Defining Humanity Through the Depiction of Loss and Suffering in Epic Poems

Defining Humanity through the Depiction of Loss and Suffering in Epic Poems Casey Dalton 10/8/2010 Forms and Expressions in World Literature Though epic poems, such as Homer’s The Iliad, or Beowulf, were meant to entertain, spread religion and culture, and perhaps even to preserve historical truths, they also have a rarely noticed, possibly accidental agenda; defining humanity. Even tales such as The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam have a mutual theme, though they come from completely different cultures and time frames.That theme is that what makes us mortal; what makes us human is the aspect of loss and suffering in our lives. This is true throughout all epic poems, whether subtle or not. The Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian story of a king and his brotherly bond, is a fairly obvious representation of the theme connecting humanity to loss and sorrow. This story dates back to one thousand B. C. E. and â€Å"can rightly be called the first true work of world literature. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) According to the epic, Gilgamesh was a great warrior and king of the city-state Uruk.He was described as almost god-like. This idea is embodied by now popular stories such as the story of Hercules, who is half-man, half-god. He is both praised and feared for his power. The epic reads, â€Å"Supreme over other kings, lordly in appearance, he is the hero, born of Uruk, the goring wild bull. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) Gilgamesh wields all of this power, yet he cannot control himself as a god would. He kills the locals’ sons, and rapes their women; possibly out of sheer boredom. He has been given more power than he can handle.In order to correct the problem, the god Anu convinces the goddess Aruru that Gilgamesh requires a counterpart to keep him occupied. Aruru creates Enkidu, an equivalent to Gilgamesh in size and strength, and t hey become loyal companions. Enkidu has a dream that he is attacked and killed by â€Å"a man of dark visage† (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) and soon after, dies. Gilgamesh cannot handle the loss of his dear friend and companion. He stays with the body until it is a host to maggots, and then wanders in the wilderness by himself, mourning.Then, realizing that he is mortal as well as his beloved Enkidu, Gilgamesh sets off on a quest to find his â€Å"ancestor Utanapishtim, who joined the Assembly of the Gods, and was given eternal life. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) The story of Utanapishtim’s gift was Noah’s Ark-esque. In which, he was given immortality for building a boat to save humanity and all other living things from a flood. Utanapishtim give Gilgamesh a plant that is said to reverse age. Gilgamesh tells a ferryman, â€Å"†¦this plant is a plant against decay by which a man can attain his survival.I will bring it to Uruk-Haven, and have an old man eat the plant to test. The plant’s name is ‘The Old Man Becomes a Young Man. ’ Then I will eat it and return to my youth. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) The plant is stolen by a snake, being a literal representation of a loss of immortality; making him human. Though, it is also a representation of a rebirth; of the realization that comes to Gilgamesh. After all these events, Gilgamesh realizes that though physically he will die, he can live on through the legacy he leaves behind.And so, he returns to Uruk and becomes a leader, a hero, and a proper king. The theme of loss causing expression of humanity is proven through this passage, â€Å"Over his friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh cried bitterly, roaming the wilderness. ‘I am going to die! – am I not like Enkidu?! Deep sadness penetrates my core, I fear death, and now roam the wilderness - I will set out to the region of Utanapishtim, son of Ubartutu, and will go with utmost dispatch! ’† (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) Before Gilgamesh’s loss of his companion, mentally, nothing separated him from being a god.He had the strength and ability to conquer anything or anyone. After Enkidu’s death, he realizes that no matter how powerful he may be, he is still a mortal and a human. Gilgamesh succumbs to a symptom of being human, mourning his loss. Previously, he had taken many lives carelessly, but when his companion’s life was taken, he becomes deeply emotional. He becomes irrational and wanders through the wilderness, becoming nomadic, like an animal. It’s as if he is attempting to avoid being human; to avoid being mortal.On Gilgamesh’s return to Uruk, the epic reads, â€Å"A snake smelled the fragrance of the plant, silently came up and carried off the plant. While going back it sloughed off its casing. At that point Gilgamesh sat down, weeping, his tears streaming over the side of his nose. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) The death of his friend caused him to realize that he, too, was mortal, but the loss of his only possible source of immortality caused him to realize that he will never be more than human.Though, the human life he lives is his opportunity to become ‘immortal’ to his people. The tale of The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam is a part of the Shah-nama or, The Book of Kings. Though it is a Persian epic, and was originally written around the year nine-hundred eighty-one, it has many strong similarities to The Epic of Gilgamesh. This epic starts off with a hero by the name of Rostam whose cherished horse wanders off and is captured. In search of the horse he comes across the fairest of maidens, Tahmine, who was well aware of his heroic reputation and wished to bear his son.They conceived a son. Rostam leaves his seal with Tahmine, to give to their child and they proceeded to live separate lives. The son is named Sohrab and is born Turkish, opposing the Iranian Rostam, due to political issues. The father and son are unaware of their relation, and meet each other in the battle field. Rostam mortally wounded Sohrab, and with his dying breaths, still unaware of their relation, Sohrab vows that his heroic father will avenge his death, and reveals the seal given to him upon leaving home for battle.Rostam had â€Å"slain the one he held most dear. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume B 509-18) He is then overcome with grief for the rest of his existence. This is the tragedy; the loss of a son, one’s attempt at becoming ‘immortal’, a legacy. Had Rostam not mistakenly slain his own son, and they had joined forces, they would have been an unstoppable force. Secrecy and bad politics kept the son from his father, thus keeping the son from be ing identified with his father, which is where the deeper meaning lies in the epic poem.Though god-like, Rostam was a mortal, and incidentally had destroyed his only son, who had not yet become identified with his father. As in Gilgamesh, the only hope for one to become near immortal is through one’s legacy, being another common theme spanning across the spectrum of epic poems. Rostam had destroyed his only physical possibility of creating a legacy with his own hands, there lies the tragedy. Though, Rostam lost his link to everlasting life, it created one for Sohrab. Never knowing the sorrow of a substantial loss, Sohrab was killed in perfection; he died in a god-like image.Addressing Rostam, a man says, â€Å"Once from afar I saw his arms and neck, His lofty stature and his massive chest. The times impelled him and his martial host to come here now and perish by your hand. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume B 509-18) Sohrab’s image will be preserved as a god’s, as unflawed, never knowing the feeling of suffering; the feeling of loss. Epic poems are not unlike other genres of literature in that they all share common themes and ideas, no matter how conflicting the cultures of which they are tied to.All epics, especially tragedies, remind us of what it means to be human. Whether intentional or not, these poems directly connect humanity to, through our mortality, the loss of what one holds dear. Though, it is taken one step further and is connected to pity, sorrow, and grief. Without these emotions, one is not human.Works Cited The Longman Anthology: World Literature. 2nd ed. Volume B. Pearson Longman, 2008. 509-18. Print. The Longman Anthology: World Literature. 2nd ed. Volume A. Pearson Longman, 2008. 57-97. Print.

Microsoft’s Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Essay

When we are talking about software, technology, computers involving manufacturers, licenses and supports, what is the company that’s the most popular and operates efficiently? Of course it is the Microsoft Company. Microsoft thought that technology can create occasions and opportunities for many people and organizatiobs around the world. So, they developed new technology that releases creativity, productivity, and opportunity for more and more people around the world. Nowadays, because the world is changing and there are new challenges about the environment, they want to solve these challenges and create new opportunities for people everywhere. They strive to use corporate social responsibility using three approaches. that’s the customers, their employees and human rights. When talking about Corporate Social Responsibility in Microsoft Thailand Company. First, they must look after the customer at the beginning service and after service, because Thai people prefer service more than the quality of products. They sometimes consider than the product maybe doesn’t work so they want the insurance of products or the guarantee from the company that they’ll received a new product if they have problems with the product. And they need to do some activity that’s shed light to care of environment by Promote the activity of conservation though some location such as the mall or market because when their product was produced, it’ll affect to the nature and make much pollution. Second, their employees and organization. Because their employees are innovators from every corners of the world, they have to pay attention to compensation and benefits. If Microsoft pays them high, it will be motivation. Because of their diverse life experiences, ambition, skill, ability and commitment makes Microsoft working efficiently and help understand customer needs. Not only the compensation but Microsoft must look after employees healthy and safety too. Finally, this is the one important factor of Corporate Social Responsibility , that is the human rights. Human Rights are the rights you have simply because you’re human. Millions of Thai people consisting of workers or students prefer Microsoft products more others, so what does it mean? Because Thai people believe that the first technology product come from foreigner’s country will make whole  them life better than before whether they are at home or anywhere in the world. So, Microsoft company in Thailand must interested about Thai customers and take care of them. First is about Insurance or guarantee of products. When Thai people buy a product they areafraid that the product might not work. Microsoft must check carefully about the product before the customers purchase it. If the product really doesn’t work, they must give a new product to the customer concerning the agreement. Next topic about Microsoft Corporate Social Responsibility to customer is Promote the activity of conservation, that’s will make Thai people believe that’s Microsoft is helping to save the world. Why Microsoft company should to do that? Because when their are producing something, it’ll affect to the nature and make much polution. The pollution will effect people’s health, So conservation is the important activity that’s the company must do. According to Lisa Brummel, Chief People Officer (2012), â€Å"Life at Microsoft is about more than just the work. it’s about who we are as people. We have a passion for life, for creating outstanding products, and for helping othersrealize their full potential†. She want to mean the important factor that’s will make products useful and efficiently are the people consist of employee, officer and organization. Microsoft must to take care this factor in three way. First is Compensation and benefits. Microsoft offers good pay, performance awards and attractive benefits packages for their employees. They also shift a portion of stock-award targets into employee base salaries. They also increased funding to deliver 100 percent of target bonus and stock awards for approximately 85 percent of eligible employees. Second, training and development. Microsoft makes their employees never stop seeking new opportunities to grow up. They continually evaluate and evolve their training opportunities to meet their specific needs. They do this by adapting programs to meet a variety of learning styles, in the classroom, online, through video, and in other forms. (Training magazine’s Top 10 Hall of Fame, 2012). Finally is about Health and safety of the employees. Microsoft has prepared a robust Employee Safety and Health Manual. â€Å"We also enhanced the ability of employees working in labs or in research and development to get quick and easy access to information about chemicals used at Microsoft by making nearly 1600 material safety data sheets available to  them in the cloud. (Susan Lucas-Conwell, CEO) In conclusion, Microsoft indicated that they have perfect human resource management. So, Microsoft has been well-known as one of the top companies for corporate social responsibility relating to human resource management. If you asked Thai people, â€Å"What are human rights?† you would get many different answers. They would tell you the rights they know about, but very few people know all their rights. So, The United for Human Rights explained about this, â€Å"Human Rights†, means â€Å"The rights you have simply because you’re human†. According to Jean-Philippe Courtois, President Microsoft International (2012), †People all over the world exercise fundamental human rights when they use our technology. Respecting these rights is one way we help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential.† So, Microsoft significance about the human rights and applied in the organization. Privacy and data security is the first topic of the human rights in the Microsoft company. As people spend more time online, the risk of privacy and data security attacks continue to rise. So they launched a companywide response with the Trustworthy Computing initiative, which made privacy and data security our highest priorities in product development. They continue to find innovative ways to protect theircustomer’s privacy and keep their information secure. Next is the Freedom of expression. Internet freedom may seem like a given to some, but for many people around the world, it’s not that simple. They adopted a freedom of expression policy to guide their decision making when approached by governments that want to filter or censor Internet content. After that, they continued to support the free exchange of ideas and information online through their membership in the Global Network Initiative. In conclusion, after Microsoft has success in the field of human rights that’s make the trust to the world and reputation is continue enhancing until today. For the aforementioned reasons, Microsoft won’t stop develop their operations because the above functions are important to them. And they are committed to responsible practices in their own operations, with policies and programs that ensure they act as a good corporate citizen everywhere they do business. Because of their good basic aspects of business character  consist of integrity, values, and transparency made the public trust their corporations. Thai people also trust their operations and products but Microsoft have to notice what are Thai people also Additional need something? And continue survey what are they want. The survey can do by many ways its up to the company decided such as face-to-face interview, telephone survey, written questionnaire and focus group. In closing, Microsoft is a successful company with many products. Their products make the company well-known and famous so much such as B-Ing, the famous search engine. X-Box, Gaming console that many people enjoy. Microsoft Office, the useful tool with many applications that is helpful to students and teachers in education. And Microsoft Windows, the most famous software in the world. Until today no company can produce the products that’s better than Microsoft and I believe that the Microsoft will be the top of mind of people around the world forever.

Business Strategy and Competitive Environment of Minor League Baseball Team

Baseball is probably one of the most famous sports in the United States, along with basketball. It is very prominent and well-played in different parts of the United States, and is rapidly spreading throughout the world. It is even considered as United States’ national pastime. Minor Leagues pertain to professional baseball teams that play on levels lower than that of the minor leagues and teams in the minor league usually is an affiliate member of a major league baseball team. Competitors of Sports Baseball as a form of entertainment has a number of stiff competitors.There is the media with all of its forms — television, movies and internet. There are also an increasing attendance in theme parks, amusement parks and even carnivals. Baseball’s tickets would also be an additional expense to a household’s budget. All the more that’s people may be dragged away from enjoying the actual game. Movies never go out of fashion because there will always be so mething new for the audience. The themes of movies are well-thought of. There are various genres that would definitely fit any individual’s taste and preference.For every craving of the people, the media will innovate something to fulfill these cravings. Television, a long temptation for youngsters and competition to other forms of entertainment, still gets much attention from the populace. Television offers a wide array of shows for all genders of different ages. With the cable channels and other features and programs in television, most people would rather stay at home watching television instead of going out to watch sports games or even engage themselves in playing sports. Theme parks and amusement parks also offer a lot of fun, especially for the family.All of these things are stiff competitions for the baseball industry or for sports industry in general. The Birmingham Barons, a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama is the focus of this paper. The mino r league baseball team, Birmingham Barons, is one of the most recognized baseball teams in the United States. The history of the team will be traced back in 1885 where it was played by many during the early years of baseball. Nearly two-thirds of Barons’ fans attend the games with family members. The typical fan is a college-educated and in an upper to middle income (Birmingham Barons, LLC, 2007).During 1990s Hispanic population in Alabama increased for more than 210%, almost 27% of which are in the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area which the leading U. S. center for the Hispanic population growth and business development (Shattuck, 2005). Birmingham, Alabama also has lots of museums; Arlington Home, Alabama Museum of Health Sciences, Southern Museum of Flight, Bessemer Hall of History, Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, and the Birmingham Museum of Art, the largest museum in the location, are just some to name. A number of festivals are also found in Birmingham, wh ich features music, films, regional heritage.Future Objectives With these competitive environment of baseball in Birmingham that may be pulling the audience away from the game, the management of the said minor league baseball team should innovate ways to attract not only the Whites, but also the Hispanic masses especially now that there is a rapid growth of Hispanic population in Birmingham, Alabama. The management could consider developing a more easy to recall jingle or song, that whenever played in radio stations and television, will cling more to the minds of the people.The Birmingham Barons could also be more visible, not only to the popular masses, but also to those in small towns. Through this, more and more people could know the team and they would be more psyched to see them play. Visibility in advertisements and community work could also help in making them known. Advertisements are a seemingly sure, yet expensive way, of making the team closer to the people’s heart . Birmingham Barons has existed since 1885, thus their advertisement need not be that expensive. What they need is mass promotion.To know which of the media is most effective for the advertisement, the management may conduct Audience Needs Analysis. This is a survey to determine the medium preferred or most used by the people. For example, they tuned in more often to radio than on televisions. Or most of the people have radio sets than television. Once the management was able to determine the medium preferred by people, they would know where they could put more advertisement about their league. They may also target community radio stations, community television networks, and community newspapers.These media are not run through sponsorship and thus may accept advertisements and announcements for free. In addition, it caters to the community especially to the grassroots therefore reaching a large number of people. Another strategy to get the attention of people especially the youngste rs would be a visit to the places far away from the main office of the team. They could reach out for the out-of-school youth and for those who cannot go to their free games. These people are probably not that exposed to the game and to the team as well and thus did a little or no effort at all to go and watch the live games.They may also strengthen their fan clubs that will be of great help in promoting their teams and the baseball. The Birmingham Barons could also have school and campus tours. They could visit different primary and secondary schools, introduce their teams to the students, and promote baseball games. In these ways, they will be more visible and exposed to these young people who might have interest with sports. And perhaps for those who don’t have any interest, it would be a start to develop even a little love for sports.In terms of the number of games which saturated the people, they could have what is so-called Special Game. In here, they may go against the usual happenings in their games. For example, they will have guests from the show business in this specific date of game, a famous actor or actress perhaps. Current Strategies To attract more audience, the management of the Birmingham Barons and the whole minor baseball league offer discounts for the early buyers of tickets, for wholesale buyers of tickets and for long-time customers.These steps encourage baseball fanatics to reserve tickets earlier and these also heighten the loyalty of the audiences to the baseball team. The team and managements give small gifts and thank you tokens to their fans for their loyalty. They actually give souvenirs and give-aways after the games. The team do play games at 11:00 am designed for school children. Schools get a heavily discounted game and meal ticket for the game and since they start at 11:00 they still get back to the school before 3:00.They also have youth clinics where children come to the park on Sundays and learn from our players. Th e Barons created a â€Å"Home Run† for the Community Donation Program wherein they give tickets to the non-profit organizations. The non-profit organizations then use the tickets as silent auction items or door prizes and the proceeds were donated. Another community based activity of the Barons is their tie-up with the Pull-A-Part â€Å"Pulling against Child Abuse† promotion where they gave donation to a Children’s Hospital (Birmingham Barons, LLC, 2007).As of now, Barons have what they call Sponsorship/Marketing Kit which includes scoreboard, yearbook, radio and stadium advertising. They call for business advertisements during their games through these advertisement mediums. These have become attractive for advertisers because their captive audiences are people of middle to upper classes. As a minor league baseball team, they already have a capability of collecting funds through these sponsorships and that enables them to reach out to the masses. Assumptions an d CapabilitiesThe Birmingham Barons are already getting a big income through sponsorships and tickets sales. Most probably, their income will not actually be affected by giving extra discounts for the long time customers, early and wholesale ticket buyers, and most especially to young fans, Latino or Hispanic fans who may be driven away by other forms of entertainment the Birmingham is rich for. Birmingham Barons has already a good business strategy – they have that Marketing and Sponsorship kits which includes radio advertising, and they also have their official website.This has already enabled them to captive a large number of audiences. In addition, they are also involved in community services and an example is that â€Å"Home Run† for the Community Donation Program. The thing they must have some changes is about their target audience. Baseball should not be just for those who have money and can afford to buy tickets, but for other members of the society also. Baseb all is a game for kids as what Barons General Manager Jonathan Nelson said during their tie up with Pull-A-Part (Birmingham Barons, LLC).That’s why I also believe it should be promoted especially to young generation of fans. Baseball is not also for whites, but for everyone. Thus, it is also good to promote this with others like the Hispanic or Latino. And it is good to know that Birmingham Barons is offering a family-oriented entertainment through this sport. There are really many factors to be considered and studied carefully before acting or making decision especially in business and its environment. The key point is to focus on the goal and what is really needed.But the goal is not just to increase the income of sports but must be beyond it. They must also aim to promote the love and patronize for sports. Just think what will happen if the young people of today’s generation will lose interest to sports. And with the Birmingham Barons existence and fame for more or less one hundred years, I know they can make it to the people’s heart to once again gain their attentions and affections for sport. References Birmingham Barons, LLC. (2007). Birmingham Barons. Retrieved November 9, 2007, from http://www.barons. com/marketing/Barons07-MediaKit. pdf Birmingham Barons, LLC. (2007). â€Å"Home Run† for the Community Support Program. Retrieved November 9, 2007, from http://www. barons. com/thebarons/ communitysupport. shtml Birmingham Barons, LLC. (October 2, 2007). Home Runs Help Prevent Child Abuse. Retrieved November 9, 2007, from http://www. barons. com/nm/publish/barons705. shtml Shattuck, Michael. (2005). Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area Population Diversity Summary. Retrieved November 9, 2007, from mhrc. dopm. uab. edu/ resources_new/Birmingham

Chinese Schools Essay

Chinese schools have come a long way since the colonial days. Over the years and with the evolution of the national education system, Chinese schools have had to face countless threats to their survival. Despite this, Chinese schools have gained popularity and have enjoyed high enrolments, even among non-Chinese students. It has been reported that at least 10 percent of students studying in Chinese schools come from non-Chinese backgrounds. A number of factors contribute to this growing phenomenon. First, Chinese schoolteachers are well known for their high level of commitment. For this and other reasons, students from Chinese schools often excel in public examinations especially in Science and Mathematics. The other attraction of Chinese schools is that students are required to learn an additional language, Mandarin, which is a highly marketable skill in the job market. Chinese Education: A Historical Perspective The beginnings of Chinese education in Malaysia can be traced to the early nineteenth century. It was recorded that by 1815, there were already three Chinese schools in Malacca. One was founded by the London Missionary Society. With regard to the other two, sociologist Yang Qinghuang suggests that â€Å"at least one would be a school founded by the Hokkien people. † Scholar Zheng Liangshu suggests that some old-type Chinese schools might have existed in the Straits Settlements since the end of the eighteenth century. For a long time, Chinese schools in the Straits Settlements received neither help from the British government nor assistance from the government in China. Despite this, they thrived —funded mainly by clan and dialect associations. When faced with political and financial difficulties at the turn of the twentieth century, the Ching government of China changed its attitude towards overseas Chinese and began to promote Chinese education outside of China. It implemented educational reforms based on a proposal by Zhang Zidong. Following the reforms, the curriculum was revised to include Chinese Classical Literature, History, Geography, Mathematics, Moral Education, Physical Education and other optional subjects like Commerce and Drawing. In Malaya, Chung Hwa Confucian School in Penang not only adopted this new curriculum (it was the first to do so), it went further to include English as a subject. Support from the Ching government, however, was short lived. It ended with the fall of the dynasty. Chinese schools that attempted to run modern educational programmes (with a modern curriculum and incorporating English as a subject) faced enormous challenges. On the one hand, they were constantly in need of more funds. On the other hand, they lacked competent teachers. Furthermore, they had to compete with the more established English schools. Even so, there were five hundred Chinese schools with modern educational programmes established in Malaya and Singapore in 1920. By this time, textbooks for these schools had departed from the classical into the vernacular Chinese language (baihuawen). Because of their impressive growth, the British government decided that it could no longer afford to ignore Chinese schools. On 29 October 1920, it introduced the Regist ration of School Ordinance to restrict the activities of Chinese schools in the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States by way of registration and inspection. In 1935, control was further tightened: textbooks and teachers from China were prohibited. Only local materials and Malaysian-born teachers were allowed, and activities in Chinese schools came under strict scrutiny. Despite these challenges, Chinese education continued to thrive until it was suspended at the time of the Japanese Occupation of Malaya. After the war, Chinese schools resumed operation. By 1946, their number had ballooned to more than one thousand in Malaya. However, following the Barnes and Fenn-Wu Reports (June 1951) and the Education Ordinance 1952, Chinese education was exclude d from the national education system. The Chinese community rallied to form Jiao Zong (United Chinese School Teachers Association of Malaya, UCSTAM) and Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaya, UCSCAN) to safeguard Chinese education. The Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) joined in. Its president then, Tun Tan Cheng Lock spoke these memorable lines, â€Å"†¦Chinese in Malaya †¦ should be given Chinese education †¦ The dialect or mother tongue can be likened to a person’s shadow, and is inseparable from the person himself/herself†¦ † (translated from Chinese). Efforts to safeguard Chinese education became even more difficult following the Razak Report in 1956 and the Education Ordinance in 1957. Thereafter, Chinese primary education was officially included in the national education system, classified as standard-type primary schools with Chinese language as the medium of instruction. However, Chinese secondary schools were excluded from the system when the Lower Certificate of Education examination (L. C. E) was introduced in English. This was not in accordance with the promise of fairness to other ethnic languages in the country as specified in the Razak Report. Furthermore, the Chinese community were horrified by the terms of reference in Paragraph 12 of the Razak Report: â€Å"†¦the ultimate objective of educational policy in this country must be to bring together the children of all races under a national education system in which the national language is the main medium of instruction. † Paragraph 12 was subsequently omitted following strong opposition from the Chinese community headed by Jiao Zong. Both the Rahman Talib Report (1961) and the Education Act (1961) reaffirmed the education policy as stated in the Education Ordinance 1957. Since government financial aid was vital to the survival of Chinese secondary schools, more than half of the 41 Chinese secondary schools then had little choice but to ‘convert’ itself into English medium national type secondary schools. On hindsight, many Chinese view this decision as a big mistake. The remaining 14 schools refused to give in, and have remained ‘independent’ to this day. The MCA facilitated this ‘conversion’ as it was satisfied with the verbal promises made by the Education Minister that â€Å"the government has no intention to exercise its authority granted under the Act to change Chinese primary schools to national schools† and that â€Å"Chinese schools are allowed to allocate one third of their curriculum for learning Mandarin and Chinese literature. † As a consequence of this concession made at the secondary school level, development of Chinese education in Malaysia was restricted thereafter to the primary school level. The New Education Act 1996 posed an even bigger threat. It threw into question the status of national-type schools that were not established under Section 28 of the new Act. In fact, prior to this during the initial stage of implementing the ‘3R system’ (Reading, Writing & Arithmetic) in 1980, Chinese schools had already been challenged to forgo their medium of instruction. Materials for learning all subjects except Mandarin were available only in Bahasa Melayu. In response, Dong Jiao Zong and various Chinese guilds and associations submitted a memorandum to voice their opposition to the Ministry of Education in 1981. The schools were given the assurance that the government had no intention of changing the character of Chinese schools. However in the ensuing years, Chinese schools were asked to consider the concept of ‘integrated schools’ (1985) and Vision Schools (proposed in 1995, implemented in 2000), in addition to the latest â€Å"2-4-3† resolution that sought to introduce the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English (proposed in 2002, implemented in 2003). Despite these challenges, Chinese schools seek to maintain emphasis on the â€Å"Five Aspects of Formal Education in Confucianism (Wuyu Jiaoyu)† namely, moral (de), intellectual (zhi), physical (ti), social (qun ) and aesthetic ( ei) education. Until today, Chinese schools m continue to value discipline, respect for the elderly, courtesy, personal character and morality, rather than marketable skills such as computer literacy, Mathematics and Science. Some Reflections How does the development of Chinese education affect the church community i Malaysia?n Should we stake our claims to citizenry and defend our right to be educated in our own (mother tongue) language? What about racial integration? Is it possible to promote Chinese education without further polarising the different communities? First, we have a moral basis for defending Chinese education. Being given the choice and having the opportunity to be educated in one’s own language is a universal human right according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948. Chinese education ha s existed in this country since the nineteenth century. As such, I believe we ought to defend the right of its existence in the same way as we would for the education of other ethnic communities in their own languages. Second, there is value in the Chinese school culture that is worth speaking up for. Even though outsiders might consider the Chinese community uncompromising in its stand with regard to educational issues, it must be pointed out that it is not just about safeguarding the Chinese language but it is also about retaining the ideals of holistic education. Furthermore, Chinese schools have a tradition of nurturing dedicated schoolteachers, and the Christian community should be at the forefront to encourage this culture of service and excellence. In the past, many of them have had to pay a high price for their conviction and dedication by becoming ‘martyrs’: Zhuang Xiquan, Chen Taomin and others were deported for opposing the Registration of School Ordinance 1920; Lim Lian Geok and Yen Yuan Chang were deprived of citizenship in 1961; Lim Huang Sheng and Sim Mow Yu were jailed under the Internal Security Act in 1987. Chinese education aids evangelistic work among the Chinese community. It provides students with a better understanding of the Chinese culture. Whereas in the past, the content of Chinese education was often influenced by traditional beliefs and practices, the Chinese education system today is more open to intellectual discourse on rethinking and repositioning the Chinese identity. The main grouse against Chinese schools is the lack of racial integration since students come from predominantly one ethnic background. The question we must ask is, is this acceptable or healthy in a multi-ethnic society like Malaysia? Most advocates for Chinese education would argue that it is less than ideal but what choice do they have? If national schools were to adopt a more holistic philosophy, and their teachers showed a more credible record in terms of commitment and disciplining of students, and if they provided students with the opportunity to study their own languages, racial integration would be less of an issue and Chinese students would be more evenly distributed between national and Chinese schools. Despite this obvious shortcoming related to racial integration, I still advocate Chinese education for what it offers. Clearly, through its holistic philosophy and track record, it has produced many responsible citizens through the years. Chinese education continues to play a significant role in nation-building and church life in Malaysia. Florence Kuek lectures Mandarin at Universiti Teknologi Mara.

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Globalization - Essay Example Globalization as a phenomenon requires the imposition of certain types of values and traits which are mostly Western in their orientation. Such outcome therefore results into the diminishing of the local values and thus gradually erodes the local culture and replaces it with more modern Westernize culture. Appiah’s arguments therefore of relatively more important considering the fact that the systematic overhaul of the different social values may further result into discernment for globalization rather than generating a widespread acceptance for it. The universalization of the values under globalization therefore can create significant resistance to the same despite the fact that globalization can actually result into the transfer of economic and technological benefits for the developing countries. (Jameson and Miyoshi). Appiah’s arguments therefore are more critical considering the fact that globalization may adversely affect the local cultures and superimpose other cu ltures on local cultures thus creating so called moral disagreement between developed and developing countries. This moral disagreement therefore can result into the clash of civilization and globalization as a whole may fail to provide the desired results. It is also critical to understand therefore that in order to make globalization a successful process and phenomenon, it is critical to understand that globalization must support or allow local cultures and civilizations to grow with the global culture also. The mismatch between the two may create the critical differences between the nations and cultures and thus forcing globalization to fail to provide the desired results to the less developing countries. Foer’s arguments however, offer a deep and practical aspect of how globalization actually failed to erode the local culture. Considering the example of soccer, Foer presents the argument that the local culture associated with the global game of soccer has not changed over the period of time despite the fact that global clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid are considered as global icons being followed across the globe. The critical difference between the arguments of both the authors therefore provides a rare glimpse of the possible and concrete differences between theory and practice. Appiah’s arguments are more theoretical in nature suggesting the normative aspects of globalization and how this may result into the overcoming of the local culture through universalization of culture. Foer on the other hand however, has offered a different opinion regarding the failure of the globalization to actually overcome the local culture in its real settings thus potentially failed to achieve its intended aims. Foer believed that the soccer and the culture associated with it is actually a deep impression of the generations of the individuals who carried forward the tradition from generation to generation. However, soccer is also considered as anti-American because it is perhaps the only non-American trend which is dominating the world and which has remained purged from the increasing power of America and its value systems. In fact Soccer is seen as a threat in America because of its resilience to maintain its local cultural orientation. Western values therefore have failed to dampen the real spirit of soccer despite the fact that the sport as a whole has become more commercialized over the period

Mini Paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mini Paper 2 - Essay Example Moreover, detectives mostly serve as a link between a police department and other agencies used to enforce law, like the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A unit can be well organized and supervised if it has a good and credible supervision policy statement. This is if all members of a unit are eligible to quality supervision. In addition, communication leads to an organized unit as every member achieves development (Smith & Flanagan, 2000). A good supervisor, who is answerable for leadership toward the achievement of meeting the needs of a unit and its members, may lead to a unit being organized (Smith & Flanagan, 2000). On the other hand, when each member in a unit is issued clear guidance concerning expectations needed from their role in the unit, it makes the unit to be well organized and supervised. In conclusion, the intrepid detectives can be managed by monitoring every progress of work done in a unit. Each task done by these detectives needs to be planned, well budgeted, scheduled and the results reported by a detective need to be evaluated. This is a great way on managing the intrepid investigators in making sure that the task assignment is

How Logos Christology helped the doctrine of the Trinity to be Essay

How Logos Christology helped the doctrine of the Trinity to be formulated in the councils of Nicaea and Chalcedon - Essay Example in mind, one should note that at a certain point the Christians were forced to refine there teaching in order to get rid of any mistake that I could contain. It is beyond any doubt that the image of Christ is central Christianity and the peculiarity of His nature is a subject for various speculations. This paper will explore the way how Logos Christology helped the doctrine of the Trinity to be formulated in the councils of Nicaea and Chalcedon. To begin with, it may be particularly important to analyze the very concept of logos. By far, they key text that is always engaged is the beginning of the Gospel of John: â€Å"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.† (John 1:1). In spite of the fact that this is a rather short piece of text, it contains several important key worlds that would shape Christology in the future. First of all, it is the mentioning of beginning: it is crucial in the debates whether Christ existed before everything was created as it is mentioned in Genesis. Secondly, the connection between the Word and God is emphasized. Finally, it is the direct claim that the Word is God. Nevertheless, while the Gospel of John is regarded as the cornerstone of this concept, there are several other texts that contain similar idea. For example, in the Old Testament there is a phrase: â€Å"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth† (Psalms 33:6). There is no doubt that this might be seen as the reflection of the notion that everything was created through Christ, the Word. Moreover, it would not be a mistake to suggest that this used to be a widely accepted idea in the world of Christian scholars1. Thus, adherence to the same concept is witnessed in other Evangelists: â€Å"just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word† (Luke 1:2). At the present moment the image of Christ is closely associated with the Word and