Analyzing Legal Alien Essay Example for Free

Analyzing Legal Alien Essay For many years now people have judged one another based on characteristics and family background. Some judge based on skin color, race, where your family has come from, and how you came about. â€Å"Legal Alien/ Extranjera Legal† by Pat Mora gives a very realistic message of how it can feel to be a mexican american and to be seen as a ‘legal alien’. To feel not wanted by either side, and to be judged based on the origins of your ancestors and your race. â€Å"viewed by Anglos as perhaps exotic,/ perhaps inferior, definitely different,/ viewed by mexicans as alien. This here, is a perfect example of the way Mora feels about being judged and seen as an alien and her interesting use of diction, metaphors and similes. I think the tone Mora has is one of somebody who feels like an outsider, due to being judge by the people who surround her daily. Moras choice of diction in the first four lines is very interesting and has continued to interest me throughout the poem. Diction is a writer or speakers choice of words. Mora’s diction lets you know a lot about the poems meaning and also about the speaker or the character right away. Mora chooses to tell it back and forth, from one side to another, but mainly from two different points of view. Being seen as an american and also being seen as a mexican. I believe Mora is telling this poem in her own point of view, as if she is the character. Mora starts by off saying â€Å"bi-lingual, bi-cultural† line one. That alone can be interpreted as the speaker or the character is able to speak and understand two languages. It also means she can participate in both of their cultures as well. Mora follows the first line up by enforcing her meaning with â€Å" able to slip from ‘how’s life? to ‘ me’stan volviendo loca. †( this means they’re driving me crazy in spanish. ) Lines two and three. Moras choice of diction here is interesting because she makes it sound like she lives two completely separate lifes as if they could not be mixed together. Mora writes â€Å"able to sit in a paneled office/ drafting memos in smooth english/ able to order in fluent spanish/ at a mexican restaurant† Lines five through seven, really show how she lives both sides and experiences them both separately from one another. It also shows that she fits in and seems as if she really isn’t different from any of the others. In lines eight through ten Mora uses more of her interesting diction. â€Å"american but hyphenated/ viewed by Anglos as perhaps exotic,/ perhaps inferior, definitely different. † ‘American but hyphenated’ highlights the point that although she is part american, she is still different because she is not a full american. There is more than that though, and thats exactly why she is seen differently from both sides. Either way she is more than that so she is seen different and that is Moras overall message. â€Å"viewed by Anglos as perhaps exotic,/ perhaps inferior, definitely different. † supports that she is viewed as an outsider from both sides. Mora also uses inferior. Which has a strong meaning to it. Inferior means: lower in rank, status, or quality. Mora uses the word exotic which also sends a very clear message of how she is viewed. Exotic means to originate in or characteristic of a distant foreign country, so her choice of words completely supports her overall message of what it can feel like to be judged based on the origins of your ancestors and your race. Mora even uses a very simple but clear simile. â€Å"viewed by mexicans as an alien. † She states that the mexicans, the other half of her ancestors race, also see her as an alien, as an outsider. Different from them because she has american blood to even though the rest of her blood is made up of that of the same as theirs. She still is not the same in there eyes. They refer to her as an alien because they believe that. â€Å"(their eyes say, ‘you may speak/ spanish but you’re not like me’)† lines twelve and thirteen, support the fact that all though she is similar, she is not seen like them. Moras choice of diction is interesting here because she is writing what she knows they want to say but wont always will but also what some do imply using different words. There eyes make her feel different like an outcast not wanted by anybody. The way they find hers and judge her so quickly, so harshly. Mora again supports that she is viewed as an outsider, a ‘legal alien’ by following that up with lines fourteenth and fifteenth. â€Å"an american to mexicans/ A mexican to americans. † These two lines have a strong meaning, and also supports the way she feels, nobody wanted her. She did not belong to either because they judged her based on the other half of her race. the other half of who she is. When in all reality race should not matter, should not affect ones judgement. Somebodys race makes them no better nor no worse than the next person. Moras next two lines sixteen and seventeen, have a strong meaning and the use of a metaphor. â€Å"a handy token/ sliding back and forth. † She is referring to herself or her character as a ‘hand token’, which I would assume is a metaphor that symbolizes that she slides back and forth between what feels like two completely different worlds just trying to fit in. To be seen for who she truly is. â€Å"between the fringes of both worlds. † Mora now very matter of factly states that to her or her character those lives are two different worlds completely. It also supports that she does not mix them together very much. In the next line Mora chooses to show an emotion in a way. I believe Mora chooses to wait so long before putting a real emotion into her character so you and I, as the readers could really understand what it is like to be mexican american and judged constantly and in general. â€Å"by smiling† line nineteen. Mora follows up the short but to the point line nineteen, with using very strong diction. â€Å"by masking the discomfort† (line twenty) is a strong phrase alone and already says a lot. ‘Masking discomfort’ means that the speaker or character masks how discomfortable being judged can be. How hard it can be to cope with and that says the speaker or the character is very strong, to hide something like that simply by smiling when it has most likely gone on for years. But also a devastating effect. â€Å"of being pre-judged/ bi-laterally. † line twenty. Mora ends her poem with one, very strong meaningful word. Bi-laterally means by both sides. Mora is saying ‘being pre-judged by both sides’. Both races that make her up as a whole, pre-judging her before they got the chance to know her. People judge one another all the time based off their clothes, and much much more. But to judge somebody due to their race or heritage, things they have no control over, thats not right. Its one thing to judge based on how they project themselves but it is not right to judge based on something out of their control either. I think that Moras choice of diction, metaphors, and similes really support her feelings of being judged and seen as a ‘legal alien’. â€Å"Legal Alien’/Extranjera Legal† gives a very realistic and strong message of how it can feel to be viewed as an alien by the people that surround you and are in your life like the people you work with. Mora’s character knows how it feels to be not wanted nor accepted by either side, and to be judged on the origins of her ancestors and her race. Mora uses strong diction throughout this poem with her interesting choice of how she uses her words. â€Å"perhaps exotic, perhaps inferior, definitely different,† Her choice of diction has a strong effect on the message itself. Moras use of similes is interesting to because she says â€Å"viewed by mexicans as alien†, she very clearly says they compare her to an alien and that as a very great impact to. Mora also uses metaphors in her writing in an interesting way, she refers to herself as ‘a handy token/ sliding back and forth’, to symbolize how it feels to not be accepted and to be judged. Many people could relate to this poem whether they are judged on their race, on their upbringing, on their clothes, and many more factors. Being pre-judged is a major problem in society today and is all around us constantly. Some are not lucky enough to escape it, but are capable of understanding the bigger picture in the message behind this poem.

Need For Effective Leadership Consequences Of Ineffective Leadership Management Essay

Need For Effective Leadership Consequences Of Ineffective Leadership Management Essay Leadership can be viewed as a process of influencing activities and actions of an organized group or team in its efforts towards setting goals and achieving goals. (Stogdill, 1990). A leader is an individual who considerably affects the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of a considerable number of individuals. (Gardner, 1995). Leadership is a process; it is comprised of more than the leader and the situation (Church, 1998). When viewed in the terms of organizations leadership is considered to be a special contribution because it makes a significant difference to the success of the organization. (Tjosvold and Wong, 2000). When leadership is effective in an organization ordinary can be transformed into extraordinary and this leads to satisfaction of customers, employees and top management, i.e. all are content and satisfied. (Tjosvold and Wong, 2000). The four Vs of Leadership have been considered as critical when defining it; they are vision, values, value-Added, and vitality. (Shaw, 2006). There are various viewpoints from which leadership has been defined previously, including individual traits, behaviours, contextual perspectives, and combinations of these viewpoints. (Taormina, Robert. J, 2008). Need for Effective Leadership- Consequences of Ineffective Leadership Leadership in an organization must focus on the essential actions and behaviours of the leaders if view of the following ill consequences and hence it is extremely important to develop the quality of leaders and continuously improvise on managers abilities to lead the organizational teams. (Georgenson, 2009) 1. Leaders not providing SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time) targets to their employees: o Low synchronisation of personal and organizational objectives o Workforce may become unproductive o Lack of clarity regarding what is to be achieved o Frustration may build among the workforce (Source: www.learnmarketing.net) 2. If leaders are not providing clear, positive and instant opinion about the employees work standard and results achieved. o Reluctance among the employees regarding managers interest in the work. o Unproductive behaviours may persist leading to long term loss in productivity of workforce. 3. If leaders do not provide continuous improvement avenues. o Employees waste time looking for ways to become better o Employees employ irrelevant activity for improvement o Development of employees is restricted leading to less productive workforce 4. If leaders are unable to provide for effective performance appraisal o Continuation of poor performance o Employees consider their current performance as acceptable o Problems in meeting targets set for future (Georgenson, 2009) Beyond achieving performance related organizational goals effective leadership makes an organization capable of meeting contemporary challenges in todays business environment such as need for competitive advantage, ensuring ethical behaviour and achieving productivity through a diverse workforce in global companies in a fair and equitable manner. (Jones George, 2004) Teamwork- The Spirit of Successful Organizations A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. (Katzenbach and Smith).Teamwork not only promotes a sense of comradeship within an organization, it is also transmitted to all clients or customers who do business with the organization. (Twomey Kleiner, 1996). Teamwork may have two kinds of objectives: co-ordinating and innovating. Teamwork can be a measure to open the horizontal communication among the hierarchies, and it adds to the flexibility of the whole organization. (Nurmi, 1996). Combining Teamwork and Leadership Teamwork facilitates management and leadership, and it helps improve communication and saves the time of both the employees and management. Teamwork in companies is structured. A team has a team leader who coordinates with the team members in defining and achieving other roles, objectives, accountability, schedules and deadlines. (Nurmi, 1996). In present day companies and in modern management teamwork is a necessity. There is a necessity of teamwork in a functional organization where they are needed for the co-ordination of different departments because all the departments in the organization are partly responsible for the collective performance of the whole organization as a unit. (Nurmi, 1996). Challenges for leadership A research conducted by C.D. McCauley, Ohlott Ruderman, 1999 helped in identifying five basic categories of challenges for leadership. (C.D. McCauley, Ohlott Ruderman, 1999, cited in: Antonakis, John, Ciancolo, Anna. T., Sternberg, Robert, 2004). These are: a) Creation of a change by taking the organization in new directions; addressing problems of previous leadership and decide in the face of uncertainty. b) Management at higher levels of responsibility and commitment as the leaders decisions guide the organizations moves. c) Management of issues related to leaders authority on other people. d) Effective management of diversity within an organizational culture. e) Being unflappable during job transitions, change of responsibilities and building relationships. I as a Consultant- Advices and Suggestions My advices in relation to the improvement of leadership and enhancing teamwork skills and performance levels and productivity. I will be predominantly citing examples from the global outsourcing and consulting giant; Infosys Technologies Ltd. My suggestions for improvement of leadership levels would be the following. They have been categorized into several strategic intentions and actions towards developing the leadership skills. They are: 1. Leaders need to build self esteem among the employees who follow them. They must seek their advice on the issues and make them feel important. In this way the employees will feel that they are needed and will be more than willing to work for the leaders. Its also important for the leaders to understand the employees needs for appraisal and motivation in several forms. Being a good leader means that they understand the people they work with and respect them for their contribution. Infosys points out that moral intelligence is new to the analytical playing field, and highlights four key principles that can sustain moral intelligence: Integrity; Responsibility; Compassion; Forgiveness. (Ethics, success and leadership the Infosys way, 2006) 1. Integrity is creating harmony between what we believe and how we act, doing what we know is right (and this definitely includes telling the truth at all times). 2. Responsibility is a person who is willing to take responsibility for their own actions, and the consequences only by taking this responsibility do you stay true to core values. 3. Compassion is broadened to include caring about others, which then shows our respect for others. It also has a boomerang effect, because generally when a compassionate person is in trouble, we return compassion to them. 4. Forgiveness is a key principle because without a tolerance for mistakes and acknowledgement of human imperfection, we are likely to be rigid and inflexible, thereby reducing the common good.

Ethnicity And Democracy In The Case Of Kenya Politics Essay

Ethnicity And Democracy In The Case Of Kenya Politics Essay Ethnicity is derived from Greek word ethnos, which means a nation or a people. The term ethnicity may also mean a race or group of people with common racial features and common cultural uniqueness. Once consciousness of being part of an ethnic group is created, it takes on a self preservation dimension and is passed from one generation to another. Also, Max Weber  [2]  defined an ethnic group as those human beings or groups that entertain a subjective belief in their common descent because of migration or colonization in such a way that this belief is important for the continuance of non-kinship communal relationships. Ethnic affiliation is deeply embedded inside peoples consciousness and is difficult for them to break away from it. Thus ethnicity is natural and innate in human beings as part of their nature, which is inevitable. Every human being has a natural inclination towards identifying with other persons whom he/she share common interests, history or origin. Mans sense of belonging makes him associate with people he/she is closely related with, which results in the formation of an ethnic group with its unique and peculiar way of life. A fundamental unity between the different persons in an African community, that is, a unity of human relationship, underlies Traditional African morality. African morality places considerable value on the conformity of the individual to the social group in order to preserve the unity of communal associations. It could be said that in a way, African thought is indeed more concerned with the relationship than with the different entities which constitute the relationship. All human behavior is thus expected to conform to this value to ensure social harmony. Kenya is a multicultural and multi ethnic country comprising of more than forty two ethnic identities each with its own unique way of life. In the opinion of this study, good governance is the starting point for Africas recovery, not only for the benefit of Africans themselves, but also to pacify western fears of failed states which may harbor volatile dissidents or terrorists. According to the Wests experience, a fundamental element of improving governance is the transition to a democratic society. While it is accepted that dictatorships tend to offer more stability, democracy if all of the conditions are met is promotive of the best outcomes in terms of human liberty. Legitimate democratic governments are less violent towards their citizens, and because they permit opposition, are less likely to result in bloody revolutions  [3]  . Negative ethnicity still remains a dominant political force and it has brought with it poverty and exploitation which have for a long time held Kenya hostage. Since Independence, Kenyan politicians have manipulated ethnic divisions for their own myopic political and economic agendas, maintaining ethnicity at the forefront of the collective psyche. Despite being a powerful tool for conflict, ethnicity has simultaneously evolved into a valuable resource for access to economic stability for corrupt politicians, and opportunities to plunder state resources. In Kenya, state fund allocation is distributed by ethnic region, creating disparities and animosities between different ethnic groups. In fact the major reason that caused the infamous 2007 post election violence and skirmishes in which over 100 people lost their lives and property worth millions of dollars destroyed, was due to the perceived marginalization of some Kenyan communities denying them access to state resources and employm ent opportunities. In terms of democratic elections, ethnic or tribal affiliation dictates loyalties. Regardless of electoral platform, the Kenyan citizenry will almost exclusively vote for their ethnic representative. In the 2007 presidential elections, ethnicity played a crucial role. Mr. Mwai Kibaki, a Kikuyu, got few votes in Nyanza province which is predominantly Luo, whereas his opponent Mr. Raila Odinga, a Luo, got minimal votes in Central province which is predominantly Kikuyu. Kenyan politics has always been practiced based on a high degree of ethnic exploitation and opportunism. Kenyan politicians frequently base their political campaigns by appealing to tribal fears, stereotypes and ethnic expectations thus relegating to the backseat broad-based genuine and ethnically inclusive and equitable democratic platforms. Because I am from your tribe, you can trust me I will not eat alone please Vote for me, with the implied meaning that you cannot trust those who do not belong to your tribe and they will not share with you the national cake. This is because voters think that having their tribesmen and women in power necessarily translates to better life for them. So when ones kinsperson loses a competitive election, violence usually breaks out. This can be explained by the fact that when an individual wins an election whether fairly or through fraud, he/she diverts all state resources to his/her region and the rest of the country has to wait for five years until elections are held for them to get a chance to have one of their own in power. Kenyans vote as ethnic blocs partly because the economic inequalities in the country has brought with it widespread poverty and political illiteracy. People who are politically illiterate and poverty stricken need basic needs like food and not freedom of thought and conscience. They do not care about their right to vote and how it affects them. Thus potential voters always sell their electors cards for a loaf of bread or for a sum of less than one US dollar to their tribal kingpins. The less fortunate are the majority in Kenya and thus more vulnerable to ethnic manipulation by crooked politicians and lords of impunity. The Kenyan electorate has become sycophantic and in most cases rarely make autonomous choices when voting due to negative ethnicity. This violates an individuals ability to exercise his/her voluntariness. This is ones ability to make a choice without being unduly pressured to make a particular choice for any specific reason. Being free in making a decision means that w e own the decision as ours and that one ought to have a better option. The principle of voluntariness removes coercion or any influence as possible so that the decision is the individuals and not someone elses. The purpose of coercion and undue influence is to do an end run around a choice or judgment so that an individual will do what he/she might not ordinarily have done in the absence of such irrationally persuasive techniques. An individuals decisions and choices at their very best ought to be as a result of his /her own self determination. The well being of a nation depends on the capacity of the electorate to choose leaders wisely and prudently. Ethnic voting patterns undermine the common good in terms of the quality of leadership since in most cases the ones whose ethnic group is more populous even if their leadership qualities are deficient, are the ones who get elected. Taken to its extreme, negative ethnicity results in coups and revolutions. In Kenya ethnicity has been used as a partial criterion for apportioning benefits and burdens among the citizenry. This practice is rampant during employment and discharge of public services in which special and undue consideration is given to a person on the basis of his/her ethnic identity. Here meritocracy is not the criterion. Negative ethnicity has undermined the common good by placing unqualified persons to positions of responsibility. It is also worth noting that the current president Mwai Kibaki has on many occasions been accused of favoring his community in making public appointments. Plum government jobs are held by people from his Mount Kenya region and Kikuyu community. It is not surprising to see key government ministries like that of Finance, Trade, energy, Provincial Administration among other plum ministries are being run by people from the presidents community. Corruption is rife in these ministries as no one is willing to blow up the whistle since it is one of their own eating (muntu wa nyumba, a slang word people from the presidents community use to identify one another). This has not only denied the qualified and deserving persons the opportunity to actualize their potential but has also led to ineffectual performance of duty and services to the public. Negative ethnicity violates the principle of equity, which allows discrimination by reference to morally relevant differences and forbids discrimination in the absence of such differences. It is fair to discriminate in favor of the needy or the meritorious or the able; it is unfair to discriminate between people who are equally able by merely appealing to ones ethnicity. Loyalty to ones ethnic group is highly celebrated in Kenya and this has become more rampant than moral rules in shaping behavior. The culture of us versus them is so ingrained in our country that politicians have coined all types of ethnic expressions and innuendos to whip up ethnic emotions among the citizenry. Phrases such as Eshienyu ne Eshienyu (ours is ours however rotten or bad it may appear to others), Kamwene (it has its owner, it belongs to us not them) have taken centre stage in Kenyas political lingo. A public office is seen to belong to a whole community by virtue of one of their own being the holder of that office. Consequently any positive criticism aimed at the holder of the office is taken to be an affront and assault on the entire community. Thus this way obligation to ones ethnic group often take precedence over those of public office, resulting in political leaders deviating from established rules and thus sowing seeds of corruption and impunity. Ethnic loyalties and other primordial ties have made political leaders develop a sense of obligation that is inconsistent with ethics of public office. Failure to discharge these obligations even if inspired by a need to follow moral rules and values may result in a backlash from the persons respective ethnic community. Ethnic chauvinism is an extreme form of collective self interests where ones ethnic group is the centre of everything and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it. Thus, ethnocentrism is responsible for many armed conflicts in Kenya and Africa at large. When ethnic loyalty becomes the guiding principle in awarding burdens and benefits in society, there is no objectivity in carrying out public appointments, awarding contracts or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits. The choices are not based on merit but on ethnic identities. Political power allocation of resources, jobs and services cannot be left at the mercy of ethnic self interest, private ownership and personal possession because this can have adverse effects on the basic inherent rights of others whose interests have been excluded. Social exclusion damages the social self thus spoiling personal identity. Social inclusion and participation in terms of access to the material conditions of well being in society is an important pre-condition for human freedom. If people are excluded from such access, the development of their social self becomes impaired. In the language of Plato and Aristotle, equal shares ought to go to equals and unequal to unequal. In Politics III, 12, Aristotle puts it thus if flutes are to be distributed, they should go only to those who have the capacity for playing flutes, that is, benefits and responsibilities should be proportionate to the worth of those who receive them. Thus it is fair to discriminate in favor of the needy or meritorious but unfair to discriminate between people who are equally needy and equally meritorious. Justice which is one of the basic pillars of humanity deals with the distribution of burdens and benefits of goods and services according to a just standard to all human beings in any society. Negative ethnicity in Kenya has hindered the growth of democracy. This is because the Kenyan electorate votes along ethnic lines. Thus the electorate will vote for a candidate who is from their ethnic community even if he/she does not have good leadership qualities. This in turn has affected the quality of leadership in our country since undeserving candidates (tribal jingoists) whip up ethnic emotions of their community to rally behind them. This has bred leaders who distribute national resources along ethnic lines. Thus one can only access national resources and privileges if he/she has a member of his/her community holding a public office. This has sowed seeds of corruption, ethnic strife and impunity. Thus it is not strange to see two communities forming an alliance to defeat a candidate from a community they consider to be their common political enemy. This cultural myopia is destructive and undermines the quality of leadership and also quality of life of the entire Kenyan citiz enry. It is also worth noting that currently a group of politicians led by the current Vice President, Mr. Kalonzo Musyoka, are at the moment touting of forming a tribal alliance called triple K (KKK) comprising of three ethnic communities, the Kamba, Kikuyu and Kalenjin so as to front one candidate whose myopic agenda is to block the current Prime Minister Mr. Raila Odinga from winning the 2012 presidential elections. Such alliances undermine democracy and the rule of law in Kenya. This has bred impunity and entrenched corruption since one can get away with theft of public resources as long as his/her kinsperson is in power. Majority of Kenyans have great expectations in the International Criminal Court (ICC) stepping in, and helping entrench the rule of law in a country in which tribe matters than law. This is because without the rule of law being entrenched in society, there can never be any meaningful democracy in a country. Socrates set the agenda of reflectively questioning common beliefs and explanations carefully distinguishing those beliefs that are reasonable and logical from those which however appealing they may be to our native ethnocentrism, even if they serve our vested interests, may lack adequate rational foundation to warrant our belief. In the opinion of this study ethnic loyalties that discriminate against others on the basis or arbitrary criterion of ones tribe undermine human dignity. Jesus Christ affirmed that Love your neighbor as you love yourself. This is the way in which dignity fulfills itself. It means transformation from being self centered. Human dignity is destroyed by self love. Self interests are good when united with others interests to form common interests and bad when fulfilled at the expense of others. Ethnic common interests as represented in a democratically organized society are the best way of guaranteeing everyone some basic means of existence. Ethnicity per se however, is not divisive or alienating when not taken to the extreme as is the case with tribal jingoists. This paper argues for the enhancement of criticality among Kenyans to curb negative ethnicity. Kenyans need to be thoroughly reflective in every area of their lives. Such criticality will enhance individuality in the Kenyan electorate. This will transform people into persons who, motivated by high order value of truth, universal well being of all ethnic communities and the inter-relatedness of humanity would transcend personal and group egoism. This will inculcate tolerance among the various ethnic groups in Kenya. A critical thinker thinks for himself/herself as an individual and only accepts what has been proved or demonstrated to the satisfaction of reason. A critical thinker cannot be short circuited in his/her decision making process so as to choose one alternative rather than another. Autonomy empowers a person to have a strong sense of personal responsibility for his/her own choices and actions. Critical thinking will minimize incidences of blind unquestioning ethnic loyalties and conformity to established cultural norms that perpetuate ethnic chauvinism and impunity..

Macbeths Ambition As Displayed In Act 1, Scene 7 Essay -- essays resea

In Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act I, scene 7, Macbeth hesitates because of both pragmatic and moral causes; although, his moral scruples seem to overpower the pragmatic arguments. Macbeth is torn between these two issues, and his unique way of deciphering his problems is exhibited in this scene. Macbeth feels that if he were to assassinate the king, Duncan, that he better do it soon. The first line of Act I, scene 7 begins with, â€Å"If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well; It were done quickly.† So, basically, Macbeth feels that if the crime was committed when it needed to be, and if it were done quickly, then he would be safe. This argument is a moral concern toward Macbeth, this is the first thought that comes to his mind, because it is exhibited in the fist line of his soliloquy. Macbeth is hesitant to murder Duncan, because he feels that he would be eternally punished in hell for committing such a heinous crime. Macbeth expresses these feelings in lines 7-10, â€Å"But here upon this bank and shoal of time; We’d jump the life to come.† The â€Å"life to come†, is the afterlife, which would be an eternity of suffering for Macbeth, because of his assassination of Duncan. Thus, making this argument a moral concern, and one of Macbeth’s overpowering arguments in his soliloquy. Macbeth feels that if he were to succeed the throne from Duncan, the common people would feel a sense of mistrust toward Macbeth. Macbeth expresses these thoughts in lines 7-10, â€Å"Lines 7-10: â€Å"We still have j...

House of a Loving Friend Essay -- Observation Essay, Descriptive Essay

House of a Loving Friend My eyes were half shut as drool brimmed on my lips about to escape any minute and drip onto the desk. Mr. Johnson didn't seem to notice, and lectured on in his steady monotone voice. A piece of paper landed on my desk, which snapped me back to reality causing me to slurp up the excess liquid on my lips. The paper was a note from Keli. That seemed to be all we ever did in Philosophy, write notes. I opened it and peered down at her neat, smooth handwriting. "What's wrong?" was what I found staring back at me. I frowned at the question asking myself the same thing. The day had been terrible, and for what reason I was unsure. I was unhappy and wanted to get away. I wanted to go somewhere where happiness overflowed and would surround me in its warmth. Then, at that moment, I knew what I needed to do. I needed to go see Ella. As I stepped from my car, the icy wind rustled my hair and stung my face. I shut my car door and turned around to see Ella's house. A small cream colored one-story house, sitting underneath a brown metal roof, met my gaze. Eye-like windows peered at me with a cheerful light saying that everything was going to be al-right. Crawford Reservoir lingered in the background, making it look like the picture perfect house. Pine trees were sporadically placed around, and Ella's old, blue car sat in the carport giving it a homey atmosphere. I smiled and rushed to the door not wanting another minute to be spent in the cold air. I pulled back the old storm door, twisting the brass handle of the white wood door at the same time; I just wanted to get inside. The second I was in the house, warmth flooded my heart and soul. I stood there drinking it in; it was the feeling I had wished for all day... ...xist, and I grimaced at the idea. These pale white walls would be empty indeed when that day came. Not wanting to entertain the thought, I drove it from my mind, smiled and decided to enjoy every second with her I had today! As I sat there listening to Ella, I realized there wasn't anything special about the house. It was Ella. She made the house seem alive with love and joy. I had never known a day when I walked through her door and didn't feel my heart swell with the love inside these walls. As I got up to leave the look of, "Please don't leave me!" appeared in Ella's eyes, and I wanted to cry. I promised to return next week and live the wonderful moment over again. I stepped outside, and again, the wind tried to grab me with its icy fingers, but it couldn't. Happiness was overflowing in my heart, and the warmth of Ella's love surrounded me like a warm blanket.

Utilitarianism – Act and Rule

Explain the differences between Act and Rule Utilitarianism Since it began, there have been two main exponents of Utilitarianism. They are Jeremy Bentham and J S Mill, and both of them base their own individual theories on the principle of utility, which defines something (an act, etc) dependent on if it achieves â€Å"the greatest happiness for the greatest number†. This makes Utilitarianism a relativistic and consequentialist argument, as it takes into account only the outcome of events rather than the act itself as means to determine whether it is good/right.Also it holds no absolutes – it takes the best interests of the greatest number of people no matter if the way of doing seems morally wrong. Bentham and Mill were both generally harmonious in their understanding that the general happiness of a human being is linked to their personal fulfillment of pleasure. Nevertheless, the two clashed when it came down to the understanding of what true pleasure is, and whether it holds different values under different circumstances. It was due to this that Bentham started Act Utilitarianism.Bentham thought that situations were to be treated completely differently to any and every other situation, and developed the Hedonistic Calculus as a means of measuring the pleasure and pain of those directly involved in it. The calculus consists of seven aspects which Bentham believed could answer to whether something is pleasurable/painful or not – they are Purity, Remoteness, Richness, Intensity, Certainty, Extend and Duration. It is possible for me to use an example to make this all seem clearer. There are five sadistic guards in a prison who don't like the new inmate and want to give him a roughing up.One can argue that the pain the inmate will suffer is huge (purity) but the calculus is focused on quantity rather than quality. Also, the happiness of the guards will be fulfilled due to their sadistic means of pleasurement (certainty) however, the guards mi ght get caught and sacked which in turn makes them sad in the end, but perhaps they don't then the pleasure of the guards outweighs the pain that the inmate faces and therefore under these guidelines I think that Bentham would say â€Å"yeah, go ahead† and allow the bullying and assault to happen.Bentham's democratic and egalitarianistic approach meant that he believed nobody's pleasures are greater than anyone elses, and that they are all equal so we can't say that they count for more. This meant that Bentham was purely focused on the quantitative side of the pleasure. It was here where Mill and Bentham came to a disagreement, as Mill however focused on the qualitative aspects of the pleasure, famously saying â€Å"it is better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied†. This meant understanding that there are differences that must be acknowledged between higher and lower pleasures.He thought that higher pleasures consisted of the intellectual aspects of humans rather than the animalistic, such as reading to further your knowledge, listening to fine music and painting art. The aforementioned animalistic pleasures (lower) derive from the physical side of life, such as eating, drinking and indulging in sexual acts. This approach can be seen as elitist by some, which means that full excellence can only be realised by the mature males of the upper class within society – natural amongst the Ancient Greek Philosophers that preceeded Bentham and Mill, such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.As advocator to Rule Utilitarianism, Mill's calculation method again differentiates from Bentham's hedonistic calculus. Rather than Bentham's quantitative approach, Mill looks at it in an alternative way, observing the various implications of the act. Mill's interpretation is that there are general rules within society that should be followed as they create the greatest happiness for the greatest good for all those in society. This at first does seem ver y logical, but then again it begins to defy the basis on which Utilitarianism's foundations are layed down, which is a relativist and consequentialist theory.And this is where strong and weak rules comes into the frame. Mill never onces says â€Å"must† as regards to the rules he would involve as he perceives his judgment upon whether something is good or bad or what should occur within a specific situation, which can be seen as his defence to remaining relativist, however a new term must be enforced to separate his understanding with the likes of a hedonist such as Bentham, hence the term â€Å"universalisability†.

Learning Team Reflection Essay

Alan Litchman and Laura B. Trust, Co-Presidents of Finagle a Bagel, own a bagel business in Boston (Parrino, Kidwell, Bates, 2012). Alan and Laura met in business school and after gaining business experience in other industries they purchased the bagel business with the intent of growing it as much as possible. They have two primary target markets: 1) retail stores and 2) wholesale accounts with large institutions. In this paper, we will briefly discuss a few of the strategies they used to manage their working capital. The owners of Finagle a Bagel were tired of working for other people so they decided to buy one new business. They have used several financial concepts to manage the financial accountability of their small business. They have controlled costs from the beginning of the process to the delivery of the product, as well as the administrative costs. Other items that have been highlighted are the management of cash flow, payback, and the schedule of cash entries, which has allowed the company to pay its debts. They have established a good relationship with the banks in order to negotiate the time frame for payments and rate. Suppliers are also a key success factor for the company, as the payment terms are negotiated to match the flow cash. The company’s focus is to maintain its financial management so that the business may grow and return large profits. The Finagle a Bagel also has a policy of recognizing the hard work of their employees. The owners believe that managers and employees are responsible for the success of the company. Together, the company is growing in a sustainable and financially healthy way. According to Alan Litchman, when making any investment, first one has to understand what the demand for the new product is going to be, and what kind of product can be made with the new equipment (Parrino, Kidwell, ba tes, 2012). Alongside his wife, Mr. Litchman explained how important it is to understand the company’s performance and opportunities to better apply capital investment in the company. They both explained, in their own words, the importance of setting up strategies and planning before putting a new product on the market. The couple also spoke about debt. Laura Trust said that debt is ‘a necessary evil’ and sometimes taking debt has its benefits if compared to finding capital through other means, such as pursuing a partner (Parrino, Kidwell, Bates, 2012). In this case they did not want to take a venture capital partner because the owners wanted to have authority  when making business decisions, thus avoiding ‘working for someone else’ (Parrino, Kidwell, Bates, 2012). This shows that the owners prefer a business structure like a sole proprietorship. Lastly, the fact that interest rates have been dropping for small business also supported their decision to take on debt to invest in the company. The couple is very educated when making business decisions, as they understand that even when a company has financial resources, the business gains more by obtaining financial resources from banks with small interest rates, while allowing the resources they have to generate dividends with higher interest rates. This is generally called borrowing ‘cheap money’ (Investopedia, 2014). Finally, credit is also discussed. They mentioned trade credit, which is the amount of time given to pay back vendors for the products bought. The longer the term, the better, as it allows time to receive revenue before having to pay the debt. This is another very important recommendation on how to properly use cash flow and avoid taking on debt. Overall, Alan Litchman and Laura B. Trust demonstrate a thorough understanding of how to manage their capital so that their small business continues to grow and increase their net profits, despite economic challenges in the community and the country. References Investopedia. (2014). Cheap Money. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cheap-money.asp Parrino, R., Kidwell, D., Bates, T. (2012) Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, (2nd Ed) John Wiley & Sons Inc.