Lindsey #3

Spending time in isolation would be very different from the way the majority of humans live. Living totally alone would cause major changes in personality and mood. I think that at first, a person may use the solitude as a time to think about their life and process their situation. When alone, a person mind is free from distractions and can be thoroughly cleared. The freedom from media and electronics would be refreshing. Social media in particular can have such a negative effect on a persons mood or feelings and separation from that can be good for the soul. After the soul-searching and freedom, I think that the isolation would become very lonely and upsetting.  Human interaction is a necessity in life for growth and development of a person and their brain. I do believe that there are a few people out there who would actually totally benefit from solitude and be able to survive in those extreme conditions.

Personally, I would use the first few moments alone to take a step back and evaluate myself. I would evaluate my behaviors, morals, ideas, actions, and many other things that create who I am. A break from social media would be such a relief and give me time to process my own opinions of myself and situations around me without paying attention to what others value. However, I could not imagine living alone in isolation. Personally, I thrive off of human interaction and being around others. I am in my most comfortable and happy state when I am surrounded by my friends and family. Being around other people and seeing their happy faces boosts my personality and mood. In isolation, I would become very sad and lonely and I don't think I could survive for even a short period time.

Emily Brun Blog 3

Happiness is something that, for some people, can take a lot of work. Happiness does not always come easy and therefore should be cherished and taken advantage of. When it comes to hurting other people to gain happiness, I think the limit to what is acceptable is circumstantial. If you are hurting someone to the point where their happiness is in danger, a great deal of consideration should be taken into account before one acts upon personal happiness. If the situation seems to be like an inconvenience to the other person more than it does a damage to their happiness, one should take into account their own personal well being.
However, sometimes one's personal happiness is most important. One cannot control the actions or feelings of others, and it is unfair to oneself to please others at the expense of their happiness and overall mental well being. While hurting someone intentionally is never excusable, personal happiness is something that should not be compromised often for the sake of others. This is not saying that people should not make sacrifices and do things for other people, but if it comes down to being truly happy and not miserable, one must put their mental health first.

Blog number three: Emily Gilliam

Happiness is individual to each person, and this is why I personally would risk the disappointment of a family member or friend to be personally happy. Happiness is in the eye of the beholder. My happiness does not look the same as my grandparents' happiness, or any other family member or friend of mine, for that matter. I, myself have already risked my grandparents happiness by being individual in my political views and ultimately, this has led to many arguments that very well could have resulted in them being disappointed in me.

I am willing to risk disappointment for happiness because if someone lives a life unhappy, they are not actually living. There is absolutely no point in waking up every single day if you are not happy with your life. I believe that hurting someone for your own good can be justified, but not in every situation is hurting someone justified. If you do not tend to your own happiness and health, (mentally and physically) then no one will. Personal happiness is one of the most important things in someone's life and this is why I would undoubtedly disappoint someone close for me for my own happiness.

Ethan Frome

Living alone, in a remote rural area, without any means of communication, would create a completely new lifestyle. You would no longer learn about the new things occurring every day, or be able to keep up with what is happening in the world. I think that what would basically happen would be that you would be frozen (for a short time) as whatever you are as a person when you went into this isolation. Then, you would gradually develop into a person that would be unrecognizable to the old you.

Ethan Frome Blog #3: Max McIntire

I can only imagine that living completely isolated would be very quiet, and very lonely, though liberating. The concept of not being beholden to anyone seems refreshing. However, not having any interaction with another person just sounds lonely, and while I enjoy not interacting with anyone for an entire day every once in a while, like just about everything, it would probably get old fast. Aside from that, the idea of being completely alone sounds like a very quiet experience.

If I were to live alone in a remote area, I would most likely be initially okay, but would slip into some sort of unhealthy mental state. To add perspective, I am an extremely introverted person. I, in certain cases, prefer isolation to interaction. That being said, everyone needs human interaction, because humans are social creatures. While I would initially enjoy the isolation, that enjoyment would only last for so long.

Being alone would have profound psychological effects, though not ones as extreme as a descent into full blown insanity. The result would be a mentally unpolished person, someone without understanding of social cues, even if they had previously been a normally functioning social person. Social skills only develop from social interaction, and a lack of those skills would probably be the most apparent difference in a person completely isolated.

Blog entry #3 Colin Harmon

I think that living a life isolated from people would be very lonely. The life you would live would be totally in your own thoughts. I think that some types of people could easily do that, but others, who crave more human interaction, would just about go crazy if they couldn't interact with anyone. I think that anyone who were to live in isolation would have to keep themselves busy all the time to keep their mind of of their lack of relationships and human interaction.

Some possible effects of living an isolated life could be that you would go crazy or that you would lose your social skills. For me personally, I think I would have a hard time living in isolation, just because I like to interact with people so much. I also think I would get bored with my life if I had no one to talk to. The possibility of losing your social skills would also be a risk of living in isolation.

Blog #3 Chase Bowman

 In order to fulfill your own happiness you have to hurt or gravely disappoint a family member or a friend. What would you do, and why? Is hurting another person ever justified? What price are you willing to pay for personal happiness?

Personal happiness is a difficult subject to judge and make a firm decision because as a society we have a double standard. As a society we push toward the majority is more important than the individual. This can be seen in tax breaks, or welfare where the idea that the individuals that have the money are less important or can spare compared to the people who are in need of welfare or tax breaks. This idea that society pushes contrasts against the individual because due to everyone's survival instincts we tend to want and think for ones self. This is where the dilemma or struggle to decide one way or another is caused or originates from. 

Personally this dilemma only occurs with the public mass rather then my family because I see my family as an extension of me. My parents, especially my dad, pushed the idea that family is more important or equally important to oneself. I have taken this to heart and this is reflected in my decisions of value or priorities. To answer the question I would not hurt or gravely disappoint a family member or friend because of my personal view of friends and families. I can imagine scenarios where you could say its justified, but again with my views I could not believe or see any justification for it. My price for personal happiness is hard work and effort because I think that if a person wants to achieve happiness or a goal it is equivalent to their dedication or work. I've been told that my beliefs mirror the american dream of that anything is possible through hard work and I believe this carries over to personal happiness. No one can change an individuals situation other than the individual. Therefore the price for personal happiness is ones work effort and optimism. 

Blog #3 Harrison Level

Living a life that is isolated from all other humans would be terribly difficult. No telephone, TV, email, or communication digitally would alone be very different to me as my life is almost centered around electronics. I talk with my parents and friends through the phone. I email my teachers about questions I have on an assignment. I call my father when he is away on a business trip. No electronic communication would be a very tough thing to get used to, but I could eventually get used to it.

The thing I could not get used to, no matter how much I try, would be no communication with other people at all. Companionship is not just something that I want and need in my life, rather it is something that everyone needs. There are TV shows about people who try to survive on their own in the wilderness for as long as they can, and they all have the same result. The survivor can usually get a source of water, start a fire, have some food, and sleep in some shelter. The part that no one can overcome is the fact that they have no one to talk to. Interaction is a human necessity and if I were unable to have this, I would go insane. 

The effects of living in isolation would be hard to predict, although there are running themes in cases where people are isolated. I would probably go insane without talking to someone else for a long time; I might even hallucinate conversations with imaginary people. Personally, I think that I would reach a point where I could not take it anymore, and would leave to find other people by any means necessary. I do not think that isolation would work out very long for me.

Blog #3 Response: Abbey Kolbeck

Living in complete isolation could completely change your view on the world and everything inside it. Many people today irritate on how this generation is so consumed in technology, and it has shaped our culture in the way we now live. But with this isolation, you would have none. You can no longer depend on a television or the internet for entertainment, a telephone or email for communication, a phone to look up the weather. Nothing. With no technology and no other human interaction can really make one lonely. There would only be naturist things todo such as a hike or some sorts. But todo these things without a companion will in the end put a damper on the mood.

Some possible effects of living in isolation would be depression. You're constantly lonely with no one to spend time with or talk to. All your time is with yourself and your own thoughts. While sometimes it's good to be alone, it's not good to be alone for eternity. In my opinion, I would become very bored. Nature is beautiful and wonderful to admire but there's only so many trails one can go on and not get used to the familiarness. In the end, I would constantly miss and think about my loved ones. 

Blog #3 Response: Meghan Tokala

Living a life of isolation would alter everyones day to day life. Not being able to connect with people through social media or even face to face contact would change ones perspective on humans and society. Children are taught social cues and norms through their friends and family. Isolation would change this completely. This child would grow up not knowing the rights and wrongs of society. If any person were to leave a life of day to day interaction with people for one of isolation, the results could be catastrophic. The loneliness could be enough to drive anyone mad. Isolation is seen as a punishment, not a reward, because most humans thrive on validation from other humans. If this is taken away, some people might lose their will to live.

I could not handle living a life of isolation. As a normal human, I enjoy talking and interacting with my friends and family. These relationships are things that I cherish deeply. If these bonds were ever broken, I don't know how I would survive. Isolation would force me to ignore everyone that's close to me; that in itself would cause me to go insane. I could not deal with the loneliness of isolation.

Blog #3 Response: Eric Blonigen

Living in isolation would be, obviously, very lonely. Humans are social creatures, and without any social interaction at all, it is like we are missing some part of ourselves. The amount of time it would take for being alone to change from tranquil to terrible varies from person to person, but there is always a point where solitude stops being pleasant.
 Based on known cases of extreme solitude, especially "prairie madness," which is caused by circumstances similar to those of the Frome household, we can make reasonable assumptions about solitude's effect. Over extended periods, situations with little to no social contact lead to depression and anxiety. Individuals will withdraw from the few social situations they have, worsening the isolation, and violence and suicide are not uncommon. All in all, it is very unpleasant.
 I think if I was in this situation, my introversion will allow me to last longer than others, but I could not go on forever. It is a rare breed that can survive isolation, and I am not one of them.

Blog #3 Ethan Frome: Blaise Webster

 It would undoubtedly be difficult to live in complete isolation from people. Since, human's are social beings, it would be inevitably detrimental to physical and mental health, and even spiritual health, if you believe in that sort of thing. If there was no companion ship or communication, the person who is locked away may begin to show signs of cabin fever. As far as I understand it, cabin fever is the slow degeneration of mental saneness due to prolonged isolation and lack of human interaction. It would definitely be lonely and depressing.

I would definitely become depressed without any human interaction, maybe even lethally depressed. One of the most beautiful things about life, is that sacred bond we have with other human beings. It's pretty awesome that we are able to communicate our experiences and care and support each other as we journey through life. With life being hard sometimes, it is a truly beautiful thing to have the love and care of other people to work you through it. Love is a wonderful thing, whether it be familial love, friendly love, or romantic love. Without human interaction, there is no love. Without love, life seems almost pointless.

Blog #3: Ethan Frome

Pick one and respond effectively (2 paragraph minimum):

• In order to fulfill your own happiness you have to hurt or gravely disappoint a family member or a friend. What would you do, and why? Is hurting another person ever justified? What price are you willing to pay for personal happiness?

OR


• Imagine that you live alone, in a remote rural area, without either companionship or any means of communication such as a telephone, TV, or electronic mail. What do you think it would be like to live isolated from other people? What are some possible effects of living a life of isolation? How do you think you might react to living an isolated life?