Blog Post 3 (The Materialist to The Pragmatist, and Your Life)

What brings more happiness in your life,  materialistic things or life experiences?

       Materialistic things are your possessions such as a cell phone,expensive car, Louis Vuitton or Coach purse, etc. Life experiences would include but are not limited to, going on vacation, going to a concert, sky diving, etc. Majority people these days think that materialistic things bring happiness and that's what always makes them for forever. Pierre Hadot mentioned how material things do not make us happy and it's only temporary.(18-8) Most people are in the pursuit of happiness. Why do people believe that spending money on material objects is to be their happiness? How much value do people get from the purchases they make? Money doesn't buy happiness. But most people already know that. They just refuse to believe. Rather than investing more to enjoy life experiences, many spend time and money to acquire material objects they believe to be tangible measures of happiness. I see eye to eye with Pierre Hadot's philosophy of true happiness because as pleasing as "things" can be, they don't give us long term happiness.
      People underestimate how much monetary value they will get out of a life experience. True happiness comes from within. For an example, when I was younger my family didn't have a lot of money. I didn't have top of the line clothing or shoes; majority times it was hand me downs. We didn't get to go on many vacations. Although I was happy with it because I was used to that lifestyle. I didn't know what it was like to live any different. The times we would get to travel, I always remembered my parents telling me "No, you don't need that toy... you have enough toys. We have to save up for our family trip." Of course when I was younger I never understood what my parents meant by that statement. But as I grew older and wiser I finally now understand. Family trips were always enjoyable and fun. I didn't need my toys to keep myself occupied. We were making memories on our vacation. I remember and cherish all the memories I have made with my life experiences. I choose life experiences over materialistic items. 
      Just think about what seems more long term happiness when it comes to buying a new $250-dollar purse (that could break/tear, get stolen/lost, or you lose interest in it after a while) or spending a week vacation in Italy (that you would experience new things, meet new people, make memories). You might assume that a new pair of shoes, or expensive pair of jeans will bring happiness. Although you'd probably get a better kick out of going sky diving or spending a week in Germany. But people still mostly opt for items over experiences because the value of items is more easily quantifiable. As attractive and pleasing as these things can be, nothing can make us happy if being happy means more satisfied or pleased. (18-8) Life experiences are far more enjoyable and are proved to have long term happiness in the end.


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Blog Post 2 (The Skeptics to The Utilitarian, and Your Life)

Does everyone act with altruistic tendencies?

         I would like to answer this question with a yes but unfortunately, I know that everyone does not act with altruism in mind. Some do and some people don't. Everyone is different in their behaviors. What is altruism? Altruism is defined as when we act to promote someone else's welfare, even at a risk or cost to ourselves;the opposite of egoism. Mill said, "People must be given opportunities to grow as a part of their daily lives. They must be given fulfilling work and sufficient leisure to nurture more than their belly or bank account. The heart of such reform efforts must be widespread, ongoing, high-quality education."(12-6)
        I would say that I act with altruistic behaviors. I am the type of person who always put others in front of myself. I care a lot about others and their feelings. I'm always the one to make others smile even when I am going through hard times myself. I talk about their situations before mine. I feel I grew up with this behavior from learning it from my parents. I have seen how they were (and how they still currently are) with family, friends, and sometimes even strangers. I am now a mother myself to a beautiful daughter and I want to be her role model. I always put her needs before mine. I am working full time and going to school full time and I do it all for my daughter. She motivates me every morning I wake up and see her smile. I do work hard for myself, but in the long run it is for my daughter and her needs. I want to make sure she has a roof over her head, clothes on her back, shoes on her feet, and food on the table.
        Some people might ask, "Why practice altruism?" One who practices altruism is enhancing their well-being---emotionally, physically, romantically, and perhaps even financially. Altruism makes us happy. When someone does a kind deed for someone else, it's a joyful feeling. For example, you see someone who is struggling to pay for their groceries because they didn't have enough funds and you decide to just pay the remaining $50. To see someone else's reaction change so quickly from being in pain/stressed to so grateful, is the most satisfying feeling ever! I enjoy seeing others smile and that's what I care about most. Another act of altruism that some people still do today is the "Pay it Forward". For those of you who don't know what that is, paying it forward is when people are in a drive thru at a fast food place, usually, and the person paying at the window also pays for the person behind them. That is an act of altruism. Therefore, altruism is contagious as well.
        A few other altruistic behaviors would include but aren't limited to: giving thanks, putting yourself in someone else's shoes, putting others in a good mood, acknowledge giving without rewards, and lead by example. After reading my blog, how altruistic are you? What behaviors can you change to be altruistic?


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Blog Post 1 (The Philosopher King to The Rationalist, and Your Life)

Do you believe that everything happens for a reason?


     Seneca said, "Events do not just happen, but arrive by appointment." Everything that occurs is connected to everything else.(7-7a) The Stoic Logos do believe that everything happens for a reason and that there is not always an answer why to our knowledge. Stoic Logos believe that there is an ordained reason. If this is true, then nothing that happens can be wrong or bad, since everything that happens is part of God's rational plan.(7-7a)


     I do strongly believe that everything happens for a reason, to an extent. I have many instances that I could go into depth about but I'll only speak of a couple. For instance, when I was younger I had encountered the cops more than I ever wanted too. I needed them for help, I wasn't in trouble. But I was getting sexually harassed and assaulted more times than I could imagine. It started when I was about 5 or 6 years old and went on for over 8 years. I always would cry for a couple days after the situations would happen. I always asked my mom and dad, why me? What did I do to deserve this? I never understood until I got older, things do happen for a reason. Because of those instances, I grew up fast! I matured faster than most of my friends my age. I grew to a strong and independent individual before I was 17 years old. Later I realized that God was watching me and letting me know that I am a strong person. When I turned 18 I got a tattoo on my forearm, Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." John 13:7. I haven't encountered anymore situations like that since and I couldn't be happier. 


     Another situation is when I was pregnant with my daughter. The due date was December 14th and she didn't want to come into this world yet. I was induced on December 23rd at 4am. She was later born at exactly 6:30pm on 12/23/14. During the last couple weeks of my pregnancy, I was informed briefly about my grandpa because he was in the hospital. The last I heard was that he fell down, couldn't get up, and went to the hospital. Since I didn't hear anything else, I thought everything was OK. Just a few days passed by, my mom calls me and tells me that my grandpa had passed in the middle of the night. Of course I instantly started balling. I was very close with my grandpa. I visited him and my grandma a lot. Later that day my dad called me to see how I was doing. I still cried but he was able to help calm me by saying, "There's a reason God didn't want Myla (my daughter) to be due on her due date. Although you may not have known it, God knew you were going to be losing someone very special to you and therefore granted you with Myla later in time to help you cope with the loss of your grandpa." By this example, I am able to reflect on it and know and understand that I am in the hands of God. He is taking care of me. I agree with the Stoic answer that "I can concentrate on developing an attitude of courageous acceptance. My efforts should be directed toward that part of my life over which I can exert the absolute control: my attitudes, or my will."(7-7a)




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