Mary Hagan
Visual Blog Project
ENG. 101(A)
Professor Benningfield
November 21, 2011
I. Introduction:
For all those who do not know, my name is Mary and I am creating this blog in order to express what I think my role in society is as an individual. When I initially chose to take this class I was afraid that I would not be able to handle the workload as I had struggled with this in high school, but I soon discovered that so long as I stay on task I would have no problem. The first couple class periods I thought were kind of strange because I did not expect to spend the majority of my time receiving lessons on the lives of famous authors, but as the semester progressed I began to find that I enjoyed this particular format. I was able to experience not only different styles of writing but also different ways in which I could better myself as an individual and a citizen.
II. Government:
Throughout the entire semester, my class discussed the concept of government quite frequently. Even when we technically completed that section of readings we still continued to reference the remaining points and discussions back to this original topic. One thing that I noticed particularly about this section is that every author we studied called for and supported an established government for every country. The style and conduct of government for each was different of course but they all demanded one nevertheless.
For example, leaders such as Lao Tzu and Mohandas Gandhi claimed that there should be little or no government in control of a nation. “Lau Tzu’s advice to politicians is not to do nothing but to intercede only when it is a necessity and then only inconspicuously” (“Thought’s from the Tao-te Ching:” pg 22). Likewise, Gandhi called for limited amounts of interaction from the government in order to prevent any violence that may occur when trying to keep order(Democracy and the People). On the other hand, men like Niccolo Machiavelli claimed that for a nation to function properly, a strong government has to be placed in control. According to Machiavelli, the government would gain peace and order amongst its citizens through force and fear(The Qualities of a Prince).
As a citizen, I can understand each author’s perspective on what a government should be like. For a government to function correctly there must be a balance between freedom and control. Its main focus should be to seek and carry out a system that is greatly beneficial towards the citizens. However, this does not mean that the running of a country is solely the responsibility of the government. Citizens play a huge part in the formation and support of a government. Without the participation and cooperation of the people, the foundation of a government would crumble and eventually fail. The two must work in unison with each other which would result in not only the people being rewarded but the government also receiving the satisfaction of fulfilling its entire purpose.
Citizens should not be allowed to do whatever their hearts desire but the government cannot be there dictating a person’s every single move. Personally, I would like a government that provides just enough restrictions to create the feeling of some orderliness and security. I believe that in such a government I could live in harmony with it because I would have a sense of competent leadership and a possession of rights without a fear of violation. Each government is entirely capable of achieving this balance so long as every single element keeps their true purpose in mind.
III. Wealth and Poverty:
One of the key elements in a government is the relationship between the wealth and poverty of a nation. This subject was frequently discussed throughout our readings and I believe that it is a very important matter to be addressed. Financial imbalance will always be a working problem but we analyzed several different methods that could temporally solve this governmental issue. Authors like Erich Fromm and Andrew Carnegie devoted their time and talent to providing a solution. For example, Carnegie called for an equal distribution of funds throughout the nation as a way to hopefully put an end to the social separation of the rich and poor(The Gospel of Wealth). Likewise, Fromm suggested that the wealthy participate by allocating their money, but only to those who express the effort to achieve riches(Human Socialism).
Other men like John Kenneth Galbraith similarly addressed a nation’s financial needs and stated that men are too focused on the future product and not enough on what is presently important(The Position of Poverty). Poverty as a whole can never be removed if the wealthy of society only concentrates on gaining more wealth as they can easily be distracted and become entranced with the idea of “eventually” helping the poor and thus never actually do so. The war against poverty cannot be based off of the efforts of the rich alone, but should also be assisted by the poor and destitute. Without their endeavors and desire to better themselves poverty will remain intact throughout society.
Money and wealth are tools made available for man to provide for their basic needs and wants for survival. It is often misconstrued as a necessity or requirement for happiness and even though wealth greatly affects the level of comfort and luxury for a person it cannot satisfy the comforts that really matter, such as spiritual wellness. I believe that if a person is blessed to have acquired a vast amount of money he should not squander it away on his personal desires and wants but should instead use it for the welfare of his neighbors. A few ways in which one could help the poor financially would be to donate to charity organizations, to the church, or to schools in order to provide scholarship funds for children whose family cannot afford to give them an education. Less extreme ways to assist the poor could be to simply donate one’s time in shelter homes, soup kitchens, or traumatic-relief clinics. There are endless amounts of possibilities for each person to play his part in the war against poverty, each one just as good and effective as the next.
IV. Justice:
The justice of a government can be viewed in many different fashions, the most common of which being that it is the method of determining right from wrong. It provides people with the guidelines and format to correctly punish or reward an individual for his actions. Every country has different philosophies and systems of government therefore the idea of justice becomes distorted and made to appear lawfully correct. Because of this, injustice can and does exist in the world.
Injustices occur on many different levels and rather frequently. The famous author, Henry David Thoreau adamantly spoke on this subject many times. The government has been guilty of denying citizens of their rights on different occasions throughout history and Thoreau promotes the ideology of civil disobedience. He claims “that a government is best which governs least” (Civil Disobedience: page 177). According to Thoreau citizens have the right to disobey the demands of the government without fear of punishment or penalization if its laws call for immoral or unjust conduct. Similarly, the Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., spoke out against the governmental injustice that was being shown the Negro population of the United States. One of his most famous movements in retaliation to this injustice was his calling for the bus boycotts around the year of 1955(Letter from Birmingham Jail).
Injustices are being shown to men and women alike, therefore this governmental issue was also fought by strong women’s rights advocates such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Both of the famous authors demanded the unjustness of the inequality of women and men to be reversed and the female population be granted identical rights and privileges that are shown to men(Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions). Their arguments can be traced back to and supported by Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence as he made it quite clear how the relationship between men and women should be like in this country; “All men and women are created equal” no matter their race or color.
In cases like these, whether it be unjust punishment or segregation of people by race or sex, I fully believe that not only do citizens have the right but also the duty to stand up and oppose the government to ensure that each person receives liberty and justice. Laws against justice can be overcome by a single individual. The stance and actions of one who adamantly desires a change will eventually influence others into giving their support which will in turn influence others and eventually create a group large enough that their demands cannot be denied. Something that I consider to be one of the more major injustices of the world is the legalization of abortion throughout the United States and this can be opposed and defeated if people gather together and protest against it in ways like the Annual March for Life, Pro-life groups in schools and on college campuses, and through providing counseling and support clinics for expectant mothers. No one deserves to suffer from injustice, whether male, female, born or unborn, therefore each and every person should work to put an end it.
V. Ethics/Morality:
For this particular section, my class studied the opinions and viewpoints of several different philosophers in order to fully understand the concept of ethics and its relationship, if any, with morality. From our discussions, I have come to find that the two are very similar but are often times described as two completely different aspects of spirituality. To behave morally one utilizes virtues and religious beliefs. If one is to behave ethically, he would take worldly matters and shape them in such a way that their actions would be “good” and be done for the good of others. Authors such as Aristotle and Aldo Leopold made it their main priority to define what would be considered proper ethic/moral conduct.
The idea of happiness in a person’s life and how it can be achieved is discussed by Aristotle in his essay, “The Aim of Man.” According to him, the state of happiness is not simply an emotion that is experienced from time to time but is a state of being, a lifestyle. True happiness is endless, one can feel it no matter what he is faced with and in this form it can only be enhanced. He claims that happiness can be gained without material possessions because they are unimportant, but some things like good health and prosperity can make it more attainable.
While Aristotle focused on the methods of morality, Leopold directed his attention to man’s ability to behave ethically in ways not necessarily related to one’s personal wellbeing. Leopold argues that ethics can be applied to areas such as the land and man’s association and work with it. He states that depending on how much care and thought one puts into the land determines how much he will receive from it in return(The Land Ethic). This concept is the same as moral behavior in that the amount and nature of the blessings one receives will show how much effort was exerted.
Along with ethics and morality usually one encounters the debate of injustice versus justice. If people are to behave morally than true justice must be practiced and shown to all. Likewise, injustice is usually experienced when unethical behavior is issued. An example of unethical/immoral behavior in our society today is the practice of Euthanasia or “assisted suicide” in nursing homes and hospitals across the country. The taking of a life, especially your own, is grievously immoral as it is not in the person’s right to decide when his life on this earth is over. It is argued that it would be immoral to allow a person to continue to suffer needlessly and that by killing them they are doing the sick a favor, however, by suffering willingly a person is gaining more benefits spiritually for themselves and for others.
With regards to happiness, I believe that for one to truly achieve it he must possess moral and ethical attributes. Even though morals can be gained without a religion, their benefits cannot fully be received because their initial foundation provides the key to unlocking them. To be completely and honestly happy one must keep the ultimate goal in sight, which is a sharing in eternal happiness. Material goods such as power and wealth are gifts to be enjoyed and utilized but not to be abused because they can only bring happiness in this world, and even then that happiness is not complete. Sometimes for one to experience happiness sacrifices must be made and most of the time, the greater the sacrifice the greater the reward. I believe that I can achieve happiness if I am willing detach myself from futile objects and strive for the real meaning and purpose of ethics/morality in life.
VI. Individual:
I think that out of all the sections that my class discussed throughout the semester, I enjoyed the unit on individualism the most. To be an individual in society one must be able to balance their independence with their responsibilities and dependence as a citizen. Being an individual is extremely important, especially in today’s society because almost everything is centered around success and advancement. Society has become very much like that which is described by Charles Darwin, “Survival of the fittest.” If one is to succeed then he must learn to perform in a manner that would benefit himself as well as his surrounding community. Writers and philosophers like the Dalai Lama and Ralph Waldo Emerson both supported the idea of individualism and presented several essays and lectures on the topic.
According to the Dalai Lama, each and every person should possess a certain self-confidence in order to achieve the feeling of being “individual” and along with this, happiness. However, he also states that one must “let go of oneself” so as to not create the desire for material things, which in turn cause negative opinions and emotions that can harm a person’s self-confidence and desire to thrive(An Open Heart Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life). He suggests a very fine line to walk along when it comes to expressing one’s individualism and not appearing selfish and/or conceited.
The Dalai Lama is accompanied in his description of the individual by the famous philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson. This author prepared and presented the essay, “Self-Reliance,” during his travels throughout the country giving lectures on the importance of individualism. The issue of conformity is Emerson’s main point throughout his essay as he claims that people should not work to simply “fit in” but should instead try to stand out and make a difference for themselves. Emerson urges people to realize that the ability to be self-sufficient in a manner that resembles that of a child. The innocence and courage of children is admirable as they are not afraid to speak their minds and keep on living according to their own opinions and wishes despite what their elders instruct them to do. Along with this theory, Emerson states that every man should “Trust thyself: Great men have always done so and confided themselves childlike to the genus of their age.” (“Self-Reliance”)
The concept of an individual is both difficult to understand and to achieve. In order for a community and society to function every member must be willing to work together and become a unit. However, one must also not be overcome by the this as it is easy to forfeit one’s independence for the good of the public. Two major aspects that determine the extent of individualism in a society are authority and culture. Without authority there would be no order and without the cooperation of the people there would be no authority. This is a continuous cycle and each piece must respect the other to establish and maintain a balance between control and freedom. Culture is a huge part of our lives and since the world is so interdependent people must be willing to compromise. A person’s culture helps to define who they are; their character, their actions, their opinions and beliefs. If it is denied them then they have nothing left but the mannerisms that are forced upon them. As it is in a person’s right to believe and practice without consequence a government is obliged to comply. Likewise, a person who embraces the citizenship or hospitality of another nation must apply and conform to the customs of that nation. True individuality incorporates both conformity and noncompliance in a way where one does not take a dominate stance over the other.
VII. Evaluative Conclusion:
Over the course of this past semester, I have learned a great deal about the afore mentioned topics. Before taking this English class I possessed a brief overview on the subjects like government and justice. Of course I held my own opinions but I never attempted to study the perspectives of others more experienced or informed than I other than those of my closely related peers. I was surprised to find that during this class I would not be expected to complete things like vocabulary quizzes but would instead have to create an online blog. How being able to create and post an online blog relates to the English language I do not think I will ever fully understand. But I suppose with the growing technology and its continuous advancement, internet will soon become our only form of communication and therefore it would benefit me to learn how to maneuver through it now rather than later.
Overall I think that this class was beneficial for me in that I received instruction in matters other than composition and grammar. There were points throughout the semester when I did not overly care for the class because I thought some of the information we discussed to be irrelevant or uninteresting. Along with this, I did not care for having to write multiple essays throughout the week but I had anticipated this as it was an English class that I registered for not an Art class. Also, I greatly disliked it when the professor would assign homework to be completed over a break as I view those periods as a time to forget about the stress of school and to rejuvenate and prepare for the next round. However, I was able to appreciate the class despite all of that because the professor always came to class prepared and organized. One of my biggest pet-peeves is disorganization and I have a lot more respect for a person who is presentable. One change that I would make to this class would be to include in the readings some authors whose work is entertaining and/or exciting. To me this would make the class more enjoyable as it would spice up the assignments every now and again and would make the more serious topics better appreciated.
VIII. Works Cited:
Aristotle. “The Aim of Man.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of Ideas. Boston,
Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons Company, 2010.
Print.
Carnegie, Andrew. “The Gospel of Wealth.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of Ideas.
Boston, Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons Company,
2010. Print.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Self-Reliance.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of Ideas. Boston,
Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons Company, 2010.
Print.
Fromm, Erich. “Humanist Socialism.” On Disobedience. New York, NY: HarperCollins
Publishers, 2010. 67-91. Print.
Galbraith, John Kenneth. “Position of Poverty.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of Ideas.
Boston, Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons Company,
2010. Print.
Gandhi, Mahatma. “Democracy and the People.” All Men are Brothers. New York, NY:
Columbia University Press. 139-150. Print.
King, Martin Luther Jr. “Letter From Birmingham Jail.”Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of
Ideas. Boston, Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons
Company, 2010. Print.
Lama, Dalai. An Open Heart Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life. Ed. Nicholas
Vreeland. New York, NY: Little Brown and Company, 2001. Print.
Leopold, Aldo. “The Land Ethic.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of Ideas. Boston,
Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons Company, 2010.
Print.
Machiavelli, Niccolo. “The Qualities of a Prince.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of Ideas.
Boston, Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons Company,
2010. Print.
Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. “Declaration of Sentiments.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of
Ideas. Boston, Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons
Company, 2010. Print.
Thoreau, Henry David. “Civil Disobedience.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of Ideas.
Boston, Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons Company,
2010. Print.
Tzu, Lao. “Thoughts from the Tao-Te Ching.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of Ideas.
Boston, Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons Company,
2010. Print.
Wollstonecraft, Mary. “Of the Pernicious Effects Which Arise from the Unnatural
Distinctions Established in Society.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. A World of Ideas.
Boston, Massachusetts: Haddon Craftsmen, and RR Donnelley & Sons Company,
2010. Print.
Pictures Cited: From Little Round Top to the Devil's Den.n.d. http://www.toptenz.net. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.n.d. http://www.google.com/imgres? Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Wealth.n.d. http://www.google.com/imgres? Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Lady Justice.n.d. http://www.google.com/imgres? Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Ethic.n.d. http://www.google.com/imgres? Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
I really enjoyed your blog, you had many strong points and everything flowed real well. Goood job. -Bryce Krebs 101A
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