William Shakespeare started his famous Hamlet’s monologue with a question “To be or not to be?”, when the young man had to reconcile to his lot or to stand against the evil. In the lecture “What’s the Right Thing to Do? Episode 11: The Claims of Community” Michael Sandel puts up the burning issues of justice, loyalty and responsibility. It is a true dilemma what to choose: family relationships or those of the community.
However, it is claimed that all the laws are combined to form an individual’s character. The laws are not a promotion of virtue (Sandel, 2009). Really when we observe laws, we realize our freedom to act if we do not interfere with the freedom of others.
Unfortunately, it so happens, that sometimes we should choose between family and community ties. Most students evaluate family or individual ties more than community, though in that case more people suffer. To my mind, it is not always the rule; some individuals do take the community’s side. As for me, in the dilemma I would choose family responsibilities, for each person suffers more when lonely, in spite of belonging to a bigger community.
No doubt, a person is what he chooses to be, as making choices creates his life and forms his character (Sandel, 2009). On the whole, in efforts to be just one can be trapped in one’s own mistakes (Sen, 2010). Moreover, cutting the past deforms our present. In this case we understand each individual is his ancestors, the country he lives in and the society he belongs to. These are our ties and responsibilities. Besides, the more of them a person respects, the more marked he or she is.
In a nutshell, it is a true dilemma what to choose: family relationships or those of the community. In general, all the laws are combined to form an individual’s character. Moreover, most students evaluate family or individual ties more than the community’s. By and large, a person is what he or she chooses to be, as making choice makes our life and forms our character.
References
Sen, Amartya (2010). The Idea of Justice. London: Penguin. ISBN 9780141037851. Retrieved 17 June 2016, from https://vk.com/doc182701393_347802649?hash=d184e22c1e339c8371&dl=259649c5cb23e0f8ef
Sandel, M. (2009). Justice: What's The Right Thing To Do? Episode 11: "THE CLAIMS OF COMMUNITY". Harvard University. Retrieved 17 June 2016, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOotE9_OGGs
