History has shown that "this above all: to thine own self be true" can lead to heroism and strength or stubbornness and disaster. Rosa Parks, Adolf Hitler, and Abraham Lincoln all prove Shakespeare's theory, but are their actions always helpful to others? While the statement sounds good, it can, in fact lead to disastrous results. In the final analysis, being true to oneself can be an excuse to hurt others as much as a shining example of altruism.
Rosa Parks built up a great deal of courage in order to prove to the world that she was true to herself, even if she had to suffer huge consequences. When Rosa was forty three years old, racial segregation flooded the United States. There were separate schools, bathrooms, and even drinking fountains for black people. Many other laws were "designed to make [white people] feel superior, and [blacks] feel inferior" (Standing). One law prohibited black people from sitting on the front of the bus. Rosa Parks, however, fought this......
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