`` Thou Shalt Never Surprise `` - 973 Words

Intro: what colleagues have said, we are global etc, direct communication ## Thou Shalt never surprise: When it comes to major problems, whether it be in a company or global news, ideally, nothing should come as a surprise, but when your economy is being affected by another country or an external occurrence that is out of your control, it becomes increasingly difficult to predict problems. ## Does â€Å"Black Monday† ring a bell to anyone? On August 24th, the Chinese government depreciated their currency which cause major panic in stock markets across the world. Within minutes after the opening bell, the Dow plummeted 1,089 points. That is the largest point loss ever during a trading day, surpassing the Flash Crash of 2010. Imagine you are one of the main trading companies in a dominant country such as the US. How are you supposed to react to this? Well, the US trading companies did the right thing. They were swift about conveying the news to the country, and to stockholders. The drastic decline in stock markets on August 24th was a major problem and which impacted everyone across the world. ## Thou shalt never hide the facts: Similar to internal communication, when delivering bad news that affects the world, only the facts should be stated. Assumptions should be left out as opinions can make situations worse, for example, by creating panic. This is a tweet by: Lawrence H. Summers is a Charles W. Eliot who is a Professor and the President Emeritus at Harvard. SecretaryShow MoreRelated William Blake and The Garden of Love Essay1531 Words   |  7 Pagesdecorating, to writing, will usually agree that one must build on a solid simple foundation, and then add elements of surprise, to create a memorable work. Herein lies the genius of William Blake - in the unpredictable.    Now let ¹s look at Blake ¹s The Garden of Love.   This poem serves as a great example of the poet ¹s use of simplicity and surprise, and touches lightly upon the typical ideology expressed in his work.   Here, we see his oft-invoked mood of childhoodRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1613 Words   |  7 Pageshimself more. Hester’s love for Dimmesdale is a major force in her life, and she lives for him and her child. She proves her love for Dimmesdale toward the beginning of the novel when is repeatedly asked to announce who the father is of her child. Never! replied Hester Prynne, looking, not at Mr. Wilson, but into the deep and troubled eyes of the younger clergyman. It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony as well as mine! Speak, woman! said anotherRead MoreEight Keys599 Words   |  3 PagesBut now thus said the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (Isa 43:2) When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Introduction: God guides and protects us through all crisis by showing his power in faith to overcomeRead MoreThe Cs of Good and Bad Credit Analysis2965 Words   |  12 Pagesthe tried-and-true rules of good loan making, consisting of character, capacity, conditions, capital, and collateral. The Five Cs represent the Thou shalt commandments of lending, the core of sound commercial banking. Then there are the Five Cs of Bad Credit: complacency, carelessness, communication, contingencies, and competition. These are the Thou shalt not commandments. Only by following the Five Cs of Good Credit and the Five Cs of Bad Credit can bankers be sure of not falling into the sameRead MoreEssay on The Allegory Of Young Goodman904 Words   |  4 Pagesexchanging his slow pace for a full stop, having kept covenant by meeting thee here, it is my purpose now to return whence I came. I have scruples, touching the matter thou wotst of. Sayest thou so? replied he of the serpent, smiling apart. Let us walk on, nevertheless, reasoning as we go, and if I convince thee not, thou shalt turn back. We are little way in the forest, yet. Too far, too far! exclaimed the goodman, unconsciously resuming his walk.; (Hawthorne 192) The traveler tricked BrownRead MoreEssay on William Shakespeares Macbeth647 Words   |  3 Pagesand his best friend Banquo come across three witches who tell them three prophecies. The three witches tell them of Macbeths new title, Thane of Cawdor. They then surprise Macbeth by saying: All hail, Macbeth that shalt be King hereafter! They then tell Banquo that his sons will be kings but he will never rule a King. This news frightens Macbeth and both try to dismiss these ideas. This is until one of the kings men greets Macbeth and Banquo and gives great newsRead MoreMacbeth Character Analysis Essay762 Words   |  4 Pagesdue to three witches plot, his character and personality changes completely. He becomes an atrocious and tyrannical ruler. Furthermore, his understanding of kingly rule is exposed in his words in act 4 scene 1: â€Å"Time, thou anticipatest my dread exploits: / The flighty purpose never is oertook / Unless the deed go with it; from this moment / The very firstlings of my heart shall be / The firstlings of my hand.† (Shakespeare 4.1.162-166). His evil character, which changed after becoming a king, matchesRead MoreEssay On Human Weakness In Macbeth1626 Words   |  7 Pagesforetell their prophecies for the royal Thane, â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!†(1. 3. 49-53). The witches also speak about Banquo’s future; â€Å"Lesser than Macbeth, and greater . . . Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none† (1. 3. 67, 69). Worried, yet intrigued, Macbeth commits his first flawed action, â€Å"Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more† (1. 3. 73). His eagerness and greedRead MoreMan of Greed and Power: The Tragedy of Macbeth1089 Words   |  5 PagesWood advancing to Dunsinane, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth initiate Macbeth’s downfall. Starting with the witches’ prophecy, â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis,/ All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor,/All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!† (Shakespeare 1.3.48-49), says Macbeth will receive the title of Thane of Cawdor but most importantly the title as king. The information that the witches has provided gives Macbeth a reason to write a letter informing his wife, LadyRead MoreTimshel and Three Characters in John Steinbecks East of Eden1591 Words   |  7 Pagesthat when God speaks to Cain after he had murdered his brother Abel, God said, Thou shalt overcome sin. In the standard American version of the Bible, God says Do thou which means Cain will certainly overcome sin. The Hebrew word timshel means thou mayest which is arguably the most important two words in John Steinbecks novel East of Eden. These two words change the meaning of what God said completely. Thou mayest gives a person the gift of free will. It is n ot a promise or an order that

A Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen - 1444 Words

Ibsen s concerns about the physical and mental oppression of women by male dominance are brought to life in â€Å"A Doll s House†. Through the characterisation of male dominance Ibsen expresses the view that all women possess the right to develop their own individuality, but in â€Å"A Doll’s House† the reality is that their role was often sacrificial. During the late 19th century, when the events of â€Å"A Doll’s House† unfold, women were not treated as equals with men, either in relation to their husbands or society. Torvald’s egotistical fear that his employees would think his wife influenced him is evident in the following quote, â€Å"Everyone at the bank knows I’ve sacked him. If it comes out that that the new manager changes his mind when his wife demands it-†¦... I’d be the laughing stock†. Women could not conduct business or control their own money, for which they needed the authorization of men, whether t hat was husbands, brothers or fathers. Moreover, they were not educated for responsibility. Nora suffers from both of these inequalities, firstly by taking out a loan without the authority of her husband, and secondly by believing, out of naivety and ignorance of the world, that she could forge a signature and be absolved of the consequences of her actions. Throughout the text Ibsen implements specific characterisation in an effort to effectively comment on the effects of male dominance. It is evident that Nora and Torvald represent the stereotypical ideals of male dominanceShow MoreRelatedHenrik Ibsen s A Doll House1563 Words   |  7 Pages In the play, A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen, the title itself symbolizes the dependent and degraded role of the wife within traditional marriages. Ibsen portrayed the generous nature root into women by society, as well as the significant action of this nature, and lastly the need for them to find their own voice in a world ruled by men. Ibsen wrote this play in 1879, this is the era where women were obedient to men, tend the children until their husband came home, and stood by the Cult of DomesticityRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1717 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"A Doll, a Partner, and a Change† Social movement of women liberation toward equal rights and independence has been a big subject in human history. It happens not only in Europe but also all over the world. Though making progress, this movement has been advancing slowly and encountered backslashes from time to time. Maybe there is something deeply hidden which the society has not figured out yet, even women themselves. What do women want, freedom or good life? Most of the time, they are notRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1291 Words   |  6 Pages A Doll s House by Henrik Ibsen, is a play that has been written to withstand all time. In this play Ibsen highlights the importance of women’s rights. During the time period of the play these rights were neglected. Ibsen depicts the role of the woman was to stay at home, raise the children and attend to her husband during the 19th century. Nora is the woman in A Doll House who plays is portrayed as a victim. Michael Meyers said of Henrik Ibsen s plays: The common denominator in many of IbsenRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1288 Words   |  6 Pages Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is based in the Victorian society of the 19th century. It assesses the many struggles and hardships that women faced because of marriage â€Å"laws† that were crucial during that time period. The society was male- dominated with no equality. Nora is the protagonist in A Doll’s House and the wife of a man named Torvald. This play is about Nora’s voyage to recognizing her self- determination and independence. She transforms from a traditional, reserved woman to a new, independentRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1298 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"There is beauty in truth, even if it s painful. Those who lie, twist life so that it looks tasty to the lazy, brilliant to the ignorant, and powerful to the weak. But lies only strengthen our defects. They don t teach anything, help anything, fix anything or cure anything. Nor do they develop one s character, one s mind, one s heart or one s soul.† (Josà © N. Harris). Nora Helmer’s choice to lie and deceive is inappropriate and wrong for women to do to her husband during this time period; itRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1037 Words   |  5 PagesHenrik Ibsen s A Doll s House is a work of literature genius. This three-act play involves many literary technics that are undermined by the average reader such as the fact that the plot shows the main characters Torvald and his wife Nora live the perfect life. An ironic paradox based around the fact that Nora and Torvald’s relationship is the complete opposite of perfect. Also, bringing upon a conflict as well, appearance versus reality. These little hidden meanings within stories are what areRead MoreHenrik Ibsen s A Doll House Essay1501 Words   |  7 PagesHenrik Ibsen’s play â€Å"A Doll House† was set in the Victorian era, a time where women were highly respected. Women in this time period did not work, they had nannies to take care of their children and maids to take care of their homes. Many women had no real responsibilities, they spent their time having tea parties and socializing with their friends. Henrik Ibsen dared to show the realism of the Victorian era while everyone else would only focus on the romantic aspect. In the play, â€Å"A Doll House†Read MoreA Doll s House : Henrik Ibsen962 Words   |  4 PagesDrama Analysis A Doll’s House (Henrik Ibsen) And Trifles (Susan Glaspell) In comparing both dramas, the overwhelming aspect of convergence between both is the open discussion of gender identity. Both dramas make similar points about what it means to be a woman. Modern society in both dramas is constructed with men holding power over women. This is seen in Trifles in how men like George Henderson and Mr. Hale are myopic. The premise of the drama is how women worry over trifles, and the dismissiveRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1421 Words   |  6 PagesIn A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen examines conventional roles of men and women in the nineteenth century. In the play, Nora exemplifies the conventional feminine standard during that period. She seems to be powerless and confines herself through high standard expectations, demonstrating what the role of a women would be as a wife and mother. The protagonist of A Doll’s House is a woman named Nora Helmer. Ibsen shows how Nora’s design of perfect life gradually transforms when her sec ret unravels. InRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen876 Words   |  4 PagesA Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen A Doll’s House takes place in the home of Torvald and Nora Helmer. Through conversation with Nora’s good friend Kristine Linde it is revealed that Mr. Helmer was ill around the same time Nora’s father died. Luckily Nora’s father left her enough money that Torvald and Nora could go on a life saving trip to Italy. But the truth comes out when we find out Nora’s father did not leave her a penny. We find out that Nora got a hold of the money through a loan but she signed

Making Small Talk for English Learners

The ability to make small talk is highly valued. In fact, many English students are more interested in making effective small talk than knowing correct grammar structures — and rightly so! Small talk gets friendships started and breaks the ice before important business meetings and other events. What Is Small Talk? Small talk is pleasant conversation about common interests. Why Is Small Talk Difficult for Some English Learners? First of all, making small talk is not difficult only for English learners, but also for many native speakers of English. However, small talk can be especially difficult for some learners because making small talk means talking about almost anything — and that means having a wide vocabulary that can cover most topics. Most English learners have excellent vocabulary in specific areas, but may have difficulties discussing topics they are unfamiliar with because of a lack of appropriate vocabulary. This lack of vocabulary leads to some students blocking. They slow down or stop speaking completely because of a lack of self-confidence. How to Improve Small Talk Skills Now that we understand the problem, the next step is to improve the situation. Here are some tips to improve small talk skills. Of course, making effective small talk means lots of practice, but keeping these tips in mind should improve overall conversational skills. Do Some Research​ Spend time on the internet, reading magazines, or watching TV specials about the type of people you are going to meet. For example, if you are taking a class with students from other countries, take time after the first few days of class to do some research. They will appreciate your effort and your conversations will be much more interesting. Stay Away From Religion or Strong Political Beliefs While you may believe in something very strongly, beginning conversations and making small talk about your own personal convictions may abruptly end the conversation. Keep it light, dont try to convince the other person that you have the correct information about a higher being, political system, or other belief system. Use the Internet to Gain Specific Vocabulary​ This is related to doing research about other people. If you have a business gathering  or are meeting people who share a common interest (a basketball team, a tour group interested in art, etc.), take advantage of the internet to learn specific vocabulary. Almost all businesses and interest groups have glossaries on the internet explaining the most important jargon related to their business or activity. Ask Yourself About Your Culture​ Take time to make a list of common interests that are discussed when making small talk in your own culture. You can do this in your own language, but check to make sure that you have the English vocabulary to make small talk about those subjects. Find Common Interests​ Once you have a subject that interests both of you, keep to it! You can do this in a number of ways: talking about travel, talking about the school or friend you have in common, talking about the differences between your culture and the new culture (just be careful to make comparisons and not judgments, e.g., The food in our country is better than the food here in England). Listen This is very important. Dont get so worried about being able to communicate that you dont listen. Listening carefully will help you understand and encourage those speaking to you. You might be nervous, but letting others state their opinions will improve the quality of the discussion — and give you time to think of an answer! Common Small Talk Subjects Here is a list of common small talk subjects. If you have difficulties speaking about any of these topics, try to improve your vocabulary by using the resources available to you (Internet, magazines, teachers at school, etc.) Sports - current matches or games, favorite teams, etc.HobbiesWeather - boring, but can get the ball rolling!Family - general questions, not questions about private mattersMedia - films, books, magazines, etc.Holidays - where, when, etc. but NOT how much!Home town - where do you come from, how is it different/similar to this townJob - once again, general questions not too specificLatest fashion and trendsCelebrities - any gossip you may have! Here is a list of topics that probably arent very good for small talk. Of course, if you are meeting a close friend these topics may be excellent. Just remember that small talk is generally discussion with people you dont know very well. Salary - how much do you make? - Thats none of your business!Politics - wait until you get to know the person betterIntimate relationships - only for you and your partner, or maybe your best friendReligion - tolerance is the key!Death - we need to face it, but not the first time we meet someone newFinancial - related to salary above, most people prefer to keep financial information to themselvesSales - Dont try to sell something to someone you have just met.

A Reflective Paper On Business Ethics - 1966 Words

BUSINESS ETHICS Introduction A reflective piece of paper is an essay that has been written with an aim of reflecting essential elements of professional life. It enhances the capacity of evaluating the current knowledge and to understand and accept personal strengths and weaknesses. Reflective writing improves the writer’s critical thinking skills. In this paper, I will handle three different reflective pieces as to why a business ought to be concerned about their social sustainability, how the lack of cultural understanding might impede a professional career and the last aspect is on the relevance of ethics in the professional life. Social sustainability is the maintenance of the external and internal factors of the business. Quite some firms have been found guilty of neglecting this aspect of social sustainability. This factor is important in the growth of an all round business. Several factors are included in the circle of sustainability that is the economics, politics, culture and ecology. The economics factor it revolves around the internal business activities they include the labor and welfare, consumption and usage, technology and infrastructure. Politics are the rules that have been set aside to govern that particular industry. The business can be in line with the rules or against the rules. In the politics factor, it involves the organization and governance, law and justice, communication and movement, representation and negotiation, security and accord, dialogueShow MoreRelatedInternational And World Trade Law1139 Words   |  5 Pagesand World Trade Law - Counterfeiting This reflective paper will address several issues associated with international and world trade law as they pertain to counterfeiting and discussing the connections between business, law, politics and ethics with regard to counterfeiting. First, it will discuss the legal and ethical issues related to boycotting goods from other countries, as well as the practical business implications of such a move. Next, this paper will analyze the problem of World Trade OrganizationRead MoreEssay on EDU701 COURSE1519 Words   |  7 PagesTowards the Millennium Development Goals. Brasilia: Ayrton Semne Institute. Ministry of Education Malaysia (2001), Education in Malaysia: Journey to Excellence, Kuala Lumpur. Mohamed, Mahathir (1991), Malaysia: The Way Forward. Paper presented at the Malaysian Business Council. Nisbitt, J. and Baurdene, P. (2000), Megatrends, Aron Book. Selected articles from academic journals. Course Description This course discusses the philosophy and foundation of human development and education.Read MoreLiterature Review : The Class Collage By Jeff Sommers1503 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscourse community. Scholarly articles that are published in a professional community are quite similar to scholarly articles that are not published in a professional community. â€Å"The Class Collage† by Jeff Sommers is an article that’s about the reflective writing process of students as they transfer knowledge through their writing experience. â€Å"Sweatshops, Choice, and exploitation† by Matt Zwolinski is about the ethical questions that are raised about the moral claim of the conditions in sweatshopRead MoreReflective Paper : Healing Justice1392 Words   |  6 Pages Reflective Paper: Healing Justice As per viewing the video â€Å"Healing Justice† they interaction between the punishment justice system and the healing system have two very distinct opinion and methods. The first nation view if someone changes their ways negatively they cause find their way back. As far as the legal justice system they believe, â€Å"if you did the crime you do the time†. In order to be able to have a full understanding of why the aboriginal push the issue of a holist’s justice, we firstRead MoreRole Of An Inculcative Bellwether As An Ethical Role Model, Decision Maker, And Pedagogia914 Words   |  4 Pages Introduction This paper will fixate on the role and responsibilities of an inculcative bellwether as an ethical role model, decision-maker, and pedagogia. The paper will provide participants with an overview of current ethical issues for learning communities. We will have an opportunity to analyze and develop their decision-making skills within the context of an ethical and moral framework through the utilization of case studies and a quandary-predicated approach to learning. When a person is inRead MoreThe Issue Of Legal Issues914 Words   |  4 Pages1999). This can be detrimental to project success and the organization future business and reputation. Ethical Dilemma Looking at the trends within the American organizations that have conducted unethical behavior there could be a relationship between how the leadership conduct themselves and how the employees act. The culture within the organization can shape how employees think and act (Taylor, et al., 2014). Business Leaders must establish the culture through clear guidelines and setting the exampleRead MoreEssay about Ethics in International Business1657 Words   |  7 Pages Ethics in International Business Abstract International business ethics challenges the corporate world to deal with questions of what to do in situations where ethical standards come into conflict as a result of the different cultural practices in the nation. Since, there is this dilemma that has progressively troubled the large multinational corporations, international business ethics has arisen to help address these adhesive subject matters. There are several international business ethicsRead MoreImplementing an Applied Ethics Course at The University of Tampa1506 Words   |  6 PagesWhen pursuing a college degree, ethics is tailored to the course being taught, i.e. Accounting, Finance, and Economics to name a few. Ethics does not appear to be offered as a separate required course for all disciplines, which raises such questions as, is there a need for an ethics course? Do students know enough about ethics for ethical thinking and action? Ethics encompasses a set of principles, philosophy, or theory relating to princi ples. Knowing how to best resolve difficult ethical dilemmasRead MoreReflective Practice in Teaching Essay2957 Words   |  12 PagesReflective Practice in the context of teaching ESOL Reflective practice engages practitioners in a continuous cycle of self-observation and self-evaluation in order to understand their own actions and the reactions they prompt in themselves and in learners (Brookfield, 1995; Thiel, 1999). Reflective practice is considered as an evolving concept which views learning as â€Å"an active process of reviewing an experience of practice in order to describe, analyse, evaluate and so inform learning aboutRead MoreNotes: The Accountants Role in the Organization10418 Words   |  42 Pagesa whole C) reports information that has occurred in the past that is verifiable and reliable D) provides information that is generally available only on a quarterly or annual basis Answer: A Diff: 2 Terms: treasury Objective: 1 AACSB: Reflective thinking 2) Managers use management accounting information to ________ strategy. A) choose B) communicate C) implement D) All of these answers are correct. Answer: D Diff: 1 Terms: total quality management (TQM) Objective: 1 AACSB:

Walmart Essay Free Essays

Alex Manco Professor McEachern English 112 30 September 2011 To the Zoning Board of Trumbull, The Wal-Mart The modern day market has taken some interesting turns with innovations such as the television, the car, and internet. While the moral values of such turns has always been in question, it is no question that every major corporation has taken efficiency to a new level. Corporations like McDonalds, GE, and Bank of America have completely dominated the market with not only their vast resources and effective marketing systems, but by people simply knowing they exist. We will write a custom essay sample on Walmart Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now While most of these businesses have not gotten much more powerful in past decade due to government regulation of competition, there is one business that continues to grow at a dangerous rate: Wal-Mart. It has now become apparent that its growth has reached Trumbull, Connecticut and in no way should a Wal-Mart be built in our community. It is not even a matter of the problems our town would face as much as it is a moral wrong to the world as a whole. Wal-Mart may be â€Å"legal† in our â€Å"free-market† economy, but economics are never that simple and must be treated very carefully. It would not only ruin businesses in the area, but exercise the power of corporations whose business tactics seem unstoppable to modern regulation. The Wal-Mart is not only store, but an inevitable business tactic that will decimate the economy in both the short and long term. Wal-Mart’s rise to power is interesting and uncomforting in how quickly it flourished. The first store was opened in 1962 by Sam Walton in Rogers, Arkansas. By 1970, there were 38 stores, and by 1975, there were 125. In 1983, Wal-Mart had made its eighth year in a row as Forbes Magazine’s 1# retailer. In 1985, 882 stores had already been built, and in the next 10 years would reach a stunning 1,995 stores. Currently, there are 8,970 Wal-Marts; an average of 50 a state, and this number continues to grow. The story of Wal-Mart is truly nothing short of business success story, but the speed of its success is slightly unnerving. So what do you think would be the result of building this Wal-Mart in town? I suppose it would open maybe around 60 jobs tops in town, but a majority of the jobs would be minimum wage jobs. Raising the employment rate of your town has nothing to do with the actual quality of the town, and that’s saying that all the people hired come from our town. Also, studies have shown that Wal-Mart generally pay their employees 25-28% less than other retail/grocery stores (Dube, Lester Eidlin 559). Maybe teenagers will have a bit more money, but the jobs that Wal-Mart creates have little impact on the flow of money. In fact, building a Wal-Mart would only hurt the flow of money in our town. All of the surrounding businesses will not be able to compete. Retail prices typically drop by 1 to 1. % the moment a Wal-Mart opens (Dube, Lester Eidlin 562). Local grocery stores like Poricelli’s and Plasko’s can not be expected to compete with a business of such power. If small businesses fall to this Wal-Mart, then the unemployment rate will probably just about balance out with jobs your Wal-Mart will have created. This will destroy the peaceful, small town feel of Trum bull, and replace it with room for corporate siege. Our town would be quite different if we allowed this, but it would also support an economic movement that could tear our economy apart. One thing that must be understood in order to understand the entire threat of Wal-Mart is the causes and effects of a monopoly. The definition of a monopoly by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is, â€Å"Exclusive ownership through legal privilege, command of supply, or concerted action. † Monopolies can be held upon anything, but typically the term refers to a corporations hold on one particular industry. This was more of a problem preceding the great depression. Old corporations such as Standard Oil, U. S. Steel, and at the time GE held what is called a coercive monopoly, which is an absolute hold that can for the most part, can not be beaten without government intervention. These old corporations would dominate by not only controlling their market, but the markets of the related goods and means of production. For example, U. S. Steel would have powerful holds in the railroads so that they may transport there steel to cities free of charge. With such control, the industries were free of competition being that they had the means to set the standard for prices. Some would argue that this is good for an economy because it keeps prices at an all time low, but this typically lowers the quality of the goods they are selling as well as maintain low wages for workers being there very few places of work when one company controls it all. Nowadays, the government has precautions to prevent such dominating businessmen, but the economic order that is currently in place of the monopoly system, is not all that better. The type of economic system the U. S. currently has is called a monopolistic competition. In order for the U. S. government to deal with monopolies, they had made it illegal to hold such power in one business. Businesses, such as standard oil, were forced to break up into many different businesses so that they may compete with each other. This keeps the market ever changing and not stagnant, allowing for more free choice in a capitalist economy. Now even though there is no â€Å"super power† of the market, there still are businesses that are significantly more powerful forces than others. This is what defines our monopolistic competition of our economy. It is an economy generally guided by larger corporations, but are not so powerful that they snuff out any smaller business below them. So while we have been able to make the â€Å"free market† as â€Å"free† as possible, there is still very much so a hierarchy. Wal-Mart sells everything cheaper than everyone. It has a hold not only over one market, but many. Therefore if factors are left unchanged, Wal-Mart would win the game of capitalism. These factors, as of now, are unchanged. First, Wal-Mart simply needs to be everywhere. With 50 Wal-Marts a state and growing, that goal has clearly been reached. Their numbers are only increasing, this way in the future, anyone can reach a Wal-Mart. This also keeps their employment up. The more jobs they give out, the more control of the standard of wages they have. It also is good for publicity. Second, they need to maintain their influence on the media, other businesses, and government. Commercials and internet make keeping up appearances in media more than easy. Same with other businesses being that they need only to market their products. Government though is trickier, but they exercised this strength of theirs fairly recently. Since 1998, a campaign of women has been trying to sue Wal-Mart for wrongful discrimination. More than 100 women have been trying to attack the corporation for many individual accounts of discrimination and finally made it to the Supreme Court in June 2011. Unfortunately, the court ruled in favor of Wal-Mart due to that these individual accounts have nothing to do with the corporation as a whole. This ruling shows that corporations are not held in contempt for the acts of their employees, which makes little to no sense. While this does not quite mean Wal-Mart is above the law, it still shows the type of influence they can hold in the law if need be. Although, even with this power, they can not hold absolute market control unless they maintain the lack of competition. Luckily, Wal-Mart still has competition, especially with those who find shopping their morally wrong, but this lack of competition may soon be at hand. The current debt crisis is continuing out of control, and nobody knows where it is quite going yet, but the outcome that is feared more is a depression. With a depression, many businesses, big and small, will fall and the economy will be an empty husk. The only people who will seem unscathed in the mist of this chaos are the massive businesses, or Wal-Mart. They will have the resources to conquer an economy that has been wiped clean. Therefore, if there were on in Trumbull during such harsh times, it would be near impossible to open any new business in the area. Without new businesses, an economy is very hard to rebuild, especially on a local level. More importantly, in a time a crises, one of the last things you want is for a majority of the wealth to go to one place as history demonstrates. Having such an economic power exist in such fragile times is perhaps the most danger we have been in for decades. As you can see, it is not very difficult for Wal-Mart to become dangerous, but what does this contrast? Why it contrasts the support for small business. Small businesses create a self sustaining system for the area, rather than an area’s income being controlled by corporate conglomerates. The only problem with this is the system of economics. If a small business is successful, it is inevitable it becomes a big business, which could lead to another company to big for our own good. This is a cycle that must happen as a result of capitalism. If we are expected to have such a free moving economic system, we must learn to be responsible with our economy, and not allow businesses, such as Wal-Mart, to spread as rapidly as they do. This is a lesson that will be learned the hard way if a Wal-Mart is built. Wal-Mart is the product of a capitalist economy. While it is simply good usiness, is an example of the inevitability of monopolies in a free market system. Thankfully, we have regulations to hold them back, but you can not count on the government to control the market for you. People need to see this pattern and realize that you can not fall into the lock step of a consumer. Every Wal-Mart that is built just increases the risk of economic domination, and we can not contribu te to this. It may be small in scale to the power they already hold, but every movement starts with a step. I hope you see the risk you take in considering this decision. Work Cited Andrew Beatie. â€Å"A History of US Monopolies. † Investopedia. November 21, 2010. http://www. investopedia. com/articles/economics/08/hammer-antitrust. asp Lila Shapiro. â€Å"Walmart: Too Big To Sue. † The Huffington Post. June 20, 2011. http://www. huffingtonpost. com/2011/06/20/walmart-too-big-to-sue_n_880930. html â€Å"History Timeline† Walmart Stores. http://walmartstores. com/aboutus/7603. aspx John D. Ramage, John C. Bean, and June Johnson. Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric With Readings. â€Å"Monopolistic Competition† Basic Economics. http://www. basiceconomics. info/monopolistic-competition. php How to cite Walmart Essay, Essay examples

Is Lazarillo de Tormes a Subversive Text free essay sample

The word ‘subversion’ is defined as â€Å"a systematic attempt to undermine, overthrow or cause the destruction of an established or legally constituted government or political system. † 1 Lazarillo de Tormes is thought to have been written during 16th century Spain, a time of oppression and exploitation of the lower classes, when survival would often only be rewarded to the most cunning, the slyest and the sharpest of people. In this age, the church reigned, the Spanish Inquisition enforcing the morals and ideals of the Catholic church under the jurisdiction of the Castille-Aragon monarchy. Lazarillo is often accredited as being the basis for the first modern novel and although some may assert that it was written solely with the intention of being a humorous book, I will argue that it is a perfect example of a subversive text. Though oblique, it maintains characteristics stereotypical of subversive literature; such as the use of parody and euphemism to demean the authority of recognised figures 2; in the case of Lazarillo, the church and aristocracy; and the use of self-denunciation as a rhetorical device to allow the anonymous author to subtly manipulate the audience. We will write a custom essay sample on Is Lazarillo de Tormes a Subversive Text? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The content itself is controversial in the way that it shows the less appreciated sides of humanity and illustrates the instability of society and the frivolity of humanity on a whole 3, all the while openly criticizing the church and the notion of honour throughout the ranks of Spanish nobility. Another characteristic of subversive literature is the integration of folkloric and mythical elements into the text 4, a recurring factor in Lazarillo. Ignoring the fact that it is proposed to be both a literary and socially subversive text, considering the status quo in regards to the genre of writing at the time, Lazarillo de Tormes is also literally subversive in the way that it doesn’t conform to the accepted ‘exempla’ genre that was popular back then. We see on multiple occasions in Lazarillo a tendency towards euphemism as a means to deploy underhand comments and subtle hints of resentment towards the institution of the Church and the system of nobility in 16th century Spain. This greatly lends aid to the overall subversiveness of the text and allows the author to convey his contempt for the system without being overly heretical. For example, in the fourth episode, when speaking of his time spent with the Friar, Lazaro relates to us how the Friar didn’t like spending time in the convent, preferring to make personal visits and walk outside and because of this, had ‘broken more shoes’ in the convent than any other. â€Å"Tanto, que pienso que rompia el mas zapatos que todo el convento. 5. This ‘breaking of the shoes’ could easily have been seen in context when taking into consideration the period as a euphemism for having sex with virgins. This alone would have been scandalous as he is a Friar, and has taken an oath of celibacy. However, when recounting that the Friar was housed in a convent, it is unlikely that there would have been a significant amount of virgins waiting around for him to partake in such activities with, which leads us to consider further the use of the verb ‘romper’. Romper’, literally ‘to break’ is a rather violent verb to use in reference to standard heterosexual sex, and when considering that Lazaro also was given a pair of ‘shoes’, perhaps it would be more logical for us to take its meaning as sodomy. We can confirm this when he goes on to mention how he couldn’t put up with the Friar’s â€Å"trote† 6 any longer. This is also supported by short, curt and ambiguous manner in which he speaks of his time with the Friar and sheds light on what kind of ‘small things’ he might have been referring to when saying; â€Å"y por otras cosillas que no digo,† 7. This euphemism is not merely subverting the Friar, but the whole of the convent, as he uses them as an example in comparison; â€Å"mas[†¦]que todo el convento. † 8, therefore implying that the participation in such activities was not an uncommon thing. Another subversive device used by the anonymous author, is the use of self-denunciation as a tool to humble himself in the prologue of the novella. â€Å"que confesando yo no ser mas santo que mis vecinos, de esta nonada, que en este grosero estilo escribo,† 9 In this excerpt, Lazaro uses a technique called ‘captatio benevolentiale’ (lit. capture the benevolence of your audience)10 to make himself seem modest in his writing. He describes himself as not being of holy character, his writing style as being grosero’ and his actual writing as being a â€Å"little bit of nothingness†. This is the beginning of a string of rhetoric that will subvert the audience into pitying him for his misfortune and forgiving his numerous faults. Another point to consider is that throughout the novella, satire is used as a method of openly criticizing both the church and the Spanish aristocracy. An example of this can be seen in the Tercero Tratado, during Lazaro’s time spent with the Squire, when the Squire parades around in his only clothes, speaking of honour and status despite the fact that he is impoverished. The effect is that he sounds a fool and the concept of nobility, considered so important in 16th century Spain is undermined. â€Å"! Grandes secretos son, Senor, los que vos haceis y las gentes ignoran! †11 This controversy is fitting of a piece of subversive literature, and only rests to convince me further that Lazarillo is exactly that. In conclusion, I firmly believe that Lazarillo de Tormes is a subversive text because by the end of the book, the reader will have been subverted. It is manipulative in its use of subversive strategies such as rhetoric and euphemism. The subversiveness of the novella is validated by the fact that the Spanish Inquisition deemed it necessary to ban the text 12 on the grounds of heresy and its overall anti-clerical taste. Word Count : 1,238 Bibliography http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/subversion The Characteristics of Subversive Literature (http://www. ehow. com/info_11386262_characteristics-subversive-literature. html? ref=Track2amp;utm_source=ask) Lazarillo de Tormes and Reality (http://www. spainthenandnow. com/spanish-literature/lazarillo-de-tormes-and-reality/default_111. aspx) Pragmatica del discurso y reciprocidad de perspectivas: Los juramentos de Juan Haldudo (Quijote I, 4) y de Don Juan, Gomez-Moriana, Antonio, Nueva Revista de Filologia Hispanica, 1988, Vol. 5(2), pp. 1045-1067 Revista Canadiense de Estudios Hispanicos, 1980, Vol. 4(2), pp133-154, La subversion del discurso ritual : una lectura intertextual del Lazarillo de Tormes. Antonio Gomez-Moriana. The Subversive Tradition in Spanish Renaissance Writing, Antonio Perez-Romano, Bucknell University Press, 2005   339 pages. Lazarillo de Tormes:—dos traducciones/two translations, Copyright  ©1997, 2002 George Stephen