Monoculture Critical Analysis

1471 Words6 Pages
Individual success today is influenced by shared values. The monoculture -- a topic that F.S Michaels writes about in her novel Monoculture: How One Story is changing Everything -- determines what is socially deemed “successful.” Moreover, we find that our individual sense of accomplishment -- even when derived with active consideration of the monoculture -- is actually dependent on our relationship with the “master story” as Michaels describes it. This individual sense, is dependent on self-discovery, as Nannerl O. Keohane describes in her article “Self-Fashioning in Society and Solitude”, but is reliant on one’s economic environment. It is because of this that our monoculture of economics has restricted our view of success. As if to make…show more content…
Originally addressing students of higher education, she believes that “shaping your character is what you are supposed to do with your education; it’s not competing with something else” (42). Keohane acknowledges that “we begin to compare ourselves with other individuals, (...) and in this context, envy, greed, and a proprietary sense of family and household crowd out the basic instincts of compassion” (44). It becomes important to note how this relates well with Michaels’ explanation of our economic monoculture, but is general to one’s financial being; specifically, Keohane explains that society “is not only a source of inspiring examples; it is even (...) a source of profound pressures to behave in certain ways. Society will surely shape you, the opinions and preferences and activities of your family, your friends, (...)” (45). The problem then arises, and Keohane provides insight as to the correct way of approaching these societal…show more content…
More specifically, whether human skills “will still be valued as technology continues to improve” or “will it leave a generation behind in all areas” (188). These concerns reflect back upon our monoculture’s prioritization of maintaining jobs and making money. B/M assures readers, however, that “we’ve never seen a truly creative machine, or an entrepreneurial one, or an innovative one” (191) as they introduce a solution to machines taking over job positions. So in the latter half of their argument, they introduce the importance of education reform; specifically, “acquiring an excellent education is the best way to not be left behind as technology races ahead” (199). However, as mentioned previously, education is expensive and directly influenced by one’s monoculture. In an extremely pertinent example, however, B/M offer readers an alternative to expensive

More about Monoculture Critical Analysis

Open Document