The First Amendment

The First Amendment The United States government was established immediately after the American Revolution. This means that the there was no American government before 1776. This also means that the American people were governed by the British for more than a century.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The First Amendment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The founding fathers were not only aware of the abuses of the British Crown but also the problems that tyranny and the suppression of human rights has brought to the people of Europe and then in the New World. Thus, when after the founding fathers wrote the U.S. Constitution they added an amendment known as the First Amendment, a mere 45 words of legislature that ensured the basic freedoms of all Americans from the late 18th century up to the present. The freedom that Americans experience comes at a price because there are conflicts and problems that arise from the interpretation and implementation of the First Amendment, however, many legal experts are saying that it is simply the price to pay for freedom. and with regards to children it is the responsibility of the parents to The First Amendment can be argued as a safeguard against the rise of tyranny and even the abuses of the majority. The founding fathers knew fairly well what it means to be under the influence and control of the powerful few, the most influential and the elite. They wanted to be sure that there will not come a time that the most dominant group can force others to do their bidding and perform acts against their conscience. More importantly the founding fathers understood the perils of having a national religion – even Christianity has different forms of expression – and made a way to prevent bloodshed and unnecessary conflicts. The First Amendment thus reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or ab ridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances (The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution) According to legal experts the First Amendment is just a short set of words and yet it has proven its effectiveness for more than 200 years (Smith, 2008). Consider the fact that â€Å"between 1971 and 1990, 110 of the world’s 162 national constitutions were either written or extensively rewritten† and that â€Å"an average of five new constitutions are adopted somewhere in the world† (Haynes et al., 2003, p.9).Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Canada for instance had its most recent revision to its constitution completed in 1982 and the French have written and rewritten their own for a total of 15 times (Haynes et al., 2003, p.9). The reason why the U.S. Constitution required no revision for the past 200 years can be partially explained by the brevity, simplicity and power of the First Amendment which has prompted French commentator and one of the most respected observers to American democracy Alexis de Tocqueville to exclaim: Let us look to America †¦ less to find examples than instruction; let us borrow from her the principles, rather than the details, of her laws. The laws of the French republic may be, and out to be in many cases, different from those which govern the United States; but the principles on which the American constitutions rest, those principles of order of the balance of power of true liberty of deep and sincere respect for right, are indispensable to all republics (as qtd. in Haynes et al., 2003, p.9). Much of what Tocqueville wrote can be found in the First Amendment. His praise for the U.S. Constitution can be magnified even further as one begins to analyze the deeper meaning and implications of the First Amendment. Consider for instance that this short stanza contains the following basic freedoms: the first is freedom of religion; the second is freedom of speech; the third is the freedom of the press; and the fourth is the freedom to demand that the government must stop doing wrong (Smith, 2008, p.8). The First Amendment assures that an American democracy is indeed a government by the people and for the people. By creating a constitution that guarantees these four basic freedoms to future generations of Americans is like having a government handing over its power to its citizens. The Federal government is still powerful by all means but it can no longer abuse its power. It was as if the founding fathers made sure that the problems of Medieval Europe will never be replicated in America. For more than 200 years this dream came true. There is no perfect system, there are still problems in this country but the government cannot impose its will on the populace. There are also c itizens who abused these rights but on the brighter side, every U.S. citizen has the freedom to pursue his or her goals in life – in pursuit of happiness – without someone telling him how to do it.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The First Amendment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It can be argued that without the First Amendment the United States may have become a free but weak nation. It could have been a weak government with a weak economy because its citizens do not have the license to experiment, to explore and to express what they felt inside. But more importantly the First Amendment guarantees against suppression of basic human freedom and would easily turn this country into a predictable and repressed society where ideas and innovations are stifled. A legal expert was able to describe succinctly the consequences of a rule book without the First Amendment and he wrote: â€Å"Without t he First Amendment, religious minorities could be persecuted, the government might well establish a national religion, protesters could be silenced, the press could not criticize government, and citizens could not mobilize for social change† (Buchanan, 2010, p.1). In other words the First Amendment is a safeguard against the tyranny of the few or the many. The value of each member of society has been enhanced because of this amendment to the U.S. constitution. Critique However, there are problems when it comes to interpretation and implementation of the First Amendment and therefore it is inevitable for conflicts to arise. Take for instance the freedom of religion. This is an important component of the First Amendment if one will consider the history of religious persecution in Europe and even in the early days of the American colonies. Therefore, freedom of religion became a major principle incorporated into the U.S. constitution. This means that the Federal Government cannot disrupt Sunday services if the President feels that a particular religion does not conform to his own belief system. This is especially true when it comes to children (Saunders, 2003). There is an argument that children must be protected from the impact of First Amendment rights. For instance children walking past a store selling nude pictures this will have an effect on them but at the same time the store owner has the right to sell his merchandize. There are also pornographic materials that are readily available through the Internet and a child will simply have to have a basic understanding of how a computer works in order to access these sites. However, many legal experts are saying that it is the responsibility of the parents to take care of their children.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, freedom of religion gives peace of mind to every family who simply wanted to worship their own way. On the other hand there are those who would like to use this freedom to perform acts and establish a belief system that is offensive to the mindset of other people. Take for example religious cults that allow leaders to totally dominate the lives of their members – taking their money and their personal freedom away (Snow, 2003). Think of the suicide cults that are responsible for the demise of innocent people. This is just an example of the problematic aspects of the First Amendment. The freedom of speech is another important component of this tenet. This allows individuals and even organizations to voice out their concerns and beliefs. Everyone is entitled to express what he or she feels to be important. Consider for example the freedom to voice out an opinion or a discovery. Without the First Amendment scientists can be ordered to keep their research findings to themsel ves. So the person who discovered the pollution effects of fossil fuel can be silenced by those who may find the report damaging to their business interests. Think of how the world will become if brilliant minds and people of substance are not allowed to speak. The freedom of the press is also another critical component of the First Amendment because censorship can paralyze a democracy. Since a democratic country like the United States is run by elected officials then it is imperative for the voters and the general public to know what their leaders are doing. This is especially important when it comes to government spending because the state collects taxes from its citizens. What if elected officials are able to smother the freedom of the press? Then there will be ample opportunities for corruption because no one is allowed to blow the whistle so to speak. There will also be a severe lack of accountability because no one will know. On the other hand the press can abuse this right. J ournalists can use their tremendous power to destroy the reputation of people. Journalists can be biased in their reporting and will not adhere to the principles of balanced and fair journalism. It is good to know that there are laws in effect that acts as a counterbalance to the freedom of the press. The freedom to assemble is also another major facet of this principle. This freedom goes beyond safety and security. This freedom allows American citizens to complain about mediocrity. In the previous discussion the basic freedoms protects the individual from the tyranny of the strong and the few but this time around the freedom to assemble and to petition the government to redress grievances is the reason perhaps why America is one of the most powerful in the world. It allows the citizens to continuously improve the kind of government that rules over them. However, peaceful demonstrations can easily turn into an ugly riot and disrupt peace and order in a certain place. There are probl ems and conflicts when it comes to the interpretation of the First Amendment but one legal expert was able to put it in correct perspective when he said â€Å"Such difficulties are the price of freedom of speech and religion in a tolerant, open society† (Buchanan, 2010, p.1). Americans must see the big picture in order to appreciate the importance of the First Amendment. Conclusion The First Amendment is one of the most important amendments to the U.S. Constitution. By writing it down the founding fathers assured the stability and continuous progress of the United States. There are conflicts and problems that result from the interpretation and application of the First Amendment but if one will look at the big picture the bad outweigh the good. This is because the First Amendment assures everyone that they have the freedom to think and to choose what they believe is right in the path towards success and happiness. The problems that may arise as a consequence of these liberties must be considered as the price to pay for freedom in a wonderfully open and tolerant society. Buchanan, Brian. About the First Amendment. First Amendment Center. 25 Nov. 2010. Web. Haynes, Charles et al. The First Amendment in Schools: A Guide from the First  Amendment Center. VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2003. Smith, Rich. First Amendment: The Right of Expression. MN: ABDO Publishing, 2008. Snow, Robert. Deadly Cults: The Crimes of True Believers. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 2003.

The Use of Symbolism with “Young Goodman Brown” Essays

The Use of Symbolism with â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† Essays The Use of Symbolism with â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† Paper The Use of Symbolism with â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† Paper In â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†, Nathanial Hawthorne uses the literary device of symbolism as a means of conveying the theme of original sin existing in society, and within everyone. He brings his main character on a journey through a symbolic forest, using the imagery and connotations of the forest to give insight into the main character’s awakening to the evil surrounding him, the sin existent within the hearts of everyone around him, and within himself. Hawthorne’s use of symbolism leaders the protagonist into an awakening that evil is existent even in the most unexpected places, including the world immediately around him. At the beginning of the story, we see Goodman Brown naively admiring the world he lives in and his own way of life in Puritan society. He is reluctant to leave his home and his wife, Faith, and when he does he takes what he described as â€Å"a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind†. The character begins his awakening to the evil just beyond his front door at this point, represented by the dark forest that seems to envelope him, taking him to a point of no return away from the innocence of his life just moments before. In the forest, Goodman Brown encounters many people with whom he grew up respecting and admiring for their faith and righteousness, yet their appearance in the forest leads him to the realization that they have a sinful nature. The connotations surrounding the forest (the darkness, the unknown, the fear) lead us to this conclusion as well, as we see people in his life interact comfortably with the man representing evil and all gathering at â€Å"the communion† of their race, led by the strange man who seems like a symbol of Satan. It is obvious that at this point the author is trying to relay his view that all humans possess an evil side, and trying to convey a message about original sin because the man representing the devil resembles Goodman Brown’s father, a symbol of how it transfers from parent to child naturally. When Goodman Brown is cursed with the ability to â€Å"penetrate, in every bosom, the deep mystery of sin, the fountain of all wicked arts†, he is able to see the sin existing in all of the people he once esteemed. Yet, it was not only their sin he became aware of, but also that within himself. Early in the story we are shown the faith he had, represented by his wife, and how he clung to it, but as he comes to realize the condition of others he sees the same condition within himself. The ‘dark man’ brings him on a journey through the forest as a means of taking him away from that faith, and when his wife Faith shows up at the gathering in the woods as well, we see his resistance to sin wear down because he realizes that his faith and sin must coexist together within himself. During the congregation scene in the woods with the ‘dark man’ leading, Hawthorne describes the meeting place as â€Å"one extremity of an open space, hemmed in by the dark wall of the forest†, a place closed to the outside world beyond the trees. It is as if the author is using this smaller space in the forest as a representation of Goodman Brown himself, and the fact evil and his Faith exist together in the world as a means of showing us what the protagonist is discovering. In the story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†, Hawthorne creates a moral allegory that uses the darkness and unknown nature of the forest to represent the new insight into human nature that Goodman Brown develops by the end of the story. He is described in the last paragraph as â€Å"a stern, sad, darkly meditative, and distrustful, if not desperate, man† from that point on. The author allows the reader to figure out for himself that the dark, dreary, gloomy forest was the symbol of evil within the world as a whole and when the main character could no longer ignore that, he could no longer enjoy the other side of his nature, or the good within anyone else within his life.

HCM477-0802A-01 Finance in Health Care - Phase 3 Discussion Board Essay

HCM477-0802A-01 Finance in Health Care - Phase 3 Discussion Board - Essay Example Since the involvement of a third party increases the number of healthcare insurance enrolees, the business does not only maximize the utilization of its daily operational expenses but also serves as a good source of word-by mouth public advertisement. As a result, there is a bigger chance for the existence of the health care insurance company to be known by big multi-national companies and several government agencies. A good example of a third party business relationship can be observed when the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration decided to team up with the State Insurance departments. (U.S. Department of Labor, 2008) By doing so, both organizations are able to develop a more efficient way to address the health care needs of the local employees based on the state and federal health benefits laws. Also, since these government agencies are well-known by big- and small business organizations, establishing a good business relationship with them could result to a positive impact over the profitability of the health care insurance company. In line with developing a new marketing campaign on behalf of Fullhealth, the use of television advertisement can be effective in terms of announcing to the public the tie up between Fullhealth and a specific government agency such as the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration. Since many people are watching television at home, Fullhealth should be invest more money on primetime wherein more people are watching the network. Aside from the use of television marketing strategy, Fullhealth could easily make a follow-up marketing campaign by developing a user-friendly website wherein people could easily access upon viewing the television advertisement during their free time. As part of Fullhealth website design, the company could post their competitive advantage as a health insurance company. Basically, the

Main idea and themes Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Main idea and themes - Assignment Example The mosaic pattern of chips used in the decoration of the pattern helps in depiction of different artworks of the last ancient Romans and the first medieval European style. This thus prompts the theme of the role of art in the representation of cultural diversity. The main idea represented by the artwork in the church at Ravenna is the difference in the ancient Roman artwork and the medieval European work. A depiction of the same church represents both a beardless Christ representing the Roman work as well as the bearded Jesus representing the medieval work. This is an indication of the possibility of the existence of different combination of an art form in a single theme to represent a masterpiece. The church of Hagia Sophia was built between the years 532 and 537 AD in Constantinople by the Empire Justinian. The interior design of the church was built in accordance with the ancient Greek philosophical principle of symmetry devised by the Greek mathematician, Pythagoras. The structure and the design of the church of Hagia Sophia elicit a discussion of the theme of the importance of mathematics and philosophy in art. The design of the church has its every aspect united under one basic unit of the monogram of Justinian, which is used as the projection of all philosophical and mathematical designs of the entire church. Known as the church of wisdom, the church of Hagia Sophia can be a compare to the Solomonic temple in Jerusalem in terms of accuracy with which the Pythagoras principle of numbers is applied. Pythagoras believed in perfection of numbers with six being the perfect number that is used to manipulate all the design work in the church. The main idea that is drawn from amalgamation of Pythagoras principles in the piece of art is the role of precision and philosophy in artwork. The location of the entrance of the church, the perfection of the circles and the entire design combines the components of the church, which is

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Influence on Hitler Essay Example for Free

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Influence on Hitler Essay Friedrich Nietzsche had broached the idea of Ubermensch (translated as Superman) as one of the core features of his philosophy. This idea which set the stage for individualism by touching on concepts of self-surpassing and self-mastery is explicitly propounded in his most famous work, Thus Spake Zarathustra where the protagonist, Zarathustra said: I teach you the superman. Man is something that is to be surpassed. What have you done to surpass man? The Superman is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: The Superman shall be the meaning of the earth! I conjure you, my brethren, remain true to the earth, and believe not those who speak unto you of superearthly hopes! Poisoners are thy, whether they now it or not. Despisers of life are they, decaying ones and poisoned ones themselves, of whom the earth is weary: so away with them! (Nietzsche, 1999: 3) This, together with another concept introduced by Nietzsche, the will to power had triggered in Hitler a narcissistic interpretation of Nietzsches philosophy where Hitler most certainly identified himself, and served as his justification for his concept of racial superiority. Although Nietzsche may not have intended to influence Hitler towards anti-Semitism, it was in his language to which Hitlers distortion could be attributed. His use of the concepts whole-man and half-man as well as master morality and slave morality as means towards the achievement of a new order gave Hitler a ground for his Anti-Semitic ideas. Nietzsche believed that noble morality, in contrast to slave morality, contributed towards the improvement of the race. Nietzsche describes the nobles as people who see themselves as creators of civilization, saviors of the all and protectors of everyone from everything contemptible (Nietzsche, 1999). Meanwhile, the slaves are those who see the nobles as oppressive and themselves, the oppressed, being incapable of production and giving rise to their resentment towards creativity. As Hitler sees them, through their inherently oppressed status, they induce in the nobles a feeling of guilt and resentment towards their own superhuman status, hindering their own productivity and thus, serve as a bar against the realization of their full potential. To him, the salvation of humanity dwells only in the hands of the nobility and definitely not in the slaves. In Mein Kampf, Hitler writes: A human community appears well organized only if it facilitates the labors of these creative forces in the most helpful way and applies them in a manner beneficial to all†¦ In this it must proceed from the principle that the salvation of mankind has never lain in the masses, but in its creative minds, which must therefore really be regarded as benefactors of the human race (Hitler, 1971: 367). Compounded by Hitlers narcissistic interpretation, his identification with the Superman, and his anti-Semitic philosophy, it is not surprising that Hitler would identify himself with the nobles who, applying Nietzsches concept of will to power and Nietzsche’s affirmation of the existence of destroyers of the earth who must be eliminated: â€Å"Poisoners are thy, whether they now it or not. Despisers of life are they, decaying ones and poisoned ones themselves, of whom the earth is weary: so away with them! (Nietzsche, 1999: 3) must have felt the urge to cleanse the race from such impurities as the slaves who prevent the human race from reaching the zenith of civilization and whom he most likely associated with the Jews. His determination of the nobles and slaves in the real world can be best demonstrated in Mein Kampf: The most unbeautiful thing there can be in human life is and remains the yoke of slavery. Or do these schwabing [? ] decadents view the present lot of the German people as aesthetic? Certainly we dont have to discuss these matters with the Jews, the most modern inventors of this cultural perfume. Their whole existence is an embodied protest against the aesthetics of the lords image (Hitler, 1971; 154). In Hitlers mind, this facilitation of the labor of creative forces involves mass killings to an end of racial extinction. For Nietzsche, it is the Superman who would create a new morality in order to harness the will to power and destroy slave moralities. He believes that with an increase in greatness in a man, there is a contemporaneous increase in his wickedness and terribleness. This is justified because such increase in wickedness and terribleness are the only means to bring the status of humanity to a higher state; a means to surpass himself; to move away from the lesser creature that he was; as consistent with the purpose of the Superman. In Thus Spake Zarathustra, Nietzsche, through his protagonist said: Man is something that is to be surpassed. What have you done to surpass man? All beings hitherto have created something beyond themselves: and you want to be the ebb of that great tide, and would rather go back to the beast than surpass man? What is the ape to man? A laughing-stock, a thing of shame. And just the same shall man be to the Superman: a laughing-stock, a thing of shame (Nietzsche, 1999: 3). If it is true that Hitler was influenced by Nietzsche’s writings, Hitler read Nietzsche’s â€Å"terribleness† to mean the need for brutality and destruction in order to refine humanity and remove all traces of imperfection to achieve a race of Superhumans. Humanity can only be cleansed of imperfection if such lesser human beings are prevented from interbreeding, propagating their genes to allow further continuance of the slave line, To Hitler, this is the only means to which a Superman, that is, referring to himself, can rule the world. In Mein Kampf, he says: †¦when the highest type of man has previously conquered and subjected the world to an extent that makes him the sole ruler of the earth (Hitler, 1971: 288). Extermination, then, becomes an essential element for the realization of Hitler’s utopia. He, in his own hands sought the application of Darwin’s evolution by ruthlessly eliminating his â€Å"weaker† and â€Å"lower† human beings. According to him: â€Å"Those who want to live, let them fight, and those who do not want to fight in this world of eternal struggle do not deserve to live (Hitler, 1971: 289). † That said, for Hitler, mass killings and the use of violence can be justified if only for the purpose of saving mankind from the slaves who are the sole source of its degeneration, that is, those who lack the motivation for self-preservation and those who impose guilt on the nobles by perpetually seeking others help. His resolve was characterized by alienating any manifestation of slavery by exterminating them. It cannot be gainsaid that Hitler used Nietzsche’s philosophy to justify his own. What Hitler had done however, cannot in any way be imputed to Nietzsche. Reading all of Nietzsche’s works as a whole, one cannot help but doubt whether Nietzsche truly shared whatever anti-Semitic sentiments that prevailed during their time. At most, the resultant justification that Hitler was able to get hold of from Nietzsche was merely a product of his megalomaniacal search for an intelligent bearing to support his propaganda and to further cultivate his delusions of grandeur and personal hatred against specific races, accepting what phrases that apply to his vision and rejecting those that did not. Works Cited Hitler, A. (1924). Mein Kampf (James Murphy, Trans. ): NL: Fredonia Books. (Original work published 1927-1927). Nietzsche, F. (1999). Thus Spoke Zarathustra (Thomas Common, Trans. ): New York: Dover Publications. (Original Work published 1883-1885).

Redfin Pickerel :: essays research papers

Description: The Redfin pickerel has 15 to 36 dark, wavy vertical bars and reddish-orange lower fins. The coloration is much the same as that of chain pickerels, a dark backward slanting bar below the eye. The snout is shorter and broader than any other pickerel. There are normally 11 to 13 branchiosstegal rays under the lower jaw. The cheek and gill covers are completely covered in scales. They weigh up to one and a half pounds, which is the world record to this day. They have an average length from 6-10 inches with an average weight of 5 ounces. The Redfin Pickerel has a cylindrical, torpedo-shaped body with numerous sharp teeth at the point of the snout. Range: The range of the Redfin pickerel is found statewide with the exception of mountain habitats. Environment: They are usually found in heavy growths of aquatic plants in sluggish streams. They are also found in shallow coves of lakes or in ponds. They prefer water from 75 to 80 degrees. Redfin pickerels may be the dominant predator fish in small creeks. They prefer slow moving, heavily vegetated swamps and millponds. Food: Small fish make up most of the Redfin pickerels diet, but they also eat aquatic insects and various other invertebrates. Reproduction: The Redfin pickerel spawns in the early spring as water temperature approach 50Â °F. Spawning occurs in shallow water when the female deposits her eggs in vegetated areas where they are fertilized and left unattended. A large female may deposit as many as 4,000 eggs at one time. Some fish as small as 5 inches may release no more than 400 eggs. They become sexually mature by at least age two. No parental care is given to the eggs. Unique characteristics: The Redfin pickerel has numerous sharp teeth in a relatively pointed snout making it perfectly designed for its ambush-type-feeding behavior. Due to small size, sport fishing for this species is limited to coastal areas where the ideal habitat for growth exists. This fish is highly prized by many low country natives who grew up eating this sweet flavored fish.

A Learning Journal Is A Reflective Evaluation English Literature Essay

A learning diary is a brooding rating, of how the class stuff has changed my apprehension every bit good as my sentiments, on life. This learning diary is based on three subjects ; self and individuality, bias and favoritism, and eventually attractive force and close relationships. However due to the extent of the three subjects I will merely be concentrating on one sub-topic for each. The sub subject I will be utilizing, for ego and individuality, will be self presentation, for bias and favoritism, it will be, what are they effects of bias, and eventually for familiarity and attractive force, it will be what is love? I am finishing this larning diary to determine the extent of my cognition and apprehension of the antecedently stated subjects and to rehearse the wont of critical thought in all facets of my life non merely those in the academic country. This diary is an assignment in my societal psychological science class and from this I hope to demo my instructors that I am capable of go oning this class. What I hope to larn from this diary is the extent of the impact that the class stuff has had on my life every bit good as how I have consciously take part in that critical thought. I besides hope to alter the manner that I think when it comes to the behavior of the people around me. I besides hope to alter the manner that I think about myself and how my actions affect those around me. Self and individuality In the subject of ego and individuality I choose to concentrate on self presentation. The ground I chose self presentation is because no one of all time truly knows what people think, when they see you. There are major differences between believing internally and talking out loud. As people we present images to the outside universe that make others see us in a favorable manner, and if this image is presented good plenty so we can convert even ourselves that we are that manner, that it is non merely a projection of what we want others to see. One of the two chief constructs in the sub subject of self presentation is ; Self handicapping. Peoples incapacitate their chances to win by making grounds for future failure. We try to protect our self-image by faulting our failures on external factors ( Griffin 2010 ) .in 1979, Berglas & A ; Jones, ( cited in Griffins 2010 ) trialled an experiment to corroborate ego handicapping. The experiment was based on drugs and intelligence, a sample group was given the same text for the Duke University participants, being told that their consequences were the best to day of the month, before replying more they were given a pick of one of two drugs one to heighten the other to interrupt their thought, the consequence of the pick was that most of the pupils choose the drug that disrupted their thought, therefore supplying a ready to hand alibi for awaited poorer public presentations † ( p.97 ) . It seems to me that while most people tell others that they want to win that is a prevaricati on. The 2nd construct is Self Management which is the ability to pull off the different feelings that in our mundane life are created. Griffin ( 2010 ) says that we are societal animals and that we play to an audience. Griffin says that â€Å" for some people, witting self-presentation is a manner of life † ( p.98 ) . Some people change who they when with other people in order to suit in. Griffin besides says that these types of people – the people who self proctor – are societal chameleons, people able to accommodate easy, nevertheless the down side to these people I think is that they are ne'er true to themselves, how can you be true to who you are if you can be yourself around your friends the people who should wish you for who you are. An of import quotation mark that summarises self presentation is: â€Å" After losing to some younger challengers, tennis great Martina Navratilova confessed that she was â€Å" afraid to play my best†¦ I was scared to happen out if they could crush me when I ‘m playing my best because if they can, so I am finished † ( Frankel & A ; Snyder 1987 cited in Griffin 2010, p.97 ) . When it comes to self presentation I know that in different state of affairss, I have a different attitude for illustration when I ‘m alone I ‘m quiet and I do n't wish to speak to others and I use my phone to do the people watching see that even though I ‘m alone I ‘m still in the ‘network ‘ . I can candidly state that I have ‘self handicapped ‘ , myself when I have done ill in a test or an assignment to the point that as seen above I do hold a ready brand alibi to state if I do fail. Prejudice and Discrimination This subject is Prejudice and Discrimination. And the issue is – What are the effects of bias ; I chose this as my issue because people do n't understand that there is ever a effect. Peoples do non believe in front, they think in the minute, non gaining that one apparently harmless word or phrase can damage a individual ‘s whole universe. A cardinal construct of this subject is – ego perpetuating stereotypes. When a member of a group or sub civilization acts in a manner that we expect that reinforces our belief of the group. This is true and it happens all the clip to gothic ‘s who are ever depressed or to emo ‘s who cut themselves, it is non true merely because one does a certain action do non intend that all do. It is difficult to take stereotypes due to the fact that we notice actions that are unusual to a stereotype nevertheless it has small impact on the ideas on that stereotype. Second there is Discrimination ‘s impact: the ego carry throughing prognostication. The impression of a ego carry throughing prognostication is one that coincides with the labelling theory if, for illustration if person is invariably seting you down naming you stupid, so when you something, like trip over so state see it ‘s true. Thingss like that have a permanent consequence on the human mind, its classical conditioning if you are told some thing over and over so it sticks and every clip you want to make something there ‘s a voice stating that you ca n't. Then there is stereotype menace, this is when a individual is put in a state of affairs where you are expected to make ill and your anxiousness may do you to make so, the illustration given by Steele ( cited in Griffin 2010 ) is a adult male in his 60 ‘s in a hoops squad with immature work forces, he thought that they would anticipate his to be a hurt, so his assurance and public presentation lessening. Stone ( cited in Griffin 2010 ) surmises that â€Å" when people are reminded of a negative stereotype about themselves – it can adversely impact their public presentation † ( p.212 ) . And eventually, do stereotypes bias opinions of persons? Miller & A ; Felicio ( cited in Griffin 2010 ) say yes but there is good intelligence about this, that people are everlastingly positively measuring people more than the groups that they are in, an illustration of this is politicians, Griffin explains that people believe stereotypes but ignore them when that are given personal information â€Å" politicians are criminals but our Senator Jones has unity † ( p.214 ) A quotation mark that shows the job of bias on the ego of people is by Griffin ( 2010 ) : â€Å" Stereotypes can besides make their world. Even if they are ab initio untrue, their being can do them go true. The negative allegations of bias can besides undermine people ‘s public presentation an affect how people interpret favoritism † ( p.208 ) . I admit that I have had thought about certain groups that I do n't cognize, nevertheless it is an unconscious idea, I ne'er truly knew that I was believing certain ideas until I was really believing them. Biass and stereotypes are something that is instilled into you when you grow up its certain words or phrases that at the clip are harmless for illustration a parent disliking homosexual or bisexual people, it becomes difficult to show yourself, if you are, or if you have friends that are. Attraction and Close Relationships In the subject of Attraction and near relationships the issue that interested me the most was – what is love? The subject that involvements me the most is the subject – what is love. The inquiry that I seem to be unhung up on is how do you cognize, is it the typical, ‘it ‘s the individual that when you wake up you think of first and it ‘s the last individual you think of when you go to kip ‘ . One construct is passionate love, Hatfield ( cited in Griffin 2010 ) states passionate love as â€Å" a province of intense yearning for brotherhood with another † ( p.287 ) .Davis ( cited in Hartley 2010 UWS ) showed the difference between passionate love and compassionate love some of these were ; Passionate – â€Å" captivation, clannishness and sexual desire † , and for compassionate love at that place was â€Å" enjoyment, credence, trust, regard, confiding, understanding and spontaneousness † ( p.3 ) . Griffin ( 2010 ) states that companionate love is the afterglow consequence of a close passionate love. It is lower and deeper than passionate love ( Aron & A ; others cited in Griffin 2010 ) . Griffin ( 2010 ) explains companionate love as â€Å" the chilling of passionate love over clip and the turning importance of other factors such as shared values † ( p.291 ) . An illustration of this is arranged matrimonies. Gupta and Singh ( cited in Griffin 2010 ) noted in an experiment of 50 twosomes that those who were married their feelings faded after a five twelvemonth period, but those in ordered matrimonies reported more love after the five twelvemonth period. Twain ( cited in Griffin 2010 ) says that â€Å" no adult male or adult female truly knows what love is until they have been married a one-fourth of a century † ( p.291 ) . A quotation mark that shows love is: â€Å" Peoples yearn for it, live for it, die for it. † ( Griffin p.286 ) A quotation mark for companionate love is: â€Å" Unlike passionate love, companionate love can last a life-time † ( Griffin 2010, p.290 ) This is relevant to my societal universe is because in the universe we live in we all experience love in one signifier or another be it passionate love or feel for love and to be able to understand how it works and what it really is helps to be able to detect it in the universe, it besides helps to do me prize the people that are around me, love me in whatever manner they do every bit good as the people who did love me and who i loved, because as Webster ( cited in Griffin 2010 ) says â€Å" love is nature ‘s manner of giving a ground to be populating † ( p.287 ) . Decision This diary is valuable to my acquisition of societal psychological science, has shown me that even though there are differences in the manner that the universe sees me and I see it every bit good as how even unconsciously I project images to conceal myself in order to non experience hurting and that passionate love can either sizzle and fire out or turn in to a love that will last a life-time. One of my failings in this diary is the subject of ego and individuality, I believe that this is due to the fact that to be able to truly place yourself you have to understand every facet and I do n't believe that anyone can non even if they live for 100 old ages. Another failing is love ; love is feelings and emotions, so love is touchable, indefinable except to those who have experienced it. I believe that I did acquire out of this diary what I had hoped to, in footings of cognizing my topographic point in understanding how the universe around me works when it comes to self and individuality and how as societal animate beings, we project certain images, to affect the people around us, bias and favoritism, and how some of the things that I do may hold a effect that could harm person in the worst manner mental and emotionally and eventually familiarity and close relationships and how love is constructed, perceived are shown.

Religion in China: Chinese Buddhism

As of July 2008, the population of the People’s Republic of China has reached 1,330,044,544 which has always been governed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since October 1, 1949 (Central Intelligence Agency). Though PRC is under very strict communist control, the country has already opened itself up to the rest of the world after the death of Mao Zedong in 1976. Deng Xiaoping turned the country into a market-driven economy issuing the Open Door Policy and engaging into foreign relations with countries like the United States of America.Aside from rejoining the world affairs, the people also experienced independence after being inhibited by the Cultural Revolution which suppressed all forms of freedom. One kind of freedom that the people have experienced is religious freedom (Central Intelligence Agency). PRC is a multi-religious country; hence, the country has diverse religious practices and beliefs (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America) .The major religions, though, in the country are Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism and Protestantism; however, there are still Chinese who practice traditional folk religions. In 1997, there are already more that 100 million Chinese who devote themselves to the religions mentioned above. Moreover, there are 85,000 locations dedicated to religious activities, 300,000 clergies, more than 3,000 religious organization, 74 schools and colleges managed by religious organizations (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America).This paper, though, will center on Chinese Buddhism and attempts to prove that is the country’s true religion. According to Travel China Guide, the most important religion in China is Buddhism. About 102 million Chinese practice Chinese Buddhism, making China the country which has the most number of Buddhists in the year 2007 (Buddhist-Tourism). In 1997, there are already about 13,000 Buddhist temples and 200,000 monks and nuns. In addi tion, there is also a Buddhist Association of China (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America).Gautama Buddha and His Teachings In general, Buddhism was formed through a Nepal prince, Siddharta Gautama, of the Shakya family. Ever since he was born in the 6th century BC, he was not aware of suffering of the people outside the palace; however, when he did become aware of this, he got upset and decided to leave the life of royalty. After leaving the life he used to live in the palace, Gautama resolved to practice asceticism for seven years only to find out that an ascetic lifestyle is not sufficient to take away suffering (Theobald).He then added meditation with asceticism and through meditation he was able to formulate inferences which turned him into a Buddha or an â€Å"Enlightened Man. † Afterwards, he went on and spread his teachings called the â€Å"Wheel of Teaching† – where the â€Å"wheel† stood as a symbol of Buddhi sm – and died at Kusinara (Theobald). Gautama Buddha formulated the Four Noble Truths which can be summed up as life is suffering due to the continuous yearning for survival and sensual pleasures (Theobald). Thus, Buddha devised the Eightfold Path that would restrain suffering.This Eightfold Path consists of (1) right views, (2) right intentions, (3) right speech, (4) right action, (5) right livelihood, (6) right effort, (7) right mindfulness and (8) right concentration which can be attained by conforming to a strict moral discipline, avoiding evil actions, doing good, cleansing the mind through mental discipline and mending it through the important aspects of doing good (Theobald). The Buddhist religion has what they call the Three Jewels which consists of the Buddha, the teachings and the community; moreover, the center of any Buddhist world is called Mount Sumeru that has its own Buddha (Theobald).Arrival of Buddhism in China Centuries after Gautama Buddha passed away, Bud dhism was finally able to enter China and began to co-exist with Confucianism and Taoism (Theobald). The Chinese Empire was able to gain contact with Buddhism in the Silk Road where there was a constant movement of traders and missionary. Chinese people were able to mingle with Buddhists from Central Asia – this was made possible due to the spread of Han Dynasty (25 AD – 220 AD) to the Central Asia during the 1st century AD in which increased the interaction of China and Central Asia through trading (BDEA Inc.& BuddhaNet). The Emperor Ming Ti of the Han Dynasty who ruled from 57 AD to 75 AD is said to have been a huge follower of Buddhism and Taoism (International Dunhuang Project). It was said that the Emperor dreamt of a foreign god – this triggered his sudden decision to sent messengers in India to look for Buddhist texts and teachers (Edkins, 88-89). Buddhists from India went to China along with the messengers that the Emperor sent as there is already a dema nd to translate Buddhist texts to Chinese. Buddhist monks like Lokashema, Kaspaya, Dharmaraksha, Kashiammadanga, Anshigao, etc.translated various Buddhist texts like the Shravakanaya texts, the Mahayana texts done by Lokashema, the Sutra of Forty-Two Sections done by Kashiapmadanga (who was said to have died in Lo-yang), Kasyapa and Dharmaraksha, etc. (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet; Edkins, 89; International Dunhuang Project). Along with other Buddhist texts being translated, Buddhism was spread more in China leading to the formation of a Chinese monastic order. In addition, there were already monks that are of Chinese decent – the first of them is said to be Anshigao’s disciple (BDEA Inc.& BuddhaNet). However, the Chinese were not able to comprehend the teachings of Buddhism at once for the translators used Taoist terms in order to translate the Buddhist terms; they encountered difficulty in finding the appropriate Chinese words to translate Buddhist concepts (BDEA Inc. & Bud dhaNet). Hence, the Chinese associated Buddhism to Taoism. Buddhism continued to grow despite the fall of the Han Dynasty in the early 3rd century. Translated Buddhist texts kept on going around and monasteries are being put up (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet).Chinese monks, like Dao-an, who is considered to be the most excellent Chinese monks of the 4th century, continued to invite translators like Kumarajiva from Kucha, who translated more important Buddhist texts and also revised the early translated Buddhist books (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet). Development of Chinese Buddhism In Travel Guide China, the development of Buddhism in China is divided into four periods. The first period is Buddhism in Han Dynasty which was already discussed earlier, it was also in this period where the White Horse Temple was put up which is said to be the first Buddhist monastery in China (Theobald).The second period was in Jin during the 265 AD to 420 AD – at the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (385 AD – 589 AD). At the period of Jin, more Buddhist texts were translated, written and spread out, Buddhism became even more popular all over China and there was a growth in number of Chinese Buddhists (Travel China Guide). The third period was from the Sui Dynasty (581 AD – 618 AD) to the Tang Dynasty (618 AD – 907 AD). During these two dynasties, Buddhism reached its peak and its development had been exceptional.This unparalleled development of Buddhism during this period was because the Sui emperors are Buddhists and the Tang emperors accepted the growth of other religions despite being strict Taoists (Travel China Guide). During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism became a part of Chinese Art, Chinese Literature, Chinese Sculpture, Chinese Architecture and Chinese Philosophy (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet). The development was, however, halted during the late feudal society due to the heightening of social unrest in the country (Travel China Guide).The slumped developmen t of Buddhism occurred on the dying period of the Manchu Dynasty when the country got involved in wars against the Great Britain and series of peasant uprisings (ie. Boxer Rebellion) where China got striped off of its land and was divided among western countries and Japan in what was called the Spheres of Influence. The foreign occupation was followed by the fall of the Manchu Dynasty which was caused by the rise of the Nationalists, followed by the rise of the Communists which again triggered another civil revolution in the country which was briefly cut short due to World War II.Nonetheless, Buddhism was able to recover after the establishment of the PRC and even more after the reign of Mao Zedong. In addition, Buddhism has progressed into three different forms, namely, Han Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and Southern Buddhism (Travel China Guide). Schools of Chinese Buddhism There were different schools of Chinese Buddhism which emerged during the Tang Dynasty. It was said that these s chools were derived from old forms of Buddhism that came to China, however, modern scholars stated that the said connections are most like tampered and flawed.Nonetheless, there are four main Chinese Buddhism schools that surfaced during the 7th century, namely, (1) T’ien-t’ai, (2) Hua-yen, (3) Ch’an, and (4) Pure Land (Lusthaus). T’ien-t’ai School This school was founded by Zhiyi (Lusthaus). He led Chinese Buddhism to a direction different from the path that various Buddhist theories and practices are leading it into. Zhiyi recommended a comprehensive synthesis. The whole T’ien-t’ai school was rooted on the Lotus Sutra – in this school, they view the Lotus Sutra as the carrier of salvation based on practice (China Views).This school is portrayed as principled and meditation- and philosophy-centered. It served as the connector of the developing Buddhism in Northern China as both religion of faith and discipline, and the intelle ctual tradition in Southern China (China Views). Hua-yen School While T’ien-t’ai School was based on the Lotus Sutra, the Hua-yen School has the Avatamsaka Sutra as their root (Lusthaus). The leading belief of Hua-yen School is â€Å"dharmadatu† or the â€Å"universal causation of the realm of the law† (China Views).The said realm refers to the whole of the universe including all of its dimensions while the universal causation is a philosophical development that is purely Chinese. The universal causation is an extension of Buddha’s teachings regarding â€Å"dependant origination† (China Views). Ch’an School The Ch’an School is the result of the reaction that rose against the T’ien-t’ai School and Hua-yen School (Lusthaus). The Ch’an School viewed the two other schools as an impediment towards enlightenment due to their capacious and complicated literatures. This school centers on meditation.Ch’an Sch ool was founded by an Indian monk from Southern India named Bodhidharma who arrived in China around the 5th and 6th century. He taught according to the Lankavatara Sutra and also practiced a tremendously simple mediation (China Views). Pure Land School Unlike the other three schools of Chinese Buddhism which center on devotional elements and rituals, the Pure Land School which focuses on the very fundamentals of devotionalism (Lusthaus). In addition, compared to the other schools, the founder or the origin of Pure Land is not known. However, there are contributors named Tanluan, Dao Chuo and Shandao.Aside from centering on devotionalism, the school also stresses the faith in Amitabha Buddha (China Views). The devotion will be centered on Amitabha in order for him to grant them salvation which is in the form of being born again the in the west pure land. Furthermore, this school has also ignored the need for self-development through the teachings of Buddha regarding the way of salvat ion (China Views). The scriptures that the Pure Land School use are the Larger and Smaller Sukhavati Sutras and the Guan Wuliangshuofo Jing (Lusthaus). Chinese Buddhist Temple and DeitiesThe temples of Chinese Buddhism are built according to the palaces of their imperial family and are definitely unlike the temples of Buddhism from other Buddhist countries like India. It is established facing south and have three cluster of buildings divided by courtyards (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet). The first cluster is the front hall where the four massive images of the Four Heavenly Kings (Devas) greet anyone who enters (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet). The Devas are the Guardians of the Four Directions and two of each are placed on the right and left. Thus, the hall is called â€Å"Si-Tien Wang Tien† – a name derived from the Four Heavenly Kings (BDEA Inc.& BuddhaNet). Visitors are mostly greeted by the soon-to-be Buddha called Maitreya Buddha, commonly known as the â€Å"Laughing Buddha† or â€Å"Ta-pao Mi-Lei-Fwo. † This particular Buddha is usually the one with a fat paunch. Precisely at the back of the Maitreya Buddha is the Projector of Buddhist Temples and Faith, the great King, Wei-to (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet). He appears to be dressed in his full armor and is either holding a staff or a weapon in a shape of scepter. Aside from being the Projector of Buddhist Temples and Faith, Wei-to is also called the Protector of Buddhist Books (BDEA Inc.& BuddhaNet). Wei-to is always built facing the Great Hall or â€Å"Ta-Hung-Pau-Tien† – the second cluster which is separated away from the front hall by either a wall or a courtyard (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet). The main altar of the temple is found in this hall, the image of the altar being Sakyamuni Buddha and his two chief students, Mahakasyapa and Ananda, if not, the place of the two students can be replaced by other Buddhas from the past. Even the image of the main altar can be different; temples of Pu re Land Schools will have the image of Amitabha Buddha.Nonetheless, on the both left and right side of the main altar are the two Great Bodhisattvas, Manjusri or Wen-Shu-Shih-Li and Samantabhadra or Pu-Hsien, however, this too can vary (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet). The east and west halls of this hall have the assembled figures of the Eighteen Arhats. These Arhats or Lohas are said to be in control of different supernatural powers (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet). On the north wall is the images of Dipankara or Jan-teng Fwo and other popular and non-popular Bodhisattvas. There are also instances when the image of the Protector of Buddhism, Kuan Ti, is also found in this hall.The Great Hall serves as the place where the dedicated Buddhists pray and offer flowers, fruits, etc. in the main altar (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet). The last cluster is the back hall which is, most of the time, split into smaller halls or smaller rooms. In the center of this hall is usually an altar of a Buddha or a Bodhisattva ( BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet). The right is usually the funerary tablet of the founder of the temple while the left is usually a hall for either teaching or meditating. Finally, there are living quarters, dining area and kitchen that are located either on the side of the three clusters or at their back (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet).Chinese Buddhism in Modern China The Chinese people realized the need for Chinese Buddhism to modernize as early as the 20th century. There were efforts to modernize Chinese Buddhism and these efforts began during the Manchu Dynasty led by Yang Wen-hui by republishing and redispersing Buddhist texts (Lancashire, 220). He also tried to learn the significance of Chinese Buddhism in the modern world as a whole. Through his examinations, he was able to construe that Buddhims goes well with modern science, and, also, Chinese Buddhists have a role to serve – to introduce Buddhism to the outside world particularly in the West (Lancashire, 220).Hence, he encouraged the Chinese Buddhists to recognize the value of modern science and the existing connection between it and Buddhism, and also helped the Chinese Buddhist to prepare for the missionary tasks they have to fulfill in introducing the religion to the west (Lancashire, 221). It continued until the Chinese Buddhist Association was also established in 1929. Membership for the association was divided between the laity and the clergy with the latter having more dominance (Lancashire, 222).During the early stages of the association, it was able to saw of the two most politcally active monks of that period, namely, T’ai-hsii and Yuan-ying. T’ai-shii was said to be the leader of the progressives while Yuan-ying was the major head of the much contemporary ideas (Lancashire, 222). Personal Interest: Marriage Buddhist weddings are usually characterized as worldly and materialistic, however, the couples who are about to be wed always make sure that they will be able to receive the blessing of the monks from local Buddhist temples exactly right after accomplishing the civil registration procedures (BDEA Inc.& BuddhaNet). Chinese Buddhists strictly abide to their religion that even if two people are already married in a civil ceremony, they still need to have a Buddhist wedding in order to be considered as rightfully married (Urban Dharma). Choosing for the wedding day is usually relied on fortune tellers, however, the couple or the their parents could now have the right to choose for the appropriate wedding day (Urban Dharma). Before the wedding, as early as 5:30 AM, the family of the man will go to the house of the woman with trays that they will give to the woman (Walsh and Poremba).Each tray has its own corresponding purpose and may contain things like wine, fruit, traditional and western cake, tea, meat, trau cau and jewelry. One tray will have a pair of candles that will be lit up by the fathers of the soon-to-be groom and bride to represent the union of the two families, in addition, there will also be a tray that will have the traditional gown that the bride will wear for the wedding (Walsh and Poremba).A roasted pig will also be given to the family of the bride; this roasted pork will be cut into three, the family of the woman will keep the middle part while the rest will be given back to the family of the man (Urban Dharma). Afterwards, a tea ceremony will be conducted in which the couple will serve the elders of the woman’s family with tea and, in return, they will give them red packets with money or jewelry inside. The tea ceremony will also be repeated in the house of the man (Urban Dharma).The wedding ceremony will come after, in Buddhist weddings, the groom and the bride will be the ones who will administer the wedding ceremony (Walsh and Poremba). Just as how early the groom and his family went to the bride’s house for the gifts and ceremonies, they groom will again go to the house of the bride, or wherever she is st aying, early in the morning with his groomsmen. Before the groom could enter the house, the friends of the bride will ask him questions that are difficult enough to test if he is suitable for the bride.In addition, another test will be on the financial aspect where the groom will give the bridesmaid red packets with money or jewelry (Urban Dharma). Afterwards, the bride will bid farewell to her family and will pay respects to her ancestors in the their family’s spirit house, the groom will also follow suit, offering a bowl of trau cau to them with him (Walsh and Poremba). The couple along with the bridesmaids and groomsmen will then go to the house of the groom. The mother of the bride and the mother-in-law will put earrings on the bride to signify her virginity (Walsh and Poremba). Respects will again be paid to the ancestors of the groom.Again, a tea ceremony will be held where the groom and the bride will serve their parents. The tea ceremony will symbolize that the couple is married, it is also this ceremony which makes the bride a part of the groom’s family (Urban Dharma; Walsh and Poremba). Professional Interest: Interacting with Chinese Investors The essential beliefs and values of the Chinese are deeply rooted from philosophies and teachings of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism (Miroslawski, 46). Hence, even the holistic configuration of the Chinese society has its origin in the three major philosophies and religions in the country.Thus, in order to fully comprehend the Chinese culture, one must understand the different philosophies that the Chinese believe in and how these philosophies affect their way of life. In his study, Miroslawski (2008) compared and contrasted China and Germany using the cultural dimensions formulated by Geert Hofstede. In the comparison, it was learned that the organizational model of the Chinese emphasized on the necessity of a single supervisor at the top who will give those below instructions that should be fo llowed.This model is due to the Chinese inclination towards extensive power distance and the necessity for them to have an apparent and influential type of leadership (Miroslawski, 46-47). The Chinese are also collective in nature, hence, they always put the welfare of their group over their personal interests (Miroslawski, 47). Chinese have the tendency to not to speak out from the group just so they could maintain their good relationship with one another – this is also the case by not choosing to speak out towards their superiors.Aside from Hofstede’s explanation that if there is a high power distance, there is also high collectivism in the society, the organization model can also be attributed to China’s extended family and patriarchal society. Moreover, it is also due to Confucius’ teachings about filial piety (Miroslawski, 48). It is also because of the fact that Chinese are collectivists that their communication vary from those who are inside their group and those who are outside. This is also due to the huge amount of loyalty that the Chinese put on one another (Miroslawski, 48).Another finding was that China has a very high-context culture, hence, the value on face-saving is high and tremenduously important (Miroslawski, 48). Face-saving refers to instituing, sustaining and intensifying status. Despite being collectivists, the Chinese still give themselves value by having a significant status in the group, still, this reflects only within the group as every group tries to contain all their knowledge within them. In order to comprehend Chinese more easily, then, they must be from a high-context culture as well or at least attempt to study their ways (Miroslawski, 48).Conclusion Chinese Buddhists range from 50% to 80% of the Chinese population, their infrastructures are more than 10,000 in numbers while there are hundreds of thousands Chinese Buddhist monks, nuns, lamas and Buddhas (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America; Vipassana Foundation). The Chinese have, indeed, welcomed and nourished the Buddhist religion ever since it arrived in China during the Han Dynasty. Emperors were open enough to accept its unstoppable growth and even allow it continue its development.Despite the turmoils that the country experienced during its fall at the period of the Manchu, the Chinese people still resurrected and modernized the religion in order to make it still fitting with the changing times. It can be said that the Chinese Buddhists are very loyal to their religion that when it comes to marriage, the couple should still be wed in a Buddhist ceremony in order to be considered married. Though the Chinese are no longer particular about having their child marrying another Chinese, they would still want the couple to undergo a Buddhist wedding ceremony.The rituals, the ceremonies and the traditions are still being strictly followed. However, there are practices that were no longer co nstantly done, like parents arranging the marriage of their children, going to the matchmakers, and consultation with forture tellers. Chinese are now allowing their children to chose who they want to marry irregardless of nationality and the couple are also free to choose what day they would like their wedding to be held. Perhaps the most difficult matter where other people from other countries to get along with the Chinese is regarding business.Chinese tends not to share what they know with others even with their fellow Chinese. Moreover, they also wanted to play a big role in a certain agreement. In addition, engaging a business with Chinese might take a lot of time as they will always consult their group regarding the business at hand. These qualities of the Chinese is attributable to their high power distance, collectivism and context culture (Miroslawski, 46-48). Chinese prefer having a someone above them who are capable of leading them irregardless of the circumstances.They w ill always put the best interests of the group their their own and they do not share anything to anyone easily for they find it hard to trust other people, however, they gave their utmost loyalty to their group. This is due to their philosophies and religion – Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism (Miroslawski, 46). 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China Views. â€Å"Chinese Mahayana Buddhism – A Complete History.† 2007. China Views. 13 October 2008 . Edkins, Joseph. Chinese Buddhism: A Volume of Sketches, Historical, Descriptive and Critical. New Jersey: Gorgias Press LLC, 2003. Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America. â€Å"White Paper–Freedom of Religious Belief in China. † October 1997. Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America. 14 October 2008 . International Dunhuang Project. â€Å"Chinese Buddhism on the Silk Road.† n. d. International Dunhuang Project. 13 October 2008 . Lancashire, Douglas. â€Å"Buddhism in Modern China. † Religion in Communist Lands (1977, 5 (4)): 220-228. Lusthaus, Dan. â€Å"Buddhist philosophy, Chinese: Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy Online. † 1998. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 13 October 2008 . Lusthaus, Dan. â€Å"Buddhist philosophy, Chinese: Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy Online. † 1998. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy.13 October 2008 . Lusthaus, Dan. â€Å"Buddhist philosophy, Chinese: Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy Online. † 1998. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 13 October 2008 . Lusthaus, Dan. â€Å"Buddhist philosophy, Chinese: Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy Online. † 1998. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 13 October 2008 . Lusthaus, Dan. â€Å"Buddhist Philosophy, Chinese: Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy Online.† 1998. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 13 October 2008 . Miroslawski, Gregor. â€Å"International Expan sion & Market Entry of Mainland Chinese Businesses in Germany within the Context of Culture. † China Media Research (2008, 4 (2)): 46-59. Theobald, Ulrich. â€Å"Religions in China, Chinese Religions – Buddhism ( ). † 2000. ChinaKnowledge – a universal guide for China studies. 13 October 2008 . Travel China Guide. â€Å"China Buddhism. † 14 October 2008.Travel China Guide. 13 October 2008 . Urban Dharma. â€Å"Newsletter – 2/10/04. † 10 February 2004. Urbad Dharma. 15 October 2008 . Vipassana Foundation. â€Å"Buddhists in the World. † July 2008. The Dhamma. 15 October 2008 . Walsh, Richard T. and Barbara Poremba. â€Å"Buddhist Wedding Ceremony. † 1998. Salem State College. 15 October 2008 .

Mercy Among Children

Mercy Among Children Mercy Among Children tells the story of Sydney, a man who was separated from his family for various reasons and who had to find ways and means to fend off the loneliness that was beginning to consume him. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mercy Among Children The Story About Homesick specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He had a sense of sadness that comes from the pit of the stomach, that aching for familiarity that he knew to be homesickness. It was difficult for him to be away from his family for so long. It was later on that he discovered that by reading books, he could feel that he was no longer alone. He was a proud man. He would never admit to others that he missed his family, nor that he wanted to go home. Instead, he hid his homesickness by reading books. The books broke his sense of isolation. His character explained within the story that when one is reading books: you are not alone even along this broken tra ctor road. You need to know nothing else. (Mercy Among The Children) Whether he admitted it to himself or not, he missed his family. To quote from the story itself: he was ready to go home. He would walk nine miles out to the highway and catch the bus back to the Miramichi. Tomorrow night he would be with Elly again. he would hold and kiss Percy. He thought of the miles ahead of him and they seemed an insult; he wanted them to be gone in a second. (Mercy Among The Children) The longing for the love and care of his family was the source of his homesickness. Yet he tried to stay away for three long years so he could provide a better future for them. He sacrificed his personal happiness for them. Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Homesickness was a perennial illness for him and he knew that the only cure was to finally go home to the people he cared for and loved him back. Now , Sydney found himself ready and very much excited to go home, and go home he did. Being a student who is currently living in a foreign land, I find mysel ffully identifying with the sadness that Sydney felt. Sometimes, homesickness becomes unbearable,. Even though I know that I am doing this for my and my familys future, it does not lessen the pining that I have for my family. This was a new world for me. It was world where I barely spoke and understood the language, nor did I have any friends. Time has not changed my longing for the presence of my family in my daily life. Now I realize that the saying You never know what you had till you lose it is true. I used to take my mother and fathers care for granted. I got so used to having them there for me all the time that it has become almost impossible for me to adjust to life without them, without the creature comforts that home offered me. In this world, I make do with phone calls to my family, hearing their words of love and com fort that are meant to keep me strong but only weaken my resolve not to miss them in the process. These days, I do not have the unconditional support of my family to fall back on. I am constantly surrounded by people and yet I feel so alone and lonely. I guess it is already obvious that just like Sydney in the story, I am consumed by homesickness and wish for nothing more than to finally go home to the loving embrace of my mother and father. The only thing that gives me the strength to go on with my life here, is the knowledge that eventually, I will be back home in Cambodia, and my homesickness will finally come to an end. It is not easy to be homesick. It takes a lot of effort to get through the day when you are dealing with it. But just like Sydney, you will find a way to make the loneliness go away. Then it wont hurt so much and you can have a semblance of a life. Until the time comes when you can finally go home.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mercy Among Children The Story About Homesick specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Profile of Kirsten Gillibrand - Biography of Kirsten Gillibrand

Profile of Kirsten Gillibrand - Biography of Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten Rutnik Gillibrand Position Representative for New Yorks 20th Congressional District from January 3, 2007 - January 23, 2009Appointed by New York Governor David Paterson to New Yorks second seat in the US Senate on January 23, 2009, filling the vacancy created by Senator Hillary Clintons appointment as US Secretary of State. Childhood and Education Born in Albany, NY on December 9, 1966, she was raised in the tri-city Capital Region of New York State. Attended the Academy of the Holy Names, Albany, NYGraduated from Emma Willard School in Troy, NY in 1984Graduated from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH in 1988, B.A. in Asian StudiesGraduated from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1991, earning her J.D. Professional Career Attorney in the law firm Boies, Schiller FlexnerLaw Clerk, Second Circuit Court of Appeals Political Career During the Bill Clinton administration, Gillibrand served as Special Counsel to the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Andrew Cuomo.Elected to the 110th and 111th Congress as Representative for New Yorks 20th Congressional District which stretches from the city of Poughkeepsie in the Hudson Valley to Lake Placid in the states North Country. She is the districts first female representative. Congressional Career Served on the House Armed Services Committee and two of its subcommittees: Terrorism and Unconventional Threats and Capabilities; and Seapower and Expeditionary Forces. Served on the Agriculture Committee and three of its subcommittees: Livestock, Dairy and Poultry; Conservation, Credit, Energy and Research; and Horticulture and Organic Agriculture. Co-founded the Congressional High Tech Caucus with the goal of ensuring that the US remains at the forefront of emerging technologies and high tech industries. Gillibrand is strongly pro-gun. She comes from a family of hunters and has stated that preserving [gun ownership] is a priority of mine in Congress....I will continue to oppose legislation that will restrict the rights of responsible gun owners. She is also pro-choice and has received the highest rating given by the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). Gillibrand is a fiscal conservative, earning her the label  Blue Dog Democrat; representing a primarily rural district, she voted against the $700 billion Wall Street bailout bill in 2008. She acknowledges that her voting record has veered conservative;  she opposes a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, and in 2007 voted for funding to extend the Iraq war. Family Political Connections Gillibrands father is Douglas Rutnik, an Albany lobbyist with strong political ties  to several once-prominent and powerful New York Republicans including former Governor George Pataki and former Senator Al DAmato. Personal Life Gillibrand is the product of a single-sex education, having attended two all-female schools: the Academy of the Holy Names in Albany, a Catholic college preparatory school, and the Emma Willard School, the first school for girls established in the US. Married to Jonathan Gillibrand, she is the mother o two children four year old Theo and infant Henry . The family resides in Hudson, New York.

The History of Suture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The History of Suture - Essay Example After World War II (1939-1945), the greatest developments in wound suturing began with the introduction of advanced, partly automatic stapler machinery, as well as the manufacture of synthetic non-resorbable and resorbable fibres. These revolutionary techniques fuelled the development of new fields such as microsurgery (Kuijjer, 1998). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the history of suture including advances in suturing techniques and the evolution of suturing materials. The History of Suture The history of surgery is inextricably linked with the history of suturing, or stitching together two surfaces or edges. Allusion to sutures and the suturing of wounds in an ancient Egyptian scroll (circa 3,500 BC) is considered as the oldest existing surgical treatise. The term suture means to sew, which Hippocrates used in 400 BC. About 1000 years before Christ, the Indian medical book Charaka’s Samhita described many techniques of suturing including the clo sing of wounds by ant pincers in bowel surgery. Once the large black ants with powerful jaws clamped the edges of the wound together with their pincers, their bodies were twisted off (Snyder, 1976). In 600 BC the ancient Indian surgeon Sushruta’s medical treatise is a compilation of plastic surgery and opthalmology which mentions sutures made from animal sinews, braided horsehair, leather strips, cotton and fibers made from the bark of the ashniantaka tree. From 100 BC Egyptian mummies have shown evidence of sutured wounds. Further, in 100 BC, a learned Roman, Cornelius Celsus used the word suture both as a noun and as a verb: to suture; â€Å"he also named the skull sutures coronal, sagittal, and lambdoidal† (Snyder, 1976, p.401). By 30 AD, the Roman Celsus again described the use of sutures and clips, and in 150 AD, Galen used silk and catgut, and explained their use as sutures (Galli, 2011). Soon sutures were used to tie off tissues, through a process called ligatur e. In 165 AD, Galen who was physician to the Roman gladiators recommended their use for their wounds, to prevent paralysis. In 1555, Ambroise Pare, the French military surgeon changed his treatment of bleeding vessels caused by amputation, from hot irons and boiling oils to ligation. He also introduced the use of stitched linen adhesives to close saber wounds and to prevent scar formation. Also among the early advocates of suturing all fresh wounds as well as severed tendons and tissue was Andreas Vesalius, the greatest anatomist of the Renaissance (Snyder, 1976). The history of sutures which began more than 2000 years ago correlates with the first records of eyed needles. Before the end of the first millennium, Avicenna used monofilament with pig bristles in infected wounds. Surgical and suture techniques advanced significantly in the late 1800s, with the development of sterilization procedures. Subsequently, modern methods created uniformly sized sutures (Galli, 2011). The Evoluti on of Suturing Materials According to Mackenzie (1973), the term sutures includes those which hold a wound together until it has healed, as well as ligatures used to tie off a blood vessel such as an artery. Between 50,000 and 30,000 BC, eyed needles were invented and used for suturing. From

Costa Coffee Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Costa Coffee - Case Study Example The efficient and effective branding of its mobile coffee shops can promote Costa Coffee's popularity amongst its target consumer group, St. Andrews' students, faculty and staff. Branding is the concept through which an organization creates and maintains a unique identity. According to Williams (2004) branding differentiates a product or service. It begins with an organization's mission and core beliefs (Williams 2004). The goal of differentiating is to make an organization immediately recognizable to its publics by "consistently and repeatedly providing an ideal combination of attributes - both tangible and intangible, practical and symbolic, visible and invisible" (Knapferer 1994). While the usual drive behind branding is generating revenue from sales or increasing brand loyalty for repeat purchase, branding can also be used to effectively increase knowledge of an organization and what it does. When it comes to branding an organisation, especially one offering a new service such as mobile coffee services, branding can establish connections among stakeholders associated with the organisation (Arozian 2003). Branding can also serve to support processes for communications initiatives in reaching those stakeholders (Arozian 2003). Branding of Costa Coffee's mobile shops can generate support for this novelty in, but it is a long-term process. Branding is not something that is accomplished overnight, but rather something that grows out of consistent presentation of the unique selling point. Over time this unique selling point, in this case bringing brand coffee to consumers, becomes tied to the brand name and logo so that consumers associate value with an organisation. The overall result of branding is that the consumer perceives that the branded product is more valuable than identical non-branded items because "the brand is present even when it cannot be seen" (Knapferer 1994). As Costa Coffee's mobile shop brand identity grows, Costa Coffee's perceived value will likely increase in the mind of the consumer. This pull generated by a brand is called brand equity. Brand equity could be considered one of the most important concepts in marketing because the generation of brand equity is the goal at the core of many marketing activities. According to the text, Advertising Excellence, brand equity combines "five elements: brand loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality, associations other than quality (such as style, excitement, or healthiness), and proprietary assets" such as trademarks (Bovee et al. 1995). Through the deployment of the branding tool, Costa Coffee can generate brand equity for its mobile coffee shops and, in so doing, benefit from all of the five components of brand equity listed. As it has been argued in the above paragraphs, the branding tool can significantly contribute to the success of Costa Coffee's mobile coffee shops. Costa Coffee is, in itself, a recognisable coffee brand which is popular within St. Andrews. Through the extension of its services to consumers, wherever they are, Costa Coffee will ensure that selection of its coffee brand becomes the more logical and convenient choice. Added to that, its visibility will increase, as will its popularity and visibility among its targeted consumer base. This is precisely the reason why the group considers this tool critically important to the success of the project. This tool, which was introduced through class lectures and