Joe Hoffmann

The Human Condition

1.

            This week we read an article by M. Scott Peck.  One of the main points in his article is that all Human’s have maps of their lives.  Our maps define how we live our lives, what we do on a daily basis, and our maps are our views of the world, either negative or positive.  In a way, our maps are our Human condition.  Our maps tell us “How we negotiate the terrain of life”-M Scott Peck.  Our maps are our view’s and outlooks on things such as lying, stealing, cheating and weather we think it is ok to do these things.

2.

1.

            One major thing I enjoyed learning about and would like to remember forever was the video with George Carlin about Euphemisms.  This was a very fun and exciting video that taught about the Human Condition.  He said that humans use euphemisms today to avoid facing the harsh reality.  People use euphemisms to soften up a touchy or scary subject.  We use them to deceive ourselves into thinking something is not as bad or harsh as it really is.  Using euphemisms takes the life out of life.  It takes away any excitement and it takes anything that has human characteristics out of a phrase.  My favorite example is that the military doesn’t kill threats anymore, they neutralize them.  To “neutralize” someone is a way to soften up the fact that you killed them.  Another example is that people are no longer stupid, they have a learning disorder.

 

2.

            Another major thing we did in class that I want to remember is the Right Speech Experiment.  In this experiment we were to pay attention to our speech and others for a week.  We are to look for when we lie, tell white lies, and avoid the truth.  After we figured these things out we are to reflect on why we may have lied, and was it necessary.  In this experiment I learned how much I tell white lies and avoid the truth.  I would do these things on a regular basis without them even crossing my mind.  The right speech experiment helped me find the bad pattern I was falling into of telling lies.  I try to watch myself much more lately and to not tell white lies.  I also found out that sometimes I lie even when it is not necessary.

 

3.

            Lastly, we watched a movie with Bill Moyers about “The Truth About Lies.”  In this movie he and many Doctors and professors discussed lies and why they happen.  They also discussed things such as the Challenger Disaster, the Vietnam War, Watergate, and how they all had something to do with lies and deception.  In this video I heart theories I had never heard before that I found to be quite true.  One of these theories was that we deceive ourselves for our own self protection.  I had never thought of self deception in this way before the video.  We lie because we don’t want to be punished.  Before this video I had never heard of the lies that were behind the Challenger Disaster, I had just heard that a Space Ship was launched and it blew up before exiting the atmosphere.  The whole thing could have been avoided if people didn’t lie to themselves.

 

3.

The Result of Denial and Self Deception.

Challenger Disaster

 

4.

            When and to whom do I lie to the most?