In John Stuart
Mills' pieces, Chapter II: Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion and Chapter III: Of Individuality, as One of the Elements of Well-Beingm Mills advocates for what he calls “experiments of living.” These experiments of
living, according to Mills, are important to experience. He preaches, “You are
free to think differently from me, and to retain your life, your property, and
all that you possess" explaining his ideas that an experiment of living is
a freedom to do as you wish and experience things as you wish. He advocates the
idea that people must utilize this action so that they can learn self-discipline
and break away from conformity. Experiments of living are also seen as a source
for knowledge for individuals. Experiments of living are activities that range from
free climbing, to trying a new religion, to getting your ears pierced, and
everything far and in between. They are pretty much anything that opens up our understanding
of the world or ourselves. Mills advocates for these experiments of living, saying
as long as one is not harmed, people can learn and grow from these particular
experiences. College is a perfect environment to try out these experiments of
living. We are not supervised by our parents, and must make decisions and
accept the consequences of those decisions on our own. Though there are a great
many experiments of living to be done, I believe that in the college setting primes us for three possible experiments of living, that the majority of people will encounter.
1. Learning a
New Language
Learning a new
language is an experiment of living which most of us have experienced, or are experiencing
now. The majority of people have been forced to take a language since they were
little, and if they did not test out of it, the University of Michigan is
forcing them to take at least four semesters of a particular language to
graduate from LSA. Learning a new
language can be extremely scary. The words are hard to pronounce, you have no
idea what all of those symbols are, and on top of grammar, you have to learn
aspects of the culture surrounding the language in order to obtain a full grasp
on it. Though learning a language is often required, I would constitute it as
an experiment of living due to the fact that those who are attempting to learn
a new language are putting themselves out there to either succeed or fail and
cultivate themselves. Though it may seem scary, learning a new language can
truly broaden our horizons, and college is one of the best places to experience
it. This is so due to the fact we are housed in institutions where we are
helped to grow through these unfamiliar experiences by professors who are in the
top in their field. They push us and challenge us, in order so that we may squeeze
every inch out of our experiment of living as possible.
2. Studying
Abroad
Studying Abroad
is another experiment of living that many of us will undertake. I personally,
have always been extremely interested in traveling and living abroad. Though I
have traveled to many places in Europe, South America, and Asia, the idea of
living somewhere for a long amount of time seems truly like an experiment of
living, and college gives you all the tools you need in order to do so.
Choosing to go abroad you are faced with a milieu of options. College gives you a
structure that allows the opportunity for you to place yourself outside of your
comfort zone. This particular experiment of living, which many will undergo, forces
you into a situation where you know no one, do not know the area very well,
possibly don’t know the language, and aren’t immersed in the culture enough to
truly seem “local.” When you go abroad you become totally and completely
independent. You must work to figure out things like, where the closest grocery
store is, how to transport yourself to and from where you are attempting to go,
and how to deal with everyday life situations that differ from experiences you
have in America as a college student. Mills would stay that this is indeed an experiment
of living, as you learn from your mistakes, and thus obtain knowledge about the
new world you. Due to this fact, he would also argue you have been immersed in a
situation in which you are better able to cultivate yourself and your ideas
about the world as a whole. It would seem, by making these decisions, you
are truly enjoying the freedom of the situation at hand and growing because of it.
3. Starting your
own company
College is a
place where people truly hone in on their skill sets, and seek out what to do
with their futures. People, who chose this experiment of living, are offered
every resource to be successful in their experiment by attending college.
Though some of us may not chose to embark on this endeavor, many students from
the University of Michigan will. Starting your own company involves a huge
amount of risk and frankly, guts. When one starts their own company they leave
behind the comfort and security of being financially stable. Mills believes
that we have the freedom to experiment and cultivate ourselves. Those who do
start their own business are truly taking advantage of the freedom of the
market, in the best way possible. In our society we have no limitations on who
and who cannot start a company, and when one embarks on this experiment of
living they are utilizing Mills idea of
“freedom to experiment.” Those who chose to do so, are also cultivating themselves as they obtain knowledge about what works or what doesn’t work, when starting and
owning a company. The fact that many people we know will be taking this risk,
if not ourselves, makes this experiment of living extremely relevant to our
futures. When an individual decides to embark on this experiment of living they
allow themselves to be vulnerable to failure and learn a great deal about
themselves.
Mills experiments of living are important in growing and learning as an individual. These particular experiments of living are circumstances many of us will experience or are
currently experiencing in our lives. They help us to break conformity, learn
for ourselves, enjoy the freedoms we need in order to grow, and obtain
knowledge about the world around us. The fact that we attend college, and a
college as prestigious as the University of Michigan, gives us all the right
tools to take on these three experiments of living, which eventually allow us
to become more well-rounded and successful individuals.
Samantha,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that these are good experiments of living, however I do not agree that most U of M students will experiment them. A lot of incoming students pass out of the language requirement, or only have to take a semester or two of a language, usually one they are already familiar with. Not all students study abroad either, but I would agree that the students who do receive a great experiment of living. I also don't agree that many U of M students start their own companies. Many students will continue school or be employed by a company before even having the chance to start their own. I think the experiments of living that matter most in college are the small things such as joining new clubs, taking new classes, learning to live on your own in an apartment, and even partying. These experiments of living may be small in retrospect to your three, but sometimes the smallest experiments of living may be the most important ones.
Great post! I really enjoyed reading about your different ideas of experiments of living. My favorite one is the study abroad experiment. I think that studying abroad is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and truly see who you are. Not only are you moving somewhere foreign, but you can experience so many other experiments of living by studying abroad. You would try new foods, participate in new activities, and build new relationships which all fall under experiments of living. I really enjoyed reading your post.
ReplyDeleteSamantha, very thoughtful post. I agree that most students will experience one of these three experiments of living at some point in their college careers. While learning a foreign language may seem annoying at the moment, it is beneficial to understanding other cultures and learning how they differ from the United States. The same goes for studying abroad. While many students never go abroad at Michigan, those who do benefit greatly from being forced into unfamiliar situations, similar to what they may face in the workforce. Study abroad provides for much needed experience that helps us grow as people as you noted. Starting a company is somewhat rare as far as I know for college students, but those who do are definitely stepping out of their comfort zones, challenging themselves, and not limiting themselves to societal norms. Overall, I can certainly see how each of these relates to Mills advocation of experiments of living. Attempting to gain knowledge in any of these three areas helps us gain a better understanding of our surroundings, which is critical for success.
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