Philosophy †Conscience (90/90) Essay

Discuss critically the view that we should always follow our conscience when making ethical decisions It has traditionally been proposed that the conscience is an established body of authority, essentially justifying the view that it should be ‘followed’. Many notable figures throughout history – Aquinas, Butler, Plato, Freud – have structurally placed it in a potent rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le. Whether this is by means of tripartite analogies, hierarchical standing or even religious eminence, the conscience serves a theoretical, and indeed practical, function as the human and societal arbiter. But then, there is also a possible disparity between the states of individual and collective conscience, contributing to the difficulties in determining which conscience is more suited to enacting ‘ethical decisions’. This predicates an interesting dichotomy: the conscience either does not maintain this degree of control or, conversely, the conscience’s increased social standing grants it an even greater level of authority. It can similarly be questioned whet her or not the conscience’s proposed supremacy necessitates an individual’s reliance on it, or even, whether it is needed at all. Ideas in connection with the conscience are far-reaching. The notion of ‘ethical decisions’ being governed by the conscience implies that there is a principal rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le the conscience must play in enacting them. But, as addressed above, there are solid questions over its reliability: its seemingly potent position and even its existence. My argument follows an objective line, paying close attention to that factor in which man is of sole importance. The human being is the entity the conscience must work alongside, and vice versa. There is a clear discrepancy between common definitions of ‘consciousness’, in turn emphasising the inconsistency of thought on the matter. The Collins Dictionary, for example, defines ‘consciousness’ as being â€Å"aware of one’s surroundings†1; in contrast with the Concise Oxford Dictionary which classifies it as being â€Å"aware of and responding to one’s surroundings†2. Herein, at the outset, lies an issue. ‘Surroundings’ and conditions are clearly noted by both definitions, yet the human acknowledgement and ‘response’ to them are not so. This irregularity is highly relevant when trying to determine the conscience’s rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le in the individual’s ‘decision’-making. The mind’s influence on the individual, the individual’s place in society, and, indeed, individuals themselves, are key to this matter. ***************** â€Å"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ† 3 Presented above is the Biblical proposition most considered to be supportive of the tripartite theory of the Godhead. Theologically, ‘three’ has been a consistent Biblical presence, â€Å"It should be noted at the outset that the Biblical authors’ use of the number three is abundantly attested†4 – The Holy Trinity, Noah’s three sons and Job’s three daughters being notable cases of this. Accordingly, the human being consists of ‘three’ separate elements; either ‘body’, ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’, as is noted above, or, most applicable to the question of conscience: i) appetites ii) affections, and iii) reason – the latter having familiar associations with the conscience. But where does this come into the idea of ‘following’ one’s conscience? Simply put, it is the idea that the conscience is dominant in its essence; that theologians, philosophers and psychologists throughout times past have placed it above appetites and affections. Noted examples of this are Aquinas’ ‘Hierarchy of Being’, Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Chariot’, Freud’s idea of the id, ego and superego, and others; all leading to one literally presented conclusion – conscience is ‘boss’, and ergo, should be ‘followed’. Thomistic philosophy places the conscience in a divine rank; alongside the Bible, the Church and Mankind as a whole. It is divine and institutional law; guided through human mechanisms by the Synderesis Rule: â€Å"the innate principle in the moral consciousness of every person which directs the agent to good and restrains him from evil†5. This can be seen to relate directly to the idea of a benevolent conscience making ‘ethical decisions’ – ‘good’ being the ultimate goal. Butler takes a similar position – â€Å"man is born to virtue†6 – ‘self love’ and ‘benevolence’ being the individual’s guide. But, one might ask whether the apparent requirement to do ‘good’ is really an objective balance. Can one really make an ‘ethical decision’ without knowing the evil? 7 Aquinas asserted five primary precepts which the conscience formulates in an ‘ethical’ judgement – self preservation and preservation of the innocent, continuation of the species, education of children, living in a society and worshipping God. Despite the need for these to be followed, and, of course, definitive of how we make ‘ethical decisions’, it is the fifth that one finds enticing for this particular study. ‘Worshipping God’, the church – a state of authority – or, indeed, perceived authority, guiding our actions. It conforms to the hierarchy of being (an apt link with the tripartite theory) and is a premise for God’s ‘benign tyranny’. God is the pure form of Reason, and is so at the top of the hierarchy, subordinated by mankind – affections – and animals – pure appetite. By this we can see that this hierarchical method is multi-levelled – the human being comprises these attributes just as a collective hierarchy does. They are simply metaphors for the conscience’s divine authority on a bodily and societal level. This is further supported by Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Chariot’; the charioteer representing Intellect/Reason/Conscience, the white horse signifying the aforementioned morals and affections, and the black horse symbolising appetites. One might be too facetious in making this interpretation but the use of a horse somewhat indicates that human beings are majorly of beastly appetites, other than reason – are we God’s ‘beasts’ as it were? Plato himself judged that: â€Å"man†¦is a tame or civilized animal; nevertheless, he requires proper instruction and a fortunate nature, and then of all animals he becomes the most divine and most civilized; but if he be insufficiently or ill-educated he is the most savage of earthly creatures.†8 Yet, he conversely gives the analogous horse human traits: â€Å"he is a lover of honour and modesty and temperance, and the follower of true glory; he needs no touch of the whip, but is guided by word and admonition only.†9 Even more interesting is Plato’s use of a human being in God’s rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le. This gives two ideas; God is either being anthropomorphised (putting him in inferior standing) or, alternatively, human conscience is God-ly10 – maybe God is our conscience. Maybe He is mankind. Newman supports the former idea; â€Å"an echo implies a voice; a voice, a speaker. That speaker I love and revere†11, by the literal hearing of voices. The ‘speaker’ is the indwelling voice – the conscience – and the reverberation of God’s direct message. Here, on the surface, we can clearly see, due to the divine cloud hanging over this matter (‘God is good’), that the conscience should be ‘followed’ when making ‘ethical decisions’. Yet, one might ask the fundamental question of whether the conscience is worthy of its place above appetites and affections. The empiricist, David Hume, makes his opinion on the matter quite clear: â€Å"reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them†12. He provides a clear argument against ‘always’ ‘following’ our conscience when making ‘ethical decisions’, in favour of our appetites. One might take the view that our primitive nature, without the influence of our conscience and an interventionist (or determinant) society is more equipped to make ‘ethical decisions’. Indeed, the Reformation encouraged the break-away from the Church of Rome and set the individual conscience, not ecclesiastical authority, at the centre of religious life. As will be addressed in further detail later, if our conscience is distorted by society the individual may not be in full control of his own ‘ethical decisions’. One could conversely argue, however, that, as Plato seemingly hinted at above, Hume degrades humanity to the level of animals; that we have no power to reason and therefore cannot achieve ‘God-liness’ or make ‘ethical decisions’ at all. Plato supplemented the ideas purveyed by his ‘Allegory of the Chariot’ through another work The Republic, which, for this essay, provides the basis for examination of the relationship between individual and societal conscience. As with Aquinas, it is a question of hierarchy. The workers – appetite followers – and the soldiers – protectors of the state and morals – are both subservient to the philosopher-kings – the embodiment of reason. Plato’s view was that of an elitist society with the core conscience in charge; â€Å"knowledge is power†13 (â€Å"Conscience is king†14) or, as I might conversely argue, ‘power is knowledge’ (‘King is conscience’). One can draw parallels with Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, which, for me, offers an even more appropriate portrayal of this idea: the lowly ‘proles’ comprising the vast majority of society – governed by appetites – the Outer Party – controlled by state values and propaganda, morals, affections – and the Inner Party and Big Brother, the core of the state; the quintessence of the conscience, â€Å"it is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party†15. These two examples demonstrate the conscience of the individual being mirrored in society. It raises issues as to whether the conscience of the collective should be ‘followed’ when making ‘ethical decisions’ as opposed to that of the limited individual; â€Å"only in the mind of the party, which is collective and immortal†16 – drawing distinctly Marxist parallels, and, perhaps more relevantly, conforming to the Thomistic precept of ‘living in a society’. One can link this to the thoughts of Soloveychik; that â€Å"conscience can’t be someone’s own. Conscience is both personal and universal†17. The pluralism, ‘we’, established in the initial proposition is markedly addressed with these connections to societal conscience. One extremity that may arise from this elitist, authoritarian ideal, however, is the issue of mind-control (â€Å"Big Brother Is Watching You†). A conscientious hierarchical society controlling the psyche of the masses may fulfil the rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le of the individual in a more oblique, inflated manner. Appetites, affection and reason being governed by class structure; bringing about a socially solidified conscience. One might apply this to F.H. Bradley’s personification: â€Å"our function [is] as an organ† in a â€Å"social organism†. Thus, if conscience is uniform among individuals, why might ‘ethical decisions’ not be carried out similarly? Baruch Spinoza believed that God’s knowledge is distilled through humanity: â€Å"an idea is adequate and perfect insofar as it represents knowledge of the eternal and infinite essence of God†18. Giving further substance to the idea of an individual’s morals (their ‘ethical’ make-up) being reflected on a collective level. Hume, however, argues against this, â€Å"nothing is more surprising than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few†19, pondering the dominance of a reasoned minority – the collective’s core conscience – in turn eradicating the starting point for this theory. An answer to the issue in the proposition, however, is still not possible at this point. One cannot yet determine whether the conscience should be ‘followed’ when making ‘ethical decisions’ because of the sheer amount of subjectivity over the ethics of elitism. Still, the plausibility of a societal conscience maintaining this degree of authority is questionable. Despite the seemingly loose connections mentioned above, the conscience of the collective is undoubtedly dissimilar to that of the individual. The juxtaposed issues of freedom and conflicting individual mentality are enough in themselves to maintain this viewpoint. Obviously, this makes us question whether making references to literal states of authority is actually worthwhile. The individual has a conscience which both conflicts and complements the state/collective consciousness. Linking to the above issue, are governments/collectives always an objective balance? Seemingly, there are corrupt governments; history has shown there to be corruption in the Church and other elements of society that control the individual’s mindset. Yet it is indubitably the case that the mind (and conscience) is always influenced by the society in which it operates. This presents a mind-blowing paradox. Society is not only determined by a central conscience but the conscience of the individual is conversely determined by society. This might then suggest that whatever the case, the sole function that drives societal conditions, indirectly assumes its authority over the individual. J.B Watson – the ‘Father of Behaviourism’ – proposed: â€Å"give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select† 20 He places himself – a core being with societal influence – in an authoritative position over specified individuals. This can be compared with the Freudian idea that the superego develops throughout childhood by external influences. The human being is born with the id; the basis for appetites, eros (sex) and thanatos (death) drives – these drives could interestingly be seen in a belligerently potent rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le, supporting the idea of appetital authority à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ la Hume. Subsequently, the ego develops; the presentable faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade that we apply to the world; our affections. Then the superego, our reason and conscience; the irrefutable censor of the human mind. It develops throughout childhood. In tandem with the environmental development, or determinism, mentioned above, â€Å"children are completely egoistic; they feel their needs intensely and strive ruthlessly to satisfy them†21. So by this then, we can see that the tripartite, ‘three’; is a consistent literal basis for the presentation of the conscience. I would, however, question whether this is a valuable method by which to present its authority. There are obvious differences between the theories presented by each of these figures; Freud – socio-psychological; Aquinas – religious; Plato – the soul. These differences mean something. For one, each has specific rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½les. Some may apply strictly to societal conscience (Plato’s Republic and Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four), others may apply merely to the individual (Freud and Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Chariot’). It is nonetheless interesting that the tripartite is consistent throughout different periods and cultures. Ultimately, it comes to the point where one must consult Freud’s verdict to prove what these give us, â€Å"analogies, it is true, decide nothing, but they can make on e feel more at home†22. How else, then, can the conscience be interpreted authoritatively and conclusive of how we make ‘ethical decisions’? Put simply, the conscience is an alarm: it is disturbing; it forces the individual to put themselves in uncomfortable situations and concurrently feel the effects of these. Although there are religious sides to this, for example, the threat, â€Å"he who acts against his conscience loses his soul†23, the principal factor here is indeed guilt. Of course, guilt is the one thing that the layman will consider alongside the conscience. Conscience is guilt to many. The objective conscience works by putting the individual at a discomfort, Freud believing that guilt is the consequence of not obeying it. Dostoyevsky provides a fine example of this in his notorious work Crime and Punishment, where the protagonist, Rodion Raskolnikov, experiences continual mental anguish following his homicidal actions. The novel gives the idea of mental demons – â€Å"If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake. That will be punishment as well as the prison.†24 Rodion’s shame ultimately forces him to confess. He ‘follows’ his guilty conscience to make an ‘ethical decision’. This issue is also given great attention in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, in which the king, Claudius, comes to realise, in retrospect, the implications of his fratricide; â€Å"my stronger guilt defeats my strong intent†25. He is, however, prone to continuing his murderous tendencies. Although this is a literary construction, one might suggest that Claudius reverts to his thanatos drive, the superego not taking precedence. Another interpretation is that he adheres to the belief that you â€Å"perform a sin twice and it will cease to be a crime†26, providing a distinctly self-centred stance. Above all, however, this notion of guilt leads us to question whether the conscience’s precedence actually does entail our reliance on it. If the conscience can be seen to be malicious one might assume it is not all good or a worthy mechanism by which to make ‘ethical decisions’. Should we ‘always’ ‘follow’ our conscience if it occasionally encourages us to impart malevolence towards others? Yet, admittedly, I have placed the conscience, somewhat clumsily, in a potent rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le by inappropriately treating it as an inanimate transcendent ‘object’. ‘The conscience’ is a misleading phrase – it can not be addressed in literal terms as the above-mentioned figures and I have done so. It is an ambiguous concept; a culmination of ideas, not a figurehead or core being that people must obey. In doing this I have partially neglected the fundamental points initially outlined; those of human response to the conscience, as well as the issue of ‘ethical decisions’. The point is that the human being is its conscience – they work in tandem – yet the individual conscience is contingent on the social conscience and vice versa. It is an eternal cog of human reasoning, working jointly to maintain relations and prevent wrongdoing. There is a deterministic problem associated with this question: if the conscience is a necessary mechanism then seemingly we cannot escape it – ‘always’ following our conscience places it in a more authoritative rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le than a judicial one. Aquinas, for one, believed that ‘following’ our conscience is ‘always’ right despite it not necessarily entailing good – is this really the kind of mindset we want when making ‘ethical decisions’? If one is to take Hume’s view of appetital dominance, the human essence being the guidance of our nature, we can, to an extent, countermand this. One might argue that the conscience is just a constraint on our essential urges. A constraint on the collective’s blossoming; Sartre asserting that â€Å"we must act out passion before we can feel it†27. Even today in such a complex, interlaced world there is a question over whether our primitive essence would beget greater happiness. Not at all am I suggesting that humans should revert to being primal, nor that happiness should be the human race’s ultimate goal, but, in terms of making ‘ethical decisions’, must one rely on the conscience? Indeed, there is a danger that reliance on appetites would encourage societal and individual regression. Hence, a viable alternative must be suggested. For me, this comes in the form of Social Darwinism (‘survival of the fittest’); that mankind evolves by means of competition, â€Å"the very essence of instinct is that it’s followed independently of reason†28. Darwin appeared to prioritise appetites; using them as a means for societal progression. One might assert that this ideal comes closest to loosening the fetters of both individual conscience and societal restraint, whilst not jeopardising our future. In answering the question, the various examples presented in this essay – of the conscience being dominant in its essence – suggest to me that in any case the conscience deters our ‘decision’-making. Indeed, if we feel by any means constrained we are unable to make pure, objective ‘ethical decisions’, ergo, we should not be subservient to the conscience when making them. 1 Collins Dictionary & Thesaurus: Two books in one, 2004 2 Concise Oxford Dictionary: Tenth Edition, 1999 3 1 Thessalonians 5:23 4 Richard D. Patterson, The Third Day Motif, The Use Of Three In The Bible 5 The Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy 6 Joseph Butler. Class notes. 7 This is addressed further with the issue of guilt later on. 8 Plato, The Republic 9 Plato, Phaedrus 10 This is intended to mean the essence of God, rather than merely ‘god-like’ attributes. 11 Pope’s Letter On Newman 12 David Hume 13 Sir Francis Bacon 14 Joseph Butler 15 Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part 2, Chapter 2 16 Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part 2, Chapter 2 17 Simon Soloveychik, Free Man 18 Spinoza’s Ethics 19 David Hume 20 John B. Watson 21 Sigmund Freud 22 Sigmund Freud 23 Fourth Lateran Council 24 Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment, Chapter 19 25 Hamlet, Act 3 Scene 3, l. 40 26 Jewish commentary 27 Jean-Paul Sartre 28 Charles Darwin

Learning A New Language Essay

A countries identity is characterized by many different factors. It may be the culture of the people, the beliefs, the technological advancement or the degree of economic prosperity. It cannot be argued, however, that the single factor which brings all of these characteristics together and allows other people to appreciate and understand a country more is language. All the signs of prosperity are meaningless without language to convey the real meaning. Language is the single factor which allows people to become involved with a country and be able to call it their home. Give this, the relevance of learning a new language lies in the fact that by learning a new language one is able to learn more about other cultures and be accepted by it. It has often been said that one of the most essential parts of encouraging the growth of personal character is social interaction and communication. In order to make this happen, it is important that a person develop language skills because it is one of the primary modes of communication and social interaction. Having to translate everything or not being able to communicate freely is a hindrance to the establishment of working relationships. As such, it is important for people to learn new languages to enable them to reach out to other people, especially if you are a foreigner in their country. In order to develop language skills, it is not important that the person is genuinely interested in the other or what the other has to say since the purpose of communication and listening is indeed to come to a better understanding of another person. The thing that is required in order to develop good listening skills is in being able to know when to simply just â€Å"shut up and listen. † There is a certain timing that is needed in listening because listening may often be confused with boredom or disinterest by certain people. One has to know when to simply just nod one’s head or smile instead of opening one’s mouth to say something. The importance of this is because those who have speech or communication impairments, such as those from a foreign country, actually have a more difficult time reaching out to the world and need all the help and support that they can get. This also allows the person to absorb and understand the nuances of the new language so that the person is able to adapt. This is very important because oftentimes trouble is caused by miscommunication and when one deals with foreign languages it is important to make a person used to the sound of the language and also the way that it is used in speaking. Therefore, the most important thing is to first listen to the person and try to understand what the person is communicating. This is the first process in learning a new language. The second step lies in using the simple words and not being intimidated or afraid to speak. Oftentimes, people are unable to learn a new language because they are afraid of making mistakes. This is a normal thing and people should always remember that practice makes perfect. There is no other way of learning a new language. A person must simply keep writing and speaking in order to get better. Another way this can be improved is by asking a lot of questions. It is hard to imagine a world where nobody actually listened or paid any attention to other people. It would probably be a sad world filled with the endless monologue from the unending conversations of people who have nobody to listen to them. The people of the world would arguably be much sadder too since there would be nobody to listen to their problems or help them vent their frustrations and this is made better by learning a new language because people can talk to each other better. It is also thankfully not hard to become good at this. Just like listening, when learning a new language think, learn and feel first and by doing so listening to what the other has to say. If man had learned this skill earlier, think of all the wars and bloodshed that mankind could have avoided by simply listening to what the other had to say.

Diana Di Prima

Najla Alameldin Professor Wheat English 106 03-21-2011 A Cultural Criticism on Diane DiPrima’s â€Å"The Practice of Magical Evocation† As a young girl growing up in an Italian American family, DiPrima began to witness expectations that she did not like about her culture. At eight years old she experienced her first expectation as a female in her family but this was not an expectation she felt positively on. In an interview given by David Hadbawnik, DiPrima says that one day her mother was very sick and couldn’t get out of bed; she called for DiPrima and said to her, â€Å"You let that man wash a dish. DiPrima says, that at that moment she thought her mother was crazy and that the only thing on her mind was â€Å"What do you mean, I let him was a dish? You know, he’s the grown up. † Females growing up in Italian American households in the 1950s and 1960s were expected to learn the duties of their mothers. These duties included those activities that were confined to the home such as the typical cooking and cleaning. In an interview with David Hadbawnik, DiPrima says that women in Italian American families sat inferior to the men of their household while the men were considered to be a â€Å"luxury. Daughters of Italian American families were also expected to never leave home before marriage; marriage to that of an Italian or Italian American man. There was to be no sexual relationships outside of marriage and sexual relations within marriage were to be kept secret. Raised in this Italian American household; Diane DiPrima did not rise to the standards set by her culture and flouted many of her family’s rules and beliefs. However she later helped redefine the expectations of an Italian American woman through her literature.When viewing Diane DiPrima’s â€Å"The Practice of Magical Evocation† through a cultural lens of women in 1950’s and 60’s Italian American households, it is evident that the text counteracts this culture by discussing her own sexuality and putting women on a higher pedestal of power. In â€Å"The Practice of Magical Evocation,† Diane DiPrima expresses her sexuality freely and prominently. She is frank, even blatant, about sex that in her own girlhood were kept private to the point of secrecy (Kirschenbaum 61).That she was a young, Italian American woman, in 1969, having sex at all and outside of marriage, and writing about it is what remains so remarkable even today (Quinn 178). In her poem, she chooses to put a quote by Gary Snyder before her own actual text. The quotes states, â€Å"The female is fertile, and discipline (contra naturam) only confuses her† (361). The choosing of this quote declines her parental and cultures’ standards and foreshadows the sexual expression in her poem.For DiPrima, sexual liberation is freedom from the old world of Italian American ethics, and into the new world of permission to do, say and be who s he wants to be, and then to write about it (Quinn 179). Aside from flouting her family’s and culture’s conventions, DiPrima’s greatest transgression may be that she dares to write about herself in the first place. As Mary Jo Bona reminds us: â€Å"the fact that the Italian American woman†¦has chosen writing to express the self illustrates her ability to break away from traditional emphasis on family, one that implicitly enforces silence upon its members to insure that its family secrets are kept. This code of silence, a common theme in Italian American literature, is explicitly feminized in DiPrima’s literature, DiPrima talks about herself as possessing an actual body, with body parts, and bodily functions and pleasures (Quinn 178). In a line of her poem, DiPrima says, â€Å"the female is ductile and (stroke after stroke) built for masochistic calm† (361). Here DiPrima is saying that the body of a female is built to be molded for sex and is a lso built so that we gain the sexual gratification that depends on physical pain.DiPrima expresses this because instead of remaining untouched until marriage like her culture implies, she rather be with who she wants and when she wants, and apply her body to what it is built for. DiPrima goes far beyond revealing the secrets about family, to unveiling the very secrets of Italian American womankind, not in the persona of the immaculate, mysterious Virgin Mary, but to the menstruating, independent, orgasm-seeking Diane (Quinn 179). She is having sex with multiple partners, male and female, and perhaps most egregious of all, having these relationships with non-Italians.Throughout the century, the overwhelming majority of Italian American women in the United States married at least once, as did most women; however, also well into this century, Italian American women were still mostly marrying other Italians. (Quinn 178). Another line in Diane DiPrima’s poem that reveals her sexua l liberation is, â€Å"†¦and pelvic architecture functional assailed inside & out (bring forth) the cunt gets wide and relatively sloppy bring forth men†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this line DiPrima is actually explaining what happens during sex and is extremely blunt when writing it. To DiPrima the activity of sex was exciting.In the interview with David Hadbawnik, DiPrima says, â€Å"I used to think of going to bed with someone as an adventure, each thing was different, each person was different, and I think what helped to find my physicality was to explore someone else’s physicality. In this poem, Diane DiPrima also expresses her power as an Italian American woman. In the Interview with David Hadbawnik, DiPrima explains that, growing up in her parents’ household men were considered a luxury in the way that you couldn’t rely on them for basics, but they were there with brilliant ideas and often lots of excitement.DiPrima did not agree with this. The message sent f rom her family and culture in turn made her not always want a man around; she gained power this way. She didn’t want a man always there to tell her what to do or act as if he was above her. Instead, she learned the pluses and minuses of having a man around and realized that she could have her pick of guys and have them when she tells them they could come over. Diane DiPrima also expressed her power as an Italian American woman by taking her independence before it was actually given to her.It was DiPrima’s stance, to live as though the women’s sexual revolution had already been accomplished – to separate sex from marriage and marriage from childrearing, and to improvise a quasi-familial supportive network (Kirschenbaum 64). In the poem, when DiPrima says, â€Å"the female is ductile† (361) she could be saying this with a double meaning. It could mean as I said earlier, that the female body can be molded. However, it could also mean that women can un dergo change and form without breaking, expressing that women are powerful and strong in the way that they can withstand anything.Another part of the poem that subtly shows the power of DiPrima as an Italian American woman is when she says, â€Å"†¦bring forth men†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (361). In the interview with David Hadbawnik, DiPrima says, â€Å"Yet as the same time, there were six daughters and one son that he had – the six daughters and my grandmother constantly were working around him and his ideals to keep things going. † Throughout DiPrima’s childhood she was taught and had witnessed that women listen to and follow the men. But in these couple of words from her poem, she expresses that it’s herself that brings a man to her.Through her literature, DiPrima not only shows the power she has as a woman but also shows the power in her words. During a meeting with her uncle, DiPrima says, â€Å"It is power that I am talking about, the use and abuse of p ower, power and secrecy and deals made in the dark. Coils of the unsaid winding through our lives, tangling and tripping us, holding the fabric together (David Hadbawnik Interview). This is one of the themes of DiPrima’s literature. It expresses how she discovered and learned to use power for herself; the powers of words and her power as a woman.In the poem she repeats the phrase, â€Å"the female is ductile. † This is a way that DiPrima performs the power of her words. She does this in order to illustrate the power and significance that these words should display to the reader. Diane DiPrima’s discussions of her rebellion against the beliefs of her family and culture through her literature soon gave Italian American women and also women in general the stepping stone to expressing freedom of themselves; freedom to express their sexuality when and how they wanted, and the power to be whoever they sought out to be.

To what extent is the Catholic Church central to Rome's status as a Essay

To what extent is the Catholic Church central to Rome's status as a contemporary World City - Essay Example Other factors such as economic activities, politics, and geographical location have also shaped the city into its current status. The history and development of Rome City can be traced back during the Roman Empire. The influences of the tradition of the Roman Empire are evident in the architecture of the city’s buildings and other structures. Architecture was necessary in the growth and success of Rome. Formal architecture like basilicas and temples, and their related structures such as aqueducts and bridges have played significant roles in shaping Rome into its current status. Although there are several factors that led to the development and success of Rome City, this paper mainly focuses on the influence of the Catholic Church on Rome’s current claims to World City status. Introduction Rome, or particularly Vatican City, is the center of the Roman Catholic religion. It was pronounced a sovereign nation in 1929 as a result of Lateran Accords (Giorgi, 2008 p223). Earli er, before it was designated as a sovereign state, Vatican comprised of smaller Papal States. Vatican City exists as a walled-enclave in Rome, and it is the world’s smallest country. The Lateran Accord of 1929 pronounced Roman Catholicism the official religion of Italy (Davies & Nichols, 2006 p5). It is, therefore, obvious that most of the county’s development and success has been cultural. Roman Catholicism beliefs and architectures are deeply rooted in Rome’s landscape. Being a Roman Catholicism Empire, the Vatican City is ruled by Pope, whose office is the highest in Catholic Church, and serves as the headquarter s of the Roman Catholic Church (Davies & Nichols, 2006 p6). Vatican City is situated on the Vatican Hill surrounded by Rome, which is Italy’s Capital City, and it covers an area of 44 hectares (Nicolet, 1991 p13). The city is surrounded by Renaissance and medieval walls, constructed using the ancient roman architectural designs, which separate s it from other cities except St. Peters Square. Within the city, there are a number of magnificent gardens, buildings, complex of courtyards, and a well organized network of roads and walking paths (Nicolet, 1991 p13). History of the Vatican City The first foundation, basilica, in the city was laid down by Emperor Constantine the Great in the 14th Century AD. This foundation is what is believed to be the tomb of St. Peter, who the Catholics claim to be the first Pope. The vast regions of the Vatican Valley and Hill, was anciently used for chariot races and other sports, and as a burial ground (Bonechi Books, 2000 p4). As time passed by, this region became a sacred ground where the Roman Catholic used to perform most of their functions. In the following century, Popes who returned from France established themselves, and took official residence in the Vatican City, and reconstructed the Vatican Palace and the St. Peter basilica to expand its size, beautify its gardens, and add more b uildings to accommodate their governmental offices (Lanciani, 2009 p123). In the late 16th Century, the government of the Vatican and Popes officially occupied Quirinal Palace, located in the outcasts of the Vatican City. The government of Italy, in 1870, confiscated Papal States, and the Popes lived in Vatican as self imposed prisoners for over fifty years (Lanciani, 2009

The Funding Sources of Cleveland Treatment Center Assignment

The Funding Sources of Cleveland Treatment Center - Assignment Example TheTreatment Center was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1972 and is certified by the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addictions Services. The CTC, one of the largest freestanding chemical dependency facilities in Ohio, employs 27 staff, with the capacity to serve 350 clients. Cleveland Treatment Center is funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board of Cuyahoga, the City of Cleveland Workforce Development Act Area II, the City of Cleveland Department of Health. CTC a fully accredited service provider in Northeast Ohio by the Commission on Accreditation on Rehabilitation of Facilities (CARF) as an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) and Prevention/Diversion: Alcohol and other Drug Addictions-Adults Program. The mission of the Cleveland Treatment Center is to enhance the health and well-being of residents of Northeast Ohio by providing state-of-the-art, cost-effective, abstinence-based drug treatment, prevention, and health promotion services (www.clevelandtreatmentcenter.org). The Cleveland Treatment Center Staf will provide specialized, state-of-the-art, scientifically-based substance abuse treatment, which is continuously responsive to the needs of the clients and their families (www.clevelandtreatmentcenter.org). Cleveland Treatment Center, Inc. is a chemical dependency treatment and prevention organization that is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees which represents a cross section of constituencies throughout Cuyahoga County. CTC has operated to improve the health and well-being of residents of Northeast Ohio by providing state-of-the-art, cost effective, abstinence-based drug treatment, and prevention and health promotion services. Since 1972 and is certified by the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug- Addictions Services. CTC, one of the largest freestanding chemical depndency facilities in Ohio employs 32 staff.

Small business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Small business - Assignment Example Did you use a survey/questionnaire? If so, you may like to attach a copy of your survey/questionnaire to the back of this plan.] 11 Market targets[Outline your planned sales targets. What quantity of your products/services do you plan to sell in a planned timeframe? Are they monthly or yearly targets?] 11 Environmental/industry analysis[Detail the results of the market research you have performed. Is the area experiencing population growth? Are there long-term employers in the area? Is the region's economy stable? Are there seasonal variations? 11 Your customers 11 S.W.O.T. analysis[List each of your businesses strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats in the table below and then outline how you plan to address each of the weaknesses/threats.] 11 Your competitors[How do you rate against your competitors? How can your business improve on what they offer?] 11 Advertising & sales 12 Vision statement[What is your business' vision statement? It should briefly outline your future pla n for the business and include your overall goals.] 13 Mission statement[What is your business' mission statement? I.e. how will you achieve your vision?] 13 Goals/objectives[What are your short & long term goals? What activities will you undertake to meet them?] 13 Action plan 13 Key objectives & financial review 13 Supporting documentation 13 Business Plan Summary The Business Business name: [Amdrros Restaurant Ltd.] Business structure: [company.] ABN: [xxxx.] ACN: [xxxx] Business location: [Canberra] Date established: [2 February 2013] Business owner(s): [Roz, Joan, Job, Maxwell, Michelle, Joseph, Bob, Joel] Relevant owner experience: [2 Years experience in Food and beverage industry] Products/services: [Fast foods and beverages such as coffee and soft drinks. The anticipated demand in 5 years to reach sales of $500,000 in 3 years] The Market Target market: The target market consists of tourists, working class and students. These customers would want to buy from use because we pr ovide a unique combination of well-priced Fast food, with an amusing ambiance Marketing strategy: We shall rely on variety of marketing programs to promote our business. These include word of mouth/in-Store Marketing, table tents, wall posters, and V.I.P. party, in-store tour given to every new customer, grand opening celebration, outdoor marquee message changed weekly, and annual birthday parties. In addition, we shall have the local store marketing, which will include local charity, car wash site, school programs such as perfect attendance and honor roll, and free T-shirts to guests that line dance with us. The local media will also be a very important marketing channel. This includes direct mail piece, containing interior pictures of our restaurant, our prices and an explanation of our concept. The other aspect is radio campaign, which will be complete with live remotes on our parking lot. We shall also pick the three top local stations with which to place our short and catchy ad s, in addition

Description of Investment Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Description of Investment Banking - Essay Example In addition, investment banks can also assist the mergers and acquisitions of companies and provide services such as trading of derivatives and securities. It trades and promotes securities for assets or other securities (i.e. derivatives) on its selling side. On the other hand, it also advises individuals and companies on how to invest their monies as its buying function. Advise typically dispensed by investment banking usually involves equity, insurance companies, mutual funds and hedge funds. An investment banker or the person who provides investment banking services to his or her clients are licensed and subject to the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Regulatory Authority (SEC). a. Front office – is the most common function of investment banking where it helps its client to raise capital for their business or give advise during acquisitions and mergers. Raising funds for its clients could take in the form of issuing marketable securities (such as stocks), coordinate and negotiate with the company to be acquired or merged with and coordinate with bidders. Investment banks do not take in deposits from the general public and instead, it involves itself in the buying and selling of investment securities and other tradable securities. The investment banker assumes the role of a trader as he or she buys and then sell securities with a spread or margin on every trade completed. This function of investment banking, however, was blamed as the culprit of the recent financial crisis because the â€Å"financial bubble† that burst and precipitated the crisis came from reselling of complex derivates and debts that cannot collect until ultimately, it took its toll on the US financial system. b. Middle office – the middle office involves the research function of investment banking.

The legal issues that housekeeping department forced to confront Essay

The legal issues that housekeeping department forced to confront - Essay Example Some rooms are also interconnected rooms to serve an efficient accommodation purpose to many guests and big families. Other hotels also offer suits to the guest (Winter, Doris & Hatfield, 1989). Hotel offers laundry, dry cleaning facilities, and shoe polishing services among many others in an attempt to make the business environment comfortable through offering these special services. Some restaurants are connected with a bar that sells liquors to guests and this act as a good source of revenue. There are also banqueting, meeting and private party facilities in some big hotels that generate revenue when conferences, meetings or even seminars are held there. Resort hotels have recreational facilities like swimming pool and spa and try to make their place as pleasant as possible through using nice colors, attractive furnishing and most importantly a well kept and efficient staff (Alan & Wortman, 2005). The department of housekeeping determines largely whether the guests are satisfied when they visit the hotels. This is achieved through fine accommodation and quality service provision to the guests so that they are exited with their visit and stay in the respective hotel. The guest satisfaction and the hygiene factor are the primarily objectives that should be present in any given hotel ( Sudhir, 1985). The major revenue in hotels is generated by the rooms and the rooms that are not sold in any given night result to lose of revenue for ever. Loosing guests in the rooms can be attributed to poor hygiene factor, poor cleanliness, lack of modernization etc. A guest spends more time in the room alone than any other part of the hotel and hence a clean and hygiene environment will be of great significance. The guest may check whether the place is dusted off, whether the room is clean and may lose confidence of the place if this is not the case. Dirty and disorderly draws may deter him from putting his/her clothes down. The guest will be pleased when the

Historical essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Historical - Essay Example Works of art, sure to give pleasure and improve the public opinion; and public institutions of various kinds, which will improve the wellbeing of the people .in discouraging charity. He says the primary consideration should be to help those who help themselves: by providing a means by which people who desire to rise a stepping stone by which they may rise.The idea of building public institutions that may include schools, colleges, and medical centers will help people gain services like education and health. Education will at the end help one get ways to create wealth and to gain the rightful idea on proper administration of their hard earned money and general property. Building a ladder is much better than spoon-feeding an individual in a lifetime. Better use the resources we have (the brains) to create other resources for the coming generation (Carnegie) 2. Carnegie believes that â€Å"the man who dies thus rich dies disgraced?"This is to say that a rich man must ensure that the poor in his/her community are by all means uplifted to a level they can fend for themselves. If the rich man happens to die richer without achieving the target of improving the lifestyles of the fellow beings, he/she dies disgraced. It is only until one fulfills the aim he lives for to be happy even in death. All rich men must ensure their wealth is returned to the society in best ways possible. Because Carnegie believes in using ones wealth to benefit the community while still alive, by funding the creation of public utilities. He says that the rich who die leaving behind them millions of usable wealth to administer during his life such a person will not be honoured, wept nor sung even if they commission their wealth to do something good after their death. They must use their money and property to build public institutions that can benefit all people in th e

Homwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Homwork - Essay Example In this regards, it serves the symbolic function of the importance of prayers. In addition, the above picture demonstrates a facial appearance of a dynamic object. The background images and scenes are small and freely placed in a pictorial pattern. Thus, it qualifies to become a late gothic design (Introduction to Late Gothic art, 2013). I categorize the arts in this category because they are products of individual artists who demonstrate an artistic trend of depth. The highlighted paintings reflect human nature with the right dimensions, terminologies, and clothing. In comparison with the Gothic styles, the exquisite pieces provide three-dimensional quality reflections. In addition, they share similarities of an early renaissance by offering pictures of animal and human anatomy to progress the subject knowledge. Both artifacts demonstrate the knowledge of nature and infuse the ideas in the contemporary society. Thus, they offer realistic facial expressions and dimensions familiar with the early Renaissance (Bourdua & Dunlop, 2007). Book pictures fit the international style because they depict architectural formations. Unlike the Gothic and Renaissance, they reflect the aesthetics instead of the societal trait. In other instances, the book paintings mainly buildings have plane surfaces and lack ornamentation aspects. The above picture is rectilinear and entails modern materials to make it perfect. The image shows the mourning of Christ by followers. It portrays a somber mood five people surrounding and gently holding the dead body. In this, the artist provided a perfect example of early Renaissance using soft textures and pictorial plane. The painting is bright and offers an innovative aspect of three-dimensional appearance. Thereby, it enhances the quality and intended purpose of the symbolism. The artist perfectly infuses naturalism and religious agenda. The picture has a soft background that

Pennsylvania Association Essay Example for Free

Pennsylvania Association Essay The right to an appropriate public education and equal treatment of children with disabilities has been a highly contested issue in the last few decades. Until 1975, most disabled children were deliberately segregated and denied the right to education. In 1971, a case was filed by the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children against the Common Wealth of Pennsylvania (PARC v. PA) on the access of to public education by the children with disabilities. Attorney Thomas K. Gilhool represented PARC while Attorney Gen. , Ed Weintrub represented the defendants in the three judge case. The concerned parents (plaintiff) through their attorney argued that children with disabilities were denied free access to education and/or an appropriate and adequate education under the then instructional programs (United States District Court, 1971). Inspired by the equal rights movement, the parents presented their claim through Attorney Thomas who based his argument on the Brown v. Board of Education case which had ruled out that the equal but separate schools’ segregation in practice was unconstitutional under the Federal constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment. However, the defendants (commonwealth) did not struggle for the exclusion of such children but rather opted to collaborate with the United States federal court and PARC to arrive at a consent agreement. The case led to a landmark decision affirming that children with disabilities have an equal right to education at the expense of the public including due processes. Ruling on the case, the judges referred to Section 1304 of the 1949’s Public School Code under which they forbid any form of denial of access of the mentally retarded children to free public education and/or training program (Ibid). Quoting Section 1372(3) of the same code, the court ruled against denial of home based instruction to any child with child retardation on the basis that the disability due to retardation is not short-long-term and/ or that the retardation is not accompanied by physical disability. The ruling also obliged the defendants to conduct with immediate effect a reevaluation of the stated plaintiffs including all other mentally retarded individuals of 6 to 21 years and provide every one of them appropriate and free public education program and training in line with their abilities (Wise Fagan, 2000). PA was also ordered to provide a preschool program for both mentally healthy and retarded children below six years of age according to their abilities The ruling demanded that commonwealth provide free appropriate public education (FAPE) which is an individualized educational and training program that meets the specific needs of each individual according to their type of disability. This implies that a school psychologists, regarded as a diagnostician with the responsibility of conducting individual study and evaluation of abnormal cases to provide recommendation. The psychologist is concerned with the assessment and arrangement of contingencies for groups or individual students (Ibid). The ruling of this case expanded the scope to which the psychologist could intervene into individualized cases as the limited focus on individualized instruction formerly practiced was lifted. For instance, prior to this case, a school psychologist would have been limited to offer intervention programs recommending special or individualized care since segregation did not allow it. This means that the school psychologist is no longer limited in the range of individualized remedies they can offer to various instructors. The U. S Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA Act) governs the manner in which public agencies and states provide special education and early intervention programs for children with disabilities. It focuses on the age bracket ranging from birth to 21 years of age. IDEA was formed from the preceding Education for All Handicapped Children Act which is a product of several federal laws ruling against the unconstitutional segregation and deprivation of public education and training programs to children with disabilities (Network of Advocates for Promising Practices in Education). The ruling of the PARC v. Common wealth case provided the platform for these similar cases that facilitated for the 1975’s Education for All Handicapped Children Act that guaranteed for the first time, constitutionally protected rights to an appropriate and free public education to youths and children with disabilities. Amendments on the law in 1990 had the name of the Act changed to IDEA. This 1971 ruling has continued to impact on IDEA and disabilities issues at large since through its consideration, the former unconstitutional segregation of schools on separate but equal basis was nullified. References Network of Advocates for Promising Practices in Education, IDEA History. Retrieved 27 May 2010 from http://www. etsu. edu/idea/nappe/ideahistory. html. United States District Court. (1971). Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 334 F. Supp. 1257 (E. D. PA 1972). E. D. Pennsylvania. Retrieved 27 May 2010 from http://www. faculty. piercelaw. edu/redfield/library/Pdf/case-parc. pennsylvania. pdf. Wise, P. S. Fagan, T. K. (2000). School Psychology: Past, present, and future. (2nd ed. ). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

Abigail Williams Questions Essay Example for Free

Abigail Williams Questions Essay Abigail Williams used her manipulative skills to get her way and create hysteria in the town of Salem. 1. Why did Abigail flee Salem? She knows soon she will be questioned for the death of Goody Nurse and John 2. Why does Abigail admit to witchcraft? She knows she can get rid of her enemies by blaming them for witchcraft too 3. How is Abigail a hypocrite? She says she loves god in act 1 but she fuels the witch trials and is seen like a devil-like character 4. Why did Abigail want the charm to hurt Elizabeth Proctor? She wanted to have John to herself 5. How is Abigail related to Parris? She is he the niece 6. How did Abigail blame Elizabeth Proctor for poppet? She sticks a needle in herself and says Elizabeth used witchcraft with the doll 7. Why does Abigail think she is a woman and not a kid? Because of her affair with John 8. Why does Abigail do witchcraft? To get back the love of John 9. How is Abigail manipulative in the crucible? Since she is a child she is good at acting like she is innocent 10. How is Abigail selfish? She wanted John all to herself and will do anything to get him 11. How does Abigail change in the story? She acts like a innocent girl but turns into a evil and manipulative girl and then becomes a thief 12. Why does Abigail accuse others for witchcraft? She knew if she accused others she could get out of being blamed 13. Why does Abigail accuse Tituba for what happened in the woods? She is afraid to confess to her sins, her reputation is already ruined because of the affair 14. How does Abigail trick Danforth? She says there is a yellow bird but he can’t see it so he thinks she is possessed 15. Why does Abigail hate Elizabeth? Elizabeth kicked her out so no one else wanted to hire her because of the incident. How does Abigail use her manipulative skills? To what end does she use them and why does she use them in that way? How do they bring about the hysteria in Salem?

The Islamic Principles Of Advertising Marketing Essay

The Islamic Principles Of Advertising Marketing Essay Our research is an attempt to establish an advertisement evaluating scale based on  guidelines  provided by the shariah advisors/ Islamic Scholars. Using that scale we evaluated three sectors of Pakistan;  Telecom, Detergent  and Beverages sector. Through  this  scale we were able to conclude which particular companys/sectors advertising  activities  are  complying  or non-complying  with the shariah  guidelines to a certain extent because our variables were limited in number. We  focused our study on the three highest spending sectors on  advertisements. From Telecom sector we picked to evaluate commercials of Mobilink, Ufone and Telenor. From detergent sector we picked Ariel, Surf Excel and Brite Total. From Beverages sector we picked Cocoa Cola, Pepsi and Pakola. Five TV commercials of each company for the year 2009, 2010 2011 were selected for evaluation. Through an in depth study of various related research journals and primary data analysis that included interviews with mufti /Islamic scholars we created a relationship between the above mentioned five levels of  violations  and the elements of an  advertisement.  In order to strengthen our analysis we had our evaluating scales and its variables endorsed by an Islamic  scholar.   Our variables were evaluated based on the five levels of Not allowed/Sins in Islam; which are Haram (Being the highest level of  violation  ), Makrooh-e-Tehreemi, Makrooh-e-Tanzeehi, Dislikes, Not Recommended and Mubaah (considere as breakeven point where there is no sin and no reward).  It also showed how this area of research is relatively new and there is a lot to be explored and worked upon. Our major limitations were the time and human resource constraints The findings of our data collected indicate that Telecommunication sector is the least compliant and Detergent sector being the most complaint comparatively in their marketing activities. We noticed that the most common violation was inappropriate displaying of females in various contexts. It also showed how certain actions and behaviors were promoted that goes against our culture and religion; considering how advertisements is a part of mass communication it plays a major role in shaping a societys social ethics and values . 5. Introduction Companies advertise for three main reasons; to create awareness about their product or service, to influence or persuade consumers to buy their product or service and to provide information about their product features and usage. Every person view advertisements differently for example for some it is a way to inform consumers about inflating prices and some view it as unnecessary hard effort to sell something. Advertisements have taken many forms to communicate to their target audience. Advertising has been revolutionized from past several years specifically in 2006 when YouTube was introduced. After this social media advertising became very famous and companies started going all viral. When a company decides to advertise, a lot of factors come into question. The company policies, industry norms as well as the product features itself play an important role as to what an advertisement is going to look like. Also the current advertising practices have an influence as what kinds of concepts are being currently used by different brands across various sectors. And of course, the legal constituents have to be looked at so that none of the advertising material has any illegal content in it. For this study, we are going to analyze the current advertising content being used in Pakistan by various brands/companies and compare them with Islamic teachings and traditions and establish whether these brands/companies are following the Islamic way considering the fact the Pakistan is an Islamic republic and therefore it can have a huge influence on the consumer mindsets regarding the daily lives as well as their perception regarding the brand/company or product itself. Through this study we also aim to find out how much, if so, are the brands/companies treading over water when it comes to advertising according to Islamic teachings and principles. By selecting particular sectors, we will study which sector has the most frequent use of such practices in their advertising and marketing 5.1 Variables of the study The variables of the study include the following: Factual Information Living thing element Morals and Ethics The Product itself Advertisement of three major sector Factual information: If the claim is not valid and tested by an authority than it is considered to be fraud or malpractice in the religion of Islam. A business or advertisement is required to only make claims that are properly tested by a recognized authority and prove their claims. Also, An advertiser must not lie or cover up information from the consumer. Facts must be presented in a clear and easily understandable manner. Living Thing Element: This element is based on the three perspective of modern, liberal and conservative views of Islamic practices. However we choose to refer to the liberal view as it is neither of the two extreme opinions on the showcasing of living beings Morals and ethics: This is similar to the everyday prescribed Islamic practices as applied to the daily lives of Muslim. Same should translate onto the business dealings, trading and advertising as the basic principles or moral rights, decency, modesty and ethics remain the same. Particular guidelines are established through reference to the Holy Quran and also through the principles and teaching of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Product itself: The product itself must be a halal product and free from haram or un-Islamic ingredients such as alcohol and swine. If a haram ingredient exist in a product it is an internal flaw of the product and this product should not be traded with the Muslim public. However, if the product is Halal and free of haram ingredients but is sold or used in a manner which is considered improper or haram in the Islamic Shariah then, an external flaw is said to exist in the product. Advertisement content: Advertisements were selected based on convenience sampling techniques. We selected sectors with the largest television advertisement spending and therefore highest frequency of advertisement aired in a given period of time. 5.2 Research methodology Only qualitative research shall take place. Preliminary research will be done by interviewing several muftis and Islamic experts in order to know the basic Islamic principle of advertising. Also Fatwas or endorsements by Islamic scholars or experts will be taken from them to strengthen the validity of our research. . Advertisements will be selected from each sectors and evaluated on the basis of a standard checklist to make comparisons. Secondary research will included the research papers and journal papers already present on the subject of Islamic advertising 5.3 Sample size sample techniques We are observing convenience based sampling. We selected the last three years i.e. 2009, 2010, 2011 from which we took the advertisement to evaluate. Also, from each sector we selected three companies with the highest advertising budgets as their advertisements appeared on air the most often. In each year we considered 5.4 Scope of study We selected all the top 3 sectors which contributed highest in the Tv advertisements on the basis of the research done by Pakistan Advertisers Society. We selected top 3 companies from each sector and evaluate their 3 years Tvc on the basis of theoretical framework. This research was done in Karachi with the available Tvc. As we were evaluating ads on the basis of Islamic principle, we need a good insight in Islamic teaching in evaluating Ads for which we interview Mr Irshad Ahmad who is Mufti and Shariah Advisor at Bank Islami. 5.5 Research objectives This purpose of this study is: To establish whether Pakistani advertisements are according to the Islamic principles of advertising. To identify the different sectors advertisements that does not follow basic Islamic rules and regulations. To determine the level of violation committed by the selected companies in the sector. To determine in which areas the most violations occur To determine the nature of the violations 5.6 Research questions What are the basic Islamic principles and parameters an advertiser is required to follow? What is the alignment with Advertisement regulation bodies/system, ethics and Islamic Advertisement? Is the advertisement content supporting or following the Islamic principles? What is the number or intensity of violation committed by the advertisement? 6. Literature review We reviewed articles, journals, books and research paper. All the research and readings were done online using various websites including Online Emeralds Journals, Queensland university of Sydney Online Library and Szabist Digital Library. We came across a definition of Islamic Marketing i.e.The process of identification and implementation of value maximization strategies for the Welfare of the stakeholders in particular and the society in general governed by the guidelines given in Quran and Sunnah (Hassnain, 2011). This helps us in giving a direction of what our research would revolve around and where and how to initiate it. It also provided a basis to carry out our research further and establish the basic parameter to base our finding on. As per research, it shows that this area of Evaluating advertising on the basis of Islamic teachings or perspective is vast. Limited studies have been carried out to satisfy the coverage of all Islamic parameter. Its one of the areas where we see growing interest of researchers, development is also taking place where Islamic standards and parameters are being set for marketers/advertisers who plan to opt for following Islamic way of marketing.   In the studies that are available its noticeably mentioned by Islamic scholars and authorities that advertising/marketing is a practice that has existed since the beginning of the religion itself provided there are fine lines based on Quran, Hadith and interpretations of scholars, with in which every allowed/halal business is allowed to market their product or service. One of the prominent and interesting findings that is relatively new in nature and which we plan to explore further as well is the new concept of two new Ps as per Islamic Marketing. They are apart from the existing 7Ps of marketing known as Promise and Patience. (Abuznaid, 2012, p.7) 6.1 Islamic Principles of Advertising According to Quran and Sunnah, consumers must ensure that all the 4ps of marketing should be according to Islamic principles also if any transaction is occurring than all the parties must benefit from it. All the advertisements should be communicated in a truthful manner rather than misleading or cheating the consumers, also all the dealings should be carried out in a justice way (Hanafy and Salam, 1988) The three key purpose or functions of the advertising is to inform the consumer about products or services and their features whether they are already existing or new products or services launched, to persuade them to purchase and then to repurchase the products, and also to remind them about the product over a period of time (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004). This will lead them to a healthy competition and customers will benefit from huge varieties of products and services (Anwar and Saeed, 1996). Nevertheless Islamic advertising variables are applied to the communication style such as, honesty of communication which includes factual information and truthful representation of facts and figures, acknowledging and appreciating that all human being are different and embracing the diversity of the human race, justice, equality and fairness, the respect and position of women, the parts women play in life, patterns of consumption behavior, ethical values and modesty, and the environment and its wellbeing (Rice and Al-Mossawi 2002) People are trying to identify Islamic ways of consumption and marketing. Muslim consumers are growing due to their purchasing power and this increase in purchasing power is due to development of the middle class and economic systems where people can afford to buy branded products and are particularly brand conscious (Nasr, 2009). Also, Muslim entrepreneurs are also increasing in Muslim societies and they are eagerly following Islamic principles of marketing (Adas, 2006;Osella and Osella, 2009). People viewed Muslims as poor and that they dont have any knowledge about branded products because they were considered as uneducated and militants. ( Said, 1978) The market was on a halt until and unless Muslim consumers were discovered, Islam has become more visible now in many societies and several studies appeared on Islamic movements (Esposito, 1998; Wiktorowicz, 2004; Bayat, 2005).Religious teachings greatly affect the choice of consumers in an Islamic market, any marketing campaign which is haram or not according to Islamic principles will face major problem in an Islamic market (Alserhan, (2010) Showing unnecessary spending on useless things in advertisements is against Islamic teachings. Nevertheless showing price discounts are not forbidden. (Abdullah, 2008). Quran states, Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes) (Al-Furqan-25:67). 6.2 Islamic Perspectives on Advertising Scholars say that advertising itself is not haram as it just incorporates a medium of giving a message to the general public, they state that preaching can also be considered as a form of advertising but they say that just like preaching, certain ethics should be followed while advertising ones products or services (Nooh, 2009). The main conflicts which arise between ethics and advertising are the exploitation of women and promoting unwanted use of products. Moreover, Current advertising practices are said to contain various social and ethical problems that reflect little knowledge and awareness of the advertiser on how to effectively market to their Muslim target audience in a manner that increases their acceptability. Contemporary advertisements appear to be more focused on materialism. These advertisements promote consumerism rather than adequately informing the user about the functional uses of their product and purposely hide the flaws of the product while exaggerating the benefits. (Bari Zamin, 2011) The core problem apparently lies with two things; issues regarding advertisement that include women exploitation and subliminal perception, Secondly deceptive form of advertising, that is legally staying with the boundaries but ethically not, by taking undue advantage of limitations a person has while viewing different form of advertisement (not able to read between the lines, the special terms and conditions that are hardly visible etc. Advertising also includes the element of informing consumers about products and services according to basic Islam teachings. They represent the basic Islamic teachings of respecting elder people and creating a positive bond rather than showing provocative images, haram products or free mixing of girls and boys which is completely prohibited in Islam. 6.3 Islamic Moral Standards Six ethical principles of Islamic values truthfulness and honesty and being straight forward with all information and dealings. Faith or trustworthiness on the brand developed through Islamic practices; Sincerity and clarity in presentation of facts and conduct. Brotherhood as it is the primary focus of Islamic society and great emphasis is laid on Islamic brethren and brotherhood, innovations and developments in science and technology and the roles it plays, and justice and equality as it is considered a primary basis for all functions in islam. These were ethical principles identified (Hanafy and Salam, 1988)Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said: I have been sent only for the purpose of perfecting good morals. When questioned Which Muslim has the perfect faith? The Prophet (pbuh) replied: He who has the best moral character(Alghazzali, 1983). Emergence of new muslimenrepreneurs is leading to an ethical way of conducting businesses and marketing (Demir et al., 2004; Adas, 2006;OsellaandOsella, 2009). Applying Islamic principles into marketing gives an ethical dimension to margeting campaings as compared to conventional marketing which has an unethical record. Using immoral means in advertising can cause serious downfalls in the structure of a society causing it to deteriorate. Deceptive advertising being one of them is a major cause but sometimes it can be a case of mistaken identity. Sometimes, misinterpretation on the end of the consumer watching the ad can be considered can ill-information in the ad; however it can still cause a negative impact for brands in the minds of consumer resulting in a decline for the brand. In the case of advertising of fast food products, the author argues that the brands are to be equally blamed as much as the advertisers because their marketing strategy itself is based on creating an unwanted need amongst consumers, especially children (Nooh, 2012). Violence is also a major flaw in advertising which can have major effects on young ad viewers like children as it can encourage them to obtain aggressive habits which leads to unhealthy behavior (Nooh, 2012). Subliminal marketing cannot be termed as a practice of unethical advertising. It is merely a practice used by brands to create brand awareness amongst consumers using hidden messages. These ad themselves are not producing any unethical values or behaviors (Nooh, 2012). Sexual appeal used in ads causes young adults to take up celebrities as idols and start mirroring their lives in their own. They follow their fashion trends, lifestyles and make themselves just like the celebrities. Sexual appeal also causes consumers to carry an offensive mindset about a particular brand. Only people who are strong brand loyalists only successfully reject the offensive mindset and focus on the concept of the ad (El Hattab, 2008). Emotional appeal can lead to an increase in unwanted desires and can cause consumers to purchase product which they dont need at all and even cause them harm in the future. This can be particularly seen by the increased consumption of fast food by adolescents and young adults (El Hattab, 2008). The female contingent of the consumers still have a higher tendency to become more offended by unwanted content in advertisements than their male counterparts (El Hattab, 2008). Companies invest heavily in manufacturing certain products; they use celebrities and other famous personalities to feature in their ads. This is not only using emotional appeal in advertisements but this can also be considered as a form of deceptive advertising because the claims sometimes are baseless. This is considered to be completely unethical in Islam (Abbas Bari, 2011). The practice of showing mal dressed women in ads in on an increasing trend in the country but it can vary with the level of tolerance being present in the society. It varies from one country to another depending upon the state of the society in the country. Fairness in an ad is off utmost importance as well as according to Islamic teachings; consumers have every right to be completely informed about all aspects regarding any service or product (Abbas Bari, 2011). Similarly, overstating any products attributes or making claims which are not supported by any kind of proof or research have also been deemed to lie in the same category as deception. Advertisements today are openly spreading values and behaviors which are not acceptable in Islam and even though considering the economic system of the country which promotes a capitalistic nature in the conduct of ones business, it is imperative that all businesses keep in mind the features of the society they are functioning in and similarly the government should also play a key role in determining the right form of advertising starting from the grass root level which is basic education (Abbas Bari, 2011). 6.4 Islamic Ethics In Islam, ethics is more than just what is defined as right and wrong by the society. In Islam, as the ethics are mainly guided by the teachings of The Quran and Sunnah, ethics covers aspects of all physical, emotional and spiritual factors. Evaluating the advertisements can divide the effects into economic, political, cultural and moral effects the advertisements have had on the society (Nooh, 2009). Even though ethics is an integral part of all business aspects and not just advertising, Islam puts a moral barrier on the conduct of ones business related activities which helps a business man earn a rightful living through his transactions. It is unfair for any business to sell its products by false claims and deliberately hiding complete information about the concerned product or service (Akhter et al., 2011). As noted in the Quranic verse ,Standout firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourself, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (Quran, 4:135). Moreover, the holy prophet(SAW) said The sign of a hypocrite are three 1. Whenever he speaks he tells a lie. 2. Whenever he promises, He always breaks it. 3. If you trust him, he proves to be dishonest (Al-Bukhari, 1.32) and also: Prophet Muhammad (PBUM) forbade the sale of fruits till they are almost ripe. Anas was asked what is meant by are almost ripe He replied, Till they become red Allahs Messenger (PBUM) further said, If Allah spoiled the fruits, what right one would have to take the money of ones brother.(Al-Bukhari, 3.403) From this it can be determined the strict importance the religion of Islam places honesty and truthfulness. Therefore misleading claims and false promises are forbidden and should not be practiced. Advertising controversial products such as contraceptives and alcohol can lead to an offensive mindset in the eyes of the consumers. And not just Islamic consumers but those of every religion present in the world. Similarly, the controversial products identified are: addictive products such as tobacco or alcohol, indecent hygiene or personal products. Undergarments and private products, funeral services or memorial services, games of chance, weaponry and arms, medicines drugs and other pharmaceutical products, societies or parties with political affiliations, religious and ethnical groups, sexually transmittable diseases and viruses and weight reduction plan for overweight people (Edrogan. Et al, 2005) The greatest challenge over here is for marketers to come up with strategies to curb this offensive nature of such advertisements (Akhter et al., 2011). All brands, international and local, should come up with advertisement concepts which would suits the tastes of the majority Islamic public. This would not only create a better brand image in the eyes of the consumers for the brand itself but also help in increasing their sales across the board (Akhter et al., 2011). 6.5 Women in Advertisements It is stated in the Quran, Let there arise of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam)enjoining Al-Maruf and forbidding Al-Munkar and it is they who are successful [. . .] (A ˆ  l-Imran 3:104). This shows that all those advertisements are allowed in Islam that shows women in a decent manner with proper clothing and playing positive role both in the society and family. (Rice and Al-Mossawi, 2002). Islamic Tradition emphasizes that women should be modestly dressed and covers themselves according to the principles and guidelines established. It then follows that women if portrayed in advertisement should be dressed according to the Islamic principles. They are required to follow the hijab dress code which entails the covering of the entire body except the hands and face. (HanzaeeChitsaz, 2011) As mentioned in the Quran: O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters and the believing women to draw their veils close to them, so it is likelier they will be known, and not hurt. Allah is the forgiver, the most merciful.( Quran 33:59) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Do not display your finery as pagan women used to do in the olden days of ignoranceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Quran 33:33) And à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Do not reveal their adornment except that which is outward (face and hands); and let them draw their veils over their neckà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Quran 24:33). Islam has protected women and according to Islamic code of dressing women should cover themselves completely including their whole bodies, only their hands are permitted to be visible. Qurans says: And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like palms of hands or one eye or both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands fathers, their sons, their husbands sons, their brothers or their brothers sons, or their sisters sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islà ¢m), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigor, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, th at you may be successful. [surah al-Noor 24:31] And Quran also mentions in another place: And as for women past child-bearing who do not expect wed-lock, it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment. But to refrain (i.e. not to discard their outer clothing) is better for them. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower. [al-Noor 24:60] O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft ¬Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Quran 33:59] In Islam a women must not wear thin clothes through which her whole body is visible. Also the clothes must not be skin tight. Western clothes are not allowed as they resemble mans clothing which is forbidden. Along with this the design of the clothes must not attract any man. Islam is very strict in women dressing so that no man is attracted towards women in to a lustful way because Islam protects women from wrong deeds. Ads featuring women should not have any semblance of overt sensuality or sexual connotations as this demeans the woman. Women are not objects and must not be portrayed as such and treated with respect and equality even if the sole objective is to promote and boost sales through their beauty (Anwar, 2011). This goes with all the teachings in Islam that women are to be treated with respect and not exploited in anyway. Women have been given a very high status in Islam and therefore exploiting women sexually or by any other mean in advertising should be considered not only as unethical but also haram as it is portraying a sin. Not only in Islamic societies, in other modern societies as well the exploitation of women is being considered as an unethical act and is being discouraged in all corners of the world 6.6 Islamic Products: Offensive product Vs. Offensive execution American advertisements show those things which are against other religions like Islam. Like the alcohol and drugs activities shows as it is a problem for society however it is less affecting other culture due to its limited scope. (Al-Jenaibi 2008)Drugs and alcohols are the problems and the only way to get rid of these problems is to show it on media and addressing this problem to society. (Al-Jenaibi, 2008) If they will know the problem then they can avoid it. Advertisements on these different problems are important for building on strong values to protect the society. (Al-Jenaibi, 2008) A customer should feel an ethical manner in a banks advertisements in all form of the business (Chachi et al., 2008). The bank should reach a level of ethicality where a customer would form trust, loyalty and satisfaction with the bank all at the same time.Similarly,the product should be perfected at the same time as the advertisement is. If the product has any flaws it will be very difficult for the bank to attract customers no matter how ethical they were being when it came to advertising. In the case of a bank, the company itself might not be at fault but its front end employees who are in direct interaction with the customers might sometimes overstate the value of a particular product to a customer and gain extra profits for sole purpose of their own personal benefit. . In the case of a service, as it can only be experienced the customer will only judge a particular service on the advertisements portrayed by the bank so therefore it is of utmost importance the bank practices complete ethical practices when advertising their products whether in an above the line tool or a below the line tool. In the below the line, the customers expectations are all but the product which the front end employee sells them (Chachi et al., 2008) For instance the basic differen between an Islamic financing tool and product that is financially equal is the interest charged on the financial instruments. The basic idea behing this thinking is that it is unfair to charge an interest or earn a revenue on a product because of its status as being lent to another person as the money that is borrowed should be returned equally as it is in part. Therefore value of the lended or borrowed money should not increase or decrease by Islamic guidelines (Ashraf, 2007). Through this we can deduce that any product which contains ingredients which would be considered as Haraam. According to the teachings of islam as stated in Quran and also observed in sunnah of the prophet it would be considered as an Illegal product. Substances like alcohol and swine have been strictly prohibited as various points in the Quran so we can deduce that any products made from these substances would automatically be considered as haram without any area of considerati on. However, any product that comprises of all legal materials in its making but a brand/ company promotes an unethical use for it through advertisements and marketing may be considered as an un-Islamic product or haram product through the rule of external flaw. Other variables that effect advertising include privacy, inaccurate information religious and social norms. Role of ethics in performance, behavior, decision, attitude, communication and choices are very important. (Sanayei et. al, 2012).Sanayeiet. al (2012) said previously ethics was considered as important but today marketers have violated the main foundation of ethics. All factors are important but according to result most important is privacy, then religious and social norms and thirdly the correct and accurate information. (Sanayei et. al, 2012) Al-Makaty et.al (1996) is based on perception of 2 television advertisements in Saudi Arabia. There is no single Islamic approach to advertising. Contradictory approach firstly

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Essay -- essays research papers

Gatsby Essay Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts. For example, a dove is usually used to represent peace. In the novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald uses a lot of symbolism to connect the characters with each other or to other objects. Fitzgerald’s use of symbolism helps advance his thematic interest in his novel of The Great Gatsby. In the Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses various colors, objects, and gestures as symbols to portray the lack of moral and spiritual values of people and the different aspects of society in the 1920's. One use of symbolism Fitzgerald uses is the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He uses it to represent Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future. In chapter one, Gatsby associates the light with Daisy when he reached toward it in the darkness, using it as his guide to lead him to his goal. The light also symbolizes the more generalized idea of the American dream since Gatsby’s quest for Daisy is associated with the American dream of love. Nick compares the green light to how America may have looked to the first people on the country. Another symbol representing Daisy are flowers. â€Å"At his lip’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.†(117) Flowers are a symbol for grace, beauty, and love, and coincidentally is the name of the girl whom Gatsby loves. Another thing about the light and symbolism is its color, green. Green is representing money in this novel. It could represent money, or the struggle Gatsby has between his wealth and his dreams. Fitzgerald uses quite a few colors as symbolism other than green. He uses blue to represent the dreams and t... ...ere and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of windshields that mirrored a dozen suns."(68) The Great Gatsby is a novel full of symbolism. Fitzgerald uses symbolism to represent many different ideas, and to link the character together in some sort of way. He uses colors, cars, and houses to the valley of ashes and a doctor’s eyes. They all play a significant part in the novel, and not only portray symbols for the novel, but also in real life as well. For example, the color green is used to represent money in the novel, where as in life it does as well. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald shows us how society acted during the 1920’s. He provides us with views into worlds of love, money, power, and the morality of the time by using symbols with everyday objects and occurrences.

Essay on Escape in A Rose For Emily and Yellow Wallpaper

Escape from Reality in A Rose For Emily And The Yellow Wallpaper In the Victorian era, women were thought to be weaker than men, thus prone to frailty and "female problems." They were unable to think for themselves and only valuable as marriage material. The women in Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" and Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" are driven insane because they feel pigeonholed by the men in their lives. They retreat into their own respective worlds as an escape from reality, and finally rebel in the only ways they can find. Emily and 'John's wife,' the woman in "The Yellow Wallpaper" who is never named, both feel stifled and suppressed by the men in authority over them. Emily, as a "slender figure in white in the background," is prevented from having suitors by her father (p. 505). The narrator of "The Yellow Wallpaper" talks much about how her husband, John, is careful for her, even to the point of urging her to rest completely and not write, yet "does not believe I am sick!" (p. 630). Both women are kept almost completely in the house, idle, with nothing to occupy their...

Essay --

From the years 1880 to the early 1900’s immigrants from Italy began to find their way to the new land in America. But why did they choose to move and why did they choose here? Opposition to the fascist rule of Benito Mussolini was one major cause of the great number of Italians leaving Italy. Other reasons were that poverty, overpopulation, and natural disaster all spurred in Italy in the late 1800’s. Also the illiteracy rate in southern Italy was nearly 70 percent, about 10 times as high as Germany, France and England in the late 1800’s. There was a lack of cultivatable land and of industrial resources such as coal and iron. Also they had a lack of modern agricultural technology, therefor the 80% of Italians who relied on farming for their income fell to poverty when there farms became insufficient. There was also a disease, Phylloxera, which spread and killed many vineyards. Natural disasters destroyed many families’ lives in Italy including volcanic eru ptions, earthquakes and massive tidal waves. In Italy, a worker could make between $2 and $8 for 6 days of work, while in other countries such as the United States they could make around $20 or more a week. Italians came to America for a new start and with the visions of achieving the American Dream. In the late 1800’s and through history, people saw America as the â€Å"land of opportunity†, â€Å"the land of milk and honey† or â€Å"The Promised Land†. They believed that America was the place that they could turn their life around and get a job to support their family better than they could in their native country. The jobs that they found were not always easy. The first Italians to America often became fruit merchants in New York and wine growers in California. Many agricultural states atte... ...rs, and women were paid even less. Following WWII the G.I. Bill was passed which provided servicemen with the opportunity to attend college, buy a home, or receive other types of training. The bill enabled a significant amount of Italians to move out of blue collar jobs and begin working in places of higher class. Some of these people even began opening their own businesses. Although following generations maintained certain pieces of their Italian culture, they incorporated American values into their lives by marrying other types from outside of their communities and moving out of the Little Italy communities that they had settled in. Today, direct descendants of the early Italian immigrants are believed to be around 16 million. Stereotypes and bad jokes aside, today, Italians are appreciated for their contributions to the American society, both past and present.

ETHICS AND THE COLLEGE STUDENT Essay

What is ethics? Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines ethics as morals or principles that Govern a person’s or a group’s behaviors or the branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles. In college students face many ethical dilemmas. This paper will explain the factors that affect a student’s ethical decision making as well as the ethical decision making process. The socialization process is a major influencing factor in our ethical decision making. While we are children, we absorb behaviors and develop our morals and values. Our family is the biggest influence in developing our morals. For instance, proper use of grammar, the importance of education, and strong work ethic are all values that family members help us to develop. Negative influences such as alcohol and drug abuse, poverty, and physical abuse can also shape our behaviors and attitudes. Peer pressure is also an important factor college students face when making ethical choices. In a study done by UCLA, 52% of students said that peer pressure affected ethical choices they made (Yeung and Keup 2009). In addition, the same survey showed how students’ perceptions of peer beliefs and behaviors were the best predictors of their own ethical behavior. Under age drinking, illegal drug use, and casual sex are some dilemmas that students must make choices about when they are attending college. In a review by Harris (1916), he states that underage age drinking had all but disappeared and drug use was unheard of in the early 1900s. But in a survey  taken by UCLA students in 2009 78% of students under the age of 21 admitted to drinking alcohol and 57% of all students admitted to using some type of illegal drug at least once (Yeung and Keup, 2009). In addition these students admitted that peer  pressure was a major determining factor. This information shows that over the last decade underage drinking and drug use has increased amongst college students or they priorities have changed.   Stress also causes students to make unethical decisions. In another study done by UCLA 82% of students would â€Å"consider† plagiarizing, cheating on a test, or lying to a professor when in a stressful situation like finals, mid-terms, or whe n facing academic probation (Yeung and Keup 2009). Social media also plays an important role in college students’ ethical decision making. In the book, â€Å"Philosophy for the Masses: Ethics†, Bruce D. Bruce writes that advertising and media can deceptive and persuasive (Bruce 2009 p.200). Bruce goes on to say that sometimes the media blurs the distinct line between right and wrong and our youth/young adults are most often the ones that have difficulty seeing that line clearly (Bruce 2009 p.200). As stated previously, plagiarism is major dilemma that plagues college students. Stress, peer pressure, and social media are all factors that affect students when deciding whether or not to plagiarize. Young and Keup (2009) noticed that even though many college students thought about plagiarizing when stressed, they felt it was morally wrong. They also discovered that students would rather steal food from the dining facility or even present fake identification to enter a club rather that plagiarize. Most of the students in their study felt condemned or even guilty just thinking about the fact. Time management and the Ethical PEAS will aid students when facing ethical the ethical decision making process (Frame Work of Ethical Decision Making, para 2-3). Students should set aside time for homework, study time, and extracurricular activities. Structure makes it easier  to get things accomplished without the feeling of being rushed. Setting aside study time will give students adequate time to research so they will not feel the need to plagiarize; they will be prepared. Students should also use the Ethical PEAS (Frame Work of Ethical Decision Making, para 2-3). As described in the â€Å"Framework for Ethical Decision-Making† by Montana State University, PEAS is an acronym used when executing the ethical decision making process: P – What is the Problem? E – What is the Evidence? A – Analyze; What guidelines or theories will help me in my process? S – What is the Solution to my problem? Some theories a student can use are (Frame Work of Ethical Decision Making, para 4): The Front Page Newspaper Test Would you be comfortable if your actions were revealed on the front page of the paper? End/Means Test Does and ethical goal (end) justify the way you get to that goal (means)? The Golden Rule Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Utilitarianism What act or rule results in the greatest good for the greatest number? Professional Standards of Conduct Follow the rules, regulations, and codes set before you. In summary, college students must make ethical decisions daily. Stress, peer pressure, drugs and alcohol, the socialization process, and a person’s morals and values all play a part in this process. If students exercise the  ethical decision making process it will make this process much easier. Ethical dilemmas will never go away. So, we must understand ourselves, how a far we are willing to go, and always try to do the right thing. References Bruce, B.D. (2013). Philosophy for the Masses: Ethics. Available from https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/374071. Harris, G. (1916). Ethics of a College Student. The Harvard Theological Review, 9, (2), 190-200. Yeung, P.F., & Keup, J.R. (2009). Ethical Decision Making in College: Choosing Between Right, Wrong, and the Space Between. Retrieved from http://cshe.berkeley.edu/. Montana State University. (2013). Frame Work for Ethical Decision-Making. Retrieved from http://montana.edu/teachlearn/TLResources/docuements.