I shot the Albatross

Why did the Ancient Mariner shot down the Albatross?
Two weeks ago, "It's obvious! Because we tend to hurt the things that we love," said Mr. Joubert. "So, I'm going to hit you with this book." (Haha! That was funny and certainly left this question with me for couple days.) Love is word he mentioned where I start to think of the Ancient Mariner's motivation to kill the bird. I don't think there is any specific reason (If you ask the Ancient Mariner, he himself probably didn't know how to answer this one) However, from the other aspect. The reason he shot down the Albatross is that he did not realize that God love all creatures and he should love them too. He was careless and did not worship living things. He did not perceive this until he found snakes beautiful. With many terrifying experiences, the Ancient Mariner had felt guilty and sorrow for his sin that had so much effect on the ship that eventually sinked and the sailors who never did come back again, even when the weather finally turned tranquil. He then learned that he should respect all the lives God created, which is also a way to respect the creator. However his wrong doing will never be recovered for he had to tell this tale time over time. Overall, he would not have killed the Albatross if he knew this earlier. And that is why I think the reason for this sin is the lack of realization that a man who lovers all God's creatures will have a happier life.

Coleridge & Imagination

Large amount amount of reading particularly in imaginative literature gave Samuel Taylor the potential to write in imaginative way. Although he might not read it on purpose to write in this way, he must had subconscientiously immersed in this unrealistic world. His troubles during mid-life by the violence about idealism of the Revolution added on to this condition that he might think of himself as special as a living in a half-imaginative society when many new ideas were held and revolution was taking place. Living during French Revolution, he must have experienced day when things were constantly changing, including politics, economics, and daily life. His pains and suffering during late life might also play a role in his imaginative writing. Because a person sick may not do much things but lying on bed resting, he might have more time thinking and contracting things. Coleridge, in the same case, had more time thinking. Also the drug, opium, he took to relieve pain had effect on neurons and his brain, therefore cause him to have hallucination. In his work, Kubla Khan, he claimed that he had an envision of the Mongol conquerer in an opium-induced reverie. He wrote "ice caves" that made him "drunk in the mild of Paradise." Overall, Coleridge's experiences, especially illness in his late life, have strengthened his imagination.

The Earth is Full

The Earth is full of people, species that has currently dominate the land and that have so much effect on the biosphere, from continent to contient. However, we are not living in a sustainable way. We are using what the earth can support--more than 1.5 earth. In other words, if we keep going with the same rate of resource depletion, we are one day going to used up all the resource, not to mention that the rate is still increasing. According to Gilding, our approach of economy is unsustainable. In order to be sustainable, the growth has to be zero. However people think this is quite impossible because it is necessary to our society, which was the question. He mentioned that most people think we need to develop technology, others think that we need to solve the poverty of the world. The problem is, Earth, our mother nature, cannot take it. We need to face that fact that if the economy keep on growing, the day is going to come. "The fear is the fear itself." He said our knowledge of science, economics, and technology is far enough to support much more people to live on this planet, but we need to 'choose' the right way. In order to make this right transition, everyone, scientists, artists, pelicans--people all over the world--have to cooperate.

Philosophy of Life

How can dying inform living? 
We are all dying right now. In other words, life is basically a process of dying--since you were born. The problem is: what do we do during this 'long' process. Yet, we can do whatever we want and perhaps whatever others want us to do as well because IT IS SUCH A LONG PROCESS. People always we have to live like as if today is the last day of life so we are more productive, vigorous, and positive. However, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. How can you live like that--you will be crazy and probably mentally breakdown. And if you really live in that way...[if you answer Yes, skip this whole sentence]......you're not living the way life should be, which means even worse without this dying awareness. There is nothing to lost or gained. My philosophy of life is to just enjoy the moment we live and choose what we really want to do, instantly.