Unexamined Life Worth Living/Modern Gadfly

Is the unexamined life worth living? I don’t think so. I believe everything should be examined just to see things as they are. Some may argue that not examining everything is okay because there’s no reason to question it. That life is just fine the way it is, so why go looking for something to change that? I thinking leaving that sense of reality alone is like lying to yourself. The rest of your life is being ignored. Yes, there is a good chance you might not like what you learn, but that’s part of growing up and maturing. It’s better to have an idea of what’s out there rather than being sheltered. I would rather examine everything then draw my own conclusions rather than not having any idea about anything and then being in a state of ignorance. Examining things causes questioning, and this in turn makes a person capable of thinking. Thinking for yourself is something I put a lot of value on, and I think examining everything helps foster that.

Another thing that gets people thinking is gadflies. In my opinion, a modern day gadfly is no other than our own Jeremiah Ilao. I personally am in three of the same classes with him, including Philosophy and Contemporary American History. In both classes, he just says whatever idea is on his mind, no matter how odd it may seem to the other students in the room. He’s no Socrates, but Jeremiah is a person who will just sit there and question you. He’s not afraid to state his ideas, but one could argue his constant talking in class can be a bit annoying since he doesn’t know how to whisper. Anyway, if “gadfly” is being used in a sense meaning “a person who goes around questioning and getting people talking,” then Jeremiah fits the role.