The Quest to Moral Perfection - 1689 Words

Morality: it is a term that is questioned at every corner of every day. The moral idea ranges from something small such as helping an old women cross the street, to the extreme such as the recent actions taken by politicians to limit public union rights in Wisconsin. Dictating the difference between right and wrong has been an issue that dates to the times before Christ, where the idea of moral perfection was used to determine one’s right of passage into heaven. It was not until Benjamin Franklin, who published a guide within of his autobiography, describing thirteen steps to achieving moral perfection. Franklin used these morality milestones to thrive in living a successful life and eventually become one of the founding fathers of the†¦show more content†¦I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall—but I do expect it will cease to be divide d. It will become all one thing or all the other. This quote suggests that Lincoln stood by his principles, which is the perfect of Resolution. He would go out and build on his principles and rebuild a torn nation from the ground to the world’s great nation again. Franklin shared these same principles when it came to his person and private life. For instance he strived to be the better philosopher from his young ages, he also did not just invent one thing but to keep striving to be better and making humanity better in its own way. It almost seems that resolution was the background to making the thirteen virtues. The next two virtues apply to not only his job but also anyone who takes on the active role of following these guidelines; they are frugality and industry. It is a common practice to cut cost in any business, to buy cheap but effective equipment to lower the cost to the consumer. Franklin most likely used this to his ability when going in and out of printing presses and making his own. Having the top of the line equipment may seem great but at times is not necessary. Frugality also promotes more success when the cost to run a business is declining more money is being put towardsShow MoreRelatedWhiplash, A 2014 American Drama Film786 Words   |  4 Pagesstudent-teacher relationship in the quest better their craft. Directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Miles Teller (Andrew) and J.K. Simmons (Fletcher), the film portrays how far a teacher would go to push his students to greatness. Simmons seizes the role of the instructor of the jazz band with enthusiasm and brutality alike. J .K. Simmons offers an unforgettable and award winning performance as he teaches his students in the style of jazz. For Fletcher, perfection and toughness are indivisible, andRead MoreSymbolism In The Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne792 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The birthmark†, a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1844 tells the story of a man obsessed with human perfection. He is a scientist by the name of Aylmer who has recently married a very beautiful woman named Georgina. Although Georgina is a beautiful woman, she has a birthmark in the shape of a tiny hand on her cheek. He sees the birthmark as a flaw and as an opportunity to perfect the already beautiful woman he loves. Aylmer, a perfectionist and ambitious scientist becomes obsessedRead MoreThe United States Of America945 Words   |  4 PagesIndeed, Franklin’s idea of the public library in Philadelphia occurred after several meetings at the â€Å"JUNTO club mutual improvement† each Friday evenings that he created in 1727. 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This shield was more than just a shield; it had a much greater meaning like many otherRead MoreArt Must Give Its Audience a New Perspective1412 Words   |  6 Pages Some may believe that art as art serves beauty, not morality. They believe that the purpose of art is only to express beauty and it may do as it chooses in search for this perfection. As defined by dictionary.com, art is â€Å"the quality, production, expressi on, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.† Others believe in â€Å"art for art’s sake.† However, Tolstoy opposes this when he contends, â€Å"there is no such thing as art forRead MoreSir Gawain and the Green Knight: Symbolism and Moral Seriousness1047 Words   |  5 Pagesnumerous dualities—which lead the reader through questions of moral seriousness—that exist in the poem. The opening historical recounting, according to Richard Hamilton Green, reminds the reader that â€Å"the greatness of the past is marred by reminders of failure† (179). The paradox of triumph and greatness arising out of failure foreshadows Sir Gawain following the same pattern of fate as his predecessors. While the completion of Gawain’s quest reaffirms the historical paradox of greatness, his journeyRead MoreHuman Selfless or Selfish in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald13 02 Words   |  6 PagesGoodman Brown† and The Scarlett Letter, as well as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s renowned novel, The Great Gatsby, all reference the idea that people impulsively pursue perfection, as determined by their community’s values. While different communities establish different standards for perfection, society as whole romanticizes the idea of perfection and subsequently people strive to create the illusion of a perfect life. How an individual represents the values idealized by a given community determines his/herRead MoreQuest For The Holy Grail1319 Words   |  6 PagesLancelot, Galahad and their Quest for the Holy Grail In the Arthurian Legend, Sir Lancelot is viewed as the powerful and skilled â€Å"White Knight†, however, he is also considered as the â€Å"Sinful Adulterer† for his disobeyment to the knights’ code of chivalry. Despite his innocence, these corrupt sins led to his unsuccessful quest for the Holy Grail. Instead, Galahad, the illegitimate son of Sir Lancelot, is destined to achieve the Holy Grail, his devotional purity making him a greater warrior thanRead MoreEssay about The Birthmark1138 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican history (Encarta). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"The Birthmark,† like many of Hawthorne’s stories deals with the relationship between men and women. It is a love story where the quest for perfection leads to a tragic end. The protagonist, a scientist named Aylmer, attempts to attain perfection for his new wife Georgiana, by removing a birthmark resembling a small hand from her left cheek. Written in 1843, it was Hawthorne’s first work of fiction right after he married his wife, Sophia Read MoreImpact Of Indian Folk Drama985 Words   |  4 Pagesthe classical playwright Bhasa. Bhasa, considered as the earliest playwright, renders the episodes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana in a manner quite different from the later playwrights. In his plays, even the mythological episodes have a wider moral and human perspective. This method of linking individual happiness and tragedy, success and failure with wider social values is in keeping with the basic Indian dramatic approach. It was this element of the traditional Indian theatre which was revived