The Balancing Act Between the Individual Interest and the...

The proper relationship between the individuals interests and the common good is a delicate balancing act that political philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Sophocles have tried to define. For philosophers such as Socrates and Plato, the common good trumps the individual interest when those interests interfere with what they believe is right for society as a whole. For others like Aristotle and Locke, a consensus on what the common good is must be defined within the reality that individual interests exists; meaning, they cannot be completely discarded for the good of society. I believe that in a free society, where the common good to doesnt have to be forced upon its citizens, the common good should impose upon the†¦show more content†¦In this example, the sacrifice to the individual interest of living and vision was an unrealistic demand that almost all humans will not make. In fact, most humans or citizens will not pine for his neighbors as such: Your pain strikes each of you alone, each in the confines of himself, not other. But my spirit grieves for the city, for myself and all of you (Fagles 162). Such compassion and selflessness for the community is not a common characteristic of mankind, therefore, a balance between the individual interest and the common good must be found in a society. The opposite extreme of Oedipuss forsaking of his individual interests to the common good is demonstrated in Sophocles other play Antigone. In this play, Antigone has very little regard to the common good and is only concerned with her desire to bury her brother Polynices. Even when the welfare of Thebes is at question, she proceeds in her tantrum and refuses to obey her Creon. Such an imbalance of the individuals interest to the common good is not proper as it will result in a society of people who behave only in their self interests at the detriment to the community at whole. Oddly, a good balance the individual interest and the common good is posited by Nicolo Machiavelli. For Machiavelli, the common good will be gladly deferredShow MoreRelatedAdversarial Litigation System of the Commonwealth1142 Words   |  5 Pagesdisclosing them) on relevant legal grounds such as the Evidence Act, Civil Procedure Act, Uniform Civil Procedure Rules (UCPR) and common law. This essay shall explore the quite unique public policy basis for privilege and in particular consider the requirements for assessing this privilege as well as the constant battle between the preservation of public policy and smooth litigation proceedings. 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