<p>"We are alone with no excuses. Man is free to write the script for his own life. He can blame no one else if his life is a poor performance."</p>
<p>Adapted from Jean Paul Sartre</p>
<p>"The expectations and restraints of society severely limit a person: Schooling, organized religion, and other social institutions imprison a person's mind and spirit"</p>
<p>Adapted from William Blake</p>
<p>Are we free to make our own choices in life, or are our decisions always limited by the rules of society?</p>
<pre><code> The choices that we make in life are independent of the rules of society and are made freely by the individual. Several examples from the real world, as well as literature, stand to prove this standard.
As an international superstar and arguably the best basketball player ever, Michael Jordan indubitably faced limitations from society. Jordan had to be cautious to act in a way not to disrupt the fans. However, Michael Jordan did not allow this pressure to guide him, but, in fact, made decisions himself. so, Michael Jordan, on his own, decided to take a break from basketball and begin playing baseball, a sport which he had played when he was young. To this day, many people still wonder what could have happened had he stayed in the NBA for those two to three years, but it was Jordan's choice and he did not allow society to decide for him.
Another example of an individual going against the rules of society is in Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451. this dystopian novel tells about a society where books are not allowed and burned if found. The protagonist, Guy Montag, himself is in charge of burning books, but after a few experiences he begins to have a morbid curiosity for books. He sneaks some books and, with the help of an old man, learns to read, while at the same time breaking the exact rule which he works for. As demonstrated by Montag, he does not allow the limitations of society to hinder him and makes the decision himself.
Therefore, evidenced by Michael Jordan and Guy Montag, we can and should make choices for ourselves without letting the rules of society stop us.
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<p>Any suggestions and criticism are welcome</p>