Analyze a Political Cartoon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyze a Political Cartoon - Essay Example Ultimately, the power of the cartoon cannot be found within any single component of its message but rather with the entire combination of symbolism, labeling, and exaggeration that it presents. Finally, the analysis will seek to answer the question of whether or not the portrayal of the cartoon is effective in persuading the viewer and/or audience to think or view a situation in a given context or manner. The first aspect of the cartoon that grips the viewer’s attention is the clear use of symbolism and labeling that the cartoonist has employed to denote the Christian, Muslim, and members of the SCAF that are represented. This labeling simplifies the issue and allows the participants within the cartoon to be reduced and simplified to a mere 3 active entities. By utilizing the Christian cross, the Muslim crescent and the insignia and uniforms of the SCAF, the reader is made aware of what each participant within the cartoon represents and symbolizes. ... This level of purity is further symbolized by the fact that the Christian and Muslim man (representing the broader populations of both of these entities within Egypt) are clothed in white. Naturally, exaggeration is also employed in a massively effective means as the SCAF is denoted to be an insidious and corrupting influence that displays the same generic and shameful behavior under the guise of its constitutionally given power. This exaggeration is the strength behind the entire cartoon. Although the Christian and the Muslim occupy center stage within the confines of this political cartoon, it is the corrupting influence of the SCAF that provides the power behind the image that is typified. Yet, rather than making a blanket statement regarding the ultimate goodness or evil that is exhibited by the SCAH, the cartoon seeks to strike at the core of the problems that are exhibited within Egypt; namely a power structure that is able to take advantage of natural and key fault lines that exist within the political spectrum; thereby allowing the members of the government and the SCAH to behave in a manner that they would not do otherwise. In short, the increase in division serves the purposes that they strive to accomplish (Lawate 2). Ultimately, the reader and/or researcher can understand that the given political cartoon is not only effective in communicating an understanding of the present day situation within Egypt and/or the Arab world, it is extraordinarily effective in such a task. Although this is not always the case for a political cartoon, this particular cartoon is one which allows its underlying simplicity and the vocal and omnipresent nature of its participants to speak to its underlying truth. Due to the fact that almost all

Ethics and Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics and Business - Research Paper Example One field in which ethics are applied is in the field of business spanning from accounting to auditing. Ethics and professionalism are currently applied in various organizational settings and in many emerging issues of the business world. It is necessary for businesses to be governed by ethics, but this is a two way traffic affair since accounting and auditing standards also impact on ethics. Apart from these two business tenets, emerging issues and the business environment also have an effect on the ethics of business operations (Houghton, 2005). Business ethics refers to the moral rules and codes of conduct that govern business procedures. These rules also govern the manner in which business managers make decisions concerning organizational matters. Ethics and regulations in the business are related because ethics govern the manner in which business regulations are done. Therefore, regulations in business impact on ethics because when establishing business ethics of a particular company, the management puts into consideration the regulations that may arise in the course of business procedures. For example, the day to day running of the business enterprise requires that managers and supervisors regulate the functions of different workers and the manner in which the organization conducts business with other companies

Strategic Management And Leadership Semco Case Study Business Essay

Strategic Management And Leadership Semco Case Study Business Essay Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to identify the leadership and management styles adopted by Ricardo Semler and their impact on the strategic choices of Semco. This report will also explore various management and leadership theories and the resultant effect on organisational and leadership strategy. Introduction: The report intends to take a holistic view of the management and leadership styles and theories and their impacts on organizational leadership and strategy in the backdrop of Semco. Continuing further, the report will assess and evaluate the leadership requirements of Semco and formulate a suitable leadership development plan. A brief look into the evolution of Ricardo Semlers Semco is necessary to understand the organization. Semco, despite challenging the traditional style of corporate management, has continued to grow by leaps and bounds ever since the legendary Ricardo Semler took charge. The organization that was thought to have adopted a management style often termed as a recipe for disaster has been a champion of change with profits growing consistently. Semco had a manifold increase in profitability, growth and productivity, which is remarkable considering the many years of economic melt-down and the volatile political scenario it was operating in. Such an accomplishment requires full faith in employees and a commitment from the top management, but it was not always so. This progress was gradual and methodical as will be demonstrated in the following sections. 1: Leadership styles adopted by Mr. Semler and impact on strategy Ricardo Semmler The authoritarian: When Ricardo Semmler joined his fathers company in 1979, the company was involved in manufacturing equipment for the shipping industry. The revenues were shrinking and despite Semmlers insistence to diversify into other businesses, the management stuck to the same industry. When Mr. Semmler was made in charge in 1980, his first action was to fire 60% of the top management which opposed his radical ideas. An autocratic style of leadership, as theorized by Kurt Lewin, is evident from many actions taken by Semmler. This was combined with a traditional management style which involved following a strict policies and procedures framework for almost every task. Reports and manuals were a norm. The focus was on productivity and achievement of goals. The management performed the traditional roles, as described by Henry Fayol in his theory of 5 functions of management, namely; planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling the organization. This management style suited well to the fairly authoritarian style of leadership of Ricardo Semmler who held the power to decide for the organisation. Impact on strategy He changed the strategy of the organization, shifting the focus from shipping industry only to diversification into various industries. His vision was to reduce reliance on one industry only and expand into different businesses. This meant that the achievement of tasks were the focal point of the strategy while the employees felt stressed and de-motivated. Innovation seemed non-existent and steadily the staff turnover began to rise. Stress took its toll on Ricardo Semmler himself and his health condition became worse. This was the time for a change. The Change: Source: http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/images/Managerial%20Grid.gif The management grid by Blake and Mouton perfectly describes the styles of management adopted by Semco. Initially, Semco was located in the bottom right section aiming for high production with low concern for people but gradually the shift towards Team management whereby the organization is divided into small teams operating fairly independently of others but in a coordinated way with high productivity while keeping employees motivated and satisfied. Ricardo Semmler The Democrat: This was when he turned the tables around, making the change by involving the employees in almost every decision made in the company. The change was not a drastic one, it was gradual yet steady. Ricardo Semmler had realized that employees involvement in the decisions related to the organization was essential. They must be well aware of what the organization wants to achieve. Employees should give in their 100% regardless of the skills set they possess. For these reasons, Semmler transformed himself and adopted a leadership style that was identical to Kurt Lewins participative style of leadership. Reforms such as removing the formal line of authority, discarding the organization chart, letting employees set their salaries, select work hours that suit them and even choose their managers and spiraling the organisition into one where there are no cabins and where employees are involved in all major decisions made by the organization are all evidences of the change in management style by Ricardo Semmler. Impact on strategy These actions have brought about a change in the overall strategy of the organization. The employees are aligned with the strategic objectives of the organization. The organization now operates with a strategy that promotes culture of overall openness sharing ideas and providing feedback. The strategy of Semco is now to involve employees in the organizations benefits through its unique profit-sharing scheme, motivating them to work for the growth of the company they can call their own. The organizations structure has been re-defined, moving from hierarchical to business unit approach with teams at the core. Teams mutually decide upon what needs to be done and who will be responsible for what tasks. For this to be achieved multi-tasking is pivotal and most employees are adept at majority of the tasks performed within the unit. This promotes ideas of self-governance and self-management and incorporates responsibility among employees into the overall strategy of the organization. The f ocus has shifted from being task oriented to more people oriented with high importance given to productivity. 2: Link between management and leadership theories 2.1 Leadership and Strategic Management: Leadership and management are two distinct systems that must co-exist in any organization. Managers tend to have a short-term orientation and usually solve problems as they appear. Leaders on the other hand are more forward looking and make decisions that suit the long term interests of the organization. Leadership and management both shape up the organization. While leaders decide on the direction of the organization, provide the resources and set the frame, managers ensure that the objectives are achieved within the allocated resources. Theoretically, managers and leaders are considered to be separate. However, managers will not be working alone and will be managing a team of individuals for achieving the targets set for them. This will require a degree of leadership skills too as this would call for influencing the actions and thoughts of other people. Henry Fayols 5 Functions of Management (1916) http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Leadership-Management/48673 Henry Fayol devised a theory which suggested that management is essentially a combination of stepped activities, namely; Planning: Plans are made, budgets are decided, limitations are taken into account and parameters of operations are established. This role is commonly shared by both the leader and the manager. A leader would usually be planning for the longer-term while the managers viewpoint is fairly shorter and focuses on immediate targets. Organizing: The second phase invariably includes the allocation of resources that would be consumed for achievement of objectives. Decisions about financial capital, human capital and the structure to be followed for attaining success are taken. Commanding: This ensues deriving the optimum out of the resources. Managers communicate clearly what is expected from the employees and lead by example. Coordinating: Teams will be striving for their individual targets and a balance needs to be maintained among all activities. Harmonization of activities is vital and so is management of conflicting interests. Leaders would take the driving seat. Controlling: Sizing up the benefits of activities is important. Controlling is measuring performance to be able to plan for the future. Leaders would again be looking at the long-term implications of the actions performed and decide on the future strategy. Managers on the other hand will be more concerned with what needs to be repeated and what is to be avoided. To sum it up, Henry Fayol proposed a management theory which describes the functions of management but in effect, it also categorizes the traditional role performed by the leaders as well. Peter Druckers 5 Management Processes (1954) http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Leadership-Management/48673 Peter Drucker, a renowned management theorist had a similar viewpoint of the process of management. According to him, management plays a predefined role in any context. These are: Objective Setting: Leaders provide the vision of the organization as a whole and managers, for their part, set the direction of their individual units. Motivation: Employees need to be motivated if managers want to extract their full potential. Leaders and managers have a variety of motivational tactics to use. Some could be financial incentives, while others are more humanistic in nature. Task Organisation: A manager needs to organize the task and organize the activities for the smooth operations leading to realization of objectives. Measurement: Performance needs to be measured in order to identify any divergences from the required performance and to find ways to fill any gaps in the desired and actual performance. Training and Coaching: Managers and leaders must develop their sub-ordinates. Managers and leaders have to train and coach their sub-ordinates in order for them to perform to the required level. Transactional Management and Transformational Leadership The transactional and transformational theories are another way of describing the inter-relationship and distinction between managers and leaders. According to this theory, managers are more involved with day to day activities of the organization while leaders are concerned with the strategic vision. Managers follow the set principles while leaders challenge the status quo. Leaders are more concerned with bringing about the change in the culture while managers implant that change in the organization. The primary role of a leader is to set the direction while managers ensure the organization is kept on track. Mckinseys 7S Framework http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_91.htm Source: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_91.htm The model suggests that any organization has 7 building blocks. The blocks are categorized as: Soft Elements: Shared Values, Skills, Style Staff Hard Elements: Structure, Systems and Strategy The model places highest importance to the shared values placed in the middle. It re-iterates the fact that all other elements are derived from the vision for what the organization wants to achieve. The Hard elements are determined by the leadership style chosen while the soft elements are drawn from management. Leaders would; evaluate what set of skills are possessed by the employees and what should to be developed select the staff taking into consideration their abilities and the needs of the organization; and Decide upon The style in which the organization is taken forward. The style of leadership would depend on circumstances Managers on the other hand; Shape the structure of the organization using tools such as reporting lines, organization charts etc Develop a plan, allocate resources and decide the course of action. In short, devise a strategy Craft the policies and procedures and standards on how tasks are performed. Leadership style may have profound impact on the strategy of an organization. A transformational style of leadership may stir up the enterprise, motivate and spur action. Such a leader provides an insight into the future, takes the initiative, inspires followers, involves stakeholders, improvises, thoughtful about individuals and implements successfully. This form of leadership would lead to an overhaul of the way the organization operates. A transactional leader on the other hand would have a strategy of maintaining the status quo and keep the current operations. Add Emotional Intelligence 3: Utilize appropriate techniques to review Semco leadership requirements 3.1: Use appropriate methods to review current leadership requirements In order to completely understand the requirements of leadership, it is necessary to understand the environment Semco is operates in, the phase the Semco itself is going through, what pressures are exerted from an industry sector, what its structure is and what the strategic direction it has assumed by the corporate parent. Semco strives to develop a competitive advantage. This is achived by looking at four factors according to Porters Diamond. These are: Firm strategy, structure and rivalry: strategy is what the organization wants to achieve. Structure of the enterprise should be developed to support the strategy and rivalry serves as motivation. Demand Conditions: portrays the demand of products and services. Factor conditions would be developed according to these demand conditions Related and supporting industries: an industry cannot survive without its associated industries. Semmler saw this when the shipping industry was shaking and Semco was badly hit. Factor conditions: The resources of the nation are the factor conditions. Education, mineral resources, capital goods all account for here. What we already possess and what needs to be developed. STEEPLE: Semco is primarily involved in production of heavy industrial equipment and development of intelligent systems however, it also holds stakes in an investment company and energy sector.A STEEPLE analysis is used to understand the environment that Semco operates in. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html Social factors: Semco has shown high concern for social factors. It pays its staff good salaries and keeps them motivated. Semcos policy is to maintain a work/life balance evidenced by initiatives such as Retire a little bit allowing employees to do what they want. Technlogical factors: Technoloical advancement is the need of time and organizations need to identify and discover new technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Economic: Semco operates in the fastest growing South American economy. It is among the emerging economies that have shown revival signs. Growth is expected to be 5% in 2010 as per the Central Bank. GDP composition by sector is: Agriculture:Â  6.1% Industry:Â  25.4% Services:Â  68.5% (2009 est.) Environmental: Brazil is the 7th largest oil consumer in the world and 10th largest when it comes to electricity. This is largely because major part of economy is related to industry. This poses a threat to environment. http://www.semco.com.br/en/content.asp?content=2contentID=548 Political: Semco operates in a political environment where, in the past, the government has often changed monetary, fiscal, taxation and other policies to influence the course of Brazils economy. Such actions are beyond control and Semco cannot predict what measures or policies the Brazilian government may take to influence the economy. Legal: The legal structure in Brazil is one that welcomes foreign investment. There are no requirements for government approvals or minimum investments. http://www.lexmundi.com/images/lexmundi/PDF/guide_brazil.pdf Ethical: Ethics is a major issue of concern in Brazil. It ranked among the 15 most corrupt countries in the world. There have been cases of corruption in the public sector. http://www.brazzil.com/cvrmar97.htm STEEPLE provides an insight into the macro environment Semco operates in. It is also important to understand the phase that Semco is going through as an individual organization. The organization has taken a strategy of diversification by entering new markets and developing new products. This has been done by revolutionizing the current practices, regular reinvention and constant renewal. Semco operates in a complex environment although the environment provides plenty of opportunities that might match its strengths. Semco needs to adopt a strategy of global companionship and to partner with international, well-reputed organizations to achieve economies, compete effectively and lead the market. It has to build strong bonding between the sister concerns and develop strong networks within the group and with parties external to the group. It needs a leadership that promotes mergers, acquisitions and alliances in order to continue its long run of success. 3.2: Plan development of leadership according to future needs: Semco needs to develop leadership that has the ability to foresee the future requirements and have a strong sense of responsibility. Semco needs to make use of the corporate parent theory to productively apply the concept of diversification through mergers and acquisitions. Strong communication skills are an essential attribute that must be developed to avoid ambiguities. The leader must be able to network well with inter-related parties and command respect so that others may give to heed his ideas. The leader should have the strength to accept his mistakes and the humility to give credit where it is due. Semcos culture is the core competency that it has developed over the years. Its competitors have been unsuccessful at adopting the culture, either because of lack of resources or lack of conviction. 4: Produce a future leadership plan for Semco

Using Wikis in Education Essay -- Education

The diffusion of online tools in education is increasing exponentially. Sener (2010) cites an increase of online class enrollees from 1.6 million in 2002 to 5.6 million in 2009. Moloney and Oakley (2010) predict an annual increase of 20% over the next few years of participants in online education. In order to meet the needs of a changing student population, educators must be aware of the myriad of tools available to enhance learning. This paper presents the use of wikis in education and evaluates the wiki’s effectiveness according to Chickering and Gamson’s Seven Principles of Good Practice (as cited in Hoskins, 2010). Introduction to Wikis The wiki is a browser based editing program which allows multiple users to contribute and edit text. It includes editing tools similar to a word processor that allow the user to control text size and color, make the text bold or italicized, and enter web links and pictures. Changes are tracked by the software and successive edits can be monitored or even rolled back to a previous version. The program allows email notification of changes made as chosen by the user in the settings of their account (Cunningham, 2002; Crocker, Hutchings, Nussey, Park, & Springate, 2010). In education, wikis are useful in that they allow open editing of a document. If one student sees an error, they can simply change the text. Crocker et al. (2010) mention limited knowledge of wikis by graduate students, but point out that interaction on the wiki creates dialogue between students which enhances their learning. The activity on the wiki is useful to educators because it promotes contact and cooperation between students, encourages active learning, and ensures prompt feedback from other users. The col... ...igher education: exploring barriers to successful implementation. Interactive Learning Environments, 18(3), 219-231. Kardong-Edgren, S., Ha, Y., Hallmark, E., Hurd, D., Oermann, M., Snelson, C., & Tennant, M. (2009).Using a wiki in nursing education and research. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship 6(1), 1-10. Doi: 10.2202/1548-923X.1787 Kleine-Staarman, J., & Pifarre, M. (2011). Wiki-supported collaborative learning in primary education: How a dialogic space is created for thinking together. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 6, 187-205. Moloney, J. F., & Oakley, B.,II. (2010). Scaling online education: Increasing access to higher education. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 14, 55-70. Sener, J. (2010). Why online education will attain full scale. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 14, 3-16.

Compare and Contrast 1984-Brave New World Essay

â€Å" Do you see, then, what kind of world we are creating? † (Orwell, 1950 p. 267)George Orwell, author of 1984 released in 1950, present the idea of a society that proves to be a dystopia as it is completely based on fear and rarely does one see happiness while in the other hand, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World presents the idea of a functional utopia were feelings are destroyed and no one is unhappy because they don’t know happiness but all this could change by the hands of one outcast. These two societies ruled in different ways-one through fear and the other through psychological and physical manipulation- present successful ways to maintain order and power, although they differ greatly and outcasts have different aims and uses. In a society where fear is predominant, physical and mental capacities reach a stagnant state as the will to survive and loyalty become predominant. In a different society where men are created to the liking of their rulers and are controlled with drugs instead of fear, the meaning of a utopia can disappear but yet subjects will think everything is perfect. Finally a sense of false equality, manipulation, and fear allow total and utter control. In societies like the ones depicted in these two books, nothing is perfect and nothing is true. Members of these communities cannot know what is true because this will make them become dangerous to their leaders. The use of fear in 1984 and the idea of Big Brother facilite control as the idea of constant surveillance and Thought Police puts everything a member of this society does to the test and when they make a false move, they know they are done for. The scene where Winston talks about two plus two not being for or if Gravity is a force that works really depicts the kind of fear installed by the party. â€Å"The heresy of heresies was common sense. And what was terrifying was not only that they would kill you for thinking otherwise, but that they might be right. For, after all, how do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? † (Orwell, 1950 p. 80). As explained by the quote, doubting whatever the party said could end up in negative ramifications. It is incredible how people can adjust to these changes. Things that seem so simple be questioned and believed, which is even worse. The mutability of the party’s adherents is astonishing as they change whenever the part needs them to follow the most ridiculous ideas as if they were normal and all of this is achieved through fear. Winston also mentions the fact that your mind can fail you. â€Å"The most deadly danger of all was talking in your sleep. There was no way of guarding against that, so far as he could see. † (Orwell, 1950 p. 64). Even thinking erroneously about the parties flaws and going against their ideas can be lethal as sleep talking cannot be controlled and can always be heard. The third example of fear and its installment in Winston’s mind is when he receives the letter from Julia. â€Å"One, much the more likely, was that the girl was an agent of the Thought Police (†¦) the thing that was written on the paper might be a threat, a summon, an order to commit suicide, a trap of some description. (Orwell, 1950 p. 106). This displays how fear can make something normal seem completely hazardous and how reliance on others can be purged as you do not know what to expect from anyone. Even though people may be unhappy, this demonstrates to be successful as no one goes against the status quo. In contrast to 1984, Brave New World doesn’t need fear since if they want change, they create new beings to change or just bring out soma but still, control is maintained. Physical and psychological manipulation gives a sense of order even though it is non-existent, and drug use maintains a false control that seems alright to everyone inside that sphere however, when someone notices this false control, he will become a problem. In Huxley’s Brave New World, which is supposed to be a Utopia, equality is not present and this is what a utopia is supposed to be about. Within the social classes, the top ones still think of the lower ones as useless and basically inferior. Lenina demonstrates this through the following quote. â€Å"What a hideous colour khaki is,† remarked Lenina, voicing the hypnopaedic prejudices of her caste. † (Huxley, 1946, p. 42). This quote demonstrates that even messages coming from the government promote separatist ideas and at the same time they promote equality. Drug use and psychological manipulation allows this to maintain epsilons happy with how they are, also maintaining absolute control over society. Hypnopaedia as seen before, doesn’t always promote the values of a Utopia as it should. Another hypnopaedic message demonstrating this is â€Å"Every one works for everyone else. We can’t do without any one. Even Epsilons are useful. We couldn’t do without Epsilons. Every one works for everyone else. We can’t do without anyone. † (Huxley, 1946, p. 50). The use of Soma is a very important factor as it is a way of escaping the reality of a supposed utopia that in reality is everything but a utopia. â€Å"Why you don’t take soma when you have these dreadful ideas of yours. You’d forget all about them. And instead of feeling miserable, you’d be jolly. So jolly,† she repeated and smiled (†¦)† (Huxley, 1946, p. 62). It is very important to realize how this method of control still proves to be successful and allows organization for the government to preserve. Whether it’s installing fear, secret organizations, and complete surveillance or actually creating subjects, it is evident that both methods are thriving as they sustain order and undemanding management of society. Winston, who was the soul and heart of change in 1984 , ended up failing and the idea, person, or whatever Big Brother is, who he hated the most actually ended up taking over him and it is mentioned in the novel. He won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother. † (Orwell, 1950 p. 268) The only man who was capable of causing change and denouncing the artificiality his government was based on. Fear has now proved to be a functioning method of control. In comparison to Brave New World, the outsider and only man capable of making others realize the lie they lived in ended up killing himself. â€Å"Slowly, very slowly, like two unhurried compass needles, the feet turned towards the right; north, north-east, east, south-east, south, south-south- west; then paused, and, after a few seconds, turned as unhurriedly back towards the left. South-south-west, south, south-east, east.. † (Huxley, 1946 p. 176) This also verifies the effectiveness of this method and according to this, both men failed to change the status quo. By the end of both novels, no change was made and both fear and manipulation proved to be effective ways of maintaining control. As the predominance of both fear and manipulation grow, methods of changing society and its governance method become scarce and even those who go to extremes find themselves with unfeasible situations where physical and mental capacity will be pushed to new limits but yet, not enough to revolutionize their societies. This is mainly due to most of those who have been subjected and accepted the reality in which they live in, which is what both Winston and John go through but their ways to accept it, were vastly different. Even though there are some with strong minds and others who have not been toyed with, it will never be enough to fight fear nor manipulation of the human being.

Religion and Morality Essay

In this paper I will discuss the relationship between religion and morality. I will first address the question asked by those with religion, how are atheists moral? Then I will examine morality and its relativity to culture. Next I will explore whether those without a religion are actually more moral than those with a religion. And finally, I will discuss any possible objections to my claims. This argument is in no way saying that those that believe in God are unmoral but that those who don’t believe in God, are just as capable of being moral. Being atheist means that you choose to believe that God, or a god, does not exist. You have no faith or religion, you don’t go to church every Sunday morning, or pray every night before you go to bed. Therefore the belief is that you’re condemned to spend the rest of eternity in hell. So just because a person doesn’t believe in a God, does that make them a bad person? A common question of those with religion is, where do atheists get their moral compass from? Atheists aren’t taught by any type of ultimate superior that they can’t lie, cheat, steal, rape, or murder. So how do they know not to do it? The underlying message I interpret from this is: religion is what keeps everybody in the world moral. That the only thing stopping you from murdering someone is reading a Bible (Marcotti, 2011). Just because you don’t have a bible does it mean that you want to go around blowing up buildings and terrorizing grocery stores. It’s safe to assume that most people want to do good in the world. There is the occasional serial killer every once in a while but, the bulk of the world’s population is promoting good that exists in all forms because everybody has a different idea of whats right from wrong. Some people make incredible scientific discoveries to better mankind, that’s considered good. Others might go to countries and help those less fortunate, also good. One might reply that these are just acts of morality. And that they still don’t define a moral person. But if you think about it, nobody’s born with a perfect moral compass. Nobody is born with morals. Not even those that are born into a religion. In our society, when we’re young and we tell a white lie, we learn the consequences. Some are told by their parents, who are told by the Bible, that it is wrong. Others learn that when you deceive people, it can have many effects. Through experience and questioning, do children acquire their sense of right and wrong. Which accompanies them throughout the rest of their lives. In Louise M. Antony’s Philosophers Without Gods, she says that, â€Å"All that is lost, if there is no God, is a divine enforcer. In a world without God, there is no guarantee that the virtuous will ever be rewarded, nor that the vicious will ever be punished. We must do what is right simply because it is right,† (Antony, 2007, pg. 51). Let’s look at morality and religion from a cultural standpoint. â€Å"When used in a descriptive sense [morality] refers to codes of conduct that are actually put forward and accepted by some society, group, or individual,† (Gert, 2012). If you think about it, there are over seven billion people spread out over seven continents in our world. The majority of those people have a religion and believe in a God. But, what about the people that aren’t even exposed to the idea of a God? Let’s say a rural, very secluded tribe in the habitable regions of northeast Asia. Just because they don’t have a religion, would that make them bad people? If they lead a simple life and didn’t steal, lie, commit adultery, or murder, why should they be branded as unmoral for something they have no control over. An excellent insight into Chinese culture and religion is portrayed in the book, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. Even though this example is a fictional story, it’s based off of a real culture and the religious views of that culture in the late nineteenth century. The protagonist Wang Lung practices a religion with the Earth. When his crop is well and thriving he pays homage to the Earth God and when his crop is poor he resents the Earth God. At a point in the book, Wang Lung kills his newborn daughter because of her sex. During a time of famine, he steals gold coins from a wealthy family. And after he encounters money and prosperity, he spends his time in a tea house with a concubine instead of with his dying wife (Sparknotes Editors, 2012). But, in this story the main character does feel guilt for the things that he did. Knowing that it wasn’t right, and that it didn’t feel right to kill his newborn child, Wang Lung still did it and the act was perfectly acceptable according to their culture. When he stole the gold from the wealthy, he knew morally that it was wrong but, his family needed the money therefore his motivation was to provide for them. And when he purchased a concubine, Wang Lung was complying with the cultural norm of wealthy Chinese men. Whereas in our culture, and its predominant religion, the idea of adultery and lust is considered unmoral. It is even arguable that those without a religion are more genuinely moral. For example, the Christian religion. The whole belief is that you don’t sin and therefore are rewarded with eternal bliss. If you do sin then you will be forever damned. The motivation for all the good that they are guided to do is to have a better afterlife, selfish isn’t it? Well one who has no religion, has no belief in the afterlife. All the actions and choices that they make in this physical life are all they have. They live for today instead of living for tomorrow, metaphorically. When you do the right thing, like not lie, cheat, steal, then your life will reflect upon that. If you rape someone then our judicial system will lock you up in a concrete cell for a few decades and then you just wasted half of the only life you have. From this you could say that an Atheist has more to lose by not being moral. For this argument, well known atheists, Ricky Gervais said, â€Å"Forgiveness is probably the greatest virtue there is. But that’s exactly what it is - ­ a virtue. Not just a Christian virtue. No one owns being good. I’m good. I just don’t believe I’ll be rewarded for it in heaven. My reward is here and now. It’s knowing that I try to do the right thing. That I lived a good life,† (Gervais, 2010). A possible objection brought upon by these claims would be simply that God made morality and it’s not something we acquire. And for those that have faith in God, in all honesty why should they believe any differently? Their faith is what allows them to believe without having any need for reason, and that is extremely commendable. Many people aren’t capable of providing that much trust in the existence of a supernatural being. In this case, there are two sides to the story and it really does come down to which side you are on. Those that have a religion would say that their morality has come from the teachings of that religion. But, they wouldn’t know any otherwise. Even if they came to religion later in life, the bible provides written, physical guidance. An atheist would have a clean palette, not influenced by any ideas or direction. So the question of their morality is perfectly understandable. Its like saying if I had a candy bar, how could somebody else conjure that candy bar and experience the same sensation of it. In this paper, I explored a few concepts that argue the relationship between religion and morality. First by arguing where morality comes from, I said that it is something that we acquire through society. Next I said that morality is related to the religions amidst a culture. Last, I put forward that those without a religion are actually more moral than those with a religion. I Finished by providing objections and a point of view for those with a religion. The examples from literature that were used supported the claims made in the paragraphs. With these arguments, I believe that the relationship between religion and morality was effectively exposed. That it is not necessary for one to have a religion and be moral. References Antony, L. (2007). Philosophers Without Gods’ . Oxford University Press Gert, Bernard, â€Å"The Definition of Morality†, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed. ), URL = . Gervais, Ricky (2010) â€Å"Ricky Gervais: Why I’m an Atheist† The Wall Street Journal [Online] Available at: http://blogs. wsj. com/speakeasy/2010/12/19/a-holiday-message-from-ricky-gervais-why-im-an-atheist/ Marcotte, Amanda (2011) â€Å"10 Myths Many Religious People Hold About Atheists, Debunked† AlterNet [Online] Available at: http://www. alternet. org/story/152395/10_myths_many_religious_people_hold_about_atheists,_debunked SparkNotes Editors. (2003). SparkNote on The Good Earth. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/goodearth/Ã'Ž

The Way essays

The Way essays Tao means the way. It is basically indefinable. It has to be experienced. It refers to a power, which envelops, surrounds and flows through all things, living and non-living. The Tao regulates natural processes and nourishes balance in the Universe. It embodies the harmony of opposite, in other words there would be no love without hate, no light without dark, no male without female. According to the Tao Te Ching, it is the first principle of the universe, the all-embracing reality from which everything else arises. The Tao cannot be defined in words and is not an idea or concept. Chuang-tzu said, It may be attained but not seen. Its presence is everywhere, not as a spiritual being, but as the basic stuff which all things have been issued. It gives life to all living beings and maintains them with no likes or dislikes. The back of our textbook puts it best: Accept what is in front of you without wanting the situation to be other than it is. Study the natural order of things and work with it rather than against it, for to try to change what is only sets up resistance. Nature provides everything without requiring payment or thanks, and also provides for all without discrimination. In other words: Simply be. Classical Taoist philosophy, formulated by Lao Tsu, the anonymous editor of the Tao Te Ching, and Chuang-tzu, was a reinterpretation and development of an ancient nameless tradition of nature worship and divination. Lao Tsu and Chuang-tzu, living at a time of social disorder and great religious skepticism, developed the notion of the Tao as the origin of all creation and the force, unknowable in its essence but observable in its manifestations, that lies behind the functionings and changes of the natural world. They saw in Tao and nature the basis of a spiritual approach to living. This, they believed, was the answer to the burning issue of the day: what is the basis of a stable, unified, and e ...