During the month of October, I read two pieces of literature that had a connecting topic- marriage. In both pieces, marriage was not taken seriously or respectively. In Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” Gwendolen and Jack, and Cecily and Algernon all act as if marriage is really no big deal. Jack proposes to Gwendolen before they even know each other well enough. Lady Bracknell does not agree to the marriage until she hears that Jack smokes, his age, and his income. I feel like love does not even play a factor. Not to mention the name Earnest is such an important factor for the women. In James Joyce’s “The Boarding House,” After Mrs. Mooney discovers the affair between Polly and Mr. Doran, she immediately jumps to marriage. Now I am not saying I encourage affairs, but honestly they probably didn’t REALLY love each other, so marriage probably wasn’t the best answer. I think that this had become an issue in our society today too. Divorce rates are extremely high and so many people are just jumping into marriages that most likely do not have true, true love. So why is this? Teenage pregnancies? Women’s biological clocks? Money? There are numerous reasons contributing to this issue. Am I still one of the few people to hold marriage sacred? I do not think that marriage should be taken so lightly. I am definitely a fan of marriage and cannot wait to meet my future husband and get married, but I definitely am not going to jump into it for the wrong reasons, especially in the absence of true love. Unfortunately I don’t have a solution to this issue. There is absolutely nothing I can do for all the people in the world who go about marriage carelessly. My only argument is that more people should hold marriage to be more special than just throwing it around like candy on Halloween.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Individualism vs. Collectivism (Again)
I think that the United States has become a nation that prides itself on being fully comprised of individuals. However, I do not think this is completely true. Although being individualistic is great, I think that collectivism is equally important. Although we may not realize it, the important aspects of collectivism sneak into our lives every day.
I used to be a huge advocate of individualism. I play a sport that focuses on the individual's performance and in almost everything I do it is about me as an individual competing against everyone else. My thoughts and ideas were always completely independent. However, this is all about to change. In my whole application process to the United States Naval Academy, I have witnessed firsthand the importance of collectivism. At Summer Seminar, my own achievements no longer mattered as much as what my squad, platoon, or company was able to achieve. It was no man left behind and every man was in charge of making sure that happened.
I began to see the importance of how working as a group, for the greater good of the group, could pay off, even if it meant me slowing down to help motivate a struggling teammate.
This happens every day, not just in the military, but in classrooms, workplaces, and even at home.
I think that in The Fountainhead, collectivism is made out to be the bad guy. Since it is so strongly represented by the evil ways of Ellsworth Toohey, even I began to resent it. I thought that individualistic Howard Roark was the way to go. Then I got to thinking. How would this country be if we were all Howard Roarks? I don’t think it would function very well. Politics is already bad enough.
So I have come to the conclusion that the best scenario is to be a collective group of individuals. What I mean is that a bunch of people with strong personalities and morals all working to promote harmony in a common group, whether it be a squad, classroom, or country, will be most effective. If Americans are able to swallow their self pride for a second and work towards what is best for the whole country than we may not be in the situation we are today. Now I am not saying that people should be pushovers and sell themselves out but when there is an idea that is better than yours, recognize and accept it. You may even be able to incorporate some of your ideas into it to make it even better.
I used to be a huge advocate of individualism. I play a sport that focuses on the individual's performance and in almost everything I do it is about me as an individual competing against everyone else. My thoughts and ideas were always completely independent. However, this is all about to change. In my whole application process to the United States Naval Academy, I have witnessed firsthand the importance of collectivism. At Summer Seminar, my own achievements no longer mattered as much as what my squad, platoon, or company was able to achieve. It was no man left behind and every man was in charge of making sure that happened.
I began to see the importance of how working as a group, for the greater good of the group, could pay off, even if it meant me slowing down to help motivate a struggling teammate.
This happens every day, not just in the military, but in classrooms, workplaces, and even at home.
I think that in The Fountainhead, collectivism is made out to be the bad guy. Since it is so strongly represented by the evil ways of Ellsworth Toohey, even I began to resent it. I thought that individualistic Howard Roark was the way to go. Then I got to thinking. How would this country be if we were all Howard Roarks? I don’t think it would function very well. Politics is already bad enough.
So I have come to the conclusion that the best scenario is to be a collective group of individuals. What I mean is that a bunch of people with strong personalities and morals all working to promote harmony in a common group, whether it be a squad, classroom, or country, will be most effective. If Americans are able to swallow their self pride for a second and work towards what is best for the whole country than we may not be in the situation we are today. Now I am not saying that people should be pushovers and sell themselves out but when there is an idea that is better than yours, recognize and accept it. You may even be able to incorporate some of your ideas into it to make it even better.
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