By this point in your journey, you have accomplished some pretty powerful things. You tried "on for size" some different ways of thinking, about you, about others, about place, and about change, .... and now it's time to breathe a little.
After watching the above video, read the following:
"If you're lucky enough to live without want, it's a natural impulse to help others in need. But, asks philosopher Peter Singer, what's the most effective way to give charitably? He talks through some surprising thought experiments to help you balance emotion and practicality -- and make the biggest impact with whatever you can share.
Sometimes controversial, always practical ethicist Peter Singer stirs public debate about morality, from animal welfare to global poverty.
Peter Singer may be, as The New Yorker calls him, the planet’s “most influential living philosopher.” The Australian academic specializes in applied ethics, to which he takes a secular, utilitarian approach -- minimize suffering, maximize well-being. He gained recognition in the 1970s with his groundbreaking book Animal Liberation: A New Ethics for Our Treatment of Animals, which questions society’s tendency to put human needs above those of members of other species. And he draws fire from critics who object to his fascinating argument in favor of an obligation to help the global poor that sets the bar so high that it means we are almost all living unethically. His defense of euthanasia and infanticide, in some circumstances, has led to protests against his lectures and to teaching position at Princeton.
But Singer’s collective body of work is more acclaimed than controversial. He has written the classic text Practical Ethics and many other books, with more in progress. He lectures at Princeton, where he is professor of bioethics, and the University of Melbourne, where he is a laureate professor. You can find dozens of brief, brilliant essays at Project Syndicate, where Singer examines the philosophical questions surrounding current topics like Obamacare, computer piracy and obesity."
Now it's time for your last prompts.
Responses to this prompt is prior to the next Learning Community meeting time.
Now it's time for your last prompts.
- Prompt One: Having been through this experience, what advice would you offer to next year's Learning Community students who are participating in the Better Place Projects? Be really, really honest here. Pay it Forward. Truly.
- Prompt Two: How has Peter Singer's video impacted your understanding of making your place a better one?
Responses to this prompt is prior to the next Learning Community meeting time.
I would tell them that they should try to get as much as they can out of the project. They want to pick a service site that is really interesting to them and that they should enjoy the time their as much as they can. This is going to be accomplished by doing it with a friend and being able to have fun with them, and while there you will also build a much better relationship with them. This video has impacted me because it shows that in that society people do not really value the life of others. They do not think of much when it comes to others lives. This makes me glad that I have ability to try to help others.
ReplyDeletePrompt One: I would tell them that they should try to get as much advice and inspiration out of it as they can. At this point in the year it is easy to lose hope and lose steam so they should try to find motivation anywhere they can to keep their spirits up. This project also shows that there are more problems in the world than one bad chemistry exam, it helps to put life into perspective.
ReplyDeletePrompt Two: The video has showed me that something as simple as stopping and helping someone in need can impact the whole community. When one person does a good deed it inspires others to follow their lead which leads to a much better community.
Do your service learning with a friend. For real it helps you work harder and kind of subconsciously makes the work easier. It helps prevent laziness just by the fact you are distracted from the monotony.
ReplyDeleteYes. It lets me know that my place is the world not just the immediate area where I live. I must try to make the whole world a better place and it can be done simply by just donations of any helpful object.
I would tell them to really take the time to reflect on each of the adventures because they really make you think. There is a reason we are required to do this and it can only help your learning. The Better Place Project allows you to think outside of your comfort zone, which will be helpful for our future careers. The Peter Singer video emphasized the idea of Paying it Forward. It made me realize that you are not always going to get something out of your acts of kindness, but the important thing is that you are making your community a better place for it.
ReplyDeletebe apart of the better place project really helped me see what my career can do for others in the future. This truely helped me understand that I want to be a doctor and help people for the rest of my life. As advice for the incoming students make sure that you put your best foot forward and embrace this chance to get involved in the community and help others. It might even help you along the way.
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy to see what people can do such as just watch that child in the road. We need to start caring for others so much more and help people even when we dont know them. everyone is worth something to someone so everyone should help others everyday.
Prompt One: Having been through Learning Community and this entire year, I would tell future students to really take the Better Place Project seriously. It may seem like just another project that takes up time, but it is truly amazing to see the impact we have all made through our various Service-Learning sites. Having it all down on paper shows us how our efforts have come full circle and it makes it all the more important. Finally, I would also say, pick a Service-Learning that means something to you. That way you're interested and are happy to give your time.
ReplyDeletePrompt Two: Peter Singer's video has showed me that even doing the smallest thing to help can make the biggest difference. Too many people just sit by and don't do a thing because they think it won't make a big enough impact. What they don't realize, is sometimes that's all it takes and if it's for a good cause, then it's worth doing even if it does become more difficult to help.
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ReplyDeleteI would tell them that you need to choose a site that really interests you and has to do with what you want to do in life, so that you can get something out of this experience. You really need to take the time to reflect on what you are doing and how it is affecting others. Try to get as much out of this experience as possible and don't just skim by, because this is a great opportunity.
ReplyDeleteThe video has showed me that, just because others may not take the time to help others, I should take the time to help someone else and better the world one step at a time. Even though people may not give you the praise and gratification you want for doing something for someone else, you should still do it out of the good of your heart and for the bettering of the community you live in.
I would recommend picking a place that really interests you. Don't pick a place because it sounds easy, but pick a place where you know you will get the most experience and insight. If you're interested in becoming a doctor then volunteering at a hospital is probably the right place for you.
ReplyDeleteThe video taught me that it doesn't take a lot to make our place a better place. Whether it be a small donation to a local charity, or doing some community service, we are all capable of making our place a better place.
The advice I would give new comers is to go into the better place project with an open mind. Try to get as much out of it as you can because it really brings you together with the people around you. The video made me realize that you have to put the needs of others before yours in order to create a better place.
ReplyDeleteI would tell them that LC is a good way to be familiar with the UC community and it also helps when it comes to taking the same classes. People usually have easy time with exams and tests because their classmates are from the same classes and discussion with others helps.
ReplyDeleteThe video had impacted me because I learned when someone needs helps , you should use that chance to help him or her.
My advice for next year's freshmen is that they should really listen to these videos because they have awesome messages. Also, they should take time and reflect on the videos and the prompts and not just rush through them. As far as the Service Learning aspect, they shouldn't just pick a site based on how many of their friends are volunteering there because odds are, they won't be volunteering together. They should instead pick a site that interests them and it's okay if they have to take a shuttle to get to their location: riding the shuttle isn't scary and it builds character.
ReplyDeleteThis video has shown me that a decent portion of this planet's population either don't care about the welfare of others or don't think they have enough money or power to make a difference. However, Peter Singer shows us that it doesn't matter how much you donate, as long as you donate either your money or time. And by doing a good deed; whether it be big or small, you will create a ripple effect that will eventually lead back to you.