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Philosophers Manifesto


By: Paul Koenig

Mr. Aguiniga Honors English

6
th
period

May 21, 2013










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Abstract Paragraph
The world of a teenager is not a secure one. Whether boy or girl, the period between
being an innocent youth and a responsible adult is a confusing, and emotionally wrenching time.
As the world rapidly spins under us we are forced to make decisions that will impact our life and
the lives of our fellow humans. My name is Paul and I am a teenage boy living in this world that
society unknowingly built for us. Growing up I was unaware and uninterested in the adult world
around me, as Im sure many others were too growing up. This was unfortunate because as I look
at the world know I feel I could and should have prepared myself better. I can now see all the
opportunities that were presented to me that I chose to ignore. But as I reflect on the pass, I will
also look towers the future. As a young high school teen I continue to see the world in new lights
and am continually amazed and scared of it. The teachers, parents, and councilors try to prepare
me for life as an adult, but as Im sure all other young adults know the future is a place of
uncertainty and new challenges. All I hope to accomplish by the end of my life is to make a
significant impact on the world. How I will do that I still dont know, but Im still trying.







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Table of Contents
Abstract Paragraph..2
Chapter 1..................4
Chapter 27
Chapter 3.10
Annotated Bibliography....13
Additional Documents...14










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Chapter 1
My early life was fairly average. Born in Traverse City Michigan, and raised in Seaside
California my life was about as normal as it could be. I want to say that I know what it is like to
grow up in a hard lifestyle, or that I really know what suffering is, but I dont. I can only imagine
the day to day turmoil that kids around the world went through just to survive while I thrived off
the life given to me. I think the most emotionally impactful event I experienced as a child was
my parents divorce. It has shaped me as a person and has taught me to lookout for myself and
fight my own battles. Although my family is far from perfect they are still the greatest family I
could have asked for, and I will always love them for not letting me forget that I still have a long
life to live, and I need to prepare for the hardships I will face in the future. As I got older I began
to realize my place in the world and what I wanted to do with my life had how I wanted to do it. I
know I cannot change the mistakes I have made in the past, but now that Im older I can
knowingly make the decisions that will shape myself in the future and hopefully become a better
person.
Growing up I had a stereotypical American lifestyle, I had a big loving family and a nice
middle class house. As a child I assumed that everyone lived like this, we all lived high and
mighty on the podium we created for ourselves. As I got older I was taught of people in third
world countries that didnt live the way we did. In America we have plumbing, fresh water, clean
streets, good food, and a freedom of speech, in poorer countries like the Congo, Burma, and
Somalia the living conditions are so bad it has produced international criminals and warlords.
The American Travel Association stated that the Congo has Poor economic conditions, high
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unemployment, and low pay that is often in areas for the military and police contribute to
criminal activity in Kinshasa and throughout the country. Visitors are urged to remain vigilant at
all times (http://travel.state.gov/), this shows that even though we have it good here in modern
America other people have to deal with their government oppressing their freedom and
contributing to criminal activity. When I was younger I didnt care much of the lives of the
people in these countries, but as I got older I realized the inhumanity of these conditions and the
little American people know about it. This made me questionable of the government and made
me more observant of the world around me. I never want to become someone who takes what
people say for pure truth. I usually trust people but I wont follow someone without suspicion of
their intentions.
There were many significant events in my life. I have had a memorable life that has
shaped the person I am today. The most impactful event on my life so far was my parents
divorce. When they told me about the divorce I would not accept it, as a 10 year old I pictured
my family as the perfect family and the world was great. About a month before they told me it
was a strange living situation in our home because my mom and dad decided to live in separate
houses, it was so obvious they would be getting divorced yet I was so shocked when they told
me. I did not notice the signs of their separation at the time because I was only a child and I
couldnt accept it, or maybe I wouldnt accept it. This event has changed me, Im not sure if it
was for the better or not but it did change me. I am now a more independent person with a more
realistic take on life. I now know that I am not the center of the universe, I am just a piece in the
massive puzzle of life and I need to do my part if I want to make an impact on the world.
Reflecting back to my elementary and middle school years I have discovered how much I
have matured growing up from my self-centered mentality. I believe I could have been a better
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person during my childhood. I think I have always been a smart person, but my actions did not
always mirror my intelligence. I was rude, immature, and insensitive to people who cared about
me. I sincerely wish I could go back in time and apologies to those people that put up with my
classlessness. Now that Im 16 and I have a better view of life I see now that I could have done
more for my friends, and my family. During middle school I had my first girlfriend. I was not
experienced in being in a relationship with someone. I was immature and if I could talk to her
today I would tell her I was sorry that I didnt try harder at being a good boyfriend. I would have
taken more time to care for her. Im thankful that I have learned from my childhood but in
retrospect I wish I didnt have too. As I look towards the future I have made a personal goal not
to become the same inconsiderate person that I was. I will treat everyone with the respect they
deserve.
Overall my life before now has been fairly normal. Living with my mother and my sister
constantly gives me motivation to work harder. And I will use this motivation to fuel my desire
to become a better person. Although I feel that I have had an easy life compared to others around
the world I still would like to help those people and make sure everyone has a great life. My life
till now has been shaped by the people and events from my past. Now I will focus on the future
and create new events with new people. I know I shouldnt dwell on the past because it made me
the person I am today. But even though I seem to be a good person today I still wish that I could
rewrite the past. I wish this because maybe I could have been a much better person if I
understood what was happening at the time or if I suffered a just a little more so I could know
how well I had it. While the past is the past and we cant change that, I believe we should
continue to dwell on the past so we wont make the same mistakes twice and eventually become
better human beings in the process.
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Chapter 2
My worldview is one of skepticism. As I believe that people change and we shouldnt
judge others too quickly, I also know that I can change and I could be a completely different
person with different goals in the years to come. This uncertainty about my self is both grand and
unfortunate, just when I realize something about myself and the world, something new comes
along to change my perspective. It is ironic that I am making a personal manifesto about my
current worldview, and my worldview is that Im uncertain about my view of the world. I believe
this change is within all of us and is the cause of friendships ending, views changing, and goals
being forgotten. But hopefully others out there share my dilemma.
When one ends a friendship the other assumes that their friends personality changed
since the friendship began and internally their own personality did not change. This is not
entirely true because both individuals changed. It is natural for people to change their views
about others even when it is unintentional. Every little thing we encounter defines us as people,
from watching inspirational movies to analyzing the stars. Our minds are continuously being
altered through our environment and experiences. This will cause our views about people to
change along with us. Leo Tolstoy, author of War and Peace wrote, It's not given to people to
judge what's right or wrong. People have eternally been mistaken and will be mistaken, and in
nothing more than in what they consider right and wrong.(383) This shows that all people are
mistaken and we shouldnt judge others by something they did or said in the past because they
are a different person now than when they said or did it.
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People will claim they have changed a lot in a year but will not change much in the
future. When people look at their own personality of the past they assume their past is unlike
their current state of mind. This is called The End of History Illusion discovered by Jordi
Quoidbach, Daniel T. Gilbert, and Timothy D. Wilson who are researchers from National Fund
for Scientific Research in Brussels Belgium and it claims in short that Young people, middle-
aged people, and older people all believed they had changed a lot in the past but would change
relatively little in the future.( http://www.sciencemag.org/) and this is the reason for so many of
our problems. If we as a people could accept this fact that we will eventually change our views in
life, we could live in a world where we could change our minds on a subject and not be shunned
socially. People change and we need to either accept that or we will live an unhappy life.

During an interview with my neighbor and friend Keith Kruger I asked him about his
inner changes that have occurred within himself since high school. Keith is a married man with
four kids and plenty of life experiences; he is an active member of the community and works as
the pastor of the Shoreline Community Church. His answers both surprised and enlightened me
on the ideas of the adult mind. In the interview I asked him how much he has changed since high
school/college and he answered, I am much more concerned with the well-being of other people
than I am of myself. When I was in high school/college I was motivated by money and
possession. This proves the idea that your mind is never the same as it was in the past. If I were
to ask a current high school student about their state of mind they would claim that there ideals
wont change much in the future, but this is untrue. From the interview with Keith, I now know
for a fact that all people will change even if they feel that they wont.

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Overall Im both glad and disappointed in knowing the inevitable change in my
personality. Im glad because I no longer fear the future due to the fact I will be a different
person. All the small fears of the big changes in life will be gone because the person I will be in
the future will be stronger, smarter, and wiser than I am know and that brings me comfort. I am
disappointed because everything I know now, the person I am, my goals, and my personality will
be shifted and altered into a new person in the years to come. In a way the current me will no
longer exist and there is nothing I can do about it. If I can barely remember what I was thinking
of two hours ago, how will I know what I was like a year ago? I only hope in the future I can still
relate to myself now, so I wont be lost in the progress of my mind.













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Chapter 3
As we live we must take for consideration the person we will become and how our
actions will define us. I have many hopes for the man I will become as I grow older. Overall I
wish to become a better person, and not forget the lessons I have learned. My short term goals
are to prepare myself for the world at large. My long term goals are to make an impact on the
world by helping mankind. I know my goals in life seem vague, but like a photograph it isnt
about the details or the flaws in the picture its about the point of the picture and what it means to
people. Its the same for people, if you judge others by the small things they do you wont get the
full reason of their existence.
Overall my goals in life are to become a better human being. Even though I have no
control over the direction my mind will grow in the future I will continue to educate myself as
much as possible so I will be prepared for coming challenges. A good example of this is Bhikkhu
Bodhis examination of Buddhism. He states, The ultimate implication of the Buddha's teaching
on kamma and rebirth is that human beings are the final masters of their own destiny
(http://www.accesstoinsight.org/). This reflects that even though we still change in nature we still
have control of our own lives and choices. I believe our goals in life will naturally change, but if
we focus on one overall goal we want devote our lives to, and not get distracted or lose our way
in life, we will eventually get there. As long as we keep focusing on our goals we will get there
with time and hard work. Even if it seems impossible, everyone has the possibility for greatness.
As I look onwards to the far future I must not forget the smaller hurdles I need to clear in
life to get there. For every large goal in life there are always smaller goals to complete to get
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there. I believe my short term goals can be summed as every goal I need to accomplish before I
go to college. Some of these include learning how to drive, running in the state track meet,
graduating at the top of my class, and applying for the Naval Academy. Currently, as a
sophomore, apply and getting accepted into the Naval Academy is one of my top goals. I know
the Naval Academy will provide me with a great post-high school education and shape me into a
well-rounded person. I know I need to accomplish smaller goals to get in. For example: getting
good grades, volunteering in the community, and participating in school activities. Fortunately, I
find these examples exciting and enjoying doing them. I know my goals are not the same as
other peoples goals but I am not the same as other people. I only wish to stay on the right path to
be prepared for my life ahead.
As far as my long term goals go I have many and some are huge. I call my long term
goals my bucket list for it spans from college graduation till my death. There are many things on
my bucket list I want to do before I die. I would like to run a marathon, visit a different country,
learn to juggle, and fall in love; but sadly none of these things will help me make an impact on
the world. My overall goal in life and top on my bucket list is to become an astronaut and
explore space. There are many obstacles I need to face to accomplish this. These obstacles will
shape my future and help me become a better person while I work to achieve my goals. I know
that it will be hard to become an astronaut but I am willing to work hard to accomplish this
dream. There is nothing in life I would like more than to go up into space and explore in the
name of humanity. I just need to stay on the right path and not forget my goals in life. This is
why I want to go to the Naval Academy, so I can become a pilot and learn what I need to do to
become an astronaut.
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In conclusion I believe that as long as we stay on the right path anyone can accomplish
their goals. All we just need to do is finish all the short term goals without forgetting our long
term goals, and then we can accomplish anything. My goals are no different; I need to work hard
focusing on my smaller short term goals that will take me the path towards the Naval Academy
while still visualizing my future possibilities as an astronaut. Going into space is my dream. I
only need to stay focused on my studies and not get distracted. The road I take and actions I
make while working towards my goals will be tough but while traveling my path I will impact
society and all of humanity for the better. I hope that everyone accomplishes their goals and
fulfills their dreams and helps others in the process.











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Annotated Bibliography

Tolstoy, Leo. War and Peace, Russkii Vestnik. Moscow, Russia 1869

Jordi Quoidbach, Daniel T. Gilbert, and Timothy D. Wilson. The End of History Illusion
http://www.sciencemag.org/, January 4, 2013

Personal Interview with Keith Kruger, April 26, 2013

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Country Specific Information. Threats to safety and security.
http://travel.state.gov/, February 5, 2013

Bhikkhu Bodhi, "Does Rebirth Make Sense?". Access to Insight, 16 June 2011,
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/. Retrieved on 14 May 2013.










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Additional documents

Interview questions
1. What changes since high school/college have you seen within yourself (your
personality)?
a. I am much more concerned with the well being of other people than I am of
myself. In high school/college it was all about me. My happiness was the most
important thing to me. While I would help out my friends from time to time, I
would only do it when it was convenient for me.
b. I am more compassionate. I truly feel for those who are less fortunate than I am.
c. I am more humble than I was in high school/college.
2. How have your goals changed?
a. When I was in high school/college I was motivated by money and possessions. I
measured success by my accomplishments. Now I measure success by making a
difference in the world. I am no longer interested in climbing the corporate ladder.
I willingly trade money for time
3. If you could give your past self advice, what would you tell him? And why?
a. Whatever you do in life, give it all your effort. Do not waste the opportunities you
have been given.
4. Do you feel like you more wise then you were in high school/college? What do you know
now?
a. I am significantly wiser now, than I was then. One of the greatest pieces of
knowledge that I now have is that I know that I dont know much. In high school I
thought I knew everything. I knew more than my peers, more than my teachers
and more than my parents. Now I realize that I knew very little back then and
today I still do not know much.
b. I do know that my most precious commodity is time. It simply cant be
reproduced. It is the most perishable thing we have. When today is gone, there is
no going back.
c. I know of the importance of relationships. When I was in high school I took most
relationships for granted. I now know that my friends and family are the most
important things in my life.
5. Any advice for current high schoolers/college students.
a. Every decision you make has a consequence. You decide whether they will be
positive or negative.
b. Do not take the people in your life for granted. If you lose them, you will regret it.
c. Make the most of every opportunity you have. You do not know when or if you
will have another chance.
d. Whatever you do in life, give it your very best effort.
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e. Cherish every time frame in your life. Right now, make the most of high school.
Do not rush the time. Before you know it, you will wish you were back in high
school.
f. Do not procrastinate until a time in life when you think you will have more time,
you will never have more time than you do now.
g. Exercise. Develop a habit of exercise now. When you get older you will wish you
had.
h. Learn from those who have gone before you. There is no reason to learn from
your own mistakes when you can learn from the mistakes of others.
i. Start saving money as soon as you can. Put off spending all your money now, you
will find better uses for it later. (Home, retirement, etc)