The Beauty in Ugly.

Lauren Dow

Sunday night’s topic of discussion amongst the group of people I would like to call my friends was something I found to be ironically about the topic of my past essay that I wrote about population control. With a camera in hand I could not help myself but to record exactly what was being said, what their thoughts were on this subject I had done intensive research on. Come to find out they shared some of the same thoughts as I did. Not all, because I have to say that some were incredibly outrageous. They had ideas that ranged everywhere from bringing the idea of video games into real life all the way to feeding homeless people to other homeless people. The reason I found these comments to be so interesting was mainly due to the fact that these people who were talking were people my age. They hold such strong opinions and will continue to bluntly speak their point of view without shame. It is what they think, feel, believe, and it shall be said.

                As I listened amongst the group, I found that my friend Tom had some very solid and valid points of sustainability. The main idea was more or less that the higher the population, the less sustainable our planet will become. By 2050 it is estimated that our planet will have roughly twelve billion people, yet we are struggling to handle our current 6.5 billion. Another statement was brought up about the removal of funds to the cancer research foundations that we currently have. Brutal, yes, but still is up for argument. If we stopped trying to save these cancer patients then that would be less people to take care of on this planet (in other words, euthanasia).

                Personally speaking, do I believe in such ways? Never. I want to one day have children, create a family, and see my grandchildren. I am against abortion due to my morals and religious beliefs (sorry Paul Elrich). Are these all valid points for discussion? Of course, and I can entirely see the point. It is just not something I tend to follow along with. Then again when someone writes, is it all necessarily true to heart how that person may think or feel? Not always the case. I suppose you could call this a semester reflection, maybe even to the extent of saying that this may be a blog. Then again, the final project was never specific. It gave us the freedom of choice and creativity. It was the chance to really show something that was more or less about us, not just our writing.  I have learned endless, countless points about myself and my writing through the class, through outside observations, and through the building of my writing. In the words of Jason Mraz, “and what a beautiful mess this is, it’s like picking up trash in dresses.” The chaos, the mess, the madness, the confusion in writing and your thoughts combined into one can create something beautiful. It is all how you choose to look, read, and take it all in. I have discovered a new outlook on all types of writing: pathos, logos, or ethos. There is always something beautiful within every type of writing. Take this mess you, the reader, are sinking into your head. The thoughts have been all over the place, yet it means something more chaotic or not. So thank you Trey Conner, for showing me something I truly had not seen before: The beauty in ugly.

This video was created in order that I may bring together the topic of my past essay of Population Control with my peers, the creativeness and "having fun" that you wish we would have with this project, and the readers of my essay. I did indeed have these people read my essay in which they could understand what point of view that I had on the subject.