Ninth Class

In this class, we went over some Sarte and Simone de Beauvoir. The questions that majorly stuck with me were from the Simone de Beauvoir section so that is what I will be covering for this particular blog post today. The first of these questions that piqued my curiosity was one about common ways we find ourselves not willing to be free. I think that this is something I actually find myself thinking about quite a lot but I never had it put into a question like this. I think that in the current state of the world - with the coronavirus going around - there are obvious reasons for our freedoms to be limited in the short-term as a precaution for everyone's safety. However, a sentiment I and my friends have shared is that, even though we now have less freedom to go places and do things, we are still doing essentially what we would have done anyway. We stay inside, play videogames, and study. I think the reason behind this comes from simply relying on what we know and what is easy. Sure it would be great for me to get out and live life - read a book and better myself. What holds me back is knowing I could do those things but it would really just be much easier to keep doing what I have been doing which is skating by on minimal effort - consuming the same media and watching the same screens as always. As for whether or not it is immoral to limit one's own freedom I would say that it is permissible rather than immoral. Certainly one isn't putting out any more good into the world by not taking action with their freedom but I don't think that in and of itself is committing an immoral act. I would say since the only person affected is yourself then it isn't necessarily making a negative impact on the world. There is something to be said about inaction allowing bad things to happen but I think the only solution would be everyone constantly taking advantage of their own freedoms which isn't realistic according to human nature in my opinion. The next question that got my attention was whether or not there was a time when you were the other when you believed that you were the one. I would say that any instance of competition where I lost made me realize I'm not necessarily always the not the world is serving or going to hand things to. I am simply one of many trying their best to make it through life. I think that in actuality we all believe ourselves to be the one but there is nothing but "the other" at the end of the day. I think a time where I would make the decision to be a part of the other would be in a school assembly. I would not want to be the people down on the floor shouting and trying to get people hyped up - I would much rather just fade into the background and be insignificant in situations like that where you are being judged by almost everyone else in the room.