By Ben Hampton
12th grade
Camden Central High School
Camden, Tennessee
Teacher: Wanda Allen
The Ideal Society
By Ben Hampton
12th grade
His ebony shoes crush the golden, dead leaves as he strolls along on the sidewalk. He pauses in front of the unemployment office, what’s left of it. The walls that used to house the needy, the desperate, those who needed jobs, are now bits of dust and pebbles. Who needs this service now? Here in this time, this ideal day and age, everyone has a job. No job is too small. No person is under-qualified. The man turns to his left and sees a cathedral. The towering symbol of religion shadows the space where he stands. The steeple points to the sky, the place where the inspiration behind this religion takes place. But the thing is, this man does not choose to attend this place. In fact, his religion is based on many different ideas, many different morals. But, in this country, he can do that. He can choose to attend any religious gathering he wants. That’s the beauty of this society. Everyone is free; everyone is entitled to his or her rights if they follow the law. The social contract that exists with the democratic government allows each citizen to be protected from infringements on their rights as long as they are law-abiding citizens.
Here in the United States, our society is very close to being my ideal society. Freedom of religion exists, as does freedom of speech and all of the individual rights that are provided to us by the First Amendment. But, there are still some things that I would add to make my ideal society. Everyone must have a job. The unemployment rate in this country is unacceptable. We are a huge capitalist society and that’s how people thrive here; capitalism is a living. If you do not have a job, you will not make a living. Not only does employment for everyone increase morale and a sense of patriotism, but it will also increase the entire country’s economic output. Franklin Roosevelt created many programs during the depression that opened many government funded jobs for Americans. This type of government program will allow those who are unemployed to gain a job and begin getting back on their feet. A screening process should be implemented to filter the applicants for these jobs based on economic need. The government should only allow those who meet certain standards to be employed in their programs. This will deter the irresponsible citizens from applying.
Another element that the ideal society would need is a government based on reason and compassion rather than statutes and laws. Yes, statutes and laws are important for a society to thrive but these laws need to be reasonable and compassionate. Not only that, but they need to be flexible to change with the times. When the Constitution was written, we included a clause that didn’t allow soldiers to be quartered in citizens’ houses. This is no longer even thought about. This shows how the times change. Laws that were thought of when the Constitution was written should not be interpreted literally if the circumstance it applies to has changed. Judges and court systems need to take this to heart and base their hearings and decisions around the circumstance and the applied law. This will provide our court system with a little more fairness and an easier way to fulfill true justice.
Finally, the last element an ideal society must have is citizens who care about others but focus mainly on their own happiness. I’m not saying that they should completely disregard the feelings of others but if they are focusing on their own happiness and everyone is doing the exact same thing, then everyone will be happy. Too many problems arise from a person getting too involved in someone else’s business instead of focusing on their own life. People try to cover their own insecurities by uncovering someone else’s. Our society is too cynical and if we focused more on our own faults and trying to better those, if we were more self-critical, we would grow a lot more. We would prosper in our maturity as a country and our overall social activities would be much more appealing.
An ideal society would contain the principles that the American society has. However, not only these principles but also employment for everyone, a compassionate and reasonable government, and self-critical citizens are necessary for an ideal society to thrive. These elements of society combine to produce a society that will thrive and the citizens will be proud to call home.
Questions
Peter Gabel
Q1- Number the "fault lines" mentioned in paragraph one, #1 to #7 according to your personal priorities.
1)role of government itself, 2)taxes, 3)health care, 4)environmentalism, 5)welfare reform, 6)gun control, 7)abortion
Q2- In paragraph three, what is meant by "defeat of community"?
The defeat of community is when the individuals become impersonal with their business and everyday social life which lowers the overall morale and idealistic social life of our community as a whole because no one puts his own touch on his life.
Q3- Do you sense "the pain of isolation" in the adults in your community? Explain.
Yes. The adults here care much more about their prosperity then their happiness. They see prosperity as happiness. This causes them to focus more on their business and economic state than their social life, thus isolating them from others in the community. Striving for economic perfection blinds them from knowing they are isolated.
Q4- Discuss your feelings about the SAT in light of paragraph six.
I agree with Gabel. In a job, individuals will show their intelligence, aptitude, and merit by the way they handle their duties, problems, and learn from these. Knowing facts and knowing how to use these facts to their fullest are two completely different skills. The SAT tests a student’s knowledge of facts, not how they can apply this knowledge.
Q5- In considering a future career, what are your "prime motivations"?
My prime motivation is a fulfilling occupation. Money is important in the fact that I need to sustain my life, but fulfillment is required because in order for me to want to keep doing this job, I need to be satisfied.
Q6- What do you think about a less "objectified" legal system?
I agree. The legal system is based on the judges and lawyers and the way they apply their objective knowledge to the law. Their ethics, their morals, play a part in their legal decisions and choices. If we were based on a legal system centered around a higher system of learning and morals where everyone learned the same, unbiased, methods and lessons, then the entire system would be less objective.
Q7- Would you describe yourself as an idealist? Why or why not?
I would describe myself as a realist with idealistic values. I realize that some things in this life must exist for things to work, but I would like to see things like the government and the public-in-general become more compassionate and less morbid and systematic.
Q8- Share an anecdote about a local idealist over age 40.
The glass reflects the light back in his eyes. He glares down through the brightness at the document encased in its shrine. The Constitution is roped off but its ideas are free to roam. The man thinks how these words, these ideas, were written with religion in mind. He wishes that the government today would work like this. He wishes that love, and passion would be the biggest factors in the government’s decisions. Wars would cease, nations would trust, and the world would be better. The glass reflects his smile as he turns and walks away.
Roger Scruton
Q9- How does Scruton describe the differences in political culture of Islam and the west?
In Islam, the people are supposed to be devoted to God and their religion and family. In the West, Americans are supposed to be devoted to their state, country, and national government.
Q10- What does Scruton suggest are the prerequisites in Western societies for citizenship?
A sense of patriotic public spirit, and a commitment to the preservation of the social contract are required.
Q11- What is the danger to the Western social contract that Scruton identifies in the last paragraph? Do you think the Western social contract involves "patriotic self-sacrifice"? Should it do so, in your opinion? Why or why not?
It is an erosion of national unity. Yes, citizens expect protection and justice from the government and the citizens do not need to just leave it at that. They need to serve their country to their fullest in return for this protection.
Ayn Rand
Q12- Comment on the quote taken from Ayn Rand’s book, Atlas Shrugged. Do you agree with it? Why or why not? Have you read Atlas Shrugged?
Yes, in order for our society to function at its best, people need to be concerned with their own happiness. It you are happy with yourself, and everyone else is happy with their own lives, then it’s hard to find something to complain about.