Immanuel Kant Essay

HYPERLINK â€Å"http://www. philosophypages. com/ph/kant. htm† Immanuel Kant answers the question in the first sentence of the essay: â€Å"Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturity. † He argues that the immaturity is self-inflicted not from a lack of understanding, but from the lack of courage to use one’s reason, intellect, and wisdom without the guidance of another. He exclaims that the motto of enlightenment is â€Å"Sapere aude†! – Dare to be wise! The German word Unmundigkeit means not having attained age of majority or legal adulthood. â€Å"Unmundig† also means â€Å"dependent† or â€Å"unfree†, and another translation is â€Å"tutelage† or â€Å"nonage† (the condition of â€Å"not [being] of age†). Kant, whose moral philosophy is centred around the concept of autonomy, here distinguishes between a person who is intellectually autonomous and one who keeps him/herself in an intellectually heteronomous, i. e. dependent and immature status. Kant understands the majority of people to be content to follow the guiding institutions of society, such as the Church and the Monarchy, and unable to throw off the yoke of their immaturity due to a lack of resolution to be autonomous. It is difficult for individuals to work their way out of this immature, cowardly life because we are so uncomfortable with the idea of thinking for ourselves. Kant says that even if we did throw off the spoon-fed dogma and formulas we have absorbed, we would still be stuck, because we have never â€Å"cultivated our minds. † The key to throwing off these chains of mental immaturity is reason. There is hope that the entire public could become a force of free thinking individuals if they are free to do so. Why? There will always be a few people, even among the institutional â€Å"guardians†, who think for themselves. They will help the rest of us to â€Å"cultivate our minds. † Kant shows himself a man of his times when he observes that â€Å"a revolution may well put an end to autocratic despotism . . . or power-seeking oppression, but it will never produce a true reform in ways of thinking. † The recently completed American Revolution had made a great impression in Europe; Kant cautions that new prejudice will replace the old and become a new leash to control the â€Å"great unthinking masses. † Immanuel Kant’s Ideas on Science and Morality According to the 18th-century German thinker Immanuel Kant, no person may possess inherent wisdom about reality. This is best summarized in the philosopher’s famous expression, â€Å"Thoughts without content are empty; intuitions without data are blind. † Indeed, Kant believes that in order for us to utilize our sensible intuition, we must possess two stimuli, â€Å"physical sensation† and â€Å"moral duty. † The first of the two addresses a portion of Kantian thought known as â€Å"empirical realism,† a reasoning that defines that absolute reality as the entire universe in which all human beings dwell. Every time we acquire external data from that absolute reality, our perception of it assumes a greater degree of accuracy. And what would be the optimal way of acquiring such data with only minimal if any contact with other persons’ perceptions (which are, like ours, inaccurate, only in different ways, since each human being possesses a unique arsenal of experiences)? Scientific exploration is, therefore, the key to an ultimate comprehension of things-in-themselves. Kant was a fervent admirer of Newtonian thought and the Scientific Method, which permitted scientists to ascend to unprecedented heights in their understanding of and control over nature. The second stimulus to action, moral duty, provides the explanation for the purpose of all human actions toward the comprehension of the universe. This portion of Kant’s doctrine has been dubbed by the philosopher as â€Å"transcendental idealism,† since it establishes a framework outside the natural world upon which correct actions are based. Kant sees the ultimate virtues to be the attempts to reach three goals which are not yet found in reality, God, freedom, and the immortality of individuals. God, the Creator and Supreme Being of the universe, must be fathomed, properly interpreted, and obeyed in accordance with his true desires. Freedom, the individual liberty to act as one wishes and to grant all others this right, must be instituted through societal reforms and a development of ideology to understand the proper order that would establish such an atmosphere. And, at last, every human being must rise to possess the right to exist for an indefinite length of time that he may 1 / 3 obey the commandments of God and practice his freedoms. Kant states that all which is right and moral must be based upon those three principles. As such, Kant separates the scientific realm (which describes what is) from the moral realm (which explains what ought to be), but he considers these two realms to go hand-in-hand — ultimately advocating putting the scientific realm in service to moral one. Kant: The â€Å"Copernican Revolution† in Philosophy The philosophy of Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is sometimes called the â€Å"Copernican revolution of philosophy† to emphasize its novelty and huge importance. Kant synthesized (brought together) rationalism and empiricism. After Kant, the old debate between rationalists and empiricists ended, and epistemology went in a new direction. After Kant, no discussion of reality or knowledge could take place without awareness of the role of the human mind in constructing reality and knowledge. Summary of Rationalism The paradigm rationalist philosophers are Plato (ancient); Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz (modern). Don’t trust senses, since they sometimes deceive; and since the â€Å"knowledge† they provide is inferior (because it changes). Reason alone can provide knowledge. Math is the paradigm of real knowledge. There are innate ideas, e. g. , Plato’s Forms, or Descartes’ concepts of self, substance, and identity. The self is real and discernable through immediate intellectual intuition (cogito ergo sum). Moral notions are comfortably grounded in an objective standard external to self — in God, or Forms. Kant says rationalists are sort of right about (3) and (4) above; wrong about (1) and (2). Kant would like (5) to be true. Summary of Empiricism The paradigm empiricist philosophers are Aristotle (ancient); Locke, Berkeley, Hume (modern). Senses are the primary, or only, source of knowledge of world. Psychological atomism. Mathematics deals only with relations of ideas (tautologies); gives no knowledge of world. No innate ideas (though Berkeley accepts Cartesian self). General or complex ideas are derived by abstraction from simple ones (conceptualism). Hume — there’s no immediate intellectual intuition of self. The concept of â€Å"Self† is not supported by sensations either. Hume — no sensations support the notion of necessary connections between causes and effects, or the notion that the future will resemble the past. Hume — â€Å"is† does not imply â€Å"ought†. Source of morality is feeling. Kant thinks empiricism is on the right track re (1), sort of right re (2), wrong re (3), (4), (5), and (6). Summary of Kant’s Argument The epistemological debate between rationalism and empiricism is basically about whether, or to what extent the senses contribute to knowledge. Both rationalism and empiricism take for granted that it’s possible for us to acquire knowledge of Reality, or how things really are, as opposed to how they seem to us. But both rationalism and empiricism overlook the fact that the human mind is limited; it can experience and imagine only within certain constraints. These constraints are both synthetic and a priori. All our possible experience must conform to these SAPs. The SAPs include location in space and time, causality, experiencing self, thing-ness, identity, and various mathematical notions. (Twentieth- century Gestalt psychology’s attack on psychological atomism is based on Kant’s views. ) Therefore, we must distinguish the world we experience, bounded by SAPs, and the world of things as they really are â€Å"in themselves†. Kant calls these two worlds the phenomenal (apparent) world versus the noumenal (real) world. Empiricism pretty much nails what it means to know something, once the SAPs are in place; i. e. , within the phenomenal world, empiricism rules. The phenomenal world is a world of things, publicly observable, describable by science, known to the senses, determined by physical laws. No God, no 2 / 3 freedom, no soul, no values exist in this world. If God, freedom, souls, and values exist, then they must be noumenal and unknowable by any ordinary means. Thus, according to Kant: Both rationalism and empiricism are wrong when they claim that we can know things in themselves. Rationalists are wrong not to trust senses; in the phenomenal world, senses are all we have. Rationalists are right about â€Å"innate ideas†, but not in Plato’s sense of Forms— much more like Descartes’ in argument of the wax. Hume is wrong when he claims the concept of self is unsupported by senses, and thus bogus. Rather, the experiencing self is a pre-condition for having any experience at all (Descartes was right). Hume is wrong when he says the notion that the future will resemble the past is due only to â€Å"custom and habit†. That notion is a SAP; we couldn’t have ordinary experience without it. Hume is wrong when he says the source of morality is feeling. Morality, properly understood, provides the key to linking the noumenal and phenomenal worlds. Kant argues that if morality is real, then human freedom is real, and therefore humans are not merely creatures of the phenomenal world (not merely things subject to laws). Ramifications of Kant’s Views Kant revolutionized philosophy. Kant showed that the mind, through its innate categories, constructs our experience along certain lines (space, time, causality, self, etc. ). Thus, thinking and experiencing give no access to things as they really are. We can think as hard as we like, but we will never escape the innate constraints of our minds. Kant forced philosophy to look seriously at the world for the agent (what Kant calls the phenomenal world) independently of the real world outside consciousness – the world in itself (the noumenal world). Ethics had long recognized the importance for moral evaluation of â€Å"how things seem to the agent. † But the ramifications of Kant’s noumenal-phenomenal distinction extend far beyond ethics. Philosophers like to take credit for all the big events in 19th century intellectual history as direct consequences of Kant’s philosophical legitimizing of the perspective of the subject: Hegel and German idealism, Darwinism, Romanticism, pragmatism, Marxism, the triumph of utilitarianism, Nietzsche, and the establishment of psychology as a science, especially Gestalt psychology. Phenomena and NoumenaHaving seen Kant’s transcendental deduction of the categories as pure concepts of the understanding applicable a priori to every possible experience, we might naturally wish to ask the further question whether these regulative principles are really true. Are there substances? Does every event have a cause? Do all things interact? Given that we must suppose them in order to have any experience, do they obtain in the world itself? To these further questions, Kant firmly refused to offer any answer. According to Kant, it is vital always to distinguish between the distinct realms of phenomena and noumena. Phenomena are the appearances, which constitute the our experience; noumena are the (presumed) things themselves, which constitute reality. All of our synthetic a priori judgments apply only to the phenomenal realm, not the noumenal. (It is only at this level, with respect to what we can experience, that we are justified in imposing the structure of our concepts onto the objects of our knowledge. ) Since the thing in itself (Ding an sich) would by definition be entirely independent of our experience of it, we are utterly ignorant of the noumenal realm. Thus, on Kant’s view, the most fundamental laws of nature, like the truths of mathematics, are knowable precisely because they make no effort to describe the world as it really is but rather prescribe the structure of the world as we experience it. By applying the pure forms of sensible intuition and the pure concepts of the understanding, we achieve a systematic view of the phenomenal realm but learn nothing of the noumenal realm. Math and science are certainly true of the phenomena; only metaphysics claims to instruct us about the noumena. POWERED BY TCPDF (WWW. TCPDF. ORG).

Pas vs Euthanasia

Every human being has the power to make decisions throughout the course of his or her life. People make choices every day, and it is the control that people have over their own lives that allows them to do so. This ability to have options and be able to make decisions should not cease to exist as a patient approaches the end of life. People have the right to believe strongly in personal autonomy and have the determination to control the end of their lives as wished (DeSpelder 238). Toward the end of life, people should still be given the chance to make decisions, in order to allow them some form of control in a life.The option for Physician Assisted Suicide allows for those, who are approaching death, to end their lives without losing any dignity. Physician Assisted Suicide is when a physician intentionally assists a person in committing his or her own suicide by providing drugs for self administration at a voluntary and competent request (Oliver 2006). With Physician Assisted Suicid e, the physician provides the patient with a prescription for a lethal dose of medication, and counseling on the doses and the methods the patient must follow through with to complete the act (Sanders 2007).The physician may be present while the patient self-administers the medication, although this is not legally required. Also, the physician, or any other person, cannot assist the patient in administering the medication (Darr 2007). Physician Assisted Suicide should not be confused with Euthanasia. In the practice of Physician Assisted Suicide, it is the patient who makes the final administration of the lethal medication. As far as Euthanasia is concerned, it is a deliberate action done with the intention to hasten or cause the death of an individual (Sanders 2007).Physician Assisted Suicide is only legal in the state of Oregon, while Euthanasia is illegal across the United States. Even though Euthanasia is illegal, it was performed casually by a physician by the name of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Dr. Kevorkian would typically start an IV running saline, and allow the patient to then initiate the flow of barbituates and potassium chloride which would result in death (Darr 2007). After having assisted in the deaths of nearly 130 people over the course of ten years, Dr.Kevorkian was found guilty of having given a man a lethal injection which caused the man’s death, and Dr. Kevorkian was sentenced to prison. Although some may see Dr. Kevorkian’s work as wrong and immoral, others support him and his symbol as the public debate on ethical and legal issues surrounding Physician Assisted Suicide (DeSpelder 238). There are many different types or forms of Euthanasia. These types of Euthanasia are: passive euthanasia, active euthanasia, active voluntary euthanasia, and active involuntary euthanasia.Passive euthanasia is the occurrence of a natural death through the discontinuation of life-support equipment or the cessation of life-sustaining medical procedures . Active euthanasia is a deliberate action to end the life of an individual. Voluntary active euthanasia is the intervention of lethal injection to end the life of a mentally competent, suffering individual who has requested to have his or her life put to an end. The last form of Euthanasia is active voluntary euthanasia in which a physician has intervened in such a way to cause the patient’s death, but without the consent from the patient (Scherer 13).One may wish to experience Euthanasia to end his or her life for many reasons. Many patients wish for control and influence over the manner and timing of his or her own death. He or she may also wish to maintain his or her dignity and wish to have relief of severe pain that may be caused by a terminal illness. Other thoughts that may affect the choice for Euthanasia involve wanting to avoid the potential for abuse from his or her doctor, family, health care insurance, and society (Scherer vii).On the other hand, a patient may w ish to pursue Physician Assisted Suicide, or a hastened death, because of an illness related experience such as agonizing symptoms, functional losses, and the effects of pain medications on his or her body. The patient may also feel that the mystery of death is a threat to his or her sense of self, and wish for some sort of control over the matter. Also, patients may fear for the future as far as the quality of life is concerned. A negative past experience with death, and the fear of becoming a burden on amily and friends, can greatly influence a person’s choice to seek Physician Assisted Suicide. As the end of life is approached, care can become much more involved, placing strain on those who are responsible for caring for the dying (Quill 93). In caring for the terminally ill and those near death, certain medications may be prescribed to reduce pain and a patient’s experience with suffering. When administering such medications in an attempt to control symptoms, a phy sician or nurse may inadvertently cause a person’s death. This occurrence is known as ‘double effect’ (Oliver 2006).The doctrine of double effect states that ‘a harmful effect of treatment, even if it results in death, is permissible if the harm is not intended and occurs as a side effect of a beneficial action’ (DeSpelder 238). Because the dosage of medications may need to be adjusted to relieve pain at specific periods of end-of-life, it is likely that respiratory distress may occur soon afterward, leading to death. This has become known as ‘terminal sedation’, yet the Supreme Court has ruled that such instances do not account for Euthanasia or Physician Assisted Suicide because the main intent was to relieve pain (DeSpelder 239).It may appear at times as though the law and medical profession hold strong views that oppose assisting death, but in many ways, they have also shown that under certain circumstances, hastening death can be ju stified. Hastening death through interventions which do not take place in the context of clinical complications, errors, negligence, or deliberate killing have been demonstrated by the legal and professional acceptance of particular cases.Both the law and medical profession allow for the right of a competent adult to refuse any type of treatment, including one which may save his or her life. Doctors are given the right to withdraw or withhold any treatments that he or she sees as futile or not in the patient’s best interest; this includes life saving and life prolonging treatments. As mentioned previously, Doctors are legally also given the right to use their discretion in administering high-dose opiates in the context of palliative care (Sanders 2007).In looking at such scenarios, it is difficult to understand why Physician Assisted Suicide is illegal in all states aside from Oregon, yet similar procedures and actions, that end in the same outcome, are legal in all states. T he only state in which Physician Assisted Suicide is legal is the state of Oregon. Oregon passed the Death with Dignity Act in 1997 which allowed the terminally ill to end their lives voluntarily through the self administration of lethal medications, prescribed by a physician, for this exact purpose (Death).Any physicians, who are against aiding someone in ending his or her life, may refuse to prescribe the lethal medications, but each is given the ability and choice to participate (DeSpelder 237). Although Oregon is the only state in which Physician Assisted Suicide is legal, California, Vermont and Washington all hope to follow in Oregon’s footsteps in legalizing this practice (Ball 2006). Since Physician Assisted Suicide is legal in the state of Oregon, it may be feared that too many people will take advantage of such a utility and that it has potential for abuse (Quill 6).This is not necessarily true. In Oregon, an average of 50 people take full advantage of Physician Ass isted Suicide each year; yet many more than this actually receive the lethal medications and choose not to use them (Oliver 2006). Perhaps it is the feeling of having these medications to fall back on that gives people comfort. People who receive a prescription from their physicians for these lethal medications know that if they ever get to the point where they feel as if they cannot live any longer, they do not have to.Some other facts about patients who choose to follow through with Physician Assisted Suicide are that the majority of those who took the lethal medications were more likely to be divorced or never married rather than married or widowed, had levels of education higher than general education, and had either HIV and AIDS or malignant neoplasms (Darr 2007). Although Physician Assisted Suicide was made legal in Oregon, there have been many instances where the United States Supreme Court has attempted to give Physician Assisted Suicide a bad image.In 1997, the Supreme Cour t compared two cases related to Physician Assisted Suicide. The cases were Washington vs. Glucksberg, and Vacco vs. Quill. In the comparison of these two cases, the Supreme Court looked at withholding and withdrawing treatments against Physician Assisted Suicide. The Court concluded that ‘the right to refuse treatment was based on the right to maintain one’s bodily integrity, not on a right to hasten death’ but when treatments are withdrawn or withheld, ‘the intent is to honor the patient’s wishes, not cause death, unlike PAS where the patient is â€Å"killed† by the lethal medication’ (DeSpelder 237).After examination of such cases, the Supreme Court confirmed that states had the right to prohibit Physician Assisted Suicide, or allow it under some regulatory system. In order to be eligible for Physician Assisted Suicide, there are certain criteria that need to be met. First, the patient must be at least eighteen years old and a legal r esident in the state of Oregon. The patient must be diagnosed with a terminal illness which is determined to provide the patient with less than six months to live.This terminal diagnosis must be confirmed again by a consulting physician. The patient must also be able to communicate his or her health care decisions. A patient is determined to be mentally incompetent in making such decisions, as stated by the Mental Capacity Act of 2005, if he or she is unable to understand information that is relevant to the situation or decision, is unable to retain this information being provided, cannot use or weigh information as part of the natural decision making process, and cannot communicate his or her decision in any manner (Dimond 2006).The request for Physician Assisted Suicide must be a voluntary request, with at least one written request, signed in the presence of at least two witnesses, and two verbal request, both of which must be at least fifteen days apart. If either the attending o r consulting physician feels as though the patient may be depressed, a complete psychiatric examination is done. In addition to these criteria, the physician must also provide information to the patient about hospice care and other comfort measures that may serve as alternatives to Physician Assisted Suicide (Ball 2006).It is important to explore all possibilities for pain management and palliative care to the fullest extent in order to set aside Physician Assisted Suicide as the final resort to ending pain and suffering (Scherer 118). The request for Physician Assisted Suicide is also a prime opportunity for health care providers to examine, explore and address a patient’s fears for the end-of-life (Darr 2007). It is important to hear the request and the feelings behind it, because this could also be a patient’s means for expressing a fear of being kept alive by technological treatments, or even a way of expressing depression.A patient may feel as though it would be e asier to put an end to his or her life rather than to deteriorate (Oliver 2006). Because these possibilities may be so, it is important to analyze a patient’s behavior and requests for death carefully. These requests may not be a true wish to die, but rather what is thought to be an easy way out, or a deep lying psychological issue. It is also recommended that the physician and patient have formed a previous relationship so that there is a clear understanding of the patient’s history and future medical treatment wishes.There must be a discussion between the physician and patient. This discussion facilitates the physician’s understanding of the meaning of the request which will then allow him or her to respond to the patient’s request with both concern and compassion. If both concern and compassion can be developed within the physician-patient relationship, then it is more likely that the physician can accept the patient’s request without encouragin g the patient’s decision to pursue Physician Assisted Suicide (Scherer 118). There are many arguments both for and against the use of Physician Assisted Suicide.The argument for Physician Assisted Suicide is focused primarily on the support of a person’s autonomous decision to end his or her life. It is believed that any person who at the end of his or her life is experiencing unbearable symptoms or distress and feels as though he or she has a poor quality of life, should be able to request assistance in ending his of her life (Oliver 2006). If we are to respect a patient’s wishes, then it is thought that we too should respect a patient’s choice of when and how to die.If a patient has the right to make informed decisions about medical treatment, then this right should naturally extend into his or her informed choice to choose a medically assisted death (Sanders 2007). Those who are against Physician Assisted Suicide believe that a patient’s autonom y should be limited when its exercise has a negative effect on others, and that it undermines a patient’s ability to trust a doctor as a healer (Sanders 2007). Many people also believe that ‘life is a gift from God and no human being has the right to take that gift away’ (Heintz 2007).Fears or worries may arise with the legalization of Physician Assisted Suicide. As health care workers and providers, the job at hand is viewed as maintaining life and improving a patient’s physical condition while performing Physician Assisted Suicide may remove this image. If legalized, the public may find it fearsome that the health care system has become somewhat inconsistent. This is demonstrated when a patient is asked to trust a health care provider in maintaining or improving his or her health while that same provider may be assisting other patients in committing their own suicides (Darr 2007).I chose the topic of Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia because it i s something that I find interesting. There is a constant struggle going on as to whether or not these procedures and actions are ethical, and I thought that it would be interesting to learn more about the topics in order to better develop my own view on the matter. Through my research, my opinion of Physician Assisted Suicide did not change. I had originally viewed Physician Assisted Suicide as a person’s choice and right.Now, I still have the same input on the topic, but I feel as though I could better argue my decision of being for Physician Assisted Suicide rather than against it. I have learned a lot about Physician Assisted Suicide. I find it most important that my sources of information were from both sides of the discussion. This made it helpful for me to understand both views on Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. Upon completing my research, I developed stronger feelings for the case of Physician Assisted Suicide as being a patient’s choice.This is an i ndividual’s choice, and for anyone to vote against such a procedure does not seem OK. Nobody has a say in what goes on in another person’s life. If this really is the case, then why should anyone be able to say that people who are suffering and nearing death cannot take a lethal dose of medication to kill themselves. It all comes down to Physician Assisted Suicide being a patient’s choice and right to have the opportunity in front of him or her if he or she deems it necessary. In conclusion, the ending of one’s life should be left in the hands of that one individual and nobody else.It will always be said to people that â€Å"it is your life, do with it as you will†, but why should this phrase change when it is applied to someone’s death? People should be free to determine their own fates by their own autonomous choices, especially when it comes to private matters such as health (Quill 39). No one person’s life should be at the mercy o f what other people believe would be best. Life or death and the way they will be carried out or ended, should be nobodies choice but the individual. Resources Ball, S. (2006).Nurse-patient advocacy and the right to die. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 44, 36-42. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database. Darr, K. (2007). Assistance in dying: part II. Assisted suicide in the united states. Nexus. Ethics, Law, and Management, 85, 31-36. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database. Death with dignity act. OREGON. gov. Retrieved February 15, 2008 from http://oregon. gov/DHS/ph/pas . DeSpelder, L. , Strickland, A. (2005). The last dance: Encountering death and dying.New York: McGraw-Hill. Dimond, B. (2006). Mental capacity requirements and a patient’s right to die. British Journal of Nursing, 15, 1130-1131. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database. Heintz, A. (2007). Quality of dyin g. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 28, 1-2. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database. Oliver, D. (2006). A perspective on euthanasia. British Journal of Cancer, 95, 953-954. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database.Quill, T. , Battin, M. (2004). Physician assisted dying: The case for palliative care and patient choice. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press. Sanders, K. , Chaloner, C. (2007). Voluntary euthanasia: Ethical concepts and definitions. Art and Science Ethical Decision-Making, 21, 41-44. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database. Scherer, J. , Simon, R. (1999). Euthanasia and the right to die: A comparative view. United States of America: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

The Importance of Macbeth in Modern Society

The importance of continuing to read Macbeth in our modern society is to educate readers on valuable lessons in life. The significance of gaining power appropriately, the fact that there are consequences for every action and the importance of justice are a few of the many life lessons that are relevant in Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth. Primarily, Macbeth, the main character, is influenced by his wife and subsequently has a great desire to be King of Scotland. Macbeth is presently the Thane of Glamis, as well as an army general of the current King, Duncan. When Duncan is in Inverness, he decides to stay at the home of the Macbeths. Lady Macbeth eagerly devises a plot to murder Duncan, thus ensuring her husband's place on the throne of Scotland. Although Macbeth raises concerns about the regicide, he is eventually persuaded by his wife to follow her plan. â€Å" Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires; the eye wink at the hand; yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see †(I. iv. 50-53). Macbeth knows that he must do wrong to achieve his goal, but plans to kill anyone in the way if he must. The method in which Macbeth chooses to use to gain power is neither civilized, nor humane. This extremity is perhaps hinting to the reader that Macbeth's actions were wrong, as well as showing the extremes one may go through to get what they desire. The witches' apparitions given to Macbeth and friend, Banquo, at the beginning of the plot play a monumental role in the thoughts of both men. Macbeth is told that he will be king, though Banquo's sons will be kings as well. â€Å"As the weird woman promis’d; and, I fear, thou play’dst most foully for’t; yet it was said it should not stand in thy posterity, but that myself should be the root and father of many kings† (III.  I. 2-6). Banquo explains that he will father all kings to come, and that Macbeth will not be king for a long period of time. This apparition challenges the friendship between Macbeth and Banquo. Macbeth is not afraid to show his jealousy when saying, â€Å"Upon my head they plac’d a fruitless crown, and put a barren sceptre in my gripe, thence to be wrenc’d with an unlineal hand, no son of mine succeeding (III. I. 61-64). † Uneasy about the prophecy, Macbeth plans to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance, so that the premonition will not occur. Macbeth hires two men to murder Banquo and Fleance, but they only accomplished to kill Banquo, and Fleance is able to escape. The actions of Macbeth had consequences, as most actions do in present day. At the time of the murder, Macbeth does not think of the cost of his deeds. His self-interest and desire for the throne of Scotland drives him to finish the act. â€Å" Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep† (II. ii. 35-36). Macbeth achieves power, but due to guilt, he cannot sleep and starts to drive himself mad. Macbeth was not the only person who was suffering from guilt. Lady Macbeth shows her agony when sleepwalking and talking to herself, â€Å"Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One; two: why, then ‘tis time to do’t. Hell is murky! Fie, my lord-fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? † (IV. I. 34-37) Lady Macbeth frantically tries to wash her hands, but the reality is that there is nothing on them. It is evident that she is feeling guilty for her actions and because of it, she is going mad. Insanity and loss of sleep are only minute consequences, but play an immense role in the development of the characters throughout the play. Lastly, Macbeth achieves justice and what he deserved at the end of the play when Macduff beheads him. Macbeth and Macduff battle, sword for sword, but Macbeth boasts that he has no reason to fear Macduff, because of his belief in the witches' prophesy. â€Å" Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man; for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth† (IV. i. 86-87). This apparition informs Macbeth that he cannot be killed by any man â€Å"of woman born† (IV. i. 86-87). Macduff declares that he was â€Å"from his mother's womb untimely ripp'd† which means that he was born by Caesarean section, and was therefore not â€Å"born† of a woman. The lesson to be learned is to not become a victim of peer pressure, and not to believe everything said. In conclusion, the importance of continuing to read Shakespeare's Macbeth in our modern society is to educate readers about human behaviour on many valuable lessons in life. Whether the play teaches readers about gaining power appropriately, the fact that there are consequences for every action, or the importance of justice, it proves that they are important to learn.

How to Decrease Customer Turnover due to the impersonal touch of Research Paper

How to Decrease Customer Turnover due to the impersonal touch of e-commerce - Research Paper Example But the problem arises when it involves in a matter of customization or suggestion for a particular product. It mainly happens with the service sector. It can be better understood by an example. Suppose, in case of an insurance company, a customer may be in need of a child policy and he has various requirements. E-commerce will enable him to see all the available child policies. It will even ask for more specifications such as age of the child and his parents, premium amount, or amount of sum assured, mode of payment, etc but e-commerce can never really understand the actual requirements of the customer or his future expectations from the policy. Therefore, it will not show the most suitable policy for the customer. If the customer goes with the policy identified by electronic communication system, which will be the result of customized search option, then it may lead to future dissatisfaction of the customer and he may not opt the company for his next policy which will invariably de crease the customer turn over for the insurance company. An electronic media can provide several options to the customers, even through it, a buyer or a seller can customize their choice but an electronic media fails to understand the need and requirement of the customer in the truest essence. That is why, they will not be able to provide apt suggestions or can not give a perfectly suitable product as per the customer’s requirement. Sometimes the customer might feel that they are less valuable for the organization because they find that there is no one to hear their requirements or problems and give a suitable suggestion accordingly. E-commerce is not only used for purchase or selling products and services but also for customer care. When a customer will buy a product, he can directly choose the option for the product and can buy it at once or can go through the features of the products and then purchase it. But

Fogo de chao Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fogo de chao - Essay Example The restaurant has 25 locations where it operates in the United States of America and 9 other locations in Brazil. The meaning of Fogo de Chao is ‘fire on the ground’ and summarizes the method of traditional gaucho of meat roasting over an open fire. The restaurant has many parts; part gluttony, part spectacle and mostly red meat. Fogo de Chao is a dining experience that is interactive where meats are carved tableside from skewers waiters who are dressed in Brazilian garb. Substitute to ordering, dinners have the liberty of trying anything and everything. Typically located in a space that is cavernous, the table meat-fest goes hand in hand with a huge and self-serve salad bar that is varied and the menu explains the different options of meat and provides drinks lists, mainly Brazilian caipirinhas. It is not hard to dismiss Fogo de Chao as a gimmick, other than it is actually very authentic. Not only is this all-someone can eat the style of table skewer of dining is popular in Brazil, where it is called riodizio (a restaurant serving riodizio is a churrascaria), however, Fogo de Chao is a Brazilian chain that is popular that immigrated to the United States rather than an Americanized take on that food of the nation. A lot of the servers are from are from Brazil, and nearly all of them worked in the other locations initially. The services are very impressive, given that the formula depends on each and every waiter’s responsibility for his/her meat(s) of the night, starting from prepping to cooking in the giant that are behind the scene s rotisseries used for serving. In addition to delivery and carve food, they supervise it from seasoning up to delivery at the optimum time. In all the locations in the United States are different, however, they are all upscale in terms of furnishing and decoration, with a lot of a fine than a look that is buffet, with a separate bar, distinctively a glass walled wine cellar that is

Research papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research papers - Essay Example "Rock 'N Roll" is a musical genre whose 'golden age' is usually recognized as the decades of the 1950's and 1960's. This musical form had its beginnings in the blues tunes, gospel music, and jazz-influenced vocal music that became popular among African-American audiences after World War II. A new kind of blues, it featured electrically amplified guitars, harmonicas, and drummers that emphasized afterbeats. (Gillet, 62) At the same time, black gospel music grew in popularity. These forms of black popular music were given the label rhythm and blues (R and B) and were played on big-city radio stations. Radio spread this music's appeal from black communities to towns throughout all of the United States. By the mid-1950's such performers as Little Richard, Joe Turner, and Chuck Berry were becoming popular with white audiences. Radio disc jockeys began calling their music rock 'n roll. "Rock 'N Roll" is a musical genre whose 'golden age' is usually recognized as the decades of the 1950's and 1960's. This musical form had its beginnings in the blues tunes, gospel music, and jazz-influenced vocal music that became popular among African-American audiences after World War II. A new kind of blues, it featured electrically amplified guitars, harmonicas, and drummers that emphasized after beats. (Ennis, 77) By remembering those Classic ro... se were the days when life was plain and simple and the birth of a start named Elvis Presley and the emergence of the love songs that touched the hearts of women. The 50's remarkably gives us an overview of Classic Rock from this stems the succeeding versions and styles of rock and roll. There was a historic demarcation line to distinguish the 70's from the 50's. The musicians from the 70's were able to sing the song of Dylan and Elvis although most people preferred the song from the 70's than the "old" songs. The music of the fifties has very good rhythm although it lacks political and social themes which attracted the people during the 70's. The people during this decade failed to see the energy, vitality and originality of rock and roll which remains incomparable to the other types of music. The premise of this work is that rock 'n' roll matters, and that it means what it says. It seems that rock 'n' roll music has seldom been given its due as an art form, that it is somehow relegated to a category of less "mature" or "serious" artistic pursuits by the media and the intellectual community (whatever that is). Some critics use the generic term "Pop" to refer to any popular music, including all contemporary rock musicians, as if the fact of rock 'n' roll's immense commercial success implies that it cannot really be taken seriously alongside, say, classical music, or even Jazz. Beyond artistic circles, rock 'n' roll is usually given even less credibility; the ideas and feelings and beliefs expressed and reflected in rock songs tend to be dismissed by non-fans, by the Establishment as a whole, as quaintly naive at best, childish and irrelevant at worst. What's even more disturbing is that these attitudes often seem to be held by fans of rock music themselves. We

Two creation story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Two creation story - Essay Example ristian creation stories proves that the former deals with the philosophical aspect of life and the latter deals with the practical aspect of life, and the both can help human beings to view life in today’s society from a different but positive angle of view. As pointed out, the creation stories related to Hinduism deals with the philosophical side of life. To be specific, the Hindu idea is interconnected with the belief that human beings belong to pure consciousness. This pure consciousness is beyond creation and is not destroyable. On the other side, the Christian creation story is based upon a single text, named as Holy Bible. To be specific, the creation narrative (say, the Genesis) is the fundamental principle of Christian creation theory. But the Hindu creation story is based on the belief that all living things share the same pure consciousness. Jim Ollhoff stated that, â€Å"In Indian mythology, some gods come to earth in the form of people, animals, or even other gods† (4). If an individual is not ready to go beyond the limits of the material world, that individual will be forced to undergo rebirth. So, individuals must try to break this cyclic process and they can attain the pure consciousness/eternal freedom or ‘M oksa’. In the Bible, the God’s direct role is pointed out as the base of creation of the world as a whole. For instance, the God took around six days to create everything. In the end, the God decided to create human beings as an experiment. David Adams Leeming stated that, â€Å"It contains the creation myth that forms the basis of the Judeo-Christian tradition† (126). This sort of creation myth-based upon six days-is seen among different religious groups. On the other side, the Hindu creation story does not decline the fact that the Earth was created before millions or billions of years ago. Besides, Hindu creation story is based upon the God’s role in creating human beings and other living things. Similarly, Hindu mythology is of

Hatian Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hatian Revolution - Essay Example The army had fought great wars against the armies of Britain, Spain and France, defeating them all in a span of thirteen years. Like the American independence war and the French revolution several decades earlier, Haiti revolution had its basis on the principal of self-rule and termination of cruelty from white masters. The American war of independence was against subjugation by colonialists, with proponents claiming that no country was superior to the other. The principal concern was lack of representation in governments while the Americans were paying taxes to their German and Britain colonists, a practice that amounted to subjugation of their rights. The French revolution on the other hand was an extension of the self-rule principle from nation state relations to the domestic spheres. Their basic tenet was that all citizens in a state were superior to the state itself and that no man was superior to the other. Whereas these two revolutions form the basis for freedom fights, they b oth centred on rights and freedoms of white men only and did not extent to non-whites or to women. Ironically, the Haiti revolution was against slavery and misrule by French and American among other white countries including Spain and Britain. With large farmlands and other economic activities in their colonies, white rulers mistreated local residents and black slaves whom they forced to work under very demeaning conditions (Sara 45). Once a free independent nation, the urge to avenge against the French colonialists drove the new government under the rule of Dessalines to order a total elimination of all white French settlers on the island under the pretext that they posed security risk to the young nation. This venture spared Americans and other foreigners, but led to extermination of thousands of white Frenchmen, women and children. The extend of Dessalines’s ire towards former French settlers surfaced in his â€Å"liberty or death† proclamation where he described wh ite Frenchmen as insatiate blood suckers who had fattened themselves with the hard toils of Haitians. Dessalines destroyed a considerable size of the island’s population in unleashing revenge on the remaining white French settlers. Population estimates indicate that a third to half of the population had died or fled the island over the thirteen years of war while over a hundred thousand were permanently disabled (Sara 33). The revolution period also saw sugarcane plantations, mills, and irrigation works destroyed, burned out or abandoned. The large standing army also kept productive men out of the fields. Dessalines declaration that no Haitian soldier could work on the fields left the fields short of close to forty thousand productive workers. Further, after thirteen years of fighting, the habit of hard work had diminished among the Haitian population. Women who had previously worked as slaves on the field continued to fill that role after independence, contributing essential ly the bulk of Haiti’s productivity, since they constituted over two thirds of the population (Leyburn 77). They however too abandoned this form of manual labour, taking up small scale trading instead. Without devoted and willing labourers on the fields, Haiti’s productivity took a serious dip down the drain. It is estimated that between 1789 and 1801 sugarcane production declined by 80%, while coffee production declined to 30% compared to production before the revolution begun. With this kind of decline in major economic production sectors, the viability of the nation and its economic future were in great peril. Realising the need to improve the island’

Moonshine and it's effect on the U.S. economy Term Paper

Moonshine and it's effect on the U.S. economy - Term Paper Example However, this prompted the rise of illegitimate businesses that came in the form of moonshiners, and organized crime. The crime came in the form of criminals willing to transport and distribute alcohol for capital. It was known as moonshining since the brewing of alcohol was done in the night. This paper will review the effect moonshining had on the U.S. economy, and the decline of the business after the repealing of the laws of prohibition. The disruption of normal activities in the local breweries and taverns made it exceedingly difficult for the residents to make a living (Miller 35). The sale of alcoholic beverages that had a percentage of more than 2.5% was illegal. This meant that all the activities being carried out were illegal. This was as the amendment dictated. What this disruption in business created was an economic, and social problem that affected the economy, and people of the nation respectively. In the economy, there was the disruption of the tax revenue. This was the tax revenue that was to be collected through legitimate sales of alcohol and other alcoholic beverages. This caused the economy to fall since the number of companies conducting business went down. This loss meant that the government had to look for alternative sources of revenue, other than that brought in from the brewing companies. This move presented a problem since other local traders suffered the brunt of this law (Caraway 35). The tax increment placed on their goods and services made it hard for them to stay in business for long, and still make profits. The rise in illegitimate business transactions made it hard for tax to be collected as it should. Organized crime came into existence since there needed to be importation and distribution of illegal alcohol. The law of prohibition prevented the sale of alcohol. However, it did not prevent the prevailing rate of illegitimate businesses that would follow

Motivation for Crusades Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Motivation for Crusades - Essay Example The Moslems themselves kept the routes open to Christians, and the Byzantine Empire safe, until 1071, when Seljuk Turks took the lands, and persecuted Christians on the way. Lost land, religious conflict, and internal pressures were the background to Western Europe's initiation of the Crusades. R.W. Southern notes that "The worsening position of the Eastern Empire, and the genuine desire of some to save it: the even more potent though secret desire of others to profit by its disintegration; the dim realization that Islam constituted athreat to Christendomsome hoped to be saved by going; others didn't care if they were damned so long as they found new fields for profit and adventure. There was something in the Crusades to appeal to everyone." (Southern, 56) The crusades were, as Riley-Smith states "A holy war fought against those perceived to be external or internal foes of Christendom for the recovery of Christian property or in defence of the church or Christian people" (Riley-Smith, 1987, xxviii). This was certainly the overt motivation for the first Crusade, as initiated by Pope Urban II in November of 1095. This Crusade had a peculiar beginning, and Riley-Smith has made extensive note of this: "Few nobles turned up, and the theatre must have been riskyeven so, his appeal for knights to liberate Jerusalem struck a chord in western society" (Riley Smith, 1995). Urban openly declared "'Dieu le veult' - 'God wills it!'" (Bishop, 105); for many hearing the religious leader of the Western World declaring God's Will, the Crusades must have seemed to be a religious duty. In considering why this speech made such an impression, it should not be forgotten that the majority of Western Europe was, by this time, Christian in name at the very le ast. Europeans had been making the arduous pilgrimage to Jerusalem for decades, and in some ways the early Crusades might be considered another form of pilgrimage. Personal penance and justification by faith were still quite strong issues of faith, and would remain so until at least the mid-fourteenth century (Flagellants during the Black Death being one example of this). Being a Crusader, not only fighting for Christ but also traveling to the Holy Land to do so, was therefore a religious duty, atonement for sin, and a Holy Quest, similar to that being written about in Early Medieval romances. In fact, it seems as though Urban did not intend to have such a dramatic effect upon the nobles of Europe: the impression is that "The pop was taken aback by the success of his proposal. No plan had been made for the prosecution of the crusade" (Bishop, 106). The organization of the First Crusade was rather like a mopping-up exercise, after the disastrous People's Crusade in 1096. Poor people such as this marched under their own steam to free Jerusalem, and rather than the idealism of the nobility, their motivations appear to be genuine religious concern for the Holy Land. It should be clear, therefore, that the overt motivation, religion, was also an emotional force for many of the participants in the first Crusades, Kings and princes, such as Richard I of England, who were not struggling to maintain a fief, were probably

Flatlands Questions Essay Example for Free

Flatlands Questions Essay 1) Which did you like better the movie or the book, and why? I liked the movie better. I personally did not really like the ending of the book. A. Square got to see the 3rd dimension, something no one except the council knew about. I thought there was going to be a big revelation at the end of the book, but instead he gets thrown into jail and basically forgotten. It was like nothing happened. Not even his grandson found out. 2) Provide 3 major differences between the movie and the book? In the book, all women were lines. However, the women could be squares, hexagons, or even circles. There was a monument given to Flatland that no one was allowed to be around in the movie, but there was no such thing in the book. Also, A. Square actually had people thinking and rebelling against the circles because of his trial in the movie. In the book he was locked up and forgotten. In the book, A. Square’s grandson later said that what he had said about other dimensions foolish, while in the movie, A. Square’s granddaughter went to go find out about the 3rd dimension herself and was thrown into space. 3) What outstanding questions exist from the movie? If there are the 4th, 5th, 6th, etc. dimensions, what would the new direction added be? What kind of important information has a higher authority hid from us commoners? What facts that we definitely consider true are actually false?

Living in Germany Around 1941 Essay Example for Free

Living in Germany Around 1941 Essay A) Explain why the invasion of the USSR changed the lives of those living in Germany around 1941-42. (12 Marks) The invasion of the USSR in the summer months was that of great confidence and assertiveness that they were on the ‘front foot’ from the German people. During these summer months, the Russians had been pushed back by the Germans to what many thought of as the core of the USSR; Russia. Obviously when the Germans had advanced 20 miles short of the central of the most powerful enemy they’ve faced yet, the German people had a right to be happy with their recent progress in the war. This changed their lives by giving them more confidence in that they felt they could defeat the Russians as they were pushing them back towards the capital. However, after the winter set in the attitude of the German people to the progress being made in the war changed. Before the war the Germans had demolished smaller countries such as France and Poland, meaning that the German people felt that losing was almost alien to them. But when the Russians kicked back against the Germans on the Eastern Front on December 5th 1941 outside of Moscow, the German retreat began. More and more soldiers fell, and the Germans were never able to recover the ground that they had lost. Due to the soldiers diminishing, letters had to be written back to rural Germany to notify those whom had relatives/friends in the war. When the letters started to come thick and fast, the German people now had a hint of doubt in their mind. I like to think of it as a seed that was planted- the plantation is from the initial invasion of the USSR, and when more and more letters and stories came back from the Russian lines the tree grew. Eventually, the doubt that was once a seed at the start of the invasion of Russia, had now fully flourished into a vast tree of doubt, showing us how the German lives had changed through doubt and anxiety that gradually built up through the invasion of Russia, from going and destroying France and Poland to being pushed back from the Russians. Some historians could say that the battle of Stalingrad had the biggest effect of the German people around 1941. I would say that it was the turning point in the entire war, as it caused the realization from the German people that they were not going to win the war. This contrasts to before the war, where, as said, the German people didn’t have many qualms about minor losses because they believed they knew they were going to win in the first pl ace. However during Stalingrad this changed; where a quarter million Germans were surrounded, field marshaled, and eventually forced to surrender- this continued on to 1942 where the German soldiers were freezing, and running low on ammunition. The news of this was tried to be kept ‘under wraps’ by some of the hierarchy in the German army, as it would prove low for morale. However the word spread through the press and a flurry of letters of death being sent home. This fully confirmed to the German citizens that the Germans were now on the ‘back foot’ changing their lives, as they now had to be preparing for a loss, instead of a victory. Although it is not directly coherent to the invasion of the USSR, it could be said that the bombings that partly came about from the invasion of Russia changed the lifestyles and actions of the German people. Before the bombings, William L Shirer reported â€Å"The atmosphere was so peaceful and calm. The bathing beach at Wannsee jammed with thousands. Hundreds of sailboats and canoes on the Havel. Families picnicking under the trees† this tells us that the German people were once not bothered as much by the war, and it continued to be ‘business as usual’ for the German citizens. I can contrast this when the bombings continued to develop on 16th and 17th of January 1943. The German people were now saying that the â€Å"English are clearly superior in the air, and that the German Luftwaffe is ‘impotent’ at the moment and has no possibility of retaliating appropriately† I think that this is a perfect example of the change from the Germans being confident and carrying on with their ‘normal day’ to then beginning to doubt the German superiority in the war, showing us how much their attitude has changed from pride to dread in a matter of three years. Even though the bombings weren’t as connected to the Germans invading Russia, it could be said that had not the Germans invaded Russia then the bombings may not have been present/ been less relentless.

Understanding Key Components Of Performance Management

Understanding Key Components Of Performance Management An effective performance management system integrates organisational, business and individual planning and performance. Performance management systems components include: Development of clear job descriptions The selection of right people with an appropriate selection process Provide effective orientation, training and development. Clarify performance objectives and linking these with organisational business plans. Conduct regular performance appraisal of individuals against the achievement of these objectives. On-going coaching and feedback Recognition or compensation that reward people for their performance Provide career development opportunities Actions to deal with poor performing employees. Evaluate the involvement of individual, team and organisational performance. One of the main issues mentioned in the case study was regarding recognition regarding pay and performance. Research on high performing companies has consistently shown that they have at least one common characteristic: their people understand the strategy of the business and believe that if they perform well, they will be recognized and rewarded by the organization. (Wilson Group, 2010) If Colbran Institute is able to develop a appraisal system where recognition is documented and rewards Colbran Institute will be in a better situation when it comes to employee morale and motivation and be able to achieve company goals. Performance Appraisals Performance appraisals are one of the most important components of performance management and are designed to measure and improve employee performance. Edwin B. Flippo wrote in his book titled Personnel Management that performance appraisal is the systematic, periodic and an impartial rating of an employees excellence in the matters pertaining to his present job and his potential for a better job. (Flippo, Edwin B. 1979) The performance appraisal process articulates the standards of work expected of employees and the values and behaviours employees are expected to uphold in meeting their job requirements, communicating and working with others. The information that performance appraisals provide, provides foundations for recruiting and engaging new employees, development and training of existing employees, and maintaining a quality team by adequately and properly rewarding their performance. If a reliable performance appraisal system is not put in place, a human resource management system will fail, resulting in the total waste of the valuable human assets an organisation has. The key objective of appraisal is to provide employees with feedback on their performance provided by the line manager. (Caruth, Donald. 2008). The main objectives of performance appraisals are to: Assess the performance of employees over a period of time Help manage the gap between actual and desired performance Indentify strengths and weaknesses of employees, which in turn will identify training and development needs. Provide feedback on past performance Give clarity of the responsibilities and expectations of the employee in the upcoming appraisal period. Therefore, Performance management leads to higher performance that is more closely directed to the strategic objectives of the organization whereas Performance appraisal and feedback assist employees to understand what work they do well and how they can improve their performance. Issues Identified From reading the case study provided by Colbran Institute there seems to be a number of issues regarding the use of the graphical rating scale performance appraisal system. The graphical rating scale is one of the most popular methods of performance appraisal, it is easy to understand and cost effective to setup and manage. It involves listing subjective traits that the organization considers important for effectiveness on the job for example integrity, reliability, initiative and objective factors such as quality of work. The employee then gets a rating against each trait; these scores are then added up and produce an overall performance score for the employee. As seen with Colbran Institute the graphic rating scale does have a number of disadvantages; issues that have been brought forward include: Rater Errors Generalization of traits No real measurement achieved Issues from pass work history are not reflected. This form of performance appraisal is subject to rating errors mainly due to rater bias which result in incorrect appraisals. Rating errors include central tendency, leniency, severity and the halo effect. In Colbran Institutes situation the rating errors consist of leniency and the halo effect. Leniency is demonstrated when the evaluator rates most employees very highly across performance dimensions rather then spread them throughout the performance scale, in Isabels case she has rated most employees as either good or excellent. Generalisation of traits is another issue that occurs when using the graphical rating system as it might have traits such as creativity which is assessed the same on all employees appraisal. This could become an issue if the employee is working in a position where creativity isnt something that relates to their work. They could be a data entry clerk for example which doesnt involve any creativity; therefore they might get marks down for this because it is unable to be shown; whereas someone that works in marketing would be the completely different. Another issue Colbarn Institute has is the generalities of the documentation produced from the appraisal. Allan suggests to Isabel What is good quality to you might be average to me or someone else and vice versa. This is something that needs to be considered with maybe a review by a second and third level manager. But you will still have the issue so of employees not understanding what is expected from them, for instance an employee is given the rating of 2 on motivation, the question is how is he able to improve this? Another common error in performance appraisal is the halo effect. This occurs when a managers general impression of an employee, after observing one aspect of performance, influences his/her judgment on other aspects of the employees overall performance for the assessment period. This is demonstrated in the case study when Allan asks Isabel about past performance of her employees and she replies with Well in the odd case, a couple of them have let things go a bit. This is not reflected anywhere in the appraisal. Task 2: (500 WORDS) Recommendation An effective performance appraisal system provides guidance so employees understand what is expected of them in their position. It provides flexibility so that employee creativity is encouraged and strengths are utilized. It provides enough control so that employees understand what the organization is trying to achieve. This is why I have put forward Management By Objectives appraisal system as the recommended system that Colbran Institute should take on board. Management by Objectives Management by Objectives was first introduced in 1954 by Peter Drucker in his book The Practice of Management. MBO is an appraisal method where the manager and the subordinate define common objectives and major areas of responsibility, then compare and direct their performance against these objectives. It aims to increase organizational performance by aligning organizational and individual goals throughout the organization. George Odiorne in his thesis describes Management by objectives as a process whereby the superior and subordinate managers of an organization jointly identify its common goals, define each individuals major areas of responsibility in terms of results expected of him and use these measures as guides for operating the unit and assessing the contributions of each of its members.(Odiorne, George S. 1965) In Management by Objectives appraisal system, objectives are written down for each level of the organization, and individuals are given specific aims and targets. The principle behind this is to ensure that people know what the organization is trying to achieve, what their part of the organization must do to meet those aims, and how, as individuals, they are expected to help. This presupposes that organizations programs and methods have been fully considered. If they have not, start by constructing team objectives and ask team members to share in the process. (Heller, Robert 1998) Advantages and Disadvantages MBO overcomes some of the issues that arise from the Graphical Rate Scale as a result of assuming that the employee traits needed for their job success are the same for the whole organization and can be reliably identified and measured. The MBO method concentrates on actual outcomes, instead of assuming traits. An employee has demonstrated an acceptable level of job performance if the employee meets or exceeds the set objectives. Employees are not judged on their potential for success or on their supervisors subjective opinion of their abilities by on real outcomes. The main principle of the MBO appraisal system is that direct results can be observed, where as the traits (which might not even relate to an employees position) and attributes of employees must be guessed. Management by objectives also has its disadvantages like any appraisal method. The main issue with this appraisal technique is the initial development of objectives can be time consuming, which takes employees and managers away from there actual work. When writing objectives for a performance appraisal it must be realize that in this day and age priorities and goals are constantly changing. This is something organizations have to be able to deal with to keep ahead of the game. The Performance Management scheme The new appraisal system will fit into the overall performance management scheme by aiming to increase organizational performance by aligning goals and management objectives throughout the organization. All managers and staff will participate in the strategic planning process, in order to improve the implement ability of the plan and implement a range of performance systems, designed to help the organization stay on track. Colbran Institute employees will get more input into identifying their objectives, milestones and timelines for completion and have a clear understanding of how their roles and responsibilities contribute to the aims of the organization as well as its strategic goals. Management by objectives also includes ongoing tracking and feedback in the process to reach objectives. MBO would be appropriate for Colbran Institute to take on board because it is a knowledge-based organization where the employees are competent in their jobs. It is appropriate in this situation as we wont to build employees management and self-leadership skills and utilize their creativity and knowledge. Conclusion: This report has analyzed the role of performance management at Colbran Institute. It has taken a look at the current performance appraisal method and put forward a new structure which involves Management by objectives. Management of objectives is an efficient and balanced technique that will allow management to receive maximum results form their current employees by focusing on achievable goals.

From a Dream to Reality Essay -- Teaching Education Essays

From a Dream to Reality When I decided to go back to school my objective was not only to increase my knowledge and receive a degree, but I decided that the only profession for me to pursue would be to earn a degree in teaching. Not because a business or computer degree would be out of my grasp, I can learn anything necessary to do a job, but because by earning a degree in teaching I would be able to fulfill a dream of mine that I had held since my own days in school. I want to be able to help children reach for the dreams in their lives. That is the reason that I have begun this program of study, to fulfill my life ambitions of becoming a teacher so that I can help inspire children to reach for their dreams that they are holding. Even though I’m starting college with this plan of being a teacher later than my colleges, I will be able to help them and my future students by sharing my life experiences that have occurred so far. I have always had a way with children, they seem to be comfortable around me and I like taking the time to listen and talk to them so that they are able to express what is on their mind. I believe that by being an available positive role model to them in their elementary school years I can make a difference in their life. Children are very special and I believe that it takes someone that is more interested in helping the child than in their job or the paycheck, to help make a child to succeed. The time I have had in life to observe people it has become apparent to me that if a child is not succeeding in school, there is a very good chance that as an adult, they will not succeed either. Though if that child has a positive role model in their life this may increase that child’s success rate. When that ch... ...e best role model for them. By being from a low-income family of seven children and being male I did not receive the encouragement that I needed to go to college. I was more or less told to graduate from high school and get a job. But I never let my dream die because I needed more out of life than a job. With this background I can show my students that they can achieve their goals. Obtaining or completing a degree in teaching is more than going to college and getting a degree. It is a profession that has a purpose, and that purpose is to help other people, and for me those people are children, to help them become whatever it is that they dream. To make this happen I will not only have teach them, but also to learn from them and help them learn from the world. By doing this I will become one of many excellent teachers who have helped me reach for my dream.

bchs football :: essays research papers

In 1957, many important events occured. Possibly the most important was, the launching of Sputnik 1, the first satellite sent into space, on October 4, 1957 by the country of Russia. This event left many American's shocked and surprised, that it was possible to send something into space successfully. Four months after the launch of Sputnik 1, America launches Explorer 1 the first U.S. satellite, this sparked the beginning of the space race. President Dwight D. Eisenhower sends federal troops to Little Rock, Ak, to ensure the integration of Central High School. He also signs the Eisenhower Doctrine, promising that the United States would resist all Communist aggression in the Middle East. This year is also the year the frisbee and the hula hoop are introduced. The Boeing 707 passenger jet makes its innaugural flight this year as well. In Disneyland, the "House of Tomorrow" opened its doors to the public. In the music industry Rock & Roll as well as Doo Wop, made their statements to the world. Elvis became the king of Rock & Roll after releasing two hit singles Jailhouse Rock and All Shook Up. Buddy Holly and the Crickets released their single That'll Be The Day. Other career musicians who made their mark during this year include: Johnny Mathis, Paul Anka, The Everly Brothers, and Sam Cooke. American Bandstand goes coast to coast on August 5, 1957, after being a local Philadelphia show since 1952. In '57 Elvis made another big impression on the country besides with his music, this was the year his first movie opened it was called Love Me Tender. The same year a twenty-two year old unknown Michael Landon has the starring role in the B- movie I Was A Teenage Werewolf. As all this stuff was going on in the world, Coach Don Wilson of Bolivar, Tn was getting ready for a new season of good old highschool

Increasing the Gas Tax Would Cause an Improvement in the Environment Es

Increasing the Gas Tax Would Cause an Improvement in the Environment Many people all over the world are concerned about pollution. Gasoline use in automobiles is one of the major causes of pollution. When gasoline is used it releases carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxide. These are gasses that contribute to the Greenhouse Effect. The Greenhouse Effect refers to the trapping of the sun's radiation and is also used synonymously with Global Warming (greenfuels.org). Governments are trying to come up with alternatives to gasoline to improve or at least not hurt our environment as much as gasoline does. There are things we can do to help out the environment. One suggestion is better public transportation systems. For example, Des Moines has a public bus system, but not very many people use it and the busses do not reach all parts of the city. As a result, many people drive themselves to work instead of taking the bus and saving gasoline. Another way to cut emissions of vehicles is a type of vehicle that uses an electric motor or a vehicle that uses both an electric and gasoline motor which cuts gasoline use. Also there are alternatives to gasoline that do not release as many harmful agents into the environment. Ethanol and hydrogen are two examples that are more environmentally friendly than gasoline. So, if the federal government were to increase the gas tax by one dollar per gallon, the public would have more incentive to buy the alternatives that are better for our environment than gasoline because of the much higher price. Also, with the increase in the gas tax the money would g ive funds toward the environment. With the increased gas tax, there will be extra money that will enable the government to do things fo... ...ne, most of which are much better for the environment than the gasoline that we are currently using. Even if people did not look for alternatives, there would be money to help out environmental issues. Different vehicles, hydrogen, and ethanol are things that have already been proven to be safer for the environment than gasoline. Just think, if we don't give up on looking for other alternatives what we may think of and we could save our environment in the process. Sources Cited Ford Motor Company: HEV. 11 October 2001. http://www.escapehev.com/index.aps Canadian Renewable Fuels Association: Home of Canada's greenfuels. 10 January 2001. Canadian Renewable Fuels Association 11 October 2001 http://greenfuels.org Alternative Fuel Systems Inc.: Innovative Environmental Technologies. Alternative Fuel Systems Inc. 11 October 2001 http://altfuelsys.com/

An Analysis of Miss Havisham’s Madness Essay

This paper will attempt to explore the atypical behavior of Miss Havisham, arguably the most memorable character in Charles Dicken’s novel, â€Å"Great Expectations†. The analysis shall be done in the context of the society she was part of and the events she had been through. MADNESS DURING THE VICTORIAN ERA During the eighteen hundreds, a common belief was that those who had mental illness suffered because they had a â€Å"disease of the soul† (Goldberg, 24). Their strange behavior was attributed to inherent malevolence and they were treated apathetically in asylums by naive caretakers who have insufficient understanding of mental illness. They were treated as animals. Patients in these early asylums were kept in cages, given small amounts of often unclean food, had little or no clothing, wore no shoes, and slept in dirt. Because the patients could often live many years in such conditions, the caretakers became more confident that these human beings were in actuality closer to animals and thus deserving of such abuse (Ussher, 65). Moreover, effective treatments for mental disorders were unavailable, with the only measures being such procedures as, drugging, bleeding, or purging, which produced few objective results (Carson et al. 47). Bleeding, also known as phlebotomy or bloodletting, was utilized to release â€Å"bad blood†. This was usually the initial treatment. It seemed like a logical solution to restore health based upon the four humors: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Patients were cut with a lancet or â€Å"leeched†; blood or milk was dripped over a vein to encourage the leech to bite and suck from that vein. A doctor often bled a patient until they fainted. Bleeding was performed not just by doctors but also by barbers. This procedure did very little to help, but did a great job in regards to weakening the patient. (Krausse) Purging involved giving patients heavy doses of laxatives or emetics to expel â€Å"poisons† from the body. It was believed that diarrhea was relaxing the interior of the body while puking was thought to relieve tension on the arteries. (Krausse) Fortunately, in the mid-eighteen hundreds, beliefs about mental illness began to change and treatments improved. Moral management of asylums was encouraged. Insanity was no longer viewed as punishment from God but as a disease of the brain, a biological occurrence that could be studied and eventually cured. This initiated a change in treatment of patients; they were given decent food and clothing. They were released from their shackles and brutal confinements and were treated humanely. Women and mental illness. During the19th century, women were deemed to have weaker intellectual faculties than men. It was believed that women were lacking in mental strength and, thus, were more susceptible to mental aberrations. It was in the Victorian era that madness was called ‘a female malady’. These attitudes were reinforced by medical science of that time which defined women in biological terms as naturally passive, dependent, sexually disinterested and born to be mothers and ‘helpmeets’ to men. These beliefs severely reduced women’s freedom of expression and limited their access to education, employment and ownership of property. Women who rebelled against these codes found themselves vulnerable to being diagnosed as ‘mad’ for exhibiting a wide range of ‘deviant’, ‘unnatural’ and ‘unwomanly’ behaviors. (Jones) Medical writing at this time made it clear that doctors’ believed women uniquely vulnerable to mental instability; protecting her involved regulating her sexuality and cycles. Mothers were advised to try and delay menstruation in girls and doctors sought to regulate women’s minds by regulating their bodies. Dr. Isaac Baker Brown pioneered the surgical practice of clitoridectomy as a cure for female insanity which he carried out at his private clinic in London. One of his patients was only 10 years old and the ‘madness’ of several others consisted of their wish to take advantage of the new divorce act of 1857. Another young woman was brought to the clinic by her family because she had suffered ‘great irregularities of temper’, was too assertive in sending her visiting cards to men she liked and spent ‘much time in serious reading’. (Jones) Anorexia, though prominent for many years prior, was officially recognized as a mental disease in 1873 (Ussher, 77). It flourished during the nineteenth century as women wished to exemplify their femininity. In denying food, a woman could truly be passive and become a weightless accessory for her husband. The physical and spiritual ideal of anorexia also became a status symbol for many women. Working class women had to eat in order to have energy to work. Thus, only middle to upper class women could afford to be anorexic. Cures included being admitted to an asylum where women rested and were excessively fed. The idea of the Wondering Womb also developed in this era, as madness was associated with menstruation, pregnancy, and the menopause. The womb itself was thought to wander throughout the body, acting as an enormous sponge which sucked the life-energy or intellect from vulnerable women (Ussher, 74). As a result, women became synonymous with madness, as they were pronounced to be emotional and unstable. If a woman of the Victorian era were subject to an outburst, perhaps due to anger or frustration, she would be proclaimed insane. The word Hysteria became the general term for women with mental illness and cures included bed rest, seclusion, bland food, refraining from mental activities such as reading, daily massage, and sensory deprivation. Though these treatments do not seem too appalling, they were comparable to solitary confinement and would often drive a woman to further insanity. (Frick) MISS HAVISHAM’S LIFE Miss Havisham was raised by her wealthy indulgent father after her mother died when she was just a baby. She also came to inherit her father’s money after his death. As a young woman, Miss Havisham fell deeply in love with a crook named Compeyson, despite warnings from her cousin that the man was only after her money, they decided to get married. On their wedding day, Havisham received a letter from her fiance and realized she had been betrayed and jilted. From that moment on she refused to remove her wedding dress and wears only one shoe because she was on the process of putting on the other when she received the letter. She also had all the clocks in Satis house stopped at twenty minutes to nine, the moment she realized Compeyson’s deception. After adopting Estelle, she isolated herself from society and remained wandering the mansion in her tattered wedding dress with the remnants of a reception that never came to be. MISS HAVISHAMS MADNESS Miss Havisham’s seclusion is indicative of hysterical insanity, which Conolly classifies. His definition reads: There is a form of malady, more frequent among the wealthier classes than the poorer, in which apparent bodily ailments of a changeful or obstinate character become associated with an infirmity of mind, at first slight and occasional, but afterward more fixed and confirmed†¦. This form of disorder is chiefly seen in hysterical women†¦ the mind is agitated by every trifle, and every feeling is in excess, and seeks for sympathy with a morbid eagerness. It would seem as if to all the various portions of the brain, some unrestrained energy were directed, producing endless caprices of the mind and ever-changing bodily sensations†¦ they are affectionate, suspicious, amatory, cold, and repulsive by turns†¦. Incapable of steady friendship or affection, or of adherence to any of the duties of common life, they usually, by degrees, concentrate their attention on their own feelings and morbid sensations, and, laying claim to excessive sensibility, are really only regardful of themselves. (Conolly, 77) The fundamental characteristics of hysterical insanity are applicable to Miss Havisham. She has the status of wealth, a social group which Conolly considers vulnerable to hysteria. She is extremely whimsical. She is pleased with Estella’s rapidly changing mood, a copy of her own fickleness. Miss Havisham’s restless temper parallels her impatient bodily reactions. Whenever Pip visits her, he is aware of â€Å"impatient movement of her fingers† (Dickens, 146) and her frequent hitting out with a stick in irritation is equivalent to ever-changing bodily sensations. To Pip as a child, Miss Havisham’s impatient finger movement is a cue of her whimsical demands to him. She apparently indulges Estella, but her love of her ward is egotistical. At the point of death, she is reconciled with Pip, but she cannot form steady friendship or affection with Estella. Her withdrawal into the deserted Satis House is, in other words, the renunciation of the duties of common life, which her wealth permits. Miss Havisham neatly fits Conolly’s classification. (Takei, 3) Havisham’s madness is not a choice. It is the effect of the conglomeration of various aspects in her life. The death of her mother robbed Havisham of a loving presence and a feminine role model, had she grown up with a mother, she could have been taught how to choose men intelligently, and she would have learned how to conduct relationships well. Growing up with a father that employs the Permissive-Indulgent parenting style, in which parents are high on warmth but low on discipline and control (Carson et al. 104) had made Miss Havisham accustomed to getting her way. This has her fixated on her wedding day, the event of her rejection and humiliation. Children reared with this type of parenting style are also observed to be manipulative, which is apparent in the relationship between Estelle and Havisham. Also, children of these types of parents grow up to be individuals who readily enter into relationships without much thought, which is exhibited in the engagement between Compeyson and Miss Havisham. Following the unfortunate incident, Havisham has secluded herself from the world. The once magnificent rooms in Satis house has been reduced to ruins filled with dirt and rotting furniture. The air within is stagnant and rancid. The garden is desolated and choked with weeds. Havisham has denounced even daylight; this contributes to her illness even more. An environment rife with squalor, painful memories and rotting reminders will inevitably take its toll on her already frayed sensibilities. Another contributing factor is the views of the society during that period. Spinsters were considered mentally unsound, during the 19th century doctors claimed that being without continued male interaction would cause irritability, anemia, tiredness and fussing (Ussher). Havisham could have been initially affected by the opinions of society after she was jilted, the possibility of facing a judgmental and hypercritical crowd could have helped push Miss Havisham over the edge. Desertion on the wedding day in the Victorian social climate caused her an irrecoverable social stigma in addition to agony. Her decaying body exhibits social pressure on deserted women: â€Å"Her chest had dropped, so that she stooped; and her voice had dropped, so that she spoke low, and with a dead lull upon her; altogether, she had the appearance of having dropped, body and soul, within and without, under the weight of a crushing blow. †(Dickens, 107) These factors that were part of her upbringing, social and physical environment, may have contributed to the emotional instability of Miss Havisham. Another proof of Havishams madness not being a choice is the fact that she had sought to find a way to regain a sort of meaning and purpose to her life when she asked for a daughter she could adopt and care for. I had been shut up in these rooms a long time (I don’t know how long; you know what time the clocks keep here), when I told him that I wanted a little girl to rear and love, and save from my fate. I had first seen him when I sent for him to lay this place waste for me; having read of him in the newspapers, before I and the world parted. He told me that he would look about him for such an orphan child. One night he brought her here asleep, and I called her Estella (Dickens, 713). This was Miss Havisham’s original goal, before her mental instability nudged her to manipulate Estelle into becoming a heart-breaker that would wreck havoc on the lives of men as a kind of revenge for what happened to her. Towards the end when Estelle leaves to marry Bentley Drummle. Havisham realizes the extent of damage she had caused with Pip’s heartbreak. To see her with her white hair and her worn face kneeling at my feet, gave me shock through all my frame. I entreated her to rise, and got my arms about her to help her up; but she only pressed that hand of mine which was nearest to her grasp, and hung her head over it and wept (Dickens, 709) †¦ Until you spoke to her the other day, and until I saw in you a looking-glass that showed me what I once felt myself, I did not know what I had done. What have I done! What have I done! ’ And so again, twenty, fifty times over, What had she done! (Dickens, 710) Havisham’s utter remorse and guilt when she realizes that Pip has been through the same heartache she has experienced is proof that the perverse influence she provided Estelle was not done because she deliberately chose it, rather, she had reached emotional instability because of the events in her life that enabled her to do such actions. As soon as she realized the effect it had on Pip, she was horrified and begged forgiveness. She recognizes that she has tormented Pip, whose heart is as vulnerable as her own. Havisham says, â€Å"I am not all stone† (Dickens, 705), her sympathy and the kindness of a human heart still remains. By her ethical awakening, she recovers her sanity for a short while. Havisham’s madness was not a choice; the events in her life, the environment she lived in, the social interactions she subjected herself too, and her personal flaws, all of these played a part in her mental fragility. Miss Havisham had truly loved Compeyson. This is apparent in one of her conversations with Pip, Havisham exclaims, â€Å"I’ll tell you, what real love is. It is blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation, utter submission, trust and belief against yourself and against the whole world, giving up your whole heart and soul to the smiter – as I did! † (Dickens, 426). The intense passion and complete commitment she had felt for Compeyson corresponds to the utter heartbreak she went through and the unbearable pain she felt over his betrayal. This was the principal event that led to her insanity, unable to cope; she manages to survive only by retreating into her own mind and withdrawing from the difficulty of moving on with a normal life. She believed her mental illness was necessary for her existence. Works Cited Carson, C. , Butcher, J. , Mineka, S. Abnormal Psychology and Modern life 11th edition (Needham Heights, MA:), 2000. Print Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations, Planet PDF format (online publication: Planet PDF). Web Ussher, Jane M. Women’s Madness: Misogyny or Mental Illness? (Ameherst, Ma: University of Massachusetts Press), 1991. Print Takei, Akiko. Miss Havisham and Victorian Psychiatry, (PDF format) . Web Conolly, John. On Some of the Forms of Insanity (London), 1850. Print. Jones, Claire. Women and madness, Herstoria magazine (Jones5 Publishing Limited) . Web Goldberg, Ann. Sex, Religion, and the Making of Modern Madness (New York: Oxford University Press), 1999. Print Summary Mental illness during the 19th century had initially been attributed to inherent malevolence or punishment from God; it was during the mid-eighteen hundreds that doctors have begun to view it as a disease of the brain, a biological occurrence that could be treated. During the Victorian Era it was believed that females were more susceptible to mental imbalance because of their weaker minds. Society dictated that the roles of women should be strictly confined to household and they must all be under the support of men. Miss Havisham’s madness was not a choice. It was a result of the conglomeration of various aspects of her life: the environment she lived in, the family she grew up with, the events she had been through, the society she is part of and the personal flaws she had. All of these have played a role in her madness. The breaking point had been the abandonment and betrayal of her fiance Compeyson, whom she loved deeply. In her devastation she proceeds to let her life revolve around the wedding day she never had. Havisham wanders the ruined halls of her Satis home wearing the yellowed wedding dress she refuses to take off and using only one shoe because she was in the process of putting on the other pair when she received the letter from Compeyson. She also had all the clocks in her home stopped twenty minutes to nine- the moment she realized she was betrayed. She adopted a girl named Estelle and proceeded to influence her to become a cold and ruthless girl to wreak havoc in men’s lives. She saw this as a type of revenge to all men for the pain she’s been through. Towards the end of the book Havisham regains sanity for a short while after realizing the pain of heartbreak Pip has been through because of her machinations. Guilty and remorseful, she begs Pip for forgiveness and realizes her mistake.

Ronald Takaki, a History of Multicultural America

Throughout history many ethnic cliques have experienced abuse and distrust from our American society. The people in America seem to be less understanding, and less willing to accept cultures different from their own, at least years ago. Groups such as the Indians, the African Americans, and the Immigrants, fall deeply into this category. The situations and struggles they have gone through are greatly explained in Ronald Takaki’s novel, â€Å"A Different Mirror, A History of a Multicultural America. Although they have experienced a lot, particular financial and social configuration have changed, helping change our perspective of each civilization, for better or even worse. When the New England people set off to America to, â€Å"cultivate the Lord’s garden,† [pg. 26] and farm arable land, they knew the Indian people had already inhabited the area, but did not fear them. When first viewed the Indian people were believed to be savages, living as uncivilized as the Irish.To the New England people, the Indians were in deficit of all it took to be urbane, lacking attire, writing, Christianity, and urban areas, and indulging in passion and lust beyond the New England belief. Even when the Indian population tried to help the New Englanders, by bringing, â€Å"food and rescuing the starving strangers,† [pg. 35] the New England appreciation only lasted so long. The two groups soon became hostile as the New England people tried to exploit the Indian’s food supply, and fighting broke out almost immediately.With the constant fighting the governor of Virginia, Thomas Gates, decided to have the Indian people be forced to labor for the New England people. This decision was not taken lightly, but yet powerfully and unsympathetically. Even the children were treated cruelly; they would bring them to the river where they would, â€Å"put the Children to death †¦ by throwing them overboard and shooting out their brains. †[pg. 39] Even tually a peace treaty was negotiated by Captain William Tucker, but the wine served to the Indian people was poisonous, killing around 200 instantly.This was just the beginning of what was to come to the Indian people. The leader of the Cherokee tribe personally wrote a letter to President Jackson acknowledging the fact that his people will abide by the federal law, even though they had settled on this land first and established their own set of rules. This letter was ignored by Jackson, and instead the opposite occurred. Jackson wrote a letter to Commissioner J. F. Schermerhorn, in negotiation of the removal of the Indian people.When the Indian people denied this treaty they were forcibly removed from their homes, and embarked on a journey to a new land for them to settle. â€Å"The Cherokees were nearly all prisoners,† [pg. 46] stated by Reverend Evan Jones, they had no choice but to leave their homes or be killed for not. The journey in which they set upon was a long and v ery different weather than what the Indians were used to. Many Indians became ill from the trip, as well as many died. The idea behind this was to keep America â€Å"white† and free of people who were not what the New England people believed to be civilized, out of their new found land.The Indian culture was one of which the New England people were not familiar, and their need to expand their land, in search of new areas to populate and produce food, made them willing to do anything to obtain the area. The American people had this idea of a manifest destiny, in which the ideas of expansionism were expressed. This idea was a major goal at the time, and whatever needed to be done to achieved it would be. The government was the key role in the Indian removal, and maltreatment, but did this for their own personal gain.At the time it was more important for America to achieve what they wanted to achieve than to worry about who they were hurting in the process. This falls true with other ethnicities also. The Indian people were not the only ones treated unfairly for the personal gain of Americans. The African American people also experienced this pain. The typical white male in America was always protected by the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments of the constitution. These rights included, freedom of speech, religion, petition, and press, along with right to bear arms and the right of privacy.Along with these rights was a mishap, these rights only applied to the typical white male. This allowed the white American people to enslave the African American members of its society. People often made comments about the color of an African American’s skin as, â€Å"this blackness proceedeth rather of some natural infection of man,† [pg. 49] or they were, â€Å"deeply stained with dirt,† †foul, dark, or deadly. † [pg. 50] People were often afraid of the differences in the skin color that it turned to hatred. The color white to the m represented, â€Å"purity, innocence, goodness. [pg. 50] The white Americans feared that they might lose control over themselves such as the Africans already had. This fear led to hatred, and rejection of anyone this color. As this hatred grew, colonizers started capturing African people from their homelands, and bringing them to the United States to sell as property. Most were sold first as indentured servants, people who are stuck by a contract to serve their leader for seven years in order to pay them back for the expense of them to come to America.This gathering planned on completing their time as workers, and then eventually being able to own a house of their own, since the idea of coming to America offered the possibility of hope and starting over. When the rebellion of Nathaniel Bacon occurred everyt hing was about to change. Bacon was a white indentured servant who was frustrated in the ways of society. He decided to rebel creating the † giddy multitude, † [pg . 78] a group of white and black indentured servants who had enough, due to not being able to succeed in the fantasy life people created in America.This group greatly threatened the social order of Virginia. When the group had been defeated it became obvious to Captain Thomas Grantham that they needed to reduce their dependency on white laborers and focus more on Africans of which they could capture, and exploit. This also worked out in the best interest of the people of Virginia because they could deny the Africans right to bear arms due to their race. Africa became their primary source of labor. In 1674 slaves represented only 20% of households and by 1694 slaves represented about 48% of households, nearly half the population.The American people did not see the African American people as people; rather beings that they could make plow their land, or farm their crops. It was always about them. As it was with the Indians, the American people used the African American people for thei r own personal gain. They also still believed in their theory of keeping America â€Å"white† and having people different from them served as a threat they decided to squash before any damage could be done. The Immigrants that came to America experienced much similar situations with American abuse.Although one of the main differences of these situations was that the Immigrants were still â€Å"white and therefore still had more opportunity than the Indians, and the African Americans. Still there were stereotypes of the people that came, such as the Irish were seen as savages, and as Frederick Douglas said, â€Å"our degradation. † [pg. 131] They suffered from potato famines at home, and had no choice but to move toward a land that had a promise of prosperity. Even when the Irish became laborers for the canals and railroad being built, they were still seen as much lower class.They helped build Connecticut’s Enfield Canal, Rhode Island’s Blackstone Canal, and New York’s Erie Canal, which according to Reverend Michael Buckley is, â€Å" proof of Irish talent,† [pg. 138] since the Erie Canal is seen as a very impressive piece of architecture, but back then they did not receive the credit they should have. They built thousands of rail lines, including the Western and Atlantic railroad, and the Union Pacific segment of the transcontinental railroad, in which they lived in miserable conditions and worked ridiculous amounts of hours.They could â€Å"still feel the vibrations of the sledgehammers at night. † [pg. 138] The Irish were also forced to fight for America, when America decided to take over parts of Mexico. They were treated just as badly as slaves were treated. This was only one group of immigrants, others were treated just as bad if not worse. The Chinese, Jew’s, Russians, all immigrants who came to America experienced some kind of oppression, each in their own way.The Irish people were seen to America ns as workers also, people whom they could exploit, because living in America was better than living in their homeland. It was all about money. They were â€Å"disposable† [pg. 138] to the American people. The history of ethnicity coming to America is a complex situation. Years ago people were not accepting to new cultures coming to their land, but when the price of labor was seen as much lower it became a possibility. The American people exploited the Indians, the African Americans, and the Immigrants because they knew they can.They had this idea that the land was â€Å"theirs,† when the Indian people were settled here first, but they knew they had the man power and gun power to take over such a land, and anyone who didn’t approve of it, wouldn’t be a part of it. Americans tortured and ridiculed the people that came here because they were different than them, and they were seen as a threat because the Americans didn’t know what they were capable o f. They figured they had to put them in line, before the Indians, Africans, or Immigrants, did that to them. It was all because of fear of what was different, what was unknown.The American people liked having power, and liked being able to control what was going on and they took advantage of that to the point where it hurt many cultures and newcomers, but not enough to make them stop coming. What they did here in America was no worse than what was happening in their homelands. Times eventually changed, and people eventually realized their mistakes. Although things are not one hundred percent better, the Indians, Africans, and Immigrants have made great strides to overcome the oppression and due to this have made them the people they are today.