Research Paper on:
Common Denominator in Works by Walzer, Bellah et al, and Etzioni

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
Walzer speaks to the impact of ones personal interests over and above the greater good. Delving more deeply into each individual article, the reader finds this single point of  convergence a primary component of why society has become so splintered and unattached. To be unique within a world of sameness is a  quest sought by many people; however, it is by way of such an objective that one becomes labeled as selfish and intolerant of commonly accepted methods. This negative connotation  of individualism - which is to maintain an independence from the norm - has cast an even darker meaning upon striving to achieve ones own distinctiveness. Because society is  fundamentally based upon performance and profit, it is not unusual to find that individualism works as an opposing force rather than one that works for the benefit all social beings.  Based upon theories of productivity, one cannot be the least bit shocked to learn that many contemporary societies still reflect incredible amounts of poverty, disease and homelessness in spite of  the fact that their resources are fully capable of feeding, clothing, housing, educating and medicinally caring for their suffering masses. The selfishness exuded by individuals each and every day  -- even though not necessarily outwardly obvious - is, according to the points upon which the three authors agree, significantly associated with the increase of individualism and egoism. "The  centrifugal forces of culture and selfhood will correct one another only if the correction is planned. It is necessary to aim at a balance of the two - which  means that we can never be consistent defenders of multiculturalism or individualism; we can never be communitarians or liberals simply, but now one, now the other, as the balance requires"