Analyzing Philosophical Themes in a Fictional Work (Equilibrium, 2002) Essay

Analyzing Philosophical Themes in a Fictional Work (Equilibrium, 2002) - Essay Example In the past months, we have more and more such films hit the box office. One perfect example is the 2002 Science-fiction film Equilibrium, which received many bad reviews and ultimately flopped the box office. This film follows the story of a law enforcement officer in a future dystopia where both feelings and artistic expression are outlawed and citizens take daily injections of drugs to suppress their emotions. The plot begins with the end of a third world war that has left earth in shambles and with a largely decimated population due to the use of nuclear warfare. This incident causes the survivors to institute stricter measures to ensure that a fourth war will not break out in the future. A totalitarian government emerges whose ideology determines human emotion to be the root cause of conflict. Thus, all emotionally stimulating material is banned and â€Å"sense offenders† are ruthlessly persecuted. All citizens of Libria are required to take regular injections of the emot ion-suppressing drug called Prozium, under fear of death or imprisonment. Due to the harsh conditions instituted, an underground resistance movement emerges with the goal of destroying the oppressive system in which its citizens are practically slaves. With the help of a rebel law enforcer, they are eventually able, after devious planning and sustained losses, to overthrow the organization and free the people. (Wikipedia, 2002) From first glance, one can immediately tell that the film is loaded with ideological themes. The philosophy applied is also quite controversial too. Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, had a similar viewpoint where he advocated a tyrannical government instead of a democracy that had more risks of failing. Modern conspiracy theorists have said that in the future, such a government may emerge. In this situation, the ruling power takes control of all aspects of life. Religion is either outlawed or limited to one for all, Needs are distributed equally to all pe ople, who in turn are required to abide by all rules imposed. The military’s power is enlarged and many liberties are abolished. What you get is a slave world. All throughout the film, the portrayed supreme ruler is publicized all over the city in huge screens. Propaganda is pumped into the minds of the people in order to keep them brainwashed and mesmerized as to the actual situation. The notion presented is that the end justifies the means. As long as peace and order is maintained, the happiness and freedom of the citizens can be surrendered. Justice is not given and therefore, many resistance movements emerge. (Wimmer, 2002) In order to fully understand this, one has to look into history. Similar systems were instituted in countries like Russia, China, and a few Western nations in various times. Communism is one good example and a perfect parallel. History tells of the horrors experienced in communist Russia back when the Czars were overthrown and the communist rebels took over. Communism is based on several principles. The first one states that the purpose of communism is to liberate the conditions of the proletariat. In other words, it terminates the unequal distribution of resources that results in poverty. So, it equally distributes resources and labor. Each person has to do the work he is fit to do, and receives his daily wages according to his needs, and not according to his workload. Moreover, he is â€Å"commanded† to maintain peace by worshipping and doing things the same way as everyone. Another principle is that there should be no opposition. In our modern era, democracy is dominant, and as a result, many opposing parties

Corporate Social responsibility assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corporate Social responsibility - Assignment Example Nowadays unethical activities can no longer be hidden, as every activity against ethical CSR is investigated, communicated and broadcasted through internet by the media (Kakabadse, Rozuel, & Lee-Davies, 2005). However, if the other side of the coin is analyzed, it can be seen that that due to recent scandals, many reforms in business environment have been noticed. Firstly, the financial performance of the organization has improved (Galbreath, 2009). It has be analyzed by DePaul University that after the financial crisis and economic downturn, companies are engaging themselves into ethical business, which is revealing better financial performance as stated by S&P 500 Index (Silberhorn, & Warren, 2007). The operating cost has reduced due to CSR initiatives because companies are more concern about reducing their rate of emission, cutting down waste and by selling the recycled materials. To enforce ethical CSR activities and corporate governance in companies after the Enron scandal the A merican government also introduced Sarbanes-Oxley Legislation (Cromb, 2008). Answer 2 Stakeholders are the people or groups of people who have major interest in the growth and profitability of the organization. However, the interest of every stakeholder towards the organization is not the same. So based on the level of interest the stakeholders are segregated as primary and secondary stakeholder. The primary stakeholders are those who get the most affected by the positive or negative outcome or performance of the company. However, this differentiation is done for ethical decision-making. According to Figure 1, Freeman depicted a view of the primary and secondary stakeholders (Brockett, & Rezaee, 2012). Figure 1: Freeman's Structure for Primary and Secondary Stakeholders Source: (Colle, 2005) The segregation is done on the basis of fiduciary duties, legitimate interest towards the firm, invested capital and efforts. As can be seen in Figure 1, the primary stakeholders are shareholder s, suppliers, customers, employees and government. All these individuals and groups have financial and personal interest associated with the organization. They have direct contribution towards the positive or negative growth of the company, so they are the stakeholders who should be ethically receiving first priority in profits and decision-making. The secondary stakeholders are the competitors, society, local and global communities, etc (Colle, 2005). They are not indirectly related to the organization, but neither do they contribute towards the profitability of the organization nor they receive a share of the profit of the company (Ayuso, Rodriguez, Garcia, & Arino, 2007). Answer 3 The sets of rules, polices, principles and processes set by the company to monitor and control the company and its functions is known as corporate governance. The corporate governance also helps the company by providing guidelines for fulfilling the goals and objectives of the company. It is also respon sible for safeguarding the stakeholder's interest. Corporate governance assists the companies to lay down the foundation for planning our CSR activities for the company because unless and until the operational functions are ethically conducted, CSR will reap no result. However, stakeholders of the company have significant role to play in this case, as it has been discussed further in this section of the study. There are approaches around the world based on which the role of the shareholders in corporate

Essay Childhood Obesity Essay Example for Free

Essay Childhood Obesity Essay Childhood Obesity is a health issue, cause by having excess body weight as well as excess of body fat. This is a serious problem for the future of society especially now that our children are not getting enough physical activities because of technology and unhealthy eating patterns. Children who are obese are likely to be obese as adults. Therefore, this habits can take our children to have serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high cholesterol, and many others health problems. The environment in which we live is been also part of this problem. Children are surrounded by unhealthy commercials and bad influence from their parents. Beverages like sodas which contains approximately 400 calories, and unhealthy choices of meals have contributed to this epidemic cause. Leading our children by giving them examples of how to prevent this kind of problems could be a solution for a better lifestyle and future. It is important that parents support their children by helping them do a diet and physical activities. If your child look at you as a good example of how to stay healthy, they are more likely to be and stay active for their own. Instead of leaving them playing video games, take them to the park and have fun. Being able to spend more time with your kids and being part of their life, can take them to be better not only mentally, but physically. Childhood obesity is been an enormous problem for our society. Furthermore, it is our responsibility to help the future generations by giving them a good example of living and love for those who needs the most. Web, www.obesityaction.org, www.healthychildren.org

Macbeths Letter Essay Example for Free

Macbeths Letter Essay I am writing to you as I know that you will keep the contents of this letter a secret. The last few days have been very strange and unreal to me. I cannot believe how much my life has changed in such a short space of time. I ask you to please destroy this letter once you have read it and not tell a soul about what it contains as I have committed a terrible crime. A couple of days ago I was a noble warrior fighting against Norway and now Im king of Scotland. With my brandishd steel I approached the leader of the Norwegians, Macdonald, and unseamd him from the nave to thchaps and fixd his head on our battlements to show everyone he was dead. Norway were defeated. After the battle, Banquo and I walked along the moors and we came across three weird sisters that looked nothing I had ever seen on this earth. They greeted me by saying All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Glamis, All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor, All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter. At this greeting I was rather shocked and confused. True I was Thane of Glamis but Thane of Cawdor and king? The Thane of Cawdor lived and as was the king. I was puzzled. Were these prophecies real? Whilst I was lost in my thoughts, Banquo asked them to predict something for him as they had for me. They told him that his children shall be kings but he will not be king himself. I ordered them to stay and tell me more but they were unwilling to be ordered by me and vanished into thin air. I do not think Banquo believed his prophecies as much as I did mine. We carried on walking and talked about the witches. Then we saw two men coming towards us. They said that the king had sent them because he had heard of my success in battle. One of the men said the king bade him to call me Thane of Cawdor! I asked him why he was dressing me in borrowd robes. He explained to me that the old thane of Cawdor was a traitor and would be executed. I could not help thinking that the greatest was behind. I then thought a terrible thought. Murdering king Duncan to become king. I pushed the thought out of my head and told myself if chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir. I did not have to get involved in order to become king. We made our way to the kings headquarters and king Duncan told me how grateful he was for what I had done in battle. I told him it was an honour to fight for him and I felt it was my duty to him. He then made a startling announcement. His eldest son Malcolm was named the Prince of Cumberland! I could not help feeling angry on hearing this. Malcolm stood in my way of becoming king. I felt as though I was not in control of my feelings. One minute I was loyal and the next I had these evil thoughts. They disturbed me but I could not stop them. I pleaded, stars hold your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires. I did not want anyone to see these terrible thoughts I had. Duncan said that he was to stay at my castle that night so I left at once to inform my wife of his arrival. I sent a letter on to Lady Macbeth to inform her of the meeting with the witches, their prophecies and my becoming Thane of Cawdor. I know she thinks that I cannot act on my ambitions and that I am too kind to act on the information that the witches gave to me. When I arrived I told her I told her about Duncan coming to stay. She encouraged the idea of murdering him. She told me to look like thinnocent flower but be the serpent undert. I was to look innocent but be ready to strike. I felt she was taking control of this situation. She overpowered me. I was not allowed to speak. I told her I needed to think about it but she did not listen and told me to leave all the rest to her. When Duncan arrived, Lady Macbeth greeted him as my mind was too full with other thoughts. I know she showed gratitude towards him and showed fake loyalty. I could not have been false to his face. I left the feast to be alone. I thought that if I were to murder Duncan it would be best to do it quickly. But how I hoped it would be the end of it without any consequences because I knew that with murder would come horrible consequences. I was confused as to what I should do. I was his subject. I looked up to him as king. I was his host. I should be protecting him not murdering him. I thought Duncan is no enemy of mine. He is my king. He has been a good king so far. If he was to be murdered then everyone would be horrified and there would be a wild protest. Everyone would be looking for the murderer. The only thing I had to make me murder him was my ambition and that alone is not alone. Lady Macbeth came to me and I told her we would proceed no further in this business. She called me a coward and said that if I told her to kill her child then she would do so. She had managed to change my mind. If we should fail? I asked her. She told me we would not fail and that Duncan would sleep easily after his long journey. She then said that she would convince his two guards to have some wine. They would be unaware of what is happening. Then when Duncan was dead we would smear blood on their limbs and let them bear the guilt of our great quell. At that moment I could not help admiring Lady Macbeth. I told her she should only have male children for she has great strength and courage. She told me that no one would suspect us because we would be distraught with sadness at the news of his death. My mind was made up. I told her that every bit of me was going to work at this murder. Part of me wanted to show I could do this and that I was not a coward. I was walking around the castle later that night when I came across Banquo and his son. Banquo told me he dreamt of the witches and how their prophecies had come true for me. I lied to him and told him that I did not think of them. I had to lie as I was about to kill the king. After Banquo left I saw in front of me a dagger. It looked as real as the one I had in my belt. It was pointing towards Duncans chamber. I saw blood on the dagger that was not on there before. My disturbed mind was showing me things that were not there. Suddenly a bell rang and I made my way towards Duncans chamber. When I returned to my wife from Duncans chamber I heard her say that she would have murdered him herself if he did not remind her of her father. I was anxious. I looked at my hands. It was a sorry sight. Lady Macbeth tried to get me to snap out of it. I told her that as I came out of the chamber I had heard someone saying their prayers in their room and how I could not even bring myself to utter the word amen. I felt cursed. She told me I should not think about it. I could not help thinking that it was the end of me. My wife warned me that to dwell on these things would make me mad. I felt mad at that moment. I had lost all control. I had murdered sleep. I did not think I would ever be able to sleep again. My wife told me to go and wash my hands. It was then that she noticed I still had the daggers. She ordered me to go and put them back. I told her I would not go back into that room. I was frightened. I couldnt find any ounce of bravery within me. I could not face going in there again. She was disgusted with me and told me I was acting like a child. She told me to leave it all to her. She took control once again. She returned the daggers and smeared the guards with Duncans blood. I became jumpy. I looked down at my hands again. I believed that I had so much blood on them that it could change the whole sea red if I were to put them in it. I felt a sense of disgust as I stared down at the blood. Lady Macbeth returned from the chamber and her hands too were covered in blood. She called me a coward. She seemed so certain that a little water would clear us of this deed. I was not so sure. I did not feel like myself anymore. I did not feel like the noble warrior I once was. I heard knocking and wished that it would wake Duncan up and rewind this whole tragedy. Now I am king. I will not bore you with how it all happened. I fear that people will suspect me. I think Mcduff already does. I fear that I will have to kill again to ensure that Lady Macbeth and myself are not found out. I only hope you will be able to forgive the terrible sins I have committed.

History and Features of Snooker

History and Features of Snooker Snooker: A game you will grow to love History of snooker   Ã‚   A great man named Neville Chamberlain came up with the idea of snooker in the late 19th century. He was playing a game of billiards when his opponent could not hit the shot he wanted to and Neville Chamberlain suddenly shouted out snooker. Chamberlain also made a comment about another player who missed a shot calling him a real snooker which referred to his lack of experience. From there, the exquisite, logical and composed game of snooker we have today was born. What is Snooker? Snooker is a game played by two or more players against each other. The aim is to defeat the other player by potting more balls to earn more points and subsequently win the game. Snooker involves using a white coloured ball which is known as a cue ball; this is used to strike other coloured balls with a cue stick. In snooker, there are red coloured balls which are worth 1 point and one coloured ball of each; yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black. The coloured balls are worth different points, the red ball is worth 1 point, yellow is worth 2, green is worth 3, brown is worth 4, blue is worth 5, pink is worth 6 and the black is the worth the highest by a staggering 7 points. Quite simple to understand, no? How the game is played Each player has one turn unless they pot a ball in; then they continue until they miss a shot. The game starts off by a person opening a frame. The player does this by breaking. A break can mean two things; the first meaning of break is to start off the game at the first moment. The second meaning is when you score a break; this is when you continually start potting balls and scoring maximum breaks. The break when you start off the game is achieved by striking a cue ball to hit a red ball. If the red ball goes in, the player earns one point and does not lose his turn. If the ball does not go in, the other player is allowed to come to the table to have a go at earning some points. If the white ball goes in a pocket it is considered as a foul and the other person is awarded four points. Terms in snooker Touching ball A touching ball can only happen when the cue ball is touching a red ball. In this situation, you can hit any other coloured ball or you can hit another red ball without moving the ball the white ball is touching. If the ball moves, a foul is called and the other player is awarded four points. Then, it is up to the player who is awarded the points to choose whether they would like the player to retake the exact same shot or whether they would like to continue themselves. Some players purposefully make the white ball touch the red so the opponent has difficulty in hitting another red. Suppose you wouldnt want to be in that situation, would you? A snooker The term a snooker is when the player cannot hit the ball they intend to hit because they cannot see it. This can happen when the white ball is behind the cushion or when the white ball is behind another ball. Again, if the player misses the ball they would like to hit, it is a foul and the other person is awarded four points or more depending on which ball he intends to strike. A snooker is considered as a really high standard shot, because it can decide whether a player wins or loses the game. Worry not, this is not as daunting as it sounds. Old legends of snooker Steve Davis, a renowned legend won 28 ranking titles, just about doubling the amount Joe Davis won. He was born in 1957 and turned professional in 1978. He had made a 147-maximum break in the Lada Classic 1982. In 1980, Steve Davis won the World Championship six times in a row and was ranked World Number one for seven seasons in a row; he was invincible. Another legend worth mentioning is Alex Higgins who was born in 1949 and turned professional in 1971. He had only won the World Championship twice but that was enough for the crowd to love and cheer him on. His nickname was The Hurricane because of the speed in which pot balls. Sadly, Alex Higgins, one of snookers all-time greatest died in July 2010 after a long battle against throat cancer. His fellow companions even raised  £20,000 just so he could have a surgery to stay alive but unfortunately his time had passed. He will always be remembered as snookers greatest champion. My Favourite legend in snooker A legend I hold close to my heart has to be Alex Higgins through and through. If anyone was to ask me, who is the best player in snookers history, I will always say Alex The Hurricane Higgins. He had a real love and tangible passion for the game and he wanted to be the best and excel in every aspect. I aspire to have the same dedication and qualities of commitment that were depicted in his games. Even through the stages of fighting throat cancer, he would hold a snooker cue and would watch other children and adults playing the game he loved. This elucidates the love he had for the game. The Hurricane leaves us with great memories of his brilliance and charisma on the table and was a living embodiment of success. .

Athens VS Sparta Essays -- essays research papers

During the late Archaic Greek and Classical periods, two particular city-states were in existence with significant similarities as well as differences. These two city-states, Sparta and Athens have unique formations of government, histories, goals, as well as societies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After experiencing the effects of a rising population and shortage of arable land, the Spartans moved through their mountainous western frontier in hope of seeking a new spacious land to live upon. Their decision to change their home grounds put the Spartans in great danger as they found themselves entering into the fertile plain of Messenia. Fearing that they may be overthrown by power by the Messenian resistance and the helot status, the Spartans began to seek protection for their city-state and their citizens. In hope of protecting themselves, the Spartans began a new way of life by introducing a dominant military camp that would keep their community alert and aware at all times. This was the foundation of how the Spartans became a military based society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other end of the Greek city-states, the Athens chose a relatively different path as their governmental system, a democracy. Although the Athens did not prosper into a democracy over night, each step taken revealed a transition into the new governmental system they were yet to obtain. In hope of avoiding a civil war, a member of the aristocracy, Solon, was appointed as authority to posses ...

Electronics :: essays research papers

Electronics The invention of the microprocessor in 1971 was a huge milestone that eventually changed everyone's everyday lives. This invention enabled the world to own a personal computer in their home as well as their office. People were able to work more efficiently and progressively with these new electronic devices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Electronics today provides the world with an infinite amount of information at a much faster speed than that information would ever have been available before. The American public is dependent on the usage of many electronics in their lives such as the television, audio receivers, and amplifiers to stay updated on world-wide issues. Electronics also provide a superior tool for progression in the business world today. Business people rely on electronics to communicate with each other faster and to store and quickly organize vast amounts of essential data.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Electronics are improving at a blindingly fast rate. The newest technology from five years ago is literally obsolete today. Electronics are also being used for new purposes continuously. The Internet, or World Wide Web, is a relatively new concept of being â€Å"on-line†. This new project has opened a limitless number of doors for our society. Now anyone can use the Internet to communicate with anybody else in the world a lot faster and cheaper. Cellular phones have also appeared recently in the electronic world. These devices allow a person to be reached from practically anywhere. With cellular phones a person can, from then on, be in communication with the world no matter where they go.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the next generation, electronics will certainly offer new yet simpler technology available to the general public. Home addresses and phone numbers will be replaced with Internet addresses. Business people will be able to have access to tools such as video conferencing and such in their homes. The workplace will ultimately become obsolete. Transportation vehicles will be dominated by electric cars as natural gas supplies decline around the globe. New procedures for creating power will be found and utilized. The current and upcoming advances in technology will create a steady rise of the progression of the everyday living experience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I plan to enroll in a very prestigious university after high school and major in electrical engineering. I plan to contribute my time during my studies toward new possible designs of electronics and technology. I realize that innovative minds are the backbone of the direction technology will take and,