Choice is an important key in life. Some of the decisions we make are more important than others. There are few that might change our life forever. The movie Reader brings up intriguing questions in my mind: can we always judge people by their actions or should we try to understand what might have caused them to be in this situation? Can we learn anything if we try to understand why some people commit crime or we just have to admit that their actions are evil? What might possibly influence the actions of a criminal? In the movie Reader one generation comes to terms with the crime of another.
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I see similarity with architecture in this life situation: every new generation of architects have to coexist with the results of the previous generation. They have to respond to successes and failures of other architects. There are some architects who decide to bring change into society. They have to deal with poverty and crime, understanding its origins and possibilities of prevention. I believe that architecture can change the reality of many areas by bringing job opportunities and unconventional affordable design solutions.
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When we talk about the research of the reasons for a crime, sometimes I ask myself: can people break accepted moral standards for the higher purposes of utilitarian good? Do the criminals who justify their actions with the attempt to “make it right” follow the ideas of committing “good” for others or for themselves? Gregory Raskolnikov from Crime and Punishment believed that purpose could justify any means, even if it took to kill a pawnbroker that he considered a low class creature, a louse living on the body of humanity. At the end of the novel he admitted that he was motivated by his benefit (idea of a superior person) and not the society’s.
Theft is one of the most common crimes. Cell phones are a relatively low cost technology. In spite of that they hold a high value in poor areas of the globe and get commonly stolen. As the devices increase the number of functions and their sophistication – theft statistics rise. iPhone is known as the most stolen cell phone. Society’s persuasion to own a desirable iPhone is the main reason of these thefts.
As we know increasing demand increases the value of the product. The supplier of the desired product has the power over society and has an opportunity to increase influence and prosperity to a great level. I’ve recently read couple of pages from the book “Essays in social justice” by Thomas Nixon Carver. He develops an imaginative situation in his book: the world becomes vegetarian and potatoes become the main item of the human diet. The potato growers start making money, prospering and getting richer, while meat producers start loosing their money. Eventually the producers of meat loose their businesses as they do not change their strategies and persist producing the same product. As a result the meat producers “lay the blame upon the potato growers” (Carver, 241), not realizing that being successful means to provide humanity with desired goods or services. In the reality potato growing companies become very useful for society.
I have the following questions coming up in my mind: is there a place for justice in society? Is it possible to form the taste/habits of society instead of simply fulfilling the desires of people? Why is it common for people to blame successful companies/businessmen, who might be taking the society in a wrong direction instead of trying to come up with significant and unconventional ideas?
