Haedyn Mills
Ms. Lehmann
English 1-3
3 December 2019
Is Survival Selfish?
Do you think survival is selfish? This is the central question of this essay. Survival does not require people to be selfish because the key to survival is having purpose in a crisis, and people need a reason to survive; this is often thinking of others and the loss they would suffer if they were to die. Many survival stories prove that caring for others gives people purpose.
Survival is not selfish because taking care of others gives people purpose. Having purpose in a survival situation is the key to survival. “Doctors and nurses often survive better than others because they have someone to help” (Gonzales 332). Helping others gives people a purpose; it is a big part of survival because they are living to help others. Another piece of evidence can be found in the same book. “People who have experienced a survival situation often go on to become the best search and rescue professionals” (Gonzales 334). People put into a survival situation want to help others survive, too.
Not only is having a purpose the key to survival, but also thinking of others and the loss they would suffer if they were to die. People need a reason to survive. “Many people who survive alone report that they were doing it for someone else (a wife, boyfriend, mother, son) back home” (Gonzales 332). Having someone else to live for leads to survival. DiFrancesco is another example of this. “DiFrancesco, too, was collapsing, but then he said to himself, I’ve got to see my wife and kids again. And with that, he got up and bolted down the stairs to safety” (Gonzales 332). When Ronald DiFrancesco survived the World Trade Center attack, he says it was the thought of his family that saved his life. Thinking of loved ones pushes you to survive.
Although it’s clear that survival is not selfish, there are those who disagree. Some people argue that apathy will kill people faster than anything. The truth is, you don’t have to be selfish to fight apathy; you can think of others you love who push you to survive. Ronald DiFrancesco survived because the thought of his family kept him alive. Ultimately, the evidence is overwhelming that survival is not selfish.
People do not have to be selfish to survive because the key to survival is having a purpose in a crisis and having a reason to survive; this is often thinking of others and the loss they would suffer if they were to die. I think having a purpose is the key to survival because, those who help others have higher survival rates. You need a reason to survive; thinking of others often leads to survival. Most people think of others in survival situations. So, is survival selfish? Obviously not.
Page Break
Works Cited
Gonzales, Laurence. “Deep Survival.” Collections, Edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 325-334.
Argumentative Essay Reflection
1. Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
I first decided if I thought survival was selfish or not, then I found claims to support my opinion, and then I began to explain my points.
2. What qualifies this paper as an argumentative essay? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
I was arguing whether survival is selfish or not. You have to discuss your opinion and the opinion you're arguing against. I talked about how I believed survival isn't selfish and I brought up why others think I should think survival is selfish, giving me something to argue against.
3. Explain how you found at least one of the quotations from the essay and tell me why you chose that particular quote. What did it do for your paper?
I used information that had main claims. I chose "People who survive often say that they did so for someone else." because it has the strongest point, it made my paper more accurate and supported my claims.
Ms. Lehmann
English 1-3
3 December 2019
Is Survival Selfish?
Do you think survival is selfish? This is the central question of this essay. Survival does not require people to be selfish because the key to survival is having purpose in a crisis, and people need a reason to survive; this is often thinking of others and the loss they would suffer if they were to die. Many survival stories prove that caring for others gives people purpose.
Survival is not selfish because taking care of others gives people purpose. Having purpose in a survival situation is the key to survival. “Doctors and nurses often survive better than others because they have someone to help” (Gonzales 332). Helping others gives people a purpose; it is a big part of survival because they are living to help others. Another piece of evidence can be found in the same book. “People who have experienced a survival situation often go on to become the best search and rescue professionals” (Gonzales 334). People put into a survival situation want to help others survive, too.
Not only is having a purpose the key to survival, but also thinking of others and the loss they would suffer if they were to die. People need a reason to survive. “Many people who survive alone report that they were doing it for someone else (a wife, boyfriend, mother, son) back home” (Gonzales 332). Having someone else to live for leads to survival. DiFrancesco is another example of this. “DiFrancesco, too, was collapsing, but then he said to himself, I’ve got to see my wife and kids again. And with that, he got up and bolted down the stairs to safety” (Gonzales 332). When Ronald DiFrancesco survived the World Trade Center attack, he says it was the thought of his family that saved his life. Thinking of loved ones pushes you to survive.
Although it’s clear that survival is not selfish, there are those who disagree. Some people argue that apathy will kill people faster than anything. The truth is, you don’t have to be selfish to fight apathy; you can think of others you love who push you to survive. Ronald DiFrancesco survived because the thought of his family kept him alive. Ultimately, the evidence is overwhelming that survival is not selfish.
People do not have to be selfish to survive because the key to survival is having a purpose in a crisis and having a reason to survive; this is often thinking of others and the loss they would suffer if they were to die. I think having a purpose is the key to survival because, those who help others have higher survival rates. You need a reason to survive; thinking of others often leads to survival. Most people think of others in survival situations. So, is survival selfish? Obviously not.
Page Break
Works Cited
Gonzales, Laurence. “Deep Survival.” Collections, Edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 325-334.
Argumentative Essay Reflection
1. Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
I first decided if I thought survival was selfish or not, then I found claims to support my opinion, and then I began to explain my points.
2. What qualifies this paper as an argumentative essay? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
I was arguing whether survival is selfish or not. You have to discuss your opinion and the opinion you're arguing against. I talked about how I believed survival isn't selfish and I brought up why others think I should think survival is selfish, giving me something to argue against.
3. Explain how you found at least one of the quotations from the essay and tell me why you chose that particular quote. What did it do for your paper?
I used information that had main claims. I chose "People who survive often say that they did so for someone else." because it has the strongest point, it made my paper more accurate and supported my claims.