The Power of Selfishness Essay Example for Free

The Power of Selfishness Essay Literature overflows with references and symbols that correlate to teachings of many different subjects. Many authors design characters who, for some unknown reason, feel they cannot control their own selfish motives. The system of egoism defines itself as the ethical system that places needs of oneself above and before those of others. Incorporated into this system, the more explicit views of the psychological egoist arise. The psychological egoist firmly believes that he holds no power over his selfish motives; humans innately strive to maintain what proves best for themselves over any others needs. This situation becomes evident in Shakespeares Macbeth as Macbeth allows his vaulting ambition to overpower his best judgment. While Macbeths questions his actions towards the beginning of the play, his true character surfaces as we see the transformation from a discerning war hero to a monstrous, uncontrollable murderer. Because Shakespeare chooses to slowly reveal Macbeths faults, the reader initially falls into the perception of Macbeths nobility and control over his own desires. The reader first meets Macbeth as he rides in from a successful battle in which he decimated Scotlands foe led by Macdonwald. Like the reader, Macbeths peers also trust his courage in valor for brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name-/ Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, / Which smoked with bloody execution, / Like valors minion carved out his passage/ Till he faced the slave(I.ii.16-20). Even the king resounds Macbeth as a valiant cousin, worthy gentleman, a gesture that portrays trickles of irony, as this valiant cousin would soon become his gruesome murderer. These bold and proud portrayals of Macbeth are implemented to confuse the reader, to skew his belief in Macbeths ability to kill a friend, to hide Macbeths uncontrollable secret desire to assume the throne of Scotland. Shakespeare quickly reveals Macbeths ambition for the throne as he portrays an inquisitive Macbeth, careful not to promulgate his excitement for the three witches prophesy. Macbeth snaps to the hags, Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more! / Speak I charge you (I.iii.70-78). The quick reaction to the witches prophesy of his kingship flags the reader to notice Macbeths instantaneous and uncontrollable interest in the prospect of overthrowing Duncan. The uncontrollable urge for self-advancement over others well being closely follows the Catholic Social Teaching of the psychological egoists inextinguishable desire to trump the success of others and attain fame and glory. Thinking through the requirements and consequences of his kingship, Macbeth slowly settles away from the idea of murdering the honorable Duncan, a withdrawal which sets the reader astray from the prospect of Macbeths desire to advance at any cost. As he arrives back to his castle, Lady Macbeth meets him with a rampant frenzy, questions him about what it will take to propel her to the position of queen, and implores him to consider the simple murder of Duncan to grasp her such happiness as well as seal their marriages happiness. Like Macbeth, Lady Macbeth keeps captive the same uncontrollable desire that defines a psychological egoist; however, she chooses to play into Macbeths fears and emotions to achieve her goal rather than following through herself. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth clearly know what they want and submit to any means necessary in order to achieve their goal. They plan to greet Duncan as he arrives at Macbeths castle [looking] like the time, [bearing] welcome in [their] eyes, / [their] hands, [their] tongue. Look like the innocent flower, / but be the serpent under it(I.v.64-66). The now assured murder of Duncan slowly assimilates into a passionate war to achieve their desires at cost to any others, even Lady Macbeths desires trump those of her husband in her mind. The selfish mood throughout the play seems to give warning to not only selfish ideas and selfish motives, but to societys ability as a whole to quell these undying desires, to allow these dangerous ideas to subside, and to realize the need for intervention long before ones ambition grows to large to control. Egoism has been widely criticized as subverting attempts to live together as a whole, a criticism which further magnifies the potency of danger that Macbeths ambitions hold. Macbeths ability to act upon his ambition remained unclear for a large part of the play; however, once he committed the initial murder of Duncan, Macbeths will to remove anything that threatened his success became clear; his willingness to kill further emboldened the correlation of him as an egoist. Quickly becoming suspicious of the beliefs of those around him, Macbeth moves to kill Banquo, his closest friend and ally until this point. As Banquo clearly dictates his unwillingness to support Macbeth in his nefarious deeds, Macbeth decides to call upon a group of murders to remove the threat of not only Banquo, but of his son Fleance, who was prophesized to be king. In fact, Macbeth believes every minute of [Banquos] being thrusts/ Against [his] nearest of life (III.i.118-119). The small statement illuminates the potency of Macbeths insanity; his closest friends have now become his strongest enemies. Because of this transformation from friend to foe, Banquo becomes a victim of Macbeths ambition, becomes a symbol of pain caused by the incessant lust for power, becomes a rock from which those like Malcolm and MacDuff launch themselves from in order to overthrow the lost, poisoned mind of Macbeth. Macbeth, his mind racked from the ominous apparitions of his demise, soon learns of MacDuffs flight to England, an action which he uses to justify the murder of many more innocent citizens who, in Macbeths eyes, threaten his very existence and success as king. Pacing in his castle, attempting to discern his best plan for retaliation against MacDuff, Macbeth reveals his desire to seize upon Fife, give to the edge of the sword/ [MacDuffs] wife, his babes, and all the unfortunate souls/ that trace him in his line (IV.ii.151-152). Resorting to rampant murders of noble kin, Macbeth cries out his unnecessary and undeserved desire to eliminate all of those who renounce his right to the throne. Macbeth abnegates all guilt in these times of passion and anger that frequently overpower his no longer existent common sense and discernment. Like the egoist, Macbeth chooses to not only act out of selfish measures, but proclaims that his actions are not of his control, but rather, a direct cause of his own inevitable drive towards success and power. Even as Malcolm misleads MacDuff about his own vices and shortfalls as a leader, MacDuff feels that the vulture in [Malcolm] to devour so many/as the will to greatness dedicate themselves (IV.iii.75-76) cannot exist as it does in Macbeth. MacDuffs belief that Macbeth defines the ultimate evil as a leader as well as his inclusion of Macbeths inexorable will to greatness further corroborates the correlation between a stereotypical psychological egoist and Macbeth. MacDuff describes Macbeths inextinguishable will as the catalyst for Scotlands demise as well as an innate feature that Macbeth contains; Macbeth could never abdicate the throne without force due to his great desire to achieve success for only himself. Eventually, Macbeth realizes his crimes and missteps as king, but still refuses to step away from the unnecessary dismantlement of families who pose a threat to his power. Upon killing young Siward, Macbeth rejoices that no man of woman born can touch him; Siward, who fathered young Siward, similarly rejoices his sons death fighting the ultimate tyrant of their age. As the tyrant Macbeth nears his end, MacDuff enters the castle as the one of all men else who Macbeth has avoided. Knowing his death to arrive by MacDuffs sword, Macbeth fights on with a soul too much charged/ with blood of [MacDuff] already. (V.viii.4-5) His bold disregard for his own life reveals the misconception and ignorance he holds of his own life; Macbeth once again allows himself to be consumed with passion, passion which drives him to his inevitable demise. Society today regards Macbeth as a product of fear and paranoia coupled with a desire for power that is so strong that any means to achieve that power would be taken in order to attain that goal. We see many like Macbeth even today. Like Macbeth, Richard Nixon was a wildly popular figure in United States politics, winning his elections with over 60% of the popular vote. Seeing his own success and desiring so much more, he allowed his paranoia to take hold of him and cheated his way to a second term by bugging the Democratic offices. Many historians believe that this move proved to be completely unnecessary; his popularity already had been sealed with the people. Having followed through with his quest for power, his obsession caused him to inevitably resign from office. Macbeth portrayed many similar characteristics as Richard Nixon. His popularity greatly stood above his peers around him, however; he chooses to instead tear apart a kingdom for his success, a success that likely would have brought him to power anyways. Shakespeare along with history teaches us the power ambition holds over us, the importance of containing that ambition, only searching for what we can do to improve ourselves without harming others. The egoist commonly addresses the criticisms regarding his lust for power as shallow and full of fear, much like Macbeth addresses those who attempt to quell his vaulting ambition. The quest for power controls so many in the world today, but it eventually leads these people to failure much like Macbeths, failure much like Nixons, failure to keep hold of power, failure to sustain a valuable life.

Kate Chopin The Storm Essay -- essays papers

Kate Chopin The Storm Kate Chopin: "The Storm" Kate Chopin lived from 1851 until 1904. She was born Katherine O'Flaherty and was raised in post- Civil War St. Louis by parents who were on the upper end of society. She married Oscar Chopin, moved to New Orleans, and had six children. After her husband died, Chopin moved back to St. Louis to start her writing career at age 33. She incorporated many taboos about literature into her writing. Some of these taboos were female sexuality, struggles, and triumph over the stereotypes that had been placed on them over the centuries. She was a very popular writer until 1898 when she wrote about even more controversial issues in Awakening. Many people felt that her views were very feminist and her previously loyal fans quickly rejected her writings, causing her to not attempt to write anything more. Chopin's short story, "The Storm," shows the reader some of the controversial issues she wrote about. It was written in 1898 and was one of the last stories that she wrote before Awakening. It tells of the struggles of one woman to find happiness and excitement in her everyday life. The reader really does not get much information on the relationship at the beginning of the story, but one can imagine that it was becoming monotonous and boring. The title itself lets the reader know that this storm is the result of a long chain of events that have built up over time, like a thunderstorm in the middle of the summer comes after many long days of intense heat. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss the events that lead to the apex of the 'storm,' the consequences that follow the decisions that are made, and how this short story could be seen as feministic. The beginning of the s... .... He is a fool and doesn't see that she 'played' him and used him to satisfy one of her desires. This story could be seen as feministic for many reasons. The way that Calixta disregards her responsibilities to her husband and son and goes after what she wants is a great example of this. Also, she doesn't get caught, had some fun, and her marriage wasn't ruined. This is an example of how Chopin felt that women should take control of their lives and change them if they aren't completely happy. Kate Chopin was a great writer who wasn't truly appreciated until years after her death. However, her views and ideas are still relevant in today's society. I also commend her for expressing her views and feelings even though she knew that the public would disagree with her. It is a shame that she was not recognized during her life as the great writer that she was.

Advanced English

Malaysian born Azrul Mohd Khalib writes frequently on issues affecting his native land. He is currently working in the issues related on HIV/AIDS, sex and human rights. He has written many articles in one of the daily email news website called â€Å"The Malaysian Insider†. His articles have also appeared in the Malaysiakini, the article â€Å"Baby-Dumping: Killing the mothers won’t solve any problem†, â€Å"Ramadan a time to be considerate†, â€Å"Law still fuzzy on marital rape† as well as â€Å"not impossible for teens to be having sex† and etc. He has currently runs and battling an addiction to the â€Å"A Song of Ice and Fire† book series. Azrul Mohd Khalib has written many articles in the Malaysiakini in its letters section. The Malaysiakini is a political news website that has been widely considered to be one of the leading non-government owned paid-news agencies in Malaysia. Its news coverage concentrates mainly on local events, with a strong emphasis on items related to Malaysian politics, and also publishes columns, readers’ opinions in its letters section which claims to practice an editorial policy that is consistently supportive of justice, human rights, democracy, freedom of speech and good governance. And now the Malaysiakini is a voice of reasoned discussion on the letters section and not an exercising excessive editorial control on letters section. Summary The article emphasize the teenage pregnancy in Malaysia is continuously increasing from year to year and many teenage girls lost their lives because of resulting from pregnancy and not provide them necessary support for those in need. Teenage pregnancy has no self-righteousness and despised by the people and how they look at them to judge them, neglect to provide help that actually they are the victims of the issues. The author mentioned happens to teenage pregnancy in social environment and provides his personal opinions to solve the teenage pregnancy problems. According to the Ministry of Health (MOH) shows that many of the young people involved in the pregnancy. Besides that, MOH’s report show that some of the teenage pregnancy will carry her own burden and end up on the statistics of the MOH. MOH’s report also shows that some of the girls chose to commit suicide because of the cost of their lives. On the other hand, the author suggests providing the sexual reproductive health services for not just those who are married. Analysis of the presentation The author is referring to Ministry of Health (MOH) reports and attended his recent discussion which focuses on teenage pregnancy in Malaysia to present his point of view. He was not agree to look for people to blame them and outraged when read the reports of babies found buried and will moan about lack of religious and moral fibre, from the point of view of this sentence, it is show that this happens cannot be blame to those pregnancy of teenage and should find out the solutions to solve the problem. He support his point of view by giving the evidence, â€Å"These girls are victims of an environment created due to our continued neglect of issues relating to sexual health such as ensuring the availability of proper sexual reproductive health education and services. † The author state that the weaknesses of our social which aim to punish and harm but lack to provide necessary support for those in need. The author’s point of view is that our social lack of providing the necessary support to the teenage pregnancy. The author support his point of view by giving several evidence, which is â€Å"We allow people who call for hatred, discrimination and abuse on people who are gay or lesbian to give speeches to our students at schools but refuse entry to educators who talk about sex education and teaching things like how to use a condom. † The author also giving the evidence that proved his point of view, which is â€Å"The exploding numbers related to teenage pregnancy is a direct result of our society’s failure to acknowledge and address our blinkered views of sex. The author state the weaknesses of our social that no government healthcare facility offers abortion services for unwanted pregnancies or even condoms and sexual health information for singles and unmarried couples. From the point of view of this sentence, it is show that there is very few places turn to support and shelter those young women. The author state that reality of social culture in Malaysia has ready to judge f or the teenage pregnancy mistake. The author support his point of view with several evidence, which â€Å"there are more girls and teenagers living in fear as a result of an unwanted pregnancy. Most of them will increasingly resort to unsafe abortion and DIY attempts to force a miscarriage. † The author suggested underage marriage in the misguided and simplistic belief will solve the problem and this is better thing than being outside marriage. For the author’s point of view, the underage married can hide the problem. Also, the author’s point of view, there is another method which is religious convictions to improve the case of teenager pregnant. From the author’s point of view, sex education may confuse to the children with the complex messages. The author show several evidence to support his point of view, which is â€Å"â€Å"When I grew up, I didn’t need all of this and I was still able to live, marry and have kids†, a frequently comment from detractors of sex education. The author also suggested an effective way to improve the problem by providing relevant sexual reproductive health services. The author’s point of view, not just provide to those who are married but for all the young people. Author’s tone is recounting and invoking because he proves a lot of evidence to show that he really knows about the teenage pregnancy and he provide the solutions for teenage pregnancy from this article. Thus, our country should take a step and refer the facts and ways from this article to solve the problems of teenage pregnancy in our country. Response The author’s argument is practical and valid due to the author’s argument is logical and well-reasoned. In the article, the author uses the information from MOH report and the recent discussion about the causes of teenage pregnancy in Malaysia can proved that the author knew the situation of teenage pregnancy and narrates the problems in this country. Thus, he supports it by referring to his research which he more works on sex and human rights issues. The author’s argument is not objective enough to discuss the problem. He only narrates the role of teenage pregnancy happens in this country and not provide strong enough negative arguments to debate his own opinion. Besides that, the author wrote several causes in this article. He approached the causes happens and he described with the example of imagination. Apart from that, the author knew that the world is realistic to dealing with this issue of sex. He supports it by referring the MOH report and news from nowadays and the case happens to the young girls who went to commit suicide. Even though the article is not objective enough, however, the author provide the information is sufficient to convince the readers, education system, parents and government which not only belief in their own personal religious conviction, but government have to take an action to improving the teenage pregnancy. The argument is credible because the author, Azrul Mohd Khalib,his essays have generally posted in the MalaysiaKini, The MalaysianInsider, and The New Strait Times. He had works for sex and human rights issues for many years. This article was released at Monday, 12 of Nov 2012 in the Malaysian Insider. Malaysian Insider is a website that covers the issues of the day, politics, business, lifestyle, sports and entertainment that showcasing issues and opinions of reports analyses view to us. Besides that, the author uses his works on sex issues in long time research experiences, Ministry of Health reports and recent discussion of this issue that prove the evidence in the article, which show that the author’s argument is credible enough to the audience and has the experience of reporting the sex and human rights issues. Conclusion In conclusion, this article has been well written by the author and has high reliability. As a reader, I think that this article is very useful especially for the government, parents and education system to concern about the social’s role in the teenage pregnancy problems happens in our surrounding. I would like to recommend this article to several intended audience like teachers and schools and government because they are the main person can solve those social’s role in the teenage pregnancy problems in the future. After reading this article, government should be able to provide effective solutions and trying their best in several ways to help teenage pregnancy in social life problems.

Reflection On Self Reflection Is The Image Of Looking At...

Self-reflection is the image of looking at oneself. It has the implication of being conscious of what one is being. According to Rowntree (1988), reflection is studying one’s own study methods as seriously as one studies the subject and thinking about a learning task after you have done it. However, this is in a learning situation. On the other hand, Boud et al. (1998) defined sel-reflection as a generic term for those intellectual and effective activities in which individuals engage to explore their experiences in order to lead new understanding and appreciation. It is my thought that these authors viewed reflection from the learner’s perspective. They discussed the relationship of the reflection process and the learning experience against what the learner can do. Comparatively, Reid (1993) defined self-reflection as an active process rather than passive thinking. She stated that â€Å"reflection is a process of reviewing an experience of practice in order to describe , analyze, evaluate and so inform learning about practice† (p. 3). In a related study, Kemmis (1985) agrees with Reid that the process of reflection is more than a process that focuses ‘on the head’. However, reflection enables one to assess, understand and learn through their experiences. It is a personal process that results in some change for one in his/her perspective of a situation or creates new learning for the person. Continuing, self-reflection is important for leaders to engage, although someShow MoreRelatedSelf Conscious Concept Of Self Consciousness1177 Words   |  5 Pages Self-Conscious of the Self-Consciousness within a Self-Conscious Julissa Almonte Santana Salem College Fall 2016 When introducing the concept of self-consciousness, it can be very difficult for individuals to understand that there are many forms of self-consciousness. 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