Jonathan Haidts Hard Times - 1964 Words

In the book Hard Times (1856/1995), by Charles Dickens, the citizens of Coketown are faced with moral situations. The characters have caused emotional harm to others or themselves due to their decisions. Most of the replies to these moral dilemmas are based on how selfish or selfless these characters. They can only choose between the choices that value the other people or value themselves. Two characters that make these decisions are Stephen, a worker at the Hand in Coketown, and Louisa, the daughter of a teacher in the town. Some of their choices may seem questionable to others. But most of them can be explained in Jonathan Haidt’s book The Righteous Mind. In his book, Haidt explains about the six moral foundations, two of them†¦show more content†¦Us humans are selectively fair to those that have a positive relationship with us and those who have a negative relationship towards us are known as cheaters. Cheating The association between Stephen and his wife is a solid example of the cheating rudiment. He is making dishonest choices because he does not have a healthy relationship with his wife anymore. After meeting an old woman, Stephen started thinking about Racheal: â€Å"He thought of the number of girls and women she had seen marry†¦how she had contentedly pursued her own lone quite path – for him.† (p.82) When we love someone, we tend to think often about the person we have feelings for. He is cheating on his wife because he is fantasizing about Racheal instead of his current wife. Later, his wife was about to drink poison until Racheal came to save her from it. Before drinking the poison, Stephen’s wife passes Stephen, who appears to be asleep. But it turned out that â€Å"All this time, as if a spell were on him, he was motionless and powerless, except to watch her.† Stephen wasn’t asleep. Rather than saving her from accidentally poisoning, Ste phen decided to do nothing but watch her fall into her death. This is cheating because he would rather have her dead than preventing him from having a marriage with Racheal. He would sacrifice her only for his satisfaction. Before this event, Stephen tells Mr. Bounderby that his relationship goes â€Å"From bad to worse, from worse to worsen. She leftShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis Of The Happiness Hypothesis By Jonathan Haidt1883 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"The Happiness Hypothesis† by Jonathan Haidt is the first book Ive read of its kind, mostly because Ive been trying to feel my way through life so far one step at a time, and I will likely never forget it. There are things to be learned within this combination of ancient wisdom, research, and Haidts connection of it all, valuable lessons for approaching and understanding the human experience. Reading something like this young, and taking it with me throughout my life and comparing it to my ownRead MoreJames Rachels s What Is Morality?1904 Words   |  8 Pages Rachels’ first example is Baby Theresa, who was born an anencephalic. Her parents wanted to donate her organs, as she was likely going to die within days anyway. However, Florida Law prevented the taking of organs from anyone â€Å"alive†, and by the time Baby Theresa died, her organs were no longer useable. Rachels goes through the arguments of both the pro and con sides. He uses the benefits argument to support the parents and doctors who thought they should have taken the organs before Baby Theresa