Alan Watts

After hearing the speech by Alan Watts, I felt like he was talking about many different ideas at once. He talked about the various different types of trains of thoughts. He would talk about how the nature of the West has machines while India's philosophies come from drama in nature. He also talked about how China has the two main philosophies of Taoism and Confuscianism. I found it interesting how in Confuscianism you are like one drop in an ocean and that the real you is part of an entire universe. I also like how he mentioned that wars that are fought over for moral principles are some of the worst kind of wars. That makes me think of the Iraq war we are in now. It is meant to be righteous which is one of the scariest kinds of wars. America is trying spread this concept of democracy onto people but it's making a lot of turmoil in Iraq. It's like how America was against the Russians in the Cold Wars. Forcing different ideologies onto other people can be some of the most oppressive forms you can do to people. It's like you are saying that your views are right and everyone else's views aren't so it gives you the right to correct them. Watts said that is is very selfish and that you shouldn't for example, fight in the name of God because you are a sadist no matter what.