Nietzche, Marx, and Sarte.
Today I started wondering to what extent I can actually control my own destiny. Are some people just born " better" as Nietzche describes? I suppose you could say that we all have strengths and as long as we are not playing the victim. Sarte seems to describe this same kind of strength in the language of freedom. That as people we all have a freedom to get out of bad situations. Your life is what you make it as they say. On the other hand, Marx describes the uncontrollable situation we are put in as a result of capitalism. As college students maybe you can all relate to a minimum wage lifestyle or maybe not. Sometimes the government tries to make you feel better by offering loans. This isn't free money however, they expect and what will probably happen, is later you will end up paying off the interest not the principle. This is how they make their money. Using a different example, people with money tend to have a lot more options in a world where paper is valued more than life, happiness, and quality. I truly don't like to believe that there is nothing I can do about the capitalist society in which we live. For instance, everyone is required to go to high school. Assuming you make good grades you will get money to go to college. Yes you will probably have loans but some employers will pay them for you. Going to a good school although more expensive pays off in the long run because of the connections you make. While I do believe, to some extent people have "bad luck" such as getting or having a family member terminally ill, I believe we can turn them into strengths. There are days when I wish I did not have to work so hard. I wish my family had more money so I could just study instead of working to pay rent, but it has taught me responsibility, accountability, and other life skills. Hopefully I can even make six figures one day as a nurse. I will never be as rich as Bill Gates, Oprah, or Steve Jobs, but it turns out I do not need much.
I believe you make your own destiny to a certain extent. If something happens in your life that is not good, it's up to you, with the reaction you give towards it, to see if it knocks you down or not. I do believe everything happens for a reason and you learn from the trials that were thrown your way. And something that has knocked you down in the past can be used as a strength later in life. I agree with your post
ReplyDeleteIt is a little confessing on which philosopher is being used here, all three of them? In the case of a student in college, Nietzche would possible say that only those that are smart enough to go through college should be the only ones that do attend college. Marx could say that colleges cost should be affordable for everyone, otherwise it is not fair. Sartre might comment that there are other ways to get a job without college, people are not forced in to college there are other options. The destiny is made by choices that someone, is one major is not fitting, then there are other options. No one is force to stay in one place everyone can change their destiny.
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