Political Poetry of Wilfred Owen Term Paper

We are consuming too many of our natural resources and our use of fossil fuels threaten the survival of our planet. The developing world seems to placing further strains upon the earth, with no signs of abatement in population growth or industrialization. We are torn apart by nationalism rather than united as a species, in the Middle East, in Africa, and Eastern Europe. We have more material goods, but less spiritual satisfaction.

In answer to all of these questions, we must look to the persona of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi, first and foremost, grappled with issues afflicting the region, and the cultures and faiths that are most troubling to the geopolitical crisis of today, namely the tensions between the Muslim and Hindu populations of East Asia. He also provided many solutions to all peoples, not just his own. His philosophy of nonviolence inspired Martin Luther King Jr. He also embraced people of all classes, even the untouchables of his own nation. His all-inclusive actions broke down some of the oldest social barriers that existed in the world. Gandhi also lived what he preached.He did not have one set of rules for himself, rationalizing personal excesses in the name of 'stress release' from the challenges of politics. He lived a life of personal sacrifice, discipline, and poverty. He had no spin doctors, did not seek calculated advice from henchmen, rather he let his integrity become the ultimate press release for his beliefs.

Today, renunciation is not popular, nor is pacifism, nor trying to see one's self in the eyes of one's enemy, or bridging cultural divides. All of these things Gandhi aspired to achieve -- and did. His presence in today's cultural and political environment would be welcome. He provides a different paradigm to the lifestyle enjoyed by most leaders today, of selfishness and excessive consumption. Yet the prospect of another Gandhi arising from the ashes any time soon seems unlikely.

Works Cited

Hughes, Langston. "Harlem." Langston Hughes. 12 Mar 2008. http://members.aol.com/olatou/hughes.htm

Owen, Wilfred. "Dulce et Decorum Est." Emory University. 12 Mar 2008. http://www.english.emory.edu/LostPoets/Dulce.html.....