Two contrasting religious Essay Example for Free

Two contrasting religious Essay Compare the similarities and differences in the practices and beliefs of individuals from two contrasting religious or secular groups. In M1 I will be discussing the similarities and differences of Islam and Christianity. I will be discussing about the religions origins, worship, festivals, clothing, beliefs and diet. Origins A similarity of Islam and Christianity is that they both believe in one God (Christianity Jesus) (Islam Allah). A difference is that both religions have different countries of origin. Islam originated from Makkah and Madina which is situated in Saudi Arabia and Christianity originated from Jerusalem in Israel. Islam began in the 7th century, God sent his message through the prophet Mohammed showing how to worship God, and how to perfect life. Islam spread through East Asia, Central Europe and North Africa. Today Islam is recorded to be the fastest growing religion in the world. Christianity developed in the 1st century; Christianity came from the religion Judaism Christianity began with the apostles of Jesus. Christianity mostly spread because Jesus and his disciples went from town to town preaching about the Jewish law. Christianity is practiced in USA, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, China, Germany, Philippines, United Kingdom, Italy, France and Nigeria. The first mosque was built in Madina. The first Christian church was founded in 33AD in Jerusalem. Worship A similarity of Islam and Christianity is that they both have holy places they worship at. Christians worship at a church usually on a Sunday; Muslims worship at a mosque, Muslims usually go to the mosque on Fridays or any day of the week. The difference is that they worship on different days. Muslims can pray together or by themselves and can pray at home or workplace as long as the place is clean and quiet. Christians and Muslims worship to get closer their Gods. Christians can worship at church or home they can also pray by themselves or in a group; Christians pray to get closer to God. A difference is that Islam requires Muslims to pray five times a day and with Christianity Christians are require praying once a day or more if they want to. Christians and Muslims both pray to get closer to God. A similarity is that both religions both religions have holy books that they read. A  difference is that Islam has the Quran and Christianity has the Holy Bible. Christians and Muslims read their holy books to learn more about their religions and for guidance through their lives. Christians and Muslims read their holy books to gain knowledge too. Festivals A similarity of Islam and Christianity is that they both have one main festival they celebrate Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th Muslims celebrate Eid the date for Eid changes every year Muslims will celebrate Eid after Ramadan. A difference is that Christianity has a specific time of the year to celebrate Christmas and Eid moves from time to time every year. Both religions celebrate these festivals by having a big feast, spending time with family and buying new clothes. Christmas in the birth of Jesus during this period Christians usually exchange gifts, spend time with friends and family, wear new clothes and have a big dinner which is call Christmas dinner. Eid is the celebration of Ramadan; Ramadan is the periods when muslims fast for 30 days and they are allow to eat after sunset. The day after Ramadan is Eid, Eid is when muslims spend time with family and friends, eat, and buy new clothes to wear. Beliefs Some of the similarities are that both religions believe in one God, and both have a holy book they believe in. A difference is that Muslims believe in seven main things; Belief in God, belief in the prophets, belief in the angels, belief in the holy book which is the Quran, belief in the judgement day, belief in life after death and belief in the good and bad. Christians believe that God is the father of Jesus. Another similarity is that both religions believe in life after death. Christianise believes in the Bible, they believe in God, they believe that God sent Jesus they believe that God came through Jesus as a human form. Muslims believe in that Mohammed is the last messenger, they believe you go to heaven or hell on the day of judgement and Christians also believe you go heaven or hell once you on the day of judgement. Clothing A difference of clothing is that Muslims women cover their hair with a hijab (head scarf) this is by choice. Christianity doesn’t require women to cover  their hair. Some Muslims men can cover their hair with a topi if they want to. Christianity doesn’t require men to cover their hair. Some women can wear a long dress called jilbab. A similarity is that both religions require you to dress modesty. Muslims women wear theses because you are not allowed to show your figure (jilbab) and they wear the hijab to not show their beauty so no one is looking at them in the wrong way. Is it written in the Quran that you can cover your hair and it says that you should wear clothing that doesn’t show your figure. Diet A difference is that Islam requires Muslims to eat only certain foods like halal meat. Muslims aren’t allowed to eat lard, pork, any foods with gelatine and food or drinks that contain alcohol. Christians believe that God has given them the animals to eat as well to have and take off. Some Christians may eat only fish on Good Friday or just one or two meals. During lent Christians may give up something they really like, like chocolate until Easter Sunday. Christians may eat bread and drink wine every Sunday to remember Jesus and what he did. Bibliography About.com Islam (2013) Islamic Clothing Requirements Available at http://islam.about.com/od/dress/p/clothing_reqs.htm [accessed 24/09/13] Atschool (December 2007) Christmas the story, customs and traditions, Available at, http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/carolrb/christmas/christmas1.html [accessed: 24/09/13] Christianity.org (2013) Worship Available at, http://www.christianity.org.uk/index.php/worship.php [accessed: 24/09/13] Copyright global tolerance limited (2009) Faith and Food Available at http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/carolrb/christmas/christmas1.html [accessed: 24/09/13] Copyright Inter- Islam (1998-2001) Diet in Islam, Available at http://www.inter-islam.org/Lifestyle/diet.htm [accessed: 24/09/13] Wood Jenny (1988) Islam for children, Available at http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/carolrb/islam/glossary.html [accessed: 24/09/13] Greenstar (2013) ISLAM, Available at http://www.greenstar.org/Islam/ [accessed 25/09/13] Religion answers (2013) how did Christianity begin? Available at, http://religion.answers.wikia.com/wiki/How_did_christianity_begin [accessed 25/09/13] Darul-arqam (2012) why must Muslims go to the mosque for prayers on Fridays Available at, http://www.darul-arqam.org.sg/what-is-islam/brief-history-of-islam/ [accessed 25/09/13]

Pros And Cons Of Electronic Patient Records Information Technology Essay

Pros And Cons Of Electronic Patient Records Information Technology Essay A1) In this case, the concept is mainly about storing or safeguarding the medical records of patients. A Patients when visits hospital to seek the doctor they are provided with paper-based medical prescription where in the medicines were written to cure allergies, diseases etc. Each time patient visits the doctor a new medical prescription is provided. Not only hospital managements maintain records of the visited patients but also maintain records in sheets. As there are millions of people in this world, it is difficult for the hospital management to maintain visitors record in their register. Also, it is difficult for patients to maintain their medical records. The medical records can be such as prescription, test reports, x-rays, etc. These medical records are very important by patients and doctors for future reference they need to maintain them and safeguard them. This has become a problem and required to be solved. One of the worlds best companies is Google it has come up with a very good and efficient solution to this problem. The solution given was Google Health, which means current medical record storage system. This Google Health system developed with different features helps users to maintain their medical records by entering their basic medical data. All the medical records of patients are maintained in the repository which is accessible to the doctors. The doctors go through these medical records and then post the relevant information and advice back to Google electronic. This information is also maintained in the repository for further use. All the informations are maintained in the Google electronic. This is because sometimes access to medical records is not possible due to power failure. The use of Google electronic is free-of-cost. This electronic system is provided with features like health profiles, medications, allergies, doctors visits, health advices by the doctors etc. Googles mission is to organise the worlds information and make it univer sally accessible and useful. 2. What are the problems with Americas current medical recordkeeping system? How would electronic medical records alleviate these problems? A2) The concept of maintaining medical records online is best use for patients and doctors. This system is developed for easy-to-use by patients and doctors, but there are some problems being faced by them. Patients can communicate with the doctors online by using this system. Only less percent, of Americans maintain their medical records online. In case of emergency, this problem leads to death. If the patient is unable to reach the doctors online they can switch to another doctor who is online. The source of this problem is absence of online medical records. When the power is off, the connection to the internet is lost and also access to the local data storage system is failed. In such case, access to medical records is also failed, by which the patients and doctors also loose their access. To overcome this problem, the Healthcare Industry has developed electronic medical record where all the records have been stored to use by the users. Medical records are easily accessible after converting to electronic. This electronic medical record alleviates these problems. It increases the likelihood of privacy invasions and makes the medical information accessible to the advertisers. By the use of internet, they can get complete information about electronic medical record system. The use of this electronic medical record system is easy and is quickly accessible by the patients and doctors in less time. It is possible to access medical records even when there is no power. 3. What management, organization, and technology factors are most critical to the creation and development of electronic medical records? A3) Management Factors: It is important to know how records are being handled by the servers. Also, privacy and security is also important. Google helps many of its users belonging to different categories to refer electronic records for their references handle their cases well. Google curtails the information collected and collides with many of the private legal advisors at the time of these conflicts. It launches many of the easy to use formats for the reference. The companies which manage these records must also be able to manage their employees with the sufficient paying. Organization Factors: Google and other companies who handle such types of records must organize the databases that stores records entered by different users permanently and also to retrieve them whenever necessary. These organizers must be able to update the records or changes are made by the clients in an efficient manner. They must make the users feel confident enough regarding the data entry. The users can trust this website without feeling tensed regarding their insurances and other kind of fear. As the data that is entered by the users is store in the repository. Technology Factors: The technologies that are being used by the companies must make the websites store and retrieve the data records to and from the database in an efficient manner. Technology wise are companies are brilliant must concentration on different kinds of transactions done by the user. Technology being the important task in making the choice, the developers must be best at their part and create the best of the all types regarding the medical records. They must also go through all the pros and cons. 4. What are the pros and cons of electronic patient records? Do you think the concerns over digitizing our medical records are valid? Why or why not? A4) Pros of Electronic Patient Records: Storing patients medical records in the world wide concerned database makes many of the reference to view these records and find solution to their problems. And many doctors of different areas around the globe can be aware of the new technologies being used by many of the senior specialists. As these records are stored electronically, it is easy to use them anywhere on any type of computer, but the only need is the internet connection. Cons of Electronic Patient Records: To any kind of data whether stored electronically or is paper based the main thing to concentrate is the privacy and security. These are lacking by the companies who are managing the records. And whenever, there is power cut there is no access to records. Then in such case, records cannot be updated or viewed. Due to lack of privacy measures many of the users feel insecure to store their records in these databases. And they also feel that these companies may use their private information as an advertisement purpose. As these, records are stored in the database which is globally related to all of the users some users have faced problems. The users who are registered with this site have faced many problems as their medical records are misused by many of the unauthorized users. Few more users feel that some of the sensitive information of their may affect their jobs and also their insurance policies. For any information to store, security is the most important factor as it safeguards the information. Digitizing Our Medical Records : Digitizing is defined as storing the medical records electronically, in electronic gadgets. Once the records are stored electronically they can be viewed anywhere from the world and it can be possible unless there is an internet connection. The digitized records are valid, only if the security of the records is at highest range and is being checked at times by the organizers. If the security and privacy measures are not up to the mark then there will be only few authorized users who cooperate with the company. 5. Should people entrust Google with their electronic medical records? Why or why not? A5) Google is one of the worlds largest companies. It is one of the best available search engines, which is widely being used by many users all over the world. Its mission is to organise the worlds information and make it universally accessible and useful. For many users, it may be difficult to agree with its mission, but some do agree with it. Some users may not feel good to give their personal information which they mean to be private, when it is asked by the Google but some feel free to give them. People should entrust Google with its electronic medical records. This is why because, with Google electronic the patients can get treatment from doctors located in different states and countries. The patients can reach the doctors and get the treatment done in their emergency and get their long lives. Google electronic has got features which make the users work easy. The users are provided with the facility, where they are required to enter their medical record information. This informa tion is safe as it is stored in the repository. The people should entrust this concept because, their information is secured by the best security services. No information is accessible to any unauthorised users. And also, this system is so best in its way, that the patients get the required advices from the doctors as and when they request. People should not entrust Google with their electronic medical records, if the medical record information entered by the users is being misused. In such case, people are more worried about their personal information as they are accessible via electronics health records, may lead in losing their health insurances and job opportunities. It is also fear for people that, if they switch to electronic health record could even be more vulnerable to security breaches and privacy violations. Some people think that unless an electronic system has sufficient privacy controls from outside, it is less likely to become universally used. If system security cont rols are used, it is important that the consumers must be aware of these controls and feel confident of using the system without fear of their information being accessed by the unauthorised user or parties. 6. If you were in charge of designing an electronic medical recordkeeping system, what are some features you would include? What are features you would avoid? A6) If I am given a chance for designing an electronic medical recording keeping system, the features that I would like to include are, easy to use by the patients and doctors, quick access to the medical records, reliable to use, fast access to the medical records, facility for the users to maintain their online health profiles and keep updating them, different medical treatment for different diseases and issues, online direct contact with the doctor, a query text where the users can clarify their quires and issues, providing the users with username and password for logging in to access the medical records, providing the users with facility to make their payments, providing them with list of total number of doctors and available number of doctors, the available timings of the doctors, a text space to request for the required doctor to consult, 24 hours access to the medical records, providing blogs where the doctors can write their advices, provide list of different types of disease s and allergies where the users can choose the type and get the required information about it, the most important feature that is necessary for keeping the medical records safe is the security. In the feature security, I would like to secure the information that is being passed between the healthcares providers, by avoiding access to the information by unauthorised users. I would like to avoid features like limited access to the medical records by the users, limited time to seek the doctors, unauthorised access to the medical records, avoid access failure to the medical records.

The Doubt Theory Of Knowledge Philosophy Essay

The Doubt Theory Of Knowledge Philosophy Essay Doubt is the key to Knowledge (Persian Proverb). To what extent is this true in two areas of knowledge? What is Doubt and what is knowledge? Personally, I believe Knowledge is anything and everything that we perceive, understand via our Ways of Knowing such as Sense Perception, Reasons and Emotions and that is justified. Doubt is anything that provokes our mind to question what we perceive thus activating our thought process towards the attainment of Knowledge. Where Doubt gives us a feeling of uncertainty, Knowledge gives us a feeling of certainty. Thus, it is so observed that these conflicting emotions yield a productive solution, Satisfaction. They seem to be in accordance with the Chinese concept of Yin Yang, which is used to describe how polar or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected, interdependent and antipodes in the natural world  [1]  . Thus Doubt and Knowledge are analogous to the Yin and Yang; giving rise to each other in turn, in an infinitesimal process. The physical nature of light was a debate amongst Physicists for a pretty long time and J.J. Thomson doubted that light was composed of particles. J.J. Thomson attempted to find a solution to this by his famous Gas Tube experiments. These experiments eventually took a turn when they showed that the particles are negatively charged and this discovery was as a matter of fact, a major step towards the formulation of a Standard Model of the Atom. Here observation played a major role and it so happens that our Sense Perception is important in the creation of Doubt. Where Mr. X will find a can of Coke hovering in mid-air as something unusual, Mr. Y may not. There is a conflict in this statement as well. Can it not be possible that it is this conflict in Perceptions that helps us get nearer to the truth, to the Knowledge? Thus we see that Doubt has significance in contributing knowledge. Let us assume that Doubt is not the key to Knowledge, then what is? To satisfy this argument, what I cou ld come up with, was something that was contrary to doubt yet satisfying the condition that it should be a valid contributor of knowledge. Since the opposite of doubt is certainty, Laws and Absolute Doctrines could be considered as a knowledge contributor. However, it must be understood that Doubt is the emotion, which leads us to the formulation of these Laws. Hence, Doubt must be credited as being the key to knowledge. Yes, Curiosity could be a contributing factor for the expansion of knowledge. An appropriate analogy could be that of a car filled with fuel (Curiosity) and a key (Doubt). Hence without the inquisitiveness and the Doubt, our mind would remain unproductive. Einstein was a Theoretical Physicist who made, perhaps the biggest breakthrough of science in the 20th century with his Theories of Relativity. His peculiar curiosity, to be in constant quest for learning, was sparked at a very young age when he was shown a pocket compass. What interested young Einstein was whiche ver way the case was turned, the needle always pointed in the same direction. He thought there must be some force in what was presumed empty space that acted on the compass2. Einstein doubted what was it that made the compass always point in the same direction. Thus it is seen that Doubt and Curiosity both have an important role in being a key contributor of Knowledge. However, according to me, there is a certain extent to which we can doubt something. For example, there are some assumed a priori truths such as 2+2 = 4, which lie at the fundamentals of our understanding of the world, however by doubting these statements as well, we will instead of progressing towards knowledge, create more hindrances in the pursuit of knowledge. This marks the boundaries till which we can doubt some statements in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics. We know for certain that people have different perceptions. Correspondingly this means that they yield different thoughts as well. This has a different role in Natural Sciences and a different role in Ethics. Standard Models have always had Doubt as an emotion which has lead to their formulation. An example is that of the Model for Solar System. Various Models such as the Tychonic System, Copernican System, etc which were believed in however all were doubted to some extent due to disagreement with observed facts. Thus these doubts became a reason for scientists to continue the pursuit of Knowledge. In case of ethics, doubting and questioning a supported belief creates tension between two parties. Doubt at the same time also leads to awareness, knowledge about a socially relevant issue. Sati, was a Hindu religious rite practiced in India which involved women to burn themselves in their husbands funeral pyre as an act to wash away any sins their husbands committed, thus making him able to have a happy afterlife. This notion was ethically put right by a person called Raja Ram Mohan Roy. He challenged this unethical ritual and brought it to a legal end. Thus, he by questioning, doubting a religious belief, made a difference for the women of India. This shows that highly revered, generation old practices, beliefs and dogmas can also be unjustified and this leads to a socially relevant awareness. This awareness is nothing but knowledge in plain language. Throughout my school life, I have experienced that feeling of doubt in some or the other learning experience. For example, I still remember my Physics teacher introducing the concept of gravity. After a whole lot of discussion about this weirdly interesting phenomena I happened to ask my teacher, Sir, Why does Gravity exist?, and the response was, It just exists. Personally, I believe that that was the day when my interest and subsequent curiosity was established for Physics. It was that moment of doubt that has today instilled in me the inquisitiveness towards the subject. Thus it seems to me that the very fact that we have exceptions and unanswered or perhaps unanswerable questions which all correspond to that disputing emotion, is the reason why we attain knowledge or perhaps stay on the pursuit of knowledge. We Humans have a tendency to question, to doubt the most fundamental occurrences in order to gain a better understanding of the world and how it functions. Doubt is that feel ing which starts that cycle, of the yin yang. If not, how could it ever be that we would know when we are right and when we are wrong? Are we on the right track? Is there something more to this event? We would be living in a world accepting unverified knowledge. Hence, we see that Doubt interacts with different WOKs in different AoKs. Where in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics, it is the reasons and logics which sparks a conflicting emotion, In Ethics it is the emotions such as sympathy, and empathy. I believe that Doubt holds the key to our better understanding of not only what surrounds us but also who we are. Doubt defines us and perhaps will provide us with a convincing explanation as to what our goal is in this world. If not today, then maybe tomorrow, we might find what we are looking for; all we need to do is not lose hope. Word Count 1236.

Education Versus Society Essay -- Learning Media Papers

Education Versus Society The relationship between an institute of higher learning and society is undoubtedly complicated, complicated because this relationship is based on diversity, and unfortunately diversity does not always equate to successful relationships. Today's society, specifically the diverse culture that makes up the United States, and institutes of higher learning continuously struggle to foster positive relationships because of conflicts that exist primarily due to issues of diversity. Issues such as defining what it means to be educated; and exploring how education can best meet the needs of a diverse society. Diversity is a force that people struggle against rather than using to enrich society's progress, contributions, and unity. In the articles "Learning in the Key of Life" by Jon Spayde and "Lives on the Boundary" by Mike Rose the relationships that exist, and should exist, between higher education and society is explored. Both articles argue that education needs to be open to all, encoura ging different contributions from all individuals. Both Rose and Spayde question a traditional approach to education because of the exclusionary nature that often ensues. It is common for individuals to view the world of higher education as elitist and impractical, resulting in many students being unable to relate to many aspects of the college and/or university learning environment. Rose and Spayde both point the finger at higher education stating that students graduate without being able to function in the real world, are discouraged from applying their personal experiences to learning, and are learning material that is impossible to relate to. The word democratic means, in simple terms, social equality. Mike Rose sugg... ...ggest that society and educational institutes collectively embrace diversity. Education should reflect society by promoting teaching and learning that is nonexclusionary, practical, and responsive to changes occurring within a diverse society. Works Cited Rose, Mike. "Lives on the Boundary." The Presence of Others. Ed. Lunsford, Andrea A., and John J. Ruskiewicz. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 105-118. Spayde, Jon. "Learning in the Key of Life." The Presence of Others. Ed. Lunsford, Andrea A., and John J. Ruskiewicz. Boston: Bedfors/St. Martin's, 2000. 58-63. "THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA; MOREHOUSE COLLEGE; THE EVERGREEEN STATE COLLEGE UNIVERSITY; CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTERY BAY; AND THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGE Mission Statements." The Presence of Others. Ed. Lunsford, Andrea A., and John J. Ruskiewicz. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 51-

Queen Elizabeth and Annabella in Tis Pity Shes a Whore by John Ford Es

Queen Elizabeth and Annabella in "Tis Pity She's a Whore" by John Ford Annabella, the female protagonist in John Ford’s play, ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, ultimately dies after trying to meet the conflicting demands that her brother and father place on her. While her brother, Giovanni, commands her to be his clandestine lover, her father, Florio, expects her to marry a socially appropriate man and bear a child. These demands closely resemble the real-life demands that Queen Elizabeth I’s subjects placed on her because they simultaneously wanted her to fulfill their erotic desires, marry a politically appropriate man, and produce an heir to the throne. Ford’s play â€Å"was first published in 1633,† thirty years after the death of Queen Elizabeth I, but â€Å"nostalgia†¦ in the late 1620’s and 1630’s†¦ [drove] people†¦to measure a worsening political situation against inevitably heightened memories or impressions of what life had been like under the great queen† (Morris vii; B arton 724). While it’s not clear whether this nostalgia for the reign of Elizabeth drove Ford when he wrote his play, there are clear parallels between the demands that were placed on the factual Elizabeth and on the fictional Annabella; moreover, there are striking parallels between the responses to the two women’s deaths. Both women were expected to forever remain objects of male erotic desire, and the characteristics of Elizabeth that evoked erotic desire in her subjects parallel the characteristics of Annabella that elicit erotic desire in Giovanni. Just as â€Å"courtiers paid homage to Elizabeth as an ever-youthful yet unapproachable object of desire[,]† Giovanni confesses to Annabella, â€Å"[T]he view / Of thy immortal beauty hath untuned / All harmony both... ...bbory, Achsah. â€Å"’Oh, Let Mee Not Serve So’: The Politics of Love in Donne's Elegies.† ELH 57.4 (1990): 811-833. King, John N. â€Å"Queen Elizabeth I: Representations of the Virgin Queen.† Renaissance Quarterly 43.1 (1990): 30-74. Morris, Brian. Introduction. ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore. By John Ford. Ed. Brian Morris. London: Black, 1992. vii-xxvii. Mullaney, Steven. â€Å"Mourning and Misogyny: Hamlet, The Revenger's Tragedy, and the Final Progress of Elizabeth I, 1600-1607.† Shakespeare Quarterly 45.2 (1994): 139-162. â€Å"Promiscuous, a.2a.† Oxford English Dictionary. 1989 Second ed. OED Online. Oxford University Press. 8 May 2005 . Rose, Mary Beth. â€Å"The Gendering of Authority in the Public Speeches of Elizabeth I.† Publications of the Modern Language Association of America 115.5 (2000): 1077-1082.

Globalization: the Americanization of the World?

Andrew J. Bacevich, American Empire: The Realities and Consequences of U. S. Diplomacy (Harvard University Press, 2002). Joseph E. Stiglitz, Making Globalization Work (Norton, 2007). James L. Watson, ed. , Golden Arches East: McDonald’s in East Asia (2nd edition, Stanford University Press, 2007). Robert McCrum, Globish: How the English Language Became the World’s Language (Norton, 2010). Fareed Zakaria, The Post-American World (Norton, 2009). Globalization is the integration of the world’s different regions into a global culture, economy, geo-political arena, and communication network. It is the process by which the lines of nation states are blurred, smoothed over by new international institutions. Globalization is the undeniable destination of human history and as such permeates nearly every facet of it. It is liquid in this sense, flowing and changing to fill in wherever it flows, but there can be no doubts of the tide of globalizations source: The United States of America. At first glance, the distinctions between Globalization and Americanization are almost imperceptible. â€Å"Big Mac, Coke, and Disney† (Watson, 5) are as recognizable to Chinese and Russians as they are to Americans. The World Bank and IMF’s policies are more or less set by Washington. The American military has the most powerful armies and fleets the world has ever seen, and has effectively dominated the world from World War I onwards. The United States population which is less than 5% of the world population produces about a quarter of global GDP. Such realities might lead one to the conclusion that Globalization and Americanization are synonymous, but is this actually the case? In the discussion of the books at hand, globalization as it pertains to Americanization is made evident. Andrew Bacevich contends that the United States is the primary agent of modern globalization. It has capitalized on the opportunities it has been presented with in order to create a system of global politics and economics that is of the most benefit to itself, all the while packaging it in altruistic rhetoric. Joseph Stiglitz contends that the United States has conducted globalization by dominating the institutions of world governance and finance. It has done so to the detriment of other nations and as such, the American means of globalization is not the best strategy if true globalization† is the desired end. James Watson holds that McDonald’s, once as iconic of America as the stars and stripes and one of the leading agents of globalization, has been assimilated into many local cultures. As such, it no longer represents the Americanized aspect of globalization, but is rather an international institution and an agent of globalization at large. Yet, some of the seemingly obvious aspects of American led globalization are not as American as they may seem today. Robert McCrum asserts that English being the world’s language arises not from American economic and foreign policies, but is rather a legacy of the British Empire. Furthermore, that America is not spreading its culture through English, it is only a tool to be used for communication. Finally, Fareed Zakaria demonstrates that we are departing from a unipolar world dominated by America. Although it will continue to play a leading role in the globalization of the world, â€Å"the rise of the rest† is diminishing its role and the United States is no longer solely holding the reins of globalization. Andrew Bacevich’s assertion is that the idea of the American empire differs only in form from traditional imperialism. Its function, enriching the mother country, is precisely the same but employs a variety of techniques to make this less evident. The United States embraces its role in history of exerting power only as a last resort. Only when circumstances totally necessitated it would America resort to using Theodore Roosevelt’s proverbial â€Å"big stick† (Bacevich 117). The Spanish American war began only when General Valeriano â€Å"Butcher† Weyler could be tolerated no more. World War I was entered only because of the unprovoked German aggression upon the Lusitania. Cold War military and political endeavors were nobly pursued to defend against Communist aggression. Yet Andrew Bacevich rejects this view. He argues that this â€Å"myth of the ‘reluctant superpower’—Americans asserting themselves only under duress and then always for the noblest purposes† (Bacevich 7-8) is exactly that, a myth. That Roosevelt’s reportedly soft speaking and big stick carrying America uses the† reluctant superpower† myth only in order to justify acts of self-interest. Perhaps the more fitting description of America by Theodore Roosevelt is his affirmation that â€Å"of course, our whole national history has been one of expansion† (Bacevich, 7). The United States has conscientiously exerted itself at every opportunity in order to expand its global economic and strategic interests. America’s superpower status and role as an agent of globalization is driven entirely by the machinery of self-interest. Bacevich writes that â€Å"ever increasing prosperity† (Bacevich, 85) is the primary national interest. Furthermore, as Bill Clinton stated â€Å"Growth at home depends upon growth abroad. † Of course, there is still the legitimate idealistic side of globalization as â€Å"the ultimate promise of peace, prosperity, and democracy† (Bacevich, 42), but America’s actual interest and role in globalization is to expand the American economy. In other words, America’s aims in globalization are to benefit the world yes, but â€Å"benefit the United States most of all† (Bacevich, 96). The American economic empire, brought about by the domestic desire for continued growth is the overarching American interest in the realm of globalization. The fact that â€Å"where interests were slight, the United States seldom bothered to make the effort to assert any substantial leverage† (Bacevich, 107) vividly illustrates this. Considering the insubstantial economic incentives of Africa, it â€Å"consistently ranks dead last in U. S. strategic priorities† (Bacevich, 107). Now, take into account the economic and political incentives of Europe’s markets and the Middle East’s oil reserves. Based on US military intervention, it is telling that â€Å"conditions that in the Balkans or the Persian Gulf the United States found intolerable were in Africa merely unfortunate† (Bacevich, 108). The United States found it necessary to militarily intervene in the former two interest-rife locations, and merely sent aid and rhetorical sympathies to the economically barren latter. The portrait of Americanization and Globalization that Andrew Bacevich paints acknowledges one of the primary facets upon which the two collide, the global economy and the United States role within it. To deny that America has been the driving force behind the creation and continuance of modern open market operations, and to deny that it has done so for the betterment of its own economic interests is to deny all but the rhetoric of American imperialism. The United States did not have, as the historian Ernest May naively stated, â€Å"greatness thrust upon it† (Bacevich, 7), but rather calculatedly and ingeniously shaped its responses to global politics and economics in order to integrate and derive the most benefit from the new globalized economy. Joseph Stiglitz, rather explicitly argues that â€Å"globalization should not mean the Americanization of either economic policy or culture, but it often does—and that has caused resentment† (Stiglitz, 9). He argues that â€Å"the worry about American unilateralism, about the world’s most powerful country imposing its will on others† (Stiglitz, 5) is fast becoming substantiated. Despite economic indicators such as GDP suggesting that poor countries seem to be improving, â€Å"globalization might be creating rich countries with poor people† (Stiglitz, 9). As Stiglitz argues, the United States’ goal of making Americanization a component of globalization is causing this. Particularly responsible has been the Washington Consensus, a set of development promoting policies created between the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the U. S. Treasury. The former two of these are basically international lending bodies, delivering short and long term loans, respectively, to countries in need. The policies outlined are â€Å"downscaling of government, deregulation, and rapid liberalization and privatization† (Stiglitz, 17). Although these are the characteristics of western countries, western countries did not become this way through the â€Å"shock therapy† of instant implementation. Rather they came from a drawn out progression of events The implication is that the United States, in attempting to make its political and economic policies integral concepts of the grander one of globalization, is actually turning countries off to the Americanized aspect of globalization. Similarly, the manner in which the United States encourages international trade to be conducted is a hindrance to globalization at large within poor countries. Stiglitz writes that â€Å"countries often need time to develop in order to compete with foreign companies† (Stiglitz, 70). Yet, The United States and the international trade organizations which it dominates oppose tariffs for many industries on the grounds of it inhibiting trade and not allowing the all-wise power of the market to control the economy. However, â€Å"most successful countries did in fact develop behind protectionist barriers† and climbed the â€Å"ladder of development†. The anti-tariff policies that soundly developed countries advocate are viewed as trying to â€Å"kick the ladder away so others can’t follow† (Stiglitz, 71). The uncertain effectiveness of these western policies, policies necessary for developing countries to get assistance from the IMF and World Bank, which they almost undeniably need, calls into question the western policies which they don’t necessarily need, namely democracy. Stiglitz writes that â€Å"IMF conditionality undermines democracy† (Stiglitz, 56), that although â€Å"globalization has helped spread the idea of democracy, it has, paradoxically, been managed in a way that undermines democratic processes within countries† (Stiglitz, 12). America, in efforts to save countries from spending time on the economic policy learning curve, in reality ends up harming them. As such, the United States’ inadequacy for creating economic agendas for developing countries is a paradox of its own success. He posits that in order for the developing countries to benefit from globalization, the agenda of globalization needs to depart from the Americanized version, and instead â€Å"have the voices of developing nations (be) heard more clearly† (Stiglitz, 98). If the hardline factors of globalization—economics, geo-political military assertions, and international governance are the easiest to assess the American-ness of—the soft aspects: cultural and linguistic patterns, are the most difficult. James Watson contends that in some respect, global corporations gain their transnational appeal simply by being American; by being an image of modernity. However, he also holds that components of globalization that were once considered agents of Americanization are now accepted as local. Japanese McDonald’s have â€Å"clearly capitalized on the fact that it is associated with American culture† (Watson, 172). In China, McDonald’s promotes â€Å"the corporations image as an exemplar of modernity† (Watson, 42). McDonald’s in these countries represents what the West represents, or more accurately, what the locals believe the West to represent—â€Å"the promise of modernization† (Watson, 41). It has gone so far as to even change cultural eating habits. In these locations, McDonald’s sells more than hamburgers. It sells America as an ideology, a place of modernity, cleanliness, efficiency, and equality. As Watson would contend in China and Japan, McDonald’s represents the convergence of the idealistic facets of Americanization and globalization: the United States as a favorable model to be emulated. Yet in the case of McDonald’s in Hong Kong, it is not considered â€Å"an example of American-inspired transnational culture† or â€Å"perceived as an exotic or alien institution† (Watson, 107). Rather it is a fully assimilated part of Hong Kong’s modern culture. As Watson writes, â€Å"the transnational is the local. † The younger generation could not â€Å"imagine life without it† (Watson, 109). Thusly, at least in Hong Kong, the American aspect of McDonald’s globalization has faded with its assimilation into the national identity. Although American, it no longer Americanizes or suggests that the American odel is something good and unique that should be followed. McDonald’s in Korea however suggests a different view of Americanization. Some people hold that â€Å"eating McDonald’s hamburgers is tantamount to treason and loss of Korean identity† (Watson, 158) At least here, to some degree McDonald’s is view ed as an American crusader of â€Å"cultural imperialism—a new form of exploitation that results from the export of popular culture from the United States† (Watson, 5). McDonald’s represents a conquering American agent seeking to enthrall and draw in cultures to that of its global Americanized one. Another phenomenon of globalization, one might argue American-driven globalization, is English becoming the language of the world. Robert McCrum argues however that this is not a legacy of the American century, but rather a legacy of the British Empire. America has helped to propagate it but it in fact is originally an agent of British-ization. McCrum writes â€Å"The nineteenth (century) was, supremely, the century of British English – first the King’s and then the Queen’s – but it also witnessed the beginnings of the world’s English† (McCrum, 174). English spread to the earth not as a result of America’s dominance in the 20th century, but rather Britain’s far flung immigration in the 19th. McCrum contends that this is what made Jean-Paul Nerriere’s global English (Globish) so accessible to so many people across the world. It is removed from American influence in that it was not asserted upon the world by America. Rather because of Britain and certain historical tilts towards English speaking, it simply fell into place. In essence, McCrum asserts that British English lay the foundation for English to become, as John Adams wrote in 1780, â€Å"in the next and succeeding centuries†¦the language of the world† (McCrum, 105), and as such is not truly an assertion of American influence. However, McCrum’s points are debatable. As a proud Englishman, he seems ready to assert the obvious role of Britain in making it a global language, but is less generous when it comes to the American aspects. Furthermore, his denial of English as a cultural force is problematic. The global media is dominated by America. The largest media conglomerates in the world are American. Ten of the highest twelve paid musicians in the world are American. McCrum seems to ignore the fact that media is one of the largest aspects of globalization, and that American influences dominate it. These have been the themes of globalization. The convergence of Americanization and globalization has dually permeated military affairs, economics, culture, and language. On the global stage, the United States has been the dominant player for over a century. However, to what extent will this remain true in the 21st century? Fareed Zakaria contends that it will, but will require a reassessment of the global community. Zakaria puts forth that we are â€Å"now living through the third great power shift of the modern era† (Zakaria, 2), not â€Å"the decline of America but rather†¦the rise of everyone else† (Zakaria, 1). What this means for Globalization as it is linked to Americanization is that although the U. S. ’s role will still be there, it is diminishing. The historically United States dominated past has paved the way for this. Its active efforts in globalizing the worlds consequence is the â€Å"rise of the rest† (Zakaria, 2). As Zakaria writes â€Å"the United States succeeded in its great and historic mission—it globalized the world. But along the way†¦it forgot to globalize itself† (Zakaria, 48). The arising international order that Zakaria see’s is a term invented by Samuel Huntington â€Å"uni-multipolarity†, which can be described as â€Å"many powers and one super-power† (Zakaria, 43). In the new international order, the United States will merely be a leading actor on a stage of many. The other actors are comprised of new powerful economies—China, India, Brazil. The United States has been able to maintain its preeminence within globalization in the past but the changing realities of the global economic landscape will require according change from America. Zakaria lays out a series of principles that the United States should or must follow in order to maintain its position in the modern world as a chief agent of globalization. These principles recognize the changing landscape and suggest how America can perpetuate its interests, its goal of Americanization within globalization. Firstly, the United States must choose which policies it actively wants to pursue. The ambiguity of policy facing Iran and North Korea do not allow the United States to reach an attainable international goal. If the United States were to decide that they were simply proponents of â€Å"regime change or policy change (that is, denuclearization)† (Zakaria, 234) they could more efficiently define the changes they wish to see in the global community. Similarly, in order for the US to continue to blend Americanization with Globalization, they must set out broad rules and seek to cultivate its bilateral relationships with other nations. As Zakaria argues, if the U. S. has strong relationships with other strong nations, better than anyone has with another, â€Å"it gives the United States the greatest leverage†¦maximizing its ability to shape a peaceful and stable world† (Zakaria, 242). The United States must also be careful in how it shapes it’s responses to international conflict. â€Å"Legitimacy is power† (Zakaria, 247) and the nature of the United States’ current conflicts are â€Å"asymmetrical†, meaning they are not facing conventional military forces or typical state actors. As Zakaria writes â€Å"asymmetrical responses have become easier to execute and difficult to defeat† (Zakaria, 244). Therefore in order to remain legitimate, to have the power to â€Å"set the agenda, define a crisis, and mobilize support† (Zakaria, 247) for the United States’ interests in globalization, reactions need to be shaped to fit the conflicts at hand. Overall, Zakaria contends that if the United States is not willing to change its policies and approach towards globalization and the global community, it will no longer effectively be able to mesh Americanization with globalization. In the analysis of how linked globalization and Americanization are within the context of these books, a complex and comprehensive picture can be draw. The United States has been able to use globalization as a tool to create a global economic empire and cultural model. Through the capitalization of opportunities to expand its markets, packaged in its â€Å"reluctant superpower† myth, the United States has been able to assert itself internationally and accomplish its political and economic aims. However, the changing nature of the global landscape calls for a recalculation of how this strategy of self-interest can be perpetuated. Furthermore, the United States will have to make some concessions regarding its hegemony as other nations with large populations and strong economies grow in power and importance. Culturally, the United States benefited from the British Empire’s legacy of spreading English around the world. However, it has also been able to capitalize on this and further Americanize the world through the consequentially large English speaking media outlets. Multinational corporations such as McDonald’s still possess their American identity abroad, but this is beginning to change in respect to the world’s youth. It is now dually perceived as a symbol of modernity (which sometimes equates to Americanization) but also a component of local culture. Therefore, whether globalization is the Americanization of the world seems to be a yes. The debate whether it will, or should continue to be, is still ongoing, and remains to be seen, dependent on how America conducts itself in the post-American World.

Kindness: Positive Psychology and Old Lady

Doing kindness to a perfectly stranger?.. how would I feel? well, I felt a sense of fullfiment and satisfaction. I was with my mother and sister the day when we visited a trade fair in La trinidad, the sun was high,twas'12pm, we were of course famished but we decided to quench first our thirst, we ordered halo halo from one of the stalls there. We joined a table where two girls were quitely enjoying their halo halo.. suddenly an old lady approached them, I overheard the old lady telling them that she was hungry,.. he old lady just stood there completely stoned, as in she was just standing in front of them while the two girls ignored her and continued whatever conversation that they were having maybe waiting for something,,,i thought those two girls were heartless, the woman was just like their mom already, so what I did was, I went to buy her pansit. The seller asked me if the old lady was disturbing us, I said no that it was completely fine, that she was just hungry that's all.I the n gave the pansit to the lola, she ate, then left.. no thank you or anything.. Though I heard no thank you from that lola, I felt happy anyway, knowing that the pansit filled her stomach and that maybe she is grateful somewhere in her heart. My point is, helping someone may it be for little things or for big, it will somehow give you a sense of worth for your existense†¦ that YOU EXIST FOR A PURPOSE!!! FGeXIST FJJEXEXIST FOR A PURPOSE! 🙂