Context

For most of my life, I followed a very individualistic philosophy towards life and my decisions. However, in recent years I have been shifting towards a more community based perspective when considering my actions and my plans for the future. A big part of this journey has been learning how to reconcile with the fact that I am a part of history. MacIntyre has illuminated this concept even further for me by describing his narrative notion of the self.

I would even go as far as to say that it was ignorant of me to think that I could ignore the context of my life and the country and the family I was born into. After reading his excerpt, I am surprised that I had not heard of his work before. It feels like a missing piece of the puzzle of life has finally clicked. Of course! We must understand that we don’t live in a vacuum. Everything that has ever been done or will be done is interconnected. We are affected by the people surrounding us and the people who came before us because life cannot be accurately separated into different boxes.

If I am going to try to seek the good life, I agree that it should be in mindful acknowledgment of where I came from and what traditions I am responding to. If I cannot reconcile with the past, then how can I thoughtfully approach the future? The human experience is built on community and I believe the good life should center itself around that. I know that the life I live is still quite individualistic, but as I continue to grow and mature I am attempting to break away from that mindset.