Philosophy of Human History

Art is never able to be replicated exactly as its original. An idea is also never original I fear. Everything is based off of something.

As for forgery,

Wolfgang Beltracchi only committed a crime because he was trying to pass his work off as others. If he had been honest yet created the same pieces, and just named it “Forgery Art” that could’ve been cool. It would be a lie to say that his work was not a masterpiece within itself. To be able to pay such close attention to detail and also have such talent like these famous artists he copied was simply art.

So I suppose it could be both.

Art’s always been about influences and remixing ideas, and really, nothing is truly 100% original when you dig deep enough. Even the artists we think of as revolutionary were inspired by others or built off of previous movements. It’s like a conversation between creators across time, and that’s part of the beauty of it. So the idea of forgery isn’t as clear-cut as some people make it out to be.

Take Beltracchi again, for example. The dude was incredibly talented. I mean, if you didn’t know the backstory, his work could easily hang in a major gallery, and people would probably praise it for its technical brilliance. But because he tried to pass it off as someone else’s work, it suddenly becomes a crime. What if, instead, he’d said, “Yeah, I’m reimagining these classic pieces in my own way?” Would people have respected the technique more? It’s a weird line between artistic expression and deception. If his intention was just to create beautiful art, does it really matter if it’s tied to a specific name?

Honestly, the whole idea of “authenticity” in art is a bit tricky. What makes something authentic? Is it just the artist’s name, the history, the context? Or is it about the emotional reaction you get from the piece itself? People talk a lot about original vs. fake, but when you’re staring at a painting or listening to a song, it’s the feeling that matters, not the backstory.

It’s kind of like music, too. If I sing a cover of a song, it’s still my performance, right? I didn’t write it, but it’s still a part of my art. Maybe it’s not “my” song, but the way I interpret it or bring my own spin to it is what makes it unique. I think the same goes for visual art—just because something was inspired by another artist doesn’t mean it lacks value or creativity.

At the end of the day, a lot of it comes down to how people perceive value. The whole “name brand” thing definitely plays a huge role. People care more about the artist’s reputation than the work itself sometimes, and that’s where things get murky. But isn’t that true of a lot of stuff? Look at designer clothes—sometimes it’s less about how it looks and more about the label on the tag. The irony is that, in the art world, people are often obsessed with the story behind the piece and the person who made it, rather than just letting the art speak for itself.

So yeah, whether it’s an original or a copy, a fake or real—if it resonates with you, it’s still art.

Knowledge is power, whether to be wielded for better or for worse is contingent upon its user. In the texts Gilgamesh, Genesis, Oedipus, and Lone Star—the accumulation of knowledge is transformative, and most times often lead to tragic or life-altering consequences. Knowledge, while a powerful tool, can be dangerous and overwhelming, especially when it is misused. It can often lead to suffering because of the burden it carries or irreversible consequences.

But I believe that ignorance is worse. Wouldn’t you like to know if you were actually dating your half sister? Or is it better to just ignore the truth?

In Lone Star, knowledge plays a major role in personal relationship. Sam and Pilar, who are unaware that they are siblings, fall in love with each other. When the truth about their familial connection comes out, their relationship is clearly affected. But thanks to the circumstances (Pilar being unable to have children) they don’t have to worry about their children having defects or anything. So in other words they got lucky. But what would they have done if that wasn’t the case? Would they start over and pretend to have no idea? Would they choose to be ignorant? I wouldn’t.

In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh embarks on a quest for immortality after the death of his friend Enkidu. Again, some clearly unfortunate news. Throughout this journey, he seeks knowledge of life and death, hoping to explore the length of his own immortality. However, the deeper he digs, the more he is confronted with the inevitability of death and the next to impossible chance of escaping it. When Gilgamesh eventually seeks out Utnapishtim, the survivor of the flood, he learns the bitter truth: immortality is not meant for humans. Knowledge in this context brings out a painful truth rather than a solution. Gilgamesh’s knowledge of his own limitations, as well as the transitory nature of human life, only deepens his existential despair. His search for eternal life ends in the recognition that knowledge does not grant immortality, and he must return to his kingdom, embracing his mortality. The wisdom he gains, while crucial to his eventual understanding of his role in life, brings a sense of helplessness. So yes, knowledge is valuable, but it can also be a heavy burden when one is faced with inevitable truths that cannot be changed.

In Genesis, the story of Adam and Eve provides another significant exploration of knowledge’s power. Adam and Eve are told by God not to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge, but Eve, guided by the serpent, decides to eat it, and then convinces Adam to do the same. Here, knowledge is equated with disobedience and the breaking of divine law. Before eating the fruit, Adam and Eve are innocent and unaware of the concept of good and evil. Their ignorance is blissful, and they live in harmony with God and nature. However, once they gain the knowledge of good and evil, their world is shattered. They are expelled from the Garden of Eden and are burdened with the knowledge of their own mortality, sin, and shame. Their newly acquired knowledge is not a gift but a curse, as it brings suffering, loss of innocence, and separation from God. The story illustrates that while knowledge is valuable in understanding the world, it also comes with consequences that cannot be undone. Adam and Eve’s fall symbolizes the idea that knowledge is sometimes better left unacquired, because it leads to irreversible changes in one’s existence.

In Oedipus Rex, the theme of knowledge and its destructive power is central to the tragedy. Oedipus is determined to uncover the truth about the murder of his father and the curse that haunts Thebes. However, his pursuit of knowledge is ultimately what destroys him. Oedipus initially believes that knowledge will bring him the answers he seeks, but he does not anticipate the horrifying truth—that he himself is the murderer of his father and the husband of his mother. Once he uncovers this knowledge, he cannot bear it. The revelation shatters his identity and leads him to blind himself, a powerful symbol of his inability to “unsee” the truth. Oedipus’ knowledge is a double-edged sword: it empowers him to solve the riddle of Thebes, but it also brings him to the brink of despair and physical suffering. Like Gilgamesh and Adam and Eve, Oedipus’ tragic flaw is his unrelenting desire for knowledge, which ultimately becomes the cause of his downfall.

Overall, don’t date your sister when you’re fully aware of it, understand what you’re looking for when u ask for mortality, and always be cautious when you leave home.

But knowledge is always better than ignorance.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do some people succeed and others are punished? Those who believe in a God are confused by this. Why would God do this to people? There must be a system for justice. Right? But then there is also the topic of fate and free will. How much control over our lives do we even have?

While it is human nature to believe that good should be rewarded and evil punished, it is important to know why this system must remain. Without a punishment and reward system, the world would be in total chaos. People would do as they wish without a second thought. This is exactly why some believe that free will doesn’t exist.

It’s all about opinion and belief. And what is mine you ask?

Fate is a disappointing topic. The simple idea of it makes us question whether or not we have any control over our lives. When we make a choice, a decision, in this world, is it ours to make? Or has it been planned from the beginning of time? For me specifically, I like the idea of having everything planned because I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason. It gives me a (almost) stress-free life. I can sleep at night knowing that God has a plan for me and regardless of how awful some things might seem in the moment, everything will work out however they are meant to be. Yet, I still don’t know how it can be that I still believe in free will. I can choose to go to college. I can choose to be a nurse. And if I were to change my mind, that new plan would wok out too.

While it is human nature to believe that good should be rewarded and evil punished, it is important to know why this system must remain. Without a punishment and reward system, the world would be in total chaos. People would do as they wish without a second thought. This is exactly why some believe that free will doesn’t exist.

My religion is not exactly by the books. It is my safety net and a reliable support system that I have in my head. But whether it has any true value is beyond my understanding.

One thing that I will never understand is how Job continued to stay loyal to God, and continued to fear/worship God even as he was angry at him for all of the terrible things that were happening. He felt as though he was being punished but for what? He was as serving as a follower could be.

Some things will simply never make sense to me and this is one of them; Why are good people punished?

A house is not always made of four walls and a roof. A house is where one finds safety and comfort. The Garden of Eden is also a house; the home of Adam and Eve. Eden is where they were innocent, almost as if it was their childhood home of growing up. 

Just like in any other house of young, innocent children, mistakes are made. As parents or guardians in a house tell their kids not to do something, it somehow only makes the child want to do it more. While God never directly told Eve not to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, he tells Adam. They both, however, end up eating the fruit, much like a young child being disobedient in their house. 

And similar to all humans without a fully developed frontal cortex, we tend to think we know everything or simply don’t worry about what we don’t know; much like Adam and Eve when they leave the garden. In Emily Dickenson’s Poem “Eden is that old-fashioned House”

Reminded of someone…

While Adam and Eve are painfully ignorant of what they’re leaving behind, I, on the other hand, have a better understanding of what lies ahead. Yes, I will dearly miss my family, yes of course I will get homesick, and yes college will be hard. But I will not miss my newfound freedom and independence. Surely that’s what Adam and Eve were thinking when they left, but they did not know the gravity of “But discover it no more”. They would never be allowed to go back to The Garden of Eden which was their home. However, my mother is so insistent on me staying close by, probably in hopes that I will commute.

I do plan on staying on campus, hopefully. And while I’m not sure how far “Until we drive away” I’ll be, I look forward to however close or far it is from home. It’s a very special thing to be grateful for; knowing you will always have parents there for you, as much as it is always stressful never wanting to disappoint them. It’s all about balance, and I hear that college life teaches that very well.

Who will I be when I come back- Or will I

College is said to be a place of growth of the mind and spirit. I don’t know to what extent, but I’m sure it’s significant.

My goal is simple: Make long-lasting friends, get an education and a job, when I graduate from 4 years get my employers to pay for my 5th year accelerated program and get my master’s, live life to the fullest, and buy a cute little mansion.

Now, if everything goes well, I’ll be in Beverly, Mass. And yes, it’s awfully far away I believe it’s where I need to be during these upcoming years of my life.

If however, plans change, I know that I will always be welcomed back at home, yet I will quite possibly never be the same person that I was when I left. But I am not afraid of this. I believe that change is always for the better or a lesson.

Within the first week of senior year, my English teacher gave my class a small but critical piece of advice: Don’t let a million people read your college essay. When I first heard this advice from Mrs. Kimball, I thought, “Yeah, that makes sense.” So why didn’t I listen?

It began with Mrs. Chevan’s opinion on a topic, which was, of course, biased toward the theme of theater. Her enthusiasm was contagious as I began to write my journey to the world of theater, naming this “Weird Theater Kid”.

Then my mother came in. Her passion for my future (college) was much appreciated, except when it came to her criticizing my experiences written on that trauma-inducing Google Doc. She read the first sentence of that essay and declared, “Well, this certainly isn’t your best work, Grace.” Thanks, Mom! Her next piece of advice? To start over, and write about the summer vacations she took me on. What??

Next I approached Mrs. Hulse with a new idea: “What if I wrote a story about how I came to want to be a nurse?” This became my “Empathy Born From Death” essay. She loved it. It took me a day to write a rough draft- remarkable considering my theater essay took 3. But this new essay had become over 800 words and that was a problem.

I decided to head to Mrs. Kimball next. This being the first essay I had showed her I was expecting a lot of criticism. Yet, when she read it, she simply said she liked it. How could that be? Did she even read it thoroughly? I couldn’t shake the feeling that something must be wrong.

Doubting myself, I returned to the library and found Mr. Clark. After reading both essays, he said, “’Empathy Born From Death’ is a bit too dramatic.” I asked about the theater piece. He acknowledged it was a good idea, but it just wasn’t well written.

Feeling disheartened and considering giving up on even submitting an essay, I went back to my mom, hoping for some encouragement. When she read “Empathy Born From Death,” she cried—probably because it was about her—but she liked it. Surprisingly, she also enjoyed the theater essay. Her feedback? To rewrite the whole thing while keeping the core idea. And thus, “The Dimensions of Me” was born.

After countless hours spent with Thesaurus, Grammarly, and even a literal dictionary, I finally crafted what I thought was a masterpiece. Nervously, I showed it to my mom, and this time, she loved it. She praised my writing skills and the personal touch of my experiences.

Feeling proud, I shared “The Dimensions of Me” with everyone: Mrs. Chevan, Mrs. Hulse, Mr. Clark, Mrs. Kimball, and even my dad. You’d think I’d learned my lesson by now, but I hadn’t. Each person had varied opinions.

Mrs. Chevan loved it, while Mrs. Hulse and Mr. Clark had a few suggestions. My dad, of course, had some rather critical thoughts. But it was Mrs. Kimball’s words that resonated the most. She told me, “This doesn’t sound like you. You don’t need to research artwork or use big words. You are enough.”

This story isn’t just about the warning about letting too many people read your essay; it’s about understanding that whatever you choose to write about is your decision and that you are enough.

How do we live the best lives? Wrong. The best lives are only achieved when YOUR best life is lived… in most cases that is.

A Life Long Lived…. Or Was It?

Some people get tattoos with the saying “No Regrets”. I don’t believe in this motto. Life is full of regrets and that is something to be proud of. If humans were to not make mistakes in life, they would have nothing to feel bad about, nothing to regret, and therefore nothing to learn from.

Animals are similar in the way of learning from their mistakes. Survival instincts are formulated from trial and error. Once an animal learns that it is either predator or prey, it affects the amount of risks that it takes in life. Now we may never be sure what an animal is thinking, but we do know that they think. The people who get impulsive tattoos however, I’m not sure that they were thinking.

Thinking about our lives as a whole, what do humans actually live for? Do we all live for college, for a 9-5, for a perfect family in a house with a white picket fence on a cul-de-sac? I hope not. Each and every person’s goals and ambitions are different, even if they overlap, not one person is the same as another. So how do we know what we should be doing with our lives? Wrong again. There is no correct answer. The only advice I can give you is this:

• Live your life to be happy
• Live your life to wake up everyday with purpose
• Live your life everyday with the intention of connecting with someone

Did You Pass

Most of the judgment following our passing is related to religion and faith. The catholic religion is like an SAT test. Live a good life devoted to God, and you will pass the test and get into College- I mean Heaven.

As a Catholic, I have always hated this. Whoever should decide if I earned peace during my time on earth should be up to me. I know my mistakes and I know whether or not I forgive myself for them. Yes, I do believe that there is God but He is not my teacher. A person’s life is a beautiful thing, regardless of how they lived it.

Egyptian’s SAT

The Egyptian’s SAT is the Book of The Dead. It is essentially like the 10 commandments of the Catholic religion, only there is much more and many different versions.

The Egyptians believed that if they lived their lives to-the-book, literally too, then they would continue on to their journey in the afterlife. This is a horrible way to live in my opinion, But hey! It worked for them.

The morals and values of an Egyptian’s everyday life were related to the following:

• Honesty (family, business)
• Purity
• Self-control
• Religious devotion
• Respect
• Honor

The Book of the Dead served more as a “guide for the living” because it emphasizes a person’s actions and choices during their life, as well as their conduct in the afterlife. In a translation of The Judgment of the Dead, there are phrases like “I have not,” and “I did not” highlight that these are all past-tense actions, indicating that Egyptians valued their earthly lives more than their existence after death. This focus suggests that living a morally upright life was imperative. It made me wonder, “Why not call it The Book of My Life?” However, I realized that it is not just about past actions; it also provides essential instructions for navigating the afterlife. Thus, while it reflects on life, it also prepares individuals for what comes next, reinforcing the belief that a well-lived life leads to a favorable afterlife.

Considering how deeply rooted the morals of Egyptians were, I believe it is safe to assume that the majority of them passed their humanity SATs.

A quotation from the all-time famous Buzz Lightyear. The ideology of “infinity” could not stray further from the truth. Nothing lasts forever and nothing is ever permanent.

Our Everyday, Boring, Human Life

Humans are odd creatures. Every day we wake up, brush our teeth, pick out an outfit, do our hair, go to work/school, come home, eat dinner, go to bed, and do it all over again the next day. And all for what? No one will remember us and nothing we accomplish in our small, short, insignificant lives will be meaningful in 100 years.

This statement is not only an exaggeration but it is also untrue.

People have lives, and every life is important. Through legacies, it is possible to live longer than you are on earth. If you do not have the drive to get up in the morning in pursuit of changing the world, know that you are living for a reason. Connecting, disagreeing, loving, hating, simply understanding other people in small ways can change the world. As James Taylor once said, “The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.”

What if we all just died, like right now.

What would be the point of living if there was no one to live for?

Gilgamesh lived without a care in the world. “The gods gave him a perfect body. Two-thirds they made him god and one third man” (61). His strength is unmatched and he has the ability to take what he wants, whenever he wants it. But it was through a companion that he learned the true value of life. He understands that it is not possible for one to physically live forever, but their legacy can. We must not only live for ourselves but also for others.

We should strive to leave a legacy so profound that it inspires the next generation to do the same. Legacy is something so important to humanity as it can teach lessons to the upcoming generations, whether they be good or bad. Gilgamesh is able to grasp this notion at the end of his life when he finally realizes that the purest form of immortality is not eternal life but rather eternal legacy.

Through Gilgamesh’s story, he is able to live beyond his life span. And while nothing can ever be permanent, everything is worth trying to achieve a legacy; just like Buzz Lightyear’s.

Heroes have captivated human imagination for thousands of years, from the mythic warriors of ancient epics like The Odyssey and The Iliad, to modern characters in blockbuster films like Star Wars or The Lord of the Rings. Despite their different settings and narratives, these stories share one central figure: the hero. But what truly defines a hero, and why are they so essential to our understanding of humanity?

What Makes A Hero?

In many of the classic examples—Achilles, Hercules, Odysseus, Luke Skywalker, and even Harry Potter—the hero is characterized by bravery, physical prowess, and a willingness to confront danger head-on. These characters perform extraordinary deeds, often sacrificing their own comfort or safety for a greater cause. In this way, heroes are seen as models of moral courage, determination, and altruism.

Yet, while these figures undoubtedly embody some aspects of heroism, they often possess significant flaws. Achilles, for example, is consumed by pride; Odysseus is known for his cunning, but also for his deceitfulness. This suggests that heroism is not synonymous with perfection. Rather, it is defined by the ability to overcome personal limitations in the service of something greater than oneself.

Women and Heroism

A noticeable omission from the aforementioned list of heroes is women. Where are the heroines? If we look closely, female figures in mythology and literature—like Athena, Mulan, or Katniss Everdeen—also engage in acts of heroism. The absence of women in traditional hero narratives is not due to a lack of heroic women, but rather the cultural contexts in which these stories were told. For much of history, women were not seen as agents in the same way men were, and so their stories were often sidelined or erased. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t heroes. In fact, heroines like Antigone, who defied a king for the sake of justice, show us that heroism isn’t just about physical strength; it’s about moral courage and integrity.

So, yes, women can absolutely be heroes. Heroism is not confined to gender but is instead about the characteristics of action and bravery in the face of adversity.

The Purpose of Heroes

Heroes serve as models of particular conduct, often representing the best of what humans can be. They inspire us to be better versions of ourselves, encouraging us to act with courage, selflessness, and compassion. At times, heroes show us what it means to stand firm in our beliefs, even when faced with overwhelming opposition. In this way, heroes fulfill a vital psychological and moral function, providing us with narratives of hope, resilience, and triumph over adversity.

Do We Need Heroes?

While heroes inspire us, the German playwright Bertolt Brecht famously said, “Unhappy the land that needs heroes.” This quote can be understood as a critique of societies that elevate certain individuals to an almost mythical status. If a society “needs” heroes, it may suggest that the society itself is broken, requiring individuals to rise up and do the work that institutions, governments, or communities should be doing.

This raises an important question: do we need heroes? Yes and no. Heroes can serve as models of behavior, but when a society places too much reliance on them, it risks ignoring the need for systemic change. Instead of waiting for a hero to save us, we should be working collectively to address the problems that create the need for heroism in the first place.

In The End,

Heroes, whether ancient or modern, real or fictional, are important symbols of human potential. They remind us of our capacity for greatness, but they also reveal the complexities and flaws inherent in all people. Heroism isn’t about being perfect—it’s about striving toward something greater, even when faced with personal limitations. As humans, we will always need examples of courage and resilience, but we must also remember that heroism is a quality that resides in all of us, waiting for the right moment to emerge.

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