Jack Weir

English 111
Marcum
April 20, 2015

Choosing the right path

The world is a road with many paths, some of which overlap while others remain
isolated. Looking forward, the vast expanse seems daunting, and navigating it can be difficult. As
a recent graduate of high school, I have reached a major fork on my road. Since I was young I
have always aspired to make something of myself in a competitive business environment. Who
can say they are not lured by the attractions of wealth and a high class life? On the other hand,
history has always been my true passion. The decision to major in history would surely mean less
wealth, but how important is that to my happiness? Many struggle to see the relevance of history
today, and I have a strong interest in making them think otherwise. Then again, business has a
certain lure to it; due to the major importance material wealth has today. Capitalism is seen in
many forms, but American Capitalism focus on, as Zoltan Acs and Ronnie Philips put it: both
the creation of wealth, and the reconstitution of wealth (Entrepreneurship and philanthropy in
American capitalism). This idea of entrepreneurship combined with philanthropy inspires me to
pursue a business career. History, however, still maintains much prevalence to me, and I feel to
the modern world.
History has had a tremendous effect on the modern world. Without history, major world
religions would not exist today. John Riches talks about the influence historical items have had
on society today. He talks about how the principal religious texts of the major world faiths, with
their regular use in worship and private devotion, and their role in the spiritual formation of the
adherents and officials of widely dispersed communities, attain a much wider readership(The

Jack Weir
English 111
Marcum
April 20, 2015

Bible: Very Short Introduction). The effect that historical objects (of course any major religious
texts being the most influential), have extends to every corner of the Earth. History has also had
a major effect on business and entrepreneurship as a whole. During the seventeenth century,
colonists made agreements with Native Americans that gave them rights to the land. As Edward
White explains, it was clear that European settlers believed that the ownership of land gave its
owner exclusive right to its possession and use (Law and Entrepreneurship). This idea of
possessing land and having individual rights blossomed into natural rights and the American
Constitution. Entrepreneurship has changed greatly in just American History. White talks about
the differing forms of entrepreneurship, such as in the nineteenth century, when the forms
consisted of the acquisition of and speculation in land, the populating of the expanded territory of
the nation through the development of transportation franchises and the dispersal of public lands,
and the nationwide development and distribution of the products of industrial enterprise (Law
and Entrepreneurship). This evolved into a massive free market, dominated by towering
corporations that overshadow anything around them. Despite this, Business is indeed a strong
path to take, full of many stable opportunities.
Entrepreneurship has given way to many new business opportunities. The Asian market,
despite once being very controlled, has flourished into a growing free market economy, albeit a
way many would say it unfair to the masses. Asian stock markets are on a steady rise, and its
efficiency motivates the regional as well as the global investors to invest in Emerging
Markets in Asian region (The Stock Market Efficiency of Emerging Markets: Evidence from
Asian Regions Lingaraja, Kasilingam; Selvam, Murugesan; Vasanth, Vinayagamoorthi). Trends

Jack Weir
English 111
Marcum
April 20, 2015

like these no doubt give way to a steady wave of young, eager students ready to make something
of them. I too feel the influence of advantageous markets such as these. The evolution of free
markets from the industrial system of the nineteenth century has given way to a new, very
profitable enterprise. White talks about it in his writings on law and entrepreneurship, explaining
that entrepreneurial ventures in communications media, ranging from radio and moving pictures
to television and sites on the Internet, have become increasingly prominent (Law and
Entrepreneurship). Again, the lures of business sway many people, including myself. So many
profitable markets exist, making it hard for someone like me who is torn between doing
something else, and someone who has always set their mind to business.
With the advantages of majoring in business, the decisions should be made easy.
Entrepreneurship in business is also advocated due to the altruistic ideal of gifting parts of your
fortune to others that are less fortunate. Zoltan Acs and Ronnie Philips talk about this ideal and
how it still inspires entrepreneurs today, though they usually express it in terms of a duty to
"give something back" to the society that helped make their own success possible
(Entrepreneurship and philanthropy in American capitalism). However, I look upon my life and I
see a happier self by doing what I love. History will always maintain major relevance to the
world; past, present, and future. The advancement of technologies today is the result of the
recording of past sciences. Lawrence Principe talks about these advancements, stating that from
the late Middle Ages down to our own day, scientific knowledge has been used increasingly to
change that world, to give human beings greater power over it (The Scientific Revolution: A
Very Short Introduction). History forever changed the human race. Without the knowledge of our

Jack Weir
English 111
Marcum
April 20, 2015

predecessors, how would we know where to tread? In conclusion, I personally will change my
major to history. I feel very strongly about pursuing the subject, and learning everything I can
about the past and present. Business is absolutely a strong road, but ultimately I see myself
faltering in that aspect. For some people, business is their true passion. For others, it could be
dancing, or singing, or writing. It truly changes depending on who you are as a person.
Happiness is an independent idea, separate from material wealth and greed.

Jack Weir
English 111
Marcum
April 20, 2015

Works Cited
Principe, Lawrence. "The Scientific Revolution: A Very Short
Introduction."Www.veryshortintroductions.com. Canadian Center of Science and
Education, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.veryshortintroductions.com.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/view/10.1093/actrade/978019
9567416.001.0001/actrade-9780199567416-chapter-7>.
"Law and Entrepreneurship." Www.veryshortintroductions.com. Oxford University Pres, 1 Dec.
2013. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.veryshortintroductions.com.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/view/10.1093/actrade/978019
9766000.001.0001/actrade-9780199766000-chapter-4?rskey=HdThmf&result=1>.
Riches, John. "The Bible: A Very Short Introduction." Www.veryshortintroductions.com. Oxford
University Pres, 10 Sept. 2000. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.veryshortintroductions.com.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/view/10.1093/actrade/978019
2853431.001.0001/actrade-9780192853431-chapter-1>
Vinayagamoorthi, Murugesan, Vasanth, Selvam. "The Stock Market Efficiency of Emerging
Markets: Evidence from Asian Region." Http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/.
Canadian Center of Science and Education, 11 Oct. 2014. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.
<http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/asianbusiness/docview/1614971485/1D28
D0508BE141BCPQ/2?accountid=10008>.
Acs, Zolan, and Ronnie Philips. "Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy in American
Capitalism." Search.proquest.com. Canadian Center of Science and Education, 1 Nov.
2002. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.
<http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/entrepreneurship/docview/220907553/1D
A31CD1F597482FPQ/6?accountid=10008>.