Happiness and Meaning in the #21st century!

Gabe Garcia's painting to go along with his piece of writing linked below under examples!

Album cover for Perrin and Eno's philosophy project rap album (2016). See below for the link to one of their raps.

FINAL MINI-LESSON: Technology and Human Existence
Driving Question: How is your personal philosophy on happiness/meaning/purpose shaping up in the #21st century with the role technology plays in our lives?

Watch Sherry Turkle's TED Talk:  Connected But Alone 
During talk, highlight ideas/phrases/words/concepts that stands out to you.  Write down at least one question you would like to ask this researcher, or that this talk sparked for you.

PAIR SHARE an idea/phrase/word/concept that stood out to you
Discuss: What was the thesis of this talk?  What, ultimately, is she trying to say about our use of technology?

Now Watch a different perspective: "Technology Made Us Humans":
1. Do you agree with the narrator in the Shots of Awe video we watched today that, "Technology is the real skin of our species?" Why or why not?
2. Are there fundamental differences between technological tools like an ax to chop wood and technological devices like smartphones? If so what are those differences especially in terms of the ways the two types of tools shape/help/impact us?

FOUR CORNERS

• Sherry Turkle is right.  Our devices and "connected" habits are robbing us of important pieces of our humanity and we need to intervene intentionally.
• Our social media-based digital lives are making us happier and more connected to other human beings.

Introduction to the Personal Philosophy Final Project!!!!
1. Review as a whole class the project guidelines for our Personal Philosophy project 

2.  Rubric critique
Dig in to some of the rubric language.  With the people near you, answer the following:

• What does thoughtful mean in the context of our project?
• What does authentic mean in the context of this project?
• What does it mean for a piece of writing and a creative visual to "work together cohesively"?
• What does it mean when a project is "refined to exhibition standards"
• What does it mean to "exemplify beautiful work"?

3. EXAMPLES

• Ashley's Example philosophy statement and project proposal
•  Watsky's spoken word poem: "Tiny Glowing Screens, Part 2":  This poem tells a depressing story about how the stars make us feel inadequate, about how — amongst seven billion people — each one of us is insignificant. However, upon closer look, Watsky seems to be trying to make meaning or find his purpose in the face of that feeling of inadequacy/insignificance. Think about how he defines meaning/purpose in this poem.
• Stephen Sellers "I Am" Video
• Student philosophy statement and project proposal examples from class of 2016
• Grant Gibson's spoken word poem and video 
• Serena Bennett’s video ​
• Mikayla Wright's spoken word poem paired paired with images/video footage
• “Swim” Perrin and Eno’s rap on the teenage existentialist crisis
  Click here to listen to the entire 4 song EP
• Gabe's writing (his painting is above next to Perrin and Eno's Album cover)
• Dana’s project:  “Cuida” (about gratitude!)
  

4. REVIEW and BRAINSTORM
Step 1: In your starter google doc title this entry "personal philosophy project review" (to start getting the wheels churnin' for your project).  Answer the following prompt: What ideas have stood out to you from this project so far that you think resonate with or are influencing the formation of your own personal philosophy of happiness/meaning?

Here is a list of the resources/philosophies/concepts we've studied thus far:
​Readings (these are all hyperlinked even though they aren't all in orange!!)

• The Stranger
• Into the Wild/Tale for Time Being
• “The Catastrophe of Success”
• Forest Bathing
• Sense of Place
• Jennifer Aaker: Happiness v. Meaning
• Research on Gratitude from Harvard Health
• Summary of Aristotle's philosophy of Eudaimonia (ignore page 1)
• Existentialism powerpoint 

​TED Talks, Podcasts, Media Clips/Films

• Success Podcast (5 talks)
• “The Science of Happiness- An Experiment in Gratitude”
• “The Paradox of Choice”
• "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us"  
• "What Makes a Good Life: Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness"
• "The Pale Blue Dot" narrated by Astronomer and astrophysicist, Carl Sagan
•  Youtube video called, "Existential Bummer"
• Radiolab podcast on "Bliss"  and the youtube video of Aleksander Gamme's blissful cache discover
•  I AM by Stephen Sellers
• Alan Watts' youtube video: "What is it you desire?"  
• Sherry Turkle's TED Talk:  Connected But Alone
• "Technology Made Us Humans"

FILMS

• Stranger Than Fiction
• Happy (many of you watched in Sara Price's class-- if not, it is available on Netflix for free!)
• BBC's film on Science and Religion

Step 2: Brainstorm Free-for-All!  Here are some options for brainstorm time....
*Remember: BY Wednesday you must complete the project proposal AND get your idea critiqued in class before moving forward with implementation.

• Spend the next 15 minutes writing or drawing as many different ideas as you can  OR continuing your starter by reacting to the various resources that we studied (listed above) that stood out to you as particularly inspiring.
• Spend some time re-reading/re-watching the resources above that stood out to you
• Talk to a friend about some ideas you have
• Read through some of the guiding questions and student examples on this document. Journal on them.
• Go for a walk and think about your ideas and when you come back, write down the INSPIRING thoughts that stood out to you 
• Sit on a bench outside and journal!
• Write your personal philosophy statement FIRST as this may help you choose what sort of medium you want to do for your art piece! Stuck on your personal philosophy? See the first three bullet points!!!