Final Essay June 2009

In the beginning of the year, one of our very first assignments was to create a video showing what is meaningful in my life or what makes my life meaningful. My art was, still is, and will always be one of the most important aspects of my life that adds to the meaning of my life. Over the past few months we have touched upon several different units, all-relating to living a more meaningful life. I have to say when we first started this course I was not sure what to think about living a good and meaningful life. I felt lost at times because I had never taken the time to think about how I am either living a good and meaningful life or not. I felt the video assignment was really creative and was a good way for me to think about something important to my life and who I am as a human being, an animal, etc.

Later on I learned that people base the meaning of a good and meaningful life on their personal experiences and what they view around them. The media runs our society by setting standards as to what is acceptable in order to live a good and meaningful life. We are no longer the driving force of our decisions because there is too much to be influenced by in our daily lives. Its harder to be "original." Corporate Culture, Dominant, marginal message etc, folk culture

In the beginning my definition of a good and meaningful life was whatever corporate and folk culture had told about the ways of the world. I was and still am influenced by the media and corporate and folk culture but now I know when I see the media trying to persuade me into buying something new or to try a "new and improved" diet, and when to stay away from this type of advertisement. I can spot the propaganda and follow my own knowledge about what I now know about living a good and meaningful life.


Two of my most favorite units were the health and the animal units because these two units have a lot to do with each other. Health was a big unit, there is physical, mental, and moral health.

The animal unit really opened my eyes to how related we are to other animals, we are animals and we act like animals. This unit was a chance to explore what living like an animal like, following our natural instincts and doing thing that are natural to the human body. We talked about the relationship between humans and other animals and also the differences.

At first I was a bit skeptical about the health unit, I didn't understand what it had to do with me living a good and meaningful life. But as we discussed how understanding our physical, mental, and moral health played a part in making my life more meaningful I began to want to know more. Learning how to describe your emotions in words will help you understand more about yourself, why you feel the way you do, and how to make yourself better.

We participated in different physical exercises for example we laid out a mat on the floor and all of us would lie down, then one person would lie on top of everyone else and we would work together to roll our bodies ___ to roll the one person across the room. I have to say, as childish as one may think this sound, it was the most fun I have had in any of my classes all year long.