It is strongly recommended that you include your outline in the body of your essay by using the outline as section titles. The headings below are there to remind you how section and subsection titles are formatted.

Blue and Pink

-- By AddisonCox - 20 Feb 2025

Self-Interest as a Tool and Weapon

Self-interest is a powerful and often misunderstood force in life. While it is essential to survival and personal progress, when unchecked, it can become corrosive to collective well-being. In society, self-interest has not only been normalized but celebrated—particularly in the political sphere. This shift is deeply entwined with how gender norms are socialized from a young age—norms that assign different emotional and social roles to boys and girls, and which later manifest in adult expectations and behaviors.

Decades of social science research have documented the ways in which gender roles shape personality development. Carol Gilligan’s work, for example, distinguishes between a male-oriented ethic of justice—focused on rules and individual rights—and a female-oriented ethic of care—concerned with relationships and responsibilities. These frameworks aren’t biologically determined, but rather culturally taught, beginning with the earliest signals children receive about who they are expected to become. From toys to behavior expectations, to the colors assigned at birth, gender becomes a script, and for many, the performance of that script carries into adulthood.

Masculinity, has long been associated with independence, dominance, and stoicism. Boys are often praised for being assertive, even aggressive, while girls are encouraged to be nurturing and accommodating. These norms, internalized early, help form a cultural foundation where traits like empathy and fairness are feminized—and thus, in many contexts, devalued. When self-interest is framed as strength, and empathy as weakness, it is not surprising that political figures who embody a “me first” ideology can gain traction.

The Return to Blue and Pink

Nevertheless, consider the rise of Donald Trump within this context. It is no secret he is unapologetic in his self interest, and rejective of typical feminine ideals like fairness and empathy. Rather, he aims to promote individual success. In other words: selfishness. Indulging in our childhood selves, returning to our pinks and blues, is something that many Americans (a shocking number of Americans) have been more than happy to do. While some find reasons to rally behind Donald Trump as a candidate, citing economic gains, his “putting America first” attitude, among others, on a deeper level–for likely many of the Americans who voted for him–this is a way to return to their blue and pink attitude.

Change is hard. Harder for some than others. But for Americans who saw the change of shifting social norms (even the rise of yellow; as a color identifying a child, regardless of their sex) to be the loss of the American culture, their culture, Donald Trump has been able to revive that. In the world today, Donald Trump has given full permission, and even encouragement, for his voters to act in their own selfish nature.

Ultimately, the return to blues and pinks is a good thing for those who value their own self-interest above all. But, for the rest of us, we are doomed to sit on the sidelines and reap the consequences of the actions (or even inaction) of those who voted for this outcome. In the meantime, women, LGBTQ+, immigrants, people of color, and many more will face the brunt of the selfishness of our fellow Americans.

Self-interest, in itself, is not inherently negative. Rather, it is often a necessary force for survival and personal advancement. Without a degree of self-interest, we would struggle to assert ourselves in competitive environments, secure resources, or advocate for our needs. To be honest, self-interest is part of the reason at least some of us (including myself) have come to law school. I want to make an impact, but nevertheless, have considered my own self-interest in the choice to come to Columbia Law School. However, the challenge lies in ensuring that my self-interest does not cross the line into selfishness. A balanced approach can recognize the importance of personal ambition while still upholding collective responsibility.

Red

The way society assigns meaning to colors and gender norms has a profound impact on personal identity and collective ideologies. While the black and gray clothing of adulthood may suggest neutrality, the influences of blue and pink never fully disappear. They linger in our perceptions of leadership, strength, and fairness, shaping our worldviews in ways we may not even recognize. In fact, the blue and pink influences have found a way to take symbolic shape: in a very red, very distinctive hat.

Red is another color which should be noted for its symbolic nature. It is an overpowering color, which often demands attention in ways that blue and pink do not. While it is the backdrop to our flag, it holds a different meaning today. In the case of Trump's movement, the red hat serves as a beacon of unwavering ideology, drawing a clear line between those who embrace its message and those who oppose it. Between pink, blue, red, and even yellow, colors mean more than we often recognize (both symbolically and as tools of emotion). As a result, it seems today that many Americans may be more emboldened to show their true colors than ever before.

A single extended metaphor makes an uncertain foundation for thinking, because the idea can go no further than the limits of the metaphor. The essay wants to present some idea about the relationship between "self-interest" and gender role, but it can't really reach the substance of its subject because it is stuck in color babble.

Let's try turning the next draft inside out. Let's start with the central idea, whatever it is, and come to the metaphor of color choices, if at all, once we have presented it clearly to the reader in its fuller form. If the metaphor of fashion choice then helps to make the idea memorable or gives it resonance, that will be great. but let's start with the social science. It might, in that connection, be worth relating your idea to something previously written by another human being. The absolute absence of any contact with other peoples' thinking, as though you were making up all social theory for yourself for the first time, is an unnecessary burden. You did do some reading first, right?

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