Article Analysis Essay on What We Have to Lose

Introduction

The author of this article, Theodore Dalrymple's main argument is that civilization is worth defending. In fact, he feels that civilization is the only thing that is worth defending because it is what provides meaning to the lives of people in the society. He feels that without the aspect of civilization in the society, humans are susceptible to barbarism, which leads them to destroy property and kill people. According to Dalrymple, the first requirement of civilization is the willingness of men to repress their animal instincts. If they are able to suppress these instincts and appetite for destruction, it makes them be worse than beasts given their higher intelligence nature, and knowledge that they possess.

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Dalrymple provides an explanation of what he means by civilization. He states that when thinking about civilization, people should not only take into consideration the latest, or most advanced technologies, and knowledge that exists today, but also the connection of different activities and relations that allow for its maintenance. He acknowledges that every role or career that exists in the society is vital for the maintenance and development of civilization no matter the perception of people(Dalrymple 1). If a city does not have cleaners, and garbage collectors, there will be litter everywhere in the city. This may contribute to the increase in the number of street urchins who if not controlled will commit barbaric acts, and lead to the city being inhabitable. On the other hand, there is also the need for intellects to develop knowledge and technology, which can be distributed to the masses.

At the beginning of the article, Dalrymple provides the reason as to why civilization is more fragile than people are willing to accept. He compares the significance of the destruction of the two towers of the World Trade Center with the book review that he was doing at the time. He feels that the reason as to why catastrophes or massacres continue to happen is because of the way a majority of the people in the society tends to handle such events(Dalrymple 1). Most of them will be temporarily sad, at times mourn the death of the lives lost, but at the same time feel that they are helpless in determining a course of action to prevent future catastrophes, while at the same time assuming that their lives will not be negatively impacted by this. However, through the examples that he provides in this article, it illustrates that acts of barbarism can affect any person in any location. No society can state that it has full-proof measures against barbarism.

To illustrate the dangers that barbaric acts have on civilization, and to show how fragile the security and freedom of people is, Dalrymple shows the reader how his mother's life was changed by World War II. She showed them (Dalrymple and his brother) photographs of her life in the pre-Nazi era in Germany. She grew up in an upper-middle-class family in Germany and she enjoyed a variety of luxuries such as being driven around by chauffeurs and going for picnics(Dalrymple 1). In addition to that, her father who was a doctor was a decorated military personnel that fought during the Great War. She lived in a secure, successful, and stable community, or so she thought. During World War II her house was bombed, and she had to escape to England at seventeen, live as a refugee, and she never saw her parents again. It demonstrated the fragility of civilization.

Dalrymple also provides reasons as to why people rebel or conduct barbaric acts to destroy property and therefore threaten the aspect of civilization. By traveling to different countries such as Iran, Liberia, and Mozambique, he saw how human beings are willing to engage in chaos and violence. In Liberia in particular, he witnessed the most bizarre scenes of revolt against civilization. A majority of the public institutions such as hospitals and libraries had been destroyed with such efficiency that one could assume that these were acts of revenge. However, he is quick to caution that these were not acts of revenge, rather, an indication of hatred by the lower towards the higher, or people who feel oppressed towards their oppressors(Dalrymple 1). He believes that this was the case due to the bizarre scene that he witnessed at the Centennial Hall in Monrovia Liberia where the presidents of the country had been inaugurated. A Steinway grand piano had been damaged, and the people responsible for this act had defecated, a clear depiction of the people's rejection of civilization.

Barbarism is also something that is within every human being. He provides proof of this by recalling a childhood act in which he and his brother completely destroyed a radio using croquet mallets. They felt that they were being oppressed by their parents, who were adults, and therefore they turned on an object, the radio that represented adulthood to destroy it(Dalrymple 1). By committing this act they were reacting against their sense of powerlessness and lack of freedom. The satisfaction of destroying property is that it shows people that they can act against their oppressors, and they are able to derive a sense of pleasure. The funny thing is that from a social perspective, the people who incite the lowly to commit acts of destruction are the politicians and wealthy people as he witnessed in Panama. People from wealthy families encouraged others to engage in destructive activities, and in the evenings dined in expensive restaurants, while the poor may have destroyed their source of livelihood. It demonstrates the selfishness of human beings, and how it contributes to barbarism, which threatens civilization.

However, he feels that the main reason as to why barbarism continues to thrive is the laxity and sense of comfort displayed by intellects in the modern society. They believe that the comforts and benefits that are at their disposal cannot be overturned even if barbaric acts continue to happen. They also do not acknowledge achievements that take place occasionally because they hold the assumption that it is the norm. Dalrymple cautions intellects that human nature is dictated by ignorance rather than the pursuit of knowledge, man is more inclined to anarchy than being tranquil(Dalrymple 1). This is the reason as to why in every society there are laws, and law enforcers. Therefore, they ( the intellects) must act in such a way to promote and preserve civilization.

Conclusion

I agree with the argument that he has provided of the need to defend and protect civilization. Looking at the current events in countries such as Syria and Libya, one can be able to witness what happens to a society when people are allowed to engage in destructive acts. The two countries were relatively successful before their individual crisis, but now they are in ruins. People have been killed in their millions, it has caused displacement of people and violation of human right acts. Individual selfishness, the lack of belief that one can cause change, and laxity of intellectuals to such incidents and catastrophes are the reason why they continue happening. Civilization brings order as humans see beyond fulfilling their animal instincts and appetite for violence. They see through the use of knowledge that they can create a thriving society that accommodates people from different ethnicity, religion, and racial backgrounds. It shows the value of each member of the society, and how they connect and contribute to its success. Indeed civilization is worth defending as it provides meaning to life.

Works Cited

Dalrymple, Theodore. "What we Have to Lose." CJ, 2001.