Graciele Joie P.

Reganit
GREATWK NO3
The Real Enemy
Insensitivity and immobility represses people from achieving something that is great.
People who settle, the ones who are afraid to go out of their comfort zone, out of something that
is out of the ordinary, out of what they are used to, these are the ones who let evil prevail. But the
ones who choose to be confined to tradition and old truths despite their goodness and knowledge
are the ones who are the real enemies of progress and development. As was said, “for evil to
triumph is for a few good men to do nothing.” This can be seen when Dr. Stockmann announced
that Hovstad was a freethinker, but then the latter denied saying that there is no proof that can be
seen in print. This has to be one of the most disheartening scenes because, like Hovstad, there are
people who are enlightened and not fooled by societal beliefs, yet they still choose to keep quiet
with the fear of being disowned and hated by the majority. They are intellectuals who deserve to
govern the country because their thoughts stem free from the society’s expectations and the
society’s teachings, being able to formulate thoughts that go beyond what was fed to them. These
people who are freethinkers could have been leaders because they possess the power to change
the old ways and enlighten the community that they govern in, but because of fear, discomfort,
and threats from the close-mindedness of people, they remain to be disclosed from being the
change that the world needs.
The people that some minorities fear, these are the ones who believe in the old truths. The
majority are bounded by traditions and the idea of being in their safe corner. They do not allow
for creativity and openness to change, thus, this becomes poisonous. Yes, change is something
that is inconvenient and therefore unwanted, but it is something that is constant. Change is
something that you cannot change, because whether we like it or we don’t, nothing is permanent.
All things come and go. To hold onto something that is outdated and to be resistant to change
will not only become fatal to oneself, but to to the community one lives in. When we deny
ourselves from change, we deny ourselves to become better, and ultimately, we are a part of a
community that is idle. From the play, the people are not enlightened of the pollution in the
baths, because of this, they are not knowledgeable of the harmfulness it will cause to their health
and safety. To turn a blind eye on what is true will cost us our lives, a life that is not lived fully, a
life that is worse than death. The world will not thrive, and it then it becomes a devil’s den.
That’s when people are ignorant, not wanting to be educated, not wanting to be uncomfortable
with the changes that education brings.