Rousseau: Discourse on the Origin of Inequality
Rousseau: Discourse on the Origin of Inequality
Rousseau is a firm believer that humans are born good, and society corrupts them. Throughout his Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, he attempts to give many reasons and examples on how this is so. One of my favorite arguments of his was from p. 34, “I ask if anyone has ever heard tell of a savage who was living in liberty ever dreaming of complaining about his life and of killing himself.” Although this argument is very blunt, he does make a good point. Being a part of society and dealing with its influences can be very stressful; it can also lower self-esteem. However, I still cannot seem to lean to his side on this argument.
In my opinion, one is not necessarily born good, but definitely not born evil. When a child is born, they are born innocent and unaware. Yet, they are still being born into a world full of corruption. This doesn’t automatically taint their soul, but what they do with the rest of their life determines their own personal destiny and fate. I don’t believe society influences one in a bad way, because it is simply a way of government. If humans did not have society, we more than likely would just run around like wild animals with no organization; society helps keep humanity together. Although there may be plenty of things wrong with society, it is nearly essential for survival, which is why we tend to have a greater life span than animals.
On the other hand, those within society seem to be what bring forth the corruption. In spite of this, it’s pretty much impossible to avoid corruption. Even if we were to get rid of society, people would do wrong. So, why should society be to blame for the actions of some? To me, the corruption in society isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I believe that it shows what type of person one truly is. If you can govern yourself without being influenced by society, shows your faith and strength. Mistakes are bound to happen, but what matters is learning from these
Rousseau is a firm believer that humans are born good, and society corrupts them. Throughout his Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, he attempts to give many reasons and examples on how this is so. One of my favorite arguments of his was from p. 34, “I ask if anyone has ever heard tell of a savage who was living in liberty ever dreaming of complaining about his life and of killing himself.” Although this argument is very blunt, he does make a good point. Being a part of society and dealing with its influences can be very stressful; it can also lower self-esteem. However, I still cannot seem to lean to his side on this argument.
In my opinion, one is not necessarily born good, but definitely not born evil. When a child is born, they are born innocent and unaware. Yet, they are still being born into a world full of corruption. This doesn’t automatically taint their soul, but what they do with the rest of their life determines their own personal destiny and fate. I don’t believe society influences one in a bad way, because it is simply a way of government. If humans did not have society, we more than likely would just run around like wild animals with no organization; society helps keep humanity together. Although there may be plenty of things wrong with society, it is nearly essential for survival, which is why we tend to have a greater life span than animals.
On the other hand, those within society seem to be what bring forth the corruption. In spite of this, it’s pretty much impossible to avoid corruption. Even if we were to get rid of society, people would do wrong. So, why should society be to blame for the actions of some? To me, the corruption in society isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I believe that it shows what type of person one truly is. If you can govern yourself without being influenced by society, shows your faith and strength. Mistakes are bound to happen, but what matters is learning from these