective) - a natural object resembling a machine in structure or function
Example: Most obese people will become offended if confronted about their problem; this is due, in part, to an inherent defense mechanism present in most people that protects them from their insecurities.
13) sedentary (adjective) - requiring little activity
Example: Especially when paired with poor eating habits, sedentary life styles can lead to obesity.
14) predispose (verb) - make susceptible
Example: Some people are born with a predisposition to obesity, greatly magnifying their risk of being inflicted.
15) syndrome (noun) - a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease
Example: Various eating-related syndromes can lead to obesity.
Example: America's obesity problem is a direct repercussion of poor diet and lack of exercise.
2) accumulate (verb) - to collect or gather
Example: The fats and sugars in unhealthy foods cause body fat to accumulate, especially when exercise is absent from the equation.
3) mass (noun) - the property of a body that is a measure of its inertia and that is commonly taken as a measure of the amount of material it contains and causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
Example: The more mass per volume in a substance, the higher the density.
4) disease (noun) - an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning
Example: Obesity is now considered by many to be a disease, and a widespread one at that.
5) diet (noun) - the usual food and drink consumed by an organism
Example: Many Americans' diets consist primarily of "fast food"/"junk food".
6) prevalence (noun) - (epidemiology) the ratio (for a given time period) of the numbers of occurrences of a disease or event to the number of units at risk in the population
Example: These poor dietary habits that Americans exhibit are directly related to our extremely high obesity prevalence.
7) stigma (noun) - a symbol of disgrace or infamy
Example: Due to the United States' staggering obesity rates, the social stigma that is attached to obesity has turned our global image into something to be ashamed of.
8) prevent (verb) - to keep from happening or arising
Example: With education, proper parenting, and some willpower; it is quite possible to prevent obesity.
9) adolescent (adjective)- displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
Example: Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to obesity if subjected to manipulative advertisements and/or irresponsible parenting.
10) cardiovascular (adjective) - of or pertaining to or involving the heart and blood vessels
Example: Obesity is known to directly cause various cardiovascular problems.
11) excessive (adjective) - beyond normal limits
Example: Excessive consumption of unhealthy food often results in obesity.
12) mechanism (adjective) - a natural object resembling a machine in structure or function
Example: Most obese people will become offended if confronted about their problem; this is due, in part, to an inherent defense mechanism present in most people that protects them from their insecurities.
13) sedentary (adjective) - requiring little activity
Example: Especially when paired with poor eating habits, sedentary life styles can lead to obesity.
14) predispose (verb) - make susceptible
Example: Some people are born with a predisposition to obesity, greatly magnifying their risk of being inflicted.
15) syndrome (noun) - a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease
Example: Various eating-related syndromes can lead to obesity.
PROSE & CONS: OBESITY
The title of this post is slightly misleading; as there are obviously NO
pros whatsoever to being obese. What this title actually refers to are the
opposing perspectives given by one of four obesity-related texts that my class
has been instructed to choose between. In my case, this is whether the blame
for America's obesity pandemic falls on the massive "fast
food"/"junk food" industrial machine, their customers, or both.
While this topic is stemmed from CBSNEWS's article "The Blame Game And
Obesity In America", four other sources will also be referenced in this
essay in order to provide additional information/evidence on the matter. The
URLs for all of these sources will be posted at the end.
If asked, most people would identify the "food" industry as the driving force behind our major obesity issue. It's not difficult to understand why. The United States is notorious worldwide for the pathetic excuse of "food" that we pump out in enormous quantities. In fact, "enormous quantities" is an understatement. According to StatisticBrain.com, 50+ million Americans are served "fast food" EVERY DAY, grossing an annual revenue of over 100 billion dollars. It was also listed that 64% of Americans eat "fast food" 1-2 times per week, and 20% of Americans eat "fast food" 3-7 times a week. This is "fast food" alone, factoring in all other types of unhealthy food (i.e. "junk food") would result in a truly stupefying statistic. How is it that these companies are able to sell such overwhelming amounts of their products? There are a few key factors that generate this frightening result, the first obviously being the "food" itself. Regardless of how repulsive it actually is; it tastes good. It has been designed/engineered to. The danger of this is fully realized when paired with another factor; "fast food" is very inexpensive, highly convenient, and often comes in huge portions. Most people will seldom choose to pay for real ingredients and prepare their own food when they have the option to spend a few seconds at a drive-through getting their favorite meals handed to them for much less money. While this mentality is beyond flawed, it is no mystery why many Americans take that plunge, especially with the guileful advertisements that are worked into every aspect of their environment helping them along. That brings us to the third factor; companies pay good money to make sure that no one ever goes ANYWHERE or do ANYTHING without being constantly reminded of what they should go eat afterwards. Collectively, the "food" industry spends billions and billions of dollars every year to assure that their adds are every bit as compelling as they are abundant. From McDonald's clowns and free toys to Carl's Jr.'s risqué commercials featuring near-nude lingerie models posing seductively with humungous hamburgers in their hands, they do a damn good job at manipulating their target audience.
While these big businesses seem clearly at fault, there are two sides to every argument. "Food" industry executives assert that, regardless of what measures they take to peddle their filth, it all comes down to personal choice on the consumer's end. As much as I hate those greedy scumbags, they are right and there is no denying it. Unless you're in Guantanamo Bay and there's a tube depositing the stuff into your stomach, you don't HAVE to eat it. As devious and manipulative as these companies can be, it is ultimately YOUR choice to stop by In-N-Out for a double-double with fries and a chocolate shake (my personal favorite) instead of waiting until you get home and having a piece of fish and a salad. While searching for sources to reach my quota, I stumbled across a post that sums this argument up perfectly. This is what economics professor Ninos Malek had to say on the subject in 2003: "The ridiculous claim that corporations are responsible for people’s health problems is nothing new. Remember the lawsuits against the tobacco companies? If you smoke let me ask you this: did an employee from one of the tobacco companies put a gun to your head and make you smoke a cigarette? I didn’t think so. People who are dying because of smoking-related illnesses have nobody to blame but themselves. And it’s the same for people who eat poorly. I have never seen Ronald McDonald with an M-16 forcing people to buy Big Macs. A person has to drive to McDonald’s, order a Big Mac, and eat it on his own."
In my opinion, the blame is shared equally between the two parties. Despite the fact that it comes down to personal choice, the "food" companies are absolutely NOT exempt from all blame. I consider what they are doing to be nothing short of war profiteering. This may sound extreme, but it is quite realistic. Instead of getting rich from helping people kill each other, they are getting even richer by helping people slowly kill themselves. They set the stage for a battle of willpower, and then harvest money from the casualties. External conflict or internal, it doesn't change what they are doing. Not to mention that what they call "food" is nothing more than an appalling mix of scrap/waste meat, chemicals, and filler substances. If you really want the details and you are prepared never to eat fast food again, then there will be a link below that goes more in depth. I would paraphrase the whole thing but, due to the beauty of the Internet, I can just let you all read it for yourselves.
Original article:
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-204_162-1423314.html?pageNum=1
Sources/evidence for stats and advertisement information:
http://www.statisticbrain.com/fast-food-statistics/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_food_advertising
Sources for personal responsibility (Malek's excellent thread [link 1] and an article that will quickly make you more personally responsible when it comes to fast food LOL [link 2]):
http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/fast-food-and-personal-responsibility#axzz2d3L1csSy
http://www.expressionoftruth.com/2013/05/why-you-should-avoid-fast-food-at-all.html
If asked, most people would identify the "food" industry as the driving force behind our major obesity issue. It's not difficult to understand why. The United States is notorious worldwide for the pathetic excuse of "food" that we pump out in enormous quantities. In fact, "enormous quantities" is an understatement. According to StatisticBrain.com, 50+ million Americans are served "fast food" EVERY DAY, grossing an annual revenue of over 100 billion dollars. It was also listed that 64% of Americans eat "fast food" 1-2 times per week, and 20% of Americans eat "fast food" 3-7 times a week. This is "fast food" alone, factoring in all other types of unhealthy food (i.e. "junk food") would result in a truly stupefying statistic. How is it that these companies are able to sell such overwhelming amounts of their products? There are a few key factors that generate this frightening result, the first obviously being the "food" itself. Regardless of how repulsive it actually is; it tastes good. It has been designed/engineered to. The danger of this is fully realized when paired with another factor; "fast food" is very inexpensive, highly convenient, and often comes in huge portions. Most people will seldom choose to pay for real ingredients and prepare their own food when they have the option to spend a few seconds at a drive-through getting their favorite meals handed to them for much less money. While this mentality is beyond flawed, it is no mystery why many Americans take that plunge, especially with the guileful advertisements that are worked into every aspect of their environment helping them along. That brings us to the third factor; companies pay good money to make sure that no one ever goes ANYWHERE or do ANYTHING without being constantly reminded of what they should go eat afterwards. Collectively, the "food" industry spends billions and billions of dollars every year to assure that their adds are every bit as compelling as they are abundant. From McDonald's clowns and free toys to Carl's Jr.'s risqué commercials featuring near-nude lingerie models posing seductively with humungous hamburgers in their hands, they do a damn good job at manipulating their target audience.
While these big businesses seem clearly at fault, there are two sides to every argument. "Food" industry executives assert that, regardless of what measures they take to peddle their filth, it all comes down to personal choice on the consumer's end. As much as I hate those greedy scumbags, they are right and there is no denying it. Unless you're in Guantanamo Bay and there's a tube depositing the stuff into your stomach, you don't HAVE to eat it. As devious and manipulative as these companies can be, it is ultimately YOUR choice to stop by In-N-Out for a double-double with fries and a chocolate shake (my personal favorite) instead of waiting until you get home and having a piece of fish and a salad. While searching for sources to reach my quota, I stumbled across a post that sums this argument up perfectly. This is what economics professor Ninos Malek had to say on the subject in 2003: "The ridiculous claim that corporations are responsible for people’s health problems is nothing new. Remember the lawsuits against the tobacco companies? If you smoke let me ask you this: did an employee from one of the tobacco companies put a gun to your head and make you smoke a cigarette? I didn’t think so. People who are dying because of smoking-related illnesses have nobody to blame but themselves. And it’s the same for people who eat poorly. I have never seen Ronald McDonald with an M-16 forcing people to buy Big Macs. A person has to drive to McDonald’s, order a Big Mac, and eat it on his own."
In my opinion, the blame is shared equally between the two parties. Despite the fact that it comes down to personal choice, the "food" companies are absolutely NOT exempt from all blame. I consider what they are doing to be nothing short of war profiteering. This may sound extreme, but it is quite realistic. Instead of getting rich from helping people kill each other, they are getting even richer by helping people slowly kill themselves. They set the stage for a battle of willpower, and then harvest money from the casualties. External conflict or internal, it doesn't change what they are doing. Not to mention that what they call "food" is nothing more than an appalling mix of scrap/waste meat, chemicals, and filler substances. If you really want the details and you are prepared never to eat fast food again, then there will be a link below that goes more in depth. I would paraphrase the whole thing but, due to the beauty of the Internet, I can just let you all read it for yourselves.
Original article:
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-204_162-1423314.html?pageNum=1
Sources/evidence for stats and advertisement information:
http://www.statisticbrain.com/fast-food-statistics/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_food_advertising
Sources for personal responsibility (Malek's excellent thread [link 1] and an article that will quickly make you more personally responsible when it comes to fast food LOL [link 2]):
http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/fast-food-and-personal-responsibility#axzz2d3L1csSy
http://www.expressionoftruth.com/2013/05/why-you-should-avoid-fast-food-at-all.html
Sunday, August 25, 2013
TEXT ANALYSIS #1
Synopsis:
This article from CBSNews.com provides some good incite into the heated dispute of where the blame should fall concerning one of our nation's most serious problems, obesity. As the article describes, the "big food companies" are natural scapegoats for the disturbing amount of unhealthiness that plagues our country. This is perfectly justified, considering that their products are arguably the single most prominent contributors to this issue. That being said, the "food" industry cannot be held solely culpable. Personal responsibility is obviously a huge factor as well. Regardless of any controversial techniques that may or may not be used to market their processed filth, ignorance and/or lack of will power cannot be pinned on the manufacturers. It is ultimately the individual's responsibility (excluding young children, of course) to educate them self and make the right choices accordingly.
Reading Notes:
This article from CBSNews.com provides some good incite into the heated dispute of where the blame should fall concerning one of our nation's most serious problems, obesity. As the article describes, the "big food companies" are natural scapegoats for the disturbing amount of unhealthiness that plagues our country. This is perfectly justified, considering that their products are arguably the single most prominent contributors to this issue. That being said, the "food" industry cannot be held solely culpable. Personal responsibility is obviously a huge factor as well. Regardless of any controversial techniques that may or may not be used to market their processed filth, ignorance and/or lack of will power cannot be pinned on the manufacturers. It is ultimately the individual's responsibility (excluding young children, of course) to educate them self and make the right choices accordingly.
Reading Notes:
- "Food" companies are widely blamed for America's obesity problem, mirroring what happened with the tobacco industry a while back.
- Excessive/manipulative advertising, affordability, huge potions, and even alleged tampering with ingredients to make people crave more feed these claims.
- Regardless, much of the blame falls on the consumers.
- Whether people are uneducated and somehow don't know enough about health to avoid these products, or they simply lack the willpower to put their health before their favorite foods; they are the ones choosing to eat the "food".
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
THIS IS PHAT!
The best textual information on obesity that I could find was on none other than the CDC website. They had the most comprehensive stats/data.
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/
VOCABULARY #1
1) expository (adjective) - serving to expound or set forth
Example: The speaker procured the information in a clean and expository way.
2) composition (noun) - the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and the whole
Example: Scientists have failed to determine the composition of the strange substance.
3) assuage (verb) - provide physical relief from, as from pain
Example: When my arm was shattered, even morphine did nothing to assuage the pain.
4) decadence (noun) - the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities; usually associated with excessive self-indulgence.
Example: After winning the lottery, the man displayed decadence with his frivolous purchases.
5) hackneyed (adjective) - repeated too often
Example: Most words/phrases loose their potency after being hackneyed.
6) coalition (noun) - the union of diverse individuals into a group in attempts of accomplishing a common objective
Example: The coalition of pro-freedom constitutionalists fought hard in order to protect their 2nd amendment rights.
7) transcend (verb) - to exceed or surpass what is expected
Example: Some abstract theories transcend what the average person can comprehend.
8) meritorious (adjective) - deserving of great praise or reward
Example: The crowd warmly received the meritorious performance.
9) lurid (adjective) - horrible in fierceness or savagery
Example: Crocodiles' lurid nature can be observed by watching them destroy and demolish their unsuspecting prey.
10) petulant (adjective) - easily irritated or annoyed
Example: Coffee drinkers are known to be petulant if they are approached before their morning fix.
Example: The speaker procured the information in a clean and expository way.
2) composition (noun) - the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and the whole
Example: Scientists have failed to determine the composition of the strange substance.
3) assuage (verb) - provide physical relief from, as from pain
Example: When my arm was shattered, even morphine did nothing to assuage the pain.
4) decadence (noun) - the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities; usually associated with excessive self-indulgence.
Example: After winning the lottery, the man displayed decadence with his frivolous purchases.
5) hackneyed (adjective) - repeated too often
Example: Most words/phrases loose their potency after being hackneyed.
6) coalition (noun) - the union of diverse individuals into a group in attempts of accomplishing a common objective
Example: The coalition of pro-freedom constitutionalists fought hard in order to protect their 2nd amendment rights.
7) transcend (verb) - to exceed or surpass what is expected
Example: Some abstract theories transcend what the average person can comprehend.
8) meritorious (adjective) - deserving of great praise or reward
Example: The crowd warmly received the meritorious performance.
9) lurid (adjective) - horrible in fierceness or savagery
Example: Crocodiles' lurid nature can be observed by watching them destroy and demolish their unsuspecting prey.
10) petulant (adjective) - easily irritated or annoyed
Example: Coffee drinkers are known to be petulant if they are approached before their morning fix.
Monday, August 19, 2013
5 GO-TO SOURCES FOR GOOD NONFICTION
While I admit that I have never used any of the following websites, I was at least conscientious enough to select the most useful looking sites that I could find.
http://www.scicentral.com/
http://m.livescience.com/
http://www.wired.com/
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
http://m.npr.org/section/
IT"S ALL LATIN TO ME
"dimidium facti qui coepit habet: sapere aude, incipe" is a Latin Phrase
meaning "Who has begun has half done: dare to be wise, begin". The quote could relate to this time/moment in various ways; the most obvious being that we are just beginning this course, and we must "dare to be wise" in order to stick around and learn as much as possible. In larger terms, it could represent the fact that, although our lives seem to have only recently begun, they pass quickly and we must absorb as much knowledge as we can during our short time here. I haven't read anyone else's entries yet, but I'm sure that most of them will be along these lines.
REFLECTION ON WEEK 1
1) No, I do not believe that there will be any factors that will effect my participation or experience in this class. I will forget to post now and then (as I have already proven...), but there are no external variables that will inhibit me from completing my work.
2) I learn so many things so frequently that it is nearly impossible for me to isolate one instance as my "best ever learning experience". To be honest, most of the best learning experiences that I have undergone occurred not in a desk at school, but within my own mind. I am very obsessive by nature so, consequentially; it is impossible for me to think about certain thoughts/ideas/philosophies without them completely commandeering my mind. I have spent an enumerable amount of nights laying awake pondering topics like the ones aforementioned in my "Big Question" post, and looking at them from every angle I can possibly imagine. I believe that simply keeping an open mind and exploring some of the endless possibilities that are out there can really teach a person a lot. Having a "one-dimensional" outlook and rejecting any ideas that aren't perfectly aligned with one's given beliefs is not only incredibly ignorant, but also mentally unhealthy (as I have learned from personal experience). This is primarily directed towards religion and politics, but just as well applies to any other subject.
3) What I am most excited about in this class is doing exactly this; expressing my thoughts freely instead of pumping out mechanized essays from a rigid prompt. Being able to write about what is actually going through my mind instead of having to do a literary analysis on a product manual (I have gotten that on one of the state tests... I wish I was joking...) is an opportunity that we are seldom given in school, and one that I am very excited about. As far as learning goes, I am definitely looking forward to touching up my writing skills. I consider myself a pretty decent writer, but there is always room for improvement. I hope to correct any poor spelling/grammar/punctuation habits that I have, enhance my vocabulary, and especially learn how to best word things in order to get my point across in the most elegant, yet concise way possible.
2) I learn so many things so frequently that it is nearly impossible for me to isolate one instance as my "best ever learning experience". To be honest, most of the best learning experiences that I have undergone occurred not in a desk at school, but within my own mind. I am very obsessive by nature so, consequentially; it is impossible for me to think about certain thoughts/ideas/philosophies without them completely commandeering my mind. I have spent an enumerable amount of nights laying awake pondering topics like the ones aforementioned in my "Big Question" post, and looking at them from every angle I can possibly imagine. I believe that simply keeping an open mind and exploring some of the endless possibilities that are out there can really teach a person a lot. Having a "one-dimensional" outlook and rejecting any ideas that aren't perfectly aligned with one's given beliefs is not only incredibly ignorant, but also mentally unhealthy (as I have learned from personal experience). This is primarily directed towards religion and politics, but just as well applies to any other subject.
3) What I am most excited about in this class is doing exactly this; expressing my thoughts freely instead of pumping out mechanized essays from a rigid prompt. Being able to write about what is actually going through my mind instead of having to do a literary analysis on a product manual (I have gotten that on one of the state tests... I wish I was joking...) is an opportunity that we are seldom given in school, and one that I am very excited about. As far as learning goes, I am definitely looking forward to touching up my writing skills. I consider myself a pretty decent writer, but there is always room for improvement. I hope to correct any poor spelling/grammar/punctuation habits that I have, enhance my vocabulary, and especially learn how to best word things in order to get my point across in the most elegant, yet concise way possible.
Friday, August 16, 2013
MY OPINION ISN'T (A) RIGHT
I'm going to start out by saying, forthright, that I disagree with the title of this post. In truth, everyone
IS entitled to the right to FORM his or her own opinion. This is
"true" due to the fact that, even without any personal biases and/or
intransigent defense mechanisms, each unique perspective will extract different
meaning from the same collective evidence (excluding 100% proven facts, of
course). Because of this, in any case of opposing viewpoints in which
UNDENIABLE PROOF is absent in BOTH sides, the absolute truth of the matter
cannot be determined and, therefore, any conclusions drawn from whatever
evidence is present can only be considered "opinions". Well, what if
I just don't draw any conclusions at all until some legitimate proof arises
(given that proof is applicable to the argument, and that it is found)? No one
can simply tell them self "I don't know" while contemplating a
question that has yet to be answered and completely refuse to lean towards a
certain hypothesis that makes sense to them after research, experimentation,
and analysis. If our minds worked that way, we would never have attained any of
the amazing success that we enjoy as a species. There is a point at which we
are unable rely on what we KNOW (or don't, in this case), and are instead
forced to decide what we BELIEVE until more evidence comes to light (again, if
it is applicable and if it is ever found). Whether or not everyone has the
right to INVOKE "the right to his or her opinion" in a debate,
however, is a completely different story. Regarding this matter, I completely
agree with the article. That type of "response" (I hate to even call
it that) is nothing more than a coping mechanism used to preserve possibly
false views. This is a detriment/inhibition to our advancement as a species
without a doubt.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
WHAT IS EXPOSITORY WRITING?
I interpret “expository writing” as formal writing that
organizes any type of information in a straightforward and structured way. I don't know what the exact definition is, this is just what comes to mind when I hear the phrase.
MY BIG QUESTION
Is there a metaphysical world (i.e. an "afterlife"
that our "souls"/life energy reside in after we die) separate from,
and completely intangible to ours? Or perhaps we have a different type of soul;
quantum packets of information stored deep within our neurons that, in theory,
could maintain some sort of conscious thought outside of our body? Or maybe we
are nothing more than flesh and bones, and when we die, we're gone and the
world ceases to exist for us. Is there really such a thing as "right and
wrong", or is morality nothing more than a synthetic abstraction that
exists nowhere besides in our own minds? Do we even think, or is everything predetermined;
leaving us as mere bystanders watching our lives run their courses from a first
person point of view with the illusion that we are in control? What is reality?
Does "reality" even exist, or are even the most the basic
fundamentals that we observe (time, space, matter, energy, structure, etc.)
simply figments of whatever it is that generates our "consciousness"?
As strange of an idea as it is that everything we observe, experience, think,
and feel could be nothing more than some sort of celestial hallucination, it is
possible and cannot truly be disproved. The same goes for any thoughts/ideas
you can possibly construct. Anyways, those are some of the questions that keep
me up at night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)