Creative Writing
Ok, guys... since we are currently having Crime & Punishment lessons, I'm going to ask you a highly controversial question this time...and I believe, there is no easy way to answer my question... So, Henry Ford said "Capital punishment is as fundamentally wrong as a cure for crime as charity is wrong as a cure for poverty." What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Will you make a decision with your heart and not head?...Or vice versa? ... Of course, you have to explain your voice in a choice... I. Cannot. Wait.:))) Have a nice weekend and see you on Monday!
The question is not easy and it is unlikely that such a teenager like me can wisely judge the quote but I agree with this guy.
ReplyDeleteWe are all people and no one can decide that another person is not worth living. The only thing we can do is isolate the criminal from society in order to prevent the following crimes. We are all people and we should solve the problems civil.
And in terms of politics, capitalpunishment is wrong too. Killing an offender is not a solution to the root of the problem because as practice shows, people continue commit crimes and the death penalty is only a demonstrative act of intimidating the common people. Killing a criminal is like a drop in the ocean in the struggle for justice in this world, hence the comparison with charity in the fight against poverty. The problems are so global that such solutions are too primitive and superficial.
In addition, kill the criminals or do charity work it is like pour gas on the fire because in that way the government shows people that they have the right to kill and charity allows people to think that they have the opportunity to use someone else's labor and money without working themselves.
On the other hand, maybe charity is not the right solution to the problem of poverty we should help people because one day we will need this help and it will just boomerang back onto us.
When I first read this statement, I could not associate the сapital punishment with charity. That's why it really made me think.
ReplyDeleteEverybody knows the phrases " Without difficulty, you will not pull a fish out of the pond" and "Give the man a fish, and he will eat it. Give the man a fishing rod, and he will fish for himself". Charity means that we give away money or another material aid for someone who need these. But thіs doesn't mean, that someone start doing something in order to make money or help himself/herself live better because in these way he or she has something in any case. So such method does not encourage people to change their lives.
Prisons are designed to force offenders understand their mistakes and punish them for their crimes. Capital punishment deprives the chance to change the prisoner's life just as charity does not encourage the poor people to change their lives.
I think Henry Ford wanted to said that person must have a chance to change his/her life in the same way that he/se must use this chance but capital punishment and charity really don't motivate to do these.
In my opinion, it's better not to accept the law on the death penalty in our country, because we are judged not honestly and can not put a man in prison to blame. At the same time, I do not consider it correct that, having committed a serious crime, the offender is punished in a prison where he lives at the expense of conscientious citizens of the country.
ReplyDeleteIn general, I believe that the death penalty is one of the best fighters for reducing serious offenses (murders, terrorists, etc.). After all, so people will understand the seriousness of their actions.
In ancient times, publicly executed criminals were specially executed on city squares, so that the citizens could see that they might be if they did not adhere to accepted laws and regulations. And this greatly influenced the psyche of people and their vileness faded. But, in my opinion, only those who intend to kill deliberately deserve the death penalty, provided that it is fairly proved.
But charity, albeit not saving from poverty, but I think that without it anyhow. After all, there are many people in the world who need not something material, but at least spiritual support. The slice of bread or words of support can even save somebody's life. Charity can also reduce the number of crimes, because people who do not have a home commit a crime to be imprisoned to have at least some living conditions. And in general, I think that if you help someone, they will help you sometime.
What is the main purpose of capital punishment? First of all, it’s public horrification, as “look what will be, if you do something like that”. And, secondly, it’s a price person should pay for his/here crime. Lots of people think that it’s cruel and nobody deserve death. But you can’t deny that sometimes reading news/books, watching films etc about awful crimes, you think that it’d better if that person were sentenced to the death.
ReplyDeleteBut, will it change something in general? In the world will leave less offenders? No. So I think that analogy with charity and poverty was absolutely correct. No matter how much money we will spend to help other, it’s a drop in the ocean, always will be people who suffer from lack of money like always will be people who commit crime. It’s something we can’t fight, it’s utopia. But it doesn’t mean that we should give up.
We can’t change the world but we can change ourselves. We can’t help everybody but we can make someone’s life better.
So don’t be insensible and live in peace✌️
"We can’t change the world but we can change ourselves. We can’t help everybody but we can make someone’s life better." It's dead simple...:)
DeleteI think if somebody asked me is capital punishment normal and maybe it’s worthy to back it as a law punishment I would say yes. And my opinion would be that it is the best way to punish people, who killed so many people, used to rape or committed others dreadful crimes. But now I can say I was wrong. When I read this quote I was in trouble because I couldn’t clearly understand it and even maybe still. It was like a push for me and I’ve been thinking about it so long. I even did some researches to get a better sense of it. And I’ve made some conclusions for myself.
ReplyDeleteCapital punishment is not the way of correction of all population. I don’t think so that killing people who kill others people can teach us something. We can NOT decide who worth to live and who not. Capital punishments really inspire fear in people who have sounds minds, who understand all unspeakable horror of this punishment. But what about killers, who are sick of it, who are driven by affective state or a spate of anger. Somebody thinks that they will never be caught. That separates us from the animals – we can make decisions, we can choose what right and what wrong for us. So while making decision how to punish somebody, we need to add a human nature of this person, his way of thinking, his mentality. The best examples which I can bring is the books “Crime and punishment” by Dostoevsky and “The Green Mile” by Steven King. In first we see that main character kills not for money or jewelry, he has his own reason. All he wanted to know is which class of people he relates to. He was not mentally healthy, but we can see that murder committed by him starts to corrode him. His humanity wakes up, he starts to understand what he did. And another example from “The Green Mile” that there always are people who are not guilty of crime and this is not fair to kill them. But how your mother said “Sense of justice does not exist”.
We can’t understand other’s people’s feelings and until we do that, we can’t judge them fully. Capital punishment is not a cure for crime, just like charity is not a way from poverty.
“When reason fails, the devil helps!” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
DeleteMany countries have different laws. One of them is capital punishment that can be found in our days hardly in rarely countries. Of course we think about Middle Ages, their executioners and guillotines, blood and death tortures. Also this is not good method. Thiefes can be poor men/women, psyho or another unnormal human. But cause of this is big prices, little number of workplaces or psyhical mind of person.
ReplyDeleteCharity for poor is good in some situations. But also they will want more and more money and spent them for clubs, bars, sigarets or other unhealthy things. This story can tell more than me:
Once upon a time, a man walking along a beach saw a boy picking up starfish and throwing them into the sea.
He asked the boy why he was throwing starfish into the sea.
The boy replied, "The tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll dry up and die."
The man smiled patronisingly and said, "But, there are miles of beach and thousands of starfish on every mile. You can't possibly make a difference!"
The boy smiled, bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the sea.
"Well," he said, "I made a difference for that one."
This says that you can't help everyone, but you can help a little bit for two-three people.
And againstly this wisdom was approved by me. Thanks for reading, good Sunday!
By Sergey Remez,
238 words and 1316 characters
Kind-hearted:)
DeleteIt was so hard to understand, but i finally understand. So yes, I am completely disagree.
ReplyDeleteIn general, the idea of this phrase is terribly banal, isn't it? Of course, we all know that people will always be evil and envious. Some people will always be kind and honest. And it's okay, the balance of good and evil must be right. Crime will never disappear. Yes, maybe in future we will stop killing each other. But other laws will be invented and sometimes they will be violated. It's obvious that capital punishment won't change anything but if we don't do something, it will be even worse. But, sometimes capital punishment can be useful. Let's imagine. A man, who killed person or a lot of people, or done terrible harm and admitted it or somebody proved it. And then what? He will be at prison to the and of his life? Will eat and live for our money? If we kill him, only few people will understand a serious of the law. But it will be easier for the country and for people, the murderer will not live for our taxes.
Let's talk about charity. I'm angry about that because if to talk honestly, author was trying to say "We will not kill people because other people will not stop break the law. We will not help people who need it because we can't help everyone. " It's not okay! We must help each other! If you donate the money, you can save child's life, for example.
You can't help everyone, but all of us can. We can't stop criminality but we can rewove people, who don't want to live in society and follow the rules.
"So yes, I am completely disagree." Ha-ha-ha-ha:)
DeleteSounds intense...
DeleteI agree with this statement. The punishment for the atrocity is not a cure, but the method to pacify the offender and to do so that the act would not be repeated. Charity is not a cure for poverty, it's a way to help those in need. But I do not know what the prison has in common with charity, maybe I just did not fully understand this statement.
ReplyDeleteZhenya Nagornyy
"...But I do not know what the prison has in common with charity...." Typical Zhenya, so cute:)
DeleteThis quote by Henry Ford is really controversial. As for the first part of this statement, I kind of disagree with it. As we know the crime level is pretty low in Arabic countries. Why so? Well, one of the reasons is because they have severe punishment, including death sentences for serious crimes. For example, thieves get their hands cut off.
ReplyDeleteIf a person makes a decision to end someone’s life, he/she should realize that punishment for the crime can be capital. Thus, it may deter people from committing crimes.
As for the second part of the statement, I totally agree with Mr. Ford. If you want to cure poverty, teach a person to earn money instead of just giving them to him/her. Easy money is not valued as the money you earn yourself. Plus, charity is a one-time occasion, while having a profession can guarantee you more or less regular income. Therefore, charity can not be a cure for poverty.
Mature. Smart. Though I am not surprised:)
DeleteMe likee:)
DeleteI am not adult enough to think of this quote, but I'll try. Nowadays, many people live below the poverty line. Some of them become beggar just because they are so lazy, they don't want do anything, but they need earn some money. It doesn't matter, how kind and generouse you are, how much money you would sacrifice them, they just spend your money, but don't change anything in their life. They just have no motivation, maybe their life suit them just fine.
ReplyDeleteDeath penalty - very severe punishment. Life is the most valuable thing for people and nobody wants to die, so it's probably true, that capital punishment is the best way to punish offender and also it would be good lesson for other people. BUT, just an example : if someone commit a murder, he will spend his 10-20 years behind the bars, or even more (life imprisonment), it's really huge part of people's life. All of us know about consequence of their crime, but inspite of this fact, there are many murders and I think that capital punishment can't change it. Moreover, capital punishment takes one more life, it's inhumane.
So, it means that now I am agree with Henry Ford, but maybe I will change my mind when I become older .
Vitalik
Downright smart:)
DeleteI partly agree with this quote. In my opinion, the worst way to punish a person is to sentenced him to death. Everyone can make a mistake. So persons who committed an act should be given an opportunity to become better. But, some persons deserve capital punishment. For example, if these persons killed a lot of people. What about a charity? I think that there are some people who really need a help. For example, terminally ill persons, who don't have money. But we must understand that if a person sees that someone give him money, he stops working. We can see this situation on our streets. Some beggars even have such job: stay on the streets and beg money. And it is awful. But, in my opinion, every person should remain tolerant, because no one knows what can happen to us.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is a moot point…
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand, capital punishment - is a just punishment, like ‘An eye for an eye’. Especially, murderers, that have committed crimes consciously must be prosecuted with the full force of the law. Also, capital punishment helps us to get rid of these "bad" people forever, because it is so high level of possibility that prisoners can escape from prison.. Besides, capital punishment saves money of a country, because a country don’t need to ‘feed’ prisoners (interesting fact: in China, a person sentenced to be shot first must to buy himself a bullet).
On the other hand, executioners will appear in the country and they will become a ‘serial killer in law’…
«If you kill a killer, the number of killers in the world remains the same.» -Batman.
The risk of judicial error exists always. And, in the case of the death penalty, the innocently convicted person will not be able to return to freedom. Also, capital punishment in some way more loyal then life imprisonment and serial killers will commit crimes because they have nothing left to lose.
In my opinion, capital punishment will make people cruel. Murderers must be isolated from society forever. They must be closed alone with their own thoughts, to think about what they have done.
" ...interesting fact: in China, a person sentenced to be shot must buy himself a bullet first" - I see you did some digging:)
Delete"...serial killers will commit crimes because they have nothing left to lose " - I didn't get your idea, what about their own lives, they can lose their own lives if the judge have inflicted the death penalty on the criminal
«If you kill a killer, the number of killers in the world remains the same.» -Batman - good one:)
You said nothing about charity:(
" "...serial killers will commit crimes because they have nothing left to lose " - I didn't get your idea, what about their own lives, they can lose their own lives if the judge have inflicted the death penalty on the criminal « — I meant that, if SERIAL killer killed one person, he understand that he will be sentenced to the death penalty and in this case why he can’t kill more and more people(punishment will be the same)???
DeleteI said nothing about charity because i guessed that main topic is— "Capital punishment is as fundamentally wrong" and "as charity is wrong as a cure for poverty.»— is just comparison for better understanding of the main topic:)
Clarification accepted:)
DeleteI agree with Henry Ford. In my opinion,capital punishment should not be used as a method of punishment of the offender, because is not humanely and no authorities have no right to decide a live human or die. Nowadays in some countries the capital punishment is still applied, but fortunately in Ukraine it was abolished for a long time. I think that for serious crimes such as murder, the offender should give a long time of incurring punishment, but not kill him.
ReplyDelete“…charity is wrong as a cure for poverty”. I think charity should definitely be present in our life. We need to help those in need. However, some people speculate on charity and instead of fighting poverty personally waiting for help from others. This is of course not correct, because a person must itself grapple with poverty, such as finding a job, and concerned people can only a little help in this. So let's be merciful and will help each other!
I completely agree with the Henry Ford's idea. For the question:"Do we need capital punishment?" most people will answer:"Yes!", without any thoughts (my answer also was:"YES!", because it's really hard to think in another way when your relatives are hurt) but it's the first idea that comes to our mind. After brainstorming about this question we can find some new ideas. The first one will be the wrong punishment. In the criminal history, we can find a lot of examples when an innocent person was executed, but real criminal was at large. And what got the family of killed man - just an excuse! Secondly, it is a really "easy way" to atone your mistakes. A doomed person will not fill "all the charms" of prison. He would spend a short amount of time in a single chamber and after that, in one day he must die. Of course, he would be extremely nervous on his last day but this is incomparable in order to spend the rest of your life behind the bars. But the most important is that he won't understand his mistakes. In the serial "Prison break" you can find the answer to the question of capital punishment. Moreover, who we are to dispose of others' lives? By killing the killer, we also become killers. Capital punishment won't correct the criminals and won't revive killed.
ReplyDeleteIt is also incorrect when poor but healthy people always need help.
"If you give a hungry man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime" these words from the famous parable best of all confirm the words of Henry Ford. It is important to help a person so that this person can help another person. Of course, it is about good education and highly paid job. But 50% of this depends on a person because if you are lazy nothing about good education and highly paid job can be in your life. It is important to help, but it is better when nobody is depending on your help.
" By killing the killer, we also become killers. Capital punishment won't correct the criminals and won't revive the killed." Good point, I think
DeleteCapital punishment is a very controversial way to decrease the number of crimes in the world including our country. I don't really like saying this, but sometimes human race need to face the fact, that death penalty is obligatory to prevent the large number of serious crimes in the whole world. It works really simple: people see the punishment and don't want to share the same fate. Easy, right? But many people say that now is 21th century and our government can find more humane way to punish the felons. We build prisons to fight crimes, make our houses more secure and live under the law of our country. But are we really doing our best to prevent crimes? I think no. Because everyday I see on the news that someone was killed and another one was raped. And truthfully saying, I hate living in such a society.
ReplyDeleteWhat about a cure for crime. There is no cure for crime. Ones a criminal got caught, he'll never stop. And unfortunately nothing can change these people. As for "cure for poverty". It is money and luck. If you're lucky, you'll find a job and earn money. Some of my classmates wrote about charity. But charity it is more for sick and disadvantaged people than for homeless and jobless. And I think that if you're smart enough to find yourself no matter what job which will make a profit- 'all your problems seem so far away'. But yeah is some case charity is acceptable to help homeless and sick people.
And what about decisions. If I'll need to make a serious decision, I'll make it with my head. Making choices with my heart is about dreaming. But with my head is about thinking pragmatically and realistically. That's all we need to make a good decision, right?
I don't agree that capital punishment is a true way to solve a question. If we kill the offender we only will leave him without real punishment he need. It would be better punish him every day or give him lessons and isolate offenders from us. And we can't stop it, crime will be always, like a poverty. If we give some money to a beggar, he won't became a successful man, he will only live a bit longer. So Henry Ford said all correctly about it.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I fully disagree with the second part of this statement "charity is wrong as a cure for poverty." I think Henry Ford didn't really understand what is charity about. For example if you buy a school uniform and books for child from poor African country, you will give a chance him or her visit a school and gain knowledge. When this child grow up he/she can become a successful person and give the chance to another child. Of course if you will give money to lazy or illiterate of parents of this child. They will buy a cow and it doesn't change nothing.
ReplyDeleteBut now about the capital punishment. I partly agree with this part of this quote. It must be said that I'm not a very kind person who will be think about such a serious question just with my heart. There are some advantages of capital punishment. Firstly it's much more good for economical situations of the country. Life long retention is very expensive. Secondly if the worst punishment will be life imprisonment the number of shoots will rise because prisoners will have nothing to lose. On the other hand there are some disadvantages. For example it's possibility of miscarriage of justice. Many innocent people lost their lives in this way. Another disadvantage is crime growth. It's hard to explain but I will try. Imagine situation when the person kill another person and several people saw that. Killer know that if police will catch him, he will be killed too. And in order to escape punishment he will kill witnesses.
All in all capital punishment have some advantages but I think that disadvantages overweight them. But in the same time there are people who really deserve it.
I believe that in the first place the capital punishment is a crime against humanity. But on the other side, people who commits a grave crime are not afraid of death. I think that in most cases they know what's on and what are the consequences. But if I look from a global perspective I agree with this statement.The capital punishment can not prevent crime. We need to approach the problem from the other side. For example, Norway. Crime is very small there. Because people do not need it. They have their own house, job and family. I want to say that we need improve the standard of living so that there will be no point in stealing and killing. I also agree with the second part of the statement.People can not save everyone from poverty with charity. We need to be engaged in сharity, but we must give poor people jobs to solve this problem. Because most poor people do not have this opportunity. All problems need to be approached globally. I make a decision with a head and I fully agree with this statement.
ReplyDelete"...I make a decision with a head... " :))))
DeleteThis statement is very difficult to understand. But if you think a bit about him, you can understand his meaning. Do I agree with him? Yes of course. Now let me explain why. I understand that the death penalty is a suicide of a person. This is probably wrong, but I understood that. To kill a person does not require much strength and intelligence, but to kill yourself, you need to. People believe that if they kill themselves, then all problems will be solved. But this is not the case. Yes, you will not be arrested for committing a crime, but you have lost half of your life, perhaps the best moments that could happen in it. People are stupid, they do not understand all the values of life. Yes, you committed a crime. So accept it. There is no point in hiding, to live in anxiety. It's better to sit still, but then to continue your life. Apparently it will not be the same as before. It seems to be better, probably not. It all depends on us. You have to think before doing something. As for me, the person who commits a crime shows how weak it is, since murder, violence, theft and other types of crime can be solved completely differently. Not by force, but by reason. I do not condemn them in this regard. This is their choice. But all the world in our world, the mind will always be ahead of a couple of steps from strength.
ReplyDeleteThe death penalty is the simplest in the fight against crime. You do not have to force him to think about his mistakes, his crimes committed. I believe that this method is outdated and society has long concluded that leaving a person alone with his thoughts is much more effective as punishment than just death. Also, do not deny that if a person can be innocent, then bringing him back to life will not be possible. I believe that criminals from this will not become less. And this method is simply useless.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with the first part of Henry Ford's quote. The main goal of imprisonment is to punish and re-socialize the prisoner. But people who committed very serious crimes will not change for the time spent in prison. Murders, robbers, marauders knew that they commit illegal actions and will be punished this did not stop them. So, how their prison will not change, my opinion, it is better to sentence them to the capital punishment. The saved money can be used for something useful.
ReplyDeleteBut I agree with the second part. It is better to teach a poor man century earn than simply give him easy money, which he thoughtlessly spend. So you can change his life forever, not temporarily.
Марк Корецкий Wrote
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with Henry Ford.
"We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing."
U.S. Catholic Conference
First of all, everyone has human right to life, even murders have this right. The only case when man can kill smb is when there is danger for his/her life. The most common argument against capital punishment is that sooner or later, innocent people will get killed, because of mistakes in the justice system. Criminals don't scare to commit crime, they scare of being caught and punished. So, I think capital punishment cannot prevent crimes and it's morally flawed.
No scissors work, please
DeleteOn the one hand, I agree that the death penalty is wrong and it is not for us to decide to live or die, but if a person has committed a crime of a world nature or killed many people and this is not his first crime, he deserves death. Because in prison people are trying to change and put on the right path, that they would realize their actions. But if a person after the first imprisonment again commits a crime, then he already has nothing to correct and he deserves death. And at the expense of charity, that is, people who do not want to study or work, but there are those who have developed so that they were without money. And I think that such people need to be helped, because in such a situation we can turn out to be
ReplyDeleteThe modern world is filled with criminals. Assassins, robbers, violators and others have become commonplace for us. Nevertheless, you can not just sit in one’s hands, close the eyes on lawlessness, because it does not help to get rid of crime. It is for this reason that throughout the existence of humanity people have fought against those who violated generally accepted norms. Among all these people stood out those with whom the law was treated particularly cruelly - sentenced to death. So why ,maybe, the most effective way to prevent another atrocities in many developed countries is banned and is considered inhumane.
ReplyDeleteThe first reason is the human factor, the investigative mistake, as a result of which an innocent person could suffer. After all, taking life so simply ...
The second is the hope of modern society for social reabilitation. And here I was confronted with the contradiction of my position . A comparison with charity with which I categorically disagree. Yes, of course, by giving money to the poor, we will not make them less helpless, but the execution of especially dangerous criminals we get rid of the further actions of this criminal, and we also set an example of what will happen to those who will decide on a serious crime. A society ... Does someone really believe that after such crimes someone can be rehabilitated? My opinion is this: the more severe punishment the less willing to cross the line. And in a reliable, harsh and fair justice covering panacea for crime
Sorry for the late.
I not fully but disagree with this statement. I think execution is the best way to avoid bad crimes. And I live by law "eye for eye, and blood for blood", so execution for me fits killing someone. And another way, charity not always a cure for a poverty. Because someone can donate not to help others but to make himself more popular. So there is to sides of a coin.
ReplyDeleteSorry for late, was busy;)
Every problem that humanity confront is problem made by people or problem only for human beings, so problems won’t ever solved fully, cause each time we resolve problem – we have more to come. So, world without poverty and crime is just a fairy tale for kiddos, where Marx and bunch of his comrades happily laying around.
ReplyDeleteMain problem of humanity – is humanity, and only can be fully cured by total annihilation of each and every intelligent form of life in this world. But, for main part of people, it’s not path, they want follow. So, we need to find other solution, that minimizes gap between rich and poor part of population and reduces crime level to lowest mark. If people will be publicly executed for lowest crime, it will kick off will for robbing etc. Also, we need to create fee for every people that have capital higher than some mark. This fee will be paid to poor people as long as they work hardly without laziness.
As I don’t have enough experience in this part of life, I can’t fully judge by myself about this quote.
Sorry for taking it so long to write essay.
by Nerdan