View of Humankind in Today's World

With the election of our new president coming up soon, I find it fitting to pull out some of the parallels of what we have read and compare with what we see today.  Without trying to force my own opinion of what I think, I will let the words of literature talk.  We have democrats, republicans, and all the in between:  what the heck does it matter.  It seems our world could use a little enlightenment of it's own:  like from the man upstairs.  I used these quotes in my last blog and feel they are still appropriate for this one. 

"Enlightenment is man's release from his self-incurred tutelage.  Tutelage is man's inability to make use of his understanding without direction from another.  This tutelage is self-incurred when its cause lies not in lack of reason but in lack of resolution and courage to use it without direction from another" (Kant  105).   God gave us a freewill to make our own decisions:  maybe we should let God give us the courage to use it.

It seems to me that we have allowed the world to choose what we do instead of making decisions that make since for our society.  Are we heading into a world of dictatorship?  Do we get up in the morning needing someone to tell us to breathe?  I like it when Kant sums up the overview of humankind:  "Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why so great a portion of mankind, after nature has long since discharged them from external direction..." (Kant  105).  I think he is saying get off your butt and make your own choices.

In Gulliver's Travels, after spending time in a different society, Gulliver had his own observation of human nature:  "But I must freely confess that the many virtues of those quadrupeds placed in opposite view to human corruptions had so far opened my eyes, and enlarged my understanding, that I began to view the actions and passions of man in a very different light; and to think the honor of my own kind not worth managing"  (Swift  291).  Gulliver goes on to talk about his own faults and how he come to realize those, which in turn he learned "an utter detestation of all falsehood or disguise; and truth appeared so amiable to me"  (Swift  291).  

Now I'm not trying to force my view on anyone, I am simply using my own reasoning to analyze what I see going on today.  Everyone has their own opinions and I respect that very much.  No one should be judged for what they believe:  that's not our job anyway!