Some posts back there was a discussion about embracing death, and embracing life. Well I stumbled on this video on youtube of Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch, who is dying from pancreatic cancer,and who gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007. In his moving talk, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about lessons learned in his life. This guy certainly lives up to the notion of embracing both life and death.
Now I have to admit this guy makes me a little uncomfortable as I can't see any common ground between him and myself, (I am Eeyore, not Tigger) but I still found a lot of what he says worthwhile and enjoyable. Now I am not sure he is ITLADic in outlook. but he seems to be so upbeat, (I wonder who will play him in the film as Tom Hanks is too old) I wonder too if he really is not in denial (He says not). Maybe he believes in recurrence? He has a good sense of humour and come to think about it he did seem to experience synchronicity. There is one particularly funny and somewhat ITLADic part where he shows his students work. He taught a course in creating Virtual Worlds, having worked for Disney. I think most of you will like this video, but it is 1 hour and 16 min, and if your time is tight you might want to watch it in two installments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
20 comments:
Ruth: Carnegie Melon is an good University, and this sounds very interesting. I will certainly look at it when I have the time to do so at leisure. Having watched my husband die, I can say that there does seem to come over the person a lack of concern, as if time is endless, and the death an illusion ( of course, the very end seemed to hold some awful panic and terror, and I can't dwell on it, but I think it was physical, and perhaps morphine-induced). The virtual worlds creation certainly ties in with Tony and KLLM and all things quantum and and CTF esque! Thanks, Ruth---love you and sorry for the email (lol!)---
Also, Ruth, I used to have a stuffed toy of Eyore when I was a child, but do not remember: what is the difference between him and Tigger in terms of psyche? And I remember poor Jake Horsely and his death embrace! Where has he gone off to, I wonder? I think not the embrace of death, but the denial of its importance may be another aspect of what ITLADian philosophy may offer. It is only the death of the other which is difficult, due to the separation.
Eeyore is the one who is depressed and sluggish, and says things like I will do it, If I have, I guess.
This guy is definitely Tigger who is full of bounces.
Hi Ruth and Susan Marie,
Thanks for the link, Ruth, will watch it when time allows.
Just wanted to add how odd you talking about Tigger and Eeyore and their personality traits!
My husband gave me a Tigger a couple of years ago, he had a silly sense of humour that way.
Now you've mentioned it, Ruth, he picked a character that is very similar to my own!! Bubbly, bouncy and a little manic at times!!!!
How funny!
Just found this site about the Tao of Winnie the Pooh
http://www.just-pooh.com/tao.html
Everyone can decide who they are.
Johar: You make a lovely Tigger and how wonderful!
Ruth: She does, and I make a horrific Eeyore.
"Why, what's the matter?" "Nothing Pooh Bear, nothing. We can't all, and some of us don't. That's all there is to it" "Can't all what?" said Pooh, rubbing his nose. "Gaiety. Song-and-dance. Here we go round the mulberry bush." "Oh!" said Pooh. He thought for a long time, and then asked, "What mulberry bush is that?" "Bon-hommy," went on Eeyore gloomily. "French word for meaning bonhommy," he explained. "I'm not complaining, but There It Is."
Eeyore and Pooh from "Winnie-the-Pooh" by A. A. Milne
Oh, dear!
Susan Marie
Determined, dogged, loyal, kind, maternal, loving, thoughtful, curious, open!!!!!!
THAT'S YOU THAT IS!!!
(only in my humble opinion, though!)
Oh, what a sweetheart you are, thank you, JoJo! You ain't bad yourself, you know---sharp as a tack, and all forms of nice, and pretty. Thank you.
I agree johar; she isn't eeyore at all.
Well, aren't you two just the sweetest things? And JoJo and Ruth , aren't you just so nice to see me as something more than a miserable donkey? And isn't the blog moderator going to have my head for turning this post into a sweet talk with JoJo and Ruth? And in that spirit, Ruth, now tell me if this video in any way implies the daemon/eidolon dyad, in any form whatsoever. . . or does it hint at the cheating of a certain ferryman; or is there any relation to his optimism to the recurrence: I believe you said there was the quantum hint in the virtual worlds?
He is not really itladic. Will I be given a foul card for suggesting people look at this? There is a small joke about him being the left brain and a cohort the right brain, but it is not too ITLADic. He is just so darn positive in the face of death, one wonders how he pulls that off. He is not spiritual; I suspect he is a strict materialist, but I bet he would be interested in Tony's ideas. Perhaps he is just a good example of an evolved daemon?
Oh, that last sentence is nice, very nice---well, well spoken!!!
Ruth, Liking the evolved daemon idea, it's what we all strive for!
And your intuition told you this was worth posting, in my opinion, so it certainly has relevance.
Susan Marie - Miserable Donkey!! - I nearly choked laughing - HUMOUR added to the list of your fine qualities!!!
Ra from Ca,SM Kovalinsky and Johar:
I think I've said enough on this subject over recent weeks, but thank you for an entertaining chat and Ruth, thank you for the link, I have NO idea when I shall have time to watch it but I shall certainly do so at some stage for you.
*lets play Pooh sticks*
Karl or should I call you Owl:
I would not rush to watch the video. Ahh pooh sticks. The happiest moment of my life was spent on a bridge playing pooh sticks with my son.
Ra from Ca: Hey Ruth! *smiles at the Pooh Sticks memory*
And oh no!! I don't think I am OWL, after all, as that website you linked to says:
Owl is the opposite of Pooh, the Knowledge for the sake of Appearing Wise, the one who studies Knowledge for the sake of Knowledge, and who keeps what he learns to himself or to his own small group, rather than working for the enlightenment of others.
Sorry Karl
That is way too negative. I was just thinking of one who is wise and pursues knowledge. In fact I just scanned them all and they all have way too negative spin.
I am more inclined to believe for every bit of black in us there is a a bit of white like the Tao symbol.
Ra from Ca: You're such a sweetheart. Thank You Ruth.
*hugs*
Post a Comment