Belief Structure Template
I. Core Beliefs
a. What are the essential truths (belief statements) of your -Ism?
1)
I believe that there should never be such a thing as a solid belief.
3)
I believe that you can believe bits and pieces of different things (ex: believing in both God and evolution or something)
6)
I believe that you can never experiance true happiness if you havn't gone through true misery.
7)
I believe you can never truely put yourself in someone else's shoes.
8)
I believe that you need to balance giving people chances and being taken advantage of.
9)
I believe that you should live your life the way you want to and not worry about others opinions.
10)
I believe that you need to both know and push your own limits.
b. How do you act differently because of your beliefs?
I act differently than a lot of other people because I don't care what other people think about me. Well, ok there are some times when I care but I don't let it effect my decisions. For the most part I just do what I want when I want. I learned to do this because in the volleyball world everyone is always against each other whether you're teammates or not. You're always competing for a title or spot on the court or something. People try to form alliances and tare other people down. The only thing thay can do to you is change the way other people treat/look at you so once you learn not to worry about that stuff they can't touch you. I don't worry about saying what I think about something (yes that's stupid at times but it's a way that I act different from others because of my beliefs).
I act differently than a lot of other people because I don't care what other people think about me. Well, ok there are some times when I care but I don't let it effect my decisions. For the most part I just do what I want when I want. I learned to do this because in the volleyball world everyone is always against each other whether you're teammates or not. You're always competing for a title or spot on the court or something. People try to form alliances and tare other people down. The only thing thay can do to you is change the way other people treat/look at you so once you learn not to worry about that stuff they can't touch you. I don't worry about saying what I think about something (yes that's stupid at times but it's a way that I act different from others because of my beliefs).
Also, I don't know very many people that are as comfortable questioning their beliefs as I am and believe number 9 allows me to not only question my beliefs but others as well.
c. What is the purpose of life according your –Ism?
The purpose of life is to find YOUR OWN purpose of life
The purpose of life is to find YOUR OWN purpose of life
d. How does the rest of the world differ from your core beliefs? Why are you right? (Why do you keep your beliefs in the face of others who do not share them?)
Many people always try to do the right thing even if it's for the wrong reasons. For example, they may do community service which is a good thing to do, but they do it because it's required or because they think it'll look good. They are doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. Some of my friends are planning to take some really hard classes in high school but they're not doing it because they want to learn more of because they know that they can. They're doing it because they think that it's the right thing to do. Another example is poeple that go to church or "believe' in something not because they atually believe it but because they think they have to.
Also, I was looking areound at other people's isms for ideas for e. what beliefs I share with others, and I saw that almost everyone had something about God and some people even said things like "I agree with a lot of the kids that everyone needs to believe in God". I don't know why but when I read this it bothered me. I think it was both the close mindedness of it and the force in it. If you wanted to say I believe that people should find God, than that's one thing but to say that everyone needs to believe in God is another. This goes directly against my both my 1st and 2nd belief.
e. What beliefs do you you share with others? (What common ground do you see between your -Ism and others' -Isms)
I agree with a few of the isms which I've read that say that you should always be a leader, not a follower. You should stand up for what you believe in and not just go along with something to fit in.
f. Which core belief do you think is the central one that all other beliefs revolve around? (You can create a concept map of one of your Core Beliefs using Bubbl.us, Inspiration, or Gliffy)
II. Role in Society
a. What is your role in society according to your -Ism? (How do you fit in among your peers?)
It depends on who you're counting as my peers. At school in my core classes I'm the one that doesn't worry to much, some people think I'm stupid just because I don't always act "smart" but that's ok I just like to have fun and simetimes whats fun isn't nessicarily smart. In the RMR volleyball world I'm the one that everyone has to respect wether they like me or not. I have a weird ability to always be friends with all the important people before even though I don't always know how "in"they are. I don't always fit in with my team but I'm always friends with everyone on our rival team yet I can't get myself to leave yet. I don't do a lot of the things that some of my teammates do but I think that's my smart side over ruling my just have fun side.
b. What is your method of connection to others? (Are you part of a greater whole? Do you use emotions? Are you able to relate to others through a common experience? Do you see yourself in groups or cliques?)
I connect to others with things that we have in common. Anything from our love of a sport to a way of thinkink about people, experiances, or even life in general.
I wouldn't say that I'm part of a greater whole, unless that greater whole is the human race. At school I prefere to have one best friend than to be in a clique, but outside of school I am usually a part of a clique.
c. How much do you care for yourself vs. other people? (Is your –Ism more concerned with selfishness or giving?)
I don't want this to sound bad but life has taught me that you need to make sure you think of yourself before you think of others. I used to be someone that never hesitated to help people of give them information but it just kepy backfiring on me. I learned that fact that you care about others as much as yourself doesnt nessicarily mean that they care about you as much as themselves and those people are just going to use you and then stab you in the back. You have to be willing to help other people but you need to be extremely careful about who you help and to what extent.
e. What is the prevailing metaphor or image that you would use to describe progress? Why would you define your –Ism with this image? (A ladder, a mountain, a treadmill, etc. Feel free to get an image from Morguefile or describe this metaphor through a bubblr strip. or Voicethread)
Origami, You form beliefs one at a time (each fold) and eventually you have created something with a definite shape. If you don't like that shape, then you can always go back and unfold some of your decisions/beliefs and change them to form another shape. Although you can change the final product you will always be able to see the creases from previous folds/beliefs. Also, some people chose to follow the instructions to origami and some people either decide to go free hand.
f. How do you view major social institutions (government, welfare, religion, etc.)?
Government is nessicary to maintain a stable socity. However, government should never be as ridgid as that last sentence. Government should gild the people and help keep them safe from others, but it shouldn't tell you what to do or have the job of protecting you from you from YOURSELF and YOUR own actions.
III. Solving Problems
a. What are the “societal goods” that you promote, and how do you promote these? (charity, equality, etc.)
*Doing good deads because you want to
*treating people equaly
*acceptance
b. What are the “societal ills” that you try to solve, and how do you solve these? (racism, stress, etc.)
*Doing good things just to look good
b. What are the “societal ills” that you try to solve, and how do you solve these? (racism, stress, etc.)
*Doing good things just to look good
*total equality, there would be no point in trying to be better if everything was equal. Yes, no one whould every have to lose but that means that no one can ever win either. there would be no progress
c. How does your –ism deal with the invisible, but persistent pressures of life (Patriarchy, the pressure to be a success, the pressure to be cool)?
The pressure to be successful is the biggest one for me and in my ism. Your ability to deal with this pressure along with your physical attributes and mental abilities is what will end up deciding how successful you will be. You need to be aware of this pressure and find your own way to deal with it. If you simply ignore it than at the times when you can't control it and need to know how to handle it you won't be able to.
The pressure to be successful is the biggest one for me and in my ism. Your ability to deal with this pressure along with your physical attributes and mental abilities is what will end up deciding how successful you will be. You need to be aware of this pressure and find your own way to deal with it. If you simply ignore it than at the times when you can't control it and need to know how to handle it you won't be able to.
IV. Debate
a. What are the debates that you are concerned with waging? Why? (Abortion, Equality, Truth, Etc.)
I'll debate almost anything and I'll support either side. I love argueing with people and think that agruing either for or against your beliefs make them stronger.
b. How would you frame these debates so that only your ideas would be seen as right?
I would put the issues into situations where it would seem ridiculous not to agree with my argument. I would also use other things that are true to convince them.
I would put the issues into situations where it would seem ridiculous not to agree with my argument. I would also use other things that are true to convince them.
About those three issues:
Abortion: I don't nessecarily agree with abortion but I don't think we can get rid of it until some things done. There is this thing called a morning after pill, if we could make that easier to get and affordable o and probably also make it so you can get it anonymously, then the demand for abortions would go way down.
Equality: see III b
Truth: Although the truth is usually the best there are deffinately times when it's nessicary to lie. Ex: say you where hinding someone in your house during the Holocaust, if you were asked if you knew where anyone was hiding than you would lie to save both your life and others.
V. Your Head
a. How does your –Ism influence the way you see everyday sights, events, and objects?
I added in pictures with my beliefs that show the way that my ism influences the way I see things.
b. What is a day in your life like because of your -Ism?
This is my metaphor of effort/progress. A fish swimming up stream stays in the same spot when it's just comfertably swimming. Its still working but it's not working its hardest. When the fish gets tired or sick it falls back. And when the fish feels it needs to, it will work extra hard and get ahead. You always have to try to get further up the stream but it's extremely important that you know your limits because if you work beyond what your able to than you'll fall back and be further behind. Life is a long distance race without a set finish line (or a stream). You have to know when you have to strive to be more and and when it's best to take a break. The goal in life is to get as far up the stream as you can. Each day you do your best to get up the river.
This is my metaphor of effort/progress. A fish swimming up stream stays in the same spot when it's just comfertably swimming. Its still working but it's not working its hardest. When the fish gets tired or sick it falls back. And when the fish feels it needs to, it will work extra hard and get ahead. You always have to try to get further up the stream but it's extremely important that you know your limits because if you work beyond what your able to than you'll fall back and be further behind. Life is a long distance race without a set finish line (or a stream). You have to know when you have to strive to be more and and when it's best to take a break. The goal in life is to get as far up the stream as you can. Each day you do your best to get up the river.
VI. Other Important Aspects
a. What are the other defining aspects of your –Ism that are not discussed in the other sections of this Outline?
I believe that children ARE our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be
I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows
If I fail, if I succeed
At least I'll live as I believe
No matter what they take from me
They can't take away my dignity
Because the greatest love of all
Is happening to me
Everybody's searching for a hero
People need someone to look up to
I never found anyone who fulfilled my needs
A lonely place to be
And so I learned to depend on me
I found the greatest love of all
Inside of me
The greatest love of all
Is easy to achieve
Learning to love yourself
It is the greatest love of all
I believe that children ARE our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be
I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows\
If I fail, if I succeed \
At least I'll live as I believe | This is another way of saying my belief #9that you should live your life the way that you want to and not worry about what other
No matter what they take from me / people think
They can't take away my dignity /
Because the greatest love of all
Is happening to me
I found the greatest love of all \
Inside of me \
The greatest love of all \ This is similar to my 8th belief because part of balancing giving people chances and being taken advantage of is respecting yourself
Is easy to achieve /
Learning to love yourself /
It is the greatest love of all /
And if by chance, that special place
That you've been dreaming of
Leads you to a lonely place
Find your strength in love
By Chantique Browm
I don't know if I realy agree with that because me personally I know that God is real to me this is a fact. Beliefs need those to beieve or it isn't real. This belief is very real to me.
I like your comparison to walls. It was good but there was a part in the first couple sentences that I didn't get. But otherwise, good job!
this was nice. there were a couple sentences that didn't make sense in the first and last paragrapghs but other than that nice job.
I really like the metaphor and its true that people should be able to question their beliefs. I think that it is important to be able to question your beliefs because it makes them stronger. That is the point of this asignment; to question our beliefs and ensure that we believe them. If you have any examples or stories in your own life I would like to hear more of those, but its good!! :)
I think that you're right and wrong. I guess whether a belief can really be questioned depends on the belief itself. Like what choco said, I believe in God, and I know that God is there and real, so I'm not sure if that can really be debated or not (there is proof, like Jesus and His miracles, but I'm not going to get into that right now). But other, less solid beliefs, like both sides of the abortion topic, or something can be debated using different examples, so I agree that it is always good to question your beliefs. I LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!! your metaphor with the walls, it really made sense, it was PERFECTO!!!! It was really good!! =)
I also think that in a way, you are both right and wrong. You are right in the sence that people who question their beliefs as well as others will probably have a stronger beliefs since they've been tested, but there are a lot of "drywall" beliefs that have been questioned, but still stand strong since they are "thicker" because of their experinces that built this beleif. You are wrong in the sense that people with their religions are hard headed. Most people are actually open to other people's opinions that are not their own, but then talk about what they believe on the same subject and it is this, that is what makes people have those "brick wall" beliefs since in a way they are being tested in their faith. Overall good job and it totally made sense.
I don't thin that I really agree with you on lots of this stuff. But seeing as how these comments are supposed to help improve the essay and not try to start a debate on weather you are wrong or right I won't go on about that. I think that ths is a very well written peice and I like the walls thing too. I do think however tht you can re-write some thngs to make more sense. Like the first sentance for example right now it says " I believe that there should never be such a thing as a solid belief." it could be written to make more sense by saying something like "I don't ever think that there should be a solid belief" because right now it is just a little bit weird with the I think that never thing going on. Great Job though!!
I do agree with this statement to an extent. A belief may not be 100% true, but some are. Like, say that there is a purple iPod. You could then say, I believe that that iPod is purple, that would then be a true belief. Some beliefs may not ACTUALLY be solid beliefs but to some people they are. Like God, for example. Many people believe he is real, many believe he is not, many believe in different Gods. Those beings are all real in their mind when in reality they could all be the same God or maybe not even exist. This is a great belief statement that thouroughly shows your point, though some may not agree. Great statement.