ISSUE235

civilppUID: 2999177

TOPIC: ISSUE235 - "Most people are taught that loyalty is a virtue. But loyalty-whether to one's friends, to one's school or place of employment, or to any institution-is all too often a destructive rather than a positive force."
WORDS: 591
TIME: 00:45:00
DATE: 2011/2/18 16:55:56

Is loyalty a destructive rather than a positive force? The speaker claims so. People with loyalty to certain doctrine, companies, or injustice laws may practice like foolish subordinates to it regardless of morality, responsibility or any other obligation that required by society. Nevertheless, loyalty also exerts a momentous influence whether on our everyday life or other field of human endeavor, which cannot be neglected.
People who submit to their only principles or ideology can do serious harm to society. In the process of blindly pursuing the so-called highest doctrine in the region or any other models, people tend to be prevented from reasoning thinking and analyze problems rationally, which may guide them to move to another direction of truth. We can look no further than ancient times when people regarded Aristotle the highest principle of science and wisdom, the false theory, earth-centered theory has long been accepted by the public until Copernicus proved earth has been not the center of universe that weakened the old theory, thus resulting in violent confrontation from the pubic and Pope. The people who apotheosize the Aristotle as the god of science overlooked the possibility that their principles may also suffered from flaws, which led their confrontation aiming at impeding the development of astrology. This impediment may not become a destructive force but did harm to improve science of astrology to grow healthily at that time until Kepler discovered the telescope to scrutiny universe.
Nevertheless, while loyalty sometimes brings unexpected malevolent force to destroy development of society, undue cheat or distrust may bring even more problems today. In the business world, if were not for mutually trust in each company, there won’t be equal trading in the free market; in the education world, if were not for truly honest in acting in exams, hardly a universe can allow a excellent students according to the marks; in the academic world, if were not for integrity of not copying others' paper and achievement, barely the professor can earn his prestige among his chosen field. Polio vaccine has been invented by Salk, a famous professor, while it is derived from the Enders-Weller-Robbins method, since if were not for the ability to prove that the polio viruses can grow and manipulate outside body and their techniques, the Polio vaccines will not be invented. But Salk never credit the vaccines to Enders and any of his colleagues, which is a big cheat in scientific world, though he became a hero to cure the disease. The result was the professionals entitled the Enders "The Father of Modern Vaccines", but give Salks nothing. It illustrates that even in the scientific world, loyalty to obey honesty and morality is still a very momentous quality to scientist.
As a basic virtue, loyalty is still in need of friendship, problems solving and any other fields of human endeavor. After all, it is loyalty that ties the whole family and close friends together, through which members can reunion and rely on each other. And in military army, a soldier cannot disobey any laws and principles implemented in the army, because if he used to violate the legislation, it is possible that he may betray his country in the war. A united nation requires loyalty among citizens which consist of the basic ground of a country.
In sum, loyalty may bring malevolent force to society when people who blindly pursue his own interest and principles regardless the morality and laws, while society also requires loyalty as the virtue of a citizen that can contribute to the nation.