The Pursuit Of Freedom: Life, Liberty, And Freedom

The denizen of the oldest and most powerful democracy have been “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” (Jefferson). These denizens or citizens are lucky to live in a country where the government can honor such liberties and privileges, unlike many others. Some of their privileges and rights include an ability to peacefully assemble, vote, etc. Yet with such great privileges and freedom comes great responsibilities. These responsibilities are key in keeping our government stable. Democracy and the people’s rights are in peril if they cannot accomplish their inherited responsibilities as citizens of the United States. Indeed, Benjamin Franklin once told Mrs.

There are many theories behind it, but one of the primary reasons that these problems exist is due to learned helplessness, which is the tendency of people to accept things the way things are, thinking that acting is futile, when faced with crushing defeat (McRaney 206). Crushing defeat is not always necessary since even the slightest thought of possible defeat can cause somebody to give in, as with politics. This is because many people, when they vote, think that either that their vote is one in a million, or that both candidates are in fact equally as corrupt. So they decide not to vote at all. Ignorance can also come from Learned helplessness. The American Political system is extremely complex, that even comprehending it is a pain. Thus, people become reluctant to learn about politics as a whole, which is reinforced by the fact that many people view politicians to be corrupt. Thinking that politicians are corrupt, or this skepticism is not necessarily bad, but required in democratic participation, compared to blind acceptance which should be avoided by citizens at all cost. But become too much skeptical in the government creates unnecessary distrust which spreads and hinders democracy and creates further in-activism, or even the rise of anti-democratic values. That is why the people need to step up and participate in contributing in preventing corruption and to promote both what they believe and also democratic ideals, instead of free riding or ignoring politics