Morality and Ethics Essay Example for Free

Morality and Ethics Essay As two members of our group are children of sea captains, the case of Exxon Valdez oil spill was extremely interesting for our team. It demonstrates that irresponsible behavior of people can lead to the most devastating human-caused environmental disasters of the past century. Multiple factors have been identified as contributing to the incident. In our group’s opinion, the most important are: the captain was drunk being on duty, the third mate failed to properly maneuver the vessel, possibly due to fatigue or excessive workload and finally, the Raycas radar system was broken, because the company found it too expensive to fix it. To begin with, we think that due to the restricted responsibilities of the crew comparing to the captain, its commitment was relatively low. Therefore the main motivation was their salary and working conditions didn’t play a role. Probably that is why sailors were ready to work overloaded shifts in order to earn as much as they could, to our mind, despite the fact that physically it was impossible. Thus the responsible sailor had to assess his ability to steer the ship before beginning the watch – in this case he had no right to do that being too tired. Talking about the captain of the ship, our group found him being the most irresponsible person in this situation. He did not act according to the ethical norms. Firstly, captain is the person, who is fully responsible for the ship and the crew, but he dared to exceed the allowed norm of the alcohol. Secondly, he had to insist on the radar repair. Finally, he is the one who is responsible for the crew’s adequate performance. Nevertheless, Exxon is fully liable for this disaster and the subsequent oil spill being the owner of the tanker. Hence, in our opinion, the company had to pay for the cleaning up the oil spill. To sum up, our group sees the ethical dilemma only concerning the crew. They had two choices only. On the one hand, when signing the contract they automatically agree to fulfill their duties, that is why no one can afford to skip the watch even if he fills tired. On the other hand, the third mate had no right to expose to danger the ship and the rest of the crew by taking the watch in unacceptable condition. We would like to add, that despite the fact that this was the most devastating human-caused environmental disasters, it pushed the government to develop new laws in this industry and turned to be a good lesson for the human beings overall.

A Biography of Carl Jung

A Biography of Carl Jung Carl Jung: A biography â€Å"We live in an age that is trying to find its soul.† Golden words by the man who lived exactly to do that – Finding The Soul. He lived to find the soul of the individual, to find the collective soul of the community and to spread his knowledge of the same through younger generations. He had arrive on-the-bloc when understanding the mind was a scientific Everest that every known and unknown psychoanalyst was trying conquer, and brought along some theories that revolutionized the way things were perceived. So much so that the reigning king of psychiatry, Sigmund Freud called him his successor! This is a brief history of the life and times of the revered psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung, his bittersweet relationship with his mentor, his torrid extra-marital affairs and his humble, yet disturbed beginnings. It is a story of how his theories transformed the field of psychotherapy and gave us concepts that are applicable and functional even in today’s modern world of psychoanalysis†¦ Of ‘Unstable’ Beginnings†¦ Paul Achilles Jung, a poor pastor from Thurgau, Switzerland, was married to the daughter of his rich Hebrew professor, Emilie Preiswerk. Paul and his wife Emilie had a total of four children, but the first three did not survive. The fourth child, however, was born healthy and passed the test of time and survival. This young boy, born on the 26th of July 1875, was Carl Gustav Jung. Soon after his birth, his father was shifted to a rather plush parish in the area of Laufen, Switzerland where Carl would come to spend most of his early childhood. His father was a rather towering influence on young Carl’s psyche. As his mother was considered to be a highly eccentric woman who remained confined to her bedroom most of the times and claimed to have spiritual presence around her, he ended up spending most of the time in the protective eyes and supervision of his father. His mother would be depressed and under self-imposed lock-up and would talk to these so-called ‘spirits’ during the nights. As a result of her eccentricities, Carl’s parents always had a strenuous and dysfunctional relationship. While his mother was mostly under self-imposed confinement and sometimes at medical facilities for various unknown physical ailments, his father sometimes tried to move to stay closer to her and sometimes gave up on her altogether. One of the earliest memories of himself that he could remember was seeing a luminous figure with a detached head emerging from his mother’s bedroom at night. For a boy of his age, Carl was always very peculiar, in his mannerism and conduct. Even in school, he had developed two distinct personalities within his head. He termed them ‘Personality 1’ – the normal school-going boy who lived in the same era, and ‘Personality 2’ – a menacing dictator belonging to the past. He believed his mother, just like himself, also dealt with multiple personalities in her head, and thus spoke of these spirits that visited her. Another peculiar incident from his childhood was the fact that he carved a mannequin in his wooden measure-scale and used to take secret messages to it, in a language that he had created himself (almost like a form of voodoo/idol worship). An interesting anecdote from his childhood gives us a peek into his analytical and psychological side. In 1887, at the age of 12, Carl got into a school fight, and in doing so, got pushed to the ground with such a force that he fainted on the spot. This incident had a distinct psychological imprint on his mind and he assumed that he would never have to go to school thenceforth, or he would faint. He remained home for the next 6 months under this assumption. But when he was made to go back to school for academic purposes, he started fainting every time he walked onto the campus! Carl Jung showed a psychoanalytical inclination since a very early stage. Coupled with his mother’s personality and his father’s overbearing influence, he got enough to latch on to in his childhood, for him to take it up as a profession as an adult. Too ‘Jung’ For Psychology†¦? After finishing school, Carl was in somewhat of a dilemma as to what to pursue in college. He had a strong spiritual upbringing on account of his pastor father, and he was also equally interested in biology. He went to the University of Basel in 1895 (age 20), and wasn’t so keen on pursuing Psychology or Psychiatry, as they were considered to be very prestigious subjects at the time, that not a lot of students considered. Slowly, with passing time, he came to realize that concepts of the psychoanalytical syllabus beautifully combined the regimes and teachings of biology of the human body with spirituality (inner processes) of the human mind. This interested him no end and proved to be just the answer to his dilemma. He was studying medicine at the university around this time. At the young age of 25 in the year 1900, Jung had successful graduated from the university and acquired a prestigious job at the psychiatric hospital of Burgholzli in Zurich. It was during this time, when he was working with another remarkable psychiatrist, Eugen Bleuler (who coined terms like ‘Schizophrenia’ and ‘Autism’), that Jung became familiar with the widely revered Sigmund Freud and his work on the ‘Unconscious’ mind through his book, ‘The Interpretation Of Dreams’. While working at the hospital, Jung published his own doctoral dissertation paper, titled ‘On The Psychology Pathology Of The So-Called Occult Phenomenon’ in the year 1903 (Age 28). He also married Emma Rauschenbach in the same year (1903), and went on to have five children with her – Agatha, Gret, Franz, Marianne and Helene. The marriage lasted until Emma’s death in the year 1955; but throughout the marriage, Carl is believed to have engaged in several extra-marital affairs. In the year 1906 (age 31), Carl published the book called ‘Studies in Word Association’, a copy of which, was sent by him to Sigmund Freud. Freud and Jung: Friendship and Friction By 1906, Freud was stepping down from his Psychoanalytical throne, and was so taken by the concepts introduced by Jung in his book, that he referred to him as his ‘eldest son, successor and crown prince’. After reading Jung’s ‘Studies In Word Association’, Freud arranged for a meeting with him. It was a discussion that would lay the founding stones for a long-lasting friendship. It is believed that Jung and Freud sat together for nearly 13 hours and discussed the concepts of new-age psychology at-length. There was merely any contact between the two of them for the next six months. Freud’s theory of the ‘Unconscious mind’ had been subjected to commendation and condemnation at the same time, and he needed a young and emerging psychoanalyst to back him up. This is when he sent a bunch of his published papers and essays to Carl Jung, who was only too eager to lap it up and support it. His association with Sigmund Freud helped Jung’s career as a psychologist a great deal! By 1908 (age 33) he became the Editor of the newly founded yearbook for psychoanalytical and psychopathological research. Two years later, in 1910 (age 35), he was bestowed with the prestigious Chairmanship of the International Psychoanalytical Association, all in lieu of Freud’s recommendation. After a great friendship of 5-6 years, tensions started brewing between the two, mainly over the concept of ‘unconscious’ and its contribution to a person’s ‘Personality’. While Freud credited the unconscious with the complete responsibility of forming ones personality, Jung wanted to believe that it is indeed vastly responsible but cannot be solely credited. Around the same time, 1911-1912, when Jung was working on his book, ‘Psychology of the Unconscious’, Freud visited his friend and colleague, Ludwig Binswanger in Kreuzlingen (Switzerland), but completely avoided meeting him in the neaby Zurich. He called this incident the ‘Kreuzlingen Gesture’. The equation kept souring over the period of time and the friendship had reached its inevitable end. Jung and Freud met for the last time in September 1913 (age 38), at the International Psychoanalytical Congress, where his lecture about the concepts of distinct personality types – ‘Introverts’ and ‘Extroverts’, would set him apart from Freud’s works for the better part of the next century. The split from Freud left a metaphoric scar on Jung. He was traumatized at having lost a near and dear friend and supporter. He started experiencing a â€Å"horrible confrontation with the unconscious†. He started seeing things and hearing voices, and became so frantic with these new phenomena, that he started recording his hallucinations in a leather-bound red book. Jung was to become a public figure right at the onset of the First World War. Even though he was suffering a great deal after his split from Freud, his contributions to psychoanalysis were to take the world by storm†¦ Jung: Works, Views and Wisdom†¦ Like all masterminds and visionaries of the early 20th century, Carl Jung also faced the World Wars and had his share of battleground experience. Right after his split from Freud, at a mentally vulnerable stage, he joined the Swiss Army in the capacity of a doctor and served in World War I. His differences with the great Sigmund Freud had, in a way, forced him into a shell, and he started keeping a low profile throughout the 1920s (in his 40s), and only made public appearances for one-off lectures in foreign lands. His works were made famous outside of Switzerland through colleague and translator Constance Long, who also motivated him to give lectures in USA, England and other foreign locales. Contrary to his personal life, Jung’s works were keeping anything but a ‘low profile’. They had caused a revolution-of-sorts and proved to be an equal and opposite theory for Freud’s archaic methods of psychoanalysis and psychiatry†¦ His concepts of ‘Introversion’ and ‘Extroversion’ spread like wildfire and gained popularity. These concepts are followed by psychoanalysts till date. The main reason for the differences in opinion between him and Freud was the fact that he believed Freud’s definition of ‘Unconscious’ was inadequate and unnecessarily negative. While Freud believed that the unconscious is only a repository of suppressed memories and wants and needs, Jung argued that unconscious was actually divided in 2 parts – ‘Personal Unconscious’ and ‘Collective Unconscious’. The personal unconscious was responsible for suppressed desires of the individual, whereas the collective unconscious was a far deeper repository dealing with the suppressed emotions of a community. He tried to explain that people, as a group, share a form of unconscious mind, and that it was the explanation for phenomena like Telepathy. He also introduced the concept of ‘Individuation’ in which, personal and collective unconscious were brought into existence through dreams, active imaginations or free associations. He believed that a person who has advanced towards the ‘Individuation’ process is more mature, harmonious and responsible. Jung’s concept of ‘Persona’ was also popular amongst the psychoanalysts of the time. He defined ‘Persona’ to be a mask of sorts; a consciously put-on personality, created out of the collective psyche through socialization, cultural influences and experience. He believed that a psychoanalyst should try to initiate the ‘Individuation’ process by liberating the patient from the deceptive cover of this ‘Persona’. Carl Jung’s political views were caught in crossfire more than once. Throughout the 1930s (when he was in his 50s), and specifically during the second World War, he had famously maintained contact with some of his Jewish colleagues, and, at the same time voiced his sympathies for some German psychoanalyst who were Nazi-supporters. Jung was sorely disappointed when, Zentralblatt Fur Psychotherapie, under his editorship, published some pro-Nazi statements, and he was held personally liable and responsible for these sentiments. He made various attempts to clear his stand on the Anti-Semitism movement, but his teachings and writing were increasingly misconstrued to be pro-Nazi. Finally, to battle these allegations, he issued a statement against Hitler, stating: â€Å"Germany is infested by one man who is obviously possessed.† Carl Jung was of an extremely individualistic opinion when it came to politics. He believed that an individual should be allowed to make his own choices, and that a ‘State’ had taken the place of God, and was suitably run only by the people who knew how to manipulate it. Towards the end of his life, Jung had become an extremely spiritual man, and his beliefs and theories had also begun to be cast in a spiritual mould. He travelled to Kenya to discover the ‘primitive psychology’ of tribes that had been culturally isolated. Later, in the year 1937 (age 62), he delivered the famous Terry lectures in USA and England on the topic, ‘Psychology and Religion’. In the same year, he travelled to India to understand the concepts of religion and spirituality as they were seen in these parts. He admitted that his Indian expedition was far more successful than his tribal trips to Kenya, as language barrier wasn’t a difficulty in India. Although, he admitted that the concepts of ‘Atmaa’ or ‘Self’ and inner insights into these were lost on him. It was during this spiritual phase, that Jung contributed to the formation of the ‘Alcoholics Anonymous’. Even though the contribution wasn’t direct, he is credit with some applaud to have set the ball rolling. He had once advised one of his American patients who was suffering from incurable alcoholism, to seek a spiritual experience to get rid of his problem. The solution worked and the American came back home and told about this to his fellow alcoholics. Word spread and Bill Wilson, the founder of ‘AA’ adopted this theory for his 12-step program†¦ Jung: The Man, The Mind and The Mystery†¦ As he grew into the revered psychoanalyst and psychiatrist that we know of today, Jung started looking back and self-assessing his life and came up with some remarkable explanations for the relationships he had had. He explained that his parents’ relationship had a great effect on his mind, and it was during this time, that he began to see women as ‘unreliable’ and ‘unstable’, given his mother’s condition. He admitted that it was probably around this time in his life that he became a patriarch and that it was the ‘handicap he started out with’†¦ It was probably because of this ‘handicap’ that he never had a smooth relationship with his wife. He was famously involved with Sabina Spielrein and Toni Wolff, two of the earliest female psychoanalysts. He, however, never sought a divorce and saw his marriage through, until his wife expired in 1955 when he was 80. Not much is known about his 5 children either. His wife, his affairs, his children and Sigmund Freud were inseparable parts of his existence, and mostly contributed to the overall shaping of his personality. The leather-bound red book that he recorded his post-Freud hallucinations in was recently published for public consumption. Another source for understanding his relationship with Freud is the critically acclaimed 2011 Hollywood film ‘A Dangerous Method’, which is primarily based on Freud, Jung and Sabina Speilrein. It is believed that towards the end of his life, Jung had a series of visions, or dreams so-to-say, where he envisioned himself advancing towards a tower of light at the end of a lake! Surprisingly, soon after these mysterious premonitions, he suffered a short illness and passed away on Jun 6, 1961, at the age of 86. Jung was a man of science and spirituality, and in his doings throughout his life, he tried to put together an explanation for the true meaning of life. Much to his success and the passing down of his concepts, we now follow a large portion of his teachings, theories and discoveries and he is still revered as the master of modern psychology over Freud†¦

Chemical Warfare Essay -- essays research papers

Chem Warfare It was not until the early 1930's that German chemists observed that organo-phosphorus compounds could be poisonous. In 1934, Dr Gerhard Schrader, a chemist at IG Farben, was given the task of developing a pesticide. Two years later a phosphorus compound with extremely high toxicity was produced for the first time. According to contemporary regulations, discoveries with military implications had to be reported to the military authorities, which was also done with Schrader's discovery. This phosphorus compound, given the name tabun, was the first of the substances later referred to as nerve agents. A factory for production of the new CW agent was built and a total of 12 000 tonnes of tabun were produced during the years 1942-1945. At the end of the war the Allies seized large quantities of this nerve agent. Up to the end of the war, Schrader and his co-workers synthesized about 2 000 new organo-phosphorus compounds, including sarin (1938). The third of the "classic" nerve agents, soman, was first produced in 1944. These three nerve agents are known as G agents in the American nomenclature. The manufacture of sarin never started properly and up to 1945 only about 0.5 tonne of this nerve agent was produced in a pilot plant. Immediately after the war, research was mainly concentrated on studies of the mechanisms of the nerve agents in order to discover more effective forms of protection against these new CW agents. The resul...

Tropical Hut

WORKING CAPITAL Working capital is a measure of liquidity of a business. It equals current assets minus current liabilities. It is a measure of both a company's efficiency and its short-term financial health. The Company’s working capital during 2011 and 2010 are -P61,608,166. 00 and -P48,921,660. 00 indicating that the Company’s current liabilities are more than its current assets. It tells that the company is expected to suffer from liquidity crunch in near future and that the business may not be able to pay off its current liabilities when due. Status: Weakness of the Company) LIQUIDITY RATIOS| | | | | | Notes| Status| 2011| 2010| Current Ratio| 1| Weakness| 0. 83:1| 0. 85:1| Quick Ratio| 1| Weakness| 0. 37:1| 0. 39:1| Liquidity ratios measure a firm’s ability to meet maturing short-term obligations. Current ratio measures the extent to which a firm can meet its short-term obligations. During 2010, the Company’s current ratio is 0. 85:1 which indicates that the Company’s current assets were not enough to pay its short-term obligations. During 2011, the Company’s current ratio decreases to 0. 3:1 which indicates that its ability to pay its short-term obligations became worse (see Note 1 for computation). Quick ratio measures the extent to which a firm can meet its short-term obligations without relying upon the sales of its inventories. During 2010, the Company’s quick (or acid-test) ratio is 0. 39:1 which shows that its current assets less its inventory is not enough to meet its short-term obligations. During 2011, the Company’s quick ratio decreases to 0. 37:1 which shows that its ability to meet its short-term obligations became worse (see Note 1 for computation).Therefore, Tropical Hut Food Market, Inc as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 is not liquid. LEVERAGE RATIOS| | | | | Notes| Status| Ave of 2011;2010| Debt-to-Total-Assets Ratio| 2| Strength| 0. 56| Debt-to-Equity Ratio| 2| Weakness| 1. 29| Long- Term Debt-to-Equity Ratio| 2| Strength| 0. 0007| Times-Interest-Earned Ratio| 2| Weakness| -19. 36| Leverage ratios measure the extent to which a firm has been financed by debt. Debt-to-Total-Assets Ratio is the percentage of total funds that are provided by creditors. The average Debt-to-Total-Assets Ratio during 2011 and 2010 is 56% (or 0. 6:1) which indicates that the Company is capable to meet outside obligations in full out of its own assets (see Note 2 for computation). Debt-to-Equity Ratio is the percentage of total funds provided by the creditors versus by owners. The average Debt-to-Equity Ratio during 2011 and 2010 is 129% (1. 29:1). This means that for every peso of the company owned by the shareholders, the company owed 1. 29 to creditors. This high debt-to-equity ratio indicates that the Company was not able to generate enough cash  to satisfy its  debt  obligations (see Note 2 for computation).Long-Term Debt-to-Equity Ratio is the balance between debt and equity in a firm’s long-term capital structure. It expresses the degree of protection provided by the owners for the long-term creditors. The average Long-Term Debt-to-Equity Ratio during 2011 and 2010 is . 07% (or 0. 0007:1) which indicates that the Company’s degree of leverage is low (see Note 2 for computation). Times-Interest-Earned Ratio is the extent to which earnings can decline without the firm becoming unable to meet its annual interest costs. The Company’s Times-Interest-Earned Ratio is -19. 6 due to consecutive years of net loss which indicates that the Company was not able to meet its annual interest costs. ACTIVITY RATIOS| | | | | Notes| Status| 2011| 2010| Inventory Turnover| 3| Weakness| 8. 08 | 9. 38| Fixed Assets Turnover| 3| Strength| 10. 88| 10. 19| Total Asset Turnover| 3| Weakness| 3. 06| 3. 32| Accounts Receivable Turnover| 3| Strength| 77. 43| 64. 01| Average Collection Period| 3| Strength| 4. 71| 5. 70| Activity ratios measure how effectively a firm is using its resources. Inventory turnover ratio is used to measure the inventory management efficiency of a business.The Inventory ratio for the year 2011 and 2010 are 8. 08 and 9. 38, respectively. The decreased in the Inventory Turnover ratio indicates that the company is inefficient on controlling their inventory levels (see Note 3 for computation). The fixed-asset turnover ratio measures a company's ability to generate net sales from fixed-asset investments. The Ratios are 10. 88 and 10. 19 for the year 2011 and 2010. The increase in the turnover ratio indicates that the company can generate more sales with its fewer assets which tell that the company is good because it is using its assets efficiently (see Note 3 for computation).The total asset turnover ratio measures the ability of a company to use its assets to efficiently generate sales. The ratios are 3. 06 and 3. 32 for the year 2011 and 2010. The decrease in the turnover ratio indicates that the company is not growi ng in its capacity (see Note 3 for computation). Accounts receivable turnover measures the efficiency of a business in collecting its credit sales. The Accounts Receivable Turnover for the year 2011 and 2010 are 77. 43 and 64. 01, respectively.Increase in the accounts receivable turnover indicates improvement in the process of cash collection on credit sales of the company (see Note 3 for computation). Average collection period measures the average number of days that accounts receivable are outstanding. The Average collection period for 2011 and 2010 are 4. 71 and 5. 70, respectively. The decreasing number of collection days indicates that the accounts receivable of the company is liquid and is being converted to cash quickly compared to the previous year. PROFITABILITY RATIOS| | | | Notes| Status| 2011| 2010| Gross Profit Margin (GPM)| 4| Strength| 30. 4%| 28. 44%| Operating Profit Margin (OPM)| 4| Weakness| -2. 90%| -2. 21%| Net Profit Margin (NPM)| 4| Weakness| -2. 48%| -1. 75%| Return on Total Assets (ROA)| 4| Weakness| -7. 59%| -5. 80%| Return on Shareholders' Equity (ROE)| 4| Weakness| -18. 56%| -12. 52%| Earnings Per Share 4 Weakness -19. 68% -15. 28% Profitability Ratio measure management’s overall effectiveness as shown by the returns generated on sales and investment. Gross Profit Margin is the total margin available to cover operating expenses and yield a profit.During 2011 and 2010 the GPM’s are 30. 24% and 28. 44% respectively which indicates that the company has a reasonable profit margin but it cannot cover up all of its expenses resulting to a net loss (see Note 4 for computation). Operating profit margin is the profitability without concern for taxes and interest. The 2011 and 2010 OPM’s are -2. 90% and -2. 21% respectively. Thus, indicating that the company has poor cost control and/or that sales are insufficient to cover up COS and expenses (see Note 4 for computation). Net profit margin is the profitability after tax a nd interest.The 2011 and 2010 NPM’s are -2. 48% and -1. 75% respectively. This shows that the sales of the company is decreasing with a poor management of expenses (see Note 4 for computation). Return on total assets an indicator of how profitable a company is relative to its total assets. The 2011 and 2010 ROA’s are  -7. 59% and -5. 80% respectively. Thus management is inefficient in using its assets to generate earnings (see Note 4 for computation). Return on Shareholder’s Equity measures a corporation's profitability by revealing how much profit a company generates with the money shareholders have invested.During 2011 and 2010 the ROE’s are -18. 56% and -12. 52% respectively. Thus, indicating that the company is not generating profit by the investment of the shareholders but instead incurring a loss. Earnings Per Share is the earnings per each outstanding share. The 2011 and 2010 EPS are -19. 68% and -15. 28% respectively. Since EPS in considered as one of the factors that an investor considers, it implies that issuance of shares will not generate more money thus, less attractive (see Note 4 for computation). GROWTH RATIOS | Notes| Status| Ratio| |Growth Ratio on Sales| 5| Weakness| -13. 13%| Growth Ratio on Net Income| 5| Weakness| * -20. 06%| Growth Ratio on EPS| 5| Strength| 22. 26%| Growth Ratio on Dividends Per Share| 5| Weakness| -3. 502%| Growth ratio indicates the amount by which a variable increases over a given period of time as a percentage of its previous value. The growth ratios for Sales, Net income, Earnings Per Share, Dividends per Share are -13. 13%, -20. 06%, 22. 26% and -3. 502% respectively. Growth Rates are one of the factors that investors consider in order to extend their resources to generate future cash flows.It indicates that the company’s sales, earnings have not grown that would make its firm value less attractive. Also, it evaluates that the company was not performing good enough in order to generate sales, earnings and returns, hence, occurring losses as resulted. Based on the computation of Growth Ratio on EPS, though it has been reported through financial statements that the sales and income have weaken, still it indicates that the earnings through issuance of shares increases over time. (see Note 5 for computation).

The characters are irresponsible dreamers – The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is an effective novel in epitomising the relentless struggle of many to achieve the American dream. The economic boom and the radical change in society following the First World War may have contributed largely to the idea of the American dream. Fitzgerald portrayed in The Great Gatsby the stark contrast between the rich and the poor whilst revealing a common similarity – a hope in attaining the American dream. The novel follows the dreams of members of entirely separate social classes and encapsulates the thwarted dreams of both the prosperous and the underprivileged, through immoral and irresponsible actions. Overall, it can be said that The Great Gatsby summarises the way in which society's definition of the American dream morphed from that of achieving happiness to acquiring monetary effects. Daisy Buchanan can be regarded as one of the foremost ‘irresponsible dreamers' in the novel. Her personality appears to reflect that of a child's. She often acts fickle, immature and is constantly seeking attention. An example of this is on page 15 where Nick mentions â€Å"I've heard it said that Daisy's murmur was only to make people lean toward her. † Her childish attributes may have contributed to her irresponsible nature. After meeting Gatsby, Daisy begins to view everything in a romantic light. She whispers to Gatsby about wanting to â€Å"just get one of those pink clouds and put you in it and push you around† (page 101). Her relationship with Gatsby seems to have a tinge of fantasy, almost as if she is more interested in getting away from reality than being in a relationship with him. Daisy's affair with Gatsby can be said to be irresponsible as she is both a wife and a mother. Also, her decision to have an affair might possibly have stemmed from the anger and jealousy she felt in knowing about Tom's infidelity. The death of Myrtle and the events that followed showed readers just how irresponsible Daisy's character is. Despite that ultimately, Daisy was responsible for the death of Myrtle, she appeared unremorseful in leaving blame to Gatsby. This is evident when Fitzgerald writes â€Å"But she and Tom had gone away, early that afternoon, and taken baggage with them† (pg 171). This line immediately shows readers that Daisy may have felt little guilt at leaving Gatsby behind to deal with the aftermath of Myrtle's death. The â€Å"baggage† that the pair had taken with them implies that they are leaving for a prolonged amount of time and also that Tom and Daisy may have spent time planning their leave. Daisy's refusal of accepting her part in Myrtle's death shows elements of moral decay of the '20's society. On a larger scale, it can be suggested that Daisy and Tom embody the affluent old aristocracy, a society that could effectively avoid responsibility for their actions through their shield of abundant wealth and high status. Daisy, in particular reflects the quintessential example of the American dream- she had inherited her wealth, is married to an equally wealthy man and rotates in the circles of the upper class society. On the other hand, readers can argue that at the end of the novel, Daisy made the responsible decision of staying with Tom, saving her marriage and her daughter and can therefore be forgiven for her previous actions. Myrtle's character represents the average working class citizen of America. However, her affair with Tom grants her a few of the luxuries that other ordinary working class citizens would not be able to attain. For example, she says â€Å"I'd like to get one of those police dogs† (page 33). This extract shows that with the advantage of Tom's wealth, Myrtle can afford to be fickle. Her irresponsibility lies with her belief of a rise in social standing through her relationship with Tom. Her attitude to others of her own class, changes, perhaps signifying a corruption of innocence. When Tom and Myrtle host a party in their apartment, Myrtle acts in a patronising manner towards Mrs McKee, rejecting her compliments and offering Mrs McKee her clothes (page 37 and 42). Fitzgerald may have written it to show that the American dream was not necessarily morally justified, for when Myrtle achieved aspects of the American dream – wealth – she behaved haughtily. However, readers may argue that Myrtle was not irresponsible, as she was only pursuing the chance for a better life. Myrtle may have seen her affair with Tom as a means of obtaining this â€Å"better life† and so her actions were justifiable. Her death represents the slow disintegration of the American dream. Its abruptness could possibly symbolise the abrupt economic boom (and later the abrupt economic bust), and the end of the American dream for both Myrtle and the working class society. In Gatsby, it is clear Fitzgerald has embodied the true American dream. Gatsby's climb from humble beginnings to owning a huge mansion, a successful business and a Rolls Royce displays to readers the ideal form of the American dream. However, it is also apparent that Gatsby acts in irresponsible ways. His chief aim appeared to be to win back Daisy. Gatsby says on page 117 â€Å"Can't repeat the past? (†¦ ) of course you can! † This belief showed readers that Gatsby was perhaps in denial that Daisy had moved on from him, and had a separate life from him. He had toiled for five years to be able to present to Daisy a worthy partner in himself, arguably an irresponsible act as it was inevitable that after five years, Daisy would have moved on. Fitzgerald also ties in the theme of time with Gatsby. Fitzgerald writes â€Å"the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head† (page 93). This line could represent Gatsby's strong conviction in repeating the past, whereas the clock tilting dangerously could perhaps be a dangerous indication of the tragedy to come. Another form of Gatsby's irresponsibility is in his strong loyalty to Daisy, despite the fact that she is married to another man. Ironically, his loyalty to her proved to be his destruction as he takes the blame for Myrtle's death and therefore was murdered by Wilson. Like Myrtle, Gatsby proves to be a victim of the American dream, and like Myrtle, his death could perhaps represent the disintegration of the American dream. Additionally, Fitzgerald's detailed description of the preparation of Gatsby's parties at the beginning of Chapter 3 could perhaps have been to illustrate Gatsby's extravagance in trying to win over Gatsby. This could perhaps be regarded as wasteful and irresponsible of Gatsby by readers. However, it can be argued that Gatsby was influenced by his love for Daisy and therefore his extravagance was justified. It is suggested in the novel that Gatsby made his wealth through engaging in criminal activities. However, as it is not directly mentioned, it cannot entirely be regarded as another of his irresponsible actions. In general, it can be said that Gatsby's irresponsibility stemmed from his pursuit of Daisy's love, and so readers are often more empathetic towards him than any other character in the novel. Moreover, Gatsby's representation of the American dream appeared to be the only one that did not centralise on monetary gain – another aspect that draws sympathy from readers on his death. To an extent, it can be agreed that the characters are irresponsible dreamers. Readers however, may be at a disagreement over which character holds the biggest responsibilities. Daisy can be seen as one of the most irresponsible characters as she played a great role in the death of Myrtle and therefore her action had a greater consequence. The American dream also plays a part in the irresponsibility of characters as it is often their pursuit of their dreams that leads them to make immoral and irresponsible decisions. Fitzgerald's depiction of the â€Å"roaring twenties† and the unprecedented distribution of wealth revealed an alarming aftermath of social and moral decay.

Drug Awareness Essays

Drug Awareness Essays Drug Awareness Essay Drug Awareness Essay Drug abuse, also called substance abuse or chemical abuse, is a disorder that is characterized by a destructive pattern of using a substance that leads to significant problems or distress. It affects more than 7% of people at some point in their lives. Teens are increasingly engaging in prescription drug abuse, particularly narcotics (which are prescribed to relieve severe pain), and stimulant medications, which treat conditions like attention deficit disorder. What is drug addiction? Drug addiction, also called substance dependence or chemical dependency, is a disease that is characterized by a destructive pattern of drug abuse that leads to significant problems involving tolerance to or withdrawal from the substance, as well as other problems that use of the substance can cause for the sufferer, either socially or in terms of their work or school performance. More than 2. 6% of people suffer from drug addiction at some time in their life. The term dual diagnosis refers to the presence of both a drug-abuse or dependence issue in addition to a serious mental-health problem in an individual. Substance abuse or dependence unfortunately occurs quite commonly in people who also have severe mental illness. This is important given that people with a serious mental illness are far more at risk of engaging in violence, being incarcerated, or contracting infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Individuals with dual diagnosis are also at higher risk of being noncompliant with treatment. Virtually any substance whose ingestion can result in a euphoric (high) feeling can be abused. While many are aware of the abuse of legal substances like alcohol or illegal drugs like marijuana (in most states) and cocaine, less well known is the fact that inhalants like household cleaners are some of the most commonly abused substances. The following are many of the drugs and types of drugs that are commonly abused. Cannabis: More commonly called marijuana, the scientific name for cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In addition to the negative effects the drug itself can produce (for example, infertility, paranoia, lack of motivation), the fact that it is commonly mixed (cut) with other substances so drug dealers can make more money selling the diluted substance or expose the user to more addictive drugs exposes the marijuana user to the dangers associated with those added substances. Examples of ingredients that marijuana is commonly cut with include baby powder, oregano, embalming fluid, PCP, opiates, and cocaine As these substances quell or depress the nervous system, they can cause death by respiratory arrest of the person who either uses these drugs in overdose or who mixes one or more of these drugs with another nervous system depressant drug .

Why had Henry failed to achieve his aims in foreign policy by 1529 Essays

Why had Henry failed to achieve his aims in foreign policy by 1529 Essays Why had Henry failed to achieve his aims in foreign policy by 1529 Paper Why had Henry failed to achieve his aims in foreign policy by 1529 Paper Essay Topic: History Henrys aims since he came to the throne in1509 was glory, he thought he could get this through vast amount of money. Henry at the time was almost broke and therefore needed glory quickly, and the way Henry came up with to make money and gain glory was via war. He needed to attack France but he had no money, Wolsey raised the funds and so became very close to Henry and he went on to gain glory. Although Henry was satisfied with the war he still wanted more glory and to be a dominant figure in Europe. Unfortunately Henry had not achieved his aims by 1529, this was due to a number of reasons, one being that the other powers in Europe were much bigger and grew faster than Henry so he could not keep up. One important reason for Henrys failure to achieve his aims were a number of set backs during 1509 and 1529. One of these set backs comes as early as 1514 where even though Henry has won the war between France and England he is still in essence broke, this makes it hard for Henry to have any impact on foreign politics and does not put him in a good position to go to war again. Henry gets an opportunity to become a leading figure in Europe in 1518 with the Treaty of London, but unfortunately the Turkish never really attack so Henrys power goes to waste. In 1523 Henry is on course for taking over France (being only 50 miles outside Paris with 10,000 troops) but his alliance breaks down and he is forced to retreat. This shows that he was close to being a dominant force in European politics but just missed out due to this major setback. Henrys lack of military power was another thing that set him apart from the rest of Europe. Due to the fact that Henry was not as big as the other countries and that he could not pay his soldiers as much Henry simply did not have as bigger army as other dominant powers. This depicted Henry as weak to his fellow leaders, thus making him seem unimportant and not worth taking too much notice of. Wolsey was one of the reasons that Henry did not achieve his aims, this is because however much Wolsey helped Henry he would always be against him due to his want of the papacy. This meant that Henry never got what he quite wanted, and his ideas were always slightly adjusted, thus never giving Henrys desired outcome. The relationships within Europe were another reason Henrys aims were never accomplished, Wolsey would make alliances but Henry would regularly fall out with the other leaders splitting up the alliances. For example in 1516 Henry weakens his alliance with the Empire by falling out with Max. The traditional view of France as the enemy meant that Henry never really had an alliance with France. The major blow was when Wolsey missed out on the France + Empire + Pope Treaty, this showed Henry was not a dominant as he was not respected enough to be asked into the alliance. Henry was competing against very powerful kings in Europe, thus finding it hard to make an impact on foreign politics. Charles the 5th controlled most of Europe making him very powerful militarily and dominating most of Europe. Whereas Henry had England which was relatively small and had a small population. Francis 1st has vast amounts of money that gave him respect and the ability to do things he wanted such as build an army or show off his wealth (the field of cloth and gold). Whereas Henry was almost broke and struggled to raise funds to go to war. In conclusion Henrys lack of power and dominance and the fact there were strong leaders in Europe meant he was not taken as seriously as the others, and he could do nothing to make them listen, as he simply did not have the resources to challenge them. The other greater powers meant Henry had no chance of coming into line with them as he could not grow in power quicker than them, especially with the money he had. If Henry had gone with Wolseys ideas totally then Henry may have found his glory in peace rather than war, and in turn saved more money. This would have meant he could have executed his foreign policy better. Unfortunately this never happened therefore meaning that Henry never achieved his foreign policy aims by 1529.