HON 172: The Human Event
Revolutions are shown throughout history that lead to a change in society. When using the technical term, a revolution is a radical change in the established order, usually the established government and social institutions. Those who lead these revolutions see flaws in the institutionalized system that need to be changed in order to benefit society seeing as the established order prior was ruled ineffective. Many believe that this uprising will lead to enlightenment, which was defined as an intellectual movement emphasizing reason and individualism. One of the motivations for this is lead by their responsibility to society. How are the consequences of our actions affecting the outcome of the world we live in? From a majority of the readings, we learn that their common end goal was defined based on how their contributions will affect society. Either the effects of their creations, ethical actions, or even trying to better society by changing the previous system in place. The use of imagination brings hope of endless possibilities of change in social movements. The hope is to find a way to change society for the better even in the smallest amount.
A present theme that was shown in the readings was individualism vs societal change; showing an effective method to enact change. The idea of changing society as a whole or changing what you can control will lead to an effective revolution. I believe that we as a society are tying to solve the answer of how can we lead a happy and successful society, which we see that it is practically impossible. As much as we would love to live our life as carefree as we would like, there would always be an authority figure on which we rely only. The idea to change society on such a grand scale with the supposed one solution that would solve our problems is impractical and unrealistic. Focusing on individual change that will benefit society is more effective than trying to start off with the societal change. You can only control what you have control over, not others actions or emotions.
The use of Imagination leads to hope, the hope of a better society after the revolution. From reading the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels shared their ideas on how to benefit society. They summarized the state in which we are living by calling their lower class the proletariat and the higher class the bourgeoisie. “The modern bourgeoise society that has sprouted from the ruins of feudal society has not done with class antagonism. It has established new classes, new conditions of oppression, new forms of struggle in place of the old ones” (Marx & Engles, 2012, p. 35). He believed that we should not confine ourselves to these categories and as a society, we all should branch out before it’s too late. When analyzing the text he positioned himself into the idea of creating a singular class of people would inevitably end the problem of long-lasting class struggles and continuous revolutions between the bourgeois and proletariat classes, which ultimately never lead to true reform. In my initial reading of the Communist Manifesto, I had mixed feelings about the topics in which Marx and Engels proposed. They argued that in order to change the society that we have to change it as a whole under the same conditions. They had imagined a world in which everyone was under the same class, gaining the same amount, and with that logic, there would be no class division or struggles. “Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great social classes facing each other: bourgeoisie and proletariats” (Marx & Engles, 2012, pg.35). In theory, this sounds like a way to reduce human conflicts that stem from indifference but seems impractical. Even those individuals who believe they are on in agreeance of the idea of being in the same social class will still hold some jealousy or superiority of themselves to in a different class. We are subjected to look at the indifference between someone, whether it be their class, race, gender, or even age. Over the years it has become part of “societal norms” to pick apart the little details that make us different from one another, others more vocal than the rest.
I believe that Marx’s vision of creating an equal society is unrealistic. One of the examples they use is the effect of money on society. The bourgeoisie has more money and power than the proletariat thus causing conflict in those social classes. He is arguing that capitalism would inevitably self-destruct, to be replaced by socialism and ultimately communism. There is no denying that money makes the world go round, and it is what drives our society. It is both a motivator and a stressor. He imagines social change stemming from the removal of a capitalist society. In his thought, he sees everyone as a tool in a machine working for the operators, the bourgeoisie, where we are driven by money. Marx does not believe that money will buy you any happiness but will lead to our demise. I contradict this idea in thinking that money does buy happiness and leads to the benefit of society. By no means and I as rich as they come but I believe that those who live comfortably, without the stress of finances, will lead happier lives. “Each step in the development of the bourgeois was accompanied by a corresponding political advance of that class” (Marx & Engles, 2012, pg. 37). For instance, individuals who are considered part of the bourgeoisie class are less stressed about money since they would have enough to buy splurge while buying expensive products compared to those of the proletariat class who are worried about bills about to be due. I disagree with Marx’s ideas, mainly because he concludes that solving our class division is from money and believes the solution is simple, get rid of classes. It is not as simple as he puts it. Marx is thinking of a solution that will help the world, rather than thinking smaller and focusing on individual change that would help society. One can not change the mind of the whole world, it simply can not be done. Everyone has a mind of their own and is out of our control. Money is one of the pressing issues in our government today, but it does have its benefits. It is a driving force that led to the development of our society thus far with our competitive nature.
Imagination plays a vital role in the development of enlightenment as it inspires many new ideas that lead to the hope of social movements. Contrasting to the ideas I had about the Communist Manifesto, the reading I agreed with was “What is Enlightenment” by Immanuel Kant. In this, he writes his ideas answering a question he was asked prior. To summarize, he says that enlightenment is moving away from immaturity. I share the same ideas with Kant in that I believe that once one can move past immaturity and change perspective then you will see enlightenment. To define immaturity is the state of not being fully grown commonly in reference to children. Children are fed, clothed, cleaned up after, told what to do and what to say from a young age. “Thus, it is difficult for any individual man to work himself out of the immaturity that has all but become his nature” (Kant, 1784, p.41). If we are constantly being told where to go, what to say, what to wear, what to think, then how are we supposed to form ideas for ourselves. We accept what we are given without a thought for ourselves. In the realm of immaturity, individuals are dependent on those giving them guidance. “If I have a book to serve as my understanding, a pastor to serve as my conscience, a physician to determine my diet for me, and so on, I need not exert myself at all” (Kant 1784, pg. 41). If we accept everything that we are given, then how are we supposed to challenge ourselves later on. Not to question anything, but just to accept the predicament we are in. How are we supposed to develop and grow if we are not able to challenge ourselves? Contradicting the ideas of Marx, where he believe what is best for people is to fit into a certain class, I agree with the ideas of Kant. With all these rules, restrictions in place, we’re are scared to dare branch out and experience anything for ourselves.
How can you change the world if you have yet to fully experience it? Once we reach a level of maturity and understanding of the world around us are we fully equipped to lead a revolution and enact change. It is with this new maturity we use our imagination and understanding of what we have experienced to lead a propose a new order. It is the hope to see our past to find a suitable future for ourselves. We can not dictate other’s life without understanding our own. I believe that once we are able to reach of level of maturity and understanding of ourselves then we will be able to inspire that hope in others. Without the guidance, they will be able to challenge themselves and seek their own enlightenment. That would be an effective societal change, by having hope that others not accepting what is given but searching more a new answer.
WORK CITED
Marx, K., Hobsbawm, E. J., & Engels, F. (2012). Bourgeois and Proletarians. In The Communist
Manifesto: A modern edition (pp. 35–37). essay, Verso.
Kant, I. (1784). An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment?.
Maya Young 