Our Stranger Meaning

Here's a fact- no one knows for what reason we are placed on planet earth. Here's another fact- no one knows for sure what happens after we pass on to the afterlife. So why are we here? What is the meaning of our lives? What are we supposed to do? Are we supposed to do anything, for that matter? Well, like I said, no one knows, and I think it's impossible to find out. However, some people tend to stay away from wondering what humans were put on this earth to do, and rather focus on what they personally think they are here for.

Me, you ask? What do I think I'm here for? Hm. I personally think I'm here to help others. I know it sounds generic, but that's what I really think. Ever since I was a little kid I've loved to help others. By seven years old I was already volunteering in parks and food kitchens. In seventh grade I became a math and reading tutor. I especially loved that because the students' teachers returned to me the next year and told me that their grades actually improved. During the past few summers I've taken seven days out of each month to help out at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a huge warehouse that packages donated food and gives it to the homeless and hungry.

Helping others makes me feel warm inside, and I will continue to do it for as long as possible.

Is The Punishment Worth The Crime? (Or Is The Crime Worth The Punishment?)

Candide has committed many acts of injustice throughout the novel, including murder. Consequently, he's received his shares of punishments for these crimes. But one punishment he's received strikes me in particular.

In Chapter 16, he hears shrieks as he eats with Cacambo. He thinks that they are shrieks of painn. A little while later, he comes across two women being chased by two monkeys. Yes, real monkeys. (Or are they?) The apes are biting the women's buttocks and legs. Because he assumes the monkeys are hurting them, Candide shots and kills them. He thinks he has done a good deed. Although, afterwards, the women start weeping and mourning and they leave. Furthermore, they leave Candide with questions pertaining to why they are crying. Now Candide is doubting whether the primates were 'with' the women. Maybe the cries were cries of pleasure.

To me, this mental situation Candide now deals with is the 'punishment'. It's more of a passive, mental punishment, rather than a physical punishment. From then on, Candide must wonder whether the act he committed was an act of valor or just plain murder.

How Do We Know What We Know? (Do YOU Know?)

Think of something you know. Not the trivial stuff, but the in-depth things. Like if you're awake right now. Now think of an answer to this question. You probably answered, "Yes, I AM awake right now." pretty confidently. But how do we KNOW these things for certain? Is it common knowledge? Is it assumed? Do we learn it?

I think that we don't know anything until we are taught it. We are born ignorant. For the most part, our ignorance as children shape the way we learn. We know what we know because we don't know any better, so we take what is taught to us to be true. Its only natural. It's the way we learn. For example, the first time we do something. wrong, we are told that that is not the correct way of doing that action. After, we want to learn the correct way, and when we do, we store that information in the backs of our minds forever. Then when the situation faces us again, we know the correct method of going about it. Whether we choose to do what is wanted or correct is a different subject, but in essence, we will go with the moralistically correct way.

Also,  we know what we know because we went through experiences of the situation first-hand. 

"The American people don't believe anything until they see it on television."

-Richard Nixon