In John Lara's play, "The Samaritan," the statement "Those who unite for selfish reasons are bound to fail" is vividly illustrated. The play tells the story of a group of strangers who come together for their own individual gain, but ultimately fail because their lack of genuine unity undermines their efforts.
At the beginning of the play, the characters have various selfish motives for uniting. The protagonist, Margie, is a wealthy widow who seeks protection from her late husband's ruthless business associates. She enlists the help of a group of strangers, including a lawyer, a doctor, and a priest, who each have their own reasons for wanting to be involved. The lawyer, for example, hopes to gain access to Margie's vast fortune, while the doctor seeks to cure Margie's mysterious illness.
As the group works together, their selfish motives become increasingly apparent. They argue over who should be in charge, and they try to manipulate each other for their own advantage. Their lack of trust and cooperation leads to a series of misunderstandings and conflicts, which ultimately sabotage their efforts.
In one particularly telling scene, the group is confronted by a group of criminals who demand that they hand over Margie's fortune. The characters initially refuse, but when the criminals threaten to harm them, they quickly turn on each other. The lawyer tries to bribe the criminals with Margie's money, while the doctor tries to escape with Margie in tow. In the end, the criminals get away with the money, and the group is left with nothing.
The failure of the group in "The Samaritan" is a testament to the statement that those who unite for selfish reasons are bound to fail. The characters in the play were unable to put aside their own individual agendas and work together for the common good. As a result, their efforts were doomed from the start.
There are many real-world examples of groups that have failed because of selfishness. One example is the League of Nations, which was founded after World War I to prevent future wars. However, the League was weakened by the fact that its members were more interested in protecting their own national interests than in working together for the common good. As a result, the League was unable to prevent the outbreak of World War II.
Another example is the United Nations, which was founded after World War II to replace the League of Nations. The UN has had some successes, but it has also been hampered by the fact that its members often put their own interests ahead of the interests of the organization. As a result, the UN has been unable to solve many of the world's problems, such as poverty, hunger, and war.
The lesson of "The Samaritan" is that true unity can only be achieved when people are willing to put aside their own selfish interests and work together for the common good. When people unite for selfish reasons, they are doomed to fail.