Contrasting Psycodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral and...

Counseling is a process that enables a person to sort out issues and reach decisions affecting their life. Often counseling is sought out at times of change or crisis, it need not be so, however, as counseling can also help us at any time of our life† (Woods, 2005). Counseling theories are used by counselors as part of their treatment plan for clients. There are many types of theories that counselors can choose from. These theories are usually hosen based on the client needs and what the counselor feel will be most effective. Counselors are not limited to just one theory when it comes to treating their clients. Theories can be used in conjunction with one another to effectively treat clients. Counseling does not just involve theories†¦show more content†¦The final counseling theory that will be explored is person centered therapy. Person centered therapy (PCT) was developed by Carl Roger. It is a form of talk psychotherapy. PCT aims to offer clients a chance to become aware of self in efforts to afford them the chance to realize how their attitudes, feelings and behavior are being affected (Cepeda Davenport, 2006). â€Å"This client awareness exposes the gap between the real and ideal self and serves to motivate the individual toward narrowing the gap. Clients then use this relationship to generalize to the outside world ( (De Haas, 1980; Swildens, 1977) and to become more open to experiences (Rogers C. R., 1961). The therapist and the client perceive this change as the client becomes able to see reality without distorting it to ï ¬ t a preconceived, defensive structure† (Cepeda Davenport, 2006). It is assumed that patients belief systems evolves from what it was to a belief system based on process and change and they gain an interest and comfort in exploring other options. Clients worry less with how they are viewed publicly and more interested in themselves and being true to self. Clients change through

Prohibition and Marijuana History Does Repeat Free Essays

string(82) " a mandatory life sentence without parole must be given for third-time offenders\." Decriminalization or to not decriminalize. That is the big question. Will the decriminalization of marijuana be the next revolution of America? Marijuana prohibition has been in effect since 1937, with trends that closely resemble those of alcohol prohibition-meaning an increase in crime, distrust, and dissension. We will write a custom essay sample on Prohibition and Marijuana: History Does Repeat or any similar topic only for you Order Now If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to stop Americans from using it, then it has failed, just like the other prohibition failed to make America a â€Å"dry† country. It is important to go back and look at the factors leading to marijuana prohibition-especially the stages of exaggeration, silence, and the imposition of severe penalties-before looking at the effects of prohibition during the last half-century. Let me first point out that I am an advocate of marijuana, and will not argue that marijuana is not harmless. Research shows that marijuana damages short term memory, distorts perceptions, impairs judgment and complex motor skills, alters heart rates, and has the potential to trigger severe anxiety, paranoia, and lethargy (www. ndsn. com). Yet I also feel its effects are in many ways less harmful than those of alcohol and tobacco-for instance, alcohol’s potential to cause cirrhosis and tobacco’s links to lung cancer and heart disease. Both are considered carcinogenic. In addition, alcohol is cited as a factor in half of this country’s highway fatalities, half of all arrests made for any criminal charge-including homicides-and one-fourth of all suicides. In 1972 the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse estimated the social costs of America’s alcohol habit to be $15 billion a year (www. ndsn. com); it has steadily increased since then. When comparing tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana, there is strong evidence that marijuana has the least addictive power (www. peretto. com). However, this does not hide the fact that all three can have a strong impact on an individual. As with all drugs, they are capable of disrupting home life, affecting job performance, and causing withdrawal from society. In my opinion, all drugs share this power on equal terms because of the emotional problems of the people who use them; no single drug has more potential for harm than any other in terms of social impacts. While hemp has been grown in America since 1611 (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 1), the practice of smoking marijuana did not become widespread until the 1920’s-a period of strong drug intolerance during the â€Å"great social experiment† of alcohol prohibition. Marijuana use was highest among people who also used opiates, primarily recent immigrants. In the 1930’s, the common belief that immigrants were inhumane and violent included a strong belief that marijuana was part of the cause. Since it was associated with opiates, marijuana was quickly defined as a narcotic (Thies, C. F. , 1993 p. 71), and by 1931 all but two states had passed anti-marijuana legislation. The final two did so by 1937, the same year the federal government created the Marijuana Tax Act . For which no tax stamps were ever issued. Not once during this period of prohibitive legislation was any research conducted on marijuana and it’s effects, nevertheless it was almost universally assumed that marijuana was a narcotic, caused psychological dependence, provoked violent crime, and led to insanity. The first of three strategies used to fight marijuana was silence. It was believed that if youth didn’t hear about marijuana, they wouldn’t become curious and experiment with it. Therefore, in the 1930’s discussion about marijuana was forbidden in all public schools, and from 1934 to 1956 the Motion Picture Association of America banned all films showing the use of narcotics (www. legalize. com). The strategy did not work as well as hoped, so anti-marijuana groups adopted the next strategy: exaggeration. The goal was to scare potential marijuana users. Even such respected periodicals as the American Journal of Medicine went along with this strategy, publishing such warnings as: â€Å"Marijuana users will suddenly turn with murderous violence upon whoever is nearest to them. They will run amuck with a knife, axe, gun, or anything else that is close at hand, and will kill or maim without reason†. F. T. Merrill of the Opium Research Committee wrote: â€Å"While numerous crimes [have been] traced to its abuse, its peculiar virulent effect, leading sometimes to insanity, makes its use dangerous to the individuals and to society in general . . . [it] leads to uncontrollable irritability and violent rages, which in most forms cause assault and murder† (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 17). During my research I found a medical handbook written in 1970 that continued to report these myths as fact, going so far as to imply that the words â€Å"hashish† and â€Å"assassin†Ã¢â‚¬â€œwhich do have a common root in terms of word history–have a cause and effect relationship. In the same manual the word â€Å"amuck† was associated to a characteristic of the drug; according to its author, the word, which means â€Å"to kill,† â€Å"was the word the natives of Malay would shriek as they dashed down the street, maddened by hashish, in a murderous frenzy† (Williams, 1970, p. 140). From the official California police officers’ guide of the same period came this warning: â€Å"Marijuana is the immediate and direct cause of the crime committed . . . the user is very often dangerous to handle or control, has no fear, feels no pain, and may commit crimes of violence. Penalties for marijuana use fluctuated with popular belief regarding its level of danger. If people believed the effects were particularly bad, the penalties were stiff, but during some decades public attitudes were more lenient, therefore penalties were reduced. Drug use declined, fear increased, and so did penalties throughout the 1950s. One of the first federal mandatory prison sentences was established at that time: 10 years minimum for marijuana possession, and a mandatory death sentence for selling marijuana to a minor (Theis, C. F. ,1993 p. 46). During the 1960s and 70s, penalties declined as use increased, with eleven states decriminalizing possession for personal use (Thies and Register, 1993, p. 389). Then, in the 1980s, drug use declined and penalties rose. The â€Å"three strike† program was established, under which a mandatory life sentence without parole must be given for third-time offenders. You read "Prohibition and Marijuana: History Does Repeat" in category "Essay examples" Judges no longer have the power to use their own discretion in sentencing, but are required to base their punishment on the â€Å"most serious readily provable charge†, including a mandatory death sentence for anyone found guilty of managing a major marijuana plantation of 60,000 plants. It appears that the current attitude toward marijuana prohibition is based on the belief that relaxed policies lead to greater use. Statistics argue otherwise: nationwide, marijuana use in 1984 was measured at 26. 3%, and in the eleven states that decriminalized marijuana, it was 27. 3%. In 1988 the percentages were 15. and 16. 1, respectively. In those eleven states, decriminalization meant that individuals were no longer arrested for simple possession. In ten of those states there is a $0-100 fine for possession-the result of a threat by the federal government to withhold highway money for states that did not have minimum punishment standards (Thies and Register, 1993, p. 387). Going outside the country for another example of how legalization does not lead to greater use, Holland has witnessed a 40% decrease in marijuana use since the Dutch government legalized it in 1976 (Grinspoon, L. 1971, p. 4). During the same time period, marijuana use has decreased in the United States, so it cannot be definitively argued that either stronger penalties or decriminalization is better at affecting the number of people who use marijuana. It seems clear that social policy, and not legal policy, had the greater effect in Holland. Accusations of marijuana’s addictive powers are also under attack from well-designed research studies. During the Nixon administration (1972), the federal government reviewed existing studies and concluded that marijuana did not possess physically addictive traits. The great majority of articles published in medical journals since that time have agreed. For example, Dr. Jack Henningfield of the Addiction Research Center (part of the National Institute on Drug Abuse) and Dr. Neal Benowits of the University of California ranked heroin, cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, and marijuana in terms of their power to induce psychological dependence. Nicotine was first, marijuana last. Marijuana also ranked last in terms of producing a physical tolerance to the drug, and was deemed least likely to produce signs of withdrawal upon quitting (Theis, C. F, 1993, p. 92). It seems as though the primary result of the three-pronged attack using strict penalties, silence, and exaggeration has been increased ignorance. Regardless of research findings refuting long-held claims about marijuana addiction since 1972, the old arguments of the 1930s continue to be used when establishing new soft drug laws. People’s tendency to hold onto their initial beliefs means that most of their knowledge on the topic of marijuana is based on what their parents taught them. While it is the responsibility of all parents to teach their children values, this is not an acceptable basis for creating law. If the purpose of prohibition is to eliminate the use of a substance, then marijuana is certainly another example of how prohibition fails. In 1979, 68. 2% of all 18-25 year olds had tried marijuana at least once, and 35% said that they were regular users (U. S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1991). While those respective numbers have decreased to 50% and 13%, its clear that marijuana is still readily available and used by a large number of Americans. Two other detrimental effects of marijuana prohibition are the large amounts of money spent on enforcement and prosecution, and prison overcrowding. The percentage of the American population living in prison has increased from . 061 in 1880 to . 1 in 1920 to . 35 in 1995, with an associated tripling of real tax dollars required to house inmates. Today, 62% of all inmates are in prison for drug offenses-the result of a 1,100% increase in drug arrests between 1980 and 1992, even though marijuana use dropped from 35% to 13% during the same period. The increase in violent offenders incarcerated during that time was only 50%. Of felons convicted of crimes related to marijuana possession, production and trafficking during this period, 58% had no prior arrest history, 91% were not identified as organizers, leaders, managers or supervisors of drug-oriented organizations, and 92% did not own or possess a gun. In other words, the large majority of these felons should not be viewed as individuals endangering our society. I believe the main point of these statistics is that an enormous amount of money is spent each year on incarcerating non-violent and otherwise law-abiding citizens. Not including the money spent on prison management and construction, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) now spends $1. 3 billion a year â€Å"fighting† marijuana. Overall, federal anti-marijuana efforts have cost taxpayers $30 billion. The result: $2 billion worth of cannabis being seized and destroyed, 4 million people being arrested, and 250-thousand individuals being jailed for more than one year–but no basic change in usage patterns from the 1970†³s (www. bergen. com). Is it worth it? Mark Young is a victim of a US District Attorney’s overzealous efforts to enforce federal marijuana laws. Young, a resident of Illinois, went on a fishing trip in Florida with some old friends, bringing along some marijuana for everyone to enjoy privately. His Florida friends asked Young to introduce them to the grower, which he did, then was cut out of the deal from that point onward. He was later arrested and charged with conspiracy to manufacture marijuana. He had two strikes against him-minor possession charges that were twenty years old-so he faced a life sentence with no possibility of parole, even though he did not benefit at all from the transaction. The District Attorney offered Young a reduced charge if he testified against his friends and others whom he had no prior knowledge of. He refused, and the DA won his case without having to inform the jury about Young’s two-strike status. The judge had no choice but to pass down a sentence of life without parole. In a prison interview, Young was quoted as saying, â€Å"They’ve only proved I’m capable of smoking a joint, or of introducing a guy to another guy who needs some pounds. That’s the most they’ve proved me capable of. What they [the prosecutors] are doing, they’re destroying these families and passing out life sentences, taking people’s lives, putting children on the street-I mean horrendous acts. I don’t know of anyone that would do anything that malicious for a salary† (Williams J. B. , 1970, p. 46). It is my opinion that the state has no right to interfere with anyone’s private conduct, especially under the guise of protecting anyone from our own folly. The government is free to educate people as much as it wishes on the effects of using marijuana, education being the best way to alter behavior. However, it must not dictate what behavior an individual can or cannot practice in private. This opinion is the same one given in the 1972 report published by the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse; in their summary, the authors of that report argued that private production and consumption of marijuana should be made legal (National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse, 1972, p. 152). They also recommended continued efforts to arrest anyone involved in trafficking or in the commercial production of marijuana. The report was accepted by the President, Speaker of the House, and President of the Senate, and the argument was later given support by President Jimmy Carter (Theis, C. F. , 1993, p. 45). However, political pressure prevented him from making concerted effort to reform marijuana laws. The original motivation for marijuana prohibition was based on a lack of knowledge. Nevertheless, the hate and fear resulting from initial attitudes still echo in current arguments against marijuana. Despite research to the contrary, a significant number of people refuse to have their beliefs challenged. And so billions of tax dollars continue to be spent on enforcement and prosecution, while use patterns remain the same-a return on an investment that no private business would ever tolerate. And it is important to remember that statistics describe many casual marijuana users such as M. Y. , and families that are affected by overly strict laws. Prohibition was established due to a misunderstanding, has not achieved its goal, and goes against an American philosophical approach. I believe it is time to reconsider its consequences. How to cite Prohibition and Marijuana: History Does Repeat, Essay examples

Education Is The Most Powerful Weapon Essay Paper Example For Students

Education Is The Most Powerful Weapon Essay Paper Education is the process of living through a continuous reconstruction of experiences while Nadir Gandhi had It that Education Is a liberating force and In our age, It Is also a demonstrating force, cutting across the barriers of caste and class, smoothing out inequalities Imposed by birth and other circumstances but I have grown to understand Education as a continuous and lifelong process. It starts from the womb of the mother and continues till death. It is the process of development from infancy to maturity. It includes the effect of everything which influences human personality. Education must not be equated with schooling or formal education alone. It includes on-formal and informal modes of instruction and learning as well, including traditional learning acquired in the home and community. The understanding of the role of higher education In national development changed through history. Just after the independence period, African universities were considered essential to nation building and development as they were a privileged source of human capital for leadership and public profession formation. Human capital, generated by education, training, experience, and non-formal learning, has significant positive Impacts on economic development. In addition to material benefits such as fostering sustainable economic growth, productivity and earnings, there are non-material ones such as greater social cohesion, reduction of crime, better health and parenting. However, many are not fully aware of these. Educational institutions have a paramount effect in the reproduction of social structures, which means that, as places of knowledge transmission, universities can play a transformation role. Educational spaces are places of experimentation, social innovation and critical analysis and deconstruction. The vision that reduce universities to technical skills delivers recalls the colonial mimes in which higher education had the only aim of forming local functionaries, equipping them with functional tools for practical purposes. The goal of education Is to make people wiser, more knowledgeable, better Informed, ethical, responsible, critical and capable of continuing to learn. Were all people to possess such ablest and qualities, the worlds problems would not be automatically solved, but the means Ana ten wall to erases teem would De at nana. Education also serves society Day providing a critical reflection on the world, especially its failings and injustices, and y promoting greater consciousness and awareness, exploring new visions and concepts, and inventing new techniques and tools. Education is also the means for disseminating knowledge and developing values and lifestyles, and for promoting public support for the continuing and fundamental changes that will be required if humanity is to alter its course, leaving the familiar path that is leading towards growing difficulties and possible catastrophe, and starting the uphill climb towards sustainability. Finally, with all this, we would widely agree that education is the most effective means that society possesses for confronting the challenges of the future.

Ulysses S. Grant Essays (1125 words) - , Term Papers

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant was an American general and 18th president of the U.S. Grant was born in Point Pleasant, Ohio, on April 27, 1822, the son of Hannah Simpson and Jesse Grant, the owner of a tannery. Taken to nearby Georgetown at the age of one, he was educated in local and boarding schools. In 1839, under the name of Ulysses Simpson instead of his original Hiram Ulysses, he was appointed to West Point. Graduating 21st in a class of 39 in 1843, he was assigned to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. There he met Julia Dent, a local planter's daughter, whom he married after the Mexican War. During the Mexican War, Grant served under both General Zachary Taylor and General Winfield Scott and distinguished himself, particularly at Molina del Rey and Chapultepec. After his return and tours of duty in the North, he was sent to the Far West. In 1854, while stationed at Fort Humboldt, California, ?Grant resigned his commission because of loneliness and drinking problems, and in the following years he engaged in generally unsuccessful farming and business ventures in Missouri.?(Grant Moves South, 18) He moved to Galena, Illinois, in 1860, where he became a clerk in his father's leather store. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Grant was appointed colonel, and soon afterward brigadier general, of the Illinois Volunteers, and in September 1861 he seized Paducah, Kentucky. After an indecisive raid on Belmont, Missouri, he gained fame when in February 1862, in conjunction with the navy; he succeeded in reducing Forts Henry and Donelson, Tennessee, forcing General Simon B. Buckner to accept unconditional surrender. The Confederates surprised Grant at Shiloh, but he held his ground and then moved on to Corinth. In 1863 he established his reputation as a strategist in the brilliant campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, which took place on July 4. After being appointed commander in the West, he defeated Braxton Bragg at Chattanooga. Grant's victories made him so prominent that he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and in February 1864 was given command of all Union armies. Grant's following campaigns revealed his determination to apply merciless pressure against the Confederacy by coordinating the Union armies and exploiting the economic strength of the North. While Grant accompanied the Army of the Potomac in its overland assault on Richmond, Virginia, General Benjamin F. Butler was to attack the city by water, General William T. Sherman to move into Georgia, and General Franz Sigel to clear the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Despite the failure of Butler and Sigel and heavy losses at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor, Grant continued to press the drive against General Robert E. Lee's army. After Sherman's success in Georgia and the conquest of the Shenandoah Valley by General Philip H. Sheridan, Grant forced Lee to abandon Petersburg and Richmond and to surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9. As commander of the army, Grant soon became trapped in the struggles between President Andrew Johnson and Congress. Because of the president's clear Pro-Southern tendencies, the general gradually moved closer to the radicals and cooperated with Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton in carrying out the congressional Reconstruction plan for the South. Grant accepted appointment as secretary ad interim after Johnson's dismissal of Stanton, but clashed violently with the president when the Senate ordered Stanton reinstated. Then, as the country's best-known military leader, he became the Republican candidate for president in 1868 and defeated his Democratic rival, Horatio Seymour. Grant's military experience ill prepared him for his new duties. Faced with major problems of Reconstruction, civil service reform, and economic adjustment, he did not know how to choose proper advisers or to avoid the pitfalls of an age of corruption. Encouraged by the final restoration of all the Southern states to the Union, he honestly tried to carry out congressional Reconstruction, but in the long run was unable to sustain it. Irregularly trying to protect the rights of the freed slaves, he repeatedly intervened but could not prevent the reappearance of white supremacists in all but a few Southern states. Other problems were equally troublesome. In 1871 Grant appointed a civil service commission headed by

Business IS essays

Business IS essays Information System - A set of interrelated components that collect, retrieve, process, store and distribute information for the purpose of facilitating planning, control, coordination, analysis and decision making in organisations. Input - the capture or collection of raw data resources from within an organisation or from its external environment. Processing - The conversion of raw input into a more appropriate and useful form. Output - The transfer of processed information to the people or activities that will use it. Feedback - Output that is returned to appropriate members of the organisation to help them refine or correct the input phase. Formal Systems - Information Systems that rely on mutually accepted and relatively fixed definitions of data and procedures for collecting, storing, processing and distributing information. Manual Systems - An information system that uses only paper and pencil technology and does not rely on computers. Computer Hardware - the physical equipment used for the input, processing and output work in an information system. Computer Software - Preprogrammed instructions that coordinate the work of computer hardware components to perform the processes required by each information system. Storage Technology - physical media for storing data and the software governing the organisation of data on these media. Communications technology - Physical media and software that support communication by electronic means, usually over some distance. Network - Physical media and software that link two or more computers together to transmit voice, data, images, sound and/or video or to share resources such as a printer. Internet - A vast interconnected network of networks linking business, governmental, scientific and educational organisations as well as individuals around the world. World Wide Web - a set of standards for storing, organising and displaying information in a networked environment....

How to Build the Back of a Book Cover (with Template)

How to Build the Back of a Book Cover (with Template) The Back of a Book Cover: How to Build One That Actually Works (with Template) Picture an intrepid reader in the bookstore. They’re skimming the shelves when their eye is caught by a brilliantly imagined front cover. They pick the book up. Check. The spine is bold and inviting. Check. Then they flip to the back of the book cover - and it’s a boring solid background with no text.When it comes to book design, your thoughts probably don’t jump straight to a book’s back - it’s not as sexy or attention-grabbing as, say, the front. But it happens to be one of the most important sales tools at your disposal. So let's clear up some misconceptions:Nobody ever sees the back cover of a book online! Amazon.com now allows customers to view the back of paperback books.I don’t need a back cover to create a print book! KDP Print and IngramSpark require you to upload a front cover, spine, and back cover.Then there’s the biggest myth of all: nobody pays attention to the back of a book. Almost everyone reads the blurb before they decide whether to purchase. What’s more, they’ll spend only 10 seconds doing it. In this post, we’ll show you how to make that time count so that a reader ends up deciding in your favor.What makes a good back cover? As you start putting your own back cover together, just remember: experiment to find a balance that works for your book. When you hit a perfect balance between all the elements, you’ll have created a back cover that works.Are you in the middle of designing your own back cover? How have you found the experience? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Managing Diversity at Cityside Financial Services Essay

Managing Diversity at Cityside Financial Services - Essay Example Ethical issues in organizations touch on the workers honesty, respect and trust. Ethics also deal with the way an organizations leadership conducts its affairs and the type of leadership adopted and the culture in the organization. An example of an ethical issue is whether the managers should seek the views of the other workers or who should make decisions. Failure to engage all members of the staff in decision making is an ethical issue in which the managers should reflect on whether what they are doing is good or bad. The choice of management’s decision cannot be resolved in a court of law although this influences the motivation in an organization. The other example of an ethical issue is on how an employee behaves towards their seniors. For instance when the opinion of an employee is ignored in a meeting despite this observation being helpful to organization can strain the relationship between the management and the other workers but one cannot be resolved in court. Impacts of diversity on human capital management and development in an organization According to Choi and Rainey (2010), the American workforce is continuously becoming more diversified due to greater access of equal employment opportunities for the minorities and women. Choi and Rainey (2010) describe that early research on workplace diversity focused on the individual and organizational outcomes; concluding that diversity provides a great opportunity and challenge to the organization. Consequently they argue that understanding the impacts of diversity on the organizational results such as employee satisfaction and organizational performance is critical. Choi and Rainey (2010) affirms that researchers have come to a... Diversity at workplace is can be an important aspect in ensuring organizational effectiveness. However, if diversity is not properly managed it could lead to conflicts and miscommunication leading to poor team work and problems in management. The laws require all organizations to be diverse by complying with the provisions of equal opportunities commission. Discrimination may not be intentional in all circumstances since implementation of some organizational policies may lead to disparate impact and disparate treatment. In the case study of CitySide Financial Services, the bank is locking out African-American from holding managerial positions in the External Deposits units in a claim of trying to be responsive to the kind of customers served in the unit. To deal with ethical and legal issues that can arise in an organization, businesses need to seek the opinion of a legal expert. Moreover, organizations can manage diversity through adoption of a lean management hierarchy that coordin ates and resolves conflicts with it.

Media comparative analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Media comparative analysis - Essay Example A media comparative analysis has a vital role in comprehending the various essential elements of the changing nature of the media. Such a media comparative analysis deals with the social aspects, the assumptions and logics, the industrial, the commercial contexts, the primary functions, etc of a particular media form, technology, process, or event in relation to the explicit or implied research methods, the critical framework and assumptions, the theories and logics, the methods and worldviews etc of a specific reading on media and media function. This media comparative analysis paper focuses on a comparative discussion of Megan Boler's "Introduction" to Digital Media and Democracy: Tactic in Hard Times in connection to a particular media form, i.e. an internet radio station. This paper deals with a comparative study of the explicit or implied assumptions about the nature, scope and role of media forms in each of the media discussions, and attempts to bring together the assumptions o f both the media reading and the media form. Megan Boler's main concern in the article is to bring about the connection between media and power and to contribute to the debates about media and democracy within the digital media landscape and the discussions about the internet radio station can help one realize the underlying elements of the media form. As an introduction to the vital assumptions of the discussion, Megan Boler presents his exchange with Tim Russert as illustrative of how the media in the contemporary world functions in terms of truth and power. From the platform of this account, the author goes on to make his significant assumptions about media and power as well as the debates about media and democracy within the digital media landscape. "The story of my exchange with Tim Russert highlights two key challenges about media and power: (1) how to alter the axes of domination so that those with little or no power have a seat at the table, and (2) how to conceive of media (whether dominant, grassroots, or tactical) with the capacity to intervene at the level of public perception, and that can challenge the perverse manipulation of 'facts' about something like global warming." (Boler 2008, 171). According to the author, there is an essential connection between media and power and there is a very scarce chance to gain reali ty through the power of media. Power in media tries to overtake realities about facts and there is fierce competition to accumulate power in media. The author is essentially forceful about the influence of power in media in the contemporary digital era of media where there is fierce competition and the raw material is no longer in short supply. In this background, realizing reality through digital media is much more complex. There have been significant opinions by experts in the field that media is more powerful than any bomb in the contemporary background and this can be realized on the basis of the famous maxim the 'pen is mightier than the sword'. The powerful influence of media over the lives of several modern human beings can be understood in this background. The major focus of the work by Boler is to

Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resource Management Essay Kopanang Batho Cooperation Services is a company that distributes water to all parts of the urban and peri- urban societies. Its vision is to strive to provide clean water services to all stakeholders and the mission is to provide quality water through highly motivated and professional staff. Ogbor (2009:283) believes that, â€Å"a business is not defined by its name, status or articles of incorporation. Rather it is defined by what it offers, to whom it is offered and how it is offered. † In this assay discussed are the factors affecting human resource management in global organisations and how they affect human resource management. Firstly described, the economic factors; secondly, the political- legal system, thirdly, education and technology and then culture, how each affect the practice and theory of management. Firstly, the economic factors it is all about the change about the new developments in the wealth that managers need to be aware of. The changes brought about these factors require managers forward thinking and who can handle and adapt to change. According to Kynhans et al(2009), â€Å"All these things show how healthy the country is, in other words, how well the country is doing economically†. Today’s organisations are operating in a global environment, the extents has become exceedingly complex and creates enormous uncertainty for managers. For example, some countries are prepared by the idea of free enterprise, that is people turn to find ways of doing things themselves in order to save costs and companies tend to loose clients due to that fact. Moreover, there are differences in requirements for severance pay and vacation days allowed to workers. Again, human resource management practices tend to change so as to prevent unemployment even at the cost of sacrificing productivity; this means some organisations go to the extent of losing productivity so as to spare its employees’ jobs. Secondly, the political legal system, which involves the rules and the regulations at local and national level, as well as the activities that influence the company behaviour affect the human resource management. Legal factors vary from country to country ant the rules and regulations enforced by a legal system can strongly affect human resource management as it states clearly the conditions for certain human resource management practices such as layoffs, hiring, training and compensation. Kynhans et. al cites, â€Å"every organisation is run according to the laws and regulation of that country’s government.† This means every organisation in a particular country is ruled by the laws of that country and they can affect that particular organisation. For example, in other counties it is simple to hire and fire employees while in other countries there are procedures to be followed to do both processes. Thirdly, education can also affect human resource management. â€Å"An organisation’s potential to find and maintain a qualified workplace is an important consideration in any decision to expand into a foreign market.† describes Sims (2010). This means that organisations consider educational background while selecting their employees and such organisations try all efforts to keep such candidates in the organisation. For example, some organisations prefer hiring people who studied full time. Again, other companies prefer hiring candidates form certain well know schools around the world. Again, the technological environment in which a business operates also brings change within the organisation, either processes of production or the type of employees required. â€Å"Many organisations realise they need to start using new technologies to be able to compete with other business. This can have either a positive or negative effect on the people working in that organisation but companies still need to keep up to date with the latest technology developments to stay ahead of the competition,† cites Kynhans et al (2009:23). For instance, if a company needs to change technology, it might not be easy for other employees to adapt and that might delay production. Introducing new products also can affect the organisation in a sense that other old working practices might change and be replaced by new practices and the advancement of technology doesn’t affect countries all at the same time thus some countries are not technologically advanced like others and that can affect the human resource management practices especially when it comes to job evolutions. Also culture can determine the other factors affecting human resource management in the marketplace. â€Å"Differences in culture cause a great challenge in HRM,† stresses Francis (2010). Culture often determines the effectiveness of various human resource management practices, for example, a benefit valued to be important in one country can be comparatively worthless in another country and that can affect the HRM practice as the rules or regulations will have to differ from country to country. In conclusion, it is very important for managers to consider the numerous factors of doing business in different countries and organise the work in different nations. As the world is becoming one village, rules and regulations must at least be more or less the same so as to make it easier to run companies globally. For example, globalise the laws regulating employment so as to make it easy to run companies globally. REFERENCES Francis, C International Business: Text And Cases.2010(5th Edition).New Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited John, O. (2009). Entrepreneurship in Sub Zaharan Africa, A Strategic Management Perspective Mitras, D, Shrly .K (2009).Technology, Values and Social Forces in Technology Change Markham, M W. et al. (2009). Human Resource Management: Fresh Perspectives Sims, R, R. (2007). Human Resource Management: Contemporary Issues and Opportunities. USA: Information Age Publishing. Inc.

Economic Conditions of the Australian Economy :: essays research papers

Economic Conditions of the Australian Economy Over the past five years the Australian economy has gone through many changes experiencing both the peaks and troughs associated with business cycle. Five years ago, in the middle of 1997 Australia’s economic growth had begun to upturn after a period of recession during the ’96 year. This was unmistakably shown through the composite indicators of retail trade, dwelling investment and Australian share market valuations, all concurring with one another and demonstrating the effects of an upturn in economic growth. This economic growth continued to increase through ‘98 and ‘99, partly being attributed to the weakening Australian dollar that allowed for the opening up and increasing market shares held by Australian exports on world markets. This was the case, as the reduction in the Australian dollar’s value, triggered decreases in the prices of our exports for foreign buyers, thereby increasing demand for our products and increasing the amount of money and investments coming into Australia. This therefore resulting in the aforementioned increases economic growth when combined with the high levels of employment and consumer confidence. This economic growth didn’t however continue for long, with the economy peaking just before the start of the year 2000 followed by a sharp downturn that resulted in a temporary recession occurring around the middle of the year. This erratic behavior, most pronounced in retail trade, can be explained by the effects of both the millennium bug and the introduction of a general consumption tax in the form of the GST. The millennium bug caused much panic and with it bought panic spending especially in the IT sector thereby over inflating an already close to booming economy and after the non-event that the millennium (or Y2K) bug caused spending slumped and then further slumped due to the holding back of consumer spending on big ticket items such as cars and houses until the introduction of the GST. In spite of the aforementioned pre GST economic slump, in the second half of 2000, with the implementation of the GST and the advent of the Olympics, the economy quickly boomed again before experiencing another sharp downturn followed by an equally sharp upturn. The initial upturn was due to increased post GST spending followed by huge foreign cash injections into the Australian economy as a result of the Sydney Olympic Games. The Olympics spending however was only temporary and consequently caused a post Olympics downturn, which was quickly countered by the introduction of the first homeowners grant.

Dividend policy decision Essay

Dividend policy decision is one of the important decisions of corporate finance. A dividend policy should be such that it maximizes the shareholders wealth and provides adequate financing to the firm. A firm with fluctuation dividend policy is considered risky by the investors. (Shim & Siegel, 1998) Usually a stable dividend payout policy is maintained by companies. Leverage which is given by total debt/total assets, is negatively related to the dividend payments, that is higher the leverage in the firms capital lower is the dividend paid. Companies with less debt and sizeable tangible assets usually pay more dividends as it is usually stable. (Aivazian & Cleary, 2003) However, this has been contradicted by the signaling theory which says that the company’s which have high dividend payout ratio tend to be financed by debt and company’s which have low dividend payout ratio are more inclined to be financed by equity. (Chang & Rhee, 1990) The agency theory and tax preference theory suggests that there is a positive relationship between the institutional ownership and the dividend payouts. (Jenson, Solberg & Zorn 1992) However, both numbers of shares owned by institutional investors as well as proportion of institutional ownership does not significantly affect the dividend payout ratio. This is because the companies will not have to enter the capital markets for additional funds if they are owned by institutional investors which mean less compliance procedures and monitoring by the external authorities. On the other hand signaling theory advocates a negative relationship between the proportion of institutional ownership and dividend payments. There is a strong positive relationship between the profitability that is the Return on equity and dividend payments. The return on equity is given by net income/ shareholders equity. The higher the income would mean firms would have more money to distribute as dividends, and this would also convey better performance. (Ho, 2003). A firm with high business risk is inclined to pay lower dividends and the firm with stable earnings and low risk would pay high dividends. This is because the firm would be more likely to go bankrupt than a firm with low business risk as the earnings and liquidity position is not predictable. The agency theory of dividend policy says that there is a negative relationship between fixed asset ratio given by fixed asset by total assets and dividend payout ratio. The more money is blocked in the tangible fixed assets, the less is available to fund short term assets, which can be used as collateral security to finance the short term borrowings. The firms would not be able to have access to short term loan and would therefore depend on the retained earnings to meet the short term requirements. Firms which have high liquid assets would pay more dividends than firms with less liquid assets. Liquidity position of a company is measured by current assets / current liabilities. High cash availability would enable firms pay more dividends. Moreover if the liquidity position is high the probability of bankruptcy also reduces. Large firms would pay more dividends as they would have easy access to capital markets than small firms. As large firms are more diversified and less susceptible to financial distress, they pay more dividends to the shareholders than the smaller firms (Gul & Kealey 1999). The higher the growth opportunities the higher is the possibility of firms distributing low dividends. The profits would be retained by the firms in order to finance the expansion plans. Market to book value ratio is used as a proxy for growth opportunities. Hence, there is a negative ratio between market to book vale and dividend payments. Thus we find that all the factors play a role in formulation dividend policy. Some have significant impact while others factors may not have a considerable effect. Reference: Aivazian, V. , Booth I. , Cleary S. , (2003) Do emerging markets firms follow different dividend policies from the US firms? Journal of financial research, 26(3) pp. 371-387 Chang, R. P. , Rhee, S. G. , (1990) The impact of personal taxes on corporate dividend policy and structural decision, Financial management, 19(2) pp. 21-31 Gul, F. A. , Kealey, B. T. , (1999) Investment opportunity set and corporate debt and dividend policies of Korean companies, Review of quantitative finance and accounting, 13(4) pp. 401-414 Ho, H. , (2003) Dividend Policies in Australia and Japan, International Advances in economic research Jensen, G. , Solberg, D. , Zorn, T. , (1992) Simultaneous determination of insider ownership, debt and dividend policies, Journal of financial quantitative analysis, pp 247-263 Shim, Jae K. , Siegel, Joel G. , (1998) Schaum’s outline of theory and problems of financial management, McGraw-Hill Professional, USA

A career in chemistry

IntroductionCandidate, who chooses chemistry as a career, must have passion to know about science and chemical substances. Chemistry is a branch of the science which explores the composition, properties, and transformation of substances and various elementary forms of matter. All human activities deal with a material world, which consists of chemicals, both natural and manufactured.Chlorophyll, hemoglobin, and insulin are examples of natural chemicals that are essential to life. Chemistry has great significance in understanding the environment, enhancing methods of producing, processing, and packaging food and making automobiles protected and more fuel-efficient.Candidates who complete the chemistry major are knowledgeable in all aspects of modern chemistry. In graduation program, students cover course work in the major sub-disciplines of chemistry, organic, inorganic, physical, biological, and analytical.The syllabus of chemistry allow the student to choose array of career choices w hich include chemistry, medicine, law, business, chemical physics, environmental science, and secondary school teaching. If candidate wants to become chemist, he has to complete undergraduate training to produce new products for the chemical-processing industries, execute tests and evaluations of existing products and the environment, and carry out basic research (http://careers.ns.utexas.edu).Job descriptionChemistry offers number of careers. Chemistry is a major subject of science. Candidates trained in chemistry or the chemical sciences may develop the ability which can be utilized in various fields. For example chemists prepare medicines that treat many diseases (www.science-engineering.net).Candidates who are interested in chemistry subject must possess many skills which include ability to make critical observations and appropriate decisions, ability to operate scientific equipment, ability to organize and maintain accurate records, ability to conduct and clearly explain scient ific research, proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and memorization, sensitivity to the health and safety of others.In chemistry, candidate can also do courses in professional schools such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, occupational health, optometry, MBA programs and policy studies. Job of chemistry teacher is to teach courses for the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances. They teach the methods of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis. Teachers primarily engaged in teaching and many professionals can involve in teaching as well as research (http://www.careerplanner.com).Basically, chemistry lecturer deliver lectures to undergraduate and/or graduate students on topics such as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation, supervise students' laboratory work, evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory performance, assignments, and papers, compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assig n this work to others, maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records, prepare course materials such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts, maintain regularly scheduled office hours in order to advise and assist students, plan, evaluate, and modify curricula, course content and course materials and methods of instruction.Chemistry Lab teaching assistant is responsible to assist the Professor for conducting laboratory experiments (http://www.bethanylb.edu/). Chemists may involve in applied research projects which develop new products, or they may be engaged in theoretical research exploring new facts that may ultimately lead to new products. Many chemists work as administrators of these research projects or as executives in industry and government.

The Inferno essays

The Inferno essays On Good Friday 1300 AD, in Dante's thirty-fifth year, he goes astray from the straight road into the Dark Wood of Error. Seeing the Sun (Divine Illumination) lighting the Mount of Joy in the Distance, he attempts to climb up the mountainside but is blocked by three beasts of worldliness: the Leopard of Malice and Fraud, the Lion of Violence and Ambition, and the She-Wolf of Incontinence. When his hope is nearly lost, the shade of the Roman poet Virgil (a symbol of Human Reason) appears to him. Virgil has been sent by Beatrice in Heaven to lead Dante from error; he explains that to defeat the beasts it is necessary to take the harder route through Hell (where sin is recognized), Purgatory (where sin is renounced), then to Heaven to revel in the light of God. Dante accepts and sets off with him. The Poets pass through the Gate of Hell (inscribed with the famous line, Abandon all hope ye who enter here) and step into the Vestibule, where they see the torments inflicted on the opportunists and those who took neither side in the Rebellion of the Angels. They are not officially in Hell nor Heaven because their actions in life were not good enough or bad enough to warrant a place in either. They must forever pursue a banner just out of their reach while being stung by wasps; the blood and pus flowing from their wounds is feasted upon by worms and maggots. (The punishments in Inferno always fit the crime. The wasps signify the sinners guilty consciences and the worms and maggots, their moral filth.) The Poets wish to be ferried across the river Acheron by the boatman Charon, but Charon realizes that Dante is still living and refuses them passage until Virgil makes a good argument for Dante's case. Charon reluctantly agrees, but Dante faints out of pure terror and only awakes whe n he is on the opposite bank. Upper Hell, for those who committed the least serious sins, is made of five circles, each containing fewer sinners and smaller tha...

Biography of Eratosthenes, Greek Geographer

Biography of Eratosthenes, Greek Geographer Eratosthenes of Cyrene (c. 276 BCE–192 or 194 BCE) was an ancient Greek mathematician, poet, and astronomer who is known as the father of geography. Eratosthenes was the first person to use the word geography and other geographical terms that are still in use today, and his efforts to calculate the circumference of the Earth and the distance from the Earth to the Sun paved the way for our modern understanding of the cosmos. Among his other many accomplishments were the creation of the first map of the world and the invention of an algorithm known as the sieve of Eratosthenes, which is used to identify prime numbers. Fast Facts: Eratosthenes Known For: Eratosthenes was a Greek polymath who became known as the father of geography.Born: c. 276 BCE in Cyrene (present-day Libya)Died: 192 or 196 BCE in Alexandria, Egypt Early Life Eratosthenes was born around 276 BCE in a Greek colony in Cyrene, a territory located in present-day Libya. He was educated at the academies of Athens and in 245 BCE, after earning attention for his skills, he was invited by Pharaoh Ptolemy III to run the Great Library at Alexandria in Egypt. This was a major opportunity, and Eratosthenes was excited to accept the position. In addition to being a mathematician and geographer, Eratosthenes was also a very gifted philosopher, poet, astronomer, and music theorist. He made several significant contributions to science, including the discovery that a year is slightly longer than 365 days, requiring an extra day- or leap day- be added to the calendar every four years to keep it consistent. Geography While serving as the head librarian and scholar at the Library of Alexandria, Eratosthenes wrote a comprehensive treatise about the world, which he called Geography. This was the first use of the word, which in Greek means writing about the world. Eratosthenes work introduced the concepts of torrid, temperate, and frigid climate zones. His map of the world, though highly inaccurate, was the first of its kind, featuring a grid of parallels and meridians used to estimate distances between different locations. Though Eratosthenes original Geography did not survive, modern scholars know what it contained thanks to reports by Greek and Roman historians. The first book of Geography contained a summary of existing geographical work and Eratosthenes speculations about the nature of the planet Earth. He believed it was a fixed globe whose changes only took place on the surface. The second book of Geography described the mathematical calculations he had used to determine the circumference of the Earth. The third contained a map of the world in which the land was divided into different countries; it is one of the earliest examples of political geography. Calculating the Circumference of the Earth Eratosthenes most famous contribution to science was his calculation of the circumference of the Earth, which he completed while working on the second volume of his Geography. After hearing about a deep well at Syene (near the Tropic of Cancer and modern-day Aswan) where sunlight only struck the bottom of the well on the summer solstice, Eratosthenes worked out a method by which he could calculate the circumference of the Earth using basic geometry. Knowing that the Earth was a sphere, he needed only two critical measurements to calculate the circumference. Eratosthenes already knew the approximate distance between Syene and Alexandria, as measured by camel-powered trade caravans. He then measured the angle of the shadow in Alexandria on the solstice. By taking the angle of the shadow (7.2 degrees) and dividing it into the 360 degrees of a circle (360 divided by 7.2 yields 50), Eratosthenes could then multiply the distance between Alexandria and Syene by the result to determine the circumference of the Earth. Remarkably, Eratosthenes determined the circumference to be 25,000 miles, just 99 miles over the actual circumference at the equator (24,901 miles). Although Eratosthenes made a few mathematical errors in his calculations, the, canceled each other out and yielded an amazingly accurate answer that still causes scientists to marvel. A few decades later, the Greek geographer Posidonius insisted that Eratosthenes circumference was too large. He calculated the circumference on his own and obtained a figure of 18,000 miles- about 7,000 miles too short. During the Middle Ages, most scholars accepted Eratosthenes circumference, though Christopher Columbus used Posidonius measurement to convince his supporters that he could quickly reach Asia by sailing west from Europe. As we now know, this was a critical error on Columbus part. Had he used Eratosthenes figure instead, Columbus would have known he was not yet in Asia when he landed in the New World. Prime Numbers A noted polymath, Eratosthenes also made notable contributions to the field of mathematics, including the invention of an algorithm used to identify prime numbers. His method involved taking a table of whole numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) and striking off the multiples of each prime, beginning with multiples of the number two, then multiples of the number three, etc. until only the prime numbers remained. This method became known as the sieve of Eratosthenes, as it works by filtering out the non-prime numbers in the same way that a sieve filters solids out of liquids. Death In his old age, Eratosthenes became blind and he died of self-induced starvation in either 192 or 196 BCE in Alexandria, Egypt. He lived to be about 80 to 84 years old. Legacy Eratosthenes was one of the greatest Greek polymaths, and his work influenced later innovators in fields ranging from mathematics to geography. Admirers of the Greek thinker called him Pentathlos, after the Greek athletes known for their prowess in a number of different events. A crater on the Moon was named in his honor. Sources Klein, Jacob, and Franciscus Vieta.  Greek Mathematical Thought and the Origin of Algebra. Courier Corporation, 1968.Roller, Duane W.  Ancient Geography: the Discovery of the World in Classical Greece and Rome. I.B. Tauris, 2017.Warmington, Eric Herbert.  Greek Geography. AMS Press, 1973.

Interviewing a relative or friend about managerial accounting Essay - 1

Interviewing a relative or friend about managerial accounting techniques used in their work and writing a summary of the interview - Essay Example I took the opportunity to go to Kim’s company since I did not want to interview him at home. I met his secretary who allowed me to go and see him. I wanted our conversation to be as formal as possible since I had interacted with him on other platforms. After some orientation on the operations of the company, I engaged Kim with questions. Firstly, I focused on understanding the costing systems in the company. Kim was aware that there was a cost accounting system that the company used though he did not know precisely what is was called. However, he was quite clear that the overall cost of production required to be considered in the resource management. Since the company does not have many operations, Kim said that they have simplified financial control system to ensure that operations are run efficiently. At Km’s company, the review of the costing systems is usually done after every one year citing issues of inflation and changing economic patterns. Being a senior manager, Kim has a role in financial decision making in the organization. The senior management usually meets weekly to deliberate on the company operations, trends, acquisitions among other issues. The company uses the break-even analysis in making its financial decisions. This ensures that the company is capable of getting to know its position relative to its profitability. Kim plays a major role in decision-making. As a senior manager, he has a vote in facilitating a consensus on the way the resources in the company are to be spent. In addition, he has the role of ensuring that his department ‘is allocated the resources that are required. In the management, he has the role to defend his projected expenditures as well as giving financial reports on the operations within the department. Kim tells me that the organization is very keen on its budgets. The budgets are

Film Analysis - The Joy Luck Club - Prajakta Kanegaonkar Essay

Film Analysis - The Joy Luck Club - Prajakta Kanegaonkar - Essay Example Going ahead this becomes a major point of clash between the two generations, none comprehending and understanding other’s view point. For the women in the film ‘The Joy Luck Club’ we see this struggle going on constantly. In this essay based on the film, we are going to analyse this clash of culture as strong as generation gap and how the women in the film try to bridge the gap in the relations with the help of their values and cultures. This film is based on the novel by Amy Tan by the same name. This was completed and released in the year 1993 and received critical as well as mainstream acclaim. This movie and the book is based on the lives of four Chinese women who came to America because of some or the other reason and settled there. They came together and found the club called ‘The Joy Luck Club’ indicating that they would always find joy and happiness wherever they go and would not let circumstances affect them. The story could have happened any where in this world. Howsoever torn we are with the extreme circumstances around us we don’t give up and nor should we. The name of the club in itself is an indicator of the ever going hopeful attitude of the ladies who have formed the club. There are many stories that go on at the same time in the film. Unlike the book the director of the film has to make choices about which character to bring to surface and which one should relegate at the background. Irrespective of a few characters going in the background the weave of the story is not loosened. In fact all these characters contribute to the protagonist’s sketch very beautifully. The purpose of including Jing-Mei in the club is to tell her about her half-sisters in China, whom her mother longed to be reunited with all her life. The seamless flow of the story begins at this point. The story is not about Jing-Mei fulfilling her mother’s last wish. The story narrates the highs and lows of her relationship with h er mother, of broken moments, of tears and joys and most importantly of discovering her mother all over again. The story ends with Jing-Mei meeting her sisters and introducing them the mother they never had. The journey of a relation begins with self-discovery and acceptance of our own self and then the closed ones around us as they are. This journey is portrayed beautifully in the book but is also conveyed with same passion by the actors through their excellent acting and by the powerful media of cinema. The movie impacts the audience as much as the impact caused by the book on the reader. History and traditions are carried forward by the women of the society all around the world. This handing over happens seamlessly through stories, through teachings of pride, memories and is blended beautifully in the upbringing of the children. When we go through the stories of the club members, it becomes increasingly apparent that the cultural gaps between America and China would never be full y reconciled. The question arises when women in the film are trying to blend into a new culture of individualism, freedom of speech and decisions and free thought they are unable to let go of their Chinese ties and traditions. Surprisingly each of them has been a direct or indirect victim of the same ties and tradition. The daughters Jing-Mei, Lena, Waverly and Rose are all American women, because they don’t want to be a part of their Chinese heritage. This is what worries the mothers in the club, while their trying to preserve the Chinese traditions

Reaction Paper Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reaction Paper - Movie Review Example The movie explores how world economies failed and the new ideas that were embraced to carry out the shock therapies. Majority of these countries later embraced the free market capitalism. Russia, Poland, India, Chile and Bolivia had to survive through the rapid changes and had to deal with the new freedom and the dangers associated with deregulation and privatization. After the Russian revolution, the socialist economy in the country faced a major crisis with the leadership responding by coming up with programs that allowed limited capitalistic activities (Cran & Yergin, 2002). The economy began to improve but by the 1980s, it was in shambles again mainly due to lack of incentives. The country made attempts to free the market through privatization, but due to lack of clear guidelines and goodwill, the denationalization was done in an unequal manner, further hurting the economy. â€Å"Agony of Reforms† also looks at the economic practices that were witnessed in Latin America in the 20th Century. Majority of the countries in this region relied on the dependency theory that supported industrialization by reducing the amount of manufactured goods that were getting in. This was done by subsidizing the locally manufactured commodities. The counties were, therefore, using a Marxist approach to grow their economies and the impact of this was that the local industries lacked the much needed competition to be innovative and efficient. The failure of the set polices became evident in the 1980s when the nations started losing investments from the few foreigners (Cran & Yergin, 2002). Chile at the time became an experiment in the free market and its leaders called for the evaluation of the free market economic reforms that had been put in place. However, due to the dictatorial regimes, the free market idea was associated with fascism. The country strived to dere gulate the market with majority of the reforms implemented becoming a success

Fitzhugh And His Defence In Cannibals All Philosophy Essay

Fitzhugh And His Defence In Cannibals All Philosophy Essay George Fitzhugh, in his defense of slavery in Cannibals All! represents a truly conservative ideology. Fitzhugh articulates the necessity of slavery as an absolute good, not merely a political reality. In doing so, Fitzhugh decries the supposed better lives of ?free labors? by attacking the notions of natural right and liberty and the belief in consent of the governed. Fitzhugh reverts to an Aristotelian view of natural inequalities ? some men are meant to be slaves and others to be masters ? and praises slavery and feudalism as a benefit for both the aristocracy and the masses. Fitzhugh represents an attack on the basic principles of modern liberalism, as well as a rejection of the new ?isms? of his day (notably socialism and abolitionism), which would lead to the abandonment of all social institutions (marriage, government, etc). Fitzhugh embraces Aristotle?s concept of the origins of government, and rejects the Lockean social contract (6-13). Fitzhugh further rejects the institutions of the North and praises the institution of slavery throughout the south. Aristotelian Fitzhugh prefers Aristotelian, classical political theory to modern, liberal political thought. Fitzhugh asserts that inequality and slavery is natural ? i.e. that aristocracy is a natural instititution. Some men are better than others; equality is a fraudulent concept. Fitzhugh rejects any notion of natural liberty, as there was no state of nature outside civil society. Hobbes, Locke and the liberal tradition are wrong ? there is no state of nature, men do not exist individually, but only in society. Government are always instituted by force, not by consent; there is no social contract. Men are by nature social, as Aristotle states, thus there is no such thing as a state of nature absent society. Thus, there is no natural right, men only exist under the rule of government and society. Government are not made by consent, as Locke claims, but by ?birth and nature?. Restrictions on liberty exist to ?preserve the human hive.? Liberty does not exist in the civil society either; men are ruled by government for ?security.? Liberty is neither attainable nor desirable (71-78). Liberty leads men to harm others just to ?be just to himself? ? but men are not selfish, but social, longing for social institutions (228). Fitzhugh affirms that man is by nature social and loves first his family, then his slaves, then his countrymen (36). Fitzhugh denies the principle of the Declaration that government ?derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.? Only the elites were consulted in forming the government ? all governments are instituted by force and continued by force. Good republics are governed by a small group of elites ? much as the southern states are governed. Only a limited few in North are truly granted consent ? consent government is the equal of anarchy (243-246). Slavery Good Following Aristotelian and classical premises, certain men are by nature superior ? they are meant to rule and be masters. The mass of men are meant to be slaves. Any notion of equality is false, men are not by nature equal, some men have genius while most men mediocre. This is certainly true when comparing whites to Negroes, or when comparing laborers to capitalists. The purpose of society is to provide not liberty, which ensures the destruction of men in a Hobbesian state of war, but to provide security to men, which demands a state of slaver. Only a handful of men are meant to rule; the notion of self-government has been tossed out the window ? the masses are not fit to rule, or even to be consulted as to rule. Men of genius are fit to command, the masses are meant for imitation and slavery; mediocrity must be ?chained down?. ?Liberty for the few, slavery for the masses? (63). Elites should rule, and impose strict restrictions on liberty for the protection of society. Elites certainly possess liberty ? the liberty to govern men to provide for their best interests. The ruling class takes upon themselves the making of all decisions as to the best interest of the people. Men have a natural right to be ?taken care of and protected? ? i.e. to be slaves. Only one man in twenty is fit ?for liberty and command? (67-69) It is the duty of society to protect the weak; thus it is the duty of society to enslave the weak. Blacks are weak because they lack the means to support themselves in infirmity, and that they lack the wits and abilities to survive in free competition (187). Liberty is a terrible thing for blacks; they must be protected by the institution of slavery. The competitive, individualistic state of nature a state of war and the masses are not fit for competition. Inferior men must be protected by elites, this can only be done when they submit all their ?liberty? to masters ? that is, submit to slavery. Scripture supports slavery, recognizing that slavery is ?promotive of men?s happiness and well-being?, and instills morality (30). Slavery is a police institution, protecting slaves from the tyranny of husbands and parents. The Bible defends the institution of white slavery, thus it must be either untrue, or else slavery is an absolute good and not a violation of natural liberty (if such a th ing even exists). Fitzhugh supports the notion that slavery is an absolute good. Slavery serves to make men moral and intelligent, and is preserved by a love of the slave for his master and the master for his slave. Slavery promotes the good of the slaves, because masters love their slaves as they love their families; whereas there is no such attachment among laborers and capitalists (200-206). A society based upon slavery is necessary to protect men from a Hobbesian ?war of all against all?; liberty is undesirable as it will bring harm to the weak (218-19). Slavery serves the best interest of the slaves ? a society based on liberty and competition would overwhelm them, much worse than a kind, loving master would. Elite masters will protect, teach, and ensure the morals of the masses. Poor better off in Aristocracy/Feudalism than Liberalism Fitzhugh teaches that the feudal state was superior to the modern state in protecting the interests of the masses ? i.e. the poor. He believes Southern society is akin to the feudal society, and thus superior to the Northern way of doing things. The Reformation, in trying to grant liberty to the mass, in reality harmed the poor. The institutions of aristocracy, feudalism, and church power over land protected the poor and provided them ?true liberty.? By attacking these institutions, the reformers ?impaired the moral, spiritual, and physical well-being? of the masses (107). ?There was no pauperism in Europe until feudal slavery was abolished? (210). Feudal lords protected their serfs and provided for their needs. In the modern state, competition leads to nothing but the oppression of the weak by the strong. The rise of modern science teaches that men have a right to private judgment; this leads to the concept of human individuality and to the notion of a social contract. Doctrines of Laissez-Faire, free speech and press, human equality, and liberty of action descend from this notion. This philosophy results in ?the supreme sovereignty of the individual, and the abnegation of government? (53). All power is deferred from govern ment to individual men; given Fitzhugh?s view of natural elites, it is his contention that the few will dominated, and destroy, the many. Fitzhugh decries the abolitionist movement as in favor of abolishing all institutions, not just slavery, in favor of individual rule. Abolitionism mean the abolition of government, of marriage, of family, of church, and of property (85). It is this characterization of abolitionism that demonstrates ?the failure of free society?, thus free institutions, liberty under law, does nothing to promote the public good (99-100). The right of private judgment leads to the institution of ?no government (132). ?All modern philosophy converges to a single point ? the overthrow of all government? (190). Liberty demands the end of private property; the socialists recognize that this is the logical end to modern liberalism ? they are either right, and all must be abolished, or liberalism is wrong and liberty is undesirable (222). Fitzhugh, as stated previously, believes the latter; liberty is destructive of security for the masses. Only elites should be granted liberty ? the liberty to rule over and enslave the masses in order to protect them. Comparison of North and South Having demonstrated that modern liberalism is based on flawed logic, and that slavery is an absolute good, Fitzhugh seeks to demonstrate that Southern institutions are superior to Northern capitalism. In the South, slaves are well provided for by kindly, loving masters, while in the North, wage labor is treated appallingly by wealthy elites. That is, he has first attacked the ideology behind Northern thought, and is now attacking the institutions of the North, in defense of Southern slavery. Southern slavery is superior to Northern capitalism. Slaves ?keep more of the products of their labor? than wage laborers; and slave masters care for the needs of slaves far beyond what capitalist ever would do. White ?slave-holding? is characterized by making others work for you, and paying as little as possible; while Southern slave masters work ?as hard as their slaves.? Negro slaves are happier and freer than wage-laborers; northern whites are slaves to money, their liberty limited by their need for wages. The northern capitalist views ill treatment of labor as a ?moral good? and thus cannibalism is the name of the game. Slave masters do not enjoy the luxury of northern capitalists; they must labor with their slaves to preserve their estates. Slave masters protect and improve the conditions of the slaves, by ?enforcing morality? and educating them by merely being around them (15-30). Men are happier in slave states than in the North; they are well cared for and not starving (234) . Fitzhugh?s contention is that Southern slave masters must work to maintain their estates; as slaves are part of their household, their interests lie in the protection and well being of slaves. The natural relationship of master and slave is similar to that of the family, masters are loving toward their slaves ? which is evident in the kindness of Southern slave masters. Northern capitalists desire nothing but to profit by the exploitation of laborers. Southern slave masters exhibit kindness for the slaves, educate them and teach them morals, and protect them as any natural aristocrat would. Fitzhugh?s analysis of the Southern slave holder, or of Northern capitalism, may not be an accurate portrayal of 19th century life, but it is based more on political theory than on current events. Fitzhugh maintains than natural aristocrats, elites blessed with superior wisdom and abilities, must govern the mass of men for their own protection. Self-government and liberty harm the masses and undermine security; liberty is reserved for the elites, aristocratic institutions are superior to democratic. Slavery is justified, not as a necessary evil, but an absolute good, as slavery allows masters to protect and provide for the well-being of slaves. Northern capitalism, based on liberal traditions, exploits the masses, and has failed. The only progress for liberalism is, as socialists and abolitionists advocate, the destruction of government, property, family, and all institutions ? which will only lead to greater oppression. The only solution is slavery ? allowing elites to rule over sla ves. This serves in sharp contrast to Lincoln, who holds the Declaration and the principles of Locke and the founding fathers as absolutely good. Slavery is evil in that it denies equality and liberty to all men. Slavery has been tolerated only as a necessary evil. Freedom is always preferable to freedom, regardless of intellectual ability. Lincoln Abraham Lincoln?s speeches and public documents can best be characterized by two key tendencies. First, Lincoln, in the wake of radicals (such as Fitzhugh) in the South and in the North in abolitionists, takes a position that is both moderate, and based on pragmatic concerns. Second, and building upon his pragmatism, Lincoln points to the principles of the founding fathers, i.e. the spirit of the Declaration of Independence, and the supremacy of the Constitution in justifying his positions. Lincoln?s proposed limits on the expansion of slavery into territories is a moderate position; based on his resistance to abolition ? both for practical reasons and because of the views of the founders, and his view that slavery is a wrong ? based on the principle of equality and natural right espoused in the Declaration. Lincoln?s approach to the slavery issue, and the preservation of the Union, demonstrate his belief in moderate, gradual, and legal approaches to the problems, as well as his utmost commitment to the ideals of the framers of the Constitution. Spirit of Founders ? Liberty and Equality Lincoln believes that the US is a truly great experiment that will demonstrate that a people can govern themselves. To demonstrate the success of such principles, the Union must be preserved. (Address to Young Men?s Lyceum, 1838). Slavery undermines the example of the notion of self-government, denying the republicanism of US institutions to a substantial proportion of the population. Both enemies of free institutions and true advocates of freedom will point to the US example as hypocritical (Speech on Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854). No founding father denied that the Negro was to be included in the Declaration of Independence. ?Inferior races? are equal in regard to natural rights (Fifth Lincoln Douglas Debate, 1858). Lincoln believes strongly that the privileges of government, and the notion of self-government should be extended to all who pay taxes or serve ? i.e. all white men and women (Letter to the Sangamo Journal, 1836). Lincoln mocks the view of Stephen Douglas and other Democrats on their notion of self-government. Lincoln claims self-government is the right of the people to govern themselves while characterizing Douglas? view of self-government as the right of a man to enslave another without interference. Thus, popular sovereignty becomes ?the right of people to govern niggers? (?House Divided? Speech, 1857; Speech at Edwardsville, IL, 1858). Liberty refers to the right of each man to do with his body and the products of his labor what he will (Lockean and Jeffersonian principles), not the right ?for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men?s labor? (Address at Sanitary Fair, 1864). Lincoln reaffirms the notion of the natural rights over life, liberty, and property, and attacks the premise that men should naturally rule over other men ? equating this feudal, classical notion with Douglas and the Democrats. Slavery, for Lincoln, is an absolute wrong, not such more in the moral terms of abolitionists, but in the principles of the founders. Slavery violates the principle of civil liberty of the Declaration. Lincoln maintains that there is no moral right for one man to enslave another (Speech on Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854). The founders, and the spirit of the Declaration, abhorred slavery as an institution, but accepted in as a necessity. Lincoln attacks the view that slavery is right in principle. He contrasts, in opposition to Fitzhugh, northern laborers and slaves: northern laborers may work for wage one year, may work for themselves another, and may hire others to work for him in another. Northern laborers are free to choose their occupation, to acquire wealth, and to improve their condition. Slaves are denied this liberty. (Speech at Kalamazoo Michigan, 1856). While Lincoln denied that Negroes were equal in intellect and moral attributes to whites, he rigorously defends their equality of rights. Lincoln defends the natural right of blacks, and specifically, their right to ?life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? as written in the Declaration (Speech on the Dred Scott Decision, 1857). ?There is no reason in the world why the Negro is not entitled to all the natural rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (First Lincoln Douglas Debate, 1858). Lincoln holds that slavery is not ?better than freedom? and that government was created to secure the blessing of freedom ? for all men (Speech at Edwardsville, IL, 1858). The Declaration and Constitution, while securing property rights, suppose ?superior devotion to personal rights.? Individual liberty trumps property rights ? the right of a man to be free is greater than the right of a man to hold another man as property (Letter to Henry Pierce and Others, 1859). For Lincoln, the founders held the principles of liberty and equality dear, and applied them to all men. Slavery undermines these principles, and was only tolerated for the necessity of the institution in Southern states; the founders intended for the containment, and eventual, gradual extermination of slavery. These principles of the American founding provide the ultimate example for the world of a nation built on liberty and self-government. Should the American experiment fail, the cause of freedom would suffer a great setback. Thus, from his exemplifying the ideal of the founders, Lincoln derives his approach to the slavery issue and the view of the importance of the preservation of the Union. Moderation of approach Lincoln?s approach to issues, while building on the ideological background of the founders, is strictly pragmatic. Lincoln still maintains that slavery is a necessary evil, and believes that only moderate approaches, not radical change will be effective. Slavery can only be abolished gradually, and can only be limited from expansion at present. Moderation is necessary to preserve the Union. Lincoln responds to radicals from both the South, but particularly the North (see for instance Thoreau and Emerson), that government serves the purpose both of redressing wrongs, and providing public goods. That is government serves needs that individual persons cannot provide for themselves, but not more than that; ?that if all men were just, there would still be some, though not so much, need of government? (Fragment on Government, 1854?). The rule of law is a consistent theme in Lincoln?s writings. When the law is ignored, and people lose attachment to government, civil society breaks down. Lincoln denounces mob rule and articulates the view that the ?sober judgment of courts? should govern. Bad laws do exist, and should be repealed, but until they are, they must be respected. Rule of mobs is detrimental to society and will tear apart any government (Address to Young Men?s Lyceum, 1838). His approach to slavery is constrained by law ? using ?every constitutional method? to prevent the spread of slavery. (Speech at Edwardsville, IL, 1858). Lincoln?s view on the Dred Scott decision demonstrates this view ? he claims not to resist the decision, but that the decision has not become ?settled? as precedent yet (Speech on the Dred Scott Decision, 1857). Lincoln does not hold the Dred Scott decision to be binding, or ?the word of the Lord?, but that it may yet be reversed.? His approach to the Dred Scott case is to acknowledg e it as law, but to attempt through legal means, to reverse it and reduce its applicability to other cases (First Lincoln Douglas Debate, 1858). Approach to Slavery Lincoln?s positions on the current laws and the Dred Scott ruling demonstrate his commitment to the spirit of the Founding and his moderate, pragmatic approach. Lincoln advocates neither the immediate abolition of slavery (prior to the war), nor resistance to the interpretation of the court ? but only to attempt to change the law through political solutions. Lincoln?s approach to slavery concurs with the abolitionists on some points, but with the Southern interests on others. Lincoln supports the Fugitive Slave Law and opposed abolition of slavery in Southern states (prior to the Civil War), but opposes the extension of slavery in US territories. In this approach, he acknowledges the necessity of preserving slavery: slavery has been introduced in the South, and the Southern states are dependent upon it, slavery is a necessary evil. Likewise, Lincoln points to the founders in his position: the founders acknowledged the necessity of slavery, but wished for its gradual extinction. The founders, like Lincoln, could not immediately eliminate the practice of slavery where it existed (the South) but attempted to limit it to where it currently was, banning the African Slave trade and opposing the extension to new territories. Thus, slavery was tolerated, but only in that it was necessary, and ultimately, wrong (Speech on Kansas-Nebraska Act, 185 4). Slavery is viewed by Southerners in terms of dollars and cents, the institution is justified only as what it means for their economy (Speech at Kalamazoo Michigan, 1856). Lincoln believes he cannot, under the constitution, nor should not for pragmatic reasons, interfere with slavery in Southern states (First Lincoln Douglas Debate, 1858). Lincoln?s singular tool for opposition of the extension of slavery is for Congress to prohibit slavery in all the US Territories . Thus, the territories, when applying for statehood, may choose whether to permit slavery, without being corrupted and dependent upon slavery. Likewise, in the District of Columbia, slavery should only be abolished gradually, with the majority of the residents consenting, and with compensation for owners (Second Lincoln Douglas Debate, 1858). Though the federal government has the prerogative to prevent the extension of slavery into federal territories, the institution of slavery within the states of the south remains a state issue (Address at Cooper Institute, 1860). Similarly, Lincoln does not support Negro citizenship ? i.e. allowing blacks to vote, serve on juries, etc, but merely the n atural rights (as opposed to civil rights) that the Declaration declares for all men (Fourth Lincoln Douglas Debate, 1858). Lincoln believes that abolition of slavery will occur slowly, and only at the prerogative of states. During the Civil War, Lincoln advocates for the plans to abolition slavery in the border states, but only gradually, with compensation for slave holders, and at the direction of the states (Message to Congress, 1862; Appeal for Compensated Emancipation, 1862; Annual Message to Congress, 1862). Lincoln believes the founders view has been abandoned; the founders held a principle of ?the equality of all men?, and began ?practical progress toward the equality of all men.? The view of all men as equal had been replace by the view that ?all states are equal?. (Speech at a Republican Banquet in Chicago, 1856). The alteration of laws since the founding, and particularly the Dred Scott decision, have continued to restrict the rights of blacks. Freed slaves have lost the right to vote they once had in several states, and constraints on emancipation of slave owners have made continual bondage almost unalterable. ?Our Declaration of Independence ? is assailed, and sneered at, and construed, and hawked at, and torn, till, if its framers could rise from their graves, they could not recognize it at all? (Speech on the Dred Scott Decision, 1857). Lincoln?s fear is that a ?second Dred Scott decision? will declare that slavery cannot be banned by any state. This fear is based on the nature of the Dred Scott ruling: that the right of property in a slave is affirmed in the Constitution, and that no laws may destroy the right of property in a slave. If these two premises are true, then states cannot ban slavery within their limits without violating the Constitution. However, Lincoln holds that these premises are false: that the Constitution does not affirm the right of property in a slave; as demonstrated above, Lincoln holds that the framers permitted slavery only as a necessity where it was already long-established. Lincoln?s approach to this disagreement with the court was political ? the ?second Dred Scott? decision will never occur if the Republican Party is elected, but will certainly occur if the Democrats retain power. Thus via election, the Republicans can affect the makeup of the court and maintain the vision of the foun ders (Fifth Lincoln Douglas Debate, 1858). Thus, in his approach to the Slavery issue, Lincoln reaffirms his commitment to the intent of the founders, as well as the moderation of his approach, consistent within legal bounds and pragmatic concerns. Preservation of the Union While Lincoln maintains that he has no desire to interfere with slavery in Southern states, he does mandate the use of force to preserve the Union. The Union of the United States is ?perpetual?. No government ever has in its law a means for its extermination. The Constitution serves to make a ?more perfect union?; secession of states is inconsistent with the Constitution. The minority has no right to secede from the government, or else the government serves no real purpose, and can never be maintained ? it devolves to anarchy. Lincoln maintains that the laws of the Union must be executed throughout the States, thus justifying the use of force to execute the laws (First Inaugural Address, 1861). States have status only ?in the Union?, not as separate institutions. There exists no principal by which the states may secede from the Union. States remain part of the United States, and thus it the duty of the federal government to uphold the law and ?republican form of government? within the states? (Special Message to Congress, 1861). Lincoln articulates the need for war based upon these principles of preserving the union. The importance of a perpetual, democratic nation is the crux of his justification of military action. The Civil War is to ensure ?that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth? (Gettysburg Address, 1863). ?The nation is worth fighting for, to preserve such an inestimable jewel? (Speech to 166th Ohio Regiment, 1864). Thus Lincoln reverts to the importance of the principles of liberty, equality, and self-government of the founding, and the importance of the continuation of the democratic experiment. Lincoln?s wartime approach to slavery continues his tendency toward the founding principles and toward moderation. He proposes first that slavery, as a necessary evil, be abolished only gradually (at one point stating over 37 years), with compensation, and at the direction of states (Message to Congress, 1862; Appeal for Compensated Emancipation, 1862; Annual Message to Congress, 1862). His Emancipation Proclamation abolishes slavery only in areas that are in rebellion against the Union ? thus serving military goals of winning the war more than a goal of immediate abolition. Lincoln later support a Constitutional Amendment prohibiting slavery as, in his view, the only way to ensure the continual preservation of the United States is to eliminate the cause for civil war. Thus, sudden elimination of slavery serves the pragmatic concern of preservation of the Union (Reply to Committee of National Union Convention, 1864; Proclamation Concerning Reconstruction; 1864). Like he pre-presidency stance on slavery, Lincoln?s desire to preserve the Union and his actions during the Civil War demonstrate his commitment to the founders? principles of liberty, equality, and republican government as well as his pragmatism. The Union is worth fighting for, as the principles of the founders must endure in a ?perfect.? Lincoln?s actions toward slavery reflect his belief in the validity of the Constitution and his pragmatism. Initially indicating the desire for gradual abolition of slavery in border states, and at state prerogative demonstrate his belief in the limits of the Constitution and the consistency of moderation in his proposal; mirroring the pragmatic approach of the Emancipation Proclamation. His eventual belief that slavery must be exterminated nationally only evolves from his commitment to the preservation of the union, and the pragmatic belief that the Union can only ensure its perpetuality if slavery, and the conflict surrounding it, is ended for a ll time.

The Surreal World of William Gibsons Neuromancer :: Neuromancer Essays

The Surreal World of Neuromancer Neuromancer, written by William Gibson, opens with the reference to a blank television screen. This symbol of an altered, incomplete world is made reference to throughout the novel. This altered world leads to a dystopia with technologically altered human beings sleeping in coffins, and dependent on drugs. Because of this harsh life, the people are left in a harsh world where they must learn to form friendships with others who can get them the supplies that they need. Though many things evolve throughout the novel to better the lives of the characters, the novel ends with the same reference to the blank television screen. It returns to the surreal, unidentifiable existence of what life is for these people. Many of the people in this futuristic world have a type of AI, or Artificial Intelligence. The first introduction to this is the bartender. It is written that the "antique arm whined as he reached for another mug"(4). Though he has an artificial arm that is only about five years old, it is described as being an antique using the word whine to give it the characteristics of being old. This shows has fast technology improves and changes in their society. Molly is another prevalent character in the novel who has advanced eyes allowing her to see thing magnified and with great clarity. One character in particular, Wintermute, has an advanced mind. Though a computer, he can, by what seems to be telepathy, make people think and do things. These advances in their physical and mental characteristic causes the characters to question who they are. This affects their mental state. The term coffin is used to describe the living quarters of the characters. As shown through Cases travels, there seems to be two different types of coffins; one being like a small cheap hotel and the other made up of a wall of small units to sleep in appearing to look like a morgue. The first could show how Case lives a confined life, closed in the tight confinement of the dystopia. In the second, the reference to death mirrors the enslaved lives of the people. They live a captive life restricted by a higher power who runs their world; which is Gibson's view of the futuristic Earth. This restriction of their lives adds to the dystopia. Drugs play an important role in the lives of Molly and Case adding another dimension to their complex life styles.

Meanin of Life

Eric Boggs 10/29/2012 Martin Philosophy The meaning of life has been debated among many people throughout history. Different theories have been used to try and explain what our purpose is in this life. I’ve always heard from my parents that life is too short for regrets, and that there will be good and bad days. However what is it that people strive for in life? In reality there is no right answer to this simple question. Some people strive for living life in the moment which philosopher Baggini can agree with.Others see religion as an important way to lead their life’s as Pojman could agree with. Some like Camus believe its â€Å"humanly impossible† to find the meaning of life. Ultimately people must find it in themselves as to their purpose in this life. Julian Baggini speaks of our purpose in this life that is more appealing than Camus or Pojman. Baggini has a teleological view on life meaning our purpose is looking forward to future goals and objectives. Howe ver Baggini doesn’t mean that our purpose is to succeed presently avoiding personal happiness to achieve a better future.An example he mentions is when people say â€Å" I can die happy now† because a lifetime fulfillment has been achieved. What is the purpose of life after achieving a lifelong goal, and in reality Baggini essentially says â€Å"Why not†. There is nothing to live for and the feeling of emptiness settles in as nothing will satisfy that lifelong achievement. Baginni says â€Å" the person who sacrifices too much enjoyment of life to serve the purpose of future wealth and security is thus making the mistake of overestimating the extent to which is future life will be better than the one he could have now†.Most people strive for a rich and fashionable lifestyle, but at what cost is someone willing to make for it. Baggini says what about this rich lifestyle is different than a person who doesn’t have these luxuries. Just because someone has a lot of material happiness doesn’t mean that person is happier. In my view I believe Baggini has the closet view on the meaning of life because living life for a nice future while taking advantages of life’s luxuries presently is a meaningful way to live.Personally I’m not a deeply religious person, but I do know people who value religion and incorporate their views in their daily actions. Pojman argues that religion specifically theistic religion gives meaning to life. Pojman begins by defining what it means to be free and autonomous; he refers being autonomous as being â€Å"self-governed† or freedom to make your own choices. Pojman points out autonomy is good if it serves a purpose. Whether it is doing good or bad it still serves a purpose towards life. Pojman pointed out to key points an atheist women had mentioned to him in the past.One being it is more important to be free than autonomous, and the second point being â€Å"Religion provides a grand meaning or purpose to live, but it does not allow humans to be free or autonomous† according to the atheist women. Pojman argues freedom can’t be understood apart from the notion of purposiveness. Pojman states in order to be â€Å"free† one has to† Act A, when you want to, in order to reach some goal G†. However Pojman looked into the bigger picture as to what this atheist woman was stating. Pojman essentially contradicts her statement with reasoning.Pojman says freedom and autonomy are often distant from each other, but in theism it is bound together. Pojman way of defining the purpose of life wasn’t as appealing to me as Baggini. Religion does play a role in aspects of people’s lives just not enough in my opinion for it to matter. Camus had different views from Pojman and Baggini because he believed life was absurd and meaningless. Suicide was a prominent idea that Camus commonly spoke of. Camus states that suicide was implying you were confessing that â€Å"its not worth the trouble†.He used an example of a man who killed himself five years after his daughter had passed away. The man simply was to emotionally instable to return to his normal behaviors. Camus had also mentioned absurdity which he defined a split in a man and his overall life. Camus explained that daily routine like working several hours a week and doing the same thing everyday will eventually come to a halt. The question is why? Why do eventually want things to change after having a stable routine life.Camus says this is weariness which possibly leads to the idea of suicide. If something abruptly changes such as death there are two options he implies. One being able to recover what is lost, or the other is suicide. He uses the example of Sisyphus which is a god that was condemned to the underworld. Sisyphus pushes a huge stone to the top of this mountain only to roll back to the bottom to do the process from start. Camus implies tha t this is a usual aspect in people’s lives where being stable and having a routine is sustaining until it collapses.I feel Camus implies what is the point of living such a life if it’s inevitable that tragedy will likely occur. I’ve had friends commit suicide and I’ve have often wondered if there was anything I could have done about. In reality I looked at it from Camus point of view as it provided them a way out and essentially tell me life is not worth living. There in so plan that says how one should live, but merely a reason to find a way to live. Baggini viewed life mostly in the moment as long as happiness and future endeavors were balanced.Pojman had the idea that religion played an important role in one’s life while Camus thought in the end suicide seemed to be the right choice if life became too difficult. Baggini in my opinion had the closet way in interpreting the purpose of life. Baggini explains that happiness in the present with balan ced goals in the future should be a way someone should live. I certainly don’t want to wait ten years to live a rich lifestyle while family and friends slip away. Life is what one makes it, but the key is finding out what purpose do people find it.