Othello protagonist Essay

The protagonist of the play, Othello is a man trapped by his own weaknesses rather than a victim of circumstance. Even though the situations that Othello finds himself in are not ideal and contribute to his downfall, it is his own fatal flaws that end up destroying him. In act 3 scene 3 Iago starts to plant a seed of doubt in Othello’s mind about his wife Desdemona and her infidelity. Iago proceeds to ask Othello, â€Å"Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady, know of you love? † This question immediately causes Othello to become suspicious. Iago then follows with a series of rhetorical questions that enrage Othello as well increase the doubt that is building up in his mind. By the end of this scene we see one of Othello’s weaknesses present itself, jealousy. This particular flaw becomes one of the major contributions to Othello’s downfall. By the end of the play jealousy has clouded his judgment and taken over his perspective on everything. At first Othello insists that he needs proof of the alleged affair but quickly changes his mind. â€Å"Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage.Act 4 scene 1, Iago informs Othello that Desdemona and Cassio have slept together and he has seen that she has given Cassio the handkerchief Othello gave her when they first fell in love. All this news that Iago keeps telling him sends Othello off into a rant, â€Å"Is’t possible? – Confess? Handkerchief? O devil! †After this his falls into a trance. This is the moment when all Othello’s insecuriti es, fears and aversions as well as the obvious lack of judgment that a leader is assumed to have combine to create this kind of epileptic fit. In this scene stage directions are used to help the reader understand what is going on for a dramatic effect. Two of Othello’s flaws that cause this downfall are passion and gullibility. These feelings enabled Iago fill his head with lies that caused him to get so worked up that he lost control. In act 5 scene 1 Iago had convinced Othello that he would kill Cassio and that Othello had to kill Desdemona. Othello begins this scene with a soliloquy, reflecting and attempting to justify his decision to kill her. Othello refers to Desdemona as light. â€Å"Put out the light and then put out he light†. So sweet we ne’er so fatal. †Othello describes how she was so sweet but her actions caused so much pain. Before he kills her, Othello makes sure she has prayed or confessed so that she will go to heaven. â€Å"I will not kill thy unprepared spirit. †Othello’s blind faith in Iago is the flaw that leads all his other weaknesses to rise to the surface an d in the end the inevitable happens. Othello, once a great man, falls. Desdemona speak for one last time in the play. â€Å"A guiltless death I die. † This quote enforces the reality of what has just taken place. This innocent woman was a victim because of another man’s weakness. In this play it is clear what jealousy and misguided trust can do to a person. These weaknesses, along with others, are the reason for Othello’s downfall. Each flaw produced another weakness or doubt. The fact that Othello was manipulated to be part of Iago’s plan for revenge only accelerated the speed of his demise. The fatal mix of passion, jealousy, insecurity as well as how easily he could be manipulated caused Othello to be a man snared by his own weaknesses.

Leadership of General George S. Patton Essay

Leadership of General George S. Patton by Eugene V. Struzik III May 23, 2011 Abstract The purpose of this research paper is to explore the different leadership styles that General George S. Patton Jr. used throughout his life, (November 11, 1885 until December 21, 1945). General Patton is often thought of as one of the most controversial generals in history. This paper will concentrate on events that happened in his life and how his determination, will and hard work helped him overcome and became a better leader. It is evident that in a review of the research General Patton was able to achieve many his success by determination and hard work to be the best in everything that he set his mind to accomplish. He was never happy, except when he was given the challenge of commanding men into battle. General Patton was a leader, a warrior and the most feared General by the Germans. General George S. Patton was a man who is often referred to as a great general, and leader of men who was equally just as controversial. His career in the Army was often a struggle for him to advance and receive the recognition that he deserved. This paper will cover the leadership styles of General Patton during the early, then during World War I. Next it will cover World War II and finally I will give my opinion on the subject. George S. Patton, who was sometime called Georgie, was an average child with the hopes and dreams of becoming a great military leader like his Grandfather, Great-Grandfather and many of his other relatives (Regan, 1960). He worked hard with his academic career to tried to get into West Point the United States Military Academy, but he was not accepted at first. Not deterred by this set back, he went to Virginia Military Institute (VMI) for a year (Reda, 2004). Even though he was going to VMI, he continued tirelessly to get accepted into West Point. Finally Patton was accepted into West Point, but he found it far more challenging then he imagined it would. The major reason that he had difficulty with the studies was because he was suffering from dyslexia, a disorder that caused everything to look backwards (Reda, 2004). Although faced with these difficulties, George never gave up, even when he was forced to repeat his plebe year, due to poor academic performance. However this failure to progress only strengthened his resolve and determination to better. In an effort of almost memorizing everything from his textbooks, he was able to achieve an appointed Cadet Adjutant. Another area that he had an interest in was sports. He encourage the introduction of sports into the school as a way for men to stay focused on studies as appose to getting in trouble (Regan, 1960). His efforts lead to the creation of the first football team and the fencing team. He felt that sport would help him and his classmate overcome the boredom of every day life at West point. In addition, it would help them overcome physical challenges through determination and it would teach them sportsmanship. In an amazing testament to hard work and preservation, George Patton graduated from West Point. Although he did not graduate at the top of his class, he was ranked number 46 out of 103, which is amazing considering the fact that he failed his first year in the Academy. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the US Calvery. It was also during this time in Patton’s life that he would marry his beautiful and wealthy wife, Beatrice Ayer. Her father was not fond of her marring a military man, because he felt that this would keep his daughter far away from her family. In fact her father, Frederick Ayer, offered George a job in the family business if he would just resign his commission in the Army. However, that was not something that George Patton, was able to do. He was living his dream of being an officer in the United States Army. George’s determination and hard work would reach a high point when he participated in the 1912 Olympics. Although George was not a natural athlete, he simply did what he always did work twice as hard as everyone else in an effort to be better than everyone else. It was his will and his desire to be the best that propelled him into getting fifth place during the Olympics. This raw determination to achieve a goal and accomplish the task ahead would become his trademark. Once again George Patton’s determination and desire to excel paid off. Lieutenant Patton was able to get a position as an aide to General Blackjack Pershing during the Punitive Expedition. The interesting thing about this appointment was General Pershing was not taking people to his staff. In fact, it was a letter that Lieutenant Patton wrote to General Pershing requesting to be considered for an appointment to the General’s staff that gave George the opportunity of a lifetime. Here he would learn what it took to be a good Calvary Officer and he would make important contact that would serve him well in the future. This leads into the second main point of this paper, which is Patton emerging into a leader. It is 1917, and the United States has just declared war on Germany. Patton got another chance to serve under General Blackjack Pershing. Pershing gave Patton a promotion to the rank of Captain and appointed him the Tank commander for the American troops. This was not an easy task for Captain Patton, since he had to develop a training program, and tactics for the new technological advancement of the tank. This was Patton’s first leadership challenge that would set the tone for how he dealt with all of the other challenges in his life. He was the â€Å"first tank commander† (Reagan, 1960), with this job he took on the daunting task of creating the first Tank Command in Europe. â€Å"Patton single-handedly created the, the AEF Tank Training Center. He created the, the ideas, the tactics, the design, the uniforms, the procedures. Virtually, everything that was done came from Patton† (Reda, 2004). Patton realized the need for training and the benefit that he would get on the battle field. Drawing from his own experience, Patton viewed the tank as the calvary of the future. It would be during this First World War that he would develop many of his leadership skills. As was pointed out by Captain VonShell, â€Å"Instill a sense of security in the men, by so doing you will help them overcome their fears† (1933, p. 17). Patton exemplified this behavior, by being the first person to ride on a tank for in combat even though there was machine gun fire raining down on him (Reda,

The Story of an Hour & a Sorrowful Woman

â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman† & â€Å"The Story of an Hour† The sadness and unhappiness displayed by both of the married women in â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman† and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† shows that marriage does not always bring the typical ending of most fairy tales. Thus being living happily ever after. It is evident that both of these women feel trapped in their marriages as many people feel today. Growing up with eight sisters I have also seen this feeling of entrapment in the world as well. In both of these stories the women display such a lack of love towards their spouses and in fact in â€Å"The Story of an Hour† it seems as though Mrs. Mallard never really loved her spouse and is the happiest for the hour that she thinks her husband is dead. The woman in â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman† is never satisfied with her marriage and life and feels trapped as well. The bizarre thing is that both of these women end up dead and do not find a way to get help or to get out of the marriages. The authors of these two stories Kate Chopin and Gail Goodwin both tie the unhappiness of these women to the way in which society impacts ones marriage. First of all, through the settings of their stories, both of the authors suggested that social expectations be the real causes of their protagonists’ deaths. In â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman,† the nameless protagonist has what seems to be such a desirable life. She has a â€Å"durable, receptive, gentle† husband and a â€Å"tender golden three† son (189) â€Å"He was attuned to her; he understood such things† (189). This statement leads one to believe that her husband always understood her. It also seems that he is willing to sacrifice his time for her and their family. Mrs. Mallard in â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is in a similar environment. Knowing that she has heart trouble, â€Å"great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death† (18). By setting up such nice environments where the two protagonists live, the authors keep readers away from the thought that their protagonists’ deaths are the result of bad treatment. It is the force of social expectations placed upon the women that locked them in the jail of marriage and that eventually lead them to death. It becomes evident while reading both of these stories that both of the female protagonists in the two stories live very unsatisfactory lives. Mrs. Mallard in â€Å"The Story of an Hour† seems to feel trapped in her own marriage. â€Å"She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even certain strength† (19) tells us that her marriage has taken everything away from the young woman emotionally. â€Å"It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long† (19), shows that she never felt freedom in her life and felt very unhappy in this marriage because life seemed to be so long because of it. Therefore, â€Å"She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same† (18) when she was told about her husband’s death. She just accepted it and went to her room because she realized that her husband’s death gave her freedom and now â€Å"spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days [that] would be her own. † (19) In the other story â€Å"A Sorrowful Womanâ€Å", the once again nameless protagonist, is imprisoned in her own mind. This is different from â€Å"The story of an hour. † In â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman† the sight of her family makes her so disgusted and uneasy. She feels that to love and take care of her family is a burden. â€Å"She stood naked except for her bra, which hung by one strap down the side of her body; she had not the impetus to shrug it off† (189) indicates how tired and unmotivated she feels about her life. Both of these women in these two stories struggle to live happily and are constantly living in agony. Many readers, including myself, might wonder why they don’t free themselves by offering divorce to the husbands. Chopin and Godwin use a lot of irony to allow readers to know that it isn’t simple for their protagonists to break the social expectations that keep them in the boundary of marriage. Divorce is never an option for them. Divorce might have never been defined in their society, and it was most definitely not as common then as it is now. These poor women have no way to escape from their intense unhappiness. Not only did these women not have a way to get out of their crisis, but they were also prohibited from being themselves and from doing what they want. In â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman,† the main character is exhausted from being â€Å"a wife and mother one too many times† (189). When her son says, â€Å"She’s tired of doing all our things again† (193), this tells us what her life was like. She was constantly feeling the stress of trying to be a housewife against her will, although she did have the ability to write and wasn’t given much of a chance to write. Only once in her life does she have a chance to write â€Å"mad and fanciful stories nobody could ever make up again, and a table full of love sonnets†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (192-193); that is before her death. This woman is in a tough predicament. While the person herself tells her to do whatever she wants to, the person that is affected by social expectations inside her tells her to do other things. She completely loses controls of herself. Even though she was unable to do things she wants, she still had to pretend as if she was the luckiest woman (189). In â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† on the other hand, Mrs. Mallard’s overwhelming joy when she received the news of her husband’s death indicated for how long and how much she wanted to be â€Å"Free, free, free! (19). Only alone in her room could Mrs. Mallard express her happiness. In front of people, she has to repress her feelings and pretend to be sad. The conflict inside and outside the woman tells us so much about what the society expected her to do. It also seems that Godwin was trying to show the conflict between Mrs. Mallards marriage and society by intensely describing her world inside and outside of her room. Chopin and Godwin have successfully directed readers to the only reasonable resolution of their stories, the deaths of their main characters. Death is the only way our two protagonists are able to escape from their agony and from the pressure of social expectations placed upon them. These two women’s societies don’t allow them to die comfortably even when they have chosen death as their fate. In â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman,† even though our nameless protagonist despises being a mother and wife she still does what society would expect of her, as a housewife, right before her death. She made â€Å"five loaves of warm bread, a roast stuffed turkey, a glazed ham, three pies of different fillings, †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (192). In â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† Mrs. Mallard was said to have died of â€Å"joy that kills† (20) even though it seems as though she died because she was finally able to see freedom in her day’s ahead and could not fathom to live under her husband’s will again. Even until her death, her society still pushed her in the position of a pretender, of a person she never wants to be. Without a way out of these unhappy situations, both of the protagonists chose death for freedom. It is only through death that they are both able to escape from their unhappy lives. These stories provoke so much thought. Should society be more understanding of people? Maybe if our society could be more excepting and understanding there would be less tragedy like there has been in Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and Godwin’s â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman. † Works Cited Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Story of an Hour. † Thinking and Writing About Literature. Michael Mayer. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 18-20. Goodwin, Gail. â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman. † Thinking and Writing About Literature. Michael Mayer. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 189-193.

The role of women in Francoist society represented in Carmen Laforet's Essay

The role of women in Francoist society represented in Carmen Laforet's Nada(Nothing) - Essay Example Nada (which literally means nothing in Spanish), has been translated from Spanish into English by Edith Grossman. The novel revolves around the life of a young woman seeking a trace of peace and sanity from the sheer ugliness of her war torn country and chaotic home life.The Novel has an Introduction by Mario Vargas Llosa and was awarded the Premio Nadal in 1944 .This novel was previously translated as Andrea by Charles F. Payne (1964) and as Nada by Glafyra Ennis (1993) .The novel ranks high in the literary world and it is said that the novel is a reflection of the authors life herself who was 23 at the time of writing the novel. The writer converted to Catholicism in 1951 and wrote many other novels, yet this is her most famous novel to date.Laforet's novel Nada is a prominent example of the novelistic form of Bildungsroman (self-cultivation") which is generally an exploration into the social or psychological growth of the main male character or protagonist from childhood to maturi ty .Many academics have interpreted Andrea's life to be a as a female version of the male Bildungsorman.This novel ranks among the most important literary works of post-Civil War Spain. The Novel is almost a reflection of Laforet's own life and as the story revolves around the life of the young protagonist, Andra who after being orphaned goes to live with her extended family in the war torn Barcelona to attend University. Before I go on to discuss the role of women in era as represented by Nada it would be worth mentioning the social circumstances the war torn Spain was reverting to in order to "heal" itself from the war damage. According to Lannon(1991)1, " all separation and divorce petitions were suspendedthe law which had introduced civil marriage was annulled.the right given to women by the 1931 Constitution, to retain a nationality different from that of their husband, was removed.the Divorce Law of 2 March 1932 was repealed and divorces already granted under the law, that involved canonically-married people, were declared null and void..the legalization of abortion by the Catalan Generalitat in December 1936 was swept away together with all vestiges of Catalan autonomy, abolished on 5 April I 938 as insurgent forces advanced on Catalonia..It was particularly evident from wartime legislation on education that the place of women was to be separate, subordinate, and domestic.. The ending of co-education was formalised stipulated that all women teachers must teach in girls" Lannon goes on to highlight the subjugation of women's rights in the name of religion and reform when he writes 2 "Inspectors were urged to establish local courses for women teachers, to help them prepare their pupils for their 'important maternal function.The very fact that this was a civil war, erupting from bitter ideologicaldisagreements, made it inevitable that conflicting views about Spanish social structure, including the role of women, were at issue"(Lannon,1991). In her 3article,Mayock has also depicted the tightening noose over the freedom of the female sex when she writes in the words of Morcillo Gomez that the Universal Law 1943 aimed at entrenching the family values thereby giving the "Falange's Feminine Section the duty of maintaining Catholic values in Spanish Women" thus stating that the women now had the duty to defend traditional family values and preserve the culture and "maintain happiness in the home. With this background one can well understand the frustration the whole society was going through and in the words of Mayock(2004) this was a time of the emergence of the "archetypal female protagonist of the post war period: entrapment and exile."4 This extended family consists of her Uncle Roman (who is depressed), the controlling character of her Aunt Angustias, her abusive Uncle Juan and his wife Gloria. The aftermath of the war has left them poor and they live in a congested apartment. The novel shows how the aftermath of th

Understanding organisation theory and practice Assignment

Understanding organisation theory and practice - Assignment Example In this regard, successful managers are those that can effortlessly maximize their profitability and broaden the customer bases which are all dependent on daily operations. The report details Holden, organisation’s performance in comparison to a Ford. The report specifically focuses on how the organisation may improve in the future in light of the recommendations of the operations. The recommendations are solely base on the current or present practices of Holden and Ford using two organisational theories. The two theories employed by the report are Critical management studies (CMS) and Structural Contingency Theory (SCT) both which provides the best insight into the manner in which the two organisations should operate. Critical management studies (CMS) is a largely theoretically and left-wing informed technique to organisation and management studies. The theory becomes relevant in addressing the concerns of the companies and comparing their operations of Holden and Ford. The theory specifically challenges the prevailing traditional understanding of organizational operation and management. CMS offers a platform for discussing radical alternatives whereas interrogating the set relations of control, power, ideology and domination, as well as the relations between organisations. More specifically, this theory aims to lower environmental destructiveness and social injustice within the firms. As a canopy research orientation, CMS holds various theoretical conventions, signifying a pluralistic multidisciplinary movement. The theories thus offer a critical basis for recommendation for the firm. On the other hand, Structural contingency theory (SCT) points to a fact that the firm’s structure should be adaptable to every business and that every manager should ensure they are operating their business within the efficient structure that can support their business. These are the factors that are singled out to

International Business (Domino's Pizza) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Business (Domino's Pizza) - Essay Example The paper will discuss the methods of international expansion the company used to date and its appropriate development methods, Domino's Pizza methods using in different markets, as well as the possible combination of international expansion methods. The paper will also critically appraise the current strategy and give appropriate recommendations for further development. 2. The most appropriate Domino's Pizza development method, as well as the best method of international expansion is licensing and franchising: "We have developed a large, global, diversified and committed franchise network that is a critical component of our system-wide success and our leading position in pizza delivery. As of March 21, 2004, our franchise store network consisted of 6,878 stores, 63% of which were located in the contiguous United States" (7). These system has doubtless advantages namely for such global international company as Domino's Pizza. The franchise system allows minimizing such negative barriers of international expansion as language barrier, local governmental measures and the registration of trademark. The system also provides the adaptation of Domino’s Pizza rights and regulations to the cultural differentiations of various countries: â€Å"We also adapt our system to the local market to accommodate cultural differences in delivery vehicles, store design, signage, etc. Pizza toppings are the most common cultural adaptation. We have pickled ginger in India, squid in Japan and green peas in Brazil† (3). Domino’s Pizza quick service restaurants in different countries are not a wholly subsidiary of Domino Pizza Company (like McDonald’s in the UK). 's in the UK). They are based on Franchising Agreement with Domino's Pizza International, Inc. A franchisee must have appropriate local market, business strategies and experience knowledge: "Internationally, we have also been able to grow our franchise network by attracting franchisees with business experience and local market knowledge. We generally use our master franchise model, which provides our international franchisees with exclusive rights to operate stores or sub-franchise our well-recognized brand name in their markets" (7). Through well developed franchising system Domino's Pizza Company gains constant royalty payments which allow the company to develop an d expand to international markets: "A substantial percentage of our earnings is generated by our committed, owner-operator franchisees through royalty payments and revenues to our vertically-integrated distribution system. Royalty payments yield strong profitability to us because there are minimal corresponding company-level expenses and no capital requirements associated with their collection" (3). The growth and revenue of Domino's Pizza is mainly provided by its franchising system development and royalty payments from numerous stores throughout the world. The company has chosen the most appropriate method of international expansion. Domino's Pizza makes franchising agreements with appropriate firms working in relevant market segments and having local market features knowledge.

Deductive and inductive criminal profiling Coursework

Deductive and inductive criminal profiling - Coursework Example Profiling methodologies differ mainly because all profilers are not trained uniformly and they have varying abilities. Basically, there are two kinds of profiling. Each describes different methodologies to this field of study. Inductive Criminal Profiling is hypothetically associated with the formation of a psychological model of symptoms and the ensuing evidence of symptoms. This method essentially entails racial generalizations based on statistics. Deductive Criminal Profiling is the less common technique of profiling. It can be thought of as, very broadly speaking, the Sherlock Holmes process where the profiler retains an open mind and examines all ideas, opinions and assumptions put forth regardless of how prominent the supplier of the information might be. Decisions concerning which person to stop, question and detain based on characteristic generalizations that are either perceived or observable such as race is founded on the inductive profiling method. However, â€Å"even whe n generalizations are statistically legitimate, they can be very erroneous in particular cases.† (Turvey, 1998). If law enforcement agencies implement the inductive profiling method, it serves to mislead the investigative process and adds the factor of pseudo-credibility to the method.

HR Alignment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HR Alignment - Assignment Example That is, the strategy must not be seen as being either over or below the achievability of the goals (Handler & Jasinski, 2010). To understand the role that HR has as a partner and driver of change in meeting the organization’s strategy, it is important to ask the probing question of how the organizational strategy can be run without the employee base of the organization. With this question in mind, it will be appreciated that the role of HR helps in setting an organizational strategy that rightly meets the competencies of the human resource base of the organization. Whiles setting organizational strategies to meet employee competences, Becker, Huselid and Ulrich (2001) also recommends the need to ensure that the strategies can be tightened to make employees challenged to build their competences. Even though it is generally accepted that aligning HR goals with the organization’s strategy is an important thing to do, the approach to doing this has often been challenging for most managers. Using systems thinking or systems view helps to make the alignment process very simple. This is because in its original terms, systems thinking is about understanding how processes influence one another within a whole organization to form a system (Handler & Jasinski, 2010). This means that when systems view is used, the HR goals will be seen as a unit, as well as the organization’s strategy, the two of which will have a simple modality that integrates them in serving a common

Crimes Against Information Systems Analysis Essay

Crimes Against Information Systems Analysis - Essay Example Cyber-terrorism is the new crime preference to inflict havoc on the masses of society. Watson (2002) defines cyber-terrorism as "the use of cyber tools to shut down critical national infrastructures (such as energy, transportation, or government operations) for the purpose of coercing or intimidating a government or civilian population." (p.8) Over the years, the level of cyber-terrorism has evolved. Years ago, hackers attained satisfaction by simply breaking into a system (Wilmot, 2004). However, Littleton (1995) still regards hackers as dangerous and further implies imminent danger by questioning the ability of a hacker to become a cyber-terrorist. Wilmot (2004) contends that hackers' abilities to "crack passwords or find a back door route through a security firewall" shows that hackers can easily use a simple act to corrupt data in high technology. (p. 287). Though hackers implement a more simplistic form of cyber-terrorism, and their trespassing is not as harmful as modern day cr ackers-those who seek to disable networks or systems-both hackers and crackers pose danger to the world that holds critical information. However, the sophistication of cyber-terrorists' methods correlates with the degree of their motives. An intent Motives and Methods of Cyber-Terrorists An intent of cyber-terrorist includes causing a devastating amount of damage, while remaining elusive. To illustrate the elusiveness of a cyber-terrorist, Littleton (1995) uses two examples from the late 1980's. The identification, trial, and conviction of Robert T. Morris transpired only because he spoke of his creation, the 1988 Internet Worm, to several people. Rather, the author of the famous Michelangelo virus remains unidentified and escaped consequences altogether. The low risk of being captured coupled with the benefit of easily gaining access to restricted areas makes the crime of cyber-terrorism more appealing to criminals. Motives of cyber-terrorists range from mischief to malice. Today's juveniles have joined the cyber-terrorist realm by defacing Web sites. However, Watson (2002) regards the less serious crimes as highly consequential. When a site is defaced, its information is altered. Misleading information ultimately deceives viewers of the site and result in decrease of confidence and capital for owners of the site. Both hackers and crackers gain access to exclusive information by deciphering protective codes (Wilmot, 2004), which Littleton (1995) claims is not hard to do. A mischievous hacker seeks to only occupy an area considered off limits. On the other hand, a malicious cracker not only breaks codes to enter off-limits areas, but he or she seeks to vandalize or defile the area by causing immediate damage or planting viruses which slowly infiltrate and destroy systems that operate as critical infrastructures (Morris; Wilmot, 2004). Impact of Cyber-Terrorism According to Wilmot (2004), citizens cannot function without the critical infrastructures of their communities. One part of the critical infrastructure extremely vulnerable to cyber-terrorism is the public safety system. Branches of the public safety

Minimum Wage Essay Example for Free

Minimum Wage Essay Increasing the minimum wage has been considered to be one factor that results in higher unemployment rate. Various authors on this subject outline different views on the effects of increasing the minimum wage on unemployment rate. One study shows that effect on increasing the minimum wage varies in different economies. Another says increasing wage rates does not affect unemployment rate. And, there are also studies which indicate that there is an effect although not that significant in affecting occupation loss. This paper aims to present issues that will provide clear views on whether an increase in the minimum wage results in higher unemployment rate. Wage rate is the representation of the non-existent to the slightest bargaining power of the workforce (Bernstein and Schmitt, n. d. ). Increasing the minimum wage is done to alleviate poverty. (Macpherson, 2005; Bernstein and Schmitt, n. d. ). Its main goal is to help low-wage workers uplift their income and cope up with the rising cost of living (Page, et al. , 1999). However, it has been criticized because of its ill effect on employers’ business. It has been said that an increase in the minimum wage rate would cause unemployment. There had been studies about the effects of the minimum wage rate hike, but they do not point out to one outcome. Different economies have different outcomes when subjected to minimum wage increase (Fields and Kanbur, 2005). Different countries have comparative results when an increase in the wage rate is implemented. However, it will certainly be effective for the low-wage earners. An analysis made by Burkhauser and Sabia (2005) showed that an increase in the minimum wage rate has not been effective as far as poverty alleviation is concerned because the increase was given only to low-wage earners. Other workers earning higher wage but were also within the poverty level were not granted similar increase, as such only those employed in minimum wage rate jobs were able to realize the benefits. The effect of the wage rate, in this case, does not necessarily address the needs of those with low incomes. Not all people that are in need of the wage increase are working at a minimum-wage earning occupation. Increasing the minimum wage is also believed to be favorable for the poor working men and women. However, its effects are far from helpful, in fact, increasing the minimum wage is hurtful to business and may result to unemployment. The wage hike will cause the salary of low-wage jobs to be equivalent to the salaries of those in higher job levels. Since these jobs have higher requirements in terms of skills, the least skilled are more likely to be laid off from work. A minimum wage rate hike and its effect on unemployment were seen in the study of Brown (1988 as cited by Burkhauser and Sabia, 2005). An increase in the wage rate caused a small decrease in the employment of teenagers. The decrease upheld the theorized increase in unemployment rate for an increase in the minimum wage rate. A study also showed that it is not a matter of how much the laborer is earning, the salary that a worker receives, which will improve in case of a minimum wage increase, but the employment status of the worker. These workers are more likely to be dismissed when a company suffers loss, in the form of higher operational costs, as a result of minimum wage hike. (Deere, 1998). The study further showed that not all workers earning a minimum wage rate are actually poor and may not in need of the increase (Burkhauser and Sabia, 2005). Most of the workers that will benefit from wage increase are the young workers, aged 24 or younger (Macpherson, 2005). The workers that are aged 24 or younger are mostly employed in these minimum-wage earning occupations. In addition, a higher wage would mean more interested workers but due to the surplus of workers, a crowding out would occur or less hours of work would be allotted per person. This would result to a decline in the earnings of each worker (Page, et al. , 1999). Macpherson’s study (2005) in Pennsylvania indicated that an increase in the minimum wage rate would really be costly for employers and thus, lead to mass laying-off of workers. Few firms are able to continue operation given the increase in wage rates, hence only few workers are needed. The company may retain more workers but may reduce the working hours for each employee. In both cases, the low wage earners are the ones affected because they may get the desired increase in wage but may end up spending little time for work, hence reducing their income. However, a study indicated that retail jobs are the only jobs which prove that higher minimum wage rates decrease the employment (Fox, 2006). For other firms, it would be better to engage in other programs that may promote increase in work-hours instead of increasing the minimum wage rate to motivate employees. One way to alleviate poverty is to consider the family income of low-wage earners. Extending non-monetary benefits will somehow improve the lives of minimum wage earners and can be given to them in lieu of the wage increase. (Burkhauser and Sabia, 2005). Minimum wage hikes are beneficial to workers and companies alike. It keeps the workers to stay in the company for a long time, thus developing loyalty to the job. Although granting an increase in wage to workers may add up to operating expenses of a company, still it is benefited in the long run because it will not incur cost on training new workers. Fox, 2006). Periodic grant of an increase in the minimum wage rate is needed to augment workers’ income, such that they are able to cope up with the rising cost of living. The slightest increase in their wages raises the workers’ economic well-being since it makes them more capable of financing the most basic needs of the family. This is particularly true for workers who are the heads of the households (Burkhauser and Sabia, 2005; Bernstein, et al. , 1999). An increase in unemployment is not necessarily caused by an increase in the minimum wage rate (Fox, 2006). A classic example in this theory was the increase in the minimum wage rate in the years 1996 and 1997 that did not lead to the dismissal of teenagers, which were believed to be less skillful workers (Bernstein and Schmitt, n. d. ). If the increase in the wage rate does cause a significant decrease in employment, there would have been larger decreases in the employment over the years (Card, 1992 as cited by Fox, 2006; Bernstein and Schmitt, n. d. ). Wage hike does have psychological effects on workers such as: higher productivity, decreased turnover, lower recruiting and training costs, decreased absenteeism and higher morale, which are believed to offset the costs of increasing the wage (Bernstein and Schmitt, n. d. ; Card and Krueger, 1995 as cited by Fox, 2006; Bernstein, et al. , 1999;). Increasing minimum wage rate even attracts employment (Clinton, 1995 as cited by Burkhauser and Sabia, 2005). The effect of increasing the minimum wage rate on the rise in unemployment rate is generally small and statistically insignificant (Bernstein and Schmitt, 1998 as cited by Fox, 2006). Decreases in the unemployment rate may also be caused by the wage hike, but only to a small extent. A more likely cause of unemployment is the performance of the economy (Chipman, 2006 as cited by Fox, 2006; Costales, et al. 2000), one of which is the existence of a deflationary gap. It is a situation wherein the aggregate expenditure of the economy is less than the full employment level of income or output, hence suggesting the existence of unemployment (Costales, et al. , 2000). In fact, empirical studies show that the employment on firms which implemented the higher minimum wage rates are higher than those without the raise, which both have positive and negative effects (Burton and Hanauer, 2006 as cited by Fox, 2006). The negative effects of more employment were stated in preceding pages of this report. The overall positive effects of the increase in the wage rate set a sense of value for low-wage workers’ employment and uplift their living standards. (Fox, 2006). It serves as one of the tools in poverty reduction because the primary goal of the minimum wage policy is to increase income of the low-wage earners (Burkhauser and Sabia, 2005). Raising the minimum wage rate affects employment opportunities. It makes job seekers less likely to get a job while those who are already employed are expected to retain the employment. (Deere, 1998). Firms who do not have the money to shoulder additional wages for an increase in the minimum wage rate are usually the ones who are against the implementation of wage hikes. This is the primary cause of laying off of workers and the increase in the unemployment rate. This also is the cause of firing less skilled workers because firms opt to retain the workers who are more skillful. However, if the firms are able to sustain the costs, the increase will be both beneficial to employers (moral uplifting and better performance of the employees) and to the workers (higher income for basic needs). Increasing the minimum wage of low-salaried workers is part of the bargaining agreement between the workers’ union and the company. It is given in the hope of alleviating poverty. However, study shows that it may not be true in all cases because some companies may opt to adopt work allocation among workers which could mean limited time for work meaning limited income on the part of the affected workers. Though increasing minimum wage may result in higher operating costs, the increase is not the only factor that affects the employment status of workers. Effects of increase in the minimum wage vary in different economies, hence the country’s economic performance directly affects unemployment rate due to the presence of deflationary gap. Increase in the minimum wage rate does not directly affect the unemployment rate, but rather, it affects the costs of the firms. In turn, these firms which cannot operate at a higher cost screen their current workers and cut those who have little experience to maximize their returns. However, there are firms which value the welfare of the workers and treat it as part of the working costs included in the production. Thus, they consider additional costs, resulting from wage hikes, negligible. Therefore, increasing the minimum wage does not result in higher unemployment rate.

Cultural differences in leadership

Cultural differences in leadership To what extent is leadership culturally dependent? Take a look at the following statements collected from interviews with different managers from different countries: The American people value two types of leaders. They search for empowerment from leaders who establish self-sufficiency governance and assign authority to subordinates. They also give high opinion to the confident, forceful, risk-taking and bold leader as personified by John Wayne. The Dutch puts high importance on egalitarianism and are doubtful about the significance of leadership. Words like manager and leader are seen to be dishonoured. If a father is in employment as a manager, Dutch children will not acknowledge this to their friends. Arabs adore and give veneration their leaders as long as they are in authority! Iranians search for supremacy and strength in their leaders. Malaysians imagine their leaders to act in a manner that is meek, reserved, and distinguished. The French value two types of leaders e.g. Mitterand and De Gaulle. Mitterand is an example of a harmonious builder, association former and successful negotiator. De Gaulle seen as an example of a strong charismatic and enigmatic leader. Given the quick expanding of globalization of firms and improved interdependencies among countries, the need for greater understanding of cultural pressures on leadership and managerial practices has never been higher. In recent times, managers of global organisations face stern and hastily altering in international competition. The up-and-coming drift in the direction of an international economic society is apparent and this 21st century we find ourselves in may just become called the global world (McFarland, Senen, Childress, 1993). The huge significance depended on the interaction and communication in todays business world which is becoming known as a global village makes it mandatory for multinational firms and their leaders to dig deeper to acquire the knowledge of other global leaders and their culture to be able to better interact and conduct lucrative business with them without offending their way of life. As national economies, political systems, cultures, technologies, res ources and industries increasingly converge perhaps to meld, perhaps to take shape in new forms global management skills and abilities become more important to all organizations. These skills will be diverse. (Parker, B. (2005) p. 24). The globalization of firms shows quite a few leadership and organizational challenges which the success of organisational leadership happens to be majorly dependent on for the success of international operations. There are essential limitations in conveying theories from one culture to the next. What is successful in a particular culture may not necessarily be as victorious or openly accepted in another culture. According to Triandis (1993), leadership researchers would be able to modify theories by exploring cultural dissimilarities as constraints of those theories. According to Northouses (2004) general definition of leadership Leadership is a process whereby a person influences a group of people to achieve a common goal. Organizational leadership can be described as the ability of a person to inspire, persuade, encourage and allow others to contribute towards the effectiveness and success of the organizations of which they are members (GLOBE PROJECT, 1997. Pg.5). In addition, the GLOBE PROJECT research (1997) views culture as being operationally defined by the use of measures reflecting two kinds of cultural manifestations: (a) the commonality (agreement) among members of collectives with respect to the psychological attributes specified above; and (b) the commonality of observed and reported practices of entities such as families, schools, work organizations, economic and legal systems, and political institutions. With the ever growing trend of globalization in todays world which is categorized by the never-ending growth of global trade and to a greater extent international mergers acquisitions, the necessity of knowing and having a better grasp of the different qualities of various cultures become s mandatory for individuals working in these conditions. A lot of the impending disagreements, inconsistencies and disturbances in international joint ventures are mainly a result of the lack of taking into account the cross-cultural differences when establishing the venture (Lichtenberger, B. et al., 1993). Apart from companies that have the intention or plan or already have merged or acquired companies from other countries, this understanding is very vital for companies which are located in other counties with the intent of doing business with other companies from different countries. When it comes to the stage of outsourcing and transferring of production products or plants, issues arise on the matter of deciding which particular manager will be the most appropriate to put in the national or regional branches of the firm. The cultural background of the manager and that of the firm would also be considered. The kind of manager that will be able to go about the operations of the fi rm with little or no distractions from the culture of the firm and its employees and also how effective leadership for the firm can be guaranteed are all issues that would be taken into consideration when choosing a suitable manager. With the help of a feasible framework to assist in conducting and directing cross-cultural leadership research, it is easier understood. Some of these frameworks would be discussed below. One of the many research carried out on cross-cultural issues in leadership includes the Globe Project. The prime researcher of GLOBE (the Global Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness Research Project) is Robert J. House, along with numerous co-prime researchers and an international coordinating group. He directs a group of over 190 researchers from all over the globe in the study of the different types of networks of leadership, organizational culture and societal culture. Other dimensional frameworks include those by Hofstedes (1980), Schwartz (1999), Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961) Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner (1997), Hofstede (1980, 2001) and those which were originated during the GLOBE study (e.g. House et al., 1999House and Hanges, Ruiz-Quintanilla, 1997;). According to Bass , B. M. et al, one of the major characteristics of a charismatic leader is having an enormous influence on its followers (Bass, B. M. et al. (1990) p. 184). The supervision and management of a charismatic leader will direct its followers to performing better as it increases their motivation and zeal to become more productive which in turn increases the power and authority the leader has over them therefore, charismatic leadership is extremely vital in the organizational context as well (Hwang, A. et al. (2005) p. 963). Charismatic leaders are often seen as very energetic and self-motivated individuals who offer motivation and encouragement, are enthusiastic about what is necessary and competent (De Vries, M. K. (1996) p. 486). Therefore, following a charismatic leader is not just obeying orders to satisfy the superior, it is more a conviction about the performance and the beliefs of the leader (Ladkin, D. (2006) p. 173). This implies that the influence of a charismatic leader is hig hly accepted by his followers. They do not follow the leader because they have to but do so because they feel a sense of loyalty and attraction towards the leader. Charismatic leaders are viewed to require strong emotional and social skills because of the need of an intimate communication with the subordinates and offering the inspiration needed for them (Grove, K. S. (2005) p. 258). The United States and Japan have been chosen as comparison cultures due to their highly divergent relevance for a broader understanding of communication phenomena in cultures. According to Hofstede (2001, pg 9), the United States is a highly individualistic culture. However Japan is a collectivistic culture. Japanese management and leadership styles have received extensive attention in both the scholarly and popular management literature in the United States (Hofstede, 2001, pg 9). Ochi (1981) suggested Theory Z due to the organizational management principles in Japanese firms. He suggested that most Japanese firms operations could be implemented by some of the American firms. Therefore, Japan is seen to have a similar culture to that of the United States for scholars examining leadership within organisations. Leadership in the United States is identified by recognising leaders functions in organisations and grouping the various kinds of leadership found into different leadership styles. For example, Yukl (2002) defines leadership as leadership is the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how it can be done effectively, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish the shared goalsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Leadership is treated as both a specialized role and a social influence process (Yukls 2002 pg. 5). Yukl (2002) also suggested that decision making is an important function for leaders. Therefore, the techniques which different leaders decide to engage in making decisions has been raised as a subject matter which has to be further investigated. A way of making efficient decisions by a leader is known as participatory leadership. Yukl (2002), also suggested that a lot of the functions of administrators and managers inc lude deciding executing decisions involving the different procedures needed to complete a particular task, choosing the right subordinates, finding solutions technical difficulties, deciding on which subordinate deserves a pay increase and so on. In addition, Indvik, 1986 proposed that supportive leadership has been proven to show that there is consistent strong positive connection between the subordinates satisfaction and the organisations commitment and also with fair to strong connections with the subordinates positions uncertainty and performance in the United States. The moderate masculinity and low power distance ratings for the United States culture are highly reflected in these findings. Directive leadership has also been a significant factor in most United States firms with some analysis made which showed strong positive associations determining the subordinates satisfaction and role ambiguity and moderate positive associations with the surbordinates performance (Podoff, Tudor, Schuler, 1983). Nevertheless, these findings are profoundly based on the characteristics of the firm and the individual. Kerr and Jermier (1978) argued that employees who are extremely skilled, knowledgeable and certified will need little or no directive leader role model to be able to carry out their responsibilities. As pointed out by Hofstede (1980) and Smith and Peterson (1988) the exceedingly high individualism trait found in the United States strongly relies on the participative management processes. Keys and Miller (1982) proposed that the reason for the effectiveness leadership style is due to the fact that their style of decision making has lead to inherent job contentment, dedication, allocation of decision making and increased levels of motivation. Ochi (1981) proposed that the Japanese culture is seen as a collectivistic culture. Therefore the practise in the Japanese organisations would be to put emphasis on collective responsibility and collective decision making. According to Hirokawa (1981), he used a communicative perspective to explain the Japanese firms style of participative leadership communication. Leaders in Japanese firms are meant to act as effective communicators in order for them to be fully understood and effective. Managers aid, persuade and assist the flow of information and knowledge between their members and this also leads to the effectiveness of the Japanese firms. Most leaders in Japanese organisations endeavour to sustain harmony within the firm and also adopt a bottom-up process of decision-making so that they are more accessible by their workers. The United States, as depicted by Hofstede (1980) is highly individualistic, medium on masculinity and low on power distance and uncertainty avoidance. Howell and Dorfman (1988) explained paternalism in the United States as medium while Confucianism in Japanese firms needs reverence and submission from subordinated to leaders who have in the past responded with highly paternalistic attitudes (Peter W. Dorfman et.al, 1997) The high achievement and high individualism motivations that characterizes United States employees are shown in rewards and retribution contingent on a persons performance (McClelland Boyatzis, 1982). Over and over again, affirmative effects for reliant reward behaviour in the United States has been proven by Podoff and his associates (1992). Showing concern for followers and getting engaged in their private lives is expected by managers in japanese firms therefore these organisation are exceedingly hierarchical and are firmly organized (Chen, 1995) Given the various leadership styles and differences and similarities between the United States and Japan, some recommendations on how to better achieve effective leadership between them from ( from the Japanese perspective) is discussed as follows. In affective cultures, such as the United States, leaders tend to exhibit their emotions. They reveal their thoughts verbally and non-verbally. Touching, gesturing and strong facial expressions are commonly used and their statements are made fluently and dramatically while in neutral cultures, such as Japan and China, leaders do not tend to show their emotions. They do not reveal what they are thing or feeling. Physical contact, gesturing or strong facial expressions are not used and their statements are mostly said in a monotonous voice. Some of the key factors that a Japanese Manager should keep in mind before venturing out to the U.s to lead a group of employees is that he should avoid a detached, ambiguous and cool demeanor as this will be perceived as a negative behavior. They should try and find out whose work and enthusiasm are being directed into which projects so that they are able to better appreciate the vigor and commitment the U.S employees have for these efforts towards their jobs. They should let people be emotional without personally becoming intimated by their behavior. These Japanese managers also have to work a bit on themselves as this is not just a one-way street. They should not put off stride when the employees create scenes and become hysterical; they should take some time out for sober reflection and not react on impulse. They should also keep in mind that the purpose of the business is typically focused on themselves as a person rather than the aim or purpose of the proposition that is being presented. In conclusion, as discussed above about the different leadership frameworks in which both countries fall into, it is quite clear that the differences out-weighs the similarities in their leadership styles. These differences need to be taken into consideration if an effective leadership is desired.

Non Vegetarians Towards Vegetarian Food

Non Vegetarians Towards Vegetarian Food The aim of this chapter is to provide a thorough critical review of existing literature concerning consumer behaviour and the increasing phenomenon known as vegetarianism. First, the various perceptions of non-vegetarians and vegetarians towards vegetarian food and lifestyle. between the different genders. Secondly, how the various aspects of the marketing mix, commonly price influences vegetarian food choice. This chapter also examines the main religions and their influence on food choice and finally the degree of influence ethics has on a persons dietary choice. Perception towards vegetarian foods. A large number of Americans do not understand vegetarian food as they grew up on an American diet, which comprises mostly of meat(Pearson, 2010). The majority of North Americans are used to having meat at every meal even if there is another high-protein food is present (Reiner 2011) . Meat is considered as central food round around which meals are prepared, various types of meat are sometimes served on festive and celebratory occasions. (bender,1992). However, A study conducted by the Vegetarian Times (2008 ), revealed that 3.2 percent of U.S adults which is about 7.8 million people are on plant-based diet and 5.2 % were interested in following a vegetarian diet. Perception of non-vegetarians towards vegetarian food However, many people tend to believe that vegetarian food tastes bad, lacks taste, is uninteresting(Pope, 2010) or that meat has a good taste and vegetarian meat is disgustful (Vigneault,2009) which explains why many people especially men tend to avoid vegetarian food (Bailey, 2012) . However Janu (2010) argues that meat does not have taste by explaining that a person cannot eat raw meat and the digestive system rejects it and says that what gives the taste is the additional items added to the recipe and these are generally from something that is vegetarian. Meat, Vegetarianism and Gender (Mckeever, 2012) reports that consuming meat is regarded by many as being more virile and masculine, the traditional macho all-American male, believes that eating red meat is considered as strong and eating soy is not. It has been found that people from Western cultures link up manfulness with meat, especially muscle meat like steak(Gann,2012). Macrae(2011), reports that men who do not consume meat were viewed as less masculine than the others even by other vegetarians. Even ladies, especially vegetarians regarded men who were not eating meat as crybabies or less mach. They also found that people associated meat with more masculine words In a study by Rothgerber(2012) women were a lot more excusatory about meat consumption and men had more favourable attitudes towards meat consumption(Macari, 2012) and (William,2012), eating meat makes the latter feel like real men. If we take a brief look at history, meat has been affiliated with might, virility, manhood and as a prerogative. This h as been observed during the first world war when meat was reserved for men and this was also observed in many Western, Asian and African cultures( Heine 2010). There may be a more scientific explanation to why men prefer meat, such as differences in physiology and men having a greater protein needs to build body mass as compared to women. To the traditional hunter, meat has always been considered as a reward to hunting. (Shah, 2010) According to (Rowan, 2012) men are less likely to eat their vegetables than women and prefer meat over other foods (Bryner,2012) because they dont have the same strong values and beliefs that eating fresh produce are beneficial to health. Furthermore, messages that convince women to eat fruits and vegetables may not have the same effects on men. There are certain situations when a man may healthily opt for salads which is in the case of social support (Ar et al. 2008) or such as when they are trying to impress someone they are eating with, when they are eating out alone or when dining with their spouse and their spouse has chosen the healthy menu ( Strahan, 2012). (Sifferlin,2012 ) further supported the last reason by asserting that men eat their vegetables so as to avoid arguments or with their wives or girlfriends and if they were left on their own in most cases, they would opt for unhealthy foods. (Shere,2012) explained this by adding that ones personal belief influences his behav ior and men are not as convinced that eating vegetables are not worth eating. Dean(2012) suggested that it would be very difficult to educate non-vegetarian consumers to eat vegetarian or fake meat but the key could be to reshaping burgers to resemble beef and by giving them grill marks as according to(Schà ¶sler.et al,2011) the shape and its appearance are important. marks could even convince men who believe that meat is masculine to try it out and eventually help them through their transition to vegetarianism. Perception towards a vegetarian lifestyle 2.1 Perceptions towards vegetarians When people think about a vegetarians, they imagine a skinny person, or perhaps an unhealthy one(Host 2004). Vegetarianism will not make a person skinny or thin(Olsen,2012) many people have this misconception that vegetarians eat only salads (schuna,2011) and (Beppu,2011) and removing animal products from ones diet can help to slim down(Tyler,2012). According to Stanger(2011) and a study by Katz (2008) many people tend to believe that vegans are pale, have clearer skin. Andrews(2011) and (frankel,2010) put forward that due to certain lackings in a vegetarian diet this may cause ones complexity to deteriorate and become pale due to insufficiencies of iron. However Groenewald(2011) refuted this by stating that if this the case the person was probably wrongly doing his diet. 2.2 Vegetarianism and health There is no single reason why people become vegetarians, but one reason which is cited the most is for a healthier lifestyle(Floyd,2011). Many non-vegetarians today believe that meat is unhealthy (Wong 2006) and the most common reason people are becoming vegetarians today are due to the health benefits(Kasiser,2009). He further adds that vegetarian diets continuously have proven to be healthier, in a way that meat, especially non-lean red meats which are high in saturated fats and may carry risks of animal-human transmission diseases. 2.2.1 Perceptions towards vegetarianism as a means to lose weight The perception of the vegetarian diet as an efficient weight loss tool has lead many into giving up meat (Mccarron, 2011) There has been significant amount of research coming out in support of a plant-based diet, and how it helps a person to lose weight(Freston,2011) while Denos(2012) believes that it is a misconception due to the fact that since fruits and vegetables are low in calories, are loaded with vitamins and minerals people believe it should help one lose to weight. (Zeratsky,2012) states that it is true that vegetarians are usually thinner than non-vegetarians but a person can also gain weight on a vegetarian diet Zeratsky,2012) and (Sass 2012) if their portion sizes are too big and they do not get the right balance. 2.2.2 Perceptions towards vegetarianism as a means to live longer According to many authors, eating a lot of red meat regularly is bad for the health in the long run and increases the risks of heart diseases and other cancers(Lezard, 2012),(Bazelle,2012) and Lee(2011). On the other hand, vegetarians suffer fewer heart attacks than meat eaters. For instance, vegetarians under the age of 65 were 45% less likely to suffer a heart attack than meat eaters(Faloon,2006). 2.2.3 Perceptions towards meat Moreover according to (MacEachern 2009) many conventional meat producers use hormones, antibiotics, and frequently process their products with chemical additives and preservatives. This tends to make the meat pinker but less healthy. He supports his argument by stating that there is a strong relationdhip between highly processed meat consumption and risks of getting colon cancer. 2.3 Reasons discouraging people to become vegetarians 2.3.1 Giving up on their favourite meal (Cain,2011) argues that a reason discouraging people from becoming vegetarians is having to renounce to their favourite meals, cheeseburgers or chicken wings and all the other great tastes that non-vegetarians enjoy(Markella,2006). Those who have returned to being omnivoures claimed that they began missing the taste of meat (Wong,2006). (Herzog,2011) further adds that even long-term vegetarians developed urges to taste cooked meat or developed craving for proteins when they smelt upon smelling bacon being cooked. New vegetarians say that they found it hard to give up favorite foods and adjust to the taste of substitutes for butter and dairy products. For some the toughest part to switching to a vegan diet was to give up on cheese. (Pope,2012) 2.3.2 Lack of social support (Pope, 2012) believes that for vegetarians there is a lack of social support as some people are negative and condescending towards vegetarian food and this is the main reasons why many vegetarians have returned to an omnivorous diet. (smith et al, 2000) 2.3.4. Beliefs that a vegetarian diet is not healthy Many authors claim that a vegetarian diet is unhealthy in a way that that there is is insufficient proteins and a person may suffer from nutritional deficiencies(Claire 2012),(Schuna,2011), (Alan et.al2000) . Robin(2011) argued that it depends on the type of food eaten. In the case of vegan who exclude all animal proteins from their diet they may develop a B-12 defficiency and this is commonly found in meat and defficiencies of this vitamin may lead to anemia. Assess the role of culture in the choice of vegetarian food Sabine (2012) stated that there exists indefinite number of definitions of culture. Definitions of culture may vary from one person to another. Kroeber et al (1952) defined culture as patterns of behavior gained and transmitted through symbols, consisting of classifiable achievements of human groups including their incarnations in artefacts. Culture consists of traditional values and ideas which historically inferred and selected.Many religions promote a vegetarian lifestyle or diet, for example, Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, and Seventh day Adventists(Frankel, 2010) Culture or Religion is an important determinant in ones selection of his own diet as many eastern religions impose a vegetarian diet as compared to many western religions. According to the survey done by the Vegetarian Times (2008), this explains why India has the most vegetarians (400 million, about 40 % of the population ) as compared to the US which is only at 7.3 million. This is explained by Lingam(2010) who states that India has this strong vegetarian culture due to its religions, dating back to 500 BC where the rise of Buddhism and Jainism were teaching non-violence. Today this vegetarian lifestyle is dictated by the influence of and those having a strong belief in their religion such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism or Sikhism which impose a vegetarian diet. 3.1. Hinduism Hinduism is the oldest and the third largest population around the world with over 900 million followers around the world (Magicman,2011). Hindus believe that all living beings have souls and one animal which is sacred and strictly forbidden to eat is the cow (Dowling, 2009). According to Srivastava(2007), all Hindu scriptures praise and glorify nonviolence. And a vegetarian diet as important in the successful practice of worship and in yoga. Hindu dharma generally recommends vegetarianism but it is not a requisite to be a Hindu. Animal flesh is considered the same as the flesh of ones own offspring and to eat this would make one the most despicable of human beings. Moreover she quoted from the Yaj Veda that one must not use his body, which is given by god to kill other of Gods creations whether they are human, animal or whatever. (Srivastava,2007) further adds that according to the Manusmriti, one should abstain from eating any kind of flesh as this is concerned with killing and it involves killing and leads to karmic repercussions and their choice of food brings about consequences. Killing involves giving pain and according to the karmic law of cause and effect he who gives pain will receive that same amount pain. Christianity The bible is divided into the old testament and the new testament. Based upon an analysis of the bible by Zeolla (2005) In the old testament, especially in the Genesis, which refers to the moment god created Adam and Eve and the whole universe where it is stated that god made every tree grow and those which seemed pleasant good for food and commanded that man shall eat from these trees. This section of the bible implies that at that time god wanted men to be vegetarian. However, there are sections in the bible whereby god stated that man can eat as much meat as he wishes, where god provided quails for the Israelites. Moreover, there are many situations in the bible where animal sacrifices where made to god or where he himself asked for an animal sacrifice. Social influences and vegetarianism Culture transmission, in principle can be transmitted from any individual to another(Acerbi,2006). It is common that lots of vegetarian parents expect their children to eat what they eat (Belkin,2009) despite others arguments that the child should decide when he is old enough(Madsen, 2009) or that eating meat is free choice and what you choose to eat is up to you(Vigneault,2008) . (Roth 2012) argued that kids arent scared of veganism and that it is adults who afraid because kids learn when we they are taught. A survey by Katz (2008) and (Berman2011), showed that many of the respondents had become vegans due to the influence of family and friends. It had been reported that the elderlys food choice was because many elderly valued their relationships between spouses or friends over their personal taste preferences (Falk et al . 1996). 4. Determining the effects of the marketing mix on the choice of vegetarian foods 4.1 Product A vegetarian diet is a meal plan that consists of mostly plants such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seeds and nuts, with a small amount of or no animal products(Evert, 2011). According to Porter (2009) there are different types of vegetarian diets. If a person says that he is a vegetarian that could mean many things. In each style of vegetarian diet certain foods that are restricted. Here are a few categories of vegetarianism: A Lacto-vegetarian consumes no animal products except for dairy(Ochel,2008) A vegan or a strict vegetarian does not include any animal-based food products. A vegan lifestyle refers to the exclusion of all animal products, such as leather clothing and even honey because honey requires bees. A vegan diet consists carefully reading the labels of packaged foods before purchasing them to ensure they meet vegan criteria. Stein (2011) An ovo-lacto vegetarian will not eat meat, fish, or poultry or anything which contains eggs but they do consume dairy products. Unlike a vegan like diet, vegetarianism offers more flexibility and lets one enjoy some of the things that they are accustomed to eating. (Miles, 2009) Americans are eating 12 % less meat than they did 5 years ago(Ketzenberger,2012) and less real meat means more fake meat(Nolan,2012.) Fake meats also known as mock meats or faux meat (Sawant,2012) have made a lot of progress in the last ten years(Nolan,2012) to becoming a multi-million dollar industry today(Olsen 2012). Mock meat is a substitute for meat made with ingredients such as tofu soy and wheat gluten to imitate the taste and appearance of real meat(John,2010). Nolan adds that in the last year alone, over 100 new fake meat products have been introduced in the United States, from beef tips to orange chicken,pulled pork. fake sausage and fake burgers. When hippies and many sympathizers sought to reduce or eliminate their meat consumption in the late 1960s tofu was well positioned to grab that market, and between 1925 to 1975 America had 528 commercial tofu makers. As stated by (Mintel 2005) manufacturers are doing their best to make alternatives look like real, and there is little in the packaging to distinguish vegetarian products. Soymilk is available in packaging that is identical to dairy milk, and meat-free hot dogs look the same as their meat-based counterparts. However, taste is a more important factor for consumers, who rejected the earlier less-tasty versions of soymilk and veggie burgers. Since then, technology has improved the flavor of vegetarian products. Also helping is the wider array of products that include flavored versions of soymilk and more complex meat alternative products (e.g. chicken-free Buffalo-style chicken wings). These flavored products mask or disguise the beany flavor that many consumers dislike. Although processed fake meat is not healthy food, in most cases, especially from an animal rights perspective, it is given a pass or is accepted (Striepe,2011). Bittman(2012) believes that it would be very difficult to make people reduce the amount of meat they consume each day, an option which is more tasty to the mind and to the mouth is fake meat. According to (Pratt, 2012) This may bother some vegans, who do not like the idea of fake meats, and perhaps it is bringing fake meats is too realistic. Absolute vegans firmly admonish that it still counts as eating meat in spirit and thus labels them as hypocrites(Rufus,2010). 4.2. Price There is a strong relationship between the increase in price and the demand for vegetables. The price increases in the UK also meant that a lot of people were not buying the fresh fruits and vegetables which they need to for a healthy and nutritious diet(Pouler, 2012). In 2010 the price rises are affected many families in a way that 10 % of the poor families are consuming 25 % less fruit and 15 % less vegetables(Hill, 2012). Sheehan (2012) also argued that the economic situation is making it more costly for people to have a morehealthier meal. The price of healthier foods are increasing at a great speed than the that of the unhealthy foods, for example pizzas and burgers and people are eating less fruits and vegetables than a decade ago and more and more unhealthier foods because of its affordability. People are now looking for a meal that fills the stomach which is the case of most junk food than food that is nutritious. According to MailOnline (2011) when the price of beef and porc had reached records, nothing seemed to have changed regard consumer spending and meat. Moreover, in Kolkata, incessant rains had led to a drastic increase in the price of vegetables which had forced many middle-income families to opt for non-vegetarian meals on their menus(Chawdhuri,2011). (Miser 2011) states that many people hesitate to go for vegetarian meals or to become vegetarians because they believe it is much more costly and expensive. However, she opposed these beliefs by stating that a vegetarian diet is more cost-effective and not too expensive, an argument supported by Greenwood (2011). (Miser 2011) affirms a vegetarian diet is much cheaper in a way that chicken can be substituted by beans which is 60% cheaper that the costs of the latter. A person can save up on the costs of electricity which is used to keep the meat frozen. Moreover when a person is purchasing the meat they are paying for parts which are not comestible such as fat and bones. 4.3. Place How easy it is for one to find vegetarian food on menus depends on what type of vegetarian the person is and where he is(Goodyer,2012) . Being vegetarian can also limit your options when dining out Callahan 2010). According to ONeill (2012) Its much harder for vegans who dont eat eggs or cheese to find something they can eat. Japanese food has options for vegans, however Thai food (Goodyer,2012) and in Korea, where there is no Korean word for vegetarian, and which every meal has animal parts in it. (Kerp,2009).Moreover a lot of wine have animal ingredients added for flavour. Vegetarian wine isnt that hard to find these day and the easiest way is to bring ones own wine although in some restaurants this means paying corkage(ONeill,2012) According to Davis (2011) restaurants dont do vegan food because they believe there is no demand for it. Secondly it is too much of a bother, for example separating equipment that use processed meat (Schuna,2011) with such few vegans and most of them will just look at the menu in the window, or the website, and if they see nothing vegan they go somewhere else instead; If there is only one vegan item on the menu, then the only option is take it or leave it. Bigger restaurants can afford to offer a wide variety so that customers can come back but this may not be the case of the smaller ones. Thirdly, people do not dine out alone, and most vegans have mostly non-vegan friends and family. When theyre deciding where and what to eat the one vegan influences the decision. In this case the restaurant doesnt lose only the one vegan customer, but also their friends and family. 4.4. Promoting a Vegetarian lifestyle 4.4.1 Vegetarian Food Festival The 27th Annual Vegetarian Food Festival in Toronto was attended by more than 25,000 visitors over three days (Alexander 2012) The purpose of the festival is to educate. There were educational speakers, exhibits by health and wellness marketers and many samples of food by local vegetarian restaurants and food companies. All food samples family-friendly event will be completely free of animal products. (Juhng, 2012) 4.4.2 Advertisements Advertisements involving nudity to promote vegetarianism PETA( People for the Ethical treatment of Animals) has become known widely for shocking and offensive advertisements (Bhasin,2011) such as Turn over a new leaf or the Sex with vegetables advert therefore making it very easy to confuse PETA with an organization promoting sex with vegetables(Mahdawi,2012). An ad using sex appeal as a strategy is All Animals Have the Same PartsGo Vegan advertisement. The concept of this ad, featuring Pamela Anderson, is that factory-farmed animals are made of flesh, blood, and bone, just as humans are. They have the same bodily organs, the same five senses, and the same range of emotions, just as humans do.(Schragin,20120). Here, Peta is urging people to see animals as more than just walking entrà ©es and that animals who are raised for their meat have personalities and emotions and form families and friendships when given the opportunity. Factory farms deny animals the things that are natural and of importance to them and instead confining them to fou l and constricted cages. (Croce, 2010) Shocking Advertisements to promote vegetarianism Meet your meat is a video that shocked many(Felip, 2012) and according to Friedrich(2003) it is the most effective tool promoting the cause of veganism. The twelve minutes video is a documentary showing the worst practices in the business which are considered as the standards and according to him there is not a single person who has not been touched when he or she had viewed the video. In the views of (Pettit,2012) shocking depictions of animal abuse have been found to be more effective in videos and in the case of pictures intended results were obtained when effects or graphics found it to were used to a low degree. Advertisements which involve compassion towards animals Why love one but eat the other? is a provocative ad series in Toronto, which was a great success according( Laurie Wilson, Tyler Jamieson, 2012) asking Canadians to be veg and it would seem riders are responding. The ad draws attention to the shocking cruelty faced by animals raised for food in Canada(NEWS,2011). (Runkle,2009)The campaign consisted of over 200 ads and drew attention to the similarities between the animals we call family and the animals we call dinner. The ads would be run would be viewed over 470,000 times per day, hence exposing millions of riders. One of the three ads features an inquisitive puppy and a cheerful piglet side-by-side and asks, Why love one but eat the other? The other two ads feature a fluffy kitten and an equally fluffy baby chick, and an alert Labrador Retriever next to a curious cow. In each case, these heart-warming images are juxtaposed with graphic photographs of the horrific conditions on factory farms where animals are crammed by the thousand s into filthy windowless sheds. Rather than using shock tactics with bloodstained images or nudity, this campaign appeals to peoples sense of compassion and tenderness towards animals(Takeuchi, 2011) (Cheeseman,2009) reports that the strategies of PETAs adverts are based upon focalizing on creating disorder to raise attention. Remorenko (2009) raised the question as to whether these advertisements were effective and put forward that it succeeded in grabbing peoples attention and that 4.4.3 Celebrity Endorsers Vegetarian and vegan celebrities have made a big difference in bringing attention to the harsh realities of the fur and skin industry. So as to reach a larger audience, the support of celebrities is crucial. With the help of celebrities jumping aboard to adopt and promote the vegan lifestyle, the image of vegetarianism has metamorphosed significantly in recent years (Contributor, 2012). Organisations such as Peta have many celebrity endorsers to help promote the cause such as legendary musician Paul McCartney in a campaign to say no thanks to turkey and eating vegan on thanksgiving. (Ciandella, 2012). A survey by (Moran,2011) however revealed that 46% of British people believe that most celebrities who promote charities are doing it to improve their own public image. One of the key determinants of the success of a celebrity endorser as per (Ritchie, 2012) is if the celebrity fits the product. If the relationship between the celebrity, their public image and the product is a positive one, then it could mean product effectiveness. However, if the product a celebrity endorses is a doubtful match, this could hurt the product image or its success; an example is actress Natalie Portman who collaborated with startup Te Cesan to design a line of vegan friendly shoes. The shoes came with a hefty price and according to (Doan, 2008), overpriced. Within a year the company closed down due to poor sales despite one of the biggest names in Hollywood backing their product because no one thinks of vegan shoes when they think of Natalie Portman. Moreover conflicts of interest may arise and backlash. For example supermodel Naomi Campbell posed in adverts for animal rights group PETA, against wearing animal fur, but she later featured in an ad campaign for a luxury New York furrier, and appeared on the catwalk wearing real fur.(Moran,2011). Determining the influence of animal welfare and environmental concern has on the choice for vegetarian food. Animal Concern and the ethical vegetarian One of the most concrete reasons for vegetarian food choice is for ethical reasons(Dragunaite,2011). The concept of ethical vegetarians is, that they want to reduce harm to animals for food or any other reasons. Becoming an ethical vegetarian is a sudden process most of the time. The intent to avoid meat due to feelings of guilt, which results in avoiding the purchase of meat to support their beliefs in animal welfare(Schroder, 2004 ). According to Towell (2011) the decision of many people to not eat meat is motivated by compassion and also because they care for animals and dont want animals to be exploited for any reasons (shoeman,2011). Furthermore many animals in animals die in horrifying conditions in farmhouses and slaughterhouses and when people find out that animals are capable of feeling fear pain and joy they understand that their diet is not consistent with their values (Towell,211). (Owen,2012) further adds that have an intellectual advantage over other species of animals does not give one the right to oppress them but the responsibility to care for them. Vegetarianism and concern for the environment According to Profita (2011) many people give up on meat for environmental reasons. This is explained by (Borden,2007) stating that a non-vegetarian diet is great burden onto our planet and is an inefficient use of resources(80% of agricultural land in America is used to grow food that is used to feed farmed animals) . Even producing beef has a negative impact on the environment as it produces large amounts of heat-trapping gases (Fiala, 2009). Vidal(2010) pointed out many ways in which it is causing harm to the environment. He adds that it is causing deforestation as may trees have been cut down to be converted into farmland. Moreover it is poisoning the earth in a way waste produced by animals are often dumped in lagoons. It is to be noted that a single farm can generate as much waste as an entire city. Finally he states that faming uses up a lot of water as 70% of it is used for faming purposes. However Collin(2010) refutes this belief by stating that soy and lentils could cause mo re harm to the environment and that a switch to tofu and other substitutes could increase the amount of arable land needed. Perception towards vegetarian food Mckeever (2012) http://eater.com/archives/2012/05/17/just-as-everyone-suspected-manly-men-prefer-eating-meat.php Reiner, R.V, 2007, Disadvantages of going veg , http://suite101.com/article/disadvantages-of-going-veg-a13587 AR Psychosocial predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption in adults a review of the literature http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18471592# Mintel 2005, pages 85 Vegetarian foods in the United States 2005 http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/305430/vegetarian_foods_in_the_united_states_2005 Parker-Pope, T.P , 2012, The challenge of going vegan Janu, K.J, 2010 , Why do people eat non-vegetarian Why Do People eat non  vegetarian? MacEachern, M.D, 2009 , 10 surprising reasons to eat less meat, http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/green-products-services/vegetarian-47021902 Bender, A.B, 1992, Meat and meat products in developing countries , http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0562e/T0562E00.htm#Contents Pope, T.P, 2010,Tasty vegan food? Cupcakes show it can be done http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/06/tasty-vegan-food-cupcakes-show-it-can-be-done/ Vigneault, E.V, But meat tastes good, http://www.vegansoapbox.com/but-meat-tastes-good/ Rothgerber, H.G, (2012) Real Men Dont Eat (Vegetable) Quiche: Masculinity and the Justification of Meat , Consumption http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2012-30417-001/ Macari, C.M, 2012, Men eating meat enhance their sense of manhood study reveals, http://news.softpedia.com/news/Men-Eating-Meat-Enhances-Their-Sense-of-Manhood-Study-Reveals-309472.shtml Williams, A.W, 2012, Men think eating meat makes them more manly (and even veggie women think veggie men are wimps) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2236768/New-study-shows-men-think-eating-steak-burgers-bacon-makes-manly.html Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2236768/New-study-shows-men-think-eating-steak-burgers-bacon-makes-manly.html#ixzz2IPzuSkrp Bryner, J.B, 2012, Meat

The Dark Side of Social Networking Essay -- facebook, twitter, sexting

There are many social networks that have created broad connections between people in the past years. Since the creation of Social Media, countless numbers of people have begun joining them due to their rising popularity and free cost of a download. These networks help create a virtual realm for users to be themselves or whoever they want to be at their discretion. Escaping all the troubles and heartaches that the real world has in store for you is only temporary until the next time you log on. The most common issue that is up for debate that you must continually ask yourself is â€Å"Is Social Networking a good or bad thing?† I think social networking is a negative influence on people. . I believe taking caution is necessary for people using social networks due to the negative ramifications that follow after long term usage of them. You can access Twitter, Facebook, and other social Medias at the touch of a finger. There are some positive influences that social networking has to offer; people can develop â€Å"life-long relationships† as well as becoming more cyber social which could possibly break the fear barrier for introverted individuals (Taylor). For others, it seems we have made social networking have higher importance in our everyday lives. We wake up in the morning and the first thing we do is check our Twitter or Facebook. Relying on these social networks to keep our lives balanced has become more of a nuisance than a solution to our social problems. The more we use these social media every day, the more we continue to render ourselves helpless to facing the harsh reality of the real world that we live in. Favored networks such as Facebook, allow you to build an easy web of friends and acquaintances, and share with them your pho... ...en-suicides-cyberbullying-102212/>. Capeless , David F. "Sexting." Berkshire District Attorney. N.p., 1 16 2014. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. . Borreli, Lizette. "Why Couples Engage In Unwanted Sexting: Half Of Men And Women 'Requisext' Because Of Abandonment Anxiety." Medical Daily. N.p., 1 2 2014. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. . Ngak, Chenda. "Facebook may cause stress, study says." CBS News. N.p., 11 27 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. . Smith, Aaron. "Social Networks and Depression." Chicago Tribune. N.p., n. d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. .

Prejudice: A Worldwide Problem :: essays research papers

Prejudice: A Worldwide Problem There is a dangerous and often deadly problem in the world today. It reaches beyond political and religious boundaries and spans across all economic and social statuses. It affects the homeless, middleclass, and the richest people in society. The problem is prejudice. In America, when we think of prejudice we often think of it in terms of Black and White. However, prejudice is much more than that. It is a broad term that can encompass things like racism, sexism, and religious persecution. The Encarta World English Dictionary defines prejudice as "a preformed opinion, usually an unfavorable one, based on insufficient knowledge, irrational feelings, or inaccurate stereotypes" and "the holding of opinions that are formed beforehand on the basis of insufficient knowledge". When I read those definitions, I have to wonder why prejudice still exists today. If it really is based on "insufficient knowledge", then it seems to me that there is no logical reason why prejudice is still so prevalent. Throughout our entire lives we are exposed to issues dealing with prejudice. In school we study history, geography, government, and psychology, and at some point in each of those subjects, the issue of prejudice is more than likely discussed. In the corporate world we attend countless classes and seminars on discrimination, and sensitivity training on issues that could be deemed prejudicial. The issues are well known and a vast amount of information is ava ilable on the subject, so how can "insufficient knowledge" and "preformed opinions" still be a factor? I believe it is because when we discuss prejudice or any other similar issue, we tend to discuss it at a societal level as opposed to a personal level. We discuss the history of prejudice and talk about things like slavery in America and Hitler's persecution of the Jews, but we never discuss the prejudice that we, as individuals, experience everyday. Certainly, no one would stand up in a classroom, point a finger at a student, and ask accusatively, "What act of prejudice did you commit today?" That would not be "politically correct". How then, can we bring this issue down to a personal level? Someone once said to me, that if I didn't like jelly donuts, then I was prejudiced. The issue of whether or not I like jelly donuts is not an issue of prejudice, but rather a personal distaste for jelly donuts, based on the fact that I have tried several different types and determined that I do not like them.

Neo-malthusian theory Essay

â€Å" Explain the neo-malthusian theory with relevance to the current world situation† The term neo-Malthusianism was first used in 1877 by Dr. Samuel Van Houten, one of the vice- presidents of the Malthusian League. Neo-Malthusian theory is derived from Thomas Malthus’ proposition that limited resources keep populations in check and reduce economic growth. Neo- Malthusianism was not just a campaign in favour of birth control; it was particular perspective on the effects of population on human conduct and behaviour. It tried to justify the growing impoverishment of working people by pseudo-scientific theories of â€Å"absolute over-population, and diminishing returns on the soil†. The neo-Malthusian movement therefore was different from conventional Malthusian position on two counts: it stressed on birth control methods and also identified the working class with the problem of overpopulation. The overcrowded industrial slums were identified as sites of moral deg eneration. However, some key facts on the neo-malthusian perspective must be identified. They believe that everyone can contribute to society, secondly, population increases geometrically and food supply/ subsistence increases arithmetically. Also, they advocated race discrimination and thought that Birth Control, war epidemics are used to promote capitalism and alleviate misery of the masses. In contemporary societies today, it can be observed that there is an existent division of people, whether it may the rich or the poor, financially stable or financially unstable, or most commonly known, The Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat, as mentioned by Karl Marx. Neo-Malthusians strongly believe that all the individuals in society can contribute to society no matter the division and which class they may fit in ( upper or lower class). They did not specifically measure the amount of contributions that each class were able to present but mainly focused on how the contributions of one class was beneficial to the other, (lower to upper), Marx would however argue that the Bourgeoisie only engage in such activities as it is more beneficial to them and it only helps exploit the Proletariat. It can be observed in society today, that the proletariat are exploited through a term called alienation, this is where the proletariat are cut off from consuming the goods they produced. For e.g. sweat shops in China, proletariat are forced to produce goods/services for little to almost no income and after the good has been  produced they are unable to obtain it as it is too pricy. It must be noted that there has been change in society today, as some individuals of the lower class are able to experience upward social mobility, and thus this reinforces the neo-malthusians suggestion that everyone can contribute to society, not only to the benefit of the capitalists but to the proletariat themselves. As it pertains to the population and food supply it can be observed that in societies today, 3rd world societies to be specific, the food supply to population ratio is quite uneven. The Neo-Malthusians, who agree with Malthus, would not only argue that this is due to the population growing at a faster rate than the food supply but this is due to the drainage of resources. As it known, that the world has limited resources, and they would argue that these limited resources help keep population in check. They state that population increases geometrically and food supply/ subsistence increases arithmetically. Subsistence in this instance may be defined as â€Å"just enough† for human survival. As it pertains to the process where resources become exhausted, it can be noted that in many third world countries of the Caribbean (Antigua, Dominica) , Agriculture is used as a major source of income, however due it being done over and over the soil is ripped of it nutrients which is needed to help grow various crops. Even some simple resources are becoming scarce to societies today. For e.g the current situation in Antigua and Barbuda, where the population there are currently experiencing a shortage of portable water even though water by itself is there in abundance. Even though they have the technology to produce such resources they are in no economic position to maintain the technology. However, critics may argue that there are mechanisms put in place to help sustain goods(food). Namely, the increase in prices of various products (inflation), they would state that this could cause indivi duals of the population to purchase/consume smaller quantities of different goods and would therefore cause the ratio of population growth and food supply to turn towards a more even figure. However, the neo-Malthusians may however argue that this doesn’t help the problem of excess population growth since the individuals who produce most of the population (lower class) would not be able to afford these goods. The socialists consistently maintained that the hue and cry over population was a way to divert the focus from the core issues of inequality and class struggle. For the socialists, the real issue  was unequal access to resources than rising population. According to them, there was enough for everyone, provided resources are shared equally. The problem lay in the lack of equal distribution, with the bourgeois and the propertied class unwilling to give up the large share of resources under their control. As noted The neo-Malthusian movement was different from conventional Malthusian position on two counts: it stressed on birth control methods and also identified the working class with the problem of overpopulation. The overcrowded industrial slums were identi fied as sites of moral degeneration. This diverted the debate on population from issues of poverty and unequal access to resources, to birth control per se. In fact, the assumption was that access to commons or availability of resources would give the poor little reason to abstain from having more children. Neo- Malthusianism thereby reinforced the ideology of private property, individualism and capitalism. The neo-Malthusian position found favour with the elite sentiments on the issue of overpopulation. The elite, threatened by the growing numbers of commoners, considered birth control as an important means of checking future conflict over their property. It can be observed that such an argument is true, as in societies today, many individuals seek to install security systems on their homes, cars and other fixed assets, these individuals are usually members of the upper class. They do this as a means to try to prevent members of the proletariat from obtaining their assets. Theft is a common issue in most societies today, one problem can also lead to another, theft to homicide. All of which are blamed on the proletariat as they are unable to provide for their families after they engage in mass reproduction. For example, in third world countries today it is usually children of the poor that drop out of school at an early age that engage in violent activities and are usually beggars at th e side of the street. Paul Ehrlich is a very vocal and prominent neo-malthusian. He wrote the book â€Å"Population Bomb† which warned us of a coming mass starvation because of over-population and pushed population control (abortion and birth control). He encouraged government intervention into the population issue. Lastly the Neo-Malthusians advocated race discrimination, it can be observed in societies today that there is not only a division of class, but also of race and color (Black and White). This may have stemmed from slavery however and is still present in society today. It is usually the blacks who partake  in agriculture and hard labor work while the whites who are in the offices and even though their work may not be as hard they still gain higher incomes. No need to debate as the top three richest individuals in the world today are White. In conclusion, it can be observed that the neo-malthusian theory follows Mathus’ theory that the world’s resources will not be able to support the population at a certain point, and the populati on will turn to chaos, finally resulting in extinction of humans. It indicates a correlation between food and population growth, and lastly they saw abortion and birth control as a way to slow this decreasing resource that the future holds.