Distinguished

What makes the mythical tale of Romeo and Juliet so well-known? Why do people notoriously identify these two individuals as the most prominent love couple of all time? As pronounced in class as the number one reputed couple I have begun to establish some theories as to why this might be. During class, the relationship between epic poetry and video games got me thinking about the same relationship epic Greek mythology shares with super hero figures. I have concluded that during times of economic hardship and country dishevelment film producers turn to heroic characters to pitch as movie themes. These times of uncertainty are masked with the heroic and super powers of Greek Gods and Superheros.

The following movies pictured above are all movies that released in 2011 alone and introduced a recurring theme to the superhero genre. Ordinary citizens given super hero powers overnight become public figures for justice and well being.

Greed

When reading Ovid Book V, I found it much easier to read/comprehend the literate discourse after going through the pages and underlying Phoebus and writing Apollo, or underlying Pluto and writing Hades. The sheet that you handed out really helped me understand Ovid and the connection between other Greek Myths. After reading Ceres and Proserpina, my favorite passage is

There Pluto—almost in one instant—saw,

Was struck with longing, carried that girl off—

So quick—unhesitating—was his love.

At this time, Hades (after being struck by cupid) has a desire for Proserpina (who was picking flowers) and takes her away. This passage embodies Ovid as a whole. Again the reader bears witness to the Gods imperfect greed. Despite Proserpina’s own will, Hades simply takes what he wants. The Gods remind me of children in the sandbox. Each God wants to have the biggest castle, the prettiest toys and the most sand.  

Love

Yes, love. Love is the word of the day. Today in class you had the class raise their hand if they had been hit my the gold arrow of Cupid.

Looking around the room I noticed no one was eagar to admit they past tense or present tense fallen into deep love with another. Even I consider myself to have found love and didn't jump at the opportunity to share. But then you asked the class to raise their hand if they had been hit with the lead arrow of Cupid. A dozen or so hands raised as my classmates admitted to dodging love.

This made me wonder, why were people embarrassed to admit they have loved another, but not so when admitting to denying others' love. Personally I think it all boils down to vulnerability and the humans natural instinct to avoid feeling rejected.

Soul

Throughout our in-class discussion on the existence of the soul I was reminded of a early 20^th century physician who conducted “weighing” experiments. These experiments would weigh the human body moments before and after death. The weight difference was thought to be proof of the existence of the soul by some; however his experiments were also thought to have little scientific worth. Still Dr. MacDougall found that the body lost 21 grams moments after death, thus in his eyes, proving the soul weights 21 grams. Pretty interesting stuff if you ask me. I am surprised to see his study has not been reproduced. While I find this interesting, I don’t know if I even truly understand what the soul is or is made up of. Sure, I could define a socially accepted definition, but for my own purposes I don’t know how I feel on the matter. Moreover, I don’t really care that I don’t side one way or another. I know how this sounds but I know who I am and what I feel. I don’t feel the need to explain the interworking of my existent or non-existent soul.

Divorced

Throughout the lecture for both Theories and Mythology you used the word “divorced” to illustrate the differences between to ideas. I couldn’t help but realize the living and the dead are also two ideas divorced of one another. After all, practicing dying and the act of being dead is so divorced from life itself I have a hard time grasping the thought of trying such a thing. Why would I practice being dead while I am still alive, the thought seems morbid. But that makes me think of the student in class who asked why death has to be depressing. This got me thinking about western education and how society equates loss to death. So if death isn’t depressing is it joyful? Maybe there is an in-between, the world is not black and white and death surely isn’t the exception. Could death be peaceful, even a state of contentment? In order to find an answer of my own I suppose I would have to practice the act of dying. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. For me, life is a constant state of progression. So must I digress in order to understand death? And in understanding death would I understand life? It seems cliché to say, but doesn’t clarity come best when the pressures of life are no longer present?  Does it have to take approaching death to understand life? The idea of death or reality of death leading to new life extracts the only kind of reasoning that comes from the soul. Distraction from reality and truth ultimately leads to legitimacy of life. Right? The fact that there are more question marks than periods reassures me that I have absolutely no idea what I am taking about—which is exactly how one should feel when examining Plato’s Phaedo.

Divorced. Being that I am a clueless college student unsure of my own beliefs puts me right between ignorance and knowledgeable. One could say I am divorced from life and death in the same way I am divorced from ignorance and knowledge. 

Word of the Day

After a great deal of thought I have decided to fashion this blog into an expanded version of “word of the day.” After each class or each week I will develop connections between a single word and the ideas and discussion of our class. I like the notion of a simplified linguistic tool working as a metaphor for a greater impression. One of the flaws in my writing is I tend to overstate or complicate an idea that can be more simply stated. This blog will act as both learning tool for me and an expansion of class discussion.