Personal Philosophy of Meaning and Value - Essay Example

Personal Philosophy of Meaning and Value Philosophy is an amalgamation between logic and psychology. It is an attitude, a viewpoint, and a complete way of life. It encompasses the thinking of a philosopher as to how he depicts a particular situation or an event and how he goes about describing it with his own experiences of the past and what he would have done had he been present in that event or situation. It is all about ideas and how one perceives them. Imagination leads us into a philosophical class where many students are sitting on benches and a lecturer is giving some age-old explanation of a theory devised by an epoch turned scientist, sociologist or theorist. There are ideas that are being imparted to the students by the lecturer, as he delivers his instructions to his learners whereby they get to know more and more about what had happened in the years they were not even born. They come to know about the particular theory at hand and what needs to be done to implement the same in their years to come. May be some question and answers session is also conducted whereby students interact more freely with their fellow students and obviously the teacher. Philosophical thinking demands time and attitude – one that can think on its own about the world sitting at a single place. It is all so technological but not though at the same time. My approach towards meaning and value is one of a significant one since I understand that everything happens for a reason and it is this meaning which is embedded within the reason that needs to be found out. What this will eventually do is to provide more rationale for things that will shape up in the future as well as provide me a sense of understanding for similar things that keep on happening around me at different times of the day. In this paper, I will outline what I consider as meaningful from life, from a strictly personal viewpoint and what I look for in life as far as my personal thinking and mindset is concerned. Also I would check upon my personal life instances and my professional growth patterns and more so the same whilst now in the role of an IT project manager. I have devised a personal action plan that outlines the manner in which I have advocated my philosophy within the domains of this paper and this action plan aims to give an idea about what I think would be the right course of action as to go about doing things from an ethically correct professional sphere. Thus I have touched upon different areas of life which would surely make for an interesting read. As a somewhat religious person I believe that we were put on this earth to bring some kind of glory or joy to the ‘One’ who put us here. Whether this is an all-powerful God, an uninvolved Creator or some sort of ‘alien’ life form I will not discuss here. Just suffice it to say that the same is some sort of a more powerful being which probably takes at least some interest in the actions of those that He has created or placed here on this Earth. It is with this in mind that we should do our best to be our best, because otherwise this being may become displeased or bored and decide that it is tired of watching us waste our potential on silly video games or worse yet spend all our time watching some inanimate box we have dubbed as the TV. As for the issues of abortion and homosexuality, I believe that they are pretty person to one’s own self and must not be discussed in the light of the general people. Specifically, each one of us has his or her own likes and dislikes and it is for a man or a woman to decide whether a particular facet, which is considered as ‘taboo’ by the rest of the society, is good for this individual or otherwise. Drugs however do not mean a thing for me as I strongly detest them to say the least. The role of women and family values hold supreme for me and I am strongly attached to them. I believe in the family ties and cordial ways as they form the unifying force within any society in this world. Similarly, what my philosophy holds about health and happiness takes the root from the fact that surely health is more than just exercising and eating right. When we say healthy are not we referring to more than just being physically fit and not having any diseases or ailments. But what else is there that makes a person truly healthy? I think that while this physical description of healthy is a good start, there is far more to the story than this. For one to be considered truly healthy I believe that every aspect of their life must be looked at and addressed with the intention of making that person the best person that they can be. First and foremost is one’s spiritual health, which is the foundation on which the other aspects of that person’s life are built. In order that one have good spiritual health I believe that it is imperative that they find some group of like-minded people with which they can fellowship, with intent of improving their spiritual well-being. Whether this group is a church, support group, or just a close knit family depends on that person and their needs. Next in rank is emotional health which is very closely related to spiritual health in that people’s emotions draw heavily from those around them. What I think about life is that living longer is indeed a blessing for a human being but the same has become a problem for the people of today and it will continue to be one because of their lack of understanding associated with actually living the life in a proper way which demands proper and balanced diet, exercise and many other important factors. If the same trend continues, people in the coming generations might just be having a life span for about 10-15 years. What I know from research is that at the turn of the twentieth century, the normal American woman usually expected to live around 51 years of age. The average man thus could expect to live about 48 years. But by 1998, these averages had somewhat grown to a large extent. Women can now usually anticipate living to be 80 years old, and men 74 years old. According to a number of government and public health sources, this increase in the American life span is the result of diminutions in infant mortality and contagious ailments among infants and children, as well as essential civic health measures like the availability of safe drinking water, widespread programs related with healthcare and more so with vaccination, better nutrition, and an overall improvement in the standards of living. According to a number of anthropologists, modern people are running shoulder to shoulder with the Stone Age people. The people of the times of today are usually tailored to look for fatty foods as well as sweet stuff, and these foods have become a preference for all of us, irrespective of our age brackets. What I think about competition in the different fields of life is that too much competition in colleges and/or business concerns pressurizes the individuals a lot and he or she can run into serious problems, both mentally and physically, more so if he or she is constantly on the losing side or getting the second place as regards to a particular business entity or competitor time and time again. It would not be wrong here to suggest that stiff competition can backfire in such cases and must be looked at by the authorities at the helm of affairs. The smooth flow of operations needs to be maintained under such circumstances which could crop up any time possible. Not only education is being competed at this level but also sports and athletics form a part of the competitive abilities of the students. The schools, colleges and universities around the world seek to promote and conduct officially organized sports activities as well as athletic recreation programs for their students, both male and female. The same is so very true within the business world as well. The purpose of these programs is to provide students at the university with an opportunity and compete with each other. My personal philosophy about relationships in life stems from the fact that relationships that last long require that the people tied in it need to trust each other so that their unifying force can result in a better understanding and decent contact. These relationships need to foster certain acts and qualities that can blossom up with the passage of time as well as harness the overall camaraderie that is there and has developed over time. I believe that relationships require a great deal of patience so that the end result is one which is liked by both the parties and there is greater coordination and goodwill between the two of them. Thus I am of the belief that relationships require a great deal of time to grow and prosper and it is better to enter into a relationship when the time is right and when the persons involved are mature enough to take their own decisions. This not only benefits the people involved in the relationship but also the ones with whom the whole linkage has come about as a result of the same relationship. As far as my personal life is concerned, I have a drive or a kind of an urge to find out and explore about the woman or say the girl with whom I will spend the rest of my life with. I seem pretty much interested in tracking down her contacts as well as also make sure she reaches at the already set place on the day of our date, i.e., if and when we set one. There are some people of the opinion that handling the most dangerous creature on the planet, i.e., beautiful women is an art in itself and this is an issue which really comes across me during the time of my first date. I will try my best to have the best possible clothes on my body as well as carry a decent hair do, one which will surely be liked by my date. Women are very sensitive when the talk is of choosing their date partners. Even the slightest of details are seen with a vigilant eye (by the girl). Thus an American man is constantly under pressure to show own self in his best possible dressing as well as exhibit his manners to the extreme. Sentimental value stems from the fact that some American men love to save the mementos that they receive from their dates just like me and then openly show them to their friends, again very much like me, whereby I will go about bragging to every Tom, Dick and Harry what my girl gave to me, thus bringing into notice the achievements I have had. It is a totally different story if there is no memento for the person; hence nothing to actually share or brag about within friends and relatives on my part. I believe that the sense related with looks count a lot in my date with the girl of my dreams and hence the sentimental value attached with the looks and the image come in relation with what I am going to achieve in a short while. As far as my professional life is concerned, I understand that since I have been appointed an IT project manager, I have greater responsibility on my hands now and I have to contribute to the overall well being of my organization as well as my personal growth in the times to come. I mist exhibit my skills and capabilities to the maximum limits possible so that the change that comes within the organization benefits not only me but also the rest of the employees, top management and the staff working within the realms of this IT organization. As an IT project manager, ethics and morals hold utmost significance for me and it is this determination that I have in doing things right which raises my belief in the whole job nature that I have been assigned to look after in the near future. My profession is something very close to my heart and I will do whatever I can to demonstrate that I love my job and the dedication that I will bestow towards this work will manifest its basis in its own manner, all said and done. I know that I will work to the best of my abilities so that the IT project management job shows what I am actually made up of. What this will do is to give the top management an idea of my abilities and skills and thus give me incentives like bonuses, company maintained car, free gas and so on and so forth. Moreover I will be upgraded to higher grades within my job and the job description would grow as a result of the very same. Personal Action Plan For a personal action plan that I have developed as far as my role of an IT project manager is concerned, I must see that this job is equivalent to what I have learned from life as well as my educational prowess. My work experience is not a significant thing in the related scheme of things but then again my qualifications speak for their own self and make me a name to be proud of. I aim to apply my philosophy which has been mentioned above through the effective use of theory and I will practice the same by coming out clean and clear by advocating the ethical norms and procedures almost on a consistent basis. I will do what is right for the organization and will abstain from the wrong ways. I will suggest measures which would benefit the organization and my department in the long run and not just concentrate on the short term measures. I will look after the rights of the employees and staff members who work alongside me and not just care about my personal agendas. I will think from a strategic standpoint and would not focus alone on the tactical moves. I will make my bosses know about the potential strong points, weaknesses, opportunities and points of threat that our organization could enter into and would not refrain from doing the very same to benefit my organization at all times possible. I will learn about the new and novel techniques that have entered into the world of IT and make myself aware with the current and up to date regimes which is working day in day out as far as IT is concerned. I will not shy away from what is benefiting my personal growth as far as IT is related and will make all possible efforts to find out more to have that edge over my competitors, which are innumerable in my field. I will always look for my professional and personal growth however I would never put the same ahead of the organization’s growth patterns. Since I am the IT project manager, I would have to find out ways and devise strategies to look after the subordinates that work under me in this project. I would take care of their grievances and encourage them on a constant basis to give in their best at all possible times. However all of this requires strict support and facilitation that I need to provide them with. This would enable them to give in their best shot and ultimately benefit the long term growth regimes of the organization. It will also keep my professional growth in nice stead as well. In the end, I aim to fulfill my promises that I make in this action plan and I hope that I in actuality undertake all these steps and tasks as and when they come. I desire to be proactive in my approach and would avoid the laidback strategy which does not help anyone all said and done. I believe being true to my own self would be the cornerstone of the successful ways that I have dreamt about in the years that have passed by and hopefully I will attain the very same in the times to come. References London, Manuel. (2002). Leadership Development: Paths to Self-Insight and Professional Growth. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Duke, Daniel L. (1993). Removing Barriers to Professional Growth. Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 74 Gunn, Albert. (1998). A Companion to Philosophy of Religion. The Review of Metaphysics, Vol. 52 Annas, Julia. (2004). Happiness as Achievement. Daedalus, Vol. 133 Graham, T Scott. (2001). The Project Manager and Project Team Involvement: Implications for Project Leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 7 Nathanson, Philip. (2005). Putting "Strategic" in Human Capital Management. The Public Manager, Vol. 34 Word Count: 2,774 Read More