In two stories this year we've see the craziness and disorder of the Puritan lifestyle, but still marvel at their abilities to keep it together for over a hundred years. Where do we see this formula for success or failure in today's world? It's not an easy answer because the ideas of the Puritans are so outdated. Even the strictest of Orthodox religions do not compare to the 1700's Puritans. They are peaceful, together, and very sure of their beliefs. The Puritans lacked every single one of these ideas. But the monotonous, crazy and back-stabbing is seen no where else in today's society than the cubicles.
Think about it. Monotonous lifestyle, check. The Puritans were boring. No fun was allowed. The same strict schedule was followed every single day. The 9-5 life surely doesn't lack in the excitement department. The backstabbing, check. People are evil in the workplace. It's a race to the top. The depicted ideals of the cubicle life defines a pathological lie-fest where the meanest get the promotion. Nice guys finish last in Puritan life (John Proctor) and they sure do too in The work place.
Whether or not its what you want to do, you have to realize that the 9-5 cubicle working life is nothing short of the Puritan "dream". But is that what anyone wants to be? I think the history of Salem and the Scarlett Letter plot show that this "dream" is not what we want to live in.
I find your approach to this prompt really unique. I agree with how you say that the Puritan lifestyle is portrayed in the Crucible and the Scarlet Letter as something "bad" and that we wouldn't want to necessarily repeat, yet we still see it in modern-day societies.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this post. Nice job in relating it to the workplace :)
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