Kevin R. Brown
Response Paper 1
September 8, 2016
Tocqueville’s notion of “self-interest rightly understood”, is creating a statement that as long as an individual feels a certain need to attribute to their society because of self-interest, that society will be over-all healthier than a community where the main principle of charity is through morality. A society that places morality as a key component for helping others will suffer because human nature tends to be self-sacrificing or incapable of understanding the concept of moderation. Alexis de Tocqueville states, “They [United States] therefore do not deny that every man may follow his own interest, but they endeavor to prove that it is the interest of every man to be virtuous (par. 3).” Before individualism created the American Dream, American society was a cohesive blending of self-interests that took care of others because, in the end, the community would take care of that individual in their time of need. One example in today’s society would be the benefits for friends and families. These benefits are
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They raise money for bills or even burials. Another example, which I might not be understand the concept correctly, which would be helping a friend out in times of need. My close friend and his family were in need of groceries last month. Last week, I ran out of coils for my vapor atomizer. He was able to help me. These actions might seem small but since we are both part of the same community, we are helping each other out. These actions might not be helping a big part of the community but I believe that even helping one individual, is helping the overall picture. This might not apply because of the closeness or intimacy but I have also proved groceries, money and various items for total strangers within my community. Being intimate with the individual or just being able to help a person you see in need, it all helps your
Tocqueville seems to like democracy in its ideal form. However, nothing can be perfect and thus America is not a perfect democracy. Tocqueville found numerous problems with democracy and the influence it had on the populace. These problems range from their distrust of dogmatic beliefs to the imperfect equality that is in place in America. He also found the effects of these problems to be quite problematic as well. For instance, individualism, an effect of equality, is very problematic to democracy. Tocqueville enjoys considering America as an experiment in democracy, but does not find it to be faultless.
In de Tocqueville’s book Democracy in America, he is quoted as saying, “…I know of no other country where love of money has such a grip on men’s hearts or where stronger scorn is expressed for the theory of permanent equality of property.” In my opinion, he is pointing out that man’s greed for money is what will possibly tear our society apart. This point has somewhat proven itself in the way that so many men, and now women, are willing to do almost anything to gain a dollar, even if it means using immoral and hurtful ways to do so.
Tocqueville (rather bizarrely in retrospect) conceived of America as having “an almost complete equality of conditions”. While in respect to the French alone, Tocqueville argues, “the taste and the idea of freedom began to exist and to be developed only at the time when social conditions were tending to equality and as a consequence of that very equality.” Tocqueville draws the first stirrings of equality to the “political power of the clergy,” which upon being consolidated began to spread and upon its ranks to “all classes, to rich and poor, commoner, and noble.” Thus “through the Church, equality penetrates into the government, and he who as a serf must have vegetated in perpetual bondage could, as a priest, take his place in the midst of nobles, and would often sit above kings.” Tocqueville continues to trace the ascent of equality and descent of aristocracy to the financial demise of kings “ruining themselves by their great enterprises; the nobles exhausting their resources by private wars, [while] the lower orders enriching themselves by commerce”. And with the advent and spread of education, the “value attached to high birth declines just as fast as new avenues to power are
Alexis De Tocqueville is a well-known political philosopher known for his ideas that last far past his lifespan and apply to almost every situation of America’s government as it has progressed. These long-lasting predictions and basic principles of government that De Tocqueville spoke of in his works heavily capture the American government from a perspective that existed at the very introduction of such a government. While some of De Tocqueville’s ideas continue to to exemplify America’s government, not every idea De Tocqueville has had can continue to as the nation goes through it’s sharp, unexpected changes.
In Democracy in America, Alexis De Tocqueville argues that the women and families in Aristocratic and Democratic societies have substantial distinctive characteristics in terms of livelihood. According to Tocqueville, the state of government affiliated with Americans also defined its people. He issued a negative view of Americans, created by their party affiliation. After examining the influence of a democratic society on the American people, he concluded that “ equality of conditions modifies the relations of citizens among themselves” (558). In understanding the background of a democratic society, it is necessary to emphasize the impact “equality of conditions” has created amongst Americans. However, in terms of an aristocratic society,
Donating various goods and services can eventually aid the homeless with getting their lives back on
To conclude, seeing that Tocqueville appears to be a big proponent of equality, he may praise America as a country heading toward improvement while criticizing Russia for going back to the old ways. Tocqueville may express belief that the former needs to eliminate all forms of discrimination (ex. Subversive forms of racial discrimination) while the latter needs to de-centralize the government (less power wielded by the president).
First of all, there is a term closely followed with self-interest as we mention, “collective interest” or “altruism”, which means that, “Looking out for other’s welfare.” (Hospers, 39) Analogously, it is totally opposite from the idea of self-interest. Common sense always recognizes that the collective is more important than the individual. A country, which is formed by plenty people, so is more significant than a person. Collective interest has bigger influence than self-interest to the society, as the founder of utilitarianism Jeremy Bentham stated, “Personal pleasure and pain are dependent on the general happiness and prosperity of the whole community.” (Fagothey, 63) and “The greatest happiness of the greatest number.” (Fagothey, 63) As if people only are allowed to serve the community rather individual. However, I strongly disagree with it and believe they forget a truth that the whole unity consists of many small parts.
...evant to the achievements performed by the Salvation Army. People who seek help through the Salvation Army may develop a better outlook about their lives, as well as feel a since of hope. In turn, donations and goals accomplished by and through the Salvation Army foundation give the administrators confidence that their programs are working. Social networking has allowed these organizations to have campaigns for fundraising they are associate within communities and other non-profit organizations.
Homelessness is a major issue in our world today. There is an abundant amount of people who live on the street and barely have anything they can call their own. These people probably lived great lives at some point, they probably never thought of the concept of becoming homeless until it happened. Luckily there is help being brought to them from different kinds of sources in order to help get them back on the road to a happy and fulfilled life. Certain people in society have a desire to get homeless people off the streets, to get them food, clothing, and most importantly love. These people are volunteers who enjoy spending their free time helping the ones in need because they love to give back to their community . There is major volunteer groups out there like StandUp For Kids, this organization helps to improve lives of the homeless and street kids. Volunteers have a desire to get people off the streets because they know that no should feel as if they are worth nothing in this world. Besides the goodness of helping others, aiding to help the homeless people get back up in life, it can help make the economy better. Usually there is money
...shelter to feed the hungry. Look around your own neighborhood you will surely find someone who needs a hero in their life, reaching out to someone in need take a small effort on your part but the reward of being someone’s true and real-life hero is far more rewarding than anything you can imagine. If everyone who possibly could reached out and helped, a neighbor or friend in need this world would be full of all kinds of Heroes!
If we open our lives and give service to those less fortunate than ourselves, we allow our hearts to receive immeasurable happiness. When we sacrifice our time to help someone in need, whether it is a great or small need, we become a part of their life and can help alleviate heavy burdens. Making time to help people in need creates opportunities for us to develop new and lasting relationships. Serving our fellowmen allows the best in each of us to shine through and we can become examples to our children.
Supports groups are formed to gain a better awareness of the need in the community. Those that lack treatment get connected with medical treatment. It allows others to provide a good sense of self worth, build relationship, trust, giving others an opportunity to have a better life. It reduces homelessness and builds better communities. An experience homeless person could share their stories for positive outcomes in the future and the voice for those that are silent. Encourages positive change by raising funds for a cause and allow those in need of resources to gain some assistance. Creates change with hopes that more contribution are made and financial changes are made to the local, state or federal
The reason it’s so special is that the people helping the community are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. Not because they need to or because someone told them to, not because they’re getting paid, but because they want to. Now pretend the people helping the community are there because they were forced to help. It’s not as special, is it? The people are so grateful because they know everyone there who is helping them genuinely cares and are going out of their way to help them. That makes them feel important, it makes them feel like they matter. Community service or any volunteering for that matter, has a long-standing tradition of helping those in need, or helping anyone or anyplace for that matter because you want because you want to, and in turn making people or the community feel better. The very textbook definition of community service is “Voluntary work intended to help people in a particular area.” But notice how it
Not only does the neighborhood benefit from my help, but I also feel proud of doing selfless acts. Picking up trash is one of the simplest things to do to protect and beautify our neighborhood. People go on trash pickups all the time and rightly so. A trashy community is not beautiful by anyone 's standards. Placing fliers up all around town is a grand way to help get others to contribute to the cause. After organizing a small group of people to go out and collect trash around our neighborhood, the results have shown that our community is clean. By volunteering at places like soup kitchens or food pantries, I’ll lend a hand to the needy that depend on caring people like me and make new acquaintances in the process. Helping the environment is one thing, but helping someone who directly relies on assistance, gives me an ineffably great feeling. Whether to go out and start a car wash, organize a community auction, or donate the proceeds to a local non-profit organization, all of these organizations do significant acts. Whatever the cause, no matter how immense or minute, I will always get a great feeling from doing something noble for someone other than