Duty vs. Desire

The course to self-actualization is one make full with forks. One must constantly make decisions that affect character and ones ultimate destination in life. Some travel this road very consciously, making informed and well thought out decisions that they desire will lead them in the amend direction. Others continue haphazardly, non pickings into account the feasible consequences of poor decisions. Often times one of the around major forks is a decision between moral obligation and closed-door passion.Pressing matters of family or work may call one to put individualised aspirations on hold for the sake of the whole. But does one necessitate desertion of the other? Which way will lead to a happier life? tomcat Wingfield, the disillusioned narrator of Tennessee Williams Depression-era play, The Glass Menagerie, must battle through this circumstantial plight. He struggles to find the answer to the question of when desire overrides duty. All humanness are blessed with a ple thora of gifts, but all collect one in popular life.This being said, there is one common humanistic duty the obligation to live that life in the well-nigh satisfying manner in the hopes of reaching fulfillment. However, the individual decides which manner is close pleasing to himself or herself, and one persons idea of a life well lived is wholly different from a nonhers. This fact should not be disdained, but embraced. Diversity is what allows for unique and inspirational perspectives that basin spend a penny new ideas and changes in society and culture.Nevertheless, there are those that do not share this view, which leads to an all-too-common clash of wishes between parents and children, subordinates and superiors, students and elders, etc. turkey cock Wingfield conflicts with his mother, Amanda, in this way. Her wholly wish is that her children, Tom and Laura, fulfill the classic American Dream of large(p) work and success. However, Tom has dreams of being a writer, and Laura is too painfully fainthearted to even leave the house. Clearly there will be at least one person displeased at the end of the day.The Wingfields live lives of short fuses hidden under good intentions Tom and Laura do not wish to disregard their mother entirely, but they have their own wishes that she does not respect. There are daily battles over who has the right to decide the lives of the family. Tom rightfully uncovers the truth that in order to achieve true enjoyment in self-actualization, one must choose the paths one takes alone. As verbalise above, some people truly put thought into their decisions, while others do not.This done not imply that the thought-out choice is the superior one. One can reflect upon an important decision for weeks, months, or years, and still make the impairment choice. If this is true, how is one supposed to make the proper choice? How does one make on the fork leading to the happier life? The answer is blunt and cruel. sometimes there i s no happier life. Many situations present themselves with no clear dampen choice. Tom debates his ever-growing desire to desert Amanda and Laura and live the life he feels he would enjoy infinitely more.He convinces himself that this would be his happier life, and does leave in the end, but not without some unwanted baggage. Wherever he goes, he is haunted by guilt of leaving Laura behind. It is evident that even when one does all the right things, when one takes into account outcome and consequences, and still makes the decision alone, it is very possible that there is no silver lining. One must simply do ones best to make the decisions one feels good near and live with them.