Introduction
The four articles in question seek to give insight into the perspective of a how the society thinks and views issues. They are highlighted in the most common aspects in society such as acceptance, status and morality. In addition, the politics, educational and economic issues have their place in how humans think. The essays, in addition, seek to clarify the basis on which the thoughts we encounter daily are premised. At the same time, certain similaritieshave been incorporated in the issues presented. The writers were all acclaimed scholars in the study of the mind, issues in society and the representation of literary views. The paper is representation of the aspects of the aspects of society that influence human thinking.
Summaries
Mark Twain’s “Corn-pone Opinions” is an article that was inspired by a gay black man. At the time, it was forbidden to associate with slaves, and Jerry was one. Therefore, the writer would listen from his window when Jerry talked about how humans are forced to conform to certain ways in the society. Mark however thought that indeed, the society forces individuals to think and act in a certain way, but they do not have to conform to the ways. He argues that people limit their thoughts on independent opinions because their self-approval emanates from what other people will perceive of them. He also noticed that the people in society are naturally oriented to follow authority and the multitude. He points out that people get their opinions from external influences, and gives an example of how they adopt fashionable trends. Furthermore, mark argues that we do not reason before we partake of particular manners. We simply follow what others consider to be proper manners. In addition, he points out that men always know they have independent views on politics (Mark, 2). However, their views are shaped by political parties and what is written about them.
William Golding’s “Thinking as a Hobby” illustrates the confusion he had about what thinking was when he was a young boy. His headmaster showcased his opinion through three statutes in his office. The first was a woman who was naked and had a towel around her. She seemed to be in a dilemma about the towel falling (William, 1). However, he later learned that that was her natural state of beauty. The leopard about to fall represented nature, and the naked masculine man did not showcase misery. The writer highlights his confusion on thinking based on the results it produced. For instance, he did not see how a man could think and remain a perpetual drunkard. He always wondered why the people’s thoughts were the opposite of their actions. For instance, the headmaster would talk to them about leading a sexless life but openly admire a passing girl. He points out that grade three thinkers are those that adapt to a certain mode of thinking as solidarity of the society, but not that they believe in it. The second mode of thinking is a contradictory sense where the people contradict their thoughts. For instance, politicians might preach about peace. However, they will vehemently refuse to join the League of Nations that promotes peace. He noted that grade one thinking, however, is thinking with reason.
Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” bases thinking on the realism of forms. Plato argues that a person can think they base their decision on a certain way of thinking when they thought of something else. He gives the example of when a book is carried behind the prisoners in a cave with light from the fire. They would say they saw the book when they actually thought of the shadow. Plato argues that the names we award to things are a representation of the unreal things in our thoughts (Plato, 1). By using the representations of a cow and bulls, Williams argues that teachers undertake students through the same kind of thinking that they undergo. In his article, “Examsmanship and the Liberal Arts: A Study in Educational Epistemology”, he says students only memorize facts without critically thinking or understanding them for examination purposes.
Point of interest
All these articles seem to think that the human mode of thinking is influenced by someone or something else. The essays talk of thinking, not as an independent entity, but an influenced set of ideas. They argue that the thinking of man is based upon a factor that instigates their minds to think in a certain way. For instance, they cite societal expectations as a fuel for thinking. They argue that most people will have their thoughts and opinions based on what the society around them thinks.In all the essays, there is a force that determines how we think. From the politicians, students, philosophers, prisoners and women, the essays highlight the basis on which overall human thinking is premised. However, the essays too have different points. For instance, Plato bases thinking on the difference between realism and thinking. He establishes a relationship between the two factors. Mark, on the other hand, only appreciates the societal nature of man’s thoughts. William Golding, on the other hand, pursues thinking as a set of untrue perceptions about people since they are not always what they think. In addition, he highlights the misleading impacts on the modes of thinking that are available in society today.
Conclusion
In my opinion, thinking is indeed influenced by what we see around and hear around us. However, that does not substantiate the view that the thinking is not a representation of our opinions. Thinking can be independent even when it is influenced by something else. For example, I can decide that I hate leggings as a fashion tool even when everybody else is saying the same thing. There is a possibility that I hate the fashion because it looks bad in my eyes. There are those independent decisions we make on our own, and there are those that have to be influenced by something else. Those things that have a universal value can influence the same mode of thinking of the members in the society. For example, values that relate to manners and social issues are more likely to attract a universal mode of thinking. Either way, our thoughts are still a representation of who we are.
