What does it mean to succeed in life? To succeed is to look backward, forward, and inward without regret. Success is a dynamic state, which consists of an individual constantly taking agency over his or her life. It is accepting one’s circumstances and becoming, through one’s actions, a person about whom he or she feels proud. The various philosophers, political activists, authors, and business people, whose works I explored in my Professional Responsibility and Leadership (PRL) course in college, aided me in my discovery of these truths. Greek philosophers were particularly interested in the idea of eudemonia. The concept translates to the idea of “The Good Life,” but can be more accurately understood to mean a state of human flourishing.
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He rejects the notion that an individual has an obligation to his or her government and believes in the individual’s absolute right to protest actions by his or her government that he or she finds unjust or immoral. Again, upon first reading of Thoreau’s ideas, I understood them to be overly optimistic. Despite understanding his feelings of disgust and moral outrage toward the war, I believed that his views were perhaps too radical to be based in reality; a society could not function if each individual paid taxes only under the condition that he or she agreed with every policy implemented by the government. However, upon further consideration and in-class discussion, I realized that Thoreau’s true thesis is that an individual possesses unlimited freedom. However, in order to enjoy that freedom, he posits, one must practice the virtue of acceptance and be prepared to face the consequences, which are a natural reality of any individual’s …show more content…
Wonder is a sense of amazement and novel appreciation of all that one encounters through life. This virtue inspires excitement, creativity, and gratitude, while insulating one from many of the doldrums of adulthood. Since childhood, I have observed the world around me with wonder and amazement, noticing new details of plants, animals, buildings, and people around me. This virtue fills each day with new experiences and an increased appreciation for the infinite complexities of world around me. Wonder keeps me perpetually young, curious, and hungry for greater knowledge and understanding. I have cultivated this virtue through constant and effortful observation and appreciation of the world around
He rejects the notion that an individual has an obligation to his or her government and believes in the individual’s absolute right to protest actions by his or her government that he or she finds unjust or immoral. Again, upon first reading of Thoreau’s ideas, I understood them to be overly optimistic. Despite understanding his feelings of disgust and moral outrage toward the war, I believed that his views were perhaps too radical to be based in reality; a society could not function if each individual paid taxes only under the condition that he or she agreed with every policy implemented by the government. However, upon further consideration and in-class discussion, I realized that Thoreau’s true thesis is that an individual possesses unlimited freedom. However, in order to enjoy that freedom, he posits, one must practice the virtue of acceptance and be prepared to face the consequences, which are a natural reality of any individual’s …show more content…
Wonder is a sense of amazement and novel appreciation of all that one encounters through life. This virtue inspires excitement, creativity, and gratitude, while insulating one from many of the doldrums of adulthood. Since childhood, I have observed the world around me with wonder and amazement, noticing new details of plants, animals, buildings, and people around me. This virtue fills each day with new experiences and an increased appreciation for the infinite complexities of world around me. Wonder keeps me perpetually young, curious, and hungry for greater knowledge and understanding. I have cultivated this virtue through constant and effortful observation and appreciation of the world around