Analysis Of Lifeboat Ethics By Garrett Hardin

Both Alfred Bester and Andre Norton make impassioned claims about the nature of American Exceptionalism, but these claims are very hard to assess objectively. Clearly the excerpt from Bester’s book comes from the Introduction, just as the excerpt from Norton’s article comes from the Conclusion. In both cases we are presented with general statements and are left to wonder if the evidence presented in the body of each work actually supports the claims being asserted.1

In the article “Lifeboat Ethics: the Case Against Helping the Poor”, the author Garrett Hardin raised the question that whether the rich countries should help people suffer from poverty. He claimed that the supporting strategies for the developing countries, including the World Food Bank could result in more severe recourse inadequate issue and other disasters. In addition, a large number of immigrants flood in the US could ruin the natural environment and social balance. In that case, the author argued that regardless of the current situation, privileged nations should not provide aid to people trapped within difficulties of the underdeveloped nations. Even though, his

He explains that America is an “unrivaled global superpower” ( Rice-Oxley 163) because it distributes its culture on a massive scale compared to other countries. The American idea is spreading to other places through media, food, sports, language, and literature.

Throughout American history, idealists and materialists have changed the theme of exceptionalism. In our readings, we see the idea of american exceptionalism come to life from the writings of John Winthrop, Juan Jose Arevalo, and George W. Bush. Exceptionalism is when one depicts something, especially a nation, as unique and different from others. Winthrop expresses exceptionalism to his Puritan followers as the belief that they are special and above all others, while Arevalo, being a part of Latin America, offers an outsider’s perspective on the greed and corruption that comes with the idea of exceptionalism in the United States. Then Bush gives off the idea that America is exceptional and others were out to get

The author claims United States citizens see themselves as “special”. The author implies that Americans believe their practices and beliefs are superior to other countries. Walt then continues to comment on how Americans feel their power that originates from its intellectual, political and religious value is worthy of

Though America was established with honorable and heroic intentions, unforgivable historical events such as the American Genocide Trail of Tears have effectively portrayed America’s incapability to follow John Winthrop’s A Model of Christian Charity.

Since the late 1980s America has been considered the superpower of the world. Most of all Americans still believe that the United States is economically the epitome of the globe. However, those Americans should be informed that the United States has entered the era of a global economy, where the “rest” of the countries are making extreme gains on America’s once held dominance. For many years all roads led to Washington, now they also run to London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Toronto. In Fareed Zakaria’s essay “The Rise of the Rest”, Zakaria employs a strong collaboration between what he claims as fact and how he appeals to the reader’s sense of logic. Zakaria uses this strategy of logos and facts multiple times to further his argument: The giant

Everyone has a reason for their actions, and when humans act in ways they know to be wrong, in correct or immoral it is them conforming, bringing more or less attention to them or to a cause. In Asch’s Conformity Experiment, a group of 8 people were supposed to give answers to an obvious line length test. However one person, the test subject, was not aware that everyone else in the group was giving the wrong answers on purpose. Asch’s experiment was done on many different test subjects and showed a staggering 50% of the test subjects gave the same wrong answer as the others on more than half the trials. Another example, Milgram’s Obedience Experiment showed that when test subjects were ordered to shock another human being in order to see

The general aim of a country is to constantly extend its influence into global affairs, because with influence and knowledge come power. America and the world has grown to be extremely diverse, so the eternal debate is discovering the best way to control the variety in order to consolidate power. The Capitalistic system attempts to incorporate, assimilate, and implement every variety. This homogenization is the basis for Americas aim which relies on multiple inherent human characteristics: self-interest and rational. This “all embracing system”(Robbins) uses the panopticon to manipulate these dependencies.

There are laws that enforce morality, but that should not be the only thing driving a person to do what is morally right. Hit and runs are seen often, never the less a person should stop and check if the people in the other vehicle are safe because it is the right thing to do and not because a law enforces them to do so. Morals are what give reputations to people and their family. If a person has good morals they must have come from a good family. Therefore, is it a moral responsibility for Americans to give back to others?

Like Winthrop, Russell Conwell, author of Acres of Diamonds, stresses how great America is with emphasis that it somehow ordained from a higher power. However, Winthrop focuses maintaining this status through unselfish means while Conwell uses this as a way to establish individual success. “There never was a place on earth more adapted than the city of Philadelphia to-day, and never in the history of the world did a poor man without capital have such an opportunity . . . Because to make money honestly is to preach the gospel” (Conwell, 179). His argument that Philadelphia is the greatest city on earth ties in with the concept of American exceptionalism. The connection he makes with religion is contrasted to Winthrop since Winthrop argues that America will lose its exceptionality if it does not avoid selfish actions. Conwell argues that God is placing America in such a place that every person has the ability to acquire individual wealth. Though Conwell focuses on the city of Philadelphia, his arguments can be applied to a more general sense in America. His statement that

Pushing the concept of justice, a degree higher to globalization, Rorty says Americans are more loyal to fellow Americans than to the people in Botswana, Africa. When it comes to matters affecting all, a man’s conduct will be in favor of his countrymen. An exception is the businessman who imports cheap labor from third world countries since the American labor is too costly. When faced with the accusation of disloyalty to his country, he feigns justice that necessitates fair treatment to all

The way money is distributed within the United States is unbalanced, with the majority of the wealthy owning the bulk of the country’s wealth. Wealth can be defined as a person’s assets and monetary gains. This unequal distribution has caused numerous economic and geographical problems, such as how resources are divided among countries, how developed or industrialized a country is in relation to wealth distribution and the wide spread of disease and lack of medical attention due to an absence of money. In this paper I will address the negative and positive aspects associated with wealth distribution. I will explain how resource distribution contributes to an area’s economic growth. I will also discuss varying ways to measure wealth

Herzog’s masterpiece, as a critique of American society, begs some important questions. Does America really allow for prosperity or

Reed defines America as a place where the cultures of the world crisscross (Reed 66). In his article he states, “Does North America deserve