It is time to make a choice. You've two options:
Choice A ...
- Live the rest of your life in complete security. You'll work, but receive no paycheck. Instead, you're guaranteed all of the necessities. Food, shelter, and clothing will be provided for you. In exchange, you'll give up certain freedoms. You'll read only what the powers-that-be allow you to read. You'll watch only approved television programs and films. Your relationships - plutonic, sexual and marital - will be determined by the governing body.
- Live the rest of your life in complete uncertainty. You'll work, but your pay will be based solely on the quality of your work. Nothing will be guaranteed. You will have to scratch out your own food, shelter, and clothing. You'll be free to make decisions for yourself. You may read whatever you choose. You may watch whatever you choose. The quality of your relationships will also be entirely up to you. You are free to do as you choose but never, NEVER are you free from worry.
*** STRING IS CLOSED ***
30 comments:
Choice B, no question, I have anxiety so I wouldn't be free from worry anyways. I think I have the grades and the motivation to have a good paying job, like everyone else in this class. So I'd rather have the power to make my own choices. And I don't want to marry some random person, that sounds miserable. Also, if the government had only to give you food, I think it would start to be low budget after a while, like bread, because a government like that would defiantly become corrupted. Next you get card board boxes to like in, and it would be bleak.
At first, I thought that I would choose choice A, because it looks better at a quick glance. However, after some thought, I choose choice B.
I feel that choice A is trying to be like the society present in THE GIVER by Lois Lowry, and for those of us who remember it from the 8th grade, we know that that society isn’t tolerable for those who know and have experienced true freedom, like ourselves.
In my opinion, choice B is, in a way, a reflection of our current society. We get jobs based on our skills (though there are, at times, various forms of nepotism and favoritism based on other types of connections, in some fields), and we have to provide for ourselves. (Of course, for the sake of argument, this view is overlooking government action to aid the poor.) We read what we choose (outside of school), watch what we want, and can choose our own relationships.
In our society, is there ever a lack of worry?
Be it for our current situations or future prospects, I believe that it is not possible for one NOT to worry. Yes, we may forget about our worries momentarily, but it will always be there, present, just beneath the surface. In a way, I believe that if a person who lives in our society does not have any worries then it is due to ignorance. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t, by any means, think that ignorance is a bad thing in some cases. At times, I wish I had more of it, because, as they say, ignorance is bliss. =)
And so, it is because of the fact that I live in a society that is comparable to that of choice B that I would choose it when forced to make a decision between A and B.
Although I do believe choice A is the smarter choice, I would choose B. I am very different, and like to do things my own way. In a governtment like choice A, you have a specific life to live by. I would like to choose my own food, shelter, and husband. Not have them all given to me. Choice B is also the lifestyle that I have grown up with (not to an extreme).
I believe that some people should be forced to life by choice A. I feel that people who are incapable of making their own decisions or who cant abide by regular rules of life should be forced into this lifestyle. It should be the punishment for those who cant live by choice B.
I agree with both Deanna and Mariana. I would pick B. I have the same idea as Mariana. Our society today is very similar to B. We have jobs that are based on our skills, which then decides our pay. I believe that uncertainty is just a part of life. You cannot go through like without a single worry. At somepoint in your life you worry about something. Although it would be comforting to feel secure, I would rather take my chances and be free. I could not deal with someone telling me what I can read or who I can marry. Those are my decisions to make. How could you truely be happy if someone was telling you to do certain things( like what to read or who to marry)? I believe a little worry and freedom are better than some security and slavery( pretty much).
Abby,
How and who would pick who needs to live under A? Is it fair to give someone that kind of power to control another persons life? What if we use that to our advantage and just send someone no one likes under that government but they didn't do anything wrong? There is almost always some sort of abuse of power
Ange -
Not like poeple we don't like. People who are unable to physically withstand choice b. People who cannot follow rules, and committ awful crimes. Everyone is a product of their environment, I believe, so by putting them into a 'controlled environment' we wont have to worry about them
Choice B. It sounds similar to the life most Americans live today. I would rather have the option to choose as I wish. Personally, I like to make my one decisions and support myslef. Worry is not soemthing that bothers me, I believe you should always be cautious with your decisions and not fear the results that come with that.
Sophie,
I really liked your comment. I agree with you in that we should be cautious about our decisions.
Abby,
I like your idea of sending people like criminals into that type of society. Maybe even make being sent into A their "jail sentence?"
Marianna -
That's exactly what I was thinking. Except for some people that isn't really a prison sentance. I think possible for minor crimes they should be sent theere. Also, if they have finished serving their prison sentence then the shouldn't be given the choice society. They should just be sent to Choice A.
I would definitely choose choice B. Who would ever want to live in a place where you can't make your own decisions? The government and society already control peoples' lives enough as it is. People need freedom and they need to make their own decisions. I think pay should be based on the quality of work done anyway and it doesn't matter how much you do get paid, because you can't put a price on freedom.
Which choice do you think most closely resembles the world in which we live? Do we live in an entitlement society, where people receive guarantees from the government or do we live in a place where people are allowed to stand or fall based entirely on their own merit?
Consider that as young people, we all receive up to 13 years of education - compulsory (meaning attendance is mandatory) and essentially free of charge. We do nothing to earn this education. It is simply given to us. Very often, young people squander this opportunity and face no real penalty for doing so.
How much does the government provide for us over the course of our lifetimes? Pell grants for college tuition, unemployment insurance for those folks who lose their jobs, reitrement income via Social Security, housing for the homeless or those living in poverty, health insurance for the uninsured ...
So ... back to the point ... do we live in a world that is more like choice A or choice B?
I choose chioce C....
No matter what everyone is born with fee will,so i have the chioce to do anything. If I could I would form an uderground society and revolt against all government, because for the most part governments are corupt.
People tend to be scarred so why not stand up for what you want.....
Marissa,
While I agree that people are sometimes scarred, they are more often scared. ;) What do you imagine a world without governments might be like?
Ok this just strikes me as the ideology behind communism versus the reality of democracy. I'd choose choice B. In choice A, those who you term as the "powers-to-be" will most likely be corrupted completely as they have complete power. You may be promised all the necessities, but when you can't think for yourselves and have given away your freedom, there is nothing standing between an ideological communist society and tyranny. Choice B is basically democracy where those who can improve their position in the society through work, or other means, will have an improved quality of life. In choice B the freedoms that one has will always allow for the questioning of those in power and holding those in power responsible. It's quintessentially communism and democracy, respectively. While in choice B you are in constant worry whether it be worrying over your next meal, your home, etc. you will not have to worry about your freedoms and rights.
Mr. D,
To answer your question, I think that our society is the most like B. (I’ve written the similarities I’ve noticed in my first blog response, so I don’t want to just write the same think again here. =] )There are similarities between our world and choice A as well though. For example, like you mentioned, the government does provide aid to those who need it in the form of unemployment insurance, Social security, etc.
Brandon,
I like your blog post, it is very well written. =)
"While in choice B you are in constant worry whether it be worrying over your next meal, your home, etc. you will not have to worry about your freedoms and rights." - Brandon, forget I'm an English teacher for a moment, and take this as advice from a man who has seen something of the world ... you should always worry about your freedoms and your rights, and - I would argue - the responsibility that accompanies those freedoms and rights.
Mr. D
I know that you must still protect your rights. It just seems to me as being a completely more difficult task when a government is based on blind obedience compared to protecting rights in a government that is intended to be by the people, for the people. The responsibility that comes with such rights is also something to be thought of, as the people not only have a right, but also the duty, to overthrow an oppressive government that doesn't protect its citizens' natural rights.
Alyssa, I totally agree. You can’t put a price on freedom, it’s your own and you shouldn’t have to pay for it. I choose choice B because if we’re living in a society where there isn’t any type of freedom to be able to make your own decisions, you can’t think for yourself. If you can’t think for yourself, then it’s almost like you can’t feel anything because you don’t know what you really want or how to feel emotions such as worry or fear.
Abby,
You bring up an interesting point about forcing people to live by Choose A. And we do do that. ;) Prisons. When people do criminal things we force them to live like that; they're told what to do and when to do it. So, if its used as a punishment, then isn't safe to say that Choose A is the wrong one to pick?
Absolutely Choice B. I want the freedom to make my own decisions, to choose the quality of life I want to live. I feel that Choice A isn't worry free, either. I would worry about being brainwashed and about who the government chose for me to marry...etc.
Nina, that is a good point, i would worry about being brainwashed by the government too. Some people already are.
Sorry, I just realized that this post even exists. I would choose Choice B hands down. I like being able to make choices for myself and Choice A doesn't really allow much freedom. I think part of the reason Choice B appeals to me is that I, and we, have grown up in a society and country where our individuality is applauded, where we have chosen the leaders that govern our country, and where we make our own choices, as well as fend for ourselves. This isn't saying that we're all alone, for we have family and friends to guide us, but I just can't imagine having everything that I own be a carbon copy of everything that my neighbor owns. Freedom, to a certain extent, is a wonderful thing.
Deanna,
Your word use alarms me. "So, if its used as a punishment, then isn't safe to say that Choose A is the wrong one to pick?" I don't think there is necessarily a wrong choice. There may be some choices that are better than others, but I hardly think there is a right choice and a wrong choice.
Collin,
I understand your point. However, I think that all humans have a certain desire to have what they want, when they want it, and how they want it, or at least its that was in America. Everyone would choose to have a choice. I'm not saying that its "right"; then we'd get into a Daley type "What is truth?" question about what is right.
Mr.D
A world without governments most definitely would be very scary. The funny thing is it would be scary because of the lack of fear of discipline. Without a consequence who knows what catastrophes would come about? As for the decisions given to us, neither is an ideal society for me. I am aware of the fact that we are not able to have a perfect society, yet I do know that we can have some kind of balance.
Marissa,
I completely agree with you. I feel that a world without a government, without someone to enforce the laws, a world without laws, would quickly spiral out of control and turn into a dystopia.
I would absolutely choose choice B because its what is an ideal life for me. Being to be able to do what you want is what America is all about and i wouldn't want to give up any of my freedoms by moving to a country with different societies. Choice A sounds like a boring life to me and would very Monotonous. Where is the excitement in a well structured life where everything is done for you?
I've gone through all these posts and realized that no one has chosen A. This isn't at all surprising to me because we all live in the same society so we all have mostly the same ideas about life in this context. That's the only thing, its just because the way we live that we would chose B. Someone from a third world country i feel would be more likely to choose A. I think that's because they haven't had the same opportunities that we have and they would do anything to simply stay alive as they do in everyday life. They would have more freedoms than they probably do now so they wouldn't really be giving up freedoms by choosing A like we would. This question has to do about where you come in from the world and how you are brought up and raised.
I would much rather choose option B. I don't want someone else determining my life. If anything, I want to have as much control as possible and if that means that I will have worries, that is fine. A life that is chosen for you isnt really your life, its someone else's forced upon you.
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