The Pianist Review Essay Example

The Pianist Review Paper Essay on The Pianist Rather, it is simply the notes I wrote down during the reading of the novel The Piano Teacher Elfriede Jelinek. In that order in which they appear. impressions of the novel can be traced to him. And the dynamics The lady dominates the passengers as the embodiment of unenlightened majority that one property vested in excess -. Bellicose ardor. If necessary, it shlestnetsya with anyone This is the definition. Militant enthusiasm - could not be better characterize creativity itself Jelinek Embodied hatred of the people, embodied contempt We will write a custom essay sample on The Pianist Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Pianist Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Pianist Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As you can see in others only the sharply negative traits? Over the years, the daughter of a mother superior in skill to look down on people. Sublimation writer. And the wildest. buzzing past women customers. The owner assures the owner of soprano baritone that grapes today are quite moldy. Especially at the bottom of the plastic packaging. So she did not to take it, what with all his quavering voice informs the other, tumbling them a bunch of junk from the complaints and reproaches This is a characteristic of the whole Pianist :. Wholeheartedly quavering voice alerts other, tumbling them a bunch of junk from the complaints and reproaches  » Sarcasm image thoughts, actions and feelings of her character. It is very unevenly written. No, even style. And the action it is uniform. But the sense On the next pages are the sublime story of sonatas by Bach and description hideous family scenes between mother and daughter with a brawl and torn out hair If you have to let go of the novel all bytovuhu and broken, or more precisely -. Perverse psychology characters, leaving only the music and the description of Vienna, the novel would have made three times shorter and five times more enjoyable. On the other hand, if it were not Jelinek. And the Nobel Prize would have got someone else, even more broken And that would have won the world from such a reduction? hmmm I do not know, not sure. - The following is written after reading the novel. While reading The Piano Teacher fully understood and I realized a few things: 1) what postmodernism is full; 2) ambivalence in full until reading an opinion about what is happening and describes not only changed from scene to scene. In general, almost every scene was very ambivalent. But the vast majority have been described very clearly negative attitude. Good music only and work description. The writer wants to tap the brains of readers. And she did it reaches the The general impression -. Not like a novel. But understand clearly that Elfriede Jelinek exactly this effect and tried to achieve. Some might assume that it is not much, because I supposedly like snot and romantic love stories. Nothing like this. I love the serious things that make you think, to reflect, to realize, to feel But over history Pianist I do not want to speculate. If Jelinek story invented, I some times seem inaccurate psychologically incongruous. and if you described is really a true story, its just fu For example, I completely killed the episode where the guy (and hero thin feeling, a pianist, a lover and connoisseur of fine) once again denies his beloved, and he is exactly because of this park is in Vienna II . Ater with the aim to turn the head of flamingo I went here yesterday in our natural wonder a fabulous Askania Nova. Including and admiring flamingos. People spend a lot of time and effort to save the birds, so they were cool, comfortable give the world the beauty. Well, someone opposite responds to love failure. You may say, So its just written so that the reader wondered, horrified .. Has gone through mental cleansing, catharsis!. To this did not happen in reality.  » And Im sure that anyone who applies force and effort to create the world something good and beautiful, even their failure will be poured in the creation of new works. And thus soothe and cleanse your soul. And exactly this should be written in the books -. Show here this way, rather than killing flamingo If the purpose of the book to warn about the dark side in peoples souls, even those that appear to be ideal then on it is also a well-known saying: it is better to trust and to be cheated than not to trust (about) If the goal to smaller this happened in reality so, IMHO, this meant psychologists, psychotherapists. psychoanalysts and psychopathology. Instead of Literature In general, -. Negative and negative to say about the novel can be much more than a good and positive. Read in that case, if you want to think about the people badly and justify yourself for any negative actions and thoughts And one more note:. Frau Jelinek won the Nobel Prize for his work, in which the principal place is occupied by two the novel that I read Mistresses and The pianist. Conclusion: The need to change something, first of all, in the minds of the Nobel Committee, and secondly, as a whole in the literature . The Pianist Review Essay Example The Pianist Review Paper Essay on The Pianist Writers rebellion has spread to all sectors of the population: they write a lot, write whatever they write about everything. Indeed, who among us did not write anything and somehow? At least, as they say, for myself at the table. But Im not talking about women writers, tycoons and TV presenters. No, it is gnawed and insipid theme, moreover, it is self-deception to search the literature where it is not. Nobel laureates a different level. The human mind is full of prejudices and biases, tends to draw conclusions that if the work of art was awarded a major global awards, then it is a priori, a kind of standard of decent quality work. Winners are not judged, but the Nobel Prize in 2004, awarded by Elfriede Jelinek for the book The Pianist, has stirred up not only the intelligentsia: the stones in the writers creativity Address throw a lot. It is impossible to imagine that the books of this writer ever came into the school curriculum in literature! our deep moral admirers of classic l iterature snort and cringe. Of course, the book was controversial, the topic is very bold, but if the Nobel academics walked by her side, Im sure, malicious attacks on Jelineks work would have been much less, because a worker who has received such a high score, the demand is much greater, and interest in his person above . So now about the book. The plot it is simple: the intimate conservatory teacher of music, which is much over thirty, and her student. But psychological spirals and labyrinths of her relationship with her mother, mistress of the house and the life of Erica (the main character), with the music, which is not less than the mother sucked out of her juices nature, with men, with their inner world is very complex and confusing. Inner monologues show the thinking and continuous process samopoznavatelnom heroine. These passions fall upon the reader who starts to squirm and indignant, but a big mistake on his part would be to throw the book after reading the first 60 pages. After reading the book, you will make very different conclusions. Of course, that describes Jelinek, our whole human being rejects. We can not imagine that love has wrong side, disgusting and perverse. But realizing it, a person develops a harmonious picture of this feeling: everything in life, there are positive and negat ive sides. Dark, rough side of a love relationship between a man and a woman is shown Jelinek as the only existing reality of love. In the book, all couples are unhappy, there is no happy, no clearance. Life, routine, monotony kill interest and feelings for each other. The city in which he lives Erika, dirty and ugly a reflection of the life of its people, deafened by loud music, zombie TV, drowning in their own filth. Jelinek chooses bright, lively metaphor, describing the scene, the action itself and the main actors. We will write a custom essay sample on The Pianist Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Pianist Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Pianist Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The book has its own special rhythm, musical language, rising from the piano-narrative at the beginning of the book, he goes to the climactic fortissimo at the end . This is not an easy symphony of human life is not every artist under force, and a rare person to really hear her. To be honest, its frightening to speculate on the future of Erica As always, I want to believe the best, look on the bright sight, but given the overall mood of the book, the mood of the narrative Jelinek, her character is nothing more to expect from life, in addition to another tragedy.

A Christian White Mans View On Immigration

A Christian White Mans View On Immigration Free Online Research Papers A couple years ago, I attended what were called The Rollins Lectures at Baptist University of the Americas. The topic was immigration. All but two of the panelists were basically rehashing the same old erroneous ‘open borders propaganda’ that has been spewed for years. Needless to say, the scales were tipped heavily to one set of beliefs on the issue. What is worse is that these panelists invoked GOD and HIS WORD in a poor attempt to back up their position. At best, this was done in pure ignorance of Biblical truth and reality in general, which ignorance is itself wrong in God’s eyes, at worst, this was outright heresy! I will address this improper use of the Bible a bit later in this paper. For now, I will address a few of the secular arguments used by the ‘open borders’ crowd†¦and specifically the panelists of this lecture series. A popular argument is that these illegal immigrants will do work Americans refuse to do. WHAT?! Before the incredible invasion of our borders, Americans WERE doing the same jobs! The difference was that Americans expected a decent wage for an honest day’s work. Illegals are willing to take a severe pay cut by American standards, though not by their own, just to be in America thus corporate and political America saw their greedy aspirations become a reality. By preventing illegal entry into our great nation, we are preventing the exploitation of human beings! Is that not a Christian way to act? If they were just willing to enter legally AND the bureaucratic process was actually one based in sanity, these same people could be making three and four times what they can get under the table due to being illegal. Isn’t that the more ideal way to provide for a family? In the last two years, I have had the opportunity to be in our nation’s capital three times. It is no surprise to me that the politicians there spout off about Americans refusing to do certain work. 98% of the whites in the metropolitan D.C. area are either in Congress, the White House or work for politically (power) oriented businesses. The cabbies, hotel bellhops and skycaps at the airport are primarily from African or Middle Eastern nations. Suffice it to say, the view from Capitol Hill is a tad skewed, to say the least. Let’s examine the impact of illegal immigration on the American economy for just a moment. When illegals come here looking for work, they send more of what they earn BACK to their home countries than they spend in America. This is not a help to America’s economic growth. Emergency rooms throughout the border states in particular fill up with illegals when they or their families that they have brought with them get sick. Who pays that bill? It is NOT them. Taxpayers foot the bill. Yes, some illegals pay taxes, but this is because of fraudulent use of someone else’s social security number, or a ‘legit’ social security number that is obtained because our government does not follow through properly in all its checks and balances. As noted in a KGTV report, Illegal Immigration Could Cost Taxpayers Trillions, The influx of illegal immigrants has effectively imported about 10 million high school dropouts into the United States, said Robert Rector, a senior research fellow in welfare and family issues for the Washington, D.C.-based think tank. Don’t we have enough of our own drop-outs in San Antonio (i.e. the Westside), much less the rest of America that we need to deal with? Just being poor or wanting to come here is not a valid reason to violate the national sovereignty of the United States. If so, most of the world would be here. While we already devote considerable resources to our resident poor, the USA does not have the resources for all the worlds poor. It is also important to note, God does not obligate us to fix the poverty of the entire planet anywhere in the Bible. While a smaller percentage than most countries, the US has our own resident poor and uneducated to take care of and, as rich as the country is, we simply cannot support all the poor and uneducated who want to come here. We are but one nation out of nearly 300 throughout the world. Are we being the best Christian stewards of our resources, which God requires us to be, when we continue to support those who violate our laws and sovereignty? As reported by Bruce Barton in Totalization Sell-Out: What You Dont Know will Cost You: the Commissioner of the U.S. Social Security Administration (Jo Anne Barnhart) and her Mexican counterpart concluded the U.S.-Mexican Totalization Agreement. This agreement had to be in place prior to the administrations second term and its all-out offensive for Social Security reform. This agreement would allow illegal aliens working in the U.S. to qualify for Social Security benefits with as few as six coverage credits, as opposed to the 40 now required of American workers. Additionally, illegal workers could qualify for partial benefits after only 18 months (working illegally and with a false identity), while the American worker would still have to work 10 years in order to vest in the program. Lastly, families and dependents of illegal workers would be entitled to benefits as dependents and survivors, even if not residing in the U.S.† Sounds to me like I ought to cross the border into Mexico, and come BACK across the border without proper paperwork so I can get illegal status and have to do HALF the work of a citizen to get the same benefits! The report goes on to say â€Å" The Social Security Administrations estimate is that only about 50,000 Mexican workers (both legal and illegal) will enter the program in its first year at a cost of $78 million. This ignores the fact that presently there are an estimated 12 to 18 million undocumented Mexicans now in the American workforce. In 2004, the SSA did a study and determined that there were up to 800,000 mis-matched social security accounts, many of which were workers using non-work social security cards, or worse, using stolen social security numbers. Meanwhile, estimates of the SSA are that by 2050 only 300,000 Mexican workers in the U.S. would be in the system at a cost projection of $650 million annually.† There is another argument used, though not brought up in the dialogue on either day of the lecture. The argument has to do with those who break into our nation with NO paperwork†¦including paperwork proving their citizenship in their home country. Now, this may prove a delicate predicament for some. However, I do believe it is not something new to our government’s immigration enforcement agencies. Surely, if one looks hard enough, there is a way to determine where someone originally came from. If you have a real name for a person, surely you can trace it back to family or friends in the native land with a bit of work and willing participation under the right motivation. If you think about it, anyone could conveniently ‘lose their papers’ and use the aforementioned argument otherwise. During the final session of the Lecture’s first day, I addressed Dr. Daisy Machado’s mischaracterization of the Minuteman movement and other organizations in the fight for secure borders. In my addressing her I said that I hoped her words were the result of her ignorance of the true foundation for the current movement to secure our borders, and not just some misleading attempt to besmirch true patriots in favor of criminal trespassers. She made much about how arguments are ‘couched’†¦I called her on that point as she never refers to illegal immigrants as illegal immigrants, she only ever used the term immigrants. She did have to acquiesce to a degree when I stated that if you do not have the required paperwork to prove you belong somewhere that you are breaking the law! She claimed that the Minutemen were racists with violent tendencies who were against immigrants. She showed undocumented ‘evidence’ of violence and racist remarks by people supposedly part of the Minuteman movement. None of the things she displayed on the power point had ANY reference by which one can verify the claims made. Furthermore, â€Å"Minutemen† is more a nebulous term now, though there is the Minuteman Project and the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, the latter of which I am a part, and stated such to the entire body of students and staff who were present. The Minutemen I associate with are neither racist nor violent, though we will protect our borders by whatever legal means necessary. Dr. Machado was very careful to never mention the violence committed just in the last year or so by illegals who have invaded our nation, nor of the disproportionate amount of violent offender prison population who are illegals. No mention was made of the U.S. Border Patrol agents who have been murdered or who have nearly lost their lives, nor of the four officers in Laredo murdered by members of MS-13 who entered illegally. A fair and balanced portrayal of violence and illegal immigration? I think not. Dr. Machado stated that I could not speak any more for the whole movement than she could for all immigrants. Well, I am the Public Relations Director for American Freedom Riders – San Antonio Brigade, a group of motorcycle riders intent on securing our nation’s borders, something the federal government refuses to do! I am also President of the San Antonio Chapter of the US Border Watch organization based in Houston, Texas. I am a former San Antonio Director for the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps., and former National Vetting officer for the same organization. I think I have a pretty solid grasp of the intent of the national security movement. Do some loose cannon folks do stupid things within some of these organizations? Yes! Does that mean you can tar and feather the whole organization for it, well, according to Dr. Machado, probably†¦but in reality, NO! Using her logic, I could simply say every illegal immigrant is a terrorist. I honestly do not believe that to be the case. The debate over illegal immigration and secure borders is, at its core, about national sovereignty. Ronald Reagan said it best, ‘A nation without borders is not a nation at all.’ This is especially true when two nations, who are vastly different in language and culture, share a large border as Mexico and the United States do. Let me now address this issue from a PROPER Scriptural basis as I promised to do earlier, which is not even close to what took place during the Rollins Lecture series. The notion of separate nations came from none other than God himself! We know this to be true simply by reading Genesis 11, as this is used as a judgment, though one could make a strong case that borders were created by God as early as the Garden of Eden. At the Tower of Babel God chose to confuse the languages of the people. We are told in Acts 17:26-27: That God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord. Scripture makes clear that the purpose of the creation of nation-states is to, in some measure restrain Satan’s ability to create his kingdom on earth until the Lord’s timing as discussed in Revelations 17:17: For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. But nation-states serve another purpose as well, to be Gods instruments on earth for meting out justice and providing protection for the people. (Deuteronomy 17:14-17) Let us now examine the following four passages from the Hebrew Bible a.k.a. the Old Testament: Leviticus 19:33-34: And if a stranger sojourns with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. Exodus 22:21: Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Exodus 23:9: Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:19: Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Sadly, many Christians read no further than this and have decided this was the totality of the Christian response to illegal immigrants. People without respect for our nation’s borders believe THIS is how we are to treat the illegal immigrants who have willingly invaded our nation. The problem is, many Christians are sadly lacking in their exegetical skills, therefore do not ‘rightly divide the word of truth’ (2 Timothy 2:15). In other words, they do not fully understand the context of the passages in terms of who is speaking and who is the audience being spoken to. If one is going to use Scripture to defend a position, it rather helps to know how to do it in a Godly manner. God requires us to use His word properly, without adding or taking away from it, even if only in our own sometimes fallible interpretations. A stranger that sojourns with you or lives with you does not have a single solitary thing to do with illegal immigrants. You can sojourn with strangers on a Greyhound bus. This does not make THEM or YOU illegal immigrants. The true correlation is that the children of Israel were strangers in Egypt. Thats why they were to treat their own strangers well, because they knew what it is like to be strangers in a foreign land. To be a â€Å"stranger† (The Hebrew word is Ger) is to be a foreigner. The children of Israel were invited into Egypt and, at first anyway, were honored guests. They of course were oppressed by later rulers who never knew Joseph, but they were certainly not in Egypt illegally. The Hebrews were not in any way violating Egyptian law. In fact, they were commanded not to offend their hosts in any way (Genesis 46:28-34). Clearly, stranger does not equal illegal immigrant from a Biblical perspective. Even when the term alien is used in the Bible, it seems to have the exact same meaning as stranger. God loves the stranger, were told. You should, too. They should be treated with respect and dignity. They should not be mistreated. These foreigners should be given food and clothing when they are in need. Thats the clear message of the Bible, treat law-abiding foreigners and immigrants with love and compassion. The immigrants and strangers of the Bible were expected to obey the Hebrew laws, though they were exempt from some. They were treated differently than the children of Israel in that they could not own property; they could be bought as slaves (though most slaves were more like indentured servants) and charged interest on loans. Only if these immigrants and strangers were fully converted as Jews, and that included circumcision, could they be landowners, partake of the Passover and be fully integrated into the nation of Israel. The strangers of the Bible were expected to fully assimilate into the Hebrew religion and culture before they could receive all the blessings and all the responsibility of full citizenship. These godly instructions were meant not just for the judges and kings of Israel, but, more importantly, for the citizenry. These instructions are still relevant today. If we want to be compassionate to the strangers and immigrants of our world today, those law-abiding foreigners who desperately want to come to America and are patiently waiting their turn, we need to be certain they dont get squeezed out unfairly by those who broke the law and pushed ahead of them in line. Certainly, we cannot mistreat or abuse lawbreakers. Many of these have broken the law with honorable intentions of bettering the lives of their families. We as Christians must remember they are human beings, and as such must be accorded proper dignity. Nevertheless, these lawbreakers are called illegal immigrants for a reason; they came across OUR borders uninvited! They have in essence committed breaking and entering into our great HOME land. They are not just strangers; they are trespassers. They need to go back home and get in line like everyone else waiting to enter our country lawfully. The mercy of the Christian faith is actually in allowing them the opportunity to come back legally in the first place after having made the attempt illegally. When we engage governments who are oppressing their people, we should verifiably ensure that basic human rights are protected. We cannot continue to say one thing and do another with regard to aid and sanctions in situations where we have chosen to be committed. While we are not able to save the planet from all its ills and fix every problem, we are under no obligation from God to meet the needs of everyone, nor give refuge to every victim of injustice, nor bring them into our homeland, nor make their own nation a democracy. God has allowed people to be born where they were. All may help others at will insofar as possible and desired, individually or corporately through the local church (the only institution ordained by God for the purpose of Christian work) as led by the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we are obligated to spread the gospel, and compelled by the Holy Spirit to share the love of the Lord in many ways. God does NOT obligate Christians to balance the world’s population according to someone’s idea of equal opportunity for anything other than the gospel. That is God’s job and He alone will do exactly that in HIS time! EMAIL: skyskyrider@hotmail.com USERNAME: skyrider3277 Research Papers on A Christian White Man's View On ImmigrationThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XQuebec and CanadaComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoWhere Wild and West MeetCapital PunishmentAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeUnreasonable Searches and Seizures

Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Personal Statement Example Currently, I work as an administrative assistant at a non-profit organization. Despite the challenges I face bringing up my three children, I have excelled at my place of work. This opportunity has enabled me learn management operations of a non-profit organization through handling of communications for the management. I have also acquired skills on other business operations that ensure an organization’s success, including record keeping, book keeping and general office operations. In line with my careers goals, I now seek to rise to management level in a public organization. Pursuing Master of Public Administration would equip me with the necessary skills in management and operations, law and human resources management. John Jay College is my best choice because it would provide me with education in liberal arts and criminal justice, in addition to professional studies. This, according to John Jay College of Criminal Justice (n.d.), enables its students to transform ideas into leadership and social action. Additionally, the location of the college within the locality of my birth makes adaptation to the learning environment

Drug Abuse Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Drug Abuse - Research Paper Example Another case of the youths doing drugs is the underage children who copy drugs and substance abuse from their peer, guardians, and parents. They do not engage in drugs because they are out of options, but rather they engage in drugs just for the fun of it, in which case they consume copious amounts of drugs just to relax their bodies and feel delirious. According to Jaffe (2000), the most common drug abused by these youngsters is alcohol. Statistics show that some kids begin abusing alcohol from as early as age twelve. A majority of this category of youngsters comes from rich families or families that are well off financially, and as such, the parents give their children a lot of freedom and loose change, most of which they waste on alcohol.Another case of the youths doing drugs is the underage children who copy drugs and substance abuse from their peer, guardians, and parents. They do not engage in drugs because they are out of options, but rather they engage in drugs just for the f un of it, in which case they consume copious amounts of drugs just to relax their bodies and feel delirious. According to Jaffe(2000), the most common drug abused by these youngsters is alcohol. Statistics show that some kids begin abusing alcohol from as early as age twelve. A majority of this category of youngsters comes from rich families or families that are well off financially, and as such, the parents give their children a lot of freedom and loose change, most of which they waste on alcohol.

Work Performance and Employee Well Being Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Work Performance and Employee Well Being - Essay Example Work performance and well-being of an employee have a cause and effect relationship with each other that runs both ways. Well-being is both a cause and effect of good work performance. On one hand, when an employee is psychologically and physically healthy, he/she is able to deliver his/her best at work and thus his/her work performance is enhanced. On the other hand, good performance at work leads to better reputation of the employee in the organization so that the employee feels good while at work. Similarly, good work performance is both a cause and effect of well-being. When an individual shows good performance at work, he/she finds interest in work. This interest helps him/her work hard so that he/she earns the trust and confidence of the employer. As a result of this, the owner appreciates the efforts of the employee by rewarding him/her through increase of wages, additional benefits with wage, and/or a higher position in the workplace. â€Å"People’s experiences at work affect how they feel about themselves, how they interact with their families and friends, how they use their leisure t ime, how anxious they are about the future and so on† (Fairhurst and O’Connor, n.d., p. 2). Any kind of reward increases the level of happiness of the employee and the employee’s overall well-being is enhanced. Work performance of an individual is an outcome of several variables that include but are not limited to the physical and mental health of the employee, the eligibility and competence of the employee in the work, the employee’s qualification and experience in the similar kind of work, and most importantly, the employee’s level of motivation. Of all of these factors, employee’s well-being is the most fundamental factor that affects his/her performance because if an employee does not feel well, he/she might not arrive at the work at the first place. â€Å"Having healthy employees is

Structural Consensus and Structural Conflict Theories

Structural Consensus and Structural Conflict Theories Compare and contrast structural consensus and structural conflict theories of social action with interpretivist perspectives that emphasize human agency In Sociology, one of the main concepts that have influenced social theory is structure and social action. Functionalism and Marxism fit into the structure view that emphasises the macro perspective; examining society as a whole and how it shapes human behaviour and ideas, therefore, in order to understand human behaviour, the social structures are in need of investigation (Brym Lie, 2009) . On the other hand, social action theories are voluntaristic. They focus on human interactions upon a micro level. It argues that individuals have free will and are not ‘puppets’; therefore, the actions and meanings of individuals create and shape the society. This suggests actions are not determined by structure. In this essay, these theories will be addressed in order to gain a better understanding of how they are relevant in today’s society. It is important to compare and contrast these theories through use of evidence and critical thinking as they often contradict each othe r but nonetheless create a wider understanding of human agency. In the first half of this essay, structural conflict is illustrated as an assumption that society is becoming more individualistic, though as a counter argument functionalism uses the idea of social solidarity, which leads to their further analysis showing their agreements and disagreements. A contrary debate is provided in the second section of the essay that focuses further on the humanist individualistic approach. However, Weber believes both structural and social action should be taken in to consideration in order to understand human’s actions efficiently. Functionalism falls into structural consensus theory that came into sociology in the middle of twentieth century, although, some of its ideas were present in the founders of sociology in the ninetieth century. It has been argued that the model that functionalism has created of society has led to other perspectives re-emerging in response to those ideas (O’Byrne, 2010). Thus the theory has made such impact on sociological thinking to this day. Functionalists such as Emile Durkheim (1858- 1917) whom is arguably one of the founding fathers of sociology firstly stressed consensus notion in social structure; stating that any human thinking is inherited rather than invented. This takes place in socialisation process that teaches humans to conform to norms and values or in other words- cultural behaviour considerably accepted in certain settings (Jones, 2003). He deemed this term ‘collective consciousness’; Durkheim described this as beliefs and ideas of a common human b eing in the same society (Punch et al, 2013). Furthermore, Durkheim explored society as a system and its function within the society. In order to explain this, use of organic analogy takes place as a way of describing how each social factor or institutions are interdependent for the society’s needs. For instance, if one body organ stops functioning, then the rest of the body cannot survive, this can be explained within social institutions too, without the nuclear family the society wouldn’t be able to form social cohesion and solidarity (Jones, 2001). On the other hand, other functionalists such as Talcott Parsons had similar ideas, though ‘for Talcott Parsons one of the central tasks of sociology is to analyse society as a system of functionally interrelated variables’ (Cohen, 1968, p.45). Although Parsons does links his ideas to Durkheim, that is, in the society the personal beings and their views need to be treated as variables as stated by Cohen (1968). In contrast to structural consensus theories mentioned above, Marxism is known as a structural conflict theory that has been influenced and introduced by Karl Marx (1818- 1883). Economics was highly influential for him as well how the working class sell labour power, which determines how we relate to one another (Duffy, 2009). The theory examines the conflict between bourgeoisies and proletarians, unlike functionalism, he focused on class conflict and how it can be settled. Though since his death, there have been many interpretations of his thesis, some that stick to structural explanations of capitalism, and others that emphasize human agency as a humanist approach (Fawbert, 2014). Louis Althusser (1918-1990) interpreted Marx’s work on a structural capitalist sense; however instead of solely focusing on economic determinism, he alternatively concentrated on politics and ideologies. He claims that these levels are objective. This is because he believes humans are not active ag ents in social change, as we do not shape our society. For Althusser, to understand why the capitalism hasn’t collapsed, the states and its exercise of power need to be examined. He has discovered the repressive state apparatus, which consists of institutions such as the legal system or the police. In addition to the political apparatus that is- ideological state apparatus that includes media, family, education etc. that shape human’s process of thinking. As a result, our structure can be interconnected, just like how certain structures of dominance changed in history (Jones et al., 2011). To summarise, in his view, human agency plays no part in social change but the structures, and the only way of capitalism being taken over is through its internal contradictions. Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937), on the other hand was more of a humanist Marxist whom was famous for originating the notion of hegemony idea that there are constant ideologies to alter a person’s perspectives on the world. (Salamini, 1974) ‘For Gramsci, like Althusser, culture is relatively autonomous. However, unlike Althusser, social change is caused by cultural struggles as much as changes in economic forces.’ (Fawbert, 2011, pp.3). As this theory focuses on human agency and social action, it can be argued that it shifts towards the micro perspective due to the ideas moving away from the structural capitalism. This may suggest that the theory is more applicable to contemporary society as human beings have become more complex to understand as a result of constant social change. According to Punch (2013) Marxism and Functionalism have a few things in common, they both investigated the society from a macro perspective view instead of how individuals affect structure, and they were also both concerned about the society moving towards modernity and the ninetieth century industrialization as well as its effects on quality of life. This also included the introduction of theories of how modernity came about and its components. However, Marxists did focus more on the capitalism rather than the industrial society. Marx highly believed in political revolution of the working class that would involve rebellion, although his predictions have been criticised due to Eastern Europe Soviet Union destruction and rise of nationalism. However, it has been argued that in Marx’s eyes, these communists’ movements weren’t what he was hoping for. Durkheim, however, rejected the politics of revolution but did construct ideas about socialism. He focused greatly o n norms and values and social solidarity; therefore, a revolution would disturb these socially. Moreover, although Marxism is stated as highly deterministic, it can be argued that he does look at solidarity within social class. For instance, he believes that the proletarian does have to collectively rise up to the Bourgeoisie’s, sensing the idea of togetherness within the lower class. Though they had different motives, they both however, used analogy to explain the social structure. In this case Durkheim used organic analogy as explained above, whereas Marx used a building analogy – the base and the superstructure. The superstructure involves social institutions such as family and education, which supports class interests along with maintaining and legitimating the base through ideologies and culture. Economic base alternatively shapes the superstructure as it consists of means and relations of production that is owned by the bourgeoisie’s. This suggests that Marxists believed there are only two classes in which it is very difficult to move from one to another. Whereas functionalists disagreed with this and instead believed in meritocracy, the idea that if you work hard enough you can achieve through merit, essentially, gain success of what you deserve. This implies that if you put in enough effort, you can move from lower to upper class (Collins, 20 00). Moreover, both theories have been criticised for ignoring individual differences and their motives. This is because they strongly believe that the society shapes the individual instead of individual’s meanings and actions influencing the society, therefore the theories aren’t as applicable in contemporary society as it needs to examine human’s meanings to the world. Now we turn away from looking at macro perspectives to micro and their differences and similarities within. The ideas of interpritvist view of action and structure are displayed as contrary. Unlike structural theories, social action discusses the interactions between individuals in small groups and their motives; in result of this it is called social pragmatist theory. Human beings aren’t seen a puppets whereas the structure debate talks about individuals as predictable human beings. This then raises question on how the structure influence person’s actions and, in opposition, how does one’s actions alter the social structure (Morselli, 2014). There is a disagreement amongst the theories within social action when the discussion of the connection between society and action comes in. This is because theories such as ethnomethodology disagree with the concepts of wider structures but sees us as rational human beings and how we make sense of our everyday world (Bilton et al., 2002). While others such as G.H. Mead (1863-1931) who is symbolic interactionist stresses the socialisation as much as structural theories, in spite of this, he underlines the idea of reacting self and the behaviour expected. Mead has a base of three premises that tries to explain human agency. The first is that depending on what the thing is, humans will act certainly towards it, such as institutions, for instance, an individual would act differently in a school environment compared to a governmental institution. The second premise enhances the meaning of these things that it derived from- in most cases social interaction. Interpretive process then takes places in order to administer and modify such things (Blumer, 1986). Hence, Bilton (2002) suggests that although they are all micro theorist they interpret the terms of action and meaning inversely. Following on Meads work, these 3 premises challenged other sociological thinking, especially functionalism, to the view that solely the society determined human action and thinking. Evidence to back his theory was shown in Erving Goffman’s (1992-1982) work of whom was vastly influenced by Mead’s ideas of symbolic interactionism. His study tried to examine how social identity was defined by adaptation of certain roles, in this case, the mental asylum tried to reduce each inmate’s individuality through uniforms, haircuts, use of number instead of names, leading to each one of them changing his or her identity and self-image for the institutions interests (Calvert, 1992). Finally, Max Weber (1864-1920) took on an approach that combines social structure as well as agency theory emphasising motivational action. This differed to previous theories as functionalism greatly focused on institutions maintaining cohesion of wider structures, whereas Marx’s ideas were concerned on social class conflict as well as the origins of industrial capitalism. Though Weber rejected Marx’s view of economic determinism, he didn’t come across as falsifying them; he argued that Marx provided an unpolished portrayal of human motivation, therefore, lack of causal analysis of historical circumstances (Hughes et al., 1995). He also rejected the idea of universalism- that all societies go through same stages, due to meaningless infinity of complexity affecting each society differently (Chernilo, 2013). He therefore, tries to look at motivated social action as well as discuss large structures, such as cultural ideas. Weber’s vision was that we have move d away from traditional action to rational or in other words, goal-orientated. Individuals in our contemporary society start to think in a way to gain the benefits of the final goal and outweigh its consequences. Social structure becomes the outcome of this as our lifestyle is the product of our motives. As a consequence, Weber argued that modern capitalist societies are in a triumph of rationality. To explain this he used religion, specifically puritan protestant movement, which criticised the ‘catholic’ way of thinking. An example of this is his book The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism (1997). He found that Calvinism created the work ethic and asceticism that contributed to the rise of industrial capitalism; this maintained capitalism due to this religion accumulating constant wealth as a result of belief of predestination. The book moreover, states that the human actions can create consequences of rational thinking on a structural basis. Due to such disenchanted world, all superstition and values become pushed out cultural thinking. This is a crisis for Weber as then this leads to no meaning to the world in the way that religion has created previously (Jones et al., 2011) To summarise, the human agency has been evaluated variably depending on the theories. Durkheim mainly focuses on social solidarity influencing the decision making, although Marx agrees that society is responsible for shaping one’s opinion he’s more economical determinant. To balance this out, Weber brings in human’s motives and how these drives decision making upon an individual, as well as taking structural causes into consideration. Therefore, it can be argued that these sociology fathers have defined human agency but due their differences it is difficult to fully comprehend the affect the society has on human agency. References Bilton, T., Bonnet, K., Jones, P., Lawson, T., Skinner, D., Stanworth, M., Webster, A. (2002) Introductory Sociology, 4th edn., Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillian. Blumer, H. (1992) Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method, California: University of California Press. Brym, R. Lie, J. (2009) Sociology: Your Compass for a New World, Brief Edition: Enhanced Edition 2edn., Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Co Inc Calvert, SP. (1992) Sociology Today, Hertfordshire: Harvester Wheatsheaf. Chernilo, D. (2013) The Natural Law Foundations of Modern Social Theory: A Quest for Universalism, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Cohen, P. (1968) Modern Social Theory, London: Heinemann Education Books Ltd. Collins (2000) Internet-linked dictionary of Sociology, Glasgow: HarperCollins. Duffy, F. (2009) Marx, Social Change and Revolution’, Research Starters Sociology [Online] Research Starters, EBSCOhost (Accessed: 17 November 2014). Fawbert, J. (2014) Lecture 6: Structural and cultural Marxism: Althusser, Gramsci and the Frankfurt School, Understanding society, [Online] Available at: https://breo.beds.ac.uk (Accessed: 22 November 2014). Hughes, A.J., Martin, J.P., Sharrock, W.W. Understanding Classical Sociology: Marx, Weber, Durkheim, London: SAGE. Jones, P. (2003) Introducing Social theory, Cambridge: Polity Press. Jones, P., Bradbury, L., Boutillier, S., (2011) Introducing Social Theory 2edn., Cambridge: Polity Press. Jones, S. (2001) Durkheim Reconsidered, Cambridge: Polity Press. Morselli, A. (2014) Contemporary Capitalism between Human Action and Social Structure, Economics Sociology, 7 (2) pp. 11-19 EBSCOhost [Online] Available at: http://0-eds.b.ebscohost.com.brum.beds.ac.uk (Accessed: 17 November 2014). O’Byrne, D. (2010) Introducing Sociological Theory , Dawsonera [Online] Available at: https://www.dawsonera.com (Accessed: 15 November 2014). Punch, S., Marsh, I., Keating, M., Harden, J. (2013) Sociology, Making sense of Society, 5th edn., Edinburgh: Pearson. Salamini, L (1974) Gramsci and Marxist Sociology of Knowledge: an Analysis of Hegemony—Ideology—Knowledge, Sociological Quarterly, 15 (3) pp. 359-380 Wiley Online Library [Online] Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com (Accessed: 05 December 2014). Weber, M (1905)The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism,London: Routledge. 1

Motivation other than Money in the Workplace Essay -- Business Managem

The Motivation of Money Many people believe that they are motivated by earning money, but this is not always completely true as there are many other factors such as the conditions of the workplace and the need to be appreciated. There are many arguments that are both for and against money being the key motivator in the workplace. Some argue that being paid a good salary is important in attracting employees to a job and helps to keep them in the job. Although this money can become less of a motivator once the employee has been working for a time and the pay has become routine and expected. Although money may not be the only motivator in the workplace, it is the basis for the attitudes and behaviours of employees. If an employee feels they are being well paid and rewarded financially for their hard work and any extra effort, then they will be more likely to work hard and strive to gain these financial rewards. However if an employee is unhappy with the money that they are receiving for their work then it will be very difficult for them to be motivated in their work. One other view that supports money being a key motivator is that people feel that they are highly valued if they are receiving a decent salary. The higher their salary the more valued they feel within the organisation and so the more likely they are to work hard in their job and be motivated in their work. Cash awards can be a very effective way of motivating employees to meet targets and excel in their work. McGregor's theory of the reasons why people work shows that using these sorts of 'carrot' methods of motivating employees are often successful with the Th... ...ir needs have been met at a lower level before moving upward. For example, a person will not be motivated by love until they have had both their physiological and security needs met. Maslow's Model So in conclusion it is not always money that motivates, as although for a lot of people it is money that drives them this is not always the case. Money does however provide people with the ability to make choices and improve their quality of life. In order to motivate people, you need to find out what their wants are. It may be money, but this may not always be the case. People are motivated by a variety of items. It is the responsibility of the manager to find people's individual wants. In order to have motivated workers it is important for a manager to try to meet and attempt to satisfy these needs in some way.

Discuss the Role of the Supervisor in Organizational Planning

Course Title: Supervisory Management Submission Date: 22 October 2012 One Stop Production Company’s Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary of the Case3 Statement of the Problem4 Core Problem4 Satellite Problems6 Recommendations 16 Reasonable Assumptions19 Bibliography 20 Summary of the caseOne Stop Production is a garment manufacturer specializing in the production of school uniforms. Ms. Susan Holford shared the management of the business with her father Mr. Amos Holford over the past two years and will assume full responsibility for leadership of the company upon his retirement. She has a team of supervisors whose length of tenure with the business exceeds her own involvement with One Stop Production, and in general employees have performed the same functions from the business’ inception. The leadership styles of Susan and her father differ drastically.Motivated by her intention to manage the business in a different manner than her father, Susan is overwhelmed by the diffic ulties facing her – particularly the declining production and sales figures, and what she views as the refusal of the employees to improve production levels. This report outlines the challenges facing the business and its new manager Susan. It will first summarize the existing problems, and then establish specifically the core problem and satellite problems that exist; where necessary reasonable assumptions will be drawn and supported by evidence from the business.The report will then provide recommendations that will empower Susan, as leader, to chart the future course of the organization. This will be followed by a conclusion that unifies the various elements of the report. STATEMENT OF THE Problem Within different organizations one will find varying organizational structures and environments which contribute to the overall organizational culture. Entwined in here are the management and leadership styles, values and beliefs that exist within the organization.As this case an alysis was thoroughly investigated, we discovered that the One Stop Production Company had some major problems (Please refer to Exhibit 1. 0). After careful consideration and collaboration it has been established that the core problem which hinders the success of the company is â€Å"Ineffective Leadership and Organization Management†. Whilst the satellite problems include: ? Poor Organizational Structure ?Poor Management * No Clear Goals ?Ineffective Communication CORE PROBLEM Ineffective Leadership In this company, we will examine the leadership skills within the organisation.A leader’s role is to set the direction for establishing a clear vision by taking risks, sharing and communicating the vision with others so that they will follow willingly. It also includes motivating and inspiring staff by expanding energy through producing change, aligning contingencies by bringing everyone together and balancing the conflicting interests of all members or stakeholders. (www. businessdictionary. com) â€Å"The art of getting employees together on a common platform and extracting the best out of them refers to effective organisation management. † (www. managementstudyguide. com) SATELLITE PROBLEMSPoor Organisational Structure An organisational structure defines how job tasks are formally divided grouped and coordinated (Robbins & Judge 2010, p. 488). Within the One Stop Production Company the organizational structure was not clearly defined which often resulted in conflicts due to mixed instructions. Mr. Holford, although delegating the majority of functions and running of the operation to his supervisors, still constantly moved around giving random instructions to different employees regardless of department. Ms. Holford wants to restructure the organization having roles and job functions clearly defined.In addition she intends to appoint specific supervisors to specific departments which would define the levels of authority – Line or func tional; allowing both employees ad superiors to know who was responsible for what. Poor Management Management involves coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so that their activities are completed efficiently and effectively (Robbins & Coulter p. 6). â€Å"Ms. Holford never found the time to pursue management because her father had left the management of all three areas of the organization largely up to her† Ms.Holford exhibits a type of autocratic style of management and does not trust the knowledge of the staff. This lack of trust has resulted in her inability to select specific supervisors to specific department. She has very good ideas and intentions for the organization however a lack of management training proves to be a major deficiency. She does not have the co-operation of the workers and as a result her suggestions are not acted on. Ms. Holford believes the selection of a manager to run things for her is imperative however she does not know how to go about this process.Ineffective Communication Communication is ‘the transfer and understanding of meaning. It serves four major functions within a group or organization; control, motivation, emotional expression and information. ’ As seen in this case the flow of communication serves one main purpose and that is control. Employees are made aware of Ms. Holford’s suggestions and intentions at meetings however there appears to be no facility for feedback or input from the employees. The lack of trust in the workers’ knowledge results in a ‘one way’ flow of communication. No Clear Goals / Targets The goals of the organization have not been clearly defined and relayed to the workers. The levels of production and sales which are being sought have not been laid out to the workers. RECOMMENDATIONS * Management and Leadership training for Ms. Susan Holford. This is very important so as to develop within her the skills which are necessary for her to manage the organization as well the workers. Leadership & Learning are indispensible to each other. It is known that effective Leaders are not always born but can be trained. Hire a Human Resources Manager – Human resource managers have a key role to play to help a company achieve its objectives and run effectively. HR managers assist employees with matters relating to their employment and  also help employees with questions regarding health insurance and other benefits. Hiring and firing employees are both important functions performed by the  human  resources department because there are certain procedures to be followed. However, a crucial  role  of  human  resources  is to work closely with upper management as well as the staff to ensure positive company relations at all times. To assist with the hiring of the Human Resources Manager, we have attached the following document. Please see Exhibit 2. 1, 2. 2, 2. 3 and 2. 4) * Implement a five year strategic p lan – This should include the Goal setting  theory which involves establishing  specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely   (S. M. A. R. T  )   objectives. Work on the theory of goal-setting suggests that it's an effective tool for making progress by ensuring that participants in a group with a common goal are clearly aware of what is expected from them if an objective is to be achieved. Delegation of work – A General Manager should be chosen with the overall responsible for the day to running and they would report directly to Ms. Holford. In addition specific supervisors for the various departments should be put in place to oversee the running of those departments. Training should also be organized for all supervisors. The supervisors are a direct link between management and the workers. (Please refer to Exhibit 3. 0). * Communication has to become a ‘two way’ process and allow for feedback from the workers. Ms.Holford must spend ti me with key supervisors and staff and learn the business, while also truly learn about the staff. She should form a committee of Management from among the key stakeholders in the Company. The Supervisors should be able to communicate any new production and sales targets to their teams directly. * Goals / Targets – Production and Sales targets should be set and the targets should be known to all members of staff. The overall goals of the company should be clearly stated and ensure that the operation of each department coincides with the overall goals of the organization.Sales records for the past five years should be analyzed so as to pick up on trends and a comparison done with a company in a similar market. For instance sales maybe tied in to the start of the school year where for obvious reasons they will be at their highest. This research would aid in the setting of the targets and goals and also identify reasons for drops in sales at particular times. * Production Levels – The workers have been doing the same jobs since inception.New technology may be available to increase the efficiency of some processes and the training of workers in the use of new technology or processes to increase productivity and overall job efficiency. * Staff Morale – Despite receiving annual wage increases the employees still appear unhappy and are unwilling to improve production. Ms. Holford should pay attention to what the needs of the workers are. Look at improving the working environment, staff relations. Incentive schemes can be devised to encourage workers to produce more and build up their morale. CONCLUSIONThe members of our group believe that after thoroughly analyzing the main issues of the company, and implementation of the recommendations stated would improve the daily operations and production at the One Stop Production. However it should be noted that these recommendations have to be implemented overtime and the changing process should be a gradu al one as from the case it appears that the employees are very resistant to sudden change. It should be gradually incorporated into the activities and employees should be clearly shown the importance of it to the company and also the benefits that can be reaped through their assistance.BIBLOGRAPHY Kotter, John P. John P Kotter on what leaders really do: Harvard Business Press, 1999 Robbins, SP. ; Coulter, M. Management. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. , 2007 Robbins, SP. ;Judge, TA. Organisational Behavior Thirteen ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2008 Robbins, Stephen P. and Judge, Timothy A. Organisational Behaviour. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc, 2009 Mullins, Laurie J, Management and Organisational Behaviour 8th Ed, p. 382 www. businessdictionary. com Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity – Course Manual 2012

The Need for Electricians is on the Rise

The Need for Electricians is on the Rise The end of the Great Recession is worthy of celebration for several reasons, but one group of tradespeople may have even more reason to rejoice than the rest of the population: electricians. Why? Because with the recession behind them and a construction boom imminent, they are positioned to be in great demand in the years ahead. Here’s what you need to know. There’s a reason he’s so happy.A Closer Look at the NumbersAccording to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for electricians is expected to grow by a whopping 20 percent between 2012 and 2022. This significantly exceeds the average growth for all occupations.Why the increase? Jobs for electricians fluctuate based on the health of the overall economy. In times of stagnation and recession, demand for construction and maintenance drops leading to fewer jobs for these trained professionals.When the economy is healthy, however, the construction building and ma intenance industry thrives - meaning more jobs await those with the right training and qualifications.Not only that, but many older electricians turned to other types of work during the recession-era shortage. Their absence now leaves the door open to new workers in the field. Particularly with so much buzz surrounding the challenges of job seekers with bachelor’s degrees, the in-demand nature of electrical work makes it a more popular choice than ever.And considering that nearly every building has some form of electrical power, a building boom means terrific prospects for electricians.Not Just More Work, But Different WorkOther factors affecting the job market for electricians? Emerging technology related to alternative power generation - everything from solar to wind - will challenge electricians in new and exciting ways. From installation to linking these alternative sources of power to the grids, these responsibilities are expected to land with electricians, although g overnment policy may determine the extent to which employment opportunities occur.And while some manufacturing plants will shut down due to old or inefficient facilities, these closures should be outpaced by the installation and maintenance related to new manufacturing plants.What You Need to KnowElectricians require a high school diploma or its equivalent. Additionally, the majority of electricians learn the trade through a four to five year apprenticeship program, while others attend trade school. Nearly every state requires licensing before electricians can practice. This varies from state to state but typically includes a test on requirements related to electrical codes. What does it take to make it as an electrician? They typically have strong business, critical thinking, customer service, and troubleshooting skills.Because more and more people are becoming aware of the career promise in electrical work, the competition is stiff with hundreds of candidates applying for a handfu l of apprenticeships in certain regions. However, pursuing your goals despite the competition is largely regarded as worth it considering that many apprentices make more than many debt-burdened college grads: a median pay of just under $50,000 with the top earners making as much as $83,000.Even better? Ten percent of electricians are self-employed and can set their own hours.While the forecast for licensed electricians may not have looked sunny in the height of the recession, the current outlook is beyond bright - and more than reason enough to give this profession another look. Wondering about positions for electricians near you? Sign up for the innovative to get started.While the forecast for licensed electricians may not have looked sunny in the height of the recession, the current outlook is beyond bright - and more than reason enough to give this profession another look.

Voodoo Secrets

Voodoo Secrets Voodoo as a religion has its roots in traditional African religions. It original name is Vodu, but that paved way for the more widespread name; Voodoo. Other names referring to it include â€Å"Voudou, Vaudau, Voudoux, or Vaudaux† (Tallant 9). Captured slaves from West Africa carried its essential ideology into Haiti, then to America.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Voodoo Secrets specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The practice of Voodoo involves, â€Å"complicated rituals and symbols† (Riguad 7). It involves the worship of spiritual deities, with priests called papa loa, which means â€Å"father of the spirits† (Felix 21), and priestesses acting as intermediaries between the spiritual world, and humanity. Some of them also operate as oracles, revealing spiritual mysteries to those who seek their services. The term Voodoo also describes a charm that has supernatural powers known as juju. A dherents believe that it acts as a protective force over them. They also use it to mete out revenge on their enemies. Voodoo therefore refers to an entire religious system and to certain specific aspects of its practice. Voodoo picked pace from the practices of a snake cult in Haiti during the slave trade period. The cult came from West Africa and spread with slave trade, in the Americas and to Haiti. As new slave communities grew in the Americas, different religious identities amalgamated into a unified faith as the slave communities tried to forge a common belief system to unify them in their new locales. Felix says, â€Å"Voodoo became the intermingling of essential attributes of all the religions of the different African tribes to which poorly assimilated elements of Catholicism were added† (20). Voodoo got its form in Haiti, which was an important station during slave trade. Missionary efforts among the slaves saw them incorporate elements of Catholicism in practice of t he Voodoo religion. In the process, some Voodoo spirits replaced catholic saints because of close relationships between their roles. Currently, it is common to find prayers offered to Mary and other Catholic elements such as the Lord’s Prayer and the sign of the cross forming part of the Voodoo liturgy. In fact, many Voodoo adherents are staunch Catholics. In America, Voodoo practice first took place in New Orleans before spreading to other states. This was because of the role New Orleans played in slave trade.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Voodoo belief system builds on the idea of an all-powerful impersonal Supreme Being responsible for creation of the entire universe, but who does not get involved in day-to-day running characterized by the affairs of men. The adherents worship lesser deities known as Loa who are animistic spirits. The initia l practice of Voodoo revolved around slave communities that sought to retain the vital link with their ancestral heritage. Present followers include descendants of these slaves spread throughout the Americas. In addition, tourists all over the world visit Voodoo priests and priestesses in America and Haiti to obtain special charms and amulets for all manner of purposes.  Its practice involves praying, dancing, and ritualistic expressions. It is important to distinguish between faithful adherents who actually believe in power of Voodoo, and those who participate in Voodoo recreational purposes. The use of dolls in Voodoo is the enduring image of the faith system though this is only a piece of the entire system. This view, propagated by Hollywood horror movies, depicts Voodoo priests as spiritual powerhouses using the dolls to control the outcome of an individual’s activities. There are a number of opponents to Voodoo who believe it is evil. Official catholic faith rejects Vo odoo as demonic and considers use of saints in the Voodoo liturgy as syncretism. The question of whether Voodoo is fact or fiction is hard to answer sufficiently using a scientific approach. It does not lend itself to purely scientific investigation to determine its efficacy. This is true for all faith-based systems. Evidence given by practicing Voodoo adherents does not meet criteria for objective study because they are likely to associate ordinary outcomes to their faith. It is difficult to dissociate outcomes of Voodoo mediated occurrences from random chance. The Placebo effect also applies to Voodoo. Someone may actually experience a favorable outcome because of participation in Voodoo rituals based on their belief in the efficacy of the service received. Taking a healing portion from a Voodoo priest may result in better physical health. We can therefore conclude that Voodoo is effective to the extent that such outcomes portray a positive relationship to Voodoo practice. Voodoo has had many tangible consequences in the world. The most notable was the drive towards independence by Haiti, which begun in earnest during a Voodoo festival, where all the participants took an oath to fight for independence. Consequently, Haiti became the first predominantly Negro nation to attain independence. Riguad also attest to some of the effects of voodoo practice when he says, â€Å"a curious moral consequence of the slave trade was the exaltation of the African religion by an increase of faith in the Voodoo divinities† (12). Berry identifies one of the mystifying occurrences of Voodoo when he says, â€Å"One of the most spectacular features of Voodoo is ritual possession trance, in which saints (loa) enter into and â€Å"possess† the practitioner, who can either be a believer (with no special psychological problem), a patient, or a priest/doctor who seeks to heal†. This shows that Voodoo is not without its share of paranormal occurrences that science cannot fully explain.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Voodoo Secrets specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Berry, John, et al. Cross-cultural psychology: research and applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Print. Felix, Emmanuel. Understanding Haitian Voodoo. USA: Xulon Press, 2009. Print Riguad, Milo. Secrets of voodoo. New York: Lights Books, 1985. Print. Tallant, Robert. Voodoo in New Orleans. Louisiana: Pelican Publishing, 1983. Print.

Information Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information Security - Essay Example Thus, it becomes must for an organization to safeguard and make certain about the security of all the stored data. The intention of the policy in relation to information security is to defend the privacy, dependability and ease of admission of the systems as well as the information’s (CMS, 2006). The organization OUMC Edmond checks with the security policies regarding the information security as how developed and effective they are by reviewing them occasionally and also by updating them. The organization also monitors that whether the employees are abiding by the policies or not. They keep a check that whether any unlawful access is being taking place or not. This is how the organization makes sure about the development and effectiveness of its policies regarding the safety of the data. There are numerous policies that can be implemented by organizations to make certain of the privacy, accessibility and dependability of the data. OUMC Edmond sets its security policies in order to protect the information. The organization applies specific security policies such as data ownership, security and classification, usage of password, cryptography, data content, physical security, and mail ownership in electronic form, measures to manage and prevent virus, accountability regarding the end user as well as acceptable use, security awareness, backup and even preservation of the records among others. The above mentioned policies can be observed as the measures to prevent unlawful access to the information. The organization implements data content, data ownership, data classification and data security to deal with the stated issues. These are the security policies that are applied by OUMC Edmond so as to make sure of the confidentiality, accessibility and dependability of the da ta (Weise & Martin, 2001). An organization can protect itself from the loss of its data with the help of the Data Protection Act. In order to abide by this act, an

Behavioval Science and Human Relations Term Paper

Behavioval Science and Human Relations - Term Paper Example It is considered that each of these internal systems possess specific control behaviors. It is assumed that the probabilities of transition between these internal states predict human behaviors in varying social contexts. The trends in these interstate transitions are calibrated and hierarchically organized by behavioral scientists to understand long term and short term human behaviors. It is these two ranges of behaviors which makes the foundation for human behavior and human relations. Such a modeling of human behavior can be helpful in many ways. These models can be used to develop human-machine systems which can assess and recognize human behavior. This could even be used to predict human behavior. Here the requirement is to have inputs for this system on the internal human states. However, the challenge here is that these human states are not readily observable. These internal states are to be estimated through an indirect estimation process. There are several researches on beha vioral science which has led to the designing of models which can estimate these internal human states. For instance, Pentland & Liu (199) has used a model termed Hidden Markov Model (HDD) to undertake this assessment and were able to recognize human driving behaviors and predict the pattern of human control states. It has been claimed that they were able to do accurate predictions and anticipate human behavior even up to few seconds in future. Behavioral science uses several human systems to analyze human behavior and relations. It has been recorded that human behaviors like speech, handwriting and hand gestures can be precisely recognized through some of the assessment models(Pentland & Liu, 1999). However, very detailed properties like smoothness and continuity are required to go up to the level of accurate simulation and prediction. Sharper models are required to capture the additional properties of smoothness and continuity. The application of these behavioral models in managem ent is based on the basic theory that every employee moves within his own unique system of human behavior. These are further influenced by the cultural, environmental and the experience based conditioning of each individual. It is important to understand these factors as it is these factors which make an individual to react in a particular when it comes to human relations. Thus it is important in management to understand these factors. It is these factors which constitutes that particular individual’s behavioral system. Thus if one could identify the factors within the behavioral system of an individual, the management will be in a position to predict that individual’s response in a given situation. The Human Relations approach The consideration of human behavior and elementary drivers of human behaviors in management has evolved as different school of thought in management, which is termed to be the human relations approach (Likert, 1961). This school of thought is ho wever, contradictory to the conventional management concepts. While the conventional management theories rely on rationalizing of management processes, the human relations approach leaves ample space for human behavior and emotions within in management. In simpler words, classical theories of management quantify work and work routines through tangible markers whereas the human relations approach accommodates emotional and relational needs of individuals