Newell-Fonda High School
Newell, Iowa
Teacher: Connie Doonan
The Ideal Society
By Kalee Kier
12th grade
What is society? According to definition, society refers to the totality of social relationships among humans. However, this definition is only a definition, no longer an element of life today. In this day of age, societies have faded and possibly even disappeared in many areas of the world. For our world to move forward, it is necessary for societies to make a comeback, an aggressive return to our world. Nevertheless, a few basics must be in the right place in order for this return of societies to be ideal.
The people of the world have created a hierarchical system in which everybody is placed in specific levels according to wealth, position, gender, etc…. An ideal society would require the purging of status throughout mankind so that people can be recognized as equals. The hierarchical structure that currently exists in society creates a division between the members of the public. For example, those who are less fortunate are often times excluded from the rest. A society without status would eventually eliminate the division factors, such as money and popularity, that would allow people to be valued for who they are, not what they have.
An additional factor for a society to be ideal is for its members to understand how to compromise between individualism and community. It must be understood that each person needs his/her individual morals to thrive before he/she can join others to have a successful sense of community. However, this individual must not take his/her individuality to an extent in which his/her selfishness and egoism takes over. Once one has reached this compromise, then he/she must be 110 percent committed to his/her society. It is necessary to understand that a society will not survive without its foundation which is people working together as one.
One of the most important factors that must occur in order for society improve, it is necessary for the disposal of judgmental thoughts and actions. One example of this would be the continuing discrimination towards females. Although many sexist issues have been abandoned, some still exist. For instance, women in the workplace have begun to move up the corporate ladder; however, few have yet to reach the top. Another hypercritical element in our world today is racism. Racism has improved throughout the years. We have moved from a culture that has been fully divided by race to one that is partially divided. Although many thoughts about racism are not as vocally exposed as they used to be, these thoughts still linger in the minds of many. As long as these issues linger, a division will exist. The people within our world have tendencies to place labels on others such as rich, poor, ugly, beautiful, black, white, stupid, or smart; however, the only labels that should be placed on one another is human.
Above all, a perfect society requires respect. Respect means to feel or show regard for one another. The reason America was born rests solely on the desire for the freedom to be different and have endless opportunities. With respect for one another’s differences, we became a melting pot full of people from different cultures with freedoms in which nobody could ever encroach. As societies have faded over time, so has respect for one another. I don’t know how many times elders have approached and informed me of the ways the world has lost all respect for each other. I have been told in multiple instances that many years ago nobody even dared to speak the way we as humans speak to each other now. We need to relearn how to respect differences in opinion, culture, physical aspects, mental aspects, and religion if we want our societies to succeed.
In order for societies to make a strong comeback in our world today, many of the issues which have taken away our value in society must be solved. Many problems exist in our so-called “societies” today which have led to the near extinction of human relationships. While our world has become widely divided, it is still possible to bring everybody together by reinstalling human values into their minds. First of all, we must release our ladder of status and fully understand negotiation between the self and community. Once that is complete, we need to learn to love one another as human beings and nothing else and respect one another. Most importantly, it’s necessary to understand human relationships are the foundation of survival for humans everywhere. We must all work together as one unit to awaken all of our social relationships among each other.
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. Abortion
2. Health care
3. Taxes
4. Role of the government
5. Environmentalism
6. Welfare Reform
7. Gun Control
Q2- In paragraph three, what is meant by “defeat of community”?
The people of America no longer live in the common and agreement; instead, America has been split up because of independent actions, interest in one’s self, and competition involved in our economy. Our communities, as in the desire for a connection between people, have been destroyed because the morals of relationship have been abandoned and changed to those which are impersonal.
Q3- Do you sense “the pain of isolation” in the adults of your community? Explain.
After living here for over eighteen years, I have yet to sense the pain of isolation. I believe that many, if not everyone feels it at one point or another in their lives; however, most choose to neglect this pain by keeping it within their self.
Q4- Discuss your feelings about the SAT in light of paragraph six.
In some aspects, I disagree with Gabel’s view of the SAT’s and other standardized tests. While these tests may not be one’s idea of a fun time, they can be purposed. For example, the results of these tests may indicate the progress of education in a school system. These indications will allow the school to make improvements to better its general education. Also, these standardized tests may let one know where he/she is currently at in his/her education which could ultimately motivate one to perform higher while in the classroom. On the other hand, standardized tests can be pointless. I think that some of the information revealed through these tests can give a false indication of one’s intelligence. Most standardized tests expose the ability of one’s test taking skills which is irrelevant in measuring one’s intelligence, aptitude, and merit. I also
Q5- In considering a future career, what are your “prime motivations”?
My prime motivations for choosing my future career include many things. First and foremost, whatever I choose to do, I want to know that I am doing some good in this world. I want to make a difference in many people’s life. Another motivation includes a balancing act between my career and family. Family is very important to me and I want to have a career in which I will never have to choose between the two of them; I will have family time and I will have work time. Another motivation is pure interest. I feel that if one is not interested in what he/she is doing, then he/she will not do his/her best on the job. Whatever I do, I will be motivated to do my best.
Q6- What do you think about a less “objectified” legal system?
I believe that a nation needs to have material laws; however, I feel that these laws should somewhat be based on less “objectified” ideas such as the suggested love and compassion. To me, love and compassion are the foundation for life, and without these things, one isn’t truly alive.
Q7- Would you describe yourself as an idealist? Why or why not?
Yes, I think that my ideas are idealistic in some ways. I would consider myself to be an idealist because I feel that anything is possible. On the other hand, I am not an idealist because I do not think that believing anything is possible is impractical. To me, every opportunity is completely in my reach, especially with a greater power on my side. I believe that if I put my whole heart and mind to it, I can do anything.
Q8- Share an anecdote about a local idealist over age 40.
I would consider my Grandma Anderson to be an idealist because she was the most positive person I ever knew. She believed in me that I could and would do anything that I desired. She dreamt things possible that nobody else believed could come true, but oddly enough, many of these things did.
Q9- How does Scruton describe the differences in political culture of Islam and the west?
Scruton refers to the political culture of the west as being more of a community. Here, all citizens, no matter what color, age, etc… within a specific territory are bonded together making their primary moral the self. Above all, they believe that all the others are the most important part of their lives. They also believe that a broad separation between religion and politics exists. On the contrary, the Islam culture believes that religion and the state are one in the same. The laws of religion and politics are the same while one’s obligation is not to other citizens; instead, one’s obligation is to God and nothing else. All in all, Scruton implies that the ways of the Islamic people endangers one’s sense of community.
Q10- What does Scruton suggest are the prerequisites in Western societies for citizenship?
Scruton suggests that a sense of patriotic public spirit, and a commitment to the preservation of the social contract are the prerequisites in Western societies for citizenship. He believes that in order to be a citizen, one must be devoted to his/her nation while understanding the fact that his/her nation is one unit working together.
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 identified is the wearing away of national agreement and togetherness. He believes that if this destruction of the same unit should occur, then the social contract that gels the nation-state together will be no longer. Yes, I believe that social contract involves patriotic self-sacrifice because one must be willing to give one’s life for the sake of the survival of his/her nation’s well being. Yes, I believe that it should because the passion that creates one to have patriotic self-sacrifice will lead a citizen to become a motivated, well-rounded citizen who works to maintain his/her country’s law for generations to come.
Q12- Comment on the quote taken from Ayn Rands book, Atlas Shrugged. Do you agree with it? Why or why not? Have you read Atlas Shrugged?
I agree that one should not live on sheer happiness from insulting or hurting others and that it is important for one to earn his/her happiness from one’s own doings. I also agree that one should not live to pleasure others completely; I believe that one should live to pleasure oneself; however, one should not be unpleasant to others in the process. I don’t necessarily agree with the part that suggests everybody who is sane should have the same interests. The reason that this country was created was to solve the issues of anti-individualism while exercising rights and religions. I believe that the United States is the great nation that it is today because of each and every person’s individualism that he/she brought to this “melting pot”.