Assignment #1 - part 2 - Policy Approaches

So all this talk about policies and the steps they have to take in order survive the policy life cycle is totally brand new to me but I am excited to see what I can learn and take away from this course. The questions that were asked in class about if Rosa Parks was an extraordinary person or if change can happen with just a few people caught my interest a lot as did the answers from the class whether they were strongly agree or strongly disagree. I know I had a few words to say about each question but I held back, speaking up in class is something that I am going to work on. With regards to the lecture on Thursday and everything we learned I would have to say that I most resonate with is the communitarian approach but I also have to add that I myself have some of the individualists qualities and views as well. I like how there is a greater good with the communitarian approach and everything and everyone benefits from everyone not only being preoccupied with themselves but with the community as a whole. I think that society and cities and communities should carry this approach of the communitarian with them because of the morals and values it instills, not like the mindset that most people today have of "ohh someone else is going to take care of that problem" or "I'll do something when I see someone else start first". We fail in the aspect of INITIATIVE greatly but with the approach of communitarian it is the perfect breeding ground for creating initiative. On the other hand I can not say all of this without giving credit to the approach of the individualist and everything that it brings to the table. Is it so wrong for someone to want to work hard so that they can reap what they sow? Is it wrong to be selfish? because I do not think it is at all -to a certain degree mind you. We obviously can see (according to the readings) that the approach of individualism dominates over anything here in the U.S. and so it should since this is the land where dreams come true; what would happen to our dreams with the approach of communitarian and what would happen to those that are free-loaders because it only takes one in a communitarian society to start the dominoe effect and start corrupting others. The way I would love to see it is an individual approach with the betterment and the community as a whole always on the minds of the people.