White Blindness example essay topic

To an extent, fear can be used as a way to mold society. The fear of terrorism set out by the event of 9/11 made it a more fear-driven world with growing minds of over analytical, blind, ignorant and assumable citizens, finger-pointing at others. But Jose Saramago's Blindness shows the possibility of fear molding our society. An epidemic of a bright, white blindness affecting all people, such brightness that no one would see anything but the white brightness itself, the novel uses this metaphorically as that we choose to ignore so much of the misery that goes on around us, the awful things that are happening in front of us, the despicable aspects of life.

Instead, we chose to see what we want to see. 'Look here, blind man, let me tell you something, either the two of you get back to where you came from, or you " ll be shot, Let's go, said the wife, there's nothing to be done, they " re not to blame, they " re terrified and are only obeying orders... ' (Saramago 63) This scene involves the blind in the institution, specifically the doctor and his wife that came to ask a guard for any antibiotics for a wounded man. This and other scenes throughout the novel shows the panic and fear from society and the government of this epidemic of blindness rapidly spreading with no reason. And particularly found in this quote is the power and the ability to implant such threat and fear in the blind internees, who are not only afraid of their own life that's hanging by a string because of this unexplainable sickness, but also the government's decisions and commands to instantly shoot and kill. It is a misfortune to acknowledge a government's lack of involvement in the lives of the blind.

And applying it to our lives, it is more of a misfortune. The government doesn't seem to know the importance of awareness of others to see the pain and suffering through the eyes of the less fortunate and needy. This robs their vulnerability. And back to the quote, it is the quality of understanding needed, instead of power, that is most needed in such situations as this. Without understanding, everybody is blind to others' feelings and situations. In the reference of the world after 9/11, people seem to be silly about everything.

Maybe it is the news media alone that causes us to have bias opinions and hard to realize the truth beyond it. Should we fear and segregate all Muslims and / or Middle Eastern people? Should we seek various forms of documents and evidence to pinpoint and mesmerize US citizens that this or that person was the one who ruined and dreadfully shape today's paranoia world? And do we need to blow that out of proportion? Or maybe not all of the above are not worth questioning because I don't know any better like nearly the rest of the world?

In today's society, people are more concerned with their own little world rather than looking at the big picture; the extensive perspective of life. 'Fear can cause blindness, said the girl with dark glasses... We were already blind the moment we turned blind, fear struck us blind, fear will keep us blind... ' (Saramago 129) People fearing the unknown and rejecting the unfamiliar can be consider as blind. They simply don't step out of her shell and explore their surroundings. But maybe, unfortunately, we refuse to see the truth.

Avoiding the outside world, we would tend to selfishly focus on our own reality. Therefore, hopefully, the blindness that took over the girl with the dark glasses and along with the rest in that ward listening attentively to others speak will realize what the blindness brought them to as a whole person. Imagine what life would be like once everyone regained their sight. Will the government system change and how? What are everybody opinions on the government? How much would life change?

It would be sad if life seem to return as normal and nothing was gained from the horrific experience of white blindness. But with the breakdown of society felt through the blindness of these people, it will most likely be a while for lives to rebuild and the sense of security from the government to be depended on. After all, the exploration of what happens when losing sight of what's important, when cries for help not recognized, forces us to examine the values of, and the relationships between, all our manners and attitudes, in all aspects.