ON THE RULE OF THE ROAD
Question and Answers
1.Describe the incident about the stout lady who walked down the middle of a street. What do we learn from it?
A:- 'On the Rule of the Road' is a lively debate about the need to strike a balance between enjoying individual liberty and respecting social orderliness. A.G. Gardiner begins the essay with an interesting anecdote. Soon after the Russian Revolution 1917, a hefty lady started walking down the middle of the road in the city of Petrograd. She seemed unmindful of the danger she was subjecting herself to. She also did not notice the chaos and confusion that her action entailed. Someone pointed out that she should walk on the pavement. The lady replied sharply that the country was now free and she could walk where she pleased.
The lady did not realize that liberty cannot be equated with unrestricted freedom. Like her, if others too broke traffic rules, there would be accidents.
Rules are necessary for the smooth functioning of society and should be followed by all. Else there would be social anarchy.
2.Liberty is an accommodation of interests. Elaborate with examples from the essay.
A:- 'On the Rule of the Road' is a lively debate about the need to strike a balance between enjoying individual liberty and respecting social orderliness. A.G. Gardiner stresses that liberty cannot be equated with unrestricted freedom. It may be necessary to curtail individual liberty for the sake of the general good.
If everyone did just as they pleased there would be confusion and chaos. For instance, if, in the name of liberty, pedestrians started walking in the middle of the road, there would be accidents. Common sense dictates, therefore, that traffic rules should be followed by all. Similarly, other rules too must be observed for the smooth functioning of society. Else there would be social anarchy.
There are many spheres of activity in which an individual enjoys freedom. But he cannot do anything that interfere with the rights of others. For instance, he should not play the trombone at night as the loud music would disturb the neighbours. The liberty to play musical instrument would clash with another's liberty to sleep well.
ANNOTATIONS
1. Liberty is not a personal affair only, but a social contract.
Reference: This sentence is taken from the essay 'On the Rule of the Road' written by A.G.Gardiner
Context: This essay is a lively debate about the need to strike balance between enjoying individual liberty and respecting social orderliness. Rights and responsibilities go hand in hand.
Explanation: The writer stresses that liberty cannot be equated with unrestricted freedom. Just as we have the right to enjoy our liberty , so do others. If every person did whatever he pleased there would chaos and confusion. The social order would break down. It is necessary, therefore, for everyone to enjoy liberty within limits. We must respect the rights of others. All should follow rules. Rules may restrict personal liberty but are necessary for the smooth functioning of society.
General Relevance: Liberty does not give us the license to do whatever we want. Our personal liberty should not clash with that of others.
2.Individual liberty would have become social anarchy.
Reference: This sentence is taken from the essay 'On the Rule of the Road' written by A.G.Gardiner.
Context: The essay is a lively debate about the need to strike a balance between enjoying individual liberty and respecting social orderliness. Rights and responsibilities go hand in hand.
Explanation: The writer stresses that liberty cannot be equated with unrestricted freedom. The essay begins with an anecdote about a lady who walked down the middle of a road. She claimed that she had the liberty to do as she pleased. But she did not realize that her actions were endangering her own life and that of others. Like her, if others too broke the traffic rules, there would be accidents. The social order would break down.
General Relevance: Liberty does not give us the license to do whatever we want. All should follow rules for the smooth functioning of society.
3. We are all liable to forget this, and unfortunately we are much more conscious of the imperfections of others in this respect of our own.
Reference: This sentence is taken from the essay 'On the Rule of the Road' is written by A.G.Gardiner. It is the concluding line of the essay.
Context: The essay is a lively debate about the need to strike a balance between enjoying individual liberty and respecting social orderliness. Rights and responsibilities go hand in hand.
Explanation: A person can enjoy liberty as long as he does not violate the liberty of others. He cannot do anything that interferes with the rights of others. For instance, he would not be justified in playing the trombone at night as the loud music would distrub the neighbours. The liberty to play a musical instrument would clash with another's liberty to sleep well. We must, therefore, respect the rights of others. Unfortunately, we often forget to do so. We are quick to point out the defects of others. But we are unmindful of our own defects.
General Relevance: Liberty does not give us the license to do whatever we want. All should follow rules for the smooth functioning of society.
Thanx..
ReplyDelete