reality of World War I. The scarcity of resources combined with stark images of the war influenced writers to condemn the aristocracy for their excessive self-indulgence. In DH Lawrence’s “The Rocking Horse Winner” his hatred for the English people’s materialism is conveyed through the death of an innocent child. Without a doubt‚ DH Lawrence views England as a money-dominated society. In fact Koban states‚ “Lawrence hated money and warping of modern man that scrambling for money caused. But he knew that
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In the oxford English dictionary materialism is described as a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values. This theory is far more than a simple focus on material possessions. It states that everything in the universe is matter‚ without any true spiritual or intellectual existence. We live in a world surrounded by and composed of matter. It is natural; therefore‚ that we may become distracted from spiritual or intellectual pursuits by material
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Which does more harm in the world‚ cynical self-interest or blind idealism? The Quiet American by Graham Greene explores this question. It is set in Vietnam‚ mostly in Saigon‚ before the French left. Its main characters are an English reporter named Thomas Fowler‚ an American spy called Alden Pyle‚ and a Vietnamese woman of Chinese descent‚ Phuong. Cynical Fowler is a drug addict‚ an opium smoker. Phuong probably got him addicted. He seems to have been a life-long philanderer‚ who finally destroyed
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Realism and Idealism for the Godfather I will never forget what I felt when I first seen my first mobster movie‚ I was about 12 years old‚ it was real late at night and I just could not fall asleep. I was flipping the channels looking for something to watch‚ and that is when I encountered my first mobster movie. I was intrigued from beginning to end; it was like nothing I had ever seen before. The way they talked so confident and cool to the way they looked so sharp and sophisticated. Although
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thing. Thus‚ there have been several eliminativists about different aspects of human nature in the history of philosophy. Hard determinists deny free will and so they are eliminativists regarding free will. Nevertheless‚ contemporary eliminative materialism consists of two main ideas. The first is that folk psychology is a theory‚ and the second is there is a difference between elimination and reduction. When a new theory in science is adopted‚ the entities posited by the old theory—the theory’s
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Can self-indulgence and materialism lead to social chaos and self-destruction? In “Teddy” and “A Perfect Day for Bananafish‚” J.D. Salinger reveals that the ostentation of society results in the downfalls of the protagonists. Both Seymour Glass and Teddy McArdle feel embarrassed and uncomfortable because of their distinctions from the majority of the people they are surrounded by. Seymour suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome as an affect of the war‚ and Teddy retains the mind of a child genius
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and status to support Daisy. When Gatsby returns from the war‚ his pursuit of Daisy’s love reveals his materialism and he eventually becomes rich for Daisy and believes that he can win her back because he now has money. The Great Gatsby demonstrates the way the materialistic desire for wealth negatively affects both Daisy and Gatsby‚ which warns Fitzgerald’s audience of the dangers of materialism. Daisy’s decisions are influenced by her desire for money rather than by her love for Gatsby‚ who makes
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Youth and the Culture of Materialism We live in a materialistic society. Take a trip to your local shopping center‚ watch television for a few minutes‚ or check out a magazine stand at a corner convenience store‚ and this fact will become quite evident. Our society places significance on what you own—not who you are. This reality prevails in most areas of our social fabric‚ but it is‚ without a doubt‚ most apparent in the mainstream media. The culture of materialism conspicuously presents itself
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The novel The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald details the character’s quest for materialism and how they each become engulfed by the obsession for more‚ consequently leading to their desensitization to the meaningful aspects of life. Daisy’s lust to further her elite social status led her to choose her husband for wealth rather than love which was ultimately the catalyst to her world coming undone. Myrtle fantasized about an alternate reality that consisted of lavish material items that
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Gatsby / F. Scott Fitzgerald With the long history of debate over idealism and materialism in consideration‚ it would be inappropriate to dictate which one is right or wrong. Between these two doctrines‚ there is a ‘thing’ that has differentiates one from the other; in other words‚ this thing completely separates idealism and materialism. Though veiled in mystery‚ this thing tells us at least that idealism and materialism are inharmonious doctrines. It would be misleading to make a compromise
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