Student at Boston College studying Communication
Deep thoughts
I know ... it's presumtuous of me to assume that anyone would be interested in the deep thought and personal philosophy of a 21-year-old college student, but after eight years of Jesuit education, it would be strange for me not to have some. The fathers have a way of laying the foundation of a "good" life, at least their version of a good life. Here are the core elements of my own foundation taken from their teaching.
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I value my integrity and consider it in every decision.
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I try to temper my desire for personal fullfilment with social goals.
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I know that things change, and I'll probably not recognize myself or my ideas in a few years.
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Pardonnez-moi l'expression, but merde happens; handling it (uck...!) will make me more accepting, resilient, and stronger.
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Success = happiness, 'nuf said about that.
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Moral dilemmas are a part of life; I trust my upbringing to guide me throught them.
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Philosophies are like elbows, everyone has one; it's how you apply yours in your daily life that counts.
Okay, okay... This sounds like the throwaway first draft of a commencement speach, which is probably why I've missed the mark by a country mile so far, and why it's highly likely that I'll continue to miss it (hopefully, less often and not as badly). The real lesson I've taken from the Jesuits is that it's better to have a personal code and aspire to it than to bounce through life like a pinball in a Medieval Madness machine.