Discovery

The character that interest me the most is Daru. Daru was a man who stuck to his morals. Even though in doing he faced dire consequences. Daru knew that his prisoner was a murderer. That did not stop him from trying to save his life. I think having dignity and integrity keeps man sane It makes someone feel a like a human. Objectivity would not have worked in this situation. I found it most interesting when Daru in the end gave the Arab a choice. He said one road leads to the town where the police station is, and the other road leads to safety. His first choice was, did he want to face the consequences of his actions. He would do this by turning himself in. The 2^nd choice was, did he want to forget his act and flee to safety. Daru could not make this choice for him. He did not want to have control of another man like this. This kind of situation can be related to our own personal lives. Every day we are faced with the consequences of our actions. Do we want to work through the consequences and escape with a moral lesson ? Or do we want to escape our consequences, gaining nothing but sacrificing our pride? If this was me I would want to escape and life with the Nomads. I think they would have more to teach me, than rotting away in a jail cell. I would not want someone who does not know my circumstances judging me and making their own decision for my lesson. Every situation is different. We can learn from our mistakes in different ways. I don't believe it is necessarily running from your mistakes, but taking your own path of discovery.  

Objectivity = love of man

Love is a complicated word that is nearly impossible to define, yet it is in every facet of our lives. The book “ The Art of Loving” , by Erich Fromm exams this broad subject. The most important aspect he emphasizes is objectivity. Objectivity is essential in making clear headed decisions. Objectivity guides us through a world where we must be able to work with people that are different than ourselves. To have love for another person does not have to be romantic. Having objective love is having love for the nature of man. It is having love for a true person, flaws and all. I have experienced objectivity mostly in the workplace. It use to be my belief that no one who is younger than me should be in a position of authority. I believed they could not handle responsibility. I thought their immaturity would show in their work. I have achieved true open-mindedness by facing this flaw within myself. At work there was a couple of recent promotions of young people. One 19 and one 20. They were promoted to supervisor positions. This made me angry, not because I was envious. I have no desire to be a supervisor because they work full time and I go to school full time. In my mind they were inferior because of their age. Just because someone is younger does not mean they cannot handle responsibilities. I realized they have the same abilities as someone who is 40. They may not have the wisdom of a middle aged person, but they can still have the work ethic. Me disliking the idea of a young person in a position of authority did not get me anywhere. To respect and love their work ethic transforms me into a better human being. I am better now because I can look at someone as a person, just not their age. I am more receptive to their thoughts of how to run the business. Young people are very innovative. I no longer shut them out. Age and responsibility have little to do with each other. There are some teenagers that are more mature than some adults. It is important for us all not to look at just age. Young people cannot shut the elderly out just because we think they are no longer fit or fully functioning, and vice- versa. This situation also taught me humility. I was arrogant to think someone younger than me was inferior. This was an important trait I lacked in this situation. Humility is essential to be a true loving human being. Without humility you can turn into an ugly person. Without humility you can become arrogant and overbearing. This is how I was becoming to my young coworkers. I gave them attitude when they asked me to do something politely. This is just a bad reflection on my personality. The ability to think objectively is the route to patience and humility.

This situation really helped me improve my relationships with my close friend. In my mind she was irresponsible. But by reading this book and examining this situation made me realize that she is not irresponsible. She just lives her life a different way. I don't judge people anymore and I keep an open mind now. I use to tell her all the time, Why don't you get a better job?, and why are you always cheating on someone?. I realized that flaws don't make a person. It opened up my mind to the nature of man. Man has many vices, but those don't make a person. Man may be immature at times, and lie at times but underneath that man genuinely tries to be good. Mans goal in life is to love. This relates to the situation I experienced in many ways. This experience helps to to relate to others in a more objective way. I still love my friend despite her flaws. I still have love for my coworkers even though they are higher in the ladder. I am open minded despite someone flaws, and my preconceived notions. I am now capable of seeing a whole person.

The principle I have achieved through my discovery of open mindedness is patience. Fromm stated that “ patience is necessary if you want to achieve anything.”( Pg 113) I use to lack patience when it came to knowing people. Objectivity is rooted in patience. Patience allows you to get to know people as a whole. Patience is key in all aspects of life. Especially in relationships with others. If you rush through things you will never learn the lesson each situation is trying to teach you. Everything happens for a reason. If you rush through life without learning from situations, you could never grow.

Love is a universal feeling. It can be love for a husband or wife, or it can be love for someone you just meet. Love has different levels. The three main principles that must be achieved in the art of loving is patience, humility and open-mindedness. These are the principles that define love and propel the art of loving in everyday life. I have achieved all three. I am constantly practicing these principles so I can continue to grow and mature as a person. The art of love is never ending. Each aspect requires practice and concentration.  

Music as self expression

Music is a way of expressing yourself and relieving the stress of everyday life. Music to me is an abstract expression of who you are. It defines you.  Music can empower the masses.  Music can bring you up when you are feeling down. Whether it be the lyrics or the beat, music can move you.  Music is a representation of thought depending on what generation you are from. It defines the culture at that moment in time. For example, the music present day is controversial and upbeat. The generation that I am from, the 80’s babies are outspoken, loud, energized, and lives in the now.  Music has transformed over hundreds of years. Present day music is explicit, uncensored. Present day music talks about various topics. From hanging out with your friends and drinking, to war.

My favorite artist is Eminem.  His music is very controversial. He speaks whatever is on his mind. I really admire this about him because he speaks his mind no matter what. He demands to be heard. This inspires me to live life more boldly and not be so passive. If you say what is on your mind and what is in your heart, no matter the content, people will listen. I write poetry to be heard. I relieve my frustrations by putting my thoughts on to paper and reciting them. This helps me to cope with whatever is going on in my life. When you write, whether it is poetry, a song, or a free write, those words are an expression of who you are.  Even instrumentals are an expression of self because sometimes you cannot put into words your emotions or thoughts, they just are. 

                His Music is music has gotten better over time. You listen to his music and it shows how he has evolved.  His most recent album is some of his best work. He is no longer at his prime but it shows how far he has come and what he has experienced.  His new album “Recovery” talks about how he was at the lowest point in his life and how he is healing from this. I think this really shows how low you have to go sometimes to realize truth. Not only the truth about yourself, but also the world.  My favorite song off his album is called “Not afraid”. This is a great example of how music can move you, both physically and mentally. It can make you want to get up and dance or can put you into deep thought. The beat and lyrics give you a feeling of empowerment and fearlessness.  This song inspires me to take control of my life. The line of his song that gives me this feeling is when he says,” I’m standing up, Imma face my demons. I’ve had enough now I’m so fed up.” He expresses that he has had enough of feeling down; it’s time to lift your spirits and conquer life. This song has affected me in many ways.

                 It has given me more courage to face my fears and to take control of my life. Eminem lost control of his life when he became addicted to prescription drugs. He fought hard to get his life on track. He was fed up and reached his bottom.  Sometimes you have to be in darkness for a while to know how good the light feels. He escaped his cave. His body and mind were exhausted. You can become mentally exhausted from stress. Music can help you break free for a moment.  I was never addicted to drugs and I don’t know what that feels like, but I can relate to his story. What I do draw from his story is that you can overcome you difficulties no matter what they are. His lyrics can inspire to face your fears. My biggest fear was failure. I am on the road to completely conquering that fear. Overcoming weaknesses does not occur over night.  Your fears can consume you and take control of your life. It can hold you back from achieving your goals. His music helps me cope with my difficulties. It is not necessarily an escape, but lifts my spirits and gives me motivation. In order to reach truth and overcome your problems, you must take a position of strength.  Without strength, weakness takes over. Perseverance guides us through life.

 Music is a big part of our everyday lives. It can set a particular mood or brining change to popular culture. Music is a big part of our culture. This is seen through people always having their iPods on. People are always listening.  Music allows you to disconnect for a moment and leaves you with your own thoughts. It blocks out the noise from the outside and puts you into a trance. It can also be the bridge to other cultures if you are both enjoying the beat. Music is a universal language and moves us all in similar ways. 

Eminem's Music Video "Not Afraid"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ArPEkTNb0Y