On Liberty is a book written by John S. Mill. The main idea of this
book is to elaborate and approve the value of human freedom and rights. There
is a chapter which called "Of the Limits to the Authority of Society over
the Individual". In this chapter, the author talked about the relationship
between individual and society. Actually, there is a connection between
the former chapter and the chapter I will focus on. The former one argued the
importance of individuality. However, the author foresaw that it would cause friction and even conflict with the public side. Therefore, he
elaborated the ways which individuals and society should get along with each
other.
First, he admitted that
some parts of individual in life belong to society, and others belong to him or
herself in this chapter. A person absolutely has individual rights and
interests. As they don’t hurt the interests of other people, an individual’s
rights and interests can have an inviolable space to work. Many people want to
get maximal benefit. However, this sometimes may bring harm to other people.
For example, a person wants to play karaoke at night. Unfortunately, this act
breaks the silence of others. His or her neighbors won’t appreciate it and that
is not correct. Before exercising right, a person has to make sure that people
around him or she won’t suffer any inconvenience or harm.
Even though the individual rights and interests are important for
a person, it doesn't mean that people can be an egocentric who only cares about
him or herself. The selfless contribution from individual is needed by society.
Every public matter or development needs many individuals’ participation. In
this way, the society can gain maximal interests. Besides, an individual who
lives in society has the obligation to return the favor to it in any ways.
Actually, everyone in society gets much benefit from it. A person may be
protected by society or enjoy the use of the contribution from other people,
such as public facilities. A person doesn’t have to pay and also can make use
of them. Therefore, returning to the society is an individual’s obligation.
In the modern world, there are many things that are
different from those in the era which John S. Mill lived in. In the past,
public interest is always superior to individual interest. However, as the
raise of concept of human right, more and more people fight against the
priority of public interest. This brings many conflicts. Therefore, solving the
conflict between individual and society becomes a crucial issue in modern
world. As I have said in the past paragraphs, like the victims in urban
renewal, they wanted to maintain their living right, and this finally brings
tragedy. Urban renewal is designed for the habitants’ good at beginning.
However, it becomes the nightmare of Wang family. In short, as keeping pursuing
interest, people must face this kind of problems because of the limitation of
resource. Thus, sacrifice is existent certainly and necessarily. Without doubt,
individuals’ interest can be considered a part of public interest. Therefore,
how to gain public interest with the least loss of individuals’ interest is an
important issue for people and leading class.
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