Write an argumentative essay about Does the GDP tell the right story
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Does the GDP Tell the Right Story?
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has long been regarded as a key indicator of a country’s economic performance and overall well-being. However, the question arises: Does the GDP truly tell the right story? In this essay, we will explore the limitations of GDP as a measure of progress and argue that relying solely on GDP to assess a nation’s prosperity and quality of life may present an incomplete and skewed perspective.
Limitations of GDP Measurement
While GDP quantifies the total value of goods and services produced within a country’s borders, it fails to account for various factors that contribute to overall well-being and societal progress. One major limitation of GDP is its inability to capture income distribution and inequality. A high GDP per capita does not necessarily indicate equitable distribution of wealth among the population, leading to disparities in living standards and social cohesion.
Moreover, GDP focuses predominantly on economic output and consumption, neglecting environmental sustainability and resource depletion. The pursuit of continuous GDP growth often comes at the expense of natural resources and ecosystem degradation, leading to long-term environmental consequences that are not reflected in GDP calculations. Additionally, the quality of life indicators such as health, education, social mobility, and subjective well-being are not directly incorporated into GDP measurements, overlooking essential aspects of human development and happiness.
Alternative Indicators of Progress
Recognizing the shortcomings of GDP, many scholars and policymakers advocate for the use of alternative indicators to provide a more comprehensive assessment of societal well-being. Metrics such as the Human Development Index (HDI), Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), and Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) index offer multidimensional perspectives on progress by incorporating social, environmental, and economic factors into their assessments. These alternative indicators emphasize factors such as education attainment, health outcomes, environmental sustainability, and subjective well-being, providing a more holistic view of societal progress beyond economic growth.
The Case for a Multidimensional Approach
Advocates for a multidimensional approach argue that relying solely on GDP to gauge prosperity oversimplifies complex societal dynamics and fails to capture the true essence of well-being. By integrating a range of indicators that encompass economic, social, and environmental dimensions, policymakers can make more informed decisions that prioritize sustainable development, social equity, and human flourishing. A multidimensional approach to measuring progress acknowledges the interconnectedness of economic, social, and environmental systems, fostering a more balanced and inclusive vision of societal advancement.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while GDP serves as a useful metric for assessing economic output and productivity, it falls short in capturing the full spectrum of factors that contribute to societal well-being and progress. By acknowledging the limitations of GDP and embracing alternative indicators that encompass social, environmental, and economic dimensions, policymakers can gain a more nuanced understanding of progress and make decisions that prioritize sustainable development and human flourishing. Moving towards a multidimensional approach to measuring progress is essential in shaping policies that promote inclusive growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability for a more prosperous and resilient society.
