Some think that ambition is a good quality. Is it important to be ambitious? Is it a positive or negative characteristic?

The rise of the one percent and accumulated capital

has led

Suggestion

leads

many people today to question the basic value of raw

ambition

. In my opinion, though

ambition

has historical importance, it is a largely negative trait for most of society today.

Ambition

’s value lies in pushing forward human progress. Some of the best evidence of

this

comes from advances in science. Galileo was a determined astronomer, willing to doubt ingrained dogma in order to propagate his heretical view and we owe the basis of our understanding of the planetary system to him. A more recent example would be discoveries like

penicilin

any of various antibiotics obtained from Penicillium molds (or produced synthetically) and used in the treatment of various infections and diseases

penicillin

and vaccines in the 20th century that were all the result of highly ambitious, driven individuals whose legacies endure to

this

day. Without their aspirations, human

civilisation

a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)

civilization

would have stagnated.

However

,

ambition

for its own sake hurts society. When

ambition

is severed from passion and ethics, it becomes the raw engine of political and economic greed. A good example of

this

would be the rampant speculation

fueling

the activity of supplying or taking on fuel

fuelling

Wall Street. Most employees at large brokerage firms are ambitious in terms of moving up the ladder and making more money for their

clients but

Accept comma addition

clients, but

have little concern for the consequences of their actions. Reckless investment spurred on by greed was one of the underlying causes of the sub-prime mortgage scandal that led to a global financial crisis in 2008 during which millions of homeowners and investors lost their retirement savings. Unchecked,

ambition

will always tend towards excess and society will always be left to reckon with the aftermath. In conclusion,

ambition

is a crucial drive behind human civilisation but it is not a positive force on its own. It is important for parents and educators

to serve

Suggestion

serve

as good role models to inspire children to check

ambition

with conscience.