What do people see as a good and meaningful life?
People base the meaning of a good and meaningful life on their personal experiences and what they view around them. Everyday people are exposed to different points of view on what makes a good and meaningful life. The media has a huge impact on what is socially accepted as a “good” or “meaningful” life. My definition of a good and meaningful life is a combination of what I believe without any influence from society and along with the millions and billions of people, who watch television, listen to music, etc.
Without thinking of the influence the media has on me, I personally believe a good and meaningful life is being happy and at peace with myself. I need to understand myself in order to live a good and meaningful life. But unfortunately that is not always true, when I watch television, or listen to music I am being told that living a good life is being successful and rich, or finding true love.
Oct 30, 2008
comment on http://whereintheworldisntcarmensandiego.blogspot.com/
Hi,
Reading over your analysis of "Good Life" I completely agree with you in #1, it was overly apparent that a "good life" is being rich and successful (along with attracting sexy woman). But while watching the video I also thought that having a good life was going from poor to rich, "rags to riches." (just a thought)
I'm a bit confused when you say the video supports and disagrees with the underlying message of the song in #3. So in the music video the pictures show the items that one needs to have a good life, but I thought that this message went along with the one about having money and being successful. Maybe I'm confused. But overall I really enjoyed reading your analysis of "Good Life," it was really insightful and well thought out.
Reading over your analysis of "Good Life" I completely agree with you in #1, it was overly apparent that a "good life" is being rich and successful (along with attracting sexy woman). But while watching the video I also thought that having a good life was going from poor to rich, "rags to riches." (just a thought)
I'm a bit confused when you say the video supports and disagrees with the underlying message of the song in #3. So in the music video the pictures show the items that one needs to have a good life, but I thought that this message went along with the one about having money and being successful. Maybe I'm confused. But overall I really enjoyed reading your analysis of "Good Life," it was really insightful and well thought out.
Oct 21, 2008
comment on: http://johnli1992.blogspot.com/
I like that you stated money "adds onto having a good life" since it is mentioned so often in the song (chorus). Money was also on our Popular Culture's Messages list from class, "get money." Your clarification of "I never seen snakes on a plane," was about sex, I did not realize that until I read the lyrics. Although you could have elaborated after the lyrics in #2, you just mentioned that it was about women, "if you're up to date with the modern day slang." You also could have paraphrased that section of lyrics and then analyzed. Interesting point in #4, when you said you were not too interested in this type of music, but you "vividly remember what was on the video." I believe a huge part of pop culture is how the message is presented. The lights, bold words, pictures to go with the lyrics, etc...its all a way to draw their audience/consumers in to believing the message.
Oct 19, 2008
Assignment #4: Pop Culture
1. What is the song basically saying about how to live a good life? Paraphrase the main idea.
I chose “All you need is Love” by the Beatles, for its lyrics are very simple and repetitive, yet they are very deep and have a strong message within them. Whether it is a good or bad message I have yet to discover, but hopefully within my analysis I will figure out the message. The song’s message may be how to live a good life or how to live an “okay” life.
The song “All You Need is Love” is basically saying in order to live a good life all one needs is love. One can do anything in life without any trouble at all if they have love. Love is the only thing in life that a person needs to do anything. One can make, say, do, sing, learn, know, see, etc. One can do anything in life with ease, if they have love.
2. What lyrics particularly speak to that perspective? Use quotes as evidence.
The lyrics plainly say to the audience, “there’s nothing you can do that can’t be done…all you need is love,” meaning one can accomplish anything in life and live a good life if they have love. “All you need is love.” It is also said you can do anything, “its easy.” Life can be easy if you have love in your life or if one believes in love. The Beatles write in the lyrics: “you can learn how to play the game,” do they mean the game of love? Why is love titled as a game? So if love is a game, you have to learn how to play the game of love so you can “learn how to be you in time.” But I still do not understand why learning the game of love will help one learn to be oneself in time?
Although I do understand that loving yourself will help you understand yourself and that is how to live a good life. The part of this song that confuses me to the point of annoyance is that the Beatles say, “love is a game” that one must learn to play, why must love be a game? I feel love should be a feeling one has within them, about themselves and towards others and not something to toy with, or “throw around,” it can be hurtful to oneself and towards others. Which could possibly turn a good life into a bad way to live.
3. How do the video images support, re-orient, or challenge the dominant theme of the lyrics? Analyze.
The video images support the song’s lyrics in many ways. Firstly the Beatles were all wearing lightly colored clothing, some with a floral print. Giving this peaceful image, a hippie-vibe. Everyone in the video looks happy and they look like they are having fun, listening to music, singing along, and
But I believe they are missing a very important part of the message, “all you need is love,” you have to be able to love yourself before you can love others. You have to know and understand yourself, before you know how to express that emotion to somebody else. This is something they do not mention in the song and I believe it is very important to live a “good life.”
4. What else do you notice that's interesting? Look for internal contradictions, aspects of the message that resonate with other messages from the pop culture, points that connect to your own perspective, etc. Analyze squared.
In the lyrics: the word “love” is written 32 times. The couple of last lines of the song are interesting: “She loves you.” During the entire song it talks about how all one needs in life is love, but at that end they sing about how “she” loves a person. This leaves me with a few questions: 1. Who is “she?” 2. Why does “she love you?” 3. Why is this line said at the end of the song? 4. Who is this intended for? Who is meant to here this? 5. Why is it significant to the song in general? 6. Does it have another meaning or significance? Does it have a deeper meaning?
In the video: the people did not seem to be too into the song, except one guy who was singing alone. There was a group of people. A peace sign was hanging from the ceiling, along with a large structure of the Earth. It looks like this was filmed in a studio, since the camera keeps zooming in and out so the one can get a full view from all angles. Balloons, flowers, people playing stringed instruments, and people playing the trombone and trumpets; wearing light colors: purple, light blue, white, turquoise, balloons w/ the word “LOVE” written on them. Crowd bops their heads, claps their heads. Wears a flower behind his ear, smiles, and dancing. Near the end of the song people start walking around with huge signs saying, “L AMOUR V LIEBE,” “COME BACK MILLY’S,” “LOVE JIOBOV AMOR AMORE” (or something like that), “NEED LOVE?” Confetti falls and people dance as the music fades away. At the end of the video there is a picture of the world, which I guess could mean, peace on Earth, or something like that.
I chose “All you need is Love” by the Beatles, for its lyrics are very simple and repetitive, yet they are very deep and have a strong message within them. Whether it is a good or bad message I have yet to discover, but hopefully within my analysis I will figure out the message. The song’s message may be how to live a good life or how to live an “okay” life.
The song “All You Need is Love” is basically saying in order to live a good life all one needs is love. One can do anything in life without any trouble at all if they have love. Love is the only thing in life that a person needs to do anything. One can make, say, do, sing, learn, know, see, etc. One can do anything in life with ease, if they have love.
2. What lyrics particularly speak to that perspective? Use quotes as evidence.
The lyrics plainly say to the audience, “there’s nothing you can do that can’t be done…all you need is love,” meaning one can accomplish anything in life and live a good life if they have love. “All you need is love.” It is also said you can do anything, “its easy.” Life can be easy if you have love in your life or if one believes in love. The Beatles write in the lyrics: “you can learn how to play the game,” do they mean the game of love? Why is love titled as a game? So if love is a game, you have to learn how to play the game of love so you can “learn how to be you in time.” But I still do not understand why learning the game of love will help one learn to be oneself in time?
Although I do understand that loving yourself will help you understand yourself and that is how to live a good life. The part of this song that confuses me to the point of annoyance is that the Beatles say, “love is a game” that one must learn to play, why must love be a game? I feel love should be a feeling one has within them, about themselves and towards others and not something to toy with, or “throw around,” it can be hurtful to oneself and towards others. Which could possibly turn a good life into a bad way to live.
3. How do the video images support, re-orient, or challenge the dominant theme of the lyrics? Analyze.
The video images support the song’s lyrics in many ways. Firstly the Beatles were all wearing lightly colored clothing, some with a floral print. Giving this peaceful image, a hippie-vibe. Everyone in the video looks happy and they look like they are having fun, listening to music, singing along, and
But I believe they are missing a very important part of the message, “all you need is love,” you have to be able to love yourself before you can love others. You have to know and understand yourself, before you know how to express that emotion to somebody else. This is something they do not mention in the song and I believe it is very important to live a “good life.”
4. What else do you notice that's interesting? Look for internal contradictions, aspects of the message that resonate with other messages from the pop culture, points that connect to your own perspective, etc. Analyze squared.
In the lyrics: the word “love” is written 32 times. The couple of last lines of the song are interesting: “She loves you.” During the entire song it talks about how all one needs in life is love, but at that end they sing about how “she” loves a person. This leaves me with a few questions: 1. Who is “she?” 2. Why does “she love you?” 3. Why is this line said at the end of the song? 4. Who is this intended for? Who is meant to here this? 5. Why is it significant to the song in general? 6. Does it have another meaning or significance? Does it have a deeper meaning?
In the video: the people did not seem to be too into the song, except one guy who was singing alone. There was a group of people. A peace sign was hanging from the ceiling, along with a large structure of the Earth. It looks like this was filmed in a studio, since the camera keeps zooming in and out so the one can get a full view from all angles. Balloons, flowers, people playing stringed instruments, and people playing the trombone and trumpets; wearing light colors: purple, light blue, white, turquoise, balloons w/ the word “LOVE” written on them. Crowd bops their heads, claps their heads. Wears a flower behind his ear, smiles, and dancing. Near the end of the song people start walking around with huge signs saying, “L AMOUR V LIEBE,” “COME BACK MILLY’S,” “LOVE JIOBOV AMOR AMORE” (or something like that), “NEED LOVE?” Confetti falls and people dance as the music fades away. At the end of the video there is a picture of the world, which I guess could mean, peace on Earth, or something like that.
Oct 13, 2008
Assignment #3-photo upload not working
What do the people around you say about living meaningfully?
Some would say that they live a meaningful life because that is what they believe they are doing each and everyday of their life. Walking down the street in New York City I had the opportunity to interview a few strangers and pry out their personal opinions from their tightly clenched consciences.
It was interesting to hear what random people walking down the street had to say about their meaning of life. But it must have been extremely weird from their perspective on the matter. Looking back over my notes I realized that many of my interviewees gave vague answers to the questions I asked. Such as: (1) What is wisdom, (2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful would you say your life is? (3) What are the most meaningful aspects of you life? (4) Do you have any meaningless aspects of your life? If so, what are they? (5) Do you think any human life is sacred? Most people were in such a hurry to get on with their everyday lives, they felt they had little time to spend discussing their own meaning of life.
When I first began asking each person a question they gave answers in a rush and the answer was usually a one or two word answer. But as the interview progressed they seemed to have started to actually think deeply about the question asked and what they truly thought.
My first street interview, with a random person, was a woman, most likely in her early to mid-thirties walking down Park Avenue between 22nd and 21st Streets. She was wearing jeans and a black shirt, with black flats. I spotted her on her way to the deli. She seemed quite alarmed and uninterested when I introduced myself and mentioned that I would like to ask her a few questions on her meaning of life for my course paper. This seemed to be a pattern in most people’s behavior when a stranger walks up to them and wants to ask them questions.
The next person I saw on the street was a homeless man who sits by a mailbox on 18th street and Park Avenue. He always sits there and talks to people walking by. For these interviews I really wanted to talk to a variety of people so I figured it was be interesting to people who have different perspectives on their lives and how to live them, just by looking at them.
I was also able to interview the winner of Survivor: Africa, Ethan Zohan who was sponsoring an event that happened to be very meaningful to him. He is apart of an organization called Grassroot Soccer. A friend of his was also there recording the event on a video camera allowed me to have an interview with him as well. But as I had listened to them speak individually I found that even though they both found that this organization is important to them they had very different ideas about the meaning of their lives’.
I also was able to interview my mom and my younger brother. It was quite interesting to hear what my younger brother, Jin, had to say about how meaningful his life is because he is the youngest interviewee I had. I felt that he would have a new and fresh look on the world and the meaningful aspects of life. Which is completely true, unlike anyone else I was able to interview, Jin, was the only one who did not say friends were a meaningful aspects of his life but instead said that his bed was. Jin described his bed as being “a sanctuary” he does not like to share his bed with anyone else, it is very personal to him. He finds it peaceful and it should be a meaningful place because he “will spend one-third of his life sleeping,” it is a necessity of life.
A pattern that I noticed during my interviews was that most everyone said that family is a meaningful aspect of their life. I wonder why people say family is the most meaningful aspect of their life as if it is just something you say, like an automatic answer. For instance, if I were to ask someone, what are the most meaningful aspects of your life, the fist think to come out of their mouth is “family,” then there is a pause because they start thinking about other aspects of their life that are meaningful as well.
Although the homeless man on 18th street and Park Avenue and Ethan Zohan did not say that family was one of the most meaningful aspect of their lives, the homeless man said that “children are meaningful” and Ethan said that “the organization Grassroot Soccer is meaningful” to him. This is so because the homeless man and Ethan do not have family around them or mention a husband/wife/children, or have any sign that they were with family or married for that fact. Whereas the other interviewees all said that family is one of the most meaningful aspects of their lives’. (i.e. my mom, my younger brother, the woman walking to the deli, and the video man). The homeless man was not with any family or lives with any family. But he does notice the children of New York City and realizes “they are our future.” So he feels that children are a meaningful aspect of this life. Ethan on the other hand did not mention children as a meaningful aspect of his life but said that the organization he is apart of Grassroot Soccer is meaningful to him because it helps people in need. Ethan also did not have any family at the organization’s event unlike the cameraman who had his wife there.
It is one of those interesting things about life, where complete strangers think alike and yet have different beliefs or in other cases do not think alike at all.
Some would say that they live a meaningful life because that is what they believe they are doing each and everyday of their life. Walking down the street in New York City I had the opportunity to interview a few strangers and pry out their personal opinions from their tightly clenched consciences.
It was interesting to hear what random people walking down the street had to say about their meaning of life. But it must have been extremely weird from their perspective on the matter. Looking back over my notes I realized that many of my interviewees gave vague answers to the questions I asked. Such as: (1) What is wisdom, (2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful would you say your life is? (3) What are the most meaningful aspects of you life? (4) Do you have any meaningless aspects of your life? If so, what are they? (5) Do you think any human life is sacred? Most people were in such a hurry to get on with their everyday lives, they felt they had little time to spend discussing their own meaning of life.
When I first began asking each person a question they gave answers in a rush and the answer was usually a one or two word answer. But as the interview progressed they seemed to have started to actually think deeply about the question asked and what they truly thought.
My first street interview, with a random person, was a woman, most likely in her early to mid-thirties walking down Park Avenue between 22nd and 21st Streets. She was wearing jeans and a black shirt, with black flats. I spotted her on her way to the deli. She seemed quite alarmed and uninterested when I introduced myself and mentioned that I would like to ask her a few questions on her meaning of life for my course paper. This seemed to be a pattern in most people’s behavior when a stranger walks up to them and wants to ask them questions.
The next person I saw on the street was a homeless man who sits by a mailbox on 18th street and Park Avenue. He always sits there and talks to people walking by. For these interviews I really wanted to talk to a variety of people so I figured it was be interesting to people who have different perspectives on their lives and how to live them, just by looking at them.
I was also able to interview the winner of Survivor: Africa, Ethan Zohan who was sponsoring an event that happened to be very meaningful to him. He is apart of an organization called Grassroot Soccer. A friend of his was also there recording the event on a video camera allowed me to have an interview with him as well. But as I had listened to them speak individually I found that even though they both found that this organization is important to them they had very different ideas about the meaning of their lives’.
I also was able to interview my mom and my younger brother. It was quite interesting to hear what my younger brother, Jin, had to say about how meaningful his life is because he is the youngest interviewee I had. I felt that he would have a new and fresh look on the world and the meaningful aspects of life. Which is completely true, unlike anyone else I was able to interview, Jin, was the only one who did not say friends were a meaningful aspects of his life but instead said that his bed was. Jin described his bed as being “a sanctuary” he does not like to share his bed with anyone else, it is very personal to him. He finds it peaceful and it should be a meaningful place because he “will spend one-third of his life sleeping,” it is a necessity of life.
A pattern that I noticed during my interviews was that most everyone said that family is a meaningful aspect of their life. I wonder why people say family is the most meaningful aspect of their life as if it is just something you say, like an automatic answer. For instance, if I were to ask someone, what are the most meaningful aspects of your life, the fist think to come out of their mouth is “family,” then there is a pause because they start thinking about other aspects of their life that are meaningful as well.
Although the homeless man on 18th street and Park Avenue and Ethan Zohan did not say that family was one of the most meaningful aspect of their lives, the homeless man said that “children are meaningful” and Ethan said that “the organization Grassroot Soccer is meaningful” to him. This is so because the homeless man and Ethan do not have family around them or mention a husband/wife/children, or have any sign that they were with family or married for that fact. Whereas the other interviewees all said that family is one of the most meaningful aspects of their lives’. (i.e. my mom, my younger brother, the woman walking to the deli, and the video man). The homeless man was not with any family or lives with any family. But he does notice the children of New York City and realizes “they are our future.” So he feels that children are a meaningful aspect of this life. Ethan on the other hand did not mention children as a meaningful aspect of his life but said that the organization he is apart of Grassroot Soccer is meaningful to him because it helps people in need. Ethan also did not have any family at the organization’s event unlike the cameraman who had his wife there.
It is one of those interesting things about life, where complete strangers think alike and yet have different beliefs or in other cases do not think alike at all.
Oct 12, 2008
not done yet 10/10/08
What do the people around you say about living meaningfully?
Some would say that they live a meaningful life because that is what they believe they are doing each and everyday of their life. Walking down the street in New York City I had the opportunity to interview a few strangers and pry out their personal opinions from their tightly clenched consciences.
It was interesting to hear what random people walking down the street had to say about their meaning of life. But it must have been extremely weird from their perspective on the matter. Looking back over my notes I realized that many of my interviewees gave vague answers to the questions I asked. Such as: (1) What is wisdom, (2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful would you say your life is? (3) What are the most meaningful aspects of you life? (4) Do you have any meaningless aspects of your life? If so, what are they? (5) Do you think any human life is sacred? Most people were in such a hurry to get on with their everyday lives, they felt they had little time to spend discussing their own meaning of life.
When I first began asking each person a question they gave answers in a rush and the answer was usually a one or two word answer. But as the interview progressed they seemed to have started to actually think deeply about the question asked and what they truly thought.
My first street interview, with a random person, was a woman, most likely in her early to mid-thirties walking down Park Avenue between 22nd and 21st Streets. She was wearing jeans and a black shirt, with black flats. I spotted her on her way to the deli. She seemed quite alarmed and uninterested when I introduced myself and mentioned that I would like to ask her a few questions on her meaning of life for my course paper. This seemed to be a pattern in most people’s behavior when a stranger walks up to them and wants to ask them questions.
The next person I saw on the street was a homeless man who sits by a mailbox on 18th street and Park Avenue. He always sits there and talks to people walking by. For these interviews I really wanted to talk to a variety of people so I figured it was be interesting to people who have different perspectives on their lives and how to live them, just by looking at them.
I was also able to interview the winner of Survivor: Africa, Ethan Zohan who was sponsoring an event that happened to be very meaningful to him. He is apart of an organization called Grassroot Soccer. A friend of his was also there recording the event on a video camera allowed me to have an interview with him as well. But as I had listened to them speak individually I found that even though they both found that this organization is important to them they had very different ideas about the meaning of their lives’.
Some would say that they live a meaningful life because that is what they believe they are doing each and everyday of their life. Walking down the street in New York City I had the opportunity to interview a few strangers and pry out their personal opinions from their tightly clenched consciences.
It was interesting to hear what random people walking down the street had to say about their meaning of life. But it must have been extremely weird from their perspective on the matter. Looking back over my notes I realized that many of my interviewees gave vague answers to the questions I asked. Such as: (1) What is wisdom, (2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful would you say your life is? (3) What are the most meaningful aspects of you life? (4) Do you have any meaningless aspects of your life? If so, what are they? (5) Do you think any human life is sacred? Most people were in such a hurry to get on with their everyday lives, they felt they had little time to spend discussing their own meaning of life.
When I first began asking each person a question they gave answers in a rush and the answer was usually a one or two word answer. But as the interview progressed they seemed to have started to actually think deeply about the question asked and what they truly thought.
My first street interview, with a random person, was a woman, most likely in her early to mid-thirties walking down Park Avenue between 22nd and 21st Streets. She was wearing jeans and a black shirt, with black flats. I spotted her on her way to the deli. She seemed quite alarmed and uninterested when I introduced myself and mentioned that I would like to ask her a few questions on her meaning of life for my course paper. This seemed to be a pattern in most people’s behavior when a stranger walks up to them and wants to ask them questions.
The next person I saw on the street was a homeless man who sits by a mailbox on 18th street and Park Avenue. He always sits there and talks to people walking by. For these interviews I really wanted to talk to a variety of people so I figured it was be interesting to people who have different perspectives on their lives and how to live them, just by looking at them.
I was also able to interview the winner of Survivor: Africa, Ethan Zohan who was sponsoring an event that happened to be very meaningful to him. He is apart of an organization called Grassroot Soccer. A friend of his was also there recording the event on a video camera allowed me to have an interview with him as well. But as I had listened to them speak individually I found that even though they both found that this organization is important to them they had very different ideas about the meaning of their lives’.
Oct 7, 2008
Rough "Rough" Draft of Assignment 3...its basically just notes and my personal thoughts 10/07/08
The interviews:
Ian
1) What is wisdom?
→Understanding yourself, experience.
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→8
3) What are the most meaningful parts of your life?
→Family and friends
4) What makes a life meaningful?
→“Having fun, doing what I like to do.”
5) What is meaningless in you life?
→“Umm…tv.”
6) How can you make your life more meaningful?
→“Having fun doing everything.”
Lady with perfume, black shirt, jeans, middle aged (maybe in mid-thirties), on Park Ave.
1) What is wisdom?
→Age
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→10 (she took a minute to answer this question but when she did, she said it with confidence and definitively)
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”My family, my friends, and my health are very important to me.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”Umm…..I guess material things.”
5) Is human life sacred?
→”Ahh, wow [laughing], umm…yes.”
Homeless man sitting against the mail box on 18th St. and Park Ave, white beard, yellow teeth.
1) What is wisdom?
→”I would say wisdom is knowledge.”
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→”I believe my life has purpose, so I would say 8, [laughing] I’d like to be a 10 to tell you the truth.”
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”Children, yes, they are very important. They are our future. We need to outreach and teach them more.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”Hmm, money. You know money isn’t everything. Do we need it, yes. Do we want it, yes, sometimes. But its not always needed. Have you every heard people say ‘money is the rule of all evil’? I believe that’s true.”
5) Is human life sacred?
→”Yes I would like to think that is true but no…people should be, but they don’t [grave digging, war, etc.], I’d like to think so.”
Video man, Grassroot Soccer, MLS W.O.R.K.S., to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, (in mid to late 20’s), standing outside of Chipotle [Union Square]
1) What is wisdom?
→“Ahhmm….wisdom, I’d say is experience and age, yea.”
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→”[sigh] a 7.”
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”Meaningful parts? Umm…defiantly sports, I like sports and my family. Oh and this conversation with you is meaningful because without you asking me that question I would have never thought of what is meaningful to me. So thanks for that.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”I’d like to say soccer [laughing] oh but no, no, umm….religion.”
5) Is human life sacred?
→”It depends.”
Ethan Zohan, winner of Survivor: Africa, in charge of Grassroot Soccer, MLS W.O.R.K.S., to raise awareness about HIV/ AIDS, standing outside of Chipotle [Union Square]
Ethan Zohan is the guy in the front row with curly hair.
1) What is wisdom?
→”What is wisdom…wisdom is knowledge and having the ability to spread happiness to others.”
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→”[laughing] I’m a 7.962.” (I just wanted to mention, I don’t think Ethan was taking this question seriously but whatever, at least I got an answer out of him, he seemed stubborn at times.)
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”This organization, Grassroot Soccer in coaliation with MLS W.O.R.K.S. is very meaningful to me. That’s what everyone is doing here today, we kicked soccer balls around the city and the commissioner has come down to present us with an official certificate of recognition, naming today October 3, 2008 Dribble Day 2008. Soccer is very rewarding, it’s my favorite sport and it helps kids stay healthy.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”Hmm…everything has a purpose in life.” (he made a joke about his hair being useless, he has it but its not that important to him)
5) Is human life sacred?
→”yes.”
Kimberley Ann Omae, my mom, mother of two, 52.
1) What is wisdom?
→”Wisdom is experience, you have to have experienced it yourself.”
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→”10.”
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”My children are the most meaningful to me and of course my own life.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”rare and few.” (that’s all she told me, I tried to get a better or clearer answer from here but she was too tired)
5) Is human life sacred?
“yes.”
Jin Nicholas Omae, younger brother, attends School of the Future, 16.
1) What is wisdom?
→”Knowledge.”
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→”9.”
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”Ok…(1) Family (2) my bed – its my sanctuary and I spend 1/3 of my life there (3) my personal space.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”Ughhhh [sighing]…they are endless – garbage, Jessica Cooper, ‘The Sound of Music,’ charities, etc.”
5) Is human life sacred?
→”Not really, no.” (I was not satisfied with this answer so I asked him what he meant.) “I just don’t think that 1 person is going to change the world you know. One person is not that significant. No one person has more significance than the other.”
One thing that I found quite interesting is after a few questions I think many of the people I had interviewed found themselves puzzled. I do not think they had never taken the time to think about the meaning of their life or if they have any meaningful aspects of their life. I also think it was the fact that a complete stranger was asking these questions.
Ian
1) What is wisdom?
→Understanding yourself, experience.
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→8
3) What are the most meaningful parts of your life?
→Family and friends
4) What makes a life meaningful?
→“Having fun, doing what I like to do.”
5) What is meaningless in you life?
→“Umm…tv.”
6) How can you make your life more meaningful?
→“Having fun doing everything.”
Lady with perfume, black shirt, jeans, middle aged (maybe in mid-thirties), on Park Ave.
1) What is wisdom?
→Age
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→10 (she took a minute to answer this question but when she did, she said it with confidence and definitively)
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”My family, my friends, and my health are very important to me.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”Umm…..I guess material things.”
5) Is human life sacred?
→”Ahh, wow [laughing], umm…yes.”
Homeless man sitting against the mail box on 18th St. and Park Ave, white beard, yellow teeth.
1) What is wisdom?
→”I would say wisdom is knowledge.”
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→”I believe my life has purpose, so I would say 8, [laughing] I’d like to be a 10 to tell you the truth.”
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”Children, yes, they are very important. They are our future. We need to outreach and teach them more.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”Hmm, money. You know money isn’t everything. Do we need it, yes. Do we want it, yes, sometimes. But its not always needed. Have you every heard people say ‘money is the rule of all evil’? I believe that’s true.”
5) Is human life sacred?
→”Yes I would like to think that is true but no…people should be, but they don’t [grave digging, war, etc.], I’d like to think so.”
Video man, Grassroot Soccer, MLS W.O.R.K.S., to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, (in mid to late 20’s), standing outside of Chipotle [Union Square]
1) What is wisdom?
→“Ahhmm….wisdom, I’d say is experience and age, yea.”
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→”[sigh] a 7.”
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”Meaningful parts? Umm…defiantly sports, I like sports and my family. Oh and this conversation with you is meaningful because without you asking me that question I would have never thought of what is meaningful to me. So thanks for that.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”I’d like to say soccer [laughing] oh but no, no, umm….religion.”
5) Is human life sacred?
→”It depends.”
Ethan Zohan, winner of Survivor: Africa, in charge of Grassroot Soccer, MLS W.O.R.K.S., to raise awareness about HIV/ AIDS, standing outside of Chipotle [Union Square]
Ethan Zohan is the guy in the front row with curly hair.
1) What is wisdom?
→”What is wisdom…wisdom is knowledge and having the ability to spread happiness to others.”
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→”[laughing] I’m a 7.962.” (I just wanted to mention, I don’t think Ethan was taking this question seriously but whatever, at least I got an answer out of him, he seemed stubborn at times.)
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”This organization, Grassroot Soccer in coaliation with MLS W.O.R.K.S. is very meaningful to me. That’s what everyone is doing here today, we kicked soccer balls around the city and the commissioner has come down to present us with an official certificate of recognition, naming today October 3, 2008 Dribble Day 2008. Soccer is very rewarding, it’s my favorite sport and it helps kids stay healthy.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”Hmm…everything has a purpose in life.” (he made a joke about his hair being useless, he has it but its not that important to him)
5) Is human life sacred?
→”yes.”
Kimberley Ann Omae, my mom, mother of two, 52.
1) What is wisdom?
→”Wisdom is experience, you have to have experienced it yourself.”
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→”10.”
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”My children are the most meaningful to me and of course my own life.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”rare and few.” (that’s all she told me, I tried to get a better or clearer answer from here but she was too tired)
5) Is human life sacred?
“yes.”
Jin Nicholas Omae, younger brother, attends School of the Future, 16.
1) What is wisdom?
→”Knowledge.”
2) On a scale of 1-10 how meaningful is your life?
→”9.”
3) What are the meaningful aspects of your life?
→”Ok…(1) Family (2) my bed – its my sanctuary and I spend 1/3 of my life there (3) my personal space.”
4) What are the meaningless aspects of your life?
→”Ughhhh [sighing]…they are endless – garbage, Jessica Cooper, ‘The Sound of Music,’ charities, etc.”
5) Is human life sacred?
→”Not really, no.” (I was not satisfied with this answer so I asked him what he meant.) “I just don’t think that 1 person is going to change the world you know. One person is not that significant. No one person has more significance than the other.”
One thing that I found quite interesting is after a few questions I think many of the people I had interviewed found themselves puzzled. I do not think they had never taken the time to think about the meaning of their life or if they have any meaningful aspects of their life. I also think it was the fact that a complete stranger was asking these questions.
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