A discourse on inequality Essay Example

Initially, man must have possessed basic animal instincts like sight and touch. This is a shared condition with other animals. However, what set man apart was his ability to will or not will, desire or fear.Until there arises a circumstance that necessitates expansion and the creation of new ideas, the individual's soul performs its initial and possibly sole functions. Rousseau poses a thought-provoking query: why should someone who lacks fears and desires bother with the effort of reasoning? He asserts that our reason develops through the activity of our passions. We seek knowledge solely for the purpose of enjoyment. While one might assume that vanity is the catalyst for our growth, Rousseau counters that it is not necessarily the case. At this point, humanity only possesses rudimentary desires, unaware of the pleasure derived from fulfilling needs beyond basic necessities like food, sleep, and intercourse. We only learn what nature presents to us, and to us nature remains indifferent. We lack deep metaphysical inquiries, foresight, or curiosity. Consequently, while vanity may serve as a future catalyst for exponential growth in reasoning, expansion of the mind, and imagination, it cannot be the starting point. Strangely enough, recognition of death emerges as one of humankind's initial steps in transcending the animal state. This understanding may have arisen from associating pain with death. Because pain is the sole negative idea or sensation experienced by primitive humans, the distress connected with death could inspire contemplation, learning, and reasoning.Rousseau discusses the connection between learning to hunt, avoiding capture, and the desire to avoid death due to the agony it brings. Additionally, he explores the relationship between language and society, and whether

language arises from society or vice versa. Rousseau argues that language is necessary for sharing ideas and knowledge among individuals. However, in a simple society consisting of only family members (mother and child), a unique language may develop but lack longevity to become a standardized form of communication. Rousseau suggests that a higher source must be involved for complex language to develop. On the contrary, if such involvement is not necessary, language would originate from basic cries of nature used in instances like calling for help but would have limited capacity to convey emotions and ideas. As humanity's ideas expand, their language evolves accordingly to express thoughts, marking the birth of primitive language. Rousseau asserts that the exact point where inequality begins is when one person claims "This Is Mine" and is believed by another. This pivotal moment has led to wars, bloodshed, crimes, misfortunes, and other challenges faced by civil society.He delivers a compelling statement, expressing that everything could have been prevented had someone warned against heeding this imposter. If one forgets that the bounties of the earth belong to all and the earth itself belongs to none, they are doomed. Nonetheless, the question arises - where did this notion originate from? Rousseau argues that the development of the concept of ownership must have been a lengthy and intricate process. Difficulties in human life necessitated the acquisition of new skills to overcome them, potentially leading to the creation of tools that granted humans an advantage over animals. Upon realizing this newfound superiority, humans would begin to view themselves as individuals, experiencing pride by acknowledging their position atop the food chain. With the growth of

the human population, interactions with others became more frequent, allowing for the observation that their behaviors mirrored one's own in similar circumstances. It became apparent that, in certain cases, being accompanied by fellow humans benefited one's well-being. Initially, these groups formed merely to achieve specific objectives within a limited timeframe. Over time, however, the lifespan of these groups increased significantly as remaining part of them proved more advantageous than not.Now that groups had come together, they started to expand their knowledge and improve their tool-making abilities. They also learned how to make huts, believing that they were easier to defend. Other groups refrained from trying to take over these huts, not because they belonged to the builders, but rather because it didn't serve any purpose for them or because they were weaker and could build their own. However, most likely they realized that they would have to fight with the family living in the hut if they attempted to take it. Instead, this person would likely become a neighbor rather than an enemy, purely for the sake of convenience. Essentially, the fact that others observed and imitated a person's actions without tearing them down led to the development of ideas about property and ownership. As these ideas gained prominence, they became too entrenched for those who would later attempt to dismantle them. This eventually led to the establishment of laws and groups that enforce property ownership as a valid concept. Consequently, ownership, property, and law are the foundation for the emergence and perpetual existence of inequality in our lives.