Managerial Economics and Globalization Example

Essays on Managerial Economics and Globalization Research Paper 1. Introduction After struggling with a near depression conditions in 2009, the US market is showing slow but continuous growth, and it is expected to continue its rebound, aided by growth in global markets of Asia as well as numerous new economic and monetary policies. The Real Gross Domestic Product, commonly referred to as the GCP, represents the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, or BEA (Gans 2010). Quarterly, the BEA along with numerous other government and private entities, such as the Bureau for Labor Statistics and the Federal Reserve, release detailed information on the state of the economy that can be interpreted to yield important findings about the macroeconomic state of the US economy, and further yield economic information of particular use to certain states, business sectors, and other organizations concerned with development and analysis of economic trends. 1.1 The current economic conditions Persistent financial difficulties in the second half of 2009 proved challenging for a number of businesses, and the recovery in 2010 is slow and uncertain. Stimulation of the Asian marketplace in the second half of 2009 largely paved the way for renewed growth, and many economists are optimistic about the second half of 2010 as one that will continue that trend of recovery. Though domestic growth may remain limited over what was seen in the late 1990s and early 2000s, new expansionary budgetary and monetary policies in US and Asian markets are expected to increased global growth (Euler, 2010). These measures are expected to stabilize growth rates in the US market. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) published its first estimate of the real GCP for the first quarter on April 30th 2010 and the publication for the second quarter was made on July 30th 2010 (2010). Real GDP increased at a rate of 2.4 percent in the second quarter of 2010, down from the 3.7 percent in the first quarter (BEA, 2010). The GDP in the US increased 0.8000 of 1 percent above the level that existed in the last quarter of 2009. Particularly considering the recession conditions of the previous year, the growth rate of the first quarter was quite impressive and could lead to fulfillment of the BEA’s published 3.2 percent growth, which seemed somewhat optimistic to many economists, rate if sustained over the four quarters of 2010 (Watkins, 2010). Figure 1 shows the quarter-to-quarter growth of the real GDP from 2006-2010, indicating by positive bars the return to economic growth. Growth slowed in the second quarter of 2010, largely because of the upturn in the resident ial market, increased federal spending, upturn in state and local government spending, and a pickup in business investments (BEA, 2010). If growth patterns continue to conform to BEA published estimates, hypothetical increases in real GDP in the third and fourth quarter of 2010, if fulfilled, would be excellent news for the US economy. Monthly data on changes in the price paid by urban consumers in the US for a representative sampling of goods and services is represented by the Consumer Price Indexes (CPI), and employer, import/export, contract, international, and producer price data is also available (BLS, 2010). The CPI increased 0.3 percent in July 2010 after falling 0.1 percent the previous month. All items except food and energy showed a 0.1 increase in July and a 0.2 percent increase in June, though annual rates of inflation remain much lower than 2009, as shown in Figure 2. The BLS also conducts statistics on unemployment, showing that the total nonfarm payroll employment declines by 131,000 workers as of July, maintaining the annual unemployment rate at a somewhat high 9.5 percent (BLS, 2010). Interest rates have remained low, at 0.25 percent, throughout 2010, a dramatic drop from the escalating interest rates of the previous year, as seen in Figure 3 (â€Å"United States Interest Rate†, 2010). The C onsumer Sentiment Index shows improvement after the second quarter of 2010. The Consumer Confidence Index also is gradually improving, as seen in Figure 4, after a sharp drop in the first months of 2010 (â€Å"Consumer Confidence Index,† 2010). 1.2 Two Monopolistically Competitive Firms Monopolistically competitive markets have many producers and consumers. With no single business having total control over the market price. In these markets consumers perceive differences in products other than prices, such as brand, there are few barriers to new firms entering, and producers have some control over price. Some companies, such as the following, can behave like short-term monopolies (Gans et al., 2003). 1. Nike – Producer of sportswear and shoes in a large market with many firms which consumers can purchase from. The company fixes price points higher than many of its competitors and retains sales by establishing a brand name. 2. Stanley Black and Decker – Producer of hand tools and mechanical/electric solutions. The company fixes prices in the moderate range and supports this with advertising and a known brand name that appeals to consumers. In 2010, both of these firms exercised high product differentiation, low market power, and high short-range profits (often on new product lines) while serving as the price setters for their respective goods in a market with a high number of firms , indicative of a monopolistically competitive firm. 2. Analysis: a. stock performance In 2010, Nike stocks were up to record high levels following a dramatic drop and gradual ascent over 2009, as seen in Figure 5 (â€Å"Nike, Inc.,† 2010). Stanley Black and Decker, Inc retained higher profit levels through 2009 than Nike, comparatively, and has shown a gradual recovery throughout 2009 and 2010, as seen in Figure 6 (â€Å"Stanley†¦,† 2010) b. current and future sales revenue Fourth quarter revenues for Nike, Inc. were up 8 percent versus prior year to $5.1 billion (â€Å"Annual Reports,† 2010). With restructuring of Nike operations taking effect in 2010, revenues are expected to increase over the next quarters. Stanley Black and Decker, Inc. showed a 157% sales revenue increase after its July merger with RCR-Evans, and is expected to maintain these high levels through the next quarters. The 2009 sales revenue for the company was $3.7 billion dollars, down from the previous two years (â€Å"Investor Relations Overview,† 2010). c. current and future profits Nike, Inc.’s worldwide futures orders were up 7 percent. Before taxes, Nike, Inc. showed profits of $434.6 in North America alone, and $795.3 globally. Stanley Black and Decker, Inc. showed gross margin rates of 37.7%, with $184.8 million profit from the second quarter alone (â€Å"Investor Relations Overview,† 2010). d. labor costs Nike has paid $1,254.5 million in labor costs, slightly higher than historical averages (â€Å"Annual Reports,† 2010). Stanley Black and Decker, Inc. does not have an accessible cumulative figure for labor costs (â€Å"Investor Relations Overview,† 2010). e. hiring decisions In March 2009, Nike announced plans to consolidate parts of its global sourcing base in China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Overseas hiring for these plants has continued throughout the process. Stanley Black and Decker continues to open more domestic jobs (â€Å"Investor Relations Overview,† 2010). 3. Summary and Conclusions drawn from the Analysis The global economy, in particular the US economy, dropped dramatically during the 2009 to near-depression states. Most monopolistically competitive businesses showed a drop in profits and revenue over prior years, likely due to poor consumer spending during these periods, causing reductions or holds on hiring. The year 2010 has been characterized by a gradual but stable recovery, with businesses gearing up to hire both domestically and internationally in response to the improving macroeconomic conditions in the United States and increased consumer confidence and spending. References Annual Reports: Nikes Performance. (2010). Nike. Retrieved from http://invest.nike.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=100529p=irol-reportsannual (23 August 2010). BEA: Bureau of Economic Analysis. (August 2010). Retrieved from http://www.bea.gov/ (23 August 2010). BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics. (August 2010). Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ (23 August 2010). Consumer Confidence Index. (August 2010). Chart Database at Market Harmonix. Retrieved from http://www.market-harmonics.com/free-charts/sentiment/consumer_confidence.htm (23 August 2010). Gans, J., King, S., Stonecash, R and Mankiw G. (2003). Principles of Economics. Andover, UK: Thomson Learning. Hermes, Euler. (March 2010) Economic Outlook as of March 2010. EH Hermes ACI Business Reports. Retrieved from http://www.eulerhermes.us/en/economic-research/economic-research.html (23 August 2010). Investor Relations Overview. (2010). Stanley Black and Decker. Retrieved from http://ir.stanleyblackanddecker.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=114416p=irol-irhome (23 August 2010). Nike, Inc. (Public, NYSE:NKE). (2010). Google Finance Reports. Retrieved http://www.google.com/finance?client=obq=NYSE:NKE (23 August 2010). Stanley Black and Decker, Inc. (Public, NYSE:NKE). (2010). Google Finance Reports. Retrieved http://www.google.com/finance?q=NYSE:SWK (23 August 2010). United States Interest Rate. (August 2010). Trading Economics. Retrieved from http://www.tradingeconomics.com/Economics/Interest-Rate.aspx?Symbol=USD (23 August 2010). Watkins, T. (May 2010). A Statistical Review of Current Economic Conditions in the U.S. San Josà © State University Department of Economics Webpage. Retrieved from http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/USecon08.htm (23 August 2010). Appendix Figure 1 : Quarter to Quarter Growth in Real GDP (BEA 2010) * http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/gdp/gdphighlights.pdf Figure 2 : Month by Month Seasonally Adjusted Percent Change in CPI (BLS 2010) * http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf Figure 3 : US Interest Rate Calendar (â€Å"United States Interest Rate†, 2010) Figure 4 : Consumer Confidence Index (â€Å"Consumer Confidence Index †, 2010) Figure 5 : Nike, Inc. Stock Report (â€Å"Nike, Inc† 2010) Figure 6 : Stanley Black and Decker, Inc. Stock Report (â€Å"Stanley†¦Ã¢â‚¬  2010)

Active Passive Voice Skill and Drill Quiz Free Essays

Univ. of Phoenix: Center for Writing Excellence, Active and Passive Voice Skill-and-Drill Quiz Note: Every time you take the quiz the questions are in a different order and some questions will be different. 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Active Passive Voice Skill and Drill Quiz or any similar topic only for you Order Now Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? †¢The hotel was left by the blackout with 250 pounds of spoiled food. ?The blackout left the hotel with 250 pounds of spoiled food. 1. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? †¢The director’s left had was left with about 75% mobility after he suffered injuries in a car accident. A gap was left in the auditing team by the capable director when he left. 2. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: Enron might still exist had auditors been granted full access to company records by the executives. ?Auditors might have saved Enron had authorities granted them full access to company records. †¢Auditors might have been able to save Enron had they been granted full access to company records. †¢Enron might still exist had the executives granted the auditors full access to company records. 3. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? The ing redients will have to be added to the boiling water. ?You will have to add the ingredients to the boiling water. 4. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: The books will be taken from the library by the movers on January 16. ?The movers will take the books from the library on January 16. †¢The movers are taking the books from the library on January 16. †¢The movers took the books from the library on January 16. 5. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: Intellectuals were relocated by Pol Pot to the Indonesian countryside. Pol Pot has relocated intellectuals to the Indonesian countryside †¢Pol Pot wanted to relocate intellectuals to the Indonesian countryside. ?Pol Pot relocated intellectuals to the Indonesian countryside. 6. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: The brochures and the radio spots were written by the tireless marketing team. †¢The brochures and radio spots had been written by the tireless marketing team. ?The tireless marketing team wrote the brochures and radio spots. †¢The brochures and radio spots were written by the tireless marketing team. 7. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? ?PepsiCo’s production of diet soda was exceeded by Coca-Cola in 2006. †¢The coast of Maine wa buffeted by strong winds early this morning. 8. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: The layout of the new rooms at headquarters was considered â€Å"old-fashioned† by the designers, and new flooring and wall coverings were recommended. †¢The layout of the new rooms at headquarters was considered â€Å"old-fashioned† by the designers, and they recommended new flooring and wall coverings. The designer considered the layout of the new rooms at headquarters to be â€Å"old-fashioned,† and new flooring and wall coverings were recommended. ?The designers considered the layout of the new rooms at headquarters to be â€Å"old-fashioned† and recommended new flooring and wall coverings. 9. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: The note book computers were produced by Toshiba Corporation. ?Toshiba Corporation produced the notebook computers. †¢Toshiba Corporation had produced the notebook computers. †¢Toshiba Corporation will produce the notebook computers. 10. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? †¢The jury was instructed not to discuss the case with anyone. ?The judge instructed the jury not to discuss the case with anyone. 11. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? †¢The rare book was found several miles from the library on a park bench. ?The dissertation was worked on 14 hours a day for seven days by the talented and soon-to-be Doctor Jana Hartwood. 12. Change this verb form active voice to passive voice: â€Å"†¦were watching their stock. † ? †¦ stock was being watched †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ stock had been watched †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ stock had been watching 3. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ?The eccentric millionaire will purchase the artwork for about $100,000. †¢The artwork will be purchased by the eccentric millionaire for about $100,000. 14. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: The show was stolen by Sue Preston, when an imitation of CEO Richard Blake was performed by her. ?Sue Preston stole the show when she imitated CEO Richard Blake †¢Sue Preston stole the show when an imitation of CEO Richard Blake was performed by her. †¢The show was stolen by Sue Preston, when she performed an imitation of CEO Richard Blake. 15. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: After the colors were presented by the color guard, the commencement address was given by Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust. †¢After the colors were presented by the color guard, Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust, gave the commencement address. ?After the color guard presented the colors, Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust, gave the commencement address. †¢After the color guard presented the colors, the commencement address was given by the Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust. 6. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? †¢The experiment was first conducted at Yale University in the 1970s. ?The gold medal was won by gymnast Peter Vidmar in Los Angeles. 17. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ?The government cannot foresee the potential damage of a severe hurric ane season. †¢The potential damage of a severe hurricane season cannot be foreseen by the government. 18. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ?Workers burn the sugar cane before hauling it to the refinery. †¢The sugar cane is burned before it is hauled to the refinery. 19. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: A thickening was found by the doctor in the patient’s right bicep, and the patient was told by the doctor that it would need to be removed by the surgeon. †¢The doctor found a thickening in the patient’s right bicep, and the patient was told by the doctor that it would need to be removed by the surgeon. †¢A thickening was found by the doctor in the patient’s right bicep, and the doctor told the patient the surgeon would need to remove it. ?The doctor found a thickening in the patient’s right bicep, and the doctor told the patient the surgeon would need to remove it. 0. Change this verb from active voice to passive voice: â€Å"†¦will perform Chopin’s etudes. † ? Chopin’s etudes will be performed†¦ †¢Chopin’s etudes were performed†¦ †¢Chopin’s etudes may be performed†¦ 21. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passiv e sentence: The organization had originally been established by the Quakers in 1848. †¢The Quakers originally established the organization in 1848 ? The Quakers had originally established the organization in 1848. †¢The Quakers were originally establishing the organization in 1848. 22. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? By whom can Mt. Everest be climbed? ?Who will be able to climb Mt. Everest? 23. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ?The executive team sought ways to help the training department recover. †¢Ways were sought by the executive team to help the training department recover. 24. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? ?Sweaters were knitted by the 75-year-old great grandmother of seven, who sold them to supplement her social security. †¢The relic of inestimable value was found in an antique store in West Virginia. 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Integrating Care And Justice Moral Development Argumentative Essay Example For Students

Integrating Care And Justice: Moral Development Argumentative Essay Matchmaker.com: Sign up now for a free trial. Date Smarter!IntegratingCare and Justice: Moral DevelopmentPart One:The criticisms of Kohlbergs moral developmentstages seem to center around three major points, his research methods,the regression of stage four, and finally his goals. The first criticism that I would like toaddress is that of his research methods. Kohlberg is often criticized fornot only his subject selection, but also the methods by which he triesto extricate data from those subjects. His initial study consisted of schoolboys from a private institution in Chicago. The problem with this is fairlyobvious, that this does not represent a significant portion of the populationto allow for generalized conclusions. In other words, how can we test someboys from Chicago and ascertain that this is how all people develop worldwide?I believe that the answer to this criticismcomes from the theory that it relates to. Kohlbergs moral developmentschema is highly dependent upon the idea that there are fundamental truthsthat cannot be dismissed. These ideas are in the ether, wound into thevery fabric that constructs human nature. Granted, his descriptions ofthe various stages also seem very dependent upon the surroundings and socialinstitutions that an individual w ould be subjected to. Yet these institutionswould be have to be built upon people, all of whom would share these ideologicaltruths. It seems fairly obvious that all people have undeniable needs,survival and some group membership. Kohlbergs stages are merely methodsby which one could fulfill these needs. For instance, Spartan societieswere adamant about maintaining the purity and strength of the civilization. Citizens saw no wrong in exposing a sick or lame baby to the elements sothat it might die. Surely an act of cruelty today, but in that society,a necessary evil The prosperity and wealth of the whole was of greaterimportance than that of the individual. In addition to these justifications, additionalresearch substantiated Kohlbergs claims. Different subjects were tested,from all ages and regions, and the same conclusions were drawn from thedata. Assuming that these conclusions are correct, and the data leads tothe same interpretation, is there any other possibility? This argumentseems most impressive, especially considering the differences between peoplethat are evident in everyday life. Similarities on such an abstract levelmust be supportive of Kohlbergs claims. Another criticism of Kohlberg assumes thathis subjects are biased, but proposes that his methods are even worse. To get the perspective of another person, he confronts them with seeminglyimpossible, unrealistic, and confrontational dilemmas. I, myself, had troublewith the Heinz dilemma because of my inability to believe that it was somethingthat could take place in the real world. Even more so, the situation wassomething that was very foreign, and very hard to relate to. Anyone whohas contemplated something very life changing, like a death in the family,then experienced it, understands how different it is to actually be facedwith the dilemma. When theorizing, it is hard to maintain the intimateconnection needed to truly react to a moral dilemma. My defense of this situation comes froma lack of a suitable alternative. True moral dilemmas are not only rare,but extremely hard to document. When faced with a situation that demandsnot only ones complete attention, but emotional vigor, it is really hardto find time to document or discuss feelings (let alone the motivationto do so!). For example, looking at the Heinz dilemma, it would be veryhard to explain why one was chasinga man around while he tried to finda cure for his dying wife. An even less enticing alternative would be tryingto sit him down and discuss how he was feeling. So, the only proper and effective way toget a response is to propose a hypothetical situation, and document replies. It may not elicit the pure data that one desires, but according to theHeisenberg principle, it is impossible to measure anything without influencingit. Some research methods indicate that it is more important to followones thoughts through the reasoning process, rather than just asking forpossible solutions. However, I have to believe, and justify from personalexperience, that people have incredibly low attention spans. Asking someoneto explain how they think through a decision is almost as likely to yielduseful data as asking them to volunteer their PIN numbers. It seems asthough people are able not only to be influenced, but to influence themselvesinto making different decisions. This can lead to the endless circleconversation. The criticism that I find most interestingis the supposed regression that occurs when going from stage three tofour. Personally, I must agree with the idea that it is, in fact, a prioritychange. I also believe that this comes from my undeniable faith in thegoodness of humanity. I would like to believe that in their heart andsoul, everyone is good natured. So, to see that one must develop stagefour is disappointing. Yet, I will agree that it is necessary. It is a comprehensive step, and an improvement from the stage three pointof view. No matter how enticing and supposedly noble stage three appears,it is lacking components necessary to promote the functionality of theperson who holds it. A loss of innocence is not necessarily a detriment,especially when considering personal experience. Skin tends to thickenas one gets older. Therefore, is it necessarily a regression that someonewould tend to trust others less, and be more interested maintaining socialinstitutions?I believe that this in no way representsa regression, but rather a broadened scope and interpretation of surroundings. At level three, you are totally interested in fulfilling the obligationsthat are expected of you. The world seems a very small place, one personand your surroundings, people, places, and things. If the requirementsthat are expected from day to day, from people who are very close to youcan be fulfilled, that is the absolute goal. As one grows older, you areexposed to more of the institutions and methods that are integral to therelationship and interaction of all people. The rules have changed. Thereare more requirements, more expected of you. Unfortunately, every persondoes not have limitless resources with which to meet all of these goals. So, priorities must change. New social institutions now appear to be thedriving force in happiness and security. So, they now encompass all thepriorities that drove a person at stage three. To fulfill the previousstages goals with this new scope, one must dedicate resources to it. Finally, I would like to discuss Kohlbergspoint of view when considering what I call his goals. Some have criticizedthat Kohlberg is trying to objectify morality to a Natural Law, or justiceperspective. Although he does seem to abstract characteristics to a societallevel, I do not believe that his is an honest attempt to undermine thegathered data integrity. In other words, although it seems he is drawingthe same conclusions over and over, he is not distorting it to do so. Kohlberg is often criticized for a libertarianideological bias in his conclusions of gathered data. In addition, it hasbeen observed that his conclusions are carefully explained, argued anddefended, but they can be twisted and contorted to fit any range of differentopinions. They mandate an agreement to social contract, that being usedas a philosophical base from which moral guidelines are built. But socialsystems differ from region to region, and within regions by people. I believe that the criticisms themselvesdo not harm Kohlbergs views, but rather enforce them. As I have discussedbefore, there are undeniable personal needs that every individual worksto fulfill, regardless of stated motives. Everyone needs to survive, andto be emotionally fulfilled by belonging. The systems by which people administertheir interaction are simply tools by which they meet those needs. However,I have also said that I have a flawless devotion to the goodness of mankind. Thereby, I believe that people are trying to better their situation relativeto one another and the situation of society as a whole. Kohlberg may viewthese moral ideals as too socially interactive, but isnt that what thetrue goal of any of this is? People truly feel good when they have mettheir desires, and one of those is to exist with other people in a cohesivesocial system. As unbelievable as it may sound, Kohlbergs findings donot represent distorted data, but rather the incredible coincidence thatall people, on some level, are inherently similar. It would be unfair to try to enforce theideas that come with Kohlbergian justice without also defending Carol Gilliganstheme of caring. Therefore, I would like to address three criticisms: theparadox of self-care, the idea that care is a regressive movement, andfinally, the seemingly huge jump from stage one to two. I personally find the self-care characteristicof caring to be the most interesting to discuss. During class sessions,everyone seemed most interested with this perspective. It seems as thoughit is the ethical issue that plagues society. Where does the balance liebetween seeking to fulfill ones own interests, and meeting the requirementsplaced upon one by others? I believe that we all recognize a need to initializeand solidify a healthy caring for oneself before it is possible to be outwardlycaring for others. However, the way that this method is proposedmakes it appear as though it might be a cop-out. My perspective comes from the fact thatthere is no really appropriate way to show self-care without seeming self-centered. No matter how little one dedicates to oneself, no matter what the circumstances,someone will see it as too much. Yet, there is no effective way to showcompassion, respect, or contentment with the outside world without firstdeveloping all of these attributes within oneself. When constructing thisself-persona, the goal is not to become conceited, but rather to developa foundation upon which more complex interactions can be constructed. Ofcourse, any well intentioned act can be construed into something that itis not. I truly believe that this is the case when critiquing self-care. I would also like to argue that self-careas a whole is not what it seems to be, nor is it what its name implies. Rather, it is a competence at a certain level personal and societal development. At earlier times in ones life, the easiest way to contribute to surroundingsis to not harm them. For instance, it would not be expected of a toddlerto assist in the preparation of dinner. The best that he could hope todo is not destroy anything! At this level of development adequacy is definedby not harming something, not necessarily working towards its betterment. Do Computers Think? EssayLaws, rules and regulations take over for individualistic judgement, helpingto herd everyone into the proper behavior. With this new system, we obviously losesome of the aspects of stage three that were most attractive. We no longerhave the family dedicated, honor above-all-else person that we did in theprevious stage. He has been replaced with someone who is now, at best,a law abiding citizen. The principles of stage three have been incorporated,though not fully, into the pragmatism of stage four. For instance, a lawlessor unconventional act that would not have been tolerated at stage threewould be ignored at stage four so that the integrity of the social systemwould not be compromised. We lose the hardcore justice orientation, andreplace it with a more flexible society-inclusive system. Increasing the size of anything to encompassmore increases its complexity. Complexity means that this system is notonly hard to maintain, but increasingly slow to acquiesce to the changingneeds of the people. It takes a lot of time to change an entire societysinterpretations. Status-quo stagnation occurs very quickly, and reformseemingly takes forever. So, imagine that we could take stage four,plop in into a blender, add some stage three, and come out with an evenbetter system. What would we do? This is the next question to be addressed. Looking at stage threes and stage fours adequacies and areas of lacking,we need to incorporate pieces of both into an entirely new system. The real goal is to somehow take stagethrees interpersonal nobility and faith, and give them to a stage fourperson. At the same time, we do not want to undermine the societal interactivenessof stage four! I believe that what we end up with is the theoretical modelof a democracy. For instance, we take stage fours society agreed uponcontract (assuming that it is somewhat noble, as opposed to something fromthe Third Reich). We now assume that an act has been committed that bordersbetween criminality and unconventionalism. How could we approach this?Stage three says: If it isnt a threat to my immediate person, or thosewho surround me, then dont worry about it. Stage four would reply: Whatof its effect on the social system, is it against the law? What we reallyneed to do is combine the two perspectives. If this act is first viewedto warrant public action (an arrest, trial, or hearing), then that shouldbe the course of action. It is what takes place next that is very important. During the proceedings, each and every person must come to terms with itin their own way. They must decide if it is destructive, constructive,or indifferent. As a group, they must decide on the best course of action. This way we have incorporated the individualistic judgement and nobilityof each person and fused it with societal administration. In addition,we have allowed each person to place part of their own golden rule interpretationinto the system. By carefully combining the features oftwo very different stages, we have come up with a system that is bettersuited to meeting the needs of a population. Unfortunately, it was inventedhundreds of years ago, and implemented in the United States Constitution. Granted, it does not work perfectly, but it seems a suitable compromisewhen considering the alternatives. It may be a slow process, and one thatcan be abused to fit ones needs, but it is the only one that incorporatesthe individual into the molding of the system. The final part of this paper will be dedicatedto the combination of two very different arenas of thought, the moral developmentpaths of justice and care. Some have argued for and against each, somehave argued for and against both. What we will try to do is to build anentirely new moral system on the strengths of these two. Theoretically,we should come up with a super-competent solution, one that is better thanthe two individually. Rather than try to develop this step by step andpoint by point (which would be intolerable after about the second line),Id like to just give my interpretation of what the final product wouldlook like. One note: the most that can be possibly asked of any personin any system is that they give 100 percent all the time. Therefore, anytheorizing that we do is subject to the fact that people only have theresources to accomplish certain things. To combine the best features of two diametricallydifferent institutions of thought we have to first identify what thosefeatures are. Kohlbergian justice is the pragmatic, society oriented varietythat is admittedly dedicated to preserving social systems. Gilligans caringis predicated on good interaction between people. Although they sound likethey might be trying to achieve the same things, they are going at it intwo separate ways. Kohlberg wants to invent a system by which all peopleknow what is expected of them. Rules are proposed, agreed upon, set down,and enforced. Each and every person knows what is appropriate behavior. Even at stage five, the supposed highest known stage of Kohlbergs development,the society rates very high. There may be different ways to approach runninga society, but there is no question that there must be something runningit. Gilligan seems to agree that people needrules by which they can relate to one another. However, she seems to delvedeeper into the actual motivations of those rules. While obeying the regulationsof society, you must also show some sort of compassion and caring for otherpeople. As a trivial example, Kohlbergs system would say that it was rudeto interrupt someone who is speaking. Gilligan would say that merely notinterrupting is not adequate. Instead, you must show interest in what thatperson is trying to say. You must somehow relate with the speaker on somelevel. In doing so, you not only draw more from his words, but you showthat you can identify with him. Another feature of Gilligans work thatI feel should be integrated into the justice theme is that of self-care. When put down in words it seems somewhat egotistical and self-centered. Kohlberg would be interested in self-care only if it contributed to maintainingsociety. But balancing the needs of the many, and the needs of the fewis the hardest part about effectively administering any group of people. Some individuals will have very menial needs, others will say they requireluxuries. The key is to provide a method by which all people can fulfillthose needs. Self-care will differ significantly between even similar people. So, rather than trying to meet their needs outright, it is better to justprovide a chance by which they can provide for themselves. Thus achievinga balance between self-care and still allotted care for others. (I know,Im drawing the democracy parallelism again, sorry!)Kohlberg provides us with the minimal frameworkby which regulations maintain the necessities of people. If his guidelinesare followed, it can be said that everyone who lives by them will be atleast partially satisfied. Gilligan, on the other hand, shows us that thereis a much deeper level to which we can all aspire. Putting effort intoeveryday interaction, from talking to listening, can greatly enhance everyexperience. In doing so, we are not only improving the quality of our ownlives, but also the lives of those we interact with. Another aspect of caring that I would liketo bring into the justice world is included in level three, the highestlevel of caring. It states that there are absolutely no black or whiteissues. What might be correct for one person, is not necessarily the samefor another. This would fill a huge hole in the Kohlberg moral developmentsystem. Justice is largely criticized because it forces everyone intoa social group. It then slaps some rules down, and expects that they areapplicable to everyone. Gilligan states that this is not true, but rather,everything is a shade of gray. Be careful though! This does not mean thatrules are now not applicable to anyone. Rather, it states that we mustuse our judgement when considering transgressions of the law. There maybe special circumstances that need to be addressed. Finally, Kohlbergs critics have said thatstage five is too arbitrary. It is not easy to tell exactly how much oneowes to the social contract, or what to do with people who do not necessarilyagree with it. Gilligan would argue that there is a way to resolve thisconflict of interests through dialogue, attention, and compromise. WhereKohlbergs system leave opportunity for arbitration, Gilligans says thatthere is no need. Instead of giving people a hard set of rules to liveby, or demanding their surrender to a contract, we could talk to them individuallyand address the situation. At the same time, justice maintains thatthere are undeniable rules that must be obeyed. So, we are combining thebest of both worlds. Using Kohlbergs justice orientation, we are guaranteeingthe sanctity of all those who have already agreed to the social contract. Concurrently, were taking it upon ourselves to listen to a non-supportiveperson, and possibly come to a small compromise to fit their needs. In conclusion, it seems that there is definitelya way to combine the Kohlberg justice theme and the Gilligan caring themeof moral development. Mr. Kohlberg provides a method to police a societythat does not include 100 percent utopian citizens. Ms. Gilligan givesus the ability to relate to each and every person, as a person. She indicatesways that we can identify with their perspectives, understand their needs,and compromise. Although the real world seems infinitely more complex thaneither of these models, they bear a frightening resemblance to real societiesand real people. Maybe someday, a perfect model will be constructed, judgedby a perfect path of moral development. Until then, I hope that I havefound a good combination of these two ideas. One last side note: I think I could spendweeks typing a paper on this subject. There are thousands of facets ofeach system that could fit into the others potential flaws. However, Ithink Ive been long-winded enough as it is. I have tried to make my pointsas succinct and reasonable as possible, but without sacrificing exactlywhat I wanted to say. Thank you for your patience.

Oralism vs. Manualism free essay sample

Pros cons of teaching deaf children to speak vs. signing. Discusses schooling, role of parents, communication effectiveness and level of hearing. The argument over whether a deaf or hard of hearing child should learn to speak, learn to sign, or both is an old one. There are two main groups of people who argue for each side. A large portion of the adult deaf community feels that being deaf is a separate culture from the hearing and speaking world and that all deaf and hearing impaired children should be brought up as persons who do not need to speak orally. There are some parents and educators who also feel this way. The other side contains deaf people who have been taught to speak, some parents, and some educators who feel that being able to communicate readily with the mainstream oral community adds to a childs options and experiences. There are organizations which promote both philosophies. We will write a custom essay sample on Oralism vs. Manualism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Public Policy vs. Social Norms and Corruption

Public Policy vs. Social Norms and Corruption Inefficient Public Policy in Sub-Sahara Africa An efficient public policy in Sub-Saharan Africa stands as an elusive solution to mismanagement of resources amid chronic poverty. In an age when the rise of Africa to the middle-income status looks imminent, authorities must invest efforts to provide solutions in public policy. Corruption that stifles development and the culture of impunity thriving across Sub-Saharan Africa must subside if the gains of imminent rise will suffice. Authorities must make efforts in curbing corruption and supporting reforms in social norms by providing necessary facilitation. In this regard, prominent anticorruption steps suitable for prescription, strengthening institutions, civil service, and economic reforms must appear in the public sector. Strengthening Public Institutions Public institutions suffer the blunt of corruption and impunity from an inefficient public service system. Therefore, weaker regulations must pave the way to vibrant systems that ad d value to the economies in Sub-Saharan Africa.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Public Policy vs. Social Norms and Corruption specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Political processes enshrined in democratic values of integrity and accountability must continue to shape the institutional framework in the region. Instability in political transition across many jurisdictions in the region poses inherent weakness in public institutions due to the vacuum in political goodwill (Okogbule 92). The author proposes effective civilian administration with strong democratic systems such as legislation for laws curbing corruption. Civil Service Reform Corruption thrives in the absence of checks and balances occasioned by a vibrant civil society, making civil services a necessity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Democratic space witnessed in the west supports the civil service activities that facilitate constant checks in the public sector. Case s of corruption subside in an environment with a vibrant civil service, which must guide reforms needed in Sub-Saharan Africa (Fearon 114). Unionism and activism for various reform issues, especially with regard to integrity and accountability will prove influential in introducing reforms. Gains achieved among emerging democracies in Sub-Saharan Africa such as Kenya and Ghana rest in the hands of civilian watch. Therefore, involvement of civilians in transformation of the society will continue to provide desired social changes devoid of corrupt tendencies (Otusanya 176). Economic Reforms Economic processes in Sub-Saharan Africa require transformations to correspond with the rest of the global economy. In view of the needed economic reforms, bottlenecks in economies must not stand in the way of elimination of corruption opportunities. Bureaucracies provide bottlenecks in the smooth running of economic policies, which creates leakages of national resources into pockets of a few indivi duals. Trade tariffs, on the other hand, restrict free trade among Sub-Saharan Africa nations, opening routes for lucrative contraband dealings among corrupt officials. Unified markets and fewer restrictions in the region continue to evade realization of open business opportunities for African nations. Corrupt trade officials taking charge of inefficient systems pose an enormous challenge in the introduction of credible practices to benefit the entire region. In the case of Sierra Leone, one of the strongest challenge facing social change and accountability perhaps, relates to the lack of strong institutions. The lack of strong anti-corruption institutions conspicuously manifests in the lack of support from enforcement environment in different corruption loopholes. As studies conducted by Rodgers (268) indicate, illegal mining and dealing in gold occasioned the gruesome rebel war in Sierra Leone.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get y our first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In view of the inefficiencies witnessed in the illegal diamonds trade, prescription for sufficient remedy comes from the presence of institutional oversight. Political and civil institutions in Sierra Leone could stop the escalation of illegal trade to a full-blown rebel war. The choice of this prescription supports the premise that strong institutional background will stop illegal trade processes at some stage and eliminate corruption. Fearon, D. James. â€Å"International Financial Institutions and Economic Policy Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa.† Journal of Modern African Studies 26. 1(1988): 113-137. Print Okogbule, S. Nlerum. â€Å"An Appraisal of the Legal and Institutional Framework for Combating Corruption in Nigeria.† Journal of Financial Crime 13.1(2006): 92-106. Print Otusanya, J. Olatunde. â€Å"An Investigation of the Financial Criminal Practices of the Elite in Developing Countries: Evidence from Nige ria.† Journal of Financial Crime 19.2(2012): 175-206. Print Rodgers, J. Elizabeth. â€Å"Conflict Diamonds: Certification and Corruption: A Case Study of Sierra Leone.† Journal of Financial Crime 13.3(2006): 267-276. Print

Biography of Horace Greeley

Biography of Horace Greeley The legendary editor Horace Greeley was one of the most influential Americans of the 1800s. He founded and edited the New York Tribune, a  substantial and very popular newspaper of the period. Greeleys opinions, and his daily decisions on what constituted news impacted American life for decades. He was not an ardent abolitionist, yet he was opposed to slavery, and he was involved in the founding of the Republican Party in the 1850s. When Abraham Lincoln came to New York City in early 1860 and essentially began his run for the presidency with his address at Cooper Union, Greeley was in the audience. He became a supporter of Lincoln, and at times, especially in the early years of the Civil War, something of a Lincoln antagonist. Greeley eventually ran as a major candidate for president in 1872, in an ill-fated campaign which left him in very poor health. He died soon after losing the 1872 election. He wrote countless editorials and several books, and is perhaps best known for a famous quote he probably did not originate: â€Å"Go west, young man.† A Printer in His Youth Horace Greeley was born on February 3, 1811, in Amherst, New Hampshire. He received irregular schooling, typical of the time, and became an apprentice at a newspaper in Vermont as a teenager. Mastering the skills of a printer, he worked briefly in Pennsylvania and then moved to New York at the age of 20. He found a job as a newspaper compositor, and within two years he and a friend opened their own print shop. In 1834, with another partner, Greeley founded a magazine, the New Yorker,  a journal devoted to literature, the arts and sciences. The New York Tribune For seven years he edited his magazine, which was generally unprofitable. During this period he also worked for the emerging Whig Party. Greeley wrote leaflets, and at times edited a newspaper, the Daily Whig. Encouraged by some prominent Whig politicians, Greeley founded the New York Tribune in 1841, when he was 30. For the next three decades, Greeley would edit the newspaper, which came to have a profound influence on the national debate. The dominant political issue of the day, of course, was slavery, which Greeley adamantly and vocally opposed. A Prominent Voice in American Life Greeley was personally offended by the sensationalist newspapers of the period and worked to make the New York Tribune a  credible newspaper for the masses. He sought out good writers and is said to be the first newspaper editor to provide bylines for writers. And Greeley’s own editorials and commentaries drew enormous attention. Though Greeley’s political background was with the fairly conservative Whig Party, he advanced opinions which deviated from Whig orthodoxy. He supported womens rights and labor and opposed monopolies. He hired early feminist  Margaret Fuller to write for the Tribune, making her the first female newspaper columnist in New York City. Greeley Shaped Public Opinion in the 1850s In the 1850s Greeley published editorials denouncing slavery, and eventually supported full abolition. Greeley wrote denunciations of the Fugitive Slave Act, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the Dred Scott Decision. A weekly edition of the Tribune  was shipped westward, and it was very popular in rural parts of the country. Its believed that Greeleys hardening opposition to slavery helped shape public opinion in the decade leading up to the Civil War. Greeley became one of the founders of the Republican Party and was present as a delegate at its organizing convention in 1856. Greeleys Role in Lincolns Election At the 1860 Republican Party convention, Greeley was denied a seat in the New York delegation because of feuds with local officials. He somehow arranged to be seated as a delegate from Oregon and sought to block the nomination of New York’s William Seward, a former friend. Greeley supported the candidacy of Edward Bates, who had been a prominent member of the Whig Party. But the tempestuous editor eventually put his influence behind Abraham Lincoln. Greeley Challenged  Lincoln Over Slavery During the Civil War Greeley’s attitudes were controversial. He originally believed the southern states should be allowed to secede, but he eventually came to support the war fully. In August 1862 he published an editorial titled â€Å"The Prayer of Twenty Millions† that called for the emancipation of the slaves. The title of the famed editorial was typical of Greeleys presumptuous nature, as it indicated that the entire population of the northern states shared his beliefs. Lincoln Responded  Publicly to Greeley Lincoln wrote a response, which was printed on the front page of the New York Times on August 25, 1862. It contained an oft-quoted passage: â€Å"If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.† By that time, Lincoln had decided to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. But he would wait until he could claim military victory after the Battle of Antietam in September before proceeding Controversy at the End of the Civil War Horrified by the human cost of the Civil War, Greeley advocated peace negotiations, and in 1864, with Lincoln’s approval, he traveled to Canada to meet with Confederate emissaries. The potential thus existed for peace talks, but nothing came of Greeleys efforts. After the war Greeley offended a number of readers by advocating amnesty for Confederates, even going so far as to pay for a bail bond for Jefferson Davis. Troubled Later Life When Ulysses S. Grant was elected president in 1868 Greeley was a supporter. But he became disillusioned, feeling Grant was too close to New York political boss Roscoe Conkling. Greeley wanted to run against Grant, but the Democratic Party was not interested in having him as a candidate. His ideas helped to form the new Liberal Republican Party, and he was the party’s candidate for president in 1872. The 1872 campaign was particularly dirty, and Greeley was viciously criticized and mocked. He lost the election to Grant, and it took a terrible toll on him. He was committed to a mental institution, where he died on November 29, 1872. Greeley is best remembered today for a quote from an 1851 editorial in the New York Tribune: Go west, young man. It has been said that Greeley thus inspired many thousands to set out for the frontier. The most likely story behind the famous quote is that Greeley had reprinted, in the New York Tribune, an editorial by John B.L. Soule which contained the line, Go west, young man, go west. Greeley never claimed to have coined the original phrase, though he later expanded upon it by writing an editorial with the phrase, Go west young man, and grow up with the country. And over time the original quote was usually attributed to Greeley.

College Life Student Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

College Life Student - Essay Example The theory of oscillatory selection could be one of the first phases of evolution that we may go through . This theory explains the oscillation of a specie between two different environments with the aim to be in the best suited environment at a given point in time . If we consider our groups of friends we hang out in college with, we would realise that they are generally divided into two if not three . One group would represent the studious kind and the other the fun loving kind . There is always a marked difference between the characteristics of both the groups such that they can never merge and we as an individual would opt to be a part of only one group at any given point in time. When an individual wants to be recognised as the "hottest guy" in college or "Mr cool", which is generally the case in the initial years in college we want to be seen as a part of the "fun loving". But when we have assignments to submit and deadlines of work to be met with we shift over to the studious kind for help The theory of convergent evolution explains the acquisition of some traits by a specie,

Commentaries for Same Group Members' Polished Thesis Draft Essay

Commentaries for Same Group Members' Polished Thesis Draft - Essay Example Rather what can be used is how Kripal’s book and comments made in the book on the topic of discussion is related to the paper. Although several quotes have been used in the paper, but it is also important to discuss briefly the inner meaning of these quotes, these are not provided sufficiently in the paper. For instance, Atmajnanananda’s remark on Kripal’s thought has not been properly discussed in the paper. It is unsuitable to use the sentence â€Å"This paper discusses the relationship between the religious organization Soka Gakkai and Komeito, a Japanese political party†¦Ã¢â‚¬  in the beginning of the abstract. Rather the brief idea about the topic and its importance can be provided in the abstract first followed by the sentence. The in-text referencing style is not properly used in the entire paper. Also there is no proper reference or bibliography list of references at the end of the paper. In the reference list short description of books or journal papers or websites are not required. The section â€Å"Soka Gakkai and Komeito: 1970-present† is too long period. This period can be distributed into different time phases in terms of importance of Soka Gakkai and Komeito in the religious structure of the country. It has been written in the paper that â€Å"One national, 13 regional and 47 prefectural Councils on Social Affairs determine the Soka Gakkai’s endorsements†, however the importance of this determination is not clear from following

Story Murderers Walk Essay Example for Free

Story Murderers Walk Essay In the story murderers walk, Gary Kilworth conveys his ideas on law and justice very effectively by using narrative voice, narrative structure, setting, use of language, plot and characterisation. The central premise of this story is that natural justice should and will always prevail. The plot of this story is a game. You are introduced in the exposition to murderers walk, a free city state with no law. Kilworth explains about the elated feelings of criminals that have escaped the law, which leads on to an explanation of the game they play in the inns. Groups of nine murderers play a card game to decide their own death sentences. The loser, the player receiving the ace of spades must commit suicide within 24 hours. We are introduced to our main character that remains nameless throughout. He is a newcomer, who begins to play the game to feel that rush of adrenaline at escaping death again. We reach the climax as he loses. 24 hours of pure hell, thinking about death, before his life is over. Then denouement, just before death another player enters with two jokers and the game is declared void. The resolution being you are dragged kicking and screaming to play another game and relive the torture. The narrative voice of the story is quite unconventional. It is told in second person, and in the present tense, which makes it direct and involves the reader which is very effective as it makes the reader want to continue reading the story. The unconventional way in which the story is told conveys how unconventional the justice system is in Murderers walk. There are no laid out laws but justice is still carried out by nature. Narrative structure in Murderers Walk is in the style of the rules of a game which is ironic because in the story there are no rules, this suggests that Gary Kilworth believes rules are needed in society. If there are no rules then humanity will simply create some showing the power of imagination and that natural justice will prevail eventually. The story usurps the readers expectations. At the beginning of the story, in the first paragraph, the last line says it is not unusual to see a man or woman being dragged, or driven, or forcibly carried. Sometimes they are screaming; sometimes they are stiff with fear. This reader automatically assumes that the character in question is being taken to their death but this is wrong and only as you reach the end of the story do you discover this. The last paragraph says They have stolen your death from you That is when they drag you along the street kicking and screaming, like a man being led to his execution. This clearly conveys Kilworths opinion on law and justice. Natural justice will always prevail, even though the criminals can escape death they go through a worse torture having their deaths stolen from them as they were ready to die. Now they have to play the game again and undergo all the stress and tension again. During the whole of Murderers Walk there is no mention of dates or times. There is a mention of cobbled streets and old houses that overhang the alleys which suggests it may be set in Tudor or Stuart times but then there are still many streets now that have Tudor/Stuart buildings in them so it is quite possible it could be set anytime. It is like the place has been frozen in time. Because its a lawless place it doesnt keep up with everyone elses time, its a law unto itself. This emphasises the eeireness and the feelings of terror and fear. This shows Kilworths view of the law and its failings. It cant control everything, and it never will, nature will always be a law unto itself eventually. Kilworths uses powerful language to great effect. He uses strong words to create powerful images, for example the pallor of your distended face: purple perhaps? Your eyes, huge balls easing out of their sockets? Your tongue hanging long between blue lips? You weep. Your head is full of a thousand active thoughts, each one a nightmare. These words create a powerful atmosphere of fear. Showing how natural justice can be just as bad, worse even than human laws. Gary Kilworth uses numerous words relating to law and justice, like refuge, justice, law, escaped, rules, execution, guilt, fear, sanctuary, victims, and innocent. These words are repeated all through the story hinting at the theme of the story and continuously suggesting Kilworths views on law and justice. It is ironic how Murderers walk is described as a sanctuary. Leave the city-state and the sanctuary of Murderers Walk to take Sanctuary means safe and holy whereas Murderers walk is perhaps the exact opposite, it is a haven for criminals and its quite dangerous considering the games they play. This adds to the dark atmosphere Kilworth is trying to create. The setting he creates is dark and sinister. Its cobbles, slick even on dry days, tread the malefactors who have run to its shadows to escape the rope He tries and succeeds to put across a hostile setting to show that natural justice can be just as effective and worse than normal justice. No attention is given to character details in this story. We arent even given names. This adds mystery to the plot. Only one character is mentioned singly, the main character. All we are told about him is that he is a murderer that has escaped the law, we dont know who he murdered or how. All the other characters in the story are only mentioned collectively. During the story the characters dont interact at all except through the game. Its as though theyve become nothing, they live only for the adrenaline rush of the game and theyre all just waiting to die. Kilworth lets the reader get to know the character through his emotions rather than letting the reader know all the details of the characters life and the reader immediately stereotyping him. Its a very effective way of writing. It emotionally involves the reader rather than them just learning about the characters, he tries to bring the reader into the story. The place is empty of emotions yet at the same time full of them. The limited usage of characterisation makes the place seem hostile and uncaring which simply re-emphasises that natural justice is just as bad as human law and that justice will always prevail. Gary Kilworth conveys his ideas on law and justice effectively from the beginning to the end of the story. He uses many words throughout Murderers Walk relating to law and justice, such as execution, guilt and death. He uses narrative voice in an unconventional way. He directly involves the reader by using second person, drawing them into the dark, dank, terrifying underworld of criminals. He structures the story like the rules of game, like societies rules, except theyve created their own. He creates a hostile setting which is very effective in proving his point that natural justice can be worse than government law. He effectively puts across that natural justice will prevail. He blends a mix of menacing pictures and dark meanings to show everything resolves itself in the end. Although the justice is very unconventional, the criminals in the story get what they really deserve in many ways. Their torment forces them to try and cheat death until they are released by death. So in Murderers walk, Kilworth shows an innovative and effective way to show that justice finds its own way in the end.

The Internet, Moral Judgment and Respect :: Free Essays Online

The Internet, Moral Judgment and Respect The Internet has changed the way that many people go about their everyday lives. People are trading stocks, paying bills, checking weather reports, buying cars, and even lining up their Friday night dates via the Internet. It has certainly proved to be a convenient tool for many, but for some musicians it has created a void in their pocketbooks that may take some time to fill. Is the sharing of music files on the Internet our God given right, or is it a simple case of theft? As the 1990’s gave us Seinfeld, Grunge Rock, The Clinton Administration and the Macarena, they also introduced many people around the world to the Internet. The Internet allows clusters of computer networks to be linked together worldwide giving people the ability share information virtually anywhere. Among that shared information includes music files known as MP-3’s. The MP-3 ( MPEG Audio Layer 3) can squeeze a music file to a fraction of its original CD file size with only a slight loss of quality. [1] These files can be sent as attachments to e-mails and played back by the recipient just as if they were listening to the original recording. This seemed like a great way of distributing music over the Internet until a 19-year-old college freshman named Shawn Fanning released a computer program he had just written. He called it "Napster" -- his own nickname (apparently Fanning had issues with shampoo, so his hair was kind of . . . well, you know). [2] This site a llowed its users the ability to search for music and download it to their PC from any other user who happened to be logged on to that site. Imagine millions of files, readily available from your own home with the simple click of a mouse! You’ll never have to purchase another new CD again†¦or will you? Musicians and record companies around the world became growingly concerned with the drastic decline of album sales. How could copyrighted music created by an artist be taken and distributed without the permission of its owner? Isn’t this stealing? One would surely think that a department store would press charges if an individual were caught shoplifting CD’s. A musician makes his/her livelihood from the sale of their music the same way a store makes money from merchandise sales.

Importance of Computer Network Service Levels

This paper explains the importance of the different service levels of computer networking such as availability, reliability, response time and throughput. It aims to literate the people managing the network to be aware of these different key areas so that they may always be reminded of their duties and responsibilities in securing the network. Network Computers Networked computers have been a part of every business both big and small. People invest their time, effort and money to make sure that communication and information is always available. Information Technology as a part of any organization is crucial to a business success making it one of the most budgeted departments of the organization. People who takes care of the network should know the importance of service to customers and co-employees regarding availability, reliability, response time and throughput. Availability Technology is made to serve the people in the shortest time possible. The network group should always make sure that the network, workstations and other technological resources that is operational through networks are all stable and in perfect condition. Monitoring should always be a part of the network group’s daily routine to ensure that all devices are working properly to avoid any downtime. Risk management should always be implemented and observed at all time. The group should be knowledgeable enough to sustain the network in all possible circumstances and emergencies like earthquake, sudden power failure and more. The IT group with the help of the management and customers should also have an understanding in the implementation of availabilities of the business network and other resources through proper endorsements and reporting to make sure that communications and transactions will not be hampered. Reliability The information and data gathered from computers and other resources are one of the most important tools for decision making in any business or organization thus making it one of the most sensitive to monitor as well. It is important that customers and employees trust the accuracy of the software or machines that they use. The network group’s job is to make sure that all data and information are well transferred to customers and employees everyday. LAN testing should always be a part of their daily routine to test the reliability of their network. Response Time Fast and accurate information and output is so important in this fast world. That is why the word downtime must not be in an IT group’s dictionary. Network performance must always be in its best. This can be assured through testing the network every now and then. The network group should also be knowledgeable enough to design the kind of network topology and know the tools that can be used in different kinds of work environment to ensure fast performance, resilience, scalability and flexibility of the network. Throughput Networking is at its best when they do their work as what they are expected. Processing speed is measured by users every time they work and throughput can be a kind of measurement to see if their device is doing its work well. For example, if a printer is expected to print 100 papers per hour but it seems that it’s only printing 65 papers, the time wasted in printing or downtime is a big factor for the performance of the users that may bring bad effect to their transaction as they go on. Network groups must not see this as a small problem because it may someday be an alerting one. They must have the time to check even the smallest details if they want to avoid larger problems that may come in the way. Conclusion Computer networking is one of the most challenging task that an IT or network group may have. It is the veins of success to any transaction. If the group who are responsible in making, designing and implementing networks are all knowledgeable and capable of maintaining and securing a network, then progress and good working environment will be at hand. It is best that the network group is knowledgeable in their field. However, all of the hard works of the IT group will not be successful if they do not have the support of their co-workers and the top management. Reference 1.) http://www.ictglobal.com/ICT009/imp_networks.html

Human behavior theories Essay

Working as a community facilitator is all about empowering and facilitating change within individuals and communities. As their practice facilitators need to identify any challenges and work with the communities to look at ways of solving these problems together. This then requires first for the facilitator to find out why these challenges or problems come about in the first place. Theories are designed to understand human development, identity and approaches to practice. They help turn complicated human, behavioural and social singularities into ideas that are more accessible. It can be said then that theories provide a basis for understanding and reflecting on what we do which then helps us help communities on a micro, mezzo and macro levels. This essay will look at two of the human behaviour theories and how they help us understand and work with our communities (that we as facilitators serve) better. 2. DEFINITION OF TERMS 2. 1. Theory According to (Body, 2014) â€Å"A theory is a logical system of concepts that helps to explain why something happens in a particular way and to predict outcomes†. This means that by preparing their practice on theory, this leads a facilitator to get a better understanding of his/her own task, do some goal planning and also anticipate whatever outcomes there may be. 2. 2. Community Communities are unique with regard to the people in them, place, interaction meaning. According to (Heaven, 2014) â€Å"While we traditionally think of a community as the people in a given geographical location, the word can really refer to any group sharing something in common†. This could also mean any small geographical areas from e. g. a neighbourhood, housing project or development to any community with a large geographically-defined community. 3. HUMAN BEHAVIOR THEORIESÃ'Ž 3. 1. Social Construction Social construction is influential in changing grounded theory. As a way of trying to understand the social world, social construction views knowledge as being 2 constructed (as the name suggests) instead of being created. In this theory communities are seen as alternating between both subjective and objective reality. Past theorists believed that knowledge is beliefs in which people have rational confidence, a common sense of understanding and consensual notion as to what is knowledge. Social construction came about as a way to deal with the nature of reality. It has its origins in sociology and has been linked with the modern era of qualitative research. Reality is it may be something that we are not even aware of. Things like segregation according to what gender, race and class you are a just basic examples of social construction. These things only have meaning because society gives them meaning. According to Tom Andrews (2014) â€Å"Constructionists view knowledge and truth as created not discovered by the mind and supports the view that being a realist is not inconsistent with being a constructionist†. A person can believe that concepts are constructed other than being discovered yet relate to something in the real world. This is consistent with an idea that was put out that reality is socially defined but this one referred to the subjective experience of everyday life as opposed to the objective reality of the natural world. As Steedman (2000) said, â€Å"most of what is known and most of the knowing that is done is concerned with trying to make sense of what it is to be human, as opposed to scientific knowledge†. Individuals or communities decide or rather create this reality one may then ask how this reality or knowledge emerges or how it comes to have significance for society to which social constructionists may answer as they view knowledge as being created by the interactions of individuals within society which is at the centre of social construction as a theory. Andrews (2014) believes that subjective reality is brought about by the interaction of people with their social world and with this social world influencing them it results to routines and habits. That is to say that any regularly repeated action becomes a pattern which at some point can be done without much effort needed. With time this forms a sort of store of knowledge which is passed on to future generations which is then subjective reality. 3 Society gives you and identity from birth. Our identities as people come not from the inside but from the social sphere. Conversation is the main way of maintaining, modifying and reconstructing subjective reality. It compromises notions that are shared unproblematically between the communities so much so that these notions need not be defined each time they are used in conversation and come to assume reality. 3. 2. Examples of Social Construction The most common of all social constructions is that of men and women. Men are required (by society) to have qualities such as control, efficiency, toughness and coolness under emotional distress whilst women on the other hand are said to be the fragile amongst the two with qualities such as inefficiency, emotional expressiveness, caring and mutuality. This is what society has deemed as normal over the years which is what gives the battle of Patriarchy versus Matriarchy in this modern generation. Women today believe that they are more than able to do whatever the â€Å"men† can do and sometimes do it even better. It is clear though that in society’s opinion of gender that men should hold all the power. Laura Flores (2012) is quoted as saying â€Å"Power looks sexy on men, not on women†. But this could be seen as having a double meaning. Other than the obvious meaning we get, it could also mean that women are seen as unable to learn the skills or unable to do whatever a man can do as well. Feminists have been fighting hard battles in order to change this thinking and they have succeeded in changing some people’s minds but the in the traditional societies, mostly in the rural areas this social construction of men and women is still very much evident. Men still go out to provide for the family while the women is expected to stay behind and take care of the children and the home. One other example one could use is that of the social construction of gender. This is slightly different from the previous example used. When a baby is brought into the world the first thing that the doctor will look at is the baby’s sexual category (whether they are male or female) and this is where this social construction begins. Immediately after they are classified as boy or girl the parents then fall into this shared mechanism by dressing them in colours that are â€Å"appropriate† for their gender. Flores says â€Å"the â€Å"normal† thing to do in this case would be for the 4 baby girl to be dressed in pink and the baby boys to be dressed in blue†. You don’t want to be seen as weird for dressing your baby girl in blue or your baby boy in pink, right? Society has put aside colours as some of the symbols that differentiate between boys and girls. Children will then grow like this and then start to try to be like the people who are the same gender as them, â€Å"girls should start acting like their mommy and boys act like their daddy†. Each one will be expected to dress or act in a certain way (as in the first example) but such things are what leads to stereotypes. 3. 3. Asset Based Community Approach 3. 3. 1. What is Asset Based Community Approach (ABCD)? Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) is an approach for sustainable community development. The basis of ABCD is that it believes that communities can develop themselves by recognizing and using existing but often hidden assets to create economic opportunities. It builds those already existing assets in the community and gets individuals, associations and institutions to band together to build on their assets instead of focusing on their needs. It is a naturally positive approach. A large amount of time is spent in trying to identify the assets within a particular community whether it be from individuals, institutions and associations before they are then organised to build on them to the benefit of the community as a whole. The basic key as mentioned above is to use what is already in the community. The ABC approach aims to change people’s view that their needs can only be met by an outsider (professional). When it comes to working with the community, a facilitator who applies the ABCD approach should be adamant about stepping back and letting the community figure things out for themselves. They enlist the help of associations that are within the community in terms of the community development approach and additional support. However Community driven development is mostly done by outside agencies instead of networks that exist in the community already. 3. 3. 2. Discussion on ABCD ABCD pulls out the strengths and weaknesses within a community’s shared history as a starting point for change. Out of all the assets that a community may 5 have ABCD focuses on the assets that are deep rooted in social relationships and sees them as being both evident in both formal and informal networks and associations. It believes that everyone in the community has something to offer and that no one can be said to unimportant. ABCD view individuals as being as being at the centre of it all. The residents of the community has gifts and skills which they can out on the table. These need to be recognized and noted as in community development you can’t do anything with people’s needs but only their assets. Needs are only valuable to institutions. Institutions are groups of people (usually professionals) who share a common interest out of their own choice. These could be agencies or schools etc. these institutions help the community get resources and that in turn gives them a sense of civic responsibility. In terms of assets one could include physical assets such as land, space, funds etc. as they also could be used. 3. 3. 3. How is it facilitated in communities? As mentioned above ABCD is the development of self-mobilisation for change. This development has been implemented in many communities. The task for any agency that comes into a community such as NGO’s is how to put in place this development in other communities without creating a sense of dependency. There are different methods that are facilitated by NGO’s in communities for ABCD. Methods such as Collecting stories whereby they build confidence, informal discussions and interview that also have the goal of drawing out people’s experiences. Success in this will also enable them to uncover any gifts, skills, talents and assets that people in the community may have. Mapping the capacities and assets of individuals, associations and local institutions. Mapping is more than just gathering data on the community. It is of importance that you let the community and institutions d the mapping for themselves as they build new relationships, learn more about help and talents of other community members and also see any connections between different assets. 6 CONCLUSION Understanding a community is crucial to being able to work in it. Failing to understand it will deny you credibility and make it difficult for you both to connect with community members and to negotiate the twists and turns of starting and implementing a community initiative or intervention. Social constructionism places great emphasis on everyday interactions between people and how they use language to construct their reality. It regards the social practices people engage in as the focus of enquiry. This is very similar to the focus of grounded theory but without the emphasis on language. Social constructionism that views society as existing both as objective and subjective reality is fully compatible with classical grounded theory, unlike constructionist grounded theory which takes a relativist position. The ABCD is a substitute the more known needs-based approach. Instead of focusing on what the communities do not have, ABCD looks at what they have to offer. It not only creates a chance for the community to play a part in but they also lead the community planning process. The ABCD is always successful in getting individual participation in the projects in brings to their communities. 7 REFERENCE LIST Andrews, T (2012). What is social constructionism? [ONLINE] Available at: http://groundedtheoryreview. com/2012/06/01/what-is-social-constructionism/ . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Body, A. (n. d. ). Theories Used in Social Work Practice. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. socialworkdegree. net/theories-used-in-social-work-practice/ . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Cunningham, G and Mathie, A. (2002). Asset Based Community Development- An Overview. [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www. synergos.org/knowledge/o2/abcdoverview. htm . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Flores, L (2012). What is social construction? [ONLINE] Available at: http://oakes. ucsc. edu/academics/Core %20Course/oakes-core-awards-2012/laura-flores. html . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Hampton, C and Heaven C (n. d. ). Section 2. Understanding and Describing the Community. [ONLINE] Available at: http://ctb. ku. edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-a nd-resources/describe-the-community/main . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Simmons staff. (n. d. ). Theories Used in Social Work Practice. [ONLINE] Available at: http://socialwork.simmons. edu/theories-used-social-work-practice/ . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Steedman, P. (2000). On the relations between seeing, interpreting and knowing. London: Sage. Suttles G, D. (1972). The social construction of communities. 1st ed. Illinois: University of Chicago Press. Vance S. C. (1989). Social construction theory: problems in the history of sexuality. 1st ed. Amsterdam: An Dekker. 8 Varien M, D Potter, M. J, (2008). The Social Construction of Communities: Agency, Structure, and Identity in the Prehispanic Southwest (Archaeology in Society). 1st Ed. New York: Rowman and Littlefield publishers.

10 Ways to Get the Job You Love

10 Ways to Get the Job You Love People generally get exactly what they are looking for, and people who are looking for a job- any job- are not an exception to the rule. They, in fact, illustrate the rule. They often make the mistake of settling for the first job opening available, which is understandable- responsible people have to do whatever it takes to meet their obligations. But if you don’t want to be searching again in a few months, you should do your best to get  a job you love from the beginning. Here are 10 simple things you can do to help  get once step closer to getting a job you love.Assess YourselfYou need to know what fits you the best. One simple way to do this is by taking self-assessment tests, which are typically short and widely available online- sometimes at no cost. Classic examples are available from Myers-Briggs or Keirsey. These tests will help you understand where your greatest potential for productivity, satisfaction, and success may be.Focus on the Best-Fitting JobsWhile the ur gent need may seem like the real issue, it is really the long-term need that deserves your attention. You will discover that as you assess yourself your focus will be much more finely tuned and you will find yourself looking for a job that is a good match. You will now be operating more efficiently, not wasting time filling out endless online applications for jobs you didn’t really want in the first place.Nail Your ResumeLisa Cefali and Alesia Benedict offer several insights into nailing your resume:Write the resume for the reader. The hiring authority does not care that you played varsity basketball in high school or that your hobbies include collecting stained glass. They want to see your experience and accomplishments. Give them what they want.Connect the dots. Make it easy to for the reader to see why you are a good fit for the job by connecting the dots between your talents and skills and the job.Don’t write an introduction. Write an executive summary (and name it such) of the information that follows.Use keywords. Write with the language that appeared in the job posting. Some resumes are scanned for matching keywords before being read by a human.Nail Your Cover LetterEvery cover letter should be written exclusively for each job and company to which you apply. Within a matter of seconds, the recipient should be able to see that you are an excellent candidate for the job. The cover letter should do that, causing them to take particular note of the details in your resume. Restate the defined requirements of the job and show how you meet or exceed those specifications.Nail Your InterviewDon’t go to a job interview to decide if you want the job, because you have nothing to decide until an offer is put on the table. Martin Yates, the author of the bestseller, Knock ’em Dead, says this about the interview:You go to a job interview to get a job offer. Nothing else matters, not the pay, the benefits, or the work environment; they are a ll irrelevant until an offer is on the table. The person on the other side of the desk is not your adversary. They want to find someone who can do the work, wants to do the work, and can get along with others so that they can and get back to their real work ASAP. Your job is to help them make that decision.Look for the Perfect MatchJob hunting is kind of like dating, only more complex and, typically, with more competition. Sign up with TheJobNetwork and let us help you find the perfect job match for you. Anybody can find a job. We can help you find the job you want.

Characters of Journeys End by R.C. Sherriff and Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks Essay Example for Free

Characters of Journeys End by R.C. Sherriff and Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks Essay Character (1309) , Sebastian Faulks (9) , Birdsong (8) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints The First World War is known to be one of the worst, if not the worst war in military history. The strategies used were often ineffective and repetitive, meaning a lack of movement and years of stalemate on the western front. Soldiers had to live in conditions which were squalid and foul, they had to deal with diseases such as trench foot and millions of rats and lice infestations. These general images of soldiers living in these fetid conditions has become widely known and linked with the huge suffering caused by the First World War. The use of literature can enable us to gain a picture of what trench warfare was really like. ‘Journey’s End’ a play written by R.C. Sherriff in 1928 based on his own life experiences gives a realistic image of life as a soldier in the trenches. However, the novel ‘Birdsong’ by Sebastian Faulks which was not written till 2005 gives a version of what Faulks believed trench warfare to be like; it is a fictional idea based on knowledge and understanding of World War One. Also the authors chose different formats with one being a novel the other a play, thus giving them contrasting ways of conveying soldiers’ experiences of war. A play deals with the actions and reactions of characters using dialogue and yet a novel can go into the heads of characters, giving the reader an understanding of a person’s emotions and feelings through description and narrative. The characters presented in both Journey’s End and Birdsong are attempting to avoid and deal with the horrors of trench warfare in many different ways including; drinking, violence, and memories of loved ones and trying to use humour as a way of distancing themselves from the horrors facing them. Each character has to find there own way of dealing with the situation, as anyone would when faced with the constant fear of death. In both Journey’s End and Birdsong we get a glimpse of what the characters Stanhope and Wraysford were like before the terror of war affected them. In Journey’s End although we don’t see Stanhope before the war; Sherriff cleverly uses Raleigh to give us an idea of what he was like when he was younger. We see Raleigh as this optimistic, patriotic man excited at the prospect of going into war alongside his childhood hero. His confession to Osborne that he was ‘Keen to get out here’ is a representation of many patriotic soldiers at the break out of the first world war and could show us how Stanhope may have felt before the realisation of what warfare was really like. The growing sense of conflict between Stanhope and Raleigh just shows how much the war has changed Stanhope, and affected him. Not only do we see Raleigh as a young version of Stanhope but also we hear from him background information on Stanhope’s life, ‘he was skipper of Rugger at Barford, and kept wicket for the eleven. A jolly good bat, too.’ This is not needed in Birdsong as we gain a background on what Wraysford was like before the war in part one of the novel. Novels allow writers to add descriptive back stories through narrative rather than dialogue, we can learn about one person’s perspective unlike in a play when we are unable to hear thoughts and feelings – these can only be expressed through actors portraying the role. Birdsong can go into depth about the emotional effects war can have on a person, which is a tricky detail to encapsulate in a play and yet I believe R.C. Sherriff uses dialogue and the actions of each individual to show their emotional state. We can see strongly in both, just what the war can do, seeing and living in those conditions certainly would bring about change in a person however it is the way they deal with it that helps them continue on through. An easy escape for many soldiers during the war was drink. For an ordinary private on the front line getting alcohol was hard and they were only allowed a small drop before going over the top, however officers were allowed to drink (as believed responsible enough for it) and alcoholism among officers was common. Both Stanhope in Journey’s End and Wraysford and Weir in Birdsong use drink as a method of getting through the horrors in front of them, ‘She doesn’t know that if I went up those steps into the front line – without being doped with whisky – I’d go mad with fright’. Drink was a way to forget, and maybe for a moment be away from the front line in their heads, although eventually become addicted not needing it for any purpose but for wanting, ‘cast his eyes round hopefully. Stephen reluctantly pushed a bottle towards him’. Drink was not the best way to deal with the situation though, it may have clouded their memories but would not have completed erase them ‘if sleep came it was as a gift and was as likely to come after tea as after alcohol’. Soldiers on the front line could turn on each other, either because of alcohol consumption or just the fact that these men were pushed together in such bad conditions. Maybe getting angry at one another would give them something other than fighting the enemy to focus on ‘Hibbert raises his stick and strikes blindly at Stanhope’. The violence shown in Journey’s End could also represent the battles taking place outside, as an audience member you never get to see any conflict between the enemy and therefore Stanhope’s arguments and fights with the soldier’s substitutes this. The anger Stanhope feels towards Hibbert and also Raleigh, could also show us how he feels and acts in battle situations. Unlike Journey’s End in Birdsong we are able to follow Stephen as he goes out into No-man’s land, fighting for his life but we also get violence in the trenches too ‘Fuck off, Weir, fuck off out of my way’. The use of the word ‘fuck’ is a powerful one; we can understand Wraysford’s fear just through that one word, all his fear for the battle ahead builds up the tension. In Journey’s End Stanhope is worried about what Raleigh would write home in his letter, I believe that maybe another matter that Stanhope uses to redirect his thoughts away from memories, it gives him something else to think about. Which again leads to more violence ‘D’you understand an order? Give me that letter!’ Despite these small areas of conflict there is a strong theme in both Journey’s End and Birdsong, of comradeship. Men on the front line were often forced into forming new relationships with people and often because of this gained extraordinarily strong bonds with men they were fighting alongside with. This is shown by the example of Stanhope and Osborne, and shown to the audience in many scenes but mostly through the touching goodbye scene before the fatal raid and right at the end Stanhope and Raleigh final bond over his death, ‘Stanhope sits with one hand on Raleigh’s arm’ they had fought together in the same battles and known what the other men had seen, they understood. In Birdsong the strong relationship between Wraysford and Weir grew throughout the novel and like many soldiers on the frontline Wraysford needed Weir for company and to help his sanity, ‘Weir alone had made the war bearable’ friendships like Weir’s and Wraysford’s meant that soldiers could get through the war together. They did not need to be alone. Although Raleigh in Journey’s End believed he needed to distance himself when Osborne dies, Raleigh who is first seen as this innocent character in the beginning of the play is opened to this horror after the death of Osborne, he now knows truly just how hard . He eats away from the officers with the other men, he finds it disrespectful that the others are eating and drinking. Maybe some may believe distancing themselves would mean when or if it came to them dying it would not be as hard. Many soldiers needed to be friends, to join together because even though loss is hard the sharing of jokes in such a situation as terrible as this one may have helped. In Journey’s End many of the characters particularly Trotter’s main form of escapism is in making jokes about the war and the Germans ‘I expect a nasty old German’ll cop out of it and say, ‘Ock der Kaiser’ in doing this they are able to cover up their fear and make light of the situation. In Birdsong the use of comedy is more subtle, the soldiers go down to the pub and watch entertainment and laugh with each other as friends rather than making obvious jokes. Jack performing for the soldiers gave some time for the men to relax and enjoy themselves. ‘If they could shout loud enough, they might bring the world back to its senses; they might laugh loud enough to raise the dead’ although raising the dead was not possible, the idea that in laughing and having as good a time as you can they could remember their losses and keep them alive in their thoughts. In Journey’s End some of the soldiers liked to talk about home and familiar things like rugby and cricket to take their minds of the horrors of trench warfare. Thinking about home would help them to remember how their life was before the war; it would make them want to get out and gave them something to live for. Another thing they might think about is their girlfriends, wives or just women in general, ‘I just prayed to come through the war – and – and do things – and keep absolutely fit for her’. Jack Firebrace wanted to survive for his family, dealt with the struggle with the belief he had his wife and child to return to ‘His endurance was for them; the care he took to try to stay alive was so that he would see the boy again’. As for Stephen he did not have a family or anyone really he wanted to go home for, he kept on fighting and wanting to survive for the men who had died before, he wanted to win, to continue for their benefit. The idea and hope that the men he had lost had not died in vain. With trench conditions as foul as they were; rats, lice and illnesses such as trench foot one thing that could keep the men going was the idea and the relief of getting food. The importance of food in Journey’s End is shown by how many times the men talk about it and bring it up in general conversation. Complaining about inconsequential things like chunks of pineapple instead of apricots take their minds of the war ‘I say, Stanhope, it’s a terrible business. We thought we’d got a tin of pineapple chunks; it turns out to be apricots’. The men on the front lines wouldn’t very often have the nicest of food, and when Stanhope has to visit the Colonel and is given really expensive foods he immediately thinks of his men but he will eat the food as it is the one thing that he can gain pleasure from ‘A thin stew followed, then ripe cheese and fresh bread. Lunch went on past three o’clock†¦Stephen smiled to himself, aware that his bri ef flight from reality would soon be ended’. Birdsong touches on the idea of religion and how this can be affected by war. Many soldiers lost their faith due to the mass slaughter or even the loss of a son at home like Jack Firebrace however Stephen seemed to gain a belief in God, the idea that nothing this cruel can be the end. He hoped that when Weir or any other Soldier died they had a better world to escape to and maybe this idea kept him going helped him deal with the death of his friends. Journey’s End doesn’t really touch on the men’s faith or religion, however the idea of hero worshipping used by Raleigh could be linked. The belief in a God and a higher being could also be like Raleigh looking up to Stanhope ‘I believe Raleigh will go on liking you – and looking up to you – through everything. There’s something very deep, and rather fine, about hero worship.’ Many soldiers may have used the method of positive thinking like Osborne to cover up just how scared and fearful they were ‘I never knew the sun could rise in so many ways till I came out here’. Each soldier on the front line had to choose their own way of escaping and dealing with the horrors of trench warfare. The putrid living conditions and the everyday horror of death meant that it was necessary for them to break out of the truth they were living. Many of the methods used in both Journey’s End and Birdsong are similar but their methods were carried out in different ways. Others didn’t use methods at all, they just didn’t cope; like Hibbert in Journey’s End faking an illness to get away. Each character in either Journey’s End or Birdsong took on different methods of dealing with their long hardships and suffering. The true horrors of the war however could not be forgotten, the sight of death and the stench in the trenches would not be quickly removed from their thoughts. These literary texts both play and book give us, today, just a brief insight into the lives of men on the western front, the challenges faced by these men were truly horrific and just surviving must have been a hardship. No one now or then on the home front could ever know the true extent of the struggle and the effects it had both mentally and physically, ‘If they could see the way these men live they would not believe their eyes. This is not a war; this is an exploration of how far men can be degraded.’ Characters of Journeys End by R.C. Sherriff and Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. (2017, Jul 10). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you