Amy Tan Essay

Although the daughters know some Chinese words and the mothers speak some English, communication often becomes a matter of translation, of words whose intended meaning and accepted meaning are in fact quite separate, leading to subtle misunderstandings. †¢The first mention of this difficulty with translation occurs when Jing-mei relates the story of her mother’s founding of the Joy Luck Club. After attempting to explain the significance of the club’s name, Jing-mei recognizes that the concept is not something that can be translated. She points out that the daughters think their mothers are stupid because of their fractured English, while the mothers are impatient with their daughters who don’t understand the cultural nuances of their language and who do not intend to pass along their Chinese heritage to their own children. Throughout the book, characters bring up one Chinese concept after another, only to accept the frustrating fact that an understanding of Chinese culture is a prerequisite to understanding its meaning. †¢The Power of Storytelling Because the barriers between the Chinese and the American cultures are exacerbated by imperfect translation of language, the mothers use storytelling to circumvent these barriers and communicate with their daughters. The stories they tell are often educational, warning against certain mistakes or giving advice based on past successes. For instance, Ying-ying’s decision to tell Lena about her past is motivated by her desire to warn Lena against the pa ssivity and fatalism that Ying-ying suffered. Storytelling is also employed to communicate messages of love and pride, and to illumine one’s inner self for others. †¢Another use of storytelling concerns historical legacy. By telling their daughters about their family histories, the mothers ensure that their lives are remembered and understood by subsequent generations, so that the characters who acted in the story never die away completely. In telling their stories to their daughters, the mothers try to instill them with respect for their Chinese ancestors and their Chinese pasts. Suyuan hopes that by finding her long-lost daughters and telling them her story, she can assure them of her love, despite her apparent abandonment of them. When Jing-mei sets out to tell her half-sisters Suyuan’s story, she also has this goal in mind, as well as her own goal of letting the twins know who their mother was and what she was like. †¢Storytelling is also used as a way of controlling one’s own fate. In many ways, the original purpose of the Joy Luck Club was to create a place to exchange stories. Faced with pain and hardship, Suyuan decided to take control of the plot of her life. The Joy Luck Club did not simply serve as a distraction; it also enabled transformation—of community, of love and support, of circumstance. Stories work to encourage a certain sense of independence. They are a way of forging one’s own identity and gaining autonomy. Waverly understands this: while Lindo believes that her daughter’s crooked nose means that she is ill-fated, Waverly dismisses this passive interpretation and changes her identity and her fate by reinventing the story that is told about a crooked nose. †¢The Problem of Immigrant Identity At some point in the novel, each of the major characters expresses anxiety over her inability to reconcile her Chinese heritage with her American surroundings. Indeed, this reconciliation is the very aim of Jing-mei’s journey to China. While the daughters in the novel are genetically Chinese (except for Lena, who is half Chinese) and have been raised in mostly Chinese households, they also identify with and feel at home in modern American culture. Waverly, Rose, and Lena all have white boyfriends or husbands, and they regard many of their mothers’ customs and tastes as old-fashioned or even ridiculous. Most of them have spent their childhoods trying to escape their Chinese identities: Lena would walk around the house with her eyes opened as far as possible so as to make them look European. Jing-mei denied during adolescence that she had any internal Chinese aspects, insisting that her Chinese identity was limited only to her external features. Lindo meditates that Waverly would have clapped her hands for joy during her teen years if her mother had told her that she did not look Chinese. As they mature, the daughters begin to sense that their identities are incomplete and become interested in their Chinese heritage. Waverly speaks wishfully about blending in too well in China and becomes angry when Lindo notes that she will be recognized instantly as a tourist. One of Jing-mei’s greatest fears about her trip to China is not that others will recognize her as American, but that she herself will fail to recognize any Chinese elements within herself. †¢Of the four mothers, L indo expresses the most anxiety over her cultural identity. Having been spotted as a tourist during her recent trip to China, she wonders how America has changed her. She has always believed in her ability to shift between her true self and her public self, but she begins to wonder whether her â€Å"true† self is not, in fact, her American one. Even while a young girl in China, Lindo showed that she did not completely agree with Chinese custom. She agonized over how to extricate herself from a miserable marriage without dishonoring her parents’ promise to her husband’s family. While her concern for her parents shows that Lindo did not wish to openly rebel against her tradition, Lindo made a secret promise to herself to remain true to her own desires. This promise shows the value she places on autonomy and personal happiness—two qualities that Lindo associates with American culture. †¢Jing-mei’s experience in China at the end of the book certainly seems to support the possibility of a richly mixed identity rather than an identity of warring opposites. She comes to see that China itself contains American aspects, just as the part of America she grew up in—San Francisco’s Chinatown—containe †¢ Storytelling – Narrative Style, Symbolism, Figurative Language †¢She uses storytelling to in order for the different characters to understand each others struggles as well as the reader to understand the lives and emotions of both the mother and the daughters †¢The stories they tell are often educational, warning against certain mistakes or giving advice based on past successes. For instance, Ying-ying’s decision to tell Lena about her past is motivated by her desire to warn Lena against the passivity and fatalism that Ying-ying suffered. Storytelling is also employed to communicate messages of love and pride, and to illumine one’s inner self for others. †¢Another use of storytelling concerns historical legacy. By telling their daughters about their family histories, the mothers ensure that their lives are remembered and understood by subsequent generations, so that the characters who acted in the story never die away completely. In telling their stories to their daughters, the mothers try to instill them with respect for their Chinese ancestors and their Chinese pasts. Suyuan hopes that by finding her long-lost daughters and telling them her story, she can assure them of her love, despite her apparent abandonment of them. When Jing-mei sets out to tell her half-sisters Suyuan’s story, she also has this goal in mind, as well as her own goal of letting the twins know who their mother was and what she was like. †¢Storytelling is also used as a way of controlling one’s own fate. In many ways, the original purpose of the Joy Luck Club was to create a place to exchange stories. Faced with pain and hardship, Suyuan decided to take control of the plot of her life. The Joy Luck Club did not simply serve as a distraction; it also enabled transformation—of community, of love and support, of circumstance. Stories work to encourage a certain sense of independence. They are a way of forging one’s own identity and gaining autonomy. Waverly understands this: while Lindo believes that her daughter’s crooked nose means that she is ill-fated, Waverly dismisses this passive interpretation and changes her identity and her fate by reinventing the story that is told about a crooked nose. †¢ All the stories in her books are interlocking personal narrative in different voices. The narrators appear as characters in each other’s stories as well as tell their own stories, Tan does not have to fully develop the narrator’s voice in each story. While American daughters like Jing-mei employ personal narrative as a way of telling stories, the ’’ Because this indirect means is the only way Jing-mei’s mother c an interpret and express her experiences, she is shocked into silence when her daughter speaks directly about the daughters she abandoned in China years earlier. Point of View †¢In â€Å"Two Kinds† the perspective moves back and forth between the adult and then child. In this way, Tan tells the story through the child’s innocent view and the adult’s experienced eyes. This allows reader to make judgments of their own, to add their own interpretations of the mother daughter struggle. Figurative Language †¢This literary device also invites readers to think about the way memory itself functions, how we use events in the past to help make sense of our present. Literary critic Ben Xu explains that ‘‘it is not just that we have ‘images,’ ‘pictures,’ and ‘views’ of ourselves in memory, but that we also have ‘stories’ and narratives to tell about the past which both shape and convey our sense of self. Our sense of what has happened to us is entailed not in actual happening but in meaningful happenings, and the meanings of our past experience . . . are constr ucts produced in much the same way that narrative is produced. ’’ †¢In other words memory is a two-way street; it shapes the story as much as the story makes the memory. In Xu’s words, ‘‘memory is not just a narrative, even though it does have to take a narrative form; it is more importantly an experiential relation between the past and the present, projecting a future as well. ’’ Tan’s style is mainly composed of storytelling as a way for her characters to share their history and retell the significant events of their lives. The Chinese mothers find it exceptionally difficult to talk about their lives due to the language barrier; therefore Tan uses a strategy that is borrowed from Chinese folk tradition called talk story (Brent). E. D. Huntley defines talk story as ‘‘a narrative strategy for those characters whose ties to Chinese tradition remain strong. ’’ It allows these characters to ‘‘draw on traditional oral forms to shape their stories and to disguise the urgency and seriousness with which they are attempting to transmit to their daughters the remnants of a culture that is fading even from their own lives. ’’ This means that the mothers, ‘‘who have been socialized into silence for most of their lives,’’ learn to ‘‘reconfigure the events of hese lives into acceptable public utterances: painful experiences are recast in the language of folk tale; cautionary reminders become gnomic phrases; real life takes on the contours of myth (Huntley). † Story telling serves many different functions in the novel. Primarily, the mother’s use storytelling to communicate with their daughters about their past and better relate to their daughters. In Kitchen God’s Wife, Winnie and Pearl have a hard time understanding each other’s situation as they have had a disconnect since Pearl was a teenager. However, after Winnie tells Pearl the stories of the hardships she had to face living with her abusive husband in China and how that has made her the hard person she is today, Pearl is able to connect better with her mother and understand where she is coming from. Another purpose of storytelling is so the mother’s can teach their daughters important life lessons that can help them be happy as many of the daughters are struggling with their marriages. Thus, she knows that the only way to save her daughter is to tell her story, the story of how her submission to fate and other people’s wills led to discontent and even agony. In her novels, Amy Tan allows her characters to employ storytelling as a device for shaping their histories and making coherent sense of the significant events of their lives. For these characters, storytelling is a means of keeping the past alive and building a bridge between it and the present, of transmitting cultural codes and rituals, of subtly educating their daughters, and finally of somehow imprinting the essence of their selves on the next generation. Tan is especially gifted at weaving multiple stories with a variety of narrators into the intricate fabric of each book. Tan herself has recognized her own ability to construct distinctive and memorable narratives, commenting that her storytelling gifts are responsible in large measure for the ongoing popularity-with readers and critics alike-of her work. She has said that her childhood exposure to Bible stories as well as â€Å"tons of fairy tales, both Grimm and Chinese† (Wang) has made stories a significant element in her writing, and she credits her parents with both instilling in her the impulse to tell stories and providing her with models for unforgettable. In an interview with Gretchen Giles, Amy Tan reveals that she learned the craft of story construction from her father, a very busy Baptist minister who managed to spend quality time with his children by reading his sermons to them and then asking for their opinions on content and language. Citations Xu, Ben. ‘‘Memory and the Ethnic Self: Reading Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club,’’ in MELUS, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 3-16. Huntley, E. D. Amy Tan: A Critical Companion, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Brent, Liz. ‘‘Amy Tan Criticism Overview. ’’ Short Stories for Students. Ed. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 19–20: 288.

Patience and Courage

At first glance, it might seem that patience and courage are dispositions that tend in different directions, reflecting different strengths. If we are asked to imagine exemplars of each of these virtues, we probably call two very different individuals to mind—the courageous person imposing, heroic, probably male, and the patient person quiet, reserved, quite likely female. (After all, Ancient Greek courage simply was the virtue of manliness (andreia), and the Victorians used to name their daughters Patience.)Some of our images of courage may even positively conflict with some of our images of patience, with the courageous person insisting upon action while the patient person implores him to wait. In his wonderful paper, â€Å"Patience and Courage† (Philosophy 68(266), 1993), Eamonn Callan begins with a sort of thought experiment intended to capture our intuitive–though he thinks mistaken–sense of the relative significance of patience and courage: Suppose y our friends had to ascribe a single vice to you in large measure, along with any virtues that could be coherently combined with that salient vice.Suppose further that the vice had to be either cowardice or impatience. Which would you choose? (p. 523) Callan suspects that â€Å"almost everyone would choose impatience without hesitation,† because a coward strikes us as an unreliable kind of person, and impatience itself might in some cases be a good thing, e. g. impatience with tyranny and injustice. Callan goes on to argue against this intuitive response, in that it underestimates the need for patience (an idea I have explored in previous posts), and also suggests that a more nuanced thinking about courage and patience shows that these virtues do not essentially conflict.This should not be so surprising if we think, as Aquinas does, of patience as a part of fortitude, and recognize fortitude itself as the core of courage (or, as synonymous with courage). Of course, when we spe ak of fortitude, we speak of endurance, and talk of courage (or bravery) may seem instead to call to mind the â€Å"courage of the charge. † But charging, as Tim O'Brien notes in his memoir on Vietnam, is only a tiny slice of bravery–once one has charged into danger, there is much to be endured. Or consider this perhaps surprising remark from Kierkegaard's Purity ofHeart: â€Å"Is patience not precisely that courage which voluntarily accepts unavoidable suffering? The unavoidable is just the thing which will shatter courage† (p. 173). Interestingly (as the translator notes), the Danish for patience taalmod contains the term for courage (mod). (Literally, taalmod is â€Å"enduring courage. â€Å") Kierkegaard connects patience to â€Å"unavoidable suffering† and thus implies that courage differs in that in courage we choose to put ourselves in the way of danger and adversity for a noble cause.And he discusses how it may seem then that there can be no vir tue in enduring adversity that is unavoidable and which, it seems, cannot be chosen. (If it's unavoidable, then there seems to be no real choice. ) Here, he imagines the mocking voice of someone who says that this â€Å"patience† is merely â€Å"making a virtue out of necessity,† and Kierkegaard replies, yes, that's exactly it! His point is that merely being saddled with unavoidable suffering or adversity does not imply that we will, as it were, shoulder that adversity in such a way that we remain committed to the Good.We may despair, or become bitter and resentful, angry at the world. Of course, it may be that since Kierkegaard is a theist, he can assume that there is some way in which any suffering thrown at us can possibly be endured well. Non-theists may not have grounds for the same hope. But let me put that, for now, to the side. (I hope to write a chapter about this issue in the future. ) Callan discusses a case that goes to Kierkegaard's point: a man loses his sight, and vacillates between despair and rage, who thinks that the possibility of a good life has vanished.It is not that he fails to learn how to get around in the world in spite of his blindness, but his life is devoid of all hope and joy because of the deep resentment he has about having become blind. He refuses to accept this unavoidable part of his life. Callan says, â€Å"The blind man in my story has no patience for the moral task his blindness has set him, and no amount of courage or fortitude can compensate for the absence of that virtue† (p. 526). Now here, there are interpretive difficulties, since I suggested above that we might see courage and patience as linked by fortitude. Here we might takeCallan to be treating fortitude as a kind of thickness of skin, the stoniness we might ascribe to the Stoic sage: he is in despair, but doesn't show it. I have argued in my essay â€Å"In Defense of Patience† (newly revised as of yesterday), that perhaps we should q uestion the idea that fortitude and patience can be pulled apart very far, that we should not reduce fortitude to the external appearance. (Otherwise, we can't distinguish genuine fortitude and endurance from mere psychic deadness. ) Callan's point–at any rate–is that the possibility of this man's seeing and seeking Good in his life depends upon his coming to accept his blindness.Why call that patience? Perhaps what I said about love and patience in a previous post provides part of an answer, especially if we can translate some of what I said about learning to love another person into talk of learning to love one's situation. (This is what Chris Cowley's â€Å"Learning to Love† is all about, in Philosophical Topics 38(1), 2010. ) Here, we come to accept the distance between our new condition and our previous one, and re-commit to living well (and not merely, as Cowley discusses, â€Å"making the best of it†).We can call this patience, but at the same time , I think we can see, pace Callan to some extent, that such a process may in any number of cases also involve the kind of strength we describe as courage. People who are seriously injured and require extensive physical rehabilitation are sometimes praised for their courage in their efforts to endure the problems caused by their injuries, and to re-learn what they can, and to learn how to compensate for the abilities they have lost. Why call this courageous? First, there is the great endurance involved.Second, in such circumstances, we may be tempted to despair, to feel sorry for ourselves, and even be afraid to face our condition, afraid of failing, afraid to learn what our new physical limitations are, and afraid to think about living our lives, or returning to our everyday lives, beset with the problems incurred through our injuries. If we think of courage primarily as the (voluntary) facing of fears and dangers, then courage is involved in facing the fears above, but the need for patience is not very far behind. This isn't peculiar to this example, since many courageous acts are extended in time.Indeed, focusing on courageous acts that happen in an instant may obscure that many of our actions are in fact chains of action, stretches of activity, oriented toward some goal. Within such a stretch of time, the difference between a courageous and a rash action may come down to one's ability to wait and endure the anticipation of setting out into â€Å"positive† action. (And so, in many sports, great athletes are praised for their ability to â€Å"wait for the game to come to them†Ã¢â‚¬â€œnot to take bad swings or shots or to throw bad punches.Consider how Kobe Bryant will sometimes bide his time for three quarters only to dominate the final twelve minutes, or Ali's notorious â€Å"rope-a-dope† strategy for fatiguing his opponents. [Not that we should exactly recommend Ali's strategy to young boxers, for unfortunately obvious reasons of long-t erm health. ]) So, courage and patience turn out not to be foes, or to show that there is disharmony amongst the virtues. And again, we see how in its quiet, unassuming way, patience reveals itself to be something of a â€Å"silent partner† as we seek to develop other virtues and strengths.Courage Every human being on this planet is given the gift of courage. However, there are very few that ever take advantage of this gift, and actually put it to good use. Courage is the ability to work one’s way through a tough situation. Be it mental, or physical. We have all faced tough challenges before. The difference, however, is that some people tend to give up when the going gets rough, while others keep on. Courage is a necessity to the evolution of our people. Without courage, African-Americans would still be stuck in slavery.There would have been no one there to fight for the rights of the people we now consider our equals. Courage can be found in various forms. An amazing example of courage can be found in a soldier. They risk their lives every day simply to protect ours. We can even see courage in a fellow classmate; one who is coping with the loss of a parent, fighting depression or even dealing with an eating disorder. As said earlier, it can be mental or physical. Courage is the only thing that gets us through the hard times, and the tempting opportunities.Without it, every one of us may have given into that cigarette in the 6th grade. Courage is vital to the evolution of the human population. It is also an essential quality to becoming a successful person. Courage is of two kinds: physical and moral. The farmer is common to both man and beast; but the latter belongs to man alone. Courage comes from the strength of mind or will. Physical courage depends on one's physical strength. A weak; and sickly person is hardly seen to be physically courageous. Because his ill health does not permit him to take an aggressive view in life, although he may be mentally bold.But a person, who is bold and strong, both in body and mind, is normally found to be courageous. The question of physical courage arises in the event of any danger or difficulty that suddenly appears, when immediate protection or security from that fear of massacre or destruction demands physical courage. If a sudden fire breaks out in a house, or a dacoit is going to take place, physical courage becomes absolutely necessary in such critical moments. Without physical resistance with indomitable courage, it becomes impossible to save the situation.But moral courage is in no way inferior to the physical courage. It is, on the contrary, more important and glorious to possess moral courage. Moral courage is very rare. It is f0undl in one in a million. There are numerous instances where people have bravely used their physical courage and saved the life of a drowning man, or a house from burning in fire, by jumping courageously into the scene of danger. But there are few cas es, where the common people are found to open their mouth against an unfair or unjust deed that they witness, because they lack moral courage. They are cowards without a backbone.Noble may be the cause in which physical courage is shown; but nobler is the cause in which moral courage is displayed. Moral courage comes from a firm conviction that the possessor has in him. Let us take the case of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar who is known for his noble character and moral courage. The man was highly educated, but hardly with any extraordinary physical strength; yet he was endowed with tremendous moral courage. He did not hesitate to raise his voice of protest or even insult the wicked Europeans who used to rule the country then with enormous  power.He had also ignored all sorts of humiliation in the hands of his own countrymen, when he was determined to get the Bill for ‘Hindu Widow Re-marriage' passed by the Government. That goes to show his wonderful determination, moral c ourage and noble character. Galileo, the great scientist, had also to suffer imprisonment in his old age for the sake of his conviction. Men of moral courage never barter away their conscience, but put it before liberty, before reputation, even before life. They think of no danger, nor of death, when the alternative is a disgrace.They hate more to live as cowards than to face prosecution, imprisonment or death. It is these men who are the true makers of history. It is they who live in honour, die in glory, and have the privileges of being adored by all Courage is summoning strength in the face of life's difficulties or, sometimes, life's horrors. It means proceeding in spite of pain, cost, or risk. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the deliberate decision that action is necessary regardless. Courage acknowledges uncertainty, but perseveres because of conviction and resolve.It offers us focus and self-possession so we can call up our competencies to meet our challenges. Courage is not necessarily an outward act of heroism; it can be purely internal, such as making the decision to be cheerful in grief, to adhere to values different from those around us, or to give something another try. hrough my own experiences in life I have been able to define the true meaning of courage. Courage is to have the ability to know wright from wrong and stand up for what you believe in even in the face of great adversity.In my lifetime I have rarely been called upon to display courage, but I clearly remember one specific situation. I was fourteen years old and at one of my friends birthday parties. There were around seventy-five teenagers at the party, along with loud music and dancing. What I thought was going to be a great night, turned out to be the night my courage would be tested. As I was talking to some of my friends I noticed something was wrong with them. Shortly after, I noticed that their behavior was different, I realized that I was smelling the scent of marijuan a.Before I knew it I was being offered some of their drugs. I thought about the consequences that were to come if I had said yes to their offer. I felt that if I had said yes, I would have let down so many people, but most importantly myself. Having courage gave me the will to say no to the drugs and walk away from the peer pressure. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, both Atticus Finch and Mrs. Dubose exemplify moral courage. Throughout the novel Atticus was portrayed as a man of great courage and integrity. Atticus had to discuss concepts with his daughter Scout when they were at Finch Landing.Scout wanted to know why Atticus was going to defend Tom Robinson if he already knew he was going to be defeated. Atticus then explained to Scout that, † simply because [Atticus and Scout] were licked a hundred years before [Atticus and Scout] started is no reason for [Atticus and Scout] not to try to win† (76). Atticus was demonstrating his courage by proving that no matter how hard things get, you should never give up, and that you should always fight for what you believe in. Atticus is shown as being courageous by demonstrating perseverance and standing up for what is right.Another example of how Atticus is courageous is when at Finch Landing, he explains to Scout that this time he knew that he was † Fighting [his] friends, and no matter how bitter things get, they are still [his] friends and this is still [his] home†(76). Atticus' explanation to Scout was important because he had to reassure her that no matter the outcome of the trial they would still have their friends and there home. Even with all the pressure to quit the case, Atticus was determined to go up against all odds to ensure that justice would prevail. Atticus was a courageous, determined, and compassionate man.Along with Atticus, Mrs. Dubose is another prime example of a courageous person. Mrs. Dubose demonstrated courage when she decided to give up her morphine addiction. Mrs. Dubose died a slow painful death and when she was on her death bed, Mrs. Dubose reminded Atticus carefully, † [Mrs. Dubose] was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody† (111). In this situation most people would not have been able to tolerate the pain and would have given in to the morphine. Mrs. Dubose could have easily chosen to take the morphine and die with out so much agonizing pain, but she was too contrary.Her moral courage helped her to overcome her addiction. Mrs. Dubose was not only a courageous but also a selfless person. Jem had to learn this about her the hard way. Atticus questioned Jem, â€Å"Son didn't you know what her fits were†(111)? Mrs. Dubose chose not to tell anyone that she had been trying to give up the morphine. The withdraw made her have anger fits. She did not want to burden anyone with her problems. Mrs. Dubose let everyone believe that she was an angry, old, mean, terrible person. Still need to finish conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. patienceHave you ever wondered why certain people succeed and do well in certain situations while others don’t? The reason is that those successful people have and have always had a certain characteristics that help them to do so. These characteristics are called virtues. A virtue is a characteristic of a person which supports individual moral excellence and collective well being. One of the most important virtues that helps individuals progress and succeed is patience. This is because patience helps one make good decisions, prevents one from giving up, and helps develop empathy and compassion.First and foremost patience helps us make good decisions. The reason for this is by being patient you have a clear mind to think through the possible results of your actions. Everyone has stress and has been in stressful situations but the way we respond to the stress is what defines our future success. In order to become successful people have had to ma ke tough decisions regarding their futures and without patience they would not have been able to do so. For example Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, made the decision to drop out of college in order to pursue his dreams of creating a software company.In its early stages he faced much adversity for his decision but he stuck with it and his patience helped him to become one of the wealthiest and most successful people ever. Along with decision making patience also prevents one from giving up. This is as a result of keeping your goals consistent regardless of how difficult or the time it takes to reach them. One of the greatest examples of success through patience Is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He is one of the most influential people that have ever lived. Dr. King’s goal which was simple but seemed impossible at the time was to end discrimination and unify our nation ï » ¿Patience and Courage At first glance, it might seem that patience and courage are dispositions that tend in different directions, reflecting different strengths. If we are asked to imagine exemplars of each of these virtues, we probably call two very different individuals to mind—the courageous person imposing, heroic, probably male, and the patient person quiet, reserved, quite likely female. (After all, Ancient Greek courage simply was the virtue of manliness (andreia), and the Victorians used to name their daughters Patience.)Some of our images of courage may even positively conflict with some of our images of patience, with the courageous person insisting upon action while the patient person implores him to wait. In his wonderful paper, â€Å"Patience and Courage† (Philosophy 68(266), 1993), Eamonn Callan begins with a sort of thought experiment intended to capture our intuitive–though he thinks mistaken–sense of the relative significance of patience and courage: Suppose y our friends had to ascribe a single vice to you in large measure, along with any virtues that could be coherently combined with that salient vice.Suppose further that the vice had to be either cowardice or impatience. Which would you choose? (p. 523) Callan suspects that â€Å"almost everyone would choose impatience without hesitation,† because a coward strikes us as an unreliable kind of person, and impatience itself might in some cases be a good thing, e. g. impatience with tyranny and injustice. Callan goes on to argue against this intuitive response, in that it underestimates the need for patience (an idea I have explored in previous posts), and also suggests that a more nuanced thinking about courage and patience shows that these virtues do not essentially conflict.This should not be so surprising if we think, as Aquinas does, of patience as a part of fortitude, and recognize fortitude itself as the core of courage (or, as synonymous with courage). Of course, when we spe ak of fortitude, we speak of endurance, and talk of courage (or bravery) may seem instead to call to mind the â€Å"courage of the charge. † But charging, as Tim O'Brien notes in his memoir on Vietnam, is only a tiny slice of bravery–once one has charged into danger, there is much to be endured. Or consider this perhaps surprising remark from Kierkegaard's Purity ofHeart: â€Å"Is patience not precisely that courage which voluntarily accepts unavoidable suffering? The unavoidable is just the thing which will shatter courage† (p. 173). Interestingly (as the translator notes), the Danish for patience taalmod contains the term for courage (mod). (Literally, taalmod is â€Å"enduring courage. â€Å") Kierkegaard connects patience to â€Å"unavoidable suffering† and thus implies that courage differs in that in courage we choose to put ourselves in the way of danger and adversity for a noble cause.And he discusses how it may seem then that there can be no vir tue in enduring adversity that is unavoidable and which, it seems, cannot be chosen. (If it's unavoidable, then there seems to be no real choice. ) Here, he imagines the mocking voice of someone who says that this â€Å"patience† is merely â€Å"making a virtue out of necessity,† and Kierkegaard replies, yes, that's exactly it! His point is that merely being saddled with unavoidable suffering or adversity does not imply that we will, as it were, shoulder that adversity in such a way that we remain committed to the Good.We may despair, or become bitter and resentful, angry at the world. Of course, it may be that since Kierkegaard is a theist, he can assume that there is some way in which any suffering thrown at us can possibly be endured well. Non-theists may not have grounds for the same hope. But let me put that, for now, to the side. (I hope to write a chapter about this issue in the future. ) Callan discusses a case that goes to Kierkegaard's point: a man loses his sight, and vacillates between despair and rage, who thinks that the possibility of a good life has vanished.It is not that he fails to learn how to get around in the world in spite of his blindness, but his life is devoid of all hope and joy because of the deep resentment he has about having become blind. He refuses to accept this unavoidable part of his life. Callan says, â€Å"The blind man in my story has no patience for the moral task his blindness has set him, and no amount of courage or fortitude can compensate for the absence of that virtue† (p. 526). Now here, there are interpretive difficulties, since I suggested above that we might see courage and patience as linked by fortitude. Here we might takeCallan to be treating fortitude as a kind of thickness of skin, the stoniness we might ascribe to the Stoic sage: he is in despair, but doesn't show it. I have argued in my essay â€Å"In Defense of Patience† (newly revised as of yesterday), that perhaps we should q uestion the idea that fortitude and patience can be pulled apart very far, that we should not reduce fortitude to the external appearance. (Otherwise, we can't distinguish genuine fortitude and endurance from mere psychic deadness. ) Callan's point–at any rate–is that the possibility of this man's seeing and seeking Good in his life depends upon his coming to accept his blindness.Why call that patience? Perhaps what I said about love and patience in a previous post provides part of an answer, especially if we can translate some of what I said about learning to love another person into talk of learning to love one's situation. (This is what Chris Cowley's â€Å"Learning to Love† is all about, in Philosophical Topics 38(1), 2010. ) Here, we come to accept the distance between our new condition and our previous one, and re-commit to living well (and not merely, as Cowley discusses, â€Å"making the best of it†).We can call this patience, but at the same time , I think we can see, pace Callan to some extent, that such a process may in any number of cases also involve the kind of strength we describe as courage. People who are seriously injured and require extensive physical rehabilitation are sometimes praised for their courage in their efforts to endure the problems caused by their injuries, and to re-learn what they can, and to learn how to compensate for the abilities they have lost. Why call this courageous? First, there is the great endurance involved.Second, in such circumstances, we may be tempted to despair, to feel sorry for ourselves, and even be afraid to face our condition, afraid of failing, afraid to learn what our new physical limitations are, and afraid to think about living our lives, or returning to our everyday lives, beset with the problems incurred through our injuries. If we think of courage primarily as the (voluntary) facing of fears and dangers, then courage is involved in facing the fears above, but the need for patience is not very far behind. This isn't peculiar to this example, since many courageous acts are extended in time.Indeed, focusing on courageous acts that happen in an instant may obscure that many of our actions are in fact chains of action, stretches of activity, oriented toward some goal. Within such a stretch of time, the difference between a courageous and a rash action may come down to one's ability to wait and endure the anticipation of setting out into â€Å"positive† action. (And so, in many sports, great athletes are praised for their ability to â€Å"wait for the game to come to them†Ã¢â‚¬â€œnot to take bad swings or shots or to throw bad punches.Consider how Kobe Bryant will sometimes bide his time for three quarters only to dominate the final twelve minutes, or Ali's notorious â€Å"rope-a-dope† strategy for fatiguing his opponents. [Not that we should exactly recommend Ali's strategy to young boxers, for unfortunately obvious reasons of long-t erm health. ]) So, courage and patience turn out not to be foes, or to show that there is disharmony amongst the virtues. And again, we see how in its quiet, unassuming way, patience reveals itself to be something of a â€Å"silent partner† as we seek to develop other virtues and strengths.Courage Every human being on this planet is given the gift of courage. However, there are very few that ever take advantage of this gift, and actually put it to good use. Courage is the ability to work one’s way through a tough situation. Be it mental, or physical. We have all faced tough challenges before. The difference, however, is that some people tend to give up when the going gets rough, while others keep on. Courage is a necessity to the evolution of our people. Without courage, African-Americans would still be stuck in slavery.There would have been no one there to fight for the rights of the people we now consider our equals. Courage can be found in various forms. An amazing example of courage can be found in a soldier. They risk their lives every day simply to protect ours. We can even see courage in a fellow classmate; one who is coping with the loss of a parent, fighting depression or even dealing with an eating disorder. As said earlier, it can be mental or physical. Courage is the only thing that gets us through the hard times, and the tempting opportunities.Without it, every one of us may have given into that cigarette in the 6th grade. Courage is vital to the evolution of the human population. It is also an essential quality to becoming a successful person. Courage is of two kinds: physical and moral. The farmer is common to both man and beast; but the latter belongs to man alone. Courage comes from the strength of mind or will. Physical courage depends on one's physical strength. A weak; and sickly person is hardly seen to be physically courageous. Because his ill health does not permit him to take an aggressive view in life, although he may be mentally bold.But a person, who is bold and strong, both in body and mind, is normally found to be courageous. The question of physical courage arises in the event of any danger or difficulty that suddenly appears, when immediate protection or security from that fear of massacre or destruction demands physical courage. If a sudden fire breaks out in a house, or a dacoit is going to take place, physical courage becomes absolutely necessary in such critical moments. Without physical resistance with indomitable courage, it becomes impossible to save the situation.But moral courage is in no way inferior to the physical courage. It is, on the contrary, more important and glorious to possess moral courage. Moral courage is very rare. It is f0undl in one in a million. There are numerous instances where people have bravely used their physical courage and saved the life of a drowning man, or a house from burning in fire, by jumping courageously into the scene of danger. But there are few cas es, where the common people are found to open their mouth against an unfair or unjust deed that they witness, because they lack moral courage. They are cowards without a backbone.Noble may be the cause in which physical courage is shown; but nobler is the cause in which moral courage is displayed. Moral courage comes from a firm conviction that the possessor has in him. Let us take the case of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar who is known for his noble character and moral courage. The man was highly educated, but hardly with any extraordinary physical strength; yet he was endowed with tremendous moral courage. He did not hesitate to raise his voice of protest or even insult the wicked Europeans who used to rule the country then with enormous  power.He had also ignored all sorts of humiliation in the hands of his own countrymen, when he was determined to get the Bill for ‘Hindu Widow Re-marriage' passed by the Government. That goes to show his wonderful determination, moral c ourage and noble character. Galileo, the great scientist, had also to suffer imprisonment in his old age for the sake of his conviction. Men of moral courage never barter away their conscience, but put it before liberty, before reputation, even before life. They think of no danger, nor of death, when the alternative is a disgrace.They hate more to live as cowards than to face prosecution, imprisonment or death. It is these men who are the true makers of history. It is they who live in honour, die in glory, and have the privileges of being adored by all Courage is summoning strength in the face of life's difficulties or, sometimes, life's horrors. It means proceeding in spite of pain, cost, or risk. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the deliberate decision that action is necessary regardless. Courage acknowledges uncertainty, but perseveres because of conviction and resolve.It offers us focus and self-possession so we can call up our competencies to meet our challenges. Courage is not necessarily an outward act of heroism; it can be purely internal, such as making the decision to be cheerful in grief, to adhere to values different from those around us, or to give something another try. hrough my own experiences in life I have been able to define the true meaning of courage. Courage is to have the ability to know wright from wrong and stand up for what you believe in even in the face of great adversity.In my lifetime I have rarely been called upon to display courage, but I clearly remember one specific situation. I was fourteen years old and at one of my friends birthday parties. There were around seventy-five teenagers at the party, along with loud music and dancing. What I thought was going to be a great night, turned out to be the night my courage would be tested. As I was talking to some of my friends I noticed something was wrong with them. Shortly after, I noticed that their behavior was different, I realized that I was smelling the scent of marijuan a.Before I knew it I was being offered some of their drugs. I thought about the consequences that were to come if I had said yes to their offer. I felt that if I had said yes, I would have let down so many people, but most importantly myself. Having courage gave me the will to say no to the drugs and walk away from the peer pressure. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, both Atticus Finch and Mrs. Dubose exemplify moral courage. Throughout the novel Atticus was portrayed as a man of great courage and integrity. Atticus had to discuss concepts with his daughter Scout when they were at Finch Landing.Scout wanted to know why Atticus was going to defend Tom Robinson if he already knew he was going to be defeated. Atticus then explained to Scout that, † simply because [Atticus and Scout] were licked a hundred years before [Atticus and Scout] started is no reason for [Atticus and Scout] not to try to win† (76). Atticus was demonstrating his courage by proving that no matter how hard things get, you should never give up, and that you should always fight for what you believe in. Atticus is shown as being courageous by demonstrating perseverance and standing up for what is right.Another example of how Atticus is courageous is when at Finch Landing, he explains to Scout that this time he knew that he was † Fighting [his] friends, and no matter how bitter things get, they are still [his] friends and this is still [his] home†(76). Atticus' explanation to Scout was important because he had to reassure her that no matter the outcome of the trial they would still have their friends and there home. Even with all the pressure to quit the case, Atticus was determined to go up against all odds to ensure that justice would prevail. Atticus was a courageous, determined, and compassionate man.Along with Atticus, Mrs. Dubose is another prime example of a courageous person. Mrs. Dubose demonstrated courage when she decided to give up her morphine addiction. Mrs. Dubose died a slow painful death and when she was on her death bed, Mrs. Dubose reminded Atticus carefully, † [Mrs. Dubose] was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody† (111). In this situation most people would not have been able to tolerate the pain and would have given in to the morphine. Mrs. Dubose could have easily chosen to take the morphine and die with out so much agonizing pain, but she was too contrary.Her moral courage helped her to overcome her addiction. Mrs. Dubose was not only a courageous but also a selfless person. Jem had to learn this about her the hard way. Atticus questioned Jem, â€Å"Son didn't you know what her fits were†(111)? Mrs. Dubose chose not to tell anyone that she had been trying to give up the morphine. The withdraw made her have anger fits. She did not want to burden anyone with her problems. Mrs. Dubose let everyone believe that she was an angry, old, mean, terrible person. Still need to finish conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. patienceHave you ever wondered why certain people succeed and do well in certain situations while others don’t? The reason is that those successful people have and have always had a certain characteristics that help them to do so. These characteristics are called virtues. A virtue is a characteristic of a person which supports individual moral excellence and collective well being. One of the most important virtues that helps individuals progress and succeed is patience. This is because patience helps one make good decisions, prevents one from giving up, and helps develop empathy and compassion.First and foremost patience helps us make good decisions. The reason for this is by being patient you have a clear mind to think through the possible results of your actions. Everyone has stress and has been in stressful situations but the way we respond to the stress is what defines our future success. In order to become successful people have had to ma ke tough decisions regarding their futures and without patience they would not have been able to do so. For example Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, made the decision to drop out of college in order to pursue his dreams of creating a software company.In its early stages he faced much adversity for his decision but he stuck with it and his patience helped him to become one of the wealthiest and most successful people ever. Along with decision making patience also prevents one from giving up. This is as a result of keeping your goals consistent regardless of how difficult or the time it takes to reach them. One of the greatest examples of success through patience Is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He is one of the most influential people that have ever lived. Dr. King’s goal which was simple but seemed impossible at the time was to end discrimination and unify our nation

Total amount of holdings News Corporation

Daily Mirror, New York Post, Sun, Times, XX Century Fox Films, HarperCollins†¦ – is there anybody, who doesn’t know these names nowadays? But not everybody knows that all of them are the names of great Empire News Corporation, which belongs to Rupert Murdoch.Total amount of holdings News Corporation for June 2001 was 43 milliard dollars, and annual income of the company was 14 milliard dollars. More then 30.000 employees work in 720 firms, which belong to the company in 52 countries all over the world. Isn’t it impressive? And at the head of all those companies is one person – Rupert Murdoch. How he managed to do it? Cannot we use his â€Å"know-how†? Stuart Crainer tries to answer with changing success all these questions.When I read this book, the first thing I noticed that I didn’t regret reading it. I found a lot of interesting information, which was written in good literary language. You read the book with bated breath, trying to un derstand secrets of a giant of media industry. All those things will help you in your future life – not only in business. They explain approach to life – these facts can change you life, they can make an earthquake in the system of your values.By Crainer’s opinion, although Rupert Murdoch is the head of one of the most successful and influential companies in the world, his style of management was examined rarely. This book is determined to fill this gap to some extent. Not accidentally you can see already in the header promise to show 10 main secrets how to create successful business.It is biography by genre, and the author seems to claim to the role of â€Å"business-biographer† of the mighty of this world. Curious reader certainly will find out details from early life of media giant. You can find in the book chronology of important bargains and business deals, which resulted creation of that which is called now â€Å"the Empire of News Corporation†.But the story about a person by name Rupert Murdoch is not the main for the author. The main milestones of Murdoch’s life are presented in the role of necessary â€Å"frame† for business phenomena called â€Å"Rupert Murdoch†.In capacity of background, where the figure of main hero of narration is boldly demonstrated, Crainer skillfully uses different theoretical conceptions, results of examinations, investigations, management models of such recognizable authorities in the field of management as Henry Minzberg, Warren Bernis, Fill Hodgeson, Rendell White, Jay Forester, etc.When other famous businessmen – for example, Bill Gates – found their popularity by their innovations and ability to choose time for serious business deals; the success of Rupert Murdoch is based on his ability to be a perfect manager. Essence of this quality and main reasons of his career success the author tried to catch by formulating 10 secrets of successful business.Murdo ch is follower of old school of management. In description of professional way of ambitious manager you will not find â€Å"motives† which are so popular nowadays, as constant learning, delegation of extreme powers and responsibility. Business is a war, and life, by opinion of businessman, is nothing more nor less than â€Å"series of interconnected wars†.Rupert Murdoch was born in Melbourne (Australia). He was a son of famous Australian military correspondent and publicist Sir Kate Murdoch (1886-1952) (Andrew Walker, p.5). After he graduated from Worchester college (Oxford, 1953) he inherited from his father two newspapers in Adelaide (Australia) – â€Å"Sunday Mail† and â€Å"The News†. In 1969 he bought his first newspaper in Great Britain – London â€Å"News of the World†.Four years later he bought already two newspapers in the USA: â€Å"San Antonio News† (subsequently â€Å"Express-News†) and â€Å"Texas News†. In 1974 Murdoch finally settles down in New York and continues his business, buying more and more newspapers. From the beginning of 80-s people start to speak about Murdoch as one of biggest media-magnates of the world. After he bought in 1985 studio XX Century Fox Films, his power started to spread over cinema, and later over TV-industry as well.Nowadays Rupert Murdoch is giant mammoth of Empire The News Corporation Ltd (Woopidoo! Biographies Business Masters, p.1), which consists of three regional colossi – News Ltd (Australia), News International (Great Britain) and News America Holdings Inc. (USA).Totally News Corporation, which states a value of $30 milliards, consists of approximately 800 companies, from which 52 are quite big. The biggest enterprises: BSkyS, Los Angeles Dodgers, XX Century Fox Film and Star TV (Center for American Progress p.1). Annual income of Rupert Murdoch Empire was approximately $12 milliards during those years.Rupert Murdoch is really promin ent figure. By opinion of the author Stuart Crainer, co-founder of consulting company Suntop Media, in civil social conscience rules such a vicious image of Murdoch that nobody would like to share the same room with such a person.Society remembers that already at the beginning of his career magnate didn’t disdain to use such means as to publish in once serious issues erotic and scandal materials; he fired his own workers without any compunction; in other words, he used everything, which in his opinion, in any way could assist in development of media giant (Capstonideas.com, p.1).

Business plan - It Shoes Business Plan Term Paper

Business plan - It Shoes Business Plan - Term Paper Example lthough companies like Rollasole and Afterheels are selling ballerina shoes through vending machines in countries like UK, USA and Australia but they their penetration in French market is low hence IT shoes has the opportunity to cater to the demands of an untouched market (Fleming, â€Å"Flat shoes in a flash! Vending machines that dispense ballet flats to stiletto-sore party girls take U.S. clubs by storm†). The business venture has the opportunity to consolidate business opportunities in the country due to absence of any market leader. Stable political environment of France has increased the business opportunity for both foreign companies who planning to invest in the country and domestic players who planning to diversify existing business portfolio. Market line (2012) has reported that, government of France has restricted foreign direct invest up to 1, 500, 000 Euros for foreign companies planning to expand business in territories such as Saint Pierre, Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna etc. Government has imposed high corporate tax on foreign players in order to protect interest of domestic players. There is no doubt that favorable government policy will protect IT shoes from competitive threat of foreign players. Conjoint effect of economic recession and sovereign debt crisis has decreased the GDP growth rate and purchasing power parity of people of France. French government is trying to compensate high level of external debt by increasing tax rate on people. Market line (2012) has reported that tax burden on people of France has increased by 20% to 30% within last few years. Increased tax burden has reduced amount of disposable income for French people, which has resulted in reduction in demand for retail merchandises. It is evident from the economic analysis of France, IT shoes should think about using competitive pricing in order to generate demand among customers. Market line (2012) has reported that almost 35% of population in France belongs to the age group

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Concepts and Processes of marketing segmentation, Targeting and Postitioning - Essay Example Pricing of a product depends on various variables before the product is taken to the market. In marketing people try to maximize profits which makes it very important for prices to be determined before the products are taken to various markets in the different geographical areas. The prices can also be different depending on the demand of the product being marketed and their utility. The place or the destination of the product is the third P of marketing. Marketers have to monitor and evaluate the places where the products will be more appropriate and which segmentation will ensure that their marketing strategies will be useful and worthwhile. The last P of marketing explains the promotion strategies of the product. Promotion depends on various products and the marketers expectations of the same. Some products maybe more promoted than others because human beings have a unique taste of products thus promoting a variety of products increases the chances of the products selling of faste r than those that are not promoted (Sengupta, 2005). The Marketing Process The marketing processes vary from one different nation around the world to the different types of products being marketed in the same. Marketing over the years has improved from being a door to door operation to something that has expanded to internet activities occurring on a 24 hour basis. Today Nokia mobile phones are being marketed in every corner making very easy for clients to learn about the product its services and other features that make it superior to other types of phones (McDonald, 2008). Various companies including Nokia mobile phone manufactures have decided to go digital with their marketing strategy with their main aim being to maximize their sells of the products as well as be able to maintain their customers loyalty. Marketing is about giving knowledge to the world about a company’s product, like why the Nokia products are better than other phone producers, why the clients should dec ided on settling on Nokia product and stick with it, the benefits of the Nokia products especially the phones on the short term basis as well as the long term and where the product best fits to be used. Marketing does not necessary reflect the product profit margin, but how well the product can be identified by various people around the world and the impacts it gives to various communities. Marketing is about selling the brand to as many people possible, giving details on any changes if about the product, updating customers on prices and the nearest stores they can access the products (McDonald, 2008). Marketing is about promoting a product to gain customers trust and liking to other manufacturer’s products that produce the same kind products. The more resources a company uses to market its product the better chances the company may be able to sell their product to a larger segmentation. Market Orientation and a Brief Description of Different Orientations That Could Be Adopte d Marketing orientation can be defined as companies, organizations or firms reacting to the customers’ demands and the next products they produce will be to fit majority of the customer’s specifications. The decision for market orientation is based on the customers feedback and the companies concentrates more on the customer’

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Design the Training Plan - Research Paper Example Indeed, ADDIE has been very useful to determine how the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the employees would be enhanced that would be suitable to the cultural values imposed by the Hilton hotel (Thomas, Mitchell, & Joseph, 2002; Chevalier, 2011). With ADDIE, trainers for Hilton staff of Texas will need to improve their assertiveness, time management, initiative, and open-mindedness skills that were used as a basis for the training design and development. After completing the 5 scenarios. Participants will be divided into five groups with eleven members each. The members of the group will line up face to face and fold their folders that would be connected to the folders of their co-members. The folders of the members would serve as bridge to let the egg surpass from one folder to the other as the group members could walk and catch the eggs until they would reach the finish line. Â   The situation is that the world is in danger as it is infected with deadly toxic wastes and this will destroy the world in a matter of time if it will not be neutralized. The challenge for the participants is to transfer the balls (toxic waste) from the small bucket to the large bucket, for neutralization. However, there is a radiation circle surrounding the two buckets and must maintain a distance away from it. If a participant will go beyond that circle he/she will suffer a severe injury or death. It is in the hands of the group to save the planet within 20 minutes or else everybody will be doomed. This is an indoor activity. Participants are divided into partners by counting them off by two. Let the partners decide who will be number one and who will be number two. The participants who are number one will be lead out of the room and have them blindfolded. The blindfolded participants are called the casualty of war and they are stuck in a field of mines. But they don’t need to worry because their partners will going to rescue

The nature and extent of environmental health concerns surrounding the Essay

The nature and extent of environmental health concerns surrounding the use of sludge and biosolids from wastewater treatment in agriculture - Essay Example (Perlman 2009; U.S. Department of Labour 2007; Willis 2001) This can be done by purifying the wastewater in order to remove and destroy harmful materials such as chemical compounds, microorganisms, debris, and other solid materials. (U.S. Department of Labour 2007) To provide the readers with a better understanding concerning the research topic, the process of conventional wastewater treatment will first be tackled in details. Upon discussing the importance of primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment process in purifying the wastewater, the researcher will discuss the environmental and health concerns of using sludge or sewage biosolids that comes from the wastewater treatment plant for food agricultural activities. To avoid the increase of developing life threatening diseases such as cholera and cancer among others, the researcher will thoroughly discuss the importance of making the use of sludge and biosolids found wastewater illegal for agricultural purposes. Upon weighing the advantages and disadvantages of using biosolids as fertilizer in agricultural activities, the research findings of Goodman and Goodman (2006) revealed that the negative impact of using biosolids as fertilizer is approximately three times more than the positive impact of recycling biosolids. Despite the environmental and health threats of using sewage products, a lot companies that manufacture fertilizers are using sludge or sewage biosolids as one of the major components of fertilizers used in food agriculture. (Lewis, Booth and Hill 2004; Richards, et al. 2004) Concerning the harmful health effects of using biosolids as fertilizer in agriculture, the purpose of this research study is to educate the people around the world and to persuade the farmers to avoid using fertilizers that uses sludge or biosolids coming from the wastewater treatment for agricultural purposes. Concerning the use of

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Learning to Accept the Controversial Issues - Essay Example With the vast technological growth and advancement in the telecommunications sector, people of today get to experience so many innovative discoveries never before availed. One might not be able to imagine a world without cell phones or the internet, of social networking or being perennially tuned to tunes and gadgets that keep on being upgraded to the level. The same-sex union had previously been unorthodox from my personal perspective, simply because of firsthand experience – my biological mother chose another female for a lifelong partner. My mom took Dinah as her partner when I was eight. I also have an adopted sister named Isabella who we came to our home about three years ago. It was very difficult and embarrassing for me to be around with my family due to the unconventional arrangements. I remembered trying desperately to avoid discussions prying on my family life. I made endless excuses when friends want to hang out at home: I have to make errands, I would be suddenly i nvited to a neighbor’s night out, I was not able to sleep well due to the neighbor’s howling Labrador. The list was endless and I got to be so inventive that I thought my friends actually enjoyed finding out what my next excuse would be. One time, I remembered working on an academic project that required researching on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. I found out how children of same-sex partners were not to be affected at all by the unusual arrangement since the affection and support received from them are actually the same as what heterosexual partners give. Reflecting on this, I realized that the holistic support provided by my ‘parents’ have been exceptional so far and that there really is nothing to be ashamed of. Over time, I began to start accepting my family life and started opening up to others about it. I started bringing my closest friends one at a time at home and felt immensely relieved that they did not see anything wrong with the relationship. I was just apparently too sensitive about it – making a mountain out of a molehill.     

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Cover letter and Resume letter - Assignment Example an Assistant Industrial Engineer and the experience provided me with a valuable insight into the real world of engineering where my knowledge was used in a real world work setting. I am also a member of Engineering Club in University which supplemented our expertise from knowledge from various aspect of engineering such as electrics engineering, avionics engineering making our perspective about engineering more complete. I have been a President of the club manifesting my leadership skills and ability to work with others. Writing a cover letter and a resume serves as a purview of my qualification to a certain job I am applying for. It is important to highlight my qualifications that includes academic preparation, experiences (if any) and internship related to the job. It would also help if to mention extracurricular activities that manifests leadership and ability to work with others. Personal information such as religious affiliation, weight, height and ethnicity are not important and can be omitted in the

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Saving Natural Resources - Essay Example Likewise, the contemporary lifestyle of people all over the world can not be thought to exist without oil. Oil is used for fuelling the vehicles and airplanes. The modern lifestyle is shaped according to these. We can not think to continue the business in the modern age without having vehicles, which in turn, require oil to be driven. â€Å"A litre of petrol produces about 2.5kg (5 lbs) of greenhouse gases, while a US gallon produces nearly 15 lbs of greenhouse gases† (Viator.com). Gas is an alternative to oil, but that does not solve the problem of unsustainable development because that too is a natural resource and depletes as more and more of it is being used. The contemporary lifestyle is an outcome of heavy reliance on natural resources, thus it will diminish along with the natural resources. In light of the rapidly depleting natural resources, we need to change our living practices so that we can enjoy the pleasures of life for a longer period of time. Of all the natural resources, the one that concerns us the most is oil. If we stop depending upon oil, we will have done much to make the life style sustainable. In order to achieve that, what needs to be looked into is the purposes we need oil for in general. We generally need oil for fuelling cars and making electricity. Both of these purposes can be achieved without depending upon oil. Most of the oil that is extracted from Earth is used for fuelling vehicles. â€Å"Transportation is the second leading contributor to greenhouse gases in the country† (Shahan). The potential solution to this problem lies in the use of bicycles. Bicycles offer a solution not only to this, but to various other problems of the contemporary age as well like obesity. Bicycles do not need any fuel to be driven and yet, the wheels on which it runs make the journey less time consuming. In order to drive a bicycle, the rider needs to peddle constantly. This is a very good exercise for the thighs. In addition to making us smart and healthy, use of bicycles also reduces the chances of dreadful road accidents. The collision of a bicycle rider with a man on foot is least likely to result into a life taking accident, unless there were some other factors involved in it. Thus, by replacing vehicles with bicycles, man can not only make himself indifferent to the oil reserves, but it will also make our living practices environment friendly and the life style sustainable. Natural resources not only include what is hidden under the surface of Earth; they also constitute all plants and animals as they are the fundamental source of food and nutrition for the humans. Polar bears are dying in large numbers as a result of the global warming. The point here is not that they are food for humans, but â€Å"[i]f people want a more people-centered reason to save polar bears, it surely exists in the way lack of polar bears could ultimately affect human food supply and commercial fishing industries† (Ellis-Chri stensen). This takes the discussion of saving natural resources to the level of global warming. The two phenomena are linked with each other. As the temperature of Earth is rising, more and more animals are dying. They can not sustain the effect of heat. Therefore, we also need to take measures to reduce global warming in our attempt to save natural resources. Built environment happens

Sudanese Girl Photography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sudanese Girl Photography - Essay Example It is in this regard that photography can be used to present real objects and events which cause responses among viewers that are analogous to the experience of the actual event as presented by the photograph. This photo plays a communicatory role and significance of trauma in the African soil which is caused by famine and the resultant poverty and disease which has left many dead including innocent children. Carter’s photo communicates effectively without any form of verbal mediation (Ryan, 2006). This is illustrated by the fact that there is no supplementary message to explain the events which occurred in a desert in Sudan. The photograph is imagery with a frail young child with an approaching vulture. The surrounding demonstrates a desert with all dryness which further reveals the desperate situation which innocent children on the African soils are facing (Wittliff, 2008). Even through Carter’s photograph has been described as artistic perfection, the social cultural and moral feelings which emanate from the work of art reveal a desperate situation which would have been prevented. It is in this regard that photographic communication is seen as a powerful tool which would communicate messages that cause psychological trauma and a sense of human desperation (Ryan, 2006). ... This photography was very important to the photographer and significant to an extent that the psychological trauma that it elicited caused him to commit suicide later on (Wittliff, 2008). This photograph has played a significant role in the portraying photography as a powerful work of art which if presented well can communicate volumes in the most effective and psychosocially stimulating. Mona Lisa Mona Lisa is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci which represents one of the most famous works of art in the world. This is demonstrated that the painting has been described as the most visited, viewed, written and sung about painting in the world (Lukehart, 2005). This painting presents a composition with monumental value. This is through the expression of the subject within the painting in the most enigmatic way and therefore attracting fascination and interest in da Vinci’s work or art by millions across the world. The talent which da Vinci illuminates with through this painting has sparkled mysteries and debates on Mona Lisa and as a result causing increased interest within the audience (Radan, 2009). The painting has been one of the greatest mysteries especially as pertaining to the identity of the subject. Additionally, the nature of the subject’s smile has caused mysteries and mixed thoughts. The painting is set within a mountainous landscape which illustrates the artist’s ability to resent heavily shaded model in the softest manner. The figure of the woman within the painting and her expression are the most significant feature of the painting. The expression of Mona Lisa has been described as being both aloof and alluring (Radan, 2009). This is the

How Diversity Relates to Education Essay Example for Free

How Diversity Relates to Education Essay In the general education system, it is very important that there is a wide array of diverse groups in the classroom. â€Å"It is important to have a diverse student body, not only to create a realistic setting but also to encourage people to grow outside their boundaries and learn something new about a culture they may not be familiar with. (Pendulum 1) I believe diversity is an important part of the educational system. It is something positive, and not something one should fear. I also believe that diversity I crucial to a growing child. In this essay, I will address how diversity relates to education in general and how it relates to me as a future teacher. Diversity and education in America is an important topic in today’s education system. Inclusion is a key factor in the classroom; it helps bring diversity in to the lives of many children all over the world. By having diversity in the classroom students can learn about peoples differences that make them special and unique. Through my time in taking this diversity class I have come to realize how important it is to teach children that everyone is different and special in their own way. As the student population in American schools becomes increasingly diverse, educators must respond with school reform efforts that meet the needs of all students. In order to do so, teachers need to be prepared to take on the diverse student population. Going through the school of education and this diversity class, I am able to understand now that teachers must develop a culturally sensitive curriculum that integrates multicultural viewpoints and histories, to apply instructional strategies that encourage all students to achieve, and review school and district policies related to educational equity. From my educational background so far I know that teachers must become adept at choosing printed, electronic, and audiovisual materials, and in selecting topics and assignments that value the wide variety of perspectives and interests that exist among the students in any given classroom. The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect, it means understanding each student in the classroom is unique and recognizing their individual differences. â€Å"Children exposed to diverse cultures in the classroom learn to understand different points of view, which is an important part of education† (Canadian Teachers 1). Children learn to celebrate differences and learn how to work together to be successful. If teachers are accepting of students differences they will be able to look at students for their potential instead of with a bias in mind, and this will help them teach more successfully. As a future teacher, I think it is important to create a tolerant, accepting and caring classroom atmosphere and here are a couple things one can do as a teacher to incorporate diversity in the classroom. By discussing diversity, and why it is a positive thing, creating lesson plans that discuss the cultures of my students and cultures of the community I teach in, by discussing religious beliefs of the community, and by speaking to students about disabilities and at risk students will help children in my class realize that these differences do not make someone less than them. I would also teach students about socioeconomic issues and how they affect students, and will teach the differences in gender and about gender stereotypes. I will teach these stereotypes but allow both boys and girls in my classroom the same equal opportunities. I believe discussing these issues to today’s youth will help show students that all people have needs, and I would emphasize that it is important for students to accept and help each other in order to benefit themselves and the world around them. I think that by teaching lessons that incorporate diversity students can identify and overcome biases, and as a teacher I will also learn about my biases from the students in my care. As a teacher it is important to make sure the classroom atmosphere is comfortable in order to ensure productivity. Teaching students that differences are a good thing and those differences can be learned from and valued is a way to help ensure a positive classroom environment. As a teacher I will help my students understand biases, and I will help them be able to accept differences and treat people fairly by educating them about the differences of the people around them. I believe there are many ways a teacher can incorporate diversity lessons into the classroom. Overall, I believe that teaching students to respect each other despite their differences will benefit the students, the teachers, and the rest of the world. Diversity is an important topic today because everyone is different and unique; as a teacher I understand that I will never be in a school that is not a diverse teaching environment. I think that by taking this diversity class, it has helped me to realize and understand the importance diversity in the classroom and the community has to offer.

The Background of Organisational Change Management

The Background of Organisational Change Management Huber, Sutctiffe, Miller, and Glick (1993) conducted several literature reviews and found that characteristics of an organizations environment constitute a major category of factors that lead to organizational change. Turbulence, competitiveness, and complexity are environmental characteristics identified as determinants of organizational change (Aldrich 1979, Huber 1984, Hrebiniak and Joyce 1985, Mohrman 1989). In the Huber, Sutcliffe, Miller, and Glick (1993) study of 119 heterogeneous organizations, the researchers found that environmental turbulence as well as environmental competitiveness interacting with organizational sizes are highly significant predictors of organizational change. In an important study with public sector implications, Meyer (1979) found in his study of U.S. government finance agencies that the structure and behavior of public organizations are highly influenced by environmental forces. In another early study, McKelvey (1982) determined that the vast majority of changes in organizations are caused by external forces rather than internal forces. Organization Chosen for assignment As per requirement of this assignment I have chosen a case study analysis of three of the largest producers in the industry: Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP) Coal, Rio Tinto/Conzinc Rio Tinto (CRA) and Atlantic Richfield (Arco). Change factors Following are the main factors involved in organizational change Cultural Environment Economic Environment Forces within corporation Competitive pressure and personal resources Outside pressures Psychological factors The cultural environment The tolerance, even eagerness, of many executives for large-scale changes in their organizations has been stimulated by developments within the field of management itself. In the past several decades a start has been made at codifying the principles and practices of management, at least to a point where one can talk of the art of management. This development has reached a point where the leading practitioners and theorists usually agree at least tentatively about desirable and undesirable aspects of organizational patterns and practices. This means that there is a built-in dynamic within the field of management which is exerting varying degrees of pressure on executives to bring their organizations more nearly in line with the most modern doctrines. Since business practice is constantly evolving, management theory is constantly being revised, expanded, and refined. As senior executives acquire a new and deeper understanding about the ways in which large enterprises can more effective ly do their work, they are more ready to experiment with change. (Eli Ginzberg, and others, Columbia University Press, 1957) The economic environment The economic environment exerts great pressure on business enterprises to introduce changes. During the past several decades the American economy has so expanded that today it is truly a continental market, reinforced by significant interests abroad. The efficient exploitation of opportunities within a country as large as the United States requires organizations that can respond constantly and quickly to the needs and desires of the industries and customers they serve. One of the major forces leading to decentralizationthe outstanding illustration of contemporary change in large organizationshas been the desire of more and more corporations to take advantage of the rich opportunities offered by the continental market. (Eli Ginzberg, and others, Columbia University Press, 1957) Forces within the corporation American management is also encouraged to adopt a positive attitude toward change by forces originating largely within the corporation itself as it responds to new developments in ownership, management, technology, and production. Each will be briefly illustrated in turn. The retirement or death of a builder of a large enterprise is likely to be followed by a significant change in the organizations structure; the professional managerial group is immediately more ready to entertain and act upon recommendations for change. They can adopt a more objective view of the organization; change is not an admission of their prior errors. In fact, being professional managers, they can find real satisfaction in their work only by submitting themselves and the organizations they run to objective criteria of performance. (Eli Ginzberg, and others, Columbia University Press, 1957) Competitive pressures and personnel resources A major proof of dynamic management is its ability to perceive correctly and to respond effectively to conditions that necessitate organizational and other changes to insure the continual profitable growth of the enterprise. The decision in principle that a program of change is required for the long-run welfare of the organization is a necessary but not sufficient basis for action. Management must determine that the gains will justify the costs. The key considerations are the competitive position and personnel resources of the organization. (Eli Ginzberg, and others, Columbia University Press, 1957) Outside pressures In preparing a background to change, management must consider, in addition to financial and personnel resources, the pressures exerted on the company from the outside. Periods of economic depression, which bring large losses and threats of bankruptcy, frequently exert pressure for change. A management may conclude that the companys best chance of survival lies in the rapid institution of major changes. An oppressive external situation may lead personnel to accept changes which would otherwise be strenuously opposed and may also help management to overcome whatever inhibitions it still retains about entering upon a radical departure from previous practices. (Eli Ginzberg, and others, Columbia University Press, 1957). Psychological Factors in Change The illustrative materials in the opening chapter underscore the extent to which organizational change depends in the final analysis on the ability of the president and other senior executives to establish new patterns of behavior. Only to the extent that they stop acting and reacting as they have long been accustomed and start responding in new ways can a program of organizational change be successfully implemented. It is therefore appropriate to consider whatever insights or generalizations can be garnered from psychologythe science of behavior in the hope that we can better understand and thereby control the process of change. Unfortunately for these purposes, psychologists have seldom concerned themselves with the study of directed change in hierarchical organizations, so their work is tangential to the problem at hand and will prove useful only to the extent that it can be adapted. (Eli Ginzberg, and others, Columbia University Press, 1957) Change Bureaucratic Organization Theory of Bureaucracy A great structure of specialized competencies has grown up around the chain of command. Organizations have grown in size because they must be able fully to employ the new specialists and the specialized equipment associated with them if the organizations are to meet their competition. As more specialists appear and the organization continues to grow in size, it becomes necessary to group employees into units, and the units into larger units. Some of the larger of these units in government have been called bureaus, and so the kind of organization resulting from this process has been called bureaucracy. (These units were called bureaus from the French word for writing table or desk.) The great German sociologist, Max Weber, was the first to attempt a systematic theory of bureaucratic organization. His views remain important to us not only because of his enormous influence on American social scientists, but also because of the continuing validity of much of his analysis. Weber pictured an evolution of organizational forms in terms of the kind of authority relations within them. At one extreme is a simple, relatively no specialized kind of organization in which followers give almost unqualified obedience to a leader endowed with charismapresumed unusual, generally magical powers. Such organization was primitive in the sense that it was based upon belief in magic. Since their prerogatives depended upon their leaders charisma, his immediate staff felt insecure and sought a firmer legitimating of these prerogatives. Their fears came to a head at the time of succession in the leadership. Reutilization of methods used to obtain a successor and thus to secure staff prero gatives resulted in the traditionalistic form of organization. Monarchy would be an example. (Victor A. Thompson, Alfred A. Knopf, 1961) Strengths The bureaucratic organization is the arena where science and technology are applied. With a few rapidly disappearing exceptions, such as medicine, we can say that the application and development of science and technology depend upon bureaucratic organization. Modern bureaucratic organization is the most productive arrangement of human effort that man has thus far contrived. Its ability to accomplish objective organizational goals has produced the highest standard of living yet achieved by man, while allowing populations to expand enormously at the same time. Dependence upon highly trained specialists requires appointment by merit rather than election or political appointment. It requires a system of assured careers; otherwise, the individual would not invest the time needed to acquire specialized skill. It requires that the organization have a definite and reasonably assured division of work into defined jobs or offices. The trained specialist would not usually allow himself to be used as a jack-of-all-trades. In fact, the division of work in organisation for the most part simply follows the existing specializations in society at large. Weaknesses As Weber said, charismatic forms of organization give way to bureaucracy because the former are inadequate for daily, regularized activity. Charisma functions in new situations and is not compatible with highly defined situations. Charismatic organization is dependent upon the reputed genius of individuals and is, therefore, unstable and precarious. To secure stability, continuity, and predictability of product, the activities of the organization are reduced to procedures or routines. Routinization of organizational activity is implicit in the process of specialization and is a characteristic of bureaucracy. Specialization requires a stable environment and a guarantee of continuity of function. Within the organization, the specialist must practice his specialtya group of related routines. Although managerial ideology still strongly contains the charismatic image, bureaucratic organisation seek to avoid dependence upon individuals by reducing relevant information to classes, and organ izational activity to routines which are activated when the appropriate class of information is perceived. It would seem, therefore, that the advance of specialization requires routinization, one of the central characteristics of bureaucratic organization. (Victor A. Thompson; Alfred A. Knopf, 1961) Alternative Forms of Organizational Change Development Evolutionary and Revolutionary Change in Organizations Change is classified as evolutionary change gradual and incremental, or revolutionary change, sudden and drastic. Evolutionary change adds small adjustments to strategy and structure to handle environmental changes. Revolutionary change results in new operating methods, goals and structure. Three ways to implement revolutionary change are reengineering, restructuring and innovation. Socio-technical systems theory. Total quality management method. Flexible workers and flexible work teams method. (www.scribd.com/doc/13754469/chapter-10-type-and-form-of-organizational-change) Revolutionary Reengineering Restructuring Innovation (www.scribd.com/doc/13754469/chapter-10-type-and-form-of-organizational-change) Five Forces Model The Five Forces Model which is also known as Porters Five Forces Model is a simple but powerful tool for understanding where power lies in a business situation. This is useful, because it helps you understand both the strength of your current competitive position, and the strength of a position youre looking to move into. Supplier Power: Some of the world known companies are the suppliers of Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP) Coal, Rio Tinto/Conzinc Rio Tinto (CRA) and Atlantic Richfield (Arco), while the company has its own manufacturing units where they produce certain kind of products, so they are not relying on just outside the organization supplier, so there is not too much chances that of the supplier power will high the cost of the proposed change. Buyer Power: The number of users of customers of Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP) Coal, Rio Tinto/Conzinc Rio Tinto (CRA) and Atlantic Richfield (Arco) products and services increases day by day so the buyer power is high, and it will be a good sign to have a good number of buyers of their new services in order to keep the pricing of services minimum but the company generate more revenue and good pay back of the investment. Competitive Rivalry: There are some competitors in the market but they are limited to just few minor areas, so Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP) Coal, Rio Tinto/Conzinc Rio Tinto (CRA) and Atlantic Richfield (Arco) have many advantages over their competitors and the proposed change will attract much more customers towards these services and increase the market share and revenue. Threat of Substitution: The threat of substitute is minimum. Threat of New Entry: There always remains threat of new entry when your company is operating in market, but for Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP) Coal, Rio Tinto/Conzinc Rio Tinto (CRA) and Atlantic Richfield (Arco) in introducing the new change, this factor will not be too valuable as for other organizations, because they have the vastest networks of their business and provide good and flexible services. EFQM Models Analysis EFQM model known as European Foundation for Quality Management is a framework for organizational management. This model helps organizations in developing their strategy towards the achievement of their goals. The EFQM Excellence Model is a practical tool to help organizations do this by measuring where they are on the path to excellence; helping them understand the gaps; and then stimulating solutions. The key strength areas in Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP) Coal, Rio Tinto/Conzinc Rio Tinto (CRA) and Atlantic Richfield (Arco) which need to invest more attention in order to make improvement are to make initiatives to take on board all the stakeholders, providing extended services through the wireless local loop is having very potentials in the current era. So this area needs to invest which will generate much more revenue and quick payback of the money which will be invested. Current or Future Change initiatives (as leader) When involve in change process a leader of the change team I will feel the responsibility of the overall management of the change process form the initial stage to the full implementation of the process and their after effects. As a leader I will ensure that all of the change management team will have clear idea of the change for which we are going on, what will be the benefits of that after the accomplishment of process. I will make sure to take all the stakeholders of organization on board, and continuously update the higher management and board of directors about the current status of the change. My focus will be on the change equation in which to minimize the resistance to change for reducing the dissatisfaction among my team members, providing my co members clear vision and understanding of the impacts of change on the overall activities and operations at my department especially. And then involve the whole team to initiate first steps and work as team and promote the team spirit among my team members. Using Transition Curve To best ensure that I will remain in contact with the feelings of people in my core team about that I will keep in touch with all my team members during the daily activities of change process and will facilitate them in performing their tasks. It is also important to understand keep in touch with team members, if they facing some problems other than the duties of their job, provide them consultancy on how to come with solutions to their problems. I will have a good appraisal system to appreciate the work of my team members. If the team members face some problems in performing their duties or having lack of technical knowledge then I will suggest the management to organize some training and development activities like workshop to update the technical team members with latest tools and knowledge. Conclusion Organisational change can be defined as the change in the organisation operations, structure and business which has significant impact on the way the work is performed in that organisation. Organisation change makes the gap apparent between how the work is done currently and where the management wants or see that to be. Simply organisational change may be a result of the work area identifying goals that they want to be achieving. Organizational change is about significant change in organization like reorganization or launching new product or services, it may be not a smaller change like adopting new software procedures or systems. There are different types of change models available for organizations but the use of these models depends upon the type of organization, the market in which they are in operation, they way their competitors perform, and core competencies. The five forces model is also known as Porters Five Forces Model is a simple but powerful tool for understanding where power lies in a business situation. This is useful, because it helps you understand both the strength of your current competitive position, and the strength of a position youre looking to move into.