Cornel West's Documentary 'The Examined Life'

“How do you sustain a journey, a path toward truth, the way to truth?” Cornel West, a Philosophy professor at Princeton University, challenged this question in his documentary titled “The Examined Life.” Many famous philosophers have asked the question- what is the human condition? Notably, the human condition requires you to have courage to desire the truth, and desire the reasoning behind that truth. The human condition is conflict, growth, and aspiration throughout a lifetime.
Conflict in someone's life is an example of the human condition. In chapter 24 of the Dhammapada titled “Thirst”, man is described as always seeking something in life- they have a “thirst” in life- a desire. Consequently, this thirst is dangerous for humans as it can overcome them. This thirst is a never ending process- humans are born, they seek extravagant pleasures, they die. In result, a man can learn to give everything up and free their mind, you will not enter the cycle again. Conflict is also an important part of the book “The Genealogy of Morals” by Friedrich Nietzsche. Humans are too harsh on
“It’s harder to collect thoughts from your soul than to go to war and fight.” Cornel West clarifies this quote in his documentary titled “The Examined Life”. To grow in life, you need be able to explore the deepest depths of your soul and know yourself. Moreover, humans must have the courage to explore themselves. They must have the courage to think, to love, and to hope. By taking a situation and turning it into happiness, that is growth. In the essay “The Case for Tragic Optimism” by Victor Frankl, he states that to be successful you are compelled to turn suffering into human achievement, use guilt to change yourself for the better, and know that you won’t live forever and take action for that. Hope, faith, and love cannot be forced; therefore, showing all of these characteristics proves that you have grown despite the tragic