Life is game of tradeoffs in which every action has a distinct cost. Cost, in the context of the previous sentence and the rest of this essay, is the price or expenditure that must be paid in order to obtain a particular object or goal. The most basic cost associated with all things is time. In order to attain all the material and immaterial things that we currently possess we had to use up a respectable amount of our time here on earth. Thus, it stands to reason that time defines who we are. If someone were to strip away a human being’s time on earth, they would be ultimately stripping away his or her identity. Unfortunately, in every society there are one or more groups of people that have to face some sort of social injustice, which leads to a painstakingly difficult life. The victims of the social injustice are deprived of their time on earth, as they have to constantly deal with the inequality or discrimination issues that abound. To fight any sort of rooted social injustice in a society to benefit the common good is never an easy task. It is, however, a necessary task that must be undertaken. In order to make any sort of lasting progress in the fight for social justice and the common good revolutionaries have to change the way in which they view themselves and be prepared to spill their own blood. An analysis of Melissa Lane's lecture on "sustainable citizenship," Antigone, and "How a Single Match Can Ignite a Revolution" will demonstrate how rebellious people act in the face of social injustice. The first cost associated with fighting for social justice is having to change one’s perception of self. Successful revolutionaries, as portrayed in the two readings, are fearless individuals that are not afraid to undertake e... ... middle of paper ... ...taking the viewpoint that everyone can contribute in the fight for the common good, and that every action has the potential to be a catalyst for further actions, even the greatest forces of oppression can be taken down. It is only when we start to think of our fellow man, and begin to accept the fact that the world doesn’t revolve around a one single entity, that the chains of political and social injustice will loosen and a sustainable citizenship will become viable. Works Cited: Lane, Melissa. “Sustainable Citizenship.” Reitz Union. Gainesville, FL. 27 Jan. 2014. Recorded Address. Sophocles, and Ruby Blundell. Sophocles' Antigone: With Introduction, Translation and Essay. Newburyport, MA: Focus Pub./R Pullins, 1998. Print. Worth, Robert F. "How a Single Match Can Ignite a Revolution." The New York Times. The New York Times, 22 Jan. 2011. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
Inevitably on his metaphoric passage to heroism, Robert has many turning points in relation to Marxism that change his outlook on the world and war around him like the class division, the oppressors and the oppressed and, the mini revolutions that take place in a struggle for power. Findley presents the reader with a story that challenges the conceptions and truths that humans believe of human nature. Through the plot of Robert, Findley begins to convey the message that life goes on and as humans the only truth is that we are becoming. This is similarly seen in Marxism as it believes the cycle is ongoing but slowly and surely society is becoming. In one way Robert's journey itself is a reflection of society and the path that it continues to take.
Every person has unalienable rights that cannot be deprived from them. This is includes people of any race and any gender. Humans would fight to their last breath to keep these rights; for the reason that it is their right to do as such. They depict themselves as noble knights who protect everyone’s rights from the evil claws of their enemies. However, are we really fighting for others’ needs? Will we actually protect the rights of others to death even if we disagree? We take a self-righteous stance to convince that we are “magnanimous, noble, and unselfish,” when in fact we are only acting so that the views and thoughts of others can better ourselves. In Walter Lippmann’s article, The Indispensable Opposition, he states this clear and coherent argument and uses various rhetorical techniques to strengthen his claim, including: tone, diction, syntax, and literary devices. All these strategies come together to for this logos based essay that is
Many people seem to get entangled into society's customs. In the novel Anthem, the protagonist, Equality 7-2521, lives a period of his life as a follower. However, Equality eventually, tries to distant himself from his society. He is shaped to be a follower, but eventually emerges in to an individual and a leader. On his journey, he discovers the past remains of his community. Ayn Rand uses Equality's discoveries of self to represent the importance of individuality in a functional society.
...ty of people, in this case, the black population, to take action against the corruption and oppression occurring in society. They are charged with standing up and fighting against such wrong-doings which are evident in society.
As Foer explored the world, he unraveled the mysteries of how a sport can unite people, whom wouldn’t otherwise be, over a common cause. His adventure began in the former Yugoslavian state of Serbia. There, he reconnoitered “hooliganism” and its impact on the general population of the former Yugoslavia and on the world of soccer. That impact was felt
Heaney, Seamus. The Burial At Thebes: A version of Sophocles Antigone. New York: Farrar, Stratus, and Giroux. 2004. Print.
Innocent members of the community such as Scout Finch prove that there are other mindsets to be taken. “ ‘I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks’ ” (Lee 304). Martin Luther King and his wife Coretta both stood up very publicly and deliberately for their convictions, but even ordinary heroes such as Rosa Parks can spark social revolution. “ ‘I was just plain tired, and my feet hurt.’ ” So she sat there, refusing to get up” (King 3). Social justice is not elusive to everyone, but in cases like the one portrayed in “American Tragedy” differentiation between race and class still affect the minds of prominent members of civilization. In the end, true civic equality is not obtainable for everyone because of age-old practices that encourage racial segregation, communal fear to adjust comfortable habits, and because it would be necessary for all people to take part in such an undertaking, which is neither realistic nor justifiable. Hope for such a day when differentiation and prejudice are no longer prominent in society’s issues is shown in small acts of defiance everyday, by exhibiting respect for all when it is not offered. “She would quickly subordinate her own desires to those of the family or the community, because she knew cooperation was the only way to survive” (Houston
Sophocles. Antigone. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Prentice Hall Literature, Platinum. Eds. Eileen Thompson, et al. Englewood Cliffs: Simon and Schuster, 1991.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may
...ed with a moral or political obligation to the sacrifice of his own interests for the sake of greater social good, utilizes the same ‘common good’ as the tyrant. Both justify and execute, with a clear conscience, horrors that would never be considered for one’s own sake, but are more than worthy for the cause of the masses. Collectivism, in its raw, implemental form, results not only in mass delusion, but in the deconstruction of society by the tainted individuals in power portraying their goals as that of the masses. In reality, the masses suffer, while the authorities exist in a state of self-induced gluttony; an apparition that resembles progress, but actually symbolizes progress’s murder. By following the stories of these men, Ayn Rand provides a basis for how collectivism, even when masked by the guise of justice, results in nothing but the death of humanity.
“Sophocles” In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984.
Juan saw injustice as he perceived it, and so with only two friends and all of the bravery he could possibly muster, he set off on a journey that not only defied the laws of their own government but ours as well. Together, they overcame some challenges, only to be hurt in the most gruesome ways. Often, the price of non-conformity is so minor to us at first glance, that a great deal of individuals think it is a simple matter: “Do I d...
Ayn Rand's classic story of one man's desire to become an individual in a nameless society presents a compelling refutation of collectivism in all forms. The hero, labeled "Equality 7-2521" by the State, chooses to challenge conventional authority as he learns the joys of experimentation and discovery, the ecstasy of human love, the challenge and fairness of liberty, and the happiness of self-interest. Equality 7-2521 writes three unique phrases in his journal: 1. "My happiness needs no higher aim to vindicate it. My happiness is not the means to an end. It is the end.", 2. "We know that we are evil, but there is no will in us and no power to resist it.", 3. "The word 'We' . . . must never be placed first within man's soul.". These phrases will be discussed individually in the remainder of this essay.
Franklin starts by giving reasons why he has used soccer to explain the failure of globalization and also clarifies that his objective is not to argue economic changes and factors, but to address cultural issues. In the first part of How Soccer Explains the American Culture Wars, the author goes into depth that how and why soccer entered into his life and what role his parents played to ensure that their child excelled in the sport. He then talks about the cultural divide in America; the different mindsets of the elite and the working middle class and how individuals from these classes reacted to the introduction of soccer in America in the 1980’s. Moving on, in the second part of his analysis, the author sheds light on the hateful comments of some eminent Americans such as Tom Wier, Jack Kemp, Allen Barra and most importantly Jim Rome. These individuals have openly expressed their hatred for soccer and they believe that it is “not a sport”. To counter claims and criticism made these men, Franklin presents some facts and figures that clearly state that over the years soccer has managed to make its way into the American culture, while the most American sport i.e. Baseball has lost viewership. This section is summed up by differentiating between the stances of two contrasting groups towards globalization. In the last part of the
In the following paper, I plan to discuss the source of conflict between the title characters of Antigone and Creon in Sophocles’ “Antigone”. I also plan to discuss how each character justifies his or her actions and what arguments they give for their justifications. I will also write about the strengths and weaknesses of these arguments. The final points I try to make are about who Sophocles thinks is right and who I think is right.