Nietzsche on Power

The rise of science placed a strain on religion’s ability to retain its credence. Science had demonstrated an unprecedented ability to explain concepts that were once mysteries. This ability began to efface the dominion and power of the Christian God, and this led to the existentialist idea that man lives alone in the world and must rely only on himself. According to Nietzsche, this occurrence places power squarely in the hands of man, and the possession of this power leaves him with the ability to exert it over himself as well as others. One of the main ideas behind Nietzsche’s works is that the human individual constantly intends and strives toward wielding this power over others.Even actions that appear altruistic are really sparked by a rooted desire to control the person for whom the act is performed. Nietzsche advocates the fundamental egoism of all persons, declaring the focus of all human conceptions to be centered on the desire of that particular individual to dominate in a given situation. Even the evolutionary aspects of man’s position within the environment manifests the individual’s need to wield power: growth from youth to adulthood involves an increase of power and a decrease in subordination; the desire for upward social mobility represents this as well.According to Nietzsche, the need for power is an instinctive drive that is the end for which all pleasure-seeking actions strive. Yet Nietzsche also identified a need that humans have to control themselves—and this he conceived as the desire for internal power. Here is where Nietzsche’s truest interest in power lay. These themes can be demonstrated in his use of aphorisms and elaborations of these throughout his works Daybreak, the Gay Science, Beyond Good and Evil, and the Will to Power.The Judeo-Christian antagonism (indeed the antagonism of all religions) represents one example on earth of the power relations (struggle) of which Nietzsche writes. In Da ybreak, he writes: â€Å"the ship of Christianity threw overboard a good deal of its Jewish ballast† (40). Ironically, the idea represented in the aphorism â€Å"God is dead† describes the modern scientific supplanting of the Judeo-Christian view that God is ultimately responsible for the molding of the individual (Zupancic, 6).The scientific explanations of the universe—the Copernican revolution which challenged and toppled the geocentric view—weakened the idea that the anthropomorphic God was any longer (or ever was) in charge of the destiny of the universe. Essentially one of Nietzsche’s â€Å"power relations,† this struggle left each individual entity on the earth dependent on its own actions to take it through time. This has become one of the catalytic ideas that gave birth to the notion of internal power that drives man. This power has been expressed by Nietzsche in the form of self mastery, which develops in a complicated cycle, both as a result of and in accordance with the instinct. Though this important instinct arises out of the inward self-creation of the man, Nietzsche also acknowledges another type of instinct that drives men toward a different kind of power: domination.In the work The Will to Power Nietzsche points out the symbolism that can be found in the how states and societies have been constituted. The drive for power, he writes, undergirds the hierarchical nature of the organizations within each state. Societal classes demonstrate ways in which people have succeeded in gaining power over others.This again identifies another concrete example of power relations within the human world. The members of higher classes (which have acquired wealth) dominate in a situation where the other members of society look to them for their wages. Money represents buying power, without which people cannot live. By this reasoning, individuals who acquire their wages from these powerful members of the upper class look toward these moguls for their very sustenance. This is the manifestation of the power that, according to Nietzsche, all men instinctively seek.Yet even in this example where people appear to seek mastery over others, one can detect an example of the desire for internal power. Persons who must do the bidding of the rich in order to gain hold of the buying power that facilitates their continued existence—these persons recognize that others exert power over them. Their desire for upward mobility represents a desire to have that control returned to them, and this appears to be possible only simultaneously with having the power to control others. This can thus be seen as a dual drive toward dominance and independence.In Nietzsche’s opinion it is this self-mastery that represents the truest power. The picture of the ascetic monk who denies himself physical and aesthetic pleasures for the purpose of subduing his desires and mastering himself demonstrates more power than the w arriors who plunder other tribes and nations. On a deeper level, Nietzsche describes the inner workings of the human mind as a conflict of several wills that compete for power within the individual.He writes the following: â€Å"Suppose nothing else were ‘given’ as real except our world of desires and passions, and we could   not get down, or up, to any other ‘reality’ besides the reality of our drives–for thinking is merely a relation of these drives to each other† (Beyond, 36). People’s wills (or desires) often conflict with each other, and thoughts, Nietzsche explains, are the vehicles of the desires; it is via thought that desires identify themselves, and the mind is their battlefield. The ability to master oneself is essentially the ability of one thought to rise up and become the dominant will, mastering all the others.Nietzsche expresses this idea also in his book Beyond Good and Evil, the title of which is essentially a descri ption of the heights attained by those who have achieved the highest level of self mastery. He writes that such a person becomes â€Å"the man Beyond Good and Evil, the master of his virtues, the superabundant of will† (Beyond, 212). His will to create himself overflows, and he finds his own way toward morality and virtue through his own journey of self discovery.This journey involves a complex interplay of consciousness, subconsciousness, and instinct. Instinct comes about through a process in which consciousness of the outside world gathers knowledge that is taken in and absorbed into the mind in a kind of internalization process. The depth at which these internalized principles rest within the individual causes them to rank higher than the prevailing principles of the day. And the fact that the individual creates them him/herself places him or her in the powerful position of self-master.The hierarchical nature of the instincts themselves determines a way in which Nietzsche classes men according to their degree of control over themselves. The person who has attained an existence beyond good and evil is said to be supramoral, and this is the one who has fortified his internal power. It is in comparison to this person that Nietzsche is driven to classify lesser men. Such men are those who might be seen as stuck in the routines of life. They are bound by a herding instinct that is inherited rather than created.This hereditary instinct comes into the possession of not one but a plethora of individuals whose behaviors begin to demonstrate that they can no longer accurately be called individuals. They possess no mastery over themselves that allows them to create their own being with its own virtues and morals to dictate or inform their actions. Instead, their actions and motives are carbon copies of a million others who have, like themselves, passively accepted the norms of their society.Nietzsche’s idea of self-mastery and individualism is again mad e visible in his declaration that societies have caused passions to be laid to rest, whereas individuals who have distinguished themselves by developing internal power have contributed to the progress of the human race. He expresses this idea in the passage,Nowadays there is a profoundly erroneous moral doctrine that is celebrated especially in England: this holds that judgements of ‘good' and ‘evil' sum up experiences of what is ‘expedient' and ‘inexpedient.' One holds that what is called good preserves the species, while what is called evil harms the species. In truth, however, the evil instincts are expedient, species-preserving, and indispensable to as high a degree as the good ones; their function is merely different (The Gay Science, 74).Even evil persons, Nietzsche explains, have done more good for humanity than society itself with all its conformity and low-tiered hierarchical power. He argues that even powerful (though evil) individuals have given ot hers something worthwhile: they have provided the means of comparing and contrasting between extremes in ways that perform dialectically to take knowledge and morals to higher heights. These persons who have instinctively created their own morals through a systematic mastery of themselves give more power to humanity than those who conform and expend no energy in the pursuit of more powerful selves. The empowered individuals have done this through adding to the variety of knowledge (of good and evil) and creating new avenues and alternatives for self-mastering persons.Nietzsche’s regard for what he considered the power of the self-mastering individual eclipsed that of what he viewed as the general power struggle that often ensued from power relations. The self-made individual demonstrates an industry through which he is able to create his own morals and fabricate the instinct that will lead him toward those morals. Such a man Nietzsche considers to have transcended good and ev il by entering into a morality created at first through consciousness, but later sublimely through the subconscious. This man, in Nietzsche’s opinion, has truly achieved power of a type that goes beyond the mere control of others, as it has attained the much more difficult goal of self-control.Works CitedNietzsche, Friedrich. Beyond Good and Evil. 1886. trans. R.J. Hollingdale. New York:    Penguin, 1973.Daybreak: Thoughts on the Prejudices of Morality. (Cambridge Texts in the History    of Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2003.The Gay Science: with a Prelude in Rhymes and an Appendix of Songs. New York:    Vintage/Random House, 1974.The Will to Power. 1888. trans. Walter Kaufman and R.J. Hollingdale. New York:   Ã‚   Vintage Books, 1967.Zupancic, Alenka. The Shortest Shadow: Nietzsche’s Philosophy of the Two (Short Circuits). Cambridge: MIT, 2003 Nietzsche on Power The rise of science placed a strain on religion’s ability to retain its credence. Science had demonstrated an unprecedented ability to explain concepts that were once mysteries. This ability began to efface the dominion and power of the Christian God, and this led to the existentialist idea that man lives alone in the world and must rely only on himself. According to Nietzsche, this occurrence places power squarely in the hands of man, and the possession of this power leaves him with the ability to exert it over himself as well as others. One of the main ideas behind Nietzsche’s works is that the human individual constantly intends and strives toward wielding this power over others.Even actions that appear altruistic are really sparked by a rooted desire to control the person for whom the act is performed. Nietzsche advocates the fundamental egoism of all persons, declaring the focus of all human conceptions to be centered on the desire of that particular individual to dominate in a given situation. Even the evolutionary aspects of man’s position within the environment manifests the individual’s need to wield power: growth from youth to adulthood involves an increase of power and a decrease in subordination; the desire for upward social mobility represents this as well. According to Nietzsche, the need for power is an instinctive drive that is the end for which all pleasure-seeking actions strive. Yet Nietzsche also identified a need that humans have to control themselves—and this he conceived as the desire for internal power. Here is where Nietzsche’s truest interest in power lay. These themes can be demonstrated in his use of aphorisms and elaborations of these throughout his works Daybreak, the Gay Science, Beyond Good and Evil, and the Will to Power.The Judeo-Christian antagonism (indeed the antagonism of all religions) represents one example on earth of the power relations (struggle) of which Nietzsche writes. In D aybreak, he writes: â€Å"the ship of Christianity threw overboard a good deal of its Jewish ballast† (40). Ironically, the idea represented in the aphorism â€Å"God is dead† describes the modern scientific supplanting of the Judeo-Christian view that God is ultimately responsible for the molding of the individual (Zupancic, 6). The scientific explanations of the universe—the Copernican revolution which challenged and toppled the geocentric view—weakened the idea that the anthropomorphic God was any longer (or ever was) in charge of the destiny of the universe.Essentially one of Nietzsche’s â€Å"power relations,† this struggle left each individual entity on the earth dependent on its own actions to take it through time. This has become one of the catalytic ideas that gave birth to the notion of internal power that drives man. This power has been expressed by Nietzsche in the form of self mastery, which develops in a complicated cycle, both as a result of and in accordance with the instinct. Though this important instinct arises out of the inward self-creation of the man, Nietzsche also acknowledges another type of instinct that drives men toward a different kind of power: domination.In the work The Will to Power Nietzsche points out the symbolism that can be found in the how states and societies have been constituted. The drive for power, he writes, undergirds the hierarchical nature of the organizations within each state. Societal classes demonstrate ways in which people have succeeded in gaining power over others. This again identifies another concrete example of power relations within the human world. The members of higher classes (which have acquired wealth) dominate in a situation where the other members of society look to them for their wages. Money represents buying power, without which people cannot live. By this reasoning, individuals who acquire their wages from these powerful members of the upper class loo k toward these moguls for their very sustenance. This is the manifestation of the power that, according to Nietzsche, all men instinctively seek.Yet even in this example where people appear to seek mastery over others, one can detect an example of the desire for internal power. Persons who must do the bidding of the rich in order to gain hold of the buying power that facilitates their continued existence—these persons recognize that others exert power over them. Their desire for upward mobility represents a desire to have that control returned to them, and this appears to be possible only simultaneously with having the power to control others. This can thus be seen as a dual drive toward dominance and independence.In Nietzsche’s opinion it is this self-mastery that represents the truest power. The picture of the ascetic monk who denies himself physical and aesthetic pleasures for the purpose of subduing his desires and mastering himself demonstrates more power than the warriors who plunder other tribes and nations. On a deeper level, Nietzsche describes the inner workings of the human mind as a conflict of several wills that compete for power within the individual.He writes the following: â€Å"Suppose nothing else were ‘given’ as real except our world of desires and passions, and we could   not get down, or up, to any other ‘reality’ besides the reality of our drives–for thinking is merely a relation of these drives to each other† (Beyond, 36). People’s wills (or desires) often conflict with each other, and thoughts, Nietzsche explains, are the vehicles of the desires; it is via thought that desires identify themselves, and the mind is their battlefield. The ability to master oneself is essentially the ability of one thought to rise up and become the dominant will, mastering all the others.Nietzsche expresses this idea also in his book Beyond Good and Evil, the title of which is essentially a desc ription of the heights attained by those who have achieved the highest level of self mastery. He writes that such a person becomes â€Å"the man Beyond Good and Evil, the master of his virtues, the superabundant of will† (Beyond, 212). His will to create himself overflows, and he finds his own way toward morality and virtue through his own journey of self discovery.This journey involves a complex interplay of consciousness, subconsciousness, and instinct. Instinct comes about through a process in which consciousness of the outside world gathers knowledge that is taken in and absorbed into the mind in a kind of internalization process. The depth at which these internalized principles rest within the individual causes them to rank higher than the prevailing principles of the day. And the fact that the individual creates them him/herself places him or her in the powerful position of self-master.The hierarchical nature of the instincts themselves determines a way in which Nietzsc he classes men according to their degree of control over themselves. The person who has attained an existence beyond good and evil is said to be supramoral, and this is the one who has fortified his internal power. It is in comparison to this person that Nietzsche is driven to classify lesser men. Such men are those who might be seen as stuck in the routines of life.They are bound by a herding instinct that is inherited rather than created. This hereditary instinct comes into the possession of not one but a plethora of individuals whose behaviors begin to demonstrate that they can no longer accurately be called individuals. They possess no mastery over themselves that allows them to create their own being with its own virtues and morals to dictate or inform their actions. Instead, their actions and motives are carbon copies of a million others who have, like themselves, passively accepted the norms of their society.Nietzsche’s idea of self-mastery and individualism is again m ade visible in his declaration that societies have caused passions to be laid to rest, whereas individuals who have distinguished themselves by developing internal power have contributed to the progress of the human race. He expresses this idea in the passage,Nowadays there is a profoundly erroneous moral doctrine that is celebrated especially in England: this holds that judgements of ‘good' and ‘evil' sum up experiences of what is ‘expedient' and ‘inexpedient.' One holds that what is called good preserves the species, while what is called evil harms the species. In truth, however, the evil instincts are expedient, species-preserving, and indispensable to as high a degree as the good ones; their function is merely different (The Gay Science, 74).Even evil persons, Nietzsche explains, have done more good for humanity than society itself with all its conformity and low-tiered hierarchical power. He argues that even powerful (though evil) individuals have given others something worthwhile: they have provided the means of comparing and contrasting between extremes in ways that perform dialectically to take knowledge and morals to higher heights. These persons who have instinctively created their own morals through a systematic mastery of themselves give more power to humanity than those who conform and expend no energy in the pursuit of more powerful selves. The empowered individuals have done this through adding to the variety of knowledge (of good and evil) and creating new avenues and alternatives for self-mastering persons.Nietzsche’s regard for what he considered the power of the self-mastering individual eclipsed that of what he viewed as the general power struggle that often ensued from power relations. The self-made individual demonstrates an industry through which he is able to create his own morals and fabricate the instinct that will lead him toward those morals. Such a man Nietzsche considers to have transcended good and evil by entering into a morality created at first through consciousness, but later sublimely through the subconscious. This man, in Nietzsche’s opinion, has truly achieved power of a type that goes beyond the mere control of others, as it has attained the much more difficult goal of self-control.Works CitedNietzsche, Friedrich. Beyond Good and Evil. 1886. trans. R.J. Hollingdale. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Penguin, 1973.—. Daybreak: Thoughts on the Prejudices of Morality. (Cambridge Texts in the History   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2003.—. The Gay Science: with a Prelude in Rhymes and an Appendix of Songs. New York:    Vintage/Random House, 1974.—. The Will to Power. 1888. trans. Walter Kaufman and R.J. Hollingdale. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vintage Books, 1967.Zupancic, Alenka. The Shortest Shadow: Nietzsche’s Philosophy of the Two (Short   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ci rcuits). Cambridge: MIT, 2003

The American Dream

The American Dream is the idea that hard work and commitment will result in prosperity and completion of personal goals. It is perceived by many to be an easy way of pursuing and following through on their goals in life. Beginning in the late 1800s immigrants came into the United States looking for employment and the opportunity to succeed. These new opportunities would help lead them towards fulfilling their American Dream. The social class system in America determines the lifestyle and outcome of one’s life.The majority of people who are born into a low social class will continue to be poor throughout the rest of their lives. These people may have a goal to become wealthier, but these goals will never be fulfilled because of their negative ascribed and achieved characteristics. Positive ascribed and achieved characteristics help push people ahead in society and the social class structure. Negative ascribed and achieved characteristics hold people back and force them to overc ome these obstacles in order to succeed. Ascribed and achieved characteristics greatly affect the pursuit the Dream for people. The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald, and Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck perfectly portray the effect of the social class system and these personal characteristics on the American Dream. Determining one’s success or failure is based upon these characteristics and ultimately determines the social class in America. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, contains many different circumstances in which these characteristics affect their pursuit of the American Dream. Jay Gatsby, the main character of the book, pursues his dream by becoming wealthy. Born into a poor family, Gatsby tries to earn his dream girls’ love by making money.For five years he makes a great amount of money only to try and impress this woman’s expectations. He faces the problem of not realizing that the past is gone and he cannot get things that are impossible to reach. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, shows the effect of social class and personal drive to reach the American Dream. Lennie, who is mentally retarded, faces an obstacle he will never be able to overcome. Although his dream is simple, it will never be reached because of this ascribed characteristic. Another character in the book is Curley’s wife. An ascribed characteristic that she strives from is her beauty.A negative characteristic that holds her back from achieving her dream is her low social class and the fact that she’s a woman. All of these characters have different limitations, but they will all affect their pursuit of the American Dream and result in the same outcome. The Great Gatsby shows the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics upon the upper class. Jay Gatsby was born into a low social class. He falls in love with Daisy Buchanan who is very wealthy. His desire for love is an impossible feat that he cannot obtain because of his low social class. â€Å"Rich girls do not marry poor boys, Jay Gatsby† (Movie: The Great Gatsby).He pursues his dream by becoming wealthy and hoping that she will accept him as the same social class. A positive ascribed characteristic that will help him is the fact that he is a white male. This helps him because white men have a better chance of getting what they desire over any other gender or race. A negative ascribed characteristic is the fact that he was born into a lower class family. This will hold him back and greatly affect his pursuit of the American Dream. A positive achieved characteristic that Jay Gatsby, is the fact that he is rich after overcoming an extraordinary obstacle of beginning in a lower class position in society.His rise in the social structure from lower to upper-lower only took him five years to obtain. This is an astonishing feat in which he has succeeded and pushed himself ahead in pursuing his dream. â€Å"Almost five years! [†¦] It had gone by her, beyond everything† (Fitzgerald 101). Although he had become extremely wealthy, there is a negative side to his climb in the social structure. His negative achieved characteristic is the way in which he got all his money. The way that he made his fortune was through drugs and illegal actions. He lied to many people he was close to about his past because he knew that the truth would intrude upon his goal. I am the son of some wealthy people in the mid-west [†¦] San Francisco† (Fitzgerald 69). Gatsby figures that the only way to pursue his dream is to lie about his past. Jay Gatsby could never overcome his obstacles so he was unsuccessful in pursuing his American Dream. He focused on obtaining Daisy’s love and undoing the past. â€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light [†¦] tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms out further† (Fitzgerald 189). The biggest problem that Gatsby faces is the fact that he cannon overcome his unrealistic purs uit of Daisy.Jay Gatsby’s failure is a full result of pursuing something that he will never get; therefore, his dream cannot be fulfilled. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck portrays the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics on people in the lower class. Lennie and George travel together in order to find employment and make a living. This story takes the reader through the pursuit of a dream by two men and what they go through along the way. Their mutual dream is to â€Å"get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs and—† (Steinbeck 14).Lennie is a very strong, hardworking man who has a simple dream. The biggest problem he faces is that he is retarded. This negative ascribed characteristic is an impossible obstacle to overcome. A positive ascribed characteristic that somewhat helps him is the fact that he is a white male. A positive achieved characteristic is that he is extreme ly hardworking. â€Å"He’s awright. Just aint bright [†¦] But he can do anything you tell him† (Steinbeck 22). His problem is keeping a job in order to make money and earn a living plays a big role in his pursuit of the American Dream.His friend, George, says â€Å"If I was alone I could live so easy [†¦] I could get a job an’ not have no mess† (Steinbeck 103). His retardation leads to his problem with keeping a job and not being able to function in normal society. Not only did his negative ascribed characteristic of being retarded affect the pursuit of his dream, it ultimately led to his death. These obstacles are impossible to overcome. In result, he cannot follow through with his American Dream. Curley’s wife has extremely high expectations for her American Dream. One positive ascribed characteristic that helped her was her beauty. Her looks helped her throughout life.She was born into a low social class and later on in life she marrie d into the lower class. These are both negative ascribed and achieved characteristics of Curley’s wife. Another negative achieved characteristic of Curley’s wife is that she is a whore. She has the â€Å"eye† for other men. â€Å"She gonna make a mess [†¦] She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger† (Steinbeck 51). Before she got married to Curley she had a chance of obtaining her dream as an actress. She missed out on the opportunity and married Curly, a ranch hand. â€Å"I tell ya I could’a went with shows [†¦] she was breathless with indignation† (Steinbeck 78).When she looks back on it she finds herself to be very disappointed in her decision. She does not approve of Curley because he does not make enough money and is not up to her standards. â€Å"Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do [†¦] Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house? † (Steinbeck 78) Even though she is in the lo wer social class, she visualizes herself in a higher position above others with whom she associates herself with. If it was not for her low social status I believe that she would have been successful in her dream as an actress.Her beauty took her a long way in life and it helped her become close to her desired goal. Even though her dream was not very realistic, she had many qualities that helped her. The biggest setback that she had was the fact that she was a woman in the lower section of the social structure in America. Her ascribed characteristic of being poor determined the difference between her death and fulfilling her American Dream. Throughout the novels Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, and The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many characters portray the effect of personal characteristics upon their pursuit of the American Dream.Jay Gatsby’s personal achievement could not overcome all of the obstacles he had to work around in order to obtain his dream. Even th ough he became rich, the past was over and he could not retrieve Daisy’s love. Lennie had some extremely helpful qualities, but he could not overcome his ascribed characteristic of being retarded. For Lennie, it wasn’t his personal achievement, but instead it was his ascribed characteristics which held him back from his American Dream. Curley’s wife had the desire to become an actress, but instead she married a ranch hand who was in the lower class like herself.Her negative ascribed characteristic of being born into the lower social class held her back from reaching her goal. These characters all contained their own distinguishable problems, but they all had the same outcome. Ascribed and personal characteristics determine the future and outcome of one’s desired goal and for these three characters, this was true. Personal achievement and effort cannot always overcome all obstacles and for many the American Dream is just an impossible destination to reach. â€Å"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past† (Fitzgerald 189). The American Dream The American Dream: Money, Success, and A Home The American Dream changes over time, always based on society. In the 40's and 50's the American Dream was to have a white picket fence, a dog, a two parent home, and a couple of children. Today, it's a little bit different, the American Dream is to have money, cars, fame and success. The things I would have to say would never change about the American Dream and what It consists of would be money, success, and a home.The American Dream consists of money. I would have to say the American Dream consists of money because in todays society of money because in oday's society money talks. The more money you have, the more power you have. Money and power are what bring some advantages in America. It allows you to get your house, your cars, and your connections (the people you know). The American Dream today Is to have all these things, when you have money and power you tend to think you're invincible and at times in society you are.With all of this money and power you're not going to keep it a secret. Which brings me to my next topic, in which the American Dream consists of. Success and fame more importantly Success. The American Dream consists of success because in society seems to be one f the main goals. In everything we do we are told to succeed. Whether be sports, education, and our Jobs. So It wouldnt be a wonder that begng successful and known would be a part of the American Dream.Although gaining success would be reaching a personal goal and gaining money and power, success will not get you the last thing the American Dream consists of†¦ A home. Through all the years and times one thing has continued to be wanted and dreamed up, and that is a home. Not a house, not a mansion, but a home. A home is made up of love, care, and kindness. Everybody reams of having a home with a moderate sized family filled with love and compassion. A secure, serene, and yet free environment.That is a home, one of the things that t he American Dream is made of. In conclusion, The American Dream has changed over the times, but some things are clear. the dream is to have money, success, and a home. Money to gain power, ands with that money and power comes success and fame. All those things can never get you a home though. What does society say about what the American Dream Consists of: Society says the American Dream should say that you should have almost nothing but money. Money, ig mansions, a whole bunch of cars.To hang out with the celebs and Just be famous and known The American Dream By aminahpeacel 998 change about the American Dream and what it consists of would be money, success, todays society money talks. The more money you have, the more power you have. Dream today is to have all these things, when you have money and power you tend to of the main goals. In everything we do we are told to succeed. Whether it be sports, education, and our Jobs. So it wouldn't be a wonder that begng successful and known Dream has changed over the times, but some things are clear, the dream is to have The American Dream 1. In text two â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† by Arnold Schwarzenegger we are presented to the writer himself as an immigrant. He informs us about the responsibilities as an immigrant. As an immigrant you can’t come to America and take the best the nation have to offer without giving something back. You will succeed at the American Dream with hard work and determination and because of the generosity of the American people. We are introduced to the way to become a great American citizen.You have to learn the language and blend in with the culture but in the meantime you can still be proud of your own heritage. You also have to participate in the political process. To maintain a strong democracy with real change you have to be involved. It is a way to freedom and many Americans have sacrificed their lives in war to preserve their freedom. Last but not least you hav e to give something back. As well as former great immigrants who performed a great service for the nation, new immigrants ought to do the same. There is no limit on what you can achieve.In text three â€Å"Whose American Dream Is It, Anyway? † by Anya Kamenetz we become aware of the fact that Americans are more pessimistic about their lives now than at any time in the past half-century. One of the most fundamental assumptions of the American Dream is the belief that money and ownership of material things will increase. But this is no longer how the situation is. We reached a point where this will not make us any happier. In addition to this fact it seems that the planet can’t take the increasing pollution which follows.We are presented to a prediction that young people will choose a scaled down lifestyle and trade money for time. We need a new American Dream that will restore the social safety net and we need optimism for that. Text four â€Å"Is the American Dream St ill Possible? † by David Wallechinsky comes across the question written in the title. The question is based on the fact that many Americans are struggling financially. Nevertheless they still take responsibility for their own financial destiny. This is showed by an example with a single mother providing for 4 children. 2. Compare language, tone and style in texts 1 and 2.The two texts â€Å"What is the American Dream† and â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† are very different in their way of influencing the readers. In text one is used a very eloquent language which indicates that we are dealing with a well-educated writer. Another sign of the fact that he is well-educated is the use of difficult words which mean that you have to know synonyms of the words to fully understand the text. The text contains alliterations, a definition and a lot of quotes from well- known authorities.The style of the text is to question some relevant elements but on the other hand it expresses a really certain way of using the words. It makes you give everything an extra thought. The form of the text gives you the impression that the American Dream is attainable for everyone because of the fact that we all have unalienable rights. Contrary to text one text two is more personal. This is indicated by the use of many personal pronouns like â€Å"I† and â€Å"you† in the language. The language is very common which means that everyone can understand. Therefore the text approaches a wider target group.A lot of alliterations are used: â€Å"Honor, heritage†, â€Å"learn language†, and â€Å"died defending†. The text also contains a lot of positive words as freedom and the American Dream. The style of this text is more convincing, personal, and average so everyone can participate and understand, than text two. It is a very obliging an d explanatory tone. It expresses that everyone is worth something great. 3. As it is questioned in text four â€Å"Is the American Dream Still Possible? †: â€Å"Does the dream survive? I believe that everyone has a dream. It might not be the same dream but it is there.We all believe in our dream and hope for it to come true. We do our very best to achieve our dream. We do this with optimism even though times can be tough and the means can be poor. Our dream will show us the way back from tragedy and depression, our dream is where we are headed. The American Dream is a common dream. Many people unite around the fact that they have the same dream. It is a good dream because dreams keep our hopes up and lead us in the right direction. So I find the American dream a positive and good focal point in our lives. If we lose sight of our own dreams we still have the American Dream.It is of great value for those who lost track and need something good to believe in. We can affect the American Dream by making it our own dream. Therefore I believe that the American Dream will survive, it will survive in many of us. When going through rough times is when we realize that the dream is most needed. The dream of something better than you are going through at the time, is what you need. Which dream you have chosen to follow is not the important part. You will be recognized for your effort whether you have chosen the American Dream or another dream, as long as you have a dream. The American Dream 1. In text two â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† by Arnold Schwarzenegger we are presented to the writer himself as an immigrant. He informs us about the responsibilities as an immigrant. As an immigrant you can’t come to America and take the best the nation have to offer without giving something back. You will succeed at the American Dream with hard work and determination and because of the generosity of the American people. We are introduced to the way to become a great American citizen.You have to learn the language and blend in with the culture but in the meantime you can still be proud of your own heritage. You also have to participate in the political process. To maintain a strong democracy with real change you have to be involved. It is a way to freedom and many Americans have sacrificed their lives in war to preserve their freedom. Last but not least you hav e to give something back. As well as former great immigrants who performed a great service for the nation, new immigrants ought to do the same. There is no limit on what you can achieve.In text three â€Å"Whose American Dream Is It, Anyway? † by Anya Kamenetz we become aware of the fact that Americans are more pessimistic about their lives now than at any time in the past half-century. One of the most fundamental assumptions of the American Dream is the belief that money and ownership of material things will increase. But this is no longer how the situation is. We reached a point where this will not make us any happier. In addition to this fact it seems that the planet can’t take the increasing pollution which follows.We are presented to a prediction that young people will choose a scaled down lifestyle and trade money for time. We need a new American Dream that will restore the social safety net and we need optimism for that. Text four â€Å"Is the American Dream St ill Possible? † by David Wallechinsky comes across the question written in the title. The question is based on the fact that many Americans are struggling financially. Nevertheless they still take responsibility for their own financial destiny. This is showed by an example with a single mother providing for 4 children. 2. Compare language, tone and style in texts 1 and 2.The two texts â€Å"What is the American Dream† and â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† are very different in their way of influencing the readers. In text one is used a very eloquent language which indicates that we are dealing with a well-educated writer. Another sign of the fact that he is well-educated is the use of difficult words which mean that you have to know synonyms of the words to fully understand the text. The text contains alliterations, a definition and a lot of quotes from well- known authorities.The style of the text is to question some relevant elements but on the other hand it expresses a really certain way of using the words. It makes you give everything an extra thought. The form of the text gives you the impression that the American Dream is attainable for everyone because of the fact that we all have unalienable rights. Contrary to text one text two is more personal. This is indicated by the use of many personal pronouns like â€Å"I† and â€Å"you† in the language. The language is very common which means that everyone can understand. Therefore the text approaches a wider target group.A lot of alliterations are used: â€Å"Honor, heritage†, â€Å"learn language†, and â€Å"died defending†. The text also contains a lot of positive words as freedom and the American Dream. The style of this text is more convincing, personal, and average so everyone can participate and understand, than text two. It is a very obliging an d explanatory tone. It expresses that everyone is worth something great. 3. As it is questioned in text four â€Å"Is the American Dream Still Possible? †: â€Å"Does the dream survive? I believe that everyone has a dream. It might not be the same dream but it is there.We all believe in our dream and hope for it to come true. We do our very best to achieve our dream. We do this with optimism even though times can be tough and the means can be poor. Our dream will show us the way back from tragedy and depression, our dream is where we are headed. The American Dream is a common dream. Many people unite around the fact that they have the same dream. It is a good dream because dreams keep our hopes up and lead us in the right direction. So I find the American dream a positive and good focal point in our lives. If we lose sight of our own dreams we still have the American Dream.It is of great value for those who lost track and need something good to believe in. We can affect the American Dream by making it our own dream. Therefore I believe that the American Dream will survive, it will survive in many of us. When going through rough times is when we realize that the dream is most needed. The dream of something better than you are going through at the time, is what you need. Which dream you have chosen to follow is not the important part. You will be recognized for your effort whether you have chosen the American Dream or another dream, as long as you have a dream. The American Dream The American Dream is the idea that hard work and commitment will result in prosperity and completion of personal goals. It is perceived by many to be an easy way of pursuing and following through on their goals in life. Beginning in the late 1800s immigrants came into the United States looking for employment and the opportunity to succeed. These new opportunities would help lead them towards fulfilling their American Dream. The social class system in America determines the lifestyle and outcome of one’s life.The majority of people who are born into a low social class will continue to be poor throughout the rest of their lives. These people may have a goal to become wealthier, but these goals will never be fulfilled because of their negative ascribed and achieved characteristics. Positive ascribed and achieved characteristics help push people ahead in society and the social class structure. Negative ascribed and achieved characteristics hold people back and force them to overc ome these obstacles in order to succeed. Ascribed and achieved characteristics greatly affect the pursuit the Dream for people. The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald, and Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck perfectly portray the effect of the social class system and these personal characteristics on the American Dream. Determining one’s success or failure is based upon these characteristics and ultimately determines the social class in America. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, contains many different circumstances in which these characteristics affect their pursuit of the American Dream. Jay Gatsby, the main character of the book, pursues his dream by becoming wealthy. Born into a poor family, Gatsby tries to earn his dream girls’ love by making money.For five years he makes a great amount of money only to try and impress this woman’s expectations. He faces the problem of not realizing that the past is gone and he cannot get things that are impossible to reach. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, shows the effect of social class and personal drive to reach the American Dream. Lennie, who is mentally retarded, faces an obstacle he will never be able to overcome. Although his dream is simple, it will never be reached because of this ascribed characteristic. Another character in the book is Curley’s wife. An ascribed characteristic that she strives from is her beauty.A negative characteristic that holds her back from achieving her dream is her low social class and the fact that she’s a woman. All of these characters have different limitations, but they will all affect their pursuit of the American Dream and result in the same outcome. The Great Gatsby shows the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics upon the upper class. Jay Gatsby was born into a low social class. He falls in love with Daisy Buchanan who is very wealthy. His desire for love is an impossible feat that he cannot obtain because of his low social class. â€Å"Rich girls do not marry poor boys, Jay Gatsby† (Movie: The Great Gatsby).He pursues his dream by becoming wealthy and hoping that she will accept him as the same social class. A positive ascribed characteristic that will help him is the fact that he is a white male. This helps him because white men have a better chance of getting what they desire over any other gender or race. A negative ascribed characteristic is the fact that he was born into a lower class family. This will hold him back and greatly affect his pursuit of the American Dream. A positive achieved characteristic that Jay Gatsby, is the fact that he is rich after overcoming an extraordinary obstacle of beginning in a lower class position in society.His rise in the social structure from lower to upper-lower only took him five years to obtain. This is an astonishing feat in which he has succeeded and pushed himself ahead in pursuing his dream. â€Å"Almost five years! [†¦] It had gone by her, beyond everything† (Fitzgerald 101). Although he had become extremely wealthy, there is a negative side to his climb in the social structure. His negative achieved characteristic is the way in which he got all his money. The way that he made his fortune was through drugs and illegal actions. He lied to many people he was close to about his past because he knew that the truth would intrude upon his goal. I am the son of some wealthy people in the mid-west [†¦] San Francisco† (Fitzgerald 69). Gatsby figures that the only way to pursue his dream is to lie about his past. Jay Gatsby could never overcome his obstacles so he was unsuccessful in pursuing his American Dream. He focused on obtaining Daisy’s love and undoing the past. â€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light [†¦] tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms out further† (Fitzgerald 189). The biggest problem that Gatsby faces is the fact that he cannon overcome his unrealistic purs uit of Daisy.Jay Gatsby’s failure is a full result of pursuing something that he will never get; therefore, his dream cannot be fulfilled. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck portrays the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics on people in the lower class. Lennie and George travel together in order to find employment and make a living. This story takes the reader through the pursuit of a dream by two men and what they go through along the way. Their mutual dream is to â€Å"get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs and—† (Steinbeck 14).Lennie is a very strong, hardworking man who has a simple dream. The biggest problem he faces is that he is retarded. This negative ascribed characteristic is an impossible obstacle to overcome. A positive ascribed characteristic that somewhat helps him is the fact that he is a white male. A positive achieved characteristic is that he is extreme ly hardworking. â€Å"He’s awright. Just aint bright [†¦] But he can do anything you tell him† (Steinbeck 22). His problem is keeping a job in order to make money and earn a living plays a big role in his pursuit of the American Dream.His friend, George, says â€Å"If I was alone I could live so easy [†¦] I could get a job an’ not have no mess† (Steinbeck 103). His retardation leads to his problem with keeping a job and not being able to function in normal society. Not only did his negative ascribed characteristic of being retarded affect the pursuit of his dream, it ultimately led to his death. These obstacles are impossible to overcome. In result, he cannot follow through with his American Dream. Curley’s wife has extremely high expectations for her American Dream. One positive ascribed characteristic that helped her was her beauty. Her looks helped her throughout life.She was born into a low social class and later on in life she marrie d into the lower class. These are both negative ascribed and achieved characteristics of Curley’s wife. Another negative achieved characteristic of Curley’s wife is that she is a whore. She has the â€Å"eye† for other men. â€Å"She gonna make a mess [†¦] She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger† (Steinbeck 51). Before she got married to Curley she had a chance of obtaining her dream as an actress. She missed out on the opportunity and married Curly, a ranch hand. â€Å"I tell ya I could’a went with shows [†¦] she was breathless with indignation† (Steinbeck 78).When she looks back on it she finds herself to be very disappointed in her decision. She does not approve of Curley because he does not make enough money and is not up to her standards. â€Å"Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do [†¦] Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house? † (Steinbeck 78) Even though she is in the lo wer social class, she visualizes herself in a higher position above others with whom she associates herself with. If it was not for her low social status I believe that she would have been successful in her dream as an actress.Her beauty took her a long way in life and it helped her become close to her desired goal. Even though her dream was not very realistic, she had many qualities that helped her. The biggest setback that she had was the fact that she was a woman in the lower section of the social structure in America. Her ascribed characteristic of being poor determined the difference between her death and fulfilling her American Dream. Throughout the novels Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, and The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many characters portray the effect of personal characteristics upon their pursuit of the American Dream.Jay Gatsby’s personal achievement could not overcome all of the obstacles he had to work around in order to obtain his dream. Even th ough he became rich, the past was over and he could not retrieve Daisy’s love. Lennie had some extremely helpful qualities, but he could not overcome his ascribed characteristic of being retarded. For Lennie, it wasn’t his personal achievement, but instead it was his ascribed characteristics which held him back from his American Dream. Curley’s wife had the desire to become an actress, but instead she married a ranch hand who was in the lower class like herself.Her negative ascribed characteristic of being born into the lower social class held her back from reaching her goal. These characters all contained their own distinguishable problems, but they all had the same outcome. Ascribed and personal characteristics determine the future and outcome of one’s desired goal and for these three characters, this was true. Personal achievement and effort cannot always overcome all obstacles and for many the American Dream is just an impossible destination to reach. â€Å"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past† (Fitzgerald 189). The American Dream The American Dream is the idea that hard work and commitment will result in prosperity and completion of personal goals. It is perceived by many to be an easy way of pursuing and following through on their goals in life. Beginning in the late 1800s immigrants came into the United States looking for employment and the opportunity to succeed. These new opportunities would help lead them towards fulfilling their American Dream. The social class system in America determines the lifestyle and outcome of one’s life.The majority of people who are born into a low social class will continue to be poor throughout the rest of their lives. These people may have a goal to become wealthier, but these goals will never be fulfilled because of their negative ascribed and achieved characteristics. Positive ascribed and achieved characteristics help push people ahead in society and the social class structure. Negative ascribed and achieved characteristics hold people back and force them to overc ome these obstacles in order to succeed. Ascribed and achieved characteristics greatly affect the pursuit the Dream for people. The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald, and Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck perfectly portray the effect of the social class system and these personal characteristics on the American Dream. Determining one’s success or failure is based upon these characteristics and ultimately determines the social class in America. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, contains many different circumstances in which these characteristics affect their pursuit of the American Dream. Jay Gatsby, the main character of the book, pursues his dream by becoming wealthy. Born into a poor family, Gatsby tries to earn his dream girls’ love by making money.For five years he makes a great amount of money only to try and impress this woman’s expectations. He faces the problem of not realizing that the past is gone and he cannot get things that are impossible to reach. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, shows the effect of social class and personal drive to reach the American Dream. Lennie, who is mentally retarded, faces an obstacle he will never be able to overcome. Although his dream is simple, it will never be reached because of this ascribed characteristic. Another character in the book is Curley’s wife. An ascribed characteristic that she strives from is her beauty.A negative characteristic that holds her back from achieving her dream is her low social class and the fact that she’s a woman. All of these characters have different limitations, but they will all affect their pursuit of the American Dream and result in the same outcome. The Great Gatsby shows the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics upon the upper class. Jay Gatsby was born into a low social class. He falls in love with Daisy Buchanan who is very wealthy. His desire for love is an impossible feat that he cannot obtain because of his low social class. â€Å"Rich girls do not marry poor boys, Jay Gatsby† (Movie: The Great Gatsby).He pursues his dream by becoming wealthy and hoping that she will accept him as the same social class. A positive ascribed characteristic that will help him is the fact that he is a white male. This helps him because white men have a better chance of getting what they desire over any other gender or race. A negative ascribed characteristic is the fact that he was born into a lower class family. This will hold him back and greatly affect his pursuit of the American Dream. A positive achieved characteristic that Jay Gatsby, is the fact that he is rich after overcoming an extraordinary obstacle of beginning in a lower class position in society.His rise in the social structure from lower to upper-lower only took him five years to obtain. This is an astonishing feat in which he has succeeded and pushed himself ahead in pursuing his dream. â€Å"Almost five years! [†¦] It had gone by her, beyond everything† (Fitzgerald 101). Although he had become extremely wealthy, there is a negative side to his climb in the social structure. His negative achieved characteristic is the way in which he got all his money. The way that he made his fortune was through drugs and illegal actions. He lied to many people he was close to about his past because he knew that the truth would intrude upon his goal. I am the son of some wealthy people in the mid-west [†¦] San Francisco† (Fitzgerald 69). Gatsby figures that the only way to pursue his dream is to lie about his past. Jay Gatsby could never overcome his obstacles so he was unsuccessful in pursuing his American Dream. He focused on obtaining Daisy’s love and undoing the past. â€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light [†¦] tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms out further† (Fitzgerald 189). The biggest problem that Gatsby faces is the fact that he cannon overcome his unrealistic purs uit of Daisy.Jay Gatsby’s failure is a full result of pursuing something that he will never get; therefore, his dream cannot be fulfilled. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck portrays the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics on people in the lower class. Lennie and George travel together in order to find employment and make a living. This story takes the reader through the pursuit of a dream by two men and what they go through along the way. Their mutual dream is to â€Å"get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs and—† (Steinbeck 14).Lennie is a very strong, hardworking man who has a simple dream. The biggest problem he faces is that he is retarded. This negative ascribed characteristic is an impossible obstacle to overcome. A positive ascribed characteristic that somewhat helps him is the fact that he is a white male. A positive achieved characteristic is that he is extreme ly hardworking. â€Å"He’s awright. Just aint bright [†¦] But he can do anything you tell him† (Steinbeck 22). His problem is keeping a job in order to make money and earn a living plays a big role in his pursuit of the American Dream.His friend, George, says â€Å"If I was alone I could live so easy [†¦] I could get a job an’ not have no mess† (Steinbeck 103). His retardation leads to his problem with keeping a job and not being able to function in normal society. Not only did his negative ascribed characteristic of being retarded affect the pursuit of his dream, it ultimately led to his death. These obstacles are impossible to overcome. In result, he cannot follow through with his American Dream. Curley’s wife has extremely high expectations for her American Dream. One positive ascribed characteristic that helped her was her beauty. Her looks helped her throughout life.She was born into a low social class and later on in life she marrie d into the lower class. These are both negative ascribed and achieved characteristics of Curley’s wife. Another negative achieved characteristic of Curley’s wife is that she is a whore. She has the â€Å"eye† for other men. â€Å"She gonna make a mess [†¦] She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger† (Steinbeck 51). Before she got married to Curley she had a chance of obtaining her dream as an actress. She missed out on the opportunity and married Curly, a ranch hand. â€Å"I tell ya I could’a went with shows [†¦] she was breathless with indignation† (Steinbeck 78).When she looks back on it she finds herself to be very disappointed in her decision. She does not approve of Curley because he does not make enough money and is not up to her standards. â€Å"Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do [†¦] Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house? † (Steinbeck 78) Even though she is in the lo wer social class, she visualizes herself in a higher position above others with whom she associates herself with. If it was not for her low social status I believe that she would have been successful in her dream as an actress.Her beauty took her a long way in life and it helped her become close to her desired goal. Even though her dream was not very realistic, she had many qualities that helped her. The biggest setback that she had was the fact that she was a woman in the lower section of the social structure in America. Her ascribed characteristic of being poor determined the difference between her death and fulfilling her American Dream. Throughout the novels Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, and The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many characters portray the effect of personal characteristics upon their pursuit of the American Dream.Jay Gatsby’s personal achievement could not overcome all of the obstacles he had to work around in order to obtain his dream. Even th ough he became rich, the past was over and he could not retrieve Daisy’s love. Lennie had some extremely helpful qualities, but he could not overcome his ascribed characteristic of being retarded. For Lennie, it wasn’t his personal achievement, but instead it was his ascribed characteristics which held him back from his American Dream. Curley’s wife had the desire to become an actress, but instead she married a ranch hand who was in the lower class like herself.Her negative ascribed characteristic of being born into the lower social class held her back from reaching her goal. These characters all contained their own distinguishable problems, but they all had the same outcome. Ascribed and personal characteristics determine the future and outcome of one’s desired goal and for these three characters, this was true. Personal achievement and effort cannot always overcome all obstacles and for many the American Dream is just an impossible destination to reach. â€Å"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past† (Fitzgerald 189). The American Dream 1. In text two â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† by Arnold Schwarzenegger we are presented to the writer himself as an immigrant. He informs us about the responsibilities as an immigrant. As an immigrant you can’t come to America and take the best the nation have to offer without giving something back. You will succeed at the American Dream with hard work and determination and because of the generosity of the American people. We are introduced to the way to become a great American citizen.You have to learn the language and blend in with the culture but in the meantime you can still be proud of your own heritage. You also have to participate in the political process. To maintain a strong democracy with real change you have to be involved. It is a way to freedom and many Americans have sacrificed their lives in war to preserve their freedom. Last but not least you hav e to give something back. As well as former great immigrants who performed a great service for the nation, new immigrants ought to do the same. There is no limit on what you can achieve.In text three â€Å"Whose American Dream Is It, Anyway? † by Anya Kamenetz we become aware of the fact that Americans are more pessimistic about their lives now than at any time in the past half-century. One of the most fundamental assumptions of the American Dream is the belief that money and ownership of material things will increase. But this is no longer how the situation is. We reached a point where this will not make us any happier. In addition to this fact it seems that the planet can’t take the increasing pollution which follows.We are presented to a prediction that young people will choose a scaled down lifestyle and trade money for time. We need a new American Dream that will restore the social safety net and we need optimism for that. Text four â€Å"Is the American Dream St ill Possible? † by David Wallechinsky comes across the question written in the title. The question is based on the fact that many Americans are struggling financially. Nevertheless they still take responsibility for their own financial destiny. This is showed by an example with a single mother providing for 4 children. 2. Compare language, tone and style in texts 1 and 2.The two texts â€Å"What is the American Dream† and â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† are very different in their way of influencing the readers. In text one is used a very eloquent language which indicates that we are dealing with a well-educated writer. Another sign of the fact that he is well-educated is the use of difficult words which mean that you have to know synonyms of the words to fully understand the text. The text contains alliterations, a definition and a lot of quotes from well- known authorities.The style of the text is to question some relevant elements but on the other hand it expresses a really certain way of using the words. It makes you give everything an extra thought. The form of the text gives you the impression that the American Dream is attainable for everyone because of the fact that we all have unalienable rights. Contrary to text one text two is more personal. This is indicated by the use of many personal pronouns like â€Å"I† and â€Å"you† in the language. The language is very common which means that everyone can understand. Therefore the text approaches a wider target group.A lot of alliterations are used: â€Å"Honor, heritage†, â€Å"learn language†, and â€Å"died defending†. The text also contains a lot of positive words as freedom and the American Dream. The style of this text is more convincing, personal, and average so everyone can participate and understand, than text two. It is a very obliging an d explanatory tone. It expresses that everyone is worth something great. 3. As it is questioned in text four â€Å"Is the American Dream Still Possible? †: â€Å"Does the dream survive? I believe that everyone has a dream. It might not be the same dream but it is there.We all believe in our dream and hope for it to come true. We do our very best to achieve our dream. We do this with optimism even though times can be tough and the means can be poor. Our dream will show us the way back from tragedy and depression, our dream is where we are headed. The American Dream is a common dream. Many people unite around the fact that they have the same dream. It is a good dream because dreams keep our hopes up and lead us in the right direction. So I find the American dream a positive and good focal point in our lives. If we lose sight of our own dreams we still have the American Dream.It is of great value for those who lost track and need something good to believe in. We can affect the American Dream by making it our own dream. Therefore I believe that the American Dream will survive, it will survive in many of us. When going through rough times is when we realize that the dream is most needed. The dream of something better than you are going through at the time, is what you need. Which dream you have chosen to follow is not the important part. You will be recognized for your effort whether you have chosen the American Dream or another dream, as long as you have a dream.

Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Buddhism - Essay Example From the holy book, chapters 16–20 are devoted to nirvana and the path to enlightenment (Buddharakkhita 6–23). According to the teachings, the events that a person is subjected to are an outcome of the thoughts he or she has formed. Hatred should not lead to hatred, for it never causes hatred to cease but only by love. It is important to control one’s senses, and not only seek controlled pleasures or be immoderate in one’s food since such behavior will only cause Mara the Tempter to overthrow such person. Whether one is a monk or a householder, it is important to remove evil and sinful thoughts. Ethics seems to be a strong point in the teachings and drive home the benefits of good and sinless living, as compared to sinful living where one only has evil thoughts. The evil doer always thinks of the evil he has done, and these thoughts continue to haunt him even in his sleep, and deprive him of the simple pleasures in life since he is always thinking about ev il, retribution, and the acts that others would take on him. A person who is free from such thoughts would be free from evil intentions and subsequently be free from hatred, desire, and evil (Buddharakkhita 30–63). According to Lord Buddha, a wise man does not pass arbitrary judgements but reaches them after deep thought. To be called an elder and not just a vain old man, one must show truthfulness, restraint, self-mastery, virtue, and inoffensive behaviour, and should be free from defilements (Buddharakkhita 64–65). Lord Buddha also says that a person must be watchful in using his speech, control his mind and not commit evil. Lust, affection, and desire are bondages that tie a man to sin and wrongdoing, so they must be cut off. The evil embodiments are defined by craving, or the mother, self-conceit that is the father of evil desire, eternalism and nihilism that are the two warrior kings, and sense organs and objects that are the country. Once these evils are destroye d, the person is ready to be on the road to salvation. Disciples of Gotama are those who happy and non-violent, who practice mindfulness of the body, who have the qualities of the sangha, dhamma and Buddha, and those who constantly meditate (Buddharakkhita 66–75). A wise man must come to realize that by renouncing a lesser happiness, one can achieve a greater happiness. One should avoid being entangled by bonds of hate since cancers of the mind only increase for people who are arrogant and heedless. It is important that one always be on guard since opportunity can slip by, and it is better to walk alone if the company that one finds is not made of virtuous people. The current of craving flows everywhere and includes sensual pleasure, annihilation, and continued existence. It is essential that one free himself from these cravings (Buddharakkhita 78–87). How Do Moral Expectations of a Buddhist Monk Differ from the Morality of a Lay Buddhist? The Buddhist monk is one who has given up all worldly pleasures and seeks nirvana, or the path of salvation. The laity, or the lay Buddhist, is one who still has a family and looks after his household. While the rules for the monk are strict and need stringent self-restraint, those for the laity are more of behavioral nature. Differences are given as below. A monk must practice restraint and show extreme control in his actions and attitude. Accordingly, the monk should restrain oneself in the eye,

What is Effective Leadership within an Organisational Context Essay

What is Effective Leadership within an Organisational Context - Essay Example It seems that these characteristics are not standardized. Indeed, each leader seems to have different criteria for prioritizing organizational needs and for handling organizational crises. For this reason, the description of effective leadership may have different forms, focusing on the leader’s personal characteristics (traits), the role of leadership in transforming the organizational environment and so on. The review of the theories developed in the particular field led to the following assumption: effective leadership can exist in modern organizations but not in its ideal form. This means that even leaders who are characterized as quite successful may fail in responding to all needs of their organization. This finding can be characterized as logical since leaders, like all people, can also have weaknesses and preferences. However, there is a characteristic that differentiates successful leaders from others, non-charismatic leaders; successful leaders are able to use their weaknesses as means for promoting their ideas. The lack of flexibility of Margaret Thatcher in regard to her political decisions has been also considered as a power for supporting her ideas. In other words, in charismatic leaders, weaknesses are transformed into exceptional characteristics, contributing in the success of these leaders within their environment. 2. Effective leadership – description and analysis 2.1 Nature of leadership The last decades, the development of leadership has been rapid. The reason is that the specific concept has been highly related to the organizational development. In fact, it has been proved that leaders have a key role in the success of organizations in the international market. A wide range of leadership definitions has appeared, aiming to explain the nature of the concept and its role in the organizational performance. In accordance with a well-known description of leadership, this of Bass (1990), the most appropriate description of leadershi p would refer to leadership as ‘a group of processes’ (Bass 1990, in Northouse 2010, p.2). In the context of the above description, the leader is believed to be the center of organizational processes, and that his views reflect the views of his environment, meaning the employees. However, the above description fails in explaining the role of leader in taking initiatives, a role which is quite important for modern organizations, as analyzed further in the sections that follow. From another point of view, Northouse (2010) notes that leadership can be considered as a concept reflecting ‘a combination of special traits’ (Northouse 2010, p.2), meaning that each leader has specific characteristics, which are those that make the particular leader exceptional within his environment, both the internal and the external. The trait-theory on leadership, as described above, is quite popular, focusing on the personality of leader and not so much on his role within the or ganization. It is expected that the response of each leader to his environment will be different, in accordance with his personal characteristics, meaning his perceptions, his background and his skills. 2.2 Types of leadership in modern organization As noted above, the views of theorists in regard to leadership and its role are differentiated. Most theorists consider leadership as related more to the personal characteristics of the leader, a view promoted in the traits theory of leadership. However, there are also theorists who

Com law and ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Com law and ethics - Essay Example There are several issues that portray the publisher of the Larry Flynt as to have violated several ethical concerns. These ethical concerns revolve around privacy, objectivity and accuracy. First, was the issue of accuracy; when Flynt was approached with the nude pictures of the First Lady Jacqueline Keneddy Onassis, he never sought to establish the facts and context on which the pictures were taken. The first lady is said to have been sunbathing when the photos were taken, and yet the same would not be said in the hustler magazine. Secondly, Flynt had violated the right of children. The daughter had reported that at 19, Flynt forced him to appear in the magazine posing naked and threatened to kill her if she refused to cooperate. This was one of the ethical considerations he failed to observe in his publication. He did not seek the consent of some of the images he wanted to appear in his magazine. The involvement of many courts in the case of Larry Flynt was because of appeals that were being made in reaction to dissatisfaction that was witnessed in the lower courts. Usually, when there is dissatisfaction on the findings of a particular court verdict, the parties involved may seek redress of the same matter in higher court through appeal. That is why the people felt that the matter should be addressed in the higher courts. The Supreme Court ruling set some precedence in the criminal justice system. It further proved that individual rights were much protected than any other rights. Though it seemed like Larry was favored by the court, the ultimate victory was the people since the court proved that the rights of individuals would be protected by the constitution. Flynt, Larry, and David Eisenbach. One nation under sex: how the private lives of presidents, first ladies and their lovers changed the course of American history. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.

Critically evaluate the significance of leadership as it relates to Assignment

Critically evaluate the significance of leadership as it relates to driving the culture of an organisation. To support your anal - Assignment Example Leadership is usually associated with motivation; the incentive theory suggests that the employee will increase their efficiency if they are offered incentives (Handy, 2007). However, certain theorists believed that employees are often driven by economic needs which are also known as rational assumptions (Handy, 2007). Management is a logical process which requires the emotional intelligence of the manager to handle the human resources of the organization. Leadership and Management are interrelated but cannot be used interchangeably and there are three dimensions of leadership which is needed for effective management which are planning, negotiation and rewarding. Managers are concerned with the achievement of targets; however leaders are concerned with fresh approaches of how to manage the employees of the organization through inspiration and motivation. Theories related to satisfaction of the worker are very limited; a satisfied worker may not work harder but he/ she tends to stay l onger in the existing organization (Handy, 2007). As per author Kotter, management is about dealing with the complexity of the problems whereas leadership is about coping with change and bringing order and consistency in the organization (Sadler, 2003). The difference between management and leadership was first defined by theorist James McGregnor in the year 1978 (Sadler, 2003). The theory laid emphasis on the difference between transactional and transformational leadership. Transactional leadership occurs when the manager takes the initiative in offering some form of satisfaction in return for something valued (Sadler, 2003). Managers who exhibit the transactional leadership skills are usually associated with ability to attain results and solve problems through proper planning, organizing, directing and controlling and work methodically within the structure and the boundary of the organization. Organizational culture and transformational leadership are interrelated and also has a s ignificant impact on the organizational effectiveness. Transformational leadership qualities lead to excellent performance of the employees which are beyond the expectations of the organization. As per authors Denison and Mishra, there are usually four cultural traits that are related positively with the organizational performance which are involvement, consistency, participation and normative integration (Xenikou and Simosi, 2006). Managers following transformational leadership skill promote an environment that helps in achievement of high goals. Transformational leadership is mainly concerned with the intellectual simulation, accomplishment, and individual consideration. In addition it was also proved that there are certain organizations which have certain group norms that help in promoting self actualization, participation in decision making, moral and social support, cooperation etc. The organizational culture theory as proposed by Cook and Rousseau suggests that culture is comp osed of the shared values of a social group acquired through socialization process and can be acquired through socialization process and exposure to variety of culture bearing elements (Xenikou and Simosi, 2006). These culture bearing element constitute of social interaction, employee behaviour and their performance.

To Design Secure, Scalable and Responsive Database Security Plan and Research Paper

To Design Secure, Scalable and Responsive Database Security Plan and Requirements Definition Document for a Medical Records SAN - Research Paper Example tructure. However these corporate structures are presently under a great deal of risks. These risks include critical security and privacy attacks. In this scenario there is a dire need for the application of enhanced security and privacy solutions that ensure a scalable and responsive Medical Records SAN (Storage Area Network). In fact application of such security based solutions demands extensive security management endeavor. With the effective security management we can gain a better business competitive edge in the marketplace. This report is based on the security plan development and implementation for a Medical Records SAN (Storage Area Network). Part 1: Project Identification and Business Environment Major responsibilities for database security management For the development of an information security plan we generally require a comprehensive hierarchy of security management staff. In this scenario the corporate Chief Security Manager will be in-charge of this responsive, secur e and scalable database security plan. Then we will hire an Assistant Security Manager who will perform the responsibilities of managing operative measures and complex corporate security issues. Operational and  incident management  procedures In case of any security violation or threat the corporate security plan will be operational. However we will also maintain the facility of constantly database back-ups. In this way we can easily manage the complex situation through various security based measures to stop or manage such security threats. Personnel and procedures for daily administration In case if we want regular security and operational management for the corporate we will have to establish and maintain a suitable safety handling and managerial arrangement. This may involve a reporting mechanism on daily basis under the supervision of Assistant Security Manager who will compile the weekly security report for Chief Security Manager. Hence the responsible authority can take the necessary action for the overall security management and handling. Part 2: Architecture and Operating System Considerations Architecture of System The corporate information security policy will govern the overall corporate security management operations. Given below is a comprehensive architecture of the new security management arrangement for SAN: Figure 1: Architecture of security policy Source: http://itil.osiatis.es/ITIL_course/it_service_management/security_management/introduction_and_objectives_security_management/introduction_and_objectives_security_management.php The above given diagram shows a complete and clear overview of our desired responsive database security

Only Hope comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Only Hope comparison - Essay Example On the other hand, Condon authored a book describing his findings from an extensive study that sought to describe how the youth of the Inuit people of the Holman island of Canada Arctic coped with the rigorous changes of adolescence amidst many social, economic, and demographic transformations. Both of these books offer an anthropological description of the Inuit youth and Chinese singletons. This paper will offer a comparison of the research questions addressed, methodologies, roles of the research , the content described in the two books and the conclusions drawn. Fong’s as highlighted in the book ‘only hope’ research question centered on determining what type of attributes were exhibited by singletons. The research was probed by the fact that parents of singletons bestowed a lot of hope in these children. Moreover, the possibility that the parents accorded these children all their attention and offered them multiple material things would have had the potential of spoiling such children. On the other hand, Condon realized that the adolescence stage presented rigorous psychological, emotional, hormonal, and physical changes that define the transition from childhood to adulthood (Fong, 2006). This prompted him to analyze how the adolescents of the Inuit youth in the Holman Island in the Canadian Arctic region coped with the social, economic, and demographic factors. He reasoned that understanding how all these changes shaped the maturation process of the adolescents could offer an advanced understanding of functioning processes of humans. Fong carried a study in the Dalian region, a coastal city that was undergoing transformation from an industrial center to service-oriented town. For 27 months, in the years 1997-2002, Fong worked closely with different schools, students, and parents. Her survey was extensive and included 2273 students in different ranks of schools. She had the privilege of visiting about 107 homes in the region (Fong, 2006) . She identified 31 families as her sample after having an extensive interaction through tutorial classes offered within the home setting. The role of her research was to determine whether the one child policy had any impact on the children born. On the other hand, Condon carried out two extensive field studies of the Inuit youth on the Holman Island. Although his first study sought to address a different objective, it offered an introductory understanding of the community (Condon, 1988). He compiled his findings after seven years of an interactive field study. The role of his research was to analyze how the youth coped with the numerous changes that defined their lives. Condon selected sub-section of the Holman Island as his sample population. Fong’s research revealed that singletons faced a surging pressure to become exemplary children as her findings highlight. The different chapters in her book reveal that parents expected singletons to demonstrate a higher sense of focus in school compared to children who had siblings. This translated into different forms of pressure exerted on the children by the parents so that they would meet the defined expectations (Fong, 2006). It becomes evident from the findings described that parents had viewed singletons in terms of the future. The research

Computerized Scheduling System Essay Example for Free

Computerized Scheduling System Essay A computerized reservations and scheduling system is provided which alternately allows transportation consumers to select from pre-scheduled transportation services provided by transportation providers or to negotiate and contract with transportation providers who have available unscheduled transportation space. The system comprises a central computerized data base. Transportation providers and consumers alike access the computer via a plurality of terminal units. The central computerized data base comprises a maybe file for storing information regarding available unscheduled transportation space which may be offered by a provider for service if a suitable consumer demand exists and for storing information regarding unscheduled transportation space which is needed by consumers. The maybe file facilitates negotiating and contracting between the parties. Scheduling is the process of deciding how to commit resources between a variety of possible tasks. Time can be specified (scheduling a flight to leave at 8:00) or floating as part of a sequence of events. The word may also refer to: * I/O scheduling, the order in which I/O requests are submitted to a block device in Computer Operating Systems * Scheduling (broadcasting), the minute planning of the content of a radio or television broadcast channel * Scheduling algorithm * Scheduling (computing), the way various processes are assigned in multitasking and multiprocessing operating system design * Scheduling (production processes), the planning of the production or the operation * Schedule (workplace), ensuring that an organization has sufficient staffing levels at all times * Job scheduler, an enterprise software application in charge of unattended background executions. * Job Shop Scheduling, an optimization problem in computer science. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheduling Scheduling is a key concept in computer multitasking, multiprocessing operating system and real-time operating system designs. Scheduling refers to the way processes are assigned to run on the available CPUs, since there are typically many more processes running than there are available CPUs. This assignment is carried out by softwares known as a scheduler and dispatcher. The scheduler is concerned mainly with: * Throughput number of processes that complete their execution per time unit. * Latency, specifically: * Turnaround total time between submission of a process and its completion. * Response time amount of time it takes from when a request was submitted until the first response is produced. * Fairness Equal CPU time to each process (or more generally appropriate times according to each process priority).

Avocado Leaf Plasticity Essay Example for Free

Avocado Leaf Plasticity Essay INTRODUCTION: Phenotypic plasticity, or differing phenotypes from one genotype in different environmental conditions, is a way for sessile organisms to adapt to changing environmental conditions (Valladares et al., 2007). Plasticity was expected to be abundant, however, it did not occur as often in nature due to resource limitations and environmental stress (Valladares et al., 2007). An experiment by Matos tested the phenotypic plasticity to light availability in shade and sun leaves of coffee trees (Matos et al. , 2009). Their research indicated that compared [to] sun leaves, shade leaves had a lower stomatal density, a thinner palisade mesophyll, a higher specific leaf area, and improved light capture†¦ (Matos et al., 2009). The sun leaves were described as generally thicker with an enhanced quantity of palisade mesophyll (Matos et al., 2009). Our objective was the presence of phenotypic plasticity in avocado trees based on the differences in the morphology of shade and sun leaves. In our study, we asked whether there is a difference in surface area, length-to-width ratio, mass, specific leaf mass, and color between shade leaves and sun leaves in avocado trees. We hypothesized that there would be no significant differences in surface area, length-to-width ratio, mass, specific leaf mass, and color between shade leaves and sun leaves. METHODS: We collected our seventy samples of avocado tree (Persea americana) leaves, in equal amounts of sun and shade leaves, at an avocado tree grove located north of Building 3 and University Drive at Cal Poly Pomona on Thursday, October 24, 2013 at 9:00 am. They were randomly and interspersedly collected throughout the grove. We split the grove into five areas, split into five teams of two, and was assigned to one of the five areas. Each team picked a number for the trees in their region and a random number was selected from a random number table to select a tree corresponding to that number. A random number table was used to pick the corresponding quadrant, branch, and leaf.  This process was done twice on each tree in the understory for shade leaves, and in the canopy for sun leaves. Each leaf was measured for its surface area, length-to-width ratio, mass, specific leaf mass, and color. Surface area was measured by a leaf area meter in squared centimeters. Length-to-width ratio was measured by measuring the length (vertically along the bridge of the leaf) and the width (horizontally on the widest part of the leaf) with a ruler in centimeters, and dividing the length by the width. Mass was calculated by a balance in grams. Specific leaf mass (thickness) was measured by dividing the mass by its surface area in grams per squared centimeter. Color was measured by having three reference leaves provided by the instructor, indicating light (L), medium (M), and dark (D) leaves and compared our collected leaves. After recording all of the data, these data were then input into a statistical program called StatCat to determine normality through a normality test. The data for surface area, length-to-width ratio, mass, and specific leaf mass for sun and shade leaves were both normal, therefore, we chose a paired sample t-test for all of them. A normality test was not needed for color for sun and shade leaves due to it being a nominal scale data. The number of light, medium, and dark shade leaves were tallied up according to color, and the same was done for the sun leaves. A contingency table was made in Excel, and used in StatCat to test our hypothesis. The paired sample t-tests were also done through StatCat, which then gave us the appropriate results to test our hypotheses. RESULTS: Shade leaves had a significantly larger surface area than sun leaves (t = -3.7313, P = 0.00069; Table 1). Shade leaves had a significantly larger length-to-width ratio than sun leaves (t = -2.7162, P = 0.01031). Shade leaves had no significant difference in mass than sun leaves (t = -1.4871, P = 0.1462). Shade leaves had a significantly smaller specific leaf mass than sun leaves (t = 5.82093, P = 1.5Ãâ€"10-6). Shade leaves were significantly darker than sun leaves (X2 = 18.417, P = 0.0001).

The Principles Of Liberal Idealism And Realism

The Principles Of Liberal Idealism And Realism For the purpose of this essay, my discussions will be narrowed down to the theory of Realism and would reflect on my knowledge of the topic before the seminar, key issued raised, what i learnt during the seminar and how it impacted on my understanding, i would also discuss what i did thereafter with my knowledge of the topic in terms of further research. I had just the basic knowledge about the concept of Realism before attending the aforementioned seminar which is that power is of primary importance to the realist. Also, in international relations, states are primarily motivated to obtain power and security because of anarchy on the world stage. The 1963 version of the movie Lord of the flies which we watched in a previous class also went a long way to aid my understanding of the themes of power and security in the realist school of thought. In the movie Lord of the flies, elements of realism were highlighted, there was a high regard for the values of national security and state survival which was eminent in the character of jack who formed his own gang of hunters and claimed to provide security from the beast and food for all those who followed his leadership. Also, the conviction that international relations are conflictual and that these conflicts are ultimately resolved by war. This can be linked to the character of Jack who had constant disagreements with Ralph of which he was always ready to go to war. I learnt from the movie that laws and rules are necessary to keep the darker side of human nature in check. When all elements of civilization disappeared from the island, the boys revert to a more primitive part of their nature; savages and anarchy replaced democracy. During the course of the seminar, ten assumptions of the principles of realism were discussed based on Kegley (1995) who asserted that people are sinful and wicked by nature and the likelihood of eliminating the instinct for power is rather utopian. Key issues were raised and discussed from different perspectives, but something of particular interest to me was the way power was viewed by some of my peers as not just the ability to dominate others or as a state having international influence or military strength on the world stage and not even in financial terms. Power was viewed in ideas as well; an ideology is even more powerful than money or any other material thing. This is interesting because the realist has this hierarchy of power capabilities and military strength is its most obvious way of enforcing power, the realist would relegate ideas to low politics. This point was challenged during the discussion by a fellow student who stated that the realist belief of power superseding an ideology had changed after the Second World War and that ideology had been placed on a much higher level than power. But that was the same thing that was said in the height of the cold war, the fight was a clash of an ideology and this clash was combated through guns, tanks and bombs. A good question raised was that are the guns, tanks and bombs a means to an end or are they a means in itself? That is to say are these weapons complementing an ideology? Or will ideas be smashed by guns, tanks and bombs. Personally i think on the long run, an ideology will definitely survive any form of weapon because it is the way of life of a people but if there is an uprising, weapons can be used to subdue but not necessarily causing deaths or more chaos. However, this was not the case in China during the Tiananmen Square Massacre of June 1989, where students and intellectuals led series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing beginning on 14 April, 1989. For more than six wee ks, millions of students gathered at Tiananmen Square to protest against the governments authoritarianism and called for economic change and democratic reform. On the night of June 4 1989, the Peoples Liberation Armys (PLA) tanks rolled into the centre of Beijing and killed hundreds of students, intellectuals, supporters and bystanders (Shirk, 2007). Another interesting issue raised was one very good argument in the heart of the cold war which is that would Washington sacrifice New York in order to save London? Meaning that if there was a nuclear attack, would Washington realise that our duty is to save our ally before we save ourselves. In answering this question, a state thinks of its self and its benefits first, it has to be calculating, Washington will never sacrifice New York to save London or any other ally. Also when it comes to power, a state has its interest at heart; looking at the China, United States, Taiwan relationship, America stood in there as an intermediary force also putting into consideration what its losses would be if it takes any rash decisions, which shows that a state considers its benefits first and is always calculating. The US cannot pick fights with China despite its constant human rights abuses because China is the big boy on the playground. Another issue discussed was that of national interest, the realist defines national interest as the acquisition of power (Kegley, 1995).We live in this atmosphere of national interest. It was in the US national interest to invade Iraq and go into Afghanistan; i presume it was in the national interest to get out of Iraq. A state needs to acquire power as much as possible if not, another state would and this then becomes a threat. According to Machiavelli, the fundamental responsibility of states people is to advance and defend the national interest. For Machiavelli, if the state is not strong, it will be a standing invitation for others to prey upon it (Donnelly, 2000). At the end of the seminar, we agreed that power cannot be eradicated instead; means and mechanisms to restrict and control it should be in place. The seminar impacted on my understanding of the concepts and principles of realism to a large extent especially the discussions on ideology of which i concluded that everyone is free to have an ideology, something they believe in. But the question remains: what do you do with your ideology? Is it used in a positive or negative way? Leaders since the Roman Empire have used ideology to instil amongst the masses a common consciousness, to help safeguard or teardown political communities and to equally conquer or repel alternative ideologies. An ideology can also be used to commit terrorism all over the world for example, Islamic extremists or radicals and 9/11. Hybel (2009) argues that world actors for centuries have aspired to propagate a structure of meaning through the world arena that reflected their own system of beliefs, ideas and values which would effectively protect and promote their material interest, believing their system to be superior to all others and such they felt moral ly obliged to spread it. Hybel states that radical Islamism is driven by the same set of goals. When these plethoras of ideas conflict or compete, war becomes almost inevitable. After the seminar, i carried out more research to aid the knowledge gained, i applied the concept of the realist quest for power to real life situation in international relations and theoretical approaches matched with applied analyses on events. Great powers all over the world are constantly competing for influence, international competition between the United States, china, Russia, Europe, Iran, India and Japan raises threats of regional conflicts. I was able to understand why the United State was an ambitious superpower. Kagan (2008) argues that Americas technical advances in weaponry far outstripped the rest of the world and placed the US in a special category of military superpower. As a matter of global strategy, they have preferred a preponderance of power to a balance of power with other nations, insisting on preserving and if possible extending regional predominance in the Middle east, East Asia, The Western Hemisphere: until recently Europe and Central Asia. According to Ch omsky (2003), The United States has been pursuing a grand imperial strategy aimed at staking out the globe. They are willing to dominate (as in the Cuban missiles Crisis) no matter how high the stakes. The Bush administration in September 2002 announced its National Security strategy which declared the right to resort to force to eliminate any perceived challenge to US global hegemony, which is to be permanent. China is another (emerging) superpower and a force to be reckoned with on the world stage. Sixty years ago, China was torn by domestic conflicts, invaded, vulnerable, isolated and poor. Today, it is an economic giant with its economy racing to become the largest in the world and its military power growing steadily. No other nation has moved faster from weakness to strength (Kagan, 2008). In conclusion, the seminar opened my understanding to a plethora of ideas and concepts i hitherto had little knowledge of and was able to make sense of the link between the theoretical approaches of international relations and real life situations present in the world today as well as to professionally analyse international events.