Exam

This segment opens the paper by demonstrating how the universe is compared to a cave in which people are trapped, and that all of their experiences and knowledge are false. It also notes the paper’s conclusion, which is about Americans’ search for pleasure, considering the fact that there is little agreement about what gives happiness and each has different origins.

This segment explains the paper’s conclusion by including evidence that the achievement of pleasure is a pipe dream that can never be fulfilled for Americans because they get all the truth incorrect. Various points support the notion that people are in darkness similar to a cave regarding happiness and the manner in which they want to achieve it.

Counter Argument

There are some arguments that oppose that happiness may not be actually realized. This section entails the opinions regarding the fact that people have a right to be happy and should do whatever it takes to achieve it.

Rebuttal

It is not logic to keep chasing happiness while the truth is each one has his own version of it, thereby making it unclear of what it is that should be done about it.

Conclusion

Indeed, the quest for happiness might be insensible and people should stop letting the endeavors for it distort their reasoning.

Introduction

In Myth of the Cave by Plato, he pictures the world as a cave that is dark, where people are trapped as prisoners and equates all their experiences to shadows on the walls. Based on Plato’s work, everything that people believe they know is not real. In particular, people have been chasing a dream that would eventually bring them happiness, but according to the theory of Plato, the cave signifies individuals that believe that knowledge originates from what they can see and hear in the world or what is termed as empirical evidence, then again they are just trapped in misunderstanding. Happiness is an emotional or mental wellbeing state that is denoted by pleasant or constructive emotions that range from contentment to extreme joy, which in philosophy refers to flourishing or good life. From the article Utopia, happiness has been normally defined as “summon bonum” to which people are provoked naturally by virtue, which is by following the natural impulses as it was intended from them by God. The Americans always have had a thing regarding happiness. Based on the Declaration of Independence, everyone has some rights that are unalienable that include liberty, life and happiness pursuit. From reading the book by Seyler Read, Reason and Write” and applying it on Utopia and Myth Of the Cave, which are the assigned articles, this paper is an argument that there is darkness regarding what brings happiness as people have their individual perceptions concerning what will make them happy, and in that chase for happiness, there has never been a guarantee that the goal will actually be realized although people have gone after it in almost any possible way they choose.

Argument

According to the article Utopia, the section on a day in Utopia, describes a society that has very desirable qualities for its people. More talks of desirable working conditions where everyone watches each other. He describes farming as a job for everyone were both children and their parents are involved. He also talks of a desirable household in which the oldest male provides authority, while wives are inferior to their husbands. The children obey their parents and young people respect the elderly. Similarly, in The One Who Walks Away from Omelas, Le Guin characterizes a utopian city by its happiness and social interactions. In the past, America was perceived as a new world that captured the minds and heart of people who dreamed of a better life. Many people view America as the land of milk and honey, from where they can make their dream come true and be happy.

Indeed, for most people, they are not aware of what the standards for happiness are. For example, one person’s happiness may not qualify to be another individual’s happiness. As asserted by Richard Connell in his article The Most Dangerous Game chasing happiness has become a dangerous game, as the people are not driven by reason in their pursuit. As a result, the happiness that many Americans have been hoping for has been challenged. In the article We Have No ”Right to Happiness, Lewis continues to show that indeed happiness is based on perception, and setting up happiness as an objective to be accomplished does not work since situations are always made better or worse. In Have No “Right to Happiness, Lewis has shown a heartbreaking societal blunder regarding the common thought that people deserve happiness at any cost, particularly in marriage. People have always shuffled along behind the accepted notion of their day, while giving minimal concern to its significances, and never stopping to evaluate their position for truth or accuracy. According to Lewis, many that leave a spouse say that they deserve to be happy, and this has become a proclamation that is universally accepted. However, the truth is such a thought towards happiness brings destructions to people and eventually to the entire civilization as morality is not a matter of an individual as the whole society is composed of individuals.

”I went away thinking about the concept of a ”right to happiness“’ At first this sounds to me as odd as a right to good luck. For I believe whatever one school of moralists may say-that we depend for a very great deal of our happiness or misery on circumstances outside all human control. A right to happiness doesn’t, for me, make much more sense than a right to be six feet tall, or to have a millionaire for your father, or to get good weather whenever you want to have a picnic” (Lewis 5-6).

Americans believe that they have unalienable right to do whatever brings them happiness regardless of its moral standing or consequences to others. However, Have No ”Right to Happiness, explains that indeed, people have a right to chase happiness insofar as it follows moral or natural law as well as legal law. In The Lottery, Shirley Jackson requires people to think concerning the traditions and rituals that individuals unthinkably follow as society members. The author is critiquing the manner in which customs obscures right and wrong, and in the current case, it can be said that the pursuit for happiness disguises people from distinguishing the right from the wrong as long as they realize happiness. People are caught up in the chase for happiness to an extent that they have given up any sense or logic. Despite appearing to be sensible and sane people, when they think of happiness, they abandon their rational nature, forgo personal responsibility and even treat others with great cruelty as evidenced in racial discrimination. In the article The Worker Next Door, Barry goes on to show what the Americans are capable of in their pursuits of happiness. He argues that it would be better for America and its people if the number of foreign workers that are low skilled was reduced so as to bring back more benefits as it is explained in the article America: past, present, Future. The argument supports the notion that the Americans do not care who is hurt as far as they can realize their perceived happiness. With an improved economy, they are able to have the power of the dollar, and get all the material possessions they associate happiness with. In addition, in the article Called by God to Help, is talking about a legislation that is intended to make it a crime to assist illegal immigrants if one offered even basic help like providing food or medical help for the hungry and sick. The politicians seem to have lost logic as they try to provide a country that according to them is free from terrorism, and illegal immigrants that they want to prevent people from helping a needy neighbor. Other than enacting an immigration reform that respect people’s common humanity and that which reflects fairness, opportunity and compassion as core values they want to affect the dignity of other individuals.

Counter argument

While in Have No “Right to Happiness Lewis seem to be against the people chase for happiness at any cost, Clare clearly opposes him by claiming that people have every right to be happy. Each person has a right to engage and do what make his or her happy. The bottom line for every action is happiness and no moral or legal obstacle should be put to jeopardize this quest. It is in the same standing that in Lawful Incest May Be on Its Way, Jacoby portrays that incest may even be made legal as those involved have done nothing wrong, but are just lovers like other people and should be allowed to enjoy their happiness that way.

Rebuttal

A right to be happy is not a sound thought that people should keep holding onto. In fact, in Have No ”Right to Happiness, Lewis says that the right to be happy seems as meaningless as the right to be a millionaire and be ”six fit tall”. In any case, if being six feet tall or a millionaire are the things that can make someone happy, then people would have a right be both of those things, but the right genetic constitution is required to be six feet tall and only few individuals make it to be a millionaire, which make it seem that the right to happiness is either taken away in some instances or it is non-existent in the first place. People should not deconstruct their institutions in an insensible quest. In Gay Marriage, an Oxymoron, Schriffen notes that the premise of gay marriages is unimaginable, ”but one may feel the same affection for one’s homosexual friends and relatives as for any other and be genuinely pleased for the happiness they derive from relationships while opposing gay marriage for principled reasons”.

Indeed, the Americans have a misunderstanding of what happiness as there is no finish line where an individual can say is happy, as perception is the basis on happiness, thereby meaning happiness is varied. For example, many people spend most of their time attempting to be happy by accumulating wealth, while others find social relations to be fulfilling and correlates them with happiness. In Does Fatherhood Make You Happy? Gilbert says that:

”First, when something makes us happy we are willing to pay a lot for it, which is why the worst Belgian chocolate is more expensive than the best Belgian tofu. But that process can work in reverse: When we pay a lot for something, we assume it makes us happy, which is why we swear to the wonders of bottled water and Armani socks” (Gilbert 985).

However, it is evident that as depicted in the Myth of the Cave, Americans are wrong at believing that what they see is the truth as it just is a mere shadow of the truth.

Conclusion

Americans in a quest for happiness, which is a right they believe was accorded to them by the founding fathers of the nation. However, in their chase, they have based their happiness or the source of their happiness on the empirical evidence or what they can see on the surface, which has in turn brought nothing but more struggle. They have been doing all they can regardless of the moral standing to be happy. While happiness is a right for everyone, people should not let the pursuit for happiness blur their logic into deconstructing the society and the entire humankind.