Those who see their ideas through, regardless of doubts or criticism others may express, are the ones who tend to leave a lasting legacy.
GRE AWA: Issue task
Persistence and perseverance are two of the cornerstones of the advancement of the human race. Throughout history, we have encountered examples of leaders and innovators we have been derided and disproved by a large population, nevertheless, the disproval gradually waned and eventually, their ideas thrived and left a legacy. Thus, people who are entrenched enough to see their ideas through are the ones most likely to leave a lasting legacy.
Human beings are innate problem-solver. We want to devise solutions that can mold the society, the way we deem right. Although, this attitude had a deleterious effect in many situations, nonetheless, the world had witnessed massive changes and innovations largely due to this trait in the humankind. Ideas are the primordial stage of any solution. Needless to say, these solutions are the inseparable part of a legacy. For instance, great leaders like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Mahatma Gandhi left a lasting legacy prominently for the solutions they had championed. Although we celebrate those ideas and solutions today, they were often derided and faced significant criticism during the time it was presented initially. Nevertheless, those people pursued their ideas in the face of adversity and eventually turned them into viable solutions that created a lasting legacy. Had they faltered in the face of criticism and doubts, it is highly likely that their ideas would not have seen the light of the day.
Technology is essentially an applied form of an idea. An idea that has been scaled to serve a larger population. However, innovation is hardly courted without doubts and criticism. Starting from Galileo’s contention with the religious bodies of that time to Darwin’s theory of evolution; these ideas which had created a legacy in itself were punctured with criticism during the time it was proposed. Nevertheless, Galileo and Darwin saw their ideas. Had Galileo given up and Darwin yielded to the dogmatic notion of that time, science and innovation would be greatly impeded and thus the human race as a whole.
Our social fabric is built on the mutual exchange of ideas and solutions. Criticism and expression of doubt elicit the analytical side of our race. One can argue that this very trait is what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom and confers upon us the title of the superior species. But criticism and doubts are often associated with a negative connotation. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the skeptical nature of people not only brings forth the fallacies of an idea but also fosters a culture of reasoning which eventually bolsters the generation of a workable solution out of a mere idea.
Furthermore, our political systems are in constant remodeling since its inception. Had political scientists and in general politically savvy people not questioned and expressed doubts about the existing systems, we might not have the democracy we cherish today. For instance, imperialism was long considered a solid form of governance. Nonetheless, maverick leaders proposed revolutionary ideas which at that time were not only criticized but also their proponents prosecuted. Nevertheless, the legacy they left is what we celebrate as democracy today.
Human beings are a constantly evolving species. In conjunction with our biological evolution, we are undergoing gradual changes in society, family, and the world at large. These changes might not always be positive, which makes criticism, expression of doubt, and skepticism even more necessary. Nevertheless, the ideas that leave a legacy are pursued by people who are intransigent enough to see it through.
