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Summary of flaws of society
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Why do some societies make disastrous decision?
Why societies fail by making disastrous decisions? Like Maya Civilization, the societal failure is the fall of complex human societies by making disastrous decision that damaged the ecosystem. How on earth could a society make such an obviously disastrous decision as to cut down all the trees on which it depends? Since this phenomenon happened repeatedly in human history, historians and archaeologists are asking the question of why societies fail by making disastrous decisions. To answer this question, though this is a complex subject by not having a single answer fitting the all situations, societies may collapse due to one the following reasons: failing to anticipate a problem before it arrives, or may fail to perceive already arrived problem and even societies may failing to solve a problem once it has been perceived.
Societies collapsed by failing to anticipate a problem before it arrives due to many reasons. The
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Rational and irrational behaviours are among the reasons that a society may fail to solve a problem even though they recognized its existence. Irrational behaviour is the behaviour that is not good for all including the dower of the action. On the other hand, rational behaviour is an actions one, by using correct reasoning, can advance his own interest by an action which is destructive to other people. For example, a pike fish- a larger, fish eating fish not native to western Montana- was introduced into western Montana lakes and rivers by a few fishermen who prefer to fish for pike though most Montana fisher men fish for trout. Consequently, pike, by eating out trout, destroy trout fishing. This is the best example rational behaviour - good for few pike fishermen and bad for greater number trout
...t societies can be weakened or even fall due to political corruption, war, and social injustice. When a society has one of these things, or even all three, it will not be a safe or fun place to live. Citizens will start riots and some will maybe even flee. And honestly, these things are bound to happen. Ultimately, we are doomed… it’s just up to us how long that will take.
It is easy to deny the reality that the state of the environment plays a large role in the survival of society. People who argue to protect and preserve it are seen as “hippies” or “tree huggers” and discarded by society. On the other hand, those who support deforestation are seen as “killing us all.” This conflict that is often portrayed on modern media is actually one that span all the way back to the beginning of civilization. Jared Diamond, recipient of the Lewis Thomas Prize and physiology professor at UCLA School of Medicine, his essay “Why do Some Societies Make Disastrous Decisions” published by Edge on April 26, 2003, argues exactly how societies can doom themselves. Diamond creates his own roadmap as to how and why problems occur. He shows the various ways of how a problem may arise and be
ABSTRACT: In light of interpreting a paradox of irrationality, vaguely expressed by Donald Davidson in the context of explaining weakness of will, I attempt to show that it contains a significant thesis regarding the cognitive as well as motivational basis of our normative practice. First, an irrational act must involve both a rational element and a non-rational element at its core. Second, irrationality entails free and intentional violation of fundamental norms which the agent deems right or necessary. Third, "normative interpretation" is only possible for objects that are both natural events and capable of mental operations which presuppose some freedom of will as well as constructive representation of the surrounding reality. Fourth, there is always a question of whether we strike the best balance between fitting individual mental items consistently with the overall behavior pattern and keeping our critical ability in following certain normative principles which constitute our rational background. Fifth, the paradox of irrationality reflects and polarizes a deep-seated tension in the normative human practice under the ultimate constraints of nature. Finally, the ultimate issue is how we can find the best lines on which our normative rational standards are based-"best" in the sense that they are close enough to limits of human practical potentialities and are not too high as to render our normative standards idle or even disastrous.
There are two categories that he puts them in irrational and rational. In irrational he has two parts vegetative which is no share in reason. This means that no matter what the body digest or blood pumps and it cannot be stopped because it is part of the bodies job to do. The second part of the irrational is the appetitive which has a potency to share in reason. The desires conform to reason and it does not control the person. The second category is rational and it has reasoning or also known as intellective and this means that the person thinks with reason. For example, in math class two plus two will always be four. Appetitive and reasoning are to work together. If not a person cannot be considered virtues and therefore cannot be happy. A person has to feel the correct feeling for a specific situation to be able to be considered good or correct. For a person to be considered good they need to have appetitive and be rational of these things to make them virtues. Also the person needs to not neglect feelings because they are supposed to feel a certain feeling for a specific situation that is supposed to be that way. If the person does not feel it or refuses it, then they are not doing what a correct good and virtues person does. Only the good man has the objective feeling and action only when the person feels the correct emotions in the right way. A person that sees something sad should react sad because it is the correct feeling. They should not feel happy or glad of that sad situation or they are not a considered a good
Rational choice theorist says that social emotions such as guilt, shame, and anxiety are feelings or thoughts that prevent us from doing things and giving in to our temptations. These social cues helps us to place boundaries on what is right and what is wrong and what the outcome of negative delinquent behaviors may be. Not everyone has the same idea of what behavior is rational versus
Corrupt leaders and the governments laws are a major factor as to why societies fall. The society depicted in Maze Runner was very top heavy in and outside of the maze, and mainly controlled by this association who went by the name of W.I.C.K.E.D. Nazi Germany fell almost because of the same thing, their leader Hitler hungered for power and basically made it so whatever he said was law.The evidence of a collapsing social system is very evident throughout the story Maze Runner. For example “‘Gardens-where we grow crops...Blood house-Where we raise and slaughter the animals...’The grievers will kill you all-one every night till it’s over!’”(Pg. 43 and 256) This shows that they need people to do their jobs and the society inside of the Glade was very dependent upon whether or not they have people to work in places like the blood house, and that without enough people to support everyone else by doing their job the society will collapse very quickly.
In many real and fictionalized totalitarian societies, children live apart from their families. I believe that dictatorial leaders enforced this living arrangement because they don’t want parents to influence their children, to make sure people are loyal to the society, and to maintain everyone equal. They do this so that they have total control over their society.
Societies can sometimes be exposed to periods of moral panic. A condition, episode, person or group of people appears as a threat to certain societal standards and interests. This phenomenon is depicted in a stylized and stereotypical fashion and presented to the public through the moral perspective of editors, bishops, politicians, and other influential people, whose principles define the societal values. These people pronounce their diagnoses and resort to certain ways of coping (although, sometimes, the parties can come to an agreement and a way of coping could evolve). After the condition disappears, submerges or deteriorates, it becomes even more visible. Every now and then the object of the panic is quite unusual, although mostly it is something that has been debated for a long time, but that suddenly appears in the spotlight. Occasionally, the episode is overlooked and forgotten, except in folk-lore and collective memory, but at other times it manages to create a serious impact, producing changes in legal and social policy or even in the way society conceives itself (Cohen, 2002).
It is my belief and personal opinion, that even when making choices irrationally, our actions can, to some degree, be rationalized.
“Humans are not a rational animal, but a rationalizing one” (“Class 20”). This was asserted by the much acclaimed, significant, and influential social psychologist Leon Festinger as referencing to his theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Social psychology is “a branch of psychology particularly concerned with understanding social behaviors such as” incentive and compliance (Sheehy). Festinger’s contributions to the social and cognitive branches of psychology as well psychology overall prove themselves worthy to today. This theory specifically challenged many common notions that were seemingly already accepted by behaviorists everywhere during his time (Tavris and Aronson). Its reality awakens its verifications. Consecutively, its “enormous motivational power” affects many on a daily basis (Tavris and Aronson). In the final analysis, the theory of Cognitive Dissonance by Leon Festinger is fundamental to behaviorism while directly changing the way human beings across the planet think and do.
Humans are destructive. Not a lot of us think about how what we do affects the world around us. We almost act like we are the only ones on this planet. We go around polluting and destroying our world with no regard for our actions. The things that live out in the wild are paying the price for it. Every day that passes there is another animal or plant that is placed on an endangered list. This is happening at an alarming rate. Because of man’s desire to expand and conquer their surroundings, there are animals and plants that are on the brink of extinction that will not be around for our kids and future generations to enjoy if something is not done about it now. This problem has been going on for hundreds of years. There are animals and plants that can only been seen in paintings or early photography. It is because of our early ancestors that we have this problem today and we have to do more to prevent more animals and plants from disappearing forever.
To conclude, Why Nations Fail is a simple novel that explains the authors view on why our world is the way it is today. Some countries are abnormally rich and powerful while others are left in the dust. Although some of their points are vague and don’t necessarily come across as simple reasons, they do a great job at trying to sum down this huge question into a well written novel.
When market societies take away financial aid, they are looking for more money. Market societies know that if they take away public supports, they can get more profits. Now people must work longer. Communal networks are relationships between family and friends. If a person has a 9-9 shift instead of a 9-5 shift, they have less time to see family members. They can 't take care for their children. The child is free to do crimes. People are now being isolated and there is no communication. The next mechanism is the spread of a materialistic, neglectful, and hard culture. In this mechanism, people produce goods. For example, people make art or jewelry. People tried to compete with others to who ever made the best art. These things are great for society. We look at art in museums. Now, it is not like that anymore. There are also craft values. People do not care about what they make. If they make chains or art, it is just another thing. People are not impressed because they do it every day. People do not want to be better than others. Also, there are ranks. There are bosses that tell you what to
rational action in relation to a value, is characterized by striving for a goal which in itself may not be rational, but which is pursued through rational means. The traditional example would be the brave captain who goes down with his ship. More relevant then is a person who attends the university because he or she values the life of the mind – a value that was instilled in them by parents, previous teachers, or chance encounter. Affective action is anchored in the emotional state of the individual rather than in the rational weighing of means and ends.
This begs a couple questions: Where do irrational actions, such as crime or collective action, fit in? And is rational choice theory able to hold against these criticisms?