Comparing Karl Marx And Philip Caputo's What Unites These States

In the essay, “The Common Life” by Scott Russell Sanders, Sanders studies the connection between the individual and society. However, this leads to the question, what is the relationship between the individual and society? Individuals and societies may be in opposition but this helps to develop both the individual and society. The decisions that an individual makes reflects on how society views him/her. The overlook of the community can be reverted back to the individual within the society. Society and individuals are a package deal.

At the scene of the bombing, “A local hospital administrator explained modestly, ‘With the enormous outpouring of medical volunteers we received, it would have been nearly impossible not to have done a great job’” (Ray 2). After the terrorist attack of the twin towers, it was the survivors of the Oklahoma City Bombing who gave the 9/11 victims the most effective support. Janet Walker made the statement, “We’re the only ones who can truly say, ‘I know how you feel’ (Tanner 1). Kathleen Treanor, a woman who lost her daughter and both of her in-laws, said “It’s an immediate connection” (Tanner 1).

Anger, grief, and shock filled the hearts of Americans due to the size, immense devastation and huge lose of life of the attack. Mara Miller explains in Remembering September 11, 2001, Citizens of the United States united to show support for one another as people lined up to donate blood, doctors and nurses prepared to treat those injured. Volunteers from all over the country came together to search and restore effects. Donations increased immensely towards relief organizations, especially the Red Cross. Signs and pictures were hung on walls and fences in support of those who were missing love ones, in hope that a miracle would occur, and those loved ones would return to their families safely. (Miller 51, 52).

From who stole the cookie from the cookie jar to who started World War I, disagreements immensely affect the lives of everyone no matter what the topic deals with. Certainly, every war is caused by disagreements throughout countries including World War II and the Civil war that resulted after World War I. Arguments begin because people want their way. This even includes specific tribes and nationalities in the world wanting their rights and own ways of life. Countries need to stand up for their rights and ways of life just like people individually, which usually leads to disagreements because everyone wants something different. Conflict arises between regions for a great amount of reasons. Because of conflict involving unbalanced power is Europe, World War I was created. Tension throughout countries in Europe began to rise in time because of instability between militaries, decreasing amount of

Although there are several instances where our country, as a whole has come together during tough times- the attacks on September 11 is the most predominant of them all. During this day the Twin Tower buildings were destructed by two planes, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 being flown by a terrorist group, Al Quaida. In this time of need civilians immediately rushed to the scene trying to assist those that were trapped in the buildings. Not only did firefighters and police arrive at the scene, but

Conflict theory sees societies comprised of groups with conflicting values and interests. (Vold et al. 1998)

People got together and started supporting the cause thinking people needed help rather than drowning in their own sorrows. Following 9/11 there were several organizations set up to support individuals and families that have endured a loss of a family member. There is one organization called Tuesdays Children which was founded to support families with long-term healing for all of those who needed it after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. Now a-days, the idea is to keep their promise by caring for communities impacted by acts of terror worldwide. This organization has a huge impact on society by supporting those families that have lost much from that dreadful day.

Conflict theorists, however, view society as a competition, and social conflicts are due to limited resources, inequality, and power. Both theories provide different perspectives on how

Conflict is a fact of life - for individuals, organizations, and societies. The costs of conflict are well-documented - high turnover, grievances and lawsuits, absenteeism, divorce, dysfunctional families, prejudice, fear. What many people don't realize is that well-managed conflict can actually be a force for positive change.

Conflict theory is the theory that human behavior in social contexts is the result of conflicts between competing groups, as different social groups, be they class-, gender- or race-defined, have unequal power and access to power, yet all groups compete for limited resources. This inevitably gives rise to tension and conflict, albeit often of the subtle variety, as oftentimes the conflicts between groups have been institutionalized in society to such a degree that the conflicts and tensions are such an expected part of society that the conflict, and inequality, itself disappears from public sight, and consciousness. For example, an adherent of a world systems theory of conflict would point to the global competition for resources, particularly the inequality between rich and poor nations struggling to provide the basic necessities of life to their inhabitants, as evidence of global conflict. Conflict theories seek to explain the interactions of groups within society, and assert that social order is preserved involuntarily through the exercise of power one social class holds over another (Lindsey, 2010, 7). The conflict between groups is not always obvious or apparent, so it must be unraveled and examined in order to identify and establish the impact of such conflict on society as a whole, as well as individual members and social groupings.

Conflict is “the incompatible needs, differing demands, contradictory wishes, opposing beliefs or diverging interests which produce interpersonal antagonism and, at times, hostile encounters” (Bonta 1996: 405). Conflict resolution can be defined as the ability of individuals or groups of people to settle or avoid disputes through strategies that stop violence and bring people together in one peace (Bonta 1996: 406). A society in which interpersonal harmony is of a relatively high degree, with little or no physical violence occurring among both adults and children and strategies that work towards resolving conflicts and against violence (Bonta 1996: 405) is said to be a peaceful society. This paper will be working towards giving the reader

First, one must understand what human flourishing entails, in order to understand what might compromise it. Several different events in the United States provide examples of members of society coming together. Generally, disasters represent the events that bring members of society together, such as the September 11, 2001 disaster involving the Twin Towers in New York City, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the destruction caused by severe tornados in Oklahoma (Grossheim & Brodak, 2015). After each of these disasters, members from all over the United States participated in donating essential items, such as clothing, food, and shelter, to those who were negatively effected

To establish this idea and to state the importance of having good interpersonal relationships, from family relationships to common relationships, Sanders draws on examples of clubs and organizations, such as the boys and girls clubs, in order to integrate the idea of the common life or community. Saunders believes that the cost of the American obsession comes from the belief that we shall “cultivate the self” rather than the community, and that we should look to the individual as a source of “hope and the center of value.” This is an extremely American beliefs because our government, economy, religion and present century all encourage this idea, as stated by Sanders when he states: “we have the bill of rights, which protects each of us each of us from the bullying society, but not build responsibilities which will obligate us to answer the needs of others”.

We live in an imperfect world, a world wherein differences are present, and these differences are the reasons why we won't have a perfect world. Differences are what keep us apart. Differences are why conflicts are created. When two opposing ideas meet, disagreement occurs and thus, conflicts happen. This is present in our everyday lives; it can be found in homes, in workplaces, and the most intense of all, between two leaders. Leaders of one nation will disagree to a certain choice that they must take, and that choice affects the whole country, and its men; such as in the case of the Iliad. When leaders meet and oppose, their choices for the actions they take to keep their stand greatly affects their men, and their country.

The conflict perspective views society less as a cohesive system and more as an arena of conflict and power struggles.