Article Summary of “Working at McDonald’s” Essay Example

Article Summary of â€Å"Working at McDonald’s† Essay Example Article Summary of â€Å"Working at McDonald’s† Essay Article Summary of â€Å"Working at McDonald’s† Essay George Washington University Sociologist Amitai Etzioni analyzed the negative values that teen-agers get from working at fast-food joints in the essay â€Å"Working at McDonalds’†. Etzioni shares her views on the consequences of American teeners getting high pay for â€Å"highly-routinized† jobs. In the article Etzioni looks back on the American tradition of letting youngsters work in order to teach them the values of self-reliance and being productive .She analyzed how the current trend of teeners working for fast-food joints does not achieve the teaching of these values. In the past, working for youngsters meant delivering newspapers or setting up lemonade stands offering enough opportunities for youngsters to be disciplined and creative as compared to the jobs offered by McDonald’s and the others. The latter provide regular employment and high compensation but offer little room for entrepreneurship, initiative and inventiveness.This, according to the Etzioni, makes youngsters nothing but workers on an assembly line. The author in the end reminds parents that working is not automatically a learning activity for their kids but can possibly be detrimental to their kids’ future.

Say and Write Take Care (Ki o Tsukete) in Japanese

Say and Write 'Take Care' (Ki o Tsukete) in Japanese The Japanese phrase  Ki o tsukete  means take care. It is the phrase you would use when saying goodbye to a friend (whom you expect to see again within a few days) or a boss or coworker (whom you expect to see the next day or after a weekend). But the phrase deserves some explanation. Many in Western cultures believe that the Japanese use sayounara when saying goodbye. Nothing could be further from the truth, notes FluentU, adding that not only is this stereotyping, but the term sayonara also  implies a finality, as if you are saying goodbye for good. Saying sayounara to a boss or loved one may leave them feeling confused or  upset, says the language website. If you plan to study Japanese or visit Japan, its important that you know how to say goodbye in a socially appropriate way. Read on to learn how to use the phrase Ki o tsukete, including how to pronounce it and in what social context to use it. Pronouncing Ki o Ttsukete​ Click the link to bring up an audio file that will let you listen to the correct way to pronounce the Japanese phrase for take care. As you listen to the pronunciation for Ki o tsukete, pause after you listen once or twice and practice saying the phrase. Japanese Characters: Writing Ki o Tsukete​ It can also help to know how to write the phrase for saying goodbye. Before studying how the phrase is written, its important to understand the three Japanese writing systems: kanji, hiragana, and katakana. Kanji is symbolic (or logographic). It is the most common means of written communication in the Japanese language. Hiragana is a phonetic syllabary made up of simplified kanji letters, notes study guide  Japanese Grammar. Hiragana  is used primarily to spell words that have  Japanese roots or grammatical elements. Katakana is used to spell foreign and technical words (computer is one example) or for emphasis. The phrase Ki o tsukete​ is a combination of kanji and katakana, and is spelled as follows: æ °â€"を㠁 ¤Ã£ â€˜Ã£  ¦Ã£â‚¬â€š The phrase can also be translated as be careful. The saying implies a concern you want to express for the health and welfare of your listener, in that you are wishing her well until you are able to see her again. Using Ki o Tsukete​ Correctly The  Iidabashi Japanese Language School points out yet another issue to be careful of when using the phrase Ki o tsukete. You are, indeed, telling your listener to take care or be careful when using this phrase. However, the school notes on the website, Gaijin Pot: It is a phrase which signifies that one is praying for the safe trip of another.  As such, it is a phrase that only the person watching someone else go is able to use.  The person leaving cannot say it to the person staying behind. In other words, only the person staying behind can use the phrase to, essentially, wish a safe journey to the person who is leaving. So, if you are the one leaving work or home, FluentU suggests the following alternative phrases for saying goodbye in Japanese: è ¡Å'㠁 £Ã£  ¦Ã¦  ¥Ã£  ¾Ã£ â„¢ (㠁„㠁 £Ã£  ¦Ã£  Ã£  ¾Ã£ â„¢,  itte kimasu) I’m leaving home㠁Šå…ˆã  «Ã¥ ¤ ±Ã§ ¤ ¼Ã£ â€"㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢ (㠁Šã â€¢Ã£  Ã£  «Ã£ â€"㠁 ¤Ã£â€šÅ'㠁„㠁â€"㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢,  osaki ni shitsurei shimasu) Excuse me for leaving first㠁Šçâ€" ²Ã£â€šÅ'æ §ËœÃ£  §Ã£ â€"㠁ŸÂ  (㠁Šã  ¤Ã£ â€¹Ã£â€šÅ'㠁•ã  ¾Ã£  §Ã£ â€"㠁Ÿ,  otsukaresama deshita) Thank you for your hard work There are also a number of other ways to say goodbye in Japanese, which you will learn as you continue to study the language. So ki o tsukete (be careful or take care) to use the correct phrase when you plan to leave. Source Inc. BarCharts. Japanese Grammar. Quick Study Academic, Bilingual edition, QuickStudy, January 1, 2005.

Social Innovation and the Role of Leadership Research Paper

Social Innovation and the Role of Leadership - Research Paper Example As far as internal validity of the published article is concerned, it is again valid as there are a number of references used within the article. The used references in the paper are cited within the paper. The authors of the article make use of side notes and end notes to refer and explain any ideas or written content that needs description, which makes the article easy to follow. The references included in the paper differentiate in their content type as they are from books, journals and internet libraries. Their publication dates are before 2007 as 2007 is the year of the article itself. The writers have incorporated the written content from different timescales in order to collect different opinions about social innovation as a broad term. At the end of the article, however, a references section is absent that should be a part of academic writing. Only a section with the name of further reading suggestions can be found that informs that the readers of the article can go for addit ional readings if they are interested in the subject of the paper. Along with side notes and end notes, a separate references section should be given at the end that is lacking in the paper. Language of the article is informative and simple as the ideas and theories described by the writers are easier to follow and comprehend. The targeted readers of the article are people related to business, technology, sociology and other fields, youth and all other people as well. The article talks about improvement of societies and their problems so it cannot be restricted to any specific audience of group of people. This article is written for a wider audience. The format of the article is descriptive and formal as the readers can note proper headings with end notes and side notes along with examples that are explanatory. As the title of the article is social innovation, therefore, the writers give detailed and expressive definitions of the title. The article if observed theoretically is quite explicit and evocative and gives a clear picture of the different terms and theories related to social innovation. According to Mulgan, et al (2007), innovation is about ‘new ideas that work’ (8). The writers also explain that social innovation is not business innovation; it is a lot different than business innovation. Social innovation is associated with sociology and accomplishment of social goals. According to the writers, the term social innovation is quite rich in its meaning and is widespread in terms of its peripheries. By judging the article and its explicitly described content, it is quite clear that theoretically, the article is quite clear in its meanings. Leadership: Exploration and Identification The article gives examples of leaders who did innovative works in their respective fields. According to Mulgan, et al (2007), people from different fields who can also be termed as leaders of social innovation such as â€Å"politicians, bureaucrats, intellectuals , business people as well as NGO activists† (14) participated in defining the concept of social innovation and leaders play an effective role in exploring and identifying the concept of social innovation. According to the article, there are four horizons of effective leadership, which are legacy / generational time, long,

Global performance and corss culture management of Home Depot 04259 Essay

Global performance and corss culture management of Home Depot 04259 - Essay Example The company started its operation with first two stores in Atlanta, Georgia in 1979 and currently has more than 2200 stores throughout United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. By the end of the 2015 (first quarter), the Home depot company will have 293 international operations that collectively represent 12.9% of the total store base of Home Depot. In Canada, the Company has around 182 stores in 10 provinces of Canada. Additionally, the local number of associates in Canada will reach around 28,000 by the same time. The In Mexico, Home depot has around 111 stores while the number of associates in Canada exceed by 9,000. Both locations has retail facilities spread across from 60,000 to 150,000 sq foot (Corporate Homedepot, 2015a). Home depot is among the leading player in the home improvement industry. Home Depot with 58 percent rake of an annual revenue in United States and going to expand in Mexico (Malkin, 2014). It earns more than 95 percent of its revenue; international sales represent 11 percent of the sales of Home Depot (Soni, 2015a). The operations are spread across 2200 stores throughout United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. The operations of the company include selling wider hodgepodge or mixture of home improvement products, building material, and garden and lawn products; Company offers several services to its customers. The operations of Home Depot targets three sorts of customers. Professional customers, do-it-yourself customers and do-it-for-me customers are the target customer around which the operations of the company revolve (Soni, 2015b). For quality and innovative products and services, the company sourcing is spread to India in addition to above three markets (Corporate Homedepot,201 5b). By 2019, the global industry of home improvement retail stores is expected to arrive at $ 2291.6 billion as a result of increased

Does plato’s republic still stand in today’s society?

Does plato’s republic still stand in today’s society? Few philosophers in ancient and modern history continue to have as much influence as Plato. More than 2500 years after Platos death, his teachings regarding justice and the ideal state continue to inspire discussion and debate. The ideal community he envisioned in The Republic continues to influence leaders and political thinkers, and his study of the ideal state formed the foundations of political science. This paper examines the continuing relevance of the book The Republic, with particular focus on Platos concepts of justice, happiness and the ideal society. Plato was born in Athens in 427 BC. He belonged to an aristocratic family, as his father was a descendant of an Athenian king while his mother was distantly related to the lawmaker Solon. Platos father died early, and his mother re-married an associate of Pericles, the statesman. Based on familial ties, Plato had strong connections with both democracy and the oligarchy. Following his stepfathers footsteps, the young Plato had political ambitions. Soon, however, he became disillusioned by the corrupt and inefficient political leadership in Athens. Plato then followed his older brothers who had become pupils of Socrates. Plato eventually became a great follower of Socrates, adopting the great teachers basic philosophy and style of debate. Plato also vigorously adopted Socrates motto, Know thyself, and he pursued this knowledge through Socrates dialectical system of questions, answers and additional questions. This critical method of instruction, however, caused Socrates to fall into disfavor with his students. The teacher was tried for religious impiety and corruption of youth and was sentenced to death. Socrates death further increased Platos dissatisfaction with all existing political regimes. In 387 BC, Plato founded his own school, the Academy, in Athens. This university was for higher studies, with instruction in the sciences, mathematics and philosophy. The academy attracted students for more than nine centuries. Plato continued to teach and served as president of the Academy until his death in 347 at the age of 80. In The Republic, Plato proposes his theory that the ideal state or polis can only be achieved through a balance of elements. Political justice can only be present when people serve their functions, as determined by their tripartite souls. Plato believed that the human soul is divided into three elements. First, there are the bodily appetites, expressed through bodily needs such as hunger and thirst. Second are the spiritual elements, expressed through emotions like love, anger and compassion. Above all, the third element that separates people from animals and makes them unique is the human ability to use language and reason. Plato compared the soul to an organism. An imbalance among these elements leads to conflict, sickness and misery. Plato also believed that there are three types of personalities. The most common is the person dominated by bodily appetites. This person is desires, money and possessions. The second personality is dominated by the spirit. This person would be driven by goals like success, fame and power. Finally, there is the person who is dominated by reason, the person who aspires towards truth and wisdom. He or she would be willing to give up family, forgo basic appetites and live the austere lifestyle to discover the unchangeable human essence. Plato believed that happiness comes when these three elements of the soul are satisfied under the rule of reason. This is a difficult endeavor, for the bodily drives often conflict with reason. However, knowledge and right conduct can only come from a soul dominated by reason. Hence, only those who are governed by reason and knowledge should be in a position to govern the other members of society. Like the human soul, Plato also viewed society as an organism. In Platos ideal society, each persons social role will be determined by the element dominant in his or her soul. People who are ruled by bodily appetites would make the best producers farmers, laborers, hunters, merchants and the others whose work sustains a populaces physical needs. People who are driven by spiritual desires like honor, loyalty, fame and other spiritual elements should be members of a citys auxiliary and military staff. Finally, there are the men and women who are ruled by reason. They are devoid of family ties and do not possess private property. Through years of training, they could enact laws and make decisions based on reason and wisdom, on what Plato termed the idea of the good. These, Plato believed, are the philosophers who should also be kings. Only people who are dominated by reason should become guardians. Plato was critical of Athenian society, which allowed even people who are ruled by bodily appetites to govern. In Platos view, this leads to an imbalance in the social organism, manifesting in the societal conflict and corruption that turned him away from politics as a young man. Platos belief in establishing harmony within conflicting human and social elements led him to conclude that an ideal society must be governed by knowledgeable and reason-driven elite. Platos descriptions of justice, virtue and happiness are very different from the modern understandings of these terms. For Plato, all these concepts are entwined in his understanding of the ideal state and, again, his concept of the tripartite soul. In The Republic, Plato wrote of his concept of individual justice as an offshoot of what he sees as a tripartite soul. Plato believed that the human soul is divided into three elements. First, there are the bodily appetites, expressed through bodily needs such as hunger and thirst. Second are the spiritual elements, expressed through emotions like love, anger and compassion. Above all, the third element that separates people from animals and makes them unique is the human ability to use language and reason (Rice 58-61). The theory of political justice parallels the theory of individual justice. For Plato, a city is man writ large against the sky. Since people are social animals, cities are a natural extension and mirror of the human soul. In Platos ideal society, each persons social role should be determined by the element dominant in his or her soul. Political justice occurs when the guardians rule wisely and the other classes do their tasks, ensuring the smooth function of the social organism. As in the body, when all aspects of society function as one, there will be harmony. This harmony engenders the reign of political justice, resulting in a state that is free from war or civil disorder. An imbalance among these elements leads to conflict, sickness and misery. Individual happiness can only happen when all three elements are in balance. Only when this balance occurs can a person live a just and harmonious life (Rice 61). For Plato, ensuring that the guardians rule wisely and the other classes do their tasks will facilitate the smooth function of the social organism. When all aspects of society function as one, there will be harmony. This harmony begets the reign of political justice, resulting in a state that is free from war or civil disorder. Only in such a society can human happiness be possible, as the alternative is chaos. Plato thus viewed happiness as an abstract, a fringe benefit of living a virtuous life and facilitating a harmonious social organization. Plato used the haunting allegory of the cave as a metaphor for the human condition. Plato believed that ordinary humans who do not bother to, in the Socratic tradition, examine their lives were doomed to live like prisoners in a cave. These prisoners can only see shadows, which are created by artificial light and manipulated by unseen overlords (Plato 514a-519a). These individuals cannot have proper concepts of their existence and their needs. They do not have the knowledge to recognize their victimization and therefore have to desire to be free. Any interruption in their ways of thought such as a prisoner who escapes and returns, telling of the sunlight outside the cave is regarded with disrespect and suspicion. Only by leaving the cave can these prisoners ever learn the difference between what is real and what are artificial shadows. Several criticisms have been written regarding the weaknesses in Platos formulations. Though a modern reading of Plato would find his concepts of democracy and justice as strange, criticisms regarding this work began much earlier. For example, Platos formulation of happiness is understandable given how the ancient Greeks stressed the importance of the polis. However, viewed from a modern perspective, what Plato defines as happiness is more like contentment. People live their lives according to an inner nature that is inflexible. They derive satisfaction from fulfilling their assigned societal roles. Platos definition, however, lacks an important component of happiness passion. True human happiness involves the active and passionate pursuit of a goal. Platos student Aristotle was also one of his earliest critics. Aristotle recognized the weaknesses of Platos concept of happiness and introduced a much-needed layer of empiricism to Platos philosophy. Aristotle was critical of Platos reliance on intuitive reason and a supposedly immutable world of ideas. Instead, Aristotle believed that knowledge should be anchored in real experiences that can be perceived by the senses. Plato thus viewed happiness as an abstract, a fringe benefit of living a virtuous life and facilitating a harmonious social organization. Like Plato, Aristotle also placed emphasis on the virtuous life. However, Aristotles concept of happiness also differed significantly from his predecessor. In contrast to Platos tripartite soul, Aristotle divided the human soul into two elements the rational and the irrational. While humans share irrational elements with animals, they also possess faculties that are distinctly human. For example, humans have the ability to control their bodily desires through reason. In addition, only humans are capable of logical calculation and intellectual activities, which Aristotle defines as intellectual virtue (Grant 256). Unlike Platos concept of happiness as an abstraction, Aristotle believed that happiness is based on human nature. The nature of happiness is itself based on human nature. For Aristotle, happiness can only spring from the rational part of the human soul and is therefore a goal unique to humans (Grant 256-257). The contrast between the two philosophers illustrates one of the greatest weaknesses in Platos philosophy. By emphasizing the all-importance of reason, Plato neglects other important aspects of human nature. These include the emotions, such as happiness and love, as well as desires, such as sex. This strict division of social labor between the social classes runs counter to many feelings that are considered fundamental parts of human nature. For example, while Plato is one of the few philosophers who believes that women can be governed by reason, he also stipulates that guardian women must not raise their own families. If they procreate and bear children, their offspring will be raised by another woman from the lower social ranks. With regards to sex, Plato views the sexual appetites as illicit. The failure to impose restrictions on ones appetites makes a person the victim of disorganized and unfocused demands. This leads Plato to make conclusions that corruption and social illnesses spring from uncontrolled human appetites (Kraut 325-226). Furthermore, other critics have pointed to the absence of a concept of good character in Platos teachings. There is no concept of sympathy or empathy for fellow human beings. As philosopher Max Eastman later writes, Plato sees the good person as ruled by reason, whereas most moral codes see good people as ruled by a passion that of love forfellow (humans) (96). The analogy of the cave underscores Platos emphasis on the importance of the examined life. People who see only manipulated shadows fail to see the bigger picture outside and can thus never be able to make properly informed decisions. They will continue to hold false values and ideals, and will continue to resist efforts made on their behalf to improve their lives. Though Platos vision of the ideal polis is rightly criticized for its strict hierarchical roles, he makes a significant contribution to political thought by maintaining that the political community must promote the well being of its citizens. After all, Plato wrote at a time when tyrants routinely used the resources of the nation-state in their own interests. The idea of the greater good being more important than the rights of the sovereign ruler is thus an important departure. As a result of this, Plato maintained that a good political leader must be educated. Also, while Plato is rightly criticized for ignoring human needs when he abolishes family ties for the ruling class, this severing of ties is geared towards the abolition of property. By removing family and property ties, Plato hopes that a political leader can truly make informed decisions based on reason and not simply based on their won or their loved ones interests. Finally, perhaps the most remarkable feature of Platos Republic is his startling idea of equality although limited among the sexes. Plato believed that qualified women can become members of the guardian class. Like men, Plato believed that there are women who are governed by reason and, by rights, should be accorded the responsibilities of governing (Smith 467). In addition to the Philosopher-Kings, Plato also believed in the possibility of Philosopher-Queens. Plato later expanded this thesis in Laws, saying that all citizen women should be allowed to take part in public affairs. They should be allowed to join athletic and military training, to dine in public communally and to receive education in political virtues (Saunders 480). In summary, much of the weaknesses in Platos political theory, as set about in the Republic, arise from an imperfect and rigid classification of human nature. Plato does not make allowances for basic human emotions and needs. As such, he prescribes social roles that, while supposedly serving the greater social good, force people to sublimate their own needs and desires. However, these weaknesses do not take away from the enduring importance of the Republic. First, Plato laid the foundations for a true democracy by stipulating that those who govern should act in the best interests of their citizens. Second, Plato recognized the importance of education, both in ensuring the qualifications of those who govern and that the citizens themselves can make informed political decisions. Most importantly, Plato presents an ideal community, where no one person is automatically privileged by wealth, birth or gender. It is an attractive ideal, where no ones needs are ignored and where every member strives to live an examined life. Platos ideal society has figured prominently in many later normative conceptions of ideal social orders. In Utopia, the influential 16th century vision of the ideal state, Thomas More incorporated Platos earlier negation of private property and the necessity for educated and qualified rulers. By the 18th century, French philosopher Emile Durkheim once again wrote of society as an organism requiring the integrated function of its parts in his The Division of Labor in Society. More recent history continues to show appropriation of Platos work, even though in very different forms. Max Nomad found significant parallels between the supposedly classless society of the Soviet Union under Nikita Kruschev and Platos ideal society. This included the division in Soviet society between peasants and merchants, the warriors/soldiers and finally, the members of the elite government (Nomad 10). Platos rejection of Athenian democracy should be viewed in its proper historical context, since during his time, the highest government offices were chosen by lottery. Though some may contest whether current democracy, as practiced in the United States, is truly representative, the availability of free expression and genuine public debate remains a cornerstone of many democratic societies today. In summary, despite their limitations, many of Platos ideal principles continue to hold relevance today. First is the general belief that leaders should be qualified through education, and that voters should be empowered to make informed decisions. Most societies also subscribe to the idea of a meritocracy, where the ability to rule is measured independently of wealth, gender or other forms of privilege. Finally, Platos belief in the importance of debate and dialogue continues to be upheld. In conclusion, Platos Republic was, in many ways, a product of its time. It was born out of Platos dissatisfaction with the way Athens was governed, a corrupt democracy and oligarchy that was ruled by the inept. As such, the ruling government did not take care of the needs of its citizens. Those who dared to question their authority, like Socrates, were executed. Many have rightly criticized Platos formulation of the tripartite soul and, based on this principle, the ideal society of guardians, auxiliaries and producers. This formulation privileges reason over other essential aspects of human nature, like emotions and passions. However, a critical reading and appropriation shows that Platos Republic has much to offer political and democratic theory today. The idea that governments should act in their citizens interests seems a given, but tyrants and despots were the norm when Plato wrote about his ideal society. Furthermore, the idea of a meritocracy a system that allows people to progress based on their own qualifications, rather than on privileges of wealth or status remains a strikingly modern idea. In the Republic, Platos most important contribution was to imagine an ideal that addressed the prevailing political and social injustices of his time. Today, more than 2500 years later, societies around the world continue to strive for Platos ideal. Works Cited Durkheim, Emile. The Division of Labor in Society. Translated by W. D. Halls. New York: Free Press 1997. Eastman, Max. Seven Kinds of Goodness. New York: Horizon Press, 1967. Grant, Michael. The Classical Greeks. New York: Charles Scribers Sons, 1989. Kraut, Richard. The Defense of Justice in Platos Republic. The Cambridge Companion to Plato. Richard Kraut, ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Nomad, Max. Political Heretics: From Plato to Mao Tse-tung. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1963. Rice, Daryl H. A Guide to Platos Republic. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Plato. The Republic. Translated by Allan Bloom. New York: Basic Books, 1968. Saunders, Trevor J. Platos Later Political Thought. The Cambridge Companion to Plato. Richard Kraut, ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.

Empire of the Sun: Nationalities Essay

Empire of the sun is a rites of passage novel about James Ballard’s life in Shanghai during the Japanese invasion in the 1940’s. It describes James’ life from how he changes from a posh and upper-class expatriate to becoming a lonely Shanghai roamer, and his time at Lunghua camp at which his views of the four main nations in the book (England, Japan, China and America) change completely. Ballard presents the English at the beginning of the novel as a superpower, posh and rich. We know this because Yang their chauffer drives a green Packard, which is a expensive and flash car and they have lots of servants who, in James’ (Jamie to his family and close friends) imagination are just pieces of furniture, and gardeners who mind their own business passively â€Å"stabbing at the grass†. Despite the English being in their ivory tower and thinking themselves of a higher class than the helpless Chinese, they still are concerned about the Japanese moving closer and closer to Shanghai. Before Dr Lockwood’s party Jamie’s â€Å"father knelt by the radiogram in his pirate costume† listening to the regular war update. While Shanghai is on the brink of being overrun and captured by the Japanese the English still manage to fit in a few glasses of â€Å"whiskey and soda† and a fancy dress party, but even at the party the main focus for most people is listening to the war update on Dr Lockwoods â€Å"short-wave radio†. Eventually the Japanese take control of Shanghai and Jamie is separated from his parents. In the heart of Shanghai, all alone, Jamie meets two American sailors, Frank and Basie. They rename him Jim, â€Å"A new name for a new life†. Jim needs food and is willing to do anything in order to stay alive. The only way he can stay alive is to stick around with Frank and Basie. As the story goes on Jim has less and less respect for the English because they do not seem to prioritise the right things for instance they would â€Å"prefer to suffer from chronic dysentery rather than make the effort of boiling the water† because they are used to having things done for them by servants. Also the English had theatrical groups rather than helping the ill and dying people in the hospital. These are just some of the reasons that Jim lost respect for the English over the course of his imprisonment at Lunghua and eventually moving to the American quarters, where they did things properly and were prepared to do what it takes to stay alive. The helpless and passive Chinese do nothing to help themselves in the book, being this passive with no personal drive or momentum to get out and oppose the people who put them in such bad positions; to build a life that is worthwhile living for creates the effect that they live just to die. We are invited to paint this morbid picture in our mind when he describes that the â€Å"Chinese knew from birth, that they were all as good as dead anyway, and that it was self-deluding to believe otherwise†. When the Chinese deal with the superpowers they let them do what they want and don’t even bat an eyelid at them. This just re-iterates how easily they get controlled and overpowered by other nations and important therefore rich individuals. When the Japanese soldiers killed the rickshaw coolie he does not put up a fight he just lay the4re and let the soldiers kill him. â€Å"The coolie knelt on the ground†¦among the grains of rice†¦as the blood ran from his back and formed a pool around his knees†. The Chinese just accepted they are inferior to the Japanese and English so don’t bother to put up a fight or retaliate. But everybody knows that â€Å"one day China will punish the rest of the world, and take a frightening revenge.† Ballard invites us to believe that the Japanese patiently wait for their chance to attack which in Jims mind scares him more than the thought of being killed or tortured by them. There is an eerie sense towards the Japanese which Jim doesn’t like, because they kill for no reason for instance when the Chinese coolie is stabbed and left o die on the floor. Jim has great respect for the Japanese pilots and their planes. He names every Japanese plane that flies over his head. When the war starts the turn the wrong way for the Japanese they take their anger out on the prisoners by reducing the amount of potatoes for the prisoners to eat. â€Å"As the war moved through its closing year the Japanese had become unsettled and dangerous†. But despite all this Jim still wants to join the Japanese Air Force rather than the RAF, â€Å"I’m going to join the Japanese Air Force.† He wants to do this because his only impression of the British is that they are pathetic and cannot care for themselves without servants whereas the Japanese show might and power, of course all eleven year old boys take the side of the most powerful, which entices him towards their side. Even when the war is over he still has respect for the Japanese. The Americans are Jim’s lifeline. When he is picked up by Basie and Frank he is willing to do whatever it takes to stay alive and find his parents, despite knowing that they want to get rid of him, but when Jim is in Lunghua camp he is told to stick around with Basie by Dr Ransome because he is a survivor. â€Å"It’s a good thing that you’re friends with Basie. He’s a survivor†¦wars exist for people like Basie†. This shows that Basie can handle and even thrive from the bad situations which Jim respected him for. Jim finds out that after spending a few weeks in the camp the English have completely different mind sets to survive to survive than the Americans, we know this because Ballard informs us that the English sit around all day drinking cholera infested water while the Americans, even those with malaria, take life as it comes and do what it takes to stay alive. In Steven Spielberg’s film â€Å"Empire of the Sun† Jim sneaks out of the perimeter o the camp to place two pheasant traps and puts his life on the line, just to earn the right to live in the American dormitory thus shows that he has ultimate respect for them, so much so that he becomes â€Å"obsessed by everything American†. Even when they â€Å"gamble with his life† he just accepts it as â€Å"American humour of a most special kind†. By the end of the text Jim’s favourite nation (has most respect for) is most defiantly the Americans, especially after the American air raid on Lunghua airfield, where he sees the Mustangs and B-29s, one of the pilots from a Mustang waves at him as he salutes him. In conclusion Jim loses all respect for the English people, whom which he previously had a lot for, due to his experiences at Lunghua camp. The Chinese were never considered as proper people in his mind because all throughout the novel they are minorities in society and passive towards all other nations, letting them roam free in their country. Jim has the utmost respect for the Japanese in the beginning whereas by the end he still admires them but not as much due to harsh things being enforced on him, and his fellow prison mates, in Lunghua camp. He also admired the Japanese kamikaze pilots who were prepared to give up their lives even though they knew the war was lost. Jim is unsure about the Americans at first when he meets Frank and Basie but grows to love them and their pleasant but entertaining company. He would not be the same person at the end of the war if he had never met Basie. Personally, this quote sums up Jim’s opinion of the nationalities: â€Å"All in all, Jim felt, he Americans were the best company, not as strange and challenging as the Japanese, but far superior to the morose and complicated British.†

Corruption in The Great Gatsby

It is a conventionally held belief that opulence has noxious effects on one's character. However, In the asses, many Americans in the East thought quite the contrary. F. Scott Fitzgerald renowned novel, The Great Gatsby, takes the reader back into such an era through the eyes of Nick Caraway, the protagonist and narrator who vicariously experiences affluence's vitiating nature through his wealthy associates. Through his portrayal of such wealthy characters as Gatsby, the Buchannan, and Jordan, F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts the turpitude and mercenary demeanor resultant of great riches.In The Great Gatsby, the titular character himself encapsulates the notion that wealth deteriorates character. Jay Gatsby corruption generally stems from his blind idealism based on the fallacy that affluence and love are one and the same. This is evinced by the fact that Gatsby falls in love with Daisy due to his teenage experiences of sumptuous lifestyle. He felt he could ingratiate himself to Daisy by making a fortune of his own, and therefore, transitively, Gatsby falls in love with money, not Daisy.In fact, Gatsby even says that â€Å"[Dallas voice] was full of money that was the Inexhaustible charm that rose and fell In It† (101 In making the preceding statement, Gatsby provides the reader with a corroborative avowal of his love for wealth, notwithstanding his intent to declare his love for Daisy. Later, in Gatsby altercation with Tom, It Is confirmed that Gatsby Is a bootlegger when Tom says, â€Å"I found out what your ‘drug-stores' were†¦ [he] and this Wolfishly bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter† (112).The fact that Gatsby would partake in illicit activity is unequivocal roof that Gatsby is Indeed corrupted by his wealth. Evidence that further substantiates the claim that Gatsby Is spoiled by his wealth Is the symbol of the green light at the end of Daisy's dock. In the novel, the color green is an archetype for jealousy and avarice; even though Gatsby can see East Egg and the green light in plain view, he cannot physically reach it, regardless of how much he desires it.This parallels the plot point that he Is oblivious to the notion that he will never fit In with the fundamentally cavalier high society of East Egg, who privately abominate Gatsby parvenus. These types of blindness and envy are in and of themselves indications of decadence. For these reasons, Gatsby is a great example of how wealth can depreciate morality and values. Although Gatsby Is ostensibly corrupted by affluence, Tom and Daisy Buchanan are much less pristine in character.Firstly, Nick Caraway mentions in the novel that the Buchannan only moved to East Egg to be In close proximity to the other Fenton individuals, saying that â€Å"they had spent a year in France for no particular reason, and then drifted here and there unmercifully wherever people played polo and were rich together† (11). This quotation Illustrates the Idea that the Buchannan' lives are disconsolate no matter where they reside. The aforesaid notion is further proven with the fact that both partners commit infidelities throughout The Great Gatsby duration–Tom with Myrtle and Daisy with Gatsby.Such perfidious behavior on both sides is an attestation to the fact that the Buchannan' marriage is only held together by common socioeconomic backgrounds. By the novel's conclusion, when Gatsby suffers a violent death, Tom and Daisy do not people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated jack into their money or their vast carelessness† (148). Their lack of attendance only suggests that neither Tom nor Daisy have a scintilla of benevolence in their hearts– only a preeminent sense of egoism.All of these instances corroborate the fact that Tom and Daisy Buchanan have been corrupted by their wealth. Lastly, Jordan Baker is incontestably spoiled by her own prosperity. Nick notes at Gatsby lavish party that Jordan is â€Å"incurably dishonest. She wasn't able to endure being at a disadvantage and, given this unwillingness,†¦ She had begun dealing in butterflies† (52). This dishonesty is evidenced by the fact that she had been involved in a scandal at a golf tournament, in which she allegedly changed the positioning of her golf ball to her benefit.However, she is able to get away which such duplicity because she is so inherently wealthy–a privilege that is widely unavailable to the hoi polloi. Cordon's dishonesty also reflects her apathetic attitude toward other people; if she truly treasured the people around her, she would certainly tell the truth more often. Cordon's indifference to other people is exemplified hen she expressed her approval of Daisy's affair, saying that â€Å"Daisy ought to have something in her life† (69).By using the word ‘something' to refer to Gatsby, she shows that she eq uates people with material possessions, an apparent portent of demutualization. For her dishonesty and apathy towards others, Jordan is clearly spoiled by the advantages of wealth. The covetous, arrogant, and indifferent personalities in The Great Gatsby are all prime examples of how wealth victimizes virtue. James Gatsby, the title character, is in love with money, and he confuses this eve for financial success as an adulation for Daisy Buchanan.What is more, he is desperate to become accepted by people who condescend to him privately. Tom and Daisy Buchanan are heartless individuals whose unstable marriage is only held together by the glue of wealth. Lastly, Jordan Baker is a deceitful and apathetic woman who uses her wealth to pull off scandals. Through the portrayal of the enumerated characters, F. Scott Fitzgerald successfully captures the theme of abundant wealth and luxury as antecedents to moral deterioration and the destruction of one's dreams.