Memories by Trilokesh Mukherjee Essay Example for Free

Memories by Trilokesh Mukherjee Essay The poem Memories is by an Indian poet called Trilokesh Mukherjee. The poet grew up in India and this influences the poem, he brings his culture into the poem by using imagery and senses and other literary devices. Also, he refers to the Gods from the Hindu religion and mythology. Hindu religion, mythology and family are all very important to the Indian people and this is all shown in the poem when they are sitting around the fire at night. The theme of this poem is childhood memories and how they are still strong in the poets mind. The setting of this poem is in the evening/night time and this is shown by the fact that all the creatures that are mentioned are nocturnal like the night owls. The meal was shared with all the children. This shows us that everybody is included, and there is a sense of togetherness in this community. The poet uses senses to help paint a picture in the readers head. He uses smell with smelled the smoke of the fire, the food being cooked, the smell of the rice. This is intended to make the reader feel relaxed and get a home feeling and feel delightful. Next, the poet uses sights. Glow worms added golden firework sparks on the dark canvas. The poet wants the readers to see a magical world through a kids eyes, and the glow worms are like fireworks going on. It is like the poet is bringing his dark canvas to life. Thirdly, Mukherjee uses sounds to give us an idea of what we can hear, the poet uses onomatopoeia and gives us three examples of what the reader can hear.untiring chirping of the crickets and nightjars, hooting of night owls, howling of distant jackals. There Are four different animals here and it could be that they are forming like a band, like the sounds of the night. There is also another example that again, makes the reader feel calm and relaxed. It is her reassuring voice. This shows us that Grandmother makes him feel safe and calm. There are many different ideas for tone in this poem. There is fascination, where the poet as child and his friends have heard the stories so many times, yet still want to hear more about it again and again. Again and again is emphasising on the repetition of the story. There is also excitement from the little kids. and then, Grandma! Although, they already know what was going to happen since they have heard the story  before. The poet brings in his culture again, and the reader can tell that culture is very important to the poet and also that he is proud of it. When he uses the adjectives valiant and wonderful to describe the Gods from the Hindu religion/ mythology. Towards the end of the poem, the tone of the poem gets sad, when the poet states Grandmother is no more. But, even though he said that, he says I can still hear her voice. This shows us how strong the poets memories are. There is then comfort when the poet said, I need only shut my eyes to hear the whispering. This shows us that he goes back an remembers the scene/ setting of the poem, which could be his happy place. The main message for the poem is that the importance and power of the memories. When he states Thats what the memories are about. This suggests that Mukherjee uses his childhood memories as a comfort zone. The language of the poem is also important in the way they describe the memories. In line 1-3 you can straight away realise that the poet uses the collective pronoun We This draws the reader into the poem, making them feel part of the poem. It shows the memories of all the family being together, almost like an autobiography. The poet used assonance of the I sound in untiring chirping of crickets its brings the sound alive. Also the metaphor in the third line, it suggests the brightness of the glow worms. It is almost like a child-like description of the magic of the moment. In lines 4-5, the poet again uses senses to remind him of the memories from his childhood with his Grandmother. Smelled the smoke. The smell of rice. The smell of rice reminds him of the warmth of the house since rice is more of an Indian cultured food. Mukherjee uses ellipsis at the end of line 5, like a dramatic pause which takes us to another stage of the memory which is his Grandmother telling stories to the children. In lines 6-9, after the dramatic pause, the poet uses the phrase Much later, this gives us the impression that the meal and the story telling lasted all night. Grandmothers reassuring voice makes her sound like a comforting and loving figure, which could be why this could be his favourite childhood memory and why he talks about it. There is also a paradox used Far away, unknown, yet familiar, this shows that the stories were extraordinary for the children. In lines 10-13, the children (including the poet) are always hungry to hear the story and are never really satisfied with it. The use of dialogue, exclamation marks and question marks, show the reader the excitement of the children listening to the story. In lines 14-17, Grandmother brought their dreams alive with her wonderful storytelling and this suggests again, why this could be their favourite childhood memory with their Grandmother. In conclusion, the poet brings out the main theme of the poem which is his childhood memories and by doing so, he is influenced by his culture and surroundings. Trilokesh Mukherjee uses imagery (senses mostly) and metaphors to bring his poem alive and its in the past and then towards the end its comes back to the present. This shows us that the poet is now back to reality. The poet thinks that memories are important and that they take us back to he things that really matter in life which is true and in this case it would be, taking him back, to when he was a young boy and how he and his friends would sit around the open fire and listen to his Grandmother tell stories after a meal.

Question Of Ethics In Photojournalism Media Essay

Question Of Ethics In Photojournalism Media Essay Ever since the practice of illustrating news stories with photographs was made possible at the turn of the 20th century, newspapers have relied heavily on strong, topical imagery that contributes greatly to the news media by making facts of an event relatable to the viewer. Photojournalists thence are not only expected to produce content thats timely and narrative, theyre also guided by a rigid ethical framework which demands that the work is both honest and impartial in strict journalistic terms. Weve all heard the saying: A picture is worth more than a thousand words, and over time, it has become apparent that no picture is worth more words than a picture that documents death and suffering caused by natural disasters, or death porn, as its often referred to as. Its true that when it comes to making headlines, photographs of human misery and devastation win the prize. Whether its an earthquake in Haiti or floods in Pakistan; a Tsunami in Japan or a hurricane in North America nothing resonates with viewers and readers like a graphic sometimes even downright gory image of the incident printed on the front page of a newspaper the very next day, or in a matter of hours in case of websites, making photojournalists and their work more and more popular and significant as we progress further into the digital age. It is important to note, however, that with such popularity comes great responsibility. While it would be nice to presume that every photojournalist is honest and complies with the ethical framework that dictates absolute objectivity, it sadly isnt the case. Like any other form of journalism, the problem with photojournalism ethics is that answers are not easily found when they are most needed. Ethics is an inherently subjective field, and hence what answers there are, are often derived from emotional outbursts of personal opinion rather than from the calm of reason like they should be. What are the Photographers personal motives? We need to understand that photojournalists are constantly defining reality. By selecting what stays in the 35mm frame and becomes a picture that will eventually be seen by the world, the photographer makes a conscious decision to edit out parts of a scene which may or may not have contextual relevance to the story. Decisions regarding camera, lens, angle of view, lighting, and modern editing tools such as Photoshop can very well change a photographs meaning and are therefore constant considerations. Especially in cases of natural disasters when conveying the news of the calamitys magnitude is important but the honour of victims is also at stake, photojournalists have a moral responsibility to decide what pictures to take and what pictures to eventually show to the public. This is where the issue of personal loyalties comes in. Photojournalists, like the rest of us, are human beings driven by self-esteem, self-actualisation and economic motives. It might be in some ways right to assume that if a photographer while on assignment in Haiti, for example, was more loyal to their own career progression, high on the idea of winning the Pulitzer for taking heart-wrenching pictures of children crushed under rubble of cement and steel while their mothers weep helplessly, instead of being loyal to the profession and documenting the aftermath of the earthquake in an impartial, non-sensational fashion, might be more prone to ethical oversights. The same rule applies for editors that operate in the newsrooms. It is important to understand that a photographer may in fact usually does have a very different ethical alignment than an editor, the organisation or the readers depending on catastrophe that he or she is covering. Taking a picture of a subject in an unfortu nate state is the photographers choice, usually based on a split-second decision, while publishing that photograph on the front page for the world to see is the editors choice which is made after a significant amount of contemplation and discussion. The problem of unpredictable audience reactions and a photographers dilemma: to shoot or not to shoot? You have to have an inner voice to tell you when to shoot and when not to shoot. Try to be the eyes of the reader you know that you are there doing your job because other people cant be there. It is a pretty heavy responsibilityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Our job is act as professionals and to show the world images that they cant see because they arent there. Says veteran photojournalist and Pulitzer finalist John Tlumacki, who has documented many natural as well as man-induced disasters during his decades-long career. News organizations and photojournalists often find themselves besieged by furious critics accusing them of publishing insensitive, graphic photos of disaster-struck zones that are not necessarily newsworthy and only serve to further the victims misery. However, according to Saeed Memon, a photojournalist who works for Pakistans Dawn News, the only way he felt he could really help people during the 2010 floods was by taking pictures that told the world of peoples stories and plight. Photographing the flood victims was one of the hardest jobs Memon was ever assigned. The misery and destruction is not something one can imagine sitting in the comfort of their homes, and photographing people die of disease and hunger following a natural disaster, he says, can be more psychologically rattling than photographing dead bodies in a war zone. Ive photographed dead children and people from decent families who were literally begging for food. The pictures I took not only haunt me but keep remindi ng me of the misery that I witnessed But do I regret taking the pictures? Absolutely not. The world needed to know. The same goes for every photographer who has covered the events in Haiti, New Orleans and South-East Asia after the Indian Ocean Tsunami: they just happened to be at the right place at the wrong time, and most of them seem to concur that the enormity of such disasters just cannot be communicated without graphic photos, which eventually foster support for rebuilding the devastated regions. But the questions that arise about these photographers moral and professional character once their work reaches the public are just a small price to pay. The publics reaction serves as a barometer of a photojournalists ethics. Public generated content Today, with the rise in technology and digital cameras, photographs flow in torrents. We have become documentarians; recorders of anything and everything, all the time, so if and when a disaster strikes, the influx of amateur photos and videos shot by self-proclaimed citizen journalists who know little or nothing about the journalists code of ethics is overwhelming. Although such no-holds-barred or tabloidy content might not be published by credible newspapers run by trained journalists and ombudsmen, it is quickly and easily splashed over the internet for all to see. And this gives professional photojournalists a bad name, according to Tlumacki. What people need to realize is that we are news photographers, not somebody out there with an iPhone, jumping over people to put images on YouTube. The decision making process: questions to ask self After every natural disaster, editors struggle to come up with answers to some critical questions: Will a picture offend the dignity of victims? Will the viewers appreciate it? Will not showing it sanitise the heartbreaking reality that is in fact newsworthy? All these contemplations lead to the ultimate question: where should the news media draw the line? The sheer magnitude of a disaster has much influence on an editors disposition. The Times ran a dramatic front-page photo of a woman overcome with grief amid rows of dead children after the Indian Ocean tsunami, and again, when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, it ran another front-page picture of a body floating near a bridge where a woman was feeding her dog. The newspapers first public editor, Daniel Okrent, despite being bombarded with criticism, concluded the paper was right to publish these pictures because they told the story of the disaster. It is true that the more images of unimaginable suffering are published, the more international aid pours in because the victims are representatives of tens of thousands of people whose plight is essentially exemplified by the photojournalist, and it thus publicising their suffering can prove to be valuable in potentially saving many others. At the same time however, it must be remembered that if the images dont help propel the story, and are not respectful to the victims by infringing their privacy and photographing the deceased in stages of undress, or simply taken out of context by irresponsible and/or sensationalist close-ups, then the whole purpose of their job is rendered moot. Media biases There are multiple standards for choosing the photographs that go into print. One of the most significant standards proximity to readership prevents most newspapers from publishing graphic photos with local stories, no matter how significant the catastrophe. Many editors argue that if audiences are only exposed to explicit photos when the subjects can be classified as geographically, racially or socioeconomically different from the locals, then the photos themselves become a marker of difference. Western media has time and again been accused of treating deaths of these other more graphically and insensitively than the deaths of white people in the U.S. and Europe, and this was illustrated well in The hierarchy of global suffering: A critical discourse analysis of television news reporting on foreign natural disasters, published in the Journal of International Communication, a comparative analysis of glaringly biased news coverage by Western media during disasters in Australia, Indo nesia, Pakistan and USA. Concluding philosophies As a medium of storytelling that has progressively come to take precedence over the written word, photojournalism today has become more popular than ever, with thousands of brilliant, newsworthy but often also unnecessarily explicit images being published in newspapers, magazines and websites across the world every day. In his seminal textbook, Photojournalism, the Professionals Approach, author and photojournalism professor Kenneth Kobrà © writes, Photojournalism has no Bible, no rabbinical college, no Pope to define correct choices. Many studies conducted on the ethics of photojournalism over the years try to reach a conclusion by either interpreting general moral rules or specific guidelines of professional, ethical behavior in a journalistic context, but the truth is, no specific course of action can ever be completely right for all audiences for every imaginable situation. What can be conceded to however, is that truth laced with objectivity, beyond all other principles, is t he guiding warranty for ethical journalism in all situations and disaster coverage is certainly not an exception.

Social Policy Essays Structural Consensus

Social Policy Essays Structural Consensus Welfare, the Individual, and Inequalities: A Structural Consensus Evaluation Using the two competing welfare ideologies of conservatism and marxism,and their different assumptions concerning the individual and inequalities. critically evaluate aspects of social policy using structural consensus theory. Many view the maturity of a government or civilization in relation to how that community treats its most needy citizens. The UK government became a welfare state in the 1940s, (Taylor-Gooby 2004). There has recently been a shift in views on many aspects of welfare, with the future of many government programmes, or at least their scope, in question. The government and communitys struggle to improve the welfare system can be considered in light of two of the more prominent social ideologies, Marxism and conservatism. Both have strong opinions on welfare as a part of society, the role of the individual within such society, and how inequalities should be best addressed. These views are addressed more completely, however, by structural consensus theory. Marxism sees human history as a class struggle, with oppressor and oppressed wrestling for control. The dominant class controls and owns the means of production or wealth generation, and the working class in therefore controlled by them. Welfare is a result of the strength of working-class resistance to exploitation, a concession the dominant class must make to maintain social order (Anon 2005). Programmes such as welfare and pensions help to legitimise the capitalist system with the working class. Welfare then becomes another vehicle for power and control by the dominant class. Its purpose is to placate rather than empower the poor, and seeks to reduce the individual to a state of dependency on those in power (Anon 2005). According to Marxist theory, society has unfolded in a series of ever-progressing and better structures, as defined by their economic development and modes of production, from the primitive communal to slave-based to feudal to capitalist. The final stage was communism. This was predicted to be the best possible means of governance and structure of society, one that would erase inequalities and allow individuals to achieve their full potential and value within their community (Anon 2005). While communism has faded, at least as it was practised in the Soviet Union and similar countries, socialist ideas have strongly pervaded capitalist ideology, leading to the development of the capitalist welfare state common today. Marxism viewed the individual as part of a collective organism, society. Inequalities in society resulted from distinction in classes, not particular individual decisions or behaviours. Conflict was between these classes, and rooted in struggle for power. Only when class distinctions were eliminated could individuals experience equality, although the theory still views them as part of a greater collective (Taylor-Gooby 2004). Marxism assumes the individual can and will contribute to the greater community as much as they are able, and will be motivated by the common good. When society has evolved or elevated itself to this place, inequalities will be dealt with appropriately (Anon 2005). Important ideas of Marxist theory that relate to the current welfare system are the states responsibility to provide for its members and the need for redistribution of wealth. The idea of entitlement, that one must be provided for simply because one is a British citizen, is in keeping with these two ideas (Timmins 2004). Welfare is a good and natural occurrence in a mature society, and should be available as much as needed. If society is unable to provide a job, it should provide support; if a member of society is unable to support himself, the government should do so. Difficulties in the application of pure Marxist ideology have led to a broadening of its doctrines. Marxism now represents a variety of ideas and opinions, grouped by their general opposition to the capitalist society. Supporters of these views have watched in dismay as welfare reform has been introduced in various countries, and at the success the US and other countries have had with the adoption of more conservative welfare policies (Barr 2004). The problem with broad application of Marxist theory is that individuals do take advantage. Easy welfare leads to many choosing to receive benefits when they could work, which weakens society. An example of this in our society is the explosion in the numbers of those receiving incapacity benefit; the number has doubled since 1993. It is possible for the unemployed to complain of mental problems say, stress or panic attacks, and be given a life-long sick note (Nelson 2005). Persons claiming incapacity when they are in fact able-bodied, then receiving government support, does not truly benefit anyone in the long term. Well-meaning welfare provisions, such as giving increased benefit to single-parent households, has been shown to contribute to the breakdown of the family structure. An average family pays 5,000 pounds a year more in tax than they receive in benefits. If they break up, they claim 7,000 pounds more in benefits than they pay in tax (Nelson 2005). This serves as a disincentive for the poor to maintain stable family units, further eroding their independence from government support. Marxist theory would contend this is an example of a supposed benefit offered by the dominant class that really serves to oppress the working classes. Conservative theory holds to very different tenets. Conservatives stress the need for social order and the responsibility of the individual (Taylor-Gooby 2004). Traditions, usually based on the values of the majority or dominant segment of society, are important and should be respected if not practised by all members of society (Taylor-Gooby 2004). The emphasis on individuality can also be interpreted as the assumption of inequality, that people have different abilities and motivations, and are therefore more or less able to succeed in society. Advancement is seen in terms of individual decisions and actions, rather than something dictated by society or its institutions (Anon 2005). In regard to welfare, conservative theory minimises the need for welfare programmes, particularly those for the able-bodied unemployed and elderly who chose not to save or plan for their old age. The unemployed on welfare are often seen as lazy and unwilling to work (Johnston 2005). The individuals ability to hold a job and succeed in society rests upon his or her own shoulders, and not working is deemed irresponsible. This opinion, voiced by Fraser Nelson in a recent The Business article, holds that welfare is not saving people from unemployment, but from unpleasant jobs (2005). Conservatives stigmatise welfare recipients, believing the stigma or negative perception by other members of society will facilitate their move off the welfare rolls. This type of mindset, at its best, leads to the creation of jobs programmes and other vehicles to assist the individual in rising above his or her need for welfare (Johnston 2005). The conservative considers individuals who do not take such opp ortunities as unwilling to work or become self-supporting. The social policy of the British government shifted towards conservatism under the Thatcher administration, although still providing a broad welfare programme (Taylor-Gooby 2004). The problem with the conservative perspective is that it fails to fully consider the social, psychological, and economic depravity of certain segments of society or disadvantaged geographical areas. It expects everyone to be able to pull themselves up by their boot-straps, as the saying goes, regardless of whether society has afforded them the means or tools to do so (Barr 2004). Whilst some from a deprived environment will be able to self-equip themselves to the point they can compete, vocationally and other wise, with persons from advantaged backgrounds, this has historically not been the case for the majority. The logic of and benefit to and individual getting off welfare in favour of a menial job is also questionable, at least from the individuals point of view (Johnston 2005). If given the choice between working at a distasteful or unpleasant place or receiving the same monthly support from a welfare programme, many will logically take the welfare. The Centre for Policy Studies notes that A two-parent family with a stay-at-home mother on average income and a mortgage is only four pounds a week better off than a single-parent household reliant entirely on benefits (Nelson 2005). This makes encouraging the single parent to put his or her children in some type of care whilst they work a hard sell. The Marxist and Conservative viewpoints are represented today as left and right wing politically. The left wing supports broad welfare programmes and public provision; it tends to function from a collectivist viewpoint. The Gordon Browns in this camp advocate expanding the current welfare system. The right wing supports only residual welfare, opposing public provision and championing individual responsibility (Anon 2005). The British populace has been progressively moving towards a more centrist view of welfare and public provision, although sweeping reforms are yet to occur (Johnston 2005). This gives rise to a functionalist, or structural consensus theory, attitude towards the future of welfare. Unlike Marxism and Conservatism, Structural Consensus Theory focuses on the functional needs of society, and how society meets these needs (Taylor-Gooby 2004). It offers a future vision of society, based on ideals and agreeable relationships. These ideals include a central value system, holistic social order, stability, and that the functional needs of the society must be met. The focus is on society as a whole rather than the individual. Society is seen as having the right both to define common values and impose them on its members (Anon 2005). This strong social integration leads to social control and stability. The parts and institutions of a society contribute towards meeting the societys functional needs. The cohesion required for these contributions is developed through shared experiences and relationship amongst members and institutions in society (Anon 2005). It then supports aspects of both Marxist and Conservative theory. There is a legitimate, functional need for welfare in society. There will always be some people that are unable to work through no fault of their own. Society has a responsibility for the physically or mentally disabled person, for the widow with small children, for the poor older person who is past the age of employment. It has a responsibility to provide food, clothing, shelter, and schooling to children whose parents cannot or will not do so. These are widely agreed-upon needs. The functionalist sees the institutions of society as both providing for these needs and integrating the individuals receiving support into the broader society. The unemployed on welfare are to be encouraged and included, not stigmatised, because doing so is the best course for returning them to work (Barr 2004). Inequality is not a given, but exists as a possibility. A balance between the responsibilities of society and those of the individual member of society are envisioned in balance. Whether this future balance can be achieved is a contested topic. There is a growing concern about and resistance to immigration into Britain. Immigrants are seen as taking British jobs, for less pay, and sometimes rightfully so. A recent poll showed three-quarters of British citizens believe the number of immigrants should be cut back, up from two-thirds with this opinion in 1995 (Timmins 2004). More people are viewing immigration as a factor in increasing crime and disintegration of quality of community life (Timmins 2004). Some blame welfare recipients unwillingness to work as contributing to the immigration issue. Others foresee cultural changes they oppose as the number of immigrants rise (Johnston 2005). This type of divisive strife does not propel the country toward common values, stability, or social order. It also creates resentment amongst those required to foot the bill for programmes such as welfare, which they begin to see as undermining their way of life (Johnston 2005) . In conclusion, the British welfare state and social policy shifted toward conservatism in the 1980s, and is beginning to experience the effects of a more conservative mindset amongst its citizens. Whether all the tenets of structural consensus theory can be achieved remains to be seen, but the emphasis on focusing on the functional needs of society, and providing systems to meet these needs, will go a long ways toward achieving balance between the responsibility of society to its members and the responsibility of members to be independent contributors to their society. REFERENCES Anon 2005. The politics of welfare. Robert Gordon University Centre for Public Policy and Management [online]. Available at www.2rgu.ac.uk, accessed 28 March 2005. Barr, N., 2004. Economics of the Welfare State. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Johnston, P., 2005. Do we really not want to work? The Daily Telegraph, London, Features section, p. 23, 14 February 2005. Neslon, F., 2005. How pro-poor policies are widening the welfare gap. The Business, 23 January 2005. Taylor-Gooby, P., ed, 2004. New Risks, New Welfare: The Transformation of the European Welfare State. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Timmins, N., 2004. Hardening attitudes to benefits mesh with government policy. The Financial Times, London, National News Politics and Policy section, p. 4, 7 December 2004.

Adoptees Must Have Access to Their Original Birth Certificates Essay

Have you ever been to a new doctor and filled out the required paperwork on family medical history? After moving recently, I went to a new doctor. I had to have all those papers filled out. It was easy because I know all of the information or can get it. Most people know who their biological family is and therefore also know about medical history. However, in the 1940s many birth certificates of adoptees were sealed. This continued to occur for four decades. Now depending upon the state the adopted person lives in and how the laws have evolved, they may not be able to easily access their original birth certificate just like everyone else. Adoptees should have total access to their birth certificate and family medical history because this information will help them to understand where they came from, as well as know of the likelihood of contracting various genetic diseases. Children need to know where they came from so they can avoid embarrassing and awkward situations later in life like Luke and Leia Skywalker from Star Wars. It will also give them a sense of belonging in the world. Full access to an original birth certificate is something many people take for granted. For those people who have been adopted a changed birth certificate is given with the adoptive parents names instead. As an adopted child grows older, most will become curious. For Jeffrey Hannasch his curiosity started when his daughter was born (Ensslin). He started out on a journey to find his parents. After finding some papers in his adoptive father’s possessions, he was able to find out his mother’s name. Some internet searching and letter writing later he was able to find out that she did not actually know who his father was. She also was shocked that he was... ...elease of the information (Access). Works Cited Bahrampour, Tara. "Invisible Ties to Faraway Lands." Washington Post 2012 Jan 22: A.1. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2012). Access to Adoption Records. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. Ensslin, John C. "Landmark Adoption Ruling a Bittersweet Victory for Falcon Man." Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO) 2009 Aug 02: N.p. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. Hamilton, James M. "Adult Adoptees Should Have Unconditional Access to Their Original..." MinnPost.com [Minneapolis] 14 Mar. 2013: N.p. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. O'Connor, John. "Unsealed Birth Records Give Adoptees Peek at Past." Daily Register 2013 Jul 28: N.p. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. Reyes, Emily Alpert. "Internet Lifts Shroud of Secrecy on Adoption." Los Angeles Times 2013 Dec 12: A.15. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.

Transformation: Randle McMurphy & Patients Essay -- Essays Papers

Transformation: Randle McMurphy & Patients He waltzed into the ward and introduced himself to every patient as a gambling man with a zest for women and cards. Randle P. McMurphy, a swaggering, gambling, boisterous redheaded con man, arrived at the ward from the Pendleton Work Farm. He was sentenced to six months at the prison work farm, but pretended to be insane in order to obtain a transfer to the hospital because he thought it would be more comfortable than the work farm. Bromden senses that there was something different about this new patient. After his first experience with the excruciating routine of the Group Meeting, McMurphy tells the patients that Nurse Ratchet is a genuine â€Å"ball-cutter.† The other patients tell him that there is no defying Nurse Ratched because, in their eyes, she is an all-powerful force. True to his nature as a gambling man, McMurphy makes a bet with the other patients that he can make Ratched lose her temper. At first, the confrontation between Ratched and McMurphy provides some humorous entertainment for the other patients. However, McMurphy’s confrontation soon becomes their confrontation as he draws them into the conflict by encouraging their rebellion. The success of his bet hinges on a failed vote to change the television schedule so they can watch the World Series. The Series was on television during the time allotted for cleaning chores. McMurphy and the other patients staged a protest by sitting in front of the blank television in...

Affirmative Action Doesn’t Work

Introduction I. As once stated by John Kasich, â€Å"Affirmative action has a negative effect on our society when it means counting us like so many beans and dividing us into separate piles. † II. My partner and I stand against the resolution which states: â€Å"Resolved: Affirmative action to promote equal opportunity in the United States is justified. † III. We will show you that Affirmative action to promote opportunity in the United States is justified because Affirmative Action Doesn’t Work, Affirmative Action Stigmatizes Beneficiaries, Affirmative Action is not needed. Body I. Affirmative Action Doesn’t Work A. Affirmative action creates issues in college. Sander, Richard H. â€Å"Affirmative Action Hurts Those It's Supposed to Help. † Triblivenews. com. 2 Jan. 2005. Web. 02 Mar. 2010. . According to Richard Sander, (law professor at the University of California at Los Angeles) â€Å"Traditionally, critics of affirmative action have focused either on its unfairness to those groups that don't receive preferences (usually whites and Asians) or on the inherent conflict between racial preferences and the legal ideal of colorblindness. Over the last few years, however, a new and potentially even more damaging line of inquiry has emerged — the idea that racial preferences may materially harm the very people they intended to benefit†¦ My research over the last two years, using recent data that track more than 30,000 law students and lawyers, has documented even more serious and pervasive mismatch effects in legal education. Elite law schools offer very substantial racial preferences for blacks, Hispanics and American Indians in order to create student bodies that are as racially diverse as their applicant pools. Because these elite schools admit the black students that second-tier law schools would normally admit, second-tier schools, to keep up their minority numbers, also offer big racial preferences. The result is a cascade effect down the law school hierarchy, leaving 80 percent to 90 percent of black students at significantly more selective schools than they would get into strictly on their academic credentials. † B. II. Affirmative Action Stigmatizes Beneficiaries. A. B. Affirmative Action programs stigmatize minorities – studies prove Michelle Wu, senior writer, April 2, 2009, â€Å"Affirmative Action stigmatizes minority students,† Daily Princetonian, http://www. dailyprincetonian. om/2009/04/02/23248/ According to Michelle Wu, senior writer â€Å"Affirmative action may increase academic pressure and stigmatize minority students, according to a study conducted by sociology professor Douglas Massey GS ’78, â€Å"If white students believe that many of their black peers would not be at a college were it not for affirmative action and, more important, if black students perceive whites to believe that, then affirmation action may indeed undermine mino rity-group members’ academic performance by heightening the social stigma they already experience because of race or ethnicity,† Massey and his three collaborators wrote in The Chronicle of Higher Education on March 27. The researchers also presented another detriment of the controversial policy: â€Å"that affirmative action exacerbates the psychological burdens that minority students must carry on campuses. † III. Affirmative Action is not a need A. B. Obama proves affirmative action is no longer necessary Joseph Williams and Matt Negrin, March 18, 2008, â€Å"Affirmative Action foes point to Obama,† Boston Globe, http://www. boston. om/news/nation/articles/2008/03/18/affirmative_action_foes_point_to_obama/ According to Joseph Williams and Matt Negrin, March 18, 2008, staff writers of Boston Globe â€Å"Leading opponents of affirmative action are increasingly seizing on Illinois Senator Barack Obama's historic run for the presidency as proof that race-b ased remedies for past discrimination are no longer necessary. Influential Republicans and a growing number of policy specialists at conservative organizations, including the Goldwater Institute, Project 21, and the Manhattan Institute, are citing the fact that large numbers of white voters are supporting Obama, who leads in the race for Democratic delegates, as evidence that affirmative action has run its course. Ward Connelly, a black conservative who is leading a national effort to ban racial preferences, vowed to use Obama's

Accounting as a discipline has no theory Essay

Accounting is concerned with the collection, analysis and communication of economic information, which can be used to make decisions and plans about business by various users. The Committee On Terminology of the American Institute of Certified Pubic Accountants defined accounting as follows: â€Å"Accounting is the art of recording, classifying, and summarizing in a significant manner and in terms of money, transactions and events which are, in past at least, of a financial character and interpreting the results thereof†. (Ahmeo Riahi-Belkaou, page 32) Accounting is said to be a language used to communicate information to people. Accounting is also an intellectual discipline and a profession. Moreover, accounting is socially constructed and practiced by people for people, which influence workings and relationships in society. See more: The stages of consumer buying decision process essay The history of accounting stretches back to when the first ancient accounting system began, which was originally based on measurement and recording activities, and then the significant emergence of double-entry bookkeeping around the 15th century, as a basis for further accounting development that consequently resulted in modern Ango-American accounting in the 20th century. Whereas accounting was mainly an â€Å"internal matter† where the proprietors were close to the business, the growth of companies led to the requirement of stewardship accounting. As a result of further industrial development, changing social environment and establishment of professional accounting bodies, the accounting theory should systematically develop in accordance with importance of accounting in modern society. In recent years, more and more theorists start to assess the nature of accounting theory as well as argue whether there is an accounting theory or not. In this essay, I am going to exam the definition of accounting theory and provide evidence to ascertain the existence of a complete accounting theory. A theory is defined as â€Å"a set of interrelated constructs (concepts), definitions and propositions that present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relations among variables with the purpose of explaining and predicting the phenomena.†(Kerlinger, 1964, page 11) According to this definition, the statement â€Å"accounting as a discipline has no theory† implies  that as a subject, accounting has no a coherent set of concepts and definitions to explain and predict the phenomena. Obviously, the subject of accounting broadly covers all the phenomena in the scope of accounting. In this sense, the accounting theory refers to a general complete accounting theory which is a coherent set of principles and concepts to explain and predict all the phenomena. Before examine the nature of accounting theory, I need to know where the theory come from. â€Å"A fundamental requirement of a theory structure is that it must come to terms with the conditions of knowledge†. (Mathews & Perera, 1996,page 52) Simply, the theory is from knowledge, the big question,† how do we know what we know?† such as, the principles of logic. Correspondingly, one of main characteristics of a theory is a body of knowledge. The study of knowledge is the domain of epistemology, which is concerned with the nature and derivation of knowledge, the scope of knowledge and the reliability of claims to knowledge. Accounting is social constructed and practiced by people and people in terms of its roles. Consequently, Knowledge comes from people. In accounting, we want to generate knowledge and theories of accounting help us to understand accounting better. But there was a big problem arose in accounting in relate to the lack of a knowledge base. In order to solve this problem, SSAP 2 as a first step to provide a knowledge base for accounting was introduced in1971, which defines accounting bases, accounting policies and fundamental accounting concepts such as, going concern, prudence. Afterwards, more accounting standards were developed. Particularly, corporate report was introduced in 1975 which identified a number of user groups. But different users normally require different information. The conflicts of interests of information and the inconsistent of accounting standards resulted in the development of a conceptual framework. Some people argue that a comprehensive accounting theory has not existed at the present time. First of all, I will illustrate a conceptual framework to certify this argument according to the following statement: â€Å"In recent years much effort has been directed towards developing a general theory for the guidance of practice. Such a general theory has come to be known as a conceptual framework† (Underdown & Taylor, 1985, page 1) A conceptual framework that attempts to offer the theories and explanations was significantly produced and developed in order to construct a single coherent set of accounting principles and concepts which could explain accounting practice. FASB defined a conceptual framework as â€Å"a coherent system of interrelated objectives and fundamentals that can lead to consistent standards and that prescribes the nature, function and limits of financial accounting and financial statements.† (FASB, 1976, page2)A conceptual framework is tend to provide a more rigorous way of setting standards, eliminate the inconsistence between statutory and professional provisions and provide a frame of reference for accountants to address specific issues in the absence of specific standards, for example. An ASB statement of principles issued the qualitative characteristics of financial information. Specifically, comparability assists the development of a conceptual framework which tries to restrict the alternatives available to reporting bodies. â€Å"But the alternatives may not be absolutely reduced unless a conceptual framework produces the accounting standards on a completely coherent basis†. (Mathews & Perera,, 1996, page 109)However, the limitation of a conceptual framework includes the time and cost of preparation. Clearly, it is time consuming and expensive to operate. Particularly, some countries with limited economies cannot afford it. Furthermore, a conceptual framework provides too much guidance to accounting and encourages rigidity so that new ideas cannot be easily introduced. If the conceptual framework is poorly designed, it may only benefit some of user groups. For example, the Trueblood and SFAC 1 Reports give inadequate recognition to the needs of user groups other than investors and creditors. In addition, the conflict of principles still exists in the conceptual framework. The illustrative principles are relevance and reliability in the Statements of Principles. Relevance was preferred at the beginning as opposed to prevalence of reliability later. Therefore, a uniform conceptual framework may be difficult to achieve on the basis of inconsistent developments so leading to the impossibility of a general coherent accounting theory. On the other hand, Hendriken and Van Breda argue that an general accounting  theory as to a coherent set of principles is possible at present. They define accounting theory as † a coherent set of hypothetical, conceptual, and pragmatic principles forming a general frame of reference for inquiring into the nature of accounting.† (Hendriksen, E.S., 1977, page 1) The main objective of accounting theory is to provide a coherent set of logically derived principles that serve as a frame of reference for evaluating and developing accounting practice. I strongly do not agree with this statement, because there are some evidences could prove that there is no such an accounting theory involving a coherent set of principles and concepts. First of all, the earlier given example, conceptual framework, proved that it is difficult to achieve it on the completely coherent basis at present. For example, economic ratio analysis predicts the future information are made base on past information. SSAP2 introduced the principles of accrual and prudence which conflict with each other. Specifically, the accruals concept may suggest research and development be carried forward but the prudent concept may require the expenditure to written off in the present period. Moreover, true and fair view hasn’t been defined, but accountants are required to produce the accounts with true and fair view which depends on their constructed reality, so it is problematical that it might be fair to you, but not fair to somebody else. Furthermore, Image that shaped accounting theory tries to offer suggestions as to what accounting is all about or should be about. In Davis, Menon &Morgan’s article, four different images were created to influence the accounting theory in the various contexts in response to changing social environment. Specifically, accounting was assumed to be objective, as suggested by the image of historical record. But in recent years, new images have been created for accounting theory, which are current economic reality, the information system and commodity. Accountants now believe that accounting is subjective. Hence, the subject and object conflict with each other. We also have to see in what context each image is presented other than see it on its own. For example, the public commodity image has emerged in the context of a regulated environment. Therefore, no one image can fully  capture the essential aspects due to subjectivity and new images are being created to add new dimensions to future accounting theories. Moreover, other images which Solomon and Tinker debate about were created for domination of theory and practice of accounting. Solomon, a traditionalist, advocates neutrality or objective as opposed to the view of Tony tinker, a radical thinker. In addition, image that influences accounting theory could be partial or one-side results from view of reality can be produced partially and rather one-sidedly. In other words, accounting theorists created the various images by justifying their views of reality based on observation of social phenomena. Accounting as a discipline has no a complete theory due to the lack of a coherent set of principles and concepts in the scope of accounting and the changing social environment. According to American Accounting Association’s Committee on concepts and standards, they concluded that no single governing theory of financial accounting is rich enough to encompass the full range of user-environment specifications effectively, hence, there exists in the financial accounting literature not a theory of financial accounting but a collection of theories which can be arrayed over the differences in user-environment specifications. (American Accounting Association, 1977, page 1-2) It is indicated that no one single accounting theory applies to all the user-environments but a collection of theories could. For example, different users need different information. Investors need profit information and creditors are satisfied with cash flow information. AAA’s conclusion proved again that there is no a complete general accounting theory. In fact, at present no single accounting theory can affect all the user-environments because different users demand different information. We also live in a complex and changing society so that accounting theory only can achieve its compliant objective in one particular time, such as, image. No one accounting theory can also explain and predict all the phenomena. True and fair view is still a myth, how can accountants practice with such a view? A conceptual framework is still developing for trying to achieve a complete general accounting theory. On balance, I agree with this statement â€Å"accounting as a discipline has no theory†. I am of the opinion that in the subject of accounting, there is no a general complete accounting theory which is a coherent set of principles and concepts to explain and predict all the phenomena. I have proved with some examples that some of principles and concepts are inconsistent, such as, relevance and reliability, and also it is noticeable that accounting theory is partial and one-side, such as, image, because images that shaped accounting theory were captured through theorists’ different view which could be partial. Changing social environments also influence images. Clearly, each image only emerges in a particular context and period, as suggested by Davids. In addition, the incomplete of a conceptual framework which tries to construct a coherent set of principles to explain the practice proved the absence of a general accounting theory. The entire poof strongly against the Hendriken and Van Breda’s opinion which a general accounting theory have emerged. However, a conceptual framework is still improving so I personally believe that a complete general accounting theory could be achieved in the future in accordance with the complete of a conceptual framework due to the development of accounting in response with the development of modern society. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ahmed Riahi-Belkaoui(2000) â€Å"Accounting Theory†, 4th Edition, Thomson Learning. Mathews & Perera (1996) â€Å"Accounting theory & development†, 3rd Edition, Nelson. Underdown & Taylor (1985) â€Å"Accounting Theory & Policy Making†, Heinemann.