Thursday, December 4, 2014

Should We Beware of Solipsism?

Today, we used our five vocabulary words to craft narratives about a mission to Mars, and explored how that mission showed us a whole host of zany possibilities.

After this narrative quiz, we dove back into our novel, Nothing But the Truth and contemplated how our word of the day, SOLIPSISM, pertains to the way different characters view the unfolding events of the novel.

In Jerry Spinelli's novel, Smiles to Go, one of the characters warns, "Beware of solipsism." In our current novel, we are investigating whether Phillip Malloy, Miss Narwin, Dr. Palleni, and the other characters are guilty of solipsism. It can be defined as the belief that the self is all that matters.

For tonight, be sure to read up to the start of Chapter 13 in our class novel, Nothing but the Truth. (This is page 104 in the tan-cover version of the book.)

On our blog, share your insights on the following question: do we all practice solipsism just by being human? It is possible to limit solipsism in our lives? Why or why not? How?


54 comments:

  1. Lots of times it is hard to avoid solipsism although we can't always stop it, we can replace those feelings and acts by giving to less fortunate out of kindness and love.

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  2. I think everyone practices solipsism at some point in their lives. I think it is possible to limit solipsism if you think about other people and their needs as well as your own.
    --Grace Acton

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  3. I dont think there is a way to not practice solipsism. We all think we are right at least sometime.

    --David Sampson

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  4. I think at some point in our lives we practice solipsism and that does not mean that we say it out loud like" I am better than you" but we can also think it; and by thinking it you might not hart someone's felling's but you are still practicing solipsism. I do not think it is possible to not limit being solipsism at points.
    -Alondra Pacheco

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  5. It is possible to limit solipsism, but impossible to stop it completly. This is just how humans are.

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  6. I think we all do practice solipsism because it's human nature to do so. Also, yes I think it is possible to limit solipsism by trying to think of others before yourself, and caring for others' wellbeing.
    -Collin Burns

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  7. 1. yes
    2.It is not possible to limit solipsism in our lives because that's like trying to make a cat not want to sleep.

    --Sean McNamara

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  8. I think that it is possible, for people to limit solipsism because they can sometimes not think that they are not the only one to actually exist, and that everything aroud them is real. Some other people cannot control having a solipsism, they think that they are the only one that actually exists.
    -Pasha Sahin

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  9. I think that we all practice solipsism just by being human, and we do this because it's part of human nature. Everyone does it, but some people are worse than others.
    --Shreya Kumar

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  10. We all practice solipsism in our lives just by being human because everyone thinks about just themselves once in a while. You can limit solipsism if you try to care about others more.
    -Sara Picariello

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  11. I think that we all practice solipsism in some point in our lives because at one point or another, we think that we are right and the other person is wrong without really thinking about the other person's point of view. It is possible to limit solipsism by always trying to think about the other person's perspective before autimatically assuming that they are wrong.
    --Emmalyn Mirarchi

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  12. How we can limit solipsism is not to be so self centered in life and remember to think about others instead of yourself----------------HENRY DINAPOLI

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  13. I think that it's very difficult to limit solipsism in our lives. Even though most of us claim that "Oh, I would never do anything like that!" It's not true. Everyone does it, and if you haven't yet, you will. The reason for this is that, well, we're all just human. We make mistakes and none of us are perfect. As much as we all want to think that we are, and that we don't make big mistakes like these, it's not true. Because all of us do it at some point in our lives.

    --Shea Oldham

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  14. Yes, I believe we all practice solipsism in our lives. The main reason why we all are like this is because we know what we are thinking but not what others are thinking, and usually we don't even try to find out. This can be limited by talking more to other people and listen carefully to their ideas and reasons for doing things. Hopefully, this would lead to fewer wars. Or no wars would be even better.

    --Tommy Wacek

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  15. I think that we all practice solipsism once in a while. just by being human. It's inevitable. There are no ways known to me of how to end the practice solipsism.
    Charlie Carbonell
    The 1st one to post

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  16. I think that at some point in our lives we will have had to have practiced solipsism at least a few times. Most of us probably have already, we may just not have known. I think it is possible to limit solipsism in our lives, by thinking before we act, and really trying hard to be empathetic and try to be less selfish.
    --Anna Shlimak

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  17. We all so practice solipsism at some point in our lives, as we are human and we all have some sort of flaw. It is possible to limit solipsism in our lives by thinking about both what we are feeling and what other people are feeling. Some people can empathize with people naturally and usually that is how we make friends. People make bonds when they can empathize with each other and we practice solipsism the least when we are around them. Other people need to try to empathize with people and with these people it is their choice whether they want to practice solipsism or not. If they choose not to they will try all the time to empathize with people and soon it will be natural for them.

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  18. i think it is possible to limit solipsism and that we all once and a while practice it but dosent mean we really only care about are selves.

    henry hays

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  19. Yes, I think that we all practice solipsism being human. Sometimes, mostly with our most prized possessions, its hard to give things up that mean so much to us. It might be really hard, but there is probably a way to limit solipsism in our lives. You can start by being a better listener and sharing. Then, little by little, we could limit the solipsism in our lives.
    ~Lwiza AitDowd

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  20. I think that all people do practice solipsism just by being human, but I do thing that we can limit that. I think that all people practice solipsism because it is the way we think and act, it always has a thing to do with our lives. We can limit this by taking a second to absorb the surrounding world that we live in. Then think, say, or help the surrounding world even if it doesn't have to with us.

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  21. You have to be grateful for everything you have and you cant think about what other people have. Just what you have.
    - Olivia Gomez

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  22. We all do practice solipsism just by being human. Everyone has at least done it once in their life and everyone of course wants to think that they are the only thing that matters.You can limit solipsism, but it depends on the person. You may already think that only you matter and everywhere you go you could think that and make it a habit. If you only have thought this about yourself a couple of times in a while you could definitely limit yourself. If you have already made it a habit, then it would be very hard to change it. If you haven't, then you could always remind yourself that you can't be the all that matter because there are other things in the world, not just you.
    -Angela Xing

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  23. I think that we all as human beings have moments where solipsism is present in our lives. It is possible to limit solipsism in our lives by actively helping and thinking of others.
    Fiona Morrrison

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  24. I think that at one point in our lives we all practice solipsism because nobody's perfect, but it is possible to limit solipsism in our lives by thinking about other people as well as our selves.
    -Tessa

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  25. We all have practiced solipsism sometime in their life from the holidays to heated argument all that people think about is themselves and that they are always right without any regard to other peoples feelings or their ideas
    -ChrisPickreign

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  26. I suppose that all of us think of just ourselves sometimes. I think that I limit solipsism each day so I don't hurt somebody's feelings. you can limit it by thinking of other people. most people have a lot to offer us as friends.
    -Jacob Elliott

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  27. I think most people practice solipsism without even knowing it. I think if you really try hard you can limit solipsism

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  28. yes we all do solipsism. and i dont think that can stop it becuase it is something natural
    -- ROBERT ARELLANO

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  29. I believe that we all practice solipsism at some point. We have to. If we don't think about ourselves and only others it could affect you and other people in bad ways. But to much solipsism is bad.
    - Thea Eiland

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  30. I do think it is possible to not practice solipsism if u donate lots of money to anything that helps people and maybe live in African tribes and help them out with money and food
    -will Armstrong

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  31. I think not all of us are guilty of solipsism just by being alive, I mean we do care about our selfs and what happens what happens to us but a lot of people dont think that they are the only on that matters and every may or may not fall into solipsism but I don't think you can limit it because you cant stop your self from thinking something.

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  32. I think that everyone has practiced solipsism before. I think it is just something that comes with being a human and can't be avoided.

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  33. Yes, we all practice solipsism just by being human but we can limit it in our lives by caring and giving to others.

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  34. I think that at least once in are life we are going to be guilty of solipsism, we may not realize that we are but think you everyone has in there life. We all try to think about others and not be selfish and constantly think about are self but reality is that sometimes yo just need to think about yourself.
    --Kellie Sundeen

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  35. i think we all will be guilty of solipsism

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  36. Yes, we all practice solipsism. It is just human nature. You can avoid it though, it is very difficult but possible. Because everyone wants to be the best and make sure that their side of the story is the truth or the right one. There are some people who show it more than others but the people who don't as much are mostly people who are very caring and loving because they know and realize that the world doesn't "turn around them" and that there are other people who need more than they really do. It is not about the money or the size of your house is basically just comes down to being able to be kind and care for one and other. So what I'm basically trying to say is that there will never be a way to eliminate solipsism, but there is a great way how we can try to limit the amount of people who decide to practice it.
    ~Caroline Mara

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  37. Yes I do think we are guilty of practicing solipsism. We usually do it on accident though. The more we consider what other people say the more we limit solipsism.
    --brianna

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  38. I think we all practice solipsism every day because as humans, the number one priority is us, at least at first thought. Maybe it's just survival instincts. However, I believe that you can still not practice solipsism with your actions by being kind and helpful to others.

    Nick Joe Lewis

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  39. Yes, I think sometimes all humans practice solipsism. Most people don't realize they are doing it or they are going through a tough time and need to feel better by doing it. If we listen more to other people and see how good they are too we can limit solipsism.
    - Rachel Shrives

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  40. We all practice solipsism. I think could try to not do it as much but I think it would be hard for some people.
    Julia Proteau

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  41. It is definite that all of us practice solipsism, some more than others. Whether we can regulate the amount we use it, is another story. Limiting solipsism, comes with experience. The more you claim your right, and then go through failure, you'll realize that there are other answers to problems that are generated by others, not just you.
    --Raiya Suliman

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  42. I think it's impossible to not practice solipsism. When you go on a roller coaster what do people normally say? I'm going to die, I'm going to get hurt. Nobody says their friend or relative is going to get hurt it's all about them. And even if you don't go on roller coasters there are diffidently events that people can call you out on where you were practicing solipsism

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  43. Most people practice solipsism not on purpose but just because they are human. I think it might be possible to limit solipsism in our lives but it is not easy. I believe this because there will always be sometime when we pt ourselves first.

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  44. Yes, we all practice solipsism at some point in our lives. I think that it is part of our human nature to sometimes think of ourselves more than others. In some life or death situations, it is natural to escape and not think as to even help others, it's the way we survive. We can limit our acts of solipsism by trying a little harder everyday to think of others and how their life is playing out. Not just to think, but to help them in times of need is necessary to form this good habit, although we cannot completely eliminate our tendency to practice solipsism.

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  45. I think it is in human nature to practice solipsism. I mean, look at the community. Close to everyone in our society has a camera. Selfies have become big, actually encouraged, by our society. Also look at commercials. Improve your teeth, hair, weight, anything basically. That is just showing society encourages you in only caring about you own physical appearance. But I also think it is human nature to have slight solipsism in you. A common question: Would you give your life over a friend's life. The answer is most commonly and truthfully no. That is because solipsism is just a human quality. Unless you are some super care-bear human being. So, in conclusion, I think it is possible to decrease solipsism by not giving in to personal advertisement, but it is not possible to get rid of it because it is just human to have solipsism.

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  46. I think it is human to have solipsism.I think it is possible to limit solipsism in our lives by helping others more and thinking about ourselves less.
    --Emily Rypinski

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  47. I think most people practice solipsism in their life. Also I think they way to avoid being guilty of solipsism is to think about what you are going to say before you say it.

    --Mark Goldsher

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  48. I think that that every human being at one point in their lives practices solipsism. There is no way to avoid that being human will mean that you will practice solipsism. You may only do it once but you will.
    Stefan Scornavacca

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  49. I think that we all practice solipsism but some have it worse than others. A lot of times it is hard to avoid solipsism.

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  50. At some point in everyone's life they are solipsism. There is no way for them to avoid it they have to, it might just be one time but they were still solipsism. they might not have a choice and being solipsism is their only choice.

    --Natalie L'Ecuyer

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  51. most people practice solipsism in their life at one point or another. Its just part of our nature to think we are the best
    Clayton Hanlon

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  52. I think that everybody eventually practices solipsism in their life. Some people only do it for a little bit of time and realize that they are and stop, and others don't realize they are and are like that for longer.




























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  53. I think that everyone has to practice solipsism in their life when it is appropriate, not when its selfish.

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  54. i think that everyone is guilty of solipsism eventually. most people dont intend to but some do it more often than others without even trying. and other people will be mostly nonselfish for their whole lifes but then accidentally practice it once in a while

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