Mary Barton

Elizabeth Gaskell’s â€Å"Mary Barton† is a novel of social reform that explores injustice, abuse and inequality. The novel is especially concerned with the societal condition of England at the time. In her â€Å"Preface† Mrs. Gaskell asserted, â€Å"I know nothing of Political Economy, or the theories of the trade. I have tried to write truthfully†. The â€Å"truth† of â€Å"Mary Barton† is not political or economic but the truth of the human heart. The novel is not about industrial conditions but about people living in those conditions. Mrs. Gaskell’s social aim in writing is to inform rather than to reform. Her aim in writing is to give â€Å"utterance to the agony† and to explicate the consequences of â€Å"the seeming injustice of the inequalities of fortune†. In â€Å"Mary Barton†, the protagonist John Barton asks with bitter vehemence about the injustice of the massive gulf between the upper and lower classes: â€Å"Why are they so separate, so distinct, when God has made them all? [†¦ ] We are their slaves as long as we can work; we pile up fortunes with the sweat of our brows; and yet we are to live as separate as Dives and Lazarus, with a great gulf betwixt us†. John Barton is ultimately driven to the act of murder by his outrage at the gulf fixed between the rich and the poor. John Barton is ultimately a victim of society and an example of how a man full of human kindness is hardened into hatred and violence. As the author tells the reader his wife’s death meant that â€Å"one of the ties which bound him down to the gentle humanities of earth was loosened†. The string of events that followed – the strike, the Davenports’ starvation and fever, the employees’ arrogant isolation and the failure of the petition, seem to purposely show that the world reckons the poor folk no account. And as John Barton lies on his deathbed his enemy Mr. Carson sits in his library quite unable to hate his son’s murderer. At the end Mr. Carson forgives John Barton and the murderer dies in the arms of the man whose son he has murdered and this image explicates the novel’s pivotal theme in the hope of human heartedness. In her novel Mrs. Gaskell presents men and women at the extreme of suffering at which point only the most radical of human actions remain be they despair and hatred or alternatively human compassion and forgiveness.

Objective Morality Essay

My purpose in writing this is to argue for the existence of an objective morality based entirely on rational and scientific reasoning. By â€Å"objective morality† I do not simply mean that morality exists in the sense that various societies consider various actions to be immoral. What I mean is that certain actions are inherently right or wrong regardless of what any society thinks about them. In other words, I mean that there is an â€Å"objective morality† which exists independently of human beliefs and human civilization. There are many people who have the opinion that it is not possible to believe in such an objective morality without also believing in concepts such as God or an eternal soul. I believe that they are wrong. I will attempt to show that an objective morality exists and that this morality is the same regardless of which religion, if any, is correct. Many people believe that without a religious framework, the only possible conclusion is that all morality is nothing more than a human construct without any objective existence. In other words, what morality a person or a culture accepts is like picking a favorite flavor of ice cream. Some individuals prefer strawberry ice cream, other individuals prefer chocolate, and no person’s preference is â€Å"more correct† than another’s. In a similar manner, they argue, different individuals and different societies have various favorite moral belief systems, and just as with ice cream, no particular set of moral beliefs is â€Å"more correct† than any other. A common argument for this type of thinking is the following. Throughout history, different cultures have had vastly different moral systems. In fact, on almost any moral issue, it appears that there is absolutely no agreement or consensus shared by even a majority of the cultures throughout history. In addition to this, there appears to be no way to prove the superiority of one moral system over another using logic alone. So the only way in which one moral system can actually be the correct one is if religion is the tie breaker. That is, whichever value system the â€Å"correct religion† advocates is the correct value system. Otherwise, there is no way to decide between them. I believe that this type of argument is easily refuted. In order to argue for the existence of an objective morality, I will have to do more than just point out the flaws in lines of reasoning such as this. I will have to provide my own arguments that an objective morality does exist, and I will have to discuss where this morality â€Å"comes from†. I will also have to explain a process by which we can attempt to determine what it is. This is what I intend to do. I would first, though, like to take some time to point out some of the errors in the reasoning above. There are two points that the argument above makes. The first regards the lack of consensus regarding morality. The second involves the inability to prove the superiority of one moral system over another using logic alone. It is true that throughout history, different cultures have held vastly different beliefs about morality. These cultures have also held vastly different beliefs regarding natural physical laws. Consider, for example, the belief in gravity. Currently, it is believed that the phenomena which we call gravity is the result of the fact that objects with mass cause a curvature in â€Å"space-time†. Under this framework, we believe that a clock located in a high gravitational field will appear to run slower than an identical clock in a region with low gravity. We also believe, under this framework, that the path of something without mass, such as a beam of light, is affected by gravity. This was not always the case. At the beginning of the twentieth century, for example, it was believed that the phenomena of gravity is the result of the fact that all objects with mass exert an attractive force on each other. According to this view, the path of a beam of light should be unaffected by gravity and identical clocks should run at the same speed everywhere. This had not always been the case either. At an earlier time it was believed that the natural place for objects such as rocks was on the ground while the natural place for things like steam was up in the sky. According to this perspective, rocks fell to the ground while steam rose because everything tends to go to its natural place. If we do a more thorough examination, including all the cultures throughout all of history, we will find an even larger variety of opinions regarding the law of gravity. This does not, though, mean that there is no objective law of gravity which exists independently of human society. The beliefs in gravity which I described are attempts by human societies to approximate reality. Clearly, some approximations are better than others. Perhaps the current belief in the curvature of space-time is also incorrect and will later be replaced by an even better approximation. However, most people would have no problem agreeing that the curvature of space-time explanation of gravity is a better approximation to reality than the explanations which came before it. All that this shows is that even though different cultures hold very different beliefs about a certain issue, this does not necessarily imply that there is no objective reality behind these beliefs. The claim which I will be arguing for is that this is the same for morality as it is for gravity. All the moral beliefs which came before us and all the moral beliefs today are, in exactly the same way as in the case of gravity, approximations to the objective reality which exists independently of human beings. Although probably none of these approximations correspond to reality exactly, as with gravity, some approximations are better than others. For example, the value system of a society which condones slavery but condemns cannibalism is incorrect, but it is a better approximation to reality than that of a society which condones both slavery and cannibalism. The claim that no one has yet been able to prove the correctness of a particular moral system through logic alone is also correct. However, if we continue the analogy with gravity, we will realize that no one has also been able to prove the existence of gravity through logic alone either. The reason we believe that a rock will fall to the ground is because that is what we have always observed when we have let go of rocks in the past. There is a little more to it than that, of course, but not much. Our current theory of gravity predicts many specific phenomena. These include rocks falling to the ground, planets orbiting the Sun, the creation of ocean tides by the moon, and identical clocks running at different speeds. The only reason why we do believe in our current theory of gravity is because every time we have observed these phenomena, what we saw corresponded with what the theory predicted. If we were deprived of these observations, we would have no reason to believe in gravity at all. There is no way, using logic alone, that a person can prove the existence of gravity or the superiority of one theory of gravity to another. It is only by using logical reasoning in combination with observation that a person can argue for the existence of gravity. Even then, it is not be possible to do so with total 100% assurance. The fact that the current theory of gravity has always made correct predictions in the past does not guarantee that the theory will give correct predictions tomorrow. What a person can do, though, is to show, by using logical reasoning in combination with observations, that our theory of gravity is most likely true. This is what I intend to do for morality. There are, of course, some differences in arguing for an objective moral law and an objective gravitational law. Perhaps one of the most significant is that it is possible to construct equipment which quantitatively measure the effects of gravity. That is, it is possible to construct a speed detector that tells you that a rock is moving with a velocity of ten meters per second at a certain moment in time. On the other hand, it is not currently possible to construct a morality meter which tells you that a certain action is wrong with an immorality of ten immorality units. Nevertheless, this is an obstacle which I believe can easily be overcome. I will explain the way in which I overcome this obstacle a little bit later. For now, I would just like to point out that the fact that we can not build such a detector does not automatically imply that an objective morality does not exist. It was not that long ago that we were unable to detect or measure the existence of electrons. This, however, does not imply that electrons did not exist in that time period. Electrons (objectively) existed regardless of whether or not we could build devices which detected them. The same, I believe, is true for morality. I have divided my discussion into four parts. The first part is this introduction. In the second part, I attempt to show that it is objectively wrong to torture another person for pleasure, and I discuss where this objective morality â€Å"comes from†. In this second part, I do not deal with something even as mildly complicated as torturing one person to prevent the suffering of another. Since I am trying to show that an objective morality exists independently of human beliefs, just showing that there exists one action which is objectively wrong should be sufficient to demonstrate my position that some objective morality exists. However, just believing that an objective morality exists should not be enough to satisfy anyone’s inquiry into the matter. In part three, I discuss how we can determine what this objective morality says about controversial moral issues. As in the case of gravity, I only claim to have a method to find good approximations to this objective moral law, not to get it exactly right the first time. By spending more time applying this method to a particular moral issue, we will obtain better approximations. I give examples of how this method can be applied to issues such as abortion, war, animal rights, and forcing your morality on others. I also discuss if an action which does not harm anyone can be immoral and if it is ever correct to say that one life is â€Å"worth more† than another. In addition, I give a method for establishing a belief about if another being possesses consciousness, which is useful in attempting to determine if we have an obligation to act morally towards that being. The fourth part is relatively independent of the rest of my discussion. In part four, I briefly discuss other alternative views about the nature and origin of morality. I touch on several topics. I discuss how a belief in God can be reconciled with the position which I advocate and why I think that it is not logically consistent to hold the opinion that a belief in God is necessary in order to believe in an objective morality. I discuss moral systems based on ideas like karma and perfect justice which are often associated with reincarnation. I also discuss a few other views regarding morality and what I think their flaws are. I talk about what I think is wrong with thinking of morality as just a social behavior which evolved to help our survival. I also discuss why I think that it is not possible to successfully base the foundation of a society on self interest or a social contract. I also mention why morality is much more than simply attempting to maximize a certain quantity such as happiness. Nowhere in my presentation do I discuss whether any particular religion is correct or incorrect. I limit my presentation to discussing the development of a belief in an objective morality without appealing to religious teachings. I do, though, show how my position can be reconciled with various religious beliefs. I also show how the definition of morality which I am about to give can be reconciled with the theory of evolution and natural selection. In addition, I discuss if moral beliefs improve in the long run with the passage of time. My definition of the word â€Å"morality† does not correspond to the way in which the word is usually used, but I believe that this definition closely approximates what â€Å"morality† is. In order to better explain my definition, I would first like to give an example of what â€Å"morality† is not. Suppose that a man comes home after shopping for food at a supermarket. When his son sees him, he comments on what good and moral people the owners of the supermarket must be. He remarks that the store owners must have been very kind and generous to give all this food to his family. How do you think that his father will answer? Clearly, the father will answer that the supermarket owners did not give him the food because they were kind or generous people, but because it was in their self interest to do so. Although the store owners might indeed be good and moral people, this action is in no way any indication of this. They did what they did because they believed that the action would profit them, and for no other reason. This action, the father would conclude, says nothing about the morality of the store owners. I will now give my definition. All actions can be placed into one of two categories. Some actions can belong to both of these groups simultaneously. However, all actions must belong to at least one of these categories. The first group consists of all actions which we do out of self interest while not harming others. Simple examples of this are riding a bicycle or watching television. These are activities which we engage in because we believe that these activities will benefit us. If an action belongs exclusively to this category, then it is of the same type as that of the supermarket owners in the previous example, and has nothing to do with morality. The second group consists of two types of behavior. The first type is behavior which either harms or intends to harm others. The second type is behavior which we engage in, not because we believe that it will somehow benefit us in the long run, but because we believe that it will benefit others. This includes any action we do, and any action which we refrain from doing, not for ourselves, but for others. It is with this second group of behaviors with which morality is concerned. Morality, then, is engaging in behavior, not out of self interest, but because it is in the interest of others. This is how I define morality. Many people would argue that altruistic actions belonging to the second group which I described do not exist. That is, they would argue that every action every person does is done out of self interest. If a man gives money to charity, they say, he does so only because he gets a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. If a woman donates blood, it is only because doing so makes her feel good about herself. This line of reasoning claims that all these seemingly benevolent actions are really done out of self interest. That is, people engage in such activities only to get these good internal feelings which they want. I disagree with such thinking. Although it is correct that a woman who gives to charity will probably obtain a warm and fuzzy feeling from doing so, it is incorrect to assume that this is the only reason why she engages in this activity. This is an example of an action which can simultaneously fit both of the groups which I described. That is, this woman may be giving to charity both because she feels good after doing so and because she wants to help others. In this case, so long as it is not done entirely out of self interest, it is still related to morality. Some actions which people engage in fall exclusively into my second category, and could never be explained in terms of self interest. An extreme example of this is when a person, who does not believe in an afterlife, makes a split second decision to give up his life for others, as in a case of a soldier throwing his body on a live hand grenade in order to save his comrades. There is no way to argue that the soldier is doing this because he seeks a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, since he is not going to live long enough to enjoy it. Human beings often attempt to persuade others into behaving a certain way by pointing out that it is in their self interest to do so. A police officer may say, for example, that you shouldn’t steal because there is a good chance that you will go to jail if you do. Similarly, a mother may tell her son that he will be punished if he his found misbehaving. None of this, though, in any way influences anyone to become a moral person. It just tells people how to behave in their own self interest. The only lesson this would impart on the child is that if he wants to avoid punishment, he should not misbehave. This will not prevent him from misbehaving the moment he knows that his parents aren’t watching, or after he grows up and moves out of his parents’ house. Similarly, this type of reasoning will not convince a person not to steal if he finds himself in a situation where the chances of being caught are small or non-existent. Nor is there, based on self interest alone, much reason for police officers, judges, and law makers to not abuse the power of their positions. What religions often do with regards to morality is to argue that it is always in a person’s self interest to behave â€Å"morally†. Some religions teach, for example, that if you engage in murder, rape, or torture, you will go to Hell. Others teach that if you engage in such activities you are going to have a very unfortunate next reincarnation. Others may believe that there is no life after death, but that you will be punished in this life for engaging in improper acts. However, this does not really tell anyone to be a moral person. This, again, just tells people how to behave in their self interest. If a woman refrains from killing other people only because she does not want to go to Hell, or if a man gives to charity only because he does not want to be reincarnated as an insect, then these activities have nothing to do with morality. As in the case of the supermarket owner, these people are just acting in their self interest. A religious person can, of course, be acting morally if he engages in activities for the purpose of benefiting others as well as seeking a reward. It is just that, as with the supermarket owner, although an action may have the side effect of benefiting other people, it is not related to morality if seeking a reward or avoiding a punishment is the only motivation. But then the questions before us are the following. Without making an appeal to religion, why is it that we â€Å"should† behave â€Å"morally†? Why is it that we â€Å"should† engage in activities which benefit others and refrain from activities which harm others? In a situation where which course of action is moral is itself a matter of debate, how is it possible, without using religious concepts, to persuasively argue that a particular answer is in fact the correct one. It is these types of questions which I will attempt to answer.

Icarus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Icarus - Essay Example The myth marks a lesson for the youth, for indeed Icarus was one himself. The Seagull example depicts him as a valorous young soul who takes to the skies bearing wings made out of wax and feathers while a seagull watches from below. In this instance, the seagull is symbolic of nature and its natural instinct not to overindulge in matters that are examples of poor judgment. Icarus flies high and dangerously, leading to his eventual demise in the waters below. Lord Frederic Leighton’s example relays the same arrogance, in which Icarus stands high and mighty like the statue behind him. Clearly, the mention of spring invites the reader to consider the lively nature of the season itself, full of life and harboring nature’s return in all its glory. Instead of basking in it, Icarus the youth spends his time testing his limits, going against the warnings of his father not to fly too close to the sun. This, as it turns out, was a perilous move, and Icarus had no one but himself to blame, as noted in â€Å"With Nothing But Courage:† Indeed, he flew with nothing but courage, which alludes to his lack of understanding of the gravity of the situation. This action speaks loudly to the mass of youth that let arrogance cloud their judgment. Indeed, he went against his father’s very advice not to â€Å"go too low, or water will weigh the wings down;  Dont go too high, or the suns fire will burn them,† (Ovid 24), causing the wax to melt and leading to his downfall. The freedom of flying did not come free of the perils of

The Christian Tradition Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Christian Tradition - Assignment Example It was a well-known fact, long before he was born, that Jesus would come to save the non-believers bringing them closer to God. All Christians believe that the church is the work of Jesus, helped by His disciples. In fact, The Apostles Creed declares that Jesus will come again to take his church. Every believer is seen as patiently waiting for the return of their savior, Jesus Christ. The belief that Jesus came up with the church is so high that all Christians identify with His name even in calling their religion. The Bible talks of this church as the kingdom of God that would last forever. In coming to earth, Jesus began to rebuild the kingdom that was broken when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. The fact that Jesus bore our nature, as a man, but didn’t sin is a lesson to Christians and the society as a whole. Through his exemplary way of life, the people get to learn how to lead a life that pleases not just fellow humans, but God as well (Caputo, pp 83). It is this life that the church teaches us to lead – a righteous life. The church teaches that our bodies are the temple of God. It goes further to say that God resides in our bodies. Therefore, our bodies should be kept clean always, away from sin because God abhors sin. In living as Jesus lived, and in doing as he taught, our society can only become better through coexistence with our neighbors. The Church of Christ, even goes further to declare loving our neighbors as we love ourselves as the greatest commandment of all. It is the essence of living. The Church of Christ is compared to the body of Christ in that it should be one. Christ is the head, and the people the body parts. Jesus, as recorded in the Bible, teaches that no part can work alone without the help of the other. The mouth cannot brag to be more important than, for example, the stomach just because it feeds it. Every part of the body serves a distinct and equally

Essay on Abotion Rights Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

On Abotion Rights - Essay Example These exceptions however did not have proper definition especially in the context of the health of the mother. The Doe vs. Bolton case ruled by the Supreme Court helped to widen the definition of mother’s health to include psychological, emotional and physical impacts of a pregnancy on the mother thus creating an environment favorable for more abortions. This is due to the fact that Georgia and Texas prohibited abortions that did not pose any threats to the life of the mother especially if the pregnancy was more than 6 months (Ginsburg, 2009). In such a circumstance, a single mother such as Roe could not have performed an abortion irrespective of the fact that the pregnancy was a psychological and emotional burden for her. However, the Supreme Court ruling opened a platform for the formation of groups such as the prolife, to counter the relaxation of abortion laws and the subsequent formation of prochoice organizations to counter the prolife movements. This paper is a critical evaluation of abortion in the US with respect to prolife and prochoice arguments. Discussion Abortion should be legalized in all states as not only is this the right thing to do, but also due to the fact that government interference in personal matters amounts to infringement of the right to privacy as well as freedom of choice (Ginsburg, 2009). Unplanned pregnancies occur on daily basis either due to ignorance, carelessness, failure of contraceptives to inhibit fertilization or due to criminal activities such as rape among other factors. Despite the factors behind a pregnancy, it is the prerogative of a woman to choose the right time to start a family and this should be respected by the government and the society at large. The US is a democratic nation in which basic freedoms are protected by various acts of parliament as well as international treaties that the country is party to. Though the right to privacy is not written in the US constitution, the 9th amendment protects such r ights from government interference. With regard to this right, a woman has the freedom to determine what happens with her body whether in terms of health or other occurrences that may subject her to emotional stress. Therefore, it is unethical for the government even to contemplate limiting what she can or cannot do with her body unless her actions contravene the laws stipulated in the constitution. The 14th amendment also requires due process while depriving a person of his or her liberties and therefore it is wrong for a government to deny women the right to their bodily privacy arbitrarily without considering their individual predicaments (Baird, 2001). The government should legalize abortion in order to reduce the prevalence of unsafe abortions in the country. It is a fact that criminalization of abortion does not lower the demand for abortion. Indeed, it only creates an opportunity for rogue physicians to open illegal clinics, which operate under unhygienic and dangerous condit ions as a result of lack of government supervision. In case these women die or become sterile as a consequence of these abortions, there is no way they can seek legal redress to make the physicians accountable owing to the fact that they would be on the wrong side of the law themselves for having agreed to have the abortion. Some of the physicians operating these clinics are only motivated by the greed for money and riches and therefore, it may be easy to understand if they decide not

Effects of Mass Media Violence on Violent Behavior Research Paper

Effects of Mass Media Violence on Violent Behavior - Research Paper Example Therefore, a foundation must be established on which the arguments of both sides can be viewed impartially, and through which we can reach a valid understanding of the issue of mass-media violence. What makes this difficult is that the criteria of judgment for the question is political, based on the vision or ideal of society that one wants to see manifest. To illustrate this, it is important to start with the opposite, teachers of non-violence such as the Dalai Lama, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., etc. and consider what their ideals of a non-violent society are, as well as why they consider violence so fundamental to be opposed. For example, if we judge the question of mass-media violence against the goals of Satyagraha as taught by Mahatma Gandhi, and the vision of society he sought to develop, we might have a very different conclusion than if we judge the question by the values of Bush, Cheney, and the administration that led the United States to war & torture in Iraq and Afghanistan. To reduce this division further, a society that commands the world’s largest military, has over 800 foreign military bases, and is conducting wars on multiple battlefronts might not only have a different goal as a society than a country like Tibet, once a Buddhist kingdom with thousands of monasteries ruled by a reincarnate monk, but the societies might also have very different actual perceptions of what violence is, and tolerance to it. Jains in the ancient world were renowned for sweeping the road in front of themselves when walking and wearing masks to insure that they did not injure any insect while traveling or breathing. A society based on this level of sensitivity to violence may view mass-media imagery of violent behavior in a very different way to our society that has been desensitized to it for years. Thus, we must approach this as

Criticism and Commentary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Criticism and Commentary - Assignment Example And of course certain production values and cinematic allusions were also recognized. Dark Shadows was also compared to other Burton movies. The review totally reflects most of the readers opinions but of course the author subtly manages to write the article in a way that the readers are less concerned. Generally the criticism is believable because it uses the movie and other Tim Burton movies as a reference to her points and other observations. What makes the author successful in making the viewer want to watch the movie (instead of the usual praises in a movie) is the author understands Tim Burton’s aesthetic and why the Tim Burton formula continues to work even after a lot of movies. She also knows what the viewers want. The critique is also very mild. It’s as if the critic is practicing the mantra â€Å"if you don’t have anything to say, shut up.† But the words, â€Å"Dark Shadows† isn’t among Mr. Burton’s most richly realized works, but it’s very enjoyable, visually sumptuous and, despite its lugubrious source material and a sporadic tremor of violence, surprisingly effervescent, truly capture the essence of the

Daily Assignment 6 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Daily 6 - Assignment Example 10. Itinerant merchants were stabilizers in the medieval society because they helped provide security and the things they bought helped towns grow. This made the prestige of the itinerant merchants to grow. 12. The crusaders initially viewed Venetians as part of them and this worked to their advantage. Byzantines were viewed as weak and non-military and this led to the loss of many of the Crusaders when they attacked them. The Crusaders triumphed but sustained many losses. 13. The wage labour stratified the feudal society because serfs could demand for better terms and move to places that paid higher wages. The manorial system led to the emergence of taxation that helped fund manorial courts. 14. The invisible hand refers to a natural phenomenon that regulates the way markets compete for scarce resources. The invisible hand eliminates the need for government intervention in business and leaves markets to adopt self-regulating measures. 15. Whereas Catholicism teaches that justification means righteousness, Calvinism teaches that justification means vindication and semblance of righteousness but not actual righteousness. Calvinism supported rational economic activity that led to maximum economic gain. 17. Today’s underdeveloped world needs governance that will stimulate their populations to appreciate the intensification of industrialization. The industrial revolution there is still low compared to the one that took place in

Diverse Workforce Essay Example for Free

Diverse Workforce Essay Diversity means variety of something such as opinion, color, or style. It means discrepancy between two objects being compared. When workforce is combined, then it means different kind of workers working in the same company or industry. The differences or discrepancy can be laid in terms of age, sex, education, styles, race and others. Diverse workforce can be seen when a company has workers that have different roles, characters, profession, department, culture, color, race, and other criteria. In an automobile company, there are engineers, accountants, sales representatives, mechanics and other kind of personnel. This kind of setting shows how diverse workforce is being implemented by a company. For this paper, the objective is to explore and analyze the value of diversity of workforce. Specifically, the paper will determine the value of diversity in a restaurant and bar setting. The paper will try to justify if diverse workforce will be advantageous in the said industry. Diverse Workforce There are many companies that implement diverse workforce. One of these companies is McDonalds. McDonalds is the worlds community restaurant. According to the management of the company, they are proud of their long-standing commitment to a workforce that is diverse. They believe that development and maintenance of diverse workforce will lead to the strengthening of the McDonalds system. Moreover, the company emphasize that diversity at McDonalds includes the understanding, recognizing and valuing the differences that make each person unique. In diverse workforce, the company will able to foster innovation and creativity to better meet the needs of our diverse staff and guest base. The said workers settings will lead to sustain a competitive advantage, thus there must be a continuance to improve the productivity of our workforce by creating an inclusive environment where all staff members contribute fully and stay committed to serving and expanding the communities. Companies thought that in diverse workforce, every worker are having the chance to learn one another (Friedman, 2008). Diverse workforce environment will encourages inclusion, as it adds value to the given company or organization. The value is evident in every aspect of the organization: new ideas and perspectives, motivation, buy-in, retention and new sources of talent. Diverse workforce environment recognizes the value of a business environment that embraces individual differences, including those among our guests, employees, business partners and all others in the communities in which it operates, and is committed in creating and maintaining such an environment. This commitment is based upon the recognition and belief that diversity is critical to our ability to excel in an increasingly diverse and dynamic marketplace But what are the reasons why companies and industries tend to implement diverse workforce? It is evident that almost companies employee workers that have the same classification, meaning if a company is automobile manufacturing in nature, then it will employee more mechanical engineers because they are the one who are more specialize in this kind of industry. From the given statement, we can state that companies that does not implement diverse workforce has specific workers or they are specialize in their given profession while those who are not have general workforce (Chatman, 1998). People live in an age of knowledge, and firms that succeed are those that are best able to harness the collective knowledge of their employees. The collective knowledge of any group is enhanced by including people with different experiences and backgrounds. The knowledge of a homogeneous group consisting of, say, 100 white males with similar backgrounds remind one of the remarks often made about someone’s so-called vast experience (Chatman, 1998). Diverse Workforce Advantages (Detailed) For this part of the paper, detailed analysis will be done to explore the advantages of diverse workforce in a restaurant or bar business setting. When you care for a diverse population, a multicultural workforce can only strengthen costumer care quality. When someone wants to put up a restaurant or bar, that person must consider that his or her costumer consist of different people from different countries. This is an important factor as it widens the possible costumer of the said business. Thus, the products and services offered must be able to cater all possible costumers. For this, the kitchen part of a bar will hold big responsibility in achieving this goal. The kitchen must consist of workers with different duties and responsibilities. Every worker in the kitchen must have a specialization, meaning that there will be cooks, dishwashers, waiter and other roles. The cooks must have a wide range of expertise, meaning that they will not concentrate only in one menu, but must consider the variety of costumers to be able to serve what the costumer wants. The cooks must be from different countries because it combines the individual knowledge and experience to make up a better cook group. It is important to consider that individuals with different backgrounds, different ideas, and different life experiences will strengthen the team they belong. Because the proposed restaurant and bar must cater all walks of life, then there is a need of diverse workforce. This is because every idea of the workers will somehow create an opportunity to share their opinions to have higher quality food and services. The setting of the tables and chairs is one issue to be settled. The formation of tables and chairs must attract possible costumers to increase profit. But to have a better presentation of the chairs and tables, every personnel must have an opinion on to what is the best presentation of the chairs and tables (Tsui et al, 1992). Every worker will have different style and preference in connection with the arrangement of chairs and tables. With this, the owner must integrate all the opinions and will come up with a good formation (Stata, 1989). Politeness in the workplace must be expected and is imposed externally by any organization wishing to remain competitive. It is important to consider that there is a variation in culture of the workers thus they will have different traits and qualities when working. But there is higher level of success that emerges from harnessing the power of mutual respect and cross-cultural understanding. Mutual respect must spring from the internal structures of each individual. For this to truly capture the culture of the organization this must cascade down from the senior leadership to every level of the organization enhancing creativity, productivity and an emotionally safe environment (Wong, 2008). Another way where the advantage of using diverse workforce is seen is Conclusion After analyzing diverse workforce in a restaurant and bar business setting, the paper suggest that indeed diverse workforce has the reputation for integrity, quality and innovation and this will depends on the ability to transform the diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas of the employees into outstanding and high quality food serving catering services. As a concluding statement, two heads are better than one. The said statement can be applied in the main topic as it discusses the advantages of using diverse workforce over a homogenous workforce setting. It’s like a spider that has eight hand but all these hands work together to achieve something. Working in a diverse workforce environment makes bigger and challenges everyones business world. Gender, race, generational issues and other layers cause all to take a brand new look at personal prejudices and narrow-mindedness. At the same time, each new layer provides another wonderful opportunity to seek to understand before seeking to be understood. References: Friedman, H. H. (2008). Workplace Diversity: The Key to Survival Growth. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York Chatman, J. A. , J. T. Polzer, S. G. Barsade, and M. A. Neale (1998). â€Å"Being Different Yet Feeling Similar: The Influence of Demographic Composition and Organizational Culture on Work Processes and Outcomes. † Administrative Science Quarterly, vol.43, 749-780. Stata, R. (1989). Organizational Learning The Key to Management Innovation, Sloan Management Review, Spring, 63-74. Tsui, A S. , T. D. Egan, and C. A. O’Reilly III (1992). â€Å"Being Different: Relational Demography and Organizational Attachment. † Administrative Science Quarterly, vol. 37, 549 – 579. Wong, H. A. (2008). Best practices in Diversity strategies and initiatives. National Diversity Conference, H Z Wong Associates Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Explain the new Features of the New Deal Essay Example for Free

Explain the new Features of the New Deal Essay In October 1929 the Wall Street stock market crashed in New York and panic selling of shares caused a wave of bankruptcies, destroying all confidence in businesses and investors. The great Depression led to 13 million people being unemployed. President Hoover, the government did nothing at all to help the Americans, he didn’t even think of helping them rebuild the American economy. In 1932 president Roosevelt came into power in the presidential elections. He had many concerns and considerations for the Americans and the economy. The first stage of the act of the New Deal to put the US back to work and create jobs in 1933 he introduced the first Acts during the hundred days, which involved the creation of Alphabet Agencies to deal with the economic problems. By 1935, the Supreme Court thought some of the New Deal laws as interfering too much. , so then Roosevelts response was to introduce the second stage of reform- The second New Deal. The 3 aims of the New Deal were: Relief; Recovery and Reform. Which were introduced by Roosevelt- the three ‘R’s’. Relief was measures to help relieve the suffering of the unemployed. Recovery was to try to rebuild the depression-shattered economy and Reform was aimed to give workers better working conditions and fairer wages. The aim of the relief was achieved by the: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC); Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA); public works Administration (PWA); Home owners Loans Corporation (HOLC) and the works Progress Administration (WPA). The Civilian Conservation Act was set up to provide work for unemployed men under 25 years by encouraging them to work on projects in the countryside such as fish farming, planting trees and strengthening river banks. They also organised the army. The PWA stood for Public Works Administration, their aim was to use Unemployed unskilled workers to work on a large scale of public construction such as roads and bridges. The main part of the act was to set up public construction for the large scale building work, to build schools, hospitals and city halls. The FERA was set up to stop the threat of starvation that existed by making grants to local and state governments to help them give relief to the unemployed. Roosevelt thought that the right way to help the unemployed was to put them back to work after the threat of starvation was over instead of just giving them money. The HOLC stood for Home Owners Loans Corporation, the aim of this act was to ensure that people could continue to repay their mortgages. The government gave low interest rates to home owners to allow them to continue paying their mortgages until they were unemployed. The WPA stood for Works Progress Administration. Their aim was to find emergency short-term employment for unskilled workers in construction projects. The Acts that were part of the New Deal and helped with Recovery were: The Emergency Banking Act; the Securities Act; the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA); the National Recovery Administration (NRA) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The Emergency Banking Act aimed to solve the financial crisis after the Wall Street Crash by forcing all banks to remain close for 4 days. This actually worked and saved all the banks. The Securities Act was about providing full information about the companies issuing new shares, to the public. This established with a Securities and Exchange Commission in 1934 which was giving powers to control the activities of the stock market. It was the AAA’s duty to solve agriculture’s most serious problem which was over-production. Prices were low and farmers were unable to make a decent living. Roosevelt paid farmers to stop producing. The AAA gave the government power to destroy surplus food and give farmers compensation. The NRA stood for National Recovery Administration; they tried to create partnership between government and Industry to get rid of Child Labour, Long hours and Low pay. Each industry would agree an employment code with a government. The code was to guarantee workers fairer working conditions and wages. The TVA stood for Tennessee Valley Authority. The main parts of the act was to help encourage industry come to the hard hit valley and to build damn to use hydroelectric power of the river. Finally, there were parts of the New Deal that helped to reform the USA. They were: Collecting Bargaining; the Wagner Act and the social securities Act. Collective bargaining was where workers had the right to collective bargaining of wages. This gave an enormous boost to the trade unions. The Wagner act (1935) was the given right for workers to join the trade union which restored protection for the workers also. The Social Securities Act was introduced in 1935. This provided old age pensions, unemployment benefits and financial support for the handicapped. It was funded by contributions paid by workers, employers and the government. In Conclusion, when Roosevelt came into power he aimed to achieve relief, recovery and reform. The CCC, FERA, WPA and the HOLC. The emergency banking act, the Securities Act, NRA, AAA and the WPA achieved recovery. Collective Bargaining, Wagner Act and the Social Securities Act achieved reform. These Acts were all produced to help America by these 3 aims.

Role Of Sport In Modern Society Cultural Studies Essay

Role Of Sport In Modern Society Cultural Studies Essay The importance of sport in modern society Development of mass sports and its place in modern society is a topical issue of great importance. Popularization of physical culture, sports and healthy lifestyle plays an important role in society in any country. Mass sport is the basis of professional sport, the condition of physical perfection of the younger generations. Professional sport allows, by identifying individual opportunities and abilities of each person in a particular area of sports activity (through increased specialization and individualization of the training process), to achieve maximum, record sporting results. Records in professional sport, winning the official international, national and other sporting events, creates a moral incentive to the development of mass sports. Speaking about the role of sport in modern society, it can be argued that sport is a continuous social experiment, in which mankind showsits potential, accumulating and improving human capital, expanding its potential. Sports, by performing developmental, educational, patriotic, communicative function, integrates and coordinates individuals and social groups, helps the nation to develop.The sport system is directly connected with the subsystems of health, science, culture, upbringing and education. Sport has a significant impact on the socio-economic and political processes of any modern society. It is quite natural that nowadays complex socio-economic, psychological and ecological situation in the world is placing new demands to various sectors of public life, including in such kind of human activity as a sport. First of all, it should be noted that even today the problem of promotion of various types of physical culture and sport among diverse populations. It is obvious, that systematic sport activity and various kinds of physical exercises in a variety of ways will enhance the general resistance of people organism to the modern diverse effects of various kinds.Particularly important this problem is for young generation due to a significant decline in physical health among young people, spread among them of diseases, that threatens the economic, intellectual and social stability of our society in very near future.In this regard, government propaganda of healthy lifestyle and sport takes a special place in the process of development of modern mass sport. (Nicholson, 2008) SOCIAL ROLE OF SPORT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY Sport is an important social phenomenon in all levels of modern society, providing a large impact on key areas of social life: it affects national relations, business life, social status, fashion forms, ethical values, peoples lifestyle. In support of this thesis we can remember the quote of some athlete sports today is a major social factor, that is able to resist the invasion of cheap culture and bad habits. (Nicholson, 2008) Indeed, the phenomenon of sport has a powerful socialization force. Politicians have long considered the national sport as a hobby, able to unite the community with a unified national idea, filled with a kind of ideology, peoples desire to succeed, to win. In the U.S., for example, in the 60s, sport, becoming a national passion, that was declared as a model of American society, and since 70 80-s the sport in the U.S. has become the second religion, believed by most Americans. Important role in promoting the sport played media, that helped to overcome the so-called psychological barrier in public attitudes to physical activity. Sports as social phenomena ischaracterized by a specific cultural and general cultural function. That first include such functions as development of physical abilities, the satisfaction of social and natural needs in motor activity and optimization of the physical state and health, physical development, improves physique, helps to prevent and reduce the large number of diseases. Sport, being one of the most important means of enhancing human health, physical development and improvement, it also has a significant positive impact on his spiritual world, his attitude, emotions, moral principles, aesthetic tastes, promoting harmonious development of personality.Modern sport is also important in the development of contacts between people, not only within one country, but also internationally, playing a significant role in deepening mutual understanding between peoples,helps to create a climate of trust and peace. Therefore, the sport is closely connected with the mental, moral, aesthetic, communicative, and other spheres of culture, in this regard is integral component of peopleà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s social life.This refers to the specific cultural and general cultural functions of sport, and also socioculturalfunctions. (McPherson 1989) Firstly, it is necessary to mention acompetitive function, which expresses the socio-cultural nature of sport. It includes several critical aspects of the sport, both the creative activity of the athletes and the formation of necessary volitional qualities, and the exchange of sport results of experience and achievements, as well as other factors. In fact, the social phenomenon of the competition characterizes the sport as a form of intense social activity. As an initial form of athletic relations, any match for a person is a struggle, that requires a stress limit of strenght and abilities. The search for limit of human capabilities always sends an athlete on the path of continuous development and progress of physical and spiritual strength. Different sportevents like matches and competitions illustrate and compare variety of sporting achievements and results, show athletesà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ work on systematic training and self-improvement. In other words, it is obvio us that without knowledge and consideration of social and cultural processes in modern society, it is impossible to ensure athletes or sports team participation. Another aspect of the competitive function lies in strong-willed training of athletes and sports teams. Indeed, sport competitionshelpto developsuch socially important traits as dedication, perseverance, determination, courage, endurance, initiative, independence and self-control, so necessary for high achievement in competitions, as well as in everyday life.Named aspect complements the one more function as real exchange of experience of techniques of sports training between the individual athletes, sports teams, national teams. The object of exchange can be also sports titles, the technique of sports activity, forms of organization of sports and athletic work. Finally, in competitive function sports fully present its creative aspect that is associated primarily with the harmonic development of personality of sportsman. The second important function of sport is communicative function, which contribute to the enrichment of personality in the communication process. Aspect of communication in sports lies in those relations in which the athlete comes from society and its institutions, with the coaches, other athletes and sports fans.Communicative function also includes aspects of the prestige associated with the desire to self-affirmation and recognition, helps tobring-up children and teenagers, as a natural mean of isolating youth from the harmful influence of the street. Experience clearly shows that sport is one of the most effective mean of re-education, providing opportunities for the realization of energy, initiative, creativity and physical abilities, for leadership and competition in a healthy manner. Some of the problems of sport in modern society We are glad tolive in the times of the Olympic movement, which aims participation in building a peaceful and better world, through education of youth through sport, in a spirit of Olympism and without any discrimination. This requires us to a friendly understanding, solidarity and fair play Juan Antonio Samaranch . We can say that sport is a mirror which, in accordance with its objectives and the activity, reflects the basic values of society, without exerting an active influence on them. The historical process of organized sports movement about a century shows that in Western countries prerequisites for fast development of sport are based on contemporary social changes.The very emergence of high competitiveness in the sport was a reflection of a competitive society, associated with liberal thinking. A national physical culture reflects the basic trends of the values of society, and international sporting life is a barometer of international politics. Modern sport is also a microcosm of modern society, and therefore the most important problems of modern sport are similar to the basic problems of modern society, such as sexual, ethnic and racial discrimination, crime and deception, control of violence, drug use, gambling, alcoholism, environmental protection social, political and international relations, etc. also sport can be a cohesive force in society, which actively supports the social order and its values, as well as the power structure within which it operates. This thesis includes the fact that sport can be used as instrument by the government, it can easily be used to implement the objectives of social power. The past and recent events of our time show those multiple ways in which sport is usually used in national and supranational interests. (Coalter 2008) The first example is China. After the policies of Mao of the closed door , his successor Deng Xiao-ping tried to improve the image of the country using the sporting achievements in international competitions, as he and his administration believed that success in sport was an important factor in achieving international recognition. Ping pong diplomacy of China is a well-known example of how sport was used as a tool for establishing relations with other countries (Luo, 1995). But similar examples can be applied to the post-socialist countries and the countries of the capitalist world. Cases of boycotts, which are often used in connection with the most important international competitions, Olympic Games, are the result of totalitarization of sport (this term was used by KaleviHeinila), which has become an important tool in the Cold War. (Heinila 1982) An analysis of national forms of physical training can show how closely sport associated with the development of the nation. Studies can clearly showthe relationship of competitive sports with militancy and violence in society, and that competitive sports increase the belligerence (warlike) of social system. Also sport as an integral part of the dialectics of international relations, it can be used as a mean of strengthening the political power, but on the other hand, as an effective instrument for strengthening mutual understanding of nations, as sport has an opportunity to consolidate peace, especially in times of international tension, it can help to stabilize international relations as part of cultural exchange. Conclusion Modern sport is multifaceted, differentiated, and it is able to satisfy the most diverse needs of individuals and society in the field of sports. However, it has conflicting characteristics , which generates a dual attitude towards it: some see the sport as a source of health, disability, method of improving persons character, of expanding the boundaries of human capabilities; others note the negative impact of sport on physical health and personality traits. Positive or negative impact of sport on the individual and society depends not only on the sport itself, but on the appropriateness of different aims and forms of sports activities, the socio-economic level of society, from a particular system of moral education, sports related activities.Thus, we have attempted to show the place and main trends of modern sport, which is characterized by both positive and negative trends that require further analysis, reflection and solving.

Antipredator Defense as a Limited Resource : Unequal Predation Risk and

INSECTS WITH PARENTAL INSTINCTS More than two centuries ago, a Swedish scientist named Modeer described what appeared to be maternal behavior in the acanthosomatid shield bug Elasmucha grisea. He noted that the female did not fly away when an intruding object threatened her compact egg mass; instead, she remained steadfast and tilted her body towards the object (Tallamy). Unfortunately, this evidence, no matter how well documented, was not enough to convince countless people of the possibility of insects having parental instincts. The acknowledgement of parental behavior in insects was not a widely accepted idea for a number of years. Many people believed insects were too primitive to care for their young and that only when physical conditions became extremely severe were insects capable of expressing paternal abilities. The traditional view of maternal care is that it is an exceptional and relatively recent evolutionary leap forward (Tallamy). Fortunately, the assumptions made about maternal care in insects do not have to be accepted or rejected based only on faith or an educated guess; today it is possible for these predictions to be empirically tested so that the data may be recorded and analyzed. The following experiment is just one example of the various ways in which ideas regarding insects and maternal care may be effectively evaluated. Reginald B. Cocroft, of the Neurobiology and Behavior Department at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, researched insects known as Umbonia crassicornis, or the thornbug treehopper. U. crassicornis offspring thrive in large aggregations on the often exposed stems of host-plants. These offspring are incredibly vulnerable, making them easy targets and subject to intense predatio... ...ymphs unequally. The mother distributed her protection equally throughout the entire aggregation along the length of the branch. Main Points: Location in relation to the mother is possibly competitive Location independent of the mother is possibly competitive, but only exploitation competition Signaling is not competitive for maternal care, it is cooperative and the mother distributes protection along the aggregation equally. WORKS CITED Cocroft, Reginald B. 2002. Antipredator Defense as a Limited Resourse: Unequal Predation Risk and Broods of an Insect With Maternal Care. Behavioral Ecology, 13, 1, 125-133. Tallamy, D. W. and C. Schaefer. 1997. Maternal behavior in the Hemiptera: Ancestry, Alternatives, and Current Adaptive Value. pp. 94-115, In B. Crespi and J. Choe (eds.). Social Behavior in Insects and Arachnids. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Shopping is a Pastime for Women Essay -- Womens Clothing Clothes

SHOPPING IS A PASTIME Women’s clothing does not bite, but every guy I know seems to think it does. If it’s hanging on a rack or sitting patiently in a store for someone to handle, poke, or prod, it’s dangerous. Other adjectives— provided kindly by my guy friends—include â€Å"expensive,† â€Å"a waste of time,† and â€Å"unnecessary,† proving that men just don’t know anything about shopping and what it means to women. Combing through racks of clothing and looking for the cutest outfits may take hours, but many girls feel great satisfaction in doing so. Whenever my friends and I are bored, one of us will usually exclaim, â€Å"Let’s go shopping!† We all get excited and prepare for an intensive day-long outing, usually going to as many clothing stores as we can possibly carry ourselves, or until our wallets become weightless and our plastic gets maxed out. The idea of shopping is social and fun to us. While guys will usually walk into a store (even with friends) and rush to find what they need, girls will often hover around merchandise just to enjoy and inspect it. If we don’t buy anything and only browse for a whole day, simply looking at new things is a pleasurable experience and evokes happiness. Beyond clothing, the wonders of accessories, shoes, and interesting home dà ©cor excite our senses and spending possibilities. For others—typically men—the idea of getting off the couch and out of the house incites complete agony. When my younger brother hears the suggestion of shopping, he yells, â€Å"I HAVE A STOMACH ACHE. I CAN’T GO!† (unless, of course, you mention Best Buy or Micro Center). When my boyfriend hears it, he sternly says, â€Å"Mary, don’t make me sit in some chair for three hours like last time.† (Oops!) Shopping evokes... ...t turns out it was on the OTHER SIDE of the store, exactly where my guy friend said it WASN’T. If I hadn’t asked, we would have been there all night. Although I don’t believe guys will ever truly appreciate shopping and the obsession many women have with it, I do think that many have come to terms with the issue. It’s common for my guy friends to not drop their jaws if my friends and I blow a few hundred dollars in a single day on only clothing . . . especially after we point out their latest and most expensive electronic purchase. As Adams, (the design director for NBBJ Retail Concepts) states, â€Å"the woman is the decision-maker (229),† and therefore, is the primary shopper between the two sexes. Works Cited Gladwell, Malcolm. â€Å"The Science of Shopping.† 1996. The Text-Wrestling Book. Eds. Donna LeCourt, et al. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendal/Hunt, 2005. 222–231.

Embracing Readymades and the Notion of Living Forever Essay

It is a shared combination of works that is displayed throughout the museum, setting up conversation between the museum’s collection and Hirst’s contemporary art pieces. The relationship and connection between the works will give visitors a dialogue between the different works, engaging them in a conversation of art and science between the past, present and future. Hirst, one of the most celebrated contemporary artists, whose works propose a personal interpretation of past works, find their insight in science and their basis in art history. Relationships with life and death are being examined, and questions dealth to our cultural, artistic and philosophical ideals. * Works of Damien Hirst mirrored Marcel Duchamp’s idea of the ‘readymade’, that the concept is much more important than the outcome of the work itself, and that ordinary objects/subjects could be taken from everyday use and be used for art. Although Hirst’s works explores the themes of life and death, pathology and science, with the help of ‘readymade’ objects, his works arouse a sense of spiritual enlightenment in the spectator, along with the notion of living forever, which compliments with the centenary of the museum. * With that, I will firstly talk about the idea of the ‘readymades’, and how it is being used in the works that is being exhibited in Cornucopia. Next, I will be analyzing them, discussing the potential meaning behind the ‘readymades’ to my proposed theme of spirituality and the idea of living forever. Koons seduces and persuades the spectators with such works, and desire will ultimately be gone once the spectators looks at themselves and realize that they are desire itself. * * CONCLUSION * The use of ‘readymades’ to promote or provoke an idea, a thought, is what Damien Hirst seeks out to achieve in the exhibition, Cornucopia. As it was held in accordance to the Oceanographic Museum’s 100th anniversary, Hirst’s artworks seek out to question its visitors, what has changed and what remained. Only by constant questioning will we improve and move forward. A sense of spiritual attainment and the idea of living forever can be felt whne looking at Hirst’s works, it evades time and seems to be stuck in limbo, allowing us to reflect on ourselves and our morality. As I have compared, the works of artist Jeff Koons also seeks to enlighten the viewers with his version of the ‘readymades’. ‘Readymades’ is an excellent way to provoke thinking and spreading message as everyday objects are familiar to the general consensus and people could relate better to them, rather then traditional symbols of art.

Good vs evil in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Essay

The play ‘Macbeth’ is a very tragic one. It is about the downfall of a hero who is led by temptation to mass murder and cruelty. Shakespeare uses various styles and techniques to display very evidently how Macbeth’s character develops as the story progresses, and thus we see how Macbeth turns from good to evil, from a â€Å"valiant cousin† and â€Å"worthy gentleman† to a â€Å"bloody butcher.† The play tells the story of how a noble warrior, Macbeth, descends into evil after meeting with three witches – supernatural beings who prophesy Macbeth’s destiny. He is told he will become King of Scotland, and this idea of gaining power leads him to murder the king, take his throne and then continue his ‘murder spree’ on seemingly whoever he feels like. Eventually Macbeth is slain and order is restored in Scotland. From the very start we have progressively come to abhor Macbeth, however, we cannot help but feel a certain admiration for him. But much more we have a sense of irony and waste: irony because some sterling qualities have been put to such evil use, waste because Macbeth was a potentially great man who was lost. . Macbeth is a play concerned wholly with the battle between good and evil – throughout the play we continually see signs of a supernatural struggle between the two, with evil ‘winning’ over good when Macbeth murders the king, but then good finally defeating evil when Macbeth is slain. In fact, in the very opening scene we see signs of supernatural happenings and evil – the witches: â€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair; Hover through the fog and filthy air† Here we see that, to the witches, what is evil is good (â€Å"foul is fair†) and what is good they find repulsive (â€Å"fair is foul†). This seems to be their attitude to life, but it could also be a warning to the audience that things to follow are not what they might seem. The first we hear of Macbeth is with praises to his name. He is called ‘brave Macbeth’, ‘valiant cousin’ and ‘worthy gentleman,’ fighting a war for God, king and country. â€Å"For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name – Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, Which smoked with bloody execution†¦Ã¢â‚¬  However, it is in scene III that good and evil collide, when Macbeth meets with the witches. Some say that this is the beginning of Macbeth’s downfall, as in his first  soliloquy he has already thought of the idea of murdering his king. This small seed planted in his mind will soon sprout and he will indeed commit treason. Already, the audience loses their adoration for Macbeth as we see his mental frailty and evil intention. The question at hand is what Macbeth should do; is he determined on evil intent or is divine intervention the answer? He contemplates this, and decides that it is not worthwhile to throw everything away for one guilty conscience, instead the solution is murder. We are soon introduced to Lady Macbeth, and it becomes clear that she is the ambition, the ‘driving force’, behind her husband. To Lady Macbeth, her husband is brave, loving, ambitious yet he is too noble to fulfil the third prophesy. Lady Macbeth then calls upon evil spirits to make her ruthless so she can kill Duncan. â€Å"Come you spirits, That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the top toe-full Of direst cruelty; make thick my blood.† After reading the letter, she already has a plan brewing. However, she fears Macbeth’s nature. ‘yet I do fear thy nature, it is too full o’th’milk of human kindness’, ‘Thou wouldst be great, Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it’, ‘What thou wouldst highly, that wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, And yet wouldst wrongly win.’ The planning of the murder of Duncan is one of the most important sections of this tragedy. Here we see a conflict in Macbeth’s character, one side wants him to commit the murder, while the other wants to let fate take its course. In a way it is due to his wife that Macbeth is finally persuaded into committing treason. This shows one of the flaws in his character, which Shakespeare exposes. A while after Macbeth has certain misgivings about the affair. In his mind he argues out the advantages and disadvantages. The good side of him says that ‘he’s here in double trust’ ‘I am his kinsman and subject’, ‘as his host who should against his murderers shut the door, not bear the knife myself.’ The more cunning party says that ‘ his virtues will plead like angels trumpet-tongued against the deep-damnation of his taking off’, ‘but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other’,’twere  well it were done quickly’, ‘but this blow might be and the end all here’, ‘bloody instructions, which being taught, return to plague th’ inventor.’ Yet he cannot maintain this spark of morality as, under the influence of his wife he commits treachery. After the murder Macbeth experienced remorse, guilt and regret, still revealing his nobility. â€Å"I am afraid to think what I have done† he says. He is troubled by his conscience, he realizes that he is cut off from heaven. He is in fact so hampered in his actions by the conflict between his knowledge that he has committed the crime and his abhorrence of it, that he becomes immobile. Macbeth’s evil is so great that he cannot even say amen to his prayer â€Å",I could not say amen.† By now he realizes he is too deep into his acts of violence to turn back. Macbeth has confused the values of good and evil. That is, he has confused fair and foul, which confusion has all along been the devil’s aim. Macbeth has completely committed himself to evil. Macbeth still thinks of himself as a man, and as such would rather die than suffer the indignity of being ‘baited with the rabble’s curse.’ This feeling in him reminds us of the worthy Macbeth at the beginning of the play. We also see that he still has the courage to act on his convictions, desperate though that courage may be. For he knows now that he must die. He fights as a man. Macduff and Macbeth fight which signifies the ever on-going battle between good and evil. Eventually Macbeth is slain and the evil has been stopped in Scotland – good has triumphed, as Malcom is crowned the new King.

Orwell’s Shooting an Elephant

George Orwell’s Shooting an Elephant George Orwell writes of his experience in British-ruled India in the early twentieth century as a sub-divisional police officer in the sovereign Southeast Asia state of Burma. His essay presents a powerful theme of inner conflict. Orwell’s strong inner conflict lies between what he believes as a human being and what he should do as an imperial police officer. Orwell immediately claims his perspective on British imperialism saying that it is evil and that he is fully against the British oppressors, even though he himself is a symbol of foreign oppression to the Burmese.His conflict ultimately results from the fact that he hates the British Empire, which should make him pity the Burmese people, but he does not. This is made clear when he says: â€Å"All I knew that I was stuck between my hatred of the empire I served and my rage against the evil-spirited beasts who tried to make my job impossible† (Orwell 1). In his story Orwell writes not only about his personal experience with the â€Å"wild† elephant but how the elephant’s rampaging spree is a metaphor exhibiting the destructive power of imperialism; the elephant destroys homes and even kills a man.Orwell’s hostile feelings toward the British, imperialism, and the Burmese people are further revealed when sets the mood of the story by illustrating the setting in Burma to be a â€Å"cloudy, stuffy morning at the beginning of the rains† (Orwell 2). Orwell then establishes himself as a â€Å"weak† character when he introduces the Burma people and how they completely disrespect the British officer by constantly laughing and mocking him. When Orwell finally finds the elephant, he admits that, â€Å"I knew with perfect certainty that I ought not to shoot him†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ nd that he â€Å"did not want to shoot the elephant† (Orwell 2). He ultimately falls into the expectations of the Burmese when he decides to shoot t he elephant, despite the many reasons not to shoot it such as how it is worth more alive rather than dead. When he kills the elephant he goes against his will and moral belief, and Orwell uses the death of the elephant as another metaphor of British imperialism in Burma. The elephant is a symbol of Burma and its struggle to remain alive after three Anglo-Burmese wars starting in 1824 between the British oppressors and the Burmese.Even after a third shot, the elephant survives, symbolizing how the Burmese are still alive but with less power, strength and hope than before the wars. Even though Orwell tries to justify his killing the elephant by stating, â€Å"legally I did the right thing, a mad elephant has to be killed,† he knows that the elephant could have been saved without unnecessary harm and this exemplifies the final collapse of his morals (Orwell 4). As the story develops, it becomes progressively evident that the natives have control over the white man who is suppose d to be in power.Orwell realizes that as the symbol of British oppression, he is actually the victim of the Burmese, and it is their expectations of how he should use his power that force him to do what they want. As I mentioned earlier, Orwell makes many comparisons throughout the story that demonstrate his weakness in character; he equates himself to a puppet being controlled with the Burman crowd behind him as the audience, as well as how he feels forced to wear a mask constantly and play the role of a white man.Orwell does a great job at shedding light on the fact that humans can be influenced so easily as well as how the influences of imperialism produce harmful effects on both the victims and oppressors. Orwell is supposed to be the higher power as an imperial police officer but because he is subjected to the evils of imperialism he becomes the victim. Orwell leaves readers with a powerful ending implication that human beings will do almost anything and act in unimaginable way s just to â€Å"avoid looking a fool† (Orwell 4).It is my opinion that Orwell’s essay succeeds in conveying its message because it combines personal experience and political opinion into a smooth reading story. Source Orwell, George. â€Å"George Orwell: ‘Shooting an Elephant'† George Orwell's Library. New Writing. –GB, London. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. http://orwell. ru/library/articles/elephant/english/e_eleph

African Americans Essay

African Americans have a unique history as well as culture. Their history in the United States is greatly influenced and shaped by the events in the last three centuries. A period that would shape their destiny, their interactions as well as their orientation to most important events in life. The United States census figures put the number of African Americans at over thirty-eight millions in 2005. Of this population, over 55% of them reside in the metropolitan areas with cities like Chicago and New York being the homes to a huge majority of African Americans A close look at the African Americans in relation to the rest of their white counterparts reveals that they are disadvantaged in various aspects. This can only be understood by focusing at the underlying causes of this, key being the century’s discrimination and oppression meted out against the blacks by the successive regimes up to the period that the civil rights movement stepped up its calls for equality and political rights. African Americans had been for long subjected to slavery especially in the southern states. The end of slavery brought forth systemic discrimination where they were treated as second class citizens especially after the introduction of the Jim Crow laws that institutionalized racism. This is what is seen to be the cause behind the impoverished lot amongst the African Americans with 24. 7% of this population living in abject poverty. The group also remains disadvantaged in the education sector, health, housing as well as having the highest crime rates in the United States. Since the enactment of civil rights legislation, the African Americans population has made considerable steps towards improving their economic status largely narrowing the huge discrepancies that exist. This has been marked by the expansion of the African American middle class. Unlike in other ethnic groups like the white; there is parity across the gender amongst the blacks. Income levels in America are tilted to the disfavor of African Americans. This is largely seen as being linked to the inability to access other vital resources such as education and jobs. Speculative figures have it that over three quarter of African Americans aged above the age of 25 have not gone to college and hence do not possess college diplomas. By the turn of the century, over a third of the African American population living in the big cities was without employment compared to their white counterparts; this figure has not changed much (Brandon S, 1984). Life expectancy of the African American group compares unfavorably with that of the whites a fact exacerbated by the lack of medical and proper provision of health facilities. With a significant proportion of African Americans lacking medical care and proper provision of health facilities; with a significant proportion of African American having a low level of income and being unemployed, and with the united states lacking a universal health care system , African Americans are badly placed in terms of health facilities access. They are also at a higher risk of succumbing to chronic diseases as well as pandemics such as HIV aids. Statistics have it that of all people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS between 2001 and 2005, over half of them were African Americans. Cities that contain large populations of African Americans such as Washington DC contain the highest rates of HIV infections. African Americans have maintained a deep sense of religiosity this has been passed on from the days of slavery. Known as black churches, they have played a pivotal role in the struggle for blacks to acquire and consolidate civil and political rights. Majority of the evangelists have ended up as political figures playing a crucial role in the American civil rights movement.

Beer Commerical

When you cork off the top of a Guinness beer you Inhale the smell of unreasoned malted Marble. The smell and taste you experience gives you sense of satisfaction. The video persuades you that the types of individuals that drink this beer are ones who care and respect others. Individuals that believe that The choices we make reveal the true nature of our character. The introduction is the most important feature of this commercial. Because there is no dialog, the visuals are what tell the story. The commercial begins with the song playing right on cue of the ball missing the goal. If you notice, the video is in slow motion at this point. When the ball comes down and is rebounded the camera is repositioned on the guys rolling down the court to symbolize how strenuous these guys are working. Their dedication Is displayed not only by the looks on their faces when the camera Is zoomed In, but by the sweat dripping aimlessly down their brows. Consequently, the announcer comes n and states dedication when one of the men fall down In the wheelchair trying to retrieve the ball but instantly gets back up to get back in the game This is not only emotionally appealing to the audience because they are playing the diligent game of basketball, but because these guys have to work even harder due to the fact that they are paraplegics.The final goal is made and all but one of the guys gets up from their wheelchair which visualizes the devotion these guys demonstrate to the one guy who actually is handicap. Once again this an attempt from the creators of this commercial to emotionally appeal to its audience by representing the loyalty of playing basketball in the most unbiased way possible to a paraplegic friend. The music In the background plays an important role In this commercial. The Cinematic Orchestra To Build a Home Is very Inspirational to the visuals to this commercial.The tempo perfectly aligns with the events In this story line. It begins with this slow tempo to signify the sadness in the events but then climaxes when the goal is made ND shows that not everyone in this video is actually in a wheelchair and it finalizes when the tempo becomes lowered and constant symbolizing a calm and collectivities that we are all the same despite our differences. Guinness consumers alone are not the only intended audience of this commercial.This was meant to appeal to younger and older audiences. The younger audiences benefit from the choice of music which is The Cinematic Orchestra. The older audiences benefit from a beer commercial. This commercial is very simple. Its intent is not or you to focus on the fact that paraplegics have it harder In life, or the Intensity from the sport of basketball. Its merely about the three mall principles these individuals exhibit. Its about the Dedication, Loyalty, and Friendship.This character Is defined as the type of people who drink Guinness Beer. Beer Commercial By Alexandria 28861 When you cork off the top of a Guinness beer you inhale the smell of unreasoned court to symbolize how strenuous these guys are working. Their dedication is displayed not only by the looks on their faces when the camera is zoomed in, but by n and states dedication when one of the men fall down in the wheelchair trying to music in the background plays an important role in this commercial.The Cinematic Orchestra To Build a Home is very inspirational to the visuals to this commercial. The tempo perfectly aligns with the events in this storyline. It begins with this slow for you to focus on the fact that paraplegics have it harder in life, or the intensity from the sport of basketball. Its merely about the three main principles these individuals exhibit. Its about the Dedication, Loyalty, and Friendship.

Final 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final 2 - Essay Example That was then. So what about today? The world is at a risk of obliterating itself with the use of such energy to create dangerous weapons. This paper will examine some of the issues brought about by the use of nuclear energy in making nuclear weapons, and what this means to the world, in the foreseeable future. Question 1 One aspect of nuclear proliferation is the disregard for human life in the world. This is a risk to world peace because; many countries are involved in making nuclear weapons available thinking other countries are also doing so. Nuclear proliferation is enabling nuclear weapons to be available, the knowledge on nuclear energy, and the materials used to make them available. Countries are quick to find material that is likely to assist in making these weapons, but the sad part of all this is that, nobody is doing anything about it (Corera, 2006). Vast amounts of capital are used in the research and study of nuclear energy meant for building weapons, and yet, many coun tries elsewhere are battling with diseases and hunger. Moreover, nuclear proliferation is rampant because of mistrust among nations. Two nations known for battling openly over nuclear weapons are the United States of America, and Iran. Iran is involved in manufacturing nuclear munitions. America is assured of this fact. This thought warranted the invasion of a country in search of these weapons, which to this day, still remains an illusion. It is this mistrust that puts the whole world at risk as this hatred is likely to go global. In such a case, many nations will suffer (Corera, 2006). Claims that Israel is involved in nuclear weapon manufacture have been heard, but nobody is yet to invade the country in search of these weapons. Restrictions must be made to dissuade the use of nuclear material in any way. This may reduce nuclear proliferation over time. Question 2 Nations are likely to use nuclear weapons in the future because these weapons are indiscriminate and inhumane. They ha ve the capability of destroying everything in their wake, and in the case of war, the use of these weapons will be the first option. The rising tensions in many parts of the world have many individuals up in arms over the use of nuclear weapons to remedy the situation. These weapons are capable of eradicating the human race in a frighteningly short time. The problem with such tensions is that, nobody is willing to admit their involvement in such tendencies. This causes more tension, which further increases the chances of the use of nuclear weapons in the future (Corera, 2006). Another reason why countries are likely to turn to nuclear weapons in the future would be double standards between the first world nations. The U.S has policies against the use of nuclear weapons. However, the same country advocates for the use of nuclear energy (Corera, 2006). The use of nuclear energy is just an excuse to experiment on nuclear weapons. The two are tied together, hence; one cannot claim that the signing of a few terms of agreement can avoid the practice of nuclear armaments in the future. This is what has everyone antsy about the current situation in terms of nuclear weapons. Question 3 Western intelligence agencies are incapable of addressing nuclear threats adequately because of lack of jurisdiction (Corera, 2006). The only thing they can do at the moment is carry out surveillance, and voice

Fornatale & Mills and Hilmes Terms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fornatale & Mills and Hilmes Terms - Essay Example The essay "Fornatale & Mills and Hilmes Terms" talks about Fornatale & Mills and Hilmes detail separate if related transformations in the radio and compares the two discussions on their own terms since the radio has long been noted as the first ever invention in technology that opened the door gates to modern systems of communication.Fornatale and Mills naturally point out that radio has created a new sense of industry in the field of music and news. Way before, only news anchors were paid for their professional service; this goes for the AM stations that air news broadcasts. However, on the part of the FM radio stations, the DJ's only received â€Å"favor† costs from the network owners. Later on, though, this has gradually changed. Dj’s began requiring compensation and the whole radio industry was in full blast. From a simple source of entertainment and news, the radio industry has become a well grown commercial branch that generates profit from airing music and news f or the public audience. For this reason, the composers and the song writers and the producers of aired music at that time received double billing for the air broadcasting of their creations. Fortanale and Mills further insisted that because of this incident in the broadcasting industry, the music producers, and music co-creators tried to branch away from the broadcasting industry since they think that this particular commerce is costing them more than it is doing them the benefits of promoting their craft to the public.

Local Economic Development Project Case of Walsh Ranch Study

Local Economic Development Project of Walsh Ranch - Case Study Example The area designated for the mixed-use growth community in Fort Worth has also been merged into the Walsh ranch project (Walsh ranch). Development Vision The Walsh ranch aims to be the first planned mixed use growth community model; a balanced and planned community that will have an identity of its own, it will be the model community for others to follow with places of work, playing, shopping, praying, learning and recreation all incorporated into one community (LDR, HNTB 2). With its open and park space, the Walsh ranch will also contribute to and enhance the ecological features of land, water and air (Walsh ranch). Walsh ranch aims to be a technologically smart community with investment protection and enhancement for ensuring a flourishing economy for the community at large (Walsh ranch). History of Walsh Ranch A piece of land rich in natural beauty and known for the Walsh family name, Walsh ranch, a cattle ranch has been at the centre of ranching operations for the Howard Walsh fam ily for 60 years (LDR, HNTB 1). Mr. and Mrs. Walsh are known philanthropists in Fort Worth, with Walsh ranch now to be another example of their commitment and love of the community, traditions, and environment of Fort Worth (Walsh ranch). Purposes Served by the Walsh Ranch Mixed-use Community Walsh ranch will serve to strengthen the community by addressing the needs of the community and the people; it will aim at providing multiple sustainable solutions within one community (Walsh ranch). The project will focus at (Walsh ranch): Economic growth Expanding population needs Development of centres for multiple growth 1. Economic Growth Economic growth will be... This paper outlines numerous economic advantages of the realization of Walsh Ranch project. Benefits of sustainable economic development include innovative use of all possible resources, that leads to jobs increase, new income sources, and high rate of productivity for the people. For the ecology the benefits result from the promotion of use of clean and renewable energy. The economy benefits from all the above leading to growth in economy, which will improve the living standards, jobs, incomes and will provide opportunity to expand businesses The objectives that are attained or are to be met by such economic development are known as the four greens namely; savings, opportunities, talent, places Walsh Ranch is a master planned community that is aimed at achieving sustainable economic development. It is the largest planned community in north Texas; the ranch is located west of Fort Worth. Walsh ranch will retain most of the resources and natural features of the ranch by the use of native landscape treatments; the natural environment of the ranch will be retained to deliver a unique living experience. Walsh ranch will serve to strengthen the community by addressing the needs of the community and the people; it will aim at providing multiple sustainable solutions within one community The Walsh ranch with all its other utility provisions should also look into providing, medical facility, fire extinguishing facility and a library within the Walsh ranch area. Such initiatives will ensure the convenience and health of the community.

The Liberal Values of Washington Consensuses Term Paper

The Liberal Values of Washington Consensuses - Term Paper Example The feature of neo-liberalism, in general, is to expand the market and desire to intensify, increase the frequency, number, formalization, and repeatability of transactions. The crucial goal of neo-liberalism is a universe wherein every action of every individual is a trade transaction, performed in competition with the other individual and influence every transaction, with the transactions that occur in the infinitely shorter time period and reiterate at an infinitely rapid rate (Neoliberalism: Origins, Theory, Definition 2005). Â   Â   Â   Â   As a result of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations, the rise of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was established in the year 1995. It is central to the development of global governance. The concern of WTO is to build a world trade system into a predictable and uniform arena for the world nations and businesses. Streamlining the trade policies of the nation-states, reducing barriers to trade among nation-states and resolving trading disputes are the responsibilities of WTO. It plays a significant role in preserving intellectual patents, rights and so forth. Â   Â   Â   Â   The World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) also play a significant role in global governance. The IMF tries to make the International economy more translucent by imposing rules and is a lender to the countries that are undergoing a financial crisis. The World Bank reduces poverty to balance or diminish social division that may counterbalance the global integration of economies. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Since, the commencement of Westphalian International System that is International state system established in 1648 by Peace of Westphalia treaty as a defining feature of policy with the state sovereignty, the state has played a significant role in the system. The ideological cover of neo-liberal (deemphasizing the traditional liberal doctrine to get development by practical methods is accomplished due to the growth of globalization. The role of the state in the International system has undergone a drastic change. The ideology of neo-liberal states that market by it is a very significant institution (Christensen, Karen & Levinson, David 2003).

Military Corporate Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Military Corporate Culture - Essay Example Groups play a significant role in a soldier motivational aspect. In these groups, the members will attempt to invent ways that will ensure the success of the group. For instance, it is necessary to invent new strategies that are capable of ensuring victory. These groups act as family to the soldier and will instigate corrective measures whenever necessary. These bonds created in the groups are sufficient to motivate the group. As a leader, it is vital to encourage the creation of these groups and join them. As evidenced before, most acts of heroism done by soldiers are attributed to the functioning and cohesion of these groups. In a group, one is confident that colleagues watch over you while you do the same to them.Rewarding individuals after successive completion of an assigned duty is considered as a motivating factor in encouraging continuous undertaking of assignments. Rewards have been continuously been utilized to continuously encourage positive behavior and mentality. There a re several ways that can be used to reward successful soldiers. Certification, bonuses, rank promotions and awards are useful. However, punishment for unwarranted behavior should never be ignored. Military code of ethics guides the behavior and conduct of the military. These code of ethics are specifically spelled out in the Department of Defense Regulations 5500,7-R. Chapter 2 of these regulations specifically dwells on the standards of ethical conducts and is directed at all the security departments and personnel.

Principles of Care in Care Setting That Ensure Client Empowerment Assignment

Principles of Care in Care Setting That Ensure Client Empowerment - Assignment Example The paper will also dwell on the need of safeguarding client confidentiality and existing legislation that protects the sharing of such information to non-authorised persons. Another principle of care that will be discussed is the need to enable the client make informed choices and respect the human dignity of the client while offering personalised care attention. The paper will also focus on the ways in which different cultural beliefs and preferences of the clients may affect care delivery and suggest measures that care workers can implement in order to avoid cultural prejudices and stereotypes during care delivery. Client empowerments entails a process of change that enables people gain more information about themselves and take more control of their lives through identifying and working with others for the change. Empowerment is an interactive process that enables people experience personal and social change that facilitates people to influence the institutions and environments i n which they live. Ideally, client empowerment in care setting can be termed as a developmental process that entails the four stages of entry, advancement, incorporation and commitment. The entry stage in client empowerment is motivated events that affect an individual, immediate family or certain aspects that foster empowerment such as supportive peer relationships, mentoring and social or political relations. However, empowerment in a care setting can be initiated through orientation or counsel through helping individuals who seem powerless in the society by enabling them to understand the power dynamics at work, develop critical skills and capabilities to exercise control of their lives without interfering with the rights of others in the society.