Rhetorical Analysis Essay On The Pursuit Of Happiness

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The Pursuit of Happiness and Societal Improvement
With every passing year, improvements to society with regards to technology, quality of life, etc. are made. The driving force of this need for progress is debatable, whether it be money, power, or something else. Philosopher John Stuart Mill attributes such motivation for societal advancement to the desire of happiness. Mill believes that humans desire to be happy and desire the happiness of others, therefore driving improvements to civilization for the benefit of all. Because humanity wants to be happy as a whole, society will continue to advance for the benefit of all.
As humanity develops, the sources and avenues of happiness can also change. Mill believes that while the factors contributing to an individuals’ pleasure can alter throughout life, the aim for everyone’s pleasure remains the main focus. In his essay defending Utilitarianism, Mill says, “we may will from habit what we no longer desire for itself, or desire only because we will it.” He claims that an individual can consciously change his actions by will, driven by desires. Once a …show more content…
The abolition of slavery can agree with this statement, however, not all aspects of society have improved. The lack of high quality living for many may be due to the fact that happiness, as Mill says, is subjective and formed by the individual, even if working for the whole. Because what makes someone happy is different from person to person, progress of humanity may be stunted until the factors of society’s happiness line up and can work constructively for the greatest happiness of
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