A Burning Intellect in Fahrenheit 451 :: Fahrenheit 451 Essays

A Burning Intellect in Fahrenheit 451 In the 1950 novel Fahrenheit 451, AUTHOR Ray Bradbury presents the now familiar images of mind controlING worlds. People now live in a world where they are blinded from the truth of the present and the past. The novel is set in the, perhaps near, future where the world is AT war, and firemen set fires instead of putting them out. Books and written knowledge ARE banned from the people, and it is the firemen's job to burn books. Firemen are the policemen of THE FUTURE. Some people have rebelled by hiding books, but have not been very successful. Most people have conformed to THE FUTURE world. Guy Montag, a fireman, is a part of the majority who have conformed. BUT throughout the novel Montag goes through a transformation, where he changes from a Conformist to a Revolutionary. Guy Montag has never questioned his job before the day he met Clarisse McClellan. FOR ONCE Montag is confronted with the idea that, he does NOT understand the whole truth about books.<WHAT DO YOU MEAN?> Montag meets Clarisse one day, as he is walking home from work, and they BEGIN A conversation. During their conversation Montag is questioned why books are illegal and why firemen burn the books. CLARISSE also asks him if he had ever read any of the books that he burned. His reply was that it is against the law. Clarisse even asks, "... long ago [did] firemen put fires out instead of going to start them?"(Fahrenheit 451, page 38) Montag replies by telling her that that is nonsense, and that "Houses have always been fireproof,..."(Fahrenheit 451, page 38) Here you can see how brainwashed and blinded the truth is for the people. Clarisse says good night to Montag, and right before she leaves she asks him, "Are you happy?"(Fahrenheit 451, page39) Before Montag can rep ly Clarisse is gone, and she leaves Montag pondering her question. As he tells himself that her question was nonsense, he starts to realize that he is not happy with his life. Someone else who changed Montag's thinking, changed it by their actions not by tell him anything.<YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN MORE SO THE READER KNOWS WHAT YOU MEAN.> One day the firemen got a call with an address of someone who was hiding books. The firemen, doing their job like always, went to the house to find the books and burn them.

Despite the Potential Advantages

Discuss the proposition that despite the potential advantages of formal strategic planning approaches, it is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments. About this discussion, I would like to introduce two steps. First step, I want to introduce the potential advantages of formal strategic planning approaches. Then I will introduce the second step: some important reasons about the formal strategic planning is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments.Finally, the main purpose of this paper is to prove the formal strategic planning is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments. My conclusion will emphasize it again. First, how should we understand the formal strategic planning? The objective of the formal strategic planning is to convey that a company’s strategic planning process includes specific systematic procedures used to gain the involvement and commi tment of those principal stakeholders affected by the plan (J. Richard Falshaw, Keith W.Glaister, Ekrem Tatoglu, 2006). What is the purpose of strategic planning? Generally, formal Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to carry on this strategy. In order to determine the direction of the organization, it is necessary to know its current position and the possible ways through which it can pursue a particular course of action strategic planning do with at least one of three key questions: â€Å"What do we do? † â€Å"For whom do we do it? † and â€Å"How do we excel? (J. Scott Armstrong, 1986) OK, I have a simple introduction about the character and purpose of formal strategic planning. Then we must make clear about the structure about formal strategic planning approaches. There is common view about strategic planning researchers that the strategic planning process consist s of three major parts: (1) Formulation (which includes developing a mission, setting major objectives, assessing the external and internal environments, and evaluating and selecting strategy alternatives). (2) Implementation. (3) Control. J. Richard Falshaw, Keith W. Glaister, Ekrem Tatoglu, 2006). Some famous formal strategic planning approaches include SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats), Balanced Scorecards, Scenario planning, PEST analysis  (Political,  Economic,  Social, and  Technological), STEER analysis (Socio-cultural,  Technological,  Economic,  Ecological, and  Regulatory factors). What are potential advantages of formal strategic planning approaches? Generally, formal planning has these advantages: 1. Formal plans represent a useful standard. . It is fully formulated; communicated plan is an important motivational device. 3. The analysis and survey by all those participating in the planning process is useful and can improve the companies' understanding of it's position. 4. Plans which swift actions in anticipation of future changes in the environment is a better approach to strategic management than an advertisement to events. Take me for example, for 20 years, contradictions between the planning and process schools of strategy have shaped the debate on strategy planning.Here we illustrate that a scenario-based approach to strategic planning can serve as a new management tool in the field with the potential to overcome differences between the two opposing schools of strategy. The scenario-based approach to strategic planning builds on the strengths of traditional scenario planning. It is an open and creative approach that considers many strategy options and takes multiple perspectives into account. Synchronously, it overcomes the weaknesses of traditional scenario planning by offering a systematic process to scenario creation that is built on specific management tools and is easy to implement.The outco me of this approach is an important strategy that is complemented by several strategic options derived from different scenarios (Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner , 2010). Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner (2010) illustrate the benefits of scenario-based approach using experience gained in a consulting project in the German photovoltaic industry. And they further proof that the approach can thus be used in an extremely flexible way to account for the increasing volatility of environmental developments.These advantages of our approach are apparent in the illustrative case study presented. By combining traditional scenario planning, strategic thinking, real-option reasoning and strategic planning, this approach makes the intricacy, dynamics and volatility of the current business world manageable. On the other hand, the approach can be applied for different time horizons. Our project experience leads us to believe that the approach increases the effectivenes s and efficiency with which strategic planning can be conducted in practice (Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner , 2010).I have illustrated Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner’s research about Scenario planning, so we can make clear about the potential advantages of formal strategic planning approaches. About the limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments, I think there is a lot of evidence to prove this case. The major change for managers is guaranteeing competitiveness as well as profit capacity for their companies in turbulent environments. The rate of change in the business setting has never been as fast as it is currently (Grant, 2003).In Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner’s research, they also think What formal strategic planning seems to be lacking most is the flexibility and open system that allow for the responsiveness and creation required in dynamic, complex and uncertain environments (Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner , 2010). In the environment of globalization, the world is changing more and more rapidly. Managers must face a series of unexpected events. For example, like financial crisis, economic downturn and Arab Spring. Each incident and formal strategic planning approaches in test managers.In the past, plan researchers have not concentrated on uncertain settings. The majority of the existing devices in strategic management unreservedly presume a benign environment that is basic yet not very dynamic. (Harrington, Lawton and Rajwani, 2005). For firms to thrive in an uncertain future, they have to develop realistic strategies on the basis of many options that react to the prerequisites of various likely futures opposed to one strategic guarantee. (Grant, 2003). So how to treat the formal strategic planning is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments?In this essay, â€Å"A causal analysis of formal st rategic planning and firm performance: Evidence from an emerging country†, the nature of the external environment (difference from very uncertain and unstable to certain and stable) will influence the organization structure made by the companies. It is argued that in uncertain and dynamic environments the most effective organization structures start to be more organic when in stable and more certain environments more artificial structures will be received (Keith W. Glaister et al, 2008).Although some studies have found that certain parts of strategic planning are relative with performance, theory also predicts that these relations will be influenced by external environment. If one of the purposes of strategic planning is to point the organization in its association with the external environment, so organizations that precisely project and estimated environmental changes should display an extraordinary or specific level of performance. In this sense strategic planning may be mo re useful in an uncertain environment than a calm one.So the relative between planning and performance may be stronger in an uncertain environment, and weaker in a calm environment. There exist, however, some opposite arguments that strategic planning is more likely to have a positive influence on firm performance in relatively less uncertain environments where future conditions are easier to anticipate(J. Richard Falshaw, Keith W. Glaister, Ekrem Tatoglu, 2006 ). About a company's future development, the external environment of the strategic analysis is very important. Robert M.Grant referred this point in his essay â€Å"Strategic Planning in a Turbulent Environment: Evidence from the Oil Majors†, First, a view of the external environment: This typically included guidance as to some characters of energy markets over the planning period? -For demand, supply, prices, and margins? -which were not so much forecasts as a set of assumptions relating to prices and supply and deman d conditions that provided a common basis for strategic planning across the firms. Second, corporate management provided most direction to the planning process through a statement of priorities, guidelines, and expectations.A key part of this direction was setting company wide performance targets (e. g. , ‘raise return on capital employed to 12%,' ‘reduce costs per barrel by 10%,' ‘a 110% reserve replacement rate,' ‘reduce the ratio of debt to equity ratio to 25% by 2000'). Guidance often concern to resource allocation, e. g. , ‘to shift investment from downstream to upstream,' ‘to refocus on core businesses,' ‘to take advantage of opportunities in China and East Asia,' ‘to increase the proportion of gas in our hydrocarbon reserves (Grant, 2003).In the process of management of the company, what is the role of analytical formal planning in dynamic environment? Different people have different views; Grant thought strategic planning is a responsible. Increasing volatility and indeterminacy of the external environment was accompanied by two changes in strategic planning responsibilities: first, a shift of decision-making responsibility from corporate to business-level managers; second, a shift of planning responsibilities from planning staff to line managers (Grant, 2003).There is other view; Hamel and Prahalad argue that the role of strategy should be not adapting an existing industry structure but rather to change it. † They see the role of competitive creation as identifying the orthodoxy in a present strategy and redefining the terms of engagement to exploit this orthodoxy. And the emerging Infocom mega-industry provides an interesting laboratory for testing the adequacy of existing frameworks for competitive strategy. They are not designed to deal with the kind of turbulence that we are witnessing in this industry.Strategists may have to assume a low role in dealing with turbulence. When being a pioneer an d an innovator will help, it is not enough. Investing in and growing a customer base can strengthen the chances of success, but success in the end is determined by industry forces outside the companies' control. â€Å"Co with the flow† is not an inspiring strategy but perhaps the best a company can do when face turbulence (Chakravarthy B, 1997). Each method is not a panacea.Although formal strategic planning approaches have many advantages, it also makes limited benefit, like Scenario planning. However, the approach has only been applied in a few companies to date. Therefore, research on a larger scale is necessary to determine the performance of the scenario-based approach to strategic planning (Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner , 2010). Evidence of the impact of environmental turbulence upon strategic planning is limited. Cross sectional studies have produced contradictory findings.Long evidence is fragmented, but more consistent: in response to increasing env ironmental turbulence, strategic planning systems actually have changed from the highly formalized processes of the 1960s and 1970s (Grant, 2003). In conclusion, formal strategic planning approaches indeed have a huge potential advantage. Some famous formal strategic planning approaches include SWOT analysis, Balanced Scorecards, Scenario planning, PEST analysis and STEER analysis have many advantages. If companies do not have strategic planning, it is bound to be about to disappear.If companies ignore the strategic planning, it is bound to be lagging behind the development of enterprise. According to previous research and study about strategic planning, strategic planning can mobilize workers to actively increase the cohesion. It also can make enterprises competitive mechanism enhanced. Strategic planning can be summed insufficient and the shortfall, it is an important measure in the steady development of enterprises. I've used a lot of evidence fully proved these points.About the formal strategic planning is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments, I also have used many evidences and examples to prove it. In general, with the development of the times, companies as an open system, it focuses on the external environmental factors there will be more and more, more and more diversified development trend, and thus the external environment faced by the enterprise will become more complex and uncertain. Even Scenario planning, Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner have pointed it had many potential advantages.They also said,in an increasingly complex, dynamic and volatile world ,Scenario planning has only been applied in a few companies to date (Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner , 2010). Finally, I must emphasize once again, in the environment of globalization, the world is changing more and more rapidly. Managers must face a series of unexpected events. In a word, formal strategic planning approac hes indeed have many potential advantages; it is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments.References J. Richard Falshaw, Keith W. Glaister, Ekrem Tatoglu, â€Å" Evidence on formal strategic planning and company performance† (2006) Management Decision, Vol. 44 Iss: 1 pp. 9 – 30 Hugh G. Courtney, Jane Kirkland, and S. Patrick Viguerie, â€Å"Strategy under uncertainty†. (1994) Keith W. Glaister, Omer Dincer, Ekrem Tatoglu, Mehmet Demirbag, Selim Zaim, (2008),†A causal analysis of formal strategic planning and firm performance: Evidence from an emerging country†, Management Decision, Vol. 46 Iss: 3 pp. 365 -391 Robert M.Grant â€Å"Strategic Planning in a Turbulent Environment: Evidence from the Oil Majors† Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 24, No. 6 (Jun. , 2003), pp. 491-517 Selsky et al. , 2007. Contrasting Perspectives on Strategy Making in Hyper Environments. Organization Studies, 28(1), pp. 71-94 . J. Scott Armstrong (1986). â€Å"The Value of Formal Planning for Strategic Decisions: A Reply† Strategic Management Journal  7: 183–185. Chakravarthy B, ‘A New Strategy Framework for Coping with Turbulence’ Sloan Management Review, Winter 1997Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner â€Å" A scenario-based Approach to Strategic Planning-Integrating Planning and Process Perspective of strategy† (2010) http://www. scenariomanagement. de/fileadmin/user_upload/Scenario-based_strategic_planning_WP. pdf Harrington, D. , Lawton, T. &Rajwani, T. 2005. Embracing and Exploiting Industry Turbulence: The Strategic Transformation of Aer Lingus. European Management Journal, 23(4), pp. 450–457. Bibliography Johnson G, Scholes K, Whittington R, Exploring Corporate Strategy 8th Edition, 2008 – Chapter 2 Campbell D, Edgar D, Stonehouse G, Business Strategy 3rd Edition, 2011, Palgrave – Ch 3

Existentialist traits in works of Henrik Ibsen - 1442 Words

Existentialism is a major twentieth century continental European philosophical movement. The label was inspired by the tendency of some of the writers like Kierkegaard, Heidegger , Sartre and Nietzsche to use the term existence for a kind of being or life unique, in their view, to human beings. Only in the case of human beings is the conduct of their life an issue for them; only they can stand out - exstare, the Latin word from which exist comes - from their lives and reflect upon them; and only they have the capacity freely to shape their lives. Though Existentialism can appear in a number of different forms, the focal point as Jean Paul Sartre puts it is existence precedes essence. The existentialists are of the view that as†¦show more content†¦[Puts one leg over the fence; then hesitates.] ... [Draws back his leg.] By making the choices which he has to make , Peer not only takes the responsibility of his own life but shapes others destinies too. Solveig, the girl who loves him truly, comes to him leaving all that belonged to her and thus she makes her choice , not aware of its consequences. SOLVEIG: The path I have trodden leads back nevermore After he leaves the Troll princes and comes back to Solveig , his true love , and thinks that his life is free from worries , the Troll princes comes to see him. He is again caught in a fix and has to chose between the two , he is now a father and has to bear the consequences of the deeds which he performed earlier in his life. And he has to bear it alone . George Luckas in Myth of Nothingness says: The emptiness and hollowness of human life which Sartre calls nothingness is also portrayed in a striking scene in Peer Gynt by Ibsen. The aging Peer Gynt is peeling off the layers of an onion, and playfully compares the single layers with the periods of his life, hoping at the end to come to the core of the onion and the core of his own personality. But layer follows layer, period after period of life; and no core is found.(1) Jean Paul SartresShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis Of Harold Pinter s The Room 9709 Words   |  39 Pagesfame rests on not only his popular dramas but also on his political activism which is rooted in his concern for people and their condition in realms which can be termed as social, professional or political. In fact it can be said that many of his works starting from the early comedies of menace to the later overtly political plays run parallel to his political activism in the delineation of abuse of power in familial, social and political sphere and its somatic and psychosomatic impact on the modern

The Male Struggle with Body Image - 1583 Words

In today’s society, people tend to focus a lot on females and the problems they have concerning their body image based on popular culture, stereotypes, and other generalizations of how a woman â€Å"should look.† What we do not realize however is that males struggle with their body image as much as females do and are often not recognized in their fight to meet the expectations of society. Males struggle with all kinds of eating and body disorders just as females do and the expectations pushed on them by the media, women, and even other guys. There is a frightening lack of treatment because guy’s hardships are ignored and even overshadowed by women’s struggles. Males also go through the harmful effects and risks that come with the efforts they†¦show more content†¦This deprivation of essential nutrients from certain foods can have harmful effects on the body. Eating disorders are not the only thing males also suffer from. Expectations from the media are also a strong push into worries about body image. Despite popular belief, guys struggle with images broadcasted by the media as much as girls do. Andrew Shrout, a junior at U.C. Berkeley feels the weight that is put on him to â€Å"be a man† and pretend like nothing is wrong. â€Å"Men are pressured to have as little fat as possible--but you’ve got to pretend like you don’t watch what you eat† (Alpert 1). Also, men are expected to â€Å"up their game† as women get more power financially as well as keep their bodies well maintained. Clinical instructor at the Harvard Medical school psychiatry department Roberto Olivardia states that men and young boys deal with the same images broadcasted out as women and young girls do. â€Å"Boys are growing up now with the billboard of the guy with perfect pecs and biceps† (Alpert 2). Media pushes the perfect way to look at men in commercials, magazines, male models, and even movies. Girls often complain about the unfair portrayal of women in comic books and video games with enormous boobs and tiny waists, but guys dealShow MoreRelatedThe Male Struggle with Body Image1632 Words   |  7 Pages people tend to focus a lot on females and the problems they have concerning their body image based on popular culture, stereotypes, and other generalizations of how a woman â€Å"should look.† What we do not realize however is that males struggle with their body image as much as females do and are often not recognized in their fight to meet the expectations of society. Males struggle with all kinds of eating and body disorders just as females do and the expectations pushed on them by the media, womenRead MoreGender Inequality Around The World1437 Words   |  6 Pageschallenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world†. Although women have made great strides in gaining equality, females around the world are not treated as equals to their male counterparts. Their education is taken for granted, their sports are not taken seriously, and their beauty is held to an almost unattainable standard. The inequalityRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article How Men Really Feel About Their Bodies 990 Words   |  4 Pageswhat their bodies should look like. Americans are starting to realize that this is wrong. Women should be accepted and celebrated no matter what they look like physically. Some women are told if they are themselves then they will be alone and never married. Men are now being blamed for making women feel as though they aren’t good enough and convincing them to conform to their standards. But, are American men being victimized too? In the article â€Å"How men really feel about their bodies† Spiker explainsRead MoreThe Synoptic Gospels Lies A Brief Passage Of A Man Carrying The Cross For Jesus1717 Words   |  7 PagesSimon. This image of a Black body being forced to submit to the hands of an oppressive entity, resonates deeply in the historical context of an African American spirituality. This act represents not only the oppression given at the hands foreign oppressors, but also the oppressive forces adopted within Black culture. In Simon of Cyrene, Black people find in him a reflection of themselves in the context of America culture. Black women, Black men, and Black LGBTQ+ people can find their struggles in theRead MoreBody1122 Words   |  5 PagesOur Bodies in the Media In any civilization appearance has a huge impact on the daily lives, of those living in it. Some cultures favor piercings, others strength, some wear clothes, others do not. The contributing factors for how they appear, typically go back to traditional roots. Our culture in the US, although influenced by our history, now has to deal with an almost daily changes seen in the media. It is nearly impossible to keep up with what is â€Å"in† and how we are â€Å"supposed† to look.Read MoreWhy Do Teens Suffer From Eating Disorders1596 Words   |  7 Pagesno new discovery that teenagers in America tend to have a conflict with eating disorders. This problematic issue tend to affect many young teens just as the people that surround them, those who care for them. People might stop to think why teens struggle so much with eating disorders or how can this issue be wiped out. The thing is people need to be well aware of eating disorders and there definition and try to find a w ay to help decrease the amount of teens that suffer by having them. Here areRead MoreMedia s Influence On The Media Essay1587 Words   |  7 PagesHollywood controls most entertainment media consumed by people all around the world. The messages and images portrayed in movies and television shows created by the large production companies affect all those who partake of the media they produce. Entertainment media can be uplifting and enjoyable, however, media normalizes damaging gender norms for men and women. Gender norms are rules believed to govern how the different sexes should look and act. People develop these behaviors by observingRead MoreI Attended Both Days Of The Borderlands : A Critical Graduate Symposium950 Words   |  4 Pagesand stigma associated with body image and weight. She presents her research based on body size as a stigmatized identity not a health issue. Her plan is, through a Participatory Action Research Project she will interview 20 undergraduate females who experience body weight stigma. She ties in the concept of intersectionality, and explains how the expression of fatness is not universal. In her research that she presented to us she carefully analyzing the discrimination of body size within certain settingsRead MoreThe Media Have Alternative Affects Depending On The Perspective.1100 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscussing about some video games, the titled games are mainly male protagonist as quoted, â€Å"Some of Polack’s previous games have asked play ers to save the galaxy from malevolent aliens (Galactic Civilizations 2), save the universe from evil deities (Demigod), and save the world from marauding Titans (Elemental: War of Magic)† (448). To look for the storyboard discussing about these games is important to ensure that the direct audience is dominantly male gamers; which does not limit to females. The same goalRead MoreFeminist Witches and Poetry1525 Words   |  7 Pagesthan just their love of poetry, they both incorporated female struggles and feminist ideas into their poetry. In a close reading of the poems Her Kind, by Anne Sexton and Anorexic, by Eavan Boland, the themes and the overall feel and struggles of the characters in both poems are very similar; they both use historical and biblical references that demean women and they both use strong female stereotypes that are going through personal struggles. Both characters are empowered through their defeat or self-destruction

Martha and Mary Magdalene by Caravaggio - 884 Words

The Painting Martha and Mary Magdalene is one of the many masterpieces in the DIA’s collection in Detroit. Although there is much more to understanding a work of art then just looking at it. In order to understand a piece, you have to understand the Artist, the time period, and the symbols in that painting that may have very different meaning today. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio better known as simply Caravaggio was an Italian Baroque master painter born in Italy around 1571. After he apprenticed with a painter in Milan, he moved to Rome, where he lived for most of his life. His work influenced painters around Europe. He’s most known for his gruesome subjects and use of Tenebrism, which was a technique that used heavy shadow to†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"From prostitute to sibyl to mystic to celibate nun to passive helpmeet to feminist icon to the matriarch of divinity’s secret dynasty.† (James Carroll â€Å"Who is Mary Magdalene†) What we know for sure is that Mary Magdalene was a former sinner that became a leading figure in Jesus’ followers. She stayed by Jesus’ side, to the end, she visited him at his tomb, and was the first person that Jesus â€Å"appeared after his resurrection and the first to preach the â€Å"Good News† of that miracle.† During the time period of this painting Mary Magdalene, a sinner and prostitute, illustrated â€Å"the very essence of spiritual conversion.† (Ebert-Schifferer 63) It’s no stretch to say that the painting is meant to show the moment at which Mary changes her ways, and becomes â€Å"married to the word of god†. The conversion of Mary was a new concept to Rome, The book â€Å"Caravaggio: The Artist and His Work† claims that this painting is the first to depict it. There is no lack of symbolism in Caravaggio’s ‘Martha and Mary Magdalene’. The painting shows the contrast between the two sisters even though they are wearing the same colors. Martha is dressed simply, while Mary is dressed elaborately and provocatively. Mary’s fancy dress is said not to be because of her prostitution, but because of her future loftier spiritual aspiration, in comparison to her sister Martha. Although the way the two are dressed are far from being the only symbols in this piece. The useShow MoreRelatedRenaissance Time Capsule1187 Words   |  5 Pagesunravel The Inspiration of Saint Mathew and Christ in the House of Mary and Martha. Caravaggio produced The Inspiration of Saint Matthew in the early 17th century (Cheremeteff, 2000). Diego Velà ¡zquez produced the second art during the year 1618. The two arts reflect a lot about the religious and cultural settings of the age of Baroque. For instance, Velà ¡zquez’s art reflects the classic Baroque Christian fusion of Martha and Mary Magdalene. Music Music refers to human activity characterized by prearranged

Roles of First Ladies Free Essays

Roles of the First Lady Kenya Stanford Ashford University HIS 204 American History Since 1865 Instructor: Tara Ross November 15, 2010 Abstract The roles of the First Lady can vary. Several of the authors describes that some of the First Lady’s roles can be from writing invitations , creating an policy, sharing ideas about political rights, to coming up with health care reform. This essay contains some of the old traditional roles that the First Lady was required to do in the 18th century and how it changes over time. We will write a custom essay sample on Roles of First Ladies or any similar topic only for you Order Now Also, it explains how each century First Lady goes about performing her duties. Roles of the First Lady The roles of the First Lady are really undetermined because it changes due to their interest and the timeframe that they were in. Traditional roles of the First lady The duties of the First Lady vary from time to time. During the 18th century, the traditional roles of the First Lady were being a hostess for our country. White House. Gov states, â€Å"The President and the First Lady’s job responsibilities are to entertain both national and international guest that were arriving and staying at the White House (White House. gov). It also goes on stating that the reason for hosting the event was to strengthen any existing ties, to stage for new relationships, to establish new partnerships, or just to extend the hospitality of the White House as the â€Å" home â€Å" of our nation leader and every First lady were responsible for writing every single invitation by hand (FirstLady. org). 18th Century First Ladies: Martha Washington and Abigail Adams Marth a Washington was a well-respected and very kind-hearted to all that knew her. However, Martha did not enjoy her roles as being the First Lady. According to the article, she statedâ€Å" I think I am more like a state prisoner than anything else, there is certain bounds set for me which I must not depart from any many younger and gayer women would be extremely pleased in her place; she would be much rather be at home (White House. Gov). † Just by reading the article on her, it gives me the idea that she was very private about her life with outsiders and she always held her head up. During her time she was called â€Å"Lady Washington. † She had gotten that name during the Revolutionary War era (America. ov). During the war era, Martha Washington was placed into a winter encampment that was the most comfortable to live in (Berkin, Carol). During the war, she and the other general wives served as hostess. The purpose was to lift everyone spirits and giving every solider a reason on what they were fighting for (Berkin, Carol. ) After Martha had moved to the White House, she found out that she was also responsible for managing the presidential household and supervising the domestic affairs at Mount Vernon from a distance (MarthaWashington. us). However, her successor Abigail Adams was a very interesting woman of her time. People viewed her as a very patriot woman. Abigail’s letter talked about current politics and how she expressed her opinions. During the time of when the famous â€Å"shots heard around the world† started, Abigail was writing John letters to express her concern and her longing to be with him. According to Carol Berkin, ‘Soon I will be in continual arms. Rumors have spread that the British has spread. We know not what a day will bring forth, nor what distress one hour may throw us into (Berkin, Carol). During her husband’s presidential, she would write letters that was expressing her ideas about women’s right. For example, one of her famous letters was when she wrote John telling him to remember the ladies when it came down to the new law (New World Encyclopedia). Basically, she was trying to gives the women more rights that they were entitled to but during the American Rev olution that was proving to be was very impossible task. According to New World Encyclopedia, â€Å"Highly conscious of her role as the president’s wife, Abigail Adams saw her role largely as a hostess for the public and partisan symbol of the Federalist Party. Her entertainments were confined to a relatively small home in Philadelphia, turned into a hotel after the capital was moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D. C. (New World Encyclopedia). †. She also attempted to influence fashion, believing that the more revealing Napoleonic-style clothing then popular were too indecorous. Since presidential families were responsible for covering the costs of their entertainments and the Adamses were enduring financial difficulties at the time of his presidency, Abigail Adams’s receptions were somewhat Spartan (New World Encyclopedia). 19th Century: Mary Lincoln and Ida McKinley Mary Lincoln was a woman who wanted the public to like her. She was getting to point where she was tired of the public talking about her fashion so she decides to do a makeover for herself and for the White House. At the beginning through the end of the article, the author discusses how Mary Lincoln was very careless with money and how she would act out if she didn’t get her way (Lincoln White House. org). The Lincoln Institute only notes that Mrs. Mary Lincoln visited the wounded from the Civil War and remodeled the White House (Lincoln White House. rg). Ida McKinley was a very ill person who suffered from being epilepsy. Her conditions were affecting her and her husband job performance. According to Miller Center Public Affairs, â€Å"Although she occasionally appeared at state dinners and in receiving lines, her attendance at these functions was sporadic due to the unpredictability of her seizures (Miller Center, 2010). † It also goes on stating that the president had to ask the vice president’s wife to help her with her duties due to her being sick. Even though she was very sick, she manages to crochet bedroom room slippers for fundraisers and charities. After reading the article, she proves that she was able to show her husband that she cared about how he felt about politics and that she would dedicate herself to it through the end. She was the first to have her spouse to reschedule everything around her instead of the President reschedule everything around him. 20th Century: Edith Roosevelt and Jacqueline Kennedy Following President McKinley’s assassination came about very sudden to Edith. So Edith had to fill in that position as First Lady. Not being a stranger to Washington and to the public, Edith was able to perform her job really well. Edith was very good at managing books and being able to keep up the home. But just like Martha Washington, she kept her life private from everybody including T. R’s extended family. According to the Theodore Roosevelt Association, â€Å"Under Edith’s careful eye the White House collection of china and the portraits of First Ladies were begun. The task of restoring the house to its classic and simple federal style, inside and out, while accommodating a large family and executive branch of government for a growing nation came to the Roosevelt’s. First Lady Edith Roosevelt played the major role in overseeing the largest renovation of the White House into the stately and practical government center it is today (theodoreroosevelt. org). † Just like Martha Washington, Mary Lincoln, Edith Roosevelt, and Abigail Adams, the next First Lady named Jacqueline Kennedy tends to follow in some of their steps. Her first big role as First Lady was the historical restoration of the White House (JFK Presidential Library and Museum. ). The article stated that she created a White House Guide and authenticates the artwork. She also created the White House Historical society; posts White House curator, oversaw to creating a publication of a guidebook for the visitors, and finally established the White House Library and the Rose Garden (JFK Presidential Library and Museum. ). Later on, Jacqueline Kennedy becomes a host for the television tour by CBS in 1962 (JFK Presidential Library and Museum. ). 21st Century: Laura Bush and Michelle Obama Unlike the other former First Lady, Laura Bush manages to go to the extremes with her duties as First Lady. According to National First Ladies Library, â€Å"Education has been the primary focus of Laura Bush’s tenure as First Lady and the issue that has bound all the various efforts she has spearheaded. When she eventually was able to deliver testimony before the Senate Education Committee on January 23, 2002, Laura Bush called for higher teacher salaries and better training for Head Start and day care workers. In the nine month of her tenure introduced a National Book Festival in Washington, D. C. based on the model of the one she had created in Texas. Within two years, this festival had inspired the Russian First Lady Ludmilla Putin to host an October 1, 2003 book festival in her nation that Laura Bush attended in Moscow, along with several American authors (National First Ladies Library, 2010). She also went to Afghani to met the women and to hear how miserable their lives have been since the war, and she created a public-forum to help with the techniques to comfort children that were traumatized during and after 9/11(National First Ladies Library, 2010). Again, every First Lady’s ideas about how to perform her job is different just as Michelle Obama have stated. Michelle states that â€Å"This new administration doesn’t view service as separate from our national priorities, or in addition to our national priorities. We see it as the key to achieving our national priorities,† she continued. â€Å"We believe that the only way to build that new foundation for our economy is to establish a new role for service in this country (America. Gov). † The article continues to talks about how Michelle talks about how you can volunteer to make differences. Michelle’s second role as First Lady was to reconstruct a playground and packed over 15,000 backpacks for the children of America’s service members to take with them to summer camp (America. Gov). White House. Gov states that as First Lady, Mrs. Obama looks forward to continuing her work on the issues close to her heart — supporting military families, helping working women balance career and family,   encouraging national service, promoting the arts and arts education, and fostering healthy eating and healthy living for children and families across the country (America. Gov) As I stated earlier, every First Lady’s role is undetermined because it changes due to their interest and the timeframe that they were in. Every First Lady has their ways on how they would like to do things. Some of them may not have a lot of experiences when it comes to politics and some may. Whether it is making sockets or reconstructing a playground, these women are using their talents in helping others. Like Michelle stated, â€Å"â€Å"There’s a feeling that you get when you help someone achieve their goals: the fulfillment of putting your faith into action and feeling that you’re a part of something that’s bigger than yourself and doing your part for the greater good. Bibliography America. Gov. (2009, June 29). Retrieved from America. Gov-Engaging the world: michelle Obama defines own Rosle as First Lady: http://www. america. gov/st/usg-english/2009/June/20090629092010degrebsginek0. 475445. html Berkin, C. (2005, February 01). Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for Americans’ Independence. United States, United States: Alfred A. Knopf Incorporated. Institute, T. L. (2010). Mr. Linclon’s White How to cite Roles of First Ladies, Papers

The Nice Trap free essay sample

In these pages we’ve already noted that one downside of  agreeableness is that agreeable people tend to have lower  levels of career success. Though agreeableness doesn’t appear  to be related to job performance, agreeable people  do earn less money. Though we’re not sure why this is so,  it may be that agreeable individuals are less aggressive in  negotiating starting salaries and pay raises for themselves. Yet there is clear evidence that agreeableness is something  employers value. Several recent books argue in favor  of the â€Å"power of nice† (Thaler Koval, 2006) and â€Å"the  kindness revolution† (Horrell, 2006).Other articles in the  business press have argued that the sensitive, agreeable  CEO—as manifested in CEOs such as GE’s Jeffrey Immelt  and Boeing’s James McNerney—signals a shift in business  culture (Brady, 2007). In many circles, individuals desiring  success in their careers are exhorted to be â€Å"complimentary,†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"kind,† and â€Å"good† (for example, Schillinger, 2007). We will write a custom essay sample on The Nice Trap or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Take the example of 500-employee Lindblad Expeditions. It emphasizes agreeableness in its hiring decisions. The VP of  HR commented, â€Å"You can teach people any technical skill,  but you can’t teach them how to be a kindhearted, generous-minded  person with an open spirit. So, while employers want agreeable employees, agreeable  employees are not better job performers, and they are  less successful in their careers. One might explain this apparent  contradiction by noting that employers value agreeable  employees for other reasons: They are more pleasant  to be around, and they may help others in ways that aren’t  reflected in their job performance. While the former point  seems fair enough—agreeable people are better liked—it’s  not clear that agreeable individuals actually help people  more.A review of the â€Å"organizational citizenship† literature  revealed a pretty weak correlation between an employee’s  agreeableness and how much he or she helped others. Moreover, a 2008 study of CEO and CEO candidates revealed  that this contradiction applies to organizational  leaders as well. Using ratings made of candidates from an  executive search firm, these researchers studied the personalities  and abilities of 316 CEO candidates for companies  involved in buyout and venture capital transactions. They found that what gets a CE O candidate hired is not  what makes him or her effective.Specifically, CEO candidates  who were rated high on â€Å"nice† traits such as respecting  others, developing others, and teamwork were more  likely to be hired. However, these same characteristics—especially  teamwork and respecting others for venture capital  CEOs—made the organizations that the CEOs led less  successful. Questions 1. Do you think there is a contradiction between what  employers want in employees (agreeable employees)  and what employees actually do best (disagreeable  employees)? Why or why not? 2. Often, the effects of personality depend on the situation.Can you think of some job situations in which  agreeableness is an important virtue? And in which it  is harmful? 3. In some research we’ve conducted, we’ve found that  the negative effects of agreeableness on earnings is  stronger for men than for women (that is, being  agreeable hurt men’s earnings more than women’s). Why do you think this might be the case?