The common good in society can be interpreted as all that which furthers the well-being of all, whether collectively and individually. The common good can include important values such as justice and respect, or certain establishments, such as an education. Undeniably, the common good includes the factors that allow individuals and communities to not only survive, but foster and thrive to their full potential. Thus, there are many behaviors or attitudes that shape the common good. In Fr. Daniel Groody’s, “Themes from Catholic Social Teachings”, he highlights some of the core themes that must be valued and represented among all individuals, such as the “dignity of the human person” or the “the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages,
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Pope Francis points out in the excerpt from Evangelii Guaidum that “[w]e have created a ‘throw away’ culture which is now spreading” (pp. 53). Thus, such culture is creating a sense of omission where “those excluded are no longer society’s underside or its fringes or its disenfranchised—they are no longer even a part of it” (pp. 53). As a result, the very themes highlighted previously which are vital to the common good are being veiled by a consumer society that heeds no attention to the true value of human beings. Instead, attitudes that encompass compassion and kinship are being discarded by cultures that commend the collective few and ignore the marginalized. Such distorted perceptions are also responsible for “creating an even wider and more troubling achievement gap” between the successful and the struggling students in society (Dunlop, 18). Thus, the materialistic culture developed today is also gauging the way in which future generations are prospering; undeniably, the affluent are excelling and the minorities tend to be falling behind. This division is fostering the very oppressive nature that threatens the common …show more content…
After all, to be a human person means to be vulnerable and easily misguided. Jean Vanier’s interview on “The Wisdom of Tenderness” supports the notion by stating that “we don’t know what to do with our own pain, so what to do with the pain of others? We don’t know what to do with our own weaknesses except hide it or pretend I doesn’t exist.” (2). Thus, Vanier explains that humans are vulnerable people who must first learn to accept themselves before they learn to accept others. Furthermore, being human means being incapable of accepting the unappealing, nonconforming aspects of ourselves and being unable to display these aspects to the rest of society. As flawed individuals, the communal belief that they must be perfect is also the barrier that prevents them from accepting their true identities. However, this results in individuals continuing to “despise people until [they] have recognized, loved, and accepted what is despicable in [themselves]” (2). Thus, this reality is a truth that haunts many, as they struggle to accept their mortal nature. There are times when I struggle to understand and accept others whom I do not understand. Coerced by social influences, I am often misguided in my perception of others, especially those who are very different than me. However, as Vanier proves, “Catholicism is an openness” (5). Thus, faith guides me to see the faults within myself and
Pope Francis points out in the excerpt from Evangelii Guaidum that “[w]e have created a ‘throw away’ culture which is now spreading” (pp. 53). Thus, such culture is creating a sense of omission where “those excluded are no longer society’s underside or its fringes or its disenfranchised—they are no longer even a part of it” (pp. 53). As a result, the very themes highlighted previously which are vital to the common good are being veiled by a consumer society that heeds no attention to the true value of human beings. Instead, attitudes that encompass compassion and kinship are being discarded by cultures that commend the collective few and ignore the marginalized. Such distorted perceptions are also responsible for “creating an even wider and more troubling achievement gap” between the successful and the struggling students in society (Dunlop, 18). Thus, the materialistic culture developed today is also gauging the way in which future generations are prospering; undeniably, the affluent are excelling and the minorities tend to be falling behind. This division is fostering the very oppressive nature that threatens the common …show more content…
After all, to be a human person means to be vulnerable and easily misguided. Jean Vanier’s interview on “The Wisdom of Tenderness” supports the notion by stating that “we don’t know what to do with our own pain, so what to do with the pain of others? We don’t know what to do with our own weaknesses except hide it or pretend I doesn’t exist.” (2). Thus, Vanier explains that humans are vulnerable people who must first learn to accept themselves before they learn to accept others. Furthermore, being human means being incapable of accepting the unappealing, nonconforming aspects of ourselves and being unable to display these aspects to the rest of society. As flawed individuals, the communal belief that they must be perfect is also the barrier that prevents them from accepting their true identities. However, this results in individuals continuing to “despise people until [they] have recognized, loved, and accepted what is despicable in [themselves]” (2). Thus, this reality is a truth that haunts many, as they struggle to accept their mortal nature. There are times when I struggle to understand and accept others whom I do not understand. Coerced by social influences, I am often misguided in my perception of others, especially those who are very different than me. However, as Vanier proves, “Catholicism is an openness” (5). Thus, faith guides me to see the faults within myself and