Week Five Response

Pausch

His writing was very enjoyable to read. Put into context of when he was writing this gave his words even more credibility. Talking about gratitude and paying it forward, these stories could be seen somewhat as patting himself on the back, but knowing that he dedicated his last moments to pass on his wisdom takes that element away completely.
The short chapters made it easy to read, as did his style of writing. It felt like sitting with someone telling stories that were spontaneous yet well remembered and purposeful. His advice was applicable in both specific and general scenarios and I found it easy to visualize what he said and using those new images as my own memories to guide me in the future.
I read Rubin's chapter awhile ago and I think I already wrote about it. Interestingly, her journey to find more happiness in her daily life might be more relatable to most than the advice of a man who's spent his whole life, which is nearly over, dedicated toward bettering himself, but his words are the ones that will stick in my memory. I suppose that a book written by someone who is clueless about a deeper meaning to life might be helpful because many people are probably in the same boat, yet it seems to me that Pausch's words carry so much more weight, as do many of the authors that Rubin read, that it might be worth reading them directly. Rubin asked at some point if it is selfish to want to improve one's own happiness, in effect work toward one's own goals. Pausch pointed out that helping others achieve their own goals might turn out to be even more rewarding than that. What I have concluded at this point, and maybe I'll change my mind someday or else forever stay the same, is that my happiness and anyone else's is one in the same. I will succeed at making happiness grow regardless of who I am helping because an increase in positive energy is bound to have a domino effect, just as negative energy would. As long as people are working on happy, good, positive, joyful goals for themselves or for others, good will follow!