Samuel Johnson wrote, "Our desires increase with our posessions. The knowledge that somethign remains yet unenjoyed impairs our enjoyment of hte good before us."
Write a persuasive essay taht either qualifies, agrees with, or disagrees with Johnson's assertion. Use person experiences, readings, or observatoin to develop your ideas.]
"The me that's never satisfied." When Tim McGraw sang this song to the top ten charts, he didn't realize that the one little line woul mean so much. The song refers to the "spirit of the cowboy in him", yet the line can speak for all people. It seems in todays society, too many people want more and more and neevr seem to be satisfied. Johnson was right with his statement that "our desires increaase with our posessions," for America and many other countries have falled prone to the disease called materialism.
The growing materialism in the world today is unbelieveable. From the age of childhood, more and more "young'uns" are bombarded with toys, treats, special rewards, and anything their precious heart desires. Tamagatchis-which are tiny keychain computers housing virtual pets-are visible on almost every childs wrist or backpack. In the tender ages of five and six, children are already comparing each other's clothes, toys, and houses. The best is the one that has the most, and the best dosen't even have to enough it all. A child obviously doesn't have to do much to get what he or she wants. According to ToyMarket Monthly, sales of the walking and talking mechanical dog sprang to into the billions.
Teens are not exempt from the growing materialism in the U.S. Clothes, book covers, jewelry, cars; it seems that without the best, you are treated inferior. Adults are not exempt, either, as they are the ones feeding the mad craze for the posessions trough. parents these days value their child's cars and trucks more than the children themselves. Once a parent brings home something for a child or teen, they are already wanting something else they've heard about.
Johnson's statement dosen't include merely possessions of physical value. Exploration today is probing deeper into the oceans of mother earth, and further into the vastness of space. Submarine missions and space explorations are all planned with the feverish hope of discovering something new. if only we could work with the home we have, and strive to repair it first, we wouldn't be in the mad race to the next planetary galaxy o rudnersea realm. The goodness of the planet we have is right in front of us, but some people want more than can be obtained.
Henry David Thoreau once wrote how the less complex and materialistic a life was, the easier it would be to live. Stressing simplicity and relaxation, he strove to live a life enjoying the world around him and what he owned and had. Using his knowledge for productive good, he focused his attention on what he would create, not what many things he woudl eb able to get or buy. Today's world contradicts what he tried to teach over a hundred years ago, that truly we are becoming too materialistic and greedy. Samuel Johnson was also correct when he stated that "our desires increase with our posessions," for truly the world today is watching more and more. Both men knew the world well. Johnson would say "I told you so," and Thoreau...well, Thoreau; he would be dissapointed.
[AN: This essay scored me a 9- on a scale of 1-9, so clap for me!]