A deeper understanding of power and control emerges free essay sample

A deeper understanding of power and control emerges from considering the parallels between Animal Farm and V for Vendetta. Compare how these texts explore the ideas of power and control. George Orwell’s allegorical novella, Animal Farm and Alan Moore’s dystopian novel, V for Vendetta are prominent texts in English Literature which clearly establish the ideas of power and control. Both texts have a differentiation in terms of the ideas of power and control due to the contrasting political and social contexts involved. The authors, Orwell and Moore both succeed in demonstrating the context of communism and fascism respectively as a result of abusing the use of power and control. In Animal Farm and V for Vendetta, the use of propaganda is displayed through government manipulation over the populace. The oppression of people in the form of fear and violence reinforces the idea of maintaining the power a group or individual possesses. We will write a custom essay sample on A deeper understanding of power and control emerges or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The exploitation of power enforces the corruption of society thus ensuing disunity and rebellion. Through the use of these themes, the ideas of power and control can be thoroughly explored and compared. Propaganda and manipulation, a theme present in both texts has been employed in order to establish and maintain the power and control of the leader. The leaders’ control over the knowledge of the masses allow the implementation of power and control over society, hence the success in demonstrating the context of communism and fascism. Within Animal Farm, propaganda and manipulation is exhibited through the main source of propaganda, Squealer. This is evident in the quote, â€Å"He was a brilliant talker and when he was arguing some difficult point he had a way of skipping from side to side and whisking his tail in a way that said of Squealer that he could turn black into white. â€Å" This quote manifests Squealer’s skilful communication enabling him to have power and control, thus the ability to manipulate and mislead facts. When Orwell describes Squealer as being able to â€Å"turn black into white†, he is referring to his persuasive talent to exploit the animals thoughts as to what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, Squealer’s actions establish the destructive nature of communism and fascism enabling the exploration of the ideas of power and control. Likewise in V for Vendetta, the populace’s knowledge is manipulated through propaganda by one supreme leader who controls everything possible which therefore exemplifies the role of a fascist government. Propaganda is evident in the quote, â€Å"Britain’s belief in the Integrity of Fate is the cornerstone of our new order. † This quote suggests how the Norsefire Regime has manipulated and brainwashed the British populace has become to believe that the Norsefire leaders have their best interest in mind. If this â€Å"new order† was to have just a slight failure, the merciless leaders would be overthrown and this demonstrates how important government propaganda is to Norsefire. So to maintain this order, it was vital for the Regime to maintain the publics’ opinions through the use of propaganda. Thus, it is due to propaganda that the government is able to manipulate the people’s knowledge and view on society, allowing them to possess the power and control over Britain. The idea of propaganda and manipulation in both texts is to maintain the power of the leader and this is demonstrated through Squealer and the Norsefire Regime’s actions. Oppression, another prominent theme, has been reinforced to enable the continuation of an individual or group’s power and control. The reinforcement of oppression through fear and violence has clearly displayed the background of communism and fascism as it demonstrates the cruel treatment or control over a society of people. In Animal Farm, Napoleon abuses his power and control because he utilises oppression. This is exposed through the quote, â€Å" Napoleon uttered a high pitched whimper and immediately the dogs bounded forward, seized four of the pigs by the ear and dragged them, squeaking with pain and terror. † The fact the Napoleon, a dictator, uses his â€Å"personal military† to silence opposition exemplifies the existence of abuse within his intent. Napoleon abuses this power by keeping the other animals fearful and in subjection as shown in the quote above. As displayed, Napoleon’s actions exemplify that of the characteristics of communism due to his exploitation of power and control. Similarly, in V for Vendetta, oppression is derived from mainly the totalitarian government, Norsefire Regime through utilizing strategies involving fear and violence. V’s message to the populace, â€Å"You have encouraged these malicious incompetents, who have made your working life a shambles. You have accepted without question their senseless orders. You have allowed them to fill your workspace with dangerous and unproven machines. You could have stopped them. All you had to say was â€Å"no†. You have no spine. You have no pride. † suggests that the British populace have let themselves become oppressed. By saying â€Å"All you had to say was no†, V was trying to show that the people of Great Britain were really the ones with the total dominance. The people had the potential to overthrow this totalitarian government, except they just needed to be steered into the right direction. Although V may have been viewed as a threat to society, V’s words and actions was that steer. However, the populace had been oppressed greatly through the Regime’s corrupt power and control, hence showing the characteristics of a fascist government. Therefore, oppressing the populace through fear and violence is illustrated through Napoleon’s abuse of power and V’s influential speech which depict the characteristics of communism and fascism. Disunity and rebellion is another theme applied to emphasis the consequences of abusing the use of power and control. The individual or groups power when misused lead to a corrupt society, thus revealing the authors’ aim to expose the consequences of communism and fascism. In Animal Farm, rebellion and disunity is shown in the scene where hens were forced to surrender their eggs. This is evident in the quote, â€Å"Squealer announced that the hens, who had just come in to lay again, must surrender their eggs †¦. When the hens heard this, they raised a terrible outcry†¦. For the first time since the expulsion of Jones, there was something resembling a rebellion. † Due to the hen’s persistence of not surrendering their eggs, Napoleon ruthlessly exploited his use of power, causing several hens to die. This scene exemplifies the parallels between Napoleon’s manipulation of power and communism, which both serve to result in disunity and rebellion. However, in V for Vendetta, rebellion is utilised as vital to overthrow a fascist government who immorally uses their power and control. This is demonstrated in the comic, V for Vendetta through V who was initially the symbol of rebellion. This is portrayed in the scene where he blew up the Old Bailey justice building. However, although V is the symbol of rebellion the purpose behind this terrorist operation was because he was urging people to rebel against the morally corrupt leader of the Norsefire Regime, Adam Susan. Thus, it concludes the fact that rebellion is necessary to overthrow a totalitarian regime who seized force through the abuse of power and control. Ultimately, the idea of disunity and rebellion in both texts is utilised for entirely different situations whether it is to achieve power or freedom in a communist or fascist government. To conclude, propaganda, oppression, and disunity and rebellion are prominent themes in both texts, Animal Farm and V for Vendetta as they aid in demonstrating the parallels and differences in the texts as well as the contexts of communism and fascism. Through taking in the parallels between the two texts, the understanding of power and control has deepened because it has exhibited the consequences of the corrupt use of power and control by communist and fascist governments.

Honeymoon Is Over

Honeymoon Is Over The Honeymoon is Over This article is about a 28 year computer programmer named Jennifer and a 28 year old elementary school teacher named David. Both Jennifer and David have careers where they are immensely interested in becoming upwardly mobile. Jennifer and David have been living as a married couple for two years. Recently their marriage has met a road block. The couple are constantly arguing about the life changing choice of whether or not to have a family. Jennifer is not sure she wants a family yet. She is satisfied with concentrating on her career right now and maybe thinking about a family later in life where her and her husband are more financially stable. David wants a family right now. He feels pressure to get his family life going because his younger brother got married and his wife is already expecting. He believes that he and his wife should have a child now instead of later because right now they are both young and full of energy.JENNIFER O'CONNORJennifer doesn't under stand what the rush is, and David calls Jennifer selfish and states that she isn't thinking about anyone but herself.In Structural Functionalism people are not good at dealing with change. They believe that males are the bread winners and females should stay at home. David strongly supports this Framework, he wants his bride to have a family and not concentrate on her career as much. While Jennifer strongly disagrees with this Framework. She wants to change her role and become the bread winner and concentrate on her career.In Symbolic Interactionism there is emphasis on the active participation of people in creating their own destinies. They believe that life just doesn't happen you have to do something that will make it happen. This Framework also can be...

BADM100 - DVHA2 - Introduction to Business Essay

BADM100 - DVHA2 - Introduction to Business - Essay Example Running a business could be expensive if customers, employees, and contractors had grounds for litigation. The next basis for business decisions should be the company’s mission statement. For example, if I had a business that sold Xs and Os, my mission statement would be: I will sell the most efficient Xs and Os in a pleasant and customer friendly atmosphere. Since my business is making efficient Xs and Os in a pleasant and customer friendly atmosphere, every decision made would be toward that goal. An example would be if I had to make the decision to cut my profit in half for Xs to increase efficiency, I would make the decision to make the Xs more efficient. More complicated issues come when discussing profit, layoffs, and efficiency. If I had to lay off twenty employees to make Xs increase in efficiency, I would have to make decisions to keep my business financially sound instead of raising efficiency. However I would not make inefficient Xs and Os just to turn a profit even if it meant keeping many people employed. Customers are important to any service business. Word of mouth is a powerful tool. Companies can ensure the needs of the customers are met on a consistent basis by having survey cards, mystery shoppers, refunds, and complaint processes for dissatisfied customers. All employees need to be trained toward making a customer happy by treating them with

Qatar cinema and film distribution Company Research Paper

Qatar cinema and film distribution Company - Research Paper Example In the year ending 2011, the company realized an increase in revenue through improved sales as compared to 2010 (Kotler, 2009). Its sales improved from QAR 16.28 million of the previous year to 17.30 million Qatari Riyals, though remained a little lower than the QAR 17.33 million of the 2009 (Ehrhardt and Brigham, 2009). Several factors; both micro and macroeconomic factors might have led to this. Macroeconomic Variables Macro-economic variables are the environmental factors that affect the production and income of a business entity. They include variables as inflation, unemployment income, global financial conditions, and industrial production among other factors (Sale, 2006). One of the most notable macroeconomic variables that have continued to influence the company is the global financial conditions (Ehrhardt and Brigham, 2009). During the period of 2008, the company recorded poor sales due to the global financial recession that rocked the whole of the world markets. The company was  not able to import and distribute  (Bricault, Hodgson, and Gulczynska, 1978)  products at affordable  cost  and cost effective.  A number of the companies that it was associated with decreased their production capacity in order to respond to the capital market conditions. When there the rate of production goes down significantly, there is a buildup of pressure for the respective industries to satisfy the larger market. This could be due to high interest rates, global financial problems (Kotler, 2009). The increase in sales in 2009 was due to the reformation that was taking place in the market after the recession. Positive economic growth has also contributed to its continued resilience in the market economy. Industry Analysis The industry has continued to build up because of Qatar’s positive economic growth. The market has been favorable for the company (Ehrhardt and Brigham, 2009). However, challenges like high competition brought in by companies like Jarir marketing company, Saudi hotels and Resort Areas, Al-tayyar travel group, IFA hotels and Resort, Al-Othaim Holding Company, the Saudi Research and marketing group. All these companies produce and engage in almost the same line of business like that of Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution Company (Bricault, Hodgson, and Gulczynska, 1978). These alongside the diversification of the market, increases the level of competition the company faces. Market regulations that increase the costs of operation have also contributed to financial challenges the company has faced in the past. However, there are regulations that have sought to expand and protect the local business in relation to the international counterparts have helped the company to stabilize and continue to grow in the competitive environment (Kotler, 2009). The industry enjoys a large market both at the local and international levels. This has enhanced importation and distribution of the cinema and movie distribution. Market Valuat ion Ration Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution Co. Benchmark EV/EBITDA next 12 month Company Qatar Cinema and Film ... N/A Pee Qatar Cinema and Film... excluded 52.0 Qatar Cinema and Film ... included 53.0 Sector Film and cinema distribution equipment’s and services (Close) 57.80 S&P 500 16.78 STOXX Europe 600 8.58 Country QAT 6.98 4- Determine the optimal price of the stock, by employing the equation we talked about (constant

Skills Approach best describes my leadership style Research Paper

Skills Approach best describes my leadership style - Research Paper Example These approaches can be seen as supporting each other because they offer dissimilar opinions on leadership from the perspective of skills. In the approach suggested by Katz in the 1955 Harvard Business Review, in the article titled â€Å"Skills of an Effective Administrator†, he acknowledges three diverse abilities that a leader ought to have. They include human skills, technical skills, and conceptual skills. Katz stated that these skills are rather dissimilar from traits of leaders. Skills are what leaders can achieve, while traits are who leaders are (Northouse, 2009). A technical skill is understanding about and capability and aptitude in a precise work or activity. For instance, to use definite computer software packages (like MS Excel) is a superior technical skill. A human skill is one that allows one to collaborate with people. It is dissimilar from technical skills, which have to do with things. These skills help us to cope with people and to correspond and work within teams. A conceptual skill refers to abilities to work with initiatives and concepts. These skills facilitate our understanding and put leaders in a position to better choose the actions and measures that have to be adopted in a specific field of work. Based on his deductions, Katz affirmed that the level of significance of each assortment of skills (conceptual, human and technical) was openly correlated with the degree that the individual has in the firm. The aim of this paper is to describe my leadership style using the skills approach. My leadership style is best described b y the skills approach, which illuminates my basis as a leader along with my inclinations to the function of leadership. The skills approach further underscores the inherent skills and abilities that denote my leadership style. The skills approach best describes me as a leader in the sense that it underscores my abilities and skills to perform the function of leadership and

Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs Philosophy Essay

Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs Philosophy Essay Human needs are an important part of human nature. Values, beliefs, and customs differ from country to country and group to group, but all people have similar needs. As a leader you must understand these needs because they are powerful motivators. Abraham Maslow felt that human needs were arranged in a hierarchical order (Maslow, 1954). He based his theory on healthy, creative people who used all their talents, potential, and capabilities. At the time, this methodology differed from most other psychology research studies in that they were based on observing disturbed people. There are two major groups of human needs: basic needs and meta needs. Basic needs are physiological, such as food, water, and sleep; and psychological, such as affection, security, and self-esteem. These basic needs are also called deficiency needs because if they are not met by an individual, then that person will strive to make up the deficiency. The higher needs are called meta needs or being needs (growth needs). These include justice, goodness, beauty, order, unity, etc. Basic needs normally take priority over growth needs. For example, a person who lacks food or water will not normally attend to justice or beauty needs. These needs are listed below in hierarchical order. The basic needs on the bottom of the list (1 to 4) must normally be met before the meta or being needs above them can be met. The four meta needs (5 to 8) can be pursued in any order, depending upon a persons wants or circumstances, as long as the basic needs have all been met. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs 8. Self-transcendence a transegoic (see Note below) level that emphasizes visionary intuition, altruism, and unity consciousness. 7. Self-actualization know exactly who you are, where you are going, and what you want to accomplish. A state of well-being. 6. Aesthetic at peace, more curious about inner workings of all. 5. Cognitive learning for learning alone, contribute knowledge. 4. Esteem feeling of moving up in world, recognition, few doubts about self. 3. Belongingness and love belong to a group, close friends to confide with. 2. Safety feel free from immediate danger. 1. Physiological food, water, shelter, sex. Maslow posited that people want and are forever striving to meet various goals. Because the lower level needs are more immediate and urgent, then they come into play as the source and direction of a persons goal if they are not satisfied,. A need higher in the hierarchy will become a motive of behavior as long as the needs below it have been satisfied. Unsatisfied lower needs will dominate unsatisfied higher needs and must be satisfied before the person can climb up the hierarchy. Knowing where a person is located on this scale aids in determining an effective motivator. For example, motivating a middle-class person (who is in range 4 of the hierarchy) with a certificate will have a far greater impact than using the same motivator to effect a minimum wage person from the ghetto who is desperately struggling to meet the first couple of needs. It should be noted that almost no one stays in one particular hierarchy for an extended period. We constantly strive to move up, while at the same time various forces outside our control try to push us down. Those on top get pushed down for short time periods, i.e., death of a loved-one or an idea that does not work, while those on the bottom get pushed up, i.e., come across a small prize. Our goal as leaders therefor is to help people obtain the skills and knowledge that will push them up the hierarchy on a more permanent basis. People who have their basic needs met become much better workers as they are able to concentrate on fulfilling the visions put forth to them, rather than consistently struggling to make ends meet. Characteristics of self-actualizing people: Have better perceptions of reality and are comfortable with it. Accept themselves and their own natures. Lack of artificiality. They focus on problems outside themselves and are concerned with basic issues and eternal questions. They like privacy and tend to be detached. Rely on their own development and continued growth. Appreciate the basic pleasures of life (e.g., do not take blessings for granted). Have a deep feeling of kinship with others. Are deeply democratic and are not really aware of differences. Have strong ethical and moral standards. Are original, inventive, less constricted and fresher than others Maslows Hierarchy of Needs and Leadership To put Maslows theory into perspective with leadership, a short (less than 3 minutes) audio MP3 file is included: Maslow and leadership. Transegoic Transegoic means a higher, psychic, or spiritual state of development. The trans is related to transcendence, while the ego is based on Freuds work. We go from preEGOic levels to EGOic levels to transEGOic. The EGO in all three terms are used in the Jungian sense of consciousness as opposed to the unconscious. Ego equates with the personality. In Maslows model, the ultimate goal of life is self-actualization, which is almost never fully attained but rather is something to always strive towards. Peak experiences are temporary self-actualizations. Maslow later theorized that this level does not stop, it goes on to self-transcendence, which carries us to the spiritual level, e.g.. Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Dalai Lamao, or even poets, such as Robert Frost. Maslows self-transcendence level recognizes the human need for ethics, creativity, compassion and spirituality. Without this spiritual or transegoic sense, we are simply animals or machines. In addition, just as there are peak experiences for temporary self-actualizations; there are also peak experiences for self-transcendence. These are our spiritual creative moments. While the research of Maslows theory has undergone limited empirical scrutiny, it still remains quite popular due to its simplicity and being the start of the movement that moved us away from a totally behaviorist/reductionistic/mechanistic approach to a more humanistic one. In addition, a lot of concerns is directed at his methodology: Pick a small number of people that he declares self-actualizing; read and talk about them; and come to the conclusion about self-actualization. However, he did completely understood this, and thought of his work as simply a method of pointing the way, rather than being the final say. In addition, he hoped that others would take up the cause and complete what he had begun. Herzbergs Hygiene and Motivational Factors Herzberg developed a list of factors (Herzberg, 1966) that are based on Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, except his version is more closely related to the working environment: HERZBERGS HYGIENE MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS Hygiene or Dissatisfies: Working conditions Policies and administrative practices Salary and Benefits Supervision Status Job security Co-workers Personal life Motivators or Satisfiers: Recognition Achievement Advancement Growth Responsibility Job challenge Hygiene factors must be present in the job before motivators can be used to stimulate that person. That is, you cannot use motivators until all the hygiene factors are met. Herzbergs needs are specifically job related and reflect some of the distinct things that people want from their work as opposed to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs which reflect all the needs in a persons life. Building on this model, Herzberg coined the term job enrichment to describe the process of redesigning work in order to build in motivators. Theory X and Theory Y Douglas McGregor developed a philosophical view of humankind with his Theory X and Theory Y (McGregor, 1957) , which are two opposing perceptions about how people view human behavior at work and organizational life. McGregor felt that companies followed either one or the other approach: Theory X People have an inherent dislike for work and will avoid it whenever possible. People must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment in order to get them to achieve the organizational objectives. People prefer to be directed, do not want responsibility, and have little or no ambition. People seek security above all else. Note that with Theory X assumptions, managements role is to coerce and control employees. Theory Y Work is as natural as play and rest. People will exercise self-direction if they are committed to the objectives (they are NOT lazy). Commitment to objectives is a function of the rewards associated with their achievement. People learn to accept and seek responsibility. Creativity, ingenuity, and imagination are widely distributed among the population. People are capable of using these abilities to solve an organizational problem. People have potential. Note that with Theory Y assumptions, managements role is to develop the potential in employees and help them to release that potential towards common goals. Theory X is the view that traditional management has taken towards the workforce. Many organizations are now taking the enlightened view of theory Y. A boss can be viewed as taking the theory X approach, while a leader takes the theory Y approach. Notice that Maslow, Herzberg, and McGreagors theories all tie together: Herzbergs theory is a micro version of Maslows theory (concentrated in the work place). McGreagors Theory X is based on workers caught in the lower levels (1 to 3) of Maslows theory, while his Theory Y is for workers who have gone above level 3. McGreagors Theory X is based on workers caught in Herbergs Hygiene Dissatisfiers, while Theory Y is based on workers who are in the Motivators or Satisfiers section. Existence/Relatedness/Growth (ERG) Clayton Alderfers Existence/Relatedness/Growth (ERG) Theory of Needs (Alderfer, 1969) postulates that there are three groups of needs: Existence This group of needs is concerned with providing the basic requirements for material existence, such as physiological and safety needs. This need is satisfied by money earned in a job so that one may buy food, shelter, clothing, etc. Relationships This group of needs center upon the desire to establish and maintain interpersonal relationships. Since a people normally spend approximately half of their waking hours on the job, this need is normally satisfied to some degree by their coworkers. Growth These needs are met by personal development. A persons job, career, or profession provides significant satisfaction of growth needs. Alderfers ERG theory states that more than one need may be influential at the same time. If the gratification of a higher-level need is frustrated, the desire to satisfy a lower-level need will increase. He identifies this phenomenon as the frustration shy aggression dimension. Its relevance on the job is that even when the upper-level needs are frustrated, the job still provides for the basic physiological needs upon which one would then be focused. If, at that point, something happens to threaten the job, the persons basic needs are significantly threatened. If there are not factors present to relieve the pressure, the person may become desperate and panicky. Notice that Alderfers ERG theory is built upon Maslows, however it does differ. First he collapsing it from five needs to three. And unlike Maslow, he did not see these needs as being a hierarchy in which one climbs up, but rather being more of a continuum. While there has not been a whole lot of research on Alderfers theory, most contemporary theories do tend to support it. Expectancy Theory Vrooms Expectancy Theory states that an individual will act in a certain way based on the expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual. This motivational model (Vroom, 1964) has been modified by several people, to include Porter and Lawler (Porter et. al., 1968). Vrooms Expectancy Theory is written as a formula: Valence x Expectancy x Instrumentality = Motivation Valence (Reward) = the amount of desire for a goal (What is the reward?) Expectancy (Performance) = the strength of belief that work related effort will result in the completion of the task (How hard will I have to work to reach the goal?) Instrumentality (Belief) = the belief that the reward will be received once the task is completed (Will they notice the effort I put forth?) The product of valence, expectancy, and instrumentality is motivation. It can be thought of as the strength of the drive towards a goal. For example, if an employee wants to move up through the ranks, then promotion has a high valence for that employee. If the employee believes that high performance will result in good reviews, then the employee has a high expectancy. However, if the employee believes the company will not promote from within, then the employee has low instrumentality, and the employee will not be motivated to perform better.

The Uses of Psychology to People at Work Essay -- Papers Workplace Cow

The Uses of Psychology to People at Work Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes (Hilgard, 1996). An understanding of this can be a useful tool for many different groups of people in the work environment, who all have their own interests in what psychology has to offer. Such groups to benefit include managers, employees, Human Resources specialists and Trade Unions. An in depth understanding of human behavioral patterns can be applied positively in order to get the most out of people and increase productivity at work. This is achieved by reducing factors that interfere with the efficiency of peoples' work. This assignment will aim to focus on factors that are ongoing and socially aroused by the interaction between people and their environment, namely: dealing and coping with work stress; lowering the rate of bullying and harassment in the workplace; and maintaining a high level of motivation and effort both in demanding and tedious tasks. Every type of person in an organization is susceptible to suffering from worry and stress. Stress is a challenge to a person's capacity to adapt to inner and outer demands, which may be physiologically arousing and emotionally taxing and call for cognitive and behavioral responses (Westen, 1999). Stress provokes physical and emotional disturbances, which have the ability to affect both one's health and performance. It can lead to tension in the workplace and frequent absenteeism due to illegitimate claims of sickness, thus its prevention is beneficial to both employee and organization. Managing stress can be achieved by the direct approaches of behavioral tec... ...vol 28, no 3, p 311-30. Â · Niedl, 1996, Mobbing and Well-being: Economic and Personnel development implications, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, vol 5, no 2, p 251-271. Â · Otway, HJ & Misenta, R (1980), "The determinants of operator preparedness for emergency situations in nuclear power plants", Paper presented at Workshop on Procedural and Organisational Measures for Accident Management: Laxenburg, Austria, 28-31 Jan. Â · Westen, D (1999), Psychology: Mind, Brain & Culture, Second Edition, Wiley. Â · Wilke, Rutte, van Knippenberg & Ad, 2000, The Resentful sucker: Do rewards ease the pain?, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, vol 9, no 3, Sept 2000, p 307-320. Â · Yukl & Wexley (1971), Readingsin Organizational and Industrial Psychology, Oxford University Press.

Race Is Real Essay

In society, people socially construct institution based on sensory perception. Race is in fact a social construct made from systems of constitutive rules. It is used to generalize people into specific groups characterized by supposedly distinctive and universal physical characteristics. Although humans have created this entity, there are many sources that provide proof that race is impossible to define biologically. Since colonization began, humans have been given racial identities which continue to cause uproar in nations and states. People simply assuming the existence of race makes it real. Despite this, the assumption of the existence of race does not make it valid. Race cannot be objectively specified, and it should be seen as a whole. There is only one human race. D’Andrade classifies a constitutive rule as â€Å"an entity created by the social agreement that something counts as that entity† (91). A simple understanding of a constitutive rule is a rule that exists only because society believes in it, and adheres to it. Marriage is a clear example of how constitutive rules create a social entity; it exists solely on the fact that a culture agrees that it exists, and agrees on the general guidelines in which it exists. Generally speaking, constitutive rules rely on people’s adherence and shared thoughts to exist. D’Andrade explains the differences between constitutive and regulative rules. Regulative rules are those which provide guidelines and restrictions for existing forms of behavior. A regulative rule is not involved with the creation or elimination of an entity, whereas a constitutive rule does exactly that through social agreement. D’Andrade said that â€Å"Institutions are systems of constitutive rules. Every institutional fact is underlain by a system of rules of the form ? X counts as Y in context C'† (91). In this formula, X is the ideas that a culture believes in, Y represents the institutions and rules that those ideas count as, and C is the specific situation or culture. Constitutive rules define situations and/or subjects that have an effect on the reactions which come from the situation itself. The entity of family is an example of this. The systems of ideas that make up what we consider family are constitutive rules. Families can be classified into different categories including immediate and biological families, teams/teammates, religious groups, organizations and/or clubs. In this example, C is considered the American culture and the different ideas of what makes up a family is X. Although many believe family to be biological, even the boundaries of that can be argued. The considerations of family types are indistinguishable throughout the world. Those involved within families, especially close immediate families tend to pursue and enjoy a contented lifestyle. Many families strive to be involved with those within the family and help out one another. This positive involvement can also be seen within a team or organization of some sort that may grow to call themselves a family. Since it is socially constructed, the exact definition of family is hard to create and so all these groups may be considered family. Although a family is usually viewed as a positive aspect in one’s life, just like other constitutive rules, they are overlooked because they are too involved within the cultural aspect. After extensive research, it has been proven that race cannot be biologically defined. In general, people categorize people within a certain race depending mainly on their skin color, the construction of their eyes and even the color of one’s hair. These characteristics are arbitrary. In attempts to prove this, Jared Diamond wrote the article â€Å"Race without Color. † He arbitrarily chooses the gene that causes sickle-cell anemia. By using this way to classify people, Greeks, Thai and New Guineans would be put together as once race, and some Africans and Norwegians in another racial group (84). Classifying people into certain races is not biologically acceptable or possible to do objectively. It only creates views about others through our own eye, and leads to subconscious differentiation and discrimination. However, it is common today for people to use race as a simple way to categorize people. Considering all of the different classifications, Diamond, along with many anthropologists suggests, â€Å"one cannot recognize any human races at all. † It is given through anthropologists’ studies that rules that separate races from one another are constitutive rules. A socially constructed institution is only possible through the thoughts and ideas of those within a society. Race continues to be one of these examples, although it is known through facts and research that race is not properly appraised. In American culture every one has been subjected to the question of their race at one point or another. While taking exams or signing up for SATs here in America, people are questioned about their racial back rounds. This shows that race is real. Another example is seen in â€Å"Hotel Rwanda. † In the film, although the Hutus and Tutsis are from the same nation and seem physically identical to one another, there was bloodshed amongst these two races because of socially constructed identities. Race has evolved as a worldview and system of perspective. Race creates a body of prejudgments that distorts our ideas about differences between humans. The simple existence of two races in Rwanda made it so that the groups of people perceived differences and problems between them. Regardless of ideas and falsely created identities, race is real and should be viewed as a whole. A great example of the reality and issues of race within our society date back to the Rodney Glen King incident which took place in Los Angeles in 1991. During the month of March, Rodney King led police on a high speed pursuit though red lights and stop signs. After eventually stopping, police proceeded towards the car and threw King to the ground. The police officers claim he resisted arrest and was continuously stuck with batons, tackled and even tasered. George Holiday, a private citizen video taped this incident from his apartment, creating an international media sensation. In 1992, the officers were acquitted by a jury. The acquittal was based in part on a 13-second segment of the video tape. The jury verdict created massive rioting in LA for four days. By the time order was able to be restored, an estimated $1 billion in damage, with â€Å"55 deaths; 2,383 injuries; more than 7000 fire responses; 3,100 businesses damaged† (Smith, Anna Deavere). Smaller riots ensued in other U. S. cities. After the riots occurred, federal charges of civil rights violations were brought up against the officers. Two of the officers were found guilty and sentenced to 30 months in prison, while the other two were acquitted. During the acts of violence and riots, King had appeared in public in front of news cameras stating, â€Å"People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? † (Keyes. 1992) Although these acts of racial incidents occurred, in the midst of it, the one who was beaten stepped out and asked for peace and camaraderie amongst all. As described earlier, there was uproar across the country as people believed that the police involved in the attacks were initially not persecuted because racial factors. As seen in King’s quote, it is evident that he spoke in respect to racial neutrality while asking if everyone can get along. He was able to show that race is real in that simple quote. He referred to â€Å"we† as people living within this world, making them seem as a whole, as one race. As observed through this case and many others, including the most recent Jena 6 trial, race is still a factor for individuals and groups. Yet race still remains impossible to define and use. Race fits the anthropological formula for constitutive rules, â€Å"X counts as Y in context C. † Race, seen as a biological entity, is in fact a social construct made from systems of constitutive rules and is used to generalize people into certain groups. Although society views race as separate divisions among people, through scientific knowledge it is clear that human populations are not categorical, biologically distinct groups.

Neanderthal-Homo Sapiens Hybri essays

Neanderthal-Homo Sapiens Hybri essays Implications of Neanderthal-Homo Sapiens Hybrid from the Abrigo do Lagar Velho (Portugal) In a recent excavation at Abrigo do Lagar Velho in Portugal, Duarte et al (1999) unearthed what was later to be recognized as early human skeletal remains which pointed to interbreeding between Neanderthal and Modern Humans during the mid - upper Palaeolithic transition. The morphology of the remains, belonging to a child of approximately 3-4 years old, indicates a Neanderthal typology in post-cranial features, and more modern cranial features. The find has been cited as evidence of hybridization between the two traditionally separate human lines, and offers an explanation to the question of Neanderthal extinction. (Trinkaus 1999) Anthropologists are now offered a line of evidence pointing to the contemopranity of Moderns and Neanderthals in parts of Europe and assumptions can be made about their contact: "The discoverers...are making a ground-breaking claim, that the skeleton shows traces of bo th Neanderthal and modern human ancestry, evidence that modern humans did not simply extinguish the Neanderthals, as many researchers had come to think. Instead the two kinds of human were so alike that in Portugal, at least, they intermingled...for thousands of years." (Kunzig, 1999) By examining the theories of human evolution, and looking at the cultural evolution of tool technology as well as the biological transitions and differences between the two types of humans, we can see that this hybridization just might be the answer. Perhaps this find will be able to tell us what exactly did happen to the Neanderthals. Firstly, it is useful to have an overview of the different theories of human evolution, or I should say the two most widely accepted views as accepted by palaeo-anthropologists in the field. For some years now it has been the contention that the origins of modern humans stem from either a continuous evolution from archaic to modern humans in loc...

Mosquitoes - Family Culicidae

Mosquitoes - Family Culicidae Who hasnt had an encounter with a mosquito? From the backwoods to our backyards, mosquitoes seem determined to make us miserable. Besides disliking their painful bites, mosquitoes concern us as vectors of diseases, from West Nile virus to malaria. Description: Its easy to recognize a mosquito when it lands on your arm and bites you. Most people dont take a close look at this insect, tending instead to slap it the moment it bites. Members of the family Culicidae do exhibit common characteristics if you can bear to spend a moment examining them. Mosquitoes belong to the suborder Nematocera – true flies with long antennae. Mosquito antennae have 6 or more segments. The males antennae are quite plumose, providing lots of surface area for detecting female mates. Female antennae are short-haired. Mosquito wings have scales along the veins and the margins. The mouthparts – a long proboscis – allow the adult mosquito to drink nectar, and in the case of the female, blood. Classification: Kingdom - AnimaliaPhylum - ArthropodaClass – InsectaOrder – DipteraFamily - Culicidae Diet: Larvae feed on organic matter in the water, including algae, protozoans, decaying debris, and even other mosquito larvae. Adult mosquitoes of both sexes feed on nectar from flowers. Only females require a bloodmeal in order to produce eggs. The female mosquito may feed on the blood of birds, reptiles, amphibians, or mammals (including humans). Life Cycle: Mosquitoes undergo complete metamorphosis with four stages. The female mosquito lays her eggs on the surface of fresh or standing water; some species lay eggs on damp soil prone to inundation. Larvae hatch and live in the water, most using a siphon to breathe at the surface. Within one to two weeks, the larvae pupate. Pupae cannot feed but can be active while floating on the waters surface. Adults emerge, usually in just a few days, and sit on the surface until they are dry and ready to fly. Adult females live two weeks to two months; adult males may only live a week. Special Adaptations and Defenses: Male mosquitoes use their plumose antennae to sense the species-specific buzzing of females. The mosquito produces its buzz by fluttering its wings up to 250 times per second. Females seek bloodmeal hosts by detecting carbon dioxide and octanol produced in breath and sweat. When a female mosquito senses CO2 in the air, she flies upwind until she finds the source. Mosquitoes dont require blood to live but need the proteins in a bloodmeal to develop their eggs. Range and Distribution: Mosquitoes of the family Culicidae live worldwide, except in Antarctica, but require habitat with standing or slow moving fresh water for young to develop. Sources: Diptera: Culicidae. (Accessed May 13, 2008).Family Culicidae - Mosquitoes - BugGuide.Net. (Accessed May 13, 2008).Mosquito - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (Accessed May 13, 2008).

The Representation of Women in New Turkish Cinema Essay

The Representation of Women in New Turkish Cinema - Essay Example The improvement in the popularity of the movies is seen as a greater contrast with the yester years of the Turkish movies. This has seen the rise of new directors into the film industry who immensely contributed to a new wave of the Turkish cinema. The local nature of the cinema most often is portrayed meaning movies that exhibit unique cultural fundamentals and terms of Turkish custom, amusement and historical context, could be grounds that viewers are drawn to these general movies of regional directors. These features are striking for a social order that wishes to identify themselves in movies but also nationality and distinctiveness in all its descriptions, profiles and forms are linked to this particular acknowledgment in cinema. However, New Turkish cinema has been hit by a wave of criticism over the representation of women. Presently, women are still being represented pessimistically in Turkish cinema. According to the observation of the various movies by Zeki Demirkubuzâ€℠¢s, the role of women has considerably been ignored by the fact that these movies put emphasis on the male characters. Failure to include women in these movies has sparkled protest on the representation of the male perspective and impartiality in the female role. In spite, the poor representation of women in the movies, prostitution prevails as a subtheme for most movies. The absence can be attributed to be negative in relation to gender politics. These films have profoundly subordinated women to men. The absence is a representation of the patriarchal practices that are still prevalence within the Turkish society. This has never been in any way considered a coincidence as there female parts are extremely silenced. However, in reviews, the issue of silencing of women has never been addressed but only in a few articles around Turkey (Dadak & Kostepen, 2007). The case of imitating patriarchal customs is the basis of debates surrounding Zeki Demirkubuz movies. Demirkubuz’s role i n challenging or reproducing patriarchy is indistinguishable. In a dialogue, with Altyaz? magazine, Zeki Demirkubuz castoffs that he does not include women in most of his movies; however he rejects feminist consideration of the person focusing on patriarchal affairs, sexism and male aggression (Ziraman, 2008). Demirkubuz’s declaration makes evident that he is not behind the patriarchal aggression on women, and physical, as well as spoken violence wielded on prostitutes (Operli & F?rat, 2007). The existence of patriarchal associations between actors, insults and domestic violence can be understood as awkward analysis of the social order, which is also subjected by gender social orders and patriarchy. Possible tribulations faced by women such as infidelity, rape, domestic brutality, rumors about morality are revealed in the movie in a normal way, which can be understood as the upholding of the patriarchy. The female standpoints and stories are set aside in most of these movies a complete show of the patriarchal practices. Turkish cinema can be considered a better source to understand the females struggle against silence in an attempt to ensure equality, as well as their identity (Ulusoy, 2010). Conversely, women feel lost within the dominated society where they are discriminated against (Umut, 2009). Despite the inclusion of women in various movies, they get included because they

Debate for Australia euthanasia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Debate for Australia euthanasia - Essay Example The same view is held by the Islamic religion (Bulow et al., 2008). Therefore, the opponents view legalization of euthanasia as being immoral and against God’s commandment since it does not sanctify life. However, the proponents have responded by arguing that legalizing euthanasia will actually uphold human dignity. They have argued that no person should be allowed to undergo torture from terminal illness. Such continuous pain, they have pointed out, which medicine has no control over degrades human dignity and defeats the very logic for continuing to live. Therefore, euthanasia will do more good than harm (Norval & Gwyther, 2003). In addition, they have also said that the society is built on fundamental values of compassion and mercy. The society should therefore rise to the occasion and help the terminally ill from suffering unbearably without any help (Norval & Gwyther, 2003). Euthanasia as murder versus right-based arguments The opponents have viewed legalization of euthan asia has a commission to commit murder. They have argued that any action intended to take away another person’s life is inherently wrong and should never be allowed even if the victim has given the consent (Somerville, 2003). Euthanasia has therefore been viewed has killing of other human beings and fervently opposed on those grounds. On the other hand, the proponents have made an argument against this view by pointing out to the principles of autonomy and self-determination. The argument has been that a patient has a right to his or her life and therefore can determine on how he or she should die (Bartels & Otlowski, 2010; Kerridge, Lowe & Stewart, 2009). The autonomy principle allows... The argument has been that a patient has a right to his or her life and therefore can determine on how he or she should die (Bartels & Otlowski, 2010; Kerridge, Lowe & Stewart, 2009). The autonomy principle allows a patient of sound mind to make any decision pertaining to his or her life as long as such a decision does nobody any harm (Norval & Gwyther, 2003). Along this line, it is argued that a patient has a right to determine when he or she no longer wants to live. It is further argued that, due to the principle of autonomy, a patient has a right to his or her own decisions and equally a right to a dignified death (Bartels & Otlowski, 2010). In general, the proponents argue that by patients being denied the right to euthanasia, the society is actually tramping upon their (patients’) rights and forcing decisions on them (patients) which they (patients) do not necessarily ascribe to. In other word, the insistence on the sustenance of the status quo in reference to legalizatio n of euthanasia is a continued violation of patients’ rights and thus those of human rights. How have the opponents responded to these accusations of violating human rights specifically the principles of autonomy? The proponents have come out strongly and fiercely claiming that actually allowing euthanasia is an abuse of autonomy and human rights contrary to what the proponents have said. The opponents have argued that the principle of autonomy advocates for conditions that favor autonomy. Any attempt to suppress any condition.