The Cause of Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Cause of Violence - Essay Example Their reasoning has been influenced to the extent that they will carry out the unthinkable. Extensive researches and surveys may not always be consistent, but a basic factor contributing to violence has been evident for a long time - family issues. Simply being an eyewitness to family violence has a great effect upon a youngster. Derek and Danny Vinyard (American History X) witnessed the murder of their father by a black man. Nevertheless, although they may not have realized, they were being conditioned to believe that 'what happened to their father was an act of racism by the black man'. Moreover, Derek had already been influenced by his father's cynical views on African American culture. When they became grown-up, Derek and Danny lead a life of a "vengeance-seeking white supremacist" (Synopsis for American History X, www.imdb.com). Parents' own behavior has an enormous consequence on a young child's mind. Hally's (Master Harold and the Boys) father is a drunkard and a tyrant. He grew up having resentment for his father. On one incident, Hally unleashed "years of anger and pain on his two black friends; creating possibly-permanent rifts in his relationship with them" (Master Harold and the Boys, www.en.wikipedia.org). Careful students of the appalling increase of violence in our dangerous times list many contributing factors: the media emphasis on violent events, crime and corruption; the way world leaders shamelessly resort to violence to stay in power; the sense of utter frustration with injustices that never seem to be resolved, leading some to feel that bullets will accomplish what ballots cannot; the callous way inwhich millions of the unborn are violently wrenched from existence by abortion; the way religious leaders uphold "just" wars and yet do not uphold moral principles in the face of lowering standards. The world soon gets desensitized, inured to violence. And there are other reasons. The permissiveness of supposed progressive thinking in our time has altered customs and moral standards, removing the restraints that once served to check attitudes and actions that can lead to violence. The sad effect is seen especially in the young. It is not an exaggeration, therefore, to say that what a person reads or sees has an effect on his attitudes. Sexual abuses and perversions also breed violence by destroying all sense of decency. No matter what is the cause of violence is, the question remains: Does this mean that mankind is doomed to an endless cycle of vicious and escalating violence Happily, our knowing that what now exists is a temporary situation, soon to end, and that there is a way out, can give us strength to endure. Many of Jehovah's Witnesses testify to this. You, too, can 'escape all these things that are destined to occur.' About these same woes for this time of the end, Jesus said: "As these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near." So, take courage! Jesus will shortly deliver mankind from all oppression and violence.-Luke 21:28,36; Psalm 72:1, 2, 12,14. Works Cited Page Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. "Why So Many Violent Crimes Now" Awake! 08 July 2003: 5 - 9. The Internet Movie Database. 28 May 2008. IMDb.com, Inc. 28 October 2008 [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120586/synopsis]. Wikipedia the Free

Examine and analyse the concept of HRM and Innovation, using lessons Essay

Examine and analyse the concept of HRM and Innovation, using lessons from the worlds most innovative firms to support your study - Essay Example It is stated as a science as it requires appropriate and constant application of the theory in practices for greater efficiency (Jackson 1-20). The present era of competition and rapidly changing world, has made innovation a significant factor, which is critical for every business organization its success and sustainability. The organizations with more innovation capability are performing well in the present economy and innovation has become a benchmark on which the success of an organization is assessed. The relation between HRM and innovation has been studied from various possible approaches and it has been evaluated that the HRM has a significant relation with innovation both directly and indirectly. It is has been found that the impact of the HRM practices on employees have created immense opportunities for innovations. Toyota Motor Corporation is one such organization that takes into consideration the HRM practices and innovation for greater market share. Thus, to obtain a better understanding of the stated issue, this thesis aims to evaluate the concept of HRM and Innovation. HRM is a system, which generally comprises of specific practice that stimulates innovation. The empirical studies also have recognized that HRM influences and supports activities, which facilities innovation such as intellectual development, knowledge expansion and development of new products. It has been identified that the HRM plays a crucial role in motivating innovation in organization, as it increases individual creativity, enhances knowledge sharing between the employees and shapes their skills and behaviors for better performance and greater innovations for the success of the organization (Karlsson 1-64). The roles and objectives of HRM in an organization is indeed very vast and it comprises all the aspects of employees from the time they enter into an organization till the time

Recommendations for the Best Interests of a Child Essay Example for Free

Recommendations for the Best Interests of a Child Essay Ted and Joanna Kramer have been married for six years before she decided to leave him and their son Billy. She believes that she is unfit to continue being a mother and has decided to force her husband into taking care of their child by simply leaving. Mr. Kramer had been ignorant of the depression that has gripped his wife through more than half of their married life because he was too busy with his job. Both father and son were hoping that Mrs. Kramer would come back but weeks turned to months and she would just write letters. Meanwhile, Mr. Kramer and the child have been able to establish their own relationship and routines. They grew fond of each other and have learned to put more effort in keeping their bond stronger. On the other hand, Mrs. Kramer had transferred to another state and has been undergoing therapy. Upon realizing that she does have self-worth, she decided to come back to work in New York and fight for custody. Mr. Kramer is equally determined to keep the child because he was not sure if his wife was stable enough to really take care of their son. Recommendation The court must ensure that its decision would be for the best interests of Billy Kramer who is now seven years old. Upon examination of the situation and both parties’ relationship to each other, the recommendation is for both parents to share legal custody of the child. Physical custody shall be solely granted to the father, Ted Kramer. Joanna Kramer shall be allowed visitation rights. Recommendations are based on the following reasons: 1. Although both parents show great affection for their son, the absence of a caring father at home may be particularly tough for a boy; those who see little of their fathers during their childhoods and have no substitute male presence in their lives may later have trouble making and keeping friends. (Eisenberg, et. al. , 1996, p. 792) 2. Although records from Mrs. Kramer’s psychologist show, her positive response to therapy, approximately six years of depression cannot be solved in merely fifteen months. It would be wise for Mrs. Kramer to gain more understanding of herself and her own needs before she takes custody of their child. 3. Billy Kramer has already established a daily routine with his father and this has helped this child cope with the distressful absence of his mother. Should the court decide to grant Joanna Kramer full custody, this shall uproot Billy from the lifestyle he has already gotten used to and may affect him negatively. 4. Joint legal custody in this case shall be needed to support the child’s needs. Mrs. Kramer’s salary is higher than Mr. Kramer’s and Billy would benefit most if both parents can provide his needs financially. 5. The impact of change on the child must be taken into consideration. When parents live far away, it can be hard for children to maintain a feeling of continuity between both of their homes. (Davis Keyser, 1997, p. 391) 6. In general, custody laws and decisions favor continued and frequent contact between the child and both parents, as well as an ongoing role for both parents in the raising of their children. (http://www. healthline. com/galecontent/child-custody-laws) Visitation rights for Mrs. Kramer can help Billy feel secure about his family and self. Evaluation has been done to ensure the child’s interest and therefore, the recommendation is for both parents to share legal custody; Mr. Kramer be granted full physical custody; and Mrs. Kramer be granted visitation rights. References Davis, L. Keyser, J. (1997). Becoming the Parent You Want to Be. Broadway Books New York, p. 391. Eisenberg, A. , Murkoff, H. E. Hathaway, S. E. (1996). What To Expect The Toddler Years. Workman Publishing New York p. 792. Retrieved May 11, 2007 from http://www. healthline. com/galecontent/child-custody-laws

Growth In The Sector Of Social Networking Media Essay

Growth In The Sector Of Social Networking Media Essay Social networking can be described as the art of keeping in touch with friends and relatives through social Media. Social networking came to be with the introduction of Facebook amongst other social sites. For years now, there has been tremendous growth in the sector of social networking. Like we all know, any changes in the course of our lives will affect us in different ways. The effects of social networking are important to me personally as it will help me understand it in a broad perspective. I will be able to fully research on the possible future effects that come with the development of social networking. I will also be able to expound more on what the other research have explored on the effects of social networking. As much as I will contribute to the study of the effects of social networking, I will also gain from it by learning on what others had to say. The study will also help others in knowing what they are getting into when they register onto social network sites. What are the positives they stand to gain and what are the negatives to be on the look out for? How well can they be able to control their use of social networking in order to benefit fully from them? Should they embrace the wave of social networking fully or take precaution measures? These are some of the questions that the study will help answer to the readers of this report. The study will mostly target individuals who use social networking sites on daily basis. The individuals will be grouped in accordance to age and current occupation. It will also take into consideration individuals who are still in school. The study will be conducted within a period of one month so as to fully establish the effects of social networking. The time duration is ideal because it is neither too short nor too long. It is suitable for effective results that are up-to-date. Through the study, I hope to establish if there are more positive than negative effects of social networking. How we can all benefit from social networking simply because it is what everyone including companies are doing. I hope to find if we can entirely do away with social networking and how it will affect us should we take that path. The main sections of this paper are the literature review, the findings of the study, the conclusion and the recommendations for the study. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW In this chapter, the effects of social networking are analyzed in depth. It will focus mainly on three variables that are mostly affected by social networking i.e. professionalism, social life and education. This paper only focuses on the three as these are the key area of the study. Social networking services can be described as online services that are only established to bring people closer together in terms of creating relations and sharing a common interest (Woessner, 2011). Social networking began to grow with the advance revelation of computers and easy access to the internet (Jue, Marr Kassotakis, 2009). Usenet and LISTSERV are some of the first online services to offer a better platform for social networking sites to expand (Jue, Marr Kassotakis, 2009). As the demand for social sites increased, more social sites were launched into the market as more and more online service providers developed. It was only until the years 19954 that the first social networking site was registered in the World Wide Web (WWW). These sites included Geocities, Theglobe.com and tripod. These sites mainly focused on establishing chat rooms and bring people closer together regardless of their geographical background (Papacharissi, 2010). Different communities see this as an opportunity that they should tap into. A good example of such communities with people who shared the same interests or background was Classmates.com. However, this social site took the approach of linking people together through the use of email address. As time progressed, the use of profiles was to be introduced in the late 1990s. User profiles just like the name suggest allow users to compile the list of friends they wish to have on their social page (Papacharissi, 2010). This new development in social networking encourages the launch of social sites such as SixDegrees.com, Hub Culture, and Makeoutclub.com amongst others. This was to mark the beginning of a new revolution in the social networking market. By the year 2000, other social network sites were being introduced almost on annual basis. This saw the increase in the number of people registering as well as an increase in competition of the site owners. By the year 2005, MySpace was the number one ranked social site in the US. All this was to change with the launch of Facebook in the year 2004. It is currently the largest social networking site in the world. The study on the effects of social networking started immediately after the launch and establishment of Facebook. This is because no social site has been able to revolutionize the world the way Facebook has. It simply took the world by storm as it had everyone registering on it (Papacharissi, 2010). The study was first conducted as certain effects become noticeable thus the need to explore on them. We can therefore say that social networking can have either a positive or negative effect on its users. On the level of professionalism, previous studies noted that the effects of social networking during work hours brought about more negative effects than the positives. The level of productivity simply went a notch lower as more employees spent their time on social sites (Woessner, 2011). With the free and easy access to the internet while at the work place, employees did and site find it cheap to access their social pages while at work. With more employees performing poorly, employers were forced to take drastic measures to ensure that things got back to normal. Most firms had to block and declare the use of social networking sites during working hours as illegal. A study conducted by HCL Technologies in the year 2011 show that an entire 50% of British employers ban the use of social sites at work (Jue, Marr Kassotakis, 2009). As much as social networking sites have proved through past studies that they do slow down employees, productivity, study also show that they can be beneficial. Recent studies prove that marketing through social sites can be very effective to a firm. With a wide audience to gain access to the information that you have to sell in a click of a button; social networking is definitely the way to go in terms of marketing (Woessner, 2011). Adverts are designed to help create awareness and market for your products and services. Previous scholars have shown beyond reasonable doubt that social networking sites can be the best marketing ground for any product and or service. With a wide and cheap way of creating awareness, all you need is to have as many people see what you are marketing. The social media is often flocked with individuals at any given time; your advert will never go unnoticed (Jue, Marr Kassotakis, 2009). Once social life has also been a keen past study as far as the effects of social networking are concerned. Your social life matters a lot simply because this is how you relate to the people around you. Do you have friends or are you always alone. Studies have shown that social networking sites can either help create or damage your social life. You want to make and keep in touch with your friends, then social sites is the answer. On average basis, you will remember to keep in touch with everyone on your phone book. However, you can be updated on what is happening in their lives through social networking (Papacharissi, 2010) Recent studies show that people do lie more often on the information they exchange on social networking sites. You want people to think that your life is amazing and therefore you lie about almost everything (Parrack, 2012). One of the major effects of social networking in regards to ones social life is the inability to keep up with the lies. Eventually the truth does come out at some point in time thus crushing the person. With a low self esteem and the truth finally out, people find it hard to go back to their normal lives (Papacharissi, 2010). Studies do show that most people who suffer this kind of fate tend to be depressed and withdrawn from social activities. They therefore might need psychological help in order to be able to interact freely with people. The effect of social networking on education has probably the most studied topic on the effects of social networking as a whole. Previous studies in relation to education and social networking were once seen as a hindrance in the development of ones education (Dunn, 2011). This is because most of the social sites users and especially on Facebook and Twitter are still of school going age on different levels. Social networking was proven to affect the grades of students as they tend to perform poorly by spending most of their time socializing on the sites. The studentsà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ education almost came to a compromise with the introduction of current and easy to access social sites especially through their mobile phones (Dunn, 2011)The only way to ensure that education came first to social networking was to establish ways of prohibiting social sites while at school (Parrack, 2012). As much as social networking was considered to be a hindrance in the development of education, past studies have also shown that it can be helpful in developing technical skills amongst other. As students interact with each other on the social sites, there is a lot more they share than the events of their day to day activities. Recent studies have shown that students are now using social networking sites to explore the talents they have (Dunn, 2011). There is more than what meets the eye in relation to students and social sites. This has grown to be the platform of interaction to discuss other significant matters than the social ones (Parrack, 2012). Just like in the professional environment, students are now putting into good use the positive effects that come with social networking. The study on the effects of social networking recently took a new twist. Researchers now claim that social networking sites offer some of the best grounds to carry out research work. Most of the research work is now targeting social networking sites as it is easier to find the kind of population target that you desire (Parrack, 2012). With this recent development, we can add to the existing effects of social networking as a whole. As for the future concerns of the effects of social networking, the trend shows that there will be more emerging positive effects than negatives. This is the belief of many simply because at first there were more negatives than positives but this is slowly changing. We are yet to discover other unhidden positive effects that the social sites have to offer (Parrack, 2012). The more we expand our features and social networking uses, the more we stand to benefit from them. The advantage of carrying out this research study is to help understand the past studies and explore more on the future possible effects. The advantage of carrying out this research will not only benefit me as an individual but the entire community as a whole. This study will go a long way in help solving current problems in relation to the effects of social networking. This study will also help future researcher to develop their past studies section as they explore its contents for reference. 3.0 METHODOLOGY This chapter describes the methodology used to collect data in establishing the possible effects of social networking. The method that the research chooses to use is interview. Interviews simply because it enables the research to get first hand answers as well as offer personal interaction with the interviewee (Creswell, 2008). The use of interviews as a research method has been there since time memorial and it has proven to offer so much. The interviewer will be able to capture the non spoken responses of the interviewee such as gestures and facial expressions. In addition to that, interviews are ideal when it comes to clear explanations from either party of the interview (Creswell, 2008). The data will be collected in different venues so as to target a wider perspective of the population. Schools, offices and public places such as parks will be the targeted locations for this research. This is to enable to get as many different individuals for the research. When your targeted population is wide, you stand to benefit from unbiased results (Kumar, 2010). The more people the research will cover from different grounds, the more diverse the data collected will be. The research will focus on interview a population target between the ages of 15-40. This is because this is the ideal age that frequently uses social networking for various reasons. The age limit is that low as social networking attracts not only the adults but teenagers as well. Research has shown that a growing percentage of social networking users are mainly below the ages of eighteen. As for the age maximum age, the research will better portray the mature uses at that particular age. The data collect in the span of one month i.e. the duration period of the research, will first be edited before it is interpreted. Data editing allows for the clarity and the completion of information collected. Once editing is done, the information will be presented in the form of tables and graphs for the quantitative information. As for the qualitative, it will be presented in a descriptive manner. This is because not all information gathered can be presented in a quantitative manner. The research expects to find more positive effects of social networking than negatives. 4.0 FINDINGS This chapter describes the presentation of the finding obtained through the interview process. The use of graphs will present the quantitative while descriptive form will present the qualitative information. 4.1 Quantitative analysis 4.1.1 Respond rate Out of the 200 target population to be interviewed, only 160 had a successful interview. This makes the respond rate 80% Category Sample size Actual respond percentage 15-25 100 90 45 25-40 100 70 35 totals 200 160 80 Source Author (2012) 4.1.2Effects on professionalism Category response percentage Positive 110 68.75 Negative 50 31.25 Total 160 100 Source Author (2012) 4.1.3 Effects on social life Category response percentage Positive 150 94 Negative 10 6 Totals 160 100 Source Author (2012) 4.1.4 Effect on education Category response percentage Positive 90 56 Negative 70 44 Totals 160 100 Source Author (2012) 4.2 Qualitative analysis From the research analysis majority of the individuals who are employed or self employed find social networking to be an added advantage to their careers. The respondents agree that social networking helps them to market their goods and services in a cheap and effective way. They point out that majority of firms now have profile pages in most of the social networking sites as an easier way for them to interact with clients. Majority of the respondents find social networking to help them with their social life. It is a simply way of keeping in touch with your friends on regular basis without necessarily having to meet with them. Respondents also find it easier to make new friends on social sites through old friends. Reuniting lost friends also top the list of some of the positive effects of social networking. Only a small percentage finds social networking to ruin or be a hindrance to their social life Only a few out of the possible half way mark of the respondents find social networking to be beneficial in regards to education. They do agree that social sites are currently trending and they can be used in a positive manner. This group of respondents acknowledges the fact that social sites can be ideal grounds for research work. The rest of the respondents simply find social networking to be a fail in regards to education. They see no positive reactions between education and social sites. 5.0 CONCLUSION The main objective of this research was to highlight the effects of social networking. Majority of the respondents agree that there are now more positive effects than negative effects. Majority of the respondents agree on positive effects for the three areas tested i.e. professionalism, social life and education. From the results, it is clear that the norm of having more negative effects than positive effects of social networking is slowly changing. As much as the study was a success, if I was to do it again, the one thing I would change is the number of variables under study. Social networking does not only affect our lives in the three variables highlighted for this study. There are so many other ways in which social networking affects us. For future researchers, it is highly encouraged to explore areas such as the effects of social networking in regards to building skills, creating employment opportunities, reducing crime rates amongst others. The study on the effects of social networking was a success as I found what I expected. At the beginning of the study, I expected to find an increase in positive effects and a decrease in the negatives. From the results, it is clear that majority of people now benefit from social networking in a positive manner. The complaints as to how negative social sites can be are slowly dying as people now start acknowledging the better side of social networking. Reference Creswell, J. (2008). Research design: A qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches. New York: Sage Publications Ltd. Dunn, J. (2011, June 11). The 10 best and worst ways social media impacts education. Retrieved from http://edudemic.com/2011/07/social-media-education/ Jue, A., Marr, J., Kassotakis, M. (2009). Social media at work: How networking tools propel organizational performance. California: Jossey-Bass. Kumar, R. (2010). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. New York: Sage Publications Ltd. Papacharissi, Z. (2010). A networked self: Identity, community, and culture on social network sites. New York: Routledge. Parrack, D. (2012, April 19). The positive impact of social networking sites on society [opinion]. Retrieved from http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/positive-impact-social-networking-sites-society-opinion/ Woessner, S. (2011). Increase online sales through viral social networking: How to build your web site traffic and online sales using Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin in just 15 steps. Florida: Atlantic Publishing Group Inc.

cinderella Essay -- essays research papers

Cinderella: Once Upon A Time The story of Cinderella has appealed to a number of audiences since its earliest dated version in A.D. 850. Even with the extensive selection of fairy tales in existence, "Cinderella" is undoubtedly the best known in the world, with over 700 versions of this story available. However, this popularity is not limited strictly to literature, for the Cinderella theme is also seen in many movie productions. Two movies, Walt Disney's Cinderella and Andy Tennant's Ever After: A Cinderella Story, are of particular interest. These films share many similarities, both in the screenplay and in the visual effects, but a vast difference exists between the two. Though both teach that goodness will ultimately triumph over evil and villainy, Ever After's depiction of the characters presents a better moral lesson for our society by showing that independence and intelligence are just as important as goodness. Throughout history, as evidenced by Perault and the Grimm Brothers, Cinderella has typically been portrayed as the girl who obeys without complaining. She is characterized to be a perfect woman, both in purity and in beauty. All stories are somewhat influenced by the times in which they are written, and "Cinderella" is no exception. In fact, the date in which Disney's Cinderella was released, 1950, most likely played a significant role in this particular Cinderella's success. After the years of poverty and struggle of the Great Depression and World War II, America wanted a change. Instead of being reminded of the past, this generation wanted to look toward the future as a time of happiness, success, and stability. Cinderella gave them this chance. Its ideals are simple and follow the morality themes of ordinary fairy tales: if one is pure and follows his or her conscience, one's dreams will come true. Disney adheres to the typical portrayal of Cinderella as the perfect woma n. In the Disney movie, she is young, innocent, and pure. More importantly, she plays a sweet, innocent girl with whom no one can find a fault. She accepts her circumstances, and makes the best of them, no matter how dire and unfavorable. Though she is a servant in her own home, with her stepfamily ordering her about, her only response to this abuse is, "I know it isn't easy maciej mikula, but we should at least try and get along together." Cin... ...r more than she needs him, though the outward appearance may seem otherwise. This is more evidence of the independence people in the 21st century encourage in both women and men. Walt Disney's Cinderella and Andy Tennant's Ever After are both based on the original Cinderella stories. However, because both of them were released in very different times, many differences mark the two versions, though they keep many of the key elements that appeal to such a wide audience over the centuries. In both stories, Cinderella is a beautiful, young lady with a kind heart. Ever After, however, adds intelligence and courage to these qualities. Leading into the 21st century, these additions make Cinderella a much more modern and appealing role model for both the female and male audiences. Cinderella triumphs over her evil stepfamily in Ever After by playing an active role in receiving her freedom and by demonstrating to the viewer that knowledge is just as important a trait as goodness. Even tho ugh Cinderella and her prince live "happily ever after" in both Disney and Tennant's depictions, how each girl got to the point of this ever-famous phrase has dramatically changed with the times.

Human Qualities that Truly Endure Essay examples -- Personal Narrative

Human Qualities that Truly Endure Puberty first sneered its cynical smirk at me early in seventh grade. That always-tortuous awakening came even more cruelly to me than to most. The boundaries of my coming-of-age world were defined by "cool" and "un-cool." I for one was hopelessly beleaguered by the yoke of un-coolness, but had not yet given in to it. I desperately fumbled and stumbled in my attempts to be numbered among the cool, oblivious that it had already been deemed unattainable to me by the social conventions of adolescence in middle-class Jewish Chicago. In truth, I was every mother's dream. But I knew deep inside that I was, in fact, little more than a victim of my own ambivalence: My desperate yearning to be cool, and my even more compelling desire to please parents who expected their son to be obedient, neatly groomed, respectful of elders, academically superior, in a word, the very antithesis of cool. The path to cool could not be paved with science fair victories, prize-winning essays on Americanism, sharing a bedroom with one's grandmother, a wardrobe determined by a mother's definition of good taste, a father's insistence tha... ...d dirty bucks. The only part of the fantasy to come true was the Rambler. There had been no call, no picking up, no dropping off, no Robin, no dance. I returned to my place not angry, but humiliated. The humiliation lingered like most pubescent dreams until it dissipated into deeper, more circumspect wisdom that I would never admit sounded conspicuously like the advice my mother would prudently dispense: The virtues of inner charm, the deceit of superficial beauty, the fleetingness of popularity, the preciousness of a good companion, the human qualities that truly endure. Human Qualities that Truly Endure Essay examples -- Personal Narrative Human Qualities that Truly Endure Puberty first sneered its cynical smirk at me early in seventh grade. That always-tortuous awakening came even more cruelly to me than to most. The boundaries of my coming-of-age world were defined by "cool" and "un-cool." I for one was hopelessly beleaguered by the yoke of un-coolness, but had not yet given in to it. I desperately fumbled and stumbled in my attempts to be numbered among the cool, oblivious that it had already been deemed unattainable to me by the social conventions of adolescence in middle-class Jewish Chicago. In truth, I was every mother's dream. But I knew deep inside that I was, in fact, little more than a victim of my own ambivalence: My desperate yearning to be cool, and my even more compelling desire to please parents who expected their son to be obedient, neatly groomed, respectful of elders, academically superior, in a word, the very antithesis of cool. The path to cool could not be paved with science fair victories, prize-winning essays on Americanism, sharing a bedroom with one's grandmother, a wardrobe determined by a mother's definition of good taste, a father's insistence tha... ...d dirty bucks. The only part of the fantasy to come true was the Rambler. There had been no call, no picking up, no dropping off, no Robin, no dance. I returned to my place not angry, but humiliated. The humiliation lingered like most pubescent dreams until it dissipated into deeper, more circumspect wisdom that I would never admit sounded conspicuously like the advice my mother would prudently dispense: The virtues of inner charm, the deceit of superficial beauty, the fleetingness of popularity, the preciousness of a good companion, the human qualities that truly endure.

Corruption Free Pakistan Dream Or a Reality

Corruption simply means dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those who are in power. As Lord Acton said: â€Å"Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely. † Corruption is the absence of honesty and virtue. Corruption is the evil which leads to the economic, social and moral problems in a country. The society void of law and order is a corrupt society. It is as old as man. It is a world-wide phenomenon. It is probably found in all the countries of the world. Corruption creates a deplorable situation in the country. Karl Kraus truly said:â€Å"Corruption is worse than prostitution, the latter might endanger the morals of an individual; the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country. † When we come to know about corruption level in Pakistan, then we are forced to say that Pakistan is in a terrible situation these days because there is too much corruption in Pakistan. Every department is corrupt and not performing their duty honestly. The fun ds and money that should be spend to provide facilities to the people of Pakistan, they are gone in corruption. The development projects are incomplete due to corruption.We are lagging behind other nations of the world due to corruption in our country. Corruption is caused either by power or by absolute power. Frank Herbert clarifies it in this way: â€Å"Power attracts the corruptible. Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible†. There are various forms of corruption in Pakistan. It is found in the form of cheating, fraud, swindling, nepotism, jobbery and misappropriation of funds, bribery and acceptance of gratification. The corrupt people do not abide by the laws. They ignore morality and good manners. They cause many evils in the society.It is a flea that sucks the blood of the people of Pakistan. It defames and degrades the nation in the eyes of other nations of the world. When a sensible citizen of Pakistan ponders upon present condition of corruption in the cou ntry, he is curious to know about its root causes and its remedies. Corruption has been a menace for our country since the birth of this nation. There are many causes of the prevalence of corruption. Firstly, the wish to grow rich overnight is its root cause. Such people ignore moral values and try to feather their nest. Mostly the politicians are involved in this case.They always look to the rich and do not bother to look to the poor. Henry Kissinger explains it with authentic arguments: â€Å"Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad. † The modern civilization has urged man to adopt a high standard of living. People want to live in bungalows and board costly cars. In order to lead a luxurious life, they use many fair or foul means to grab wealth. In this way, they cause corruption. Secondly, the prices of the commodities of life are rising daily. The government has no control over anything in society.In order to meet their needs, people resort to corruption an d cause different crimes in society. Thirdly, a few privileged hands in our country are very strong. No government has the power to enforce any policy after its own will rather it has to become a puppet in the hands of the industrialists and capitalists. All the people in government have fear in their minds due to these people. John Steinbeck correctly explains this fear in this way: â€Å"Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦perhaps the fear of a loss of power. † These people raise the prices of their production as and when they like.If a government tries to teach them a lesson, it has to lick the dust. Fourthly, fixed income people also cause corruption. The prices of commodities of life rise daily but their salaries are not raised with that ratio. As a result, they begin to accept bribery in order to keep up their standard of living or to fulfill their needs. Fifthly, widespread unemployment in society also causes corruption. When the government imposes ban o n new recruitment, the educated young men are forced to satiate their hunger in any way. As a result, they cause corruption. They become emotional in this situation.Friedrich Nietzsche says about these youngsters: â€Å"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently. † Moreover, corrupt people thrive in society without any fear of punishment. They are very influential and are never brought to book. Seeing them, others are also encouraged. Sixthly, many evil customs and traditions prevail in our society. People spend lavishly on marriages and funerals only to avoid the taunts of the others. When they grow poor, they use unfair means to raise funds for their daily bread.Seventhly, modern age of fashion is also a great cause of prevalence of corruption. Now women spend more money on their upkeep than the past. They are not content with local made items of cosmetics. They always prefer to purcha se the imported costly items for beautification. For this purpose, they themselves accept bribery and also compel their husbands to do so. In this way, they cause corruption. Eighthly, many new leaders when come into power declare their determination to eradicate corruption but soon they themselves become corrupt and start amassing huge wealth.George Bernard Shaw presents his views about these people: â€Å"Power does not corrupt men; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power. † Many people become materialistic and money oriented. There is no importance of ethics and morals in business dealings. Many people think that money coming to their pocket is good. Same way, many thinking that money going out from their pocket is bad. But they don’t consider the way money is travelling. But money speaks the truth. As said by Robert A Heinlein: â€Å"Money is truthful. If a man speaks of his honor, make him pay cash.†The most important cause of co rruption is ignorance. People have no sense to elect honest and educated representatives. As a result, these corrupt people begin to feather their nests instead of working for the welfare of the nation. Therefore, corruption prevails in society. The question that arises in the mind of every citizen of Pakistan is that when and how our Pakistan will become free from this monster which has its hold on the whole society? When the antidote for this cruel virus will be prepared? What is the surest way to get rid of corruption?Is it possible to contain corruption in our society? Corruption is a cancer which every Pakistani must strive to cure. Eradiation of corruption is, no doubt, a difficult task but not impossible. The following steps can uproot corruption from the society. Firstly, the government should try to spread education as early as possible. Secondly, it should launch an anti-corruption propaganda in the mass media. Thirdly, it should improve the economic condition of the count ry. Fourthly, corrupt people should be given exemplary punishments. Fifthly, the discretionary powers of the officers should be minimized.Sixthly, the anti-corruption department should be made more effective. Seventhly, equal distribution of wealth and leisure should be made effective. Eighthly, drive for simple living should be launched. Kurt Vonnegut presents his opposite views that corruption cannot stop or change the music and beauty of life: â€Å"No matter how corrupt, greedy, and heartless our government, our corporations, our media, and our religious & charitable institutions may become, the music will still be wonderful. † But majority has authority; we can neglect his views outright.Above conclusions enlighten and pave the way to understand and solve the major problem of corruption in our country. So, if we want to change this dream into reality, we should follow the good part of our heart. If we will start to believe in oneness of Allah, we will be able to play our role in its eradication. Then our dream of corruption free Pakistan will become a universal reality. Eduard Shevardnadze said that: â€Å"Corruption has its own motivations, and one has to thoroughly study that phenomenon and eliminate the foundations that allow corruption to exist. † God Bless Pakistan!