Essay 1: Self-ObservationTaking a Personal Inventory and Becoming an Individual

Youre totally unique. Just like everybody else. (Bumper sticker)

All the philosophers and sages tell us that individuals are rare. Yet the curious thing is that virtually all people consider themselves individuals. (Think about it: Have you ever met anyone who admitted, I am not an individual?) If the philosophers are right, then most people are wrong in their self-assessment. The source of the error lies in the assumption that having unique genes and a unique collection of experiences guarantees individuality. If that were the case, no one could be a conformist. But there are conformists. Therefore, the assumption is unwarranted. Individuality is not inborn but acquired.

The key to becoming individuals is to look at ourselves honestly and objectively. This takes courage because it often involves abandoning wishful thinking and destroying cherished illusions about ourselves. (From The Art of Thinking, Vincent Ryan Ruggerio)

According to Ruggerio, there are three steps to becoming an individual:

Acknowledge the influences that have shaped your thinking.
Sort out and evaluate your ideas and attitudes, even your most cherished ones. Ask, for example, what your political philosophy is. Ask too about your views on religion, spirituality, race, nationality, marriage, education, morality, law, etc.
Decide which ideas and attitudes best serve you, and let go of the ones that dont.

Real individuality, of course, cannot be attained in a single sitting, or even in a hundred sittings. It is an ongoing task, the occupation of a lifetime, but one that everyone who wants to be a good thinker must undertake.
Using clear, cohesive prose, write a personal essay in which you tell me about who you fundamentally are (according to you) by describing the three biggest influences in your life that have shaped your worldview thus far. These can be any kinds of influences: people (parents, siblings, friends, teachers, mentors, significant others, celebrities, etc.), experiences, trips, memories, dreams, activities, life-changing books or films. These influences can be positive or negative (or something in-between).

As you write about these influences, consider if there are any parts of your worldview (your values, morals, beliefs, etc.) that need some fresh examination. Do you have any habits youd like to change? Are you happy? Do you feel like you are truly the person you want to be (or are you the person someone else wants you to be, e.g. your parents)? If you could celebrate your best attribute, what would it be? If you could let go of some aspect of your personality, what would that be and why?

There is no right or wrong way to structure this paper (although there are developed/cohesive and under-developed/disorganized essays). You get to decide how to begin your essay, how to craft a thesis statement that best encompasses your worldview, how to develop and support your claims, and how to conclude in a satisfying manner

Worldview: A set of beliefs, assumptions, values, morals, etc. about the world and the behavior of people in it. A worldview involves the way you see things; the decisions that guide your thoughts, emotions, actions, and decision-making.