Essay Sample on Utilitarianism

The word “morals” is used to refer to a set of values, beliefs, and behaviors that guide how we live our lives - the basis of right and wrong, good and bad. They are the rules that govern how we should behave, the rules and principles that determine and allow us to distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad. But what are Morals, exactly? Is it a set of rules that we follow blindly, or is it a way of thinking that influences our actions and decisions?

The importance of morals is immeasurable, however, it is important because they tell us how we should behave in our interactions with other people, in our day-to-day lives, and our professional lives. They provide us with the guidelines we need to make decisions and choices, and they help us to avoid making decisions that are harmful, unethical, or morally questionable. They also provide us with a code of ethics and a framework of principles that keep us on the right track, and they help us to navigate through difficult decisions and situations. This reflection paper will discuss the theory that has made an impact on me and my personal experiences with particular aspects of a theory and how it helps me to understand certain actions and decisions in life. 

I was working on our Ethics report at the time, and this theory caught my attention. It seems to be a theory designed specifically for me, and it is utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is the ethical theory that the good of the greatest number takes precedence over the good of the individual. The utilitarian approach holds that only those actions that produce the most happiness for the most number of people are morally permissible or desirable. Utilitarianism supports the principle that for any given act, the consequences for society and the world as a whole outweigh the consequences for the individual. It may sound simple and familiar because we are used to it — we have grown up with it — but I believe it is meaningful. I've been frightened of making decisions and acting on my own since I was a child because I felt selfish. So I always ask other people what they want, what their perceptions are, what they feel, how it went for them, is it good or not. It's difficult when their judgment contradicts mine, but I have no choice because I always prioritize the well-being of the many. I know that's somewhat unfair to me, but I guess that's fine as long as it makes them happy and enables them to see me as I fit with them. I'm not good at communicating with other people, and it's difficult for me to fit in with them because I do not often agree with what they want. To prevent being left behind, I began to perform things that should be based on the "greatest good for the greatest number" of people. It was difficult to accept at first, but I eventually learned to do so to fit in with what society is doing —  to what society's standard is. But you know, after I finished our report, I realized that I shouldn't do this/that action and decision just to meet society's standards — to fit into a group of people who are not at my level — but because I have to accept that for some reason and/or because it is truly the right thing for me to be able to live my life to the fullest and to walk in the right path.

Utilitarianism believes that the best approach to deciding on a situation is to consider the consequences. But it doesn't mean we should limit ourselves to just one point of view because that's what the majority of people want; we also need to observe and figure out what's better, and that's where morality and ethics come in. And with all of that, there is no right and wrong nor good and bad action in utilitarianism. My previous decisions and behaviors were never unfair. It is truly the right thing for me, and I admit that I was satisfied with the decisions I made, even if they contradicted my decisions at first. But I also realized that we should be able to hear out different thoughts and opinions of people on their decisions in a situation. The implications of every single decision were never a hindrance to happiness, even though we are simply making decisions because that is what others desire as well, but if we manage to listen to each other, we will realize that it is equally good and just the same we will be happy.

Admit it or not, it's difficult to exist in the world, especially given the limitations we have to consider. And as time passes, everything in the world changes, and knowing what is good and bad is essential for everything to go smoothly. To avoid being selfish in a decision, we sometimes think about drowning in a sea of societal standards. But keep in mind that we do not have to do actions and make decisions because many people want us to do that; sometimes we have to accept that there is something better in our life, and sometimes that is what is best for us. The utilitarian view is neither paternalistic nor inherently elitist; it is an egalitarian view that holds that each person is equally worthy of consideration.