When growing up, people are exposed to specific aspects of their society, culture, and environment, to which they adjust and adapt. Within all societies, there are social and cultural responsibilities, goals, and objectives. In addition, individuals have personal goals and visions while also having to fulfill their social expectations and responsibilities. Nevertheless, these aspects are not always congruent with each other, and conflicts normally arise. There is no single society that is devoid of conflicts between individuals, groups, and communities. Despite this, it is always possible to solve these conflicts as everyone is provided the right to meet personal goals and objectives while also fulfilling social expectations and responsibilities. A social and moral perfection is a situation in which society provides an environment that allows individuals to focus on their own goals and objectives freely as long as they do not cause harm to the self, others, and the environment.
This personal vision of social and moral perfection views people as individual entities with personal missions and aims but attached to social obligations and nature. Ideally, while individualism should be allowed, every person should abide by the existing laws that prevent personal ambitions from overriding the well-being of others, society, and the environment. In essence, whatever one does, it should benefit the individual and/or others while also avoiding harming society and the environment. In fact, human actions should be of benefit to individuals and their societies while also conserving and avoiding destroying the environment around them.
The above personal vision of social and moral perfection compares to other models of an ideal society developed by different philosophers, idealists, and thinkers over time in history. In his sermon “A Model of Christian Charity,” also called “A City on a Hill,” the Puritan philosopher John Winthrop argues that a perfect or ideal society is one in which members love each other with a pure heart fervently.
According to Winthrop’s view of an ideal society, each member should exhibit mercy and charity to all members of that specific community. In essence, Winthrop emphasizes communal living where the wealthiest and most prosperous members freely give to the poorest. He further emphasizes having charitable lending principles that require lenders to simply and willingly forgive debts to the poor people who are unable to repay them. By interpretation, this vision means that even though people should focus on achieving their individual needs and goals, they should also care for others’ welfare. This vision compares with the personal view of an ideal society because both stress the need for people to work on individual goals but make sure that they do not cause harm to others.
In the same way, the personal vision compares with Ben Franklin’s thoughts on personal moral perfection and Emerson’s ideas about social obligations. Emerson’s view of “Self-reliance” emphasizes social responsibility, stating that in every person’s life, one should realize that he or she has a destiny, purpose, and the responsibility to achieve individual goals. Therefore, one must stand by personal ideas and an independent mind, regardless of social expectations. Moreover, one should connect with nature to maintain individual mentality and peace of mind. Consequently, the personal view and Emerson’s concept stress the need for pursuing personal goals and connecting with nature or the environment.
On his part, the American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin set a vision for an ideal society based on a number of principles that everyone should use as a guideline in life. Some of these principles apply to the personal vision set above. For example, Franklin emphasizes the need for sincerity, justice, moderation, order, temperance, and humility. All these values apply to the personal vision because they emphasize the need to pursue personal goals and ambitions to the level best while also avoiding causing harm to others, society, and the environment.