HW12 due 3/10: Schopenhauer

1. Print out and Read the section entitled The World as Will. This reading will be short but dense. Be sure to annotate.
2.  Schopenhauer, “On the Suffering of the World”–Located in the rear of the packet, Schopey Wopey’s essay brings us back to one of the more common themes of the term. Read and annotate the text. This is a short text so hop to it!
3. Schopenhauer–read and annotate “On the Vanity of Existence.” So you should be ready to discuss BOTH of his essays on Monday.

4. E-Media Fast

Here are the official ground rules for the first annual E-Media Fast.  Starting today at 5:00 PM the challenge begins.  The fast will end Monday morning at 7 am.  So over the weekend, you will not enjoy the “benefits” of the following:

  • Television
  • Radio
  • Computer
  • Ipod (or any music player)
  • Any handheld computer (Tablets)
  • Game consoles (xbox, xbox360, Atari 2600, Pong, PS2, Intellivision, ColecoVision, etc.)
  • Portable game players (DS3)
  • Cell phones (You may only use your cell phone to talk to your parents—anyone else and you have failed the challenge.)
  • E-Readers

Notes:

You may access the computer to take care of all school-related responsibilities.

We are playing by the HONOR CODE.  I am operating under the assumption that all of you will be truthful throughout this experience.

I want you to document the entire experience in your notebook.  As it takes place over the course of two days and three nights, I am expecting a “diary-like” series of responses.  Pay attention to how you use your time. I want to know the details of the journey (highlights, special moments, etc), including the moment(s) when you failJ.  If you do fail, do not abandon the challenge.  Document the failure and continue on till Tuesday.  Of course, if you cannot bear the “pain”, then GIVE UP…document that too.  I look forward to hearing your tales.  Maybe this is the year that I have more than two students per class successfully complete the fast.

I expect everyone to give this challenge a shot.  No opting out…

Really guys, have fun with this.  I understand that for so many of us this electronic media constitutes some of/much of the content of our weekends. Nevertheless, leave it alone…find new content this weekend. But don’t just watch time pass by…live.

Let’s try and get back to reading books, writing, engaging in outdoor activities, talking to each other, playing board games…If only for a little whileL.  The TV, Internet, video games, etc. will still be there waiting on Monday.

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