Ricci v. DeStefano a Case of Reverse Discrimination

The  U.S. Supreme Court  case Ricci v. DeStefano made headlines in 2009 because it addressed the controversial issue of  reverse discrimination. The case involved a group of white firefighters who  argued that the city of New Haven, Conn., discriminated against them in 2003 by throwing out a test that they passed at a 50 percent greater rate than their black colleagues. Because performance on the test was the basis for promotion, none of the blacks in the department would have advanced had the city accepted the results. To avoid discriminating against black firefighters, New Haven discarded the test. By making that move, however, the city prevented the white firefighters eligible for promotion from advancing to captain and lieutenant rank. Fast Facts: Ricci v. DeStefano Case Argued: April 22, 2009Decision Issued:  June 2009Petitioner:  Frank Ricci, et alRespondent:  John DeStefano, et alKey Questions: Can a municipality reject results from an otherwise valid civil service exam when the results unintentionally prevent the promotion of minority candidates?Majority Decision: Justices Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, and AlitoDissenting: Justices Souter, Stevens, Ginsburg, and BreyerRuling:  The potential for future litigation does not justify an employer’s reliance on race to the detriment of candidates who have passed the examinations and qualified for promotions. The Case in Favor of the Firefighters Were the white firefighters subjects of racial discrimination? It’s easy to see why one would think so. Take white firefighter Frank Ricci, for example. He scored the sixth highest on the exam out of the 118 test-takers. Seeking advancement to lieutenant, Ricci not only stopped working a second job, he also made flashcards, took practice tests, worked with a study group and participated in mock interviews to pass the oral and written exam, according to the New York Times. A dyslexic, Ricci even paid $1,000 to have someone read textbooks onto audiotapes, the Times reported. Why were Ricci and the other top scorers denied the chance to promote simply because their black and Hispanic colleagues failed to do well on the test? The city of New Haven cites Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits employers from using tests that have a â€Å"disparate impact,† or disproportionately exclude applicants of certain races. If a test does have such an effect, the employer must show that the assessment directly relates to job performance. Counsel for the firefighters argued before the Supreme Court that New Haven could have proven that the test directly related to work duties; instead, the city prematurely declared the exam unfit. During the hearing, Chief Justice John Roberts doubted that New Haven would have chosen to discard the test had the outcomes by race been reversed. â€Å"So, can you assure me that†¦if†¦black applicants†¦scored highest on this test in disproportionate numbers, and the city said†¦we think there should be more whites on the fire department, and so we’re going to throw the test out? The government of the United States would adopt the same position?† Roberts asked. But the New Haven attorney failed to give a direct and coherent response to Roberts’ question, prompting the judge to remark that the city would not have discarded the test had blacks scored well and whites not. If New Haven only did away with the test because it disapproved of the racial makeup of those who excelled on it, the white firefighters in question were no doubt victims of discrimination. Title VII not only prohibits â€Å"disparate impact† but also discrimination based on race in any aspect of employment, including promotion. The Case in Favor of New Haven The city of New Haven asserts that it had no choice but to discard the firefighting test because the exam discriminated against minority applicants. While counsel for the firefighters argues that the test administered was valid, the city’s lawyers say that an analysis of the exam found the test scores had no scientific basis and critical design steps were omitted during its development. Moreover, some of the qualities assessed on the test, such as rote memorization, didn’t directly tie into firefighting in New Haven. So by discarding the test, New Haven didn’t seek to discriminate against whites but to give minority firefighters a test that would not have a disparate impact on them. Why did the city emphasize its efforts to protect black firefighters from discrimination? As Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg pointed out, traditionally in the U.S, â€Å"fire departments were among the most notorious excluders on the basis of race.† New Haven itself had to pay $500,000 to two black firefighters in 2005 for unfairly promoting their white counterparts over them in the past. Knowing this makes it difficult to accept the white firefighters’ claim that the city prefers minority firefighters to Caucasians. To boot, New Haven substituted the controversial test given in 2003 with other exams that did not have a disparate impact on minority firefighters. The Supreme Courts Ruling What did the court decide? In a 5-4 ruling, it rejected New Haven’s reasoning, arguing that, â€Å"Fear of litigation alone cannot justify an employer’s reliance on race to the detriment of individuals who passed the examinations and qualified for promotions.† Legal analysts predict that the decision could generate a bevy of â€Å"disparate impact† lawsuits, as the court’s ruling makes it harder for employers to discard tests that adversely affect protected groups such as women and minorities. To prevent such lawsuits, employers will have to consider the impact a test may have on protected groups as it is being developed rather than after it has been administered.

Stereotyping in The Way We Lie by Stephanie Ericsson Essay

In the essay The Way We Lie, Stephanie Ericsson writes that â€Å"All the ‘isms’-racism, sexism, ageism, et al.-are founded on and fueled by the stereotype and the clichà ©, which are lies of exaggeration, omission, and ignorance. They are always dangerous. They take a single tree and make it a landscape.† This quote is important due to the fact that stereotypes play a major role in many aspects of our society. In American society we have a tendency to pass judgment on people just because of a pre-existing stereotype that our society has formed on particular groups over the years. American Society tends to create stereotypes because of the simplicity it adds to our lives, but stereotypes can cause us to oversimplify the characteristics†¦show more content†¦In her essay, Stephanie Ericsson makes the point that perhaps stereotyping is used as a sort of â€Å"short hand† in our society. Stereotyping has become something that we have found to be a vital part of our communication due to our need for information in the smallest possible amount of time. It is much easier for an individual to create a stereotype for another individual than it is to actually learn what they are like. You could spend one second looking at any individual walking down the road and create a stereotype on who they are, and what they are about. It takes real time and patience to actually look at an individual, talk to them, learn who they really are, and discover what they are really about. Patience is not a crucial part of judging others in our society mostly due to the popular usage of stereotypes. Also, because of our fast paced lives we have become immune to using patience to learn about the characteristics of others. Stereotyping cannot only cause less of a need to get to know others, but can also become rather dangerous. Sometimes individuals pass stereotypes on certain people or groups that initiate anger and hate due to the origin of the stereotype. For example, the Ku Klux Klan is an organization that has been around for decades. This particular organization had a developed stereotype against black Americans that resulted in the death of hundreds of African Americans beginning in the early 1800’s. Though the Ku Klux KlanShow MoreRelatedThe Ways We Lie By Stephanie Ericsson969 Words   |  4 PagesIs It In Our Nature To Lie? In Stephanie Ericsson’s essay, â€Å"The Ways We Lie†, she discusses the different circumstances in which people lie and describes the types of lies that are commonly used. The author argues that some lies aren’t very severe, and often times are necessary, whereas others can prove to be harmful in the long run and can exact harsh consequences. ( 315 ) Ericsson uses examples in which these lies are presented such as with business acquaintances, politicians or friends and even

Essay Hesitation in William Shakespeares Hamlet - 1076 Words

Hesitation in William Shakespeares Hamlet In Shakespeare?s Hamlet, a ghost tells Hamlet that his uncle, Claudius, is responsible for the death of his father. Hamlet is driven to reveal the truth of his father?s death and seeks to avenge his murder to achieve justice. In his quest to right the wrongdoing, Hamlet delays acting toward justice for many reasons. The main factor for Hamlet?s hesitation is attributed to his self-discipline. He lacks of ability to act on his emotions. Hamlet is an intelligent, moral, and reserved character. He restrains himself to act rationally and not on emotion. This hesitation is a tragic flaw for Hamlet, but in order to resolve the truth, it is necessary. Hamlet has doubts about the validity of the†¦show more content†¦I?ll have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle: I?ll observe his looks; I?ll tent him to the quick: if he but blench, I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be the devil; and the devil hath power To assume a pleasing shap e; yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me. I?ll have grounds More relative than this. The play?s the thing Wherein I?ll catch the conscience of the king.? (Act II. Scene 2, 543-559) Hamlet views Claudius? reaction to the play. Claudius? response is indicative of a guilty person, verifying Hamlet?s suspicion. Hamlet can now act out his vengeance on Claudius, since he has proven Claudius? guilt and has grounds for carrying out justice. Hamlet is now ready to take action against Claudius. Likewise, in flushing him out, Hamlet has tipped Claudius off to his knowledge of the murder, and he knows Claudius will take action against him if he doesn?t seize the moment. He is provided the opportunity as he follows Claudius up, away from the play. However, once again he hesitates because he findsShow MoreRelated Revenge and Vengeance in Shakespeares Hamlet - Why Revenge?1054 Words   |  5 PagesRevenge in Hamlet        Ã‚  Ã‚   In Elizabethan times, a type of play known as a revenge tragedy became popular. These plays revolved around, ... the revenge of a father for a son or vice versa, the revenge being directed by the ghost of the murdered man... (Harmon and Holman #6). Other characteristics include real or pretend insanity, philosophic soliloquies, hesitation on the part of the protagonist, conspiracy, and the use of horror. 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Marketing and Management The Qantas Airline

Question: Descrbe about the Marketing and Management for The Qantas Airline. Answer: Introduction: The assignment assesses the trajectory of the Qantas airline that witnesses heavy financial losses due to a grave situation. In August 2011, Qantas witnessed a disputed terrain that culminated in international division. The experts believe that Qantas domestic, Qantas Link and other variants of Qantas gave an excellent performance in the recent phase. However, Qantas International faced escalating losses that amounted to $200 million. The Qantas airline faced severe industrial crises in the recent time. At the other end of the spectrum, the unions could not accept the reforms that the Qantas airline began to deliberate (Adler and Mantin 2015). The unions maintained that the Qantas airline is gradually drifting the international operation in a different location. The management made such arrangement to identify cheap labour and other resources. At the same time, the unions comprehended the graveness of the situation. They claim that the airline transgressed the deliberation of the 199 2 Qantas Sales Act, which specifies that the carriers base should remain within Australia. The Qantas refutes to provide improved work and payment balance (Ancell 2016). The organizations like Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) attempted to adopt industrial action against the particular airline. The conflict assumed a rigorous character, centering the issue. Issues: The primary issue that was faced by the organization was management issues. There were issues related to leadership, human resource management and even in the decision making abilities of the operation of the business. The step taken for privatization of Australian national airline also proved to be challenging for the organization. In fact, the Airline was the National Pride for Australia. It was observed that with due to financial crisis, many Airlines faced great difficulties in coping up with the situation. In case, if the situations were not tackled properly, it would have caused harm to the pride of the Nation. The federal government also refused to allow more than 49% of the foreign ownership. It was due to the Global crisis that the Airline had to suffer (Mac 2014). In the year 2011, Qantas released a watershed media release but with frequent losses, it was observed that the organization faced loss of more than $200 million and in fact, without any particular changes, these c hanges were expected to continue. Other issues include, the factors related to the competition with other Airlines of the Nation. It has to be understood that in the recent situation, apart from providing services to the customers, it is also important to keep a good relationship with the customers as well (Brigden 2012). There is no doubt that the Airline treats their internal stakeholders rightly but they are also required to pay considerable attention in understanding the needs of the customer and provide them with the best quality services. If the Airline will be able to do so, there is no doubt that the Airline as a commercial vehicle will prosper in its industry. Solution: It has to be understood that the Airlines have a good reputation in terms of customer servicing. There have been many instances when the Airline had faced drastic situation but they have managed to overcome the situation and carry out a smooth operation in their business. In order to overcome the challenges faced by the Airline, it is expected to come up with a strong management team (Mac 2014). It has to be understood that situations might arise where an organization has to face with lots of challenges but, the management team has to be efficient enough to fight against any such situations to overcome the issues. It is important to carry out a plan and then work according to the plan to overcome the challenges and issues faced by the particular organization (Vasigh, Fleming and Humphreys 2014). It has been found that the pilots of the Airlines are treated very well and the Airline also tries to keep a healthy relationship with the media as well. It is expected that the Airline shall keep a good bonding with the media and the people of the Nation (Vasigh, Fleming and Humphreys 2014). These factors are bound to create a positive impact on the reputation and the image of the organization that shall automatically improve the image of the organization. Conclusion: Hence, to deduce, the assignment analyses a case study, related to the situation of Qantas Airline Company. The assignment operates at the interstices of a few key questions that have been addressed in the light of international laws and management. The airline countenanced the problem of financial losses that creates ruckus in the particular domain (Adler 2015). The airline refused to strike a balance between working and payment balance. In fact, the most important organization, International Pilots Associations (AIPA) aimed to take industrial action against the airline. In retaliation to the disputed industrial action, CEO Alan Joyce dismissed all the workers and adjourned all the domestic and foreign flights for more than two days at the end of October 2011. However, he gave no such vestige of domestic flight cancellation in the annual gathering of the Qantas flight. While shutting down the operation of the airline, the CEO emphasized that industrial action caused economic disloca tions. The Qantas airline had to lose $68 million and it cost another lump sum $30 million for two consecutive weeks. Consequently, 68,000 passengers face the hard repercussions, in a sense they remained in a deplorable situation. Appendix: Why do you think other airlines in Australia (for example, Virgin) dont seem to experience the same degree of industrial conflict that Qantas does? In August 2011, Qantas witnessed a disputed terrain that culminated in international division. The experts believe that Qantas domestic, Qantas Link and other variants of Qantas gave an excellent performance in the recent phase (Bailey and Peetz 2015). However, Qantas International faced escalating losses that amounted to $200 million. At the same time, the losses persisted for a long time. Due to lack of revisions, changes occurred at a slow pace. Therefore, the airline wanted to transmute the financial losses around the international divide by contributing towards an Asian-based airline. Consequently, the Australian international travellers would move from here and there within the Asian circuit. It also launched an onslaught on the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association and other allied organizations. It said that these two unions attempted to abolish the changes that required. These significant unions are struggling to cease changes at Qantas. The unions maintain that they keep obsolete work culture and ineffective work practices at bay. At the same time, they want to increase the scale of prices and benefits. Such claims have a proper base and it maintained that the Qantas pilots and the employees are the most influential and best paid in the world. Venerated aviation expert Peter Harbison opined that Qantas international pilots have the stature of high-paid pilots in Australia. They are paid on an hour-work basis that is the best in the world. The studies reveal that the employees of the Qantas airlines are relatively better paid than the rival counterpart Virgin airline. The engineers of the Qantas airline receive good payment than any other airlines in Australia. Therefore, the Qantas airline faced severe industrial crises in the recent time. At the other end of the spectrum, the unions could not accept the reforms that the Qantas airline began to deliberate. The unions maintained that the Qantas airline is gradually d rifting the international operation in a different location. The management made such arrangement to identify cheap labour and other resources. At the same time, the unions comprehended the graveness of the situation. They claim that the airline transgressed the deliberation of the 1992 Qantas Sales Act, which specifies that the carriers base should remain within Australia. The Qantas refutes to provide improved work and payment balance. The organizations like Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) attempted to adopt industrial action against the particular airline. The conflict assumed a rigorous character, centring the issue (Sampson 2012). Could you see any evidence of escalation of commitment in the decision and the reaction to the grounding of the airline in 2011? Is Alan Joyce an individual or group decision-maker? The Qantas countenanced a curious problem in the recent time. The airline refused to strike a balance between working and payment balance. In fact, the most important organization, International Pilots Associations (AIPA) aimed to take industrial action against the airline. In retaliation to the disputed industrial action, CEO Alan Joyce dismissed all the workers and adjourned all the domestic and foreign flights for more than two days at the end of October 2011. However, he gave no such vestige of domestic flight cancellation in the annual gathering of the Qantas flight. While shutting down the operation of the airline, the CEO emphasized that industrial action caused economic dislocations. The Qantas airline had to lose $68 million and it cost another lump sum $30 million for two consecutive weeks. Consequently, 68,000 passengers face the hard repercussions, in a sense they remained in a deplorable situation (Park 2013). The CEO of the airline Alan Joyce is not the individual decision-maker in the time. At the same time, the federal government made an appeal to Fair Work Australia (FWA) that interfered in the conflict between Qantas management and its employees. The CEO urged the body to intervene in the matter and seek an easy resolution (Vasigh et al. 2014). On 31 October 2011, FWA emphasised that the tussle between Qantas and the unions should come to a virtual close. The organization gave the two parties three weeks to tide over the crises and solve the matter. They wanted the parties to come to an easy agreement. The experts claim that if the matter were not solved in course of time, then the arbitration would guide the matter. The two parties worked to accomplish the case and after the completion of two hectic days, Qantas made an apology to the customers and other allied members. At the same time, the Qantas offered free flight services to the discontented passengers and continued in the marke t (Cumming and Fleming 2012). Is there any evidence of SWOT analysis in this case? The case reveals a SWOT analysis for the particular airline company. The SWOT analysis explains the assessment of inherent strength and weakness of the company. At the same time, it also evaluates the potential threat faced by the company. The case study reveals that the Qantas airline faced severe industrial crises in the recent time (Floyd and Spry 2013). At the other end of the spectrum, the unions could not accept the reforms that the Qantas airline began to deliberate. The unions maintained that the Qantas airline is gradually drifting the international operation in a different location. The management made such arrangement to identify cheap labour and other resources. At the same time, the unions comprehended the graveness of the situation. They claim that the airline transgressed the deliberation of the 1992 Qantas Sales Act, which specifies that the carriers base should remain within Australia (Brigden 2012). What type of change is evident in the case developmental, incremental or transformational? Transformational change is inevitable for the premier international airline, the Qantas airline. The union parties accused the flight of many things (Jayasuriya and Cannon 2015). It is indispensable for the Qantas airline to steer a course between effective work culture and reasonable payment. The flight began to charge soaring fares for the foreign and domestic trips around the globe. Therefore, the flight needed a transformational revision that would help the maintenance of the stature of the premier flight (Budd and Ison 2015). Is Alan Joyce a transactional or transformational leader? The CEO of the premier airline company deliberated on the transactional leadership. By definition, transactional leadership highlights the paradigm of managerial leadership. The managerial leadership emphasizes on supervision, organization and the quality group performance. Transactional leadership is a style of leadership in which leaders propagate compliance by followers through the transfer of rewards and punishments. The CEO, Alan Joyce maintains the status of the transactional leadership. After the decision of the party unions, Alan Joyce (CEO) suspended the operation of the employees and made them apologize to the customers (Driver 2013). Was Alan Joyces decision to suddenly ground the airline ethical? In retaliation to the grave situation, Alan Joyce adopted certain that deemed unethical in the light of international law. The CEO of the company attempted to cease the operation of the flight for that particular period. Consequently, the customers had to face the worst of the situation. They remained stuck in the airport and demanded for the refund. However, such situation exacerbated tensions on both sides. Therefore, CEO failed to take ethical decision for the management of the organization. The decision actually led to the disadvantage of the customers, as they had to wait for a long time. Therefore, he had not taken decision on ethical grounds (Mac 2014). References: Adler, N. and Mantin, B., 2015. Economics of Transportation. Adler, N. and Mantin, B., 2015. Government and company contracts: The effect on service and prices in international airline markets.Economics of Transportation,4(3), pp.166-177. Ancell, D., 2016.Clipped Wings: Corporate social and environmental responsibility in the airline industry. Routledge. Bailey, J. and Peetz, D., 2015. Australian unions and collective bargaining in 2014.Journal of Industrial Relations,57(3), pp.401-421. Brigden, C., 2012. Unions and collective bargaining in 2011.Journal of Industrial Relations,54(3), pp.361-376. Budd, L. and Ison, S., 2015. 10 Air cargo mobilities.Cargomobilities: Moving Materials in a Global Age, p.163. Cumming, D.J. and Fleming, G., 2012. Barbarians, Demons and Hagetaka: A Financial History of Leveraged Buyouts in Asia 1980-2010.Available at SSRN 2008513. Driver, J., 2013. Moral Bookkeeping, Consequentialism, and Carbon Offsets.Consequentialism and Environmental Ethics,25, p.164. Floyd, L. and Spry, M., 2013. Four burgeoning IR issues for 2013 and beyond: Adverse action; social media workplace policy; trade union regulation (after the HSU affair); and the QANTAS aftermath.Australian Bar Review,37, pp.153-174. Jayasuriya, K. and Cannon, D., 2015. State transformation and resource politics: Australia and the regional political economy.The Pacific Review,28(3), pp.391-410. Mac, P., 2014. AWH inquiry: History of Labor and Liberal corruption. Guardian (Sydney), (1633), p.5. O'Sullivan, M., 2015.Mayday: The Inside Story of the Fall of Qantas. Penguin UK. Park, H., 2013, January. Exploring effective post-crisis response strategies. InAmerican Academy of Advertising. Conference. Proceedings (Online)(p. 9). American Academy of Advertising. Sampson, A., 2012.Empire of the Sky. AC Black. Vasigh, B., Fleming, K. and Humphreys, B., 2014.Foundations of airline finance: Methodology and practice. Routledge.

Moral Character in Higher Education free essay sample

For most people in today’s culture going to college is not even a question. Higher education is perceived as extremely important and is seen as necessary in order to achieve a successful life. A college degree has become known as an admission ticket into desirable careers allowing for access to at least a middle-class lifestyle. With over six thousand colleges in the United States, a professional degree can be readily earned. Amongst most American families it has become expected for the children to pursue a degree in a predetermined profession and thrive in college. With this pressure to succeed and possible uncertainty they feel going into it, forty six percent of students who enter college fail to even graduate within six years. Although the â€Å"purpose† of higher education is to obtain a degree of some sort, that is not the reason to attend college. Multiple years of tenuous studying, hard work, and collaboration with peers gives students the opportunity to discover, refine, and develop their character. We will write a custom essay sample on Moral Character in Higher Education or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Unlike major specific courses or general education requirements, the various dimensions of one’s moral character are cultivated through various experiences over many years. Possessing a certified degree can be admirable but also can mean nothing without proper social and moral skills. A student’s intention of attending college and his or her time spent enrolled is indeed directed towards earning their degree, but the greatest purpose of higher education and its global function is to develop and enroot moral character. A university’s purpose is not to pump out and issue thousands of degrees every year; it is to help mature an individual’s character. A problem in American society is that too many people have a self-centered mentality due to a lack of morality. Allan Bloom, a philosopher, classicist, academician, and author discusses the purpose of higher education in his novel, â€Å"The Closing of the American Mind†. He argues that the purpose of a student’s education â€Å"is not to make them scholars† but is instead intend to â€Å"provide them with a moral virtue—openness† (645). This â€Å"moral virtue† allows a student to be equipped with the necessary values and beliefs to be a well-rounded individual. As Bloom explains, much of our culture is â€Å"ethnocentric†, meaning that we believe â€Å"our way is better than others† (645). Being apart of a school system helps students become more aware of their surroundings and enables them to become less prejudice in a culturally diverse setting. History and social science classes can teach a student about other lifestyles and beliefs, but the only way to truly absorb an understanding is to be exposed to these different beliefs. Being exposed helps students grasp the magnitude of humankind. This allows them to realize their â€Å"preferences† and customs are simply â€Å"accidents of their time and place†, by-products of a random generation that could of turned them out anywhere in the world (645). Realizing one’s individual size raises tolerance of other culture’s ideas and beliefs, promoting a more civilized society. In addition to being physically exposed to other people, many colleges require students to take a course in non-Western culture to educate them about the many other ways of thinking and that no one way is better. By studying these other cultures, students recognize a â€Å"cultural cave† that is caused by all the â€Å"limitations† people within different cultures are influenced to follow (650). This â€Å"cave† often leads to isolation amongst people and a segregation of cultures. Culture should not be the standard by which we solely follow due to the barriers it sets. Instead, as a human race, people should act upon their moral beliefs. Earning a degree is essential, but gaining a ripened moral character with diverse cultural tolerances is far more important. A college’s educational quality and breadth of degrees is of high value and should not be sacrificed, however, a greater focus on building moral character is essential. A discipline in a degree certainly has to be accompanied with respectable ethics in order to be complete. The main reason it is important for a university to concentrate on the development of an individual’s character is because this is not something automatically acquired after going through college. Most students become engulfed in their coursework and focus all of their attention on passing their classes. They can tend to believe the number out of one hundred defines who they are and learning anything else other than the textbook becomes less important. The level of reported character gain does however vary by major. For instance, The National Survey of Student Engagement states that students in â€Å"social sciences report the highest gains in general character development and ethical behavior† as well as â€Å"general knowledge†, unlike math or science majors who â€Å"report the lowest gains on nearly every character development measure† (Kuh, Umbach, 47). Having good ethics can be extremely important when it comes to certain careers and lacking this morality can lead to severe problems. For instance, a civil engineer who is constructing a new bridge across a body of water could realize a potential problem that he or she is unable to figure out. The bridge would hold up fine given moderate conditions, but the support beams and column braces would not be strong enough to support the bridge in case of a powerful storm or earthquake. If the engineer lacks proper ethics, he or she might ignore the issue due to its unlikelihood in order to complete the project in time. Even though this could be a potential threat to many people’s lives, an individual can ignore the problem if he or she was not correctly influence to have good morals. This is not however a major concern because although some students lack the opportunity to grow their character, around eighty two percent of students claim their â€Å"college experience contributed substantially to their work ethics and efficiency† (Kuh, Umbach, 51). This ability comes from the university’s efforts to prepare students for their careers by having them work together to complete tasks and influencing them to develop an understanding of other cultures. Pursuing higher education to earn a degree is simply not enough; one must not only master a discipline in a profession, but also have a strong moral ground with a confident social outlook. Having proper ethics does not come natural for all people and therefore must be taught or influenced. In order to achieve such morality, one must learn to change their â€Å"human default setting†(199). This default setting is described by author, David Foster Wallace as the centralization of one self in respect to the world. In his commencement speech at Kenyon College, Wallace emphasizes the importance of having a sense of awareness of the surrounding world. The common cliche universities tend to adopt is that a higher education teaches you â€Å"how to think†. Wallace contends the idea that the importance is not solely about how one thinks, but â€Å"the choice of what to think about† (199). A true education should instill empathy regarding one’s thought process in various settings. For Instance, take the common scenario of ordering dinner at a restaurant. One might ask for their steak to be rare and no cheese on their vegetables. After the waiter brings about the food, the customer realizes that the steak is cooked too much and the vegetables he or she received had cheese on them. Typically, the customer would bark for the waiter only to give him a lecture on how the food is not the way it was ordered. Little does the customer know, the waiter did give the cook the correct order but due to the frantic rush of orders the cooks made a mistake. Even though the cooks were to blame, the furious customer put the automatic blame upon the waiter. An experience such as this shows how the customer believes he or she must be the most important person in the restaurant, not the numerous others also expecting their orders. This is what David Wallace would define â€Å"our default setting† to be, â€Å"hard-wired into our boards at birth† (199). Humans rarely naturally think about others in situations like this, for every experience one goes through it is seen through a self-centered egotistical lens. People’s thoughts and feelings are centered to them selves and view their lives more important then others. But this is not an individual’s fault but a flaw in human nature itself. It is so automatic for us to think this way that we must be taught otherwise. College allows humans to interact and learn in such a way as to understand other people’s lives and discover selflessness. Colleges are amongst the most diverse places in the world. People from all over the globe come to various universities in the United States to acquire a degree. Colleges supply a copious amount of peers to interact with and the influence from one’s peers significantly impacts an individual’s values and beliefs. Learning how to â€Å"consider the possibilities† of others and being â€Å"well-adjusted† in this world will undoubtedly improve the quality of life by allowing an individual to understand others. Being well adjusted simply means to be experienced in many incidences by which one’s moral values are put into place. Having a higher education is to be seasoned, wise, and sensible in life. The â€Å"real value† of a higher education â€Å"has nothing to do with knowledge† but â€Å"everything to do with simple awareness† (209). The simple awareness that we as mankind are all here on this rock floating in space for one reason, to survive, not to survive as an individual but as a species. This is only possible if we as humans can change our default setting by pursuing a higher education, because college is not about cramming as many textbooks as we can into our head or acquiring the greatest degree. It is about growing our moral character so that we see life more clearly and respond to situations with empathy for the true meaning of survival is live together peacefully and to be able to understand one another. Colleges improve humankind itself and the overall quality of life. This is why the main purpose of a higher education is to develop moral character.

Boston Tea Party essays

Boston Tea Party essays When the Boston Tea Party occurred on the evening of December 16,1773, it was the culmination of many years of bad feeling between the British government and her American colonies. The controversy between the two always seemed to hinge on the taxes, which Great Britain required for the upkeep of the American colonies. Starting in 1765, the Stamp Act was intended by Parliament to provide the funds necessary to keep peace between the American settlers and the Native American population. The Stamp Act was loathed by the American colonists and later repealed by parliament. However, the British government quickly enacted other laws designed to solve monetary problems. Each act was met with resistance. The Boston Tea Party was the final act of focused rage against a Parliamentary law. In 1773 the Tea Act was passed. The Tea Act not only put a three penny per pound tax on tea, but it also gave the British East India Company a near monopoly because it allowed the company to sell dir ectly to the colonial agents avoiding any middlemen. In Boston the colonists held a town meeting to try to get their Tea Agents to resign. The Tea Agents would not resign and a few months later angered Bostonians dressed as Indians boarded three tea ships and dumped it all into Boston Harbor In Conclusion, the Americans were well organized to resist new financial demands placed upon them by the British Parliament. In 1765 the secret organizations known as the Sons and the Daughters of Liberty were created to boycott British products. By early 1773 the assemblies of Massachusetts and Virginia had created the Committees of Correspondence, which were designed to communicate within the colonies any threats to American liberties. In April 1773 the British Parliament passed the Tea Act, which allowed the East Indian Company to undersell colonial tea merchants in the American market. The stage was set for a confrontatio ...

Should You Avoid These Top 10 LinkedIn Profile Overused Buzzwords

Should You Avoid These Top 10 LinkedIn Profile Overused Buzzwords LinkedIn has released its annual report on the Top 10 Overused LinkedIn Profile Buzzwords of 2013. This year they analyzed only English-language profiles. As you read this year’s list, consider for each term whether it’s one you should avoid due to overuse, or whether it’s simply an essential word to have in your profile. As I look through the buzzwords, I find I have a different opinion on each one. Here’s the list: Responsible Strategic Creative Effective Patient Expert Organizational Driven Innovative Analytical RESPONSIBLE Responsible is a word I have banished from resumes and LinkedIn profiles for years now. I think it must have risen to the top as other overused buzzwords such as â€Å"extensive experience,† â€Å"results-oriented,† â€Å"proven track record† and â€Å"team player† have been shaved off most people’s profiles. Avoid using â€Å"responsible† in your profile – it doesn’t tell anyone about what you actually did! I’m hoping that the appearance of â€Å"Responsible† on LinkedIn’s list will shrink its appearance on resumes. STRATEGIC I’m frankly shocked that strategic just appeared on the top 10 list for the first time this year. I believe its emergence as #2 is a testament to the importance of the word. When your job includes strategic planning you must use this word, since it is central to your business role. If you claim you are a strategic thinker, however, be sure to include examples of that thinking and the results it has produced. CREATIVE Creative ranked #1 last year and is #3 now. I don’t love this word and rarely use it. â€Å"Creative† describes people more than accomplishments and is better left for other people to say about you. Anyone can say they’re creative but the challenge is to prove it. Instead of relying on this buzzword, attach photos and PowerPoints showing your work; provide links to your writing; and describe the ways in which you’ve done things that other people have not. EFFECTIVE Effective, which moved from #3 to #4 this year, is a throw-away word in my opinion, often easily avoided by reporting actual results. If you got your intended results, your strategy was effective. PATIENT Patient? I’m not sure why this word is suddenly on the top 10 list. I’d say scrap it. Patient is a trait you need to demonstrate, not claim on a piece of paper. EXPERT Everyone’s claiming to be an expert these days. If you can truly demonstrate expertise in a particular area, I think it’s okay to use the word (of course this is coming from a woman who calls her company The Essay Expert!) I believe some people might search for terms like â€Å"E-Learning Expert† or â€Å"Turnaround Expert† ; if they do, you want to have the word â€Å"Expert† in your headline and job titles. My caveat would be not to claim you are an expert if you’re really not. Be honest or someone could easily call your bluff. ORGANIZATIONAL Organizational first appeared on the buzzword list as #2 in 2011 and kept its ranking in 2012; it has slipped to #7 but is still on the list and I can understand why. Most LinkedIn members are mid- to upper-level managers and executives, for whom organizational goals are extremely important. I think this buzzword is here to stay, at least for a while, and I see no problem with using it. DRIVEN Driven has started to replace â€Å"Results-oriented† as a favorite descriptive word. Take note of its overuse and see if you can provide examples that show your drive instead of calling yourself â€Å"driven.† If you would use this word as one of the top three adjectives to describe yourself, you might choose to keep it in your profile. But know that it will be taken with a grain of salt. INNOVATIVE Innovative is a persistent one. It was #2 on the list in 2010, #7 in both 2011 and 2012. Honestly this word is a hard one to eliminate if you are in any sort of product marketing or management role. It’s better than â€Å"original† or â€Å"creative† in my opinion. If you need to use it, use it. But make sure to explain *what* was innovative about your ideas. Don’t just say â€Å"innovative† and think that explains something. ANALYTICAL Finally, analytical is a word that you might need to use if you’re in marketing, finance, or any profession for which analysis is critical. Only claim to be analytical if analyzing things makes your heart sing and is central to the work you do. WHAT’S NEXT? For the first time this year, I have a vision of a world where the top 10 buzzwords on LinkedIn are not â€Å"overused,† but instead rank as the important words in business for the year. Let’s cut away the fluff and drill down to the essentials. Anyone with me? Buzz Buzz! Category:Archived ArticlesBy Brenda BernsteinDecember 16, 2013 2 Comments Seth says: December 17, 2013 at 2:16 am Im an analyst, with off-the-charts analytical skills. May I use it? Log in to Reply The Essay Expert says: December 17, 2013 at 8:22 am Id say you dont have much of a choice Seth! There would be a big problem if you *didnt* use this word! Log in to Reply