Contemporary Management issue (Emaad) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contemporary Management issue (Emaad) - Essay Example These rules and principles are called ethical theories. Ethics and values differ in that ethics are acquired from philosophical theories while values are acquired informally through valuing process of socialization. For something to be considered to be a value it must have the three key components; freely chosen, the prize and acted upon. Nowadays the world is considered a global market hence the term Globalization which means that business around the world is reduced into borderless units where trade moves freely from border to border. However, globalization has influenced the erosion of business ethics. The global economy can be referred to as the removal of barriers to trade and investments and the unprecedented international mobility of capital. Sustainability is the ability of a business to meet its demand and supply in present and also in future, is an important aspect for business ethics. Businesses need to use resources meaningful so as not to affect future generation needs ( Crane & Matten, 2003). The case under consideration is the case against big tobacco companies i.e. Philip Morris, Reynolds, and Liggett on the safety of their products. These companies are being accused of knowingly selling harmful products such as cigarettes which cause lung cancer to consumers. They advertise their products to the general public especially targeting the youth and hiding the fact that the products are not healthy safe. They have also hindered various meaningful researches to determine the safety of their products and failed to produce freely safe products. Thus, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) gathered evidence and filed a suit against these companies for violating the Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, hence they operated as outlaw companies since 1953. The DOJ also accused the companies of putting up advertisements that showed nicotine was not an addictive substance while they controlled the addictive nature of cigarettes to capture more and more customers. At the end of the assignment the following objectives will have been achieved. A good knowledge base and understanding on the various business ethics and moral issues. The duties of businesses to consumers and the theories involved. Also, discussion of other related theories to duties of organizations to consumers. To develop an international understanding of various business concepts by knowing the various norms and ethics of business involved. Be able to ethically reason when handling business related problems. Organization Duties to Consumers: It is worldwide accepted that businesses premises around the world cannot exist without the consumers. Thus organizations have an important role in ensuring it gives its consumers better and quality goods and services. They should avoid various malpractices like wrong labeling of products, untrue advertisements that are extremely exaggerated, adulteration (that is producing inferior products), and hoarding (hiding goods to create a shortage so as to raise the commodity prices). Consumers also have a right to demand better services and quality goods. The consumers need to be protected also from various businesses malpractices. Notably organizations which take consideration on the consumers usually prosper much than those who do not (Derry et al, 1989). The consumer has the right to choose whether to purchase or not to purchase a given product before examining it. Consumer interests usually

Cyber Security Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Cyber Security Research Paper Essay 1. Preface This security profile of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is based on two documents of public record. The first is the published VA Handbook 6500 (VAH 6500) which defined policy and procedures for systems within the purview of the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2007). The second document is the Federal Information Security Management Act Assessment for FY 20011 commissioned by the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) and performed by Ernst Young in accordance with Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) guidelines (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. i). 2. Identification of Controls This security profile presents one control function from three primary policy and procedure controls. These controls are â€Å"System/New Technology Development Life Cycle† from Management Controls, â€Å"Security Training, Education, and Awareness† from Operational Controls, and â€Å"Remote Access† from Technical Controls. These controls are selected based on the lack of resolution based on information provided fiscal year 2006, 2010 (VA Office of Inspector General, 2011) and 2011 (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012) FISMA audits. 3. Management Controls The protection of systems via risk mitigation techniques are referred to as management controls. Management controls are designed to minimize risk associated with development process and systems implementation. 4.1. VAH6500 Section 6.a.(7) System/New Technology Development Life Cycle VAH6500 requires that any new technology undergo a systems development life cycle (SDLC) specific to the VA. The cycle consists of Initiation, Development / Acquisition, Implementation, Operation / Maintenance and Disposal. Systems must be able to encrypt/decrypt data. Systems not capable of this must receive a waiver from the OIG. 4.2. Implementation Assessment The SDLC program provided does not provide the necessary information for an effective program. No supporting material or references to NIST SP 800-64 Rev2 Security Considerations in the System Development Life Cycle or VAH 6500.5 Incorporating Security and Privacy into the System Development Life Cycle is made. 4.3. Implementation Impact The OIG 2011 FISAM Assessment indicates that â€Å"FISMA Section 3544 requires establishing policies and procedures to ensure information security is addressed throughout the life cycle of each agency information system† (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 9). Based on the lack of consistency in use of SDLC and change control, major security risks may go unnoticed. 4. Operational Controls Operational controls focus on techniques and procedures put in place by Information Technology staff or systems managers. The purpose is to increase security and provide deterrence via system controls. 5.4. VAH6500 Section 6.b.(11) Security Training, Education, and Awareness VAH6500 provides a concise policy which states any individuals that access sensitive information or systems must complete annual security training. Key persons with â€Å"significant† roles must attend additional training. All training is monitored for completeness. Policy indicates before employees can use systems security training must be completed. 5.5. Implementation Assessment Policy indicates that fourteen key pieces of information must be covered before an individual is allowed to begin work. This training must also be refreshed annually. The tracking of this information is the responsibility of the local ISO (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2007, p. 57). 5.6. Implementation Impact The distributed manner of training management is not conducive to consistent security training. The OIG 2011 FISAM Assessment findings indicate a centrally managed training database be used to ensure personnel receive the proper training needed for their job function (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 15). 5. Technical Controls The technical control area focuses on minimizing and/or preventing access to a system(s) by unauthorized individuals via technical measures. The measures are designed to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of a system(s) (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 54). 6.7. VAH6500 Section 6.c.(3) Remote Access Control VAH6500 relies on nineteen policy requirements to enforce technical control. VA policy states that no sensitive information may be transmitted via internet or intranet without proper security mechanisms that meet NIST FIPS 140-2 criteria (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2007, p. 61). Each department within the Agency is responsible for monitoring remote access and privilege functions. Access can be revoked by a supervisor or superior at any time. The remaining requirements cover contractor access, PKI certificate distribution and termination of accounts. System protection is the responsibility of the ISO for each area of access. 6.8. Implementation Assessment VAH6500 does not utilize NIST SP 800-46 Guide to Enterprise Telework and Remote Access Security. The OIG 2011 FISAM Assessment also indicates some remote access systems do not provide Network Access Control (NAC) to block systems that do not meet predefined security requirements (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 6). 6.9. Implementation Impact The diversity of ISO management practices coupled with a lack of specific procedures for management, auditing and access creates opportunity for security breaches. 6. Summary The three controls outlined in this document show the disparity between written policy, procedure, and implementation. In order for the VA to be successful in meeting the standards of future FISMA assessments, a fundamental change in operations within the VA is required. 7. Comments The multifaceted nature of operations within the VA requires guidelines that meet the needs of multiple departments within the Agency. All three controls discussed in this document have very broad definitions to accommodate the extensive variety of services the VA provides. This flexibility coupled with a drop in training acceptance, legacy systems (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 7) and the lack of an â€Å"implemented components of its agency-wide information security risk management program† (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 3) will continue to limit future progress. These delay factors provide an understanding of why twelve recommendations from prior FISAM assessments remain open. Of the twelve recommendations listed in the VA FISMA FY 2011 report, only three have been closed, while three other recommendations have been superseded by new recommendations (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 19). The recent announcement of the Continuous, Readiness in Information Security Program (CRISP) seems to indicate a fundamental shift in the way the VA views security issues (United States Department of Veterans Affairs). In order for this program to be successful, this message must be understood and acted upon by all persons under the VA umbrella. 8.References Department of Veterans Affairs. (2007). VA Handbook 6500. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. Retrieved February 20, 2013, from http://www.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=56 Department of Veterans Affairs. (2010). Strategic Plan FY 2010-2014. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. Retrieved February 20, 2013, from http://www.va.gov/op3/Docs/StrategicPlanning/VA_2010_2014_Strategic_Plan.pdf National Institute of Standards and Technology. (2010). Guide for Assessing the Security Controls in Federal Information System (NIST 800-53a). Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office. http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53-Rev3/sp800-53-rev3-final_updated-errata_05-01-2010.pdf United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). CRISP. Retrieved February 21, 2013, from United States Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.saltlakecity.va.gov/features/CRISP.asp VA Office of Inspector General. (2011). Department of Veterans Affairs Federal Informati on Security Management Act Assessment for FY 2010 (10-01916-165). Washington, D.C.: US Government Publishing Office. Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/oig/52/reports/2011/VAOIG-10-01916-165.pdf VA Office of Inspector General. (2012). Department of Veterans Affairs Federal Information Security Management Act Assessment for FY 2011 (11-00320-138). Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office. Retrieved February 20, 2013,from http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-11-00320-138.pdf

Social Exclusion and Social Capital Theories: Urban Areas

Social Exclusion and Social Capital Theories: Urban Areas Introduction The idea of social exclusion, the forces within society which have contributed to it, and results of social exclusion are all issues that have been described in the following terms by Musterd, S and Ostendorf, W ((1998) p1): ‘The excluded lose the opportunities, the means and finally the ability to participate in society, which is expressed by a lack of labour market participation, low school participation, a weak position in the housing market, limited political participation and restricted socio-cultural integration†¦[1]’. Levitas, R (1998) has a slightly different view of social exclusion and her views have been described in the following way: ‘The MUD moral underclass discourse is rooted in neo-conservatism. Levitas describes this discourse as equating social exclusion with the development of an ‘underclass’†¦.[2]’ Therefore, while there are those who question the very existence of social exclusion problems: ‘†¦..the term does not necessarily imply either a positive or a negative state. It is simply a way of describing the established patterns of human relations in any given society†¦.[3]’, what the arguments of Levitas (1998) and Musterd, S and Ostendorf, W (1998) show is that social theorists have mapped an increasing trend within society which has entrenched wide gaps between social groups in terms of wealth and social status, and this trend has been noticed particularly in regard to urban areas and in terms of low income families. Social exclu sion has led to an explosion at both extreme ends of the socio-economic scale, with increases in households that have a low income, seen to expand proportionally with increases in the amount of households with high income and skills that are highly sought after. Those at the bottom of the scale are frequently referred to as ‘excluded’ and those at the top are those who benefit from social inclusion. The broad policy of redistributive justice has been seen as a way to redress this socio-economic imbalance. Redistributive justice refers to a process whereby the political process encourages the distribution of property and wealth, by introducing schemes such as taxation, which can channel wealth from the wealthy to the poor in society. This concept has been associated with Marxism, Socialism and Pluralism. Therefore, whether one accepts the discourse of an underclass propelling social exclusion, or whether one simply holds the view that social exclusion is mainly caused because of socio-economic reasons, it is plain to be seen that the UK government has recognised social exclusion as a problem which needs to be addressed in terms of policy. The effectiveness and coherence of these policies is of course, open to interpretation and criticism and two government policies will be examined in this essay to highlight the problem of social exclusion and to critique the government’s response to it. Two specific policies have been chosen by the writer with which to use as a focal point in the further discussion of the topic of social exclusion. The first policy is a policy called ‘Programme for Partnership’ which is aimed at narrowing the gaps that social exclusion imposes with regard to those living in urban areas of Scotland. The second scheme within the social capital and social exclusion area is the ‘Tackling Exclusion from Education’ scheme which proposes to see social exclusion as a problem which starts at an early age and which aims at improving the problems of social exclusion through the improvement of the education system in the UK. Urban and the City Few people doubt that the problems of social exclusion emanate in a substantial way from city life and problems associated with deprived urban areas. This scenario can be seen to produce an ‘underclass’ that live in these areas. As Martin (2004) has demonstrated underclasses, whatever their construction are a product of post industrialisation. Martin argues: ‘There are various interpretations of the term underclass. Indeed, Bovenkerk (1984) and Mann (1992 in Mann 1999: 150) argue that Murrays account of the underclass sounds remarkably like Marx and Engels accounts of the lumpenproletariat, and the term itself has been attributed to the work of the Swedish economist Gunnar Myrdal. According to Gans (1995: 2) the underclass is a redefinition of an economic term originally introduced by Myrdal in 1963 to describe the workers being forced out of a new economy, now often called postindustrial..[4]’ Therefore the first chosen policy which will be discussed in regards to the urban and the city topic is one which is aimed at dissipating the problems of an urban underclass. The scheme has only recently been announced by government and it relates to urban regeneration in Scotland. The scheme itself has been entitled ‘Programme for Partnership’ and it involves formulating ideas which will influence the long term lifestyles and opportunities of those living in deprived urban areas. This programme has held at its core the idea of ‘regeneration partnerships’ which encourages a level of cohesion between agencies charged with the responsibility of dealing with the problems of social exclusion in urban Scotland. For example, through directing resources to target inequality in the healthcare system, the ‘Programme for Partnership’ is intending to indirectly deal with the problems within the educational system such as low attainment which can be linked with poor health. This scheme therefore has been aimed at reducing inter-related problems linked with city life which combine to produce what has been described as: ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the horrible reality of being cut out of our credit-based, plastic card economy†¦[5]’. Other initiatives which have have been borne from this ‘Programme for Partnership’ initiative have been aimed at tackling the problems associated with homelessness, which is another sign of social exclusion. What the Partnership initiative has recognised is that homelessness is not a singular problem which randomly befalls those it affects. Homelessness, a problem endemic in urban areas can often be associated with poverty, low educational attainment, drugs, poor healthcare (particularly for the mentally ill) and family problems including abuse. Therefore, the government has formulated a new Code of Practice which encourages urban social service actors to develop strategies to deal with poverty which incorporate a holistic approach to dealing with the social problems that cause social problems, and not just isolated problems. The Cabinet Office’s social exclusion unit and the Scottish Office work closely to supervise and to help implement the ‘Programme for Partnership’ scheme. The Scottish Executive has recently been quoted as saying: ‘Part of the social justice strategy is the†¦.development of person-centred services (and) involves the breaking down of the old vertical hierarchies, such as the historical division between the UK Benefits Agency and Employment Service, which have recently been merged†¦[6]’. Yet, rhetoric does not solve the problem of social exclusion, and this scheme may be of little use if its effectiveness cannot be measured and attuned to the fluid distribution of the problems of social exclusion in urban areas. There is a fundamental problem which arises when one attempts to tackle a broad problem with an inter-agency approach and this problem involves measuring the success and/or failure of the policy, and targeting appropriate solutions within this grey area. The resulting subterfuge may be of benefit to a government seeking reelection, but how far it has gone to reduce continuing problems associated with social exclusion in urban areas is difficult to see through the rising crime rates, the continuing problems of anti-social behaviour and rising poverty, problems which those in urban areas are particularly susceptible to. Social Capital and Social Exclusion As we have seen earlier from the explanation of social exclusion provided by Musterd, S and Ostendorf, W (1998), the problem of social exclusion mainly affects those at the lower end of the socio-economic scale. The government has recognised that this problem in many ways reflects the way that poor children are treated in the education system. Statistics have suggested that there are links between a person’s educational and social development and this is particularly true of those who enter the educational system from a deprived background. Commentators such as Archer (2003) have pointed to a core problem relating to social exclusion and the educational system: ‘†¦.educational inequalities not only persist, but in some cases have increased†¦[7]’. Therefore the New Labour government have recently launched the ‘Tackling Exclusion from Education’ scheme, which is a scheme again aimed at local authorities and which encourages them to develop sch emes aimed at improving literacy in young people and teenagers. This scheme therefore aims to facilitate the progression of young people within the education system and one of its objectives is to tackle problems associated with emotional and behavioral difficulties in young people, problems which contribute to the problems that have been described above in an urban context. Truancy is also a big issue in this regard and the ‘Tackling Exclusion from Education’ scheme encourages local authorities to introduce pilot schemes within schools to look at alternatives to excluding children, and to improve attendance records. In this way the problem of failure in the educational system can be seen as a root cause of those problems described in the above urban and city section, as problems in school often persist into later life, and these problems can often be seen within cities. Linked with this Education initiative are schemes aimed at improving confidence among young people, and these schemes include out of hours activities which are funded by the National Lottery. As Majors (2001) has argued, ‘England is experiencing an education revolution. Few would deny that in the four years since the Labour government came to power they have made major advances in education and social inclusion.†¦[8]’. Yet, again, this scheme suffers from the same inadequacies as the later scheme. The difficulty again lies with separating rhetoric from success. While it is true that the problem of social exclusion can be tackled in the ways described above, it is not clear whether these schemes are actually effective, in light of the poor comparison Britain makes with other Western European educational systems. An intrinsic problem which has dogged other areas of political life is recognised as ‘political spin’. This New Labour propensity to cloud probl ems with ‘spin’ has permeated the social sector as much as it has the political sector. This leads to a problem of measurement and of recognition and the increasing inconsistency that can be seen from looking at what the government says it is achieving and reconciling this with poor educational attainment, truancy and other problems which afflict poor, young people in British state schools. Conclusion This essay has looked at the idea of social exclusion both in urban areas and in terms of social capital. In many ways social exclusion, begs questions about the definition of freedom; questions about redistributive justice which Marx and Engels have asked many years ago. Therefore, few could argue that the problems of social exclusion emanate in large part from industrialisation and this has been a theme of the essay. While Bashford and Strange (2003) have argued that: ‘†¦new political imaginings of freedom†¦ (and)†¦the invention of liberty as an inalienable right†¦[9]’ have improved the situations of many, the problem of social exclusion persists, as it argued by Rosenfeld and Tardieu (2002): ‘The very poor are shut out; the social institution is shut in. Both live with a sense of defeat and mutual misunderstanding To the extent that there are overtures from either side, these seem doomed to failure and make no sense to the other side. Nothin g is going on; there are no surprises, no exchanges, no meeting points. There is no story to tell†¦.[10]’. Therefore government policy which aims to target these problems must address social exclusion, not just in terms of description, but in terms of effectual strategy which measures success and failure in a fair and unbiased way. Bibliography Books and Articles Archer, L. et al. (2003) Higher Education and Social Class: Issues of Exclusion and Inclusion. Publisher: RoutledgeFalmer. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2003. Bashford, A. and Strange, C. (2003) Isolation: Places and Practices of Exclusion. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2003. Bollens, S. (2002) Urban Planning and Intergroup Conflict: Confronting a Fractured Public Interest. Journal Title: Journal of the American Planning Association. Volume: 68. Issue: 1. Page Number: 22+. Johnson, M. (2001) It May Not Grab the Headlines, but Tackling Financial Exclusion Is Social Democracy in Action. Magazine Title: New Statesman. Volume: 130. Issue: 4530. Publication Date: March 26, 2001. Majors, R. (2001) Educating Our Black Children: New Directions and Radical Approaches. Publisher: RoutledgeFalmer. Place of Publication: London. Publication Year: 2001. Martin, S. (2004) Reconceptualising Social Exclusion: A Critical Response to the Neoliberal Welfare Reform Agenda and the Underclass Thesis. Journal Title: Australian Journal of Social Issues. Volume: 39. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2004. Page Number: 79+. Musterd, S. and Ostendorf, W. (1998) Urban Segregation and the Welfare State: Inequality and Exclusion in Western Cities. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: London. Publication Year: 1998. Riddell, S. and Tett, L (2001) Education, Social Justice, and Inter-Agency Working: Joined Up or Fractured Policy. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2001. Rosenfeld, J. and Tardieu, B. (2002) Artisans of Democracy: How Ordinary People, Families in Extreme Poverty, and Social Institutions Become Allies to Overcome Social Exclusion. Journal Title: Social Theory and Practice. Volume: 28. Issue: 3. Publication Year: 2002. Internet Sources The Scottish Stationary Office (Undated) Social Exclusion in Scotland: A Consultation Paper. Available at:  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents1/socexcl.htm >>. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. (1994) Social Integration: Approaches and Issues. Available at:  http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:cbPDnQ4TsgkJ:www.unrisd.org/unrisd/website/document.nsf/ab82a6805797760f80256b4f005da1ab/510920da18b35a6880256b65004c6a7b/%24FILE/bp1.pdf+social+integrationhl=enct=clnkcd=17 >>. Anonymous (2002) Social Inclusion/Exclusion. Available at:  http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:aRXxsOaWPLkJ:www.rwbsocialplanners.com.au/SOCIAL%2520INCLUSION.pdf+moral+underclass+discoursehl=enct=clnk>>. Footnotes [1] p1. Musterd, S. and Ostendorf, W. (1998) Urban Segregation and the Welfare State: Inequality and Exclusion in Western Cities. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: London. Publication Year: 1998. [2] Anonymous (2002) Social Inclusion/Exclusion. Available at: www.rwbsocialplanners.com.au/SOCIAL%20INCLUSION.pdf+moral+underclass+discoursehl=enct=clnk>>. [3] United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. (1994) Social Integration: Approaches and Issues. Available at: http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:cbPDnQ4TsgkJ:www.unrisd.org/unrisd/website/document.nsf/ab82a6805797760f80256b4f005da1ab/510920da18b35a6880256b65004c6a7b/%24FILE/bp1.pdf+social+integrationhl=enct=clnkcd=17 >>. [4]p1. Martin, S. (2004) Reconceptualising Social Exclusion: A Critical Response to the Neoliberal Welfare Reform Agenda and the Underclass Thesis. Journal Title: Australian Journal of Social Issues. Volume: 39. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2004. Page Number: 79+. [5]Johnson, M. (2001) It May Not Grab the Headlines, but Tackling Financial Exclusion Is Social Democracy in Action. Magazine Title: New Statesman. Volume: 130. Issue: 4530. Publication Date: March 26, 2001. [6]p3. Riddell, S. and Tett, L (2001) Education, Social Justice, and Inter-Agency Working: Joined Up or Fractured Policy. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2001. [7] p2. Archer, L. et al. (2003) Higher Education and Social Class: Issues of Exclusion and Inclusion. Publisher: RoutledgeFalmer. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2003. [8] Majors, R. (2001) Educating Our Black Children: New Directions and Radical Approaches. Publisher: RoutledgeFalmer. Place of Publication: London. Publication Year: 2001. Page Number: 1. [9] Bashford, A. and Strange, C. (2003) Isolation: Places and Practices of Exclusion. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2003. Page Number: 3. [10] Rosenfeld, J. and Tardieu, B. (2002) Artisans of Democracy: How Ordinary People, Families in Extreme Poverty, and Social Institutions Become Allies to Overcome Social Exclusion. Journal Title: Social Theory and Practice. Volume: 28. Issue: 3. Publication Year: 2002. Page Number: 519+.

Essay --

The events of Hara-kiri can be contextualized within a span of time that saw both the end of decades of war, and the unification of Japan. The unification of Japan ushered in a new line of Shoguns, Shoguns with the momentous task of designing a social and legal system that would prevent the usurpation of power by the many fringe yet powerful daimyo. Believing in the Machiavellian idea that â€Å"fear is simply a means to an end, and that end is security for the prince,† the Tokagawa Shoguns implemented a series of policies in which petty crimes were met with harsh punishments. To any astute observer, such a legal system is sure to breed hypocrisy. Indeed, it was during this time that the bushido code’s emphasis on honor dwindled. To most samurai during this time, the bushido code’s high standards of honor were unobtainable2, making disobedience common and sometimes unavoidable. But to acknowledge disobedience meant certain death, and was thus unheard of. It was i n this unjust milieu that the events of Hara-kiri unfolded. Both Motome and the retainers of the Iyi were honorable samurai motivated by an inextinguishable desire to protect the ones they love; however, the unjust policies of the Shogun made this desire incompatible with the high standards of the bushido code, driving both parties to reluctantly defy the code. The use of the armor in the first scene establishes that the Iyi are honorable samurai, and shows their desire for the public to perceive them as such. The scene begins with a close up of the helmet. The camera is held at eye level, allowing the viewer to look directly into the eyes. The camera then switches to a position below the midline, close to the feet and points upwards at the helmet, the view of a person on hi... ...triguing to consider Motome’s state of mind when as he commits seppuku. Did he die hating the Iyi for allowing him to commit seppuku? Or did he ultimately realize the foolishness of his actions and that the Iyi had no other alternative? The latter is most likely true. In the moments before his death, we see Motome with his head down. He is relaxed and calm, his irrationality gone. He realizes that the Iyi’s decision to allow him to go through with his seppuku was not born out of greed or hate, but out of love, a love for the members of the clan and a desire to protect them from the possible repercussions of dishonor. He then breaks the clam, takes his sword, but he does not fight like Tsugumo does. He thrusts the sword into his stomach, performing seppuku for the retainers of the Iyi and their wives and children, ensuring none of them will ever be in his situation.

The Metamorphosis of the Schemer Stereotype Essay -- Media Stereotypes

The Metamorphosis of the Schemer Stereotype In looking at movies and television, one can definitely argue that the viewer is subjected to a variety of human characters and personality types – some are older, some are younger; some are outspoken, some are timid; some are brash, some are patient – the range of characters and identities is endless. Unfortunately, this may lead to rash generalizations about gender, and in many instances, it often leads to something far more impetuous and dissuading: the stereotype. While one could attempt to discover and chart all the stereotypes that exist in mass media, it is actually more useful to focus in on a specific area, along with a certain stereotype. One area of the mass media that definitely requires some critical analysis is the entertainment industry, particularly television and cinema. It is very apparent that these two mediums are embedded with gender stereotypes, because one merely has to switch on a television or pop in a movie, and he or she is exposed to at least one, if not several gender stereotypes. Nevertheless, it would be rather overindulgent and careless to simply make such overbearing comments about television and the film industry. Thus, by breaking down this concept of gender stereotypes further, one can come to the understanding that one specific stereotype that does exist throughout different television programs and films is that of the schemer. Residing across a wide array of pop culture outlets, the schemer ha s grown to become an important figurehead in the propagation and inspiration of gender stereotypes. Drawing examples primarily from the 1980s-1990s, one can certainly see that there is a common thread that flows through sev... ...inServlet/showid-457/Saved_by_the_Bell/> (April 1, 2004). Degrassi Online: The Unofficial Degrassi Website. 2004. (Apr 3, 2004). The Simpsons Archive. 12 March. 2004. (1 Apr. 2004). TheSimpsons.com (2 Apr. 2004). Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Inc. The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 2003. DVD. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Inc. The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 2002. DVD. Hughes, John. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. 1986. Paramount Pictures DVD, 2003. Internet Movie Database. (2 Apr. 2004). Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Inc. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 2003. DVD.

Symbolism and Loss of Identity in The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwoo

Symbolism and Loss of Identity in The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood In Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Offred recounts the story of her life and that of others in Gilead, but she does not do so alone. The symbolic meanings found in the dress code of the women, the names/titles of characters, the absence of the mirror, and the smell and hunger imagery aid her in telling of the repugnant conditions in the Republic of Gilead. The symbols speak with a voice of their own and in decibels louder than Offred can ever dare to use. They convey the social structure of Gileadean society and carry the theme of the individual's loss of identity. All the women in Gilead wear color-coded uniforms. The colors parade their social status and/or role in the reproductive process. The 'Aunts' who run the Rachel and Leah Re-Education Center wear brown; they are responsible for the indoctrination of the handmaids. The 'Marthas,' who wear green, are the servants. The 'Wives' wear a type of Virgin-Mary blue, which signifies their inability to bear children. The handmaids wear red robes and white peaked hats which resemble nuns' habits. Thus, they personify a religious sacrifice; they are like "temple prostitutes doomed to a kind of purdah in perpetuity" (Rigney 117). In addition, the red color of their clothing symbolizes their fertility. The color-coded uniforms that the women wear does more than just signify their functions. Along with the names/titles of characters, they symbolize the individual's loss of identity. No distinguishing mark of a woman is considered; rather, she is lumped with a group in which she is defined only by her social and reproductive function. Essentially, the color-coded uniforms strip each woman of her i... ...litical enemies. The foul and suffocating air of Gilead symbolizes the claustrophobia as well as oppression of its inhabitants (Rubenstein 109-110). In The Handmaid's Tale some symbolic tools such as dress codes and characters' names reflect the social standings of individuals in the Gilead society. These same symbols and others such as the mirror draw attention to the loss of individual identity, a theme present throughout the novel. Still others like smell or hunger convey the atmosphere&emdash;both physical and psychological&emdash;in Gilead. Whatever their different purposes may be, the symbolic devices achieve the same result: they enlighten the reader on dangerous social tendencies and compel him/her to take action in order to prevent the outcomes they depict. Works Cited Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid's Tale. Anchor Books: New York, New York, 1985.

David Wilson’s Speech on Darwin’s Cathedral Essay

The speaker, David Sloan Wilson, believes that societies function as single organisms, and morality and religion biologically and culturally evolved adaptations that enable human groups to function as single units rather than an assortment of individual unites. His lecture was a poor attempt to explain group selection, which is selection for a characteristic specifically because the characteristics enhance the reproductive success of the group as a whole, rather than solely the individual. The beginning of his lecture was not very helpful in proving anything; he merely quoted several phrases from scientists and read them to the audience. I wasn’t really sure where he was going at this point. Then, he went on to explain examples or should I say a lack of examples, which he considered to undergo group selection. He allegedly did some sort of experiment with chickens and their eggs. He tried to say that under group selection the experiment showed that there was an increased production of all the chickens’ eggs. However, within a group selection only certain individuals benefited. There was also some weird twist in this experiment, he tried selecting for the best individuals and then put them all together in one cage, and they got violent with each other and de-feathered each other, while at the same time he used the best group of chickens together in the same cage that produced the most eggs as a group. Then, he compared the group of the best selected individuals with the best group, and somehow he tried to prove his point. I don’t really think anyone was convinced except for himself. It seemed like the only thing he tested for was who works the best in a cage, because that situation would never occur in nature. Another example of group selection according to him had to do with bees. But, once again he was most likely wrong because it appears that bee’s act according to kin selection, which is selection for characteristics that enhance the fitness of the individual indirectly by enhancing the reproductive success of the individual’s relatives, because all bees are related. There is only one female queen bee and the rest are workers who  have no choice, but to work like slaves for the benefit of the queen and its relatives. Then, at the end of the lecture someone posed a question about how could he explain the endosymbiotic theory according to group selection, I think this question may have stumped him, because whatever he said didn’t seem very convincing , but yet he tried to defend his point, even though the endosymbiotic theory seems to explained by many as a mutualistic relationship. He also tried to explain group selection in relation to religion. He attempted to demonstrate how religions have enabled people to achieve, by working as a unit, what they could have never done alone. Apparently, he examined specific examples of religious culture from Calvinism to Balinese water temples in hopes that his group selection theory would be confirmed, and somehow he supposedly did verify this. But all in all, I think he needs to attain more believable concrete research, and then present experiments that will clearly prove his point without too much doubt. If he wants people to buy into his theory of group selection he really needs more data to back his theory up with because I wasn’t really impressed with what I saw, most of it was really confusing, hard to sit through, hard to believe, and didn’t make much sense. He cant simply prove group selection through theory alone he needs more empirical data, so that he can prove to people he is right, instead of trying to convince us through babbling on and on about nothing, but I do give him credit for his speech. His answers and conclusions may not be correct, but at least he is questioning and examining things like a good scientist should do. He is obviously a firm believer in himself, and did put forth some thought and effort in trying to prove his theory and he demonstrated some real courage by trying to go outside of his own field of evolutionary biology into matters of religion and trying to connect the two. Even though his book may not prove his theory of group selection, the controversial title should make him a lot of money. Group selection is selection for a characteristic specifically because the characteristics enhances the reproductive success of the group as a whole. Kin selection is selection for characteristics that enhance the fitness of the individual indirectly by enhancing the reproductive success of the individuals relatives.