ideas essays

Andy Warhol - techniuqes/ideas essays ...The more you look at the exact same thing the more the meaning goes away and the better and emptier you feel... Andy Warhol has been quoted as saying that he was a deeply superficial person. His artworks expressed his love for American Popular Culture and his love for all things commercial. He led an art movement in the 1950s which would last two decades. Pop Art was an exploration of society in the 1950s and 60s and embraced commercialism, mass media and popular icons. Warhol exposed the public to imagery from their daily experience and forced them to become desensitized to these images. Pop art, by nature, was an art form in which it appealed to the masses therefore it took forms that were assessable to all such as advertising. Much Pop Art was transient or temporary so often took the form of a products packaging or in television. Warhol took this approach to his art making using techniques that he had learnt as an advertiser and applied them to his art, or lack of art, as some critics of the day calling it non-art. But looking at Pop Art in hindsight that was an essential characteristic. H aving the ability to turn what was considered not to be art-worthy, such as a box of soap, into a complex snap shot of society. I paint like this because I want to be a machine This statement was a far cry from the philosophies of Jackson Pollock 15 year beforehand. Pollock declared that he wished to be nature; unpredictable, various and full of energy. But unlike Pollock, Warhols artworks were more structural and had an inert qualities and a coldness to them. Warhol was indeed a machine, silk-screening hundreds and hundreds of soup cans, washing powder boxes and images celebrities including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Chairman Mao, Muhammad Ali and Mick Jagger. And like a machine, Warhol used the same techniques of mass production and ...

The Occupy Wall Street Movement Moral and Economic Issues

The Occupy Wall Street Movement Moral and Economic Issues Introduction One of the critical socioeconomic developments in the United States in this decade is the Occupy Wall Street Movement (OWM). The main question that is posed by people at the mention of the Occupy Wall Street Movement is the course that was being pursued by theAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Occupy Wall Street Movement: Moral and Economic Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Movement and the nature of activities that marked the pursuance of social and economic issues. The Movement sought to streamline the social and economic state of affairs in the United States. In this paper, it is argued that the Occupy Wall Street Movement was a purely socioeconomic movement that sought to advance the moral and ethical issues that were imminent in the US economic environment. This paper explores the Occupy Wall Street Movement. The paper brings out the critical moral issues of the Movement and its implications on the economy. This is followed by a theoretical analysis of the implications of the Movement using ethical models like utilitarianism, virtue ethics and the Kantian ethics. Moral and economic implications of the OWM It is critical to bring out the reason that led to the birth of the Movement to understand the moral issues that informed the Movement. The OWM refers to the protest that began in the year 2011, on the 17th of September. The protest took place in Zuccotti Park in the Wall Street Financial Street in New York. The protest was initiated by Adbusters, A Canadian Group and magazine, together with the public relations Workhouse based in Manhattan. The protest later spilt to other cities, thereby attracting more protesters. The protest came after the period of financial uncertainty in the United States, where numerous people had been subjected to the impacts of the financial crisis. According to the protesters, the financial and the economic crisis in the country had resulte d from the exploitation of the economic systems by the profiteers, who failed to pay attention to the broader needs of all the citizens. Instead, they focused on expanding their profits at the expense of the economy of the United States. The Occupy Wall Street Movement carries a similar moral message, just like other movements in the world (Moore, 2011). Among the potent implications of the protest was that it resulted in the end of a decade of economic depletion in the United States. It is argued that the misfortunes of the United States economy began in the same street in which the protest movement began.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Among the misfortunes entail the two failed wars: the United States war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq. Others are the unsustainable management of corporate firms in the country and the worst economic recession since the 1930s recession, and the deficit in the US budget and unsustainable tax cuts. Corporate firms had grown in influence and had a lot of influence on the political institutions in the United States. An example that can be given at this point in time is the ‘too big to fail syndrome’, where large corporations were being cautioned from collapsing amidst the global financial crisis. All these issues pointed to the existence of economic injustices in the country. Most Americans felt that the economic system of the country was proving to be unfair and oppressive to them. The economic oppression was highly witnessed by the low income earners in the United States. Monetary insolvency and the growth in wealth disparity was the order of the day, which caused the protesters to occupy the Wall Street (Occupy Wall Street, 2012). The Wall Street Movement was financed by donors; people with incomes that ranged from 50,000 dollars to 100,000 dollars. The increased cost of sustaining the movem ent was one of the main problems with the Movement since sustaining the stay of the protesters in the Wall Street was an extremely expensive affair. As the financing became problematic, the protesters were forced to do away with some basic needs. In the protest camp, a substantial number of crime incidences were reported. Among the incidences included sexual assault and theft. There were also cases of police arrests and lack of protection of the protesters by the police (Occupy Wall Street, 2012). Analysis of the Implications of the OW: Utilitarian, Kantian and Virtue Ethics Terrall (2007) observed that one of the philosophies that are used in the explanation of ethics in movements is Utilitarianism. In weighing the OWM against the utilitarian philosophy, it is critical to look at both the actions and the impacts of the actions. One of the main arguments in the utilitarian philosophy is that the rightness of an action is determined by the amount of pleasure that is derived from enga ging in that action. The opposite of this statement is, therefore, true according to the proponents of utilitarianism. The OWM was a large movement that had a lot of challenges.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Occupy Wall Street Movement: Moral and Economic Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Movement began well, with more people joining the movement as the days progressed. The most critical thing about the Movement is that it was sustained for several weeks. However, there are other questions that are raised over the problems that were encountered by the protesters and whether the Movement can be termed as a success. As noted in the preceding part of this paper, the protesters in the Movement encountered a lot of challenges, something that denotes the loss of pleasure. There are a number of economic reforms that have been made as a result of the Movement. Nonetheless, the main question here concerns the possibility of sustaining the reforms in order to address all the demands of the protesters. The protestors also embraced economic equality, which denotes the greatest good for the population (Hinman, 2012). According to Terrall (2007), the Kantian philosophy propagates the principle of morality, thus the moral duty of the person engaging in an action is quite critical. The worthiness of an action, therefore, does not depend on the results of the action, but it relies on the level at which the moral obligation bestowed upon the doer of the action is fulfilled. The OWM can be likened to the Kantian philosophy by basing on the fact that the Movement was well organized. The protesters did not largely engage in heinous acts, which could have implied the loss of morality. The protesters were highly organized and highly embraced the course for which they were pursuing, in spite of facing numerous challenges. However, there were a number of reported cases like sexual defilement and theft in the protest camps, which denotes a lack of morality. Nonetheless, the scale of such problems was quite low given that the number of people who participated in the protest was quite high. Conclusively, this movement can be highly attributed to the Kantian philosophy, especially deontology ethics (Hinman, 2012). The virtual ethics theory focuses on shaping of characters of individuals in order to encourage individuals to do the right things rightly. Among the traits that ought to be embraced by individuals include generosity, love and courage to pursue the course. Individuals ought to be moulded in time so that they can do the right things (Terrall, 2007). A look into the movement denotes a high level of discipline among the protesters, which implies the articulation of virtue ethics. Income inequality and the distribution of wealth in the United States The income disparity in the United States has been the subject of a substantial number of economic commentators. The income dispar ity has been increasing with time. The financial crisis that was faced in the US is to a larger extent likened to the income inequality in the country.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Several reasons are attributed to income inequality in the US. Among the reasons is the absence of mechanisms of social mobility. This implies that the class issue cannot be done away with easily. Most of the people in the country, therefore, fall in the middle wage category. The stagnation in the middle class wage has persisted, thereby widening the income disparity (Ryscavage, 1998). According to Ryscavage (1998), most of the wealth in the country lies in the hands of a few individuals. Amassing of wealth by the few individuals prevents people from the middle and lower classes from climbing up the socioeconomic ladder. The few rich, therefore, get richer, while people in the middle and lower class slide down the social ladder. The other issue that has compounded the income disparity in the United States is the increase in the number of immigrants. Most of the immigrants have low skills; therefore, they work for lower wages than the set minimum wage. Income inequality and the distr ibution of wealth have been growing gradually. The problem has been speeded up by the growth in the population, which denotes a reduction in the number of job opportunities. Most of immigrants are, therefore, forced to take up low wage jobs for sustenance purposes. Monetary policies such as a rise in the rate of savings have encouraged the broadening of the income gap (Coibion, Gorodnichenko, Kueng Silvia, 2012). Way Forward A number of suggestions have been put forward to explain how the OWM can acquire an equitable outcome. One of the suggestions points to the fact that it is critical to pay attention to the underlying causes of inequality in the US. Among the underlying issues that ought to be checked is the improvement of the education system so that the young population can be more creative and craft their own jobs. Creative thought is vital to innovation in the economy and the improvement of earnings in the economy (Norton, 2011). There is also need to pay attention to the vi ces in the society, like corruption and greed. These vices are an impediment to the stabilization of the social system. Extreme capitalism should be discouraged. Future of OWM The momentum with which the OWM started has significantly gone down. However, it is important to note that the Movement has had significant impacts beyond the United States. The United Kingdom and Canada are examples of countries in which the Movement is taking place. As long as the inequalities are still prevalent in the economy, the Movement will keep having significant influence (Hinman, 2012). Conclusion The Wall Street Movement is one of the forces that have necessitated alertness in terms of the issues of economic inequality. If the government pays less attention to the movement, the magnitude of the movement is bound to rise, just as the recent uprisings in the Arab world. The demands of the movement point to the need for radical reforms in the economic system to attain a balance in the economic system. References Coibion, O., Gorodnichenko, Y., Kueng, L., Silvia, J. (2012). Innocent bystanders? Monetary policy and inequality in the U.S. NBER Working Paper No. 18170. Web. Hinman, L. (2012). Ethics. Australia: Cengage Learning. Moore, K. (2011). Occupy Wall Street’s moral ground. Web. Occupy Wall Street. (2012). Occupy Wall Street: The revolution continues worldwide! Web. Ryscavage, P. (1998). Income inequality in America: An analysis of trends. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. Terrall, E. (2007). The ends or the means? Kantian ethics vs. utilitarianism. Web.

Convergent Evolution

Convergent Evolution Evolution is defined as a change in species over time. There are many processes that can occur to drive evolution including Charles Darwins proposed idea of natural selection and the human-created artificial selection and selective breeding. Some processes produce much quicker results than others, but all lead to speciation and contribute to the diversity of life on Earth. One way species change over time is called convergent evolution. Convergent evolution is when two species, that are not related via a recent common ancestor, become more similar. Most of the time, the reason behind convergent evolution occurring is the build-up of adaptations over time to fill a certain niche. When the same or similar niches are available in different geographical locations, different species will most likely fill that niche. As time passes, the adaptations that make the species successful in that niche in that particular environment add up producing similar favorable traits in very different species. Characteristics Species that are linked through convergent evolution oftentimes look very similar. However, they are not closely related on the tree of life. It just so happens that their roles in their respective environments are very similar and require the same adaptations in order to be successful and reproduce. Over time, only those individuals with favorable adaptations for that niche and environment will survive while the others die off. This newly formed species is well suited to its role and can continue to reproduce and create future generations of offspring. Most cases of convergent evolution occur in very different geographic areas on the Earth. However, the overall climate and environment in those areas are very similar, making it a necessity to have different species that can fill the same niche. That leads those different species to acquire adaptations that create a similar appearance and behavior as the other species. In other words, the two different species have converged, or become more similar, in order to fill those niches. Examples One example of convergent evolution is the Australian sugar glider and the North American flying squirrel. Both look very similar with their small rodent-like body structure and thin membrane that connects their forelimbs to their hind limbs that they use to glide through the air. Even though these species look very similar and are sometimes mistaken for each other, they are not closely related on the evolutionary tree of life. Their adaptations evolved because they were necessary for them to survive in their individual, yet very similar, environments. Another example of convergent evolution is the overall body structure of the shark and the dolphin. A shark is a fish and a dolphin is a mammal. However, their body shape and how they move through the ocean is very similar. This is an example of convergent evolution because they are not related very closely via a recent common ancestor, but they live in similar environments and needed to adapt in similar ways in order to survive in those environments. Plants Plants can also undergo convergent evolution to become more similar. Many desert plants have evolved somewhat of a holding chamber for water inside their structures. Even though the deserts of Africa and those in North America have similar climates, the species of flora there are not closely related on the tree of life. Instead, they have evolved thorns for protection and the holding chambers for water to keep them alive through long periods of no rain in the hot climates. Some desert plants also have evolved the ability to store light during the daytime hours but undergo photosynthesis at night to avoid too much water evaporation. These plants on different continents adapted this way independently and are not closely related by a recent common ancestor.

Ethical situation in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical situation in business - Essay Example The laws of the government should be such that it will provide desirable outcome and easier enforcement. And the agents of the society engaged in the civil functioning leads to promote security to the individuals in the society (Avina, 2009, p.1). The social responsibility of company in closing down the firms and later on reopening (requested over years) the firms dumping of food instead of donating it to the food banks was a good decision towards social responsibility of the company. The company can lead to the improvement of the situation within the community with the help of coordination with the community leaders and the members of the society in order to reduce the intensity of crime rates in the concerned area and lead to the establishment of optimal policies which will be implemented. The firm may also focus on the dimensions of objective performance assessments and that of policy prescriptions paradigm which will be based upon the crucial assessments of the societal trends an d best care practices predominant in the local as well as global chain of network (Avina, 2009, pp.1-2). One of the most important ways in enhancing the social responsibility of the company is to properly scrutinize the utilization and visibility of the investments made by the company. The firms would be highly vigilant so that their investments are not under-utilized and that impact should be lowered intensively (Young, 2012). The company should also focus more stringently on the internal practices and control of the staffing management for enhancing the social responsibility of itself. The company must be highly strong in the explicit and the visible support with respect to the commitment from the senior management for the purpose of maintaining the internal controls, ethics and compliances programs or devising strategies which would directed towards the prevention and curbing of bribery and mal practices within the organizations which further accentuates the crime rates of the ar ea. The system of the financial and accounting procedures along with that of systematic internal controls will be highly essential for ensuring the maintenance of fair as well as accurate book records which would be guaranteeing that no amount of money is spent in bribery as well as expropriation by force and coercion. The ethics and compliance program should be also strong enough in the prevention and detection of the foreign bribery (Good Practice Guidance on Internal Controls, Ethics, and Compliance, 2012). The company may work with the other businesses and small scale companies hand in hand which will provide benefits to the company as well as the businesses and companies in collaboration. Working with the other organizations will create a social unity which can be manifested in fighting against the crime rates. For a strong internal control, the company may engage loss prevention personnel patrol within the shop itself who will act as real shoppers. They will act as persons who will be trying on different merchandise and stuffs in the shop and simultaneously be vigilant on the shoplifters and thieves and shall stop them while leaving the store. The patrol must be totally sure that the crime has been committed by the convict. In this world of cut throat global competitiveness a large number of retail companies are applying this technique and the personnel must be following strict rules although there is a very high liability risks attached

Report on the BOOTS and ALLIANCE in talks over 7.5bn merger Essay

Report on the BOOTS and ALLIANCE in talks over 7.5bn merger - Essay Example The other company, which is inching towards the deal, is Alliance UniChem, which has an estimated market worth of nearly 3.2bn. The company conducts extensive wholesale operations all over the UK, Netherlands, Norway & Italy in the field of Drug Trade with the presence of nearly upto 1200 pharmacies throughout these countries. Over the last one year, the de-regulation of the market in the Pharmaceutical Sector has resulted in a stiffer competition in the high street market among retailing companies. Companies and Supermarkets now have the liberty to set up in-store pharmacies, which poses a danger to key pharmaceutical players like BOOTS and Alliance. In an analysis published in biotech-info.net- "Due to the softening of rules and the law, BOOTS is facing stiff competition from other pharmaceutical retailing majors such as TESCO, which enjoyed and continues to enjoy a place of dominance and monopoly in the market". Tougher competition from the supermarkets has forced Mr. Baker of BOOTS to cut the price of his products in an attempt to prop up the so far lukewarm sales, although this has put some further pressure on the profit and operating margins. As such, both the firms have decided that it is time to join hands in order to compete effectively in the market and also to improve upon their current individual deficiencies. The present deal is expected to give the new firm an industry share of nearly upto 20%. But the present deal has been met with a lot of speculation especially from the institutional shareholders who generally regard such nil-premium mergers with skepticism. The companies therefore intend to seek support for the deal by outlining the capacity of the new merged outfit's capacity to generate significant cost and purchasing synergies and boost

Diversity Dimension Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Diversity Dimension - Essay Example Affirmative action refers to the various policies that are used to ensure inclusiveness in areas of business, education and employment in terms of race, religion, sex or age. Diversity in the workforce refers to the policies and practices that aim at including people with certain qualities in the workforce, which the current staff does not have. This could either be on the basis of age, disability, experience, gender or special talents. Achieving Equal Opportunity in Employment through Affirmative Action Legislation, Anti Discrimination Legislation and Managing Diversity Approaches Managing diversity in employment has become one of the most fundamental principals in human resource management in recent years. Diversity in employment is based on the principals of equal employment opportunities to everybody irrespective of inherent differences such as gender, race, religion, age, ethnicity as well as physical disabilities (Sappey et al, 2006). Businesses and companies are being encourag ed to adopt more inclusive approaches in their employment strategies so as to accommodate everybody and help do away with the negative effects of discrimination and marginalization of certain groups and individuals. In order to fully achieve inclusiveness, most companies have been encouraged to adopt policies that reflect affirmative action and those that are in line with anti discrimination laws and regulations. ... In some jurisdictions, the issue of workforce diversity has been backed with a legal foundation. Companies are expected to comply with set out legislations concerning employment procedures so as to avoid discrimination. In some cases, it’s mandatory for organizations to have guidelines and policies to ensure inclusiveness in terms of gender, race and disability (Dickens, 2000). In order to fully achieve equal opportunity in employment, organizations have to rely on affirmative action legislation and policies, anti-discrimination legislation as well as other various approached to workforce diversity management. All these three approaches (Anti-discrimination legislation, affirmative action and diversity management approaches) are the fundamental guidelines in achieving equality in the workforce. In Australia, the idea of workforce diversity has been welcomed by organizations both in the public and private sector (Strachan et al, 2010). The Department of Immigration and Citizens hip has been at the forefront at ensuring diversity at all levels of the department. This has enabled the department to be one of the best performing in the public sector (Strachan et al, 2010). Workforce diversity management can be done using various ways. The two main approaches that organizations can use to ensure inclusiveness in employment are the radical approach and the liberal approach. The liberal approach assumes that there is equal opportunity only when all individuals are able to compete for the rewards freely. According to this approach, employment should only focus on merit of individuals rather than factors such as gender, age disability or race. The radical approach o the other hand states that organizations should however strive to ensure that they not only create

The Analysis of the Song Run Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Analysis of the Song Run - Essay Example The song is written in a way to highlight a strong or unique vocalist, as it becomes the primary responsibility of the vocalist to imbue the song with life. Similar styles have been witnessed with such vocalists as Nico from the Velvet Underground, or the underground alternative rock artist Cat Power. The music begins with the song’s lyrics start. A snare drum is heard playing slow and hushed-like. An electric guitar plays a minimalist melody. Two to three chords are played, currently, there is no bass being used. After a few minutes, the guitar and drum combo ends. The bass guitar and the drums continue as the vocals finally started. The first three lines state, â€Å"I go away to a place/ Way far out in space/ That is away from the things I know†. This line refers to the imaginative process that I go under when I play music or think in lyrical terms. Additionally, the reference to space refers to the aesthetic qualities of the universe as the great unknown of human experience. The lyrics here are relayed in a subdued tone in accordance with the minimalist melody that has already been established by the bass guitar and drums. Overrated/ But can’t think of/ What to do about it † Here the bass guitar and snare drums continue in a minimalist style along with the vocals. The lyrics are composed in a purposely meandering way. In this way, they do not follow the strict pattern of grammatically correct discourse, but instead, adopt a logic that is acceptable within the confines of music. The lyrics additionally reflect a general existential malaise that is recurrent throughout the track. One imagines the vocalist spending the day alone and lazily reaching over and grabbing a guitar. The music in terms of the vocals and the melody is then improvisational in an aesthetic sense. The bass guitar melody as does not need to be incredibly consistent. Instead, this could even be reinvented for each song.