Session 5:The Social Contract- Invalid in Today's World

      There were quite a few things that particularly caught my attention in this reading. The idea that all things are done because of self-interest, (a view possessed by Thomas Hobbes and David Gauthier), is one which many might find controversial. I think this is because such a notion would completely invalidate the idea that this world could possess true goodness and sacrifice for the betterment of others. This might not sound appropriate but such views even seem to go against what the popular religions of today’s world preach. According to this view, the idea that someone would want to be some way for God’s sake sounds unlikely. In fact I believe that proponents of this view would readily assume that people are religious only because they want heaven etc, or because they would increase in status in the eyes of God instead of pure devotion towards Him).

     Also, another aspect of this reading which gripped my heed was Rousseau’s theory that it is through the advent of private property that society’s major evils come into existence. Such a theory would certainly cause today’s world to sound like a wicked place , where the possession of private property is a basic norm. Rousseau’s belief that the social contract has to inevitably turn favourable to a few people thus sounds true. However, its criticisms mentioned elsewhere in the reading are such that appeal more.

     Lets just look at the fact that Charles Mills' book: ‘The Racial Contract’ holds so much water today. Mills is of the view that the contract favours some races more than others. White supremacy today just goes to show how society isn’t fair towards people of every race. The fact that ‘Black Lives Matter’ had to become a slogan, and that policemen are offering the most pathetic excuses for snatching away the lives of black people is a solid piece of evidence to show that. Also, the fact that the terrorist shooting in the name of Islam (Charlie Hebdo),was global news and that another event which occurred on the very same day, the NAACP bombing ( which was targeted towards people of colour) was hardly given a speck of attention by the media, has a lot to say about how racism is so prevalent in a country like America, where so many people, of a variety of races, co-exist. Although it should be noted that the NAACP bombing did not result in many fatalities it is the fact that it was a crime nonetheless, and that the perpetrator of the crime, was generally spoken about as a ‘man’ or ‘driver’ and his race was not mentioned in the media(he was white), has a lot to say about racial bias in this society.

     Also, I find it amusing how Baier and Held have pointed out a very significant flaw in the Social Contract Theory. This theory, which according to Socrates was so much about his obligation to fulfill his duties towards the law, very conveniently disregards duties towards the other women of society ( Baier and Held are basically addressing Gauthier’s explanation of this theory). So it is clear that patriarchy is a notion that seems to be embedded in the essence of this contract.