Frankenstein And Appiah's Cosmopolitanism

The idea of a unified society, living peacefully with all the differences in the world stemmed from Kwame Appiah’s book Cosmopolitanism (2006). Thus, the idea of cosmopolitanism is that everyone is a “citizen of the world” (Appiah 14). Which means, no matter the cultural differences everyone is to live within the same standards and guidelines. When evaluating the plausibility of a cosmopolitan society, one should think of the coexistence of different cultures and ways of living. In considering this idea, there is a mass amount of culture clashes, or culture wars, throughout history. However, there are is an extreme amount in historical societies. Furthermore, the issues are found in both different cultures and in different moral codes, or moral

With that said, human beings, even though generalizing, do not possess the ability to put others ahead of themselves because of simple human identities. Thus, the idea would mean that they put their values, beliefs, etc. ahead of any other persons. For example, a topic that one is uber passionate about is at significant risk of being completely disregarded as it would focus on differing opinions. A fictional example comes from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (2011). Victor Frankenstein’s main goal in creating the monster was to be one of the “benefactors of our species” (37) even though “M. Krempe was not equally docile…[and] almost insupportable sensitiveness” (44). When Dr. Frankenstein’s professor and friend told him that his actions were absurd and completely unsupportable, Dr. Frankenstein still created his creature of fortune. Also, Victor Frankenstein is compulsive with creating the monster that he eventually shut himself out from his friends, family, and even fiancé. In Victor Frankenstein’s aim at being the “benefactor of our species” (37), after the monster was created he came to the abrupt and urgent conclusion that “It was dreary…I here he held…the accomplishment of my toils” (35) and realized that he had a major fault in his actions. Also, once Victor Frankenstein created the monster, he realized that he made a mistake in not listening to his professor, M. Krempe.

A teacher of cosmopolitanism might embrace the ideology in order “to see to the inner disposition if…[their] soul and the deeds of love…[they] could do to others” (Kittelson 77). With this mindset, the differences in the world are what make that individual themselves. Preceding with this ideology, the person would have to be humble enough to be able to understand the differences in other cultures and to accept them. In taking the idea even further, the individuals need to be able to effectively communicate throughout the cultures that they are looking at. Thus, the ideology would need to have significant prerequisites in order to live up to the philosophy. Inconclusively, the ideology would need an individual of significant restraint and love for the world. Some of these individuals have existed throughout history, in reference to Gandhi, King, and Buda to name a few. However, these types of individuals are one of the few throughout history to live a cosmopolianistic life, which is the act of living one’s life by the guidelines of cosmopolitanism. Withal, the thought of these individuals who are seemingly a result of the butterfly effect, which is a theory that all events are related. Because there has been cosmopolianistic individuals within recorded history, the possibility for cosmopolitanism to be prevalent within society is possible, yet the percentage