Inner Ring Essay, Research Paper
Inner Truth
How would it feel to be the outcast? It is likely that, every individual has had this feeling at some point in their lifetime, whether it is from a social group or even a family issue. Its seems that in our communities those who could be classified as outcasts tend to group together and those who aren t outcasts also group together. The problem occurs when the outcasts are believed to be pushed out of the social circle by fault of the accepted individuals who seem to belong in the important social group, or the Inner Ring of social activity. Inner Rings may be considered harmful and dangerous because they have the ability to exclude and separate individuals. Yet, Inner Rings are in fact beneficial to our society because they divide the individuals into social groups where they can be comfortable with.
Inner Rings are groups of individuals who clique together and can be classified as social assemblies. New Inner Rings are established constantly. They open doors to new opportunities and friendships. They set the foundation for personalities, attitudes, and can alter lifestyles by the impact of the abiding individuals that exist in the same social ring. They benefit individuals because they create an opportunity for the person to express himself or herself as the person that they have always wanted to be, and to participate in activities that they know they will enjoy.
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In C. S. Lewis essay The Inner Ring, he describes the ring as an onion, each layer being a new ring, and the core of the onion as an empty, unfulfilled life. Lewis believes that people are constantly searching for new rings in which they can associate with in hopes to become more popular and known. He thinks that once a person is situated with one ring, they have the urge to transfer to another because they have not found what they were searching for in the latter. Alternatively, Inner Rings can serve a purpose to both those searching for acceptance and to those who really want to find an organization that they feel comfortable with. Lewis believes that the cause of Inner Rings is that people instinctively have a desire to fill he states that as long as you are governed by that desire you will never get what you want. You are trying to peel an onion: if you succeed there will be nothing left. Until you conquer the fear of being an outsider, an outsider you will remain (287). He believes that the individuals searching for new rings have felt a desire that burns deeply in everybody, the desire to belong.
Individuals are not governed by a desire to become something that they are not. It may be a phase in their life, but they do not devote their entity to capture the meaning of their desire. The desire that many people may feel is the need to belong-not to a social group with which they don t identify, but rather to a group of people that they knit closely with.
Once a person has joined a certain group or affiliation that organization becomes a part of his or her life. As opposed to Lewis idea that people continue to search for a group that can prosper themselves, the fact is that people don t waste their time with this
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process. People are generally knowledgeable about making decisions. They know that if they find an organization with which they can relate, that will be the one that can prosper them to the limit. Lewis suggests that once the onion has been peeled, there is
nothing left. He thinks that men follow a desire of selfishness but if he follows that desire he will reach no inside that is worth reaching (288). It is true that some people may reach an empty life once they have peeled their onion to the core. Unfortunately, this occurs because a person does not discover any layers that they are comfortable in. These people most likely have a difficult time discovering who they are and adapting to their societies because they are continuously adapting to organization that don t built upon their personalities.
<Inner Rings serve a very important purpose in life. Aside from Lewis ideas on an empty core, the truth is that individuals receive as much as they put into their life. The groups that effect their personalities are beneficial because once a man, or woman, has so called peeled off another layer of their onion they have found something treasurable. People gain knowledge, development, and most of friendship with each layer they peel off of their onion. There is no problem in having many layers peeled and opened, for that only helps each person the inspiration to continue in their social affiliations. People enjoy opening up another layer of their life. They do it because they want to experience new ideals, and if that layer happens to be wrong, then they have to right to leave.
These Inner Rings have helped shape people into the individuals that they are today. There are those outsiders who feel that they do not belong to certain
organizations, but it is beneficial to society and themselves. Many activities that would be
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common to one person could seem completely alien to another person and that is the way it is suppose to be. The separation between people is what keeps society interesting. Certain organizations promote a type of life that is not for everybody.
. The life of a Playboy bunny is not a life that everyone should pursue. Some people try to live that life to experiment because they wonder if it might be their niche. In Gloria Steinem s essay I Was a Playboy Bunny, she explains that some people can handle the job and some can t. There is a strong separation between the two types, and those who don t fit the bunny image should go and find another job. She explains that those who work in the Playboy Association just want to see the bunny image (445). Image and Inner Rings are similar because those people who seem to be outsiders feel that they do not fit some particular image.
At the University, Inner Rings are present in my life. Sororities can be called the peak of all the Inner Rings for women that exist at this school. I joined a sorority because I felt that I would belong in one. My personality guided me to the sorority that best fits my image, and because of that I feel very comfortable in a new town. There are other girls who would feel very uncomfortable and intimidated in my sorority, and maybe they would feel at home in another group or organization. With out present Inner Rings to divide people into groups and separate them into the organizations that they would feel most comfortable in, people would be lost. Individuals would be extremely insecure if they devoted their efforts to a group that did not fit with their character. Without the
present Inner Rings that benefit our social systems, people would join organization that
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do not fit their lifestyle.
Even though Inner Rings are beneficial to our society, they have the possibility to be dangerous. Some people have felt obligated to join a certain group, but when they do they could change their behavior to adapt to the current image that they should uphold. Many people believe that sororities and fraternities change the personality of a person once they commit to their organization. But those who truly have the strength to stay the same, will be the true leaders in their organization, even if that happens to be the Greek system. Those who do change their behavior may pursue harmful mediations such a drugs and alcohol. Lewis believes that of all the passions the passion for the Inner Ring
is most skillful in making a man who is not yet a very bad man very bad things (283).
Inner Rings are necessary in our society. They will never disappear. They are strong because they combine people who have alike interests and separate those who might cause friction. If they did not exist in our lives, the world would be filled with chaos and confusion. Inner Rings play a dominant role in shaping individuals and there place in society.