It could be hardly doubted that Buddhism as a philosophy and religion had a significant impact on the development of Western moral and ethical conceptions (Garfield et al. 293). It is also possible to notice that such influence became more apparent since the 19th century and to the present day due to the growing interest in Eastern culture. Concerning the essential aspects of the Buddhist philosophy, it should be noted that one of the most important concepts is suffering since the Buddha considered it to be the first noble truth of his dharma (Garfield et al. 295). Siderits observes Zntidevas argument, which states the obligatory nature of the prevention of suffering. This paper aims to discuss this assumption, employing arguments in favor of the mentioned duty as well as the reasons against it, to conclude which reason is stronger.
First of all, it is essential to dwelling more profoundly upon the assumption, which serves as a starting point for the discussion. In the second part of the lecture, Siderits states that Buddhism shares one significant point with other Indian philosophies, which is that benevolence is instrumentally valuable in the pursuit of liberation (98). However, the Buddhists also assume the concept of non-self to be a central part of their religion. Concerning the question of suffering, the following argument is formulated by Zntideva: suffering is ownerless since there is no self to possess it or be the direct source of it since suffering has to be prevented, it should be stopped by everyone without exceptions (Siderits 98). This assumption represents a significantly complicated moral and ethical issue for the people who grew up in the Western culture. Therefore, several interpretations of this problem could be proposed.
In general, it is possible to suggest that the mentioned view can be accepted since suffering is not right or pleasant by its nature and thus it should be stopped. This reason is more than evident when it is applied to a particular person because very few people would be satisfied with personal suffering. Concerning the distress and pain of other people, it is possible to observe that Zntidevas argument is also applicable since the obligation to help the ones who are in misery is inherent in the Western culture, which is based on Christianity. Additionally, the acceptance of the given assumption significantly influenced the development of moral psychology as a science since it provides a profound insight on the interdependence between the fear of annihilation of self and the persons ethical choices (Garfield et al. 302).
Nevertheless, it is also possible to provide reasons against the given point of view. First of all, the suffering of a different kind is not equivalent to its significance. In Western culture, the pain of a child and the pain of an animal could not be treated in the same way due to inherent moral instincts. Secondly, it could be argued that in some cases (for example, surgery operations or giving birth) the pain is inevitable and is often a sign of recovery.
In conclusion, it should be noted that arguments in favor of the assumption under consideration appear to be stronger. However, it should be mentioned that the principle of suffering prevention as a duty of every person does not apply to Western culture and ethics to the full extent. Overall, one can assume that the principle is highly beneficial, but it should be used with discretion.
Works Cited
Garfield, Jay L., et al. Ego, Egoism and the Impact of Religion on Ethical Experience: What a Paradoxical Consequence of Buddhist Culture Tells Us about Moral Psychology. The Journal of Ethics, vol. 19, 2015, pp. 293-304.
Siderits, Mark. Freedom, Caring and Buddhist Philosophy. Contemporary Buddhism, vol. 6, no. 2, 2005, pp. 87-116.
In this paper, I will protect the statement made by Schopenhauer in the essay On the Suffering of the World that good is a negative quality of life from the objection that there are pleasures in life that are more than the simple absence of pain and discomfort.
In his essay On the Suffering of the World Arthur Schopenhauer states: It is the good which is negative; in other words, happiness and satisfaction always imply some desire fulfilled, some state of pain brought to an end (Schopenhauer 7). This claim means that the evil is a positive force. The state of a person is determined by either presence or absence of evil in their life. All of the human passions and pleasures are defined by the struggle to avoid simple physical pains and fulfill the basic requirements of our bodies. The philosopher argues that despite the human mind being complex and capable of interpreting and recording the previous experiences, people are extremely simple in their nature. We look for food, clothing, a place to live, and satisfaction of our sexual desires.
So the human life is defined by these basic imperatives. We are able to experience complex emotions due to our capability to remember and foresee events. All of those thoughts are linked to the needs of our lives, and we are entirely driven by them. And all needs can be summarized by the desire to avoid suffering. Thus, Schopenhauer claims that the life is defined by the evil which makes its own existence felt and all good is nothing more than the satisfaction of avoiding the evil. Being a pessimist, the philosopher denied any bright side to the world. In his opinion, people exist to suffer, and death is the only way to be released from the constant discontent, interrupted by brief satisfaction.
That statement can be contested by the claim that not all pleasures in life can be defined by the avoidance of suffering or fulfillment of a certain need. The most evident example would be the human creativity. Men are elevated by writing, painting, building and other acts of creation. Most artists describe the immense satisfaction of completing a piece of work and perceiving the result of their labor. There seems to be no connection between the acts of creation and any basic needs of the human nature. If the artist is not driven by the need to earn money, what can be the reason to create art, but the wish to experience the true positive pleasure not defined by the avoidance of suffering? Not to mention, many artists describe true exaltation they feel after their work is complete.
They claim it is not the same as satisfying your basic needs. Whether one chooses to believe them or not, the source of their happiness can hardly be linked to the physical needs. Another example is sports. If you are playing football on your days of you are clearly not doing it to provide for yourself or avoid any possible misfortune. The pleasure of competing, just like the pleasure of creating art seems to be pure, unrelated to the suffering. It can be assumed that all pleasures are similar in nature. Thus, all pleasures are pure and unrelated to the avoidance of suffering. And the pleasures definitely can be described as a force of good. By extrapolation, it can be concluded that all good cannot be described by the absence of evil. This must mean that Schopenhauer is mistaken, and the good is indeed the positive force in the world. The evil is then nothing more than the absence of good and cannot be described as the essence of our existence.
While this argument seems solid, Schopenhauer can easily discard it. He writes If at any moment Time stays his hand, it is only when we are delivered over to the misery of boredom (Schopenhauer 8). The pleasures of creation and competition might seem pure at the first glance, but the philosopher reveals them to be negative in nature. By participating in such activities, we simply avoid boredom one of the evils of the world. Sometimes, people have the time they do not have to spend struggling to fulfill their basic needs. But at those times, we are beset by boredom. Without something to busy ourselves at those times, we would go mad just like people in the perfect world without needs or struggles. To avoid the boredom, people engage in art, sports, and games. All of those things help them feel busy. Completing their work or winning a competition allows them to escape the feeling of futility of their existence. Thus, all of those seemingly pure pleasures are nothing more than the absence of the feelings of emptiness and boredom. By disproving the primary argument, the philosopher makes the extrapolation invalid. It can be concluded that happiness and satisfaction are never positive. Thus, Schopenhauer is correct, and no good or pleasurable thing in this world has any substance without the evil that it denies.
Works Cited
Schopenhauer, Arthur. Studies in Pessimism, New York, NY: Cosimo Classics, 2007. Print.
Social structure is the distinctive, stable arrangement of institutions whereby human beings in a society interact and live together. Social structure is often treated together with the concept of social change, which deals with the forces that change the social structure and the organization of society. There are many inequalities deeply woven into the very fabric of a society. They can be observed across institutions such as legal, educational, business, government and health care systems, and much more. Inequalities occur because of the unequal distribution of political and economic power. For example, as a black woman in America, my people have been historically denied access to well-paying jobs, entrance into elite educational institutions, and wealthy neighborhoods. At the same time, whites have accumulated wealth, education and prestigious jobs that were systematically blocked for blacks. Such societal limitations sometimes continue for centuries, with strong structures being built, reinforcing political and economic power. A vast majority of social structures or institutions also even harm impoverished communities by preventing them from meeting their basic needs; these institutions strip away what they are and deprive them of what they want to be. This is a disadvantage to individuals, leading one to feel invisible and unheard. Not only is society capable of harming the people of its community, it can also cause suffering to an individual.
What would you consider suffering in a society?
As Farmer did his research in Haiti, he sought for that answer. He traveled to Haiti, where political and economic forces have encountered a rise in AIDS, and other infectious diseases. In recent years, violence has been added to the worst poverty in the hemisphere; one learns a great deal about suffering. The author describes when he got up in the morning he observed a young window with four children fighting for food, wood, and even water. These are conditions felt like war and was tragic that many encounter this suffering that is currently occurring each and every day. Unfortunately, life expectancy at birth is less than fifty years, in large part because as many as two of every ten infants die before their first birthday. Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death among adults; among children, diarrheal disease, ravage the undernourished. Some of the biographies written illustrate some of the mechanisms through which large-scale social factors crystallize into the sharp and hard surfaces of individual suffering.
In the reading, “What’s Debt Got to Do With It?” the author states “Citizens in poor urban neighborhoods find it increasingly difficult to get to a bank. Even if there are local bank, residents often cannot afford its minimum balance requirements, fees for checks, or high-bounced check penalties”, (Williams 2001: 86). Society has structured low income families to be stuck in a position where it is difficult to get to a bank, and even if they did attend a local bank, there are fees for everything they need to get. This is related to the article“On suffering and Structural Violence” because this is the same concept and it reflects the same aspects of how society sets one up to fail. Just as I expressed, being a black woman in America comes with hardships; low poverty families have hardships and Williams expresses that throughout his article as well.
In conclusion, we need to be aware of the discriminatory nature of society as a whole. Some societies set one up to fail or conflict/harm on an individual. That is, unfortunately, the way the world works. This article has opened up my mind and allowed me to see things in a fresh view, different from what I was seeing them before. I have a new perspective on the world and how a community can be effected on structural violence and suffering. There needs to be more education on structural violence and suffering at a young age so we are able to view the world as is and grow up to be in a different bubble that society puts us in. Many people are affected by this and that leads them to be disadvantaged by political, legal, economic or cultural traditions. Word count (698)
Suffering as we know it is an emotional agony that runs deeper than physical pain. All through the world almost every living individual will endure suffering in any event at least once in their life. When there is joy, there is pain waiting to happen and as humans we try to avoid the pain. People are constantly looked with hardships throughout their life, and alongside those hardships come emotional distress and torment. Humans endeavor to comprehend the reasoning for suffering, the delivering agony and stress that they must persevere. As humans we will continue to question the meaning behind suffering. I’ve explored to get a better insight on the meaning of suffering through Soren Kierkegaard’s philosophies and the story of Job.
Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher in the 1800’s and his outlook regarding human suffering and why it exists can be compared to the religion of Christianity. Kierkegaard rather than avoiding or denying suffering, you must be willing to confront it and investigate it. Kierkegaard regards we suffer in these ways only because we have some awareness that we are spiritual beings who are related to God, and that in many ways we fail to be true to this religious relationship. Kierkegaard suggests that when we’re not faithful to our God-relationship, we are unfaithful to ourselves. He suggests that we tend to lose ourselves and this loss, together with the suffering it brings. He also suggests that our tendency to lose ourselves is bound up with a tendency to avoid suffering, to ignore our spiritual being and instead let ourselves be consumed by ‘the world’. In Kierkegaard’s view, this strategy of avoidance is doomed to fail, because we are spiritual beings, and our very evasiveness only confirms this fact. Kierkegaard’s emphasis on the virtue of courage. Courage means confronting what one fears, instead of fleeing from it. A courageous person is prepared to suffer when one knows that this is required of them. In Fear and Trembling, for example, he praises the courage of Abraham, who did not attempt to avoid the suffering involved in taking the decision to kill his son. Kierkegaard suggests that the ethical is incommensurable with the religious, killing your own child cannot be mediated with obeying God. Therefore, Abraham had to perform a leap of faith when he obeyed God but still maintained faith that Isaac would live. In the story of Job, Job had suffered horrible things and could not find the reason why, but he still managed to remain strong didn’t change his faith towards God for he knew that he it would all make sense in the end.
Since suffering is simply unavoidable, it is a matter of responding to it in the right way. In fact, Kierkegaard suggests that by courageously confronting suffering, a person can find great content in life. Kierkegaard points out that one way of maintaining religious belief in the face of suffering is to give up hope of happiness within this life, deferring such hope to an afterlife and he acknowledges that it is possible, but not easy to relate to God in this way.
Many people regard suffering as an obstacle to religious belief, they ask how we can believe that a loving, all-powerful God created a world like this one, so full of suffering. For instance, Job was a blameless and upright man, yet he suffered more than he could even fathom. Through of all Job’s torment he would question why God would allow for him to suffer so badly, he wanted to know the reason for his torture. Kierkegaard argues that the Christian’s highest and most difficult task is to endure suffering while continuing to believe that one is loved by God that God cares about the smallest details of their life and to regard this painful, difficult life as a gift from a loving God.
Maybe we suffer because God wants to test us on his faith and love towards him. It could be possible to love others and not suffer for them, but if we are not wiling to suffer for them do we really love them? It difficult to understand why God would allow us to suffer. We as humans will always question “why do I have to suffer?” Maybe we hope that, if we can understand why we suffer, we might be able to lessen the pain. The complex nature of human suffering is difficult to get a grasp on due to its infinite forms, which makes it hard to escape from.
When you get a cut you learn what suffering is. We are introduced to the idea that suffering is being in the state of mind that deals with pain. Everyone is destined to suffer one way or another. Suffering can come in many ways- physical or mental. We cope with suffering by changing our thinking and resisting the pain. Yet, the only way we can surpass suffering is by positively responding to it. By knowing to correct our mental state we have the wisdom to overcome it. Throughout the Bible, we see various books such as Proverbs, Eccalestias, and Job that offer a unique perspective of how God test literal characters’ faith. In the book of Job, it is demonstrated that righteousness does not exempt a person from the hardship of life. Even glorified souls can be subjected to catastrophic events even though they have not committed any sins. The “blameless” and “upright” loyal servant Job is used as an example for the harshness of God. It is in the extreme losses of God taking everything away from him, that he can show true faithfulness. Job becomes a precedent for resilience in the series of tragic events he suffered. I believe that God’s motive’s to test Job’s faith is not with cruelty but rather to push the good to rely on that which is of utmost importance in this life, their faith. However, Job as a human doubts God’s wisdom because he is counseled by his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu who represent human temptations which are fleeting and unfulfilling. Ultimately, the book of Job teaches the value of those who are resilient in their beliefs.
God allows Job to suffer, not out of cruelty, but to set a precedent that a good person can overcome adversity if he or she is faithful to God. Job is resilient and true to God and believes that is worth it to lose everything even though he’s at a disadvantage. After reading the book of Job, I asked myself will God’s loyal servants continue a graceful relationship with God after God has taken their riches and prized possessions away, or will they be weak and lose their faith in God? Job lost everything including his family “While he was still speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, 19and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you”, yet I can see how he bounced back after he went from having everything to nothing (Job 1.18-19). From what I understood from the reading God allowed Job to suffer, not because he deserved it but rather to set a principle that even his “blameless” and “upright” servant will still fear God despite the mental and physical pain Job went through. Soon after Job suffered great physical pain “Job took a potsherd to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes” (Job 2.8). Even so, Job’s true character, a loyal servant, blessed God despite the suffering he goes through and goes against his wife’s saying and still respects God.
I believe Job is truly faithful to God. Hypothetically, If it was any other human beings that did not fear God, they would have fallen into cursing God and would have lost their faith. Yet, Job was resilient and found a light at the end of the tunnel despite his whole world was collapsing. After all, Job prayed for his friend’s evil interpretations on why God punished Job, and the Lord “gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42.10). I find it compelling that Job’s role sets an example that having a relationship with God and truly honoring Him will ultimately reward the loyal servant. However, it was not easy for Job to get to the point of being a reward because as a human he was tempted to dishonor God and curse him through the influence of his friends.
Although God tests Job’s faith, Job does not give in to his friends and even his wife’s reason why he is suffering; despite how loyal he was to God which shows how humans can fall into temptation if you aren’t in the path of the Lord. Yet, Job emphasizes God’s greatness and realizes that God allows suffering only so we can examine our own lives and see how we can live for him during hard times. Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu consolidated, emphasized with him and gave him lengthy speeches on why God is punishing him. Eliphaz claimed that God was punishing Job as consequences of sinning by saying “As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same” (Job 4.8). Eliphaz believed that if Job was such a good man, he should not suffer God’s wrath rather live of life of blessings. Not only did Eliphaz believe Job’s suffering was because he must have sinned but Zophar and Bildad believe it too. I think Job’s friends are not wrong for thinking that rather are thinking thoroughly because all they have none is if you sin against God and do something against God, He will punish you and released His wrath upon the sinner. Clearly, Job’s friends don’t understand how God works in mysterious. Hence, Jobs’ friend, Elihu, seems to be the only one to understand God’s greatness when he says “ I will answer you: God is greater than any mortal” and that God is only making Job suffer to strengthen their trust and faith in Him. It can be seen that Job’s friends symbolize human temptations of doubting God’s decisions because if they were as faithful as they said they were, they would have just said that it is God’s purpose to do what he finds right in Job’s life. And if it is suffering then let it be it, but have hope for the light at the end of the tunnel.
However, what makes Job a faithful, loyal servant is how resilient he is and how he responds to his friends. He is charismatic and asks God for forgiveness despite how wrong his friend’s judgments were, “So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the LORD had told them; and the LORD accepted Job’s prayer” (Job 42.9). I find how God works in mysterious ways by using Job as an example for generations to come that as humans we should not question God’s motives. Job’s life was about being devoted to God and only God. After reading Job, it is hard not to imagine at what extremes Job would go for God, but God intends to show that the only way to have victory is to hold a relationship with Him. Just like Job held a relationship with God through the catastrophic events Job went through, God would want his followers to do the same thing. Therefore, God’s followers start to receive God’s wisdom and divinity more fully once they realize that God can take everything away from you, but it is really up to you how you decide to bounce back from such a tragedy. Either you prosper and hold on to God’s hand as Job did, or you fail miserably and you take your path; the path God does not want his followers to take.
One may ask themselves: What is the meaning of human suffering? Well after reading the book of Job I know have a deeper understanding of what it is because of the lesson that the book of Job teaches. Although God used Job to set a precedent for future generations that even a righteous person is not liberated from hardships; Job is resilient and honors his moral values by honoring God.
In “What Suffering Does,” David Brooks explains how suffering is a necessary and useful part of life. In our culture, everyone’s goal in life is to be as happy, but real joy is not possible without the risk of pain. When discussing the past, people tend to focus more on the difficult situations they encountered because that is what identities are formed through. Some people are taught how to end their pain, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Difficulties are what shape people and help them grow. Through suffering, people have come to realize that pain is inevitable, but it allows them to empathize with others during their times of torment since they have gone through their own ordeals. Without suffering, it becomes harder to see or understand what others are going through.
Grief and pain help people discover parts of themselves that they were initially unaware of. It’s impossible to stop feeling pain or feeling grief, but people eventually learn to accept the pain and feel peaceful. There will always be an underlying current of grief, but moments of happiness can be felt simultaneously. Suffering makes people go deeper and question things. This in turn, can send them in a different direction in life because they face the suffering and respond to it in a way that resolves conflicts rather than creating more. Suffering makes people appreciate what they have and brings them true happiness.
Although happiness is seen as life’s main goal, it’s suffering which truly shapes people. Suffering, although painful, teaches us empathy for others going through difficult situations. Brooks’ argument is convincing because it gives examples that most people can relate to and evidence to back up his claim. Brooks’ opinion piece isn’t against happiness. Instead, his argument is that suffering more than happiness is what shapes and defines us. Without suffering we would not feel as deeply or appreciate times of joy. Brooks argues that only seeking happiness and avoiding or ignoring difficult decisions in life should not be our ultimate goal. True happiness can only be found when each person experiences and grows through suffering. His opinion about the nature and function of suffering is very persuasive. As a person who has always struggled with anxiety, I know that pushing myself into social situations is the only way for me to grow and accomplish my goals. Many of the negative experiences in my life have shaped me into a stronger person.
If I had stayed in my comfort zone and not pushed myself into uncomfortable situations I would not have become the athlete and musician I am. The growth mindset is something many athletes believe in and is similar to Brooks’ argument. The growth mindset is that a person should never stay comfortable where they are but should always push themselves into discomfort in order to grow. As an athlete I know that the best way to improve is to struggle. Through struggling I am motivated to practice and improve which makes me a better pitcher and a more satisfied player.
One of the most common translations of the First Noble Truth of Buddhism is “existence is suffering”, implying that to exist, to be alive, brings on pain, loss, grieving, and suffering. Reading Homer’s Odyssey and analyzing the characters, one thing is evident – human suffering is constant. We might not see it, but it takes place in everyone’s lives, everywhere. Reading the Odyssey constantly made me question the value that suffering brings into out lives; does it do something for us? The Odyssey is a profound epic that explores tragedy and suffering through intricate storytelling. It tells the tale of several characters as a way of showcasing different aspects of suffering, ultimately making the characters seem more relatable and unless there is intervention by gods to save the day, human lives are shown as being full of suffering and loss. This suffering has been described as the curse of mortality, and the only way to deal with it is to endure. Humans in the Odyssey weep, grieve, and lament and the theme of grief highlights the fact that regardless of the time we are in, human suffering remains constant but it is this human suffering that provides several valuable lessons such as humility, the importance of being kind and hospitable to one another (xenia), the significance of relationships, and the downside of acting impulsively. For characters in the Odyssey, self-improvement comes as a result of suffering and acts as a catalyst for heroic journeys.
At the beginning of the Odyssey, we are introduced to the notion that despite Odysseus being the King of Ithaca and “a man of outstanding wisdom and shrewdness, eloquence, resourcefulness, courage, and endurance” (“Odysseus”), his life is not free from suffering and there is much he has to endure. We are given a glimpse of Poseidon’s fury against Odysseus that stems from his victory over the Trojans, a people who Poseidon favored. To pay for his actions, Poseidon unleashes the wrath of the seas upon Odysseus, vowing never to allow his return to Ithaca and his loving wife Penelope. Odysseus further insults Poseidon by blinding his son, the Cyclops Polyphemos, ‘But Lord Poseidon rages, unrelenting, / because Odysseus destroyed the eye / of godlike Polyphemus, his own son, / the strongest of the Cyclopes’ (Homer I. 68-70). By blinding Polyphemus, Odysseus instigates Poseidon and he ensures that Odysseus suffers as much as possible by unleashing the tides and winds against Odysseus, blowing him to Ogygia, the island that would test the feebleness of his body.
At Ogygia, the daughter of Atlas and the sea nymph of the island, Calypso, held Odysseus captive despite the profound love that Odysseus had for his wife Penelope, Odysseus was determined to overcome his situation. He was willing to forego Calypso’s offer to make him immortal for the chance to see his beloved Penelope again despite the suffering that he will be forced to live with as a result of his choice, “But if you understood / how glutted you will be with suffering, / before you reach your home, you would stay here / with me and be immortal” (Homer V. 206-209). Odysseus refuses the offer as he longs to return home to a more human life, “I want to go back home, / and every day I hope that day will come. / If some god strikes me on the wine-dark sea, / I will endure it. By now I am used / to suffering— I have gone through so much, / at sea and in the war. Let this come too” (Homer V. 219-224). This statement by Odysseus highlights the importance of human relationships and how to most humans, the value of family outweighs the cost of suffering. Odysseus has been through personal turmoil, fought in a war, lost his fellow soldiers, and is held captive far away from home; he is given the opportunity to finally be free of suffering by becoming immortal and living a peaceful and luxurious life, and yet he is willing to sacrifice that comfort so he can return to his home and to his family. At Ogygia with Calypso and among the watchful eye of the gods, Odysseus has his share of heaven, something that most humans long for and never experience; yet Odysseus is willing to endure the difficult journey that lies before him to return to Ithaca. He accepts that human suffering is natural and is ready to face adversities as they come, ultimately transforming Odysseus’ character in the eyes of the reader from a brash fighter to a sensitive and caring individual, thus announcing the beginning of an odyssey of his own, the odyssey of self actualization. He begins to understand that there is more to him than brute force and strength, and that he truly does care about his family, home, allies, and he begins to become a more rational person.
The theme of suffering in the Odyssey isn’t just limited to Odysseus as we also see several other characters dealing with their own struggles. One such character is Penelope, Odysseus’ wife. At the beginning of the epic, we see her as more than just a weeping widow, she is clever and tactful such as when she came up with tricks to delay the suitors waiting to court her, “She came up with a special trick: she fixed / a mighty loom inside the palace hall. / … / You must be patient / I have worked hard to weave this winding-sheet / to bury good Laertes when he dies” (Homer II. 95-102). However, as the epic progressed and Penelope is forced to spend more time without Odysseus while simultaneously being pursued by multiple suitors, we see her suffering begin to take a toll on her. The reason for her suffering is very similar to that of Odysseus – longing for something that she thinks she may never have again. When Penelope dramatically says, “May the gods annihilate me just like them! Or may / Artemis strike me dead, with my gaze fixed / upon Odysseus! Let me not make / a lesser husband glad” (Homer XX. 79-83), we get a glimpse of her love and loyalty towards Odysseus, and how she’s grieving without him. Penelope’s statement shows that she would rather be dead than marry another man and believes that the suitors who are trying to court her, are inferior to Odysseus. Clearly, Penelope longs for Odysseus and is suffering without him, “When someone weeps / all through the day quite overwhelmed by grief, / but sleeps at night, forgetting everything, / her pain is bearable. But I am cursed / with nightmares by some god” (Homer XX. 83-87). This statement shows Penelope in what can be described as a very uncharacteristic moment of weakness for her, but a moment that showcases her suffering nonetheless. She has been patient and has put on a brave face throughout the story, but at this point it seems that the aggregated suffering and prolonged wait for Odysseus to return has taken its toll on her. Despite all the suffering that Penelope has endured, she still has a kind heart and doesn’t lose her sense of hospitality. When Eurymachus and Antinous disrespect disguised Odysseus, “Calmly, / Penelope replied, ‘Eurymachus, / people who waste the riches of a king / have lost their dignity. Why fuss at this?’” (Homer XXI. 330-333), thus urging the suitors to give the beggar a chance despite him not belonging to being of the same status as them. Finally, just like Odysseus’ journey, we see the culmination of Penelope’s own suffering when she realizes that the beggar has been Odysseus in disguise all this while, “So glad she was to see her own dear husband, / and her white arms would not let go his neck” (Homer XXIII. 241-241). Throughout the epic, Penelope has been shown as a loyal and strong character, and the statement above reaffirms this. Her suffering brought incidences of uncharacteristic behavior and moments of weakness, but overall it made her more resilient and served to reiterate her love for Odysseus. Homer leaves us the reader with the notion that the suffering that both Odysseus and Penelope endured throughout the Odyssey has made them wiser, kinder, and deepened their love for one another. When Odysseus says, “But come now, let us go / to bed together, wife; let us enjoy / the pleasure of sweet sleep” (Homer XXIII. 254-255), he recognizes that they have both endured deep turmoil but now that they are united, Odysseus’ upcoming adventures do not cause him too much worry and their suffering is finally eased.
The Odyssey constantly elucidates the theme of suffering through the personal journeys that Odysseus and Penelope take. While their journeys are different, their suffering is brought about by the same reasons – waiting to reunite with the one they love for 20 years. Odysseus has to endure several hardships on his travels back home such as fighting Polyphemus the Cyclops, being pushed off course by the winds, being trapped on Circe’s island, being shipwrecked as they were being driven to Charybdis, and being held captive by Calypso on the island of Ogygia, but each of these hardships improves him as a person and instills in him many positive qualities. These small improvements eventually lead to a drastic transformation from when we are first introduced to his character. His suffering makes him a better person, bringing out his best qualities as a husband, a father, and a friend. For Penelope, her suffering is brought about in the form of the suitors actively trying to court her while she longs to be with her husband, and jostling with the possibility of her husband being dead. We see the suffering that she undergoes transforming her character from a clever, courageous woman, to someone who has lost all hope and is in despair; however, she stays kind and even becomes more resilient. Eventually we see her suffering come to an end when she is reunited with her one true love in an emotionally charged moment of passionate love. Ultimately, Homer’s Odyssey serves to remind the readers that suffering is a crucial part of the collective human experience and each of our personal odysseys are blank canvases that are filled over time with the ups and downs of mortality, but it is important to remember that while suffering is inescapable, pain is optional and that if there is one thing to learn from Odysseus’ journey, it is to keep going until you get where you want. Through this journey filled with ups and downs, you will learn several valuable lessons that will eventually allow you to reflect on your own life and give you the opportunity to improve yourself.
Have you ever lost someone you love? Have you ever felt the desire to not keep living? Events happen throughout our entire life. Sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way. There are some moments which is too difficult to deal with that feeling we have inside, it is hard to cope with such a thrill and keep struggling with this emotion is our unique option we have left. Suffering, feeling that make people do crazy things, change personality, get depressed, or even have a low self-esteem. Going through suffering is not an easy path, suffering for someone who passed away, suffering because a relationship is broken, or because for past experiences take a long period to get over. However, there are some ways that someone can grow from suffering.
Somebody who is suffering from any kind of events might have a deeper appreciation of life. This includes the assessment of every day moments valuing every single second that he or she has left with his or her loved ones. For example, people who are suffering from cancer might realize that they do not have too much time left so, those simple every day times with their family and friends might mean too much for them. A simple kiss in the morning or a heavy hug before going bed can definitely be worth it. They do not know if their life will end soon or later, but what they do know is that they love to spend all this diminutive time with people they love. (Dr. Hall)
As people come through trials and suffering, they often find personal strength they didn’t know they had. (Dr. Todd Hall) For example, handle being chased by a disease that causes suffering is when a lot of people give up. Going through difficult times plays a huge roll in someone’s life. This moment is when people decide if keep or stop leaving and those who decide to keep fighting against any suffering notice how much strong they are, the willpower they have inside, they become even stronger by fighting back the disease or any suffering cause. People’s strength to keep struggling is bigger than the people desire to give up.Even though, there are some people who battle pain back and try to not surrender under any circumstances, there are some folks that cannot endure difficult moments because they think there is nothing to fight back for. They cannot find the life value, although there are many people who love them as the way they are and will accept and help them through this difficult time. They prefer to stop suffering and making others suffer too because of them by killing themselves or ask for it.
Living a life with no sense is not worthwhile. Many people feel that getting a heart disease, cancer, or any other illness, the chances to find a cure or for this illness become very thin. So, it makes suffering harder to get over it and try to live a normal life. That is why some suffering people decide to suicide or to go to a hospital and ask the doctor to take their life medically.
Rios 3Suffering is sometimes a reaction to situation; other times it is born from the self. Suffering is the basis of tragedy, and unjust human suffering is the biggest tragedy our society faces. (Lucander) suffering is pain in our soul. Suffering leads people to do what they do not want to do. For example, commit suicide due to a lot of pain and suffer.However, suffering gives people a more accurate sense of their own limitation, what they can control and cannot control. When people are thrust down into these deeper zones, they are forced to confront the fact the cannot determine what goes in there. (Brooks, 312) Less energy is taken up fighting against my limitations, and everybody knows what is the roll that he or she might be playing in any situation, not expecting something that will not happen.Suffering makes people cry, run, or suicide. Going through this path will take long time to overcome even though family and friend say that they will be always supportive, it is not enough. Someone who is suffering for any cause might expect a hard and long way coming ahead but it depends of everybody’ s mindset. Anyone who is suffering might learn how to get over it, although it is hard, but he or she has de decision whether stay suffering and crying all his or her life ahead or take one step forward and deal with it.
Resilience reflects individuals’ ability to recover or progress without many challenges from traumatic events or any changes experienced in life (Gohde, 2015). The concept of resilience ensures that a person can maintain equilibrium of health when faced with adversity. Individuals who are resilient demonstrate positive adaptation and thrive, notwithstanding adverse events that affect health and well-being.
According to Gohde (2015), resiliency consists of both biopsychosocial and psychogenic factors that affect health. For instance, psychogenic factors influence mind and body health.
It is imperative to note that resilience is not genetic, but rather is a concept that can be learned. Individuals can learn to master elements of resilience and change their traumatic experiences. Resilience ensures that one can develop abilities to change traumatic events into growth experiences and advance in life.
These learned experiences should help one to cope in adverse situations, handle problems, and failures indicates potential vulnerability to stress (Gohde, 2015).
As previously mentioned, resilience reflects ability to cope or adjust easily after experiencing traumatic events. Since it affects mental processes, resilience requires one to develop cognitive coping styles. This would define how one faces, handles life problems, and subsequent stress and vulnerability too deeply rooted in negative emotion conditions (Gohde, 2015).
The fundamental role of resilience is to assist in managing negative emotions. That is, the real ability to demonstrate equilibrium and sustain positive health in both mind and body during traumatic experiences. Consequently, one can effectively handle such situations and progress in life.
Resilience focuses on behavior modifications in order to develop coping skills (Gohde, 2015). It requires better knowledge of the world, self-awareness for belief systems, social support from interpersonal relations and strong personal belief systems. Hence, one may be able to understand how negative emotions affect human mind and body and the importance of resilience in overcoming such challenges.
The Event the Client Experienced
Malala Yousafzai was shot by Taliban in October 9, 2012 when she was 15 because of her open views on women’s right to education and anti-Taliban campaign. Malala survived after being taken to the UK for specialized treatment. She spent time going through skull reconstruction, cochlear implant surgeries and recovery (Zahra-Malik, 2013).
Although Malala survived after successful treatment and rehabilitation, she continues to face resentment from her hometown in northwestern Pakistan. Some members of the village and Taliban have insisted that she is out to destroy Pakistan and therefore not wanted. Many villagers and Taliban have insisted that she is propagating Western ideas and more harsh on activities of Taliban.
Malala has continued to defy Taliban rule in her hometown and vowed to promote women’s right to education.
These events have led to traumatic events after surviving the head shot. Malala has developed hope and is now a symbol of unity.
The events that Malala experienced after the fetal shooting and subsequent survival were highly traumatic and painful. Apart from physical pain and anguish, she also experienced psychological trauma. After successful treatment, the teenager had to relocate to a new school in Britain.
Malala has lived in a violent neighborhood in northwestern Pakistan where the Taliban have vowed to spread their strict rules and limit women’s right to education. The militancy rule and subsequent violence against the natives naturally result in traumatic experiences. For Malala only aged 16, these traumatic experiences may present severe psychological problems later in adulthood. Moreover, she lives in fear because of constant death threats issued against her by the Taliban.
Other villagers have accused Malala of insincerity in her campaign. In fact, they argue that it is a ploy to get her family to move to Britain. Malala continues to encounter hatred even on social media (Zahra-Malik, 2013). Eventually, these events persistently result in trauma.
Interpreting and Overcoming the Event using meaning-making, sense-making and benefit-finding
Scholars have focused their attentions to understand the concept of meaning-making following traumatic experiences. Critical traumatic experiences or major losses usually result in traumatic experiences that may shatter individuals’ normal world, leading to a constant search for meaning (Steffen & Coyle, 2012). In this regard, the goal of Malala was to find positive effects, integrate the loss and adjust better to trauma. This would overcome the loss in her meaning system, assumptive world or self-narrative by meaning reconstruction processes, including sense-making, benefit-finding, and identity change (Steffen & Coyle, 2012).
Once Malala finds benefits in her traumatic experiences and loss, benefits and meaning would lead to various positive outcomes, including ‘post-traumatic growth’. A wide range of positive outcomes can only be realized through better adjustment to trauma.
To some extent, the perceived better adjustment after traumatic experiences may be associated with spiritual and religious beliefs, which lead to discovery of beliefs and hence meaning in life (Steffen & Coyle, 2012).
It is known that after successful recovery of Malala, she found a sense of meaning after the traumatic event. To Malala, meaning in her traumatic experiences could only be captured by writing a book and advancing her enduring campaign against Taliban and promoting right to education for children.
These changes took place in response to traumatic experiences of Malala (Draucker et al., 2009). They were triggered by tensions inherent in how individuals respond to traumatic experiences endured. Engaging in meaning-making led to a more satisfying means of living.
Writing and reading were forms of sense-making to manage unpleasant memories and avoid emotional distress for Malala. Luckily, she found several methods to manage memories and escape them too. Malala now actively works to fill in the gaps of unpleasant memories, even if she occasionally thinks about the trauma.
Besides, she avoided her attackers by relocating to Britain where she sought to build new relations and interact with others who may help.
Malala constantly reevaluated herself for meaning. Through these efforts, she devoted to write a book, share her story with the world and eventually realized global recognition from various bodies and individuals.
The Post-traumatic Growth
From Malala’s traumatic experiences, one can conclude that trauma made her emerge stronger. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, so they say (Hanson, n.d). The case of Malala is a true reflection of post-traumatic growth.
Based on positive psychology ideologies, individuals need trauma, adversity and drawbacks to grow stronger, find meaning, discover fulfillment and develop resilience through inner strengths (Hanson, n.d). Previously, large volumes of literature had however indicated that trauma and stress had adverse effects on individuals’ mental and physical health. It was documented that chronic conditions such as anxiety, posttraumatic disorder and even heart disease could be triggered by stress and trauma. However, new literature seems to suggest that traumatic experiences, when managed well, are actually good for mental health (Hanson, n.d).
Trauma leads to the development of resilience. The notion is rooted in the idea that one can experience positive outcomes after extremely traumatic experiences. New studies relate such positive results to meaning-making, sense-making and benefit-finding, posttraumatic growth or stress-related growth (Hanson, n.d).
The focus of trauma is in benefits rather than negative experiences such as pain and anxiety. The case of Malala reflects the relevance of post-traumatic growth after a terrorist attack. One can identify the growth benefits of post-traumatic growth irrespective of causes of trauma. Individuals may emerge stronger and discover their hidden abilities and strengths (Hanson, n.d). Consequently, people change, for instance, Malala changed herself concept and became confident to face new challenges related to children’s right to education and a campaign against Taliban rule.
Growth is noted in new nurtured relationships. For instance, Malala found out who her true friends were after the attack and the trauma.
After her traumatic experiences, Malala focused on defining new life priorities and philosophies to lead a more focused life. She turned her attention on promoting children’s right to education, telling her story through writing and campaigning against Taliban.
Post-traumatic growth is considered as a coping strategy after experiencing a trauma or stressful events. Positive life changes, however, depend on individuals’ ability to transform their lives with assistance if required.
The Role of Resilience in Protecting Wellbeing
The role of resilience in protecting individual wellbeing is noted in developing positive emotions to cope with traumatic events. Positive emotion has been noted as a critical factor in enhancing adaptive responses to pain and its related consequences (Ong & Zautra, 2010). Apart from demonstrating psychological resilience, individuals who experience positive emotions also have adaptive advantage during stressing situations.
It is noted that resilience should lead to positive life changes following a traumatic experience. For instance, individuals may change their careers, pursue new roles or engage in more activities that are meaningful to themselves and the world (Hanson, n.d).
Resilience should be used to develop a coping strategy or plan. In this case, individuals use their resilient abilities to manage distress and control the interactions between post-traumatic outcomes and potential positive health outcomes.
Resilient individuals strive to control negative emotions and rely on their coping strategies that evoke positive emotions such as positive attitudes, humor and positive thinking among others.
The purpose of resilience should be to reduce the levels of depression and focus on more positive affect following traumatic experiences to maintain wellbeing. Specifically, positive outcomes due to resilience were attributed to individuals who sought for benefit-finding following traumatic experiences. They realized greater improvements in health (Hanson, n.d). However, it is imperative to note that the role of resilience could be affected by other factors such as individuals’ belief systems or ethnic background. Personal traits such as optimism could also affect resilience and attendant outcomes. For instance, only optimistic individuals may be able to derive benefits and ensure wellbeing following such traumatic events (Hanson, n.d).
In fact, such experiences should drive people to derive positive outcomes from bad experiences. Hence, individuals who have experienced a great deal of trauma could possibly experience increased positive post-traumatic growth.
Given these variables, it is possible that resilience will not completely guarantee wellbeing and therefore stress and anxiety such as posttraumatic disorder may result from traumatic experiences (Hanson, n.d). This could occur when people cannot adapt and improve their situations.
References
Draucker, C. B., Martsolf, D. S., Ross, R., Cook, C. B., Stidham, A. W., & Mweemba, P. (2009). The Essence of Healing from Sexual Violence: A Qualitative Metasynthesis. Research in Nursing & Health, 32(4), 366–378. doi: 10.1002/nur.20333.
Ong, A. D., & Zautra, A. J. (2010). Psychological Resilience Predicts Decreases in Pain Catastrophizing Through Positive Emotions. Psychology and Aging, 25(3), 516–523. doi: 10.1037/a0019384.
Steffen, E., & Coyle, A. (2012). Sense of presence’ experiences in bereavement and their relationship to mental health: A critical examination of a continuing controversy. In C. Murray (ed), Mental Health and Anomalous Experience (pp. 33-56). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.
Zahra-Malik, M. (2013). Malala, survivor of Taliban, resented in Pakistan hometown. Reuters. Web.
Biology can be defined as a science of living organisms and processes that occur affect them. It has two branches, which are botany and zoology. The application of biological sciences, help address problems that human beings encounter in their daily lives. This essay evaluates the value of biology in alleviating human suffering, experienced across the entire universe. The essay will revolve around the practice of biology in addressing issues of overpopulation, global warming, global security and personal integrity.
Human processes are biological in nature, therefore it is important to understand the usefulness of the science. The Planet is facing the danger of overpopulation; proper scientific research can redirect the course of events. Food insufficiency, diseases, wars and scarce resources are some of the devastating situations affecting the world today. Large populations worsen these situations even further. Large populations require vast resources, which the planet cannot satisfy. There is a need to have manageable numbers of people across all geographical boundaries. The best place to start this process is the family unit. Biology can be used in the family planning programs. It is important to understand the body and control the functions of the reproductive system and coming up with drugs that can inhibit reproduction in a safe manner. (Griffiths 150).
Since biology involves the study of organisms and their structures, function, growth, origin and evolution. It can be applied to researches that will increase food production and improve the ecosystems around us. Biotechnology has been used in various fields to improve quality of human life. Biotechnology incorporates biology with technology, leading to specialized innovations that improve productivity. Science is used to improve the longevity of living organisms, by providing long term solutions to different problems. Organic foods, alternative means of energy are some of the scientific processes that have impacted the world in a positive way (Griffiths 155).
Microbiology involves the study of micro-organisms; such organisms may include bacteria, viruses and fungi; which end up affecting the human health. Large populations are prone to disease outbreaks. Communicable diseases like Cholera, Tuberculosis, and typhoid are some of the diseases that are common in densely populated areas. Microbiological studies help understand the nature of the diseases and provide developmental guidelines for production of cures of unknown diseases. Some of the diseases that microbiology is undertaking include the avian flu, H1N1 virus and the Ebola virus. These viruses are a threat to mankind, thus understanding them is of high priority.
Application of science biology can also help in dealing with the problem of global warming, which in the long run helps alleviate impending disasters. Understanding global warming, this is the fluctuation and rise in the level of temperatures, in the ice-covered areas of the arctic and Antarctic regions. Global warming is caused by man’s activity. The exploitative nature of the human has depleted the ozone layers to catastrophic levels. Biologists and other scientists are working to find ways to reverse the problem before it is too late to salvage. Understanding the dynamism of the environment will help reduce the effect of global warming.
Biological methods can also be used to produce crops and food that are resistant to the conditions necessitated by global warming. That is, to come up with crops that are ‘conscious to situation’ of global warming and thus improve food productivity and food security for a long time. This in the long run, improves the living standards.
Application of biology can also have a great influence on global security and personal integrity. Global security is a concern of all human beings, as nations seek to outdo each other in the production of biological weapons. Radical governments, like Iran are enriching their nuclear power as a form of retaliation to the western powers, especially the United States. This radical move threatens the very existence of the human race; as such weapons can cause irreparable damage to the planet. The aftermath of a nuclear weapon’s destruction will render some large areas of the planet inhabitable for centuries. It is import to note that, biology can be used for both good and evil. It can improve or destroy life (Artsch 252). Counter-terrorist agencies use biologists to find solutions to potential threats, before they happen. All nations should endeavor to protect their citizens, however that does not warrant the use of biological agents against other innocent civilians.
Proper understanding of agents in bioterrorism and their dynamics can lead to formulation of measures to mitigate their effects; and understanding the effects of bioterrorism, antidotes can be manufactured. Hiroshima and Nagasaki should act as reminders, whenever nations think of exploring the nuclear path. The atomic explosions in 1945, created a huge loss for Japan. There was massive loss of life and property, and the economy was negatively affected for decades (Lederberg 230).
Through the mentioned contexts, we can justify the application of biology in the daily activities of our lives and we can greatly shape the world around us to secure our future. This provides strong backing that biology can be vital towards sustaining human existence.
Works Cited
Artsch, Colvard. The Living Environment. New York: W. W. Wiley & Sons, 2009. Print.
Griffiths, William. An Introduction to Genetic Analysis. New York: W. H. Freeman & Company, 2000. Print.