The Principle of Social Cohesion by Thomas Paine - Assignment Example

? In his fable about the origins of society, Thomas Paine famously distinguishes between what he calls society (created by our wants) and government (a necessary evil to control vice). Paine believes that in society people feel a motive to interact with others that later, after subsistence needs are met, “relax[es]” and renders government necessary. What principle of social cohesion does Paine hope forms society, and in his own narrative of the origins of society, why is this principle so fragile? Thomas Paine was a political writer, theorist and activist who worked greatly for reform in almost every area like politics, social, education, etc. In his narrative or pamphlet, Common Sense; he talked about the distinction between the origins of society and origins of government. Paine drew the attention of people towards general facts and common senses by telling them that a society is formed because of their wants. He hoped that people understand that they are all dependent on each other for the satisfaction of their wants, as no person alone is sufficient. There is a chain as one depends on another and that another on some other and so on. They don’t need government for their safety but people themselves can do it. All they need is common consent and clear conscience as, they as a society are independent on each other and these needs never cease to exist. This belief on our own selves and on each other is weak, and that is the reason that people are still under the slavery of government who regulates their lives, rather than them taking charge of their own. 2) In Mark Twain’s “?1,000,000 Bank Note,” Henry Adams agrees to assist Lloyd Hastings in his investment venture in London. Henry tells Lloyd he does not want to buy mines; instead he wants to “keep my capital moving, in a commercial center like London” (76). Of course, having no assets, Henry cannot afford any investments. Yet what does it mean in Twain’s short story to keep one’s capital flowing? In fact, Henry amply succeeds in moving his capital, much to Lloyd’s and others’ benefit. How does the story conceive “capital”? The story “$1,000,000 Bank Note” by Mark Twain conceives money or capital as the most powerful object which can derive everyone and everything with its power. It can rotate the world on its axis. Henry Adams was a poor, lonely person who didn’t even have enough means to make his ends meet, but this 1000,000 note changes his life from a nobody to a socially high-class man. Even though he could not use or cash this note, just the word about him having such wealth made him an upper class and wealthy person. The story defines capital as a controlling force which gives a fame and era of authority to Henry just with the illusion of him being a wealthy person. Such was the supremacy of money that even others like Lloyd could benefit from this illusion created. The plot of the story is basically teaching the lesson that money is everything for the capitalist world and just the assumption of having wealth is enough for anyone to achieve success, fame, acceptance and love in this society. 3) Explain what Thorstein Veblen means by the term “pecuniary emulation.” Why does the emulative “habit of thought” engender “chronic satisfaction”? Pecuniary means anything related to wealth, and emulation means to make an effort or to have an ability to surpass others. Together the term “Pecuniary emulation” according to Veblen means to make an effort to surpass others in status as measured by wealth. Veblen’s theory of the leisure class focused on the distinction of society between two classes, one who exploits and does not work and are called the leisure class, and other, a class of people who works in industry and produces goods. The thirst for wealth is never satisfied and gets only multiplied because of the power of wealth as a status symbol. Wealth brings a sense of accumulation, reputation and honor, which makes it impossible that the desire for wealth or desire to excel others in the accumulation of goods gets to satiate ever. Emulative habit of thought multiplies the satisfaction gained from wealth as the quest to be well ahead of others never ends, had it been a struggle for subsistence or survival, then there would have been a point at which it would have ended, but the lust of being top and upper class doesn’t end. 4) “The Way to Wealth” consists largely of pithy sayings about industry and the dangers of debt. The essay repeats its principle numerous times. What does the repetition suggest about the aphorism “’Tis easier to suppress the first Desire, than to satisfy all that follow it” (199; italics original)? In the essay “way to wealth,” Benjamin repeats the idea that people should save money rather than wasting it on extravagance just to show off and maintain their social status even when they can’t afford it and by taking debts. He guides people to save and take care of their money by working hard, rather than sitting lazily and indebting themselves because if they don’t care for their money, they will lose everything and become poor. Along with this idea, Franklin further suggests that to eat your pride is in the best interest of people because pride just leads to envy and nothing else. To yield to every desire and want for the satisfaction of one’s pride or social value is plain stupidity and if one can’t stop the first desire then he can’t control the other desires that follow it. One must determine what is important in life rather than this artificial demonstration of wealth which many do not even have. 5) What business model does Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life espouse? By the term business model I do not mean profitability in a narrow sense. George Bailey, as did his father, envisions business as an interaction between capital, labor, materials, and all the activity required to build the houses his Building and Loan funds. The business model of Building and loan is similar to a financial cooperative like cooperative units or community banks. They provide mortgages on home and businesses to people at low interest rates and carried out usual banking activities like taking deposits and lending money. Their business model fulfilled the social responsibility and depended on gaining and maintaining the trust of the community. George’s father was a generous man who did not take advantage of the people rather helped them by not foreclosing on them even when they ran late on mortgages and by providing them house at affordable prices. Being the community banks, they helped the people and contributed to the society positively. 6) In Willa Cather’s O Pioneers!, Alexandra Bergson’s former neighbor Carl returns to Nebraska and stays at length with Alexandra. Her brothers, Oscar and Lou, worried that she might marry Carl and bequeath him property, visit her farmhouse and insist that her land belongs to them, even though some years earlier the three signed agreements to divide the property holdings. Characterize the difference between the brothers’ and Alexandra’s notion of ownership, and explain why Cather evidently supports Alexandra’s account. Be specific in explaining why the brothers think all family members’ property derives from the father’s original homestead, and ultimately why all property in a family belongs to the men of a family. Explain specifically, as well, why Alexandra believes her property really belongs to her. Do note that Alexandra’s notion of ownership is aligned with her notion of business practice. In O Pioneers, Cather narrates the story of a strong-willed and ambitious woman who is an exception to that times traditional females. She is independent, confident and a powerful woman who inherits her father’s land and succeeds in changing the destiny of her family from poverty to prosperity. However, at that time when men were the dominating force, Alexandra’s biggest competitors were her two brothers who believed and claimed that the property she earned and made by her hard work belonged to the men of the family. The land is owned by them and therefore, should be named after them, as the property brings with it, prestige and status, which are actually the credentials of men, whereas Alexandra believed that land should be owned by a person who cares and loves it. This difference between their perceptions was because of male chauvinism and mentality of perceiving females as being lower than males. As the story is narrated in old time of 1990s, the male’s superiority complex seems typical of that time, but the unique character is of Alexandra, who unlike traditional women, believes that what she earned and worked for belonged to her because she believed that land is to love, and people come and go but this land stays to provide. So, only one who can love and cherish this land should own it. Cather undoubtedly supports Alexandra because she herself belonged to that same regional state and understands the difficulties new settlers of America had to face to make it their home. The efforts and sacrifices they undergo like Alexandra do for her family and to achieve this American dream of independence. 7) John D. Rockefeller spends time explaining his landscape planning. Some of his associates mocked his interest in landscaping as frivolous. Rockefeller surely could have omitted landscaping from his memoir. Why does landscaping in fact belong in his memoir? That is, do you recognize any analogies between his account of his business success and his interest in landscaping? Rockefeller was interested in landscaping and was enthusiastic about it since always. He planned and constructed many roads and buildings. He included landscaping in his memoir because he loved it, and it was his passion, which ran naturally in him. He had a practical and intuitive understanding of the natural land forms as he loved the land. He felt heavenly when he worked on a piece of earth just according to him, and this love and zeal was brought by landscaping. As it was such a large part of him, it needed to b just as big a part of his memoir. Rockefeller was a man of confidence, skills and perfection. He stayed positive about his decisions and liked to plan, analyze, summarize and draft out his plans in every business decision he made just as he was used to doing in landscaping. I think his interest in landscaping developed these traits in him, which later resulted in his success as a businessman. His attention to intricate details and finery in all work, diligence and passion, curiosity everything that he developed with his interest in landscaping contributed directly to his good performance in his career as a businessman. Read More