Wajiha El Rabaa

Ms. Dania Adra

English 203

October 9^th 2015

            In The Social Contract, Jean-Jacques Rousseau discusses social and political issues; he talks, for example, about the socialization of humans and how this process has elevated them from “dull and limited animal[s]” (Rousseau, 115) to “a thinking being, a man” (Rousseau, 115). He also wants, in his text, to elaborate, write about what would be a good way of ruling and administering people in society.

So the main idea of his text is that socialization has clearly been advantageous for humans, but the problem is that they actually live oppressed, while they were born free. So the author, in The Social Contract, addresses the question: “with men as they are and with laws as they could be, can there be in the civil order any sure and legitimate rule of administration?” (Rousseau, 113). He thus implies, nearly states, as a thesis, that society is not well lead and ruled, as he wants to write about what “should be done” (Rousseau, 114) [to fix things…]. That said, he emphasizes the fact that socialization was profitable for human kind. Not only is their conduct, now, “taken over by a sense of justice” (Rousseau, 114), but their faculties are “stimulated and developed, [their] ideas extended, [their] feelings ennobled, and [their] whole soul[s] uplifted” (Rousseau, 115).  

The picture I chose is one I took of Sama Beirut, a building located in Sodeco, Ashrafieh. It is the result of an enormous architectural project, as it will be, once finished, the tallest tower in Lebanon. I think I can say, without exaggeration, that it is an accomplishment in urbanism and modernism.

I chose to photograph Sama Beirut as I saw it as a clear example of the advantages humans earned due to socialization. Indeed, its realization is the result of a huge teamwork involving architects, engineers, designers, construction workers and other people... This could not have been done if humans did not learn to live together in society… Furthermore, I see Sama Beirut as, not only representing what the author defends about socialization, but also as depicting the main purpose of his writing. Well, he wants to figure out the best (legitimate) way to administer society and people in society, and Sama Beirut is an example that extends that; it is an example of what people, if united and well lead, can do… literally reach the sky. Sama Beirut is the achievement of the people involved, united and well lead by experienced chiefs in the mini society that is the construction site. Thus we can imagine, beyond the best, just and legitimate way to administrate society, the huge and perhaps unlimited achievements that can be done if we succeed in administrating society in a good manner…

Works cited

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, « The Social Contract », Shifting narratives: a reader for

academic writing, Ed. Sinno Z., Bioghlu-Karkawani L., Fleszar D., Jarkas N., Moughabghab E., Nish J.M., Rantisi R., Ward A., Beirut : Educart (Middle East), 2015.Print.