History of Pueblo Revolt Essay

â€Å"Every piece of written history starts when somebody becomes curious and asks questions.†[1] In Weber’s compilation he gathers several of these curious peoples works and binds their writings together to form a sort of continued discussion. Arguing from different sources and coming from different backgrounds, they indubitably arrive at different conclusions. From Garner to Gutià ©rrez and from Chà ¡vez to Knaut, they all are part of a continued dialogue on what that caused the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. By addressing the readings as a sum instead of individual accounts, one can gain a more detailed view. While some poke holes in others theories, most of the time, the writers simply offer different perspectives. The vast range of the arguments speak to the difficulty of the topic. Examining an event (or series of events, as the case may be) 300 years ago is an arduous task, but trying to determine causation of such events is even more cumbersome. Typically numerous factors exist and to give these factors any sort of rankings requires a fair bit of perspiration on the part of the researcher. This essay will attempt to evaluate this eclectic mix of commentaries to sift out the strong arguments from the weak. In 1598, when Juan de Oà ±ate arrived in northern New Mexico with a small group of colonists to Pueblo country, Spain demanded payment of tribute and the friars demanded allegiance of religion. For over 80 years Spanish lived with Pueblo before the revolt – multiple generations.[2] As Knaut points out, that as â€Å"colonists were isolated from the south in a land where indigenous inhabitants numbered in the tens of thousands†, meaning there was plenty of contact between the two groups.[3] Within that time families intermarried, and a large mestizo population arose, creating an intersection in the Venn diagram of early New Mexico. What Knaut argues in Acculturation and Miscegenation is not necessarily as hard as the others to prove who or what caused the revolt, but rather works in earnest to present what he sees as the creation of a mixed culture, with syncretism occurring on both sides. Perhaps in this essay more questions that answers are created†¦ why after 82 years of living together would the Pueblos revolt? Garner has a more direct answer to this question. He, unlike Knaut, does not spend as much time underlining the syncretism that occurs, but spends more time examining the relationship between Pueblo and Franciscan, and reigning in the perhaps unfair harshness of previous works in relation to the government. Garner believed that drought, famine and Apache raids caused the revolt, shedding the competing notions that religious incompatibility or having a suitable leader as primary causes.[4] The two arguments in the proceeding articles before Garner – that religion was the primary cause – fall flat from Garner’s lens. In one instance, he cites the friction between Father Isidro Ordonez and Governor Pedro de Peralta as a result of the governments unfair treatment of the Indian. Peralta eventually decides to have Ordonez arrested, but the colonists (or ecomenderos) proceed to abandon the governor.[5] Garner goes on that governors of early New Mexico are interpreted in a negative light primarily because â€Å"documents are strongly biased against them.†[6] He explains that the reason that these documents are so biased is because of the natural tension between the writers of these records, the Franciscans, and those whom they wrote about, the governors.[7] Garner continues to impress that the Franciscans were the friend to the Indian and foe to the governor. He cites Scholes who states, â€Å"the religious and economic motives of empire were anta gonistic if not essentially incompatible.† Having earlier established a different relationship structure than what was typically seen, (a shift from the Hispanic-Pueblo dichotomy to a more complex relationship of priest-Indian-mestizo-colonist-governor) Garner then moves on to the crux of the issue – the cause of the revolt. â€Å"The kind of peace that had been pervading New Mexico was contingent upon relative prosperity,† writes Garner. The Spanish had used their organizational skills to create surpluses in the Pueblo economy – but the famine of 1670 was so implacable it essentially collapsed the system. The drought of the 1660s – the precursor to the famine – was so severe it caused â€Å"Indians and Spanish alike to eat hides and straps,† as written by Fray Francisco de Ayeta in an account to the King. In the face of such an oppressive environment, Indians naturally began to question why Spanish controlled their food source. This, coupled with a new emphasis on nativism, turned up the heat and brought the already tense situation to a simmer. This movement towards nativism perhaps may have been a reaction to Indian culture sprouting up in both mestizo and Spanish life. Garner continues on this thread noting that Governor Lopez de Mendizabal was forced to â€Å"crack down on Pueblo religious and cultural activity.† While syncretism among the Pueblos was tolerable, among the Spanish it was viewed as inexcusable. These two factors were the foci of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.[8] In contrast, the setting that Bowden and Gutià ©rrez attempt to construct in their essays is a religious clash, one that, while not noticeable immediately, was exacerbated by the droughts and famine. After introducing the essay, Bowden then discusses the similarities of the Pueblo religion, and then highlights some of the missteps the Franciscans took in their interactions and, most of all, the conversion process. First they insisted that the Pueblos should learn Spanish, and â€Å"almost without exception,† failed to make any attempt to learn native language. Also, they instituted mandatory mass attendance for all Indians – but strangely not all Spaniards. On top of this, leaders who continued practicing the previous traditions were whipped or executed.[9] (27-28) Bowden raises a number of valid points – the Franciscans do not appear to be the same persons that protested against the injustices to the Pueblos by the Governor Peralta. Rather, they seem to be creators of an oppressive environment that was quite insensitive to the Pueblo people. However, if you note Bowden’s sources, he cites textbooks for his long diatribe. Garner, in contrast, relies heavier on topic specific articles written by respected names such as France V. Scholes and Jack D. Forbes. While Bowden’s sources are legitimate, he seems to be using information that is more generalized, and not as focused on the relevant issues. Gutià ©rrez points to â€Å"loss of authority† among the Franciscans as the central reason for the revolt.[10] He notes that this gradual loss of power began in 1640s. Because of the uncertainty and unease that followed, the Friars pushed for more drastic measure to balance out this loss of power – a crackdown on syncretism and an emphasis on martyrdom. But the connections that Gutià ©rrez makes are weak; he points to the loss of power in the 1640s, but does not cite any kind of example to support his point until 1655.[11] In addition, most of examples of this â€Å"loss of authority† do not come until the mid 1660s and the early 1670s in the midst of drought, quarreling among Spaniards and attacks by Athapascan raiders. And Gutià ©rrez’ examples of Franciscan brutality arise, interestingly enough, around the time that Garner points to heavy handed response by the Spanish to combat syncretism. Gutià ©rrez’ illustrations seem to support Garner’s idea of the Indians being â€Å"like children in a new world and entrapped in the struggle between the Franciscans and Hispanic community.†[12] Angà ©lico Chà ¡vez provides yet another take on the Pueblo Revolt. While Gutià ©rrez, Garner and Bowden all spend considerable time on relations, Chà ¡vez – as his title Pohà ©-yemo’s Representative and the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 – puts much more emphasis on establishing a new leader as a primary cause of the Pueblo revolt. Chà ¡vez seems to avoid tackling the revolt squarely (like Knaut) partly because he devotes most of his time supporting his argument for Domingo Naranjo as the leader (arguably 21 of the 24 pages). Despite Chà ¡vez lengthy narrative supporting Domingo Naranjo, the black leader with yellow eyes, many scholars reject this notion, because it seems to runs counter to what most sources suggest. Historian Stefanie Beninato agrees that Naranjo was a leader, but â€Å"one of several† as â€Å"the concept of a single leader is not viable in the theocratic social structure of the Pueblo world.†[13] Garner too, while recognizing Popà © as instrumental, rejects the idea that he was a â€Å"unique Indian leader,† but rather he arose out of necessity, as opposed to the creation of necessity.[14] While, many critique Chà ¡vez’ uncommon interpretation, it reminds one to reexamine the mestizo and mulatto population in New Mexico. Naranjo, real or not, represents the truth that the black/white Pueblo/Hispanic definition was increasingly blurred in the years leading up to the revolt, and an entirely different culture had emerged. Pohà ©-yemo had multiple windows in to this culture of multiplicity. Garner’s essay seems to be built around the most logic because his essay points to lack of basic necessities as the true cause of the revolt. When there is enough food and prosperity people get along. When there is a shortage, it pushes groups to exceptional measures. Rarely has a revolt occurred without certain factors mitigating access to peoples’ basic needs. Garner also spends ample time with the battle itself, and provides plenty of evidence of to why it was a success; particularly because of the cultural coexistence with the Spanish. Garner is not without flaw – he fails to address certain issues, notably that of the presence of a larger mestizo culture. While he acknowledges it somewhat, he seems more preoccupied with the Franciscan-ecomedero versus government dynamic. This oversight, however excusable, provides good reason for holding onto multiple sources while dissecting historical events such as these. In the absence of primary documents, the importance of rigorous scholarship is especially crucial. To hold the works of these â€Å"curious† scholars together stresses the value for careful thought and due diligence.

Review of “the Propaganda of the Saints in the Middle Ages.”

The â€Å"Propoganda of Saints in the Middle Ages† article, written by Esther Cohen, goes over many of the methods the Catholic Church employed to gain power over the people in Europe. Cohen goes through the middle ages by describing how the Catholic Church was spreading its faith; mainly through the use of propaganda. An Age of Faith took place between the fall of the Roman Empire and the discovery of America. Cohen describes how the in the early years of the church, martyred Christians rapidly assumed a high position in the churches hierarchy of faith. These saints where given to have special powers and gradually became central to the Catholic Church; as opposed to God. Cohen describes a clear attempt from the Church to portray a consistent propaganda campaign aimed at raising the level of sainthood in the public eye. This was not difficult to do as the church had three things with it that gave it absolute power. First thing the church had, was that its message it brought with it that could not be questioned in any way. The information they brought with them could not be voluntarily accepted or rejected, and the church had an obligation to spread that message. Secondly, the churches message was absolute and its authority was unquestionable. The church had no competition in that there was no one who could match the propaganda they brought. Lastly, the church had a centrally organized, universal message, which meant that it could be easily tailored for the masses. Pilgrimages became common; this cemented the church even further as they build grand churches filled with â€Å"holy relics† of the saints. These relics were given to have special powers when yielded by the saints of the church. Many of the pilgrims believed this message and probably never questioned it. Many of them were filled with awe when they saw the grand magnificence of the church and the stained glass windows within them (peasants would never see such sights if it hadn’t been for the church). The fact is that all of the church’s teachings came from a central point, making the message more or less universal and uniform. The central church was able to put together its message, and then pass it along to other churches that administered it to the masses. The message was hammered in generation to generation. The Catholic Church was a big influence in the lives of people in Europe. This essay by Cohen illustrates just how big an influence it actually was. From the very beginning, it brought a centralized message which was labelled indisputable. The reason it was followed was that since no one could actually challenge their message; they destroyed everything in their way to ensure it. Cohen really describes the transgression well as he describes it progress thru the ages and develop into what amounts to an international conglomerate. They opened up many different franchises, preaching the same message. Of course the message had its deviations; much of the church’s beliefs stemmed from the local saints. As saints were given more and more power; this was another good way of getting the locals to support their cause. It is remarkable at the amount of effective propaganda that came from the church in the earlier period of history; as there is not too much in the way of intelligent, centralized, effective messages before that time period. The church truly did stand the test of time even until today. It has and had tremendous effects over people’s lives as they try to come to terms with the world around them. The reason it’s so important is that even though Gods message has always been around over time, no one was more able to use it to their advantage other than the Catholic Church. The message became centralized and faith was transferred from God to local Saints, which also took away from any truth that the church might have brought with it. Their reason for doing it may be obvious, in that they ended up controlling massive amounts of territory and even holding sway over Kings and Nobles; the ultimate aphrodisiac happens to be power. The church had no boundaries so it could cross vast amounts of areas relatively untouched. Cohen s article really is a shocking look at some of the practises of the Clergy creating magnificent churches and housing â€Å"Holy Relics† in them to prove their point. This is the precursor to what we knew as propaganda as it seems the Catholic Church must have had people working for them who knew how to get the masses attention. Their organization stood the test of time; and possibly did everything they possibly could to maintain it. Towards the end of the Church’s iron grip over Europe, the organization was so engrained in the people’s hearts and minds that it, even hundreds of years later, still holds tremendous sway over what kinds of decisions people make in their lives. Even if there are not as many people who follow the Catholic Church as much as they would have done in the past, the Pope is regarded as an important symbol for peace the world over (even though the words peaceful and the Roman Catholic Church can hardly be used in the same sentence). It appears that the Church values its image very highly, and tend to move with the times according to the general feeling what it would consider its subjects. In the past, the church would not hesitate to use force to establish themselves in a certain area; but in this politically charged world, they have given themselves more of a cleaner image by not physically attacking their opposition. It is shocking to read about how they Church went as far as to make fake relics filled with tears, etc. Going to the lengths they went to, it is clear how they could have held so much power. The Catholic Church was known to be ruthless in their all encompassing network. They went to great lengths to preserve this power. This is evident from the very beginning of the church as its entire history is drenched with warfare and power grabbing. One of the tools church had at its disposal was the power of knowledge, which it did its best to hoard. Knowledge is power, and keeping the masses ignorant helped it keep its power structure. The Catholic Church confiscated or destroyed everything that it considered against the church. This led to many works that may have criticised the power structure labelled as heresy; resulting in the torture and death of the writer or anyone associated with it. The article delves into some important details about the manipulation of materials to grab people’s attention. The strategies and tactics the church used were remarkable in that they built magnificent cathedrals just so they could bring in pilgrims to show them holy relics, which they were told had special powers. Having the knowledge and expertise to build such churches at such a time shows a very large concerted effort to push an agenda forward. The Catholic Church has truly stood the test of time in many ways; they were able to successfully push their message across and labelled it undisputable, at the same time making an effort to expand and keep the people eating from their hands. Even today, there are very few in politics who would dare cross the line to admonish the church, as it would mean suicide in the world of politicians. They would rather have the church as an ally, which does tend to give them a better image in the public’s view. In the past and even now, top elected officials have to appear to be faithful, or otherwise the mentality of the voting public would hardly chose them. In â€Å"Critical Theory and TechnoCulture: Habermas and Baudrillard,† Karl Marx’s theories are reviewed by two big contributors to communication theory: Jurgen Habermas and Jean Baudrillard. Mark Poster writes about how these two theorist dove into the areas where Marx was ambiguous and tried to explain the situation in more detail. Although they weren’t completely successful in their quest to explain the behaviour of mankind, Habermas and Baudrillard did make a big leap forward in their respective contributions. One of the problems with Karl Marx’s theories is that he tends to overlook or downplay the parts that are uncertain. Habermas and Baudrillard talked about how Marx failed to acknowledge basic communication theory, and the fact that he ignored technology as one of the biggest drivers of human civilization. Marx’s only aim seemed to be was the wage labourer to free himself from the greedy capitalist. Mark Poster attempts to ask about the theories of Karl Marx is that: did Marx give enough reasoning behind the relationships between technology and culture, labour and symbolism in work, and whether he really understood human consciousness? His argument is that Marx’s vision was too easy, and that he did not pay attention anything that was too complicated to explain or did not fit as part of his predictions. Poster understands that Marx knew his history, and was very knowledgeable about his topics, but there were still gaps in his writings that needed further explanation: The critique of political economy explores every turn of the capitalist structure; the critique of cultural politics is general, vague, and undeveloped. †[1] Poster explains that when Marx was doing his analysis, he did not theorize enough about the nature of social communication and how technology becomes signified objects. Technology is peculiar as it seems to have a two pronged approach; one where it levels the playing field for general society, or one where it extends the gap between the haves and have not’s. Language is termed as one of the central tools of social interaction and that needed more explanation before the theory could be complete. Without this missing piece, Marx was way off in his predictions of what would happen to capitalism and the role of workers. The spread of bureaucracy also solidified the way language was used. Technology and the change it brought also included change in language structure. The essay goes on to explain the extensions that Jurgen Habermas and Jean Baudrillard make to the critical theory. One of Habermas’s arguments is that Marx was unable to distinguish between emancipation and science. Habermas came from a school of thought which was worried about the fact that the scientific movement became the reason for domination, instead of it being used as a tool for freedom. He believes that Marx had left out the communication and language aspect of individuals which is a major part of our behaviour. For Habermas, speech has an important aspect as it can be used to distort the truth and can be a means of domination. His argument is that any time a speech situation fails; it can be down to the class struggle which Marx talked about. Of course, in practise, it is very difficult to find an ideal speech situation; making it difficult to analyse the truth. Jean Baudrillard criticizes Marxism’s analysis Marx analysis of the mode of production as the driving force of society. Commodities become social signifiers rather than something useful. One of the problems Baudrillard sees with Marxist ideology is that he ignores culture. The problem with Marx is that he never saw the symbolic nature of products and production. Baudrillard maintains that products become symbols whether by intention or not. The word â€Å"hyper-reality† is used to describe the fact that products began to contain their own reality; that is, nothing becomes more than ownership of the product itself. There is much missing from Baudrillards theories. He fails to describe what he meant by the â€Å"code,† which is how he described the relationship between consumers and consumed. At some points, he failed to realize the real positive potential that the media brought with it. But what Baudrillard brought to critical theory was remarkable. The insights provided by him went beyond convention to explain these theories in more detail. Mark Posters article brings a lot of interesting points about the missing pieces in Marx’s theories. There were many missing pieces of Marx and some of them are pointed out from the writings of Baudrillard and Habermas. One feels that Marx did leave out many details of his work, because people do not necessarily think about working for the state in the way it was described. Marx did not realize the importance of technology and its place in society. But in his world, there would not be much room available for research and development. When we put technology as a big part of human evolution, good things happen as the quality of life has improved. The idea behind everyone in society being equal sounds nice; but in practise, is rarely possible. The elements of language and technology where important to the framework of human interaction, this is one of the reasons why Marx’s predictions didn’t go to plan. He did not envision the fact that politicians would use bureaucracy to further establish their control over society. This use of language was not present in earlier periods, which may be why it may have been overlooked. New technology also changed the way language was used to further complicate the communication process. Technology also brought with it further divisions between those who have it and those who don’t. New products or technology has a materialistic nature to it that is still unexplained with the critical theory of Marx. One of the reasons Marx may have failed to have predicted violent revolt from the masses is that they do not want violent rebellion. Marx failed to foresee the fact that people would try to work together by creating unions and similar institutions to protect themselves from undue distress from their work. Marx was half right in that the powerful capitalists at the time were exploiting their workers for mostly the owner’s benefit. The other half that Marx did not envision was that most people would not choose violence; given the circumstances force became the last possible option. Technology also helped the regular working class to live comfortably by at home. Habermas picks up where Marx left in the explanation of critical theory. There were many missing pieces that Marx did not talk about; some of these were about technology and communication theories. Technology changes over time and can be very beneficial to us; failing to see its advantages and disadvantages is ignoring a big aspect of human behaviour and actions. As technology improves, our lives improve as well and modes of production change as well. Of course the other aspect of technology is that it can be used to dominate. Marx should have explored this topic further and he would have understood the consequences better. Ignoring these ideas shows that Marx probably had his own agenda in place as he wrote his theories. He may have deliberately left these things out in his argument to make it seem simpler than it first appeared. Maybe if he mentioned technology, it would have opened up a new world to mention and explain. The same can be said when it came to the communication aspect of Marx. Habermas also mentions how class struggle is bourne out of a failure in communication. This statement has a lot of fact because it is ultimately the class we identify with as the class we understand. The aspirations and lives of those who are poor are different than those of the middle class or ultra-rich, and those 3 groups barely understand one another. But these divisions will always exist – there will always be people who are well off and those who are not, even in a ideal communist society. Mark Poster also writes about how Habermas tries to fill in the gaps of communication theories left unexplained by Marx. Would the masses really want a violent revolution? People do not have a thirst for warfare; it is usually forced upon them by their leaders. Having endless war to bring about easier lives does not seem too economical; so they would prefer resistance by nonviolent means as it is understood that they are the drivers of the system. Without their input, machinery could not move, so the â€Å"greedy capitalist† was somewhat marginalized by labour unions and laws. Marx failed to see this, even though the powder keg was definitely in place. Habermas’s theories about the ideal speech situations are interesting. There would be very few times indeed that it would be true. It seems possibly one of the societies that come to mind that bear a place for the ideal speech would be the oral Greek tradition. A man who knows how to use speech could possibly get away with murder if he knows how to sway the audience. Again, the ideal speech situation might not garner good things; it may present powerful people with bad intentions using it to dominate their society. Baudrillards arguments about Marx have also have also showed gaps about critical theory. He feels that it can be dangerous for a society to be solely reliant on commodities for the states benefit. Every society has some sort of culture that it brings. Marx, in Baudrillards view, ignores culture as one of the major driving forces of society. Culture is ultimately what decides the direction society takes and the ideas it chooses to adopt. An idea from one culture might not be acceptable in other cultures, so it becomes difficult to transmit ideas across nations. Marx does not mention these facts and pretty much ignores them. It is difficult to understand how Marx, who was well aware of history and its nuances, could ignore such an important factor. Baudrillards analysis of products is an interesting one. It is remarkable that he could see that commodities become status symbols. This is exactly what happens to products; they become more for show than for the function they are supposed to carry. This is evident is the advertising that is presented in the mass media. These status symbols can become part of who we are as people, and this has always been the case throughout history; whether it is gold and other precious metals and stones in the past, or Bentlys and Valentino suits today. These things cannot change under any kind of rule, so ignoring these facts means ignoring our general makeup. In missing this analysis, Marx ignores the true nature of products and production; to keep the masses quite and consumed. One of the pieces missing from Baudrillard is the proper explanation of what he meant by his â€Å"code. The reader gets a sense of what he meant by reading and analysing his work, but a good definition would go a long way in explaining just what he was talking about here. It is unclear whether he is talking about the materialistic nature of things or the guidelines by which they are advertised. It is remarkable that Baudrillard understood these facts; he would have witnessed firsthand, the world of advertising taking its current form. This new form stopped advertising things with simple functional messages, and started advertising them with relation to fantasies that play against our minds to capture our attention. Early psychologists understood this and used their knowledge to help advertisers come up with these new messages. Mark Poster tries to explain the missing parts of Marx critical theory. The missing gaps were quite gapping and Jean Baudrillard and Jurgen Habermas exposed many of them. The essay delves into these gaps and tries to explain the missing pieces, as told by well known communication theorists. It seems that Marx, rather than a genuine interest in the freedom for man, has an agenda behind his writings. There as so many important gaps that he just completely ignored, so this scenario seems likely to be true. Technology and culture are important to us, without them, we can become aimless and self destructive. Poster brought it together very well by indicating that there are many parts still to be explored, indicating the work on the complete analysis for critical theory is still incomplete. Bibliography Cohen, Esther. â€Å"The Propaganda of the Saints in the Middle Ages. † Journal of Communication, 1981. Poster, Mark. â€Å"Critical Theory and TechnoCulture: Habermas and Baudrillard. † In The Second Media Age. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1992. ———————– [1] Poster, Mark â€Å"Critical Theory and Technoculture† pg. 97

Link Between Academic Success and a Students Perceived Self-worth Essay

Link Between Academic Success and a Students Perceived Self-worth - Essay Example There is a vast body of research on the intricate link between academic success and a student’s perceived self-worth. There is also a large amount of research detailing how the dynamics of student-teacher interactions play a key role in the formation of self-worth by these same students. However, Fay and Funk (1995) point out that educators only have access to the formation of such perceptions when providing feedback to behavior. Schroeder (n.d.) points out that feedback also involves the methods by which the educator communicates correctness of student responses to academic questions. Jim Fay’s (1995) discussion of three major teaching styles reminders readers that feedback sends not only the overt message of the words used but the covert messages of tone, actions and general body language. Of the three teaching styles - helicopter, drill sergeants, and consultants – it is the consultant teacher who embodies the overt and covert â€Å"messages of personal worth , dignity, and strength† (Fay & Funk, 1995, p. 197). When looking to the strategies employed by consultant teachers, it becomes obvious that these can be used with all teaching styles to provide corrective feedback in a whole instruction setting. First, educators should make sure the questions being asked are of appropriate difficulty and cognitive levels while being stated as clearly as possible. Schroeder (n.d.) suggests that questions dealing with new material should be such that 80% of the responses given are correct and 90+% for review materials. Educators may find that low-level questions that ask what, where, and who are best for this. Such pedagogical procedures will promote self-esteem as well as momentum needed to progress with instructional activities. Students will then be more willing to work for answers to higher order questions dealing with the why and how. Secondly, teachers should react to responses in such a way as to encourage student answers. Quick, certain responses that are correct need only affirmation that they are indeed correct. Correct but hesitantly given responses need the affirmation of correctness as well as praise and perhaps a short review of why the response is correct. Incorrect responses that are due to a careless error need only a quick reference to the error and time for the student to be allowed to provide the correct answer. Incorrect answers based on a lack of knowledge should be met with prompts and hints that may engage the needed information. Clarifying, rephrasing, or even changing the difficulty level may also assist these students (Schroeder, n.d.). Educators should provide students with every opportunity to get a correct answer but should not prolong the experience once it becomes obvious that the student lacks the knowledge needed. Third, instead of issuing orders teachers should present expectations as a challenge of something the student can and will do - positive expectancy. There are many procedures that will engender such an atmosphere. However, students sometimes resist the challenge even though a sense of positive expectancy has been created. Effective teachers will continue to work with the student and try to help him identify how to meet the expectation.Such teachers are engaging in tenacity (Saphier & Gower, 1987). Tenacious teachers engage in a "no excuses" policy. In this procedure the teacher will ask why the student is unable to meet the expectation. She will then refuse to accept such excuses. Work may be sent back to be done over; supplies may be procured and provided to the student; help and individual instruction may be offered more often; and eventually the consequences of the performance - superior, adequate, or poor - will be given without anger (Saphier & Gower, 1987).

The Law of Torts for Protection the Interests of the Other People Essay

The Law of Torts for Protection the Interests of the Other People - Essay Example The issue in this research is that Mark dug a certain portion of his yard to build a wall around his front garden. During the process, heavy rain disturbed him and he did not bother to cover the exposed area and a heap of rubble falls into the street. Dick is hit by some stones and is injured on his leg. On the other hand, Laura, Dick’s mother suffers a nervous breakdown after seeing Dick’s injuries. Tony who was riding his scooter down the street fell and broke his arm when hit by some rubble from the open pit. Jacque who was on the other side of the road assisted Tony after the accident and she was later infected with a rare form of blood poisoning which is caused by bacteria found in the soil. From the above scenario, it can be observed Dick, Laura, Tony, and Jacque have rights to file a lawsuit against Mark who is liable for the tort of negligence. In order for the plaintiffs in the above-mentioned scenarios to win their cases, they must prove to the courts that Mar k owed them a duty care and that duty of care has been breached. In order to prove the existence of daycare duty, some conditions should prevail as illustrated by the case of Capiro Industries vs. Dickman. These conditions include foreseeability, proximity as well as reasonability. The occupiers also owe a duty care to ensure that all people who enter their premises are not injured even the trespassers. However, duty care does not always exist hence these factors need to be taken into account. Broadly speaking, some situations are foreseeable to any reasonable person before they embark on a particular action. Â  From the above case scenario, it can be noted that Mark was not reason enough to leave the excavated area unprotected. As illustrated in the case of Hackshaw v. Shaw, occupiers have a duty care to all who pass through their places even trespassers. It can also be seen that it was foreseeable that a storm was building and Mark was not likely to complete his job on time. The element of proximity also exists where Mark excavated an area that was close to the road. As such, it is advisable that Dick, Laura, Tony, and Jacque take legal action against Mark since they can prove to the court that Mark’s actions have been negligent and have led to their injuries. Reasonable people usually do not behave the way Mark acted. Â  

The contribution of customer satisfaction of after sale service Dissertation

The contribution of customer satisfaction of after sale service - Dissertation Example Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturing company and is one of the largest car manufacturing companies in the world. The stated vision of Audi is â€Å"Audi – the number one premium brand†. As per a strategy document released by Audi named Strategy 2020, Audi aims to achieve the leadership position in premium segment, and wants to consolidate its leadership position in that segment (Audi USA, 2009, p.27). After sales service is one of the most important factors influencing brand loyalty. According to a survey conducted by Bain and Co, â€Å"one of the most powerful techniques for converting buyers into die-hard fans is providing exceptional after-sales service† (Flees & Senturia, 2008). This report will aim to evaluate the existing customer satisfaction level of Audi customers, identify how critical is after sale service towards overall satisfaction, and identify possible areas in after sale service where there is a scope of improvement. These will be eval uated by analysing data collected by administering a questionnaire to the customers who come to the Audi dealer for after sale service. This questionnaire will capture both qualitative and quantitative data. The data collection process will also include interviewing customer facing staff in the dealership and the service manager of the dealer shop. I will be able to have access to Audi Company through my friend who holds a position as a service manager. I will be able to provide a confirmation letter from the company with their approval, in order to carry out the project research proposal. 2. Research questions Explanatory Objectives RQ1: Investigate levels of customer satisfaction with Audi? (This objective will assess and quantify the level of satisfaction that an Audi customer has.) RQ2: Which specific factors in the provision of after sales service affect customer satisfaction? Explanatory Objectives RQ3: identify main reasons for low customer satisfaction of after sales service RQ4: identify the factors that influence customer service from after sales service Developmental Objectives RQ5: evaluate methods that can potentially improve customer satisfaction 3. Research Ethics â€Å"Ethical issues are present in any kind of research. The research process creates tension between the aims of research to make generalizations for the good of others, and the rights of participants to maintain privacy† (Orb, Eisenhauer & Wynaden, 2001, p.1). The entire data collection process will be voluntary in nature where all respondents, including customers, dealer staff and the service manager, will share their responses after explicitly agreeing to participate in the survey. Before the survey is conducted, each respondent will be informed about the nature and goal of the survey. Each respondent will be informed about their nature of involvement in the survey process. Additionally, each respondent will have the right not to participate further at any point of time. In dividual responses as well as the final results of the survey will kept strictly confidential, and all response forms as well as stored data will be destroyed once the analysis is completed to ensure complete privacy of participants. 4. Literature Review RQ1: Investigate levels of customer satisfaction with Audi? There are a multitude of factors that influence the levels of customer satisfaction for a premium, life style brand like Audi. Audi, as discussed above, is a premium car brand that sells high value cars. Till the late 1990s after sale service had been viewed by manufacturing

Discourse and Representation (Critically assess the relevance of Essay

Discourse and Representation (Critically assess the relevance of Marxist theory to the study of Media Texts) - Essay Example No doubt, they are based on his concept; but the way they have spread their tentacles far and wide today, Marx himself would have found it difficult to recognise them and the relationship between the media and Marxism is one such field. Liberal pluralism and freedom of speech come distractingly closer to Marxist theorists in this field. "Marxist theorists tend to emphasize the role of the mass media in the reproduction of the status quo, in contrast to liberal pluralists who emphasize the role of the media in promoting freedom of speech," http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/marxism/marxism01.html (Daniel Chandler). To Marxists, capitalistic society is one that is dominated by the dominant class and media is a part of such a society. It also represents a pluralist view and diverse values from various classes in the society. Graham Murdock spoke about 'political economy' and according to such thinkers, economic foundation is much more important than the ideology. These ideologies are mainly dealing with the construction of ownership and control at different stages of media production. "The class which has the means of material production at its disposal has control at the same time over the means of mental production, so that thereby, generally speaking, the ideas of those who lack the means of mental production are subject to it. ... Marxist theory applies the same owner-worker yardstick to every eventuality without fail. Worldviews and ideas are coming from the ruling class and naturally, according to Marxist theorists, most of them are biased, as the ruling class is in charge of presenting those ideas in their own way. It does not allow workers to send the clearer ideas and this makes the Media a region for class struggle. Existing power relations are usually maintained and promoted by media for decades now. Developing alternative theories in the place of what is always taken for granted is a comparatively recent approach opening new ideas for Marxist theorists. 'From each according to his ability and to each according to his needs' is the main rule of Marxism. Information stretched and spread for common consumption shows a comparative consistency. When the unprecedented 9/11 attacks took place, mass media and Marxist theories worked with great bonhomie. Theorists could see Marxism in the attacks on capitalism. Even though Marxism never facilitated plural voices, and the media is awfully restricted in Marxist rules, Marxist theorists applied various theories to the media presentation of the incident on the aftermath of the attacks. Theories and media texts revolutionalised the entire social structures of the world after this event. "A social formation consists of three practices: the economic, the political and the ideological. The relationship between the base and the superstructure is not one of expression, i.e., the superstructure being an expression or passive reflection of the base," Storey, (p.110). Academy Award Winner, Michael Moor's film, Fahrenheit 911 has been one of the most controversial movies in recent years, based on the disastrous

Prevention of Falls in Acute Care Setting Research Paper

Prevention of Falls in Acute Care Setting - Research Paper Example Other factors leading to deterioration in acute care of falls include the strategies used by individuals, the first stages of patients’ assessments, and continuing reassessment of the patients. The study on the approaches used in preventing injuries caused by falls includes assessment of individuals at high risks. In case of injuries, interviewing staff and members of the affected family is necessary for proper care. Factors leading to the problems In viewing the contributions to the problem, a number of factors cause increased cases of falls. Cognitive dysfunction is among the main risk factors. It refers to patients in severe confusion state known as delirium and those with existing cognitive injury known as dementia. Research shows at some point, over 30% of the inpatients have delirium 15% being the elderly (McCarter-Bayer et al., 2005). Dementia patients also suffer from a disease called Alzheimer and vascular dementia. Patients suffering from these infections have deteri orated strength and at risk of poly pharmacy. Impaired mobility is another falling risk factor resulting to body weakening. Low extreme mobility of the body causes the failure. This forces the patients to be in need for assistive devices. The use of medicines in an effort to counter the weaknesses in the body has side effects. These effects also contribute to risks in falls. Because of metabolic changes and hepatic impairment more prone to the elderly, they suffer more from the side effects of medicines. The living environment of the affected group causes falls leading to injuries. These may be due to the foreign materials in their living areas such as debris, poorly anchored floors and poor safety measures in the living rooms (Koh et al., 2007). Alternative solutions to the problem Falls minimization entails a number of precautions. The main precaution is to communicate the risk factors to respective authorities for undertaking of appropriate actions (Koh et al., 2007). By visual c ommunication, identifiers like posters, charts and signs showing risk areas are of considerable importance in preventing falls. It is necessary to inform all the people visiting a new environment and those living in a given area on the meaning of the risk signs placed at various points. The staff handling the patients requires the clarity of the fall status of the patients visiting any health care. In cases with affected patients, the people accompanying the patient have to identify and communicate a brief history of the patient before treatment. A number of interventions are a requirement for every patient. The patients must familiarize with the environment, be assisted whenever in need, for example, when going to the washrooms or by ensuring that walking belts are available at the bedside. In case of an emergency, communication devices should be in place and within the reach of the patients so that they can talk to nurses (Mezey et al., 2005). Course of action From literature, pre vention method of falls has a little impact on minimizing the rates of injuries (Mezey et al., 2005). To achieve best results, I recommend organizational support in ensuring prevention method, which has a high priority. This means that there is a need to encourage support from health care organizations than it was before. Studies show that best results are possible only with assistance across disciplines dealing with fall cases. The organization expected

Commercial Log Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Commercial Log - Assignment Example Each commercial has a specific targeted market. The market that is being targeted can be of any class, race, age or gender. Many of the commercials are showing a product or advertising a special. Commercials are a very good way to advertise since thousands of people view them. The commercial developers need to make sure the commercial is appealing to the targeted market so that it gathers the viewer’s interest. Commercials use a variety of different themes that try to spark the interest of the targeted market. Many of the commercials viewed attempted to use humor to gather the viewer’s attention. Most of the commercials used a bad humor that was not very funny at all. The humor made the product unappealing and was not a good way to reach out to the targeted market. Commercial developers that use humor need to make sure that the humor is appealing to a wide variety of audiences. Many businesses use commercials to advertise a new product. New products need to be advertised a certain way. When showing a new product it is important that the short length of the commercial descriptively shows what the new product is and what it can do. If the product is brand new, it is important that the developers show how the product is used and a solution that the product solves. Targeted audiences are the most important part of commercials. When commercials are being created they are usually not created for a general audience. The commercials are created to target a certain group. Some target people that are overweight, sick, enjoy food, or are looking for a good deal. The developers need to target a specific group in order for the commercial to have a better purpose and attract the most attention. After reviewing the commercials it was easy to see how the targeted audiences can be easily persuaded. This is especially so with food advertisements. For example, the Hamburger Helper commercial targeted working families

Genetic and Non-genetic diseases of the liver Research Paper - 1

Genetic and Non-genetic diseases of the liver - Research Paper Example It is because of this that approximately 2 million Americans suffer from alcoholic liver disease (Bouneva et al 2003). Alcoholic liver disease is associated with a constellation of three conditions affecting the liver which include steatosis of the liver (which is commonly referred to as fatty liver), alcohol associated hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. Steatosis of the liver is the initial stage which occurs with the formation of droplets of fat in the cells of the liver which leads to enlargement of the liver and gives it a yellow and oily appearance. At this point all the changes of the liver can be reversed and the liver can acquire its normal histological state if the alcohol consumption is stopped. This is followed by the next stage which is the hepatitis of the liver due to alcohol. This is mainly the inflammation of the liver cells. The cells of the liver become swollen followed by the loss of the normal function of the cells. This is accompanied with Mallory bodies as well as the influx of neutrophils in the liver cells and finally it leads to increased fibrosis. The inflammation of the liver can be resolved by stopping the alcohol consumption but it may take an extended period of time. If the disease progresses further it results in the final stage which is known as cirrhosis of the liver which is a condition that cannot be reversed (Walsh et al 1999, Kumar et al 2005, Bouneva et al 2003). There are many risk factors of this pathology which increase the susceptibility of developing this condition. There first risk factor is the amount of alcohol consumed. Increased consumption increases the risk of the disease. The kind of alcohol that a person drinks is also associated with the extent of damage and it is seen that beers are more dangerous for the liver than wine. Malnourished individuals, females, people with deficiency of vitamin E as well as African Americans and Hispanics are at increased risk of developing alcoholic liver

Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Marketing - Assignment Example ISO works process framework would be used to show how SIX Sigma might be laid out and what information will be needed to implement this tool. There are many tools that make up this collective and they need to be fully researched in the first instance for early stages and consultants/experts in the implementation of these tools are required to avoid pitfalls caused by redundant data. One problem that is required to be addressed with these tools is that of measuring potential work flows and bottle necks in the production process. "Six Sigma seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects (errors) and minimizing  variability  in manufacturing  and  business processes." (one six sigma web) The 'Qualicoat' status requires us to do much of the processes of Six Sigma would and we run a zero defects policy with any defects being reworked. New innovation such as Quality control measures before the Powder coating process will mean that many of the issues will be taken care of on the production line. Where Six Sigma and learn thinking tools will come into their own will be more visible in our data processing and customer liaising as well as in our order processing and sales activities. Sales personnel will be able to predict work flows with new centralised communications and above mentioned tools will assist in that role facilitating negotiations at first contact with customer queries. Six Sigma and Total Quality Management (TQM) are tools that are going to be used to push the changes forward and improve on employee participation towards a culture of due diligence. Various tools are now being introduced to engage the workforce in dialogue to identify problem areas, provide training and walk-through them in meeting new goals while actually improving their working environment. Brief look would be given to the questionnaires and language that are going to be used to encourage change. One problem is the resistance to c hange that has been experienced in the past because of people being stuck in the old ways of carrying out processes thus introduction of Six Sigma terminology will create confusion and animosity. These terminologies would only be used within management to avoid unnecessary chaos. It is to be assured that there is the balance of communication therefore new responsibilities are properly defined along with the changes in processes. In order to enhance data collection and processing new management positions would be introduced. There are several objectives of TQM that include process improvement, observing behaviour changes over a time period, defect prevention, developing operational definitions, priority of effort, developing improvement check forms and check lists, developing relationships of cause-effect, measuring capacity of the system, assisting teams in making better decisions and separating trivial from significant needs. TQM on the whole revolves around a few main things that include systems for facilitating improvement, techniques and tools for improvement, Senior Management and all employees’ commitment, team work, customers - Supplier relationships, effective vision, mission, strategy and goals, communication and trust. A systematic approach towards quality management involves components like modification of the processes and the inputs, examining of the processes performance, planning of the inputs

A Madman’s Diary, The True Story of Ah Q and The New Years Sacrifice Essay Example for Free

A Madman’s Diary, The True Story of Ah Q and The New Years Sacrifice Essay I. Introduction: Much of Lu Hsun’s stories are recollections of his past struggles. He admits this in the preface of his collection of works entitled, Call to Arms. But as this collection was viewed by Lu Hsun himself as a way to encourage young dreamers to pursue their aspirations and spare themselves of the agony of his youth, much of it becomes a mirror as well of the Chinese culture and history. Hence, Lu Hsun is not only a chief commander of China’s modern Cultural Revolution; he is also the founder of modern Chinese literature. This paper aims to make a modest critical analysis of Lu Hsun’s work using his first three short stories namely; A Madman’s Diary, The True Story of Ah Q and The New Years Sacrifice. These are chosen to identify patterns of themes, subjects and beliefs that are embodied in his writings. Also, we hope to be able to understand Chinese traditions and heritage using the same short stories. In the end we may find literature as a strong method of making a noble contribution to the world with its inherent power to opine, philosophize and influence. Let us begin with a brief telling of the stories’ plots and details. After which we enumerate the significance of each and lastly to provide a general assessment of the story’s lessons and socio-cultural and political implications. This last part of the analysis is relevant as we have had hints already of the intentions of the author to provide an empowerment to the readers for the attainment of certain goals. The paper will end in such a way that Lu Hsun is commended for his creativity in the craft to have shown consistency of his agenda as manifested in his literary machinery ergo, becomes successful and compatible endeavors of revolutionary and literary toils. II. A Madman’s Diary The first story is a narration of Lu Hsun’s reading of a diary of his old friend. The latter referred to as the madman, through his personal accounts have expressed the nature of his illness. He sees his own brother, relatives, neighbors and doctor as man-eaters. The content of the diary may seem weird and dreadful yet the author of the diary charged of insanity has managed to think and speak of historical accounts to prove his case. For instance, he called a previous enemy, Ku Chiu which in translation means â€Å"Ancient Times†; his doctor, Li Shih-chen who in history was a famous pharmacologist and authored the Materia Medica. Both usage have latent meanings and will be explained later. The madman also has knowledge of several traditional myths like his mention of Yi Ya, who according to ancient records cooked his son as present to Duke Huan who was ruler since 685 to 643 B.C. of Chi; he mentioned also Chieh and Chou who were known tyrants in history; Hsu His Lin who during the end of Ching dynasty was a revolutionary executed in 1907 whose heart and liver were believed to have been eaten because of his assassination of a Ching official. Again, these historical descriptions have significance in the goal of the author of Madman’s Diary. The context of the story may seem to its audience a basic case of mental illness but this is true unless proper decoding is employed. The story suggests that there is a past experience which the madman has underwent which we could think of as the cause of his psychosis. According to the author, the madman has suffered from persecution. The sentiment of the main character at the time he was sick already against other people characterizes the same feelings he felt against them before this condition. Man-eating in the story symbolizes the feudal system in China. The oppression that the tenants suffer from their land lords has caused the madman to perhaps hate the former. The man-eaters in the story as observed by the madman consist of his neighbors, brother, doctor, etc.; basically all those who are of the land-owning class. The conspirators making themselves man-eaters as well include his own mother- this is due to the latter’s inability to reprimand his brother. To the madman’s mind, those who support and those who are silenced by the oppression are alike. This is why he refers to them as man-eaters as well – they all look at him in the same way like fierce animals ready to eat him and his flesh. Everyday, the madman has to deal with the same looks and reactions. He thought he was doing a good job of having been able to decipher their true intentions of killing and eating him. In the end however it pained him to have known that his sister could have died in the same experience of being eaten by other people. It pained him that his own family has not done anything while his mother’s weeping did not change the fact of her daughter’s tragic death. The seemingly unjust treatment of the community against a madman like him is translated into the majority’s incapacity and lack of buoyancy to uphold a revolution such as that which would overhaul feudalism and promote equality. Yet, the madman has seen that Mr Chao for instance did not look solely at him with anger but with fear as well. One is afraid to change the status quo where he/she is already benefiting. Just like Mr Ku Chiu who was displeased with his intervention on his account sheets twenty years ago. Ku Chiu meaning Ancient Times symbolizes the long history of feudal oppression in China. The madman might have made wild statements in his diary but to a madman this signifies discontent, confusion, mixed emotions of fear and pain, none of which is equivalent to happiness and peace. He said he has not seen the moon for over thirty years. He must have been imprisoned or isolated that long from the community, the people barely recognize him just like the dog which looked at him twice. In the new day or perhaps new circumstance he is into, he only remembers the feelings of annoyance against them. Yet he witnessed the children, lively as they may appear but the madman, reluctant about their purity thought they also had eyes that misinterpret him. When he said their parents could have told them about his story, he was referring to the possible transfer of the tradition of tyranny to the new generation and the hindrance to their quest for truth, justice and equality. The madman abhors the fact that the own victims of this cruelty have not done anything to antagonize but why do they look at him like that? This is expressed in the part below: â€Å"†¦Those people, some of whom have been pilloried by the magistrate, slapped in the face by the local gentry, had their wives taken away by bailiffs, or their parents driven to suicide by creditors, never looked as frightened and as fierce then as they did yesterday†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lu Hsun, A Madman’s Diary, April, 1918) He sees their laughers, discussions of him, teeth and speech as comprising their secret signs. There are statements in the story which the author has provided for us to understand further the nature of the norm in their history. Like when the madman remembers the time when he would be commended by his brother for his indifference vis a vis wrong doings: â€Å"†¦I remember when my elder brother taught me to write compositions, no matter how good a man was, if I produced arguments to the contrary he would mark that passage to show his approval; while if I excused evil-doers, he would say: Good for you, that shows originality†¦Ã¢â‚¬  At that time , it would have been better if you are blind and deaf and perhaps insane to resist the subjugation. This is also presented in the part where Mr. Ho, the doctor tells the madman: â€Å"Dont let your imagination run away with you! Rest quietly for a few days and you will be alright†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The madman sees this statement as a warning for his deed of courage and integrity. to be brave and righteous yield death of a man. Toward the end of the story, the madman asked a twenty year old lad if it was right to eat human beings and if such was an accepted act simply because it has always been like that. The author here is arriving at an assumption that a tradition of cruelty could have been regarded by most of them as justifiable by its permanence and embedded nature. But a challenge has been set forth in the end; that is to become a real man. For the madman, real men don’t eat human beings. Although as claimed, primitive people have done so, he advised his brother that to remain like them is the same as reptiles and animals who eat flesh and must be ashamed of themselves. This is a way for the author to propose that to desist tradition (the four thousand years of eating flesh) is to put a halt to oppression – this is the act of a real man. He calls on a change of spirit and ideas so he tells them in the story; â€Å"You should change at once, change from the bottom of your hearts! You must know that in future there will be no place for man-eaters in the world . . . .† His final words are equally challenging and meaningful. It was a call for change especially for the youth – â€Å"Perhaps there are still children who have not eaten men? Save the children. . .† III. The True Story of Ah Q The second story is written in December, 1921. Ah Q is a worker in the Weichuang village who has become a laughing stock and destination of insult from amongst his fellow villagers. His death was a tragic one considering that while his origin has not been known to the author or to the village people in the story, the cause of his execution is also neither defined by him nor his fellowmen. It is in this cycle confusions and uncertainties that the story becomes a revelation of the situation of China during the early nineteenth century. Lu Hsun has used characters in the story with meaningful roles in China’s history. Mr. Chao and Mr. Chien are both influential and wealthy people in the village whose sons have given them pride by passing the examination and having been posted to high positions in the society; Whiskers Wang and Young D who are servants like Ah Q had different perspectives and never united; The Imitation Foreign Devil who studied in Japan and has returned to the village without any meaningful contribution; the nun whom Ah Q have maltreated for his perceived false modesty of her; the townspeople; the military captain; the successful provincial candidate; the old man with a clean shaven head – they all did not spare Ah Q a little. It appeared that Ah Q was fond of drinking wine, sleeping after a day’s job at the Tutelary God’s Temple and imagining his own definition of victories. For Ah Q being beaten by a son is a victory; and every time he is teased by the village folks for his scar that looked like ringworm on his head and crushed to the wall for his eccentricities, he considers them losers – for they are his sons. This weird claim of Ah Q has made the people a lot more irritated of him. To him his only two defeats were namely; his defeat by Whiskers Wang who he regard as his equal; and by the Imitation Foreign Devil. He found dignity in humiliating a small nun. When he lost his job due to an incident with a maidservant at the Chao family house, he headed to the other town where a stroke of luck provided him with goods enough to be sold and become a source of his new profit. Yet along with his return to the village and his renewed sense of respect for himself when the people started to talk about him and his fortune, a revolution occurred. Without much clarity, he was caught as suspect to a robbery by the revolutionaries at the Chao family. He told the captors that he might have approved of the revolution but he was not allowed to join because the Imitation Foreign Devil prohibited him. Uneducated, Ah Q was made to draw a circle as signature in a paper whose content was unknown to him and later that day, he was set as an example to the people and all other revolutionaries for death execution. One must have knowledge of China’s history to be able to appreciate further Ah Q’s story. The Qing dynasty with its long-lived rule and enormous failures has caused a deterioration of performance along traditional lines. The arrival of foreigners who were driven by the industrial revolution of the West had caused much indignation and loss of resources for the prideful denizens of China. With their superior weaponry and cultural superiority might have brought China’s independence they have nonetheless encountered opposition. This foreign presence has resulted to changed political demands among the revolutionaries. The Taiping Uprising for instance considered as the longest peasant rebellion denounced Confucianism and found new aspirations in Christianity. The dynasty resorted to the Chinese provincial armies to suppress the Taipings. A lot has changed since the abolition of the civil service examination in China based on the Confucian classics. There has been a program of sending students to Japan for modern studies that brought radical ideas convinced of overthrowing the dynasty and revolutionizing China. This success of reformation however by Sun Yat Sen has not abandoned feudalism, and has worsened due to China’s dependency in the new market economy and international trade, the condition of the peasants who were displaced and deprived. Warlordism and the lack of nationalism have deepened the problem of China until the success of the CCP in the 1940s. These events took place prior and perhaps during the writing of Lu Hsun’s Ah Q. Clearly, Ah Q represents the peasant revolution which has been isolated from the intellectuals’ endeavor. When Ah Q was denied participation by the Imitation Foreign Devil, the author has implied here that those who have attained education in Japan in the nineteenth century have not fulfilled the true essence of a revolution. They failed to establish unity among its people as superiority among the land owning class prevails. Thus, Ah Q might have wanted to revolt for as he claimed in the story, â€Å"revolution is good†, but it was late for him to prove his strength and capacity. He was executed in a crime he has not committed.   His lack of knowledge failed him to understand the situation – this is more painful for him.

Does Internet Enhance or Reduce Social Interaction Essay Example for Free

Does Internet Enhance or Reduce Social Interaction Essay Papers like HomeNet publications have been following the effects, positive or negative of Internet on its users. The findings are interesting as it reports both positive and negative results. Initially the effect was negative on those who relied heavily on internet for communication. However that scenario has changed with time. Current studies no longer show the overall negative effects of the past. Using internet to communicate with families and friends as well as being involved in community activities has been on the rise. Negative effects are generally experienced by people with less support economically and introverts and positive effects experienced by people with good social resources and extraverts. Some people who have integrated internet into their ordinary lives have generally benefited, but they now experience new social problems. These problems are highlighted in this discussion in depth and a summary made in a table. Those internet users who find communication important, have good reason to expect that Internet has positive social impact on their lives. For such people communication, including contact with neighbors, friends, and family, and participation in social groups, improves their level of social support. To them interacting with internet gives them fulfilling personal relationships, a sense of meaning in life, and commitment to social norms with their communities. Their psychological and physical well-being (Diener et al. 1999; Cohen and Wills 1985; Mirowsky and Ross 1989;). They think through the use of internet for communication, they could have important positive social effects on individuals (McKenna and Bargh 2000), groups, organizations (Sproull and Kiesler 1991), and communities (Hampton and Wellman 2000), including society at large (Dertouzos 1997; Hilts). Just like the telephone did, they think broad social access could increase people’s social involvement, and facilitate formation of new relationships (Fischer 1992; Wellman 1996). People who are generally isolated could find new social identity and commitment (Katz and Aspden 1997). Isolated members of communities could participate in group organizations at a distance (Sproull and Kiesler 1991). Internet is also handy for political mobilization (Bonchek 1997). Whether Internet has positive or negative social impact depend upon the quality of the people online, their activities and what they give up to spend time online. Stronger social ties generally lead to better social outcomes than do weaker ties (Wellman and Wortley 1990). As we go through the discussion we find that the ease in communication that internet offers has encouraged people so much that they now spend more time alone, talking online with strangers and very little time with their communities. Increasingly people are connecting to each other through the internet, and looked at positively, one would say internet has increased the frequency of communication among its users. There are pertinent issues to look at today regarding our social interaction compared with the past: †¢ Has our social relation one-to-one improved or diminished? †¢ Has it provided more evidence of the difference between our virtual self and real self? †¢ Has our group interaction improved or diminished? Users of internet are socially withdrawn because they are most of the time lonely and hooked onto the net. Research has found that the more people are online, the more they become socially isolated ( James E. Katz). The study further shows that people who are constantly online the more they become isolated from social life and that there is a relationship between depression, stress and strength in social ties created by extensive use of the internet. This on the extreme can weaken the social ties that people normally have. Robert Kraut who is a researcher in the field and professor in the Department of Communication at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N. J. is the leading author of the study. However the finding has been seriously challenged as inadequate and lacking in rigor. The critiques say there needed to have been a control group used for comparison purposes and that the sample size was too small. On the contrary, computer experts are quoted as saying internet has greatly increased their human interaction. They say that they can now meet more people than ever before. But sociology experts say this is more a manifestation of people in a state of denial than the truth. But the truth is that there are two divergent views about computers and its social effect on people. Hoffman and partner Tom Novak at Vanderbilt Universitys Project 2000 have for example have conducted a collaborate research with Georgia Institute of Technology in which they find many web users find the net browsing enriching and satisfying and that they are usually left in a happy state of mind far from being depressed. Philip Aspden, executive director of the Center for Research on the Information Society, surveyed 2,500 Internet users and found no evidence of social withdrawal. The study found that online participants are no less likely to join religious, leisure or any community organized activities than people who arent online. Virtual interaction is the norm in internet activities. People using portable computers can work in one office, one project without necessarily being physically in a place. They could be several kilometers away and do everything together that they could do in one environment, one office, and location. They can talk and hold meetings and discussions together. Internet has made the world look like a one local village. The issue is what is the social implication of this arrangement? Is it positive or negative socially? The answer is positive because the physical location can be anywhere most convenient for the individual. It can be your house / study room, supermarket; or inside your car. People work better when they operate from premises of their liking. Negative because supervision, control, co-ordination and monitoring becomes difficult. People find such arrangements new and odd though not necessarily bad socially. With time we shall be used to it and our sense of belonging will change. In this discussion we try to bring into focus the positive and negative social impact of internet. However we seem to agree that internet users have more social problems than usual. They are among other things withdrawn from normal social life and in virtual solitude as is commonly known. It is interesting to hear what some of these people say. Please allow me to quote some experiences from people who use internet. â€Å"Every time I go through the process it seems more and more like a religious ritual. When I reflect that I am connected to thousands or millions of people across the world, I forget that I am seated in a solitary confine of my computer room. I admit it is a strange feeling, one that I really like to the extent that I forget the social pleasure I normally find socializing with people outside there. Sometimes I also get frightened that I am beginning to like my computer mediated communication (CMC) better than talking with most real people with whom I come into daily contact face to face. Though I find it sad to say, I have never enjoyed serious discussions before where people say what is in their heart. Social opportunities and even academic opportunities for such discussions are dwindling. Our culture has become more and more trivial and superficial. † Through CMC people can find intellectual stimulation. It is easily available and comfortable. But the human touch is more natural and more satisfying. We are social animals and we need to meet and chart. Intellectualism has its time just as social life also has its time. The other negative aspect of internet is privatization which was introduced by Marshall McLuhan. This theory states that as entertainment and information becomes readily available to people, they are less likely to seek them outside their homes. As that happens, social interaction is becoming less and less frequent. We can select the people to talk to and use special words and mode of communication. Soon we shall be out of touch with the real world where we have different type of people needing different types of communication. My entertainment, amusement, and even communication have become private rather than public. Family people have very little time for each other because they spend all that time on the net. The young ones are the most affected. During the day, they are out in school and their parents are out for work. When they come home they cannot meet either, because everybody is busy with internet. When will they talk or learn from the parents one would ask? All that they imitate are programs from the internet, some very weird indeed. As parents we might overlook and despise the experience we got through social interaction with our peer groups and communities while we were young. It taught us to be at peace with our environment. In this environment there is richness found in diversity. The diversity found in behavior and culture of its people. We come to be more informed that the world is made of both order and disorder and become equipped to handle both occurrences. That is how we have been molded to be strong and resilient. The world of internet is denying our children that freedom and experience. Children never play together at home and very little in school. Computer mediated communication CMC is a new phenomenon in the computer world. There are other technologies more commonly used such as e-mail and interactive chat on the internet. These modes of communication have both bad and good sides. They have made communication, fast, easy and affordable. The physical location of the people we communicate to is no longer a barrier. We talk to people anytime anywhere by a mere touch of a button. When we play with our peers and join social clubs we meet people and friends and that is healthy for our body and mind. We are able to do some exercise which our body needs to avoid aging. We use our bodies more than our minds. To conclude my analysis on the effects of the internet talking about pornographic ideologies is no new phenomena as it is one of the high condemned vices of the internet as it is being used in all ways. Income generating activities, a source of employment to others but highly exploitative and seriously abusive in all ways, it ranges from child pornography to adult pornography.

Literature Review Of Production Planning And Controlling Accounting Essay

Literature Review Of Production Planning And Controlling Accounting Essay Last year couple of authors tried their best to attempt to identify production planning and control (PPC) top authors. Fernandes, et al. published an article whose main goal is to classify the top PPC authors by means of a survey on PPC researchers. They identified top 10 authors, their influence and impact in PPC. The main contributions of Fernandes et al. (July 2009, pp. 461-478(18)) Identified (among a great number of books regarding PPC) the books that has more influence on the PPC area, Guided the study of PPC by means of presenting the main books and authors of PPC, Showed the most valuable work of the PPC top authors, initiating a process of determining who the PPC gurus are. Gonzalez, et al. (July 2008, pp. 461-474) investigated the relationship between planning reliability and project performance and found out that variability is a well-known problem in construction projects which leads to the general deterioration of project performance. In this paper, the authors report on a detailed research analyzing this relationship during the construction phase of a home building project at activity and project levels. By doing so, two indexes proposed An activity planning reliability index called the process reliability index (PRI) A project aggregate labor productivity index, called the project productivity index (PPI). Statistical analyses using the proposed indexes conducted showing positive and strong relationships between planning reliability and performance at activity and project levels. The research findings provide the guidelines of a preliminary methodology to forecast the impacts of planning reliability over project performance when lean production methodologies are applied in project planning and control. Orsoni et al. (July 2007, pp. 19-31) Tried to explain remote scheduling of production activities they said remote scheduling is a fast growing area of research in the wider area of Production Planning and Control (PPC). Many solutions reported in the literature and many scheduling tools are currently available, however, the criteria for their evaluation and comparison remain loosely defined. This paper proposes an overview of existing solutions highlighting their advantages and limitations, to support academics and industrial users in their choices of scheduling techniques and Inter Process Communication (IPC) solutions for the remote and online scheduling of production. This paper also proposes design guidelines and performance measures against which production managers can evaluate and improve their solutions. Lima, R. M. et al. (October 2006, pp. 3693-3709) did some work on distributed production planning and control agent-based system and said remote scheduling is a fast growing area of research in the wider area of Production Planning and Control (PPC). Many solutions reported in the literature and many scheduling tools are currently available, however, the criteria for their evaluation and comparison remain loosely defined. This paper proposes an overview of existing solutions, highlighting their advantages and limitations, to support academics and industrial users in their choices of scheduling techniques and Inter Process Communication (IPC) solutions for the remote and online scheduling of production. Stevenson, Mark (Feb2006, pp. 767-790) conducted research on Refining a Workload Control (WLC) concept to improve the applicability of the approach to the shop characteristics found in practice. This is a two-stage process leading to significant conceptual refinements to a key WLC methodology. The first stage focuses on the development of a Decision Support System (DSS) based on a WLC concept designed for Make-To-Order (MTO) companies. Refinements made include changes to the backwards scheduling procedure and the way in which jobs are released onto the shop floor. The second stage focuses on the process of implementation. Using a case study of a MTO company, the paper describes the strategy taken to overcome a number of prerequisites to the successful implementation of a Production Planning and Control (PPC) concept. Issues addressed include grouping machines and determining capacities. This case study adds to the available literature by looking specifically at implementing WLC from the customer enquiry stage, while the case study experience also provides further refinements to the WLC concept. Manufacturing companies often complain about the difficulties they face in meeting their customers logistic requirements. Many blame the perceived inadequacies of their production planning and control (PPC) software for their performance deficits. PPC software is just one of six configuration aspects of the entire PPC system. The authors argue that the configuration of the PPC aspects objectives, processes, objects, functions, responsibilities and tools has carried out methodically and consistently in order for the PPC system to function properly. The analysis of examples of so-called `stumbling blocks of PPC, inadequate configurations of one or several of the aspects supports this claim. There investigation closes with the proposal of a checklist that the authors suggest as a first approach to ensure the consistent configuration of PPC systems. (Wiendahl et al. Oct 2005). Investigated Stumbling blocks of PPC they found out M. Stevenson et al. (March 2005, pp. 869-898) presented a review of production planning and control. The paper reviews classic approaches to Production Planning and Control (PPC) such as Kanban, Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II) and Theory of Constrains (TOC) and elaborates upon the emergence of techniques such as Workload Control (WLC), Constant Work In Process (CONWIP), Paired cell Overlapping Loops of Cards with Authorization (POLCA) and web- or e-based Supply Chain Management (SCM) solutions. A critical assessment of the approaches from the point of view of various sectors of the Make-To-Order (MTO) Industry presented. The paper considers factors such as the importance of the customer enquiry stage company size degree of customization and shop floor configuration and shows them to play a large role in the applicability of planning and control concepts. The paper heightens the awareness of researchers and practitioners to the PPC options, aids managerial system selection de cision-making, and highlights the importance of a clear implementation strategy. WLC emerges as the most effective Job Shop solution; whilst for other configurations there are several alternatives depending on individual company characteristics and objectives. The paper outlines key areas for future research, including the need for empirical research into the use of Workload Control in small and medium sized MTO companies. Zà ¼lch G.,  Fischer J. (March 2003, pp. 146-154) enumerated that during the realization of the CAESAR planning games, which has been supported by the European Leonardo da Vinci Programmed the use of modular planning games within a global scenario has shown to be very effective in concisely relaying educational content from the area of production management. In particular the close-to-reality situations have proven time and again to be highly motivating for seminar participants. In order to improve the transferability of acquired knowledge into practice the IFAB-Institute of Human and Industrial Engineering of the University of Karlsruhe has further developed the INSIGHTS-PPC planning game for production planning and control in such a way that the planning tasks to be tackled are set in direct relation to market similar repercussions. This realized in a new market share model. The market share model explained, paying particular attention to the practical consequences, which come a long with the implementation of such a model. Despite the potential of the developed market share model and the positive feedback from seminar participants there is a risk of the participants being diverted from the intended educational content, that of production logistic fundamentals and techniques, and of them perceiving the focus of the seminar as a relaying of market mechanisms. Starbek M.   Grum J. (December 2000, pp. 443-450) found out there is much computer-aided production planning and control (PPC) systems available on the market which can provide a solution to the complex task of production planning and control. However, the question remains, how can a company find an optimal system from the vast amount of available systems? Olhager J.   Wikner J. (April 2000, pp. 210-222) worked on Production planning and control tools, There are numerous tools available to be used for production planning and control purposes. The number of tools is ever increasing, and so are the levels of sophistication as well as complexity. For the specific manufacturing firm, the task of selecting the most appropriate set of tools is not trivial. However, in recent years, the understanding of the relationship between tools and manufacturing environments for which they are suitable has increased. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of production planning and control tools available today, as well as new trends, issues and ideas. Wiendahl et al. (December 1999, pp. 718-726) touched a general approach to disassembly planning and control and their findings are closing product and material cycles have emerged as a paradigm for industry in the 21st century, and are directed towards an economical and responsible use of our limited resources. Disassembly plays a key role in recycling. It enables the recovery of functioning components for re-use of pure materials for re-utilization and the separation of harmful substances. Major challenges presented by the enormous variety of products disassembled, by uncertainty as to quantity and by their unknown properties. An appropriate planning and control of disassembly processes is essential for an economic disassembly. Based on an investigation of the suitability of common production planning and control (PPC) methods for disassembly, a specific disassembly planning and control concept (DPC) outlined. Moscoso P. G et al. (November 1999, pp. 1492-1506) Investigated on modeling framework for complementary design of production planning and control systems and said In a business era characterized by a dazzling rate of change, the improvement of production planning and control begins to be a main objective for manufacturing industries. This paper postulates four main statements to be considered for the design of production plans and control systems (PPC-systems) comprising human and technical sub-systems. The first is that production models required for the design of PPC-systems (i.e. design models) cannot be identical to production models required for planning and control of production systems (i.e. regulatory models). The design of PPC-systems must primarily focus on the quality of interaction between the regulatory models. This insight supports the second statement, which postulates that the design of PPC-systems requires a complementary design approach. Complementary design means t o take explicitly into account that human and technical sub-systems- based on the differences in strengths and weaknesses of both- can achieve through their interaction a new quality, possible neither to human nor technical sub-systems alone. The third statement is that a complementary design of PPC-systems will only be possible if a fundamental change of mind from a static to a dynamic as well as from a technical to a socio-technical perception (i.e. a complete perception) of production systems takes place. Without a complete perception of production systems, designed PPC-systems will not be sufficiently reliable, maintainable and flexible, will be difficult to comprehend, and their elements will not be re-usable for further applications. The fourth statement is that the integral support of the design process requires a dual modeling framework comprising a meta- and an object-model. Considering these fundamental insights that were confirmed by a practical case study, a dual modelin g framework for the design of PPC-systems which incorporates criteria for complementary design is outlined. Tatsiopoulos I. P.   Mekras N.D. (July 1999, pp. 414-425) tried to find out an expert system for the selection of production planning and control software packages and presents a rule-based expert system that can be used for the selection of a suitable production planning and control (PPC) software package to be applied in a manufacturing firm. A production systems typology and a compact PPC software reference model are included in the knowledge base, which created. The inferences made based on rules that relate a semantic network of PPC software features with a semantic network of production systems attributes. The results given by the expert system include the module architecture and the set of features of the PPC software package, which are applicable in a certain manufacturing setting. Wiendahl H-P.   Breithaupt J-W. (June 1999 pp. 389-401) Worked on modeling and controlling the dynamics of production systems and infrared that nowadays, in a fast-changing production environment, companies have to adapt their production structures rapidly. Therefore new methods for production planning and control (PPC) are required that consider these dynamic changes. Todays PPC systems mainly based on static models now a dynamic production model has been developed applying methods of control theory. Using the funnel model and the theory of the logistic operating curve, a continuous model of a single production system developed. For the control task, backlogs as well as a work-in-process (wip) controller developed. The controllers interact to adjust the capacity and input rate of the work system to eliminate the backlog as soon as possible and to set the wip to a defined level. Simulation experiments confirm that this concept ensures the synchronization of capacity and work. In an ongoing research project, an extended model for several work systems connected via the material flow designed, which based on the elementary one. A suggestion to integrate the strategy into PPC on the planning level already been generated. The objective of this approach is to develop the present open-loop control realized in PPC into a closed-loop control with defined control and reference variables. Gaalman G.J.C.   Suresh N.C. (February 1999, pp. 5-17) Conducted research work towards an Integration of Process Planning and Production Planning and Control for Flexible Manufacturing Systems and this introduction article attempts to present some major issues relating to the integration of process planning and production planning and control (PPC) for flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs). It shows the performance of an FMS significantly improved and FMS capabilities more effectively utilized by integrating process planning and PPC functions. The various types of flexibility to be planned and provided for in process planning and manufacturing are summarized in the article, as well as emerging conceptual frameworks for integration, along with their implementation requirements and problems. Distinctive elements that differentiate these frameworks, such as the extent of integration of process planning and PPC activities, number of alternative process plans, and the time at which nume rical control programs are generated, are discussed, followed by a brief summary of the articles compiled for this special. Luczak H. Et al. (July 1998, pp. 448-456) Analyzed PPC-systems, re-engineering or replacement and concluded the growing number of production enterprises that use software systems to support the production planning and control (PPC-systems) and the limited life-time of these systems imply that many enterprises have to decide whether or not an existing PPC-system is worthwhile reengineering. The factors that have an impact on this decision are non-quantifiable. Porter, J.K. et al. (1996) discussed Production planning and control system developments in Germany and briefly explained the impact of MRP on UK manufacturing industry in the context of the next generation of developments. Draws a contrast with production planning and control systems in Germany, which derive shop floor control through different architecture of business control systems. Presents the state of these developments in Germany as analyzed by a leading academic institution (the FIR at Aachen University of Technology). Compares this with UK developments, as seen by the Liverpool short-term scheduling group, which recently has analyzed production planning/ scheduling practice in a range of different companies across various industry types. In early 1990s computer aided process planning with relation to production planning and control brought into practice, which provided integration between both of them. Hermann Kà ¼hnle et al. (1994, pp. 21-27) Introduces concepts for the integration of Computer-Aided Process Planning (CAPP) and Production Planning and Control (PPC). Characterizes the current situation regarding integration by a one-way communication from CAPP to PPC, since a revised link not envisaged. Introduces a new approach to full integration by the extension of functions within both systems components as well as integration of both data and information technology.

The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare :: Merchant Venice Essays Shakespeare

The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare's satirical comedy, The Merchant of Venice, is an examination of hatred and greed. Prejudice is a dominant theme in The Merchant of Venice, most notably taking the form of anti-Semitism. Shylock is stereotypically described as "costumed in a recognizably Jewish way in a long gown of gabardine, probably black, with a red beard and/or wing like that of Judas, and a hooked putty nose or bottle nose" (Charney, p. 41). Shylock is a defensive character because society is constantly reminding him he is different in religion, looks, and motivation. He finds solace in the law because he, himself, is an outcast of society. Shylock is an outsider who is not privy to the rights accorded to the citizens of Venice. The Venetians regard Shylock as a capitalist motivated solely by greed, while they saw themselves as Christian paragons of piety. When Shylock considers taking Antonio's bond using his ships as collateral, his bitterness is evident when he quips, "But ships are but board, sailors but men. There be land rats and water rats, water thieves and land thieves -- I mean pirates -- and then there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks" (I.iii.25). Shylock believes the Venetians are hypocrites because of their slave ownership. The Venetians justify their practice of slavery by saying simply, "The slaves are ours" (IV.i.98-100). During the trial sequence, Shylock persuasively argues, "You have among you many a purchased slave, which (like your asses and your dogs and mules). You us in abject and in slavish parts, because you bought them, shall I say to you, let them be free, marry them to your heirs... you will answer, `The slaves are ours,' -- so do I answer you: The pound of flesh (which I demand of him) is dearly bought, 'tis mine and I will have it" (IV.i.90-100). Shakespeare's depiction of the Venetians is paradoxical. They are, too, a capitalist people and readily accept his money, however, shun him personally. Like American society, 16th century Venice sought to solidify their commercial reputation through integration, but at the same time, practiced social exclusion. Though they extended their hands to his Shylock's money, they turned their backs on him socially. When Venetian merchants needed usurer capital to finance their business ventures, Jews flocked to Venice in large numbers. The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare :: Merchant Venice Essays Shakespeare The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare's satirical comedy, The Merchant of Venice, is an examination of hatred and greed. Prejudice is a dominant theme in The Merchant of Venice, most notably taking the form of anti-Semitism. Shylock is stereotypically described as "costumed in a recognizably Jewish way in a long gown of gabardine, probably black, with a red beard and/or wing like that of Judas, and a hooked putty nose or bottle nose" (Charney, p. 41). Shylock is a defensive character because society is constantly reminding him he is different in religion, looks, and motivation. He finds solace in the law because he, himself, is an outcast of society. Shylock is an outsider who is not privy to the rights accorded to the citizens of Venice. The Venetians regard Shylock as a capitalist motivated solely by greed, while they saw themselves as Christian paragons of piety. When Shylock considers taking Antonio's bond using his ships as collateral, his bitterness is evident when he quips, "But ships are but board, sailors but men. There be land rats and water rats, water thieves and land thieves -- I mean pirates -- and then there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks" (I.iii.25). Shylock believes the Venetians are hypocrites because of their slave ownership. The Venetians justify their practice of slavery by saying simply, "The slaves are ours" (IV.i.98-100). During the trial sequence, Shylock persuasively argues, "You have among you many a purchased slave, which (like your asses and your dogs and mules). You us in abject and in slavish parts, because you bought them, shall I say to you, let them be free, marry them to your heirs... you will answer, `The slaves are ours,' -- so do I answer you: The pound of flesh (which I demand of him) is dearly bought, 'tis mine and I will have it" (IV.i.90-100). Shakespeare's depiction of the Venetians is paradoxical. They are, too, a capitalist people and readily accept his money, however, shun him personally. Like American society, 16th century Venice sought to solidify their commercial reputation through integration, but at the same time, practiced social exclusion. Though they extended their hands to his Shylock's money, they turned their backs on him socially. When Venetian merchants needed usurer capital to finance their business ventures, Jews flocked to Venice in large numbers.