Patterns In Life Essay, Research Paper
It is human nature to want patterns, standards, and a structure of behavior. A pattern to conform is a kind of shelter. From the time we wake up in the morning to the time we bed down for the night, our lives are filled with patterns. Our lives have a certain structure. You do this and this and this and then after that you do this and this. Finally, after you are done with that, you do this. Fill in the you with your name and fill in every this with what you do on a daily basis, and there is the proof. Got a job? You have to be there by a certain time and once there you have specific duties to perform. Go to school? You have a schedule of classes starting and ending at certain times. Just a lazy bum? You still have a pattern of sitting around and being lazy. The words pattern, standard, structure, or conform, tend to make any person balk, especially those who value and selfishly guard their freedom. These words resonate with connotations of control and uniformity. Yet, as much as we hate to admit it, our lives are controlled. We are controlled not by the government or even by a living person but by our very nature. Human nature wants structure. It is in our nature to want to know what is expected, to know what is going to happen next. We cherish comfort, which is brought about by our patterns in life. Humans do not like to worry and without standards and a structured life filled with patterns, we would have to worry about almost everything that we normally take for granted. Yet, even though our very nature forces us into having a patterned life, that same nature (perhaps the more daring side) wants a stimulant, something to excite us. Therefore, stating that it is human nature to want a structured life is both valid and incorrect.
Everyone needs and likes some sort of structure in their lives. Structure is comforting and when something causes an interruption in that pattern, we get confused or in some cases, angry. For example, in middle school, twice a semester, we would get a new schedule. Mind you, the classes itself never changed and the faces in every class stayed the same. Still our patterns were interrupted. A different teacher for homeroom, a different teacher bringing us to lunch. It was confusing and did not feel right and comfortable. Another example is something I am sure everyone can relate to. Remember those teachers who insisted on assigning seats? Just when I got used to a seat and learned to live with the people around me, the teacher would get the bright idea to mix us up and assign different seats. For a few days after, I would gravitate toward my old seat before realizing that I did not sit there anymore. I would be sitting in a different part of the room, sitting next to people I hadn t sat by before which was just a little disconcerting. My pattern had been interrupted, I was comfortable and suddenly not.
We get stuck in a rut and even if it is boring, it is comfortable and right for us. In the novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, the main character, Mersault thrives on his pattern. Even though it is boring and mundane, he felt comfortable. He knew that he was going to work and after that he might either swim or go to the movies or sleep but he knew he would partake in one of those activities. In fact, he hated Sundays with a passion because his schedule had been interrupted. He did not have to work, he did not have any obligations, and he was free yet he did not know what to do with it and even abhorred it. We get used to the pattern in our lives and come to expect and even depend on it. Our daily patterns serve as something constant in an ever-changing world. We know what to expect and we do not like surprises. This is perhaps why some people hate surprise parties so much. Surprises are quick little shots of inconsistency and chaos and our human nature veers away from chaos. Humans like order and standards since those things carry along minimal worry.
Yet, even though our society loves structure, sometimes we get so frustrated that it is imperative to escape the patterns of everyday life. We want new experiences but we are too lazy and afraid to deal with getting them. We do not want to sacrifice comfort for something that may not work out. However, occasionally, we change. It is human nature to like patterns but its also human nature to want a stimulant, something new to break up the monotony of life. Every day after school, I drive home, do my homework, and go to bed. Of course, there are other things I do in the afternoons but it all falls into a pattern that I can count on. I know my house will be there, I know I have to finish homework, and I know my bed will be in my room just how I left it. It is boring, yes, but it contains
minimal worry and a sense of comfort. However, occasionally, I am so fed up with doing the same exact thing day after day, I have to escape and break away from my structured existence. It may be a minimal thing, such as not doing homework or going to the mall instead of going home, but it helps keep my life in perspective and keep me sane. Everyone needs something to break up the repetitiveness of our lives, however small; just to keep us from being bored to death as the popular clich goes.
In conclusion, the quotes It is human nature to want patterns, standards, and a structure of behavior. A pattern to conform is a kind of shelter, can be both defended and challenged. Human nature is complicated and therefore it is impossible to say that such and such is definitively true or false. Emotions, personalities, and quirks must all be evaluated when discussing an aspect of human nature making it hard to completely prove or disprove it without a doubt. It is in our nature to like patterns, structure, and certain expectations since they all bring along a sense of comfort. Yet, the monotony of our daily patterns may compound forcing us to escape, even for a little while. After our break from the patterns, our lives will still be there, waiting for us to return, beckoning with the promises of comfort and little worry, which is after all, a priority in human nature.