Dignity
It is such a nice word isn't it? It even makes you feel dignified when you say it. Yet, it is so hard to explain and means so many thing to different people. So, lets talk about it. In class you worked very hard to find the right words, create a lesson plan , and demonstrate just exactly what dignty means. Interesting, several of your ideas were about team building, several of you strived to show that people are just people, and others tried to create lessons to find our similarities. All of these are excellent ideas. They are great beginnings. But,they are just that, only the beginning. We must continue this path and take it a step further every time. and everyday. We must become so many people.
Ponder on these quotes:
"Education can give you a skill, but a liberal education can give you dignity" Ellen Key
"What should move us to action is human dignity: the inalienable dignity of the oppressed, but also the dignity of each of us. We lose the dignity if we tolerate the intolerable." author unknown
What do these quotes mean to you? What do they say about dignity? Give an example of how these quotes can be applied to your everyday life.
What have you done today that shows dignity? Keep in mind, showing dignity may mean to step out of your comfort zone and keep in open mind. It may even mean doing something you never imagined. Please share something more than holding the door open, smiling, letting someone cut in front of you etc.
Lets keep thinking....
Dignity....All people are created equal
Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity
Communities transform through partnerships, not handouts
Human dignity is paramount in relieveing human distress.
What do you believe? What does Dignity mean to you? What would you add to this list?
Listen to this song and reflect on what it means.
How does it portray dignity? What have you done today to make you feel proud? What will you continue to do? How will you step out of the ordinary?
I understand that there are a lot of questions in this discussion. Feel free to answer them any way you choose but work very hard to address them all.
These quotes tell us what dignity derives from and how to lose it. An education where you can form your own ideas by getting different perspectives will give you your own kind of respect for everything and everyone. This respect for people and their beliefs should be the reason why we fight for people’s rights, even if they aren’t our own. Applying these ideas to everyday life can be as easy as voicing your opinions in class and voting in elections, namely the upcoming one on gay rights.
ReplyDeleteToday in one of my classes the professor had us volunteer to come up to the class to demonstrate what some people do when they give speeches, such as speaking softly or mumbling. Even though I hate doing any kind of public speaking I stepped out of my comfort zone and volunteered. I convinced myself to keep an open mind and that this was an activity meant to make fun of the nervous things we do.
I believe that all of these phrases give an idea of what dignity is all about. To me, dignity is being proud of who you are and respecting other people for what they believe in. I would add to this list that you have to respect yourself before you can respect others.
The song, in my opinion, accurately portrays dignity. It asks you the question about feeling proud, and that feeling of being proud will eventually turn into dignity if used enough. Today I finished all of my assigned homework which made me feel pretty proud.
Having to explain dignity is a hard thing to do. The in class activity we did on 9/11 where you have to explain and teach dignity to an 8 year old is even harder. The more I contemplated this, the harder is has been to explain to myself. Yes, dignity is respect for yourself and others. But it's so much more than that. It's how you portray yourself. It's how you react to different situations. It's how you treat others. It is also what you don't do. The example used in class was a child being abused. if you saw that and just walked on by, that is NOT being dignified. When that was brought up, a question popped into my head. If we just innocently walk by situations and pretend we don't notice, is that being dignified? Yeah you 'didn't notice' so you can use that as an excuse, but what about the victim? How do you think they feel just having bystanders walk by? I know i wouldn't like it at all! Showing dignity in every day life is easier said than done. But if you honestly portray dignity in your every day life, I believe you will truly find happiness.
ReplyDeleteMegan,
DeleteI think you summed up what it means to have dignity pretty well! Like you had mentioned, I never realized that it could be so difficult to explain something that might seem so familiar to us- such as respect, or dignity. Sometimes it’s just difficult to put it into words. Setting an example and not letting ourselves “not notice” things is a much easier way to show what dignity is. I loved that you added “if you honestly portray dignity in your everyday life, I believe you will truly find happiness.” That’s really what this is all about. Being a respectful and accepting individual is much more fulfilling than being just a bystander who walks by without noticing or for that matter, attempting to stop undignified behavior.
i think that there are many answers when answering the question "what is dignity", this is due to the answer being mostly an opinion. We all seemed to have the same starting basis but after saying respect for others and yourself, it is all down to opinion and how a person has been brought up and where someone has been brought up. I feel that this has a major effect on ones answer to this question because we learn things from our parents/guardians and we mostly live our lives along their beliefs and feelings due to us being too young and inexperienced to making our own decisions. Even though you have asked us to think of ways we have shown dignity other than holding the door open for someone and just asking how someone is when walking past, i feel that even though they are very small aspects, they keep adding up to create a whole bigger picture. I personally feel happier after someone has asked me how i am when walking past. Something that has made me proud is something that will make me proud for my whole life. Me moving to America has made me proud of myself because its a huge step and i feel that completing this move will benefit the rest of my life in more ways than one.
ReplyDeleteTo me, these quotes mean that in order to live with dignity, one must try to achieve the hgihest level of education as possible while helping others achieve the best along the way. These quotes really try to show how important dignity is in different aspects of life not just in school as the first quote states, but also in all other aspects of life such as in the second quote. In my life, I try to get the most out of school as I possibly can while also trying to help others with their school work at the same time. Today to help show dignity, I helped a friend talk out some issues that they are going through with family things at home. I sat down with them between classes and just helped them talk out the whole problem and just to be there for them because I understand how hard it can be to go through. I believe that dignity is having the ability to go through your every day life while not judging other peoples opinions until at least hearing out their side of the story. Even after hearing a persons story you really shouldn't judge a persons opinion either. This song portrays dignity by reminding us to be proud of ourselves in our everyday life no matter what other people believe. Today I worked my best through school and all through baseball practice while striving to make other peoples days better, I believe that is a great way to be proud of yourself and great habits to get into for the rest of your life. I will continue to step out of my shell by talking to people I do not already know in attempts to make new friends.
ReplyDelete"Education gives you a skill..."this is such a strong quote, because we are taught in many countries that we should achieve the highest level of education as we possibly can achieve. With continuing our educational carreer we can better understand "what is dignity"? Even though it may be opinionated, we still can learn certain concepts that are parrallel with dignity. Openmindness, respect, and etc... Learning these things can help us learn that question.Even though, our belifs and concepts we learn from our parents. Being a good person comes simply down to respect!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with what you are saying Kristopher. Education is the key to anything and everything, including respect.
DeleteI definately agree with what you are saying here kristopher, education is so important at this point in time. I feel that this is one area that has been majorly improved in the past few generations, the importance of learning. Learning can lead you to anything and can help you to achieve everything you want to achieve.
DeleteTo me, the quote that ends with "We lose the dignity if we tolerate the intolerable" is really significant because even if people think that they are dignified by respecting people, if they just sit by and watch injustice happen, it is comparable to not having dignity at all. It's either all or nothing.
ReplyDeleteI believe that some little things, such as holding the door for someone or asking how their day was, can make a huge impact on someone. I don't think that dignity can happen with one giant leap--it is a whole bunch of little things that make a big difference. But if I had to choose something today that I did with dignity, it would probably be that I helped someone with their homework. I had never talked to the person previously, but I saw they were struggling and asked if they needed help. It is these simple things that make dignity so powerful.
If I had to add something to the list, it would be that people should feel comfortable about who they are and what they believe and able to express themselves with out being judged.
The song portrays what dignity is by reminding us that we should feel proud of ourselves no matter what happened in the day. Asking ourselves what we have done today to make us proud is a way for us to remind ourselves that we should continue to live our lives through dignity and respect. Something that I have done today to make to me feel proud is getting all my homework done. It is a relief to get it all done, so I don't have to worry about it anymore.
Emily Ciernia,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your belief that little things can make a huge impact. Dignity is something that takes time; something that you work toward every day. Your character is based largely on dignity, and I think that someone with low self-esteem or confidence will have a hard time building towards their own dignity. You must respect yourself before you can respect others. It truly is impossible to experience dignity unless you step out of your comfort zone and keep an open mind. Otherwise, you just stay enclosed in a turtle shell and watch everything happen before you. It takes some courage to break from that shell but once you’re out you feel a newfound freedom that can change people’s lives for the better. Also, your statement on “it’s either all or nothing” resonates with me. You cannot simply sit back and watch injustice before you and think you are doing nothing wrong. Not participating means you don’t care, which can diminish one’s dignity and the dignity of the people that injustice is brought upon.
I thought the two quotes were very fitting in their descriptions of what dignity is. To me, the first quote showed that even though everyone can learn certain skills, it takes a little more than memorizing key terms or equations to be a well-educated and respectful person. According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, liberal education is “an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change.” (http://www.aacu.org/leap/What_is_liberal_education.cfm) This form of education can have a big impact on not only what students learn, but how they learn as well. For example, a student taught to respect everyone would work with a group better than one who was never taught the value of respect.
ReplyDeleteI thought the list provided showed what it means to show dignity almost entirely. I believe that everyone deserves the same respect as everyone else. We can’t pick out certain individuals just because they may not have the same values, beliefs, etc. and choose to not respect them. I think the list is complete as is, but I might add that respect is the root of dignity, and while other factors play in, we must start with respect in order to be accepting and genuine people.
The song really got me thinking about how easy it is to go about our daily lives thinking solely about ourselves. It’s easy to get caught up in our own work, and completely zone out everything that’s happening around us. Asking how someone’s day is, or if they need help with anything can even become a difficult task at times. I get stuck in that same situation more than I would like, but today I tried to do something that would mean something to someone else. I wrote a letter to my grandma at home because she has been sick for a while. I don’t get to see her very often, and even though it took a little of my free time, I still felt good about doing it. I knew she would enjoy the letter, and hearing about my college experience thus far.
Dignity is one of the few words today that have multiple meanings. Dignity is whatever you want to make it mean. Everyone is different and has a different definition for the word dignity. The quotes in my own opinion relate to my perspective of dignity greatly. Having a liberal education will teach to see the world and its people in a different but good way. What I mean is that you will be able to see and understand the differences in one another in a good way. If i learn more about everyone around, I will be able to see the differences in eachother. In my everyday lfe I can do this easily by introducing myself to someone I dont know in class. Today walking to class my friend's classroom got changed for the day and he couldn't find where his new class is. I helped him find it by walking around with him till we found it. I felt good helping him today because i went out of my way and spent my own free time to help him out. Dignity in my opinion means accepting everyone for who they are and it doesn't matter who they are or what they look like whenever someone is in need, help them out. Try your hardest to build friendships and a healthy schol community.
ReplyDeleteEric,
DeleteI agree when you say that dignity has multiple meanings. I can relate when you say that everyone is different and all of the different definitions of dignity. That was really nice of you to help your friend find the right room for his class. I know what it feels like to be on the other side of what you did and sometimes it can really scare someone if they are really confused about it all. Your definition of dignity does a great job of laying down underlying morals that many people have throughout the world.
Dignity to me, is about respect for yourself and others. The first quote, to me, says that dignity has a lot to do with equality. I agree completely because to treat anyone any worse or better than another would not be dignified. "We lose the dignity if we tolerate the intolerable." In my opinion this means that, if I were to witness something that I recognized as wrong or unjust, I would lose dignity if i did not stand up for what I believe in or act against these wrong-doings.
ReplyDeleteWhen the song says "What have you done today to make you feel proud?" is, in a way, asking what have you done today to show dignity. I personally believe that being proud is a big part of dignity. If a person feels that they are a good person and treat everyone equally, that shows dignity and is something to be proud of.
Marissa,
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said at the end about reaching outside of your comfort zone. I feel that being a dignified person means that sometimes you may have to do things you're not comfortable with. It can be especially hard to do the right thing when everyone else is doing the wrong things.
Danica,
ReplyDeleteI really liked the part about being open with yourself and being okay with your surroundings. That is alot easier said than done. Going out of your comfort zone is HARD. It takes a very strong person to be able to do that, and an even stronger person to do it all of the time. I agree with Mitch in that everyone would be much better off if we could do this on a daily basis. It is never too late, but the longer you wait the harder and harder it gets.
John,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%. Rspect is key to everything in life. The "GOLDEN"rule is what we are taught at a very young age. Still it amazes me how some people still dont agree with this philosophy. Why would someone treat another person terribly and expect to be treated well in return.
Emily,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you here in this line:"Every person is worthy of esteem, honor,and respect." This is completely true because every human should have the right to be who they are while being treated with respect and dignity.
I agree that standing up for who you are is also a form of dignity. You are standing by what you believe and no one should tell you that what you believe is wrong because it is way of showing dignity towards yourself. Being proud of who you are is a big part of dignity as a whole, because if you don't feel good about yourself, chances are you won't feel good about your surroundings either. The biggest part of dignity must start with yourself.
Dignity is a difficult subject to explain. In my opinion, dignity means respect for ones self with the inclusion of others. To have dignity, one will feel complete with them self and that others respect him or what they do or believe in. Many do not put dignity into consideration for reason I personally do not understand. What the world fails to do is recognize that everyone is different, and that every living thing is one of a kind. And by this no one is truly the same but we learn by learning about one another. No matter what you believe in or you grew up to believe in, everyone should be treated with the same respect that you would want to be treated.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the quotes, quote #1 I completely agree with. Normal education teaches you about the basic stuff you would use for a career and/or part of everyday life, while a liberal education teaches you "to deal with complexity, diversity, and change [www.accu.org]. In quote #2, I understand it to mean that us as human beings should make it one of our top priorities in understanding dignity and make it apart of our lives.
Luke,
Deleteyou are absolutely right when you say dignity i a difficult subject to explain. Everyone is one of a kind and I couldn't agree more. Treat people he way you want to be treated, I really like you last sentence of opening paragraph, my parents have taught me that moral since the day I was able to talk.
When I first read the quote " Education can give you a skill, but a liberal education can give you dignity" I understood this in many different ways. One of the meanings of this quote to me was that we can learn skills to be able to succeed in school, and work places. Skills that will help us to work harder, think better, and become more efficient in the work area. But when the last part is stated about the liberal education I understood this as letting someone be able to be themselves. Giving them room to grow and learning how to live with others. Not only living with others but respecting them as well as their own selfs. These wuotes that are shown above say many things about dignity as well. They show that dignity is something that everyone can achieve and have and should cherish because it is also something that can be easily stripped away from us as though we have never learned dignity in our lives. One of the things that I did today that showed dignity was helping out my roommate with some money to buy groceries and also working together on accomadating to our room situation. Nevertheless, things are working out and it really does make a difference. One thing that I did today to make me feel proud was like I said helping my roommate and also being there for my younger sister when she needed it. I will continue to treat others with respect and compassion as well as myself and challenge myself to step outside of my comfort zone more often.
ReplyDeleteTo me dignity means to just have a general respect and care for others as well as respect and care for yourself. Helping others out in time of need and showing compassion.
Paul,
ReplyDeleteI can totally see where you are coming from. I am talking about being open minded about others opinions and definitely about speaking up in class. And even though you said that you didn't really have a specific example of dignity, but you said that you smiled and had a good attitude about things.. I just wanted to remind you that even though they may be small gestures towards others, the kindness that you are giving others may affect them in so many ways that you could imagine.I love how you involved questions into your post and it seemed like you tried to challenge yourself