To Live and Let Live?

You have just found yourself in a room where just moments before, a stranger has decided to take their own life with the aid of sleeping pills. They have left a note which reads, "I have seen a world ever consumed by darkness, and my soul cannot bear another moment. I am happier in eternal rest. Do not mourn my passing, mourn a world which has driven me to this." After reading the notes, you hear a shallow breath release, without another inhale. Are you morally obligated to attempt to save this persons life? What if this is someone you know? Are emotionally attached to?

Cormac McCarthy's The Sunset Limited debates this by saving a suicidal man consumed with darkness, with a deeply spiritual man, who only desires the light. Throughout the play, there are many philosophical quandaries put forth, but the one that underlines the whole work is whether Black should have halted White's leap into the ever-after. This is a question that society has dealt with on many occasions, most famously during the practices of Dr. Jack Kavorkian, and the reason we are destined to eternally revisit this situation, is that there is so happy/sure answer.

Once Black returns with the visibly shaken and irritable White to Black's apartment, Black sets out to determine what would drive a man to jump into an oncoming train. White's initial main goal is to say what he needs to say, to race back and attempt his jump again.  Black asks general questions about White's decision. "Are you okay? Did you sleep last night?", "When did you decided that today was the day? Was they somthin special about it?". White responds very straight forward, without hesitation. "No." to whether he had slept, and "No. Well. Today is my birthday. But I certainly don't regard that as special." White's responses are very telling of a man who has not only thought out his intentions, but has come to terms with them. One could argue that the "No. Well." is a hesitation, but would it not also be the answer someone gives who truly sees no significance in their birth date? Where most of the world celebrates the passing of another year, and the importance of age, here stands a man who pays it no reverence, and thinks little of it.

After a quick foray into idle back and forth, mostly played out so Black can keep White around for a little while longer, the gentlemen begin to debate many topics. Religion is a major one, with Black being devout due to his station in life. They also discuss whether life has meaning, how  God could leave the world in such a shambled state, and what past and life the two men have had to lead them to this moment. At some points, Black's optimistic world view seems to be winning out. Maybe all it takes is a nice bowl of chili, and the words of a kind stranger to alter the path of darkness one can be set upon. 

Eventually, White's world view is revealed, "You give up the world line by line. Stoically. And then one day you realize that your courage is farcical. It doesn't mean anything. You've become an accomplice in your own annihilation and there is nothing you can do about it. Everything you do closes a door somewhere ahead of you. And finally there is only one door left." Black quickly adds, "That's a dark world, Professor." This is the crux of the argument. Nothing in the play leads the reader to believe that White sees the world any different. Black is correct, this is a dark world view, and it also provides a logic, however twisted, to attempting suicide. If one accepts the world to be such a dark place, and see death as the only eventuality, why not let them seek it if it would bring them peace?

Suicide is an uncomfortable idea that many people toy with. Somedays, it would be easier to just not have to wake up, and continue through the humdrum existence that can be life. What pushes most of us through those days, is pausing to reflect that those feelings are rarely permanent, and ultimately making it through the shit can often lead to a happier tomorrow. Yet, some must find those thoughts quite permanent. They experience a nightmarish world in which death is the only thing that can bring them peace. Drugs may or may not help, the same goes for therapy. Some people just reach a zenith of darkness which cannot be overcome. Preventing their rest almost seems a cruelty.

This is not to say that depression/suicide is not a problem. It should always be handled with care, and those who face it should have others they can seek out for assistance. For those who have sought all other alternatives; the one's who would be truly happier not seeing another tomorrow, the world should aim for acceptance. It is a harsh place sometimes. Keeping one prisoner in one's own mind is horrible. Some people want to die, and maybe, we should let them.

Works Cited:

McCarthy, Cormac. The Sunset Limited. 2010.

This Land Is Your Land And I Can Hear It Singing

The Boss performing This Land Is Your Land in 1985

Here we are, election time again, and every four years it seems we become more and more polarized. Political derision in this country is nothing new, but I fear it is leading to vitriolic hate and I wonder if it won't tear us apart. I often find myself saying, "I don't care what political beliefs you hold, as long as you can back them up with facts," but facts seemed to be filled with truthiness and it gets hard to define what is actually true. So, calling a simple poem like Whitman's "I Hear America Singing" or Springsteen singing "This Land Is Your Land" to your attention is more of a plea for understanding. In both works we have a statement that pinpoints a simple truth, by being born into this country, it is yours for the taking; make of if what you will. Does this mean you will get what you want? Of course not, but you should always get what you need. That is what the American Dream is. It is a promise to every American citizen that you will be able to have the best life you are capable in this country. There will be winners and there will be losers, but they are Americans. I am a fairly liberal minded person, and often conservatives will make my blood boil, but I keep myself from forgetting that they are my brothers and sisters in this great land. They deserve to have their opinions spoken, and with reason, they deserve to have them debated. I would ask the same from them. It is time though, that we remember that we are all in this together. We each benefit from the actions of one another, and thus we become a stronger country because of it. It is why this great experiment stands out. Would I like to see this spread to the rest of the world? Of course, but that will take humanity to realize many harsh truths, and I doubt I'll see that in my lifetime. So remember that those people you hate because they are foolish, or because they don't see eye-to-eye with you, that they have families, and somewhere they struggle. Know that hate mostly comes from ignorance and should be pitied. Never turn away those who you can help, because that is who we are supposed to be. We are the Land of Hopes and Dreams. We are the land of equality. This is your land and it is my land. Let us make it as close to perfect as we have always dreamed. Lets make sure people have some form of roof, and access to healthcare that won't enslave them with bills, and to healthy food and water. Let us be the pinnacle the worlds wishes to strive to. Let us respect each other. Make the United States the country of the history we tell ourselves.

Works Cited: 
Booth, Alison, and Kelly J. Mays. The Norton Introduction to Literature. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2011. Print.

The Door of Every College

Some humor for you.

Emily Dickinson's "[The Brain-is wider than the Sky-]" is a wonderful reflective poem that epitomized the way every child is taught from the moment we enter school, until our schooling is complete. Why bring it up, then, you may ask? I feel that we often forget how phenomenal our minds truly are. We become so burdened with our majors and the worlds that we lose sight of our ability to completely vanish into a multitude of our own created worlds. Daydreams are definitely one thing, but I often envy those who escape to madness. Would't that be nice? A little tromp into insanity to play with the all too real monsters? Ay, but how to get back? That is always the questions isn't it?

Still the brain is a lovely thing and I worry that college sometimes constrains it. We are at a Liberal Arts school, and it tries to expand our learning into many different areas, but how many of you know how to build an engine? Fix a toilet? Install a ceiling fan? When I was young, those ideas used to frighten me, for I wanted to be of the learned. Now, when I find myself working on such things, I find my brain wonders to beautiful places that I cannot achieve through any amount of schooling. It is like meditation.

This causes me to pause on this poem. It is simple, and relatively straight forward. The poem only seeks to remind us that are minds are the gifts of God, and thus have the potential the see into eternity. The title of this post is a hope that schools will put simple poems up, that are reminders, more than inspierers. We were inspired to make it into college, now lets be reminded that the universe is vast, and our minds should always be thirsty for more.

Works Cited: 
Booth, Alison, and Kelly J. Mays. The Norton Introduction to Literature. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2011. Print.