Choosing Not to Belong Can Be Detriemntal Yet Rewarding

Choosing Not to Belong Can Be Detriemntal Yet Rewarding

  • Submitted By: reegs1991
  • Date Submitted: 09/14/2010 4:19 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 1019
  • Page: 5
  • Views: 765

As social animals, humans have an innate desire to belong. This is understandable because belonging to a group can indeed, have immeasurable benefits, however groups tend to be self-policing. They apply criteria for membership and not everyone can fit these criteria. In order to belong, it is necessary to posses certain characteristics and those who do not are apt to be excluded, hence why some choose not to belong; even though it may be detrimental but also rewarding.
John Book’s values and beliefs are more important to him than choosing to belong to the corrupt police force. Even though he could have earned more money in being a part of the corruption book chose not to join. Book’s decision to not join the corrupt police force was detrimental to himself and others around him. Book’s life as well as his sisters, Rachael, Samuel, the Amish community and his friend Carters, lives were all in danger as a result f Book choosing to not compromise his values and beliefs. Once Schaeffer had worked out that Book was onto who had committed the murder, Schaeffer put everyone’s lives in jeopardy as he knew Book would leak the information about the corruption within in the force. In addition to Book fleeing town with Rachael and Sam to the Amish community, putting them all at risk if Schaeffer found them, his friend Carter was killed whilst trying to help Book out from afar. As detrimental as Book’s decision was to him and others around him it proved rewarding in the end as Book’s values and beliefs were sustained throughout and also Rachael and Samuel’s lives were untouched and Book had solved the murder and exploited the corrupt force to how it really was.
It is no wonder that we find it desirable to belong to a group of like-minded people. The Amish choose to belong to their own community however they choose not to belong to the mainstream society of the everyday ways of the Americans. The Amish culture from the outside looking in is ridiculed by many Americans as they...

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