The Negative Effects of Human Weaknesses on Society (Essay Example)

As humans, no one is flawless. Everyone has their own set of strengths and weaknesses. Countless historical events have expressed the dangers and consequences of the menacing human behavior and weaknesses. In extreme cases, entire countries, societies, and races fall victim to this human weakness. Vladimir Putin's notorious invasion of Ukraine is proof that the human’s constant thirst for power will inevitably lead to savagery and violence within society. This is seen through fear, ignorance, and greed. 

To begin, fear is one of the most common forms of human weakness. This is well represented in Ukraine and through the use of symbolism in William Golding’s Lord of The Flies. For instance, insecurity could be a cause of fear. When faced with insecurities, humans tend to hide their fear and prefer to boast about their strengths to conceal their weaknesses from the world. Vladimir Putin is an adequate example of someone trying to show off their strength to conceal their fears. Putin fears that NATO possesses too much influence over its surrounding countries, with Ukraine being one of them. He believes that he will have less power and control over the surrounding countries and that they will no longer follow Russia’s political views. In consequence, Putin has been seen ordering countries not to help the Ukrainian armed forces by announcing provocative speeches and demonstrating powerful missiles. This very persona is portrayed in William Golding’s Lord of The Flies through symbolism. In the novel, Jack, the choir leader, symbolizes savagery and the desire for power. A similarity is shown between the fictional character and Putin. Near the start of the novel, Jack and his choir boys go on the hunt for some meat. When given an opportunity to kill a pig, Jack hesitates and is filled with embarrassment in front of the others when he is unable to kill the creature.  “He licked his lips and turned his head at an angle so that his gaze avoided the embarrassment of linking with another’s eye.”(Golding 182). Due to his failed attempts, Jack now fears that the boys will not see him as the powerful hunter he set out to be. In response, Jack insists that next time he will strike the pig without any hesitation. This reveals that fear is often concealed and instead, humans show off their strengths in order to not feel unworthy in front of others. Vladimir Putin fears the influence of other countries and makes efforts to prove his worth. 

Furthermore, in addition to the feeling of fear, ignorance also plays a vital role in the human’s desire for power and causes suffering to the innocent. When blinded by power, people often tend to neglect the opinion of others and only follow what they desire. A lack of common sense and knowledge is evident within the novel and in the invasion of Ukraine. “I believe man suffers from an appalling ignorance of his nature.”(Golding). This statement gives an insight into Golding’s theory that human’s ignorant nature causes them to suffer. In the novel, the character Piggy represents a symbol of intelligence and rationalism. Piggy is one of the smarter boys on the island but faces bullying from Jack and the others for his physical appearance. This can be compared to when Putin ignored the warnings of many countries such as the United Kingdom. Due to this invasion, NATO has imposed sanctions on Russia. These sanctions have caused inflation in the country and have tremendously decreased the value of the Russian ruble. It is the citizens of Russia who are paying for these impulsive and ignorant acts. A similar situation is spotted in the novel when Jack neglects his duty to keep the fire going and goes into the jungle to hunt because he believes that hunting is more important. A ship passes by the island but because Jack and his hunters stopped watching the fire, the boat could not see any smoke. Jack’s ignorance has led to a missed opportunity to be rescued and everyone has to pay the price for his actions. This comparison conveys that Putin’s ignorance has caused much suffering to his own country as well as the people of Ukraine. 

Furthermore, greed is one of the most important components of man’s desire for power. An example of this can be seen with money. To survive, humans need money to buy food and shelter. Humans are constantly in need of money and would go to extreme lengths to obtain more wealth. The same happens when a person is given power. In this particular case, an abuse of political power is taking place. Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine for himself and does not want any other country to have any form of influence on Ukraine. This behavior is akin to Jack’s. In the later chapters of the novel, even though Jack had been able to persuade the majority of the boys to join his group, he still desires more power and was not pleased that a few other boys had not joined his side. This is an example of how humans, when given power, always desire more. In the novel, a conch is found on the beach and symbolizes democracy, law, and order. Throughout the novel, Jack does not respect the value of the conch. “We don’t need the conch anymore. We know who ought to say things.”(Golding 225) This passage can relate to Vladimir Putin’s lack of respect for order and democracy. Out of greed, Putin wants to take control of Ukraine and retake the land that once belonged to the Soviet Union. Putin shows no respect for the country’s independence and the value of democracy. When given power, greed will always influence humans to want more and can drive them to commit monstrous actions. 

In brief, Vladimir Putin’s thirst for power has brought suffering, savagery, and violence to Ukraine. The dangers of human fear, greed, and natural ignorance are all variables that lead to suffering within society. In extreme cases, human weaknesses lead to violence and suffering. However, these weaknesses are what define humankind. How come the weaknesses that define humanity are also its own downfall?