Solidarity vs Self-interest.

To experience the lifestyle of an Athenian some 2,400 years ago would be a culture shock

for any modern human being. Almost every form of technology providing the conveniences of

today were virtually non-existent. The roaring sounds of industrialization that fill our cities and

keep the tempo of modern life would not even begin to emerge for another 2,200 years. This was

a time in history when the mind alone could stir the greatest controversy. One man’s ideas could

incite wars, and his radical beliefs could have him executed. It’s precisely the latter that allegedly

sealed the fate of Socrates, a philosopher sentenced to death for corrupting the youth of Athens

by suggesting that they question everything.

In the developing world, our current climate of political and socio-economic unrest has

made us quick to point the finger once again. We grow eager to identify corruption within

society and especially with regards to our children. The usual suspects range from drugs to

reality television. Yet I feel that most of these accusations are too selective to be affecting the

youth as a whole. I’m interested in what I see as a mentality lying at the foundation of these

institutions - institutions which are symptomatic of the problem. If I were to define what

corruption threatens the youth of today, I would say it is the authoritative repression of critical

reasoning and distortion of self-actualization that I would call a culture of subservience. A

culture of subservience is one that cultivates seemingly irreversible dependencies, depoliticizes

its citizens and harbors certain forms of ignorance.

Every new generation is born into a world of existing customs and values which are

likely to shape their own actions. This is the process known as socialization (Goldberg 279).

Statistics from the University of Michigan show that children ages 2-5 watch television for

approximately 32 hours a week, and children ages 6-11 watch approximately 28 hours a week

(University). When research reveals-which it has- that the average child spends more time

watching television than having informative conversations with their parents, one could argue

that we are living in a society raised by the television. If we are indeed influenced by this device,

then it is important to note that one of the predominant voices of t...

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...volution. If we continue to ignore

this, we may quickly facilitate the extinction of our own species. The structures of power are still

motivated by unrestrained levels of self-interest. This structure must evolve into that of a

collective interest in order to form a more sustainable society. We should consider the wisdom of

Socrates and reawaken our own sense of curiosity and critical thought while encouraging that

which often comes naturally to our children - the courage to question everything.

Works Cited

Crane, Andrew, and Dirk Matten. "Questioning the Domain of the Business Ethics Curriculum." Journal of Business Ethics 54.4 (2004): 357-69. Web.

Goldberg, M., G. Gorn, L. Peracchio, and G. Bamossy. "Understanding Materialism Among

Youth." Journal of Consumer Psychology 13.3 (2003): 278-88. Web.

Levine, Bruce. "Why Anti-Authoritarians Are Diagnosed as Mentally Ill." Mad In America Web. 03 Mar. 2012.

Omid, A. "Modern Theorist of Tyranny? Lessons from Rousseau's System of Checks and Balances*." Polity 37.4 (2005): 443-65. Web.

"University of Michigan Health System." Television (TV) and Children: Your Child. Web. 04 Mar. 2012.