Candide did Whaaaaaa?

In the first chapter Candide is banished from the castle because he kisses Cunegonde. Is this a fair punishment? No, probably not. Why should he get punished for simply just trying to follow his heart? He shouldn’t. Not only does he just simply get kicked out, but a series of unfortunate events continue! Bad event after bad event continues to happen to poor Candide. Why can’t he catch a break? This question can actually be answered quite simply. He’s naïve and doesn’t know any better. Should Candide be punished and banished because he’s naïve to the real world. Again, no he shouldn’t. However no one seems to be protecting him.

It almost seems as though Cunegonde is punishing him as well; differently though. It seems as though she’s doing this in an unknowingly way, or this could just be my perspective. She kind of ridicules him for still having complete faith in Pangloss’ philosophy. The pained Cunegonde is starting to lose faith in his whole philosophy as where the naïve Candide still has complete faith in this belief that they are in the best world there is. I feel as though Cunegonde does look down upon Candide for being quite naïve.

However they still continue onto this journey trying to escape what their new punishment might be. Will Candide and Cunegonde deserve this punishment that they may receive for being in love? Sure they killed people, at least Candide did. But I mean come on… he was in love and jealous. It’s understandable...

Modern Socrates

Hmmmm... Can anyone be compared to the great Socrates? I don’t think so. So I think anyone considered to be a “Modern Socrates” is a much less extreme version of the great Socrates. Socrates was a brilliant philosopher who got his opponents to question their own beliefs and in many cases abandon the beliefs that they thought were so strong and so much a part of them, when I think of someone who does this I immediately think of my brother.

This guy, he’s only been alive for about twenty years and he can get people to change their minds and beliefs about almost anything. Not just the minds of other twenty year olds, but people who have lived their lives and have been practicing their values for years, even decades. Just like Socrates, he uses this Judo way of debating, trying to confuse and corner his debaters.

I’ll give you an example.

My brother is an Atheist and my entire family, on both sides, is Catholic. So anytime he gets the chance to debate about religion he jumps at it. Now I know better than to start a debate with him, because between us it would never end. However, my Tia was not so lucky.

She figured she take him on and possibly win this argument. Man was she wrong. My brother discreetly pointed out the flaws in Catholicism and everything wrong with religion in general. She stuck by Catholicism and tried to make excuses or change what she said. My brother called her out on these things and pin pointed why their wrong and why religion in general is wrong. He kept asking why for everything she said. Eventually, after 3 and a half hours, she gave up. Now she doesn’t recognize herself with any religion and she herself asks why. Why do people have faith in any religion?

All cause of this guy…

[The unexamined life is not worth living]

This quote confused me. What is an unexamined life? Upon asking many people, I was left with various different answers. Some that made no sense, some that made perfect sense, and some that left me thinking. Who is to say my life is unexamined or examined? Which lead me to MY own answer. You are the only person that can decide this. You are the only person who can look at your past decisions and say “I did this wrong” and believe it. This means that you are the only person that can examine or choose not to examine your life. Who’s to say that you don’t sit down when you get home and go over your day, and who’s to say you never look back in your life and just keep repeating your mistakes. Some people are masochists who like repeating their pain, that isn’t your life, you can’t change someone else’s decisions in life; they have to choose to do so themselves.

Now, what do I see as an unexamined life that is not worth living? I think to me it’s a life that has nothing. Someone who has NO passion. No love, no faith, no support, and no laughter. That I think would be hell and obviously not worth living. If you have no family or friends who are you living for? If you have no passion then what is it that you’re living for?

I find faith important. It’s not for everyone, I completely agree with that. If you don’t believe in something then why follow it right? I think it depends on the person, me for instance, I need faith. Something that will always be there when it seems like you’re alone, even if you aren’t. Maybe finding something to help you through life, whether it be spiritual or not, will help you accomplish “examining” your life.



:D

Eulogy [9.10.10]

It’s a tragedy this sweet charming young woman had to leave our lives so soon, but apparently walking and texting was just out of her physical capabilities...

As you can tell she was quite the handful…

She never stopped talking… or singing… or fidgeting around. That’s not the kind of person you’d think she was when you first met her, I’m sure. She was quiet, reserved, and simple at first meet. However, when you got her to open up, she could talk for hours about insignificant things, ridiculous thoughts and ideas, big dreams and goals, and the things and people closest to heart. She would sing quite obnoxiously to the radio or iPod, whichever was playing, not well might I add, she was not gifted with a beautiful voice, but that never stopped her from singing her little heart out.

Her clumsy tendency she identified as her trademark. She couldn’t go a day without tripping or falling. Thus, the accident that took her life. She didn’t let her lack of grace stop her from living life to the fullest. She partied like there was no tomorrow. Not in an inappropriate way more as in a “you never know when it will be your last day” kind of attitude. She attended Whitney Young High School and took her studies seriously, but boy did she know how to have fun.

Don’t let this fool you though, her heart was bigger than most. Though she didn’t let everyone into her heart, if she let you take a part of it you would have it forever. Her family and friends loved her dearly, and her goofy charm was always something to laugh at.

They will miss her dearly…

♥