Argumentative Essay
Breaking Free
The idea of following societal norms and fitting in is a very universal concept that many people continuously feel the need to conform to. As Rick Warren, author of “What on Earth Am I Here For,” said, “Those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it.” Unfortunately, society tends to criticize those who do not stick to the norms, but positive outcomes can be achieved when one chooses to defy them. Although many examples of individuals breaking free of what society considers normal can easily support the logistics of this idea, there are some considerable events where not doing what seems right has caused highly negative consequences.
In 2002, a man named Ariel Castro did something that completely goes against what any sane society would consider normal. He took 3 young girls, kept them hostage for 11 years, and did many sickening things to them that they will never be able to forget. In the end he was admittedly found guilty on 937 counts and wound up no longer living because he took his own life. Kidnapping innocent people is not exactly accepted in society, so this was Ariel’s way of breaking free. The girls involved in this case were negatively affected by his actions because they will never be able to get those 11 years of their life back. With the death of Castro, he and his family were, in a way, negatively affected by this event as well. Though it’s clear the outcome of this event was not a positive one, even history can back-up the idea that breaking free can be a good thing.
In 1955, an African American woman by the name of Rosa Parks broke free just by riding a bus. In this time period, society believed that white people were superior to African American people, and that they had to ride in the back of city buses. Though many people back then felt that this was a degrading rule to follow, not many did anything about it, but Rosa did. When told by a white man to get up and go to the back of the bus, she just simply sat there and did not
The idea of following societal norms and fitting in is a very universal concept that many people continuously feel the need to conform to. As Rick Warren, author of “What on Earth Am I Here For,” said, “Those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it.” Unfortunately, society tends to criticize those who do not stick to the norms, but positive outcomes can be achieved when one chooses to defy them. Although many examples of individuals breaking free of what society considers normal can easily support the logistics of this idea, there are some considerable events where not doing what seems right has caused highly negative consequences.
In 2002, a man named Ariel Castro did something that completely goes against what any sane society would consider normal. He took 3 young girls, kept them hostage for 11 years, and did many sickening things to them that they will never be able to forget. In the end he was admittedly found guilty on 937 counts and wound up no longer living because he took his own life. Kidnapping innocent people is not exactly accepted in society, so this was Ariel’s way of breaking free. The girls involved in this case were negatively affected by his actions because they will never be able to get those 11 years of their life back. With the death of Castro, he and his family were, in a way, negatively affected by this event as well. Though it’s clear the outcome of this event was not a positive one, even history can back-up the idea that breaking free can be a good thing.
In 1955, an African American woman by the name of Rosa Parks broke free just by riding a bus. In this time period, society believed that white people were superior to African American people, and that they had to ride in the back of city buses. Though many people back then felt that this was a degrading rule to follow, not many did anything about it, but Rosa did. When told by a white man to get up and go to the back of the bus, she just simply sat there and did not