Weekly interactions for the topic of the week
write a brief reflection, question, or share something you think relates to the topic we’ve discussed. It can be based on one of readings or educational topics that were discussed in class, or your observations from the paper challenge that week.
Week 13 Lifecycle Perspectives: Beginners
This week’s film, ”Beginners”, is a romantic comedy-drama film that centers around a
male protagonist who engages in introspection regarding the life and demise of his paternal
figure. Concurrently, he endeavors to establish a fresh romantic liaison with a female
character grappling with her unresolved father-related concerns. This paper highlights the
psychological, social, and cultural factors shaping human development. The movie and the
article examine the nuanced elements that go into human flourishing. The article offers a
thorough summary of the Grant Study, which tracked 268 Harvard undergraduate males for
75 years while measuring various characteristics, including personality type and drinking
patterns. It is interesting to see the strong link between warm connections and long-term
health and happiness. The main character Oliver in “Beginners,” considers the life and
passing of his father, Hal, who came out as homosexual at the age of 75 and lived openly
until his death four years later. Hal’s father, Hal, also reflected on his own life and death. The
Grant Study men’s divorce from their spouses was mostly caused by Hal’s drinking, which
was closely tied to neurosis and sadness. The article also claims that older liberals have more
sex and that IQ is irrelevant above a certain point. Because of the cold connection between
his parents, Oliver, in the movie, is first hesitant to commit to a stale relationship. He
ultimately runs upon the French actress Anna, and they start dating. Even though they must
ultimately part ways, the movie illustrates how crucial relationships are to human existence.
Moreover, the movie and the article examine how parent-child connections affect
psychological well-being. According to the study, guys with good ties with their moms as
children made an average of $87,000 more annually than men whose mothers showed no
affection. Dementia is significantly more likely to occur in older males whose relationships
with their moms were strained as children. The men’s childhood interactions with their
mothers—but not with their fathers—were linked to job performance later in their
professional careers. In “Beginners,” Oliver recalls his upbringing with a loving but
unsatisfied Georgia, while Hal was often emotionally and physically absent. The film also
emphasizes the significance of resolving conflicts, as Oliver and Hal ultimately become good
friends due to Hal’s acceptance of his sexuality and his new way of life.
Furthermore, there is the exploration of how generativity’s development affects
psychological well-being. The study shows the correlation between positive childhood
relationships with dads and lower adult anxiety levels, more vacation pleasure, and higher
levels of “life satisfaction” at age 75. Oliver’s personal experiences and determination not to
follow in his parent’s footsteps are reflected in his openness and readiness to explore different
relationships and lifestyles. This is a clear illustration of how crucial the development of
generativity is to psychological health.
In the film Beginners, the character Oliver’s parents’ relationship is characterized by
tension, and his father is frequently absent. The statement above embodies the life cycle
perspective, which posits that social and cultural factors impact physical and psychological
transformations. The relationship between Oliver’s parents serves as an illustration of how
social and cultural factors can affect both physical and psychological growth. The film
Beginners can be analyzed through the lens of lifecycle perspectives, which aligns with the
themes explored in the readings for this week. The study above highlights the significant
impact of parent-child relationships and generativity development on the psychological wellbeing of individuals in the middle to later stages of life.