<p>Assignment: Do we need other people in order to understand ourselves?</p>
<p>My Essay:
Anne Shepard wrote that, A better understanding of other people contributes to the development of moral virtues. We shall be both kinder and fairer in our treatment of others if we understand them better. Understanding ourselves and understanding others are connected, since as human beings we all have things in common. This excerpt from Aesthetics: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Art, is trying to convey the message that in order for people to more empathetic to the needs and the rights of others, we must take time to understand others ourselves. Not only will understand others achieve fairer treatment for others, but we also start to understand ourselves better. I completely agree that we need other people in order to understand ourselves better. People have achieved this method of understanding themselves better through their interaction with others in both experiments and in school.
In the novel, Nickel and Dime, a journalist goes undercover to see the reality of medium waged jobs. Through her journey she comes across a large number of people who go through harsher mental and physical work than the people she knows in higher and more elite fields. Although they worked just as hard, if not harder, than the people who knew carrying six figure incomes, they were not entitled to the same liberties nor income. The realities of a medium waged life were flabbergasting to this journalist. She no longer felt that impoverished people were just lazy and that they deserved what they received. Through her interactions with them she was able to turn her views and treatment of the lower-class around.
In public school students come across all types of people. In certain classes views on topics such as abortion, religion, and other controversial issues are discussed. Subjects that some students never took a view on or through about are now brought before them. The students view on a matter has the chance to be created or even molded through this interaction. A student can hear others views on matters which may give him or her new insight on a topic. Your views and decisions on topics makes you who you are and knowing why someone else may do something, even if you yourself would not personally do it, helps you to understand and revere others.
When we live in arrogance we are only hurting ourselves. Until we open up to interactions with others or live in someone elses shoes can we not only understand others better but ourselves too. How can we ever make smart decisions when we do not know all the possibilities? The truth is we cannot. As humans we all have feelings and have a voice inside ourselves that tells u to do the right thing. That is why we must understand others in order to not offend others. In order to understand ourselves better we must have interaction with other people. </p>
<p>thanks so much!!!!!!!!</p>