A New Nation of Individuals
Abstract
As John Savage articulates, “Nothing costs enough here,” in Huxley’s Brave New World (1932) of bottled automata, where maelstroms of soma-ingesting, Malthusian orgies casually toss human life about (239). Nothing is dear when the freedom to choose disappears because individuals “don’t know what it’s like being anything else” (74). Removing choice is simply a method of brainwashing that only subdues human nature for the short-run. Consider Sigmund Freud's views of private property:
In abolishing private property we deprive the human love of aggression, certainly a strong one, though certainly not the strongest; but we have in no way altered the differences in power and influence which are misused by aggressiveness, nor have we altered anything in its nature. Aggressiveness was not created by property. (Kumar 384)
Aggressiveness, too, was not created by choice. This essay proposes a utopia based on individual freedom, derived from a laissez-faire economy and semi-socialist meritocracy.
A New Nation of Individuals
First existed the individual; then a group of individuals established government via a social contract. Thus, as Percy Bysshe Shelley writes, "(g)overnment has no rights; it is a delegation from several individuals for the purpose of securing their own. It is therefore just, only so far as it exists by their consent, useful only so far as it operates to their well-being" (qtd. in Chianese 282). Such basic democracy founded the United States of America—yet modern democracy has gone terribly awry, and power now lies in the hands of few rather than many. Ideally, "(t)he highest purpose of Nature, which is the development of all the capacities which can be achieved by mankind, is attainable only in society, and more specifically in the society with the greatest freedom," and the greatest freedom can only be obtained, as Thoreau believed, through a government that governs least (202).
In order for the individual to maintain full rights and a completely separate, private sphere of self, government must be just large enough to protect man's unalienable rights, Thomas Jefferson's "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness," but not overstep its boundaries onto the slippery slope of tyranny or oppression. A utopian society should thus stem from a meritocracy that allows for maximum individuality and freedom of choice while protecting man from one another, specifically through universal education and healthcare, and a laissez-faire economy founded on a flat-rate sales tax.
Without any government intervention, the state would be in shambles with no regulations on food, drugs, or the workforce. As for government based on conscience, Thoreau’s argument falls flat when he fails to recognize that majority rule is the only fair rule. Thoreau needed to learn that when friction takes over a machine, the machine is to be fixed, not thrown away. Evidently, Henry David Thoreau’s argument against organized government in America is much too flawed to be
According to Thomas Jefferson, all men are created equal with certain unalienable rights. Unalienable rights are rights given to the people by their Creator rather than by government. These rights are inseparable from us and can’t be altered, denied, nullified or taken away by any government, except in extremely rare circumstances in which the government can take action against a particular right as long as it is in favor of the people’s safety. The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America mentions three examples of unalienable rights: “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. I believe these rights, since they are acquired by every human being from the day they are conceived, should always be respected, but being realistic, most of the time, the government intervenes and either diminishes or
There are many elements that are required to maintain a utopian society such as equal chores of an everyday household. There are responsibilities of every resident from cooking food to keeping the house clean. These chores have to be just otherwise the purpose of the utopian society is corrupted. All residents have the same right as any other member of the society yet there are some rules that are to be followed to help maintain the community. This is when a form of self-government comes into action.
39). This showing a slight similarity to the right of nature by Hobbes. That is, until man is forged into community and civilization. In which the matter of liberty forces certain individuals into chains. How individuals satisfied their state of nature during the development of communities changes to what he describes the descent from the State of Nature. Private property or slavery exemplifies that man surrenders not to the sovereign of one but that of the interest of General Will. As individuals become apart of the civil state liberty is determined by the agreement of laws under the social contract. By abiding by these common laws certain liberty is masked by obedience. While the sovereign suggests unity under General it reveals inequality that men have among each other.
Locke states that the correct form of civil government should be committed to the common good of the people, and defend its citizens’ rights to life, health, liberty, and personal possessions. He expects that a civil government’s legislative branch will create laws which benefit the wellbeing of its citizens, and that the executive branch will enforce laws under a social contract with the citizenry. “The first and fundamental positive law of all common-wealths is the establishing of the legislative power; as the first and fundamental natural law, which is to govern even the legislative itself, is the preservation of the society and (as far as will consist with the public good) of every person in it.”1 Locke believes that humans inherently possess complete and i...
Coercion, and subsequently the right to use violence, is the state’s sole method for functioning and existing. Without it, the state is powerless to exist credibly. Thus, at the core of political theory is the argument to justify the state’s use of coercion; without this, the state cannot be ethically justifiable. However, can a violent, or otherwise morally dubious act such as coercion, ever be truly justified? If enough good comes of it, surely it could be mitigated, but how much ‘good’ is enough? And can we really ever justify the indefinite use of coercion based solely upon favorable outcomes that have occurred in the past? If we cannot, then the only option that may be justified could be anarchy.
The Great Migration had a positive influence on the Harlem Renaissance because of the movements it had and culture it added and changed in society during that time. This movement meant no harm but just to make the world go around easier. This meant that it helped more people, and more people liked it, than didn’t. African Americans found jobs easier and more affordable housing. This was a turn for the century.
Harlem from 1917-1930 went through a cultural change a rejuvenation of sorts this change would bring about African-American pride and creativity in all forms of arts, a Renaissance. One of the focuses would be on the importance of education in the visual arts some of the greatest African-American artist in American history will come out of the Harlem Renaissance artists such as Charles Alston, Charles White, Aaron Douglas, Joshua Johnson, Palmer Hayden, Augusta Savage and many
...ng power of the arts. The Harlem Renaissance gave a voice that was so powerful that it echoed down many avenues, making changes in American culture that continue to speak loudly, today. Jazz, still echoes in clubs, of course with nuances; even rap music has echoes of that great art form as you listen to the voices doing some interesting things. The Harlem Renaissance has left behind writings that many, white and black, still refer to when speaking of civil rights. One such famous speaker was Martin Luther King. The Harlem Renaissance has given America the power to understand why the caged bird sings, and now, she flies free. America will never go back to where it was. Those who were a part of the Harlem Renaissance were the breath, life, and energy that unashamedly drove American culture to change simply by being, creating and fully living who they were.
According to Frederick Asals, the first half of the story serves a significant purpose as it informs the audience that the family’s journey to Florida is only a “mere empty movement through space” (42). Prior to the car accident, the family acts out of vanity and disobedience despite believing they are devote Christians. Through their actions and behaviors, O’Connor reveals that they are heading down a path of destruction. T.W. Hendricks examines the structure of the family and their relationships with each other, he comments that “the structure of the family is in disarray” (203). The patriarch of the family, Bailey, despises his mother and prefers to overlook her presence by participating in self-absorption. In comparison, his wife does not pay attention to her external surroundings, but simply puts sole focus on her infant child. Furthermore, she and her husbands are parents t...
In Harlem between the 1920’s and 1930’s the African American culture flourished, especially in areas such as music, art, literature, dance, and even in film. This soon became known as the Harlem Renaissance. With the entire positive and the negative situations of this time period the African Americans still seemed to have it all. The Harlem Renaissance came about because of the changes that had taken place in the African American community after the abolition of slavery because of World War I and the social and cultural changes in early 20th century in the United States. After harsh conditions for African Americans after the Plessy vs. Ferguson Trial many of them decided to move to the North to New York. By staying in the South they became more and more economically depressed and there was less of a demand for labor. Moving to the North became one of the best things African Americans did for themselves. There, men could vote and there was a better education system for children. As a result of World War I and the Industrial Revolution there were better job opportunities for African Americans as well.
With the following of the American Revolution, Western Utopianism was created. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it was seen in this new found utopianism that it was realistic and possible to create utopian societies. With no monarchial rein, it...
Hobbes’ Leviathan and Locke’s Second Treatise of Government comprise critical works in the lexicon of political science theory. Both works expound on the origins and purpose of civil society and government. Hobbes’ and Locke’s writings center on the definition of the “state of nature” and the best means by which a society develops a systemic format from this beginning. The authors hold opposing views as to how man fits into the state of nature and the means by which a government should be formed and what type of government constitutes the best. This difference arises from different conceptions about human nature and “the state of nature”, a condition in which the human race finds itself prior to uniting into civil society. Hobbes’ Leviathan goes on to propose a system of power that rests with an absolute or omnipotent sovereign, while Locke, in his Treatise, provides for a government responsible to its citizenry with limitations on the ruler’s powers.
E-learning is becoming easier to use and manage after the revolution of the web and the introduction of Web 2.0. The new web created a simpler, yet more active, interactions between the student and the materials being taught on the web, thanks to Ajax and JavaScript language used. These interactions include, but are not limited to, video annotation and captioning, or even dynamic 3D modules of chemical compounds, for instance. Such active learning interactions are the basis for E-learning. However, that is not the only advantage of E-learning, being an independent platform means that the content can be transformed into several formats. One of these formats is the Personal Digital Assistance (PDA), or in other words, mobile phone’s format. An interesting study revealed that sixty percent of middle-income students use a cell phone (Offi...
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