Deep Questions

1. Deep Questions • Write down at least 2 Deep Questions from the viewing • Something that leads to further discussion, is open-ended • Something that angered you • Something that could apply to Bettendorf • Something you don’t understand

2. The Meaning of Life

3. Focus Activity • Review: “Religulous” • Doubts • Profiting off of religion • Hypocrisy

4. What does “meaning” mean? • Definition: • What an item refers to, beyond itself • Does each one of us belong to something larger than ourselves? • What is my purpose?

5. Meaning of Life: Postponements • If you believe God is the Meaning, then what purpose does God have for all of us? • If the meaning of your life is your children, what is the meaning of life for your children? What if you have no children? • If Afterlife is the meaning, then is this life insignificant? • If Life has no meaning (Nihilism), why bother living?

6. Group Readings • Read the article • On a sheet of paper: • Review the general facts (who, what, where) • Explain which one of the 4 “postponements” of the Meaning of Life applies to the article • Explain 2 different arguments regarding the article: • Describe one side’s stance on the issue detailed • Describe the other side’s stance

7. Entry Slip • What do we mean by a Meaning of Life “postponement”? • Illustrate an example

8. Document-Based Questions • Short answers • Formal essay

9. Entry Slip • Does the significance of the game lie in the ‘playing’ itself, or in winning the game? (For example, playing cards with friends, or taking their money?) • If you could rewrite a story from another character's point of view, why would you choose that character? • If life is a tragedy, how have you been heroic in facing it down? • Describe the last time you laughed at yourself. Why did this happen, and how did it make you feel? • What would you try to convince other people about, if given the opportunity?

10. The Potential Meanings of Life • In your notebook, create concept webs for each Meaning’s questions • On separate paper, evaluate 1 positive & 1 negative of each Meaning quote (to be turned in)

11. Life as a Game How serious should we take life, then? “If you can accept losing, you can’t win.”- Vince Lombardi

12. Life as a Story • The outcome does not matter • What does matter is holding and developing interest in your story and its characters • “The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, but writes another.”- JM Barrie

13. Life as Tragedy -A serious process that will not end well -How heroically do you face the challenges? “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” -Plato

14. Life as Comedy A way of recognizing and analyzing our shortcomings, putting things into proper perspective “Life is a tragedy for those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.” Horace Walpole

15. Life as a Mission • Getting others to meet some kind of goal • “We are prepared to respond to any natural disaster and to support the war on terrorism, ... We just have to deal with both missions.”-Robert Horton

16. Entry/ Exit Slip • In a paragraph, explain which of the Meanings covered best applies to your life

17. Opening questions • Describe a time when you did something really creative • Detail a situation where you performed something really risky. Was it worth it? • What is your definition of ‘living a healthy life’? How does one achieve ‘health’? • Why is ‘desire’ a good thing for society? • How can ‘desire’ be a bad thing for society?

18. Life as Art • The activity of being creative • “Art begins with resistance - at the point where resistance is overcome. No human masterpiece has ever been created without great labor.”- Andre Gide

19. Life as an Adventure • Take chances, because you only get one shot • “We in middle age require adventure.”-Carolyn Heilbrun

20. Life as Disease • Bad things will happen, beyond our control • “Discrimination is a disease.”- Roger Staubach

21. Life as Desire • Consistently want more and better “stuff” • “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” –Bill Cosby

22. Life as Nirvana • Seek to achieve a restful state without stress • “It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.”- Buddha

23. Entry/ Exit Slip • In a paragraph, explain which of the Meanings covered yesterday best applies to your life

24. Opening questions • JFK said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Criticize this statement. • Explain an argument against having free public education for all children. • Detail a situation in which something bad happened to you, but you were better for it. • If you had children, should you let them find their own friends? Explain why or why not. • Illustrate why having friends is so important. Or, why not?

25. Life as Altruism • Complete selflessness, acting for the benefit of others • “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

26. Life as Honor • Living up to your expectations or principles (fulfilling your duties) • “Life every man holds dear; but the dear man holds honor far more precious than life.”- Shakespeare

27. Life as Learning • Chalk it up to experience • “Education is the process in which we discover that learning adds quality to our lives. Learning must be experienced.”-William Glasser

28. Life as Suffering • React to your frustrations with defiance • “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.”-Nietzsche

29. Life as an Investment • Every decision is made with the intention of maximizing returns • “Leave no stone unturned to help your clients realize maximum profits from their investment.”- AC Nielsen

30. Life as Relationships • Importance of human interaction • “There is no friend as loyal as a book.”- Hemingway

31. Entry Slip • What does ‘conspiracy’ mean? Detail one example.

32. New Ageism Useful or useless?

33. Basis • Meant for self-improvement • Examples include psychics, therapists, healers, self-help books, spiritualists, healing waters, mind-expanding drugs • Feel the urge to make a different connection with life • Since we create our own realities, we can create a better reality

34. Arguments Against • While New Ageism is admirable for seeking meaning, it advocates ‘letting go’ • Does this help discover true knowledge? • When seeking freedom, only inner discipline can help you break free?! • Enlightenment for only $19.99!! • By cutting corners, are we not just achieving an illusion of growth?

35. Conspiracy Theories • The explanation of an event that resulted in some sort of ‘cover-up’ • Ex., “New World Order”: This conspiracy theory states that a group of international elites controls and manipulates governments, industry, and media organizations worldwide. The primary tool they use to dominate nations is the system of central banking. They are said to have funded and in some cases caused most of the major wars of the last 200 years, and they have a grip on the world economy, deliberately causing inflation and depressions at will. Operatives working for the New World Order are said to be placed in high positions in government and industry.

36. “Conspiracy Theory” • Jesse storms Congress to find out if the government is conducting dangerous experiments at the Plum Island Animal Research Center off the coast of Long Island. The center, which began as a bio-warfare lab run by former Nazi scientists, has been blamed for spreading diseases and viruses throughout the mainland, including African swine flu and Lyme disease.

37. Edmodo • Should we look for more conspiracies? Is this healthy? Explain.