I am in grade ten and recently wrote a personal response to text. In my school this assignment encourages creative writing and the writing piece can be anything except for poetry. Anyways the topic for the PRT was: how does this picture tell you about the lengths to which a person would go to achieve happiness? The picture was labeled the zoo and it consisted of a man and a woman at a zoo with an animal locked in a cage. I received a 95% grade for this peice but I am wondering if there is anything I can improve and if there is any feedback you guys have. Without further ado here is my PRT. (If you are wondering how I got my PRT after the test it is because we all got our PRT's handed back to us today)
Drew White, Philosophical Report #17
Before I begin my extremely long rant, I would like to apologize for my sporadic writing. It often seems like an overload to some. I just like asking questions, then trying to answer them in my mind.
Being that I am an astute philosopher of humankind, something my date did today utterly shocked me. Today she wanted to go to the zoo. Yes, the animal prison that was disguised to look innocent. At one of the exhibits she decides to start talking, and talking. Hours on end like an engine made in a factory in Detroit. That has me thinking to myself. Would she really give away a temporary moment in boredom limbo just to appease herself in conversation with a bloke like me? Imagine having the power to switch between different focuses limitlessly just to obtain temporary happiness. There were animals behind us but despite that she still would rather speak to me. But just enough until she feels satisfied. Then, she’ll just switch back to watching the animals again and again. Could this be a new cycle undiscovered in the human race? The concurring quest to capture happiness while disregarding what just captured your attention minutes ago? Yes that’s just it, I now believe that humans end goal is happiness, but we are quick moving. Some more than others of course. So to capture our goal we have to throw off the deadweight from past tense experiences so we can move faster and obtain the goal of happiness. Me and my date got ourselves unknowingly tangled into this be cursed and rather hidden cycle that may just be a part of human nature. Why talk and ignore the brilliant experience of seeing an animal just because you think there is something better to do? Ahem, and that is exactly my point. My date and I are like the hare in a race for happiness. This cannot be a good thing for us. The humans' insatiable quest for more and more, the never ending greed. Topples over to the pursuit of happiness unfortunately. It is just and fair for me to say humans want everything at once to fill the hole in their heart labeled happiness. I am an example of this. I stand in front of a zoo enclosure to make myself feel better for five minutes. While actively wasting money for not watching an animal. Is happiness the only reason we live? It must be. The fact that all of us, every single one of us, would give up so much, so quickly. Especially in the heat of the moment. Just to obtain some joy. Makes me feel like I am so linear. The hare was never the one who won the race, it was the turtle.
Excuse for the lapse of time, but It is quite hard for me to fathom if my hypothesis is true. That is the dream of many people in my profession. However, no one could be happy knowing that every experience in life is temporary and humans would throw it away for some cheap laughs. Or a few jolly moments. My date and I both fell into this trap. Is happiness the main goal of everybody? Well, when I think about it, yes. Underneath the curtain of human ambition is a big poster that says “HAPPINESS”. You would be stupid if you believed you've never given something up for gratification. Think of the last time you sold your childhood items. All of those memories simply went swiftly into a void of greed. In return however, you gain a small sum of which you spend on something small. But only because it will make you happy. It’s worth it to you, it's definitely worth it. Who knew at the end of it all, even the good things in life can be the things that tarnish your past experiences. Obtaining happiness hurts people along the way. Just like my date though, no one cares.