Conformity in the Present Age

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In today’s society conformity and deliberation have taken over the lives of many as the concept of individuality goes astray. Throughout Soren Kierkegaard’s text, The Present Age: On the Death of Rebellion, he explains his thoughts on his beliefs that this age has lost a sense of inwardness and has become more and more ambiguous with the self. In addition to this, he also stresses the dangers that are associated with these loses. Furthermore, he argues that “the most dangerous, if also the most respectable of all diseases” is “to admire in public what is considered unimportant in private – since everything is made into a joke” (Kierkegaard 9). In this essay I am in agreement with Kierkegaard that in the present age, we as a society lose character in the process of reflecting upon what we are ought to, and expected to do. According to Kierkegaard, the present age is considered to be reflective; reflective in a way that we allow deliberation to take over our sense of action. Having said this, we always tend to get lost in our thoughts. Though we may have excellent ideas we plan on acting upon for example, there is always a sense of thought that holds us back from actually acting on what we planned to do. At the beginning of the text, Kierkegaard says, “before taking the step, he deliberates so long and so carefully that he literally chokes with thought” (3). Thinking before acting is something so common in the present age, and although it may be a good thing to do, as we are ethical beings – it brings out the indolent sides of our character. Usually in thought, we constantly look back at ourselves and reflect on what could or would have happened. We always find an excuse not to act and a great example of this is when Kierkegaard says, “…the present generation, wearied by its chimerical efforts, relapses into complete indolence. In condition is that of a man who has

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