Since the beginning of time, society has had many writers who have questioned and correctly criticized the status quo. These educated individuals write about their standpoints on what they believe is wrong with society and what should be done, according to their beliefs, to make things right. Cornel West with "The Moral Obligations of Living in a Democratic Society" and Martin Luther King Jr with "The World House" are both intellectual individuals that share credentials on the lack of morality in the modern world. Both cover modern societal problems such as racial controversies, elite superiority, materialism, greed, corruption, economic decay, and war- they also wish to eliminate intolerance of diversity between citizens and to achieve peaceful co-existence between human kind. However, while MLK covers a more global spectrum of what western countries could do to improve humanity, West focusses more on the supposition of democracy in America. By putting King and West into conversation with each other we realize that both critics want to reform humanity by writing about living in peace (regarding racism, poverty, and war) and the necessity of turning away from market values. To uphold what is stated above, "we must rapidly begin the shift from a thing -oriented society to a person  oriented society" (King, 295) so that society gains true democracy and ends moral injustice.

Martin Luther King Jr. played an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s. Through his efforts of nonviolent resistance, he aimed for the eradication of segregation of the African-American community which was successful with the passing of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Act in 1964 and 1965. In "The World House", King emphasizes that because of all the technological advances, the world is more interconnected than ever and even though we all have different ideas, cultures, and interests, "we have to learn somehow to live with each other in peace, because we can never again live apart" (King, 284). In contrast to King's statement, West mentions Du Bois' recognition of the absurdness of American society that being Black in America is to be a problem (West, 457). Even though King writes in the late 60's about both races collectively moving forward in harmony, in the early 90's, West feels the need to put pressure on the social racism that remains. In his writing he mentions that in America, blacks will continuously be attacked even if its by the criticism of having the wrong hips, nose, and lips. In retrospect, King points out at even though the negroes and whites have equal rights, that will not prevent racism from existing in other geographical boundaries. For a better understanding of international complications of this generation, King introduces another concept for racism which is neo-colonialism (King 287). Resource exploitation of poor Asian, African and Latin American countries for Western countries' benefits has raised tremendous resentment against the U.S. Still, the same concept of racism remains: the belief of superiority of the western countries against the poorer, darker peoples of other continents. Whether it is domestic racism with signs of intolerance of diversity or international racism, they both lack "the soul and commitment to make justice a reality for all men" (King, 289). 

Global poverty is another problem which needs to solved in order to achieve peaceful co-existence between human kind. There is nothing new about poverty, states King, the only new thing is that we have the resources to abolish it (King 290). While King stresses that we have 25 million square miles of tillable land on earth and so much knowledge of vitamins, nutrients, and chemistry of food, geologist Dr. Kirtley Mather, states that famine is completely unnecessary in the modern world. Nevertheless, there is no deficit in human resources, but in human will. The solution King suggests is that all nations must use their vast resources of wealth to help the poor left in oblivion, there has to be a world wide commitment between all wealthy nations and provide capital and technical assistance for necessary means. To actually end poverty, he suggests giving two percent of their gross national product every year for twenty years as part of a sustained Marshall plan for Asia, Africa, and South America (King, 291). In contrast to West, where he addresses poverty at a domestic level, he blames the oligarchy whom forms the one percent of the population with 48 percent of "the total net financial wealth [while] 80 percent of the population is experiencing stagnating and declining wages" and 25 percent of America's children live in poverty (West, 457). For the richest nation of the world to have such immoral conditions, humanitarian reforms have to take place for us to be one step closer towards living in peace without having brothers and sisters of foreign countries in poverty. "Ultimately, a great nation is a compassionate nation" (King, 290). 

War and human destruction troubles follows for mankind to find a solution to gain a peaceful sense of nations and citizens amongst each other. In ancient times, war could be justified only because it was the means of acquiring resources and land. Today, we don't need violence to survive because "science has provided us with adequate means of survival and transportation" (King, 293). Ironically enough, the production of nuclear weapons remains increasing, and just like Napoleon, today people kill in pursuit of "peace" while seeking "selfish conceptions of an ideal existence which would personify their egoistic dreams" (King, 293). (This last quote is describing actions in the time of Napoleon, not of modern times) However, today, people still kill in the name of "peace" merely because others do not share the same ideology as them- just like it constantly happens in African nations between tribal groups and how it recently happened in Paris by extremist religious groups. Clearly, being intolerant of diversity is a major factor in preventing people to co-exist in harmony. However, King emphasizes that we should soon realize that peace is not a distant goal, but the means we use to arrive at the goal and that "we must concentrate not merely on the eradication of war but on the affirmation of peace" (King, 294). As an alternative to war, King suggests to use words instead of weapons, verbal settlements in forms of peace treaties. Exemplified by The United Nations, which is moving in the direction of nonviolence (King 294). 

The roots of democracy may be looked at at a moral perspective and at a political perspective. Morally, they are linked to values such as mutual respect, personal responsibility, and social accountability while forming part of a certain spiritual dimension (West, 459). Spirituality merely consists of a greater sense of ourselves that connects us to a community- West and King both agree that for a democracy to function it should be "based on a sense of public- what it is to be a citizen among citizens" (West, 459) merely because the universe works in such way that if men has no consideration of the other, things go "awry", subsequently, the "'I" cannot reach fulfillment without [a] "thou'" (King 292). If the nation declares itself to be democratic, why are Americans troubled about "the low quality of their lives", "the constant fear of violent assault and cruel insult", and "the coldhearted-ness of social life"? (West, 458). The answer is because we are constantly surrounded by market values that urge egocentrism, and hinders empathy. The market culture in which we daily exist evolves around "buying and selling", "promoting and advertising" (West, 459). Our society has started to value materialism over democracy and we have allowed for our "internal realm" to get lost in out "external realm" (King, 286). Politically, the term democracy is used to describe the rights of each person to have a dignified saying in the decision-making of the institutions that guide and regulate their lives (West, 459). However, middle class citizens are vulnerable and unsure of the social, economic, and political stability they live in due to "economic decline", "cultural decay", and "political lethargy" in the present state of America (West, 458). Therefore, according to West, many of these middle class citizens who are suffering from their sense of security and normalcy, are willing "to accept any authoritarian option" to bring about stability in their lives. Besides them being undermined by the authorities, corporations have disproportionate amount of wealth and power (West, 458) placing the middle class in even more distrust against the authority. Here again are nonmarket values such as greed disabling the supposedly existence of democracy in America. Ultimately, according to West, the question must continue to be raised: "what is the role of the most disadvantaged in relation to the public interest?" (West, 458). If America would not claim itself to be a democratic country, we would not have to worry about raising this question nor about having moral justice between the government and the citizens. But we ARE a democratic country and just like King agrees, we must be a "socially conscious democracy which reconciles the truths of individualism and collectivism" (King, 296).

Ultimately, the necessity to shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society covers all aspects discussed above. We must accomplish increase in moral values in our society. Tolerance of diversity needs to emerge to abolish racism. Greed needs to be replaced with a system of nurturing and caring to stop Western countries' neo-colonialism. Richer nations have to acquire empathy towards those in need to stop worldwide hunger and poverty. Nations must develop loyalty towards mankind to stop wars. The solution for modern issues of egocentrism is turning back to nonmarket values. Requesting for reform from all of these immoral characteristics and expecting immediate change, is merely impossible because it consist of changes in people's traditions- and people do not like change. However, if there is a positive outcome for both parties, just like King states, "when men and governments work devotedly for the good of others, they achieve their own enrichment in the process" (King, 291)- this could make reforms less impossible. benefits both parties but it is a matter of change in morality.   

