It's Been So REAL you guys! I'll miss you all!

This is just a thank you post.

So my Monday/Wednesday class schedule was very open this semester and while I was in an on again off again relationship with my Weight Training Class, Utopian Thought was fantastic. This class was a joy to be apart of because the discussions were lively and incredibly intelligent (even with my nonsensical blabbering). The insights you all had for the texts that we studied were deep as sh*t and truly helped my understanding of the texts. I can't thank you enough for that because I feel like classes tend to be on the drier side of things.

I want to emphasis now how amazing this class was for the people within. Reiteration is key for this point, YOU ARE AMAZING. This class was full of smart, witty, funny, and sexy people. No joke, ya'll are hot. *wink* I know without a single doubt that you all will succeed in having a future you can be proud of. I don't want to say anything too cheesy or insulting like I know you will all be rich, famous, and "successful". We all know that's a pile of crap. What I see in this class is adaptability, malleability, and the most confusing combination of professional/laid-back adults I have ever met. Everyone is going to be just fine in this class and that fills me with warm fuzzy feelings.

Also, shout out to Dr. Mitchell-buck. I mean, bravo to her for conducting a class in a fun and educational manner. Isn't it refreshing to have a professor treat you as a fully-functioning adult?! I thank her for being understanding and flexible with the grading and turn in dates. And, ya'know, thanks for being an overall amazing human being! Those are too rare these days.

I don't want to make this a sad sort of post so I will post something fun and interesting and HIP GODDAMMIT!

This right here is a Nyala bull.

LOOK AT TEH KITTEH WITH A BALL OF YARN ASDLKJFAHSDLJFNHALSKDJF

This beard is impressive. This guy holds stories and hope and kittens in his beard.

When I attempt to take over the world it will be with and army of Corgis.

With that I wish you all the best of luck and skill in your future endeavors  Whether that means graduating, working, traveling, or lying comatose in your underwear on a couch somewhere!

Here's to all of you!

"Get thee to a Nunnery!"

Living in a monastery...surrounded by people, prayer, and peace. While I understand the they are a brotherhood and helpful to each other, I cannot say they have the relationships with others that I believe make us healthy human beings and lead us to a better, more utopic society. After all, they removed themselves from society rather than interacted with it.

After reading the assigned chapters of The Rules of St. Benedict, there were a few aspects I found of the monastic lifestyle appealing:

1. The Instruments of Good works
   1. while I can't say I agreed with all seventy-two ules, most of them appealed to me
2. Living within their means
   1. One has to realize what is necessary and what is not. Once we realize these means, I feel that our society would be a bit better.
3. Honesty
   1. With yourself, others, and your God.
4. Content
   1. We have to be happy with what we have, but as we mentioned yesterday the grass is always greener on the other side. However, if we can be content with what we have, then we will be more likely to live a better, more meaningful life
5. Punishment
   1. Any society or culture should have punishment. It just needs to be justified and match the crime. Physical punishment should only be used to the most severe crimes. And “God” should decide what they punishment should be. I am a firm believer in karma and therefore each person will get their due in life by the decisions they make.
6. Working
   1. Every person should have to work. It may not be a lot of physical labor, but as long as they are contributing to society in some way then they are doing their part to make a better life for themselves and others
   2. Working teaches a lot of valuable things: work ethic, integrity, responsibility, perseverance
7. Common Belief/Values
   1. If people can agree on values and what is important then nothing can stop them from working together to achieve happiness.
      
      
      

Now, I am not an atheist – I just do not know my religious beliefs or if I even do believe, I have to many questions that have to be answered that have yet to be. However, I feel that there is more to life than a deity...and that life should be lived for other reasons than loving and fearing God.

Mentioned in Plato's The Republic, he says that their should not be an excess of happiness and in the monastery there is no excess of anything. However, I think happiness should be one of the main goals in life and that some of the physical aspects of life help us find this happiness. Such as love of a partner, family, friendship, humor, laughter, identity, etc...(maybe I watch to many Disney movies) None of this is found in the document we read because they removed themselves from society or temptations...(if we can conquer our temptations, could we not conquer most anything?)

While a monastery may not be considered a utopia from a non-religious point of view, there are aspects or practices that I believe can lead to a better society. It is up to the people to put them into practice and follow them.

Images:

http://technorati.com/lifestyle/article/following-unwritten-rules/

http://weheartit.com/tag/and%20they%20lived%20happily%20ever%20after

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