“Your spark isn’t your purpose. That last box fills in when you’re ready to come live,” said Joe Gardner, protagonist in the Disney film “Soul.”
Filled seats were scattered across the room as participants enjoyed “Soul” in Los Medanos College’s Science Lecture Hall on the evening of Nov. 21. The showing was brought to life by the Honors Club, Philosophy Club and Student Life. Free popcorn, candy and drinks were available, as well as sticker crafts of “Soul” themed Earth Passes prepared by Honors Social Ambassador Alyssa Ramirez.
“I thought it was really nice,” said Rita Cao. “To sit here and watch a movie with a bunch of other people was generous.”
Following the screening, a panel discussion was hosted by Honors Enrichment Events Co-Ambassadors CJ Onyeagucha and Mia Voqui, featuring questions from both the moderators and the audience. Topics ranged from plotlines to jazz ensembles but carried deeper tones of obsessions and passions later on. It featured perspectives from Philosophy Professors Edward Haven and Jen Saito, as well as Honors Club President Muskaan Adeel.
As the only student panelist, Adeel believed she brought a “realistic point of view” to the conversation. “Going through college right now, that movie touches you,” she adds, “Education should be important, but you shouldn’t make school something so big in your head that you don’t end up living your life.”
Sharing themes with his current philosophy course, Ethics of a Good Life, Haven brought his class to the event after lecture. He notes the importance of reflection and how “everybody’s at that age in college, where we should be asking these questions about what we want to do with our lives.”
The screening was sparked from ideas between honors officers as preparations began weeks prior. It marks the final event for the semester and was put together with finals in mind. Students were able to come and watch a movie as a way to de-stress and get away from the structure of their busy schedules.
The future looks bright for philosophy film events, as Honors Club Advisor Saito believes “There’s a real audience for it, I’m excited to think about what the next one will be.”
“By screening this movie, I wanted students to begin thinking about what truly makes them happy,” Alyssa Ramirez said. “Not the specific major they are in because the things that make you the happiest are the little things.”
