The Myth of Perfection
Perfection is a much sought-after quality, yet is completely impossible to
obtain. Because we do not have a clear definition of what perfection truly is,
when a person attempts to become "perfect", they are usually transforming into
what seems to be perfect to . In both "A Doll's House" and "The Metamorphosis",
we see that human beings cannot achieve a state of total perfection. When
Gregor Samsa, from "the Metamorphosis", attempts to be the perfect provider that
his family expects him to be, he inadvertently turns his life into an insectoid
existence. Likewise, when Nora from "A Doll's House" tries to live up to her
husband's expectations of a perfect wife, she builds up enough self-hate to
leave everything that she loves and start an entirely new life. Striving to be
this ideal person, like attempting to acquire any other impossible goal, is
damaging to the characters in both cases. The fortunes of these characters
illustrate the harm in attempting to achieve these impossible objectives.
As human beings, we have no conception of any absolute values, such as
perfection and imperfection or hot and cold. We can only perceive changes or
comparisons based on what we already know. Through experience, we can tell what
is hotter or colder, but never actually tell what the absolutes are. This is a
central aspect of what makes perfection impossible to achieve. What exactly is
perfection? Seeing as we have no inherent knowledge of what is perfect or
imperfect, these ideals are usually set by the expectations of others who are in
positions of control over us. Therein lies one of the fundamental dangers in
attempting to achieve perfection. When the aims and goals of our lives are
governed by an outside force, we are transferring a great amount of power over
ourselves to someone else who may not have the best intentions.
Those who have power over us, in most circumstances, will use it to their own
benefit. This is Gregor Samsa's main problem. He transfers control of his life
over to his family, who hardly had the best intentions for Gregor's well-being.
They merely wanted a way to get money and food to support themselves. With
Gregor working, his father has an excuse to continue doing nothing, and allows
the family to remain stagnant at the level that they are at. Directly and
indirectly, his family enforces the view that a son should work to support his
family and not himself. They did this by showing love and commending Gregor
when he brought them food and money, showing him that this was their idea of
What is power to a human? As time has gone by, there have been many forms of control and influence in the world. Many strive to achieve total rule over a society or group of individuals. Yet the question still presents itself to the average man. Why does man desire power so greatly even though there is visible trouble that follows? Shelley’s Frankenstein, Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron”, and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, whether through the situation or the character themselves, depict the evils and hardships due to an imbalance and poor management of power.
The desire for power is prevalent in our day to day life from wanting control over little insignificant aspects to control over others. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is
When somebody abuses a great amount of power, that individual can lose all their power. The struggle against someone who abuses power is perfectly depicted in the novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey. When someone abuses their power, they can impose certain feelings and actions onto others. If someone tries to conceal their personality, . Finally, if someone abuses power and is constantly challenged by another individual who is trying to take the power abuser’s power away from them, the power abuser will always be frightened of his or her challenger. When someone abuses power and takes full control, they can lose all their power and respect quickly.
“Hail to The Goodness and to the Supreme Compassionate Director, most true, most powerful, most benevolent...We exist to please him” (Levitin 3). To most, this statement seems like one set by a cruel dictator. However, in The Goodness Gene, a 253 page scientific-fiction novel, author Sonia Levitin creates a world where this creed is the basic “motto” of the world. The setting is located 300 years into the future, where a man by the name of Hayli (who is referred to by the world as the Supreme Compassionate Director), has taken control of the world to make it a perfect environment. Hayli’s son, Will, is the main character who, after a trip outside of his isolated community, realizes that the world his “father” created was not really as perfect as it seemed, while also discovering why he was created. The title, The Goodness Gene, really symbolizes the clash of man and its society in the book.
Michael Sandel is a distinguished political philosopher and a professor at Harvard University. Sandel is best known for his best known for his critique of John Rawls's A Theory of Justice. While he is an acclaimed professor if government, he has also delved deeply into the ethics of biotechnology. At Harvard, Sandel has taught a course called "Ethics, Biotechnology, and the Future of Human Nature" and from 2002 to 2005 he served on the President’s Council on Bioethics (Harvard University Department of Government, 2013). In 2007, Sandel published his book, The Case Against Perfection: Ethics in the Age of Genetic Engineering, in which he explains unethical implications biotechnology has and may have in the near future regarding genetic engineering.
C. Wright Mills in his article “ The Structure of Power in American Society” writes that when considering the types of power that exist in modern society there are three main types which are authority, manipulation and coercion. Coercion can be seen as the “last resort” of enforcing power. On the other hand, authority is power that is derived from voluntary action and manipulation is power that is derived unbeknownst to the people who are under that power.
Power has been defined as the psychological relations over another to get them to do what you want them to do. We are exposed to forms of power from the time of birth. Our parents exercise power over us to behave in a way they deem appropriate. In school, teachers use their power to help us learn. When we enter the work world the power of our boss motivates us to perform and desire to move up the corporate ladder so that we too can intimidate someone with power one day. In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Kurtz had a power over the jungle and its people that was inexplicable.
have power are imposing their will on those with less power. The fact that at some point in the
Perfection is much like the lottery; many people will strive for it with the hopes of attaining their ultimate goal, only to realize that reaching it is nearly impossible. However, unlike the lottery, there is not even the slightest chance of winning the final prize. To be completely perfect is an impossible feat, and the more attempts made to reach a status of “perfection”, the more let down a person will be. The quality of complete perfection is unobtainable and unreasonable, yet many cultures and certain groups of people take pride in being known as perfectionists. This reach for the impossible can be seen in the strict code followed by all knights during the feudal time period. Sir Gawain in the late
All people have power, some people are just more powerful than others. Having power is the ability to create change. Examples of power being used wrongly is during the French revolution, and the residential school crisis. During the French revolution, two examples were shown of people abusing their power. King Louie XVI raised taxes so that he could buy things that he and his wife Marie Antoinette wanted, and took away rights from the third estate. In the residential schools crisis, the teachers, priests and nuns had power over the students and abused the students in different ways. Superior people take away the rights from those who are below them, but they end up corrupt.
Power can play a big part in someone’s life. Some might control the power and use it only for good deeds, while some might use it to get something out of it, but that power can later on lead to
Power is a very important factor of everyday life. Throughout the ages, from kings to presidents, and even before that mankind has always b...
Some theorists believe that ‘power is everywhere: not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere… power is not an institution, nor a structure, nor possession. It is the name we give to a complex strategic situation in a particular society. (Foucault, 1990: 93) This is because power is present in each individual and in every relationship. It is defined as the ability of a group to get another group to take some form of desired action, usually by consensual power and sometimes by force. (Holmes, Hughes &Julian, 2007) There have been a number of differing views on ‘power over’ the many years in which it has been studied. Theorist such as Anthony Gidden in his works on structuration theory attempts to integrate basic structural analyses and agency-centred traditions. According to this, people are free to act, but they must also use and replicate fundamental structures of power by and through their own actions. Power is wielded and maintained by how one ‘makes a difference’ and based on their decisions and actions, if one fails to exercise power, that is to ‘make a difference’ then power is lost. (Giddens: 1984: 14) However, more recent theorists have revisited older conceptions including the power one has over another and within the decision-making processes, and power, as the ability to set specific, wanted agendas. To put it simply, power is the ability to get others to do something they wouldn’t otherwise do. In the political arena, therefore, power is the ability to make or influence decisions that other people are bound by.
Emma struggles with trusting herself in front of the entire class. Because of this, she is not able to prove that she can in fact read fluently to the class. Emma’s current academic goal would be, “Given reading passages at the fifth-grade level, Emma will read fluently.” In order for one to reach this, the student must recognize these three things. First, how to improve their self-esteem. Second, it is okay to fail. Third, to try their best and do it proudly no matter how unique they feel. It seems as though the issue does not fall in the child’s ability to read, but instead, their ability to speak up. This can reach across the entire population of the classroom. Students, children and even adults will feel inferior to others and in return
Our society often confuses personal power, our power within, with our power over, which is about controlling others. There is a vast difference between personal power and control.