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In The March of Folly, historian Barbara Tuchman writes:

Wooden-headedness, the source of self-deception, is a factor that plays a remarkably large role in government. It consists of assessing a situation in terms of preconceived fixed notions while ignoring or rejecting any contrary signs. It is acting according to wish while not allowing oneself to be deflected by the facts.

Some people would claim that what Tuchman calls wooden-headedness plays a remarkably large role in all organizations and, indeed, in all human affairs. Write a carefully reasoned persuasive essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies this idea about the prevalence of wooden-headedness in human actions and decisions. Use evidence from your reading and/or observation to develop your position.

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1. From my own experience, I have observed multiple instances of wooden-headedness, in teachers, friends, and even family members. It seems to be very prevalent.

2. Politicians such as Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris face frequent accusations of wooden-headedness, and refusing to acknowledge facts.

3. Past historical events such as the Watergate scandal of 1972 and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947 arguably involved leaders who were wooden-headed.

4. Many Fortune 500 C.E.O.'s continue to expand their corporations without acknowledging concerns such as environmental degradation, a clear sign of wooden-headedness.

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Because of its wide prevalence across multiple modern industries and undefeated influence on governments, wooden-headedness indeed plays a remarkably large role in human roles and affairs.

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1. Living in the cultural metropolis of Miami, I myself have witnessed unequal distribution of housing, infrastructure, healthcare, and equity. It is awful to see such stark contrasts between the affluent counterpart of the city, and I agree something must be done.

2. At any given time, there is terrible conflict ripping through nations on Earth. In 2005, this includes Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. And these wars demand incredible amounts of food, water, and medicine.

3. Americans live in the world's largest economy, and many citizens do, in fact, make enough income to regularly donate to humanitarian aid.

4. However, people do have a choice on how to spend their money. Peter Singer from the New York Times believes that unnecessary spending should be rerouted to charities.

5. No matter the income level or social class, people have the right to decide what to do with their money, whether that means treating themselves, investing, saving, or donating.

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Although Singer does support a good cause and points out a common flaw of the upper class, his statement does not attribute to the personal choice of the buyer, as charity should be done from one's good will.

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In “The Singer Solution to World Poverty,” an article that appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Peter Singer, a professor of bioethics, calls attention to the urgent need for food and medicine in many parts of the world. Singer argues that prosperous people should donate to overseas aid organizations such as UNICEF or Oxfam America all money not needed for the basic requirements of life: “The formula is simple: whatever money you’re spending on luxuries, not necessities, should be given away.” Write an essay in which you evaluate the pros and cons of Singer’s argument. Use appropriate evidence as you examine each side, and indicate which position you find more persuasive.

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Many people spend long hours trying to achieve perfection in their personal or professional lives. Similarly, people often demand perfection from others, creating expectations that may be challenging to live up to. In contrast, some people think perfection is not attainable or desirable.

Write an essay that argues your position on the value of striving for perfection. In your response you should do the following:

Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible position.

Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning.

Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.

Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

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1. Striving for perfection is highly desired by modern society, as seen by the popularity of filters, photo-shop, and face-tuning used by apps such as Instagram and Snapchat that morph the user's face to a selected preference.

2. Models such as Bella Hadid, Kate Moss, and Kim Kardashian have enormous influence on younger generations, appearing flawless in public and concealing any imperfections.

3. In my own use of social media, I consistently see my peers harshly judge themselves and degrade their esteem, simply because of how others look.

4. On A.P. exams, S.A.T. exams, and other standardized tests, perfect scores such as a 5 are commonly sought after, yet only a small percentage of students actually attain it. Many students endure a multitude of stress and pressure.

5. It is a common trope in movies and television to have a boss that demands almost impossible standards at the workplace, however it is very common in real life and many men and women suffer from constant work stress.

6. To achieve personal and social acceptance, plastic surgery procedures have become very common in the 21st century, altering the bodies of many men and women, young and grown.

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Whilst striving for perfection could encourage personal improvement, it is unattainable, and often results in disillusion and obsessive behavior in some individuals.