The Theory of Utilitarianism

The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant. - John Stuart Mill


The only way in which a person should be forced to do something against their will is if an action will keep others away from harm. The benefit of only the individual is not a valid reason for causing harm to others.


This is a well-known quote from Mill's essay, "On Liberty." Mill created the theory of Utilitarianism which states that a moral action is that which maximizes pleasure and minimizes pain for the greatest number of people. This quote reflects a significant concept in Mill's theory, which states that the happiness of one person (Egoism) should not be put before the happiness of a greater number of people.


For more information, pay attention in TOK class.

If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

In Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ode to the West Wind," nature is employed to reinforce ideas from the Romantic movement. In this poem, Shelley explains concepts such as beauty and aesthetics, which are linked to Romanticism through the natural world. In the fifth part of the poem, Shelley uses the wind as metaphor for his own art as he expresses the "dead thoughts" like "withered leaves" over the universe "to quicken a new birth," spring. In this context, spring represents freedom and imagination, which Shelley intends convey to the human mind. By creating a vision of himself in his poetry, while using nature to portray imagination and liberation, Shelley is able to affirm his standpoint as a Romantic poet.

Click here to read the poem.

You are the Monk

The Monk by the Sea (1809) - Caspar David Friedrich

"The Monk by the Sea" by Caspar David Friedrich is recognized as one of the boldest pictures in the history of German Romanticism. The composition of this painting breaks a rule of traditional painting as there is no perspective depth, as opposed to conventional methods. In the painting, Friedrich illustrates a tiny man facing a natural landscape broken into three realms of contrasting colours. All of the lines in the painting lead out of the canvas highlighting the endlessness of the universe. The cloudy sky occupies majority of the canvas which emphasizes the tiny size of man compared to the vastness of the sky. In realization of his smallness, the man who represents human nature as a whole, reflects upon the power of nature. Friedrich effectively captures the immeasurable power of nature and juxtaposes it with the infinitesimal power of man. This dream-like atmosphere reinforces the Romantics attitude towards nature and the viewer is forced to imagine themselves as "the monk by the sea."

"If he sees nothing within, then he should stop painting what is in front of him."

- Caspar David Friedrich

Beethoven - A Classical or a Romantic?

The title of Beethoven's 6th symphony, "Pastoral" refers to a sense of nature and the countryside. There has been much debate on whether Beethoven was a Classical or Romantic musician. However, this piece creates a bridge between the music within the classical and romantic era. It can be argued that this is a classical piece as it includes fugue, canon, and theme and variation; which are distinctive elements of Classical writing. However, this symphony is based largely around the natural world which is made evident through Beethoven's five movements. He opens this piece with warmth and calmness, as he sets the scene of arrival on the countryside. In his fourth movement, "Thunderstorm," Beethoven shifts to a darker tone, foreshadowing trouble ahead. After the storm, Beethoven concludes gracefully with "feelings of joy and gratitude after the storm." The various emotions emphasized through the natural surroundings reflect the influence of the Romantic era on Beethoven's music.

The following website is a great resource to help to deepen your understanding of some of Beethoven's musical concepts and the transition of music in the Romantic era. Check it out!

http://www.favorite-classical-composers.com/pastoral-symphony.html

Awareness doesn't hurt, does it?

Whether it was for his powerful half-hour documentary plastering viral media, or his recent admittance in to a mental institute, Jason Russell hasn't failed to top news headlines. However, in this post, I would like to focus more on this 'KONY 2012' campaign. After having watched this video, millions of people decided to cover social-networking sites in the grip of a social revolution. From the intimate talks in English class to the countless pages of statuses and pictures on my Facebook newsfeed, it was called for to make a blog post about this trending issue. 

Having heard the speculation around where the funds go, even I'm hesitant to put any money towards the initiative, although I agree on supporting the heart of this cause. As mentioned in the video, Kony has been doing this for over twenty years, and only now is it coming to the surface. I don't believe the strategy they're suggesting perfect, but in terms of giving the cause a voice, I believe it's helping.

Also, I agree that 'awareness' is not a definite precursor of social change, but it sure is a step in the right direction. I'll admit that I had no idea that this was happening until I watched that video. I feel it's made me less ignorant and just that much more knowledgeable. Social change, no matter what reforms are needed within a culture itself, can not occur without awareness.

However, it bothers me how uninformed people are, whether they support KONY 2012 or not. The real issue is whether or not you think it's wise to support a charitable organization that appropriates funds in this way. We don't know whether or not the funds are going towards the right cause, as with many other organizations. I think people need to realize that mostly all non-profits are created with good intentions, but they're definitely not all equal. However, in terms of supporting the heart of the cause, I believe that this is obviously an issue that needs addressing. If this could be considered a bandwagon, I see it as one worth joining in on. 

Finding A Voice

Long weekends are excellent for procrastinators. Instead of cramming for the three tests I have next week, I am feverishly trying to finish Zadie Smith's White Teeth, for it has captured my attention consecutively for the past few nights. Due to a recommendation by my English teacher, I read Speaking in Tongues, a brilliant essay in Zadie Smith's collection, Changing My Mind.

What does it mean that we speak in different ways to different people? Is it a sign of "duplicity" or the mark of a complex sensibility? These are some of the thought-provoking questions that arise while reading Smith's essay, Speaking in Tongues. Throughout her essay, Smith focuses on the way in which people find themselves in between their different "voices." She relates this concept to great pieces of literature as she draws references to Pygmalion, President Obama's Dreams of My Father, Shakespeare, and as a great writer, also to her own life. In this lecture, Smith reflects upon her move from London to Cambridge, which resulted in the adaptation of her sophisticated English accent, in exchange for her childhood "voice." I won't write too much about it as I don't want to ruin it for you, however it is a must read. I have attached links below.

It is a part of human nature to want to "fit in" or search for acceptance. To do this, people will often strive to modify themselves, whether it be adapting a new accent, learning a new language, or even changing their physical appearance. Although I was born in Canada and have lived here my whole life, even I experienced some "doubling" of my voice. When my parents moved from India to Canada, they were able to speak English... with an Indian touch. This was the English that I learnt. As I was brought up in a white-dominated community, I was often confronted by my peers who spoke a completely different English than mine. Being rejected by your peers can definitely cause a bit of "double-voicedness." However, with time and the help of my white friends (and a few ESL classes), I was able to speak perfect Canadian English.

As mentioned in my last post, authors are often influenced to create pieces of writing based on events in their own life. In many of Zadie Smith's works, she includes the idea of "speaking in tongues."

Here are the links to her essay. I have also posted an audio version for those of you who would prefer hearing it in a lecture style. Please comment and tell me what you think.

Text: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2009/feb/26/speaking-in-tongues-2/?pagination=false
Audio: http://www.nypl.org/audiovideo/speaking-tongues-zadie-smith

Is Ryuji a Samurai?

November 25, 1970 was the day Yukio Mishima fulfilled his destiny of a Samurai by comitting the honourable death of seppuku. By then, a famous novelist in the East, Mishima became increasingly consumed by a desire to revive the traditional lifestyle of Bushido, or the code of the Samurai. Following World War II, Mishima believed that Japan had lost its cultural roots as a result of Western influence. Sailor is a vivid representation of Mishima's personal sentiments in regards to the Westernization of post-war Japan.

While reading an interesting journal article on the code of Bushido, I was inclined to think that Ryuji's character is an embodiment of a tradtional Japanese Samurai; thus affirming Mishima's Eastern ideals. Ryuji's stature as a sailor forces him to fit well in to many of the characteristics outlined in the code of Bushido. The fierce and masculine characteristics of a sailor are parallel to the ones inscribed in the "Seven Virtues of Bushido." However, in order to effectively portray his thoughts on the influence of Westernization, Mishima presents Ryuji as a weaker character succumbed to human emotions. Mishima believes the inclination to die for a woman as dishonourable and an act of disloyalty to the Samurai Code. As Fusako is an obvious symbol of Westernization, Ryuji's eventual subservience to her love is an accurate metaphor for the loss of Eastern ideals in post-war Japan. In fact, Ryuji is a microcosm of Japan itself, as he is shifting within the forces of tradtional Eastern values and Western ideals. Just an interesting interpretation...

Oftentimes, we read novels and dismiss them without taking into account the personal events in an author's life that may have influenced them to create a certain piece of writing. This was a fascinating experience for me as I read Mishima's interesting biography and came up with my own interpretations of different events in his life that may have influenced his various characters. As we should always remember, "all stories are about people and their problems."