Hi everyone, my
name is Tim. Today our topic is “Should public interest builds on individual
sacrifice?” I’m on the positive side, and this is my outline. I will present
some ideas about individual in a society. And some concepts in On
Liberty by scholar John Stuart Mill. And then are the ideas about
public policy and, of course, the conclusion. First, when you watch our topic,
what kind of images shows up in your minds? Do they look like this? Well, I
think, and I hope the answer for our topic is like this. An important thing we
should know is that the so-called the “public”, or the society, is composed of
many individuals. All of us are the parts of the groups, like family, society,
and country. Now, let’s think about it, how should we, the individuals, live
under the big groups? If the groups ask you to contribute your money, like the
taxing, ask you to hand over your land and even give up your house so that
they, like government can build more and bigger houses. Would you willing to
do? Would you willing to do? Before answering this question, I want to
introduce you a man. His name is John Stuart Mill. He was a famous Britain
scholar in 19th century. He wrote a book named On
Liberty. I will focus on the chapter four because it possesses close relation
with my topic. “Of the Limits to the Authority of Society over the Individual”.
The brief meaning of it is what the range that society can interfere
individuals. Mill was a liberalist. Thus, he approved the value of
individuality. He elaborated his ideas about the relationship between
individuals and society in this chapter. As a saying goes, there is no such a
thing as a free lunch. If you want to get something, you have to pay something
from yourselves. For example, public facilities like roads, highways, we take
advantage of them, we think they are convenient. However, those good stuffs are
built by the tax we pay. Then, the society needs much selfless devotion from
individuals. Well, we live in the society; we cannot be too selfish. We should
be concerned other people. Next, we should know that we like something,
meanwhile, other people may don’t like it. For example, a person makes sound,
like singing, playing the instruments; he or she may think it is OK. However,
some people may dislike it and think it’s noisy. If so, the sound maker should
stop or make sure it won’t bother others or it hurts others’ interest. Well,
this looks alike the previous page I have said. Every citizen bears the
responsibility to pay tax, mandatory education. Public policy possesses direct
and great influence on individuals and the public. In general, public policy is
established to further public interest. Every government in the earth highly
cares about the public policy issue. Actually, not just government, every common
people should take care of and supervise it. Because public policy influences
public interest, it also influences individuals’ interest.
My conclusion is, do you still think paying tax is sacrifice? If
a public policy make you cannot do anything you want to do or even hurt your
interest, do you approve it? I know you have the answers in your minds.
Honestly, most of things we see are built from sacrifice in many ways. No
matter how you dislike it, it’s the truth. Besides, furthering public interest
equals furthering individual interest. However, as the raise of individual
right and interest, individuals will not surrender easily. Most important of
all, both sides, individuals and society, should find a balance, a result that
both sides can accept. That’s the very way that public interest gets maximized.
Individuality also has least loss and sacrifice.
Question
I: I have
something to say, eh…I found that our topic has some relationship between
Robert’s topic. I want to know how you think about this relationship.
Knot: We?
I: Yes
Knot: Really? We
haven’t thought about it. I think what you say about the labors, they were been
not treated very well by the company or government it just like what we say
that our government didn’t take care of the minority, so we think the relation
is this.
Me: Thank you.
沒有留言:
張貼留言