Analysis Essay

Outside the Box

Since the dawn of time, mankind has never ceased to adapt to their environment. Depending on one’s beliefs, one could probably attribute that fact to Charles Darwin’s well known theory that all species are related and gradually change over time in order to better survive in their habitats, or to God’s ability to mold his children into individuals that will survive even the toughest of trials. The answer regarding the source human adaptation has no definite answer but what is sure is that mankind’s interactions with one another have always been influenced by the kind of environment that they were a part of.

There are certain things needed in order for someone’s behavior to be conducive to their environment. Most important among them is time, which in this case is a sort of medium through which observations transform into morals, and are eventually ingrained within the brain as neuronic patterns and become second nature. “As we grow up our values become imprinted into the neurons of our minds. They say that children fluently speaking a foreign language up the age of 10 continue to speak it fluently for life. That seems the age at which our neurons become more fixed and difficult to later change. As we mature it becomes very difficult to change the responses we have towards people, things, and events.” (rsocialconscience.com) Slavery in the United States began in 1620 and did not end until 1865, or 245 years later. Time plays a key role in this case because a white child born in 1789 would grow up with the belief that any individual of darker skin color should be seen as their property and as a means of achieving social and financial success. Ironically, it can be said that they wouldn’t know any better and that most of the blame should be placed on the shoulders of those European settlers from Jamestown, Virginia who through their decision in 1619 to bring 20 slaves from Africa to work on their plantations, effectively gave birth to nearly three decades of pure evil.

In many cases, the change involuntarily took place within certain individuals or even large groups of people. For instance, within the context of slavery in the United States, white slave owners continually bought into the idea of enslavement in order to maintain a certain social standing, make profit, and exercise authority. However, a myriad of those subject to the cruelties, think MLK, Douglass, Tubman etc., went against the current and longed to reverse decades long of social, emotional, and physical abuse when no one else had the courage to point out those injustices in fear of the criticism or even death that would come as a result of their defiance. The latter is the better of the courses of action because I certainly believe that we must never become a product of our environments but instead conserve our individualities to the point where we can point out injustice, and be the very change that alters an entire world’s view on an issue that places morality in question.

As human beings, one of the gifts that we have been blessed with, yet often take for granted, is the right to free will. Whether that actions stemming from that will are morally right or wrong largely depends on social times, norms, and expectations. However, there are certain morals that are universal to the point that anyone and everyone should have a basic grasp of them. “This code, a universal moral grammar, provides us with an unconscious suite of principles for judging what is morally right and wrong. It is an impartial, rational and unemotional capacity. It doesn't dictate who we should help or who we are licensed to harm. Rather, it provides an abstract set of rules for how to intuitively understand when helping another is obligatory and when harming another is forbidden. And it does so dispassionately and impartially.” (Houser)

No one is necessarily forced to conform to societal norms. Should they be forced by an authoritarian presence in their life, they still have the innate free will to rebel and do what’s right despite the consequences. “I believe that we are products of our environment to a vast degree, but have the power of choice to counter-balance this fate. Our intelligence gives us the ability to adapt to whatever we are exposed to; and unlike the animals of the earth, we have the power of reason to make moral choices based on thought given to possible future outcome.” (Awkins 2011)

Such was the case with Frederick Douglass and his then new mistress, Ms Auld. In his memoir Narrative of the Life of Frederick, an American Slave he describes her “My new mistress proved to be all she appeared when I first met her at the door, — a woman of the kindest heart and finest feelings. She had never had a slave under her control previously to myself, and prior to her marriage she had been dependent upon her own industry for a living.” (Douglass 329) This is essentially a perfect description of every human being who has walked this Earth. We are all born with a basic grasp of good and evil. When combined with various variables such as parenting, education, environment, wealth and social norms, certain character traits begin to develop and become part of one’s being if fostered over time. Even Ms. Auld could not escape the terrifying grip of her disgusting environment. “But, alas! this kind heart had but a short time to remain such. The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of slavery, soon became red with rage; that voice, made all of sweet accord, changed to one of harsh and horrid discord; and that angelic face gave place to that of a demon.” (Douglass 330) Slavery itself is mind boggling because of the fact that materialism, in the form of human lives, was able to blind such an insane amount of people. To have so much ignorance and hatred that an entire society’s views and attitudes towards another human race becomes driven by evil, authority, and financial gain truly takes decades of fundamental miseducation.

The beautiful aspect of this entire concept of being a product of one’s environment is that we all have the choice to break the mold and initiate change. Many African Americans, without blame, when faced with challenges similar Douglass’, simply accepted their fate. But Douglass wanted change so he, and along with many other great men and women, became the voice for that change. “The general sentiment of mankind is that a man who will not fight for himself, when he has the means of doing so, is not worth being fought for by others, and this sentiment is just. For a man who does not value freedom for himself will never value it for others, or put himself to any inconvenience to gain it for others.” (Douglass 1857) Such has been the case for many of the men and women in history that we now consider warriors for change. From Benazir Bhutto to Nelson Mandela, many were born into societies blinded by continued injustices and who’s expectation of those individuals was blind adherence. Instead of folding and letting the negative aspects of their environments shape their values, they identified what was wrong and made it their goal to initiate or pursue revolutionary changes.

Benazir Bhutto, the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan and the first woman to govern a Muslim majority nation, was literally the very opposite of her society’s expectations of a woman and her role in leading an Muslim State. She had many beliefs that were contrary to that of the government that had been in control of her country for many years. In her book “Reconciliation” Bhutto specifically writes with what seems to be the purpose of creating a clear distinction between Islam, and those who practice the religion with extremism. She seems to want to point out that the Islamic religion has been wrongly manipulated through the political agendas of militants and extremists. She provides a clear definition of the religion as one of freedom, acceptance of others, and equal rights for all; while constantly declaring democracy as the form of government she would like her country operating under. "Tribal traditions and the values of subjugation spawned by authoritarian systems have robbed women of their Islamic rights to gender equality. And from the birth of Islam to this very day, the millions who circle the Kabah are men and women together, together as equals under Allah. There is no separation; there is no hierarchy. There is EQUALITY." (Bhutto 44)

Many of her ideas ran contrary to the beliefs of many of the men that governed her country but this did not stop her from making her voice heard in the face of potential and eventual fatal retaliation. All in all, Bhutto’s very life provided ample evidence as to why she believed that Islam is compatible with democracy and that her religion has been misportrayed by some who believe that death is the only alternative to conversion. If Bhutto had simply became a product of her environment, her assessment of democracy would have been entirely different and she would have been indifferent to the fact that an entire group of people had been rendered voiceless because of the political and social practices of her country.

When applied to modern times, the principle of individuality is pretty much the same. The world would be a much better place if certain people did not believe in certain ideas that they pick up through years of exposure and consequential acceptance. Of course, ending this issue is easier said than done due to the sheer vastness of ideas and philosophies found throughout the world. Changes would have to be made systematically at nearly every single level of our lives for our evil habits to go away. Furthermore, these changes in ideology would have to take place in earlier generations in order for these biases or prejudices to lose their presence within mankind at the time of their inception. Fortunately, all it takes is one generation to initiate the change and with patience, perseverance and constant teamwork, this change can absolutely happen. Instead of being indifferent on issues concerning the welfare of one’s nation, he or she should take certain issues to heart and attempt to bring forth necessary and beneficial adjustments or complete eradication of injustice as we know it.