| This was assigned as a final essay in my English class before graduation. It's amazing to me to see how much I've developed in my thoughts, but it's more amazing to see how much insight I already had without fully realizing it. 5/26/98 - AP English My Worldview In looking back on my life as I approach my eighteenth birthday anniversary, I have come to the conclusion that the world is comprised of people who worry about what is right and proper, or the impression they give other people in their actions or words. For the majority of my life I have worried about these things, and I now feel that those years are years wasted. Since then, I have learned that true happiness is never truly achieved when one allows these things to encumber his or her existence. Instead, people should give their effort to enjoying themselves, or doing what they would do without the inhibitions of self-consciousness and reputation, and live life to the fullest—making their brief period of mortality worthwhile. Aristotle said that happiness is a life made perfect by all good things—health, wealth, knowledge, virtue, and friendship. My philosophy coincides with this idea. In the yearbook, my Senior Quote reads, “Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have.” I chose this because I believe it to be very true. Happiness, in the true sense of the word, is never achieved if one always finds fault in the things that are already tangible in his or her life. When I was younger, I would always look at other things, things more advanced, more expensive, or more beautiful than the things I had, and wish they were mine. I was never satisfied. But now I realize that there is nothing in my life to really be unsatisfied with. I have all of the essentials and my share of the extraneous. There is a roof over my head, clothes on my body, food on the table, and a lot of love from my family. This alone brings my happiness. Society as a whole, on the other hand, has taken the definition of happiness and altered it. The world is driven by greed and competition. Everyone seems to think they have to have the upper hand or that they have to be the best in order to be happy. The Declaration of Independence states that Americans have the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In America, this pursuit can be difficult because the whole nation is built on competition. From the race for the presidency, to the race for the biggest pizza slice, competition and greed is scattered throughout American lives. True happiness is often overlooked or taken for granted. Human beings, in general, conceal themselves in false truths. Most would like to think that they are philanthropic, a picture of pure decency, or, in the very least, down to earth. They present themselves this way because they have been brought up to think it is the only proper way to “fit in”. They take off their creativity and uniqueness and strap on the uniform mask of etiquette. But people don’t realize that they are only masks—the same masks everyone they are surrounded with is wearing. Today, I look around the hallways of our school and ponder over this very subject. Clothes, makeup, hair… Everyone wants to impress one another. I have even made inquiries to various classmates asking them if by dressing a certain way are they trying to impress others or feel better about themselves. Of course, the general consensus has always been that they do it for themselves. But who sets the style? Someone else. People depend on other people, instead of doing what really suits them individually. They depend on others for their self-esteem when they should be probing into their own souls for it. |
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| propaganda My Worldview 5.26.98 Maligayang Bati 10.5.00 The Devil, the Grape- fruit Diet and Fat Pants 11.14.00 Lies: Kid-tested, Mother-approved 8.6.01 |
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