Waiting for Go-don't (Because I don't like this play)

Nihilism and Absurdity are definitely two ways I would describe this play. "Nihil" is literally Latin for "nothing", which is what this play is, and every word of this play is most definitely absurd. From what my understanding of Existentialism is, I don't think it fits in this play very well (so my understanding is probably wrong). I see it in a positive way, I as an individual am the only person who can figure out who I am and why I am here. In finding ourselves and our places in the world we can achieve true happiness. I know this must be wrong because it is far to uplifting and positive for this class. In this sense, Existentialism does not fit in Waiting for Godot. In a way Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for Godot so he can tell them who they are, but they are not doing it on their own.

Nihilism is the belief that nothing we do really matters. We are insignificant organisms that are in existence in this universe for a short period of time. When we go the universe won't miss us, so what we do doesn't matter. Seeing as Estragon and Vladimir literally do nothing for the entire play, it can be said that they believe in Nihilism, but I think they are too simple to think this deep. They do nothing simply because they don't have the motivation to do anything. At the end of Act I and Act II they way "let's go", but they just stand there because it really doesn't matter. They talk about hanging themselves but they don't do anything because it really doesn't matter. Nothing matters.

The Theatre of the Absurd is also in a way the belief that nothing matters. There is no rhyme or reason, things just happen. The play works that same way, nothing seems to happen for a reason because nothing really happens. The entire play is Estragon and Vladimir waiting for Godot. Yes they meet Pozzo (pronounced like Bozzo the clown), Lucky and the Boy, but at the end of the day they are still waiting and talking nonsense. Nothing happens for a reason.

Waiting for Godot

Instead of talking about how Waiting for Godot is associated to society today, I'd rather talk about how I hate this play. It is so incredibly boring I literally fell asleep reading it. Perhaps it is a little more interesting when it is bring acted out on stage. I would much rather see it on stage, that way it would be over in a couple of hours and I'd never have to think of it again. I don't even know the difference between Vladimir and Estragon, the dialogue just runs together in my mind. Reading it is like watching a TV show that started out okay but has been on air for too long and consequentially is getting worse and worse, only Waiting for Godot started out bad and continues to get worse and worse. The only almost part I almost found intersting was when Vladimir/Estragon was singing what my mind thought was NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye"

This is Water

I very much enjoyed listening to This is Water. At the beginning, when the man was frustrated and stressed, all I could think was simply "don't be". I fully believe that we choose to be happy. Of course I can be put in bad situations, I can be stressed out, tired, or angry, but only I can decide how to deal with it. Why would I choose to be upset when I can simply be happy.
I fully agreed with the second half, when he talked about how we do not know what is happening in the lives of people we encounter every day. I am so sick of hearing friends and family members complain about people on a daily basis. I can't even be in the car with my mom or my one specific friend driving without hearing them complain about a person's driving. I know everyone does it, but there is a difference between getting annoyed with someone cutting you off and directly insulting the driver's race or sex. I am so sick of other people's negativity.
Sometimes it's hard to choose to be happy. other people intentionally or unintentionally bring down my good mood every day, so I eliminate the negativity from my life.

Waiting for Godot

From what I've heard, Waiting for Godot is takes place under a bridge, and the characters are four homeless men. The entire play is just them sitting and talking. I assumed they are complaining about the conditions they are living in. They are either happy with how they are and feel bad for those who value material items, or they are bitter about their circumstance and envy those with money.
With this in mind, "The Human Condition" they talk about is probably either the corruption of society because of their obsession with money, or the corruption of society to allow people to have less than nothing when some people have more than they could ever need.