Arthur Miller's use of capitalism in death of a salesman Research Paper

Arthur Miller's use of capitalism in death of a salesman - Research Paper Example He held on to the former taught business ideals of individualism from the previous generation to use in the present, which could not be acceptable revolutionized society. According to Karim, Willy’s failure resulted from his inability to revolve but continued to apply the ‘winner take all business’ principle in an urban society that was passed that stage (67). One could consider him as an outdated individual who clings in the past knowledge in the hope that he can attain a goal, even after having to depend on the same wisdom in the past. He believed that winning the trust and likeness from the society, was the ultimate way to achieve his long waited success. However in the past, as the transition from old ways were been replaced by the modern methods of conducting businesses, Willy as one of the American people who held on to the former faith of individualism, as an early frontier ethic in business had the several opportunities of his former success, but he could no longer manage to compete in the climate of the business that was favored by capitalism. Everyone plans to live a happy and satisfied life. However the means to achieve the desire varies in different personalities. For some, even if it takes illegal means, it does not matter as long as the end goal is achieved. Others prefer honesty and integrity as a moral character and value. This was what directed the history of America towards certain individuals’ success before capitalism in early 19th Century, as illustrated by the stories told, for whatever it took to become successful (Cullen 60). Willy Loman was no different, and he strived hard in his sales job to sustain his family, and fulfill his desires of living an American dream. His Social status best expressed as a middle class was accompanied with hardship in acquiring wealth, and hence he had to depend on how the society would take him, based on likeness for him to thrive in the sales job. The principle of self made man, and though being helpful before, failed as capitalist would attain the American dream more easily than using the former strategy. The growing capitalism taking over in the business world forced Willy out of the sales job, because it came with better ways of producing and distributing goods, for much more profit that Willy could not keep up with. Loman suffers frustration after been declined for a job knowing he had retired as a salesman, which he struggled tirelessly all through his life. Through capitalism, power is associated with capitalist like Howard, who dares fire Willy after his long service in the company, without even minding the moral decency of setting him aside for retirement (Sterling 5). Indications of an old car, non profit making individual, and financial struggles show that his financial status was worse to raise capital, so that he could start a business of his own closer to home. As an investor, Howard hoped for delivery of an efficient service as he also paid w ages to his workers, which determined his profit too. As a capitalist, it would then be arguable whether Willy’s firing was justified or not. The aim of capitalism is to acquire more profits after sales and production. Capitalism will make use of the working class to efficiently expand the profit margin,

Islamcis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Islamcis - Essay Example In this section Edward Said highlights that west considers the orient as a place out of historical evolution. He points out that westerners portray India or Egypt in the same way today as they did one fifty years back as if societies here are static while west is progressing. He further points out that west created an image of east which was based upon colonial mindset in which they showed east as a mystic, ancient and non-progressive society and this attitude is prevalent in all sections of society may it be literature, science or social norms. In this section Edward Said furthers the debate with a sustained argument that history of imperial conquest is at the back of Orientalism. He explains that British and French rules the colonies for a long time and they only developed that much understanding of these societies as was required to rule over them and a human approach to understand the locals was never made. He further explains that this imperialism is not only material but also ideological in form and traces the seeds of ideological imperialism at Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt in 1789. He also stresses that American Imperialism is different from the British or French on account of two factors; Americans imperialism is indirect whereas British and French ruled thee societies directly and American Imperialism is more politicized because of the presence of Israel in the region. Section four of the movie elaborates American Imperialism in deeper details. Here, Said argues that the way Islam is projected in western media is a big problem. Muslims are shown as villains in movies, cartoon and news media and a sense is created that somehow they have to be crushed. He argues that terrorism is only one factor but US has practically sanctioned Anti Arab Racism and situation has only deteriorated in recent decades. He also refers to his book covering Islam and points

Management and Leadership Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Management and Leadership Paper - Essay Example For instance, both leaders as well as managers are responsible for achieving similar organizational goals – that of steering the organization towards profitable goals; their tasks involve working in groups and managing people; along with other similar shared traits and responsibilities. According to Richard Daft, "leadership cannot replace management but rather is something that is to be practiced in addition to management" (in Prussakov, 2011). Warren Bennis, has listed various key differences between leadership and management which are discussed below: Managers are responsible for handling the day to day administration of the organization while leaders on the other hand are required to ‘lead’ through ‘innovation’. The management team at Nike is focused on innovation and creativity as a part of their strategic policies with a view to retain their competitive positioning in the market and retain their dominance. Hence, while the managers are entrusted with the responsibilities of handling the routine operations the leaders on the other hand, constantly seek to develop new ways to create and innovate their products. For instance, recently Nike developed a new app which uses the iPhone's GPS and mapping capabilities to track the performance of the athletes / runners. Furthermore, the app is moderately priced and connected directly to the company's website which helps the runners / users to share their running routes as well as time with everyone and post their results directly to popular social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook (NY times, 2010). The managers maintain stability while the leaders initiate change. The manager's task is to maintain and sustain the competitive positioning of the organization while the leader is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and expanding the organization. For instance as observed in the case of Nike, during its initial days, the company experienced rapid growth and began t o be known as a leading and fashionable sports brand during the 1990s. However by the end of the 1990s the growth began to stagnate, with the entry of new players in the market such as Adidas and Reebok along with several other smaller brands. One of the key marketing problems faced by Nike during these times was that the company had begun to lose its brand image, as fashionable footwear for teens, as older people increasingly began sporting Nike gear (i.e. clothing as well as footwear) (Porter et al., 2005). The managers, in this case were responsible to ensure that the company achieves its profit targets and maintains its stability however, the leaders on the other hand, were required to innovate and change the brand image to achieve its long term goals – that of long term sustainability in the market. Hence, as a result, the management at Nike changed its marketing strategy and targeted a younger market segment –the Californian teenager, to revamp its brand image. T he manager encourages and enhances the efficiency of the employees and groups while the leader

Homosexuality in the Middle East Essay Example for Free

Homosexuality in the Middle East Essay Homosexuality lacks respect in the Middle East. It is considered to be an immense scandal. Nowadays, the idea of gay marriage is completely disregarded. They don’t display it on Arabic television. The media is controlled by the government, and hence they are not allowed to air or publish such ‘dishonors’. Therefore, most Arabs remain unaware and ignorant. There are undoubtedly many homosexuals in the Middle East who hope to get married. However, the chief problem is that it’s against the law. The Middle Eastern governments have placed rules and regulations against homosexuals. If they were to alter their rules, the Arab community may begin to accept the gay community. Furthermore, another chief problem is that the government is heavily influenced by religion. All prevalent religions do not approve of gay marriage. Hence, if marriage were to become civil, gay marriage might be permitted in the future. But in order for all these actions to take place, the Arab community must unite and try to make a change. Gay marriage should become an acknowledged concept in the Middle Eastern society. The Arab governments are one of the principal obstacles that are preventing gay marriage from happening. They decree many rules and regulations that are against homosexuals. One such example of these laws is Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, a result of French colonialism, in consideration of diehard religious groups and sects. Article 534 states that: â€Å"sexual intercourse contrary to nature is punishable for up to 1 year in prison†. This article, in essence, deprives a large Lebanese demographic from partaking in ordinary civil life, and restricts their civil liberties. By restricting civil liberties, this so-called â€Å"law† prevents the democratic process from occurring smoothly for all citizens, and is an obvious black mark on the face of the supposedly â€Å"free† Lebanese democracy. This article also prevents Lebanese homosexuals from being properly integrated into society, and they therefore seek other Western societies, that are more open to homosexuality, and emigrate in search of a better life. Article 534 includes â€Å"the act of Sodomy, or any sexual intercourse between two men, which includes penetration†. The article, theoretically and legally, does not concern intercourse that does not include penetration, and does not include sexual acts between two women. The execution of this article has been scarce in modern day Lebanon, and so a conclusion can be made that it is used instead to prevent any debate on sexuality from occurring. One Helem article cites that â€Å"The association of unnatural acts with homosexuality contradicts modern scientific foundations, especially psychological and medical studies and research that removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses, something recognized by the World Health Organization on 17 May 1992, a date that was announced as ‘the international day against homophobia’. † (Helem) (Helem is the first LGBT organization in Lebanon). In Islam, homosexuals (called qaum Lut, the people of Lot) are condemned in the story of Lots people in the Quran (15:73; 26:165) and in the last address of the Prophet Muhammad. However, attraction of men to â€Å"beautiful male youths† has been a part of the culture of some Islamic societies and the attraction is not usually looked down upon in itself. When it comes to lesbian homosexuality, some have argued that since penetration is not involved, female homosexual acts should be less severely punished. Islamic law is most concerned with openly gay public behavior, so there is no strong disapproval of homosexuality if it is not displayed in public (Homosexuality, Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions. ) ‘Struggle for Gay Rights in the Middle East’ is an article that was written by Hala Gorani for CNN. One of the situations mentioned in the article is how the Egyptian police invaded a homosexual hangout on the river Nile called the Queen Boat. Some of the people who were involved in the hangout were arrested and imprisoned for sin. The article also notes that when governments raid homosexual gatherings, they do it for political instead of ethical reasons. Brian Whitaker, in his paper ‘Unspeakable Love: Gay and Lesbian Life in the Middle East’, argues that homophobia in Arab Muslim countries â€Å"is not a religious or a cultural issue, but is foremost a political problem of which culture and religion are reliant factors†, arguing that Homophobia in the Muslim world can be attributed to the attitude this world has to its counterpart, the modern secular European and Western civilization. Whitaker goes on to write that attitudes concerning homosexuality in the Middle East have become increasingly intertwined with politics on an international scale, stating that â€Å"claiming that homosexuality is anti-Islamic, or against the Arab ‘nature,’ has become a way to oppose Western policies†. The Muslim world views gay rights as a Western import, imposed on them by the changing world in view of globalization, and the stronger â€Å"imperialist forces†. But, even if the government were to change its laws concerning the issue of homosexuality, the people’s view on the subject might not change at all. Since the conservative citizen’s view on the issue is so deeply rooted in his beliefs already, it wouldn’t matter to him/her if the government changed a few rules and stuck some new wording in the Penal Code. They would still think the same thing, and say the same hateful things. Another major difficulty is the social rejection of gays in the modern Arab society. Most Arab people disregard and disrespect homosexuals. A recent article in BBC news written by John Muir called ‘Iraqi gay men face ‘lives in hell’ describes how a young boy was caught wearing women’s underwear. Men poked the boy with sticks and interrogated him, asking why he was dressed in such a manner. The boy frightfully explained that he was trying to aid his family’s monetary situation. Another event that was mentioned in Muir’s article was harassment. Homosexual Iraqi men were often harassed and brutally murdered for being what they were. Several dead men were found lying near placards with the terms ‘puppies’ and ‘perverts’ written on them. Another article called ‘People Think it’s a Mental Illness’, published in The Guardian, by Brian Whitaker accounts his travels around the Middle East, where he interviewed many homosexuals. One of the people he interviewed told him that his brother actually threatened him at gunpoint when his homosexuality was discovered. Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, mentioned earlier, is used as Blackmail in Lebanon. One BBC article, in an interview with Helem’s co-ordinator George Azzi states that The authorities use this article to blackmail homosexuals by asking for money or using violence or insults, all the while knowing that it will cost them nothing at all to do so. The article also states that many gay men have lost their jobs after being uncovered as gay, and they suffer from verbal and physical abuse and degradation (especially in the case of more effeminate gay men). This hardship also exists within the family, where a majority of gay men have been threatened with murder and are kicked out of their houses. The article goes on to say that if a gay man or woman were to be a doctor or lawyer, he/she would be in a very tough situation, where people would lose f aith in their ability to treat them or give them legal advice. The only for the gay Arab community to escape social judgement is simply by keeping themselves in the closet, and restricting their beliefs only to themselves, in order not to get caught. This repression of attitude would definitely lead to major psychological and social problems for Arab homosexuals, most notably depression and social isolation from one’s social group, in order not to be judged or criticised for who he/she is. The gay individual may also start to feel denial because of his/her sexual orientation, and would start considering suicide as an easy way out. All these factors would not work well for the gay community, and would therefore lead to its downfall, and then the government would have won. Another important issue that needs to be tackled in the idea of civil marriage in the Middle East; traditionally, marriages are conducted by a Priest or a Sheik, with no regard to inter-religious marriages (sort of like a religion caste system). People of different religious backgrounds who want to get married usually travel to European countries, where civil marriages are conducted routinely, in order to obtain a legal marriage license and elope. Civil marriage has not been recognized in many, if not all, Arab countries, and multi-sectarian Arab governments steadfastly oppose the idea of legalizing civil marriage, where the idea of civil marriage takes â€Å"God† out of the sacred bond between man and woman. Since civil marriage is illegal in these countries, so is marriage between homosexual members of society, as they cannot get married in a church of mosque (even though some priests who are open to the idea may officiate gay marriages inside their respective churches, but the marriage would still go unnoticed by the government). Both the former Lebanese Minister of Interior Affairs and the current Maronite Patriarch (surprisingly enough) have voiced their opinions on being with the idea of civil marriage in Lebanon, but no action to pass a law concerning this issue has taken place as of yet. If civil marriages are legalized in these countries, then same-sex partners have the right, and the choice, to get married if they wanted to. In one Guardian article, entitled ‘What’s wrong with being gay and Muslim? , Brian Whitaker talks about how many Arab same-sex couples, or same-sex couples of Muslim descent in Britain are looking to civil marriage there in order to have a legal binding marriage contract. Whitaker gives one such example, writing that â€Å"two lesbians arrived at their local register office to tie the knot, both were Muslims and both were wearing hijabs†; saying that that was the first Muslim gay marriage to take place in England. The question still remains, if civil marriage we re to become legal at some point in the future, would Arab same-sex couples still want to tie the knot locally? They would remain afraid and weary of the repercussions that might result as a product of their marriage, and of the backlash of the conservative religious communities in these countries, and would probably not consider local Arab civil marriage a good solution, and would travel abroad anyway. In closing, the issue of homosexuality in the Middle East is still a taboo topic, regardless of the winds of change that might be sweeping part of the region. The point is they have still not had their effect on the region as a whole. The question of homophobia in these areas should be answered, is it one of culture and rejecting diversity, or is it a question of rejecting foreign politics and holding a united front against the western world? In any case, homophobia should not even still be a phenomenon of our 21st century civilization, whether locally or abroad. It is mainly a discussion on racism in general, and racism as a whole should have been abolished a long while ago. One day, the Middle Eastern governments will alter their challenging policies and people will begin to understand how ordinary gay marriage is. People should not feel troubled to be exposed and generate awareness to others around them. The face of the Middle East should case to be the face of extremism and terrorism, and should start being the face of a shining beacon of revolution and change, and especially of tolerance and unity. Marriage is first and foremost based on love, so why deny same-sex couples their right to love?

The Ionic Column :: Art Columns Architecture History Essays

The Ionic Column Throughout history, art has become the main source for entertainment, enlightenment, and acknowledgement. It entertains those who are bored in the everyday life. It enlightens those who seek another world and those who seek beauty with wild imaginations. It acknowleges those who seek development in nature and their own world. From the cave drawings of Paleolithic art in Lascaux , to the Ancient Egyptian pyramids, and to the classical Greek sculptures, art is a never ending cycle of productions and reproductions passed on from one generation to the next, and from one culture to the next. Art throughout history plays an important role because it tells us about man's development in culture, language, and life. Everyday, the works of art from the past have been reproduced to inspire and attract. As a key strategic method to attract people, advertisement is the common benefactor for the reminesences of art throughout the periods, such as, the classical Greek Ionic columns. So there are ne w uses of older art works in many places, including magazines, newspapers, television, internet, and shopping malls. ( Prof. Smith lecture). In this essay, a trace of the Ionic column may be found from a page in The Wall Street Journal that may have distinctive similarities and differences in its physical usage and psychological meaning. A new usage of an old work of art is found in the Wall Street Journal which has words formed into the shape of an Ionic column in black and white, found in a classical Greek order. The newspaper was dated October 9, 1996 and the new use of this classical Greek order was found in the last page of section B12. This Ionic shaped column is big and long, considering the fact that the size of the newspaper is bigger than 11 by 17 inches. The image of the size in the new use column may have been to imitate the actual size of Greek column approximately of over 12 feet tall. (Refer to picture of 5 columns and the Wall Street Journal). This ionic column is so detailed by the formation of companies' name, letterings, showing distinctive characteristics from other classical Greek orders. It has fluted shaft and the capital was decorated with volutes or two pairs of scrolls with graceful curves joined by a thin abacus, which is a square block to support the entablature.

Concealed Guns on Campus :: texas law, shootings

On May, 2011, a bill that allows college students to have concealed guns on campus has been approved by the Texas State Senate according to The Daily Texan news article. Even other states are also trying to pass the law about concealed weapons on campus. Although some might argue that students need to defend themselves by carrying a gun, the law should be abolished because carrying a gun by immature students may increase violence and tragic accidents whether or not it is intentional. Surprisingly, according to some research based on interviews for students, â€Å"a study of 119 four-year colleges found that 4% of college students reported having a firearm at college, approximately 700,000 firearms based on the size of the current college population.† (Fennell, 99) This report indicates that not a few students carry a gun without realizing that the weapon may kill numerous innocent people. College students, even if they are eligible for drinking alcohol or driving a car, are not mature enough to control themselves or react appropriately in a situation. A tragic shooting on Virginia Technological University did happen, which is called ‘Virginia Tech massacre’ among people. According to the New York Times, more than 30 students including a shooter, Seunghui Choi from South Korea, were shot and killed in a classroom. Dr. Fennell, a professor of health education in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, maintains that students can not handle the stressful college life and might have a chance to express their stress by using their weapons because they are not mature no matter how old they are (100). Therefore, each state needs to reconsider passing the bill of carrying concealed weapons on campus in order not to result in unfortunate tragic stories. A great deal of drugs which might cause critical damage to ordinary people has currently been traded in the United States. Concerning illegal drug use, Richard Nixon, 37th president of the United States, mentioned the phrase â€Å"War on Drugs† during speech. This slogan has been used as main drug policy in the U.S. However, the drug policy is not currently operating well in reality. What does â€Å"War on Drugs† exactly mean? â€Å"The War on Drugs is a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention being undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, intended to both define and reduce the illegal drug trade.† (Bullington and Alan) In other words, to eliminate the illegal drug trade in the U.

If Women Ruled the World Essay

I was intrigued after ready your essay ‘What if women ruled the world’ and after reading it, I myself being a women, I discovered I have some opinions of my own; I would like to share them with you. For hundreds of years women have been classed as ‘weaker’ then men and ‘second class’ compared to men. We get most of these believes because of what is often stated in the bible: 1 Timothy 2:12 â€Å"I do not permit a women to teach or to have authority over a man; she must remain silent† this has, in my opinion, helped shaped the fact that we see women as not as strong, or be unable to rule. I personally disagree with what the bible says and I am a bit of a feminist, although it is up for interpretation, God also states that we are created in image of him, so we are all equality important. In my opinion, I do think that there would be some change to the world if it was ruled by women, but not a humungous difference, I think we make such a big deal out of the fact that women are second class to men, that we have this is strange idea that if that women ruled world, it would be completely different, when realistically speaking, It wouldn’t be so different†¦ would it? Many people say that if women ruled the world, there would be less war and more peace. It is true that women dislike conflict more than men, but that is stereotype, a lot of women enjoy conflict and victory and being better than others so they can feel smug. They say this even if they don’t know what its like to be a leader, which they don’t, I for one am not a leader of any large government or country so I can only hardly imagine the pressure someone is put under when they have to decide whether to go to war or not, I do not think it matters what gender you are, you want to do what is best for your country and your people, it is the instinct for survival and the survival of our children. They are under your care and you must make sure they are safe, if they are in danger of being attacked, you want them to be safe and protect your country-sometimes war is the only option, do you honestly think Winston Churchill was keen to go to war with Germany in 1939 and risk the lives of people? Sometimes you cannot do what you want, but what you must. In your letter you state that women often experience life ‘differently’ to men, this I do agree on, although men and women are very similar, it is a fact that we think using different parts of our brains. I do think that the economically would be different, and perhaps we would be in such a bad economic state. Women do think differently to men in the way that we analyse things more thoroughly and think of different ways to find a solution. Then again, back onto my topic of war some women do not like the thought of war, as they mostly care about their own families and the families of people they care about, and we do suffer the most in wars-as you said. if we worked with men, we could help them build bridges between countries and keep peace and ensure, as you said â€Å"broader range of issues, from food security to sexual violence, are addressed† Maybe we wouldn’t be so drastic in going to war, as I stated before, we would probably think it through and decide whether it was worth it. Furthermore, as you said in your essay, women are more team oriented, so women could try and work together and make alliances with other countries and keep peace. In your essay you also say that, when women have more money they spend it on essential things like education and health. I think, if women ruled the world there would be less poverty as we would try and spend money on things that truly matter in LEDC’s like Africa. If women ruled the world, if they there were less wars because of what I stated earlier, we wouldn’t have to spend much money of weapons for war, we could use that saved money to spend it on better schools and health care, so, as you said â€Å"the entire community prospers’’. In conclusion, I honestly do not know what the world would be like if it were ruled by women, for it never has been and probably will not be for a while, all we can do is purely speculate because of our believes and our own opinions. I do, however, think there would be a difference, but not a massive one.