<p>Please grade this.</p>
<p>Assignment: Are people's actions motivated by a desire for power?</p>
<p>Essay:</p>
<p>People's actions are primarily motivated by a desire for power. Power determine's who is the 'fittest' and is a vital factor in deciding who survives and thrives, and who perishes.</p>
<p>This disturbing and disquietening fact is corroborated by science too. Charles Darwin's seminal work of 'The theory of evolution', which is regarded as the cornerstone of mordern biology, supports this fact. According to Darwin's theory, all livings things want to ensure their survival and the survival of their genotype. But only those which are 'fittest', and most capable of adapting and exerting power over their enviornment survive and have maximum chance of reproducing and passing on their 'powerful' genetic traits. He arrived at such a theory, observing natural history as well as vairous animal behaviors and societies. For example, among the lions, he found that the lions which were able display maximum physical prowess by defeating other lions were able to get more partners for reproduction. Thus it ensured that the genes of the 'sedentary' lions were not passed on, and the lions continued producing dominant offspring capable of hunting and exerting power over its environment. Such a behavior can also be observed among mordern humans, if one looks past the facade of so called 'civilized' society. The various wars under the guise of moral rectitude are examples of these. These are often just methods for gaining more resources, which often act as a currency for power in today's society. Thus, in today's society people still reach for power, and their actions are motivated by this desire.</p>
<p>This is best showcased in one of the most brilliant lieterary work of the 20th century, 'The lord of the flies'. In that novel, a group of school boys are stranded in an island. Initially, they try to elect a leader and follow 'civilized' society. But as time goes on and resources become scarcer, they start becoming more and more savage and cruel. Eventually the weakest boys are killed by the stronger ones for one reason or another, as the boys no longer feel the need to maintain a 'facad' in the island.Thus the stronger boys get power over the limited resources. Here also we see the extents to which man goes for his desire for power.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, it is the nature of any being to ensure its survival. Power helps in survival. Man is no different, and thus he tailors his action to get more power.</p>