Gottfried's Essay example essay topic

Does watching the evening news always have to be so downcast and upsetting? Not even two minutes into the news and you hear about death, violence, divorce and many of our societal ills. How can we make this world a better place you ask? Maybe if we became more aware of what lies behind these problems, we can make this world a better place. This essay is not written to scare you, but simply written as am attempt to help save man kind before it's too late.

"College students have one objective: to get drunk". (474 5) This quote was taken from Sabrina Rubin Erdely's essay "Binge Drinking, A Campus Killer", this essay focuses on a serious and growing problem in many colleges and universities. Binge drinking has become a plague that is sweeping through campuses rapidly. Something that used to be considered a social activity has dramatically taken a turn for the worse. "Experts estimate that excessive drinking is involved in thousands of student deaths a year".

(475 9) The country was astonished by all of the alcohol related deaths recently. .".. Scott Krueger, an 18 year old fraternity pledge, died of alcohol poisoning after downing the equivalent of fifteen shots in an hour. Leslie Balt z died after she drank too much and fell down a flight of stairs.

Lorraine Hanna was left alone to sleep off her night of New Year's Eve partying was found dead by her twin sister". (475 8) Due to the increased problems and awareness of campus drinking, many colleges are searching for ways to reduce consumption. "Many offer seminars on alcohol during freshman orientation. Over fifty schools provide alcohol-free living environments".

(477 36) After all, if this problem continues, students today will never graduate. Not only has binge drinking become a major issue among society, America has come across a "road rage" syndrome. One senses and comes to know the driving behaviors of motorists in Martin Gottfried's essay "R ambos of the Road". Gottfried states, "It seems to me that it is a new America we see on the road now.

It has the mentality it has the mentality of a hoodlum and backbone of a coward". (480 13) Motorists have always used their cars as a shield and hiding place but the actions of the drivers is nothing new in this society; what is new is the extent of which we take it. Driving along and minding your own business does not exist any longer. .".. intimidation is the name of the game. Drive as if you " re deaf and blind. You don't hear the other guy's horn and you sure as hell don't see him".

(479 6) This is not a new America that Gottfried writes about, this "road rage" has always existed. This mentality exists in all societies, and it is time that people cease to blame it on the times and begin to look within themselves. This next essay entails of an average man trying to be like "the Jones's", doing all it takes to have everything, accept his family. Many men tend to over work themselves to have a little more, and over look their lives outside of work.

Ellen Goodman's "The Company Man" is an excellent example of one man doing so. Phil was a run down vice president at a company that he practically lived for. "He worked six days a week, five of them until eight or nine at night... He worked like the Important People.

He had no outside life... unless, of course, you might think about a monthly game of golf that way". (486 4) Phil died one Sunday of a heart attack. Leaving his family neglected, not knowing who their father or husband was. A comment was made to his wife about missing him and she replied, "I already have. Missing him all these years... ".

(486 7/8) Family life is very important for a marriage, which brings in "Why Marriages Fail" an essay by Anne Roiphe. This essay states several reasons marriages fail in today's society. Roiphe states "These days so many marriages end in divorce that our most sacred vows no longer ring with truth". (534 1) Each collapsed marriage is different whether it be because of a job loss, illness, children, or financial situations. Communication is a vital part in keeping a marriage together. "Divorce is not an evil act.

Sometimes, it provides salvation for people who have grown hopelessly apart or were frozen in patterns of pain or mutual unhappiness". (536 16) Then, why take the plunge? Get to know the person you plan to marry. Vows should mean more than words repeated by the priests to a couple. This last essay introduces people to something almost all are guilty of, but don't really pay much attention to. In Brent Staples's "Black Men and Public Space" he uses his life experiences to portray society's racial tendencies.

One of his first discoveries comes during a late night encounter with whom he speaks of "my first victim was a woman-white, well dressed, probably in her early twenties". (537 1) She was walking down the street ahead of him and was not comfortable with the space he left in between them. After glancing back she continues to walk faster until she began to run. Staples had no intention of robbing or harming the woman in any way.

Nevertheless, he was out of place in this well to do neighborhood and the woman let him know it. He also speaks of several encounters that he has with females. ".. with their purse straps strung across their chests bandolier-style, they forge ahead as though bracing themselves against being tackled". (537-538 5) He admits that he understands the fear others have of him. He knows that, because women are often easy for attack on city streets, they feel they need to be over cautious when encountering a potential attacker. There a many problems in society today. We need to take time out and pay attention to detail, instead of ignoring issues they need to be dealt with.

Life is too precious to let these awful things continue. Let's see if one day, we can sit down to watch the evening news and hear nothing but good things.