No Reason (April)

           Have you ever asked someone why they did something and they responded with "no reason?" Did this make you puzzled and feel as if there had to be a reason so you asked them why again? In The Stranger, this reaction is described as society's refusal for irrationality. Society needs there to be a purpose to life and a structure. Society falls apart without these. It even destroys things which it does not understand could have no meaning in order to stay together.

          In The Stranger, Meursault lives off his basic needs. He sleeps, eats, and has relations with a woman. Meursault does things for no other importance than to live each day. He killed a man, but was judged based on not crying at his mother's funeral. Because of this, Meursault was executed. In today's society, people are still judged by their motives or reasons. One big thing that is still not understood by society is how people can be homosexuals. Society tries to explain it with science saying it is their genes or with religion saying that they are possessed by demons. Parents tell they're kids they are just in a phase. Others say they decided for themselves to be gay. Some try to say that bad experience with one gender led them to another.

         What if the real reason is that there is not one? They did not make a decision, it just always was. It was not always because of some genetic decision either. It could be just another absurdity. Something that can not be explained because there is no explanation. We choose our own meanings to make sense, when in actuality there could be no sense.

Soul or the World (March)

Throughout The Picture Of Dorian Gray, the power and struggle for everlasting beauty is seen. Dorian gives his soul and and aging to the painting, while he gets to keep his good looks and almost immaculate name. After time, despite his beauty and power, Dorian worries for it. He kills Basil in order to keep his soul a secret. The picture grows more grotesque after Dorian does other things as well. Dorian loses his touch of humanity in order to keep his beauty and eventually kills himself. In Dr. Faustus, Faustus gives up his soul for the pleasures of black magic. He enjoys it during the time being. Faustus' enjoyment in the dark arts spurs others, not as intelligent as him, to try them, which starts to lead them into more trouble. In the end, Faustus is confronted by an old man who tries to convert him back to the Lord. This man cannot be touched by the ways of the devil because of his great faith. Faustus is then taken to hell. In both of these, the main character's ultimate desires so they can be greater than all others leads them to die off younger than they would have, and changes them spiritually.

This way of gaining ultimate desires is still present today. In society, it is evident that people believe they need to undermine any obstacles that get in their way, be it even morals, to reach their ultimate desires. One of the biggest things is what would one do for money. The black market is still alive today. There are stories of stolen organs being sold on the market for lots of money. Even blood donations are being stolen. Both of these are used in research and helping patients. Without them, much is lost for better care. Babies have been stolen and sold on the black market as well. They cost a lot more since adoption is so expensive. Others to gain their ultimate desires lie, such as the man who lied about using drugs in a bike race. He now has to face the shame of being a cheater, when he could have lived only as someone in a lower place than first. 

My thoughts are that in human's roots there is a desire to be better than the rest no matter what. I believe society and morals has shown us that using that mindset to reach goals is detrimental to others and ourselves. There is no real satisfaction from lies and cheating and stealing to reach the top, because in the end it was fake, false, a facade. Satisfaction in society should not be taught to only come from everlasting money and beauty, but from hard works done by one's own hands. Not everything can last, but are effect on others and the world stays and passes on.

The Unattainable Dream

The Unattainable Dream

                  For years and generations, the media has had an influence on people's lives. This influence has also been corrupted so much though. Society has made certain standards with media. Many of these being conflicting with one another or total changes from recent standards. Which standard can be right though and which ones are even achievable?

                 In the Fountainhead, Mr. Wynand has his own newspaper company. It changes lots of people's minds with what it says. Mr. Toohey uses this to his advantage to find power. There is the conflicting standard of being an individual but trying to make it in the world. Roark chooses to be himself and he makes himself happy that way. Peter Keating chooses to be a people pleaser and he realizes that he can never be happy that way. Society put those as Peter Keating as the person everyone should be though and Cameron as the shame of society. 

                Invisible Man thought he was being a great example of what a  black person should be. He did  everything the white people wanted. It still wasn't good enough though. Stereotypes of being the super helpful black person who says no like Todd, just ended up the same way. There was no hope for changing there society. That is why Invisible Man lived the rest of his time in his hole.

               Movies and shows today influence many of the younger generations. My niece, who is only eight years old watches netflix or shows on youtube or even on the television practically all day. She sees girls that are photoshopped to perfection in magazines and thinks that is who she has to be. She sees princesses falling in love with guys right away, she thinks she needs a boyfriend already. Movies and shows of teenagers show a lot of drinking, drugs and sex. Because of this, most teens feel like they must do this and it is what makes them a teenager. Police and school say don't do drugs, but it doesn't affect them much. They see  videos or pictures of famous people smoking weed or popping pills and they aren't in jail. Also, most actors on tv play parts for someone 5 to six years younger than they really are. Teens on tv are actually the ages of college students. This corrupts the mind and gives unreal expectations.

             I think things should be realistic or more straight forward. There used to be shows that taught lessons or morals. Now it is all about love and dying young so you need to do everything as fast as you can. I'm not saying drugs, alcohol, sex, loving young, or such is technically bad. I don't need it shoved in my face 24/7 that that is reality. It's not and people need to know there is more.