Introduction
Dr. West who was born on June 1953 in Tulsa Oklahoma spent his life in Sacramento in California. He went to John F. Kennedy High school. He attended Harvard University where he graduated with his undergraduate degree in bachelor of education in 1973.He later received his PhD at Princeton University in 1980.He became the first African American to receive PhD from the same university. He initially thought at Princeton University as a professor before he moved to Union Theological Seminary in New York .He thought African American Studies while he was still in Princeton University. After going to Union Seminary, he became professor of Philosophy and Christian practice. Previously he thought at Harvard University before moving out of the university. He moved out of the university after he had a dispute with Lawrence Summers the then president (West, 34). The publicized dispute made him to leave the institution. He has also taught in the University of Paris.
He belongs to Western philosophical religion. Dr. West’s main interest is in political philosophy where he analyses and criticizes political situations and political scenarios. He also likes philosophy of religion where he examines different religious backgrounds and how the religion teaches about the life of human beings. He is interested in ethics and the society takes ethical issues into concern. Race is also his other interest where he examines how racism affects the society and how the people live in the society. He is also interested in the democracy and thus, he criticizes the governments that do not practice democracy in their leadership. (West, 46)
Dr. West is an academic author, public intellectual and a very strong member of the Democratic Socialists of America. His work touches mainly on the importance and role of race, gender and class in the American society. He also focuses on how American people react to radical changes. His work is mostly drawn from the intellectual and multiple contributions from different traditions such as the black church, Christianity, Marxism, nepragmatism and even the transcendentalism. Dr. West is a regular commentator on issues concerning American politics. As from 2010, he has co-hosted radio programs together with Smiley Tavis. The program is known as Smiley and West. He has appeared in Hollywood blockbuster films such as The Matrix reloaded and even The Matrix Revolutions. The education and the experience he has made him undertake the film where he talks about the religion and the life of individual people. The wide knowledge that he has makes him good filmmaker. For example, he has received more than 20 honorary awards degree (West, 56).
The film-examined life is a film, which talks about life and how life is worth living in the society. The documentary film was motivated by the Socrates ‘saying “an unexamined life is north worth living”. The film deeply explores the mindset explaining that underlines the American culture (Nall, 44).Dr. West explores the American culture and how, this culture affects the individual life in the America. West was asked in Manhattan while he was going to Penn Station as he was sitting on the seat of the car. Dr.West explains that a leader begins to be a different person after being given power. He also explains that state power affect the living of individuals.
He explains the survivability tactics in the state where power, supremacy and imperialism. He examines the state power and the democracy. He explains that in the democracy of America does not give people the chance to give out their opinions on how to run the government. The government of U.S does not give people chance to air their views. He criticizes the religions, as they do not give people the right to worship their God freely. He argues that the religious beliefs and backgrounds have change and it is no longer the same as the religious culture have totally changed. He explains how the life of individuals should be and why individuals should live according to their religious teachings and beliefs. He argues that when people live according to their religious faith, it will guide them in living with other people and thus war will not occur. The criticism of Dr. West about the religion is that the religion does not teach people good culture. Dr.West through the film examines the moral decay among the different religions (Nall, 78).
Dr. West through the film criticizes the governments, which have not embraced the democracy in their leadership. He uses the case of American government to criticize the governments whose democracy is still low. Dr. West examines that the individual’s life is very important and thus people need examine their lives deeply. Being a philosopher Dr. West understands individual’s lives deeply (Nall, 108).He explains that to evade the challenges associated with living in this world, people need to think deeply about their lives and the way to make their lives successful. The film is about encouragement in life. The film also talks about the democracy and how the democracy assists different states to bring good governance that is inclusive in its leadership.
Work cited
West, Cornel. "Exiles from a City and from a Nation." The Observer 11 (2005).
Nall, Jeffrey Allen. "Emphasizing Virtue over Victory."
