Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2010 - (Page 44)

creative minds imagine Kids Philosophy Slam Kids Philosophy Slam is an annual program in which students in grades K–12 answer a philosophical question (2010: “Is the pen mightier than the sword?”). Depending on their age, students may respond in an essay, artwork, poetry, or musical composition. One national winner is selected from each grade level. The top four high school students debate the year’s question at the national ﬁnals, with the winner earning the title of The Most Philosophical Student in America. For more information, see www.philosophyslam.org. 2009 Question: Greed or Giving: Which Has a Greater Impact on Society? First Place Essay There is no ﬁre like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there is no snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed. —Buddha Greed is a tsunami that engulfs all but those with the purest of souls and the noblest of resolve. In a society plagued by avarice, is there any wonder that the most notable people in history are often those who stole selfishly from the world? Greed is that insatiable hunger that devours all but leaves little. No matter how much one may give to this ravenous leviathan, the desire for more will never disappear, ultimately consuming any acts of selflessness and leaving behind great scars upon the world. In almost all historical cases, greed has made a greater impression on the people than has giving, in part due to its worldwide implications, in part due to the shock of finding out the ugly side of life. Take the recent housing crisis, for example. Reflect upon the catastrophe that would eventually manifest itself, when many years ago, a little seed of greed implanted itself in the minds of a few loan brokers. This little seed grew unchecked, becoming so widespread, so imbedded in workings of the system, that all it took was one little boost in taxes, one little push, one little tap on the dominos of disaster to mark the beginning of the end. Wall Street’s greed caused a global crisis and perniciously affected the lives of millions upon millions of people. From one little selfish act, events conspired to cruelly shatter the illusions of security and opened the eyes of the people to the harsh truth of reality. The devastating effects of greed are almost unimaginable and yet this is but one of many cases in history. Giving, on the other hand, affects a much smaller group. The daily, almost mundane, act of holding a door for the elderly, or helping a friend, affects few. Giving may provide temporary relief; however, the benevolent deed will most likely be forgotten soon after. Even in the rare cases where giving has made a worldwide impact, greed has inevitably warped its effect and used its “good” to wreak havoc upon the world. Just how does greed distort the actions of giving? Take Jesus, for example. In what was perhaps the most influential act of altruism in history, Jesus sacrificed himself to spread his ideas to the people. While his gift did spread to all corners of the world, one must not forget what greed has done to it; greed twisted his sacrifice to its own ends, and used his ideals to promote violence, ensure segregation, and maintain a wall of sexism for hundreds of years. Ironically, in encouraging peace and love, Jesus has inadvertently promoted the evils of the world by providing a façade for the greedy to cower behind. The charity of humanity is almost expected, and thus, giving will inevitably be forgotten. Greed, on the other hand, will lead to death, violence, and hatred, all of which shock and frighten us, causing an everlasting impression. In a world filled with naïve notions of mankind’s “inherent good,” greed will forever eclipse the fragile light of altruism. Bert Geng is a senior at Bethpage high school in New York, where he is the vice president of the students Putting an end to cancer club and the assistant program director of civic club. in addition to philosophy and volunteer work, Bert enjoys playing tennis and running. he plans to major in biomedical engineering, an interest that stems largely from his love of sciencefiction books and movies. by Bert Geng 44 imagine Mar/Apr 2010 http://www.philosophyslam.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2010

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2010
Contents
Editor’s Note
Big Questions
In My Own Words
Why Study Philosophy?
The Great Conversation
Robots, Zombies, and Descartes
The Wide World of Philosophy
The Philosopher’s Toolbox
Bad Dreams, Evil Demons, and The Experience Machine
Harry Potter and Plato
Exploring Ethics (or, Why I Give Up Saturdays in Spring)
How to Start a Philosophy Club
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Middle Ground
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
One Step Ahead
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Creative Minds Imagine
Sudoku
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2010