Utilitarianism In I Am Malala

When I think about the world as I know it, I tend to think of the western world. We painted to be modern, sophisticated, well-educated, and fair. Here in America we make sure that “all” people have access to the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is not too surprising that across the globe, some people think we are out of our minds. For example, some people of Pakistan might question us. Give women equal rights? Give them freedoms and choices? How backwards is our way of thinking here in the West? In her book, “I am Malala”, Malala Yousafzai tells the reader about her time growing up in the Swat valley and the things she experienced as the Taliban entered her valley and began to take away certain freedoms . When looking at such serious topics, it is important to look at both sides of the story, in order to make sure that the actions made by not only Malala, but also the Taliban were rationalized on a scale that we would expect from nearly all people. In simpler terms, it is important to make sure that there is Universalizability within the actions and behaviors of these people. The main focuses will be on how I applied the theories of Utilitarianism , Deontology , and Virtue Ethics to not only support Malala’s actions against the Taliban but, also to argue against her actions and show where she was lacking a complete ethical understanding of her actions. It should also be noted that I do not support the Taliban’s actions and am merely