Free Essays on William Blakes Songs Of Experience

William Blake’s Song of Experience The songs of William Blake are probably the most easily understood and the most important of his writing. They are a necessity in order to understand Blake. It has been said that the songs are too short, but they make up what they like in length with quality (Gillham VIII-IX). Out of its context, each song means a great deal less than Blake expected of his total invention. Occasionally, a song may be taken to mean something quite different from what he intended. The songs were not written for our enjoyment or edification alone, but instead for our salvation (Gleckner 37). When read together the Songs of Experience are a reflection of Blake’s view on life (Gillham I). The state of the Songs of Experience is expressed through selfishness, anxiety, insensitivity, and meddlesomeness. They all militate against a generous appreciation of life’s events. We assert our own interest in a way that doesn’t allow us to appreciate worldly happenings and then we are left with interests which are directed toward insignificant things. Nearly all of the Songs of Experience depict people who have defended themselves from life’s experiences without knowing it. They are assertive people who are supposed to be wise, but their assertive wisdom prevents them from being able to see. Blake often depicts experienced man as a greybeard who has lost the use of his senses. His is often lame as well. We deny ourselves a full life in many ways and reading Blake’s poems often brings home the knowledge of our ways of crippling ourselves (15-16). To some degree, we live â€Å"in disguise† because we adopt set attitudes and responses. Our world lies hidden from us because we see only what habit and convenience prepare us to find. The Songs of Experience display our minds working this way (45), and this knowledge is unfortunately accompanied by the realization that there is little we can do to change ou... Free Essays on William Blake's Songs Of Experience Free Essays on William Blake's Songs Of Experience William Blake’s Song of Experience The songs of William Blake are probably the most easily understood and the most important of his writing. They are a necessity in order to understand Blake. It has been said that the songs are too short, but they make up what they like in length with quality (Gillham VIII-IX). Out of its context, each song means a great deal less than Blake expected of his total invention. Occasionally, a song may be taken to mean something quite different from what he intended. The songs were not written for our enjoyment or edification alone, but instead for our salvation (Gleckner 37). When read together the Songs of Experience are a reflection of Blake’s view on life (Gillham I). The state of the Songs of Experience is expressed through selfishness, anxiety, insensitivity, and meddlesomeness. They all militate against a generous appreciation of life’s events. We assert our own interest in a way that doesn’t allow us to appreciate worldly happenings and then we are left with interests which are directed toward insignificant things. Nearly all of the Songs of Experience depict people who have defended themselves from life’s experiences without knowing it. They are assertive people who are supposed to be wise, but their assertive wisdom prevents them from being able to see. Blake often depicts experienced man as a greybeard who has lost the use of his senses. His is often lame as well. We deny ourselves a full life in many ways and reading Blake’s poems often brings home the knowledge of our ways of crippling ourselves (15-16). To some degree, we live â€Å"in disguise† because we adopt set attitudes and responses. Our world lies hidden from us because we see only what habit and convenience prepare us to find. The Songs of Experience display our minds working this way (45), and this knowledge is unfortunately accompanied by the realization that there is little we can do to change ou...

9 Myths That Can Sabotage Your Career in Your 20s -TheJobNetwork

9 Myths That Can Sabotage Your Career in Your 20s -TheJobNetwork You’re in your 20s and hoping to set yourself up for a lifetime of success. Trouble is, the media portrays you as a useless wanderer, unable to move past adolescence, and not able to get it done as older generations have. But none of this is true. Here are 9 of the most common myths you hear about changing careers in your 20s, and how you can start working against them to get yourself on track. 1. Your twenties don’t matterStop thinking of your twenties as a practice ground for your real work life, which will begin at 30. The choices you make now can have an impact, positive and negative, on your professional future. Don’t delay starting your life and career by someone else’s arbitrary calendar of when you can and cannot be serious about things. Start being the person you want to be when you grow up now and get a head start.2. You need to find your perfect career firstYou don’t actually have to hold out for your absolute dream job. It’s okay- crucial even- to take jobs that are less than ideal but which have the benefit of being a good stepping stone for you. Can a job lead to a better opportunity down the road? Can it build a valuable skill relevant to your dream career? Can it give you necessary, if unorthodox, experience that will help you in your path? Consider taking some of these, rather than waiting indefinitely for the golden ring.3. You can do anything you want to doNope, not if you don’t have the right skills or experience. Make sure to be honest with yourself about your particular strengths and weaknesses before setting your goals. That way you won’t spend the next few years of your life laboring over the impossible. You can do anything you want, provided it’s also something you are capable of doing.4. Work isn’t supposed to feel like workYeah, yeah, you’re supposed to do what you love and love what you do. But the fact remains that even one’s dream job is still, at t he end of the day, a job. If you follow your passion and find work that is really meaningful to you, that’s fantastic. Most people don’t get that in a lifetime. But that doesn’t mean it won’t sometimes feel like work, because it is. The sooner you prepare yourself for this, the better off you’ll be.5. You can pursue your dream job laterWhile this is true, and going after what you really want is always an option, it never hurts to start making the moves and taking the risks now, when you don’t have mortgages or family to hinder you.6. If you don’t like your job, you should quitContrary to popular opinion, it is time to start being responsible with your decisions. Before you make any rash decisions because you just don’t like something, think first about whether you can financially handle such a leap. And second, examine why you don’t like your job. Figure out why you wanted that job originally, what you do like about it, what could change to make it better for you, and only after answering those questions should you think about where else you should look.7. Run from all bad bossesBad bosses can be toxic and make your work life unbearable. But they can also be an extremely valuable learning experience. If this is a really good position for you, consider sticking it out. Get what you can from your current job, and mine it for everything you can to use in your next job, with your next employer.8. Job hopping is badMore and more, the stigma around job hopping has disappeared. This is the time in your life when it is okay to try new things and new positions and new fields. Just remember to try to keep some coherent factors similar across the different jobs you take. And always keep in mind how you will answer the question, â€Å"How have you spent the last five years?† Keep a close hold on your narrative arc, and you’ll be fine.9. Twentysomethings are entitledYou’re not necessarily n arcissistic or entitled, you’re just inexperienced. As long as you keep moving forward, trying to develop yourself and your career, you can just ignore these voices- in your head or in the media- and go after the life and work you want.