Newell-Fonda High School
Newell, Iowa
Teacher: Connie Doonan
The Ideal Society
By Andrea Larsen
12th Grade
An ideal society is very much like a pyramid. The base of the pyramid has to be sound before you can build the rest of your pyramid. Even though a pyramid is big at the bottom and smaller at the top, each part is equally important in a way. Each part is dependant on another part of the pyramid. When there is not a solid base or if there are pieces missing from the pyramid, the pyramid is more likely to fall; just as a society falls without all of its pieces or a solid foundation.
In an ideal society, the foundation is the people. I think the people make a society what it is. The people in an ideal society respect everyone in any circumstance and under any condition. When the people have different beliefs or think differently, they will respect each other for who that person really is. They will recognize that the personality is really what makes a person unique. The people in an ideal society follow all of the rules and do not break any laws. They are all hard working and have good work ethics. Each person is an individual, but at the same time they know how to work together to accomplish greater things instead of just working on their own to try to get things accomplished. The people in an ideal society are always happy.
The next step in the pyramid is the government. The government reflects the people of the ideal society. It strives to give the people what they need and provide these benefits at low prices. [The Government] works more for the people rather than for [itself]. [It] gives people equal opportunities at equal pay. The government makes sure that people are being properly educated. [It] puts more money toward educational needs and toward schools. With educated people, a society would run much more smoothly and eliminate a lot of problems. In an ideal society, the government has a big role, but has no troubles with what they are in charge of.
The next layer of the pyramid to an ideal society is the family. Families in the ideal society have no problems. There would be no divorces or break ups. Every family would be strong because they would be made up of the people that make an ideal society. Every family would be happy because they would have all of their needs met. They have their own morals and traditions that they all follow. Even though they are different than other peoples’ families, no family is looked [on] as weird or different. Each family respects the other families around them. They would also be financially stable in any situation. Even though each family may have different levels of income, everyone would respect that fact and not have any turmoil. The family in an ideal society would have no problems.
I think the peak of the pyramid may be the most important. It is the religious beliefs. Since an ideal society would have every ethnic background and all different kinds of people, everyone would have their own beliefs. Even though, it wouldn’t matter. No one would be looked down upon just because they thought differently than someone else. Race, color, ethnic beliefs, or religion would have nothing to do with how people look at each other in an ideal society.
Each aspect of an ideal society must be in place before it can actually be called an ideal society. An ideal society will never fall when every part is met. Just like the pyramid, the base has to be made first. Once that is made, then one can move up and keep building on to it. In my ideal society, the people make up the bottom base. They will always respect people even when they are not the same or may think differently than themselves. Once good people are established, the government is then made. The government in an ideal society works for the people. [It tries] to make things better for the people and [has] a very big role. After the government is [in place], good family morals and traditions are applied. These family traditions may be different for everyone and very important to creating an ideal society. Even though the top of the pyramid is the smallest, I think it is the most important. Religion and beliefs are what make people who they truly are. Without the religion, a pyramid is never complete. A pyramid is one society, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Answers To Questions Re: The Required Reading
Q1- Number the “fault lines” mentioned in paragraph one, #1 to #7 according to your personal priorities.
1.)Government
2.)Abortion
3.)Environmentalism
4.)Gun Control
5.)Taxes
6.)Welfare reform
7.)Health Care
Q2- In paragraph three, what is meant by “defeat of community”?
I think this means that people don’t care as much anymore about the community in a whole. They are more worried about themselves individually and only do things to make themselves look better.
Q3- Do you sense “the pain of isolation” in the adults in your community? Explain.
In our community, I think our adults don’t have the sense of isolation. They are very active in community events and participate together very well.
Q4- Discuss your feelings about the SAT in light of paragraph six.
I think that tests such as the SAT are a good thing today. It sets standards for kids today and makes them work for good scores.
Q5- In considering a future career, what are your “prime motivations”?
When I look at the future, I look at a career that would make me happy as well as I help others. I think it is useless to do a job that is not going to help anyone in anyway.
Q6- What do you think about a less “objective” legal system?
I think if we had a less objective legal system, people’s opinions would become the law. The judgments would become everything that the people thought instead of reading the constitution and deciding from what that says.
Q7- Would you describe yourself as an idealist? Why or why not?
I would consider myself not as an idealist because I don’t do things just because it goes against what everyone else says, but I don’t think that I do things just because that’s what is popular or cool. I will do what I think is right and what will benefit the cause the most. Idealists, I think, do things just because they don’t want to be like anyone else so they will do anything to set them apart from others.
Q8- Share and anecdote about a local idealist over age 40.
In our community, we have a man that will dress in winter coats and scarves in the summer time and in the winter he will stand outside in his swim suit. I think he is an idealist because he is going against that traditional dressing behavior so that he stands out from everyone else and is different then anyone else.
Q9- How does Scruton describe the difference in political culture of Islam and the west?
He describes it so that Islam was right and the west took a wrong path. He suggests that the west should have followed the same path as Islam to be successful.
Q10- What does Scruton suggest are the prerequisites in Western societies for citizenship?
Scruton suggests that a sense of patriotic public spirit is the prerequisite Western societies need for citizenship. When people work together and have a good sense of work habits, much more can be accomplished and things will run a lot smoother.
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?
The danger of the Western social contract is the erosion of national unity. I don’t think that they have patriotic self-sacrifice, even though they should. If they did, they would be more willing to do things for the country and society.
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?
Ayn Rand thinks that every man should worry about himself and no one else. He thinks it is their own fault if they fail and another man can’t do anything about it. He is pretty much saying that you make you own choices in life and choose your own destiny. I think this is partly true. If someone wants to succeed, they will put effort into it and if someone wants to be lazy and not try, no one can really push them to do what they don’t want to. But on the other hand, people need to help others too. They can help them succeed, but the people that need help want to need it otherwise there is no point in helping the lost cause.