Luxury Leading Us Astray
Who knew Disney had it all right? Rousseau probably would if he saw Wall-e. The perfect representation of how far civilization has brought us from the virtues of man in nature. It is common to interrupt Rousseau’s Discourse as hating civilization as a whole and romanticizing early man. Yet, while critiquing many things civilization has fostered, he does not see civilization as inherently bad. Unlike Hobbes he does not think humans are born and destined to be evil, but rather malleable and ripe for positive change. Wall-e paints a picture reminiscent of Rousseau. In the movie, humans are presented at an extreme low when manmade commodities control our lives without giving any real benefits especially not happiness. …show more content…
Phone, computers, and internet allow for endless international networking opportunities. In the dystopian world of Wall-e imaginary technology goes as far to literally do away the need of living on earth. However, it is hard to deny the positive change technology has brought to civilization. But, these property and leisure items have made humans lose sight of true needs. Rousseau makes the bold statement that “these commodities had lost almost all their pleasantness through habit, and as they had at the same time degenerated into true needs, being deprived of them became much more cruel than possessing them was sweet” (Rousseau 147). These leisure items therefore are no longer leisure items because their constant use makes them not a privilege but something customary. It is practically a given that in America you have internet, a mode of transportation, a phone. Yet humans don't need these items to live. They are unnatural. We use them so often that they don’t even live up to their original intent of making us truly happy. We get frustrated when our phones break, and as Rousseau states we are deprived of them, but this not of having this superficial extension of ourselves is a far greater emotion than the appreciation we have when we do use the phone. Wall-e showcases this with the way the people are blinded by the screens in front of their faces. Immobilized and physically frail because of the of the chairs they constantly …show more content…
Wall-e ends on a positive note by having the residents of the ship begin progressing towards a better future. They stand on their own, strengthening themselves from within not leaning on technology. They also regains the pity for others as everyone on the ship assists Eve to return the plant back to Wall-e. These accomplishments were only possible when the technology their ancestors had ironically brought upon them could be eliminated. Therefore, positive change is only possible when we take a step back from our screens to actually look at others in a way that doesn't involve our own personal success. Technology as Wall-e shows and Rousseau pointed out takes humans away from the positive natural behavior of savage man, that of independence, strength, and
Who knew Disney had it all right? Rousseau probably would if he saw Wall-e. The perfect representation of how far civilization has brought us from the virtues of man in nature. It is common to interrupt Rousseau’s Discourse as hating civilization as a whole and romanticizing early man. Yet, while critiquing many things civilization has fostered, he does not see civilization as inherently bad. Unlike Hobbes he does not think humans are born and destined to be evil, but rather malleable and ripe for positive change. Wall-e paints a picture reminiscent of Rousseau. In the movie, humans are presented at an extreme low when manmade commodities control our lives without giving any real benefits especially not happiness. …show more content…
Phone, computers, and internet allow for endless international networking opportunities. In the dystopian world of Wall-e imaginary technology goes as far to literally do away the need of living on earth. However, it is hard to deny the positive change technology has brought to civilization. But, these property and leisure items have made humans lose sight of true needs. Rousseau makes the bold statement that “these commodities had lost almost all their pleasantness through habit, and as they had at the same time degenerated into true needs, being deprived of them became much more cruel than possessing them was sweet” (Rousseau 147). These leisure items therefore are no longer leisure items because their constant use makes them not a privilege but something customary. It is practically a given that in America you have internet, a mode of transportation, a phone. Yet humans don't need these items to live. They are unnatural. We use them so often that they don’t even live up to their original intent of making us truly happy. We get frustrated when our phones break, and as Rousseau states we are deprived of them, but this not of having this superficial extension of ourselves is a far greater emotion than the appreciation we have when we do use the phone. Wall-e showcases this with the way the people are blinded by the screens in front of their faces. Immobilized and physically frail because of the of the chairs they constantly …show more content…
Wall-e ends on a positive note by having the residents of the ship begin progressing towards a better future. They stand on their own, strengthening themselves from within not leaning on technology. They also regains the pity for others as everyone on the ship assists Eve to return the plant back to Wall-e. These accomplishments were only possible when the technology their ancestors had ironically brought upon them could be eliminated. Therefore, positive change is only possible when we take a step back from our screens to actually look at others in a way that doesn't involve our own personal success. Technology as Wall-e shows and Rousseau pointed out takes humans away from the positive natural behavior of savage man, that of independence, strength, and