Reflection on the 1st unit

The topics that we discussed in our class were very important because they all related to each other in some way (which is why I think that everything was taught in chronological order. Post Modernism and Modernism were about either obtaining absolute truth (Modernism) or about everything being relative and absolute truth not existing (Post Modernism). Truth changed after the U.S. bombed the Japan (using an atomic bomb), this bombing soon led to the Age of Paranoia (which was when people realized that they never truly knew what truth was). I gained a lot from this unit and my view on absolute truth has kind of changed. At first, I believed that there was no such thing as absolute truth but now I realize that absolute truth only exists in some things but I still think that absolute truth is something that is not meant to be found. To me, I think that only helps the human race because so many people are so determine to find absolute truth that so many new things are being invented (which would not have happened so soon if absolute truth was said not to exist). The reason I say that finding absolute truth is very hard because there are so many different interpretations and opinions on many things that no one really knows the right answer to.

There are many things that I have learned: like I never knew that the Age of Paranoia was started because of the bombing in 1945 and that it was so intense. I really liked the discussions we had about “is absolute truth obtainable” based on Post-Modernism and Modernism. Deindividuation and the Social Identity Theory were really interesting theories/beliefs to learn about because both of these theories are still going on today (RIGHT AT THIS MINUTE!!!). When people are welcomed into a social group everything about them changes (the way they act, the clothes they wear, and the people they surround themselves with) and they would do things that they normally would not do (whether good or bad). Even though I knew that once a person is accepted into a social group there whole mentality changes, I did not know the process in which their individuality is “stripped” from them. This unit makes you wonder: WHAT HAS THE WORLD BECOME AND WHY!!!!!

Is there really absolute truth?

I think that no one is ever going to find absolute truth and honestly, I do not think that “absolute truth” is even real. For many generations truth has only been based on what u hear and see form your surroundings. That is all truth is ever going to be based on (which is what you hear). I do not think the basic principles of truth have changed since the modernism and post modernism era. I mean yes, there were different ideas but when it comes to finding truth, many errors have been established. Some of the things the ideas that people make and the technology that was invented have all been useful but when I think of absolute truth, I think of perfection. Therefore, what I am trying to say is that there are always going errors in truth because people have so many different interpretations/opinions on the things that are not factual. No one can really be sure if they are right or not because they do not know what the truth, but that does not stop them from still believing they are right. Therefore, I do believe that it is relative. For example, in the story “A Clean Well Lighted Place” –by Ernest Hemingway the young waiter knew everything about the old man but in reality, I do not think he did. I think he based all his information off what he heard around the neighborhood and not once did he ask the old man about anything he heard. That is a prime example of how people gain information/knowledge off what they hear. The reason why I believe that absolute truth doe not exist is because the world is constantly changing, evolving, and new technology is always being invented. Ideas are also constantly being spread around the world and it does not matter if they are right or not because as long as they can back up what they said then people will believe them (which is why there are so many errors in the world today. Many philosophers in many eras believe that they is no such thing as absolute truth and here is a quote that basically explains what I have been saying “And isn't it a bad thing to be deceived about the truth, and a good thing to know what the truth is? For I assume that by knowing the truth you mean knowing things as they really are.” - Plato