Aspiration/Self-Actualization

Paradox: The Human Condition (A Photo Essay)

By Ethan Cunningham 2 years ago

To be human is to be a paradox. Celebration tinged with tragedy. Hardship inspiring resilience. Happiness inviting discipline. The state of “human-ness” is a condition of being and becoming. Whatever we are now, we are never fully actualized. Even in youth, we age. We are forever in flux, ever realizing abeyant potential. At any given point, we are any and all of these things simultaneously. The photo series, “Paradox: The Human Condition,” gathers these layers of paradox into two-dimensional stills — snapshots of the “human condition” sampled from different lives. Together, they form a harmonized arc illustrating beginnings and ends, and beginning again.

A Cautionary Tale

By Caitlyn Klinepeter-Persing 3 years ago

There are many external hindrances to success throughout an individual’s lifetime, but, often, internal roadblocks can keep us from being who we aspire to be. How does fear of failure or survivor’s guilt factor into our self-confidence, self-esteem, or desire to achieve? How do fear and shame keep us immobile? Is it easier to accept mediocrity rather than take a chance and risk disaster? This story interprets a well-known Greek myth for a modern audience, reminding us there is a time and place for fearless acts if we are to reach our true potential.

If I Ponder

By Veronica Hosking 3 years ago

The question of whether or not we can truly understand others (let alone ourselves) is one that might not be grappled with on a daily basis, but is often in the back of our minds, influencing the decisions we make. Where do we find truth and how do we come to terms with the scars formed from searching for answers?