Option 2:
Unfortunately, modern political discourse is filled with incivility and immorality because individuals act selfishly to pursue self-interest. Many political figures use bullshit as a vehicle of deception to control the masses and further a specific political agenda. According to Frankfurt’s “On Bullshit”, bullshit is “deceptive misrepresentation”(Frankfurt, 118) and is used in a “deliberate”(Frankfurt, 118) manner. Taking this definition of bullshit, one can assume that bullshit is intentional. In that case, the line between lying and bullshitting blurs as both lying and bullshiting are ways to convey incorrect information. Another way to use bullshit to communicate a false message is by including a monotonous image of beauty and intelligence in the media. Several powerful groups can globally distribute unrealistic false standards for their own benefit not thinking of the detrimental effect on minority groups’s self-confidence. If contemporary discourse relies on these tactics to disperse intelligence and expectations, then the people are not receiving accurate and truthful information in order to make educated decisions. As a result, the people should take measures to hold themselves and others accountable for spewing bullshit.
Option 3:
In relation to Unit 1 and our discussions about equality, how does our perception of reality introduced in Unit 2 affect our ability to understand the struggles of people in other socio-economic classes and to effectively implement change? I am asking this because Unit 1 assumes that we are all able to imagine the hardships of others, even if that is not our reality. However, in Unit 2, we studied Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” which emphasizes the limits placed on the imagination by the reality in which we were raised. A potential answer is that we are unable to perceive other people’s reality until we actively engage with that person and his/her community. Additionally, actively learning stories and participating in tangible research could help people realize the value of all life from every different background.
