<p>Essay 1</p>
<p>Prompt: We cannot expect that all nations will adopt like systems, for conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth. --JFK</p>
<p>Assignment:Should people conform to social values?</p>
<p>The notion that people should conform to the society is absolutely false. Although some advocates may argue that the societal criteria are always appropriate, the ideology is too romantic. The prominent examples of Suzanne Collin's "The Hunger Games", Galileo, and WWII will show why the society shouldn't always follow the majoritarian values.</p>
<p>Set in a futuristic background, "The Hunger Games" illustrates how pernicious it is to conform to the society's value. The protagonist Katniss Everdeen refused to surrender to the corrupted government, which holds an annual Hunger Games to suppress the citizens. Although what Katniss does is considered hazardous, her refusal to conform to societal values gradually brings hope to the innocent citizens, who are tortured by the cruel government. The example of Katniss clearly illustrated why not to follow societal values.</p>
<p>Another example that parallels "The Hunger Games" and displays people should not conform to the society, is Galileo. The mid-14th century astronomer discovered a novel idea that contradicted the Bible, and was unfortunately punished for the rest of his life. Nevertheless, people soon found out that Galileo was actually correct. Gaglileo rejected the majority's idea and presented what he believed in, and he was indeed correct. Again, Galileo's story demonstrates the vice of conforming to societal values.</p>
<p>A situaltion that also express the virtue of not conforming to the society is Germany in WWII. Adolf Hitler was elected as Germany's fury when he aroused German's ethnic enthusiasm and began to slaughter other races. Germany was filled with joy of victory while bringing prodigious pain and fear to others. Germans at WWII were following absolutely wrong, cruel and unhumane value, but they did not notice their deleterious actions were wrong because they blindly followed the crowd. Germany at the period of WWII similarly illustrate why people should not conform to the society.</p>
<p>In summation, following societal values is a fallacy that will often end in failure because the majority may often be wrong. Only be believing in oneself and making individual decisions will the civilization be able to pursue peace and happiness. </p>
<p>Essay 2</p>
<p>Prompt: The liberally educated person is one who is able to resist the easy and preferred answers, not because he is obstinate but because he knows others worthy of consideration.
Allan Bloom</p>
<p>Assignment: What is one "easy and preferred" answer that we should resist? That is, what dangerous misconception do people commonly hold?</p>
<p>The presupposition that the majority is always right is a general misconception people often hold and it's indeed deleterious to the society. Although some advocates of the majority argue that the majority often holds morally and scientifically correct values, these romantic critics are too dogmatic in their provincial ideology. Everyone contains flaws and so does the majority. The prominent archetypes that exemplify how the majority can be wrong are Galileo, WWII and Human Flesh Search.</p>
<p>Set in the middle part of the 14th century, Galileo's prison illustrates how scientifically incorrect the majority can be. The famous astronomer Galileo discovered a novel hypothesis that contradicted the church and most citizens' concepts. Afraid of Galileo's theory, the church treated Galileo as heretic and restricted his freedom. Nonetheless, Galileo's observation has been proved to be a categorical truth in the following century. Galileo was in fact correct but was punished because of his belief since the majority had always held the wrong idea. This clearly shows that the majority can be wrong while the minority expressed its idea, which is indeed correct.</p>
<p>A situation that parallels Galileo's life and shows the majority can be wrong is Germany in WWII. Germans elected Adolf Hitler as their fury as he aroused Germans' ethnic enthusiasm and began to slaughter other races. Exuberant about their victory, Germans actually brought great pain and fear to others. However, everyone sank deeply in the sanguine environment and did not notice their massacre was a prodigious guilt. Even after the war ended, when Germany lost its battles, Germans weren't aware of why eradicating other races was wrong. The majority in Germany remained wrong, even inhumane in WWII because of Hitler. The history clearly illustrate how a man can generate a whole cruel majority and also shows how deadly the majority can be.</p>
<p>Another archetype of the incorrect majority is established in China's Human Flesh Search. With the convenience of Internet, Chinese netizens become judges and harass whoever they thought was guilty, including impolite students and unresponsible managers. Nonetheless, many victims of Human Flesh Search were drove insane by continuous attack and even threats through phones ot other social media. They didn't deserve such punishment, but should be legally judged by officials rather than netizens if they had violate legitimate rules. Netizens act as representations of justice, but are actually exacerbating the issues and cause extra harms to innocent one, such as the victims' family. Therefore, Human Flesh Search similarly shows how pernicious the majority can be.</p>
<p>In summation, the notion that the majority is always right is a fallacy that will often end in failure. It is only by following the correct premises that the society can achieve peace and happiness. </p>
<p>Hey I know these two topics somewhat looks alike. Just hope you guys could grade this for me because I don't trust my own grading. Thanks for spending your time on my essays! :)</p>