Jeffrey Warner

Time of day Class Meets: TR 7am

ePortfolio Paper
by Jeff Warner Huma-1100-F13-Simonsen November 26, 2013

Jeffrey Warner

Time of day Class Meets: TR 7am

Why should we help others and what benefits come from this action? This humanities class was very interesting in my opinion. We studied freedom, ethnicities, creation beliefs, religions, and love. I really liked that at the beginning of class the objective was made clear. I understood the objective to be getting students to think critically about things. Not only things we encounter in our daily decisions but to critically think about our beliefs, ideas, values, and other things that make each of us who we are. I do believe that there are a lot of people out there that believe certain things but have never really thought about why they believe these ideas or if they just believe them because that is what they have been programed to think. This assignment was to volunteer and apply the things that we have learned in class. I volunteered in a charity event done with my work to paint a house of someone in the community, clean their yard, and to really help with any house related tasks that we within our ability. This was done a little bit earlier in the course but reflecting back I can see our even principles that I learned about later in the course came into play during the activity. This activity was and is important. We had discussions in class about panhandlers and how there are so many in our city. I was surprised to hear that there were many different view about these people and different actions taken towards them. Some students pretty much condemned them, others condemned students for being upset with them. I could see very clearly the students who had thought about the situation and believed that their stance actually meant something to them and those that had not really believed what they were saying but rather seemed to be defending an idea that someone else had created. I was glad to see, and it opened my own eyes, that one girl comments seemed so real that you just knew she believe what she was saying

Jeffrey Warner

Time of day Class Meets: TR 7am

and how her actions we following what she really believed and valued. In my opinion, like some of the panhandlers, there are some individuals that do need assistance. Whether it be with small tasks or people that we help sometimes who really are struggling financially and without programs like the one I participate in at work they would not get attention. While I believe that giving money to panhandlers is a risk, I think it is better to put your money, effort, and time towards a program that you know that the people are in need. That have been selected from others that are also in need. During our religion section it was interesting to see how so many religions are alike and most of the main ideas of the religions we studied were to by kind to others, help others when you can, and to not be so hung up on yourself. Therefore, these values are somewhat universal, we should help others and that we have a responsibility to help others in need. I honestly believe and have done my own critically thinking about how I think people behave, and even though the religion section showed us that many people and cultures believe that we need to do things for others and be kind I believe most people are self-interested. This means that I believe people really only do things for their own benefit. That benefit might be the feeling they get from helping others, but if that feeling didnt happen when helping then they probably wouldnt continue to help. In a world full of people who are self-interested I believe that the more group activities to help the better the world can be. Even when its a company who organizes the fun ction and some individuals only participate to receive time off work or to not be at work for the time they are helping. Even though the intent might be wrong, I still feel that it benefits

Jeffrey Warner

Time of day Class Meets: TR 7am

others and makes a small difference. If we stop doing things like this then our selfinterested minds will only get worse. Another aspect of helping others and the idea that it is right, comes from the ethnic section. It was interesting to see how we subconsciously have preferences to race and ethnicity. The only tests we took showed that even people who did not consider themselves to be bias did show that they in fact did. With our nation we have so many different cultures, social ideas, ethnicities, and religions that we have to not only need to know that we are different but also understand why that is the case. I think that participating in charity events like this are amazing ways to get to know people who are not part of your daily live and that maybe you wouldnt have met had you not participated. These charity events bring so many people together that we cant help get to know one another. I think that the main idea Ive learned in this class is that you need to question what you think, why you do things certain ways, why you might think things, and also ask the question is what I believe really correct?. During the course I found myself asking this question after being exposed to so many different ideas. After learning different things you cant help but to compare what you normally believe and ask if its right or not. I think I need to remember this idea so that I can take it with me throughout the rest of my life. I will need to continue to grow and learn and that can only happen if I do not think that my beliefs are better than everyone elses. I think that even once you have figured out what you believe and what you value, even then can you continue to progress and gain understanding. If ideas had the ability to be perfected then they would have been long ago. Many different people over the years have tried to

Jeffrey Warner

Time of day Class Meets: TR 7am

understand what is best and what is right and we all still disagree to some extent and therefore we can all spend a lifetime of learning and should still be perfecting our ideas. This is what I hope to take from the class and to not just to think about things briefly but to critically think about what goes into the ideas and why might they be right or wrong.