Existentialism Project
Link for viewing my video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dA8xMcek6aRzMve7DlVmuTHPBEOnBcMk/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dA8xMcek6aRzMve7DlVmuTHPBEOnBcMk/view?usp=sharing
Project Reflection:
The inspiration behind my project and my personal philosophy on life was to find the beauty in the simple things in life. Don’t focus so much on what the meaning of life is and instead live in the moment. I believe that people spend too much time thinking about what the point of life is and what happens after death, while that may fulfill some people I would rather live one day at a time.
For my project I made a film featuring special/euphoric moments in my life. I have clips from my travels, exploring nature, and the important people in my life. I used clips from my childhood that my mom took of me on her digital camera, and slowly incorporated more recent clips that I have taken. I wanted to give the effect of growing up through this video. I used the song Wash. by Bon Iver as their music has played an influential role in my growing up.
The other big part of my project is the poem I wrote that explains my personal philosophy more in depth. I recited this poem and added it to my video to add more personal meaning to my project. Overall I want this film to be inspiring to the people who watch it, I want them to focus on the beautiful moments in life and spend less time stressing about the things we cannot control.
When I was younger I have vivid memories of thinking about death, and then breaking down crying on my dad’s lap because I was afraid. And while I believe it is important to come to terms with death I don’t think we as humans should dwell on it. This is a concept that I more strongly identified through this project. If you live life being afraid of death I don’t think you ever really live. We read the book Into the Wild during this project and my mentality on this topic is why I believe this book had such an effect on me. Chris wasn’t afraid of death, and he didn’t spend too much time dwelling on the future. He instead focused on the moments he felt euphoric. Exploring the wood’s and living off of the land. Even though he died an early unfortunate death, he still had a full meaningful life. I think that is what is most important.
While I may not agree with spending time stressing about the future, I still believe that it is important to identify your personal purpose in life, whether it be big or small. I hope to continue to identify this for myself throughout my entire life. I also believe that it is important to question your morals often to make sure they really identify with you. I want to do this more in the future because I believe it leads to positive reflections and conversations with others. We can learn a lot from one another and I want to take advantage of this more in the future.
The inspiration behind my project and my personal philosophy on life was to find the beauty in the simple things in life. Don’t focus so much on what the meaning of life is and instead live in the moment. I believe that people spend too much time thinking about what the point of life is and what happens after death, while that may fulfill some people I would rather live one day at a time.
For my project I made a film featuring special/euphoric moments in my life. I have clips from my travels, exploring nature, and the important people in my life. I used clips from my childhood that my mom took of me on her digital camera, and slowly incorporated more recent clips that I have taken. I wanted to give the effect of growing up through this video. I used the song Wash. by Bon Iver as their music has played an influential role in my growing up.
The other big part of my project is the poem I wrote that explains my personal philosophy more in depth. I recited this poem and added it to my video to add more personal meaning to my project. Overall I want this film to be inspiring to the people who watch it, I want them to focus on the beautiful moments in life and spend less time stressing about the things we cannot control.
When I was younger I have vivid memories of thinking about death, and then breaking down crying on my dad’s lap because I was afraid. And while I believe it is important to come to terms with death I don’t think we as humans should dwell on it. This is a concept that I more strongly identified through this project. If you live life being afraid of death I don’t think you ever really live. We read the book Into the Wild during this project and my mentality on this topic is why I believe this book had such an effect on me. Chris wasn’t afraid of death, and he didn’t spend too much time dwelling on the future. He instead focused on the moments he felt euphoric. Exploring the wood’s and living off of the land. Even though he died an early unfortunate death, he still had a full meaningful life. I think that is what is most important.
While I may not agree with spending time stressing about the future, I still believe that it is important to identify your personal purpose in life, whether it be big or small. I hope to continue to identify this for myself throughout my entire life. I also believe that it is important to question your morals often to make sure they really identify with you. I want to do this more in the future because I believe it leads to positive reflections and conversations with others. We can learn a lot from one another and I want to take advantage of this more in the future.
My Life on Earth Poem
life is not about the moments of success
but the moments in between
living in gratitude
for each breath
as the meaning of life must be
the pursuit of happiness and beauty
for what else ties us all together?
we are all specks on the cosmic timeline
catching glimpses of eternal beauty
in the fleeting moments
we are given
not counting time
but instead appreciating the more important moments…
exploring the unimaginably vast and
beautiful world we have been given
loving someone with your whole heart
letting down your walls and boundaries
or life can be as simple as enjoying a home cooked meal with friends
lying in the grass watching the flowers dance in the wind
i have heard many say, life is stage
but I disagree
but life doesn’t need to be a grand performance
instead focus on the moments when your out of the bright lights
romanticize
every day
every moment
for life can be watching snowflakes fall quietly in the moonlight
life can be waking up early to watch the sun slowly rise
washing the land in gold
it’s is about more than just measuring our success
falling into the boxes society pushes upon us
instead it’s not planning ahead
but the being present
it’s about the journey not the destination
the anticipation and experiences we gain along the way
that is truly living.
but the moments in between
living in gratitude
for each breath
as the meaning of life must be
the pursuit of happiness and beauty
for what else ties us all together?
we are all specks on the cosmic timeline
catching glimpses of eternal beauty
in the fleeting moments
we are given
not counting time
but instead appreciating the more important moments…
exploring the unimaginably vast and
beautiful world we have been given
loving someone with your whole heart
letting down your walls and boundaries
or life can be as simple as enjoying a home cooked meal with friends
lying in the grass watching the flowers dance in the wind
i have heard many say, life is stage
but I disagree
but life doesn’t need to be a grand performance
instead focus on the moments when your out of the bright lights
romanticize
every day
every moment
for life can be watching snowflakes fall quietly in the moonlight
life can be waking up early to watch the sun slowly rise
washing the land in gold
it’s is about more than just measuring our success
falling into the boxes society pushes upon us
instead it’s not planning ahead
but the being present
it’s about the journey not the destination
the anticipation and experiences we gain along the way
that is truly living.
Rogerian Project
Project Reflection:
My topic for this project was abortion rights. Should women have the right to their own bodies and be able to decide if they want to keep a child or abort it? In my opinion yes they should. My opinion was mostly unchanged throughout the project because this is something that I have been passionate about for years. But I have become more compassionate and willing to listen to others that have different beliefs and ideologies. One major step that helped me learn this skill was the republican panel and we listened to in class. While hearing their differing opinions was difficult it was a necessary part of this project. I have realized throughout this project that everyone has their own specific set of ideologies that differ from one another and that is a normal part of society.
The definition of rhetoric is, “The art of effective persuasion through writing or speech.”
Learning about the 3 rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) and rhetoric has been an eye-opening experience. I have learned the role that these elements play in society and how it has affected past moments in history. Rogerian rhetoric or a “willingness to be disturbed” is something that is and will continue to be important in a democratic society. When someone's ideologies are questioned, it can push them to change and become a better person. Therefore helping society.
Below you can see my art piece for this project and my artist statement/rogerian essay. Hope you enjoy!
My topic for this project was abortion rights. Should women have the right to their own bodies and be able to decide if they want to keep a child or abort it? In my opinion yes they should. My opinion was mostly unchanged throughout the project because this is something that I have been passionate about for years. But I have become more compassionate and willing to listen to others that have different beliefs and ideologies. One major step that helped me learn this skill was the republican panel and we listened to in class. While hearing their differing opinions was difficult it was a necessary part of this project. I have realized throughout this project that everyone has their own specific set of ideologies that differ from one another and that is a normal part of society.
The definition of rhetoric is, “The art of effective persuasion through writing or speech.”
Learning about the 3 rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) and rhetoric has been an eye-opening experience. I have learned the role that these elements play in society and how it has affected past moments in history. Rogerian rhetoric or a “willingness to be disturbed” is something that is and will continue to be important in a democratic society. When someone's ideologies are questioned, it can push them to change and become a better person. Therefore helping society.
Below you can see my art piece for this project and my artist statement/rogerian essay. Hope you enjoy!
Art Piece
Artist Statement
Abortion Rights
By: Roan Harvey
Abortion is one of the most emotionally potent political ideas out there, having almost no grounds of agreement between two polar aspects. The new Texas “Heartbeat” bill is taking away many women’s rights to their bodies. Meaning, if a woman is not able to detect the pregnancy before 6 weeks, her right to an abortion will become illegal. With no exceptions.
Many pro-lifers are against abortions because they believe that aborting a fetus should not be a form of birth control. Many say they are pro-life because abortions are a way out of something that people are in no hurry to try and prevent. A pro-life essay I read mentioned this issue,
“As a society we focus on sex as a thing that everyone does and that makes young adults think that they need to be joining what everyone is doing. This ends up creating a child that neither the mother nor the father is capable of taking care of, and the mother feels her only way out of the situation is to terminate the pregnancy in the form of an abortion.”
This issue is something I believe both pro-life and pro-choice agree with. No woman wants to get an abortion, they do it because they have no other option. Instead of debating the morals of abortions society needs to focus more on access to affordable birth control and sexual education for teens. This could be an issue where both sides could come together and make a positive change. Giving teens access to contraceptives and educating them will inevitably result in fewer abortions.
Another point that was brought to my attention throughout this project was, at what point does the fetus become a child? My personal opinion on this topic is that at the point a fetus can live outside of the womb away from the mother, it is officially a child. This doesn’t mean that all abortions should be illegal after this point, but there could be access to the procedure when it is a desperate situation. Such as if the mother would pass away during birth, it still should be her choice. But I also understand why people who are pro-life may disagree with me. If the child is capable of surviving without the mother, should it have its own rights? People may have different opinions on this subject based on their beliefs and this makes sense. Is having an abortion at this point murder?
I understand the different points that pro-life people may make against abortions, and even agree with aspects of their arguments. But through it all, I am still pro-choice. I have large dreams and aspirations. When I graduate, I want to move to New York City and go to fashion school. This has been my goal for many years and I wouldn’t want anything to get in the way of it. And as a sexually active teenage girl, if I were pregnant and didn’t have access to a safe abortion, it would change the course of my whole life. I would be forced to give up on my dream. Maybe I would be desperate enough to attempt an unsafe abortion, as thousands of women make that decision every year. They are desperate enough to risk their own lives and wellbeing instead of birthing the child they do not want and don’t have the means to care for.
The art piece I made for this project is meant to evoke a feeling from the viewer, I want to have an impact on them and hopefully help them realize how important access to safe abortions are. This piece is representing women all around the world who are desperate enough to attempt an unsafe abortion. I cast my own body in plaster of Paris because as a female I am faced with the fear of teen pregnancy. I then painted and added the gruesome aspect to the cast so the viewer can realize the major issues unsafe abortions lead to. Finally, the hanger represents the unsafe abortions that will become normalized if abortions become illegal. It will lead to millions of unnecessary deaths because many women are desperate enough to risk it all.
Now more than ever with women's rights in serious danger because of the imposing abortion bans, we need to take charge. If someone is unfit or uncomfortable with the idea of raising a child they should have access to safe abortion. Every year around 68,000 women die from unsafe abortions worldwide. 68,000. I don’t want to live in a world where my dreams or life could be jeopardized because I don’t have rights to my own body. We need access to safe abortions, good sex education programs in schools, and free birth control. It is up to us, the millions of women who are pro-choice and who have been personally affected by this issue to make a change. My body, my choice.
Citations
Bish, Joe. “Overpopulation: Cause and Effect.” OVERPOPULATION: CAUSE AND EFFECT, Population Media Center, 25 June 2020, https://info.populationmedia.org/blog/overpopulation-cause-and-effect.
Haddad, Lisa B, and Nawal M Nour. “Unsafe Abortion: Unnecessary Maternal Mortality.” Reviews in Obstetrics & Gynecology, MedReviews, LLC, 2009, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2709326/.
By: Roan Harvey
Abortion is one of the most emotionally potent political ideas out there, having almost no grounds of agreement between two polar aspects. The new Texas “Heartbeat” bill is taking away many women’s rights to their bodies. Meaning, if a woman is not able to detect the pregnancy before 6 weeks, her right to an abortion will become illegal. With no exceptions.
Many pro-lifers are against abortions because they believe that aborting a fetus should not be a form of birth control. Many say they are pro-life because abortions are a way out of something that people are in no hurry to try and prevent. A pro-life essay I read mentioned this issue,
“As a society we focus on sex as a thing that everyone does and that makes young adults think that they need to be joining what everyone is doing. This ends up creating a child that neither the mother nor the father is capable of taking care of, and the mother feels her only way out of the situation is to terminate the pregnancy in the form of an abortion.”
This issue is something I believe both pro-life and pro-choice agree with. No woman wants to get an abortion, they do it because they have no other option. Instead of debating the morals of abortions society needs to focus more on access to affordable birth control and sexual education for teens. This could be an issue where both sides could come together and make a positive change. Giving teens access to contraceptives and educating them will inevitably result in fewer abortions.
Another point that was brought to my attention throughout this project was, at what point does the fetus become a child? My personal opinion on this topic is that at the point a fetus can live outside of the womb away from the mother, it is officially a child. This doesn’t mean that all abortions should be illegal after this point, but there could be access to the procedure when it is a desperate situation. Such as if the mother would pass away during birth, it still should be her choice. But I also understand why people who are pro-life may disagree with me. If the child is capable of surviving without the mother, should it have its own rights? People may have different opinions on this subject based on their beliefs and this makes sense. Is having an abortion at this point murder?
I understand the different points that pro-life people may make against abortions, and even agree with aspects of their arguments. But through it all, I am still pro-choice. I have large dreams and aspirations. When I graduate, I want to move to New York City and go to fashion school. This has been my goal for many years and I wouldn’t want anything to get in the way of it. And as a sexually active teenage girl, if I were pregnant and didn’t have access to a safe abortion, it would change the course of my whole life. I would be forced to give up on my dream. Maybe I would be desperate enough to attempt an unsafe abortion, as thousands of women make that decision every year. They are desperate enough to risk their own lives and wellbeing instead of birthing the child they do not want and don’t have the means to care for.
The art piece I made for this project is meant to evoke a feeling from the viewer, I want to have an impact on them and hopefully help them realize how important access to safe abortions are. This piece is representing women all around the world who are desperate enough to attempt an unsafe abortion. I cast my own body in plaster of Paris because as a female I am faced with the fear of teen pregnancy. I then painted and added the gruesome aspect to the cast so the viewer can realize the major issues unsafe abortions lead to. Finally, the hanger represents the unsafe abortions that will become normalized if abortions become illegal. It will lead to millions of unnecessary deaths because many women are desperate enough to risk it all.
Now more than ever with women's rights in serious danger because of the imposing abortion bans, we need to take charge. If someone is unfit or uncomfortable with the idea of raising a child they should have access to safe abortion. Every year around 68,000 women die from unsafe abortions worldwide. 68,000. I don’t want to live in a world where my dreams or life could be jeopardized because I don’t have rights to my own body. We need access to safe abortions, good sex education programs in schools, and free birth control. It is up to us, the millions of women who are pro-choice and who have been personally affected by this issue to make a change. My body, my choice.
Citations
Bish, Joe. “Overpopulation: Cause and Effect.” OVERPOPULATION: CAUSE AND EFFECT, Population Media Center, 25 June 2020, https://info.populationmedia.org/blog/overpopulation-cause-and-effect.
Haddad, Lisa B, and Nawal M Nour. “Unsafe Abortion: Unnecessary Maternal Mortality.” Reviews in Obstetrics & Gynecology, MedReviews, LLC, 2009, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2709326/.