Friday, December 27, 2019

The United States Essay - 2623 Words

1. The Commonwealth They Served The weather was seasonally cold in Pennsylvania’s Capitol late in 1914. On Sunday morning, December 27, the temperature was 1 degree Fahrenheit. This reading was the lowest ever registered in the last month of the year during the almost three-decade history of the Harrisburg weather station. Nevertheless, the cold did not dim the spirit of the holiday season as the Harrisburg Evening Telegraph newspaper cheerfully proclaimed, â€Å"Perfect Christmas Makes City Happy.† During that week, Governor John K. Tener, in the last month of his term, released a legislatively mandated report that made history. The Report of the Economy and Efficiency Commission, for one of the very few times in Pennsylvania’s Chronicle, provided the public with a roster of all 5,152 state employees. The release of this document was a key milestone in the Commonwealth’s early 20th-century effort to improve its personnel management practices. By listing names, this document provides an opportunity to recognize the often-unheralded contributions of selected state employees assigned to organizations under the general supervision of the Governor. The register also affords an invaluable chance to appreciate how the offices, bureaus, and divisions make Pennsylvania work. Researching their efforts brought to light a collective commitment to assist the public. This attribute is a common virtue among Pennsylvania state employees, both past and present. It is the one thingShow MoreRelatedThe United States1368 Words   |  6 Pagesthat would affect the actions and history of the United States in the future. According to The Wordy Shipmates author Sarah Vowell, those colonists began the way the United States would be unique and not conform to what other countries do and this is shown in the actions the United States has taken throughout its history. Instead of conforming, most of the goals of the United States have been to allow o ther nations to conform to the United States’ image. Yet, those colonists who were being sent offRead MoreThe United States915 Words   |  4 PagesCheyanne Sitch Pod Cast 4 â€Å"The United States we stand at this moment at the summit of this world† –Winston Churchill. 1940 was the last year before the United States fully engaged themselves into the war. At this time the US was dealing with its 11th year of the depression. 1/7th of the population was unemployed at this time. This meant that nearly 14% of the workforce was unemployed in 1940 compared to the average of 17% in 1930. During this time the federal government did not maintain a povertyRead MoreThe United States949 Words   |  4 PagesIn the 1900’s, the United States has expanded their trading routes with oriental lands such as the Philippines. A striking speech, delivered by a first-term republican senator, Albert J. Beveridge, strongly advocates the annexation of the Philippine islands to the USA. The most striking points about the senator’s speech are his three poorly thought out reasons justifying Americans to colonize the Philippines, which were religion, pr ofit, and race. The reason was for the American imperialism, whichRead MoreThe United States1489 Words   |  6 Pages The Oxford Dictionary defines Wisdom as the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Looking over the history of the United States, it can be argued that as a nation, the U.S has grown wiser over the years. This due to the various obstacles that they’ve overcome. Many of which were conflicts that arose with other countries and, at one point, within itself. All of the decisions made during these times of tension and overall crisis, even though at the moment very difficult to getRead MoreThe United States1267 Words   |  6 PagesFollowing nearly six decades of severed diplomatic relations, President Obama announced in September 2015 that the United States would loosen a variety of economic restrictions on Cuba. This announcement came in the wake of a â€Å"diplomatic thaw† beginning in December 2014 with the intention of normalizing political, socia l, and economic relations between the two nations. While Cuba remains under restrictions imposed by the 1960 Cuban Embargo, the steps taken by the Obama administration represent aRead MoreThe United States1263 Words   |  6 PagesThrough political and racial attitudes that have persisted from our countries inception, these issues have evolved into the education system that is in place today, a system that is flawed and needs much revision. The Declaration of Independence states that all Americans are entitled to â€Å"Life, Liberty, and Property,† and while, in the modern era, it is widely believed that educations is part of those rights, this was not always the case. For example, the case that gave rise to one of the most infamousRead MoreThe United States995 Words   |  4 PagesIt has been a well-known fact that the United States has been a model example for the world since its inception. Through the course of time, the influence of the United States has slowly grown. The roots of this influence lie within the core of the United States government and have since branched out into language, the arts, food, and more (Zimmerman). While these aforementioned examples have largely come around in the past century, the origin of this process was first defined in around 1800 (Dictionary)Read MoreThe United States1489 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Over the centuries, the United States has developed a rich political culture which includes a number of center principles and standards that act as the foundation of American democracy. Not all Americans embrace similar perspectives, of course, but the vast majority agree and accept these collective values. The ideals of equality, unity, liberty, democracy, diversity and individualism are deeply a part of the institutional framework of society. Political disputes are inclined toRead MoreThe United States859 Words   |  4 Pagescapital or income for people, feeding families and providing fresh produce based on organic gardening and micro-farming projects. According to Smalls the unemployment rate in South Africa is around 25%, which is significantly higher compared to the United States unemployment of 5.4%. So, if people who are unemployed are willing to put in the hard work than, Abalimi Bezekhaya is a good fit for them. In particular, women typically do more of the domestic care like cooking and so being a part of the AbalimiRead MoreThe United States1980 Words   |  8 PagesThe United States continues to be in the spotlight, especially during an election year and specifically when it comes to immigration. Most recently I was intrigued by an article I read, titled â€Å" Articleâ€Å"that talked about the unprecedented number of unaccompanied children crossing our U.S. Borders illegally. What began as an intriguing subject that sparked my interest evolved into a desire to expand my knowledge on the subject of immigration, particularly these unaccompanied children crossing our

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Sociology of Racial and Cultural Groups Essay - 1813 Words

We live in a culturally diverse society where there are many differences among various racial and ethnic groups. When these different groups come into contact with one another they interact in many different ways. Prejudice and discrimination are key factors in understanding intergroup relationships. Competition, religious ideas, fear of strangers and nationalism are elements that contribute to prejudice. Many expressions of negative prejudicial attitudes, stereotyping and discriminatory behavior can have negative impact on the social relationships between dominant and minority groups. Many prejudices are passed along from child to parent and the influence of television and movies perpetuate demeaning portrayals about specific groups.†¦show more content†¦Robert Merton Mertons model of Relationships between Prejudice and Discrimination demonstrates that prejudice can exist without discrimination, and discrimination can occur without prejudice. He also points out that soci al-situation variables often determine whether discriminatory behavior occurs. Our attitudes and our observable behaviors are closely related but not the same. At times we are able conceal our unsympathetic feelings toward certain groups without revealing our true feeling and attitudes. Conversely, our overt behavior may conceal our real attitudes. ({Parrillo 98) Discrimination is not always the simple acting out of prejudice and is it sometimes the result of self-interest, a decision that protects the interests of the majority group. For example, legally restricting immigration for economic reasons. It also could be the result of social conformity (giving in to outside pressure despite personal values and views), and sanctioning of behavior (justifying behavior by giving valid reasons). (Parrillo 98) Sanidhu and Brown indicate that the social identity theory proposes that prejudice and discrimination are related to a groups self esteem needs and therefore ethnocentrism plays a dominant role in promoting ingroup favoritism and outgroup hostilities. They further state that all oppressive political practices play and integral part in developing and continuing prejudice (For example, Jim Crow legislation. (SandhuShow MoreRelated Sociology of Racial and Cultural Groups Essay1431 Words   |  6 Pagesnaturally for any problems that may arise. (Zgourides 12). It also fails to take into consideration differences in power among and between groups. Conflict Theory was influenced by Karl Marxs socioeconomic view of the elite exploiting the masses. (Parillo 12). The conflict perspective focuses on the inequalities that create racial and ethnic tensions between groups. In contrast to the fundamentalists emphasis on stability, conflict theorists maintain, Racism has much to do with maintaining powerRead MoreReading Of Roderick A. Ferguson s Aberrations Of Black : Towards A Queer Of Color1203 Words   |  5 PagesBy challenging some of the main complacent thinking that characterized canonical sociology, Ferguson pushes for an engagement with racial knowledge about African American culture as it was produced by American sociology if one is to fully understand the gender and sexual variations within the African American culture. One of the principle assumptions of canonical sociology is represented by its use of cultural, racial and sexual differences in the process of pathologizing African American cultureRead MoreCaribbean Studi es Essay999 Words   |  4 Pagescomposed of different ethnic groups or cultural traditions or in the political structure of which ethnic or cultural differences are reflected† This suggests that although different ethnic groups live in the same geographical area, they stick to themselves, as is the case between the Blacks and East Indians of Trinidad and Guyana. Hintzen (1989), states that â€Å"Both groups became envious of each other’s successes. In both countries  there existed a high degree of racial exclusivity in residential concentrationRead MoreEssay Ethnic Inequality in Health Care1723 Words   |  7 Pageshealth related to ethnicity, by providing some evidence that ethnic inequality in health is a reality in the society and include definitions of keywords. Secondly, I will bring forward arguments for and against on the major sociological explanations (racial discrimination, arefact, access to and quality of care) for the existence of health inequalities related to ethnicity. Thirdly, I would also like to take the knowledge learnt for this topic and brief outline how this may help me in future nursingRead MoreAsdfghjkl894 Words   |  4 PagesSociology Research Area * * Aging and the Life Course * Alcohol and Substance Abuse * Asia amp; Asian America * Collective Behavior and Social Movements * Community and Urban Sociology * Comparative and Historical Sociology * Sociology and Computers * Crime, Law amp; Deviance * Economic Sociology * Environment amp; Technology * Family amp; Marriage * History of Sociology * International Migration * Latino/aRead MoreEssay about Ethnocentrism And Cultural Relativity551 Words   |  3 Pagespositive or negative depending on the level of sensitivity and respect people have for other culture groups. These two types of behaviors are related to two important concepts known as ethnocentrism and cultural relativity. Ethnocentrism is â€Å"the attitude of prejudice or mistrust towards outsiders that may exist within a group (in-group) in relation to other (out-group)†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. (Harper-Collin Dictionary of Sociology). Importantly, there are also three levels of ethnocentrism: a positive one, a negative one, andRead MoreSociology Of Our Times By Diana Kendall And The Meaning Of Sociology By Charon And Vigilant1053 Words   |  5 PagesIn both of our textbooks Sociology in Our Times by Diana Kendall and The Meaning of Sociology by Charon and Vigilant, I really focused on the chapter about race and ethnicity. The readings had two sections related to the same discussion, one about race, wealth and ethnicity and another about how children who are born immigrants having to learn how to adapt to their â€Å"normal† identity in society. Other topics of prejudice, discrimination, and sociological perspectives were interesting and helped gainRead MoreRacial Discrimination And Discrimination899 Words   |  4 Pagesaccording to the Sociology – A Brief Introduction by â€Å"the denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and groups based on some type of arbitrary bias† (Schaefer, 196). Prejudice is â€Å"the negative attitude toward an entire category of people, often an ethnic or a racial minority† (Schaefer, 195). Branching out from the topics of discrimination and prejudice, the following terms are the main key aspect that I am going to discuss in my advertisement analysis. The sociology of racism is â€Å"theRead MorePolice Violence Is More Than Violent Policing1369 Words   |  6 Pagescorrelation between neighborhood characteristics and crime prevalence. It found that disadvantaged areas attract more criminal activities than areas with high quality of services. As well it stated that impoverished neighborhoods are dominated by ethnic and racial minorities. In overall, this article is relevant for psychology. Chaney, C., Robertson, R. V. (2013). Racism and police brutality in America. Journal of African American Studies, 17(4), 480-505. doi:10.1007/s12111-013-9246-5 Read MoreRacial and Ethnic Inequality696 Words   |  3 PagesMashell Chapeyama Business Administration Sociology Key words Racial inequality, ethnic inequality, geographic location, discrimination, cultural orientation Causes of racial and ethnic inequality This discussion looks at the causes of racial and ethnic inequalities in the world. There are a number of causes of inequalities. Some causes are geographical location and discrimination. However inequality is on the decline on a global scale. Racial and ethnic inequality is found in many countries

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Narayan From Wikipedia free essay sample

Narayan (10 October 1906 – 13 May 2001), shortened from Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, was an Indian writer, best known for his works set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. He is one of three leading figures of early Indian literature in English (alongside Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao), and is credited with bringing the genre to the rest of the world Narayan broke through with the help of his mentor and friend, Graham Greene, who was instrumental in getting publishers for Narayan’s first four books, including the semi-autobiographical trilogy of Swami and Friends, The Bachelor of Arts and The English Teacher. Narayan’s works also include The Financial Expert, hailed as one of the most original works of 1951, and Sahitya Akademi Award winner The Guide, which was adapted for film and for Broadway. The setting for most of Narayans stories is the fictional town of Malgudi, first introduced in Swami and Friends. His narratives highlight social context and provide a feel for his characters through everyday life. He has been compared to William Faulkner, who also created a fictional town that stood for reality, brought out the humour and energy of ordinary life, and displayed compassionate humanism in his writing. Narayans short story writing style has been compared to that of Guy de Maupassant, as they both have an ability to compress the narrative without losing out on elements of the story. Narayan has also come in for criticism for being too simple in his prose and diction. In a writing career that spanned over sixty years, Narayan received many awards and honours. These include the AC Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature and the Padma Vibhushan, Indias second-highest civilian award. He was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indias parliament. Contents * 1 Life and career * 1. 1 Early years * 1. Turning point * 1. 3 The busy years * 1. 4 The later years * 2 Literary review * 2. 1 Writing style * 2. 2 Malgudi * 2. 3 Critical reception * 3 Awards and honours * 4 Legacy * 5 List of works * 5. 1 Adaptations * 6 Notes * 7 References * 8 Further reading| Life and career Early years R. K. Narayan was born in Madras (now Chennai), Madras Presidency, British India. [ 1] His father was a school headmaster, and Narayan did some of his studies at his fathers school. As his fathers job required frequent moves, Narayan spent part of his childhood under the care of his maternal grandmother, Parvati. 2] During this time his best friends and playmates were a peacock and a mischievous monkey. [3][4][5] His grandmother gave him the nickname of Kunjappa, a name that stuck to him in family circles. [6] She taught him arithmetic, mythology, classical Indian music and Sanskrit. [7] According to his youngest brother R. K. Laxman, the family mostly conversed in English, and grammatical errors on the part of Narayan and his siblings were frowned upon. [8] While living with his grandmother, Narayan studied at a succession of schools in Madras, including the Lutheran Mission School in Purasawalkam,[9] C. R. C. High School, and the Christian College High School. [10] Narayan was an avid reader, and his early literary diet included Dickens, Wodehouse, Arthur Conan Doyle and Thomas Hardy. [11] When he was twelve years old, Narayan participated in a pro-independence march, for which he was reprimanded by his uncle; the family was apolitical and considered all governments wicked. [12] Narayan moved to Mysore to live with his family when his father was transferred to the Maharajahs Collegiate High School. The well-stocked library at the school, as well as his fathers own, fed his reading habit, and he started writing as well. After completing high school, Narayan failed the university entrance examination and spent a year at home reading and writing; he subsequently passed the examination in 1926 and joined Maharaja College of Mysore. It took Narayan four years to obtain his Bachelors degree, a year longer than usual. After being persuaded by a friend that taking a Masters degree (M. A. ) would kill his interest in literature, he briefly held a job as a school teacher; however, he quit in protest when the headmaster of the school asked him to substitute for the physical training master. 9] The experience made Narayan realise that the only career for him was in writing, and he decided to stay at home and write novels. [13][14] His first published work was a book review of Development of Maritime Laws of 17th-Century England. [15] Subsequently, he started writing the occasional local interest story for English newspapers and magazines. Although the writing did not pay much (his income for the first year was nine rupees and twelve annas), he had a regular life and few needs, and his family and friends respected and supported his unorthodox choice of career. 16] In 1930, Narayan wrote his first novel, Swami and Friends,[15] an effort ridiculed by his uncle[17] and rejected by a string of publishers. [8] With this book, Narayan created Malgudi, a town that creatively reproduced the social sphere of the country; while it ignored the limits imposed by colonial rule, it also grew with the various socio-political changes of British and post-independence India. [18] Turning point While vacationing at his sisters house in Coimbatore, in 1933, Narayan met and fell in love with Rajam, a 15-year-old girl who lived nearby. Despite many astrological and financial obstacles, Narayan managed to gain permission from the girls father and married her. [19] Following his marriage, Narayan became a reporter for a Madras based paper called The Justice, dedicated to the rights of non-Brahmins. The publishers were thrilled to have a Brahmin Iyer in Narayan espousing their cause. The job brought him in contact with a wide variety of people and issues. [20] Earlier, Narayan had sent the manuscript of Swami and Friends to a friend at Oxford, and about this time, the friend showed the manuscript to Graham Greene. Greene recommended the book to his publisher, and it was finally published in 1935. [3] Greene also counseled Narayan on shortening his name to become more familiar to the English-speaking audience. [21] The book was semi-autobiographical and built upon many incidents from his own childhood. [22] Reviews were favourable but sales were few. Narayans next novel The Bachelor of Arts (1937), was inspired in part by his experiences at college,[23] and dealt with the theme of a rebellious adolescent transitioning to a rather well-adjusted adult;[24] it was published by a different publisher, again at the recommendation of Greene. His third novel, The Dark Room (1938) was about domestic disharmony,[25] showcasing the man as the oppressor and the woman as the victim within a marriage, and was published by yet another publisher; this book also received good reviews. In 1937, Narayans father died, and Narayan was forced to accept a commission from the government of Mysore as he was not making any money. [26] In his first three books, Narayan highlights the problems with certain socially accepted practices. The first book has Narayan focusing on the plight of students, punishments of caning in the classroom, and the associated shame. The concept of horoscope-matching in Hindu marriages and the emotional toll it levies on the bride and groom is covered in the second book. In the third book, Narayan addresses the concept of a wife putting up with her husbands antics and attitudes. [27] Rajam died of typhoid in 1939. [28] Her death affected Narayan deeply and he remained depressed for a long time; he was also concerned for their daughter Hema, who was only three years old. The bereavement brought about a significant change in his life and was the inspiration behind his next novel, The English Teacher. 15] This book, like his first two books, is autobiographical, but more so, and completes an unintentional thematic trilogy following Swami and Friends and The Bachelor of Arts. [29][30] In subsequent interviews, Narayan acknowledges that The English Teacher was almost entirely an autobiography, albeit with different names for the characters and the change of setting in Malgudi; he also explains that the emotions detail ed in the book reflected his own at the time of Rajams death. [31] Bolstered by some of his successes, in 1940 Narayan tried his hand at a journal, Indian Thought. 32] With the help of his uncle, a car salesman, Narayan managed to get more than a thousand subscribers in Madras city alone. However, the venture did not last long due to Narayans inability to manage it, and it ceased publication within a year. [33] His first collection of short stories, Malgudi Days, was published in November 1942, followed by The English Teacher in 1945. In between, being cut off from England due to the war, Narayan started his own publishing company, naming it (again) Indian Thought Publications; the publishing company was a success and is still active, now managed by his granddaughter. 13] Soon, with a devoted readership stretching from New York to Moscow, Narayans books started selling well and in 1948 he started building his own house on the outskirts of Mysore; the house was completed in 1953. [34 ] The busy years After The English Teacher, Narayans writings took a more imaginative and creative external style compared to the semi-autobiographical tone of the earlier novels. His next effort, Mr. Sampath, was the first book exhibiting this modified approach. However, it still draws from some of his own experiences, particularly the aspect of starting his own journal; he also makes a marked movement away from his earlier novels by intermixing biographical events. [35] Soon after, he published The Financial Expert, considered to be his masterpiece and hailed as one of the most original works of fiction in 1951. [36][37] The inspiration for the novel was a true story about a financial genius, Margayya, related to him by his brother. 38] The next novel, Waiting for the Mahatma, loosely based on a fictional visit to Malgudi by Mahatma Gandhi, deals with the protagonists romantic feelings for a woman, when he attends the discourses of the visiting Mahatma. The woman, named Bharti, is a loose parody of Bharati, the personification of India and the focus of Gandhis discourses. While the novel includes significant references to the Indian independence movement, the focus is on the life of the ordinary individual, narrated with Narayans usual dose of irony. [39] Lyle Blair of Michigan State University Press (Narayans U. S. publisher), Narayan and Anthony West of The New Yorker In 1953, his works were published in the United States for the first time, by Michigan State University Press, who later (in 1958), relinquished the rights to Viking Press. [40] While Narayans writings often bring out the anomalies in social structures and views, he was himself a traditionalist; in February 1956, Narayan arranged his daughters wedding following all orthodox Hindu rituals. [41] After the wedding, Narayan began travelling occasionally, continuing to write at least 1500 words a day even while on the road. 34] The Guide was written while he was visiting the United States in 1956 on the Rockefeller Fellowship. While in the U. S. , Narayan maintained a daily journal that was to later serve as the foundation for his book My Dateless Diary. [42] Around this time, on a visit to England, Narayan met his friend and mentor Graham Greene for the first time. [28] On his return to India, The Guide was published; the book is the most representative of Narayans writing skills and elements, ambivalent in expression, coupled with a riddle-like conclusion. [43] The book won him the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958. 44] Occasionally, Narayan was known to give form to his thoughts by way of essays, some published in newspapers and journals, others not. Next Sunday (1960), was a collection of such conversational essays, and his first work to be published as a book. [45] Soon after that, My Dateless Diary, describing experiences from his 1956 visit to the United States, was published. Also included in this collection was an essay about the writing of The Guide. [42][46] Narayans next novel, The Man-Eater of Malgudi, was published in 1961. The book was reviewed as having a narrative that is a classical art form of comedy, with delicate control. 40] After the launch of this book, the restless Narayan once again took to travelling, and visited the U. S. [13] and Australia. He spent three weeks in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne giving lectures on Indian literature. The trip was funded by a fellowship from the Australian Writers Group. [47] By this time Narayan had also achieved significant success, both literary and financial. He had a large house in Mysore, and wrote in a study with no fewer than eight windows; he drove a new Mercedes-Benz, a luxury in India at that time, to visit his daughter who had moved to Coimbatore after her marriage. With his success, both within India and abroad, Narayan started writing columns for magazines and newspapers including The Hindu and The Atlantic. [48] In 1964, Narayan published his first mythological work, Gods, Demons and Others, a collection of rewritten and translated short stories from Hindu epics. Like many of his other works, this book was illustrated by his younger brother R. K. Laxman. The stories included were a selective list, chosen on the basis of powerful protagonists, so that the impact would be lasting, irrespective of the readers contextual knowledge. [49] Once again, after the book launch, Narayan took to travelling broad. In an earlier essay, he had written about the Americans wanting to understand spirituality from him, and during this visit, Swedish-American actress Greta Garbo accosted him on the topic, despite his denial of any knowledge. [3] Narayans next published work was the 1967 novel, The Vendor of Sweets. It was inspired in part by his American visits a nd consists of extreme characterizations of both the Indian and American stereotypes, drawing on the many cultural differences. However, while it displays his characteristic comedy and narrative, the book was reviewed as lacking in depth. 50] This year, Narayan travelled to England, where he received the first of his honorary doctorates from the University of Leeds. [51] The next few years were a quiet period for him. He published his next book, a collection of short stories, A Horse and Two Goats, in 1970. [52] Meanwhile, Narayan remembered a promise made to his dying uncle in 1938, and started translating the Kamba Ramayanam to English. The Ramayana was published in 1973, after five years of work. [53] Almost immediately after publishing The Ramayana, Narayan started working on a condensed translation of the Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata. While he was researching and writing the epic, he also published another book, The Painter of Signs (1977). The Painter of Signs is a bit longer than a novella and makes a marked change from Narayans other works, as he deals with hitherto unaddressed subjects such as sex, although the development of the protagonists character is very similar to his earlier creations. The Mahabharata was published in 1978. [54] The later years Narayan was commissioned by the government of Karnataka to write a book to promote tourism in the state. The work was published as part of a larger government publication in the late 1970s. 55] He thought it deserved better, and republished it as The Emerald Route (Indian Thought Publications, 1980). [56] The book contains his personal perspective on the local history and heritage, but being bereft of his characters and creations, it misses his enjoyable narrative. [46] The same year, he was elected as an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Lette rs and won the AC Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature. [57] Around the same time, Narayans works were translated to Chinese for the first time. 58] In 1983, Narayan published his next novel, A Tiger for Malgudi, about a tiger and its relationship with humans. [59] His next novel, Talkative Man, published in 1986, was the tale of an aspiring journalist from Malgudi. [60] During this time, he also published two collections of short stories: Malgudi Days (1982), a revised edition including the original book and some other stories, and Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories, a new collection. [61] In 1987, he completed A Writers Nightmare, another collection of essays about topics as diverse as the caste system, Nobel prize winners, love, and monkeys. The collection included essays he had written for newspapers and magazines since 1958. [62][63] Living alone in Mysore, Narayan developed an interest in agriculture. He bought an acre of agricultural land and tried his hand at farming. [64] He was also prone to walking to the market every afternoon, not so much for buying things, but to interact with the people. In a typical afternoon stroll, he would stop every few steps to greet and converse with shopkeepers and others, most likely gathering material for his next book. 65] In 1980, Narayan was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, for his contributions to literature. [66] During his entire six-year term, he was focused on one issue—the plight of school children, especially the heavy load of school books and the negative effect of the system on a childs creativity, which was something that he first highlighted in his debut novel, Swami and Friends. His inaugural speech was focused on this par ticular problem, and resulted in the formation of a committee chaired by Prof. Yash Pal, to recommend changes to the school educational system. [67] In 1990, he published his next novel, The World of Nagaraj, also set in Malgudi. Narayans age shows in this work as he appears to skip narrative details that he would have included if this were written earlier in his career. [68] Soon after he finished the novel, Narayan fell ill and moved to Madras to be close to his daughters family. [64] A few years after his move, in 1994, his daughter died of cancer and his granddaughter Bhuvaneswari (Minnie) started taking care of him in addition to managing Indian Thought Publications. 3][13] Narayan then published his final book, Grandmothers Tale. The book is an autobiographical novella, about his great-grandmother who travelled far and wide to find her husband, who ran away shortly after their marriage. The story was narrated to him by his grandmother, when he was a child. [69] During his final years, Narayan, ever fond of conversation, would spend almost every evening wi th N. Ram, the publisher of The Hindu, drinking coffee and talking about various topics until well past midnight. [70] Despite his fondness of meeting and talking to people, he stopped giving interviews. The apathy towards interviews was the result of an interview with Time, after which Narayan had to spend a few days in the hospital, as he was dragged around the city to take photographs that were never used in the article. [32] In May 2001, Narayan was hospitalised. A few hours before he was to be put on a ventilator, he was planning on writing his next novel, a story about a grandfather. As he was always very selective about his choice of notebooks, he asked N. Ram to get him one. However, Narayan did not get better and never started the novel. He died on 13 May 2001, in Chennai at the age of 94. [10][71] Literary review Writing style Narayans writing style was simple and unpretentious with a natural element of humour about it. [72] It focused on ordinary people, reminding the reader of next-door neighbours, cousins and the like, thereby providing a greater ability to relate to the topic. [73] Unlike his national contemporaries, he was able to write about the intricacies of Indian society without having to modify his characteristic simplicity to conform to trends and fashions in fiction writing. [74] He also employed the use of nuanced dialogic prose with gentle Tamil overtones based on the nature of his characters. 75] Critics have considered Narayan to be the Indian Chekhov, due to the similarities in their writings, the simplicity and the gentle beauty and humour in tragic situations. [76] Greene considered Narayan to be more similar to Chekhov than any Indian writer. [1] Anthony West of The New Yorker considered Narayans writings to be of the realism variety of Nikolai Gogol. [77] According to Pu litzer Prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri, Narayans short stories have the same captivating feeling as his novels, with most of them less than ten pages long, and taking about as many minutes to read. She adds that between the title sentence and the end, Narayan provides the reader something novelists struggle to achieve in hundreds more pages: a complete insight to the lives of his characters. These characteristics and abilities led Lahiri to classify him as belonging to the pantheon of short-story geniuses that include O. Henry, Frank OConnor and Flannery OConnor. Lahiri also compares him to Guy de Maupassant for their ability to compress the narrative without losing the story, and the common themes of middle-class life written with an unyielding and unpitying vision. 11] Critics have noted that Narayans writings tend to be more descriptive and less analytical; the objective style, rooted in a detached spirit, providing for a more authentic and realistic narration. [78] His attitude, coupled with his perception of life, provided a unique ability to fuse characters and actions,[79] and an ability to use ordinary events to create a connection in the mind of the reader. [80] A sign ificant contributor to his writing style was his creation of Malgudi, a stereotypical small town, where the standard norms of superstition and tradition apply. 81] Narayans writing style was often compared to that of William Faulkner since both their works brought out the humour and energy of ordinary life while displaying compassionate humanism. [82] The similarities also extended to their juxtaposing of the demands of society against the confusions of individuality. [83] Although their approach to subjects was similar, their methods were different; Faulkner was rhetorical and illustrated his points with immense prose while Narayan was very simple and realistic, capturing the elements all the same. [84] Malgudi Main article: Malgudi Malgudi is a fictional, semi-urban town in southern India, conjured by Narayan. [85] He created the town in September 1930, on Vijayadashami, an auspicious day to start new efforts and thus chosen for him by his grandmother. [86] As he mentioned in a later interview to his biographers Susan and N. Ram, in his mind, he first saw a railway station, and slowly the name Malgudi came to him. [87] The town was created with an impeccable historical record, dating to the Ramayana days when it was noted that Lord Rama passed through; it was also said that the Buddha visited the town during his travels. 88] While Narayan never provided strict physical constraints for the town, he allowed it to form shape with events in the various stories, becoming a reference point for the future. [89] Dr James M. Fennelly, a scholar of Narayans works, created a map of Malgudi based on the fictional descriptors of the town from the many books and stories. [11] Malgudi evolved with the changing political lands cape of India. In the 1980s, when the nationalistic fervor in India dictated the changing of British names of towns and localities and removal of British landmarks, Malgudis mayor and city council removed the long standing statue of Frederick Lawley, one of Malgudis early residents. However, when the Historical Societies showed proof that Lawley was strong in his support of the Indian independence movement, the council was forced to undo all their earlier actions. [90] A good comparison to Malgudi, a place that Greene characterised as more familiar than Battersea or Euston Road, is Faulkners Yoknapatawpha County. [82] Also, like Faulkners, when one looks at Narayans works, the town gets a better definition through the many different novels and stories. 91] Critical reception Narayan first broke through with the help of Graham Greene who, upon reading Swaminathan and Tate, took it upon himself to work as Narayans agent for the book. He was also instrumental in changing the title to the more appropriate Swami and Friends, and in finding publishers for Narayans next few books. While Narayans early works were not commercial successes, other authors of the time began to notice him. Somerset Maugham, on a trip to Mysore in 1938, had asked to meet Narayan, but not enough people had heard of him to actually effect the meeting. Maugham subsequently read Narayans The Dark Room, and wrote to him expressing his admiration. [92][93] Another contemporary writer who took a liking to Narayans early works was E. M. Forster,[94] an author who shared his dry and humorous narrative, so much so that Narayan was labeled the South Indian E. M. Forster by critics. [95] Despite his popularity with the reading public and fellow writers, Narayans work has not received the same amount of critical exploration accorded to other writers of his stature. [96] Narayans success in the United States came a little later, when Michigan State University Press started publishing his books. His first visit to the country was on a fellowship from the Rockefeller Foundation, and he lectured at various universities including Michigan State University and the University of California, Berkeley. Around this time, John Updike noticed his work and compared Narayan to Charles Dickens. In a review of Narayans works published in The New Yorker, Updike called him a writer of a vanishing breed—the writer as a citizen; one who identifies completely with his subjects and with a belief in the significance of humanity. [97] Having published many novels, essays and short stories, Narayan is credited with ringing Indian writing to the rest of the world. While he has been regarded as one of Indias greatest writers of the twentieth century, critics have also described his writings with adjectives such as charming, harmless and benign. [98] Narayan has also come in for criticism from later writers, particularly of Indian origin, who have classed his writings as having a pedestrian st yle with a shallow vocabulary and a narrow vision. [13] According to Shashi Tharoor, Narayans subjects are similar to those of Jane Austen as they both deal with a very small section of society. However, he adds that while Austens prose was able to take those subjects beyond ordinariness, Narayans was not. [99] A similar opinion is held by Shashi Deshpande who characterizes Narayans writings as pedestrian and naive because of the simplicity of his language and diction, combined with the lack of any complexity in the emotions and behaviours of his characters. [100] A general perception on Narayan was that he did not involve himself or his writings with the politics or problems of India, as mentioned by V. S. Naipaul in one of his columns. However, according to Wyatt Mason of The New Yorker, although Narayans writings seem simple and display a lack of interest in politics, he delivers his narrative with an artful and deceptive technique when dealing with such subjects and does not entirely avoid them, rather letting the words play in the readers mind. [98] Srinivasa Iyengar, former vice-chancellor of Andhra University, says that Narayan wrote about political topics only in the context of his subjects, quite unlike his compatriot Mulk Raj Anand who dealt with the political structures and problems of the time. 101] Paul Brians, in his book Modern South Asian Literature in English, says that the fact that Narayan completely ignored British rule and focused on the private lives of his characters is a political statement on its own, declaring his independence from the influence of colonialism. [96] In the west, Narayans simplicity of writing was well received. One of his biographers, William Walsh, wrote of his narrative as a comedic art with an inclusive vision informed by the transience and illusion of human action. Multiple Booker nominee Anita Desai classes his writings as compassionate realism where the cardinal sins are unkindness and immodesty. [102] According to Wyatt Mason, in Narayans works, the individual is not a private entity, but rather a public one and this concept is an innovation that can be called his own. In addition to his early works being among the most important English-language fiction from India, with this innovation, he provided his western readers the first works in English to be infused with an eastern and Hindu existential perspective. Mason also holds the view that Edmund Wilsons assessment of Walt Whitman, He does not write editorials on events but describes his actual feelings, applies equally to Narayan. [98] Awards and honours Narayan won numerous awards during the course of his literary career. [103] His first major award was in 1958, the Sahitya Akademi Award for The Guide. [104] When the book was made into a film, he received the Filmfare Award for the best story. In 1964, he received the Padma Bhushan during the Republic Day honours. 105] In 1980, he was awarded the AC Benson Medal by the (British) Royal Society of Literature, of which he was an honorary member. [106] In 1982 he was elected an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

People Pleaser Essay Example

People Pleaser Essay Ethics And Values Assignment Monisha Chandar. B Sometimes we take exception to a decision, yet we nod in agreement, or we simply let it pass. we justify our acquiescence as keeping the peace, or knowing when to pick our battles. But something else is going on. we worry about saying no. About ruffling feathers. Or worse. So we keep mum. Or we say yes. Sometimes we hear ourself saying yes and we wish dearly that  no  would roll off our tongue, but it seems so much harder, more frightening, capable of unleashing a string of consequences that don’t bode well. Anger. Resistance. Disapproval. And now  yes  is the habit of a lifetime, the habit of our relationships, the habit of our role at work. If we always say yes, where do we put  no? Anxiety, migraines, sleeplessness, the nightly glass of wine, the cigarettes, the growing depression? Sometimes, we spend so many years accommodating – everyone – that we forget to accommodate ourself, wondering when â€Å"you† got lost in the mix. our life is filled with many good things, but something doesn’t quite fit. You  don’t quite fit. You’re not unhappy exactly, but nor would you say you’re happy. But then  no one’s  happy, right? Or so you tell yourself, seeking solace. We will write a custom essay sample on People Pleaser specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on People Pleaser specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on People Pleaser specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer But There’s absolutely nothing wrong with pleasing people, including ourselves. If we’re willing to make sacrifices for the sake of another, who are we to say that’s wrong? But the fact is, people pleasing isn’t about pleasing others, but fending off our fear of rejection. Those of us who would consider themselves people pleasers are generally individuals who feel the need to be accepted by the world around them. And not just a general acceptance, but that of each person they come in contact with. And to maintain this madness, we seek to please with abandon. Let me just start by saying that I’m one of the biggest people pleasers out there. Show me a possible moment of displeasure and I’ll jump in and fill the need as fast as I can in hopes of both harmony among those involved as well as positive feelings toward little old me. I’m not a saint by any stretch, I just have the disease to please. In the long run, we’re pleasing nobody. One of the great misconceptions among people pleasers is this idea that we’re ‘good people’ who are just trying to make everybody happy. As I stated before, it’s not so much our great concern for another human being, but our obsession with the way others may perceive us. As a result, we tend to say yes to everything and rarely stick up for ourselves. Even if someone blatantly wrongs us, we are usually the ones who absorb the hurt and then stand in the corner, fuming to ourselves. It’s not a pretty site. The fact is, when we try to please everybody, we end up pleasing nobody. Tired from the burnout that comes from the over extension of ourselves and frustrated by the fact that we keep letting others take advantage of us,  we quickly become ineffective in helping others and often times end up resenting everyone around us. Then, when we finally run into a situation where our help is truly needed, we are too depleted to help out. Also, our ability to decipher a real need from that of someone trying to take advantage of our people pleasing nature, is quite skewed. In our minds, every ‘need’ is a requirement for us to act and in time, this wears us down to worthlessness. Different people pleasers Among Us :-! Its often said that people pleasing is a  woman’s issue? Think about it. Who do you know that’s most likely to capitulate, to compromise, to self-sacrifice – even to step into the doormat role on a regular basis? Who puts everyone’s needs before her own, believing that it is the better path – or the only path? Do these behaviors begin in our homes as children? Do they find reward in the classroom, in the adolescent dating waters, and then the workplace? Are you rewarded for pleasing, but at great cost to self-esteem, and even, ultimately, earning power? Do we eventually learn to use our people pleasing behavior in ways that benefit ourselves? The typical People Pleaser is someone who lacks an internal compass to gauge the value of their own actions, â€Å"As a result, they spend their lives looking for validation from others. † The Child’s Desire for Validation What child doesn’t seek the comfort and approval of a parent? Who among us doesn’t remember wanting to please those we loved, those in authority, those we admired? â€Å"Often,  parents  will simply tell kids what to do and never encourage them to assert themselves,† he says. â€Å"When the kids obey, the parents give them conditional love. † And when parents are physically or emotionally abusive, when they are absent, when they are erratic in doling out love or approval – the seeds of people pleasing behaviors are planted early, and reinforced. Not only does the child seek validation, but avoidance of pain, or the foreboding sensation that disapproval promises dire consequences. A Society of Silent Women? Silence as tacit consent can be destructive. Compliance, as a way of life, can be demeaning. People Pleasing, taken to an extreme, undermines an ability to function independently, or to direct our lives according to  our  goals rather than those of others. Women who suffer from people pleasing behaviors may not be  literally  silent, but – and I include myself here as a recovering People Pleaser – we are silent in voicing our true expressions of self. And in acting on them. We know ourselves as the tireless team players, the volunteers who rarely (if ever) say no, the cheery jugglers who are admired by others. But we fall into bed at night depleted, feeling as though the day’s accomplishments are insufficient, even if we ticked off items on an endless list. And incidentally, as the years wear on, frequently those items only peripherally involve  us. Parent Pleasers My own bouts with people pleasing derive from early training, absorbed in childhood. I was a Parent Pleaser. My father was often away, and my mother was the textbook narcissist – an imposing, even frightening force. Pleasing her meant greater likelihood ofnot  incurring her wrath – her booming voice, her verbal lashing, or any other form of punishment for stepping out of line. And stepping out of line generally meant doing or saying whatever displeased her at a given moment. I learned the necessity of  yes –  to anything she asked. Thus, my parent pleasing was less about the carrot than the stick. I was conditioned to avoid pain, and educated as the â€Å"good girl,† occasionally garnering reward in the form of parental approval. Is People Pleasing – a Syndrome? I have spent my life in the pursuit of goals and simultaneously seeking to please those around me. Is there any crime in wanting a pleasant environment? A cooperative team? A tranquil household? I find nothing inherently wrong with a desire to please others or give pleasure. The problem arises when the scales constantly tip in favor of choices that are not in our own best interests. Or even, when behaviors are laden with motivations (conscious and otherwise) that drive us to please others in ways that are compulsive, that obscure our own needs and wants, or obliterate them altogether. Should we coin another syndrome, another personality disorder? Might we have a brave new pharmacological solution for this condition, , and a pill to miraculously restore our psychological balance of power? I suspect that’s already been done. And yet People Pleasing is not so simple, and nor is it always  a disadvantage. But taken to an extreme, the behaviors set us up for being benignly or maliciously exploited. People Pleasers are prime targets for narcissists, often gravitating toward each other, playing out subconscious scenarios that go unrecognized at the time. Pleasing Ourselves Must we toss away our people pleasing talents altogether? And they  are  talents, finely honed skills, and useful. Our most charismatic personalities are People Pleasers – successful motivational speakers, sales people, fundraisers, PTA organizers, celebrities, and politicians. There’s nothing wrong with people pleasing; in fact, there is much that is right. It is a matter of impetus and of degree. It is a matter of how you feel – about yourself, your actions, your purposeful inaction. Even for those of us who have tumbled into the trap of a lifetime of people pleasing, we can learn to transform some of these behaviors into advantages. We use them to make friends, to network professionally, to be conciliatory when it is truly required. We learn to please bosses and spouses and those in the public arena whose help we may need. The problem comes when we don’t dare to  displease. How to Stop Being a People Pleaser At a certain point, the light bulb goes on. We may think –  it’s too much, I want to find myself again, I want something for me. The People Pleaser  personality  may be one thing, but the skills are quite another. We needn’t cease pleasing people; we need to moderate our diet. Just as the narcissist might seek to curb her excessive ways. Or, the socially anxious, to interact with less fear. When it comes to people pleasing, it is not about stopping altogether; it is about awareness, and management of feelings and behaviors. My experience tells me that modifying any behavior is a slow process, a matter of practice, and determination. I continue to work at this precarious and essential balance, daily. Learning to say  yes –  to what is most important – by saying  no. Conclusion As individuals, we all have our own personal flavor. Some are sweet, some salty and others plain bitter. But as a people pleaser, because of our skill of going with the flow at all costs, we lose our flavor all together. We try to blend with every personality we come in contact with and as a result our own personality fades. What makes you, YOU, is your own blend of Yes’s and No’s. It’s our beliefs and values and preferences that give us our spice. Lose this and you lose yourself in the process. Before long, you end up forgetting what you’re all about. This can be a scary realization and one that should be harnessed to help push us out of our people pleasing ways. We need to figure out for ourselves what needs we should be addressing and then go out and address them. Stop waiting for the world to dictate our attention and start attending to the needs we were meant to address.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Hinduism and Buddhism free essay sample

The two religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, are similar because they both had a belief in karma and reincarnation but different because Buddhism was founded by Buddha but Hinduism didn’t have a single founder, and because of Hinduism’s belief in many Gods but Buddhism’s belief in no particular God. Hinduism and Buddhism are different in that Hinduism believed in many Gods but Buddhism didn’t address any God. Hinduism believed in several Gods such as Varuna, who changed from God of the sky to the guardian of ideas of right and wrong, Vishnu, the preserver, and Shiva, the destroyer. Original gods of nature were altered to represent more abstract concepts. The Epic Age had poems that emphasized gentle and kind and honest behavior and the validity of life loyal to concentration on the Supreme Spirit. Whereas Buddha believed in salvation as arising from the destruction of the self. Hinduism and Buddhism were similar because they both believed in karma and reincarnation. We will write a custom essay sample on Hinduism and Buddhism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The belief in reincarnation is that when your body dies, your soul is passed onto another, either animal or human. And how that next life was to be good or bad all depends on your karma. Karma is the belief that when you do good actions, good things will happen to you in the next life, and the same concept applies if you were bad. Hinduism provides good channels for the good life including meditation and self-discipline. These allowed the mind to be freed to concentrate on the divine spirit. Buddha also believed that the destruction of the self opens a pathway to a realm where suffering and decay no longer exist. He also denied rituals and believed that an individual could regulate their aspirations toward this goal without having any elaborate ceremonies. Hinduism and Buddhism were different in that Buddhism was founded by Buddha but Hinduism had no specific founder. Buddhism’s founder was Gautama, eventually called Buddha. He lived as a Hindu mystic, fasting and torturing his body. He eventually felt that the he found truth and traveled and gathered disciples to teach of his ideas. Buddha accepted some truth of Hindu beliefs like reincarnation but did not believe in the caste. Hinduism however did not have a single founder. This helps explain why the religion unfolded so gradually. Hinduism and Buddhism were different in that Buddhism was founded by Gautama and Hinduism had no founder, and also because Buddhism had no address to a god when Hinduism believed in many gods, and they were similar because they both shared a belief in karma and reincarnation.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Free Essays on Gatsby’s Grail

In the novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a parallel with the Arthurian Legend, particularly that of the Crusade for the Holy Grail, is shown through the conduct of Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway. Gatsby’s desire to attain Daisy Buchanan’s love is his crusade. Nick’s quest, on the other hand, is for a good life. Both men are on a voyage to uncover something to make themselves better, but each has different means of accomplishing their goal. Nick Carraway’s crusade is practically a copy of King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail. Nick’s desire and quest is to live his life by a moral code. This moral code is his holy grail. Coincidentally, this desire to live by a moral code is also similar to the Arthurian round tables’ ideals of chivalry. From the beginning of the novel until its conclusion, this moral code is exemplified in the way Nick resists passing judgment upon people. Nick watches out for the other characters by refusing to gossip about them. For example, Nick refuses to make any judgment regarding Gatsby’s affairs. Nick is also very concerned with honesty. This is another example of his idealistic adherence to a moral code. At one point he comments, â€Å"I am one of the few honest people I know.† (p. 64). However, Nick, like Arthur and his knights, is led astray from his quest for his grail. He begins dating Jordan and she becomes a distraction from his true quest. He begins to substitute his ideal of her for his ideal morality. This distraction shows when Nick proceeds to describe Jordan as a grail-like figure; â€Å"Daisy and Jordan sat by the couch, like silver idols.† (p.122). In a similar way to Arthur’s being led astray by Guinivere from his quest for the Grail, Nick begins to waver on his quest. But Nick is only momentarily distracted from his journey, because he realizes dating Jordan is not part of succeeding at his overall goal. Nick is quick to return to his original quest, a... Free Essays on Gatsby’s Grail Free Essays on Gatsby’s Grail In the novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a parallel with the Arthurian Legend, particularly that of the Crusade for the Holy Grail, is shown through the conduct of Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway. Gatsby’s desire to attain Daisy Buchanan’s love is his crusade. Nick’s quest, on the other hand, is for a good life. Both men are on a voyage to uncover something to make themselves better, but each has different means of accomplishing their goal. Nick Carraway’s crusade is practically a copy of King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail. Nick’s desire and quest is to live his life by a moral code. This moral code is his holy grail. Coincidentally, this desire to live by a moral code is also similar to the Arthurian round tables’ ideals of chivalry. From the beginning of the novel until its conclusion, this moral code is exemplified in the way Nick resists passing judgment upon people. Nick watches out for the other characters by refusing to gossip about them. For example, Nick refuses to make any judgment regarding Gatsby’s affairs. Nick is also very concerned with honesty. This is another example of his idealistic adherence to a moral code. At one point he comments, â€Å"I am one of the few honest people I know.† (p. 64). However, Nick, like Arthur and his knights, is led astray from his quest for his grail. He begins dating Jordan and she becomes a distraction from his true quest. He begins to substitute his ideal of her for his ideal morality. This distraction shows when Nick proceeds to describe Jordan as a grail-like figure; â€Å"Daisy and Jordan sat by the couch, like silver idols.† (p.122). In a similar way to Arthur’s being led astray by Guinivere from his quest for the Grail, Nick begins to waver on his quest. But Nick is only momentarily distracted from his journey, because he realizes dating Jordan is not part of succeeding at his overall goal. Nick is quick to return to his original quest, a...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Blog Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Blog - Assignment Example On a general level, I am a team player. I love working in groups and experiencing learning together with other people. I like communicating a lot and I tend to always pave the way for group members to share their ideas and knowledge. I like asking a lot of questions because I love details. In working in teams, I like to set a common goal. It is possible that despite being in a common group, members may not have the same ideas regarding the activity and not everyone could be sharing the same goals (Benjamin 25). This is why even at the onset, I know that setting a common objective is essential in setting the foundation for success in any group activity. Everyone should be on the same page, and â€Å"despite the individual differences that exist, the work flow should be towards nothing else but the common and main group objective† (Benjamin 26-7). In the group activity for Solano Canyon Community Garden, aiming for the common goal is one of the things I am still very proud of. My group mates and I were able to establish a solid aim right from the very start. It was a good thing because while each member was given the freedom to decide and work on their own, we were all confident that we will not be straying away from what we really want to achieve as a group. Also, whenever we feel in doubt of a decision we were about to make, we consulted with the other group members to know their ideas about it. In this area, the essence of teamwork was truly at play. I learned that through this, we feel more bonded with each other because we work for a common goal. There were of course some issues with other people, because it is understandable that in every activity, feedback is always sought for. Either through giving or receiving, feedback is a necessary tool in improvement and progress. This was one of the things we lacked in either giving or receiving. Although there were several reasons or causes why this is lacking, I still feel that everyone

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Independents study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Independents study - Essay Example Ordinarily, marketing is considered an activity or function performed by business firms. However, marketing can also be carried out by other organizations and even by individuals. Whenever you try to persuade somebody to buy something, you are performing a marketing activity. Broadly viewed, the essence of marketing is a transaction - an exchange. Marketing occurs any time one social unit strives to exchange something of value with another social unit. Thus, marketing consists of all activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchange intended to satisfy human needs or wants ( Stanton, 1991). eMarketing is the "product of the meeting between modern communication technologies and the age-old marketing principles that humans have always applied.E-marketing or electronic marketing refers to the application of marketing principles and techniques via electronic media and more specifically the Internet. The terms eMarketing, Internet marketing and online marketing, are frequently interchanged, and can often be considered synonymous." eMarketing is the process of marketing a brand using the Internet. It includes both direct response marketing and indirect marketing elements and uses a range of technologies to help connect businesses to their customers. By such a definition, eMarketing encompasses all the activities a business conducts via the worldwide web with the aim of attracting new business, retaining current business and developing its brand identity. E-marketing involves marketing planning within the context of the e-business e-environment. So not surprisingly, the successful e-marketing plan is based on traditional marketing disciplines and planning techniques, adapted for the digital media environment and then mixed with new digital marketing communications techniques This research looked into the advantages and limitations of eMarketing in an attempt to guide prospective marketers in the sale of their products. The Research Problem This research tried to look into the advantages and limitations of eMarketing. Much has been said about these aspects of emarketing but a few so far had looked into the benefits and limitations derived from it. Specifically, it attempted to answer the following questions: 1. What is eMarketing 2. What are the advantages of eMarketing 3. What are the limitations/disadvantages of eMarketing Related Literature This part describes and discusses important concepts, ideas, judgments and opinions of experts and authorities on topics which have bearing on the present study. The studies and literature have been reviewed to provide insights and to help the researcher in formulating problems and hypothesis and aid in the analysis and interpretation of data. What is eMarketing eMarketing is essentially part of marketing. The American Marketing Association (AMA) definition (2004) is as follows: "Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders." Therefore eMarketing by its very nature is one aspect of an organizational

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Hydraulic fracking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hydraulic fracking - Essay Example Fracking or hydraulic fracturing is the procedure of drilling natural gas out of shale rock layers profound within the ground. This process makes it feasible to produce natural gas drilling in shale layers that were once inaccessible with traditional technologies (Heywood 42-45). Fracking is one subject that has brought lots of controversies in regard to it being an answer to the energy crisis the world is facing or a disaster for the environment (4News 1-2). The controversies are acceptable since they assist in analyzing the process further and make proper adjustments. A report by 4news early this year reported a statement made by David Cameron in support for Fracking process. Cameron said that shale is significant for UK. He asserted that the shale gas could bring 74,000 jobs, more than  £3bn of investment, provide the people with a cheaper energy for the future, and boost the country’s energy security (4News 1-2). Cameron said this after being convinced by the institute of Directors claims that shale gas might generate over seventy four thousand jobs. Geologists, construction workers, engineers, truck drivers, business analysts and public relations employees are samples of the employees required by the production as well as equipment manufacturer s, cement and steel manufacturers, and drilling services corporations (Heywood 42-45). To counterbalance Cameron support for Fracking, 4news article provided an anti-fracking protester’s claim. The protester provided an extract associated with Fracking in US (4News 1-2). It stated that the US had evidently demonstrated fracking as hazardous, unhelpful and devastates societies. Considering the circumstances, this will be the scenario in UK, if the process is embraced. The protester noted that only one well had been drilled and fracked in UK and it caused earthquakes that destroyed the well so chemicals and gas leaked out. This

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Chocolate Industry In India

The Chocolate Industry In India Introduction This assignment deals with the organization whose current main product is at maturity stage in the market life cycle and its sales have been reduced, to sustain its market share the organization has to go for product development to defend it from its rivals. The organization chosen for this particular scenario is Lotus Chocolate Company Limited. An Overview of Chocolate Industry in India The chocolate industry in India as it stands today is dominated by two companies, both multinationals. The market leader is Cadbury with a lions share of 70 percent. The companys brands (Five Star, Gems, Éclairs, Perk, Dairy Milk) are leaders their segments. Till the early 90s, Cadbury had a market share of over 80 percent, but its party was spoiled when Nestle appeared on the scene. The latter has introduced its international brands in the country (Kit-Kat, Lions), and now commands approximately 15 percent market share(rediff.com).The Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) and Central Areca nut and Cocoa Manufactures and Processors Co-operative (CAMPCO) are the other companies operating in this segment. Competition in the segment will get keener as overseas chocolate giants Hersheys and Mars consolidate to grab a bite of the Indian chocolate pie. Per Capita Chocolate Consumption (in lb) of first 15 countries of the world Rank Countries Per Capita Consumption (in lb) 1 Switzerland 22.36 2 Austria 20.13 3 Ireland 19.47 4 Germany 18.04 5 Norway 17.93 6 Denmark 17.66 7 United Kingdom 17.49 8 Belgium 13.16 9 Australia 12.99 10 Sweden 12.90 11 United States 11.64 12 France 11.38 13 Netherlands 10.56 14 Finland 10.45 15 Italy 6.13 INDIA, stands nowhere even near to these countries when compared in terms of Per Capita Chocolate Consumption. (Data sourced from LMC International, The world cocoa market outlook).Chocolate and confectionary market is valued around US$ 282.6mn and which is divided into three main sectors or groups namely sugar boiled confectionery with US$ 65.2mn, next comes chewing and bubble gums with US$ 87mn and the major chunk goes to milk chocolate with US$ 130mn.Chocolate Consumption Structure by age groups are as follows- Children 55% Adults 12% Young Adults 33% (Data sourced from Overview of Indian consumer goods) The chocolate market in India grew by 19 per cent and reached the market value of INR 17.9bn(2007), low consumption patterns have been changing due to the raising economy(www.just-food.com). The market is divided into two segments urban and rural segments, the consumption of chocolate is higher in urban areas and lower in rural segment,the growth rate of urban is higher( Data sourced from Overview of Indian consumer goods). This poses a high potential for chocolate manufacturers as the raise in population who are opting for chocolates as alternatives as local mithais, as a part of cultural transition due to the high influence of western cultures at work and other areas(The Dark Chocolate Rush). Background of the organization Lotus Chocolate Company Limited is established in the year 1992 (www.lotuschocolate.com), It is renowned for its innovative chocolate design and their variety taste when compared with competitors. The plant is located at Medak district Andhra Pradesh. They provide consumer and industrial solutions for different chocolate manufacturers. The famous chocolate brands/products produced are Chuckles, Superr Carr and Tango. Lotus is also famous for producing customized chocolate gift packs upon consumers request(www.lotuschocolate.com).The core target market of the organization is the low end niche group(children young adults). The organization lost its core market share due to the increased marketing efforts and rapid development of new products based on changing customer trends(The Hindu Bussinesline). Issue-1 Decline of Lotus chocolate brands (Superr carr, Tango chuckles) in the market due to changing consumer and chocolate industrial patterns, high competition from well established multinationals such as Nestle Cadbury. The main objective of Lotus chocolate company ltd. is to regain its market share and stand against competition. SWOT Analysis Strengths Experience in chocolate industry. Brand presence in the market. Established industrial supplier. Medium production capacity. High suppliers base. Customized products facility for consumers. Weaknesses Limited distribution facility outside South-India. Poor advertising strategies. Limited product range. Limited resources. Opportunities Strong growth potential in South-India urban region. Raise in chocolate consumption. Market expansion into North-India. Changing consumer behavior patterns. Threats Aggressive market penetration by multinationals Price sensitive market. Competitive position of Lotus is fragile. Increasing production costs. Vast cultural influences on buying patterns. Alternatives to regain the market position and share by using Ansoffs Matrix Option A (Market Development) Developing markets other than core markets, such as moving into north Indian market or entering into other markets where the product or brand is not present. Option B (Diversification) This option deals with shifting the interests of the organizations core interest into other businesses interests, for instance moving away from chocolates and entering into cold drinks or clothes or etc. Option C (Market Penetration) This option deals with penetrating the existing core market with lower prices and more products with enhanced distribution processes. Option D (Product Development) This option deals with developing new products to compete in the market and to sustain the companys presence in the market . Recommendations A mixture of market penetration ( C)and product development (D) because for the following reasons This gives opportunity for Lotus chocolate to develop a product to sustain its brand value,market share,to increase its financial position and consumer base. Due to increased competition in the market, developing innovative tastes and along side producing chocolates with lower health effects such as Organic chocolates. As the organic market is gaining interest among the higher class segment(Indias booming organic market, rediff.com). Market penetration helps Lotus chocolate to revitalize its distribution systems and revitalize its brand image among the targeted consumers at sustainable price as the brand has its presence already in the market. Product development helps Lotus chocolate to over come its past weaknesses and product is the core and brand enhances its value. The rising chocolate consumption poses an opportunity which can be converted into financial means, develop a strong brand image and loyal consumers. Why not for Market development Diversification can be justified by the following sentences- Market development needs much heavier finance and it needs to invest more time resources , it deals with entering into new markets which are more complex and the risk is higher, in-turn concentrating on new markets may led to the fall of existing markets. Diversification deals with completely moving from core operations into new businesses and it is very risky and needs much time to develop and build reputation from scratch, these two options would need high monetary resources. Based on the present situation and Lotus chocolates swot analysis the best and feasible options are market penetration and product development which deals with existing markets. After deciding on what course of action to be carried for sustaining and developing the brand value and consumer base. The options and strategies chosen are product development and market penetration. After deciding to go for product development next comes what product to develop and whom to target, how to reach them and what are the core benefits the product is to deliver and the value chain process from suppliers to consumers. The strategy opted for reaching the perceived state of position is focused differentiation strategy coupled with best cost provider strategy from porters five generic strategies(Thomson etal,pg. 134).The focused differentiation strategy concentrates on a narrow buyer segment and outcompeting rivals by having lower costs than rivals, best cost provider strategy deals with giving customers more value for their money by incorporating good to excellent product attributes at a lower cost than rivals. According to an article named Indias booming organic market states that India would be both a major organic food producer and consumer, the potential of consuming organic food products are on a raise due to increased awareness about health and having environmentally friendly raw-materials. According to article named Global Organic Business the consumption of Organic beverages and confectionary would increase drastically in India by 40 % by 2020, starting early would be better option to reap the future benefits and would help us to establish ourself in the market. The core target group is children aged from 14 to 18 years old,teens and adults from rich urban segments and upper middle class sections. Branding of Hercules Branding adds value to the products and gives additional identity to the products and their consumers, products mite change but brands will not change and once a brand decides its characters and features it remains steady for longer time. Developing optimal brands needs a change in corporate management culture and their attitude. The influence for deciding a brand character is explained below Branding is one of the main ingredient in the success of the product in the market, the proposed brand values for Hercules is its premium nature, pure nature and energy, individuality and freedom. As Hercules is not a just a chocolate its more than an luxury experience. Marketing Mix Marketing mix consists of 4 Ps namely product,price, promotion and place (distribution). The right strategies for all these Ps are necessary for success of the product or service in the market. Product Product is the physical representative of the companys core value transition from organization to the consumers. Product strategies deal with the issues such as package, product shape,product features and product quality. The package is designed based on the target market and product features. The shape is also designed based on the perceived best by the target market and brand image. Packaging also has implications on the perceptions of the consumers which visually appeal them and classify the product into premium product. The levels of product are as follows- Core Product- The core benefits of the organic chocolate is that of its health benefits and taste variety. Tangible Product- The tangible are those benefits which are positioned by the packaging and advertisements. For this organic chocolate the tangible benefits are premium quality. Augmented Product- The augmented benefits are the values which reach the consumers expectations , which are non-tangible and can be measured only in-turns of consumer reply in favor of praising the product. Potential Product- The potential product benefits surpasses the expectations of consumers and the core-product, which would obtain large consumers delight. Product differentiation strategy provides the primary source for competitive advantage, this also provides a platform for developing future products under the same brand. Product strategy is directly linked to the strategies of the organization. The product line is available in two versions of weight namely 100gms and 200gms. Name of the Organic Chocolate is Hercules Price Pricing strategy deals with pricing the product based on the current market pricing structure, organizations break even, psychological pricing. The pricing strategy is also based on the product and the targeted consumers. The pricing strategy used for this product is a mixture of premium pricing and quality-based strategy. The cultural aspects of the target market has a profound impact on spending and food habits. The costing of the new product is one of the tough jobs of management. The cost of the product has direct relationship with positioning of the product. The factors to be considered while deciding a price for Hercules are as follows The consumer spending structure and their patterns are to be analyzed and find the average and the best cost in the market for Hercules. The companies costing systems and proposed investments for developing Hercules and the rate of returns expected by the organization. The brand strategies and the positioning strategies proposed for the Hercules also have their share on deciding the price. According to the article defining the premium chocolate market, the appearance of luxury chocolates in the super marts as the aspirants for consuming luxury has become a trend and even those who cannot afford the luxury goods are having premium chocolates as alternatives to satisfy their urge to feel good. A research presentation from Ledbury Research states that there would be 140,000 families in India with annual income around $230,000. The consumers spending have dramatically increased on apparels,food and entertainment. The pricing strategy which has been decided is value-based pricing and quality based pricing, the price decided after calculating the ROI,manufacturing costs , promotional costs distribution cost is 75 rupees for 100gms and 150 rupees for 200gms. This is unpriced structure across the market. The custom ordered chocolates online are priced based on their ordered quantity and their flavor structure. Pricing is done in a way to differentiate from competitors and duplicate products which are a major threat in Indian market, Organization to move towards price excellence for better market acceptance. Distribution Distribution deals with making product available to the consumers at right time and right place, the considerations for designing the distribution network deals with the consumers choice, companys resources and market infrastructure. The distribution sector in India is fragmented and completely complex due to the large size and fundamental infrastructural problems such as electricity, roads and warehouses. The main distribution system is divided into three segments namely distributors, wholesalers/super-marts and retail stores. The major factors which influence the distribution strategy for the Hercules is the product strategy, organizations strategy for business, target consumers. The strategy which is selected for distributing this project is selective distribution which means the company selects few distribution channels to reach target markets through which the product availability can be controlled by the company, this also assists Lotus chocolates to keep their brand image and to maintain the premium image of the product. Based on the competitors distributions channels, consumers choice and feasible options of the organization the selected ways to reach the target market are super markets , premium chocolate stores, hyper malls , airports(duty free stores ) and through internet directly to consumers (online). The distribution picture can give you a complete idea about Lotus chocolate distribution channels for Hercules. The picture states that they are single layer channels, double layer channels and triple layer distribution channels to reach the targeted consumers. As developing a strong customer base and differentiating the Hercules from other competitive brands and products, Lotus chocolate has developed a program for its customers to design their own organic chocolate online with the available options, through this options customers can directly buy and give their feedback directly. Promotion This is one of the most important aspect of the marketing mix which would decide the success of the Hercules(Organic chocolate ) in the market. Promotion deals with promotional activities such as advertising, promotional strategies such as offers, discounts, public relations and publicity. The promotion aspects aim at creating an impact about the Hercules on the mind sets of targeted consumers. We are going to use one of the oldest marketing strategy for promoting the product to the target market through AIDA model (www.changingminds.com), AIDA means to attract by visual appeal such as cool ads, create interest among the target market, then develop desire among consumers by proving more information about core and potential benefits of Hercules and the final one is action this is considered done when the consumers by the product. In addition to the AIDA model, the consumers interest through sharing benefits and values, opinions with customers and asking for their feedback via blogs, post and emails. The channels used to reach the target market are through print media, internet, television, out-door campaigning and point of sale. The basic message in the strategic marketing communication would be more of product oriented and would explain about the products core benefits and its core values which add value to the target market. The chocolates are advertised through 360 degree for complete. The television channels which are known for reaching target markets and their share are explained below The subliminal message which we want to pass on to consumers is that Hercules is not just a chocolate but its a wonderful and joyful experience and its merely more than a chocolate. This also needs to break and build the present brand image of Lotus chocolate company Ltd. Promotion and popularity of the product are directly proportional to each other. Emotional flavor infusions in the marketing campaigns would attract the targeted consumers. While marketing in India you need to understand the cultural aspects of the target market. Hofstedes cultural dimensions would assist in understanding cultural aspects of the consumers and also helps in designing an innovative message. The chart below explains power distance index, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance index and long term orientation. Sourced from (http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_india.shtml) As the above graph indicates that higher PDI means higher inequality among different sections of people, its also indicates that India is a collectivistic society, uncertainty avoidance is lower at 40 per cent which indicates that people are open to any uncertain situations and ideas. (wwww.geert-hofstede.com). By understanding the above graph the message through with we need to reach our target market should be designed and developed in way that it should touch them culturally and explain the health benefits and environmental benefits Hercules is going to provide. Other than television ads, there are also other channels through which we can reach consumers such as wall paintings, print media advertising such as publishing in premium magazines of sports, movies,business and animation. Point of sale posters at shelves at super stores, out-door campaigning at malls and multiplex cinema halls, conducting competitions on environment at international schools for faster promotion among schools. Another important form of advertising through online such as website ,pop-ups at yahoo, google,windows mail, orkut, twitter,face-book and much more. One more aspect of promotional channel which is gaining popularity is mobile advertising such as through mobile phone messages and mobile games. The utilization of full resources at maximum rate would help Lotus chocolate to create an impact in the market and target market and helps to establish the Hercules. Evaluation of the Hercules Success in the Market Evaluation is done based on the sales patterns. Consumer feeling are collected using feedback such as compliments and complaints. Key partnership with retailers and examining the consumer behavior towards Hercules. A primary research for understanding the current advertising strategy and the message passed through them and what target consumers understand and perceive. Marketing Production Schedule/Plan for Hercules Production objectives The main objective is to procure green or organic or chemical free cocoa and other raw-materials. Insure the quality is double checked. Ensuring that the process flow is smooth and meets the production capacity. Targeted production percentage is to produce 75 per cent of Hercules than other nominal brands which are out competed. Production of customized Hercules for customized orders are to be produced 25% of the total capacity. Marketing management objectives Increase the awareness about Hercules among the target market segments by 30% per annum. Decrease the potential customers resistance by 25 percent per annum. Position the brand image of Hercules as premium luxury chocolate and stand differentiated among the competitors by providing customized chocolates for consumers. Strengthening of non-priced competitiveness, business restructuring by rebranding the image of lotus chocolates company and Hercules brand. Demand creation, sustainment and enhancement of quality advantage and healthy products. Increase the sales of Hercules by 5-6 per cent per quarterly. Marketing Plan 02/05/10 Brand image and product development 05/06/10 Product testing for quality, taste, color and odor 20/06/10 Promoting Hercules brand through television commercials 25/06/10 Promoting through out door campaigning, print media, radio. 30/06/10 Passing the product through distribution channels and making it available to the target consumers. 10/07/10 Evaluating the outcomes of the advertising campaigns promotional activities. 20/07/10 Developing alternative and going for aggressive campaigning. The alternatives for promoting Hercules is by pairing with brands which are identical and supports each other in promoting themselves as premium brands. For example promoting Hercules (organic chocolate) with BMW or any luxury brands. Or Promoting Hercules with premium airlines through giving complementary packs to business class flyers, or promoting with premium star hotels.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Methods of Trafficking and Counters Essay -- essays research papers f

METHODS OF TRAFFICKING AND COUNTERS Many people choose to try and make fortunes through the illegal trade of drugs. This type of business gives the highest return of dollars spent, but is one of the hardest products to ship. There are many techniques that have been used throughout the years in order to try and get the illegal substances into the United States, which leads to the government’s response to counter the illegal transshipments. Although the War on Drugs appears to be a futile effort, there are many ways to tighten down on the drug traffickers and successfully put them out of business utilizing government tactics and education.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main ways to ship illegal substances into the United States are by individual carry or by vehicle (land, sea, or air). The farmer or the manufacturers rarely ever attempt these methods, but instead utilize a third person to assume the risk for the transaction from supplier to the individuals seeking to either use or distribute the product. These individuals are called drug traffickers or â€Å"mules†, and the job does not discriminate between age, sex, or race.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most disgusting examples of a trafficker is when a child is involved. Neither the manufacturer nor the supplier seem to mind if a child is carrying the same drugs that will soon infect the neighborhood’s playground. â€Å"A twelve-year-old boy, acting as a drug mule, became ill after trying to transport 87 heroin-filled condoms from London to New York. Upon arrival, the boy exited the airport, hailed a cab to drop off the drugs, and found the drop-off empty, the boy then became ill and started passing the heroin bags† (Stars & Stripes, 10). The fact that a young boy was used to transport drugs is appalling, but worse is that this article was not front-page news, or even second or third. The United States has become so accustomed to these types of tragedies, which has brought a sense of numbness to the activities. In order to counter the use of young children’s involvement in the drug trade, citizens have to realize the importance of keeping the children out of the newspaper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every child in the United States has a parental figure that has been tasked with the responsibility of teaching that child right from wrong. When events occur to demonstrate that obviously th... ...nforcement needs to be notified. At no time should a citizen get involved in actually stopping the drug activity, but that person should know what to do in the case that an illegal activity is observed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The drug trade attracts many people with the lure of quick money and extravagant lifestyles. The truth of the seedy world of drugs needs to be exposed in order to totally confront the War on Drugs. The tactics that are used to fight against the traffickers of illegal drugs will not win the war alone. In order to defeat the drug lords and win the War on Drugs, every citizen of the United States must be enlisted. Although the War on Drugs appears to be a fruitless attempt, the road to success is paved with stronger government actions and better citizen support accomplished through education. WORKS CITED Clawson, Patrick. THE ANDEAN COCAINE INDUSTRY. New York, NY: Saint Martin’s, 1996. NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY,1997. Washington, DC: Office Of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President, 1997. STARS AND STRIPES. â€Å"Boy, 12, Swallows 87 Heroin-Filled Condoms† Vol 60, No 360; 14 April 2002.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Huaorani of Ecuador

The Huaorani Indians live in the Amazonian rainforest in Ecuador, and they are a semi-nomadic horticultural society. They hunt wild game, gather fruits, and berries, but they also grow their own plants. They live off the land and have to move from time to time usually every ten years or so in order to not over use the area. They are feared by many people in their region because of their violent reputation, they are temperamental, and unpredictable. The men and women have different chores, but are treated equal when making decisions. They usually have only two or three children because there are not enough resources to support too many children. They live in an egalitarian social system. Many searches have been utilized in order to try to find the most reliable and credible information possible. Some of the areas used include Google scholar search engine, Ashford online library to include ProQuest, yahoo search engine, however the ProQuest articles provide the best information. There have been many disappointments with finding non-credible sites. The first time that the Huaorani peacefully had contact with outsiders was back in 1958, when evangelical missionaries from the Summer Institute of Linguistics convinced a Huaorani woman that was a slave to go back to the forest she lived in as a child and help them relocate her family to a settlement and convert them to Christianity (Baihua, 2009). Due to oil companies trying to take over as much of the land as possible in order to get more oil they continued trying to get the Huaorani people to move to settlements and convert to Christianity. The missionaries told them that their culture was sinful and savage, and tried to pressure them into giving up their traditions and way of life. Since the missionaries tried to convert as many of the Huaorani as possible they have forced many deeper into the forest. They have retreated deeper in order to stay as pure to their tradition as possible. Many however did go with the missionaries and convert to Christianity which upset the rest that stayed true to the culture. The Huaorani tried their best to stay away from the outsiders, but the outsiders keep going after them and taking over more and more of their land. The oil companies continue to take over more land in order to find more oil. The Huaorani face many issues because of the oil companies that have taken over a large portion of their land. The Huaorani faced new diseases that sickened, and killed many of them. Their homes were invaded and destroyed by the outsiders. The oil companies have built a road through the heart of the Huaorani territory. Since the oil companies have done this it has severely hurt the habitat in which the Huaorani hunt. The rainforest that they hunted and gathered from was depleting very quickly, which caused food shortages. The oil companies have their own camps built within the Ecuadorian forest, which has exposed the locals to all of the material items that outside world has. Things like stereos, televisions, alcohol, and other luxuries. â€Å"While some Huaorani have resisted the patrollers, others have become dependent on them, some even becoming oil company employees,† (Cuna, 2007, para. 8). â€Å"The Huaorani believe that when someone dies, the soul starts a journey towards heaven. On the way, in the middle of the path, a big anaconda is obstructing the way. Only brave souls can jump the boa and reach heaven. Whoever fails, returns to earth as a termite, and leads a miserable existence,† (Cuna, 2007, Para. 12). When it comes to death the Huaorani do not fear it, nor do they morn for the one’s that pass. They do not have a big funeral like Americans do. They simply bury their dead and go on with life, there are no condolences offered. They have no sense of time when it comes to age and things like this. If you were to ask a man or woman how old they were they would not be able to tell you because they do not keep up with that. The Huaorani of Ecuador hunt with blowguns and spears made out of chonta wood which is very heavy (Cuna, 2007). They also use a fruit carcass that is filled with cotton to make it hard, and darts that they are curare-dipped (Cuna, 2007). The curare is made by mixing various vines and plants together and boiling them, which creates the poison that paralyzes and kills the prey (Cuna, 2007). The Huaorani are primarily hunters and their diet consists of monkey, wild boar, and turtles, but they also eat bananas and other native fruits in the area. They have a connection with the forest that is unknown to many people. Their connection with the rainforest is important to their survival in that without that connection they would not have the knowledge and abilities to gather and survive otherwise. The Huaorani acquired a few new methods for hunting from the outsiders. These items include shotguns and dynamite, which caused them problems because it made it too easy. By making it so easy they killed more than they needed to, which depleted the wildlife in the area. They hurt themselves by doing this because by killing all the animals they no longer had any to hunt. With no animals to hunt they would have no food other than berries, which caused weight loss and forced them to move. Huaorani fear snakes because they believe that they are evil and that is why in death the warriors have to jump over a snake in order to go on to live forever. They honor the jaguar in a sense because they think that the jaguar allows them to communicate with the spirits. They also have respect and interest in the trees because of the medicine they get from them, and because they relate the growth of trees to their own growth. How the leafs change with age and how the trees progress throughout the years. The trees are complex in the way they mature and grow just as the Huaorani do. They usually live in small settlements that they have planted vegetable gardens in and they grow manioc, maize, peanuts, sweet potatoes, and many types of fruits. That way they can have something besides just the meat that the men gather from the forest. By planting these gardens they have to move every ten years or so in order to keep from over exerting the land. Moving allows the land to heal itself so that it can be planted again years later. Huaorani living quarters are made up of smaller sub settlements within the larger settlement which are positioned at distances of a couple days walk from one another. They do this in case of danger and resource depletion. This is a prerequisite to the egalitarian social system that they live by (Rival, 2005). Their houses can provide shelter for ten or so people all of the same family. There is almost always laughter and joking going on throughout the households because the Huaorani are very close. Men in the tribe wear a cotton string like clothe around their waist that also holds their genital in the upright position. Women wear a similar cotton string clothe, but theirs is thinner. Once children are able to walk on their own they can then wear the cotton string clothe, but not until then. Huaorani children are very self-sufficient and independent, and their relations with the adults are devoid of authority. Adults have no sense of hierarchical superiority, and they are not over-protective of the children. The Huaorani define independence as the ability to bring food back and share it with others. The next stage of maturity for both genders is when they are mature enough and decide they want to get married. This is when they get their ears pierced and have a wedding ceremony. These ear piercings are not like ours, they have hard pieces of wood placed in the holes until they get to the right size. Gender relations consist of the men being the hunters, the women can hunt but usually do not instead they gather fruits, and berries, and take care of the children. The men and women are treated equally when it comes to family decisions, however there are different chores. The Huaorani women are strong and independent, and also know what plants to use as a natural birth control in order to limit themselves to two or three children. The children learn from their elders by observing and trying to imitate them. At very young ages the children are able to be on their own, once they have learned to walk and share food. Huaorani do not really care about the children talking so much as they do singing, sharing, and hunting. The affect that the horticulturist life style has on the gender relations is noticeable by the roles that each member of the family plays. As far as being gathers of meat, berries, childcare, and marriage. There is informal education among the Huaorani when it comes to the children learning their place and responsibilities based on gender. The children stay close to adults knowing that they will not be sent away. No one tells the child to do this, but they begin to imitate what they see their elders doing. Children do not get scolded or praised for their behavior by anyone in the household. The children have no bedtimes they just play until they fall asleep. This type of education may not be acceptable in our society, but this is what they know. This is their way of life and how they grow and mature throughout their life. Children finish the first stage of life maturity when they can walk and gather on their own and in return home and share what they got. Kinship in the Huaorani society is very important in that family life is the most important thing to them. The kinship consists of mother, father, children, spouses, and grandchildren. This helps with the daily responsibilities that are required of the family. If something were to happen to a child such as becoming orphaned then other family members will automatically take the child in as their own. The horticulturist lifestyle affects the kinship of the Huaorani because they live in small groups based on their family unit in order to ensure that their families are provided for. They take care of family first as far as food and other much needed supplies are concerned. Political organization, there really is not any except for when there is a major conflict only then is there any type of leadership. No one gives orders to anyone, they all know what they have to do and they do it. There is no need for political organization unless there is a major issue that arises and that is usually not between kin or other Huaorani settlements, but outsiders. This is because they usually settle any disputes on their own by giving food to one another or by killing the offending party. The beliefs that they have affect the lack of political organization needed. Their main idea is to be as self-sufficient and independent as possible that is the egalitarian society. When a member of the household becomes sick all the other members have to live with the same food restrictions to help the sick person recover (Rival, 1998). Relatives that live in a different house do not share the same food restrictions. Members usually share illnesses when living in the same house. There is natural medicine made from various plants to help with certain diseases and for birth control. Illnesses have become worse since the Huaorani have made contact with the outsiders. The outsiders brought new diseases that they have never experienced before. These diseases have hurt and even killed many of them because they refuse help from the outsiders and they themselves do not have the cures for them. The Huaorani have had changes in their social life due to the outsiders taking much of their land. They have had to run deeper into the rainforest in order to remain free. By doing this their life changed because they had to give up some of the land that they once used for daily life. However, they still laugh and joke among each other. They still enjoy the company of their kin and make the best of their life. The outsiders have brought out the worst in them by angering them, which led to deaths of outsiders in order for them to protect their own way of life. Beliefs and values that are shared and practiced by the Huaorani are very important. Their beliefs are directly affected by their horticulturalist life style, in that they are all about sharing and taking care of their kin. They have ceremonies for important maturity stages such as becoming an adult, preparing for marriage, and the wedding itself. They values that they have are being true and taking care of their own. They do not value material items because they do not need them. Without their beliefs and values they would have nothing. Huaorani economy is all about sharing among the sub settlement members. They are all about sharing meat, berries, and other necessities. Adults share with each other and help one another when gathering food. Children go out with the adults and gather food also, and they bring it back to the house to share with everyone. Everyone works together in the household to ensure that no one lacks what they need to survive. They also defend their home together so that no harm comes to their family. Everyone in the household will have food to eat because the food collected by one member is shared with all. They do not however share with members of a different sub settlement because they have no reciprocity between them. This is just not a common thing for them. If they did give food and then got nothing in return it would cause a war between the two settlements. The future of the Huaorani looks very gloomy in my opinion. They have been through so much in the past thirty years, and who knows how much more they can endure. If the oil companies continue to take over more and more of the rainforest then the Huaorani will soon have nowhere left to hunt. Without the government standing by their word and keeping a certain amount of land secure for them they will surely come to their demise. Their cultural safety is in harm due to the continued desires for the oil rich soil that they depend on for their livelihood. In conclusion the Huaorani people are a semi-nomadic horticulturalist society that has little need for political organization, and gender relations and kinship are affected by their egalitarian social system. Their horticulturalist lifestyle affects every aspect of their daily life to include kinship, gender relations, and social organization. Everything in their daily life is affected in some way by their beliefs and cultural practices. Without their kinship there is no way that they would be able to survive as a people. Their lack of political organization may be a bad thing for them given their current state with the outsiders continually taking over more of their land.