Rethinking the Social Contract: Why Should You Care?

This essay, revisiting a ten-year-old unfinished draft, explores the question of whether we are obligated to participate in society and treat others according to societal expectations. Drawing on the philosophical ideas of Robert Paul Wolff and Immanuel Kant, the author offers a critical reflection on the social contract. Kant's attempt to rationally justify the obligation to care for others is examined and found wanting, incapable of compelling participation. Ultimately, the author advocates for focusing on those around us rather than the abstract notion of society as a whole, stressing that genuine care is limited and selective care is a manifestation of freedom.