Essential Question 1

[markbaron1]

1. The answer to this question directly correlates with age. As we grow older we become more and more responsible for our actions/beliefs. At a young age we lack the mental capacity required to make our own conclusions. Because of this our early beliefs are shaped by those we are around the most. However, over time as our mental abilities grow we become more intellectually independent. For example, a lot of kids adopt their parents' political views or their sports preferences. But how does all of this relate to the book. Dick Hickock and Perry Smith were the murderers of the Clutter family and were acting completely under their own power. One could argue that the tragedies in the early lives of the two could have an influence on their decision making (Dick's car accident and Perry's family deaths). However, Dick was very intelligent (IQ of 130) and Perry was in the military. Both of these would provide any sort of discipline of mind to overcome anything that could have influenced their thought-process earlier in life. Therefore, Dick and Perry must have simply wanted to commit that terrible crime in Holcomb, Kansas (Dick planned the murders and Perry willingly went along with Dick's plan).

SWAG 

[bensch0314]

I agree with the idea that you become more responsible for your actions and beliefs with age, and have come to the statement that the more experience and knowledge you have on a subject, the more responsible you are for your beliefs. If you lack the experience of seeing other ideas and actions, you will only know your beliefs, so you arent't fully responsible for them because you don't know any other beliefs. But, if you have experienced and learned about both sides of an idea, you are responsible for your beliefs. You made the choice after collecting knowledge on both sides of the subject, and you must face the consequences of your beliefs, whether good or bad.