Alice Smith
Ms. Lehmann
English 1-1A
4 December 2019
Survival
Do you believe people must be selfish to survive? This is the central question of this essay. Survival does require people to behave selfishly because people can’t count on other people to save them, and apathy will kill people faster than anything. Most survival stories prove that people must save themselves, and you can’t count on others to do it.
If people do not save themselves, they often die. Juliane survived a plane crash because she left the others and saved herself; she had to look after herself instead of waiting for help. The others who waited for help died. Gonzales writes, “Tough and clearheaded, this teenage girl, who had lost her shoes (not to mention her mother) on the first day, saved herself; the other survivors took the same eleven days to sit down and die” (Gonzales 326). This proves survival is selfish because the teenage girl was being selfish and saved herself while the others were waiting on others to save them and died. Another example from this article that supports this is 9-11. People who waited to be saved during 9-11 died because rescue personnel couldn’t get to them. “In the World Trade Center disaster, many people who were used to following the rules died because they did what they were told by authority figures”(Gonzales 327). This quote shows that in life and death situations, people must focus on yourself and not always listen to others. People must be selfish and care about what happens to them.
Apathy will kill people faster than anything. In the article Deep Survival, many people died because they were waiting for people to come save them. When Ronald DiFrancesco was attempting to escape the twin towers on 9-11, he only survived because he didn’t give in to apathy. “After ten or so floors, he encountered people who were succumbing to fatigue and smoke. The people, all of whom would die, were just giving up and falling asleep” (Gonzales 332). Di Francesco survived because he was focused on himself. Another example of this comes from rescue professionals. Who are prepared have died waiting for others to come and save them because they give in to apathy. “Searches are always amazed to find people who have died while in possession of everything they needed to survive. John Leach writes that ‘Victims have been recovered from life rafts with a survival box (containing flares, rations, first-aid kit and so on) unopened and the necessary contents unused’” (Gonzales 327). This shows that people need to be selfish and use the necessary things on themselves in order to stay alive. Although it’s clear that survival is selfish, not everyone agrees.
Some argue that people need a reason to survive; this is often thinking of others and the loss they would suffer were they to die. This is wrong because their reasoning could be as simple and just not wanting to die. So, it's obvious that survival is selfish.
Survival is selfish because people can't count on others to save them, and apathy will kill people faster than anything. In the story Deep Survival, the people who waited for help died. Another example from Deep Survival is 9-11 when DiFrancesco survived because he didn't give into apathy. So, is survival selfish? Obviously, it is!
Works Cited
Gonzales, Laurence. Deep Survival. Collections, edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 325-334.
Argumentative Essay Reflection
Please answer all questions in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
2. What qualifies this paper as an argumentative essay? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
To meet the requirements for this genre you have to view both sides of the argument and explain why one side is right or wrong. I met this requirement by showing times where survival is and is not selfish.
3. Explain how you found at least one of the quotations from the essay and tell me why you chose that particular quote. What did it do for your paper?
“In the World Trade Center disaster, many people who were used to following the rules died because they did what they were told by authority figures”(Gonzales 327). I chose this quote because shows that in life and death situations, people must focus on yourself and not always listen to others. People must be selfish and care about what happens to them. I found this quote by reading through the story to find the best evidence.
Ms. Lehmann
English 1-1A
4 December 2019
Survival
Do you believe people must be selfish to survive? This is the central question of this essay. Survival does require people to behave selfishly because people can’t count on other people to save them, and apathy will kill people faster than anything. Most survival stories prove that people must save themselves, and you can’t count on others to do it.
If people do not save themselves, they often die. Juliane survived a plane crash because she left the others and saved herself; she had to look after herself instead of waiting for help. The others who waited for help died. Gonzales writes, “Tough and clearheaded, this teenage girl, who had lost her shoes (not to mention her mother) on the first day, saved herself; the other survivors took the same eleven days to sit down and die” (Gonzales 326). This proves survival is selfish because the teenage girl was being selfish and saved herself while the others were waiting on others to save them and died. Another example from this article that supports this is 9-11. People who waited to be saved during 9-11 died because rescue personnel couldn’t get to them. “In the World Trade Center disaster, many people who were used to following the rules died because they did what they were told by authority figures”(Gonzales 327). This quote shows that in life and death situations, people must focus on yourself and not always listen to others. People must be selfish and care about what happens to them.
Apathy will kill people faster than anything. In the article Deep Survival, many people died because they were waiting for people to come save them. When Ronald DiFrancesco was attempting to escape the twin towers on 9-11, he only survived because he didn’t give in to apathy. “After ten or so floors, he encountered people who were succumbing to fatigue and smoke. The people, all of whom would die, were just giving up and falling asleep” (Gonzales 332). Di Francesco survived because he was focused on himself. Another example of this comes from rescue professionals. Who are prepared have died waiting for others to come and save them because they give in to apathy. “Searches are always amazed to find people who have died while in possession of everything they needed to survive. John Leach writes that ‘Victims have been recovered from life rafts with a survival box (containing flares, rations, first-aid kit and so on) unopened and the necessary contents unused’” (Gonzales 327). This shows that people need to be selfish and use the necessary things on themselves in order to stay alive. Although it’s clear that survival is selfish, not everyone agrees.
Some argue that people need a reason to survive; this is often thinking of others and the loss they would suffer were they to die. This is wrong because their reasoning could be as simple and just not wanting to die. So, it's obvious that survival is selfish.
Survival is selfish because people can't count on others to save them, and apathy will kill people faster than anything. In the story Deep Survival, the people who waited for help died. Another example from Deep Survival is 9-11 when DiFrancesco survived because he didn't give into apathy. So, is survival selfish? Obviously, it is!
Works Cited
Gonzales, Laurence. Deep Survival. Collections, edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 325-334.
Argumentative Essay Reflection
Please answer all questions in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
- Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
2. What qualifies this paper as an argumentative essay? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
To meet the requirements for this genre you have to view both sides of the argument and explain why one side is right or wrong. I met this requirement by showing times where survival is and is not selfish.
3. Explain how you found at least one of the quotations from the essay and tell me why you chose that particular quote. What did it do for your paper?
“In the World Trade Center disaster, many people who were used to following the rules died because they did what they were told by authority figures”(Gonzales 327). I chose this quote because shows that in life and death situations, people must focus on yourself and not always listen to others. People must be selfish and care about what happens to them. I found this quote by reading through the story to find the best evidence.