My Personal Worldview
Jake Kisner
English-126
Professor Harris
April 12th, 2015
My Personal Worldview Humans have struggled throughout the centuries with the complexity and ambiguity of our humanity. The question of what we are as humans is a difficult one and does not have an easy answer. Our first understanding of humanity is based within the framework of the worldview in which we were raised within. A worldview is not something that comes over night; it is something that surrounds you for your whole life, outlining the way in which you live. Although sometimes transparent, your worldview allows you to make decisions based on how you see the world. Many people choose to have part of their worldview mapped out for them through the guidelines of religion. Others, like myself, base much of their worldview off of the experiences they gain while they are here. It is hard to pinpoint exactly what influences have shaped my worldview, but the three that have had the most profound impact on my life are my family, my friends, and my personal experiences. My family, and more specifically my dad, has had the biggest impact on my worldview to this day. My dad instilled in me many of the beliefs and values that he lived his life by. In the sixteen years that I shared with my father, he taught me countless life lessons, the most impactful being that relationships and experiences are what shape a life. The death of such an important figure made me realize what a large impact relationships have on life. The relationships that remained became stronger and more apparent, and the relationship that I had lost was more appreciated and cherished. My dad travelled the world for business and built relationships with diverse groups of people from all walks of life. He impressed upon me an attitude of acceptance and compassion towards others. As I’ve matured, I’ve applied these attitudes as I encounter people of different cultures. Looking back on my fathers life, the memories that I remember best are the
English-126
Professor Harris
April 12th, 2015
My Personal Worldview Humans have struggled throughout the centuries with the complexity and ambiguity of our humanity. The question of what we are as humans is a difficult one and does not have an easy answer. Our first understanding of humanity is based within the framework of the worldview in which we were raised within. A worldview is not something that comes over night; it is something that surrounds you for your whole life, outlining the way in which you live. Although sometimes transparent, your worldview allows you to make decisions based on how you see the world. Many people choose to have part of their worldview mapped out for them through the guidelines of religion. Others, like myself, base much of their worldview off of the experiences they gain while they are here. It is hard to pinpoint exactly what influences have shaped my worldview, but the three that have had the most profound impact on my life are my family, my friends, and my personal experiences. My family, and more specifically my dad, has had the biggest impact on my worldview to this day. My dad instilled in me many of the beliefs and values that he lived his life by. In the sixteen years that I shared with my father, he taught me countless life lessons, the most impactful being that relationships and experiences are what shape a life. The death of such an important figure made me realize what a large impact relationships have on life. The relationships that remained became stronger and more apparent, and the relationship that I had lost was more appreciated and cherished. My dad travelled the world for business and built relationships with diverse groups of people from all walks of life. He impressed upon me an attitude of acceptance and compassion towards others. As I’ve matured, I’ve applied these attitudes as I encounter people of different cultures. Looking back on my fathers life, the memories that I remember best are the