On a superficial level, the root of the problem is the drive to compete and the drive to compare oneself to others. A political solution for this “compare and compete” problem can be theorized. The first potential solution that comes to mind is to find a way to equal the playing field until there becomes no need for comparison with others because we are all equal, and through this equality brings the end of competition, for what is achievable by one, is achievable by all. One way to accomplish this would be for the political power (i.e. the government) at hand to invent a means that impeded on any one individual’s advantage in society, whether it be intelligence, beauty, creativity, etc.. In Kurt Vonnegut’s short story, “Harrison Bergeron”,
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Namely, man has lost most, if not all, connection with his natural, authentic self, where the consequence of this loss results in another, more devastating loss: the loss of man’s freedom. If one is forced to live inauthentically, then one is by no means free. In order to get this back, one must first look at where the fundamental passions of natural man fit in today’s modern society and how applicable they remain. Instinctual self-preservation (amour de soi) seems to rarely concern modern human beings. This is because the basic manifestations of self-preservation (food, shelter, etc.) appear practically guaranteed to all, but the poorest members of modern society. This makes sense, for the reason man created society in the first place was to solve mutual needs, and in the beginning, the only relevant need was self-preservation. Society has practically perfected its goal of solving self-preservation, especially when concerning the materialism and consumerism that drives this modern society. Members can only acquire these artificial desires through first securing the aforementioned manifestations of self-preservation. Only those members of today’s society who lack the monetary ability to do so, continue falling short of achieving this first fundamental passion of natural man. The absence of this passion for the lowest class can be solved through the invocation of the second passion of natural man in all remaining members of today’s …show more content…
modern society) he is robbed of this goodness at a very early age. Rousseau begins his meditation on education by acknowledging that, “nature provides for the child's growth in her own fashion, and this should never be thwarted” (Emile 6). The educational program, therefore, is focused upon protecting and reinforcing the child’s natural and compassionate state of being. This will be done by assigning a teacher to every child. This may seem excessive, but it is necessary to achieve the aforementioned goal. Each child is unique and any attempt at applying a common core curriculum for the sake of efficiency will introduce competition and comparison into the minds of the children, effectively condemning them to the limited compassion existent already in today’s
Namely, man has lost most, if not all, connection with his natural, authentic self, where the consequence of this loss results in another, more devastating loss: the loss of man’s freedom. If one is forced to live inauthentically, then one is by no means free. In order to get this back, one must first look at where the fundamental passions of natural man fit in today’s modern society and how applicable they remain. Instinctual self-preservation (amour de soi) seems to rarely concern modern human beings. This is because the basic manifestations of self-preservation (food, shelter, etc.) appear practically guaranteed to all, but the poorest members of modern society. This makes sense, for the reason man created society in the first place was to solve mutual needs, and in the beginning, the only relevant need was self-preservation. Society has practically perfected its goal of solving self-preservation, especially when concerning the materialism and consumerism that drives this modern society. Members can only acquire these artificial desires through first securing the aforementioned manifestations of self-preservation. Only those members of today’s society who lack the monetary ability to do so, continue falling short of achieving this first fundamental passion of natural man. The absence of this passion for the lowest class can be solved through the invocation of the second passion of natural man in all remaining members of today’s …show more content…
modern society) he is robbed of this goodness at a very early age. Rousseau begins his meditation on education by acknowledging that, “nature provides for the child's growth in her own fashion, and this should never be thwarted” (Emile 6). The educational program, therefore, is focused upon protecting and reinforcing the child’s natural and compassionate state of being. This will be done by assigning a teacher to every child. This may seem excessive, but it is necessary to achieve the aforementioned goal. Each child is unique and any attempt at applying a common core curriculum for the sake of efficiency will introduce competition and comparison into the minds of the children, effectively condemning them to the limited compassion existent already in today’s