Shawn

Can you think of a time when you maybe did something for yourself, and it ended up harming another? How have you been affected by others decisions? Those who harm others by seeking out to meet their own ends are demonstrating self preservation. In many different ways, the egotistic men and women of society have changed the world, monarchs have made decisions that plunged nations into poverty and war, irresponsible leaders have risked lives of fellow countrymen, and unprincipled people have betrayed friends and family, just to save their own lives. Although trying to explain this is a ‘Sisyphean task’ it has to be said.

When you are asked to name some of the horrible things people have done to others in the past, what do you think of: slavery, apartheid, torture, murder, war, genocide? All horrible things, but if you had asked the culprits why they did these crimes; what would they say? Most likely they would say ‘because they can.’ Slavery and genocide of all things make the perpetrators of the crime feel good, because they are more powerful than the opposing side. The power makes them feel good, and they are doing it to help themselves. Did they care about the lives they took, the others they ruined, the opportunities wasted? No. This was all because they had a higher sense of self than of others and that is what makes it evil, the thought that they are better than all others. This also shows that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

Monarchs have been a long imposing shadow on the image of man. Many have made decisions based on their own personal opinions and not those of the people. In their pursuits, many have been made miserable; wives have been married for the sole purpose of an heir, and young boys have been punished, just so the royal didn’t. In the midst of all this, the monarch was using people for his own ends; and it all succeeded because citizens had been scared to stand up to the royals and do what is right. Instead, the people would rather wish suffering on others then suffering themselves. So the evil of self preservations is not in this case, the monarchs, but instead the subjects.

During the Spanish inquisition, many were captured, tortured, and threatened during questioning. Some gave false information to save their own lives and instead inflicted it upon others. The same torture was inflicted on others and they broke and gave false information. This is another evil of self preservation.

Sometimes, in the midst of our mere mortal existence, we come upon people. Those who are so principled that they would rather suffer themselves than wish it on another, and that is what makes the few great. In the end of all the selfishness, in best hope people will realize that they will be great too if they resist, and use self preservation effectively and channel it into something that is good.


A/N: My english teacher says this is borderline persuasive. If you know me, you'd know that I am a vague person, so I think this portrays my way of persuasion perfectly.