A mistakenly cynical view of human behavior holds that people are primarily driven by selfish motives: the desire for wealth, fo power, or for fame. Yet history gives us many examples of individuals who have sacrificed their own welfare for a cause or a principle that they regarded as more important than their own lives.Conscience-that powerful inner voice that tells us what is right and what is wrong-can be a more compelling force than money, power, or fame.
Assignment: Is conscience a more powerful motivator than money, fame, or power?
As society toils onward into its dreams of the future, the progress that accompanies this movement may be tainted by individual motives of avarice . However, as seen in various fields such as art, history, and science, the human conscience will limit the motivation of greed and inspire good works for the sake of morality. Ones sense of right and wrong forever impels one to be a decent, thoughtful person.
Such people widely populate the idealistic field of literature. Though novels may be rife with villainous, self-serving characters, only the heroic and moral personas emerge triumphant. For example, the well-known literary character Huckleberry Finn, from Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, rescinds his claim to a sizable fortune if possessing such wealth would diminish his safety. Furthermore, Huck will risk himself to ensure the security of his close comrade Jim. His loyalty, a facet of ones conscience, compels him to sacrifice his safety to ensure the well-being of others, which is more than money has accomplished in motivating Huck. Thus, a person, however fictional, considers the rewards of acting on conscience to be more fruitful than to be possessed by greed.
Although such characters are fictional, the same motives of charity and morality have inspired numerous people in history to set aside their desires. Lyndon B. Johnson, Former President of the United States, pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through Congress motivated by conscience and a desire to correct the immorality of racism in society. Though some Senators stridently opposed such a bill, the power of motivation by conscience impassioned Johnson to strive even harder to remain loyal to the American precepts of equality. Such is fruition of conscientious actions.
Though the great figures of history seem out of reach in their stature, as an individual I am faced with moral dilemmas rather often. For example, I have been offered more weighty positions on the newspaper, but as a rule, I have always refused when there was someone better qualified than I. Consequently, their talents result in a more improved issue, thereby increasing the benefit for all.
Therein lays the reason why we are compelled by conscience. Money, fame and power are fleeting and insubstantial, for they can never mend the integrity sacrificed to obtain them. It is only when we act in the name of what is right that all of our possible talents may benefit ourselves, our peers, and our ideals.
To change is to risk something, making us feel insecure. Not to change is a bigger risk, though we seldom feel that way. There is no choice but to change. People, how-ever, cannot be motivated to change from the outside. All of our motivation comes from within.
英文名著精选阅读:《小妇人》第四章:负担 第3节
英文名著精选阅读:《傲慢与偏见》第13章 第4节
英文名著精选阅读:《傲慢与偏见》第三十八章
英文名著精选阅读:《傲慢与偏见》第八章 第3节
【我爱卡路里】万圣节特供:南瓜派!
英文名著精选阅读:《理智与情感》第六章 第2节
双语:“大脚”问题日益困扰英国女性
万圣节英语小故事
英文欣赏:青春物语 Man's Youth
英文名著精选阅读:《理智与情感》第五章 第2节
英文名著精选阅读:《理智与情感》第二章 第2节
英文名著精选阅读:《傲慢与偏见》第七章 第3节
感恩节英语对话及语法点讲解(2)
英文名著精选阅读:《红字》第十五章(下)
英文名著精选阅读:《理智与情感》第五章 第4节
语言学:英语知多少之英语时态(3)
语言学:英语知多少之语法概述
英文名著精选阅读:《傲慢与偏见》第三十六章
英文名著精选阅读:《小妇人》第五章:和睦邻居 第3节
英文名著精选阅读:《红字》第十三章(上)
双语:感恩节的由来(最全版)
英文名著精选阅读:《红字》第六章(上)
英文介绍万圣节的由来
英文名著精选阅读:《小妇人》第一章:朝圣 第5节
英文名著精选阅读:《红字》第十一章(上)
英文名著精选阅读:《红字》第五章(上)
英文名著精选阅读:《理智与情感》第一章 第2节
英文名著精选阅读:《红字》第九章(上)
美文背诵:月光光,心慌慌?
英文名著精选阅读:《小妇人》第二章:圣诞快乐 第1节
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |