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Sylvia Hernandez
Figueroa
Senior English
8 March 2019
Ambitious or Blinded by Ambition
Ambition is about improving and changing things in the world, where as blind ambition
is only improving things for yourself (Hays, 2011). When one is determined for a good cause,
one is ambitious. It is a good trait to have when one can overcome obstacles to get things done.
One can become blindly ambitious when oneself loses compassion and shows no sympathy.
Blind ambition is a significant theme in Shakespeare’s play ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ in which
Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, commences a pattern of bloodbaths on his way to becoming King
of Scotland without regarding the effects. Macbeth’s worldwide theme of blind ambition can be
Blind ambition can be seen in this society in politics. In politics, blind ambition is seen
when candidates advertise against other candidates with ads that signify their opponents' bad
character. Kyrsten Sinema defends herself as she calls out, opponents McSally’s ads are full of
lies. She says, “My record is very clear, and unfortunately Martha’s just choosing time and time
again to run attack ads that are just lies” (Ktar, 2018). These advertisements bring down their
opponent with possible falsified information, so they have a higher chance at winning. Blind
ambition can also be seen in politics when those of high authority, abuse their power. It is said
that “The Trump Foundation agreed on Tuesday to shut itself down, under the weight of an
investigation by the New York Attorney General’s office. Foundations have special privileges.
They don’t have to pay taxes. They can solicit tax-deductible donations. Those privileges and
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others reflect a public purpose of the foundations: to perform charitable works and serve the
broader public. Instead, Donald Trump used the Trump Foundation again and again to serve
Donald Trump—both to enrich him and to help him politically” (Politico, 2019). Politics can use
both their money and power to benefit themselves. Blind ambition can be seen through attack ads
Through drug trafficking, the trait of blind ambition can be projected. Drug are in it for the
money, they can manipulate any situation if they get paid. El Chapo is said to be one of the most
powerful drug lords. “Was able to continue running the Sinaloa Cartel in prison through bribes.
The Sinaloa Cartel controls roughly 40% to 60% of Mexico's drug trade, with earnings at around
3 billion annually. Claimed in 2014 that he has killed 2,000-3,000 people” (CNN, 2019). El
Chapo portrays blind ambition when there is no limit to what he would do to stay on top. Pablo
Escobar has also been said to be ruthless and very much unforgiving. “Escobar’s way of
handling problems was “plata o plomo,” meaning “silver” (bribes) or “lead” (bullets). While he
preferred the former, he had no qualms about the latter option, earning a reputation for
ruthlessness” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019). With so much money and power, it can turn into
an addicting abuse of manipulation and tragedy. Blind ambition can make one feel invincible and
undefeated.
Blind ambition can also be seen in our society through dictators and through
dictatorships. Dictators can be considered blindly ambitious for overthrowing governments and
taking over lands and armies as their own. “Then is shown the 11,283,000 people the Nazis
killed through institutional practices, such as forced "euthanasia," forced labor, and the
concentration or death camps” (Nelson Hall, 1985). Hitler had approximately 11,000,000 people
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killed for his beliefs. In dictatorship's, blind ambition is projected through their abuse and rising
to power by force. As seen here when Jang Song-Thaek was executed by his nephew, Kim Jong
Un. “Although Jang was the highest-profile official to be purged by Kim, defectors and South
Korean intelligence services reported that people who had displeased the regime were being
through dictators when their harsh punishments, cruel routines and practices surface.
Blind ambition can be seen through politics, when politicians campaign with attack ads to
bring down their opponent. It is also seen in dictators and traffickers. Blind ambition is simply
getting to the top by tearing everybody else down. In ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’, Macbeth kills
the King so that he can be crowned the new King and kills anybody that stands in his way. As
well as real life, Macbeth suffered the consequences of blind ambition just like it happens today.
From, ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ the reader can learn that being and ambitious and putting work
in towards your goals can be much harder but much easier than facing the consequences of being
blinded by ambition.
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Citations
Source 1: Brandon. “Ambition vs. Blind Ambition.” The Daily Flux,
brandonhays.com/blog/2011/06/14/ambition-vs-blind-ambition/.
mcsally-of-campaign-based-on-lies/.
shut-down
Source 4: “Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán Fast Facts.” CNN, Cable News Network, 15 Feb.
2019, www.cnn.com/2017/01/18/world/joaqun-el-chapo-guzmn-fast-facts.
Source 5: Tikkanen, Amy. “Pablo Escobar: 8 Interesting Facts About the King of
www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/NAZIS.CHAP1.HTM