Christmas Day

Christmas is a Christian festival. Jesus Christ, the founder of the Christian faith, was born on 25 December. Hence the day is observed as the ‘Christmas Day' in order to commemorate Christ's birth. On the day, the Christians dress themselves colourfully with a gay spirit. They wish ‘Merry Christmas' to their friends and relatives. They visit one another's house in order to exchange good wishes. The Christians decorate their houses on the occasion with the Christmas Tree which is an evergreen (artificial) tree beautified with small electric bulbs and zari laces or other tiny pieces of decoration like dazzling paper stars, halls etc. hat add a typical festive mood to the occasion. They prepare Christmas pudding rich dark plum cakes which are eaten at Christmas. The Christians all over the world enthusiastically celebrate the Christmas festival. It is a great day also for the children, who sing the carol, which is a Christmas hymn in chorus in memory of Christ's birth. They fervently look for Santa Claus or the Father Christmas who is supposed to appear to distribute attractive gifts to the children on the day.Santa Claus dress ­es himself in red and white, wears white and long false beard, and carry a bag full of presents for the children. The shops, hotels, churches, schools, colleges-all are decorated with various types of coloured paper flowers or other designs, balloons and lamps on the Christmas day. The festival is now-a-days found to be enjoyed and celebrated also by other communities not as a religious belief, but as a festive occasion.

Cultural Identity in the Film American Gangster Essay

Films constitute as the perfect example in communicating cultural identity, the elements such as character, plot, and script pose as effective tools for communicating the film’s message. Much of this can be attributed to the basic premises of culture and communication as two terms co-related in such a way that cultures will simply cease to exist or continue without communication. Likewise, communication of a certain group of people is only limited to the traits distinct to their cultural pattern. In recent years, it has doubtlessly been established that the broad context of cultures is a way of identifying a group of people; this is because consciously or unconsciously everyone belongs to a particular sub-culture or microculture which uniquely signifies him or her from the main culture. For instance, the American culture is divided in to different microcultures considering that the United States is comprised of a diversity of people. James W. Neuliep (1999) defines microculture as a set of common values, beliefs, and behaviour that defines a group of people. The aforementioned values, beliefs, and behaviour also integrate shared histories as well as verbal and non-verbal language systems that are similar to, but methodically differing from the dominant cultural norms. The motion picture American Gangster (Directed by Ridley Scott, starring Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe) concurs with the previous statement of how the cinematic tradition communicates cultural identity. This is, in large part, brought about by the fact that the film contains themes and elements which present traits and values reflected by several microcultures such as race, gender, and socio-economic status. Primarily, American Gangster follows the rise of Frank Lucas as a prominent figure in Harlem’s organized crime and drug trafficking industries. The motion picture is a fictionalized re-telling of how Frank Lucas, following the death of his boss, Bumpy Johnson, gradually monopolized the New York drug trade with marvellous capitalist principles and devised a flawless importation scheme thereby allowing him to sell his good quality merchandise at a more affordable price (Scott, 2007). However, law graduate/street cop Richie Roberts, who is struggling to fight corruption within the force as well as the entire city while struggling to keep his marital life intact, felt the sudden shift of power in the underground crime domain (Scott, 2007). Combining both street smarts and experience, Roberts conforms to the belief that an unlikely individual is climbing the ladder of success overtaking on the prominent Italian-American crime families in the organized crime scene. As such Roberts decides to probe the situation closely giving him promising results which co-incidentally became huge turning point of his crime busting career (Scott, 2007). In a first look, the motion picture, American Gangster, appears to be another boring mobster film, however, the film highlights a character that effectively communicates the notable traits of people from a particular or diverse microculture. Not to be mistaken as a form of stereotyping or prejudice, the character simply mirrors the conventional patterns distinct of the African-American race’s traits and behaviour. Likewise, the character also reflects the conventional lifestyle of wealthy business executives who keep a low profile while running their respective businesses. Blood is thicker than water, so as the saying goes, this is how American Gangster’s Frank Lucas (George Washington) lives his life, both in personal and professional perspectives. Being an old-fashioned person, Frank Lucas’ actions reflect the traditional norms of African Americans, most particularly of the belief in close family ties. Primarily, most members of Lucas organization are immediate blood relatives. Frank Lucas seems to trust his family in running his business above everyone else. In addition, despite the moral controversy surrounding his source of living, Lucas also constantly pays eternal gratitude as a son by prioritizing his mother and escorting her to church every Sunday and never missing a family affair At the same time, Lucas also belonged to the upper class social category considering the depicted extravagant lifestyle he lives and his unique ability to manipulate the underground crime and drug scene as well as some officers of the New York Police Department to his advantage, even influencing established crime organizations and overpowering stable crime factions such as the Lucchese Crime Family and the Mafia respectively (Scott, 2007). Conversely, being the filthy rich drug lord that he is, Lucas is a very passive person in such a way that he refrained from wearing any expensive jewellery and other accessories as much as possible, this is perhaps to keep a low profile and to command attention away from him and his daily operations. . Both Lucas’ race and socio-economic status identify him the most because of how Richie Roberts immediately felt that the sudden change of control over the underground crime scene was brought about by an African-American individual. His socio-economic status provided Roberts with the evidence that he is a major player in New York’s underground crime scene as the ingenious street cop instantly determined Lucas as an elite crime boss even though his identity was not yet confirmed. Moreover, as Lucas frequently reiterated and practiced throughout the film, he upholds the importance of honesty, integrity, and family in his business and his life (Scott, 2007). As previously iterated, Lucas rose to prominence as the kingpin of heroin trafficking and marketing in the Harlem area, thus, he experienced a high power distance level for two reasons. First, Lucas’ became so powerful that he had the capacity to bypass notorious crime families such as the Luchesse and the Mafia. Second is that Lucas stayed kingpin for seven years until he gets finally caught in 1975 (Scoot, 1975). However, like all empires in history, Lucas’ drug empire crumbled in due time. As such, his power distance had a total paradigm shift as he chose to be a police asset in exchange for his freedom (Scott, 2008). Instead of paying his social debt by imprisonment, Lucas embarked on the path of self-redemption by becoming a police informant and helping solve the evasive nature of underground crime and corruption within the force. Frank Lucas being the premiere heroin supplier during the late 60s and the first half of the 70s, lived in a high context microculture, largely due to the fact that most of his leisurely activities reflected the glitz and glamour of high society. Initially, despite the previous statement that he does not wear expensive accessories, Lucas dresses up in a well fashioned manner. Moreover, Lucas has enough funds to witness headlining events and be seated among the wealthy crime lords during main sports events such as the first bout between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier 1971. However, since he kept a low profile, Frank Lucas also chose to live in low context microcultures. One is that he avoided any form of attention and suspicion from authorities during his 7-year tenure as a drug lord. Second is that although he dresses himself well enough to be distinguished as an individual with above average socio-economic status, he does not manifest any means of revealing his financial stability. As a person, Frank Lucas is both an individualistic and collectivistic. This is, in large part, brought about by the identities he maintains both as a family man and a drug lord. Lucas is individualistic in such a way that he took the bold choice of going to the main source in order to purchase the merchandise himself (Washington, 2007). Lucas also appears to have little tolerance for failure despite the fact that his own family is part of the business. On the other hand, Frank Lucas also manifests a collectivist attitude by being over generous to his own family members and business associates. As previously mentioned, Lucas prioritizes family even if his business is at stake. First notable thing is that Lucas uses some of the proceeds from his business to purchase a larger and more suitable home for his mother. Another thing is that Lucas never fails to give provide the main dish for Thanks Giving dinner and although he has temper problems when it comes to failure and excuses, Lucas generally upholds the principles of honesty, integrity, and family. The motion picture American Gangster effectively communicates the cultural patterns of the group where Frank Lucas is categorized during a particular era through the elements and themes integrated within it. Likewise, despite the account that the film is only a fictionalized re-telling of a particular culture, the reality of what truly happened has been extensively established. Furthermore, although the central character, Frank Lucas, belongs to a multitude of microcultures or sub-cultures, strong evidence within the film has once again re-established the principles of co-existence between communication and culture. References Grazer, B. , Whitaker, J. , Zaillian, S. , Pillegi, N (Producers) and Scott, R. (Director). (2007). American Gangster [Motion Picture]. Los Angeles, CA: Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment. Neuliep, J. W. (1999). Intercultural Communication. B, MA : Houghton Mifflin Company

The Role of Observations in the Everyday Life Assignment

The Role of Observations in the Everyday Life - Assignment Example What follows are some of my recollections from these occasions. Last week I went to the mall to observe people through a different lens. Our mall is multi-storied and has a variety of shops that one can peruse. A mall is a social place where people from all walks of life come to talk and be themselves. One often associates the mall with teenagers, but I was surprised to notice the number of older people that were there as well. In order to get a good picture of the mall, I sat on a bench outside the food court. From here, I was able to watch people eating, as well as shopping. Teenagers, quite predictably, were loud and boisterous. As I watched, however, I noticed quite a few elderly people using the mall as a place to walk. It was great to see them out in a social atmosphere enjoying some exercise. There was a great deal of non-verbal communication taking place. I noticed the teenagers could seemingly communicate with each other across table simply by their facial expressions. In addition, I did notice a lot of text messaging taking place. This is quite different than I would have thought, but I suppose it makes sense in today’s world. This impacted their interaction by limiting the amount of actual talking that was taking place. In this particular setting, the interaction was quite informal. There were simply groups of people enjoying a day out with their friends. It was refreshing to watch so many people leaving the cares of this world outside and enjoying a few hours of quality time with their friends and family. The assumption I take from this is that social events are needed in our society. There are a lot of distractions in our daily life, and the time we spend with those close to is very important. The impressions I formed involve the notion that communication styles are changing rapidly. Teenagers are moving towards more non-verbal communication, while older adults still prefer to talk face to face. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the future.  Ã‚  

The Use of Musical Culture as Socio-technical Culture Essay

The Use of Musical Culture as Socio-technical Culture - Essay Example Music is something that has completely changed the way people think. It has led to revolutions, understanding and harmony among different groups of people with time and evolution. In comparison with music from the earlier times, today’s music is quite different but is nothing but an amalgamation of the thoughts and ideas that were put into compositions in the yesteryears. Of course with time, a number of changes have also been brought about, not only within the different styles of music, but also in the objects used to play music, make music as well as in the creation of devices by which music can stay with us on the move. In this paper, answers have been attempted at how various mediums of music have with time led to a wider share in different kinds of people, as well as the use and implication of mp3 players in people’s lives in the modern world. James Curtis writes that different mediums of recorded music have led to the creation of different types of implied listene rs, in his research note titled Toward a Sociotechnological Interpretation of Popular Music in the Electronic Age.

Change management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Change management - Essay Example Change management could either be individual change management or organizational change management. The individual change management consists of three steps – unfreezing, adapting to change and refreezing. The in the first stage the existing mind-set has to be released and then the confusion and transition starts. In the third stage the new mind-set is crystallized and the individual’s comfort levels returns to the previous level. There has to be awareness why change is needed, desire to support and participate in the change, the knowledge how to change, the ability to implement new skills and behavior, and finally sustain change. Organizational change management requires processes and tools for managing the people side of the change at an organizational level. The management needs to first detect the trends in the macro and micro environment. Change in an organization can be due to downsizing, redundancy, change of management through mergers and acquisition, change due to expansion, and most important due to the advancements in technology. According to Worrall, Campbell & Cooper (1999) redundancy is the most evocative and fear inducing form of organizational change for many workers. Landale (2004) believes motivation is the key to empower the staff and get the front line managers to take collectively responsibility. A study by Patterson et al., (1997) confirmed that management of people was more important than the combined effect of strategy, product, service quality, or even the manufacturing technology or the expenditure on R&D (cited by Gollan, 2006). There is a definite relationship between employee performance and their attitude. Communication organizational aims and objectives are important. Difficult issues can be resolved through discussions. Honesty, trust, openness, employee participation, all helps to achieve high motivation among staff. Recognition of staff through promotional material also helped to

History Matrix Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History Matrix - Coursework Example The Mesopotamians were commoners who never lived within their citadels walls which were protective. They were always subjected to raids by roaming armies making the are unsafe. Additionally, the Mesopotamians believed the world was more like a prison to them especially with their continuous suffering. Unlike their counterparts, the Egyptians had a stable lifestyle and viewed the world positively. One major difference between Mesopotamian and the Egyptian religions was the regional quality or rather the local of the latter. Another distinction that existed between the two was their hierarchical division with the Mesopotamian deities, with water, earth and four gods of heaven (Dudley, 1973). Generally, there are various factors, which played a key role in influencing Egyptians and Mesopotamians civilizations in developing their worldviews. Most of the factors in this case were influenced by the cultures, religion and the lifestyle of the two civilizations. Generally, geography played a key role in differentiating the Mycenaean and the Minoan civilizations. In Mycenaean and Minoan case, geography dealt with interaction and location. Therefore, the Minoan civilization collapsed after the eruption of Thira/Santorini island volcano after which the Mycenaeans took over the military. The Mycenaean civilization tended to fall with the movement of a different bellicose group of people hence making the civilizations different and in this case the Dorian. In simple terms, the geography of their areas ensured that their civilizations were different in terms of their culture and day to day life (Nilsson, 1972). Generally, the Achaeans or rather the Indo-European people tended to adopt and develop on the Minoan civilization achievements. Alternatively, the Achaean artisans tended to adopt the Minoan civilization design on jewelry, tools and pottery. On the other hand, the Archaic Greece also

Disassembling a Nintendo Wii Console Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Disassembling a Nintendo Wii Console - Essay Example The first part may need a better introduction on why one would like to do what I am suggesting or why it may be a common problem. This would then support why what I am writing holds some consequence. To grab the attention of the reader, I must establish that the same mishap could happen or has actually happened to them. Another element that I have to take note of is the grammar and the tenses. Sometimes it gets confusing on whether I have to write one idea in the past tense or in the presence tense. There are also some sentences that get quite confusing because the commas are improperly placed or that the structure of the words is jumbled. But the images of the procedural steps are easy to follow and the identification of the parts is as accurate as I could identify them. Reading the piece, I feel that it still needs work and that there are things that could be done to improve

Description of pictures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Description of pictures - Essay Example There is a beautiful bunch of budding flowers in the left corner of the picture and they are also placed on the woman’s side. These flowers symbolise love. On the right side of the picture is a vase containing maize cobs. Apparently, these cobs have been placed on the side where the husband is and these may symbolise farming. One striking thing in the picture is that it can be noted that the sun is rising in the distant horizon and it seems to be rising in the hearts of the man and the women. The rising sun in the hearts of the man and husband is a ray of hope that all be well for them since it looks like they are silently praying for their kid. The picture is colourfully designed and it is placed on a wall since there is also a white paper stuck on the wall on its right side. Picture 2 Picture two above shows two people, a man and a woman riding fat horses. The man is riding on horse that is whitish in colour while the woman is riding on a horse with equally the same colour b ut is dotted. These two people seem to be riding in the opposite direction since the picture only depicts their backs. They are both wearing brown hats and the woman’s hat seems to be decorated two items which look like flowers. The two people in the picture are both wearing jerseys. ... The landscape is brown in colour which implies that it is an arid place that does not have any vegetation. The background colour in the picture as well as the colour of the sky is orange which may be caused by the rising sun. It seems that these people are riding opposite the direction of the rising sun. Picture 3 Picture three above shows a large body of water that looks like an ocean. The water stretches beyond the reach of the sky and this site is very common when one is standing at the edge of the sea. The eye cannot see beyond the horizon of the ocean. The colour of the water is green and it seems that there are plants of different colours floating on top of the water. Some of the plants are green while some of them are blue. A closer look at the picture shows that it is moving in ripples of turbulent waves. This situation usually happens when the weather conditions are windy such that there are waves in the sea. The other interesting thing about the picture is that it is not co mprised of any solid physical feature like mountains which shows that it was meant to depict a site of an ocean. In most cases, water in the ocean is not stable especially in windy conditions. The plants in the ocean usually float on top of the water and in most cases, they beautify the sea. The picture is colourfully designed such that it requires special attention in order to figure out what it represents. Picture 4 In picture three above, it seems that there people. Two of them are wearing similar clothes which are brown in colour and they seem to be wearing black belts. One interesting thing about this picture is that the two men seem to be sprawling on the ground and they are agonising in pain.

Effective hand hygiene in clinical settings Literature review

Effective hand hygiene in clinical settings - Literature review Example Hand hygiene is very important for the general public especially those who handle food and those who work in medical centers as poor hand hygiene may cause respiratory infections such as influenza and common cold according to the Joint Commission Resources (2008). The Joint Commission Resources (2008) and Mulder (1999) concur that in healthcare provisions, hand hygiene is the responsibility to all people involved. This is because when the health practitioners have contaminated hands, the patients are put at risk of developing infections. Therefore, to prevent infections, the healthcare practitioners must decontaminate their hands before and after each and every episode of direct contact or care with a patient (AORN, 1999; Lautenbach, Woeltje & Preeti 2010). Currently, hand hygiene is recognized to be important in providing quality care to the patients and is included in the standards for hospital accreditation. There have been new developments in the area of medical care and due to t hese developments most research bodies have reviewed the available literature and come up with new guidelines for hand hygiene. The guidelines are intended for use by all healthcare practitioners within the healthcare settings. Bacteria on the skin There are two main groups of microorganisms that are found on the skin, that is, resident flora and transient flora. Transient floras are bacteria that colonize the superficial layer of the skin. The transient floras are commonly associated with healthcare infections but can easily be removed by hand washing or social hand hygiene. An example of transient flora is staphylococcus aureus. The resident floras colonize the deeper layer of the skin and are difficult to remove. Examples include diphtheroids and coagulase negative staphylococci. The resident floras are usually not associated with healthcare infections according to CDC (2002) and Lindh, Pooler and Tamparo (2009). Hand hygiene is intended to reduce colonization with transient flor a. Removal of the transient flora can be achieved through hand washing or hand disinfection. Hand washing is the use of water alone or the use of water and unmedicated detergent to clean the hand according to Mulder (1999) and CDC (2002). The main objective of hand washing is to prevent cross transmission of disease causing organisms. Hygienic hand wash is also similar to hand washing except that instead of unmedicated detergent, an antiseptic agent is used. Hand disinfection refers to the use of antiseptic solution, either medicated soap or alcohol to clean the hand. Substances used in hand hygiene There are different types of substances used in hand hygiene for cleaning. The substances used include soap and detergents, antibacterial soap, hand antiseptic and water. These substances are used to clean different dirt. For example, water alone cannot be used to clean the skin because on its own it cannot remove fats, oils and pathogens; it has to be used together with soaps and deterg ents. The temperature of the water used in cleaning the hands also varies, for in some instances warm water is used and in some cold may be used. For instance, when cleaning oils or fats it is advisable to use war water (World Health Organization, 2006). Antibacterial soaps are those with antibacterial agents that help in fighting or cleaning the bacteria and the hand antiseptics are non water based hand hygiene agents. The hand antiseptic

Attendance Monitoring Information System Essay Example for Free

Attendance Monitoring Information System Essay The Project READ resulted from individual and group studies and experiences of ePerformax staff members in the course of working with potential recruits. Their research yielded the following realities which aroused concern: While there were a lot of better paying jobs for Filipinos who had a good command of the English language, there were not enough Filipinos who could qualify. Job seekers who come from middle income means and higher had better chances to land good jobs because they are more proficient in English and can help themselves to more books to improve themselves. Job seekers who learned English at a younger age tend to have little trouble adjusting to global standards and communication challenges. The younger one develops English skills, the higher the chances of success later on in life. Monetary assistance to the poor tend to be short-lived and non sustaining, but providing them skills for self-help gave them a chance for a better future. Cultivating English proficiency and access to books may provide a solution. Brief History of the company ePerformax Contact Centers BPO (eP) is a joint venture between TDG and ePerformax Contact Centers USA. As one of the first contact centers in the Philippines in 2002, eP provides high-performance customer service and BPO to a strategic group of US Fortune 500 companies. eP provides English speaking inbound customer service, sales support and BPO via voice calls, email and chat supporting client’s customers from the US, Canada and Australia.. eP’s sister company, the Global Communications Management Academy, provides the essential training and skills to prepare Filipinos for a job in the country’s highly-regarded BPO industry supporting global companies. Services Offered and its description They seek to partner with their clients to manage their program from a business perspective to achieve their goals and vision. They think like we think†¦ strategically and financially with a keen focus on the business today and an eye on the future. This means they understand the need to be responsive and proactive. They don’t wait for you to tell us to make improvements. They suggest improvements to us and work with the team to make them happen. Simply put, customer experience involves customer service, plus making sure the customer is fully satisfied at every point where he or she comes into contact with the organization. That’s a never-ending process of listening to the customer, servicing the customer, learning from the customer and improving for the customer. That’s how they view their client partnerships. PERFORM in ePerformax: P – Passion Persuades The entire ePerformax team is driven to be the best. Every employee is compensated based on their ability to achieve the KPMs that are aligned with their client’s business objectives. They make analytics common practice at all levels of management to give their managers the tools to understand the dynamics of our business in order to know what’s really working, what’s not and why, and what to do to positively influence performance. At ePerformax they have a driving desire to be the best. E – Empowerment Leads Their analytical processes take the guess work out of making solid decisions, and their team members are empowered to take action and manage the business as if it were their own. Armed with the data, analytical tools and proper training, their team can proactively address both challenges and opportunities, manage risks, improve efficiencies, reduce costs through elimination of unnecessary work, and identify patterns in the vast amounts of available data to take corrective actions that result in continuous improvements. At ePerformax they don’t wait to be told which direction to go. They lead the way. R – Resourcefulness Rocks Resourcefulness and empowerment go hand-in-hand. To maximize their analytical capabilities management not only needs to make decisions, but also have the resourcefulness to implement them. This is yet another point of differentiation they believe contributes to their ability to outperform other competitive vendors. Every aspect of the operation requires creativity in identifying valuable data and organizing resources to deliver results. Their managers are trained and empowered to be resourceful in their roles. At ePerformax they don’t accept limitations. They find solutions. F – Flexibility Thrives Another key point of differentiation is the speed at which they respond to their client’s changing needs. Their job is to make it easy for their clients to make the necessary adjustments to their business even if they don’t make it easy for the team. It is because of their size and small number of clients, they are able to deliver speed boat responsiveness. They are also one of only a few companies that has implemented a compressed, 48-hour work week for agents. That means they pay their staff for 8 hours above the 40 hours of productive time each individual is scheduled. That allows flex time for coaching, training and taking calls if needed to support services levels. At ePerformax they’re not easily rattled. They accept the need for change. O – Optimism Prevails This is an important component of their ability to meet and exceed our objectives. In order to be optimistic, they start by being realistic. They look at every action they are planning for the worst case scenarios and by doing so they are then able to minimize risk and focus on success. Optimism, properly managed is a catalyst for change. And in a constantly changing industry and a continuous improvement culture, change is what ultimately drives results. At ePerformax they believe in the potential of every team member. R – Results – Orientation Wins They know that hard work and hard results are different and they believe in achieving the hard results. They work with their clients to ensure that their KPMs are directly aligned with their business objectives. And they adopt a single-minded focus to achieving those objectives. By focusing their efforts on the KPMs at all levels of the organization, they develop clarity of purpose, momentum and a methodology for prioritization of the work needed to be done to get the desired results. At ePerformax they understand the difference between hard work and hard results. They always go for hard results. M – Motivation Succeeds Every action has a consequence and when the positive consequences outweigh the negative consequences, they motivate the performance they want to achieve. As such, we see a critical need for their business culture, disciplines, accountabilities and incentives to be aligned with their clients. We monitor our results constantly to ensure they are motivating every individual to contribution. In doing so, they have been able to develop a high-performing team that wants to win for their clients. That gives their clients the assurance that they are aligned with them. And that’s motivating to everyone. Objective The objective of this visit in ePerformax is to know how they seek to partner with their clients to manage their program from a business perspective to achieve their goals and vision.

The Environmental Impact Assessment Tourism Essay

The Environmental Impact Assessment Tourism Essay This chapter deals with the literature review which is a report of what has been published on the topic by qualified scholars. This chapter will give an insight on the environmental impact assessment, its steps, effectiveness and weaknesses, followed by the concept of biodiversity and a critical review of two articles related to the topic. Lastly it elaborates on tourism development on Ile aux Cerfs. EIA was set up to deal with concerns about the effects that main development projects were having on the environment. It is important to know that EIA is an environment assessment tool. A very straightforward definition of EIA is that it is a methodical procedure of identifying, predicting, analysing, evaluating and mitigating all the environmental effects a future development or activity before setting up the project (United Nations, 2001). The EIA also considers the natural, socio cultural and economic aspects.EIA and the important steps which need to be carried out to accomplish the assessment is covered by the ISO 14011. EIA is also the most popular and accepted instrument used to measure environmental impacts for new or planned projects (Schianetz et al.2007). The crucial reason of why an EIA is needed is to prevent costly mistake in a project execution. These costly mistakes can arise either by the negative environmental impacts that are like to occur during the project implementation or by the alterations that are required afterwards in order to make the development environmentally suitable to government and community. 2.1.1 Concepts and Alternatives of EIA An environmental Impact Assessment supports various concepts namely Ecotourism, Cleaner Production, Eco-labelling but the two most supported concepts are Environmental Management and Tourism Carrying Capacity (Schianetz et al. 2007). As already mention above EIA is an environment assessment tool. There are many other tools used which can measure the impacts of the environment. Some of the tools are Sustainability indicators, Ecological footprint, Life Cycle Assessment, Strategic environmental Assessment and Environmental Auditing. Sustainable indicators are mostly used for assessing tourism destinations. Ecological footprint (EF) assesses the extent to which human race is using and consuming natures resources more rapidly than they can regenerate (Schaefer et al. 2006). Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a methodological structure for calculating approximately and assessing the environmental impacts for the life cycle of a product such as the exhaustion of resources like land, water, petrol coal and other natural resources (Rebitzeret al. 2004). Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a tool that permits to put together environmental concerns along with social and economic aspect and which is also an assessment on a policy level (Dalal-Clayton, Sadler, 2005). Environmental Auditing (EA) is a tool that a company can use to identify the level of its environmental impacts, find out whether or not the company is in agreement with valid acts, rules, and the expectations of its stakeholders, and increases knowledge on how it can maintain or progress its environmental performance going forward (Mattsson and Olsson, 2001). 2.1.2 Steps for EIA Werner (1992) had recommended that EIA can be used as a means in deciding if a project is viable and suitable, otherwise it can also be a means to plan how negative effects of an acknowledged development can be reduced. Furthermore, Roberts and Hunter (1992) have stated that EIA steps differ from a location to another, but at the development level, there are four fundamental standards that are mostly put into practice. The four standards are as follows: The characteristics of a development and related activities should be identified by an EIA. The facets of the environment that will be concerned should be recognized. The effects at the beginning and forthcoming stages should be assessed. EIA is related about the management of the benefits and alarmed about the negative impacts that can be generated. On the other hand, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) mentioned the different phases of an EIA as follows: Screening Alternatives Preliminary Assessment Scoping EIA study and environmental impact statement Review Monitoring Screening Screening is carried out to assess if a development requires EIA. Its main concentration is about the effects it may have or if there are impacts that are unsure. Then eventually it will focus on the situations where environmental supervision effort may be essential. Hence EIA strategies may most of the time contain a records or schemas stipulating which projects need EIA (ex: constantly or specific situations). Alternatives Thinking of possible alternatives (demand, activity, place, development aim, setting up, contribution, no project) ought to be established prior to a selection being prepared. Some developments can be particularly on site (ex: mining, extraction takes place only where there is a mineral site). In such circumstances EIA may give extra attentions on actions such as scale, justifying actions and traffic supervision. Ventures promoted by government agencies might probably consider alternative locations or routes for development rather than private segment schemes where the premature requirements to obtain options or purchase land strongly controls development spot. Preliminary Assessment This is where screening recommends additional evaluation is required or if there is improbability about the nature of possible effects. There is the use of quick evaluation methods although there is the presence of enough detail to discover key impacts, their extent and consequence, and assess their significance for decision making. Below are steps that will illustrate if a complete EIA is required. Scoping A narrowing procedure frequently started by an assessment team to recognize the key problems of apprehension at an early phase in the planning course of action and direct the development of conditions of reference for the EIA. It assists location selection, recognizes potential options, and evades interruption due to having to evaluate formerly unrevealed probable impacts. Scoping must engage all interested parties such as the promoter or environmental agencies and public members. The outcomes establish the scope, depth and terms of reference to be addressed within Environmental Impact Statement (below). Once the location for development has been selected, the number of problems usually diminishes and consideration to specific details is enhanced. Main EIA Study Building and extending the previous phases to forecast the amount and level of effects and determine their importance. A range of schemes can be used including: checklists, questionnaires and networks models. The study should include consideration of mitigating measures- assessing the action proposed/ taken to avoid or reduce current or probable negative impacts of a project. However if there are qualms to a high extent, probable serious outcomes and no justifying actions, then the proposed project ought to be abandoned. However if there are qualms that can be decreased with a more in depth studies, then a claim can be postponed until further studies. Environmental Impact Statement It is a complete report that states the conclusions of the EIA and is most of the time asked by law before a new venture can start. Review To evaluate the satisfactoriness of the EIA to decision making and think about its repercussions. Monitoring Supervising of project accomplishment and action, an eventually an audit of the project after its completion. 2.1.3 Effectiveness of EIA EIA may ameliorate and provides continuous possibility on the long run for various projects. EIA has the prospect to offer the possibility to discover from know-how of comparable projects keep away from the (habitually elevated) expenses that may arise later justifying unexpected harmful and detrimental effects. 2.1.4 Weakness of EIA Critic is a vital part of every theory, procedure tool or concept. Criticism of EIA has been debated by many authors in many studies. One of the most common critics is that EIA only considers the direct impact of a development or activity but not the addition to the rising impacts in the area, Simpson and Wall, (2000). EIA cannot be used for the assessment of whole tourism destinations but only for specific projects such as airports, eco-resorts, activity or development near the beach, Schianetz et al. (2007). EIA is also criticized as it only deals with mitigating negative impacts rather than putting the effort in increasing the positive impacts, Simpson and Wall, (2000). However Biswas (1992a) and Hunter (1995a) have stated that steps of EIA have its deficiency. According to both authors, there is a trend that EIA concentrate more only on physical impacts and ignore social and cultural ones. EIA repeatedly concentrates on biophysical matters and where environment, social and economic features are dealt with, they are not usually included but instead EIA reports have the tendency to be illustrated as separate stages. 2.2 Biodiversity In popular usage, the word biodiversity is often used to describe all the species living in a particular area (www.cnx.org). Considering the particular area in a very large scale, biodiversity is simply all the life on the planet earth. The business dictionary defines biodiversity as the Variety and variability of microbial, plant, and animal life forms from all sources (including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems) and of the ecological complexes of which they are a part. In the context of this particular study, biodiversity and tourism is to be studied. The recent trend in the tourism industry has it that that nowadays more and more tourists have abandoned the famous sea, sand and sun, and tends more towards the nature based experience (www.unwto.de). A sound nature is increasingly being mentioned by tourists when they are choosing their destinations. The quality of the environment, therefore, cannot be neglected as a vital factor in the nowadays tourism trends. However, tourists go to a destination where the environment plays a key role at the destination. There is therefore an urgent need for a sustainable management programme and which tends to use natural resources in a sustainable manner. It is also to note that the year 2010 has been declared the international year if biodiversity. 2.2.1 Linking Biodiversity to Tourism Projects have already started concerning biodiversity and tourism. The most flagrant example is in Thailand which was struck by the Tsunami in the year 2004. Issues such as energy efficiency, security of tourists and climatic changes have been set up. As stated earlier, those issues impact directly on tourism.  Building on this, the Program for Energy Efficiency was  launched Thailand to mitigate the effects of climate change. Mauritius Island contains endemic species which are unique to the world but are plagued by massive population decrease. In the years 1500 and onwards the island was uninhabited by humans. After the landing of the Dutch, the introduction of non-native plant and animal species, biodiversity still flourishing started to be endangered. The 400 years following the first altercation in the Mauritians ecosystem, population of native birds, reptiles, and trees started to decrease and threatened to become extinct. The continuous decrease in the population of the living organisms threatened the life cycle such as the reproduction process and the balance of nature. We cannot neglect the fact that tourism has been growing and in biodiversity hotspots. Thus the quick growth in nature tourism and travel within the tourism industry for the past 2 decades, it may be said that the tourisms growth in those high biodiversity areas is because of the one and only nature and environment found at those hotspots. The destruction of this aspect of a destination is like tearing apart the spot and this forgetting definitely about tourism in that particular area. Ecotourism is an idea that is threatening tourism. Defined as the responsible travel to natural areas, that conserves the environment and sustains the well being of local people, ecotourism reformats the basic concepts behind tourism. Nature tourism is defined as travel to unspoiled places to experience and enjoy nature. Nature and adventure tourism focus on what the tourist is looking for. Ecotourism focuses on what the tourist does and the impact of this travel on both the environment and the people at the destination (Honey 2002). The tourism industry states that it contributes to sustainable development because it has less impact on the environment than other industries and is based on a specific area and so the local people are more motivated to protect those resources. Biodiversity is thus a critical component of the natural environment that tourists enjoy (Mattus et al. 2003). In addition to resource being on the verge of ending and habitat destruction, littering and water pollution are problems, linked to the tourism industry, definitely have a bad impact for biodiversity. Littering problem is fluent in some areas, where waste collection and management is difficult. Waste disposal from cruises are sources of problems due to the fact that they only have a limited space to carry all their waste until they reach the port, and ports have limited incentive (and capacity) to accommodate those waste. Coral reefs are at risk from tourism development. Holden(2000) states that as well as being mined for building materials, reefs suffer from sewage runoff that stimulates the growth of algae, covering the filter-feeding corals and hindering their ability to survive. Corals are damaged by anchors of boats from careless skippers and local people often take corals from their home habitat for sale. Again the tourist benefits is that the financing source stated by Brandon(1996) may help for finding alternative sustainable ways for the local people to earn their living and to launch training programmes to skippers and other staffs from the tourism industry. There is an urgent need to mitigate those impacts and to promote ecotourism activities which have emerged in the years 1980s and 1990s so as to have a sound environment and to promote the tourism sector at a destination because as said, the tourism industry is going more and more towards destination with a unique biodiversity. 2.2.2 Environmental Impacts of Tourism Development The Tourism Industry is said to be directly linked to the environment. The reason is that tourists mainly travel to be in a natural and green environment. Most of the hotels are found near the coast or on the Mountains. Many islands and countries use the environment as an attribute to promote tourism. The Maldives promote the archipelagos with the sea, sand and sun. It is also the case for the Caribbean Island which depends on its natural beauty and resources for the success of the tourism industry. In a report Examining the relationship between Tourism and the Environment in Barbados and St. Lucia, by Reginald I Burke, the importance of environment to the tourism sector was clearly mentioned. However the author states that Tourism and the supporting infrastructure that it requires pose threats to the environment particularly, the marine, coastal and terrestrial ecosystems as well as potable water resources. The positive impact of tourism on the environment is that it brings along revenue for the preservation and conservation of parks and rare animals. The tourism industry can make a significant contribution to the conservation of the destination. In fact, tourism can be a source of finance for biodiversity conservation, for example part of the entrance fee for a site goes to the conservation programme (Brandon 1996). The funds may be used in the sense that the local people can be provided with alternate jobs instead of exploiting the biodiversity for living. Tourists who visit an area may detect abnormalities in a specific area that local people, who are use to it, may not detect. Tourism can also be a way to increase awareness on the environment. Tourists are more conscious of the environmental protection before going to an area. Tourism also impacts on the environment in a negative way. During the development phase, there is a need to cut down trees so as to be able to construct hotels and other facilities that the tourists need. With the increasing in population, land is a limited resource that needs to be well utilized. The cutting down of trees often lead to destruction of habitats of animals life. It has also been noted that in areas where there has been lots of infrastructural development, there is less rainfall. It is important to have a good land use land. The tourism industry is one which produces lots of waste. These wastes are often released in the environment or the sea. The sewage system often goes directly in the sea for the resorts and the cruises. These wastes cause a degradation of the water quality and kills marine life. The coral reefs died and the beaches become vulnerable to waves leading to sand erosion. The Red Sea, in Egypt, has always been a tourism attraction. Sherbiny et al. (2006) states that with the tourism development along the Red Sea, where there has been the development of recreational attractions and sport activities, has lead to the destruction of the resource base of the Red Sea. The environment needs to be preserved because it will benefit the tourism industry and bring a lot term profit. Tour operators and hotels are trying to reduce wastage and pollution to rejuvenate the environment that has been destroyed. They opted for eco-friendly activities and sensitize the tourists before going on a site. It is very important that before implementing any development an EIA is done. The EIA will help to identify weaknesses and the impact on the environment and what can be done to reduce or even eliminate the impacts. 2.3 Case Studies It is important, before going more in dept in a study, to look at definitions and steps but also at different cases. The EIA tool is used all around the world by developed, developing countries and islets. Therefore through several readings of previous application of the tool at a destination, some more weaknesses or even strengths of the EIA can be identified because each region is not the same and have particular resources and characteristics. 2.3.1 Evaluation of the EIA system on the Island of Mauritius and development of an environmental monitoring plan framework (T. Ramjeawon, R. Beedassy, 2004) According to Ortolano and Shepherd (1995), Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a planning tool used to forecast and evaluate the impacts of planned projects in order to assist the decision making process. The limited natural resources of an island dictate its capacity to allow and sustain development. Islands face serious environmental problems due to their scarcity of natural resources, exposure to natural disasters, reduced areas, economic vulnerability and weakness in ecosystems. Therefore it is very important for islanders to understand and implement preventive strategies to have sustainable development. The need to carry out an Environmental impact assessment (EIA) and to obtain an EIA license from the ministry before undertaking the project is one of the main features of the Environment Protection Act in Mauritius. EIA brought important improvements in the planning, designing and decision making process but many difficulties have been encountered in the implementation of the EIA system. Without proper follow-up EIA can be seen as a just paper to secure a development permit rather than a mean to ensure environmental benefits and having proper environmental management. The rapid developments around the coast and lack of EIA monitoring have negative impacts on the coastal environment and this can affect the sustainable development of the tourism industry. The EIA system was introduced in 1993; those wanting to apply for an EIA license must submit copies (15) of the EIA report to the Director of environment and to ensure about the accuracy of the report it is opened for public inspection and comments. A copy of the EIA report is distributed to concerned agencies and ministries and written feedback is requested. The Environmental Assessment unit of the department of environment organizes a site visit to assess the potential environmental implications of the proposed development. Leu et al. (1996) introduced 9 fundamental components for an effective EIA system which are: Environmental regulations, guidelines and policies. Environmental administrative structure EIA Procedure Role of those which are involved. Status of the EIA reports EIA compliance monitoring and enforcement EIA implementation The implementation of strategic Environmental assessment International exchanges The 9 components were mostly followed for the evaluation of the EIA System in Mauritius. Nine hotels built during the last 5 years were selected to develop the Environmental Monitoring plan (EMP) and the EIA reports were evaluated by verifying their compliance with the official guiding principles of performing EIA. The quality of the EIA was assessed upon the following criteria: Baseline information Drawings and plans Techniques and methodology used to predict impacts Field surveys as well as consistency in the analysis Relevance of proposed measures Monitoring plan of impacts Impartiality of the contents of the EIA In the last 15 years much has been achieved in establishing legal and institutional framework in terms of environmental management in Mauritius. However most of the existing environmental laws are improperly enforced due to a lack of awareness of the laws and a lack of capacity and resources in the government departments. The following weaknesses were identified in the EIA process: The screening system is not adequate The minimum range of requirements of the EIA is too general to ensure the proper gathering of information for decision making process of whether or not to issue and EIA license. There is poor public participation in the project from the beginning till the implementation phase. There is a lack of clear criteria for the registration of eligible consultants for the preparation of an EIA report. The procedures for reviewing EIA and granting licenses lack in transparency and liability and there is no time frame regarding EIA applications. There is a lack of strategic environmental assessment for coastal development in particular areas. There is a lack of trained staff and expertise to conduct as well as review EIAs. The EIA reports do not include environmental management plans. One of the major assets of the tourism industry which is the lagoon is being left apart and there are no or insufficient investigations carried out on the attributes of the lagoon. More weight is being given to the economin impacts in the final decision making process and there is lack of information in the EIA reports. 2.3.2 A Critical Review of Environmental Impact Statements in Sri Lanka with Particular Reference to Ecological Impact Assessment (Miriya Samarakoon Æ John S. Rowan, 2008) EIA is a tool used to predict environmental consequences of proposed project in order to achieve sustainable development. According to Treweek (1996) Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) is an important element of EIA which explores how the sensitivity, viability and value of habitats, ecosystems and species can be affected by developments. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is an official report about the results of EcIA and EIA. EIA has been criticized for the following reasons: Lack of time and funding Lack of research design Insufficient data on flora and fauna Failure in monitoring development impacts Lack of guidelines on the EcIA process The first EIA in Sri Lanka was conducted in 1980 and the legal framework is under the National Environment Regulations No.1 of the National Environment Act (NEA). There are 2 levels of EA which are stated in the NEA. The first level is the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) which is required when less adverse impact is expected and the second level is the EIA for developments where significant adverse impacts are expected. The Central Environment Authority (CEA) is the institution which is responsible for monitoring and managing the EA process and the Project Approving Agencies (PAAs) are responsible for the implementation of the EA process as well as the decision making process. Sri Lanka is well-known for its biodiversity and 5 levels of ecological surveying are recognized. Level 1 survey is about a brief overview of the ecology at the site and level 5 is the most complex level which is about collecting quantitative data on various key attributes of ecology. EAs must pay special attention to their assessment and effective measures must be taken so as to avoid potential negative impacts. 2.4 Overview of Tourism Industry Tourism is the worlds largest growth industry. Organization such as the world tourism organization state that in the next 15 years the number of tourist will increase from 845 million in 2006 to 1.6 billion by 2020 that is it will double. Furthermore 200m people are employs worldwide. These jobs very often occur in small or medium-sized, family-owned enterprises. Similarly these tourism jobs and development very often take place in fewer developing countries that will help to balance economic opportunities. For example in order to benefit from balance economic opportunities Mauritius which is an underdeveloped country is aiming 2m tourist by 2015. 2.4.1 Tourism development in Mauritius Tourism developments in Mauritius are based mainly on the 3s that is sea, sun and sand. By relying on the 3s, this causes the tourists being kept within the four walls of the luxurious hotels. Luxurious hotel is one of the major tourism developments in Mauritius. Larger international company such as Sun Resort Ltd has constructed luxurious and glamour hotels such as Le Touessrock Hotel, La Pirogue Hotel and Long Beach Hotel. Nowadays Mauritius has diversified their tourism product and services in order to attain the 2 million tourists by 2015. Mauritius is offering adventure tourism that is soft tourism and hard tourism. Furthermore the government is practicing responsible tourism and sustainable tourism. The government is also allowing tourism development on our islets such as Ile aux Cerfs. 2.4.2 Topography of Ile aux Cerf Our selected area to carry out the EIA is Ile aux Cerfs. It is a tourism development site and each day there are different sea activities that take place on the islet. Ile aux Cerf welcomes the Mauritian people as well as the tourists. With the introduction of sustainable development and Maurice Ile Durable, it is important to know what the impacts of these developments on Ile aux Cerf. The EIA will help to achieve our aim. Ile aux Cerf, situated in the east coast of Mauritius, is a stunning and naturally splendid islet. This small paradise constitutes about 100 hectares of soil. It is also known as the deer island and is recognized as having the best beach of the Indian Ocean. Ile aux Cerfs is not a residential area. Everyday tourists as well as locals visit the island. To reach the island, boats are available from Trou Deau Douce, a small village found in the east. It takes around ten minutes to reach the island. Tourism developments have taken place in the island making it a must see place to visit. In the past years, the island has become among the most well known tourist attractions. 2.4.3 Tourism Development on Ile aux Cerfs Ile aux Cerfs is an islet found in the east of Mauritius. Many people describe Ile aux Cerfs as a mini Eden where you can relax and spend nice time with family and friends. One of the main tourism developments in Ile aux Cerfs is the golf course and the sun group made this plan public in july 1998. The project consists of an eighteen-hole course and clubhouse. From the environment impact assessment report made previously on the islet it appears that the golf course covers an area of 40 hectares. Furthermore the Touessrok hotel is another tourism development that relies heavily on the Ile aux Cerfs. It is situated near the islet. The management of the Touessrok hotel is the one which managed the golf course on the islet. Touessrok hotel is a five stars plus well-known hotel throughout the world. More other another tourism development on Ile aux Cerf is the Paul Virginie Restaurant, which is again managed by the management of the Touessrok hotel. Located on the islet, the restaurants relaxing beachside setting, is perfect for a family lunch of fish, pizza and Mauritian dishes (http//:www.elegantresorts.co.uk). There are also a lot of tourism activities that take place on the islet. These activities are mainly sea activities that are provided by tour operators such as Happy Holidays Mauritius. Examples of these activities are speed zone, Rampage, Big Banana, Frequent flyer, Duo Patriot and parasailing (http//:www.happy.holidays.mu). Therefore these are some tourism development that occur in Mauritius and especially on the islet of ile aux cerfs. 2.5 Conclusion As we have seen before development can have negative impacts on the environment and therefore an EIA is required before the undertaking of any development be it tourism or non-tourism development in order to identify potential environmental impacts and find out strategies to minimize the negative impacts. However the EIA should be well-done and ways should be found to overcome the weaknesses of the EIA so that the report is an effective one and can help in minimizing environmental impacts.

How People with Autism Experience the World Essays -- Science Scientif

How People with Autism Experience the World Many of us have heard of the neurological disorder called autism, and have a general sense of what the term "autism" means and all of the typical behaviors that belong in its category. Yet, I must question how many of us out there who do take an interest in autism really understand how having this disorder can totally distort one's perception of what one experiences in the world. A person with autism senses things differently than we normally do, and also responds to them in other ways – what we would call "abnormal behaviors". Why is this so? According to scientists, MRI research studies have shown that the brains of autistic individuals have particular abnormalities in the cerebellum, brain stem, hippocampus, amygdala, the limbic system, and frontal cortex (7). This provides substantial evidence that autistic behaviors must be in some way caused by these abnormalities. The problem is that we do not know exactly how or why these abnormalities cause someone with autism to experience the world differently than we do. This underlying issue of autism has always greatly intrigued me, and yet the topic of sensory integrative dysfunction in autism has been overlooked for many years. Articles and documents addressing this feature of autism have begun to appear only recently. While conducting research for my paper, I found it a challenge to find articles that specifically talked about this topic that I desired so much to learn about. Thus, the ultimate goal of my discussion is to reveal a misunderstood, hidden world – the complicated sensory dysfunctions that underlie autistic spectrum disorder. What have we found out so far about how people with autism experience the world? Al... ...s and Communication Disorders http://www.autismtoday.com/articles/Auditory_Processing_Problems.htm 8)Autism Today Page, An Inside View of Autism http://www.autismtoday.com/articles/An_Inside_View_of_Autism.htm 9)Pub Med Page, Nicotinic Receptor Abnormalities in the Cerebellar Cortex in Autism http://www.brainbank.org/HtmNew/Abstracts/LeeM.html 10)Pub Med Page, Stereological Evidence of Abnormal Cortical Organization in Individuals with Autism http://www.brainbank.org/HtmNew/Abstracts/Hutsler.html 11)Autism and Related Conditions Page, Sensory and Motor Disorders http://www.ratbag.demon.co.uk/anna/asa/definitions/sensory.html 12)National Center for Biotechnology Information Page, Neurofunctional Mechanisms in Autism http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ 13)Autism Today Page, Sensory Disorder http://www.autismtoday.com/articles/Sensory_Disorder.htm

Comparing Mitch Alboms Tuesdays with Morrie and Leo Tolstoys The Deat

Love and Death in Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie and Leo Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilych One story is distinctively American in its optimism and characteristic of the 1990's in its tone; the other shows the unmistakable disposition of nineteenth century Russia. The more recent book follows the actual life of a sociology professor at Brandeis University while the other explores a product of Leo Tolstoy's imagination. Tuesdays with Morrie and "The Death of Ivan Ilych" portray two characters who sit on opposite ends of the literary spectrum but who share the dark bond of terminal illness and advance knowledge of their deaths. One views the knowledge as a blessing and as an opportunity to make his final good-byes, the other writhes in pain and begs for an end to his vicious sentence of suffering. In the face of identical fates these two men show stark contrasts, all for the simple reason that only one of them found a way to love.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Though illness stripped both Morrie Schwartz and Ivan Ilych of their hope for survival, their dissimilar lifestyles led each to a much different end. Morrie found himself in an overflow of compassion while surrounded by family, friends and colleagues. Ivan, on the other hand, found only the obligatory company of his wife and the painful awareness that no one really cared. Both characters ended their lives the way they lived them, as Ivan acknowledges: "In them he saw himself" (Ivn, 149). While Morrie poured himself into every moment of life and every relationship he pursued, Ivan skirted the dangers of emotion to live "easily, pleasantly, and decorously" (Ivn, 115). In the spirit of such an opposition, the two stories become somewhat like responses to each other. Morrie Schwatrz, proclaimed... ... such books?   Ã‚  Ã‚   All things considered, the answer is a confident "Yes." No law of literary comparison mandates that the works in question hold the same level of scholarly repute. These two stories focus on death, the great equalizer, one of the most terrifying facts of human existence and one that we will all someday face. Though the paths vary, both characters meet the same epiphany in the end. Morrie savors most of his life with an understanding of "the secret" while Ivan receives it only hours before dying. What really matters, however, is that they both find it. Works Cited Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson. New York: Doubleday, 1997. Tolstoy, Leo. "The Death of Ivan Ilych" and Other Stories. Afterword by David Magarshack. Trans. J. D. Duff and Aylmer Maude. New York: NAL/Signet Classic, 1990.

Resisting Negative Peer Pressure Essay -- Peer Pressure Essays

"God made you so you can be your own individual. You shouldn't be anyone else." -- Wyclef Jean "Everything don't mean a thing if it ain't the thing you want. Express Yourself!" -- Charles Wright Remember when you were first taught the concept of peer pres ­sure back in elementary school? Your teachers educated you on the value of respecting yourself and others around you and to nev ­er force someone to do something that they do not want to do. As we get older, the lessons of peer pressure go on without much to say. We experience life and learn from our mistakes. We think that we carry our wits about us every ­where we go when we are with groups of people. We may think that we, as older students, are not subjected to peer pressure, but it happens more times than we think. As students from high school transition into college, times can be rough. They have to get used to their new environment and adapt to any changes that come their way. Someone who was not into the party scene in high school might wind up living on a floor that is wild and crazy, and they will have to adapt to their environment in order to fit in with everyone else. Next thing they know their whole persona changes. They be ­gin to think differently, dress differently, and act differently just to fit in with a group of people. It is crazy to think that a group of peo ­ple can have such a massive influence on one person, but someone’s lifestyle can be changed drastically just by conforming and adopting to other people’s values and actions as they forget about their own. However, peer pressure does not only relate to the party scene. Students can experience peer pressure when it comes to doing well in their classes. If every ­one else is stressing out, you are... ... to dress a certain way or act a certain way, just so that I could fit in with them. I think now is the perfect time to say, â€Å"ain’t no body got time for that!† And that’s just it. Ain’t no body got time for that. Nobody should have time to conform to other people’s wants and needs. We should be surrounding ourselves with people who are accepting us for what we have to offer. However, for some people, they succumb to the peer pressures in college. In college it is all about finding your nitch; what you are good at, establishing a group of friends, and participating in activities and organizations you want to be a part of. College is not about seeking approval from others, it is about seeking approval from yourself. You are the only person that is standing in your way to be successful, so do not let anyone pressure you to do something that will dull your sparkle. Resisting Negative Peer Pressure Essay -- Peer Pressure Essays "God made you so you can be your own individual. You shouldn't be anyone else." -- Wyclef Jean "Everything don't mean a thing if it ain't the thing you want. Express Yourself!" -- Charles Wright Remember when you were first taught the concept of peer pres ­sure back in elementary school? Your teachers educated you on the value of respecting yourself and others around you and to nev ­er force someone to do something that they do not want to do. As we get older, the lessons of peer pressure go on without much to say. We experience life and learn from our mistakes. We think that we carry our wits about us every ­where we go when we are with groups of people. We may think that we, as older students, are not subjected to peer pressure, but it happens more times than we think. As students from high school transition into college, times can be rough. They have to get used to their new environment and adapt to any changes that come their way. Someone who was not into the party scene in high school might wind up living on a floor that is wild and crazy, and they will have to adapt to their environment in order to fit in with everyone else. Next thing they know their whole persona changes. They be ­gin to think differently, dress differently, and act differently just to fit in with a group of people. It is crazy to think that a group of peo ­ple can have such a massive influence on one person, but someone’s lifestyle can be changed drastically just by conforming and adopting to other people’s values and actions as they forget about their own. However, peer pressure does not only relate to the party scene. Students can experience peer pressure when it comes to doing well in their classes. If every ­one else is stressing out, you are... ... to dress a certain way or act a certain way, just so that I could fit in with them. I think now is the perfect time to say, â€Å"ain’t no body got time for that!† And that’s just it. Ain’t no body got time for that. Nobody should have time to conform to other people’s wants and needs. We should be surrounding ourselves with people who are accepting us for what we have to offer. However, for some people, they succumb to the peer pressures in college. In college it is all about finding your nitch; what you are good at, establishing a group of friends, and participating in activities and organizations you want to be a part of. College is not about seeking approval from others, it is about seeking approval from yourself. You are the only person that is standing in your way to be successful, so do not let anyone pressure you to do something that will dull your sparkle.

Child Labour Essay

Child labour is the practice of having children engage in economic activity, on part or full-time basis. The practice deprives children of their childhood, and is harmful to their physical and mental development. Poverty, lack of good schools and growth of informal economy are considered as the important causes of child labour in India. The 2001 national census of India estimated the total number of child labour, aged 5–14, to be at 12. 6 million. The child labour problem is not unique to India; worldwide, about 217 million children work, many full-time. In 2001, out of a 12. million, about 12 million children in India were in a hazardous job. UNICEF estimates that India with its larger population, has the highest number of labourers in the world under 14 years of age, while sub-saharan African countries have the highest percentage of children who are deployed as child labour. International Labour Organisation estimates that agriculture at 60 percent is the largest employer of child labour in India, while United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates 70 % of child labour is deployed in agriculture and related activities. Outside of agriculture, child labour is observed in almost all informal sectors of the Indian economy. Companies including Gap, Primark, Monsanto and others have been criticised for child labour in their products. The companies claim they have strict policies against selling products made by underage kids, but there are many links in a supply chain making it difficult to police them all. In 2011, after three years of Primark’s effort, BBC acknowledged that its award-winning investigative journalism report of Indian child labour use by Primark was a fake. BBC apologized to Primark, to Indian suppliers and all its viewers. Article 24 of India’s constitution prohibits child labour. Additionally, various laws and the Indian Penal Code, such as the Juvenile Justice (care and protection) of Children Act-2000, and the Child Labour (Prohibition and Abolition) Act-1986 provide a basis in law to identify, prosecute and stop child labour in India. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) states that child labour may be defined in a number of different ways, and a different definition yields a different estimate of child labour in India as well as other countries. According to ILO, children or adolescents who participate in work that does not affect their health and personal development or interfere with their schooling, is not child labour; rather it may generally be regarded as being something positive. e is also a man who tiheir parents around the home, assisting family or earning pocket money outside school hours and over holidays. These kinds of activities, suggests ILO, may contribute to children’s developmentlly, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children, or work whose schedule interferes with their ability to attend regular school, or work that affects in any manner their ability to focus during school or experience healthy childhood. UNICEF defines child labour differently. A child, suggests UNICEF, is involved in child labour activities if between 5 to 11 years of age, he or she did at least one hour of economic activity or at least 28 hours of domestic work in a week, and in case of children between 12 to 14 years of age, he or she did at least 14 hours of economic activity or at least 42 hours of economic activity and domestic work per week. UNICEF in another report suggests, â€Å"Children’s work needs to be seen as happening along a continuum, with destructive or exploitative work at one end and beneficial work – promoting or enhancing children’s development without interfering with their schooling, recreation and rest – at the other. And between these two poles are vast areas of work that need not negatively affect a child’s development. † India’s Census 2001 office defines child labour as participation of a child less than 17 years of age in any economically productive activity with or without compensation, wages or profit. Such participation could be physical or mental or both. This work includes part-time help or unpaid work on the farm, family enterprise or in any other economic activity such as cultivation and milk production for sale or domestic consumption. Indian government classifies child labourers into two groups: Main workers are those who work 6 months or more per year. And marginal child workers are those who work at any time during the year but less than 6 months in a year. Some child rights activists argue that child labour must include every child who is not in school because he or she is a hidden child worker. UNICEF, however, points out that India faces major shortages of schools, classrooms and teachers particularly in rural areas where 90 percent of child labour problem is observed. About 1 in 5 primary schools have just one teacher to teach students across all grades. After its independence from colonial rule, India has passed a number of constitutional protections and laws on child labour. The Constitution of India in the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy prohibits child labour below the age of 14 years in any factory or mine or castle or engaged in any other hazardous employment (Article 24). The constitution also envisioned that India shall, by 1960, provide infrastructure and resources for free and compulsory education to all children of the age six to 14 years. (Article 21-A and Article 45). India has a federal form of government, and child labour is a matter on which both the central government and country governments can legislate, and have. The major national legislative developments include the following: The Factories Act of 1948: The Act prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 years in any factory. The law also placed rules on who, when and how long can pre-adults aged 15–18 years be employed in any factory. The Mines Act of 1952: The Act prohibits the employment of children below 18 years of age in a mine. The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986: The Act prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 years in hazardous occupations identified in a list by the law. The list was expanded in 2006, and again in 2008. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) of Children Act of 2000: This law made it a crime, punishable with a prison term, for anyone to procure or employ a child in any hazardous employment or in bondage. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2009: The law mandates free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14 years. This legislation also mandated that 25 percent of seats in every private school must be allocated for children from disadvantaged groups and physically challenged children. India formulated a National Policy on Child Labour in 1987. This Policy seeks to adopt a gradual & sequential approach with a focus on rehabilitation of children working in hazardous occupations. It envisioned strict enforcement of Indian laws on child labour combined with development programs to address the root causes of child labour such as poverty. In 1988, this led to the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) initiative. This legal and development initiative continues, with a current central government funding of 602 crores, targeted solely to eliminate child labour in India. Despite these efforts, child labour remains a major challenge for India. For much of human history and across different cultures, children less than 17 years old have contributed to family welfare in a variety of ways. UNICEF suggests that poverty is the big cause of child labour. The report also notes that in rural and impoverished parts of developing and undeveloped parts of the world, children have no real and meaningful alternative. Schools and teachers are unavailable. Child labour is the unnatural result. A BBC report, similarly, concludes poverty and inadequate public education infrastructure are some of the causes of child labour in India. Between boys and girls, UNICEF finds girls are two times more likely to be out of school and working in a domestic role. Parents with limited resources, claims UNICEF, have to choose whose school costs and fees they can afford when a school is available. Educating girls tends to be a lower priority across the world, including India. Girls are also harassed or bullied at schools, sidelined by prejudice or poor curricula, according to UNICEF. Solely by virtue of their gender, therefore, many girls are kept from school or drop out, then provide child labour. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and spreading smiles through education organisation(OSSE) suggests poverty is the greatest single force driving children into the workplace. Income from a child’s work is felt to be crucial for his/her own survival or for that of the household. For some families, income from their children’s labour is between 25 to 40% of the household income. According to a 2008 study by ILO, among the most important factors driving children to harmful labour is the lack of availability and quality of schooling. Many communities, particularly rural areas do not possess adequate school facilities. Even when schools are sometimes available, they are too far away, difficult to reach, unaffordable or the quality of education is so poor that parents wonder if going to school is really worth it. In government-run primary schools, even when children show up, government-paid teachers do not show up 25% of the time. The 2008 ILO study suggests that illiteracy resulting from a child going to work, rather than a quality primary and secondary school, limits the child’s ability to get a basic educational grounding which would in normal situations enable them to acquire skills and to improve their prospects for a decent adult working life. An albeit older report published by UNICEF outlines the issues summarized by the ILO report. The UNICEF report claimed that while 90% of child labour in India is in its rural areas, the availability and quality of schools is decrepit; in rural areas of India, claims the old UNICEF report, about 50% of government funded primary schools that exist do not have a building, 40% lack a blackboard, few have books, and 97% of funds for these publicly funded school have been budgeted by the government as salaries for the teacher and administrators. A 2012 Wall Street Journal article reports while the enrollment in India’s school has dramatically increased in recent years to over 96% of all children in the 6-14 year age group, the infrastructure in schools, aimed in part to reduce child labour, remains poor – over 81,000 schools do not have a blackboard and about 42,000 government schools operate without a building with make shift arrangements during monsoons and inclement weather. Biggeri and Mehrotra have studied the macroeconomic factors that encourage child labour. They focus their study on five Asian nations including India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines. They suggest that child labour is a serious problem in all five, but it is not a new problem. Macroeconomic causes encouraged widespread child labour across the world, over most of human history. They suggest that the causes for child labour include both the demand and the supply side. While poverty and unavailability of good schools explain the child labour supply side, they suggest that the growth of low paying informal economy rather than higher paying formal economy – called organised economy in India – is amongst the causes of the demand side. India has rigid labour laws and numerous regulations that prevent growth of organised sector where work protections are easier to monitor, and work more productive and higher paying. The unintended effect of Indian complex labour laws is the work has shifted to the unorganised, informal sector. As a result, after the unorganised agriculture sector which employs 60% of child labour, it is the unorganised trade, unorganised assembly and unorganised retail work that is the largest employer of child labour. If macroeconomic factors and laws prevent growth of formal sector, the family owned informal sector grows, deploying low cost, easy to hire, easy to dismiss labour in form of child labour. Even in situations where children are going to school, claim Biggeri and Mehrotra, children engage in routine after-school home-based manufacturing and economic activity. Other scholars too suggest that inflexibility and structure of India’s labour market, size of informal economy, inability of industries to scale up and lack of modern manufacturing technologies are major macroeconomic factors affecting demand and acceptability of child labour. Cigno et al. suggest the government planned and implemented land redistribution programs in India, where poor families were given small plots of land with the idea of enabling economic independence, have had the unintended effect of increased child labour. They find that smallholder plots of land are labour-intensively farmed since small plots cannot productively afford expensive farming equipment. In these cases, a means to increase output from the small plot has been to apply more labour, including child labour.

Autocratic Leadership Style Essay

Can an authoritarian/autocratic/directive leadership style be appropriate in American companies currently? If yes/no, why? It is first important to clarify what the term leadership means. According to Kinicki & Fugate (2012), â€Å"leadership is defined as ‘a social influence process in which the leader seeks the voluntary participation of subordinates in an effort to reach organizational goals’† (p. 364). This means leadership involves exercising authority at individual, group, and organizational levels. Bass (2008) identifies positive leadership traits to include task competence, interpersonal competence, intuition, traits of character, biophysical traits, and personal traits. With this basic understanding of leadership, it can be said that the appropriateness of an autocratic leadership style depends on the type of company and situation at hand—the idea of situational leadership (Kinicki & Fugate, 2012, p. 370). Even though the United States is a democratic country, an autocratic leadership style fits some but not all companies, depending on what the company wants to accomplish and what the company’s circumstances are. A manager with an autocratic style of leadership typically does all the decision-making without getting input from his/her subordinates (Rao, 2010, para. 3). Therefore, the manager is the authoritarian while all the subordinates are to simply follow instructions without giving their own thoughts or concerns about the task given to them. A benefit of this style is it can help provide structure and discipline to an otherwise inexperienced team, and also help a team stay on top of strict deadlines. Since the manager makes all the decisions, there is no time â€Å"wasted† on decision-making if there’s a time constraint. This type of leadership is also helpful when the manager has the highest amount of knowledge and could therefore specifically guide the subordinates on how to complete a task (Cherry), or when a type of industry simply does not require much communication or creativity relative to other industries. However, an autocratic style of leadership would be ill-fitting for many other types of companies, especially if the autocratic style is taken to extremes. As the textbook Organizational Behavior mentions, a bad leader would possess traits like being incompetent, rigid, or callous (Kinicki & Fugate, 2012, p. 366). Since a manager taking up an autocratic style of leadership is enforcing rigid rules, it could be potentially easy to become rigid as a person as well, which could lead to loss of respect from subordinates and ruin morale of the team. Cherry states that abuse of the style can make a person seem â€Å"controlling, bossy, and dictatorial,† and that this autocratic style of leadership prevents subordinates from producing creative solutions to problems. Giving employees such a lack of influence in the company could cause them to feel resentful since their opinions are never heard (â€Å"Leadership Styles,† 2008, para. 3-4), which means valuable relationships cannot be developed, thus straining human and social capital. An example of where an autocratic style of leadership would not be appropriate is if all the subordinates are just as knowledgeable or skilled as the manager. It would make more sense to use a democratic style of leadership so that everyone can participate and have a sense of importance in the decision-making, and because of their contribution, would feel more committed and enthusiastic about the company’s goals. Situational leadership theories suggest that â€Å"the effectiveness of a particular style of leader behavior depends on the situation.† This applies to how the appropriateness of the autocratic style of leadership depends on the company at hand. It is important to fully analyze the employee characteristics (locus of control, experience, task ability, etc.) and environmental factors (task structure and work-group dynamics) to decide whether or not an autocratic style of leadership would produce the most desirable results for the company (Kinicki & Fugate, 2012, p. 370-372). References Bass, B.M., & Bass, R. (2008). The Bass handbook of leadership. New York: Free Press. Cherry, K. Lewin’s leadership styles. About.com: Psychology. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership Cherry, K. What is autocratic leadership?. About.com: Psychology. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership Kinicki, A., & Fugate M. (2012). Organizational behavior: Key concepts, skills, and best practices. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Leadership styles: Autocratic leadership. (2008). Leadership-toolbox.com, pp. 3-4. Retrieved from http://www.leadership-toolbox.com/autocratic-leadership.html Rao, M.S. (2010). Is autocratic leadership relevant today?. Chief Learning Officer: Solutions for Enterprise Activity. Retrieved from http://clomedia.com/articles

The Tain: Cuculain Hero?

Amber Borkowski Reading Literature Myths Cuchulainn: A Hero or a Killer? A mythic hero is a story figure that embarks on a journey in order to complete tasks that make them into legends of tales. Cuchulainn is a mythic hero in the Tain, a story of a war between the North and South of the land in Ireland. A hero is a term that can be a homonym with many other meanings. A person can consider a police officer, their mother, or many other examples as a hero. Even with the broad spectrum of the word, every example does surround the feeling of being protected by the person. I consider Cuchulainn to be a war-hero.Cuchulainn is a well-trained warrior that is able to perform stunts of throwing a javelin, stone, just fighting with his fists, and many more while leaving every opponent dead or too terrified to fight him. But does being able to defeat every opponent make a character a hero or just a person to be feared? Cuchulainn was raised and trained by the best of all the instructors to becom e a great warrior that would be remembered, and that is just what he did. When Cuchulainn was just a boy he left his mother and went off to join the boy troop where he would train and be protected by the troop.The war in the tale began at the point where Medb and Aillil, the queen and king of Connacht, had an argument over who had the most possessions. The two were equal until the point came where Aillil owned one great bull more than Medb. Medb was so enraged that she waged war to retrieve the equally great bull from Ulster. At this time, the Ulster army was in their pangs, unable to have the strength to fight. Cuchulainn protected the land from Medb and Aillil’s army, killing thousands of their soldiers.With Medb and Aillil’s army becoming weaker, Cuchulainn agreed to fight one great warrior a day. Every day the opponent would be defeated and this continued until the pangs lifted from Cuchulainn’s Ulsterman army. Eventually, Medb and Aillil were defeated and t here was peace in the land among the people. During the tale of the Tain, there was a section about Cuchulainn going into a warp spasm and killing men, children, and women the same. â€Å"The first warp-spasm seized Cuchulainn, and made him into a monstrous thing, hideous and shapeless, unheard of.His shanks and his joints, every knuckle and angle and organ from head to foot, shook like a tree in the flood or reed in the stream. †(Kinsella, p. 150) At this point Cuchulainn is transformed into an un-human monster with essentially no emotion or thought other than destruction. â€Å"In this great Carnage on Murtheimne Plain Cuchulainn slew one hundred and thirty kings, as well as an uncountable horde of dogs and horses, women and boys and children and rabble of all kinds. †(Kinsella, p. 156) To me this behavior seems more like a murderer’s actions than a â€Å"heroes†.Almost like a villain in a superhero movie that needs to be stopped because of their unthin kable actions. Cuchulainn was definitely a hero for being able to protect Ulster while they were not able to fight. He was a hero to his people, but was extremely feared by the opponents. Cuchulainn would also be considered a hero because he does not necessarily want to kill all of the people he did. He was just obeying the orders that he was given and obeying his king. There came points in the story where Medb and Aillil had sent people close to Cuchulainn for him to battle.At these points in the story it is understood that Cuchulainn is not a senseless killer with any type of emotions, even though in those days the value of life was not very high. To fight these men or not was a terrible decision to have to make because Cuchulainn was aware of the amazing stunts he could perform against an opponent, leaving them dead. If a person is able to defeat every opponent that is placed in battle with them, does that make them a hero or just a person that is feared by all? To answer this qu estion it really comes down to what side of the situation the person giving the opinion is on.A relatable situation in history would be of Adolf Hitler. He was a dictator that was admired by the people who followed him. The loyalty of the people allowed him to kill thousands, but if he had the strengths of Cuchulainn, he could have done it alone. Similarly, he was feared by one group and considered a hero to the other side. There is not really an answer as to Cuchulainn being a hero or just a crazy mass murderer. The answer would have to lie in which side of the war you were on. Works Cited Kinsella, Thomas. (1969). The Tain. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Morality in Politics Essay

Civic virtue is the formation of habits of personal living that are claimed to be important for the success of the community. This term was important to Aristotle’s theories on politics. He felt that all humans should take pleasure in civic virtue and that it was essential for living â€Å"the good life†. Today, our democratic government is well-suited to promote civic virtue and participation of all people in the country. Although times have changed since Aristotle’s days, this ideology can be seen actively in our society. One of the main ideas in Aristotle’s philosophy was teleos, or the purpose or goal of something. To fully understand something, we must also understand its teleos. For example, I have an apple. I know that it is red, kind of round, and grows on a tree, but the real purpose or teleos of that apple to me is food. As far as humans go, Aristotle says that humans are meant to be happy. To be happy, humans must live a life of virtue, which means they always choose what is morally good. Humans have the abilities to think and speak, and therefore decide what is good and bad, right and wrong, etc. People that may think they are living a good life but are not making moral decisions are not truly happy in Aristotle’s eyes. Politics provides a place for people to interact with each other, talk about what is right and wrong, just or unjust, and to make laws reflecting these things. It allows people to participate in their lives, make ethical decisions, and fulfill their happiness potential. Politics is dynamic, unlike math or science that are concrete and unchanging. People can work with each other in politics and work for the greater good. The development of civic virtue allows for a person to relate to their community. It helps them understand their ties to the community and responsibility within it. It helps them see beyond their own personal interests. Some examples of civic virtue would be voting, volunteering, or going to a town meeting. Today, anyone can participate in these things, but Aristotle believed differently. He held that women and slaves were not eligible to participate in politics, and very young men were not ready to participate because they did not understand how the society worked yet. Because of this, a small number of people in his time actually participated in politics compared to today. The American democratic government is well suited for civic virtue. The first reason is that everyone can participate, which means that everyone has the opportunity to become happy people living their life to the fullest. Anyone, provided they are 18 and a citizen, can vote. They can vote for the candidate they feel will represent their moral views and put them into action. People can run for office and put their views to work. Another reason is freedom of speech. Americans have the opportunity to speak freely about issues and share their opinions with others. This helps them create those habits of morality that become a part of their civic virtue. A third reason is the freedom to assemble. Any person can start a club or a group to meet with others. Active participation in public life is essential to civic virtue. A group may be a philanthropy group aimed at helping others. Reciprocity or giving back to the community is another key element of civic virtue. Virtue is closely related to free will. Through active participation, people develop their moral compass and they develop their ideas of what is right and wrong, and their habits of how to react in situations accordingly. People develop their own morality. How can one legislate free will? You cannot. But the legal system can shape morality. By setting laws in certain ways, people will develop their moral views around them. Laws can shape habits by reducing the frequency of certain acts. Giving prison time, fines, probation, and so on can help people learn that they do not want to do the things that caused those punishments. Laws can shape morality as well because people naturally draw influence from other sources. Some may create their moral background on the basis of religion or their family, but the law can be one of those influences as well. The legal system is important for developing morality in society and promoting civic virtue. Civic virtue is important in society. By actively participating in the community, Aristotle believes that people will be ultimately happy. The true purpose of humans is to be happy, and civic virtue is the pathway to this happiness. The American government gives many opportunities for people to participate in both politics and the community, which promotes civic virtue.