Post by ~*Meg Rose*~ on Feb 20, 2009 19:52:34 GMT -5
Corrupt ambition has played a minor role in my life. Though I do know someone who was corrupted by greed and ruined his life because of it. One of his hobbies was collecting baseball cards and he invested a lot of his money into them. It got to the point where he started stealing money from work to purchase these baseball cards. Eventually he got caught and was fired from his job. This caused him to lose his retirement, his reputation, and his wife. His former place of employment also forced him to pay back all the money he'd stolen. Because of his actions from corrupt ambition he hasn't been able to find another job and currently has no money to his name.
"Blagojevich Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Sell Obama's Senate Seat" and its related articles are examples of corrupt ambition at society's highest level. In order to gain wealth and power, Governor Rod Blagojevich tried to sell or trade (at the time) President-elect Obama's seat on the U.S. Senate. He also revealed that if no one offered him anything good enough that he would take the seat himself. Instead of following the law and trying to earn a seat in higher places, he took advantage of his position and attempted to make a profit one way or another. Besides unlawful, this act was also unfair to those hoping for the vacant seat. Unless they paid enough or made a valuable exchange for it, they wouldn't have a chance of getting it.
Like Macbeth, Blagojevich showed he was willing to do anything to fulfill his ambitions. And coincidentally those ambitions were nearly identical to Macbeth's. Both men were after wealth and power, particularly a seat of power somehow available to them. The difference being that Macbeth had to kill King Duncan in order to make it available while Obama's presidential campaign victory opened his position in the U.S. Senate. Blagojevich went on what was quoted by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald as a "corruption crime spree." Similarly, Macbeth also went on a corruption crime spree. Though unlike the governor of Illinois, Macbeth killed those in his path. Crimes that Blagojevich was investigated for included illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co. in the sale of Wrigley Field. In return for state assistance, the governor supposedly wanted members of the Chicago Tribune's editorial board who had critisized him to be fired. This act appears to be a more subtle version of what Macbeth did in the play where he rid himself of anyone who was a threat to him, such as Banquo.
Perhaps the most direct relation of Blagojevich to Macbeth was his plan to get campaign funds for himself to aid in his goal of getting a place in the president's cabinet or an ambassadorship once he had completed his time in office as governor. Blagojevich said that becoming a U.S. senator could remake his image for a possible presidential run in 2016. In comparison, Macbeth's final goal had been to take the throne. Apparently he also said that a seat in the Senate would provide an opportunity for his wife, Patti, to work as a lobbyist. He supposedly implied that he would get his wife placed on corporate boards where she might earn $150,000 a year in director's fees. Just like Patti Blagojevich, Lady Macbeth was going to benefit a great deal by her husband's actions. She would become queen and enjoy all the wealth and power that came with it.
The theme of corrupt ambition and even similarities to the particular circumstances within Macbeth itself can be seen vividly in today's world. Because of this, the play continues to seem modern despite being written hundreds of years ago.
"Blagojevich Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Sell Obama's Senate Seat" and its related articles are examples of corrupt ambition at society's highest level. In order to gain wealth and power, Governor Rod Blagojevich tried to sell or trade (at the time) President-elect Obama's seat on the U.S. Senate. He also revealed that if no one offered him anything good enough that he would take the seat himself. Instead of following the law and trying to earn a seat in higher places, he took advantage of his position and attempted to make a profit one way or another. Besides unlawful, this act was also unfair to those hoping for the vacant seat. Unless they paid enough or made a valuable exchange for it, they wouldn't have a chance of getting it.
Like Macbeth, Blagojevich showed he was willing to do anything to fulfill his ambitions. And coincidentally those ambitions were nearly identical to Macbeth's. Both men were after wealth and power, particularly a seat of power somehow available to them. The difference being that Macbeth had to kill King Duncan in order to make it available while Obama's presidential campaign victory opened his position in the U.S. Senate. Blagojevich went on what was quoted by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald as a "corruption crime spree." Similarly, Macbeth also went on a corruption crime spree. Though unlike the governor of Illinois, Macbeth killed those in his path. Crimes that Blagojevich was investigated for included illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co. in the sale of Wrigley Field. In return for state assistance, the governor supposedly wanted members of the Chicago Tribune's editorial board who had critisized him to be fired. This act appears to be a more subtle version of what Macbeth did in the play where he rid himself of anyone who was a threat to him, such as Banquo.
Perhaps the most direct relation of Blagojevich to Macbeth was his plan to get campaign funds for himself to aid in his goal of getting a place in the president's cabinet or an ambassadorship once he had completed his time in office as governor. Blagojevich said that becoming a U.S. senator could remake his image for a possible presidential run in 2016. In comparison, Macbeth's final goal had been to take the throne. Apparently he also said that a seat in the Senate would provide an opportunity for his wife, Patti, to work as a lobbyist. He supposedly implied that he would get his wife placed on corporate boards where she might earn $150,000 a year in director's fees. Just like Patti Blagojevich, Lady Macbeth was going to benefit a great deal by her husband's actions. She would become queen and enjoy all the wealth and power that came with it.
The theme of corrupt ambition and even similarities to the particular circumstances within Macbeth itself can be seen vividly in today's world. Because of this, the play continues to seem modern despite being written hundreds of years ago.
