We pursue pleasure and avoid pain. Critically evaluate this statement Essay

We pursue pleasure and avoid pain. Critically evaluate this statement and examine how it relates to at least two different theories of motivation and emotion - Essay Example While the Social Cognitive Theory considers both internal and external factors as sources of motivation, the Humanist perspective takes the internal forces of motivation to be stronger than outside motivation. The pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain can come across the central motivation of nearly everything human beings do in their lives. However, a critical examination of the statement in question shows that while the majority of cases will hold true under it, some situations will not (Higgins, 1997). This is because the definition of pain and pleasure may change from person to person depending on the nuances and influences of individual personality. Therefore, the statement is applicable in a general sense for the majority of individuals but for some the pursuit of pain may hold more pleasure than anything else. To better understand the statement and critically evaluate the same, two different theories of motivation and personality will be examined along with how they relate to the question. The theories selected for this paper are the social cognitive theory and the humanistic theory as they apply to motivation and personality. Of course a few definitions have to be laid out before the theories and their applications can be discussed. The two most important definitions for this purpose are personality and motivation. Personality itself can be defined as the collective emotional, thinking, and action patterns which are exhibited by an individual which are more or less consistent over a period of time (Miner & Dachler, 1973). Psychologists and those who study human personality have defined types of personalities and presented theories which help in placing individuals on certain scales of personality (Joy, 2004). Motivation can be defined as the internal desires, needs or wishes which are unique to all individuals in shaping their behavior to meet certain goals or objectives (Grotstein, 2001). Undoubtedly, both of these terms are related at a

Evaluate the novels as works of literature and compare and contrast Research Paper

Evaluate the novels as works of literature and compare and contrast them. Discuss the political and psychological aspects of eac - Research Paper Example Through the dystopian novel the writers expresses their opinion regarding the evil society more dramatically and its influence on the minds of the people. The protagonist of the novels who are victims of political oppression and sufferers from a psychological complexity carry a political message as designed by the author. The novel Nineteen Eighty-four, written by George Orwell, illustrates the central character Winston as a victim of the present political autocracy. Winston dreams of an ideal world where the difference between public and private life existed. He idealizes a world which is drastically different from the evil controlled society of 1984. Winston’s craving to go back to his childhood to the private world was similar to the mental condition of Orwell who longed to return to his past. The author states that the political and spiritual condition of the late forties was complex. He detests the totalitarian mentality that gave birth to the cruel Inner Party to attain the power in the fifties and sixties. (Gottlieb, 271, 278-279) Alex in ‘A Clockwork Orange’ is also a victim of the totalitarian society. The complexities faced by Winston and Alex both politically and psychologically, experienced in the dystopian society reveal the mental conflict of both the characters to adjust with the prevalent regime of the government. In George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-four, Winston who is the protagonist of the story is an epitome of sanity in the society which diverges completely from the perception of reality. O’Brien, who was an orthodox government agent remarked about the star that, â€Å"they are bits of fire a few kilometers away. We could reach them if we wanted to. Or we could blot them out.† (Plank 118) Winston’s character possessed different feeling that was a mixture of self destruction and insanity. The entire story centers on Winston and O’Brien. O’Brien plays a cat and mouse game with Winston. Both the characters complete each other by their roles and activities that they play in the course of the story. This novel comprises of both political historical as well as psychological moral side. Characters suffer from a psychological disturbance due to the effect of the Big Brother, a dictator leader of the state Oceania. Big Brother is the representative of God and is assumed that similar to the powers of God, this leader also has the power to control the lives of people. There is an indirect challenge that people should worship Big Brother like the way they worship God. The author has compared the activities of God with that of Big Brother. As people are ignorant about the intentions of God, similarly the intention and motivation of Big Brother and its party is completely vague in the minds of the people. Winston secretly hates the government and the Party. Through the characters Orwell expresses his own feeling that he possesses in his sub conscious mind. He expose s his feelings in such manner that it is easily accepted by the character by introducing a whole culture of Oceania so that the characters may â€Å"blend into the woodwork† (Plank 119). Canetti remarked on Orwell’s depiction of Winston as an inferior man than he was himself, â€Å"if one is nothing oneself, there is a peculiar kind of servile gratification to be got from ending in the belly of power† (Plank, 119). The power of the autocratic government ruled the entire life of Winston and invoked immense torture to him. Orwell presented Oceania as a gigantic state which had no