Pulling the Wool Essay Example for Free

Pulling the Wool Essay Abstract   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The sharp contrast between William Smith’s Lectures on the Philosophy and Practice of Slavery and Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave leads to important conclusions about the vast differences in perception between those who owned and those who were owned in the period of American slavery. Smith’s work implores his fellow White landowners to practice what he sees as a just treatment of African slaves. However, his contempt for abolitionists and belief that Northerners are off the mark in understanding the state of slavery in the South show his belief that the institution itself is appropriate, even God-driven, and that only a minority of slave owners may require correction. Moreover, what drives Smith’s philosophy—the very religion from which Douglass saw the greatest brutality spring forth—causes him to assert and reassert the necessity of slavery for both White landowner and African slave. One cannot help but be struck by the stark contrast Smith’s work shows to the real-life experiences of the ex-slave Frederick Douglass as he recounts a life in which all of Smith’s proposals are brutally and routinely disregarded.                  William Smith’s Lectures on the Philosophy and Practice of Slavery and Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave offer a stark contrast between the two men’s views on American slavery. Smith, a White proponent of slavery, outlines what he believes to be a proper and just relationship between master and slave, and disparages those slave owners who do not follow the tenets of this relationship. However, he never hesitates in stating his full support for the institution itself. Douglass, who bears the burden of slavery firsthand, reveals to the reader a world vastly different from the â€Å"fat, sleek, and cheerful, and long-lived† (Smith, 1856, p. 291) slaves of some of Smith’s observances. His own journey from slavery to freedom affords the reader a view into a brilliant mind in contrast to what Smith (1856) believes can only be the equivalent of â€Å"minors, imbeciles, and uncivilized persons† (p. 282). It is Douglass’s account of his awakening, from a young slave ignorant of the reasons for his bondage to a learned man of inalienable self-respect, which topples the entire premise of Smith’s philosophy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Smith believes the teachings of the Christian Bible dictate the proper relationship between master and servant. Smith (1856) also details what he sees as a moral imperative on the part of White landowners to have â€Å"guardianship† (p. 277) over â€Å"God’s poor, committed to [the benevolent White master]† (p. 309), believing that they must â€Å"control and protect them for their profit as well as work them for [the slave and slave owner’s] mutual profit.† (309). In Smith’s estimation, slavery is proper and just because he assumes White intellectual and moral superiority over the African slave. He never confuses his call for benevolent treatment of slaves with the idea that the institution itself may be unjust.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Smith lays out what he believes are the rights of slaves according to both Christian doctrine and the law of men in his society. He divides the duties of the master into 3 main categories: â€Å"the duty of masters to their slaves considered as ‘their money’, their duty to their slaves considered as social beings, and their duty to their slaves considered as religious beings† (Smith, 1856, p. 283). In the first part, concerning slaves considered as masters’ money, Smith includes all of the physical needs of the slave. Working conditions, food, clothing and bedding, sleep and rest, housing, and free time are all detailed according to what Smith sees as ideal treatment. Woven into the framework of these requirements is a Christian code that reminds the master that he, too, will have a master in heaven. (p. 277). Smith begins by discussing the rights of the slave in regard to labor. Interestingly, Smith (1856) first focuses on what he calls a known â€Å"idleness† (p. 284) among slaves and warns slave owners to be dutiful in making their slaves accountable for their labor. He weaves a pattern that not only offers a sense of Christian duty on the part of the slave owner, but of the slave as well. It is Smith’s insistence upon the righteousness of slavery as a Christian imperative that continues to inform and guide his philosophy. Likewise, in all of the other physical comforts he asks the slave owner to provide the slave, he asks the slave owner to â€Å"give unto your servant that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven† (Smith, 1856, pp. 278-279). While Smith admonishes those he believes violate the Christian mandate, he shows some confidence that there is not a crisis in the treatment of slaves. In condemnation of the attitudes of Northern abolitionists, he says that â€Å"A most fanatical spirit is abroad in the land on the subject of domestic slavery. The inhumanity of masters at the South is greatly exaggerated† (Smith, 1856, p. 278). He goes on to compare the treatment of Southern slaves as equivalent to that of hired help in the North. Smith seems on one hand to implore the White master to better the circumstances of his slaves in order to save his very soul from damnation, while on the other to denounce the efforts of the Northern advocates of freedom. He truly believes in a system of slavery wherein the slave is completely satisfied with his lot in life, and the landowner finds himself a benevolent overseer who will profit in life and in heaven. The other two sections of Smith’s call to righteous treatment of slaves follow a vein similar to the first. He repeatedly denounces those masters who violate his ideal image of slavery while insisting on the justness and necessity of the institution itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While Smith’s ideal slavery leads the reader to envision sunny pastures with young Black slave children frolicking and elders laughing and singing merrily, Douglass’s account of real slave life offers a startling contrast. All of the Christian mandates of Smith’s slavery are turned asunder, and, in fact, it is the very observance of the religion which causes some of the harshest abuses to occur. Born a slave on a Maryland plantation, Douglass witnesses repeated acts of brutality upon the adult slaves in his company. The rumored son of the master, Douglass is given some favor in his early years, although he is never fed or clothed enough. Held up to Smith’s view of slavery, Douglass’s constant hunger and discomfort seem all the more intolerable. If one compares the specifics, Smith’s work calls for slaves to be offered a variety of the plantation’s food, cooked well and prepared ahead of time so that slaves may enjoy good nutrition and take two-hour lunches to properly digest their meal. Douglass’s reality, a measly monthly supply of pork or fish and corn meal doled out uncooked, makes Smith’s (1856) vision of the â€Å"early roasting ear, the ripe fruit, the melons, the potatoes, the fat stock†(pp. 297-298) seem like paradise for a slave. In contrast, Douglass, in chapter 3, describes a large and plentiful garden that slaves were routinely whipped for stealing from. Later, living with another master, Edward Covey, Douglass and his fellow slaves are afforded 5 minutes to eat before returning to the field to work until midnight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Douglass’s account of his years in bondage read like a response to Smith at every turn. Douglass recounts continual starvation and discomfort, a world wherein his only clothing as a child was a linen shirt. While Smith talks of coats, hats, and shoes, Douglass speaks of children from 7 to ten years old running naked in winter for lack of clothing. While Smith discusses the necessity for comfortable beds and encourages the master to set up separate quarters to encourage fidelity and morality among slaves he believes are less geared toward fidelity than Whites, Douglass speaks with disgust of unrelated groups of people huddled together on dirt floors sharing a blanket in winter. Douglass’s journey lands him in completely different circumstances when he is taken to live in Baltimore with family members of his master, and he shows a different side of slave life in the city. However, perhaps the greatest indictment against Smith’s Christian ideal comes when the mistress of the house changes her demeanor from warm, humane, and welcoming to harsh and cruel under the â€Å"fatal poison of irresponsible power† (Douglass, 1845, p 18). Douglass (1845) notes that â€Å"the cheerful eye, under the influence of slavery, soon became red with rage† (p. 18). Douglass shows how, no matter what steps one may take to set a proper course for slavery, to offer the best of worlds for all involved, the premise cannot but collapse under the weight of its injustice. Setting a proper course for slavery is suddenly seen as being as impossible as setting a proper and just course for murder or betrayal. In Douglass’s experience, the inhumanity of slavery leads to dead souls performing hideous acts upon their subjects. There is no room for benevolent treatment in a reality based on the subjugation and demoralization of others. Perhaps the most striking difference between the two men’s view comes in the story of Douglass’s outcast grandmother. He describes how, after raising generations of a plantation owner’s family as well as her own, she is left alone in the woods in a hovel to fend for herself, far from the care of her extended family. Smith asks the reader why it should be difficult to afford the elderly the soothing hand of relatives in his or her final days, and he implores the master to see that the older slaves are given the respect and care they have a right to. There is a grave sadness in the story of Douglass’s grandmother who, treated like chattel, is offered no such comfort.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If Douglass’s account leaves the reader with anything, it is the impression that religion and the benefit of being on the fortunate side of a brutal reality have pulled the wool over Smith’s eyes. It is hard to imagine that Smith’s reflections are a mere cover for his undying support for slavery; he truly seems to believe that Christian charity, manifest destiny, and the rights of everyone involved can merge to form an ideal state of slavery. It is his undying belief in the inferiority of the African slave that ultimately makes him comfortable with the situation. One sees, however, that it is no secret to even the least experienced master that â€Å"if you teach [a slave] how to read, there would be no keeping him† (Douglass, 1845, p. 20). That one fear alone—educating the slave—would not be a fear if the slave were truly the inferior creature described in Smith’s accounts. And Douglass, who eventually does just what the White master fears, provides evidence that there can exist no happy bondage, Christian or other, among human beings. References Douglass, Frederick (1845). Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Boston: The Antislavery Office. Smith, William A. (1856). Lectures on the Philosophy and Practice of Slavery. Nashville: Stevenson and Evans.

Manage Recruitment, Selection & Induction Essay Example for Free

Manage Recruitment, Selection Induction Essay Question 1: Explain the role of probation as part of the recruitment process. All new staff employees are required to serve a probationary period. The probationary period allows the Department and the employee the opportunity to assess each others suitability. It is the responsibility of the Supervisor to continually review the services of staff on probation. An employee must be consulted if there are any problems with performance. Question 2: Explain the term ‘merit selection’ and its implication on equal employment opportunity. Selection based on merit is where the best possible match is made between qualifications, knowledge, skills, abilities and relevant experience of the applicants, and the selection criteria in the Position Description. When assessing applicants, only selection criteria are taken into account; that is, unlawful discrimination based on other applicant characteristics must not occur. In the case of casual and sessional staff, merit is determined by assessing applicants qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience against the duties to be performed. Question 3: Explain the relevant terms and conditions of employment. Not every code of practice of the employer which is referenced within the contract may have any force, but rather, can be used as a guideline. Therefore, when considering whether or not a specific document imposes contractual obligations, the test to be applied in determining intention, is whether a reasonable person would come to the conclusion that the person making the promise, had the intention of being bound by the statement. Question 4: Explain at least 2 valid psychometric testing that you can use in your selection process. Aptitude or Ability Tests Aptitude or ability tests provide information on a person’s ability to perform certain tasks and their potential to learn and understand new information and tasks. The tests cover skills such as: Verbal reasoning (critical evaluation of written information) Comprehension/grammar Numerical reasoning (logical interpretation of numerical and statistical information) Abstract, mechanical or spatial reasoning (pattern recognition) Information checking (checking errors / attention to detail tasks) IQ (how quickly you can learn and master a new task) They can be designed to indicate suitability for specific tasks eg computing, keyboard or foreign?language skills. Work style questionnaires (personality/motivation/Emotional Intelligence) Work style questionnaires or inventories are concerned with how you typically behave, such as?the way you relate to others or the way you approach and solve problems. They generally?explore personality characteristics relevant to the world of work. To answer the questions you often need to think about what you would do in a work situation. If you have no formal work experience, think about how you behave in similar situations such as voluntary work, university activities or when you are participating in your hobbies. Work style questionnaires look at factors such as: Ways of thinking, feeling and acting in different situations Interpersonal style, conflict style, leadership style Patterns of coping with stress Interests how much do you like carrying out various types of activities at work. Motivations – look at the energy with which you approach your work, and the different conditions which increase or decrease your motivation. Work values– what factors make work worthwhile for you How you interpret your own and others emotions and behaviours Question 5: A. Explain the term outsourcing? Outsourcing is the act of one company contracting with another company to provide services that might otherwise be performed by in-house employees. Often the tasks that are outsourced could be performed by the company itself, but in many cases there are financial advantages that come from outsourcing. Many large companies now outsource jobs such as call center services, e-mail services, and payroll. These jobs are handled by separate companies that specialize in each service, and are often located overseas. b. What functions can Human Resources outsource in terms of recruitment selection and induction, please states advantages and disadvantages of each. Functions include: – Employee assistance/counseling – Retirement planning help – Pension administration – Temporary staffing – Background checks – Training and management development programs – Executive development and coaching – Health care benefits administration – Employee benefit administration – Payroll – Risk management – Executive staffing – Employee relocation – HRIS selection, training implementation – Recruitment – Executive compensation and incentive plans – Policy writing – Administration of compensation/incentive plans Wage and salary administration Advantages Brings new ideas/talent into the organization get needed competencies Helps organization get needed competencies Provides cross-industry insights May reduce training costs Helps organization meet equal employment opportunity/affirmative action goals Disadvantages May result in misplacement s? Increases recruitment costs? May cause morale problems for internal candidates? Requires longer orientation or adjustment time Question 6: Research the following links to assist you in your answer. a) What is the role of the HREOC? Leading the promotion and protection of human rights in Australia by: Making human rights values part of everyday life and language. Empowering all people to understand and exercise their human rights. Working with individuals, community, business and government to inspire action. Keeping government accountable to national and international human rights standards. Securing an Australian charter of rights. b) What types of complaint can you make to the Commission The Australian Human Rights Commission can investigate and resolve complaints of discrimination, harassment and bullying based on a person’s: Sex, including pregnancy, marital status, breastfeeding, family responsibilities and sexual harassment Disability, including temporary and permanent disabilities; physical, intellectual, sensory, psychiatric disabilities, diseases or illnesses; medical conditions; work related injuries; past, present and future disabilities; and association with a person with a disability Race, including colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, immigrant status and racial hatred Age, covering young people and older people sexual preference, criminal record, trade union activity, political opinion, religion or social origin (in employment only) c) Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 Grounds of discrimination Breaches of human rights by any Commonwealth body or agency and discrimination in employment on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction, social origin, age, medical record, criminal record, marital status, impairment, disability, nationality, sexual preference, trade union activity. Areas covered Commonwealth body or agency; employment and occupation. Process for decision making Complaint must be in writing. It is then assessed and if within jurisdiction is investigated. If complaint is not declined, conciliation is attempted. If it cannot be conciliated, the Commission prepares a report to the federal Attorney General who then tables the report in Parliament. Question 7 : Summarise the national 10 privacy principles. There are ten National Privacy Principles (NPPs) that regulate how private sector organizations manage personal information. They cover the collection, use and disclosure, and secure management of personal information. They also allow individuals to access that information and have it corrected if it is wrong. NPP 1: collection – Describes what an organization should do when collecting personal information and what is told to the individual on collection. NPP 2: use and disclosure – Outlines how organization discloses and uses individual personal information. Under certain conditions and organization doesn’t always need the individuals consent to disclose personal information. NPPs 3 4: information quality and security An organisation must take steps to ensure the personal information it holds is accurate and up-to-date, and is kept secure from unauthorised use or access. NPP 5: openness An organisation must have a policy on how it manages personal information, and make it available to anyone who asks for it. NPP 6: access and correction Gives individuals a general right of access to their personal information, and the right to have that information corrected if it is inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date. NPP 7: identifiers Generally prevents an organisation from adopting an Australian Government identifier for an individual (e.g. Medicare numbers) as its own. NPP 8: anonymity Where possible, organisations must give individuals the opportunity to do business with them without the individual having to identify themselves. NPP 9: transborder data flows Outlines how organisations should protect personal information that they transfer outside Australia . NPP 10: sensitive information Sensitive information includes information such as health, racial or ethnic background, or criminal record. Higher standards apply to the handling of sensitive information. Question 8: List the elements contained in a contract of employment. The full name of employer and employee The address of the employer The place of work The title of job or nature of work The date the employment started If the contract is temporary, the expected duration of the contract If the contract of employment is for a fixed term, the details Details of rest periods and breaks as required by law The rate of pay or method of calculation of pay The pay reference period for the purposes of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 Pay intervals Hours of work That the employee has the right to ask the employer for a written statement of his/her average hourly rate of pay as provided for in the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 Details of paid leave Sick pay and pension (if any) Period of notice to be given by employer or employee Details of any collective agreements that may affect the employee’s terms of employment

Hinduism Practices and Beliefs

Hinduism Practices and Beliefs Charla Y. Jacobs A Glimpse into the Unfamiliar: Hinduism Hinduism is a religion that is multi-faceted. It is polytheistic; meaning its followers believe in many gods. Along with this religions many facets, there are also numerous sacred elements that its followers observe and practice. This religion even entails followers worshipping different gods (idols), during the same worship service. Because of Hinduism’s many details, I wanted to observe and experience its worship services and beliefs. I chose to visit BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple located in Lilburn, GA. A Mandir is a Hindu place of worship, considered to be a spiritual haven and a place of phenomenal peace. It is also viewed as a center of vibrant cultural, social and spiritual activity. Hindu religious services have many different practices/rituals, numerous overt elements of religious expression and the congregation is extremely involved in the service. Hindu religious services have many different practices and rituals. Before visiting the temple, I called to get information about visiting hours, specific dress codes/service attire, as well as whether or not any of the service would be presented in English. After being told that the services are conducted entirely in the Hindu language, I knew I needed to do some outside research of my own, specifically as it relates to Hindus’ practices and rituals. Hinduism is considered to be one of the oldest religions in the world, as it has no known founder or creator, such as that of Christianity, Buddhism and many other religions. Because of its many varied expressions of worship and beliefs, many people think that Hindu practices and beliefs are individually customized. While conducting my research, I learned that Hinduism has four main denominations – Saivism, Shaktism, Smartism and Vaishnavism. When I called the temple to inquire about rules and regulations for visitors, I was informed that the temple only allowed visitors on certain days and times. The day of your visit, determines the type of worship service you will observe/experience. My visit was on a Thursday, and from what I could determine, the worship service seemed to focus on the Smartism denomination. Smartas as followers of this denomination are called, worship god (the supreme being) in one of six forms. Ganesha, Sakti, Vishnu, Siva, Skanda and Surya. Because smartas accept all the major Hindu gods, they are known as nonsectarian and liberal in their beliefs. They follow a meditative path hat is thoughtful and philosophical, encouraging human beings oneness with god through understanding his/her nature. From what I could gather/understand during the service, the gods/idols being worshipped could have been either male or female. Hindu worship services seem to explode with numerous, overt elements of religious expression starting with the landscaping of the temple grounds, to the astounding architecture of the temple itself, all the way to the artwork and interior design of the temple – nothing short of amazing! One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen in my life! I drive by this temple every afternoon on my way to school or on my way home from work. It is a very, large, beautiful and gated structure, appearing as if it was taken out of India and dropped into its present location; so I guess you could say it really gets lots of passerby attention because it looks as if it doesn’t belong in this country! During my research I learned that this temple, the Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was opened in August of 2007, after only 17 short months of construction. It is composed of three types of stone (Indian pink sandstone, Italian marble and Turkish limestone). Over 34, 000 pieces were carved by hand in India and shipped to the USA, to be assemble in Lilburn, GA; much like a giant, 3-D jigsaw puzzle. Upon entering the temple, with its lush carpet of many beautiful, rich colors, I noticed that there were no chairs. Everyone was expected to sit on the floor, in a seating apparatus that resembled a chair without legs, but did provide support for your back. The women were dressed in Saris (decorative robes/gowns) were seated separately from the men, who were dressed in robes of navy blue and black. Unlike Christianity, I did not witness any physical display of fellowship, like hugging and/or handshaking, as is customary in Christianity and many other religions. There were six very beautiful and ornately decorated statues that sat maybe two to three feet apart on a large and extremely beautiful, decorative altar/stage with colorful flowers and plants, as well as different, richly-colored materials and wall hangings. After I removed my shoes, I was lead to a visitors’ area, as non-Hindu believers/visitors were only allowed to observe from a distance on this particular day. Also, there is/was an $11.50 cost associated with visiting this temple. That in itself is very different than my own belief, which is Christianity. I’ve never been charged an admission fee to visit any church, nonetheless, I was very curious. My research also revealed that the Hindu worship service is known as Puja,  meaning adoration. The service started off very quiet, with only soft music playing while the worship leader, known as the Pujari, purified himself by washing his hands, feet and face with what I assume was holy water. He then begins to chant, along with using many different hand gestures and singing what appeared to be hymns to the six ornate statues/gods that are on the stage. He proceeds to lay various gifts such as food, oils and perfumes, as what I presume were offerings in front of each statue/idol. There are also bells being rang in the midst of all this activity. I understood this to be the way Hindus beckon the deities/gods to come and dwell among the people in the service. And then there was the lighting of many candles and oil lamps, as well as some sort of holy water being poured over the statues. While all this is going on, the congregants/worshippers are bowed down or lying prostate in prayer. All of this lasted for about  45 minutes to an hour. The Pujari then reads from a group of sac red Hindu writings known as Vedas (subchapters), which comes from a Hindu Bible, which is called the Shruti for about 30 minutes. The congregation is extremely involved in the service; even more so after all of the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"ritualistic† and formal parts of the service are concluded. After the reading from the Shruti has been completed, the congregants/worshippers rise from their seated and praying positions. They begin to dance and sing, while lots of loud and festive music is being played, some from instruments that I didn’t recognize – seemingly the music consists of horns, symbols, bells, drums and Hindu chanting. Because the practice/religion of Hinduism is so varied and multi-faceted, there is so much more to experience and learn about it than just one visit will allow. I did not like the fact that I had to pay an admission price to visit a place of worship. That part alone, was sort of a turn off and made the whole experience seem unreal as far as worship services go. However, the surroundings, in and outside of the temple were so beautiful that it did evoke a sense of peace, calm and balance that may not likely be found anywhere else. I would definitely consider visiting on another day of the week where visitors may be a more participatory than observatory part of the service.

White Oleander :: essays research papers

White Oleander: Book vs. Movie   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Like with most books that are made into movies, this was definitely a disappointment. I have always found that books can tell much better stories than what you see on screen, this was no different.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movie easily cut out very important parts of the story. The beginning of the book is so important because you really get the feel for the weird mother-daughter relationship between Astrid and her Mother. In the movie you only get to see a small portion of how Astrid’s Mother treats her. Also, in the movie they do not tell the whole story about Astrid’s Mother and the man that she murdered. I could go on and on listing the many things that we left out that are so important to the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The actors in the movie were incredibly in sync with the characters portray ed in the book. They made the perfect matches of the innocent Astrid who has to grow up so quickly. Her Mother who is so beautiful, strong willed, and has such a whimsical, unreal sense to her. When I think of the characters in the book I can definitely picture the actors in the movie.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The hardships that Astrid came upon were in to way reflected as they should have been in the movie. There are so many events and people that influenced Astrid to do the things and make the decisions that she did and they were completely left out of the movie. It is kind of hard to understand why Astrid resents her Mother they way she does if you do not know the whole story of the hardships that her Mother put her through by being selfish and not thinking of what would happen to Astrid if she got caught the way she did.

Essay --

PHL100 Prompt 1 Baraa Abukhudhayr March 12, 2014 Final Paper In her essay, â€Å"The Difficulty of Reality and the Difficulty of Philosophy,† the American philosopher Cora Diamond discusses animal rights and our obligations as human beings to nonhuman animals. Diamond has a fascinating philosophical take on the matter of animal rights. She is concerned with reminding people that they are animals. They are just another species among a plenty of others. Diamond uses the idea of the existential other to remind us of our animality, because it is in our shared mortality that humans and animals are alike. Furthermore, our morality is simply a human construction that allows us to talk about others from a distance as Diamond calls it the â€Å"language-game† (Diamond, 45). In essence, we view ourselves as different, separate or better than those animals because of the separation that we emphasize between mind and body, forgetting that we are animal as well. By placing the animal in a position of equality which is the place of the other , we should find compassion and sympathy for it. In her essay, Diamond states that â€Å"the difficulty of reality shoulders us out of life† (Diamond, ). What Diamond means here is that our morals, concepts, and actions in our ordinary life, pass by the difficulty of life as if it were not there (Diamond, 58). If we try to see this difficulty, it shoulders us out of life. This difficulty moves us out of life by the force of others which is against our will. Therefore, the difficulty of reality in Diamond’s sense is the reality's resistance to one’s ordinary modes of thinking and talking. It is the feeling of a discrepancy between concepts and experience. Significantly, this kind of difficulty may lead to a philosophi... ...rent approach of conceiving the relationship between humans and animals. As she suggests, we need to grant animals rights and treat them ethically because as Diamond says, â€Å"animals cannot speak for themselves and claim rights for themselves as we can† (Diamond, 52). She wants us to behave differently to one another and to other species in respect to our shared affection. She wants us to realize the difficulty of life and act instead of avoiding and deflecting from these difficulties and problems. She encourages us to take philosophy as a guide to walk us through these difficulties. In respect to the rights of animals matter, she states that â€Å"philosophy characteristically misrepresents both our own reality and that of others, in particular those 'others' who are animals† (Diamond, 57), thus, it is our obligation as humans to realize this misrepresent and act upon it.

Capital Punishment :: essays research papers fc

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT Crime is a part of our lives, it is everywhere! Controlling or eliminating crime and criminals is no easy task but it can not be ignored. Making sure those that are rightly accused to a just punishment is very important. There are many reasons why people commit crimes; some do it for the shear of enjoyment others do it to be able to survive. The death penalty should not be used for every crime, although I strongly believe it should be used for those who commit very violent crimes, such as murder. Deterrence is the means to punish those who commit crimes as an example and to create fear in others who might want to commit a crime. The death penalty is one way we use to create fear! Most people fear death one way or another. Ernest van den Hagg, in his article â€Å"On Deterrence and the Death Penalty† mentions, â€Å"One abstains from dangerous acts because of vague, inchoate, habitual and, above all preconscious fears† (193). Without this type of deterrence what would stop criminals that already in prisons for life keep from killing another inmate or a staff that works there? There are those that are against the death penalty called anti-death penalty advocates, they say that imprisonment by it self is enough to deter criminals, killing criminals is not needed! Hugo Bedau argues in his article, â€Å"Capital Punishment and Social defense† says, â€Å"Crimes can be deterred only by making would-be criminals frightened of being arrested, convicted, and puni shed for crimes† (301). According to Richard Seiter in his book â€Å"An Introduction Corrections† states that â€Å"From 1986 to 1997 the number of males that went to prison increased 70% while the number of females increased 118%† (210). It seems that just going to prison isn’t enough for some people. Without the death penalty insane people would kill others thinking they could get away with it and if not what’s the worst going to happened to them â€Å"Prison for life†! One could argue that the death penalty probably has saved someone’s life because it deterred someone from committing that act! Still anti-death penalty advocates believe that the death penalty is irreversible and that some people who really weren’t guilty are sentenced to death. Yes the death penalty is irreversible but the chance that an innocent person gets sentenced to death is extremely low. The judicial system goes threw extreme measures to insure this doesn’t happened! They do this by making sure that only when guilt is determined by clear and convincing evidenced be punished.

National Buy Nothing Day

Buy Nothing Day was created to protest consumerism. Though some think this is a marvelous idea of giving the finger to big companies, many others don’t see the point in a day that will not be effective because of the greed of Americans for luxurious products and the counteraction of the companies that will cause consumers to buy anyway. Americans are known for desiring items that are not necessities. This is shown on Black Friday.Almost all Americans wait outside major store, such as Wal-Mart,Target, K-Mart, for hours just to have a new laptop or flat screen tv for thirty percent the normal price. Another example are products at the cashier. When most people go into a store, they have their mind preset on a product or products they are going to buy. But, usually their product list ends up unnecessarily enlarging because they see some candy they want, or even their child wants. Who wants to say no to children? Those type of products are strategically placed there for the consum ption of Americans that do not need.A Buy Nothing Day would not be so effective since Americans are willing to spend their money on just about anything they want. Buy Nothing Day would also be ineffective because of the counteraction that the companies would take to help themselves economically. If companies know about Buy Nothing Day and are against it, they are going to try to get consumers to buy their goods. The law of demand ,relating to Economics, shows that as demand lowers, prices will as well. So companies will lower their prices to get more consumers buy their products.Since Americans are greedy, they’d want the products they have at a lower price and the companies are not losing because they were originally not going to receive any profit anyway if all consumers participated in Buy Nothing Day. Buy Nothing Day is a nice thought. The attempt at unifying consumers against companies is inspiring. But, realistically, it wouldn't happen since Americans love buying thing s and companies are going to lower prices. With those to combination, there might actually be more sales that occur on Buy Nothing. Buy Nothing Day will be truly ineffective if it ends up like a Black Friday.