Maseng 1

Sean Maseng

Mr. Miles

English 10 Pre-AP

18 April 2018

Pursuing the Greater Good

Everyone has the moral responsibility to act in a way that they believe is right, no matter

the risk. If everyone acted in a way that reflects their beliefs of right or wrong, then this would in

turn create a better world. As Henry David Thoreau said, “The only obligation which I have a

right to assume is to do at any time what I think right.” One can only defend this position since it

in itself can be proven through social and political change by people like Martin Luther, Nelson

Mandela, and Mohandas Gandhi. These people acted against the status quo in order to

accomplish goals in which they believed, no matter the punishment.

If everyone were to act in what they believed to be right when social problems appear

than many problems can be solved. In the 15th and 16th century, the Catholic Church faced the

problem of people questioning, “the pope’s sale of reprieves from penance, or indulgences.” This

can from people like Martin Luther, who expressed his belief, “that faith alone would bring

salvation,” not the sale of forgiveness. From his belief of what he thought to be right, he

inadvertently began the Protestant Reformation. He up rooted the corruption and malpractice of

the Catholic church, and from this the, “Catholic Church would be ever divided, and the

Protestantism that would soon emerged was shaped by Luther’s ideas.” Even after being

imprisoned multiple times by the Catholic Church, he never changed what he believed to be

right, no matter the punishment. From his actions, he brought a social change as people began to

question the corrupt practices of the Catholic Church.

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Political change is another reason why people should act in the way they believe to be

right, and a great example of this is Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela, was the first black

president in South Africa who fought for equal treatment, equal rights, and the end of apartheid.

After being imprisoned for 27 years of his life, he said, “I have fought against white domination,

and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free

society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal

which I hope to live for and to achieve.” He took a stand against a corrupt government which

discriminated against its people. Throughout his life, he led protests, demonstrations, and joined

the African National Congress in order to end the unjust ways of his society. Even when the

consequence of protest meant jail, he did not give up, for he believed that there is nothing more

important than equal rights. From his actions of what he thought right for political change the

country of South Africa gave the entire populous equal and fair rights.

Some may oppose this argument by saying, “who is to define what is right.” Yet this can

be answered by looking at the collective action of others who have chosen to do what they

thought to be right. While it is true there is no specific definition for the word right, one can

define the word by saying that if everyone were to act in a way that would benefit the majority of

people, then their actions would be right. An example of such self-less acts can be seen in

Mohandas Gandhi who protested, “the oppression of India’s poorest classes, among other

injustices,” such as, “the treatment of India’s so-called untouchables.” The untouchables were,

“More than 160 million people in India are considered people tainted by their birth into a caste

system that deems them impure, less than human.” Gandhi acted in a way that he believed to be

right, in turn he freed India and Pakistan from the oppression of the British Empire in 1947,

improving the quality of life for millions of Indians and Pakistanis.

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In any situation that requires a decision, the only correct answer is to act in a way that

one believes to be valuable to others. Whether it be exposing an organization of wrong doing or

fighting for the rights of others, one is obligated to act in a way that befits the greater good for

all, no matter the possible consequences. Without this mentality, then the world would never

stand up to corrupt practices, oppressive leaders, or unjust social classes.

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Work Cited
"Biography of Nelson Mandela – Nelson Mandela Foundation." Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Accessed 19 Apr. 2018.

"Martin Luther." Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, 08 Aug. 2017. Accessed 26 Apr.

2018.

"Mohandas Gandhi." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2010. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.

National Geographic. National Geographic Society. Accessed 02 May 2018.

"The Reformation." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.