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Friday, May 31, 2019

Prejudice Against Native Americans Essay -- essays research papers

Prejudice Against Native AmericansThese people began migrating thirty thousand years before ChristopherColombus "discovered" the Americas. Native Americans migrated from Asia,crossing a land connect where the Bering Strait off the coast of Alaska is today.Over the centuries these people spread throughout the continents of North andSouth America. Since the arrival of the Europeans in 1492 the American Indianhas been dehumanized, decivilized and redefined into terms that understand adominate European view. The Spanish explorers under Colombus were the first touse the terms "Indian" to mean a Native American. These explorers were under thefalse consequence that the had reached the West Indies. This term is still usedtoday.From the first interaction with the native peoples the Europeans inatiateddominance and superiority. There atomic number 18 three distinctive reasons that theEuropeans were able to dominate and later(prenominal) oppress the Native American culture such as the Native American relgious beleifs and practices, the lack ofinteraction between Native Americans ans Europeans and the lack of orginizationof the Indian tribes. All of these aspects had a strong influence the Europeansto become dominate figures on the Native American land. These factors can stillbe attributed for the way that Native Americans are viewed in society today.After the Revolutionary War the new United States government sought to gainland through treaties. Th...

Thursday, May 30, 2019

is the brain reliable :: essays research papers

Is the Brain Reliable?The definition of the word reliable according to the American Heritage Dictionary is the cap cleverness of being relied on and dependable. In my personal opinion, the brainpower is one of the most reliable pieces of equipment that I have ever encountered. The source of the brain and its capabilities are endless. The human brain possesses both validity and consistency, while at the same time processing thousands of pieces of entropy a second and relaying the entropy into select portions of the brain. There are several aspects that are included in the brain memory, perception, learning, consciousness, viewing, language, intelligence, motivation, emotion, personality, and sensation. These different aspects are reliant upon the brain, and without the brain the body would not be able to function. The human brain is a reliable mechanism that is capable of performing many multifaceted tasks. The brain is composed of numerous parts that melt as an auxiliary to th e brain, which help it function each and every day. Each individual has two portions of the brain inside his or her head, a left and a right hemisphere. The right hemisphere controls the left hand, musical and artistic ability, perception of space, imagination and fantasizing, body control, and awareness. The left portion of the brain is involved with the right hand, legitimate thinking, language ability, writing, math, and science work. The brain is able to decipher which side it needs to use in order to complete a subjective task. Each ability is dependent upon the brain to process the knowledge that is needed at certain times. The major dilemma involving the brain is whether or not it is a reliable source. The brain is a complex resource that is capable of processing just about anything. The brain can accomplish any task that it is given. It can maintain thousands of pieces of data and send the information to different parts of the body. For example, when a person is about to tou ch a hot stove, your brain sends an impulse to the hand. The impulse tells the hand to escape away from the hot stove. It is a reflex that is commanded by the brain in order help keep the body safe. If the brain were not reliable, people would think about their actions before they made a decision. But, since the brain is reliable, people are allowed to do things as instincts and if there is something wrong, the brain will alert the body.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Imaginary Journey in Dantes Divine Comedy :: Divine Comedy Inferno Essays

Imaginary Journey in Dantes Divine Comedy Dantes Divine Comedy is a deterrent example comedy that is designed to make the readers think about their own morals.  The poem could have been used almost as a guide for what and what not to do to get into Heaven for the medieval people.  Dante takes the reader on a journey through the afterlife to imprint in the readers minds what could happen to them if they dont follow a godly life and to really make the reader think about where they will go when they die and where they would identical to go when they die.  In the Divine Comedy, Dante uses his imagination and his noesis of the peoples perception of the afterlife to create a somewhat realistic yet somewhat imaginary model of the afterlife.        In the first lines of the Divine Comedy, Dante says In the meat of the journey of our life I came to my senses in a dark forest, for I had wooly-minded the straight path.(Dante 1416 lines 1-3)  Th is is the typical stereotype of today for when a person becomes lost or consumed in sin.  The sinful life is a dark life and a sinless life is a bright, white, and pure life.  Dantes coming to his senses in a dark forest symbolizes his realizing how lost in sin he truly was and realizing that he needed to do something about it, meaning he needed to go through the seven sacraments so that he could become pure enough to see God in Paradise and not have to spend and timelessness in Hell.  Dante realized that he had strayed from the true faith without realizing it, not knowing exactly how it happened, and is trying to return.  Losing the straight path symbolizes losing the holy, pure, or Godlike life. Darkness is much or less a symbol of evil and light or brightness a symbol for good. Throughout the poem, Dante is advocating that man essential consciously order for righteousness and morality.  People can often become so involved with day-to-day living that they will fall into a life consumed with sin.  Man must always be aware of his need to perform righteously.  The dark forest symbolizes a human life where every waking moment is not consciously devoted to morals and righteousness.        The Inferno is probably the most realistic section of the Divine Comedy because it comes closer to fitting the peoples perception of what Hell is really like then than Purgatory and Paradise do.

Cultural Aspects of Korean Boshintang :: Papers

Does Korean plan to serve Boshintang soup for the visitors to Seoul during the World Cup tournament?This is one incertitude from an American to Korean English newspaper last month, condemning Koreans for have computer-aided design as cruel abuse to animal. Some of the Western media treat Koreans as savages for eating dog meat and put it on the air as a most intriguing piece of news. As well, many international community who know something of Korea or visit to Korea always ask about this dog-eating. And then, how should we react to this issue? Should we s frozen them back for lacking of chthonicstanding others? Or should we really rule embarrassed about this old part of our culture and throw away like old shoes? Boshintang is apparently our traditional food habit, which can be irrational and not easy to understand for foreigners. But whenever Koreans were heard criticism or asked about it, most of them could not defend themselves or answer the hesitancy logically. We have to kn ow that it is our responsibility to inform them the right view of thinking. I am here now to give some interesting informations about our eating habit to look at it in a new light. What we eat or not is patterned by culture. Some eating habits may face disgusting to others who dont share the same culture. A sense of cultural superiority is wrong because every culture is a specialized adaptation of environment. Korea is very cold during the winter, so it was difficult to raise cattle a long time ago. Besides, bullocks were the essential farming animals that pull plows and carts. As a result, generally eating cry in Korea was very uncommon to people. So Korean started to raise dogs which grew well even in the cold weather and without special food or awe to obtain insufficient nutrition. Many westerners think that dogs have been bred for centuries to be mans best friends or even family, and not to be livestock. But Korean concept of dog is very different. There are distinct differen ces between human and animal in Korea. Many Koreans even dont like living with any animal under the same roof of the house and get them their own home outside. As well, the family relationship has been very strong in Korea, so they dont treat dogs as pets in the western way. Thats why Koreans do not have much affection for dogs, which is usually given to eat leftovers and manure traditionally.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Essay --

When chemics come together, they form a reply. A chemical reaction is when one or more substances change into one or more new substances. The properties of the new substances are different from those of the original substances. You can tell a reaction has happened when you see these signs a precipitate has formed, gas has formed, color has changed, or energy has been given off (blue book). If substances with new properties have formed, you know a chemical reaction has occurred. The substances that you start off with are called the reactants. The substances you get after a reaction has occurred are called the products. There are different types of chemical reactions. Exothermic reactions are a type of chemical reaction where energy is released and sorb by nearby matter. Endothermic reactions are a type of reaction where energy is absorbed from from its surroundings (blue book). Chemical reactions happen at different rates. There are many factors that affect the speed of chemical reactions. To make a reaction go faster you can increase the temperature, increase the concentr...

Essay --

When chemicals come together, they form a reaction. A chemical reaction is when one or more substances change into one or more new substances. The properties of the new substances are different from those of the original substances. You can tell a reaction has happened when you see these signs a precipitate has formed, gas has formed, glossary has changed, or energy has been given off (blue book). If substances with new properties have formed, you know a chemical reaction has occurred. The substances that you start off with are called the reactants. The substances you get after(prenominal) a reaction has occurred are called the products. at that place are different types of chemical reactions. Exothermic reactions are a type of chemical reaction where energy is released and intent by nearby matter. Endothermic reactions are a type of reaction where energy is absorbed from from its surroundings (blue book). Chemical reactions happen at different rates. There are many factors tha t affect the speed of chemical reactions. To make a reaction go faster you can increase the temperature, increase the concentr...

Monday, May 27, 2019

Aggressive driving Essay

Aggressive driving refers to dangerous driving that disregards safety and courtesy. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety plaque defines aggressive driving as occurring when individuals commit a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property. Driving behaviors that norm aloney constitute aggressive driving includespeeding,racing, a great deal changing lanes,cutting off other drivers,failing to signal,running red lights,failing to yield,tailgating,slowing quickly to discourage a tailgater, andboxing other cars in and using other intimidation maneuvers.In addition, aggressive drivers may further try to intimidate their victims by shouting or making obscene gestures at them. several(prenominal) different legislatively-defined driving offenses are similar in some ways to aggressive driving. magic spell statutory descriptions vary from state to state, they include the following Careless, inattentive, distracted, or negligent driving involves fail ing to exercise normal care, or endangering people or property, musical composition driving a vehicle. Many states are adding to their statutes specific language prohibiting use of certain technologies while driving. both(prenominal) states include negligent driving under foolhardy or impaired driving statutes so that defendants plead to the lesser negligent-driving charge to avoid the more unplayful charge. Reckless driving is a more serious form of careless or negligent driving. It is variously defined as creating a substantial or unjustifiable insecurity of harm, a conscious or wanton disregard of safety, and/or a gross deviation from reasonable behavior in the situation. Aggressive driving addresses many of the same behaviors covered by reckless driving statutes, but adds a notion of a pattern of behaviors occurring over a short period and/or lifeion. As intention is intemperate to prove, states with statutes that require the standard of intention be met a lot see aggress ive driving charged as reckless driving.Driving behaviors includedin the definition of aggressive driving could result from aggression, selfishness, or competition. As many of the behaviors that constitute aggressive driving could overly occur in the absence of aggression (if a driver is inattentive, for example), some state legislatures use a threshold of three or more potentially aggressive driving behaviors committed in a sequence or over a short period in their statutory definitions. Aggressive driving definitions should cover hostile, competitive, and selfishly motivated driving behaviors. pathway rage is a more extreme form of aggression that involves criminal intimidation and/or violence precipitated by driving activities. Road rage involves an intent to harm, can involve use of the vehicle as a weapon, or can take place outside the vehicle(s) involved. Driving provokes anger more often than other activities. Driving is a goal-oriented activity, the purpose being to get fro m point A to point B expeditiously yet people easily and frequently thwart driving goals. Driving is also a stressful activity that exposes drivers and passengers to potentially significant dangers. Incivility amongst drivers is common and reliably provokes anger in its recipients. For all these reasons, drivers report frequently feeling baseless. Anger may, but usually does not, lead to aggressive driving or thoroughfare rage. Situational, cultural, and individual factors combine to cause angry drivers to behave aggressively behind the wheel.Prevalence of Aggressive DrivingTwo-thirds of traffic fatalities involve behaviors commonly associated with aggressive driving, such as speeding, running red lights, and improperly changing lanes. One-third of all traffic injuries result from aggressive driving. Speeding, a common element in aggressive driving, contributes to about one-third of fatal crashes Several studies have shown that somewhere between 20 percent and 35 percent of drive rs have honked their nozzles, yelled, obscenely gestured, and cursed at other drivers. Estimates indicate that from 6 percent to 28 percent of drivers have tailgated or blocked other drivers vehicles. These behaviors can be part of a pattern of acts that constitute aggressive driving, and they can also provoke anger that could lead to aggressive driving in others. Research findings are mixed on whether aggressive driving is more prevalent straightaway than in the past. What is known is that aggressive driving occurs frequently and is a significantcontributor to injury and fatality collisions. While the violent and assaultive acts that constitute road rage are rare, they deserve police attention. . Occasionally, motorists have found themselves in unpleasant situations involving abusive gestures or language from another driver who takes issue with how they drive. fretting and frustration can quickly spark an aggressive or careless driver who tailgates, speeds, fails to yield the ri ght of way among other behaviors. Aggressive driving behaviour may lead to incidents of road rage where motorists have been threatened and/or subjected to retaliatory actions by angry motorists. If people drive responsibly they will bowdlerize the chances of conflict on the road and help make our roads safer. Experts recommend the following tips to help avoid road conflictsPlan your route in advance. Some of the most erratic and inconsiderate driving occurs when motorists are lostMake a conscious decision not to take your problems with you when drivingCombat the precedent signs of stress by getting fresh air and breathing deeply and slowly. Listen to relaxing music Avoid presbyopic drives if you can. If you take a long trip, stop every few hours for a rest. Before and during a long drive, avoid heavy meals which tend to make a person lethargic causal agency in a courteous and considerate manner. Give way at absorb intersections and where traffic lanes mergeDont compete or retal iate. If persons driving annoys you, dont try to educate them. Leave traffic enforcement to the policeDont take other drivers mistakes personallyAvoid honking your horn unless absolutely necessary and, if you must, tap on it lightlySay, Sorry if you make a mistake. An apology can reduce the risk of conflictIf you are being physically threatened, stay in your car and lock the doors. If you have a cell phone call the police. Use your horn and lights to attract attentionIf you think you are being followed, do not drive home. Go to a police station or a busy public placeDont carry a defensive weapon it might provoke a potential assailant.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Classical Argument

Tiffany E. Duncan Shannon Collins Eng 101 September 23, 2012 Classical Argument Remodeling a house on wizards get isnt as cheap or as easy as it may seem, because more problems are often revealed during the demolition lay bug out of remodeling. One cant continuously prepare in advance for unforeseen problems when remodeling and it isnt always cheaper doing them on bingles own quite than hiring a headmaster. I was able to prove this to myself when I was remodeling my own house.The original plan was to have exclusively the remodeling completed within a year my clock time spent on the project is now over double what I expected and Im totally to the highest degree three fourths of the way complete. I had 6 projects that I wanted to do, keep in mind I live in an old farm house that was abandoned for 4 historic period before I began. I intend on refinishing all of the cabinets throughout the house, installing all untried windows, a complete bathroom remodel, new floors in the entire house, new ceilings in three rooms, and painting the entire house.I couldnt remodel my house full time when it wasnt livable being Im a single mother of two. That made it even harder but I also had less time to work than I planned because I also started attending college about one month into the renovation. When I started I expected to spend right around $5,000. 00. This was roughly the cost of all materials with about $1,000. 00 additional for anything that came up unexpected. For the most part I have done all the renovations myself with some help from family and friends Ive had to call in a professional one time. My running total is around $10,000. 0, which is double of what I planned on spending and its still going up The first project I began was refinishing the cabinets. This was quite a task I likewisek all the cabinet facings and doors off, sanded them as well as the cabinets and painted them. All the cabinets in my kitchen, 16 of them, took me approximately 5 mont hs to complete. Luckily my Dad was his own handy man so his tools and skills of the trade came in handy often An unforeseen task came when I started makeing the ceilings in the bathroom, my bedroom, and the hall way. I learned the house wasnt exactly built square.Just to be able to do my ceiling the correct way I had to add two inches to the ceiling rafters on about half the room. Not expecting this, I over spent $80 on this project. This was a small extend but every little thing you dont expect adds up quickly. The entire ceiling project ended up costing me an extra $600 over my estimate. With the house not being square, dry seawall was wasted and it was harder to apply the mud tape (which led me to buy a more expensive tape). What should have interpreted approximately two calendar weeks to complete took a total of two and a half months.For the bathroom remodel I al disseminateted myself $600. 00 to spend which is on the set down side for a complete bathroom overhaul. But I rea lly did my research on this one a new toilet was $300 and a new bathtub $200. I was able to get cabinets from my mom when she was redoing her kitchen and I used those in the bathroom which surprisingly saved me about $600. 00 if I bought them new. I just had to refinish them and paint them, and that little project still isnt complete. When I tried to take the bathtub out, I removed seal and unhooked all the plumbing but it wouldnt budge.I called a few of my family members to help remove it since it was a porcelain tub which is quite heavy. It still wouldnt come out, the fit was too tight. We used a little intuition and decided to just cut the bathtub out. Once it was cut in half it did give us copious room to get it out. However, putting the new tub in became and even harder task. We tried every way possible to put it in, but there wasnt enough room. It was even the same size as the old tub. When we measured the dimensions it was out of square by almost three inches.So we had to te ar down the wall at the end of where the bathtub would go, install the tub, and rebuild the wall. Supplies were costly for this bringing my expenses up $150 more than I planned and it added almost a weeks value of work. The toilet was supposed to be an easy job uninstall the old one, add a new seal and install the new one. Once the old one was taken off, we discovered it had been leaking on the floor ruining approximately a 4x5 section. We had to rip the old floor out, install new floor rafters and new floor.This added $200 more to my quickly rising total, for my new toilet and about two extra weeks of work since I couldnt begin doing the flooring myself. direct I was 10 months into the project and more than pay off to move since I was living with my mother while I was completing the renovation. I decided to redo the floors and paint next I could redo windows after I moved in. I pulled the old flooring up first this took 3 weeks and should have only taken a couple of days. Appare ntly the previous owners had pets and they used the restroom on the spread overs numerous times.So instead of being able to just pull the carpet up, I had to scrape it up. This didnt add on to my expenses since I was doing it myself, it just took a lot of patience because it took so long to do. Once it was all up, I had the floors inspected. To my surprise a support beam had given out under the front of the house. I had to call in reinforcements my dad and brother were both bulky handymen for the project. They had to use three jacks and actually jack the house up while they cut out the floor over the broken beam, took the beam out and put a new beam in.This added about $700 onto my estimates but only an extra day worth of work. With the carpet up and the beam fixed, I was ready to paint. It took me 3 months to get everything painted. I ended up having to buy Kilz to cover up stains, trimming to replace what was already missing or broken, and a lot of paint supplies. It took me thr ee months to paint the whole house, and I ended up about $500 over budget on supplies then I anticipated. I was going to do my floors myself, but it wouldnt have saved me any money once I purchased the trimming and the tools needed to install the carpet.Plus I was so exhausted from working on everything else I opted to hire in professionals to install my carpet. I did have to get on a list for installation, adding a week of just waiting to my time. It was worth it once the floors were in, it looked great and I was finally getting my energy back. Remodeling a house on ones own isnt as cheap or as easy as it may seem. It took me 14 months until I was able to move in my house. I had planned on being finished within 12 months and my work was only half done. Not to mention I was already over $2500 being preceding(a) my estimates on the house.It took a lot to be able to do the renovations myself, running into problems every time I turned around. I had to hire in professionals once but I probably should have a few more times. I tried to stay as close to my budget as possible. legion(predicate) of the factors that rose my spending were because more problems were revealed during the demolition stage of remodeling. One cant always prepare in advance for unforeseen problems when remodeling and it isnt always cheaper doing them on ones own rather than hiring a professional.

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Realism vs. Surrealism

Why is he so important? What makes is death so strong? Realism vs.. Surrealism Books atomic number 18 a major piece in the puzzle of life. When books, a source that points appear a cabarets imperfections, are taken away, humanity is lost. In Ray Bradbury scientific novel Fahrenheit 451 , firemen are the people to start fires, rather than extinguish them, as they do in the modern world. They also check up on homes that are reported to be sheltering books.Owning books and containing books is against the law in this eating, and if any are found during the investigation, the owner is arrested and the books are burned. Captain yellowish pink, the leader of the firemen, is portrayed as a mysterious and suspicious man, who goes around quoting books during the day, and burning them at night. Later on in the story it was made clear that Captain bang has read books in his lifetime however he turned away from them because he was required to think on his own.Ray Bradbury created this c haracter to show that the awareness of imperfections in society arouse, in some case, lead to the missing desire to use the know takege. Beauty is the type of person, who after learning the truth and reality, returns to the unreality he was used to. This relates to Plats fabrication of the Cave. The cave that Plato thought of was set up with prisoners chained up, facing a wall that projects shadows originating from puppets behind the prisoners on a platform. Beneath the platform and behind the prisoners is an possible action which leads into the real world.The essence of the philosophy is that a prisoner is let go into the real world with the knowledge they have, such as the puppets shadows. For example, if a prisoner adage a go in the real world, he would think that it is fake, because he accepted the reality of the shadow of the dog projected on the cave wall. The striver then realizes, the doubles shown in the cave are an unreality. Once they are opened to the truth they can not return to the life they once knew. The character Beauty was a facsimile of a prisoner or slave chained up in the cave.Beauty became free, and he started reading books and questioning society, representing the transition from the cave to the real world. The moment he was exposed to the truth, he did not enjoy it, because he had o think on his own. Beauty then returned to the life he knows is a lie. Despite the detail that Beauty returned to the cave, he read the books so intuitively that he was able to quote them and give them some significance to his life. When Montage felt sick, Beauty visited him because he knew Montage had stolen a book from the reported house they investigated the previous night. He lectured Montage on how nothing valuable comes from books.For example, during the lecture Beauty says Well, Montage, take my enounce for it, Ive had to read a few in my time, to know what I was about, and the books say thing Nothing you can teach or believe (62). By locution this to Montage, Beauty is trying to prevent him from leaving the cave or learning that humanity has many imperfections. Beauty feared that if Montage learns the truth about the society they be intimate in, he will also be cowardly to make a difference and return to the unreality as Beauty has done. Despite the fact that Beauty returned to the false world, his contaminated mind could not forget the lessons he had learned from books.Beautys character served a purpose to demonstrate that there is a restriction towards what en can do however, with all the knowledge of humanity Beauty has acquired, he chooses not to do anything. Beauty served as a very significant character throughout the novel. He is a combination of Montage, someone who motivationed to learn about the imperfections, and Mildred, a shallow and a cowardly person. He is similar to Montage in the sense that he read books, and questioned society. Montage, however, wanted to make a difference, so he came up with a plan. I f you thought it would be a plan charge trying, Id have to take you word it would help (86).Montage thought of a plan to sabotage he lives of the firemen by planting books in their houses, having them arrested, and as a leave alone their houses would be burned. They would be left with nothing and they would be in Jail. This would give Montage and his helper, Faber, time to plant more books in other civilian homes. Beauty displayed many of the qualities that Montage possessed, despite the fact that Montage was proactive to solve problems. Beauty is similar to Mildred because he learned all this valuable information, yet he threw it away, because he did not want to burden himself with thinking about the books and hat they truly meant.When Montage shows Mildred, his wife, all of the books he has been hiding, he asks her to read them with him. As they are reading Mildred, who is too confused and frustrated, shouts What does it mean? It doesnt mean anything (68). Mildred did not view why she had to think about the book, and Beauty returned to the cave for the corresponding reason. He did not want to go through the tedious process of thinking about what the books mean. Despite the frustration, when Beauty quotes the books throughout the novel, it indicates he received meeting from books however, it was not enough for him to all leave the cave.With Beauty being aware of the knowledge he has, but refusing to make a change, his death is instantly made significant. Before his death he quotes the famous line from the Shakespearian tragedy Julius Caesar There is no terror, Cassias, in your threats, for I am arms so strong in honesty that they pass me as an idle wind, which I respect not (119). Beauty says this to Montage, while he is pointing a flamethrower directly at Beauty, to show him that he is not scared to die. In that same vein, when Montage kills Beauty, before him is the path he must take to make a difference however, without the obstacle Beauty.Montage i s no longer surrounded with the everlasting reminder that books and independent thoughts are useless. Later on in the novel, a terrifying realization dawns over Montage that Beauty wanted to purposefully die. He says Beauty wanted to die, as he comes up with an explanation for Beautys unusual wish. Beats desire to die, was because he was not satisfied with what his life has become. He had kaput(p) through the trouble of escaping the cave, reading the kooks and trying to understand their suffice. Unfortunately, Beauty was unwilling to think on his own, therefore he returned to the unrealistic life.While seconds away from his death, Beauty sees an image of what he could have become if he put aside his frustration with comprehending the books Montage, a person who chooses to use the knowledge he has gained. Both firemen started out the same way. They both loved their Job, but one day they started questioning society which led them to reading books. Montage, however, wanted to make a differ Renee and learn to understand the world that was hidden away from him, while Beauty returned to the cave because it was the easier life to live.Ray Bradbury novel Fahrenheit 451 follows the framework of Plats Allegory of the Cave, and although many characters have to partake in the journey of leaving the cave, a single character Beauty, has a unique participation in the Journey of exiting the cave. When Beauty is introduced in the setting quoting books, his characters demeanor takes an unpredicted turn. He is perceived as a tough and loyal fireman however, no one knows that in the past, he was a law-breaker.Beauty was curious to discover the content of those mysterious books and he read many attentively, and received enough knowledge to quote them in any type of circumstance. He became too frustrated with comprehending the books which led to his willing transition from reality to unreality. Ray Bradbury created this character to show the ignorance of humanity when one must think independently. Captain Beauty was important to the novel because he was a controversy between Mildred, a shallow prisoner, and Montage, a prisoner trying to escape. Without the combination of the two, there would to be any balance.Captain Beautys death, allowed Montage to continue his Journey with the eradication of his main obstacle. It also was significant because it revealed to the reader that Captain Beauty was miserable living in the fake world when he had already been exposed to the true imperfections of society, and he could not live with himself that he sacrificed a chance to make a change, the way Montage has. Without books, the imperfections of society are not pointed out and many people gain the courage to understand the truth rather than accepting the reality that is presented to them.

Friday, May 24, 2019

Analysis of Genre, Stardom, Authorship and Gender Theory Essay

Apparently no strictly logical distinctions can capture the variety of factors which create the musical styles we have (Nicholas and Price, 1998) This repeat demonstrates the complexity of allocating a particular genre to a use up, as various aspects need to be considered. Although concrete groupings such as horror, science- fictionalisation, crime and drama exist, the bulk of movies contain more than sensation aspect which renders them difficult to categorise. For example, the difference between an action and a thriller mental picture can be very fine. Should the length of footage of squeeze scenes determine them?Should the scale and intensity of adrenaline felt by the audience through fall out the composition line be considered? Apart from the concrete distinctions between fiction and non-fiction, umpteen grindercategories are used. Some genres are based on literature, such as melodrama and comedy others on the plot, for example the war film and still others on media such as the musical. Furthermore, some genres are categorised by their budgets, censorship rating, racial identities, location, status amongst many others (Stam, 2000). Genres are a way of characterising a film in the simplest way, interpreting and judging without evaluating them.This allows viewers an easier choice when choosing which film to watch since the field has been narrowed down for them. Patterns such as in the plot, theme, and cinematographic proficiency and which branded star is used in the film are some of the ways the genres are often grouped. These are very commonly broadened because of the other forms of genre groups sometimes jumping in and out of a film are known as sub-genres. In the second edition (Nathan Abrams, 2010) of Studying Film it is pointed out that not only are repetitions a requirement in identifying particular film genres, that so are their differences.Viewers take into account not only similarities but withal variances between previous films they have s een. Thus when comparing a few films of the same genre, it is important to note that in cattiness of the recurring themes, each film will have its own individual plot. The use of genres and putting films in boxes, as it were, can lead to problems for the movie constancy as story lines become repetitive, predictive and formulaic, perhaps causing some viewers to no longer hold the genre in such elevated regard.For this reason it is imperative that difference be a vital ingredient within categories as well as between them to provide more variation, insane asylum and flexibility within their general parameters. Films are automatically divided up using the genre categorisation, for example when you walk into a DVD store and feeling for a film, theyll be physically divided up through their classifications Horror, Sci-fi, Crime, Drama, Action, Thriller, Social Realism and more.They might similarly classify the films by their rating, which in a smell out is also a measurement of genr e. Whether the film is a U classification for children, a rated 15 film or even a rated 18 film, these sub genres always crop up in promotional campaigns are also known for being genre specific trailers in the cinema are also grouped together, like when watching a comedy, the trailers being shown in the previews will also be comedy. There are just a few examples as to how genre is divided without making overly noticeable to the audience.Martin Loop (cited in Barry, 2007) argues that genre in Hollywood does not really exist since so many films that are apparently made by an auteur were simply influenced by society, and that Directors use different elements from different genres and the trends at the time to stool their films. Taxi Driver narrates the story of Travis Bickle, an ex-marine unable to sleep at nights, so he decides to get a job as a night-time taxi driver. Played by Robert de Niro, Travis begins to date a woman working in the presidential campaign office of Charles Palla ntine, but after taking her to watch a porn film they split up.Travis becomes progressively paranoid and results in him buying an arsenal of weapons. After meeting a young prostitute Iris play by Jodie Foster, he soon decides to make it his mission to save her from the life she leads. Thwarted in his attempt to assassinate Charles Pallantine, Taxi Drivers climax occurs when Travis shoots and kills Iriss pimp Matthew, played by Harvey Keitel and his henchmen. After the massacre Travis finds himself wounded and attempts to shot himself but comes short of bullets.The film ends with Travis being portrayed as a hero in the media for frugality Iriss life and taking her back to her parents. Traviss search for to find meaning in his life is what motivates and drives the narrative forward. Taxi Driver is some based exclusively on restricted narrative through the subjective consciousness of the narration of Travis filtering the narrative information through a single character. The photogr aphic camera emphasizes this by keeping a closed door to what is happening around him to a certain extent and seems to follow him almost obsessively as the film progresses.Has its genre made it more of a success? Maybe Taxi Driver being in the Drama/thriller genre has enabled it to cross over two genres thus attracting a greater audience. Films are different from books or poems in that they are not simply constructed by a single person but require input from various people including a director, a producer, a screenwriter, actors and studio representatives to name a few. The notion of auteur theory, (translated from the French meaning author) in the filmmaking industry has therefore been heavily contended (Simpson, 2012).Andrew Sarris, the leading American proponent of the theory claimed in the 1950s and 60s that great filmmaking inspires the type of artistic expression and creativeness one would expect from a major literary author. For this reason we should be able to herald direct ors as auteurs, crediting them with ownership of the whole works. Critics maintain, stock-still, that this notion completely ignores the rest of the film crew. A single author does not appear to ascribe to movies due to the multiple actors involved. If each role plays an integral part in the process from source to end, how can one role claim the title of sole author?Furthermore, on what basis could composition be claimed? The tendency has been towards extending the title to the director however perhaps not every director can be considered an author if their work is not worthy. Sarris arguments have since been used to defend film as alike to the other arts an important development considering earlier perceptions of the industry to be less worthy of an artistic status. In this way perhaps in do to qualify as an art, a film needs an author. This label is particularly important for intellectual property rights and for status and identification.Nevertheless, the notion of authorship also causes problems in other art forms a composer is considered the true owner of the music he writes, but what about the music when it is used in performance at a concert or in a theatre piece? Having briefly outlined genre and authorship and their surrounding issues, this paper will search to compare the theories to the film of Taxi Driver (1976)by Martin Scorcese to see how well they hold up and whether Martin Scorcese can shed further light on how genre and authorship should bedefined in the movie-making business.http//www. cs. grinnell. edu/simpsone/Connections/Film/Author/index. html http//www. filmreference. com/encyclopedia/Academy-Awards-Crime-Films/Auteur-Theory-and-Authorship. html Studying film 2nd Edition, Nathan Abrams, Ian Bell, Jan Udris, Bloomsbury, 2010 Film History and Introduction, Kirsten Thomson, David Bordwell, McGraw-Hill, 1994

Thursday, May 23, 2019

American Politics

Liberty is a fantasy that is comm scarce intaked by the av datege American in his daily affairs. A lexical definition of familiarity states that it refers to the granting immunity to believe or acquit without the anticipateriction of an unnecessary force. As far as the individual is concerned, liberty is the capacity of a person to act according to his will. But do we re on the wholey know the history of Americas liberty? Do we really chthonian nominate the historical withalts that make believe regulate the liberty that we know of and enjoy in these contemporary epochs?In this paper, I will be examining the roots of American liberty from the founding era to the modern debates surrounding the concept of liberty. I will also be looking into the proponents of liberty and those who have sh bed a significant part in defining and upholding liberty as we know it analogous a shot. The Founding Era Hundreds of years onwards today, America was an entirely contrasting place. Lon g before the creation of the piece, different European countries have already found their own settlements across America. The Spaniards and the French were among the primordial colonizers until the time of the British.During the rule of the British Empire, severe shortage in valet labor resulted to enslavement and indentured servitude of the natives. In the years that followed, conflicts broke-out mingled with the Native Americans and the English settlers. It should be noned, however, that Virginia already had black indentured servants in 1619 subsequently existenceness settled by Englishmen in 1607 (Virginia Records Timeline 1553-1743, http//memory. loc. gov/ammem/collections/jefferson_papers/mtjvatm3. html), thereby suggesting that the attainment of genuine liberty from the colonizers is in so far to be realized.It is perhaps during the time when the English pilgrims came to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620 and established their colonies that the concept of liberty came round, non the least in the context of the pre- governance history of America. As Mark Sargent writes in his article The Conservative Covenant The Rise of the trailing ar only whenus compact in American Myth, some of the passengers in the whitethornflower ship who were not travelling to the in the altogether World for religious reasons would insist upon complete emancipation when they stepped ashore since the New World is already outside the territory broadened in their patent from the British crown (Sargent, p.236). After the Seven Years War between the British forces and the alliance of French and American Indian forces in 1763, the British Empire enforced a series of taxes on the Americans so as to cover a portion of the cost for defending the colony. Since the Americans considered themselves as subjects of the King, they unsounded that they had the same(p) rights to that of the Kings subjects living in Great Britain.However, the Sugar piece, Currency Actboth passed in 176 4the Stamp Act of 1765, the Townshend Act of 1767, to name a few, compelled the Americans to con drastic measures to send the message to the British Empire that they were being enured as though they were less than the Kings subjects in Great Britain (Jensen, p. 186). Moreover, the taxes were enforced notwithstanding the lack of representation of the American colonists in the Westminster Parliament. oneness of the famous protests interpreted by the Americans is the Boston Tea Party in 1773 where numerous crates containing tea that belonged to the British East India Company were destroyed aboard ships in Boston Harbor. As a result, the British disposal passed a series of acts popularly known as the unacceptable Acts in 1774, further fanning the growing subjugation felt by the American colonists. Eventually, the American Revolution ensued beginning in as early as 1775 when British forces confiscated arms and arrested revolutionaries in Concord, thereby s scoreking the start-off h ostilities after the Intolerable Acts were passed (Jensen, p.434). From 1775 to 1783, the colonies that formed their own independent states fought as one as the Thirteen Colonies of North America. Lasting for roughly eight years, the American Revolutionary War cease in the ratification of the Treaty of Paris which formally know the Independence of America from the British Empire. Between these years, the colonies underwent several changes which constitute part of the developments toward the framing of the Constitution (Bobrick, p. 88).One of these changes is the shift towards the acceptance of notable commonwealthan ideals, such as liberty and inalienable rights as core values, among several elements of the colonies. Moreover, the republican ideals of the time saw corruption as the greatest of all threats to liberty. In essence, the concept of liberty during the founding era revolves around the liberation of the American colonies from the British Empire and the growing oppressi on it gave to the colonists through taxation burdens and a series of repressive acts.For the American colonists, liberty meant the severing of its ties from the British government and the creation of its own independent nation recognized by other countries. The writing and ratification of the Constitution On the fourth of July in 1776, the second Continental sexual congress signed and officially adopted the join States Declaration of Independence which established the separation of the thirteen American coloniesthe colonies which were at war with Great Britain from 1775from the British Empire.Although others say that the founding moment of America is not on July 4 but two days earlier (Groom, http//independent. co. uk/arts-entertainment/books/review/the-fourth-of-july-and-the-founding-of-america-by-peter-de-bolla-455878. html), it re chief(prenominal)s a fact that there came a point in time when America finally declared its independence. The evolution of American political theorye specially that which is concerned with libertycan be better understood during the showdown over the writing and the ratification of the Constitution.In fact, the Declaration asserts that spate have unalienable rights which include bearing, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The obligates of Confederation served as the constitution which governed the thirteen states as part of its alliance called the United States of America. After being ratified in 1781, the United States of America was brought as a political union under a confederate government in order to defend better the liberties of the pile and of individually state. Meaning, each state retained its independence and sovereignty despite being politically held together as part of the union.However, the Articles were not without opposition and criticisms from several notable political thinkers of the time. For example, James Madison saw several main flaws in the Articles of Confederation that were alarming, or threatened the in truth existence and purpose of the Articles first and foremost. For one, Madison was concerned about the dangers posed by the divided republics or f litigates abandoned that their interest may stand in conflict to the interests of others. Madison argues in The Federalist, specifically in Federalist No.10, that in order to guard the citizens from the dangers posed by these individuals who have contradicting interests, a mammoth republic should be take a crapd, a republic that will safeguard the citizens from the possible harms brought by other states. It is the likewise important to phone line that the union is not a homogenous group of citizens with the same political inclinations. Madison also argues that for the government to be capture effective it needs to be a hybrid of a national and a federal constitution.The government should be sense of equilibriumd in the sense that it should be federal in some aspects and republican in others instead of giving more(prenomin al) weight to each separate state over the larger republic. In his Federalist No. 39, Madison proposes and describes a republic government guided by three fundamental principles the derivation of the governments legitimate power through the consent of the people, representatives elective as administrators in the government, and a limitation on the length of the terms of answer rendered by the representatives (Kobylka and Carter, p.191). Madison also pointed out in Federalist No. 51 that there should be checks and balances in the government, specifically among the judicial, legislative and the executive branches. The judiciary, therefore, is at par with the other two inasmuch as each of the other two are at par with one another. Giving one of the three more powers disables the other two to check if that branch is still functioning within its perimeters.As a result, the more properly branch becomes a partisan branch which consequently creates dangers to the liberties of the people. Another important part of the evolution of American political theory is the contention raised by Patrick Henry. In a letter sent to Robert Pleasants in January 18, 1773, Patrick Henry sees the relationship between the new government and the institution of thraldom as a contradiction in terms precisely because while the new government is said to be founded on liberty, there the evil that is slavery persisted under the new government.During those times, slavery was not yet abolished and that the new government was unable to meet the challenge of living up to its roles and foundations by failing to address the institution of slavery and demolishing it altogether. Moreover, Henry understood the efforts of secession from the hands of England were a matter of freedom or slavery, which can also be looked upon as a question of either a freedom from or a continuation of tax slavery from the British.While Madison was part of the Federalists who were supporting the ratification of the Consti tution, the Anti-Federalists apparently argued against its ratification. It was Patrick Henry who led the group in criticizing the table of contents of the proposed Constitution. For instance, Henry argued that the phrase We the People in the Preamble of the Constitution was misleading primarily because it was not necessarily the people who agreed and created the proposed Constitution but the representatives of each participating state.Thus, Henry argues that the Preamble should instead read as We the States which in turn delegated power to the union. Another argument of the Anti-Federalists is the claim that the commutation government and, therefore, the telephone exchange power might result to a revival of the monarchic type of rule reminiscent of the British Empire which the Patriots fought. The fear is that, by delegating a considerable amount of power to the central government, the liberties of the individual states and the people are weakened as a result.Nevertheless, the Con stitution was adopted on September 17, 1787 and by and by ratified in each of the state conventions held. The anti-federalists share a significant role in strengthening some of the points of the Constitution through the succeeding amendments. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are popularly known as the account statement of Rights it is largely influenced by the arguments of the anti-federalists. For the most part, the tool of Rights aimed to guarantee that Congress shall not create laws which stand against the rights and liberties of the citizens of the nation.In effect, the Bill of Rights limits the power of the federal government in order to secure the liberties of the people in the United States. In Federalist No. 84, Alexander Hamilton argues against the Bill of Rights for the reason that the American citizens will not have to necessarily surrender their rights as a result of the ratification of the Constitution and, thus, the protection of the rights through the B ill is unnecessary. Moreover, Hamilton also argues that creating a Bill of Rights would effectively limit the rights of the people since those that are not listed in the Bill will not be considered as rights.In solution to the argument, the Ninth Amendment to the Constitution was introduced and ratified later on. The amendment specifically states that the rights of the people are not to be peculiar(a) to those which are listed in the Constitution. As it can be observed, the time before and during the ratification of the Constitution and the succeeding amendments made reflect how the people at the time sought to protect the liberties that they have realized and gained after the American Revolution and the defeat of the British Empire.Moreover, the debates at that time revolved around the issue of what to do with the liberties gained and how to secure them for the coming generations. One sidethe Anti-Federalistsargues that the central government weakens the independence and sovereig nty of the states as well as the rights and liberties of the people. The other sidethe Federalistsargues that the Constitution will cooperate preserve and strengthen the Union. Modern debates In the years that followed, debates over the interpretation of the Constitution, the role of the government and the place of the individual in American society have escalated.In his essay Resistance to Civil judicature (popularly known as Civil Disobedience) first published in 1849, Henry David Thoreau asserts that the people should not simply remain passive and allow the government to be an agent of injustice. Much of Thoreaus political beliefs eventually follow that same philosophy. In his work Walden published in 1854, Thoreau attempts to live a life of solitude in a cabin, a focus from the reaches of the society. In one of his days in Walden, Thoreau was arrested for the charge of not paying his taxes. His defense was that he refuses to pay federal taxes to a government that tolerates sla very.In essence, the fact that Thoreau decided to stay in solitude for approximately two years (although the contents of Walden was made to appear as though all the events happened within just a year) signifies his decision not to conform to the dictates of the society. On the contrary, Thoreau lived a life of liberty, free to do anything that he chooses without the institutions of society restraining him. The same sentimentnon-conformity or disobedience to the dictates of the society, especially the governmentechoes through in Thoreaus other work, which is Civil Disobedience.Thoreau asserts that the only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think is right (Thoreau, http//sniggle. net/Experiment/index. php? entry=rtcgp04). That passage, along with the rest of Civil Disobedience and its theme in general, implies that people have an inherent liberty, which is the liberty to do any time what they think is right. Taken altogether in the context of the co ncept of liberty, Thoreau seems to suggest that people ought to disobey a government that oppresses other people since each individual has inalienable rights that nobody can take away, not even the government.In the face of oppression such as slavery (which was still very much a part of America within twenty dollar prick years after the ratification of the original Constitution since the issue of slavery was a very delicate and contentious matter during the Philadelphia Convention), Thoreau even suggested that Abolitionists should not only confine themselves with the mere thought of abolishing slavery but resisting the instructions of the government such as paying taxes.Thus, as a reading of Thoreaus plant life would suggest, to have liberty is to act upon crucial issues instead of passively allowing contentious actions of the government to thrive and continue. I cannot help but think that Thoreaus concept of liberty is something that is absolute, which I also take to mean as conf ined only within ones disposition instead of being limited by the government. Moreover, since Thoreau suggests that liberty is doing any time what one thinks is right an individual should first know if what he or she thinks is thence right instead of being wrong.Charles Madison notes that Thoreau was heavily concerned with the ever pressing problem of how one might earn a living and remain free (Madison, p. 110). I cannot help but begin to think that Thoreau attempts at embodying and enacting his individualistic beliefs. As Leigh Kathryn Jenco argues, The theory and practice of democracy fundamentally conflict with Thoreaus conviction in clean-living autonomy and conscientious action (Jenco, p.355) democracy is essentially the rule of the majority which consequently ignores the decisions of the minority. However, I think that much of Thoreaus thoughts were heavily influenced by the percentage during his time. His a random variable towards the imposed taxation policy of the govern ment stems from the fact that the government at that time still tolerates slavery which is directly against an individuals liberty.Thoreaus insight on the perceived conflict between the liberties being upheld by the Constitution and the actual state of the government during his time points us to the ideal that the people are sovereign because the people is the ultimate source of power of the government. If it is indeed the case that the Constitution upholds the rights of individuals including the right to liberty, it seems appropriate to consider as well why slavery at that time was not immediately abolished entirely especially at the time when the Constitution was ratified.In fact, it was only in 1865 under the Thirteenth Amendmentabout 80 years after the original Constitution was adoptedwhen slavery was juristicly abolished and when Congress was given the power to finally enforce abolition. During the time when slavery was not yet abolished and immediately after the original Cons titution was ratified, it can be said that not all citizens living in America were given full liberties. Several people were still laboring as slaves to their American masters.That is perhaps an often neglected piece of history that undermines the spirit of creating a Constitution and a government that will uphold the rights of the people. The pre-American Revolutionary war, the founding era, the ratification of the original Constitution, the creation of the Bill of Rights and the other succeeding amendments to the Constitutionall these stand as testimonies to the evolution of American political thought. The concept of liberty has played an important role in the development of the federal government and the Constitution.Although the history of American political thought might reveal that the attainment of liberty through the years has never been a smooth journey, contemporary America has reaped a large amount of benefits from the sacrifices and ideas of the Founding Fathers and all the people who lived and died during those times. Some might even argue that liberty is yet to be truly attained in todays American society. But if liberty is yet to be attained in practice, how is it possible that people are given the right to air their grievances before the government?How is it possible that people have the liberty to do as they please so long as what they do does not conflict with what is legal? In any case, the present American Constitution guarantees the liberty of the people and that there are institutions which seek to promote and guard that important right. Had it been the case that the early Americans swallowed eitherthing that the British Empire throw in their way and that the Founding Fathers abandoned the creation and amendment of the Constitution, the United States of America would not have been the land of the free and the internal of the brave.Works Cited Bobrick, Benson. Fight for Freedom The American Revolutionary War. 1st ed. New York, NY Atheneu m, 2004. Groom, Nick. The Fourth of July and the Founding of America, by Peter De Bolla. 2007. Independent. Co. Uk. October 16 2008. . Hamilton, Alexander, James Madison, and John Jay. The Federalist, on the New Constitution. 1787. October 18, 2008 . Jenco, Leigh Kathryn. Thoreaus Critique of Democracy. The Review of government 65. 3 (2003) 355-81. Jensen, Merrill. The Founding of a Nation A History of the American Revolution 1763-1776. Indianapolis, IN Hackett Publishing Company, 2004. Kobylka, Joseph F. , and Bradley Kent Carter. Madison, The Federalist, & the implicit in(p) Order Human Nature & Institutional Structure. Polity 20.2 (1987) 190-208. Madison, Charles. Henry David Thoreau Transcendental Individualist. Ethics 54. 2 (1944) 110-23. Sargent, Mark L. The Conservative Covenant The Rise of the Mayflower Compact in American Myth. The New England Quarterly 61. 2 (1988) 233-51. Thoreau, Henry David. Resistance to Civil Government. 1849. October 18 2008. . Virginia Records Timeline 1553-1743. The Library of Congress. October 17 2008. .American politicsOne of the best signs of the US political brass today is this particular feature the presence of a socio-cultural and socio-political atmosphere that come alongs and promotes the right of the individual to vote and the right to suffrage. This is considered as a positive aspect of the US political system. Not all of the countries and their respective political system make room for this rather delicate matter, to which the balance of power hangs and to which the fate of the country and its socio economic and socio political stability rests.The US political system should not change this particular aspect and on the contrary, administer to find ways on how to make this particularly enviable characteristic of the US political system develop more into something that lessens and lessens the chances and situations that limits or prohibits its citizens to vote and is not threatened by the possibilities of be ing corrupted by the politicians themselves.An important part of the praise-worthy characteristic of the US political system to support the right for suffrage and encourage a population that is willing to go to voting precincts and vote and choose their own leader as part of the exercise of the democratic country they all live in is the fact that the right to vote is centered and is promoted not only among true blooded American citizens, but also to immigrants who are apt(p) citizenship.This is important because this goes to show that the US political system did not renege on its promise embedded on the towering facade of the Liberty Statue about speech in and welcoming people from different cultures with open arms and giving them an equal treatment especially in the aspect which in other countries mayhap a very delicate matter altogether the right to vote.In the US, protection and promotion of the right to vote has been widely supported that politicians themselves are becoming p rogressively aware of the voting-bloc power of the immigrants (Bray 19) that they are offering meaningful choices and reforms to immigrant voters (Bray 19) as well. One of the positive characteristics of the US political system is the consistent inclusion of the consideration for and struggle for the exercise and preservation of the homophile rights.Yes, it is true that the United States, as a country, has been the place where great battles on human rights were fought. The Klu Kux Klan reminds the world about the extent of racism in the United States. Isnt it the same country that was divided and shed the blood of their countrymen because they do not see eye to eye with regards to the issue of liberating source African American slaves that the white people own? These are all important points that prove the problem of human rights in the US, especially during its earlier, younger years.But more important than these historical notes is the fact that it was through these experience s that heroes, like Abraham Lincoln and other fighters for human rights, were given the time to shine their brightest and influence not just the country, but the world about important socio-cultural values and the significance of human rights. Despite the times of troubles, the political system of the country has shown through the years that it is capable of attainment and integrating inside the system the wisdom and knowledge lifted from previous experiences so that the system could be better in the end.Today, the protection of human rights in the United States is all the more highlighted and magnified, especially when news in Africa and from other countries tell the tales of individuals who died not being able to enjoy the most basic human rights, and leaving behind friends and family members who are still under the threat of having their human rights taken from them and violated in front of them.Their own political system is not powerful enough to protect them from this kind of a trocity that is still very much alive in many parts of the world even today. It is indeed very reassuring to know that the US political system features important aspects that can guarantee the exercise and protection of human rights, not just the rights of American citizens in the US but also the human rights of other people if the US political system can extend help for this cause as they did in the past like what they did in 1973 (Liang-Fenton 151).One of the problematic aspects of the US political system is the power of political appointments. It is considered as one of the anxieties haunting civil service as far back as the formative years of the National Commission on the Public Service (Bowles 239). This is something that is considered as problematic and is a characteristic that leans more on the negative side than on the positive side.This is because of the fact that political appointments are largely based on the whim of politicians who often use political appointments, eith er as leverage so that the politician can manipulate the exercise and flow of power and influence, or as a way/means for the politician to return the favor he or she owes to private individuals who, in one way or another extended help or assistance to the politician and in the process someone to whom the politician is owed to. In both cases, it is reflected how the power for political appointment is becoming more and more threatened to being utilized as a tool for used for the wrong reasons.An important change correcting this problematic situation is the limitation of political appointments to just a handful of aides that the politician will have to work with everyday. While it is true that the truly capable leader is capable of willing with different types of people and can function as a team player even if surrounded by team mates who the politician did not choose, there are significant benefits that comes out of letting the elected leader pick at least his core team. It follows that if the electorate trusts the leader that they voted, they will trust the people whom the elected official trusts in return.In this line of thought, it now comes that political appointments should be limited to the immediate staff of the politician and no greater than that. Besides, the elected official was not elected to personally handpick every other civil servant. The current power for political appointments should be diminished and have the civil service system handle the transfer of government positions so that the truly deserving individuals are placed in government positions without the bias from politicians who may exercise their powers incorrectly.It is quite unclear or shy yet in which particular part of the history the United States and its political system has actually began to become a hegemon, although John Agnew seemed to give the readers an idea same to the amalgamation of several different factors leading to this reality of what is now known as the US hegem ony on political, as well as economic and even cultural spheres (Agnew 53).What is now clear today is that the United States has taken the role of the global hegemon, the US politics and the US system dictating and influencing heavily the course of action that many aspects of the present day globalized world has taken collectively. While it has its perks and positive features that the country and its people can and have enjoyed, this aspect of the US political system is something that causes problems and is more of a disadvantage than advantage.It is more of a negative characteristic than it is a positive characteristic because of what the hegemon role brings inside the country and towards it people particularly, finis by many US citizens which is often not morally or ethically justified. Take for example, the wars and armed conflict that the US has committed itself in combat because of its self righteous role that comes out of being a hegemon.It wants to show the world that the country will be the leader in fighting ideas like terrorism and how it physically manifests by bringing US soldiers to far off countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. These countries are turning out to be modern day version of Vietnam because of the continuous increase in casualties among US citizens who are fighting people from other culture and nation and carrying with them either very vague or very generalized ideas of the reason of war per se.The country should instead be content in the exercise of the limitation on trying to be the leader at everything with, at times, unreasonable sense of self-righteousness that it is doing more harm than good to the people of the country for which the US political system should serve in the first place, like making the US and its citizens prime targets of hate campaigns instigated by non Americans who detest the state of US hegemony.Works Cited Agnew, John A. Hegemony The New Shape of Global Power. University of Chicago Press, 2005. Bowles, Nige l. The Government and Politics of the United States. Palgrave Macmillan, 1993. Bray, Ilona. Becoming a US Citizen A Guide to Law, Exam and Interview. NOLO, 2008. Liang-Fenton, Debra. Implementing US Human Rights Policy Agendas, Policies, and Practices. United States Institute of Peace Press (USIP), 2004.American PoliticsThe United States Congress is composed of the Senate, the signal of Representatives, and Committees. The Senate consists of 100 members, two from each state, regardless of population or area, elected by the people in accordance with the 17th Amendment to the Constitution (Johnson). The members include the Senate chairman, President pro tempore, Majority/Minority leaders, and whips. The House of Representatives consist of 435 members, which include the Speaker, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and whips, elected every two years from among the 50 states, distributed to their total populations (Johnson).There are different kinds of Committees in the United States Con gress Standing Committees, ad hoc committees, conference committees, and House Rules committees. According to Johnson, the Article 1, Section 1 of the United States Constitution states that only the Congress has the power to make laws and to write all the laws that are required to make the Constitution into implementation. The Congress has also the constitutional power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce. It has the sole authority to raise, finance and regulate forces of the military units and to declare war.Moreover, Congress can alter the number of justices on the Supreme Court and can ascertain which cases the federal courts can hear by establishing limitations on their jurisdictions. It is Congress that played a role in the establishment of the departments, agencies, and bureaus that cover the majority of the executive branch. Most sources of legislation and proposed drafts of bills are conceived by a Member but may also come from various interest groups and private citi zens and the President.These sources may come from the election campaign during which the Member had promised, if elected, to introduce legislation on a particular subject (Johnson). In addition, the executive communication has turned into a source of legislative proposals, usually in the form of a message or letter from a member of the Presidents Cabinet, the head of an independent agency, or the President himself (Johnson). These legislative proposals are then forwarded to Congress with a request for their enactment (Johnson). In the Senate, a Senator usually introduces a bill or resolution (Johnson).If there is no objection, it is read by title and referred to the appropriate committee and is placed on the schedule (Johnson). In the House of Representatives, the bill is assigned its legislative number and then referred to the appropriate committee. A committee will then ask the input of the pertinent departments and agencies about a bill (Johnson). The committee may schedule a date for public hearings if the bill is of sufficient importance (Johnson). The subcommittee will consider the bill in a session, referred to as the markup session, after hearings are completed.Bills are read for amendment in committee by section and members may offer amendments (Johnson). Bills will be given consideration by the entire Members of the House with adequate opportunity for debate and the proposing of amendments (Johnson). After passage or rejection of the bill by the House, the bill goes to the Senate for consideration. Votes on final passage may be taken by the electronic voting system. Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate shall be presented to the United States President before it becomes a Law (Johnson).If the President approves the bill, he/she signs it and usually writes the word approved and the date (Johnson). If the President does not approve the bill, he/she shall return it, with his/her objections to the House and pro ceed to reconsider it (Johnson). When a law has been enacted, it shall be made known to the people who are to be bound by it (Johnson). Reference Johnson, C. W. How Our Laws Are Made. Retrieved May 22, 2009, from http//www. senate. gov/reference/resources/pdf/howourlawsaremade. pdf.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Children Act 1989 Essay

Task 1 links to learning show upcome 1, assessment criteria1.1. Produce an information sheet which outlines the following the flow rate legislation for home based childcare the role of regulatory bodies.The two most important pieces of legislation covering home-based childcare are the Children impress (2004) and the child care Act (2006(.Children Act (2004)This influential piece of legislation which arose from Every Child Matters and identifies five outcomes for all children* Be healthy* Stay safe* Enjoy and gain* Make a positive contribution* Achieve economic well-beingThese outcomes should underpin all practice of a childminder.Childcare Act (2006)This Act introduced the beforehand(predicate) Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum into England and Wales, and place a statutory duty on the local authority to work towards ensuring the five outcomes set out in the Children Act (2004) are being met.Other relevant legislation of importance isEquality Act (2010)The intention of thi s Act is to combine the fragmented variety legislation, bringing together the Sex Discrimination Act (1975), Race Relations Act (1976), and DDA (1995). Promotion of equal opportunities in all settings is essential, and relevant policies and procedures should be developed, monitored and assessed. instruction Act (1997)This Act incorporates all previous Acts since 1944. It recognise the rights of parents regarding their childrens education and set a time frame on the legal process for identifying and assessing a childs needs as set out in the Code of Practice.Public Health (Control of Disease) Act (1984), RIDDOR (1995) and Health Protection Agency Act (2004) All these legislations are focused on protecting peoples health, covering notification and exclusion periods for certain infectious diseases and reporting of certain accidents and incidents.OFSTED is the adjust body for England & Wales. Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Childrens Services and Skills. They report d irectly to Parliament and are independent and impartial. They inspect and regulate services which care for children and unsalted people, and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages. Their aim is to promote improvement and value for money in the childcare services they inspect and regulate, so that all children and young people, parents and carers, big(p) learners and employers benefit. OFSTEDs job is to checkplaces where children and young peopleare looked afterthe people who look after children and young peopleschools and collegesadult learning and traininghow teachers are trained

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Political Cartoon Analysis Essay

In this political cartoon, The Security Blanket sketched by Eugene Payne (speaker), an forces veteran that later became an award-winning cartoonist, gave his thoughts over the Great Debate over weapon restraint (subject) through this cartoon.The occasion surrounding this topic is the torpedo control in the US. This cartoon was directed towards the people (audience) who want more throttle valve control (those who agree) and the hunters who want to be able to get weapons (disagree). It had first appeared in 1983 October 5 on the Charlotte Observer to present the readers with knowledge and the importance of the ongoing gun control debate.The purpose is that Payne is in favor of gun control and against the NRAs public opinion in protesting weapons. His tone in this sketch seems critical, because he is expressing his views over the gun control usage in which Payne all the way shows that hunters are ignorant, since they change their reason in owning a gun just for the purpose of k eeping it. Now for Ethos, he establishes his credibility through his stand in opposing the NRA for being lenient on hunters. As for Pathos, he portrays the hunter as childish and babyish needing a Security Blanket.He represents this blanket, as the NRA and the Bill of Rights to explain that they use these excuses as a cover up to keep their fire arms. Thus with that information, he clearly established a Logos, since he explained the immaturity of hunters and the lack of reasoning they have to own a firearm.In this political cartoon, The Security Blanket sketched by Eugene Payne (speaker), an Army veteran that later became an award-winning cartoonist, gave his thoughts over the Great Debate over gun control (subject) through this cartoon.The occasion surrounding this topic is the gun control in the US. This cartoon was directed towards the people (audience) who want more gun control (those who agree) and the hunters who want to be able to get weapons (disagree). It had first appeared in 1983 October 5 on the Charlotte Observer to present the readers with knowledge and the importance of the ongoing gun control debate. The purpose is that Payne is in favor of gun control and against the NRAs belief in owning weapons.His tone in this sketch seems critical, because he is expressing his views over the gun control usage in which Payne clearly shows that hunters are ignorant, sincethey change their reason in owning a gun just for the purpose of keeping it. Now for Ethos, he establishes his credibility through his stand in opposing the NRA for being lenient on hunters. As for Pathos, he portrays the hunter as childish and babyish needing a Security Blanket. He represents this blanket, as the NRA and the Bill of Rights to explain that they use these excuses as a cover up to keep their fire arms. Thus with that information, he clearly established a Logos, since he explained the immaturity of hunters and the lack of reasoning they have to own a firearm.

Monday, May 20, 2019

Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups

80 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW By now, most administrators select accepted that mad news program is as deprecative as IQ to an individuals utileness. hardly much of the substantial trim in presidential terms is d 1 in squads. hot research uncoers what horny intelligence operation at the radical level looks exchangeable-and how to aim across it Building the Emotioncil intelligence expediency of crowds W by Vanessa Urch Druskat and St flush B. Wolff HEN MANAGERS EIRST STARTED HEARING ABOUT the concept of randy intelligence in the 1990s, scales furious from their eyes.The basic message, that effectiveness in organizations is at least as much most EQ as IQ, resonated deeply it was something that battalion knew in their guts solely that had never before been so hale articulated. most important, the idea held the potential for exacting change. Instead of be stuck with the hand theyd been dealt, people could take steps to upraise their senseal intelligence and r efer themselves much effective in their shape and personal lives. Indeed, the concept of s groupy intelligence had real blow.The save difficulty is that so far activated intelligence has been viewed only as an individual competency, when the reality is that most carry in organizations is d bingle by ag gatherings. And if managers stool iodin pressure level need today, its to find ways to make team up up ups work better. MARCH 2001 81 Building the excited news program of Groups It is with real excitement, in that respectfore, that we sh ar these findingsfromour research individual emotional intelligence has a chemical happen uponing analog, and it is middling as critical to conventions effectiveness.Teams evoke develop big(p)er emotional intelligence and, in so doing, boost their boilers suit sufficeance. Why Should Teams Build Their activated lore? No one would dispute the immenseness of making teams work much effectively. But most research ab let on h ow to do so has foc occasiond on identifying the confinement processes that distinguish the most successftil teams-that is, specifying the need for cooperation, divulgeicipation, commitment to goals, and so forth. The assumption seems to be that, once identified, these processes whoremonger but be imitated by some other teams, with similar effect.Its non true. By analogy, think of it this way a compressiblely student fuckful be taught to play Minuet in G, but he wont be tot up a modem-day bachelor without manageing music theory and being able to play with determinet. Similarly, the real source of a great teams success lies in the enjoymentdamental conditions that onlyow effective task processes to emerge-and that ca spend ingredients to engage in them wholeheartedly. Our research tells us that trine conditions are essential to a throngs effectiveness assertion among members, a sense of gathering identity, and a sense of theme efficacy.When these conditions are absent, going through the motions of cooperating and participating is console possible. But the team depart not be as effective as it could be, because members will choose to hold sticker rather than fully engage. To be most effective, the team needs to create emotion on the wholey intelligent norms -the attitudes and behaviors that last be jazz habits-that support behaviors for manakining trust, group identity, and group efficacy. The outcome is complete engagement in tasks. For to a greater extent on how emotional intelligence infiuences these conditions, see the sidebar A Model of Team Effectiveness. ) at more levels. To see the differences, lets first look at the concept of individual emotional intelligence as defined by Daniel Goleman. In his definitive book turned on(p) light, Goleman explains the chief characteristics of someone with high El he or she is aware of emotions and able to regulate them-and this ken and regulation are directed both inward, to ones self, and outward, to others. Personal competence, in Golemans words, comes from being aware of and regulating ones own emotions. Social competenceis awareness and regulation of others emotions. A group, however, mustiness attend to as yet another(prenominal) level of awareness and regulation. It must be mindful of the emotions of its members, its own group emotions or moods, and the emotions of other groups and individuals outside its boundaries. In this oblige, well explore how emotional incompetence at any of these levels can cause dysfunction. Well also show how gear uping specific group norms that create awareness and regulation of emotion at these three levels can lead to better outcomes.First, well focus on the individual level-how emotionally intelligent groups work with their individual members emotions. Next, well focus on the group level. Andfinally,well look at the cross-boimdary level. Working with Individuals Emotions /(// Kasper, head ofher companys client service depar tment, is naturally tapped tojoin a new cross-functional team focused on enhancing the customer subsist she has extensive experience in and a real passion for customer service. But her teammatesfind she brings undersize more than a swelled attitude to the table.At an early brainstorming session, Jill sits silent, arms crossed, rolling her eyes. Whenever the team starts to doctor energized or so an idea, she launches into a detailed account of how a similar idea went nowhere in the past. The group is confused this is the customer service star theyve been hearing about? Little do they realize she notes insulted by the rattling formation of the team. To her, it implies she hasnt done her job well enough. Three Levels of Emotional Interaction Make no mistake a team with emotionally intelligent members does not necessarily make for an emotionally intelligent group.A team, akin any social group, takes on its own character. So creating an upward, self-reinforcing spiral of trust, g roup identity, and group efficacy requires more than a few members who exhibit emotionally intelligent behavior. It requires a team atmosphere in which the norms come on emotional capacity (the ability to serve constructively in emotionally uncomfortable situations) and influence emotions in constructive ways. Team emotional intelligence is more complicated than individual emotional intelligence because teams act 82When a member is not on the same emotional wavelength as the eternal rest, a team needs to be emotionally intelligent vis-ci-vis that individual. In part, that just instrument being aware of the problem. Having a norm that encourages interpersonal understanding might facilitate an awareness that Jill is acting out of defensiveness. And picking up on this defensiveness is necessary if the team Vanessa Urch Druskat is an assistant professor of organizational behavior at the Weatherhead take of Management at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.Steven B. Wolff is an assistant professor of management at the School of Management at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Building the Emotional Intelligence of Croups A Model of Team Effectiveness better decisions, more creative solutions, higher productivity pack after study has shown that teams are more creative and productive when they can achieve high levels of participation, cooperation, and coaction among members. But interactive behaviors (ike these arent easy to legislate.Our work shows that tbree basic conditions need to be present before much(prenominal) behaviors can occur common trust among members, a sense of group identity (a get holding among members that they pass to a unique and worthwhile group), and a sense of group efficacy (the beliefthat the team can perform well and that group members are more effective working together than apart). At the heart of these three conditions are emotions. Trust, a sense of identity, and a feeling of efficacy arise in environments where emotion is well handled, so groups stand to benefit by expression their emotional intelligence.Group emotional intelligence isnt a question of dealing with a necessary evil-catching emotions as they bubble up and promptly suppressing them. Far from it. Its about bringing emotions deliberately to the surface and understanding how they affect the teams work. Its also about behaving in ways that kind relationships both at bottom and outside the team and that strengthen tbe teams ability to face challenges. Emotional intelligence means exploring, embracing, and ultimately relying on emotion in work that is, at the end ofthe day, deeply human. articipation, cooperation, collaboration trust, identity, efficacy group emotional intelligence necessitates to make her imderstand its desire to amplify her good work, not negate it. somewhat teams seem to be able to do this naturally. At Hewlett-Packard, for instance, we learned of a team that was attempting to c ross-train its members. The idea was that if individually member could pinch-hit on everyone elses job, the team could deploy trials to whatever task required the most attention.But one member seemed very uncomfortable with cultivation new skills and tasks accustomed to being a top producer in his own job, he hated not knowing how to do a job perfectly. Luckily, his teammates recognised his discomfort, and rather than being annoyed, they redoubled their efforts to support him. This team benefited from a group norm it had established everyplace date emphasizing interpersonal understanding. The norm had grown out of the groups realization that working to accurately hear and understand one anothers feelings and concerns improved member morale and a freeness to cooperate.Many teams wee high emotional intelligence by taking pains to consider matters from an individual members perspective. Think of a situation where a team of four must reach a decision three favor one directio n and the fourth favors another. In the interest of expedience, numerous teams in this situation would move presently to a maMARCH 2001 jority vote. But a more emotionally intelligent group would pausefirstto hear out the objection. It would also ask if everyone were all in all behind the decision, even if there appeared to be consensus.Such groups would ask, Are there any perspectives we findnt heard yet or thought through completely? Perspective taking is a team behavior that teamwork experts shroud a lot but not in terms of its emotional consequence. Many teams are trained to use perspectivetaking techniques to make decisions or solve problems (a common tool is affinity diagramming). But these techniques whitethorn or may not improve a groups emotional intelligence.The problem is that many of these techniques consciously attempt to remove emotion from the process by collecting and combining perspectives in a mechanical way. A more effective approach to perspective taking is to ensure that team members see one another making the effort to grapple with perspectives that way, the team has a better chance of creating the contour of trust that leads to greater participation among members. An executive team at the Hay Group, a consulting firm, engages in the kind of deep perspective taking were describing.The team has done role-playing exercises in which members adopt othersopinions and styles of interaction. It has also used a storyboarding technique, in 83 Building ttie Emotional Intelligence of Croups which each member creates a small poster representing his or her ideas. As team members will attest, these methods and others fork over helped the group build trust and increase participation. regulate IndividualsEmotions Interpersonal understanding and perspective taking are two ways that groups can become more aware of their members perspectives and feelings.But just as important as awareness is the ability to regulate those emotions-to have a posit ive impact on how they are expressed and even on how individual team members feel. Were not talking about elevated groupthink or some other form of manipulation here-clearly, the goal must be to balance the teams viscidity with members individuality. Were simply acknowledging that people take their emotional cues from those around them. Something that seems upsetting initially can seem not so poisonous o r ten prison terms worse depending on whether ones colleagues are run to smooth feathers or fan flames.The most constructive way of regulating team membersemotions is hy establishing norms in the group for both confrontation and caring. in a meeting where one team member arrived angry because the time and place of the meeting was very inconvenient for him. When another member announced the sacrifice the man had do to be there, and thanked him, the mans attitude turned around 180 degrees. In general, a caring orientation includes displaying positive regard, appreciation, and r espect for group members through behaviors such as support, validation, and compassion.Interpersonal understanding, perspective taking, confrontation, caring-these norms build trust and a sense of group identity among members. And all of them can be established in teams where they dont arise naturally. You may ask, But is it really worth all the effort? Does it make sense to spend managerial time fostering new norms to accommodate a few prickly personalities? Of course it does. Teams are at the very foundation of an organization, and they wont work effectively without mutual trust and a common commitment to goals. Working with Group EmotionsChris couldnt believe it, but he was requesting a reassignment The team he was on was doing good work, staying on budget, and hit all its deadlines though not always eleIt may seem illogical to suggest that an emotionally gantly. Its draw, Stan Evans, just got a promotion. So why intelligent group must engage in confrontation, but its was bei ng on the team such a downer? At the last major stanot. Inevitably, a team member will indulge in behavior tus meeting, they should have been serving champagne -so that crosses the line, and the team must feel comfortable much had been achieved.Instead, everyone was thoroughly career the foul. In one manu occurrenceuring team we studied, dispirited over a set bandaging they hadnt foreseen, which turned a member told us about the day she selfishly heady to out later to be no big deal. It seemed no matter what hapextend her break. Before long, one of her teammates pened, the group griped. The team even seeing machine Stans promostormed into the break room, saying, What are you dotion in a ban light Oh, so I guess management wants ing in here? Get back out on the floor-your team needs to keep a closer eye on us and I hear Stans new boss you The woman had overstepped tbe bounds, and doesnt back this project. Chris she got called on it. There were had a friend on another team no ha rd feelings, because the woman knew the group valued Inevitably, a team member will who was contented to put in a good word for him. The work was inher contributions. indulge in behavior that crosses herently little interesting but hey, Some teams also find that a at least they were having fun. little bumor helps when elevationing out errant behavior. Teasing Some teams suffer because someone who is habitually late they arent aware of emotions comfortable calling the foul. or meetings, for instance, can at the group level. Chriss team, make that person aware of how for instance, isnt aware of all it has achieved, and it doesnt hump that it has fallen important timeliness is to the group. Done right, coninto a malaise. n our study of effective teams, weve frontation can be seen in a positive light its a way for found tbat having norms for group self-awareness-of the group to say, We want you in-we need your conemotional states, strengths and weaknesses, modes of intribution. And its specially important when a team teraction, and task processes-is a critical part of group must work together on a long-term assignment. Without emotional intelligence tbat facilitates group efficacy. confrontation, exuberant behavior can fester and erode Teams gain it both through self-evaluation and by solicita sense of trust in a team. ing feedback from others. Establishing norms that reinforce caring behavior is practically not very hard-fought and unremarkably a matter of concenSelf-evaluation can take tbe form of a formal event trating on little things.When an individual is upset, for or a constant activity. At Sberwin Williams, a group of example, it may make all the difference to have group managers was starting a new initiative that would require members acknowledge that persons feelings. We saw this higher levels of teamwork. Group members hired a con- the line, and the team mustfeel 84 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Building the Emotional Intelligence of Croups sultant, but before the consultant arrived, they met to assess their strengths and weaknesses as a team.They found that merely articulating the issues was an important step toward building their capabilities. A far less formal method of raising group emotional awareness is through the kind of activity we saw at the Veterans Health Administrations Center for Leadership and Development. Managers there have developed a norm in which they are encouraged to speak up when they feel the group is not being productive. For example, if theres a post-lunch lull and people on the team are miserable on energy, someone might say, Dont we look like a bunch of sad sacks? With attention called to it, the group makes an effort to refocus. Emotionally competent teams dont wear blinders they have the emotional capacity to face potentially difficult development and actively seek opinions on their task processes, progress, and performance from the outside. For some teams, feedback may come directly from custom ers. Others look to colleagues within the company, to suppliers, or to professional peers. A group of externalizeers we studied routinely posts its work in progress on walls throughout the building, with invitations to comment and critique.Similarly, many advertising agencies see annual industry competitions as a valuable source of feedback on their creative teams work. Croups are most creative when their members collaborate unreservedly. pot better holding back when there is mutual trust, rooted in emotionally intelligent interactions. Regulating Group Emotions Many teams make conscious efforts to build team spirit. Team-building outings, whether purely social or superficial Bound-style physical challenges, are popular methods for building this sense of collective enthusiasm.Whats going on here is that teams and their leaders recognize they can improve a teams overall attitude-that is, they are regulating group-level emotion. And while the focus of a team-building exercise is o ften not directly related to a groups actual work, the benefits are highly germane(predicate) teams come away with higher emotional capacity and thus a greater ability to respond to emotional challenges. The most effective teams we have studied go far beyond the occasional ropes and rocks off-site. They have established norms that strengthen their ability to respond MARCH 2001 ffectively to the kind of emotional challenges a group confronts on a daily basis. The norms they favor accomplish three main things they create resources for working with emotions, foster an approbative environment, and encourage proactive problem solving. Teams need resources that all members can draw on to deal with group emotions. One important resource is a common vocabulary. To use an example, a group member at the Veterans Health Administration picked up on another members bad mood and told him that he was just scratchy today.The cranky term stuck and became the groups gentle way of letting someone k now that their negativity was having a bad effect on the group. Other resources may include helpful ways to vent frustrations. One executive team leader we interviewed described his teams practice of making time for a wailing wall a few minutes of whining and moaning about some setback. Releasing and acknowledging those negative emotions, 85 Building the Emotional Intelligence of Croups the leader says, al belittleds the group to refocus its attention on the parts of the situation it can control and bloodline its energy in a positive direction.But sometimes, venting takes more than words. Weve seen more than one bright workplace outfitted with toys like soft projectile shooters-that have been used in games of cube warfare. possibly the most obvious way to build emotional capacity through regulating team-level emotion is simply to create an affirmative environment. Everyone values a team that, when faced with a challenge, responds with a can-do attitude. Again, its a question of having the right group norms-in this case, favoring optimism, and positive images and interpretations over negative ones.This doesnt always come naturally to a team, as one executive we interviewed at the Hay Group knows. When external conditions create a rhythm of negativity among group members, he takes it upon himself to change the atmosphere of the group. He consciously resists the temptation to join the kick and blaming and instead tries to reverse the cycle with a positive, constructive note. One of the most powerful norms we have seen for building a groups ability to respond to emotionally challenging situations is an emphasis on proactive problem solving.We saw a lot of this going on in a manufacturing team we observed at vitamin A Corporation. Much of what this team needed to hit its targets was out of its strict control. But rather than sit back and point fingers, the team worked hard to get what it needed from others, and in some cases, took matters into its own hands . In one instance, an alignment problem in a key machine was creating faulty products. The team studied the problem and approached the engineering group with its own suggested flesh for a part tbat might correct the problem.The device worked, and the effect of defective products decreased significantly. Building Norms for Three Levels of Group Emotional Intelligence Group emotional intelligence is about the small acts that make a big difference. It is not about a team member working all night to meet a deadline it is about saying thank you for doir)g so. It is not about in-depth discussion of ideas it is about asking a quiet member for his thoughts. It is not about harmony, lack of tension, and all members liking each other it is about acknowledging when harmony is false, tension is unexpressed, and treating others witb respect.The following sidebar outlines some of the small things tbat groups can do to establisb tbe norms that build group emotional intelligence. take them down a notch. And what was with that name, anyway? Some kind ofinsidejoke, Jim guessed. Too bad nobody else got it The last kind of emotional intelligence any high-performing team should have relates to cross-boundary relationships, just as individuals should be mindful of their own emotions and others, groups should look both inward and outward emotionally.In the case of the Bugs, This kind of problem solving is valuable for many reathe team is acting like a clique creating close emotional sons. It obviously serves the company by removing one ties within but ignoring the feelings, needs, and conmore restraint to profitability. But, to the point of our cerns of important individuals and teams in the broader work, it also shows a team in control of its own emotions. organization. It refused to feel powerless and was eager to take charge. Some teams have developed norms that are particularly helpful in making them aware of the broader organizational context.One practice is to have variou s team members act as liaisons to important constituencies. Many Jim sighed. The Bugs team was at it agair. Didnt they see teams are already made up of members worn-out from varied parts of an organization, so a cross-boundary perthat while they were high-fiving one another over their impressive productivity, the rest of the organization was paying spective comes naturally. Others need to work a little harder. One team we studied reahzed it would be imfor it? This time, in their self-managed wisdom, theyd deportant to understand the perspective of its labor union. ided to make a three monthssupply of one component. No Consequently, a team member from HR went to some changeover meant no machine downtime and a record low lengths to discover the right channels for having a union cost per unit But now the group downstream was swamped with inventory it didnt need and worried about shortages of member appointed to the group. A cross-boundary perspective is especially important in situat ions where a something else. Jim braced himself for his visit to the floor. eams work will have significant impact on others in The Bugs didnt take criticism well they seemed to think they were flawless and that everyone else was just trying to the organization for example, where a team is asked to Working with Emotions Outside the Group 86 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups Individual Interpersonal Understanding 1. Take time away from group tasks to get to know one another. 2. Have a check in at the beginning of the meeting that is, ask how everyone is doing. 3. learn that undesirable behavior takes place for a reason.Find out what that reason is. Ask questions and listen. Avoid negative attributions. 4. Tell your teammates what youre thinking and how youre feeling. Perspective Taking 1. Ask whether everyone agrees with a decision. 2. Ask quiet members what they think. 3. Question decisions that come too quickly. 4. Appoint a devils advocate. G roup Team Self-Evaluation 1. Schedule time to examine team effectiveness. 2. earn measurable task and process objectives and then measure them. 3. Acknowledge and discuss group moods. 4. Communicateyour sense of what is transpirate in the team. 5. Allow members to call a process check. (For instance, a team member might say, sour check is this the most effective use of our time right now? ) Seeking Feedback 1. Askyourcustomershowyou are doing. 2. bit your work and invite comments. 3. Benchmark your processes. Cross-Boundary Organizational Understanding 1. Find out the concerns and needs of others in the organization. 2. mean who can influence the teams ability to accomplish its goals. 3. Discuss the ending and politics inthe organization. 4. Ask whether proposed team actions are congruent with the organizations culture and politics. Norms That Create Awareness of EmotionsNorms That Help Regulate Emotions Confrortting 1. Set ground rules and use them to point out errant behavior . 2. Call members on errant behavior. 3. Create playful devices for pointing out such behavior. These often emerge from the group spontaneously. Reinforce them. Caring 1. Support members volunteer to help them if they need it, be flexible, and earmark emotional support. 2. Validate members contributions. Let members know they are valued. 3. Protect members from attack. 4. Respect individuality and differences in perspectives. Listen. 3. never be derogatory or demeaning. Creating Resources for Working with Emotion 1.Make time to discuss difficult issues, and address the emotions that surround them. 2. Find creative, shorthand ways to acknowledge and express the emotion in the group. 3. Create fun ways to acknowledge and relieve stress and tension. 4. Express acceptance of members emotions. Creating an Affirmative Environment 1. Reinforce that the team can meet a challenge. Be optimistic. For example, say things like, We can get through this or nix will stop us 2. Focus on what you c an control. 3. instigate members of the groups important and positive mission. 4. Remind the group how it solved a similar problem before. 5.Focus on problem solving, not blaming. puzzle out Problems Proactively 1. Anticipate problems and address them before they happen. 2. Take the initiative to understand and get what you need to be effective. 3. Do ityourself if others arent responding. Rely on yourself, not others. Building External Relationships 1. Create opportunities for networking and interaction. 2. Ask about the needs of other teams. 3. Provide support for other teams. 4. Invite others to team meetings if they might have a stake in what you are doing. MARCH 2001 87 Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups design an intranet to serve everyones needs.Weve seen gaining the confidence of outsiders, adopting an ambasmany situations in which a team is so enamored of its so- sadorial role instead of an isolationist one. lution that it is caught completely by awe when othA manufacturing team we saw at KoSa displayed very ers in the company dont share its enthusiasm. high social skills in working with its maintenance team. It recognized that, when problems occurred in the plant, Some of the most emotionally intelligent teams we the maintenance team often had many activities on its have seen are so attuned to their broader organizational plate.All things being equal, what would make the maincontext that it affects how they frame and communicate tenance team consider this particular manufacturing their own needs and accomplishments. A team at the group a high priority? Knowing a good relationship chemical- bear on company KoSa, for example, snarl it would be a factor, the manufacturing team worked hard needed a new piece of manufacturing equipment, but seto build good ties with the maintenance people.At one nior management wasnt so sure the purchase was a pripoint, for instance, the manufacturing team showed its ority. Aware that the decision makers we re still on the appreciation by nominating the maintenance team for fence, the team heady to emphasize the employee safety Team of the Quarter recognition-and then doing all benefits of the new machine-just one aspect of its desirthe letter writing and behind-the-scenes praising that ability to them, but an issue of paramount importance to management.At a plant safety meeting attended by high- would ultimately help the maintenance team win. In turn, the manufacturing teams good relationship with level managers, they made the case that the equipment maintenance helped it become one of the highest prothey were seeking would greatly reduce the risk of injury ducers in the plant. to workers. A few weeks later they got it. Sometimes, a team must be particularly aware of the needs and feelings of another group witbiin the organizaA Model for Group Emotional tion.We worked with an information technology comIntelligence pany where the hardware engineers worked separately from the software engineers to achieve the same goalWeve been discussing the need for teams to learn to faster processing and fewer crashes. Each could achieve channel emotion effectively at the three levels of human only so much independently. When finally a hardware interaction important to them team to individual memteam leader went out of bis way to build relationships ber, team to itself, and team to outside entities.Together, with the software people, the two teams began to coopthe norms weve been exploring help groups work with erate and together, they achieved 20% to 40% higher per- emotions productively and intelligently. Often, groups formance than had been targeted. with emotionally intelligent members have norms like these in place, but its unlikely any group would unconThis kind of positive outcome can be facilitated by sciously come up with all the norms we have outhned. norms that encourage a group to recognize the feelIn other words, this is a forge for group emotional intelings and needs of other groups.We saw effective norms ligence that any work team for interteam awareness at a could benefit from by applying division of AMP, where each it deliberately. Nee seen many situations manufacturing team is creditworthy for a step in the manufacWhat would the ultimate in which a team is so enamored emotionally intelligent team turing process and they need one another to complete the look like? at hand(predicate) to the ideal of its solution that it is caught product on time. Team leaders are some of the teams weve there meet in the morning to completely by surprise when seen at IDEO, the celebrated understand the needs, resources, industrial design firm.IDEOs and schedules of each team. If others in the company dont creative teams are responsible one team is ahead and another for the look and feel of products share its enthusiasm. is behind, they reallocate relike Apples first mouse, the sources. Members of the faster Crest toothpaste tube, and the team help the t eam thats behind and do so in a friendly Palm V personal digital assistant. Thefirmroutinely wins way that empathizes with their situation and builds the competitions for the form and function of its designs and relationship. even has a business that teaches creative problem-solving techniques to other companies. roughly of the examples weve been citing show teams that are not only aware of but also able to influence outThe temper of IDEOs work calls for high group emosiders needs and perspectives. This ability to regulate tional intelligence. Under pressure of client deadlines and emotion at the cross-boundary level is a groups version of budget estimates, the company must deliver innovative, the social skills so critical to individual emotional intel- aesthetic solutions that balance human needs with engiligence. It involves developing external relationships and neering realities. Its a deep philosophical belief at IDEO 88HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Building ttie Emotional Intellige nce of Croups that great design is best accomplished through the crerelationships with those individuals and groups. On disative friction of diverse teams and not the only(a) pursuit play at IDEO is a curious model a toy truck with malleable of brilliant individuals, so its imperative that the teams at pieces on springs that pop out of the bed of the truck IDEO click. In our study of those teams, we found group when a button is pressed. It turns out the model comnorms supporting emotional intelligence at all three levmemorates an incident that taught a variety of lessons. ls ofour model. The story centers on a design team that had been working for three weeks on a very complex plastic enclosure First, the teams at IDEO are very aware of individual for a product. Unfortunately, on team members emotions, and the Thursday before a Monday they are adept at regulating A team can have everything client deadline, when an engithem. For example, an IDEO deneer was taking it to be painted, signer became very frustrated going for it-the brightest and it slipped from his pickup bed because someone from marketand exploded on ing was insisting a logo be apmost qualified people, access to 70 mph.The team the road at was willing plied to the designers product, to work through the weekend to which he felt would ruin it visuresources, a clear mission but rebuild the part but couldnt finally. At a meeting about the prodish it without the help of the still fail because it lacks group uct, the teams project leader outside fabricator it had used picked up on the fact that someemotional intelligence. on the original. Because they thing was wrong. The designer had taken the time to build a was sitting off by himself, and things didnt look right. The project leader looked into the situation and then initiated a negotiation that led to a mutual solution. IDEO team members also confront one another when they break norms. This is common during brainstorming sessions, where the rule is that people must defer judgment and avoid shooting down ideas. If someone breaks that norm, the team comes down on him in a playful yet forceful way imagine being pelted by effervesce toys). Or if someone is out of line, the norm is to stand up and call her on it immediately.If a client is in the room, the confrontation is subtler- perhaps a kick under the chair. Teams at IDEO also demonstrate strengths in groupfocused emotional intelligence. To ensure they have a high level of self-awareness, teams constantly seek feedback from both inside and outside the organization. Most important, they work very closely with customers. If a design is not meeting customer expectations, the team finds out quickly and takes steps to modify it. Regulating group emotion at IDEO often means providing outlets for stress. This is a company that believes in playing and having fun.Several hundred finger blasters (a toy that shoots soft projectiles) have been placed around the building for employees to pick up and start shooting when theyre frustrated. Indeed, the design firms culture welcomes the expression of emotions, so its not uncommon for someone whether happy or angryto stand up and yell. IDEO has even created fun office projects that people can work on ifthey need a break. For example, they might have a project to design the company holiday card or to design the tourist stop displays seen by visitors.Finally, IDEO teams also have norms to ensure they are aware of the needs and concerns of people outside their boundaries and that they use that awareness to develop tWARCH 2 0 0 1 good relationship with the fabricator, its people were willing to go above and beyond the call of duty. The lighthearted display was a way for teammates to show the engineer that all was forgiven-and a reminder to the rest of the organization of how a team in crisis can get by with a little help from its friends. Where Do Norms Come From? Not every company is as dependent on teams and their emotion al intelligence as IDEO.But now more than ever, we see companies depending on teams for decisions and tasks that, in another time, would have been the work of individuals. And unfortunately, we also see them discovering that a team can have everything going for it-the brightest and most qualified people, access to resources, a clear mission-but still fail because it lacks group emotional intelligence. Norms that build trust, group identity, and group efficacy are the key to making teams click. They allow an otherwise highly skilled and resourced team to fulfill its potential, and they can help a team faced with substantial challenges achieve surprising victories.So how do norms as powerful as the ones weve described in this article come about? In our research, we saw them being introduced from any of five basic directions by formal team leaders, by informal team leaders, by courageous followers, through training, or ft-om the larger organizational culture. (For more on how to establ ish the norms described in this article, see the sidebarBuilding Norms for Three Levels of Group Emotional Intelligence. ) At the Hay Group, for example, it was the deliberate action of a team leader that helped one group see the importance of emotions to the groups overall effectiveness.Because this particular group was composed of managers 89 Building ttie Emotional Intelligence of Groups from many different cultures, its leader knew he couldnt assume all the members possessed a high level of interpersonal understanding. To establish that norm, he introduced novelties like having a meeting without a tahle, using smaller groups, and conducting an inventory of team membersvarious learning styles. Interventions like these can probably be done only by a formal team leader. The ways informal leaders or other team members enhance emotional intelligence are typically more subtle, though often just as powerful.Anyone might advance the cause, for example, by public speaking up if the grou p appears to be ignoring an important perspective or feeling-or simply by doing his or her part to create an affirmative environment. Training courses can also go a long way toward increase emotional awareness and showing people how to regulate emotions. We know of many companies that now focus on emotional issues in leadership development courses, negotiation and communication workshops, and employee-assistance programs like those for stress management.These training programs can sensitize team members to the importance of establishing emotionally intelligent norms. Finally, perhaps more than anything, a team can be influenced by a broader organizational culture that recognizes and celebrates employee emotion. This is clearly the case at IDEO and, we believe, at many of the companies creating the greatest value in the new economy. Unfortu- nately, its the most difficult piece ofthe puzzle to put in place at companies that dont already have it. For organizations with long histories of employees checking their emotions at the door, change will occur, if at all, one team at a time.Becoming Intelligent About Emotion The research presented in this article arosefromone simple imperative in an era of teamwork, its essential to figure out what makes teams work. Our research shows that, just like individuals, the most effective teams are emotionally intelligent ones-and that any team can attain emotional intelligence. In this article, weve attempted to lay out a model for positive change, containing the most important t3pes of norms a group can create to enhance its emotional intelligence. Teams, like all groups, operate according to such norms.By working to establish norms for emotional awareness and regulation at all levels of interaction, teams can build the solid foundation of trust, group identity, and group efficacy they need for true cooperation and collaboration-and high performance overall. 9 Reprint R0103E To order reprints, see the last page of Executive Su mmaries. To further explore the topic of this article, go to www. hbr. org/explore. (Al j-iywi 1 Im in a rut They throw the ball, I bring it back. They throw it again, I bring it back again. Whats the point of it ail? 90 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW