Russell NathersonAlexander TorresHum23053 November 2014The pursuit of the good life: individual or social commitment In the readings Five Times Happiness and Symposium, Sung and Plato respectably attempt to formulate a method on achieving Beautiful Life. In Sung's work, Five-Fold Happiness, the Good Life (GL) is linked to the individual's contentment. According to the work, satisfaction is found only when all five virtues are satisfied. In the Symposium Plato composes the Ladder of Love and considers the GL the ability to see the beauty of everything; and love that beauty. Compared to the points of view presented in their works, we will observe the pursuit of LG as an individual effort and as a social effort. After analyzing, therefore, to achieve prosperity the individual must appeal to the collective to help him in his quest. Longevity is described as “the desire for a long life” (Sung-94). To embody this virtue and live a long life, you need a healthy attitude and lifestyle. The choice to live this way is an individual conflict. Society can influence these choices, but the decision to achieve longevity is exclusively individual. The fourth virtue, Double Happiness, “is synonymous with one of life's most important celebrations: marriage” (Sung 156). Obviously marriage cannot happen without two individuals, which means it cannot be achieved alone. But for love to be found and marriage to happen, individual effort must also occur. A person must be willing to be vulnerable in order for another to learn to love them. In determining whether double happiness can be achieved individually or through society, one must be aware that the choice to pursue this virtue is individual; but for this to happen, society is necessary. The final virtue is wealth. According to Sung, wealth is the material aspect of life: prosperity through “business, trade, or good harvests” (Sung 210). To reach this level of materialism, one must work hard and be. Before his description, Socrates illuminates with a disclaimer; pursuing the Ladder of Love, even in the right spirit, does not ensure achievement of the GL. The Ladder of Love metaphorically connects a ladder to the highest concept of appreciating the beauty of life. As one climbs the steps, there is a shift between the roles of the individual and the community. At the lowest rung of the ladder, an individual has only one job; recognize the beauty of yourself. If you recognize similarities between your own body and that of another, a domino effect occurs. This effect leads to realizing the beauty that is in everyone; their physical aspects, talents and minds. It also allows for the recognition of beauty in knowledge, understanding and beauty itself. Objects and concepts do not possess beauty, but beauty does. Once you recognize the beauty in all things, love easily follows. It is human nature to love physical beauty, but realizing that beauty takes many forms in all things, it can be loved by anyone. To pursue GL individually you can use the steps presented by Plato as a guide. When you are able to recognize and love all forms of beauty (animate, inanimate and abstract) then you can achieve GL. Likewise, society can also use this method to enjoy the beauty of everyone. A flaw can easily be found in the conclusion that the Love Ladder can be used by an empty individual in society to find