Consciousness: Resisting Society's Tempting Boundaries

Humans are not born into the world alone, as solitary individuals. Instead, they are born into families, communities and societies which each have rules and boundaries that are expected to be followed. When growing up, humans are taught to mimic those around them and are praised and rewarded after following the rules. Humans can live their lives very smoothly within society's boundaries and by following society's credo that "happiness goes to the man who has the sweet smell of achievement" as Zinsser states it in "The Right to Fail" (106). It can be very tempting to follow society's rules because within them there is a feeling of safety and comfort. However, "for a man with a mind of his own" he needs to resist these rules and boundaries and find "individualism" inside himself to realize that consciousness can be a singular delight (106-7). Two significant works emphasize the human necessity to break through society's rules and stand alone, first is Zinsser's writing, "The Right to Fail," where he reveals to the reader that it is not an inevitable life of unhappiness when failure has happened, rather, a springboard onto another path where it is curved with learned experiences. Next, is the renowned "Declaration of Independence," where Jefferson refutes the oppression that Great Britain had laid upon the States and declares that there will be a separation because of the unjust way that the king rules.

Society has well defined boundaries that make themselves present in everyday life. For example, Zinsser points out that "magazine articles [are] a toast to people who made it to the top…smoke the right cigarette or drive the right car…and girls will be swooning into your deodorized arms or caressing your expensive lapels" (106). This urged collectivism is true not only in magazine articles, but also, on billboards, in country songs and during the Sunday night news cast. Parents, who have long ago submitted to society's tempting boundaries, say to their children, "Don't," when asked the concerning question about a possible failure (107). Parents are stuck in their "middle-class values" and remain worried that if a child fails, it is imminent that society will brand him a "dropout," with all of the term's "dirty-word" connotation (106-7). In contrast to society's pressing rules, Zinsser points out that there are numerous people who delight in "following their own trail," and along that path's "odd twists and turns," have made successes of themselves in the end (107). It is important to express an individualistic awareness in life because, "failure isn't fatal," even though it is most often branded as such (107). Fred Zinnemann who has been a successful Hollywood director, Zinsser labels as a model because of his realization that "success