In business, the image of a product is more important than the product itself.

In business, the image of a product is more important than the product itself.

11:15 to 11:42

Business is a very artistic field and requires persistence, persuasiveness and often times guile. Businesses often come in two varieties, either service oriented or product oriented, in which the latter is more common. Products launched by many companies have been glamorized by the use of advertisements and other visual aids in an effort to persuade consumers in purchasing the item. Businesses accomplish this by either focusing on the image of a product or the products importance itself. There are specific circumstances in which this applies.

Firstly consider a situation in which, the image of a product is more important than the product itself. Many businesses rely on the image of a product to sell it and is often accomplished by using an economics concept of “soft sell”. Soft sell is where advertisements for products are directed towards the emotions rather than cognitive reasoning of the viewer and potential consumer. This is most frequently found in the fashion and cosmetics industry. In both the fashion and cosmetics industry visual images are often used to convey hidden images and ideas to consumers along with the advertisement for the products. For example, fashion companies such as Gap, Louis Voutton, Dolce and Victorias Secret all spend millions on advertising using images to capture the consumer audience. In most cases, sex appeal is a very popular method of luring consumers into getting the product, when it is a desire or a wanted item. The image of the product is often shown as stylish, fits in with the social norm, rich and in good taste. Over the past few years there has been so much fierce competition amongst lingerie and perfume companies, such as Axe, in which some companies flourished by glamorizing the product with sex appeal. Likewise automobile companies such as Nissan and Toyota have relied on imagery from picturesque locations and cartoon characters to target children and adults to buy family vehicles. Thus it is evident that an image of a product is more important than a product it self when a consumer is a wanted item and fulfills one’s desire.

In contrast, consider a situation in which, the product is more important than the image of a product. In today’s drastically changing world of technology, companies use the concept of hard sell that focus on details, cognitive information, facts, and data rather than imagery to sell a product. For instance, many computer companies use the concept of hard sell by exaggerating and creating an obsession with numbers of quantities such as, memory, ram, disk space in megabytes, gigabytes and terabytes. Also companies tend to focus on, the amount cores, longevity of battery life, and speed of internet connection in megabytes per second. Thus in the case of computers, the product is more important than the image. It is a tool and the way it looks is secondary to the way it performs. The products specification is more important than the aesthetic looks.

All in all, the product and the product image are important but each is specific to a different circumstance. When a product is appealing to our wants then image is more important to grab attention of consumer and fulfill the desire as in the  case of the fashion industry to move products. However, when product appeals to needs then, the product and details itself are important as in the case of computers. Computer is a tool that must accomplish daily tasks thus the way it looks is secondary and the functionality to fulfill needs is more important. 

Stability in society can lead to stagnation.

Stability in society can lead to stagnation.

11:30-12

Stability in society is a desired outcome in many nations across the globe. What determines stability for that nation is dependent on what the people of the country want. Without stability in society there would be widespread unrest and turmoil causing problems for the nation as a whole. An unstable nation is very dangerous because it can cause harm to those that are stable. Stability in society can sometimes lead to stagnation but also prosperity and integrity in morale for a society.

First consider a situation where stability in society has lead to stagnation and a constant state of being. If a society experiences a relatively long period of stability (e.g., economic and social realm), they could lose ability to deal with more precarious circumstances. When people are accustomed to a constant state of balance, lack of concern and readiness for worst case scenarios is detrimental. For example, in the case of the United States, under President Bill Clinton’s administration the US experienced a relatively prolonged period of economic stability and prosperity. The population faced very low unemployment, high salaries accompanied with people experiencing the American Dream from high standards of living. Many people placed all their eggs in one nest and did so without any careful planning. This has been especially true in the case of the housing market, where many people heavily invested their savings in real estate throughout the 1990s  and speculated that the prices of homes were going to keep on rising. People did not diversify their investments and thus solely depended on the housing marker for financial security. However, unexpectedly in 2007 the housing bubble burst many people were panicked to see their home values depreciate and lose valuable investments via foreclosure. After the housing bubble burst the job market crippled along with the deficit thus it is evident that without planning in a stable society can cause problems.

In stark contrast, consider a situation where stability in society has not lead to stagnation rather a sense of security and betterment.  For example, in Canada, there is stability in society, as the democratic system has been preserved for over 140 years, since 1867. In comparison to the US, Canada was not as hard hit by the 2009 recession or the 2007 housing bubble because of planning and implementation by the government . Most people did not put all eggs in one basket rather the most lucrative business in Canada was oil and natural resources which have fueled Canada’s growth even now. Despite tensions with local native populations  over land, overall careful financial planning and diversification have benefited Canada in the long run during hard financial times such as the recession. Thus in Canada, there has not been any stagnation and has developed policies rules which benefit the country of Canada. In fact, due to such a system, Canada, once regarded as a developing nation is now regarded as a fully developed country through planning.

All in all a society with stability that ends up in stagnation is circumstantial. If a nation experiences prolonged times of prosperity and stability, as with the United States,  people are not prepared for worst case scenarios because they lacked planning and suffered in the recession. However in the case of Canada, people were more vigilant and planned carefully in times of great stability and thus were not as hard hit by the recession as the United States.

Higher education would be more effective if colleges were more selective in choosing students.

Higher education would be more effective if colleges were more selective in choosing students.
12:23- 12:53   

Education is an important aspect of any society and has been transformed dramatically over the past few centuries. In most nations across the globe, higher education has been reaping its rewards for many people. It is shown that a college graduate earns significantly more than a high school dropout and Master’s Degree will earn more than college graduate. Thus, higher education is a must for those who want new doorways of opportunity to open. Politicians have promised the public that they will put more children college than ever before. The problem with this is that, if colleges are accessible to more people the value of higher education plummets and increases competition. Thus colleges must find fine balance with who they matriculate.

First consider a situation in which colleges must be selective in choosing students. In many nations, there are so called “Ivy League” or first class universities that have developed a renowned reputation worldwide. The primary reason for this reputation is the success rate of these graduates in the work force compared to other employees in the job market. Ivy League schools such as Princeton, Yale and Harvard are major Ivy Leauge schools in the US that have very selective admission criteria. Each school has a specific vision and mission thus to fulfill the crux of the school’s foundation, a stringent selection criteria must be present to matriculate a potentially successful candidate. In most cases, a high GPA, preferably a 4.0, or community involvement are examined to see how well rounded a student is. Looking at these criteria will easily weed out those incompetent to meet the school’s vision. Most Ivy League school are also situated in very costly locations that have high cost of living. Thus , wealth may also be a factor in selecting candidates because, in order to make a profit, Ivy League school have to find academically well round students and wealth at the same time. This combination is very rare in most cases, thus high selective factors by college results in, value of an education in these institutions as highly regarded in society and gives graduates an edge over their competition.

In contrast, the majority of colleges in any society are selective but to a lower degree than Ivy League schools. For public academic institutions, funded by the government and students the selection factors are a bit lowered in these cases. An ordinary citizen to jump up a rung in the social ladder must attend higher education. Most citizens are not so wealthy so wealth is not considered as seriously as Ivy League schools. Likewise academic standards for admission are lowered because they take anyone in order to recruit students for a profit. For example, public universities in a small community are usually less selective. In Maine, community colleges and the University of Maine System have far less standards of admission in terms of lower cost, GPA requirements and SAT scores. Hence since more people are often associated with low GPAs and SAT scores more people attend community colleges and government run state universities to get a better future and financial independence.  The primary reason for these lower standards is that too much selective criteria will harm the college’s chances in gaining a profit thus have lower standards. Having lower standards of college admission will allow the working class to grow thus have more contribution to the working class.

All in all, it is evident that  higher education exists in two flavors, one where stringent selection is critical for success and in other cases lower standards are a must, which depend on population demographics. When there are ivy league schools in wealthy neighborhoods, higher stricter standards are present for admission in order to maintain a higher cost of living and reputation. These selective criteria will give graduates from Ivy League schools to have an edge over their competition. On the other hand, government run universities in a small community, often middle class or poor,  are usually less selective because their very survival is on students and without students the college will shut down. Hence public colleges are less selective.

Lies are often less harmful than the truth.

Lies are often less harmful than the truth.

“Liar! Liar! Pants on fire!” This is a commonly uttered phrase by school children and adults in society. At a very early age, most families and school teach certain morals and values, one of which is the difference between a truth and lie. A lie is a deliberate manifestation, created by a person to cover up the truth . However, lies can come in two types, one in which lies will cause harm to others or “white lies” that protect others well being.

First consider a situation in which, lies are more than the truth. For example, consider the moral story of, the “Boy Who cried Wolf ”. In this tale, a boy living in a small town surrounded by a village starts to shout out “ a wolf is coming and it will harm you all”. At the first instance, everyone in the town were panic stricken until they found out it was a false alarm. Another day went by and the boy cried wolf again, this time getting some attention than before, and the citizen of the town fell for another false alarm. Pretty soon the townspeople and his family were getting fed up with his lies and that it was getting irritating. He ignored their advise on lying, and on the next day the boy cried wolf, and this time he was in real danger, yet no one believed him thinking it was another false alarm. This fable shows that lying is harmful than telling the truth because the boy lost trust from his family and townsfolk by excessive lying. No one can tell the difference between a lie or the truth. Another example, is a motorist caught speeding by police. The motorist has 2 options: lie and deny knowledge of speeding or admit mistake and apologize to the officer.  By lying, it is more likely to get a speeding ticket than telling the truth. Lying gives the police officer the impression that you don’t respect them, you’re unwilling to cooperate with the law, and you have difficulty admitting and recognizing your mistakes. Thus lying is very harmful than the truth.

In contrast, consider a situation in which, lies are beneficial than the truth. For example, in World War II, some Jews escaped being detained and sent to labor concentration camps by lying about their identity to the Gestapo or the SS, the Nazi Secret Police. Although it was rather unsuccessful, it helped some escape and lead new lives abroad. One renowned case is the Frank family in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, tried and succeeded in outwitting the Nazis by lying about his business practices. Although his family registered as Jews at the local Nazi office, Otto Frank relied on his close acquaintances to take over his Jewish company, Opekta, that sold spices since Jews were denied the right to own business or make profit in Aryan society. Hence, Otto’s closest acquaintance and employees, Miep Gies, Mr. Kuegler, and Mr. Kleiman were each given specific roles to continue business while Otto Frank was still listed as the founder of the company. Otto ordered to change the name of his business from Opekta to Gies and Company, which changed the impression from Jewish to Aryan. By giving this white lie, it would give an opportunity for the Frank family as well as the Van Daans to hide in the Secret Annex till the end of the war. Thus by lying in the first place, Otto was able to preserve Anne’s diary and give insights of experience as well as wisdom for others to prevent future incidents of discrimination.

All in all, lies can be harmful or beneficial dependent on the situation. When there is situation that depends on life or death of a person, such as the Frank family, white lies are acceptable to prevent harm and to preserve the truth of discrimination under Hitler. However in the case of the Boy Who cried Wolf, lying to cover up a lie can cause people to lose trust. Thus in most cases lies are shunned upon, but in rare cases for survival lies can be said.

Education should promote learning outside the classroom as well as within.

Education should promote learning outside the classroom as well as within.

5:15-5:45

Education is a very indispensable part of any society because it helps develop the nation to be self sufficient. In particular education in the classroom promotes important goals of society but mostly is geared toward learning academics to be independent in their fields. Lessons in the core curriculum of math, reading, science and history are designed to further the growth of children so they can develop into well-functioning adults of society. Also education, comes in the form of practical experience outside of the classroom. In today’s world, education should not only promote learning within the classroom but give learning experiences in the real world, such as life skills.

Firstly consider a situation in which, education will promote learning outside the classroom.

Certain life skills cannot be covered by the school system and are better learned outside the classroom. This includes developing "street smarts" or the ability to protect oneself in an uncertain environment and "people smarts" or the ability to understand others by socializing with them. For instance, skills of reading and performing simple mathematics will help serve people's sense of independence and ability to do basic tasks outside the house. A person can go shopping and find one's way around a city. One can also develop a sense of civic responsibility out side the classroom by volunteering for various causes in society. With civic responsibility comes a greater awareness of the different types of people in society as well as what they can do to be a contributor in society.

Traditional curriculum of the classroom serves to promote skills that will allow citizens to function in a literate world such as in the job market. If the system promotes learning in the classroom as the only method of education, it will encourage one-sided citizens. Citizens that are limited in their ability to approach practical situations that cannot be learned through books. Citizens that cannot work well in groups or handle social situations. Indeed, education should also inspire curiosity of the world outside the classroom---particularly, an appreciation for students' surroundings and nature. Likewise there are times when education systems shall not promote ALL types of learning outside the classroom. For example, first-hand experience of certain things and acts that could endanger children should not be encouraged. Undoubtedly, the best way to learn about sex and drugs is to engage in them but schools should not promote this type of experimentation. They should, however, have the responsibility of somehow warning about the dangers of certain activities via the traditional curriculum.  By having traditional curriculum, can prevent unexpected strains on society such as abortions and teen pregnancies.

All in all, education should value both in classroom learning and also value the type of learning that can be achieved outside the classroom. Indeed, the school system aims to level the playing field by providing children with lessons of reading and numbers that may not necessarily be learned at home. Thus both in class learning and practical learning should be equally weighted to give a well rounded individual. 

Globalization eliminates important cultural differences.

Globalization eliminates important cultural differences.

10:35-11:05

Globalization is an omnipresent phenomenon that has been associated with humans from ancient times. It is a process where ideas, culture and in some cases religious beliefs are spread from group of people to another. Nowadays, globalization has taken the form of Americanization, in which western ideas and culture have been taken primarily from the United States and incorporated into another country’s social manifest.  The pace of globalization has risen drastically over the past decade due to new communication technology such as satellite/cable television, internet, radio and other forms of multimedia. While globalization has profound impacts on business and consumers, some are concerned about the impacts on culture. Some countries people have readily accepted globalization thus eliminating cultural differences whereas others have taken a defensive stance against globalization, trying to preserve their own culture.

Firstly consider a situation in which globalization does not eliminate important cultural differences. When a nation is suffering from an economic crisis or times of hardship from a natural disaster, people tend to be self centered and place their own country as first priority. For example, the United States in the recent 2009 recession many Americans were outraged to see their jobs being outsourced overseas by American companies in an effort to reduce costs and avoid bankruptcy through cheap labor. In these times of hardship, Americans tend to scapegoat outsiders such as immigrants and Muslims for their misery and woes as a way to alleviate their tensions. The United States in general, tends to encourage national supremacy in the education system and tends to discourage students from learning about other cultures and countries. Thus in times like these, countries can choose to block globalization by rejecting others ideas and preserve their own culture. Likewise, in Middle Eastern nations such as Iraq, Pakistan and Iran tend to shun and take a stand against globalization especially Americanization, to preserve ethnic beliefs and to prevent the erosion of Islam. Hence many people react to Americanization via protests to defend Islamic culture and encourage an “us vs them” attitude. Thus it is evident that people can choose not to be influenced by globalization due to national hardships or preservation of national culture.

In contrast, consider a situation in which globalization can eliminate important cultural differences. When a nation is experiencing times of economic stability and prosperity, globalization is easily embraced and adopted into society. For example, in India, over the past decade many US jobs from the Information technology sector have been outsourced along with  American culture and values. American culture has diffused to India not only via the booming IT sector but also the expansion of multimedia and drastic advances in communication technology. Despite national identity and culture, majority of youth in India readily embraced globalization especially of western ideals because they wanted some change to way of life. For example, movies from Hollywood have been a major means of transmitting American values and culture. Thus many Indians tend to delineate and don appearance and mannerism of renowned movie stars and pop icons such as Britney Spears and Sean Connery. Women tend to bleach their hair skin,  along with tattoos and body piercing to fit into this new social norm in India. Another instance of American infiltration is of fast food joints and ready availability of food. More people tend to choose fast food over home cooked meals in India now because of wealth for the middle class from the IT sector and lack of time to cook at home. Thus it is evident that globalization can eliminate important differences.

All in all, whether a nation will readily embrace globalization is circumstantial. When a nation is suffering from a crisis or when nation such as, Iran, wants to preserve national culture and religion, globalization is rejected. However, in the case of India where people are experiencing a booming economy and seek change, then globalization of western ideas are readily accepted and thus eliminate cultural differences by encouraging cultural homogeneity. Overall acceptance of globalization is up to the people to accept it or reject it.

A nation's ability to survive is often dependent upon its military strength.

A nation's ability to survive is often dependent upon its military strength.

10:30-11

A nation’s military is a very crucial part to a nation’s stability and completing the objectives or goals associated with the national agenda. The primary purpose of the military is to protect the nation from external threats and invasion as well as maintaining internal stability. In addition, they may launch offensive attacks on suspected enemies as a precautionary measure to prevent future attacks, such as preventing the suspected accumulation of weapons of mass destruction and helping to depose authoritarian leaders of other nations (to site recent examples). In most cases military strength correlates with a country's relative power in the world. However, possession of military strength is not always necessary for a nation's survival.

Firstly consider a situation in which a nation’s ability to survive is dependent on military strength. The British Empire was once a large empire that covered a quarter of the world’s population by dominating the local populations. One of the most notable British occupations were in India. India was under colonial rule for over two centuries under the East India Company Raj which was controlled by Queen Victoria, the last Empress of India, primarily due to the sophisticated weapons that were only present in the New World. The British East India Company had issued a monopoly over India’s resources such as food, textiles, spices and other luxury goods. Since most of India’s neighbors and allies were not fond of the British and often rebelled against the British occupation. Hence, for the British Empire to continue with their occupation in India, the Royal British Army was serviced in cantonments in multiple cities and regions. The military was the only way the British could impose tariffs on the Indians without rebellion. Thus the British Empire was very successful for two centuries in a rebellious environment primarily due to an organized military.

In contrast there are times where, a nation’s ability to survive does not require military strength. A nation with powerful allies does not require internal military strength. For example, the formation of the European Union recently, has reduced the strain of national security in many European nations because of unity and allies. In times, of war, nations such as Switzerland, can  count on defense assistance from its more military-capable leaders, such as England and France. Thus, nations that receive substantial aid from world powers can also survive without possessing its own powerful military. Israel, for example, has a relatively strong military but not nearly as strong as that of the United States. With substantial funding from the US, Israel can maintain this strength and defend itself from certain threats posed by its Arabic neighbors.

In all, a nation’s ability to survive with military strength is circumstantial. A powerful military is a good indicator of national stability in certain cases. When a nation is trying to control another nation for resources then it is necessary to have military strength as in the case of British imperial rule in India. However when a nation such as Israel has allies it is not necessary to have a national army, rather external assistance from the US will help them face threats from Arab neighbors.

The role of a political opposition is to criticize the policies of those in power.

The role of a political opposition is to criticize the policies of those in power.

11:50-12:20

Politics is a very enigmatic field that is dependent on politicians trying to satisfy the demands and needs of their constituents. In most cases, politics is meant to serve the people in the best way possible, however there are times when political opposition is necessary. Just like competition in the economic market a fresh perspective is indispensable for change. While part of the political opposition is to criticize those in power, it is also important to keep the political atmosphere dynamic and evolving to meet the needs of the people in alternative ways if possible.

First consider situations when the political opposition may criticize the policies of those in power. During times of mass upheaval and discontent amongst constituents, the political opposition has the right to criticize the people in power when other alternatives are present. For example, in the current Obama administration, since the start President Obama has tried multiple ways to bring the US economy back on its feet and running. He had issued multiple bailout plans for major financial credit unions and banks in hopes to gain support from constituents. He had also increased taxes on the wealthier classes which sparked outrage amongst the opposition. After a couple of years, in 2009 the US House of Representative and Senate conducted an election in which the power in the House was transferred from Democratic Nancy Pelosi to Republican John Boehner. With the shift in power, Republicans have tried to reversed Obama’s change in economic principles. Many states such as New York and California are cutting back on Medicaid and Welfare programs such as EBTs as well as food stamp programs in an effort to lower the debt ceiling. Thus Republicans found an alternative way to bring back the American economy by encouraging small business owners to continue investing rather than from stepping back. Thus it is evident in this case that role of political opposition was to give a fresh new perspective in bringing back a viable US economy.

On the other hand, consider when political opposition may be compliant and work toward the policies of those in power. During President Clinton’s administration of the early 1990s, the political opposition had very little to criticize about Bill Clinton’s presidency. The national economy was in good standing, and the people were thriving in a surplus economy. The unemployment rate was very low and more jobs were being created than ever before with the growth of industry. With all these positive outcomes under the Clinton administration, the Republicans had no choice but to comply with Clinton’s agenda because they had no other alternative to challenge or to do better than Clinton. Similarly in the Bush administration, many families were robbed of their loved on September 11, 2001. Due to these horrific attacks on US soil by Al Qaeda terrorists and Islamic extremists, President Bush sought justice for the American people. President Bush eventually established a new government agency, The Department of Homeland Security and the Transport Security Agency (TSA). Likewise he declared war on terrorism in 3 fronts: Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan in hopes to thoroughly wipeout the criminal perpetrators responsible for the 9-11 attacks. Despite major opposition initially by Democrats, most people agreed with President Bush’s idea to wage war on these countries to bring criminals to justice. In the process, key terrorists were brought to justice. Thus it is evident, that when a nation is working towards a common goal, in this case bringing terrorists to justice, compliance by opposition is necessary.

In all it is evident that there needs to be balance between compliance and criticism in politics. When a nation is suffering from low morale and a weak economy it is essential for the political opposition to step up and criticize the ruling party to offer fresh alternatives. However, in times of uncertainity in an issue of economic surplus as seen under Bill Clinton, political compliance was a must because no other alternative was present to challenge him.

The role of technology should be to improve human life, but not to affect human values.

The role of technology should be to improve human life, but not to affect human values.

5:06- 5:36

Throughout the history of humankind, new innovations were created over time to make life easier. Technology gives humans endless possibilities in dynamic society. As humans understood basic scientific principles, more complex technology was coined to give rise to complex tools and machines to make modern human life easier. Despite the promise of technology to improve human life there may be instances where technology in the wrong hands may result in abuse and thus affect human values in adverse ways such as pollution, loss of life and increased stratification of society.

Firstly consider situations where technology can be used to enhance human life and make arduous tasks more feasible. In the case of the United States and many other industrialized nations technology has become the forefront of society, thus indispensable for survival. For example, during the Industrial revolution of the 1900s some technology was developed but it was not as efficient and fast as today’s technology. For instance, the telegram service and the early automobile improved human life gradually but had limitations. Nowadays with the help of the computer these limitations have been removed and has become an all in one machine that is versatile for every discipline in society. In the field of medicine, technology has enhanced the efficiency and success rates of modern medicine compared to the past. With the help of technological advances such as microscopy, X rays, cell lab techniques and computer visualization of the human body, medicine has flourished into a very successful and evolving field. Additionally, in engineering technological advances have had major implication not only in the developed world but in underdeveloped nations. In industrialized nations engineering has benefited from technology especially the computer that enables workers to plan out construction projects and to make public infrastructure safer. In developing nations, technology such as  reverse osmosis of rain water and sanitation procedures have improved the quality of life in underdeveloped nations. Also, the spread of modern medicine to underdeveloped nations has helped eradicate diseases such as polio and malaria via vaccinations. Thus it is evident that technology can be used to enhance human life.

On the other hand, just like any other field, technology has its downfall. If technology gets in the wrong hands then it can have adverse affects on human lives. Technology can be used as a source of control over other peoples lives. For instance in the industrialized worlds with a capitalistic society, computer and wireless telecommunications has made it very easy for companies to lure customers into giving them profits by compromising the livelihood of others.  This has been achieved through telemarketing and outsourcing of jobs by Multi-national corporations (MNCs). Also in modern society, advancement of technology have dramatic affects on the health of individuals. With the invention of automobiles and planes people have become very dependent on these technologies resulting in a sedentary lifestyle. For instance, people may have a grocery store one block away and instead of walking choose to drive their car. These implications of technology have resulted in skyrocketing obesity rates in industrialized nations. Similarly, some may use technology to destroy human life by making atomic bombs and nuclear weapons to gain unfair control of people to fulfill selfish demands.

All in all, like any other field technology is a two way street. Technology can be used to improve human life if one chooses to do so and will greatly benefit society. The advancements in technology throughout time has showcased the possibilities of human ingenuity. It has allowed societies to develop in dynamic ways, as well as ease the lives of future generations. While technology can be used to improve human life, there are always possibilities of abuse. People can use this accumulated knowledge to gain power and compromise the health and safety of others. Therefore, there must be a fine balance between how technology should be used in society and be aware of the downside of technology such used for harm.

Advances in communication have led to a loss of personal privacy

Advances in communication have led to a loss of personal privacy

5:42-6:12

Technology has evolved in many forms since the start of human kind in ancient civilizations. The Industrial revolution of the 1900s have introduced humans to new forms of technology such as the telegram, printing press and telephone. However, in today’s modern world advances in communication technology have transformed our world dramatically, making it much smaller. Only a century ago, it would take a person several months to relay a message across the world to a recipient. Nowadays a person can transmit information in seconds to anyone across the world with new technological advance. Like all things in society, advances in communication have their downsides.

First consider a situation in which advance in communication have led to a loss of privacy. Nowadays, the internet has become an omnipresent facility in all corners of the globe. It has become a form of connections with others in ways never imagined before. However some bad apples have used this technology for their own sense of pleasure and gain. For example, in the recent 2009 Rutgers University web-cam case, a college freshman, Dharun Ravi and his friend Molly Wei  used a web cam to record a sexual encounter of his roommate, Tyler Clementi with another man. Tyler Clementi had initially informed his roommate that a friend would stop by and needed some privacy. Despite this request, Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei continued with their intentions of recording the sexual encounter. Both Dharun Ravi and Mol Wei recorded the sexual encounter with a computer web cam and used Twitter to broadcast live the encounter online as well as use comment boxes on web-pages to create gossip of the incident. Mr. Ravi stating “ Look my roommate is making out with some random dude”. Soon after, Mr. Ravi was done recording and commenting on the event that night, Tyler Clementi had realized his privacy was breached by his roommate thus committed suicide off the George Washington Bridge later that day. Thus it is evident that advances in communication have led to a loss of privacy.

Next consider a situation in which advances in communication have not led to a loss of privacy. As mentioned before, advances in communication have made the world a smaller place. With the computer many video sharing websites and chatting software have been coined in the last decade. Firstly, e-mail has transformed communication dramatically over the past 3 decades. In the 1900s it would take several months to send a message in a telegram to another country, but nowdays with e-mail communication is rapid and efficient which occurs in fraction of the time. One of the most notable forms of communication is Skype. Skype is a virtual video calling software that enables people to chat with friends and family from any distance. During the Iraq war of 2003, many soldiers used Skype and their laptops to spend time with their loved ones from a distance. Also, Skype has been very useful in education across college campuses. In rural places such as Maine, distance education has been made possible via Skype. With Skype students are able to have an interactive form of learning with others across the globe in all disciplines of study from humanities to science. Thus it is evident that advances in communication may actually benefit society.

In all advances in communication is a 2 way street. Advances in communication can be used to invade privacy and take advantage of them as in the case of Dharun Ravi in the Rutger’s University webcam spying case resulting in the death of Tyler Clementi. However advances in communication have improved interactions between humans in education and communication with friends and family. Thus it is in the hands of society to stop those who use technology to harm others but also to encourage the use of technology to benefit everyone.

Democracy necessarily implies the suppression of some individual interests for the good of society as a whole.

Democracy necessarily implies the suppression of some individual interests for the good of society as a whole.

12:45-1:15

The purpose of a democracy is to give a voice for the people and the government serves to satisfy the needs of the people. In short a democracy is made by the people for the people. Democracy has often been equated with freedom where people have the right to make their own choices. However others view democracy as a decision making entity made by a majority that restricts freedoms. A democracy can not be truly free but there needs to be a balance between enforcing rules and giving the rights to freedom of speech for the good of society. 

First consider a situation where a democracy does not suppress individual interests or rights for the good of the people. The US is very popular in that it gives an opportunity for many minorities to have a voice and place in society amongst the majority. The Bill of Rights is a fundamental US document that outlines the freedoms that are given to all individuals in the United States, and especially guarantees rights to minorities. During the times of peace and civil order democracy serves in the best interest of the people and good of society. A prime example of this is freedom of religion and language. Although the majority of the US is of European and Caucasian descent, Christianity and English are two common themes present in daily life. However, not all people fall into this category. In the ever changing world through globalization and immigration, cultural diffusion has made the majority of the people more aware that everyone is unique. Under the democracy, it is forbidden to discriminate someone by their race, skin color, religion or sexuality. After the atrocities of World War II and Hitler’s inhumanity to Jews and other ethnic groups, many industrialized countries have adopted a zero tolerance policy on discrimination to promote diversity in the community. Anti-semitic or racial comments are not accepted under the Bill of rights because it harms others. Therefore this is an example where democracy protects individual rights for the good of society as a whole.

However there are instances where democracy suppresses individual interests or rights for the good of society. In times of civil distress or disorder it may be necessary for a democratic government to suppress individual rights. After the 9-11 attacks on US soil, the government as well as citizens were emotionally devastated and in shock of the attacks. Families of victims sought justice for the terrorists responsible for such atrocities. Under this time of disorder, panic and general pandemonium in US transportation and daily life the government tries to quell the anxiety of society by reassuring everything was going to be alright. The Bush Administration took some swift steps to tighten national security in an effort to prevent attacks of similar magnitude in the future. Most security in the post 9-11 era involves suppression of privacy for the common good of society. For example, the TSA and Department of Homeland Security have issued mandatory security  checkpoints of baggage and passengers. The full body pat downs, ful body scanners, removal of shoes, belts,  surrendering of laptops and other hand held devices have become common place in many airports in the US and abroad. This is an example of where individual rights to privacy are sacrificed for a short time for the good of the people to maintain safety and security.

In conclusion, it is circumstantial when democracy will suppress individual rights and when it will. In times of peace and prosperity the government will make every effort to maintain individual rights for the good of society. However, in times of hardship and insecurity such as a terrorist threat, many nations tend to suppress individual rights by issuing security checkpoints to prevent future terrorist attacks. Therefore in times of hardship, the government tends to suppress individual rights and interests for the good of society as a whole.

Most positive outcomes in politics are the result of skillful planning.

Most positive outcomes in politics are the result of skillful planning.

12:05-12:35

Politics is a very turbulent field that is never definite in its outcomes and is a profession of chance. The primary purpose of politics in a democracy is to serve as a voice for the people in the legislature to bring important issues attention. Politics is not only found in government but in daily life amongst common citizens where some people tend to have favoritism and power over issues than others.  However not all instances in politics are based on chance, but some are a result of skillful planning and organization of thought. Whether a positive outcome in politics is a result of skillful planning or chance depends on the circumstances.

First consider a situation when a positive outcome in politics is a result of skillful planning and implementation. For example, in 2011 when the Obama Administration were determined to weed out the terrorist organizations, Osama Bin Laden was the first priority. Before making any drastic moves, President Obama discussed the matter with his staff and army personnel to find the best strategy that would make the operation a success. Obama took this step because if the operation failed then the image of the United States and Obama as President would crumble. Therefore, careful analysis of past failed missions served as an outline and strategy to carry out the present mission. In this case, the army used President Carter’s blotched Operation Eagle Claw which aimed to free US hostages and POWs from Tehran. Carter had failed this mission primarily from inadequate planning and random acts of military power. He failed to order militaty personnel to do practice drills, joint practice session amongst all units involved and to stick to the plan. As a result, by taking this past mistake from Carter, President Obama used skillful planning to kill Osama Bin Laden and succeeded resulting as a positive outcome and strength in his efforts to recampaing in the 2012 election.

On the other hand, there are instances where positive outcome in politics are a result of a person in the right place at the right time. In some cases a person’s fate and luck may play a role. For example in the 2008 election the Republicans had a line up of many candidates such as John McCain, Sarah Palin and many others to run against Obama. However, since many voters and the general population wanted a change from Republican failure and mistrust. Therefore since Obama  stepped in at the right time he was able to convince so many constituents of his plan for change. In the meantime many Republican candidates spent too much time attacking Obama when they had internal flaws themselves. For example, Sarah Palin was accused of money laundering and corruption by using tax payer money to go on vacations with family and  McCain sponsored many oil drilling projects. These actions further improved Obama’s reputation. Likewise in the current Presidential race, Mitt Romney is considered to be very luck candidate for the GOP. Although he failed miserably in other caucuses he snagged the Iowa primary by focusing on what his party had to offer rather than the divisions that were present in the GOP. He also spent less time attacking President Obama, as did other GOP candidates, and spent more time focusing on the next steps to bring back the American people back to work. As a result, in both cases Obama and Romey are examples of politicians who are success stories in politics from luck and circumstances from weak political competitors.

In all,  positive outcome in politics come in either by skillful planning or luck, but it depends on the situation. If there is a very important issue such as finding an international criminal responsible to taking many lives (eg. Osama Bin Laden) then the Obama administration had to use skillful planning otherwise their reputation is at stake. Skillful plan in the case of Obama resulted in success. However, in the case of Mitt Romney and Obama in the presidential race was based on luck because both candidates stepped into the race at the right time when weak candidates were present. Therefore luck played a role, but only works in rare circumstances such as this but in most cases skilful planning is best.

Leadership involves speaking out when others might keep silent.

Leadership involves speaking out when others might keep silent.

10:15- 10:45

Leadership is an essential part of any society and without it a society will crumble. Leadership comes in many forms and it varies based on the situation. Each situation requires certain knowledge, skills and tact from the leader to be successful. Leaders emerge in most cases to create some form of change for the better or worse. However, sometimes leadership can take two forms, one where a leader speaks out and one who keeps silent.

First consider situation where leadership involves speaking out and not keeping silent. In the early 1920s when Germany lost World War I to the Allied Powers, the German government was required to pay reparations. As a result, these reparations proved to be very expensive and drove the Germany economy down with inflation ad in some cases famine broke out. However, in the midst of this desperation a fire broke it one man’s heart. Young Adolf Hitler was a soldier in World War I for Germnay and remembers the humiliating experiences he had in the battlefield where numerous casualties fell like ants. Hitler was also very disappointed and frustrated with his surroundings and wanted to change his country for the better and put confidence back into the German people. Initially, Hitler spoke up by giving inspiring and powerful speeches in community halls and gathering places to bring attention to the flaws in society. Soon Hitler’s popularity skyrocketed amongst the population and with his eloquent speeches he claimed the office of Chancellor under the 3^rd Reich. Under the 3^rd Reich Hitler established the Nazi Party that was set to be in power for the next thousand years. The SS and Gestapo police were subsets of the Nazi party to remove the Jews who were “responsible” for the economic downfall. As a result, Hitler is an example of a leader who spoke out of indifference and agony of the German situation after World War 1 and transformed Germany.

On the other hand, consider situation where leadership may involve keeping silence. This is especially true when speaking out does not always accomplish the goal of the leader. For example, in Colonial India, Mahatma Gandhi established the Satyagraha movement and non-cooperation movement. Under his leadership he encourage fellow countrymen from not using British manufactured goods and to sow their own clothes from their own cotton fields. However, the most important aspects of Satyagraha was the concept of “Mounravath” where one maintains silence to awaken the inner soul and mind. After so many speeches and rallies, Gandhi often times was seen sitting under neem tree and meditating to gain attention, support for his cause and most importantly wanted people to gain awareness of his movement. Eventually, the British succumbed to his demands and eventually was granted independence. Likewise, in recent memory, a Ghandinian follower, Anna Hazare is also following mounravath in an effort to pass the Lokpal Bill in Indian parliament to stop corruption in society. He is continuing his 78 days act of silence until corruption is wiped out of Indian society. Both Gandhi and Hazare show that silence is golden leadership in cases where speaking out is not successful.

In all, different circumstances require people to speak up or maintain silence as leaders. When a severe change is needed in society a person tries to establish identity and support as a leader from people like Hitler did in World War 2. In contrast, a leader maintains silence as a last resort when speaking out fails.

An effective leader must possess the ability not only to deal with current problems, but also to anticipate future ones.

An effective leader must possess the ability not only to deal with current problems, but also to anticipate future ones.

9:35- 10:05

Leadership is an essential part of life and it is the pulse that helps keep the human race moving forward. However, leadership must be effective to create change. Different scenarios require varying forms of effective leadership that utilize different knowledge and set of skills, but is uniform in all spectrums. Some qualities include cooperating as well as motivating others to complete a task successfully under pressure. An important characteristic for a leader is to deal with current problems but also anticipate future ones.

First consider a situation when leaders must deal with current problems and anticipate future problems. In the aftermath of 9-11 attacks in Washingon DC and New York, the Bush Administration as well as the general public were filled with shock and insecurity. The government tried to calm the public down by assuring everyone that extra security measures were being taken to prevent future attacks of this magnitude. Eventually, the Department of Homeland Security and the Transport Security Agency were established to enforce the security measures in an effort to deal with future attacks. Likewise, with the increased fears the Bush Administration took immediate action to weed out the source of terrorism and declared war on terrorism by sending troops Iraq. By doing so,  Bush was trying to deal with a current threat of weapons of mass destruction from Saddam Hussein. After successfully removing Saddam from power, Bush then established an interim government to deal with future problems of sectarian violence. Another example, includes the 2009 and 2010 outbreaks of H1N1 swine and avian flu in the United States and world wide. Initially the government was trying to prevent the disease transmission and established quarantines to separate infected individuals. After quarantines were established, the FDA manufactured vaccines for every flu season to prevent the virus from spreading again.  Both scenarios show that dealing with both current problems and anticipating future ones is important.

On the other hand, dealing with current  problems is more effective than anticipating future problems. This is especially true when there are times of civil unrest and widespread disapproval amongst citizens. For example in Egypt, the ongoing civil unrest from President Mubaraq’s dictatorship resulting in his removal and impeachment from office. Over the course of Mubaraq’s 30 years in office after coming in power with military coup, the dictatorship is soon coming to an end. Thousands of protesters were dismayed with his leadership due to severe restrictions on the public. Protesters hurled bombs  and grenades on Mubaraq’s army and eventually with a united force of protesters, he resigned. Mubaraq and his party are expected to receive the death penalty for his harmful action on innocent civilians. Another example, is in Libya where former military leader Mumar Gadaffi was also removed from power in a similar fashion. Gadaffi established a dictatorship with the use of chemical weapons and the military. Eventually with widespread disapproval he was removed from office from the people. Both examples show that protesters dealt with the current problems of restricted freedoms by overthrowing dictators.

All in all, it is circumstantial for a leader to deal with current problems and anticipate future problems. If there is a national disaster such as a terrorist attack or health scare it is important to take immediate action for the current issue and eventually plan for the anticipated problems. However, in the case of civilian unrest in autocratic countries, it is important to take care of current issues because without freedoms people can not live happily in a country to deal with the future.

Freedom of speech should include acts or opinions that may be objectionable to the majority of people.

Freedom of speech should include acts or opinions that may be objectionable to the majority of people.

1020 – 1050

Freedom of speech is an important part of the US democratic system that allows people to express their thoughts or concerns that matter most without government reprisal. Compared to other countries that have totalitarian governments and restrict free speech, the United States is unique in that it prohibits imprisonment of political critics and people who disagree with the government’s intentions. The freedom of speech is not limited to verbal but to non-verbal and  symbolic speech such as music, pornography, art and other forms. Despite these freedoms of speech, there are certain situations that need restrictions and other times that do not, to kep society safe.

First consider, situation when freedom of speech should include objectionable acts or opinions that should be included in free speech as long as it does not harm anyone. In many cases, politicians and citizens tend to take controversial issues and blow them out of proportion because most of the time these issues do not harm the safety or interests of the common man in daily life. For example, the issues of gay marriage, and stem cells may cause controversy and disagreement but should still be considered free speech. Another example, is stem cell research and its implications. Although many  religious groups disagree on stem cell usage to find cures for disease there are some who support the science. In 2004, the Bush Administration did not further funding for the stem cell research initiative because he viewed it as unethical for extracting cells from embryos at the cost of human life. However in 2008, an alternative source, amniotic fluid, was used to derive stem cells. This reduced the controversy of killing life. Lastly, gay marriage has been a hot topic because many religious groups view it as unethical and challenged the teachings of the Bible. However, some states such as California legalized it and others opposed based on beliefs. So it is evident that there are both sides to the story on free speech, where some will agree and disagree but in the end, free speech should be allowed on controversial issues because no harm is being done to the public directly.

On the other hand, freedom of speech should not include  all objectionable acts or opinions that are harmful. For instance, since the Supreme court ruling on Roe Vs Wade, that legalized abortion many people have tried to reverse the law because of the ethical concerns behind abortion. Many people argue that abortion is unethical to kill an embryo or fetus but depending on the situation it is necessary. Thus not including abortions with consent under free speech is acceptable. However, in cases of forced pregnancy such as rape, the woman should be given a chance for abortion because she had no prior consent for having children. Another example is racial discrimination and prejudice through the use of free speech. It is unethical to use free speech against a person because it will severely demoralize them as well as the society as a whole. For example, in the aftermath of Germany falling to Allied Powers in World War 1, the Germans had to pay high reparation for their loss resulting in economic problems. However, under Hitler’s leadership he brought the country back on its feet but at the expense of harming innocent Jews and other groups that were discriminated under his Nazi regime. As a result, in today’s modern society many companies and institutions have adopted anti-discrimiantory policies to prevent freedom of speech to harm other races and  religious groups. Therefore, freedom of speech should not protect rights that will harm others.

All in all freedom of speech should include objectionable acts or thoughts based on the circumstances. If an objectionable act is not harmful to human life or morale, such as gay marriage or stem cells then freedom of speech should protect these rights. These acts don’t harm anyone to prevent the pulse of living. In contrast, objectionable acts such as racial discrimination,  prejudice, abortion with consent, should not be allowed because it will demoralize society and disturb the process of peaceful living.

Too many politicians turn public matters into private gains.

Too many politicians turn public matters into private gains.

10:40-11:10

Over the course of human civilization, there have been many forms of governance. The most popular form of governance is democracy because it allows the common citizen to have their say in issues that matter to society. Since the times of Ancient Greece and Rome, people have voted in Senators and other representatives on their behalf to bring attention off issues concerning the people to the government. However, there are certain circumstances where the government is supporting the people and other situations where they are not.

In many democratic nations, such as the United States there are many freedoms granted to the people and are readily accepted by everyone. However, despite this “equality” there is an abundance of inequality as well. In many cases the concept of competition over resources, education and jobs are a common place in society where conflicts occur. The Malthusian ethic, is a very old principle dating back several centuries and states that the wealthier and well to do in society tend to control society rather than the majority of other citizens. This has resulted in the mainstream form of US culture where the top 1% of the population known as the “wealthy elite” control the rest of the population’s resources, money and even personal preferences like puppets. The major problem with the Malthusian ethic is it is abundant in US politics and is very harmful to society. For instance, in the 2008 presidential race, Republican candidates Sarah Palin and John McCain both were under scrutiny for turning public matters into private gains. Sarah Palin was using campaign money to fund luxurious vacations in the Carribean with her family and took road trips on tax payer money. Likewise, John McCain was accused under similar grounds for endorsing oil company executives and other business titans to fund his political campaign against Obama. With the country suffering from a severe recession it is irresponsible and unethical for McCain to accept funding from oil companies when gas prices are skyrocketing as well as Palin to go on vacations. As a result, this illustrates that some politicians can turn public issues such as a bad economy for personal gain.

On the other hand, there are situations where politicians do not turn public matters into private gains. For example, recently President Obama rejected the proposal for the Keystone XL gas pipeline from Canada to Texas. Obama used common sense and ethics to reject this proposal because he is aware of the potential environmental impact it will have. Likewise many environmental groups are supporting Obama’s stance on the issue to prevent the oil pipeline from being installed. Another example, is Obama’s support of the people during the recession of 2008. Despite severe opposition by wealthy individuals and Republicans, President Obama tried to reinforce consumer confidence by bailing out banks and other financial lending institutions to revamp consumer spending and confidence. This example shows that not all politicians take public matters and turn them into private gains, rather shows that some politicians such as Obama will try to resolve the public matter in support of the people’s interests. As a result, he increases his approval ratings and potential chances for re-election.

All in all it is circumstantial for politicians to turn public matters into private gains. If a politican is not responsible and has no concept of ethics then it is more likely that they will take a public matter and make it a personal gain, like Palin and McCain. In contrast, if a politician like President Obama who is aware of ethics and responsible to support the interests of the people, would not take public issues and turn them to private gains.

A democratic government must provide equal opportunity for all citizens.

A democratic government must provide equal opportunity for all citizens.

10-10:30

With the roots of democracy going back thousands years in Ancient Greece, the main purpose of democracy is to provide a voice for the people. Many western nations such as the United States and European Union have adopted a democracy to allow people to engage freely in whatever they pursue. However, with the increase in competition from other global superpowers such as China and India the concept of equal opportunity is present but not as effective as before. Many factors must be considered in terms of giving equal opportunity and it depends on the circumstances.

First consider when a democratic government might give equal opportunity to all citizens. The United States is a well known democracy throughout the world for doing this. However, the only times the government can give equal opportunity is to those who follow the rules laid out by the government. While reality shows that people are not born equally, the US democratic system maintains the cornerstone of all being equal under the law. The rule of law and notion that all its citizens must be given equal opportunity is supported by democracy. In an attempt to correct the country's discriminatory history, the government has institutionalized affirmative action policies in its process of hiring and promotion. A pressing problem in the United States is the gap in education and job acquisition by African Americans and Native Americans.While some might argue that this is a path toward providing minorities with equal opportunity, others will maintain that the policy is discriminatory toward the rest of the population who do not qualify for the program. However, the government must support minorities who have been discriminated against historically a chance to improve their situation in society. By doing so it will help minorities rise and inspire others of the same racial and economic background.

On the other hand there are situations where the government must not give equal opportunity to all citizens. However, if a person disobeys the law deliberately then one must not be given an equal opportunity in society. Consider a pressing issue in today’s society of sex offenders and terrorists. With the expansion & availability of technology it is very easy for people to commit crimes on the internet or do it physically. For example, sex offenders must not be given an equal opportunity in society because they pose a threat to young children in society. As a result, many sex offenders are ordered by courts to register themselves online to be published on a government website known as a sex offender registry. This registry allows the public to be informed and aware of potential sex offenders in their community as a preventative measure to keep minors away from them. Another example, are the terrorists that plot the 9-11 attacks on US soil. Many of these terrorists are foreign nationals who are not aware of US laws but deliberately launched an attack to harm innocent citizens in New York and DC.  As a result, the government did not allow the terrorists to have a counterargument or plea bargain in their court proceedings because of the heinous nature of their crime.

All in all the government, can only give equal opportunity to all citizens depends on the circumstances. When an individual is lawful and follows the rules in society but is struggling financially such as Blacks and Native Americans then the government is obligated to close the gap and help them to be positive contributors to society. However, criminals who break the law intentionally do not deserve a second chance and thereby no equal opportunity because they are seen as dangerous to other citizens in society.