A Great Deal of Evil

Topic: America as Empire?
Norman Mailer uses the words like evil in his text a few times. Evil is in our everyday life throughout the world. My definition of evil is when someone is going to do something bad and then they actually do it, but they know they are doing wrong. Norman Mailer discussed that the words that Bush uses are evil. He never stated that he was evil, but that his words are. I completely don't understand why someone in America or wherever they may be want to be evil or cruel to someone. When I work in the public I notice the different types of people right here in Central Georgia. In Central Georgia, whether you know it or not there are several evil people here. I run into these types of people several times in Wal-Mart. Each individual has a different definition of evil. Like Mailer’s definition of evil is to have a good idea of the irreparable damage you are going to do and then proceed to do it. In Mailer’s text it stated that Bush uses evil as a narcotic for that part of the American public, which feels most distressed. Bush believes that this country is the only hope of the world.


Evil occurs in my daily routine, whether I am at home, school, or work. When people are cruel toward me and rude I notice how it affects and hurts me, which shows me not to be that way. Don’t get me wrong everyone is not evil, but there are a good many that are. I can understand if they don’t feel good and be upset, but that doesn’t give them the right to be that way every time they see you. I have a situation in my daily life right now that includes this type of behavior. I have someone at my job that does not like me and she tries to pick everything out that I do wrong and doesn’t speak to me unless she has something to say that I am doing wrong and it is not right for her to do that. That is just the evil she has in her, but I speak to her and everything, but sometimes she don’t speak back. Sometimes you have to ignore some people and continue with your day. Mailer uses Bush’s words for an example of what evil is to him.

There is a great deal of evil in Central Georgia, but one who does evil has no idea on how much it may affect another person. For example, Bush when he uses the words that he does maybe he thinks that it will not affect anyone so that is why he uses them. Evil is pretty much an opinion. Evil could be classified into so many different categories. I enjoyed Mailer’s point of view of what evil is to him and I believe that he used a great example in his text.

A War Without Meaning

Topic: Why are We at War?

Norman Mailer argued great points about why we are at war. He pointed out that Bush is against evil. Since Mailer believed that he is against evil and when the attack happened on September 11, 2002, then he believed they we should go attack the foreign countries. For example, we are attacking Iraq right now. We have been attacking Iraq for about three years. I don't believe that president Bush knew how to react to this situation, but to go to war. He doesn't realize how many Americans we have lost just because he went to war. Mailer made it clear that President Bush does not know how to think on his own. We lost a lot of Americans in the world trade center, so why go to war and lose triple that many Americans? September the eleventh changed many Americans lives. Some people of the 9/11 attack makes them threatened about the country they live in. No one should be threatened to live where they live. Mailer made some good points about our president, but on this particular book the reader has to pay close attention to the story or you will lose your thoughts. Bush thought most Americans would want him to go to war, but I bet if he did a survey it would be the opposite. I believe this war has no meaning and that it is useless.

I bet the soldiers that are fighting in this war does not know what they are fighting for now. This war is useless. Bush is constantly sending Americans to Iraq to fight in this war and it is no need for someone to go over there and lose their life for no reason. We are losing too many Americans. Today, Americans think that money is everything. We are fighting Iraq and destroying their city, but then we are rebuilding everything back, I don’t understand that part. There is no sense in rebuilding it if we are destroying it. As Mailer says, they don’t care about the many lives that were lost in the attack on 9/11. They should’ve given more respect to the people who lost their family members during this tragedy. I know a lot of things in this world cost a good bit of money, but that doesn’t mean you have to be rich. Mailer believes this war was based more on capitalism than anything else.

Later when this goes in history books, we will look back at this war and wonder why our Americans fought in this war and have no meaning behind it. Bush always wants our American people to send clothes, food, and needy accessories over to Iraq to help them, but Bush doesn’t realize that we have poor families and children over here in America that needs our help just as bad as they do. We wouldn’t have to send these necessary items over to Iraq if he didn’t start this war to begin with. So, why are we at War? I don’t understand why we are at war, because this war is not solving anything. This is war is losing more than it is gaining.