The Sirens of Titan :: Sirens of Titan Essays

The Sirens of Titan Marek Vit "It took us that long to realize that a purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved." (Vonnegut:220) The Sirens of Titan is Kurt Vonnegut's second novel. He has written it in 1959, seven years after his previous Player Piano. It has been described as a pure science fiction novel and, after only one reading, it really can be considered to be one. The intricate plot and fascinating detail may obscure the serious intent of the novel. If compared to other novels by this author, it makes much smoother reading because there are much fewer subplots, digressions and simultaneous developments. The storyline of Sirens of Titan is much more straightforward than in the other works (e.g. Slaughterhouse-Five, Galapagos, Hocus Pocus, Breakfast of Champions etc.) "The Sirens of Titan, for all its wonderings, futurity and concern with larger, abstract questions, transmits a greater sense of direction and concreteness. Rather surprising, too, is the fact that the novel with its science fiction orientation, with its robots and near-robot humans, and with its several central characters who are intentionally presented as being rather cold-hearted, generates more human warmth than Player Piano which is directly concerned with the agonies of exploring and following conscience, emotion and love. Three possible explanations for this fenomenon present themselves: first, Vonnegut's skill has grown in the intervening seven years; second, the science fiction mode affords the author more detachment, and he is less didactic in this work; third, the positive forces, particularly love, carry more weight." (Reed:66) The Sirens of Titan has been, as many other Vonnegut's books, influenced by his experiences from World War Two (The Fire-bombing of Dresden was a benefit just to one man, to Kurt Vonnegut. Over the years, he got five dollars for each corpse, as

Documentary: Waiting for Superman Essay

The concept of education as a vital part of life and success is universal, regardless of how it is done. Unfortunately, regardless of its importance in society, the education system does not always accomplish its goals. The documentary, Waiting for Superman, was an excellent illustration of the large problems we face here in America. From our disappointing comparisons of education in the US compared to other countries, and the system of the government (impoverished neighborhoods, poor and failing education institutions) is a crisis that should be addressed and brought to public attention. Although there have been countless attempts to reform education, increase budgets, and implement new programs, the education system in the U.S. is not doing its job entirely and as effective as society needs it to be to foster the future generations. The film is alarming to the sad truth: there are teachers out there who don’t care about what they do. There are teachers who use the contract that they signed into to take advantage of their role, and not do what they signed up to do. This was alarming especially being aware of real life examples and videos that were caught on tape of how teachers use their classroom time. Even more alarming the results of school testing that illustrates a clear image- schools are not producing what they should, and education system in institutions are not working! It does not take a genius to realize that something has to change. â€Å"You can’t have a great school without great teachers† is a beautiful quote mentioned in the film. Although government officials have sought out to reform education by providing funds or special programs, the real problem is finding effective and passionate teachers who truly seek to make a difference in the world by giving the gift of knowledge. If the system can effectively evaluate its teachers worldwide, and rid of teachers who are not doing an adequate job or benefitting the students or institution, they should no be teaching. Time is precious, especially time in the classroom and hopes for a new age of education system is possible. If there are more great teachers in our school systems, the US may have a brighter future. If there are qualified and effective schools, the children of America would not have to fight for a spot to receive education we all deserve. It is a shame that the system has  come to do this, change must come.

Herbert Mead. Analysis Is Mind, Self, Society

Sarah Kuntz 10/4/12 Essay 2: Herbert Mead, Mind, Self, and Society Herbert Gilbert Mead, the author of Mind, Self, and Society, is introduced by Charles w. Morris which gives a perspective to Mead before the accumulation of his essays. Mead was influenced by Charles Darwin and Watson’s behaviorism however he was greatly tilted to Watson’s behaviorism. Although he considered Watson’s views â€Å"oversimplified† he did refer himself to be a behaviorist. Mead goes further to mention, â€Å"the denial of the private nor the neglect of consciousness, but the approach to all experience in terms of conduct. In his essay the Mind, Mead simplifies the approach to understanding the mind in simple building blocks of gestures, symbols and language. Mead was trying to answer the age old question of how the mind arises. His answer was that the, â€Å"Mind arises through communication by a conversion of gestures in a social process or context of experience-not communic ation through mind† (p 50). These specific gestures then become the symbols and are communicated to others in an idea. Due to this communication is a constant adjustment to others and to their reactions.The future communication becomes more eminent in the beginning of actions and reactions constantly occurring. In the essay the Self, the mind gives way (in the actions and reactions) to language and symbols which then possible for development. This development is our self and reference point for certain events in our lives, emotions and different sensations (p. 136). Mead goes on to discuss how the self does arise, â€Å"it arises through play, and games and the idea of generalized other. That organized community gives the individual his â€Å"unity of self† and the attitude of generalized other is that of the whole community† (p. 155).Mead is explaining that our entire self reflects the tweaking of our self to match society. Furthermore, the final essay the Socie ty, he brings accumulation of ideas of the mind and the self to relate it to society. Mead mentions that insects base their societies on physiological differences unlike the man who bases society on those around him. Man is seen to constantly change his environment by the way he uses it and create a community by a common language. What one does is defined by others, such as religion or economics. Both of these call for enormous amounts of identification and needs an audience to acknowledge this identification.So as far as he is a self, and part of a community and his contribution is must be social (p. 324). Personally I understand Mead’s views on how the mind can be somewhat defined by behaviors into chain reactions. However this leaves the concept of deception and lying in behaviors. At times there is more to what meets the eye, and what is said and understood has multiple meanings. The human mind is so complex and defining it to just one behavior would still be simplifying the concept. I do agree with Mead on the concept of society. Society plays a very important role which man will always for the most part, mirror his actions.

Woman Warrior Rhetorical Analysis Essay

In her postmodern autobiography. Woman Warrior. Maxine Hong Kingston narrates her life as a Chinese American fighting to happen her individuality in a place permeated by ambiguity. As Kingston matures. she comes to acknowledge the destructive nature of silence. and is able to joint the malignant cause and consequence relationship silence has on the single human mind every bit good as the well being of others. Kingston begins her autobiography by depicting silence as a double-edged blade. significance that while silence has the capableness to be used as a deathly arm. it is besides harmful to one that uses silence as a tool for censoring in an attempt to alter the yesteryear. In the first chapter of her autobiography titled â€Å"No Name Woman† . Kingston opens up to a scene between Kingston and her female parent. When the two of them are entirely. her female parent imparts a awful secret about Kingston’s Aunt’s unfaithfulness. so forces her girl to take a vow of silence. pressing her to ne'er talk of her Aunt or to even admit her being: â€Å" †¦they want me to take part in her penalty. And I have†¦the existent penalty was†¦the family’s intentionally burying about her† ( 16 ) . By declining to discourse Kingston’s Aunt. the household is efficaciously ending her being. but besides giving the awful secret more power. The memory of Kingston’s Aunt is so stigmatic that subject of sex is indefinable. and even the word â€Å"Aunt† has the possible to strike her male parent with wretchedness. coercing him to dig into his painful memories. This position of silence as formidable power reflects Kingston’s position as a immature. waxy young person. racked with trepidation about the universe around her. As Kingston grows into an independent grownup. she begins to see silence as an hindrance on her self-expression. and grows to see silence with bitterness instead than with fearful fear. In â€Å"A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe† . the concluding chapter of Kingston’s autobiography. Kingston describes her web with silence throughout childhood that restricted her creativeness and self-expression. In school. Kingston. holding been raised in a Chinese family. is unable to pass on with her English-speaking schoolmates. Therefore. Kingston comes to fear any signifier of socialisation. and quails from talking openly in forepart of the category or turn toing a instructor straight. In this province of ageless silence. Kingston begins to look up to those who are non struck with panic at the idea of pass oning with other human existences. â€Å"I liked the Negro students†¦best because they laughed the loudest and talked to me as if I were a make bolding speaker too† ( 166 ) . While Kingston grows to look up to the loud. surpassing misss at school. she deplores those who are quiet and timid. much like Kingston herself. Kingston deflects her defeats onto one miss in peculiar. and accosts the soundless miss in the bathroom after school. urgently seeking to coerce her to talk: â€Å"If you don’t speak you don’t have a personality. You’ll have no personality and no hair. You’ve got to allow people cognize you have a personality and a brain† ( 180 ) . Kingston’s pleadings with the soundless miss reflect Kingston’s interior anguish she has suffered at the custodies of digesting silence. The fact that Kingston finds likeness in the soundless miss heightens Kingston’s fierce hatred for her. but besides highlights her uncertainness about her ain individuality as she struggles to happen her ain voice that is being strangled by the steely clasp of silence. As an stripling. Kingston no longer adheres to hush: Kingston detests that silence has overcome her being. and is ready to arise against its oppressive nature. By the clip she is in late high school. Kingston feels suffocated by onerous silence. Diing to voice her ideas. Kingston grows progressively edgy. and has an explosive confrontation with her female parent: â€Å"My pharynx hurt invariably. vocal cords taut to snapping†¦I looked straight at my female parent and at my male parent and screamed†¦and all of a sudden I got really baffled and lonely because at that minute I was stating her my list. and in the relation. it grew†¦no hearer but myself† ( 201-204 ) . During the climatic statement with her female parent. Kingston casts off the silence adhering her. but she besides drives a cuneus between herself and her female parent. So much of Kingston’s paranoia subdivisions non from the silence imposed upon her. but from her inability to pass on her ain feelings. Contrary to Kingston’s belief. her female parent ne'er tried to get married her off to go a slave. and her household ne'er viewed her as stupid or ugly. With the adulthood of an grownup. Kingston is able to remember her memories non through word of oral cavity. but through utilizing her pen as a literary blade. By entering her confrontationwith her female parent with painstaking truth. Kingston portrays herself in an unflattering instead than in trying to reprimand her yesteryear. In maturity. Kingston has chooses a life of factualness instead than secrecy. and eventually casts the soundless sitting shade off of her thorax. Kingston’s germinating position of the power held by silence reflects her gradual ripening and her assurance in her ain abilities. At one point Kingston cowered in forepart of the mighty and reprobating power of silence. but as she learns to believe for herself. Kingston Rebels against the silence and embraces a life free of uncertainness. happening comfort in humdrum and truth. More significantly. Kingston finds the bravery to be honest about herself. ( instead than staying soundless about her ridicule of the deaf-and-dumb person miss and her acerb outburst directed towards her female parent ) and dedicates her memoir to composing. guaranting that her memory will ne'er be eradicated or erased with clip. Therefore Kingston proves that while one may seek to overcast the truth with silence. the mighty pen can rend off silence’s pretense and set the truth free.

Problem solving questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Problem solving questions - Essay Example It includes also an incorporated limited partnership. Once a partnership is formed, every partner becomes the agent of the firm and other partners in relation to the business of the firm. Thus, every act of partner for the purpose of business except in the case of incorporated limited partnership shall bind the firm and other partners provided the partner acts within his authority to act for the firm in specific cases and the person whom the partner is dealing with believes him to be the partner having authority. In other words, if the person dealt with by the partner knows that the partner has no authority, his acts cannot bind the firm nor other partners. The same holds good in respect of a general partner vis-a-vis the firm and other general partners. Section 13 (1) of the Act lays down that all partners except in the case of an incorporated limited partnership are liable jointly and severally for the liabilities of the firm that have risen whilst being partners. S 13 (2) if the p artner who is an individual dies, his/her estate is severally liable for the liabilities of the firm after satisfaction of his/her separate debts. Same holds good in case of incorporated limited partnership for a deceased general partner. The general partner of an incorporated limited partnership is liable only in respect of unsatisfied liabilities of the firm or more as per the partnership agreement. ... As the partnership business is in common, the partners should disclose material facts that affect their partnership failing which it would amount to misrepresentation on the part of those who fail to do so. Further, a retiring partner can by a condition of restraint of trade be prohibited to start a competing business within the locality for a pre-determined period. Further, a partnership contract cannot be assigned (Gilles, 1988). Application In view of the above important provisions governing partnership business, Jody whose capital will be at stake must have the partnership agreement reduced to writing. And Jody must be entitled to a proportionately higher share of profit and reserve to herself the right to take important decisions in day to day management. This does not mean the other partners are not liable to loss that may occur due to Jody’s decision making. Conclusion Jody can enter into partnership with Mike and Sarah keeping in view of the limited capital or no capit al Mike and Sara may bring in and also have an agreement in restraint of trade on the retiring partners including Jody herself. Consequences The proposal to enter into partnership agreement among Jody, Mike and Sarah will be viable subject to the above conditions therein. 2. Tort- negligent misstatement Issues: Whether Amy can sue Betty for her wrong advice tendered to Amy as a result of negligent misstatement? Law and cases: In order to prove negligence on the part of defendant, claimant should satisfy three conditions. That defendant had a duty of care to the claimant; this was breached by the defendant; that the damage caused by the breach of duty was

Final Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Final Project - Essay Example Mayo Clinic focuses on delivering the best healthcare services to all its patients and believes in handling most difficult cases with tertiary care. The hospital spends more than $500 million per year in its practice and research. It has been 150 years Mayo Clinic has been operating in the healthcare sector and provided continuous quality services to all its patients. The hospital encompasses world’s best practitioners along with wide array of treatment ranging from heart disease and cancer to urology and respiratory disorders. Mayo Clinic over the years has served large base of patients and has been continuously involved in medical research. There is wide range of departments in the hospital and it becomes essential to bring forth work collaboration amongst all the team members. The hospital comprises of majorly two divisions such as research department and department of medical facilities. However the departments can be further segmented such as internal medicine, health sciences research, surgery, pathology, laboratory medicine, etc. In such a scenario where there are multiple departments it becomes important to bring about synchronization so that intergroup conflict can be effectively avoided. There has been certain problems identified in the hospital which is adversely affecting the overall group productivity. The major issues are in the form of conflict in role within the groups, problems in terms of communication amongst team members, lack of group cohesiveness encompassing diverse members and inter group conflict. Role conflict has a major impact on group’s productivity. This problem majorly arises when there are diverse set of expectations from other team members. It can occur within a single role or across wide array of roles. Intra role conflict is majorly observed in situations where an individual is expected to perform different roles. Such as a medical

The Importance of Marketing Department in Telecommunication Business Essay

The Importance of Marketing Department in Telecommunication Business - Essay Example Analysis of the key factors of a successful marketing plan will be part of the study. The report will try to understand potentiality of target market from the view point of product centric segmentation. Finally the study will try to prove the importance of marketing department to create a successful business strategy.Marketing Department.Every organization needs a well designed marketing department to create brand equity among customers. Strategic marketing works as a deciding force for a company to survive in hyper competitive business environment. Marketing works as a promotional and distribution tool for company. Marketing strategy differs according to the nature of product. Marketing department of any company focuses on four things to create a successful offering which can be classified as 1-Product (manufacturing product, maintaining the quality standard of product, optimum utilization of resources during production process), 2- Price (deciding the price of the product in accord ance with the demand among customers, setting high price or low price for the product is an important part of pricing strategy), 3-Place (designing distribution network for the product. Company creates distribution network to expand the reach of the product.... Above the line promotion and below the line promotion is part of advertising strategy). Marketing strategy for service industry comprises of additional three types of activities. 1-People (customer relationship management plays a cordial role to increase customer base for any particular brand. Staff of the company is the important assets for any company. They are responsible for providing value for money services to customers and they can help the company to increase service efficiency), 2- Process- (company needs to maintain a proper system of service delivery to be successful in long run. Companies take help of different software systems like RFID, Enterprise Resource Planning, Tally, Oracle to deliver efficient service to customers, 3- Physical Evidence (well designed interior of service delivery place creates a positive brand image of the company from the view point of aesthetics. Restaurants use physical evidences to create the wow factor among customers. Chinese restaurants in America use dragon framework to design interior of the food store. They do it to increase visibility factor of the service among customers). A business can not fulfill demand of all customers due to lack of resources (Financial, Human Resource, Technology etc). For this reason any company needs to identify their potential customer. Segregating the whole customer group into smaller division with more or less common requirements and further filtering down customers in terms of their potentiality (purchase power, urgency of requirement, buying behavior) is known as segmenting and targeting. Perception of a brand in the mind of customer is known as