Positive discrimination Essay

â€Å"New Right Sociologists† would argue that this would be a disadvantage to the government as it would lead to an eventual reduction in the nation’s talent pool. However, it is important to note that the methodology used in the production of â€Å"The Bell Curve† is both dubious and highly doubtful. This is most vividly illustrated by the article Inequality by Design, written by the Sociology Department of UC Berkeley, which claims that the statistics used by Murray and Herrstein were flawed due to omissions and technical errors. On the other hand, â€Å"New Right Sociologists† also argue that ethic groups are disadvantaged because they refuse to integrate into their host society. A refusal to integrate may include a refusal to take on the norms and values of the host culture; or to learn the language. This prevents them from seeking opportunities and hence leaving them at a disadvantage. â€Å"New Right Sociologists† would henceforth argue that the state would have no responsibility whatsoever for self-made choices, and therefore that Positive Discrimination would be pointless and a waste of both time and resources. Neo-Marxists and Social Democratic/Left Wing sociologists would argue that because Ethnic Minorities suffer from ethnic discrimination as well as poorer life chances they require and need Positive Discrimination in order to ensure that they are able to reach the best of their potential. Neo-Marxist Sociologists would refer to the argument, as advocated by Stuart Hall of black people being scapegoat for economic and social problems in times of peril. This shows that people from ethnic minorities are blamed for causing problems, and hence are put at a disadvantage with other groups. This effect is then emphasized through the schema model, in which press coverage and blame of ethnic minorities leads to prejudice, prejudgment and in turn a disadvantage for minorities in regards to a wide range of areas, including life chances as represented through education, health and work. The prejudice caused by scapegoating leads to ethnic minorities being denied jobs in the primary job market, having to get by through the routine, ill paid and unskilled jobs offered through the Secondary Job Market. This in turn impacts greatly on all other aspects of their life, including where they live and the lifestyle they lead. Because ethnic minorities are tied to the secondary job market with lower wages, or languishing in unemployment, they end up residing in inner cities and other areas which are likely to be affected by what is described as the â€Å"Inverse Care Law† as coined by Hart, in which those who need the most access to services receive the least. Statistics from the Office of National Statistics show that ethnic minorities tend to have the worst self-reported health, live in overcrowded housing and smoke the most. This shows the fact that Ethnic Minorities, due to the lack of job opportunities, suffer from lower than average health and lifestyles. This, coupled with the fact that ethnic minority households are three times more likely to live in poor neighborhoods (Commission on Racial Equality, 2003) tells us that ethnic minorities do indeed suffer from lower life chances due to poor health, poorer education due to failing inner city schools and finally a cumulatively lower chance of success in life that other groups due to clear disadvantages in terms of health, education and job prospects. This clearly shows that Positive Discrimination in favor of disadvantaged groups is desirable as it allows for the disadvantages caused by ethnic discrimination and its knock-on effects to be limited if not redressed, hence increasing the nation’s pool of talent and preventing those who are capable from languishing behind due to disadvantageous conditions. Henceforth it can be said that Positive Discrimination in favor of disadvantaged ethnic minorities is both beneficial and disadvantageous depending on which perspective it is viewed from. However, it could be concluded with a degree of certainty that Positive Discrimination in favor of ethnic minorities is both a good government policy and advantageous to the country in question- as it allows ethnic minorities put at a disadvantage to compete on what amounts to nearer grounds to those from other ethnic groups that may enjoy an advantage, whether it be through wealth, power or better overall life chances. This allows for the meritocratic principles of Functionalism to occur on fair and even grounds- facilitating competition for roles and jobs between everyone on fair and even terms, hence allowing the best and brightest, regardless of ethnicity, to reach the very top and bring mutual benefits for society as a whole.

The Danger of Potent Ideology

It is inevitable that great men who wield great powers are bound to be misinterpreted. History reveals that this inevitability is true to the most influential men of our time, from the bible’s Jesus Christ to Germany’s Friedrich Nietzche, two opposites who share the same fate. The radical ideologies that both men promoted have become the basis of infamous acts and beliefs. For example, the fatal extremist belief that Christians abhor homosexuality is highly in contrast with the teachings of Jesus Christ, who advocated unconditional love and forgiveness. The Superhuman theory of Friedrich Nietzche, on the other hand, has been erroneously used to foster the idea that a particular race of man, or a particular individual, is superior to others. This Nietzche philosophy was speculated to be internalized by Adolf Hitler himself, who orchestrated the largest mass murder in the history of the world, simply because he believed in the superiority of the German race. Thus, we can see in the examples of Jesus Christ and of Friedrich Nietzsche, that when men rise above the conventions and to the challenges in their time, they are not only bound to become legends, but also misinterpreted leaders. Martin Luther King: A Force Misinterpreted In the United States of America, one potent influence suffers the same fate. Considered the leader of the free world; this man had so much power that he heightened a revolution and compelled a nation to change its laws. He is Martin Luther King, Jr. In his article entitled â€Å"Martin Luther King,† popular civil rights journalist Jack E. White describes King as, â€Å"the right man at the right time,† for in a revolution that needed a fearless leader, King became the perfectly accurate answer; the right man for the job. The nation at the time was ripe with protests against inequality. America then was a country that subscribed to the apartheid ideology;     segregation of individuals according to skin color was viewed appropriate. Race validated a person’s worth, and King fervently disagreed with this belief. He mobilized the African-American community into launching non-violent protest against discrimination, one of which is the 13-month boycott of the Montgomery bus lines in Alabama, in 1955. The popular and immortalized story of Rosa Parks, an African-American seamstress who refused to give up her bus seat for a Caucasian man prompted the boycott, but it was King who instigated and sustained the people’s resolve to protest. In 1957, King began organizing a network of African-American leaders and started facilitating non-violent protests in several communities. The awareness and significance of King’s cause heightened even more.   The most admirable trait King has demonstrated is his unwavering principle of non-violence, even when he himself had suffered through several acts of volatile violence, including the bombing of his home and unjust incarceration. Several communities and critics noted his incredible resilience and potent influence, and in the 1960s, he earned the recognition he so justly deserved. Time Magazine hailed him as its Person of the Year in 1963, and in the succeeding year, King was named as the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. However, King did not limit his cause to racial discrimination. He had far too much insight to narrow his perspective on one cause alone. Among the issues that he felt strongly about are the war in Vietnam and its accompanying factor, poverty.   By acting on these issues, Martin Luther King, Jr. became not just the leader of the African-American  demographic, but the most influential civil rights beacon who led the entire nation of America into a new light. Such a magnificent leader deserves a golden place in history, and Martin Luther King, Jr. is a figure truly well-placed not only in the annals of history, but in the hearts and minds of the American people as well. However, such a magnificent leader does not deserve a misinterpretation, and martin Luther King, Jr., is a figure highly misinterpreted. King’s impact today   extends only to African-American communities and engulfs only the issue of racial discrimination against African-Americans. Although this is a correct representation of King, it is a narrowed perspective of what he believed in, what he stood for, and what he fought and died for.  Ã‚   Jack E. White, in his article entitled, â€Å"Martin Luther King,† observes that: It is a testament to the greatness of Martin Luther King Jr. that nearly every major city in the U.S. has a street or school named after him. It is a measure of how sorely his achievements are misunderstood that most of them are located in black neighborhoods. Three decades after King was gunned down on a motel balcony in Memphis, Tenn., he is still regarded mainly as the black leader of a movement for black equality. That assessment, while accurate, is far too restrictive. For all King did to free blacks from the yoke of segregation, whites may owe him the greatest debt, for liberating them from the burden of America's centuries-old hypocrisy about race. Thus, we can clearly see that the United States of America owes him the label of â€Å"liberator of all,† instead of the restrictive label, â€Å"liberator of the black race.† The American nation we have  today would have a very different face if King had not step up to the demands of his time, if he had not heeded the cry of the American people. Martin Luther King, Jr. freed America from the bondage of racial hypocrisy, and yet he is denied such a distinction by assigning him only to one cause, and only to one community. The earlier premise that Martin Luther King, Jr., is a highly misinterpreted leader is once again emphasized here. As a matter of fact, King had the intention of leading a protest march against poverty, an American plight that was not unique to a certain race. From the cause of racial discrimination, he moved to the cause of fighting poverty. However, before he carried out his plans King was gunned down in a hotel balcony in 1968. Thus, his distinction should not be narrowed down merely to a single cause. His widow Coretta Scott King perfectly validated her husband’s life and her husband’s cause by organizing the â€Å"Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Non-Violent Social Change;† for it was the all-encompassing cause of social change that King believed in, stood for, fought and died for. Another misinterpretation of Martin Luther King, Jr. is the use of his principles and the use of his words to further racial issues grounded on a myopic perspectives.  Ã‚   One such movement that stands out from the rest, mainly because of its controversial nature, is the movement being led by Ward Connerly, an opponent of the government’s affirmative action policy. Connerly claims that his opposition against affirmative action is based on, and in parallel with, the advocacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. He asserts the erroneous interpretation that affirmative action is tantamount to racial discrimination. This claim is incredulous, since the affirmative action policy is aimed precisely to eradicate discrimination.   It is preposterous to conclude that the allocation of jobs minorities is equal with racial discrimination; it is even more preposterous that a magnificent leader such as King would even be associated with such an incredulous cause. In Respect to Martin Luther King’s Dream In these modern times, social change is a cry that resounds with so much fervor, and it is evident that so much has to be done to achieve the dream that Martin Luther King envisioned. King’s complex cause, social justice tied with economic justice, is a feat that requires internal and external changes within individuals, within communities, and the nation at large. It is worthy and important to note, however, that the United States of America has come a very long way indeed in terms of liberation from racial and social hypocrisy, and in this sense, we can say that King’s dream is slowly coming into reality. Racial discrimination, for instance, is now viewed as an abhorrent ideology, an unacceptable doctrine for the modern American. It is very much detested that whoever exhibits the slightest belief in it becomes an outcast in a nation of free thinkers, in a nation called the free world. The racist violence that was so apparent, so real, and so brutal in the past, prior to the emergence of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his civil rights cause, seems incredulous; it seems inconceivable that America has ever trodden such a path. The African-American race today, in fact, has earned a stellar place in America. Prominent names like talk show host Oprah Winfrey, professional golfer Tiger Woods, premier poet Maya Angelou, musicians Alicia Keys and Beyonce Knowles are influential figures in American society, admired by all races in America. Amusing Quotes.com lists this line from Chris Rock, a popular African-American comedian: â€Å"You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy, and the best golfer is a black guy.† Though this statement is intended not to be taken seriously, we see a tinge of reality in it: the reversal of stereotyped roles between a black man and a white man is an indication that America has greatly changed its racial perception about the African-American race. This, however, is just a small parcel of achievement in the social change King aimed for. Customer’s last name  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   6 The Martin Luther King Challenge The world today faces the Martin Luther King challenge, the challenge to forward the cause from racial equality to economic justice, and then elevate these to the international context in order to achieve international peace. Because the nation is merely in the first step, racial equality, it is quite obvious that we do have a long way to go. To take up and succeed in tackling the Martin Luther King challenge, we have to go back to his words, and one effective guideline that stands out from among his speeches is his advice to live a complete life. Seattletimes.com discloses the manner in which a complete life may be achieved, according to King: And there are three dimensions of any complete life to which we can fitly give the words of this text: length, breadth, and height. (Yes) Now the length of life as we shall use it here is the inward concern for one’s own welfare. (Yes) In other words, it is that inward concern that causes one to push forward, to achieve his own goals and ambitions. (All right) The breadth of life as we shall use it here is the outward concern for the welfare of others. (All right) And the height of life is the upward reach for God. (All right) Now you got to have all three of these to have a complete life. Such wise, potent words may ring empty if it is not heeded, and the free world, in order to fulfill the noble dream of Martin Luther King, must begin acting on this quest for completion. True, racial equality is a cause forwarded by this magnificent leader; but to say that it is the only thing he fought for, is very much restrictive. This is the ripe time for America and the world to truly understand his cause, and to truly act upon it. Works Cited â€Å"Chris Rock Quotes† Amusingquotes.com. 12 December 2007. â€Å"Friedrich Nietzsche.† Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 10 December 2007. Kalish, Michael. â€Å"Friedrich Nietzsche's Influence on Hitler's Mein Kampf.† UCSB Department of History. 10 December 2007. â€Å"The Life of Martin Luther King Jr.† Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. TheSeattleTimes.com. 9 December 2007. White, Jack. â€Å"Martin Luther King.† The Time 100:The Most Important People of the Century. Leaders and Revolutionaries. 9 December 2007

Blood Donation: Reasons to Donate

Q: Hav u ever donated ur blood? Y? MKT case from America's Blood Centers(ABC). It was founded in 1962 and is the national network of nonprofit, independent community blood centers. The members of it work for more than 125 million ppl and more than 3,100 hospitals. It carried out a survey nationwide via telephone interviews in order to encourage ppl to donate blood. Reasons for giving blood: umani'tarian reasons as their primary reason for donating blood; 4 out of 6 top reasons are al'truistic motives: helping the community and responding a blood shortage Wanting to help others 34% Responding to a blood drive 25% Helping the community 13% hearing about a shortage 7% Because I might need it someday 4% Helping a local child 2% Reasons for not donating blood 44% cite health issues as reason for not†¦this group is likely to be difficult to call up donating. risk health); however, ;half(52%) say other reasons: being scared of the process and unawareness never thought about it 17% too busy 15% scared of process 10% afraid of infection 4% don't know where/how to give 4% don't know anyone in need 2% !many reasons could be eliminated by some specific education about the ease,speed and safety of the process of the blood donation. and make ppl aware the need for blood. ABC gave some effective msgs to encourage blood donation. family member, frd or child is in need. 86% 92% extremely and compelling†¦(see in table 4. 3) In addition, it find out the ppl who donated 1-2 times, 18-34 yrs ones and ppl who said†never thought about it†as the reason for not donating are most likely to change mind to donate blood. while the target were asked twice about the question: whether someone is likely to donate blood in the next 12 months. The yes answer grows from 34% to 41% It turns out that roughly 8% of respondents switched to yes while only 2%.. no.

Leadership exercise Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership exercise - Assignment Example The biggest task was convincing the five of them to accompany me to the charity event. The challenge arose from the fact that convincing all, the five, would be a difficult task given that they live in separate areas and have different kinds of preferences. I took the initiative of convincing all the five on individual capacity. To do that, I took note of their needs and feelings. I knew that a good leader must listen to the rest of the team. I made my proposition logically. I told them that I had an idea of visiting the Children’s home. Similarly, the idea of going there would be entertaining as well as a positive way to get back to the society. The logical argument was that going to the charity would give us a rare opportunity of playing with the less privileged children. By so doing, we would impact positively on their lives as we, also, enjoyed free physical exercise (Hoch, 163). After all the five friends agreed to accompany me to the charity, the next task was coordinating the group. I knew that the most important virtue required from me was leadership. That would entail listening to their suggestions, rather than imposing my ideas on them (Washington et al 13). As a leader, I made contact with the Children’s home to book an appointment on Saturday. On the material day, the most difficult task coordinating the entire group to converge at my house. All six of us had different ideas with regard to the meeting place. However, I gave everyone a chance to give their views. On the same note, while giving my views and reactions to their views, I used hesitant language. This is because a good leader should listen to the voice of those being led. I also know that a good leader should lead by example and action. In that regard, I offered to finance the journey by paying for the gas as well as refreshments that we used. Sam and Patricia proposed that, since we were visiting children, we should buy some snacks

Indonesia Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Indonesia Market - Essay Example ncial crisis through debt restructuring, the sale of some state-owned assets, the recapitalization of the commercial banking sector, the improved supervision of the capital market, and increased investments in public infrastructure. The gross domestic product grew by 4.5 per cent in 2003, 5.1 per cent in 2004, 5.6 per cent in 2005, 6.0 per cent in 2006, and 6.3 per cent in 2007. In 2006 the Indonesian government announced a package of policy reforms to improve its investment climate by means of strengthening investment services, harmonizing regional and central government regulations, and improving customs, excise and taxation services, among others. With moderate economic growth in recent years, domestic consumption has continued to account for nearly 2/3 of the GDP, followed by investment for more than l/5 and exports for l/10. With the targeted GDP growth of 6.6 per year up till 2009, the government expects to push Indonesia to recover thereafter to its pre-crisis annual average growth rates of close to 10 per cent.. Indonesia has been chosen as target export market for US soybeans in view of several factors. It has a big population of low and middle-income consumers who have traditionally depended on cheap soybean protein side-dish for nutrition; the countrys production of soybeans has accounted for less than 50 per cent of its consumption, and the price per ton of soybean imports from several producing countries have roughly doubled during the past several months. There is therefore an unfilled demand for this agricultural product which can be supplied through the produce from US farms, and even from partial sourcing from other South American countries to be subsequently exported. The soybean (scientific name Glycine max) is a leguminous plant known for its nutritious seeds which contain 40 per cent protein and 21 per cent oil. It is an important source of vegetable protein and oil for human (and animal) consumption as well as for industrial

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 11

Economics - Essay Example This paper will examine the concept of the zero price, discussing its effects on demand and price, thereby demonstrating how price has the capacity to allocate and ration resources. The price of zero refers to the phenomenon in which the demand for a product or service is substantially more at the price of zero than a price even minimally greater than zero. On a graph, a zero price effect appears in the form of a discontinuity on the demand curve at the price of zero. In essence, the zero price effect can be considered as a special instance in the law of demand. The price of zero also encompasses a myriad of explanations that are based on psychological, behavioural and cognitive biases (Poundstone, W 2010, 75). An utterly rational justification for the zero price effect lies in the fact that when the marginal utility of extra units of consumption is positive albeit exceedingly low, lower than a nonzero unit of price (currency) can be charged feasibly (Engelson 1995, 54). Another prom inent explanation for the zero price phenomenon is the transaction costs. ... On the other hand, when purchasing something in person, the exchange of bank notes or coin is exceedingly necessary (Poundstone, W 2010, 147). These direct, as well as indirect costs exert a positive effect in terms of the effective price, especially in case of any form of nonzero price. Therefore, a real price drop to zero can ultimately represent a substantive drop in the effective price of the product or service. This problem inherent in transaction costs can be resolved through a myriad of ways, for instance, by making use of cards or accounts in the event of bulk payments that are made once before an account balance is sustained in order to keep track of other small purchases (Engelson 1995, 91). This strategy presents the most common method through which electricity, gas, phone usage, as well as other utilities are billed. The last explanation for the zero price occurrences is psychic costs. Handling and thinking about money has the potential to be quite stressful. This is beca use considering whether small items are worth small amounts of money can in itself exert a psychic cost, which can force people to steer away of considering or even making purchases. When people are faced with the option of choosing one among numerous products or end up purchasing nothing, according to perspectives provided under standard theories, it is widely acceptable that people will select the option with the greatest cost-benefit variation. However, it is evident that decisions regarding free or zero price products differ quite substantially since people typically do not merely subtract costs from the benefits offered by the product, but rather they consider the benefits linked with free products as profoundly greater (Engelson

Stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Stress - Essay Example It depends on the ability of the persons involved to be able to cope with the demands, effectively and efficiently. Looking at the definition of the stress, we can see that there are three major approaches that may be used to manage the stress; action oriented approach, emotionally-oriented approach and acceptance-oriented approach. In action-oriented approach to manage stress, we seek to confront the problem which was causing the stress. This is done by changing the environment or the situation. To be able to take an action-oriented approach, we must have some power or control, in the situation. If we possess that power, then action-oriented approaches are some of the most satisfying and rewarding ways of managing stress. Through these techniques, we can manage and overcome stressful situations, by changing them to our advantage. In emotionally-oriented approach for stress management, we do not have the power to change the situation, but we can manage stress by changing our interpretation of the situation and the way we feel about it. If we do not have the power to change a situation, then we may be able to reduce stress by changing the way we look at it, using an emotionally-oriented approach. Emotionally-oriented approaches are often less attractive than action-oriented approaches. The stresses can recur. However, these approaches of stress management are still effective and useful. The third approach is acceptance-oriented, where it is assumed that something has happened over which we have no power and no emotional control, and where our focus is on surviving the stress. Sometimes, we have so little power in a situation that all we can do to survive it. In these situations, often the first stage of coping with the stress is to accept one’s lack of power. These different approaches to stress management address the problem for solution in different ways: the action-oriented techniques help us to manage the demands upon us and increase the resources