Ethical Issues In Ozymandias

Since the beginning of the nations, organization of people is always a challenge. There are a lot of factors involved when running a citizen body and when decisions needed to be made, many leader turned to utilitarianism- a theory that whatever action is taken must benefit a majority of the populace or at larger the society; a system that decides what is wrong or right solely based on its outcome. In the Watchmen, a graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, such ethical issues rise with the decisions of Ozymandias to singlehandedly save the world. Although his plan seems to be successful, his decision, in the greater scheme of events, showcases how there might not always be a definitive end to many of the world’s problems, such as corruption,

Seeing this foreign attacker, the separate nations have stopped the war against each other and instead start working together against the common enemy. To the outside world, this foreign invader has brought upon the beginnings of peace as foreshadowed in last issue. The constant “new deal” vandalism written on the walls of the buildings, the “One World” poster portraying the unification of the American and Russian flags, and the restaurant Burgers n’ Borsch, combining the favorite food in both nations, all show how both nations have started to get along- far away from the previous path of war (“A Stronger Loving World”, 31, 1-4). However, in an attempt to save the world, Ozymandias has killed many innocent people. As he justifies, “I know I’ve struggled across the backs of murdered innocents to save humanity...but someone had to take the weight of that awful, necessary crime” (“A Stronger Loving World”, 27, 2). This quote largely exemplifies what Ozymandias stands for; believing humanity should not end the way it was on track to- mass nuclear war- Ozymandias tries to save all while sacrificing a few in the larger scale, showing how he believes that the ends justify the means if the greater good is involved. In this case, half of New York was exchanged

Ozymandias is Alexander himself cutting off the gordian knot. Much like actually finding a permanent solution to stop the war, or solving the knot, he decides to massacre many people and create a facade to stop the war, much like cheating and cutting the gordian knot instead of solving it. It is not until Dr. Manhattan reveals to Ozymandias that “nothing ever ends”, showcasing the true depth of the problem (“A Stronger Loving World”, 27, 5). All this time, Ozymandias has tried to stop the war itself , but never what caused the war. which were the people themselves. After all it was not the nations against each other, but the people. Crime and corruption seems to be embedded at the root of society. As Rorschach says in opening of the novel, “the streets are extended gutters [of] … the accumulated filth of all their sex and murder” (“At Midnight”, 1, 2-3). In unison with the expanded use of blood and dark themes and gruesomely lucid portrayal of crimes and murder, it could be concluded that the world of the Watchmen has deep problems which cannot be erased and will persist to rise despite the resets. In Ozymandias’s case, his mass murder for the creation of his utopia will only be temporary solution. Soon enough humanity’s behaviors and