Image from: https://philosophersforchange.org/2012/06/05/philosophy-as-critique-and-ideology/. There are three common perspectives that people take on the world: optimism, pessimism, and realism. Of course, people are rarely ever strictly one thing, and will experience a mix of worldviews depending on their day and major life events. Why does it matter how we frame the water in the glass? The water remains the same amount whether it… Read more »
For Americans who take Veterans’ Day seriously, it’s a time to honor those who have served in the military—particularly those who have made “the ultimate sacrifice.” I suspect that for most us though, today is primarily an occasion for a three-day weekend. That’s generally been my perspective, in part because honoring vets is too often confused with endorsing US military… Read more »
I’ve known that I have a strong addiction to my laptop for a while now. Photo from: http://www.cfdlearn.ca/importance-internet-research-implementing-law/. When I was growing up, I lived in a low-tech house. We didn’t have cable or television (only VHS), and I didn’t get a cell phone until high school. I was sheltered from the constant company of electronics. However, when I moved to… Read more »
The most important part of “How to Let Go of the World and Love All The Things Climate Can’t Change” for me was that the film framed the people most affected by climate change, the people in the low-lying areas being ravaged by environmental disasters, as the people who cared the most about the issue. I can’t tell you why,… Read more »
While the distinctions between ‘apathy’ and ‘an overwhelming sensation of caring too much and having your mind shut down’ create different views of how humanity reacts, it still leaves us paralyzed. Emotions and action are still not happening whether it’s because they never existed or they were shut off or ignored. Either way, there’s no way to definitively prove the… Read more »
The point of this class is to care enough to learn and then spread awareness about the impact of our actions. I came in not knowing what the word ‘Anthropocene’ meant. I now know it means humans are a geological force. We are glaciers and meteors and our change is affecting the entire world. However, with the dawning realization of… Read more »
I think one of the most startling aspects of a concept such as the Anthropocene is its ability to elicit a sense of both optimism and pessimism. While reflecting on our past two weeks of class and readings, I realize that I have been consistently torn as to how to approach the topic. Recognizing the strength of Michael Maniates’s argument… Read more »