Ethical Issues on Accounting Essay

Society is composed of many institutions that have various purpose and position. These institutions may sometime have contradicting goals. Money is something people work hard for making it such a sensitive issue. Disputes regarding money are often entangled in heavy disputes and are hard to settle. The accounting is the field that specializes in the job of taking care of other people’s money issues. Ironically, the accounting business has been bombarded by controversies regarding how they do their job and how they settle disputes if there are any. Practicing accountants consequently developed an image of being either strictly professional or, at worst, dishonest. Unfortunately for the accounting field, it is considered by many that moral standards of this field are deteriorating. This is where ethics come into play. It is very problematic to weigh issues without a set of conventions to guide them in the decision making. Ethics came form the Latin â€Å"ethos†, that means character and customs. Ethics basically deals with how people interact with each other. Ethics also sets what is good or bad, right or wrong but definitely much broader than the common notions of the rightness or wrongness of things (Cornwell University Law School). On the academic terms, ethics pertains to not just personal feelings, religion, laws. Feelings most of the time leads us to do unethical acts. Being religious too doesn’t necessarily mean that one is being ethical. Of course, religion sets very high ethical standards. But not all people are religious, non-religious people also have their own ethical standards. Also, being ethical doesn’t necessarily mean abiding by the law. Most people view the law as having the same grounds as ethics. Laws are formulated to meet ethical standards. But like feelings, the law can have certain biases, therefore can be sometimes can be viewed as unethical. Since ethics is basically right or wrong, it proves to be a very important tool such problematic fields such as accounting. Codes of professional conduct Many fields of profession formulate a highly developed detailed set of codes to guide them in their practice. They have allotted a considerable amount of their time and resources just to come up with these codes. These set of codes are more commonly regarded as â€Å"professional codes. † In the case of accounting, The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants or AICPA has Codes of Professional Conduct which serves as ethical reference. Much of these codes were later merged with the public law. The merging of the codes to the law gave it much more enforceability. Setting aside the technical education, accounting undergraduates were also given ethics courses before they conduct practice in the field. They may have discussed basic ethical. They might have been supplied a lecture of the codes of professional conduct. The generally accepted set of codes for accounting is supplied by the AICPA. One of the primary functions of the AICPA is the major role in the self-regulation of practicing accountants. Majority of the AICPA’s resources is devoted to developing the â€Å"professional codes† for CPA practitioners. Aside from the codes of professional conduct, there is also GAAP or the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Just like the codes of professional conduct, the GAAP serves as a reminder that accounting practitioners should keep in mind that they have to follow certain moral guidelines. It also includes rules and the agreed sanctions if these rules were violated. The Codes of Professional Conduct and GAAP both remind accounting practitioners that they must do their function responsibly. Basically, both these sets of moral codes states that accountants should not commit frauds even if the temptation of personal gain is prevalent. The codes and principles also remind them not to violate the set rules for it could mean heavy sanctions like renouncing of licenses. The use of professional codes is one way to resolve ethical deterioration in the accounting profession. On the other hand, it can be viewed as selfish on the part of accountants as it only heeds to their individualistic goals. Also, having a set of ethical codes grants accountants an image of trustworthiness and competence. Accounting is a field that has a very high demand by the public. The public, with all their money, is in need of accountancy services so that they could spend their precious time earning more money rather than the grueling task of sorting it. Accounting, as many perceives, is a very technical field, so accountants dedicate themselves to the complex technical aspects of the field leaving out on moral values. Accountant themselves see themselves as professionals that doesn’t require moral codes to conduct practice. Accountants develop an attitude which can be broadly described as lack of incorporating moral judgment on their work. Experts coin this as â€Å"ethical dissonance. † Ethical dissonance in accounting pertains to the attitude of accountants to treat their chosen field as completely morally neutral. As the word suggests, ethical dissonance is very prone to conflicts. Accountants suffering ethical dissonance have a different set of moral codes, or at worst devoid of any, so conflicts with other institutions will be very hard to resolve. The root of this problem is traceable to various issues like â€Å"self-regulation† practiced by the accounting field. Self-regulation Self-regulation of the accounting field basically means that the accounting field itself makes their own set of codes rather than extracting it from the society. Self-regulation can be something good as it can give the field of accountancy more focus on their field. Self-regulation gained popularity as it is regarded as â€Å"effective control† and the most efficient tool for minimizing errors. Accountants acquire some privileges that other members of the society don’t have. This includes the exclusive right to determine who can do the accounting work and how it should be done. These special privileges are granted to them by the state. But their acquired â€Å"autonomy† doesn’t come free. As an act of courtesy, the accounting profession now burdens having special public interests responsibilities that they should keep high competence and high ethical standards (Gaa, 1994). Once the regulations are agreed upon, it is formalized by law or by organizations of the same field. The organizations monitor and penalize its members if they abide or violate the agreed regulations. If violations are reported, investigations are done by the government or the organization, where the violator is a member. Also self-regulation allows accountants have more focus as they wouldn’t spend time and effort developing professional codes. Self-regulation can incite conflicts because in the end it will have to adjust to what the public wants. For many accountancy experts, self regulation in accounting cannot work accordingly. If extracted a tautological meaning, they are merely regulating themselves of what they should do and those that they cannot violate. The public and the accountancy field is both divided in this issue. Some people tend to go with the decision to leave their financial affairs to their accountants (Gowthorpe & Blake, 1998, pp. 1-3). They wouldn’t question however the accountants will do the job. In this respect, they recognize it that the accountants are the specialists in this field. And so they don’t bother in meddling (or arguing) with their accountants. The gray area of this point is that it is very prone to malpractice, intended or unintended, that can lead to ethical conflicts between the public and the accounting field. Since the moral code is self-regulated, what may be right or wrong for the accountants may be contradicting to those of the public. However, if the state gave the accounting industry autonomy, it means they are given more weight than other institutions. In this sense it is quite unethical for the state have certain biases. Moreover if the accounting industry is given this autonomy, in return they should provide the public quality and honest service with high regards to ethical standards and competence. Ethical lapses in accounting I have acquired examples of ethics in action in the accounting field. I will have to not name the particular agencies involved as it is unethical. Perhaps one of the biggest acknowledgements of ethical misconduct in accounting was done by an insurance company by swapping insurance assets to artificially increase their growth. This is an example of an â€Å"end justify the means. † The insurance company had only thought of its own good not minding how their action affects others. With their artificially fattened network gross, investors are lured to risk their money on a company that has not performed as the unknowingly deceived analysts say. (Flanagan, 2007, pp 38-46) Another ethical lapse in accounting is discrimination. Some insurance companies have gender, racial, and age related biases before they sell their service. This act of discrimination is highly unethical because it contradicts the responsibility of accountants to the public. Researches found out that gender seems to have a great effect on negotiations (Flanagan, 2007, pp. 60-64). (a) Women seem to be greater in number in terms of financial disputes. During negotiations, women prefer being perceived as reasonable. Men are treated to have more economic orientation so they can maximize economic income. Women are treated to have lots of self-doubt about their financial capabilities so they would have to settle with smaller financial settlements. Some companies perceive this as risk to their economic gain so they unethically reject smaller settlements. Women are allegedly to have lesser successes in negotiations in comparison to men. As gender awareness is increasing popularity these days, this ethical lapse would mean many disputes for the accounting industry. (b) There is also aversion for elderly people during negotiations. Many companies see clients with old age (65 up) as great investment risk. Elderly people seem to have more difficulty getting auto insurances. They also find it difficult to cash in their insurance as it could just be interpreted as a scam. Insurance companies group their clients in to two whereas one group is of the adult (23-60) and the other is either very young or very old. The latter group which has both extremities of the age group is treated much differently as opposed to the prior group. The latter group is perceived as to have a higher frequency of accidents that would lead to higher insurance claims. Also, younger defendants are assed more fault than relatively older defendants while all other are treated equally. Again the lapse here is that economic consequences were given more priority than being ethically agreeable. (c) Accounting services seem to have biases in terms of race. Loan default rates are higher for black applicants than white applicants. The lender cannot use race as a qualifier in whether to give out loans or not. There are also variations in insurance terms when race is being considered. Discrimination, the word itself is not obviously ethical. Ladd, 1998, pp. 63-90) Although these acts of discrimination are considered illegal, many practitioners still commit this unethical practice. If there are variations to insurance terms, the act could meet up with the legal definition of discrimination that could cause the agency legal prohibition. Although if there was a denial in loans due to gender, age, and race, even with the legal laws, it would be difficult to resolve because of the self-regulated ethical codes that the industry of accounting is equipped. Economic consequences of ethical issues Probably, one reason why it takes lot of time and discussions before ethical solutions are implemented is because corrections of errors will cause a lot of money for the accounting agencies. Profit maximizing is the priority concern of most businesses, even if they admit it or not. Moreover, maintaining and formulating proper ethical codes would cost companies much money that they would want to put into investment instead. Ruland had identified three philosophical perspectives that addresses the questions of whether accounting regulators should be guided by economic consequence issues. (Ruland 1984) The question of whether ends justify means for the accountants. It is often asked if the desired economic outcome of practicing accountancy justify what ever ethical approach they are taking. We can view this thinking as both negative and positive. On one side, we can view it as the actions should be judged weighed on its moral values. There is also the notion of â€Å"positive and negative responsibilities. † Positive responsibilities hold individuals accountable their own actions. On the other hand, negative responsibilities hold individuals accountable for actions they fail or allow to properly address. In simpler terms, positive responsibilities hold accountants responsible for their own actions, and contrastingly, negative responsibilities hold accountants responsible for the action of other people. Arguably, positive responsibilities can provide a fair presentation of accounts because the accountant’s reputation is on the line, as opposed to negative responsibilities whereas the accountants can’t be blamed for errors of other people. Many still argue that positive responsibilities should not be replaced by negative responsibilities just to avoid financial consequences. There is also the concept of â€Å"the distinction of duty to refrain and a duty to act. † Many accounting firms believe that the pursuit of the best accounting practice is the most important duty of accountants. They are tasked with a duty to refrain by any distractions. They are to focus only on their service, and nothing else, even if it may cause some ethical disputes. An important word here is â€Å"priority† as the duty to act gives more priority to addressing issue rather than refraining. Those who argue that economic consequences issues should be the main focus of regulations are favoring the duty to act.

Divorce And Its Effects On Society Essay - 2647 Words

Divorce. How can that one word bring up such a wide range of emotions? That simple word to some may bring feelings of shame and disgust, while to others it can represent a fresh start and safety from a bad situation. While it would be easy to look at this topic and simply say that it is right or wrong all across the board, it feels inadequate. Every divorce is unique and specific to those within that relationship and could be caused by an array of reasons, so to offer a blanket statement felt insufficient. After looking at this topic in depth and seeing the effect that it can have on both those in the relationship and those around them, I was able to arrive at a conclusion. Divorce should never be a decision that is made rashly or out of convenience, and all other options should be exhausted before arriving at the decision to divorce, but there are some situations where unfortunately it may be the answer. While this may seem like a way to side-step the difficulty of taking a side, ha ving this view actually requires us to get to know those who are struggling with this decision and to meet them where they are in order to offer genuine guidance. Scripture All throughout scripture, we see God’s feelings about divorce. In Micah, God plainly says, â€Å"For I hate divorce,† says the Lord, the God of Israel, and him who covers his garment with wrong,† says the Lord of hosts. â€Å"So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously† (Micah 2:16, New American Standard Bible).Show MoreRelatedDivorce And Its Effect On Society Essay1648 Words   |  7 PagesHalf of all marriages end in divorce. That means that between a person and their closest friend, one of them is likely to get a divorce (Stanton 3). That’s a shocking and scary statistic since divorce is so unhealthy for everyone involved. Sociology’s view, religion’s view, and even the effect of psychology all point to one end, divorce is not beneficial. Divorce is a topic that has been widely silenced because it has rocked so many people’s lives. A 50 percent divorce rate is a huge increase of whatRead MoreDivorce And Its Effect On Society1019 Words   |  5 PagesDivorce has been on a rise in America since the past thirty years. Almost every person might be having a divorced member in its family. Divorce has been reported to be the major cause of suicide as well. Many factors lead to divorce, some of which are online dating, financial problems and physical abuse. In the ancient Roman Republic, a simple statement for divorce was sufficient for the dissolution of a marriage. Some local Church councils even had the equivalent of no-fault divorce, in whichRead MoreDivorce And Its Effect On Society1018 Words   |  5 PagesDivorce â€Å"Until death do us part† is one of the most frequently used phrases within marriage vows. But let’s face it, â€Å"Until divorce do us part† is probably more accurate considering the fact that about one in three marriages end in divorce within ten years (Brower). Nowadays, divorce defines and impacts our era in ways people do not even realize. Divorce is extremely common in the United States, the reasons for divorce have been modified, and the children of divorced parents are feeling the effectsRead MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Our Society1034 Words   |  5 Pageswith over 1.2 million divorces (â€Å"The Impact of Divorce on Our Society†). Divorce is not limited to breaking apart the husband and wife; it destroys families, siblings and the future of the American children. Divorces cause money, crime and education issues and an overall effect on the children caught in the middle, which follows them into their adult life. A $1,000 of taxpayer’s money is spent dealing with the consequences of broken families (â€Å"The Impact of Divorce on Our Society†). The amount of moneyRead MorePreventing Divorce And Its Effects On Society3587 Words   |  15 PagesPreventing Divorce In society today, there are many issues we face without any direction. Divorce is a leading problem that impacts families and communities around the world. In the United States, a divorce occurs every 30 seconds, and this is expected to increase over time. What if there was a way to prevent these rates, or even stop them from happening? What we know, is that divorce is very problematic; however, brushing up on its history, focusing on the present state, and learning how it hasRead MoreDivorce Rates And Its Effect On Society2158 Words   |  9 PagesThroughout the past several decades, living together before marriage has become normal amongst couples. Divorce rates have drastically increased and marriage has been redefined. Analysis from studies and reliable sources expose this issue and the importance for it to be addressed. Society today is fast paced and self-rewarding, therefore the majority of people have decided to rush into major relationships, which can have immense consequen ces. This should no longer be a standard, rather we shouldRead MoreEffects of Divorce on Society Essay1090 Words   |  5 PagesIncreased youth crime rate is caused largely by absent fathers as a result of divorce made too easy. Consider this chilling forecast. When we pass the year 2000, we will see two groups of working age adults emerging. One group will have received psychological, social, economic, educational and moral benefits and the other group will have been denied them all. The first group will have grown up with a father present in the house and the second group will have not had a father present. The groups willRead MoreEssay about The Effects of Divorce in American Culture1719 Words   |  7 PagesThe effects of divorce on the American culture are immense. Social scientists have been studying these effects for many years now. The studies are continuing to confirm that the climbing rate of divorce in the American culture is hurting the society and also frequently deva stating the lives of many American children. More often than not people decide to get a divorce before they really think about the effects of divorce. People usually decide to get a divorce based on emotion rather than logic whichRead MoreEssay about How Divorce is Affecting the American Culture1667 Words   |  7 PagesThe effects of divorce on the American culture are immense. Social scientists have been studying these effects for many years now. The studies are continuing to confirm that the climbing rate of divorce in the American culture is hurting the society and also frequently devastating the lives of many American children. There are many areas in which divorce has a negative effect in the life of a child or an adult. Many of these effects also directly correlate to the effect on a society. HoweverRead MoreHow Divorce Has Changed Changing Society1491 Words   |  6 PagesSociety is constantly changing. We are able to visualize these changes year after year by way of statistics. This allows us to be able to use these values to qualitatively analyze correlation, causation, and effect. One topic that has benefited from the use of statistics to measure its effects is divorce. Divorce is defined as the legal process of dissolving a marriage, thus separating two individuals (Merriam). From generation to generation, divorce has been on a steady increase. The annual rate

New Ideas Into Illegal Immigration Essay Topics Never Before Revealed

New Ideas Into Illegal Immigration Essay Topics Never Before Revealed The Fight Against Illegal Immigration Essay Topics It's indeed practical to work abroad, especially should you not find any improvement in your nation's financial landscape. So, immigrating to a country like Switzerland that is famous for an extremely higher standard of living might drastically help enhance the manner in which you live. Not all countries offer a similar way of life. Very few different nations match the breathtaking beauty and the cozy lifestyle it provides. If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Illegal Immigration Essay Topics Thus, the debate about immigration shouldn't be conducted as an uncompromising struggle about a few non-negotiable moral imperative. He could become an even more serious problem in the U.S. if the government does not produce stricter laws. Proper laws and reforms want to go implemented in the struggle against illegal immigration and are likely to be pr osperous. History has revealed that prosperity follows immigration. The Advantages of Illegal Immigration Essay Topics When combined with how the gap in wealth between wealthy and poor countries is ever increasing, it's very clear that immigration is something only likely to grow. The good' fight against despots and to curb the rise of extremist terrorists has made a lot of hot spots on the planet. Illegal immigrants have a beneficial effect on the American economy. With globalization and the simplicity of movement, immigrants in a variety of countries are on the upswing. The price of immigration needs to be reduced as a way to reduce illegal immigrations. Employers may not refuse to employ an experienced worker whose employment authorization expires at a subsequent date. Meaning the gain in immigrants does not always cause a rise in unemployment. Immigration is the best alternative to take if you're someone from such regions. In the event the men and women that are fl eeing their country due to an immediate threat to there health then they're considered refugees due to the fact that they seek refuge in another nation. There has to be a body of authorities who'd monitor the illegal immigrants in a nation. So, it's essential to try to find the citizenship of the nation you immigrate to as soon as possible. It is difficult to expect society to completely absorb foreign groups in a few decades. Facts, Fiction and Illegal Immigration Essay Topics The government must restrict immigration laws in order to stop the overpopulation of the usa. Immigration has ever been an important but divisive part of social and political life in the usa, but in the last few years, the debate about the perceived threats and advantages of immigration has intensified considerably. Now there are lot of illegal immigrants in the majority of the nations, even rich countries such as USA. About sixty-eight million immigrants are added to the usa since 1970, and it's proj ected that 130 million people will be added over the subsequent fifty decades. Politically, immigrants take a big part in the presidential elections. Racial discrimination is just one of the commonest tackled problems. There's been a public outcry over affirmative action that is the discrimination of immigrants at their workplace. There also have been numerous prosecutions concerning illegal immigrants over the previous years. Want to Know More About Illegal Immigration Essay Topics? In the past two years pew Hispanic center confirmed the rise of the illegal immigrant population in the usa has been constant. Thus, there's no use in taking a look at suspects that are white, black, or Asian. Illegal immigrants are starting to fill our prisons in addition to they're taking our jobs. When they are detected trying to leave the country, they are not just ushered across the line. The Key to Successful Illegal Immigration Essay Topics There are a lot of explanations for why folk s migrate to other nations. The folks who do receive a pay increase will have the ability to continue to dwell in the region and will likely be better off. After all, because most immigrants arrive at the usa because they need to better their own lives and the lives of their families, work is a big part of that improvement program. As people get older they can't work and need support to call home. Hence, it's obvious there are many pros and cons related to the immigration practice. There is an easy pattern that you have to follow to in order create a topic that someone can right about. It is critical to think about the positive side of immigration initially to dispel a lot of the arguments against it, especially in economic terms. Attempt to be specific by focusing on a particular facet of an overall matter. The Awful Secret of Illegal Immigration Essay Topics The subject of immigration is one which has a lot of facets to it all of which will need to be fully understood as a way to compose the ideal essay. He played a very important role in American history and is perhaps one of the greatest controversial issues of our present time. He played a very important role in American history, and like I stated before, it is perhaps one of the greatest controversial issues of our present time. He is something that has occurred for a long period of time, but due to the modern advancements in travel and other technology, it is becoming more and more common. The essays essay has become the most frequent kind of writing assignment essays argumentative are expected to undertake. Papers will be able to help you to compose your cause and effect essay. Suggestions For Synthesis Essay.

Alcohol and Teen Drinking Essay - 2212 Words

Alcohol use among American teenagers is a problem of epidemic proportions. Alcohol is a drug -- the drug of choice of adolescents and adults. Abuse of this drug Is responsible for death and injury in automobile accidents, physical and emotional disability, loss of productivity amounting to millions of dollars annually, deterioration of academic performance, aggressive and disruptive behavior causing problems with family and friends, and individual financial ruin. It also is the primary cause of criminal behavior and a leading cause of broken homes. Despite the problems caused to young and old by alcohol, society sends a mixed signal to its youth. The media presents beer drinking with peers as not only acceptable but almost mandatory†¦show more content†¦While most adults drink occasionally, about 30% of adults don’t drink at all. Of those who do drink, 10% account for the 50% of the alcoholic beverages consumed (Youcha 1978) . For some groups the ideal drinking behavior is not drinking at all; for other groups moderate or infrequent drinking behavior is acceptable; for still other groups occasional heavy drinking or even frequent heavy drinking is permissible. The media bombard the American public, particularly its young people, with the acceptability of alcoholic beverages in adult society. A report by the Scientific Analysis Corporation examined portrayal of drinking practices on television. The study showed that alcoholic beverages were the most frequently used drinks by television characters. In 225 programs 701 alcoholic drinking acts were recorded, compared to second-place tea and coffee drinking recorded in 329 cases (Royce 1981) . Television characters seldom drank water or soft drinks. Furthermore, many of the references to alcohol in the scripts were of humorous nature. These findings should be brought to the attention of the teenagers in order to help them sort out the realities of alcohol consumption from the make-believe world of television. Drinking is viewed as an adult behavior in our society. It is promoted as a rite of passage from adolescence to adulthood. The age when young people areShow MoreRelatedAlcohol and Teen Drinking Essay552 Words   |  3 PagesAccording to Men’s Health, â€Å"alcohol kills more teenagers and young people than any of the other drugs taken to affect mood and behavior (heroin, cocaine, marijuana).† This issue interests me due to the many friends I have who drink overwhelmingly. Also, I have so many cousins that are younger than me that I am concerned about with this issue. There are many reasons to why teens may drink, not all of which are reasonable but is the truth, from what I know. Teen drinking can also result in very manyRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol And Teen Drinking1069 Words   |  5 PagesDryden-Edwards (2), teenage drinking is widespread, and teenagers believe that it is acceptable. But, teenagers’ bodies are still developing. They fail to realize that consuming alcohol places them in danger  for numerous issues.   Consuming alcohol is more widespread among teenagers than most realize. Alcohol and Teen Drinking (1) reports that three-fourths of seniors,  a little over two-thirds of Sophomores, and two out of five 8th graders have experimented with alcohol. With rising statistical informationRead MoreEssay on Alcohol and Teens: The Effects of Teenage Drinking1520 Words   |  7 Pages When at a party, a student sees another teenager drinking a beer. Thinking nothing of it, the teenager picks up a large bottle labeled Vodka and beings to chug the contents of the bottle. The alcohol rushes through her body and she suddenly has a sense of feeling free and letting loose. The next thing the teenage girl remembers is waking up in a hospital bed to her mother crying by her bed side. The only thing her mom could say was â€Å"Honey, please wake up. Please be okay, I want you to beRead MoreAlcohol Abuse Treatment: How To Han dle Teen Drinking. An1967 Words   |  8 PagesAlcohol Abuse Treatment: How To Handle Teen Drinking An estimated 10 million underage drinkers were reported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services in 2010. Although the number of underage drinkers has gone down over the past years, still there are millions of teenagers who have been regular alcohol drinkers in the United States. Among the 10 million underage drinkers, 2 million were heavy drinkers. This surely can be very alarming considering how it is likely that these teenagers areRead MoreAlcohol And Teens : Should The U.s. Lower Or Rise It s Drinking Age?1031 Words   |  5 PagesAlcohol and Teens: Should the U.S. Lower or Rise It’s Drinking Age? Alcohol is a depressant. It slows down the activity of the central nervous system, including the brain. A debate amongst our nation has been â€Å"Should the minimum drinking age be lower than 21?† I personally do not think so. Even though at age 18 you are technically an adult and responsible for your own actions, I do not think the legal alcohol consumption age should be lowered because it causes health risks, bad decisions, and endangersRead MoreLowering The Alcohol Drinking Age1602 Words   |  7 Pages Lowering The Alcohol Drinking Age Now a day’s teens that are under the age of twenty-one are out in trouble and drinking. They know that they are not old enough to drink and that is what makes them want to drink even more. Teens drink when they are not suppose to, but they know that when they drink, they must stay out of trouble. Lowering the alcohol drinking age will keep a bunch of teens out of trouble. If teens can stay safe while drinking then they should allow eighteen year olds to drinkRead MoreLargest Number of Consumers of Alcohol in the United States are Teenages556 Words   |  3 Pages Alcohol is the most universally used and abused drug in the United States. An issue that continues to rise in today’s public health is alcohol use. Consuming alcohol in excessive amounts is not only a problem in the United States but worldwide as well. The largest number of consumers is teenagers. During this period of development, teens are faced with a multitude of pressures whether it’s trying to m aintain good grades in school or perform well in sports. Teens may also be influenced by variousRead MoreThe Drinking Age Should Be Lowered1599 Words   |  7 Pagestopic that has gone on for many years is whether the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen years old, as opposed to where it is now, at twenty one. Some argue that at age eighteen, a person is legally an adult and able to go to war, vote, and partake in other adult activities. If they are an adult at this age, why are they unable to legally drink alcohol? There are numerous reasons why drinking is unsafe for those under twenty one. The drinking age is set at age twenty one for a reason, and shouldRead MoreAlcohol Abuse Is A Problem Striking The People Of America910 Words   |  4 PagesAlcohol abuse is a problem striking the people of America. There are more than twelve million alcoholics in America, and the numbers only continue to increase. All Americans spend a total of about one hundred ninety-seven million do llars on alcohol in one day! It has gotten so bad that now even adolescents as young as thirteen begin to drink. Disconcertingly, every thirty minutes a person dies from an alcohol related incident. Alcohol has become the number one drug problem in all of America. In factRead MoreResearch Paper Drinking Age1565 Words   |  7 PagesThe legal drinking age refers to the youngest age at which a person is legally allowed to buy and consumes alcoholic beverages. The drinking age varies from country to country. Here in the United States the legal drinking age is twenty-one. There has been much debate on whether the drinking age in the United States should be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen. People in favor of keeping the drinking age at twenty-one believe that there will be less alcohol related injuries and deaths from

How do some poets explore ideas of loyalty, love and relationships free essay sample

Love is perhaps the most expressed topic in media, since forever. The word ‘love’ is extremely ambiguous, able to be expressed in multiple ways. Love is often described as a double edged sword. It can mean all there is to one, an experience to be desired and pursued. To others, love is a poison, a drug, which slowly eats away your life and leaves you as nothing but an empty shell. Depending on who you are, love could mean either of these things. Or it could mean both. Poets too, have their own opinions on the subject of love, and often convey their feelings through their works of literacy. Examples of conflicting views on love can be seen expressed by the poets Browning, Keats, Shakespeare, Rossetti and Donne. How do these poets explore ideas of loyalty, love and relationships in their most well known poems? A popular recurring theme featured in love poetry is the theory of true, eternal love. A kind of love which supasses all other infatuations and is often mentioned as ‘the most beautiful gift given to humanity’. Shakespeare expresses his belief of this theory in his 116th sonnet. Written in the 17th century, a time of which poets wrote about the mystical and metaphysical, sonnet 116 really stands out as among others poems as a deep and meaningful one, and serves as a semi-serious guide to love. In sonnet 116, Shakespeare expresses his view on loyalty in love, in which he writes: â€Å"Love is not love which alters with alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. † His view is thus; he believes that true love is so powerful, that once acquired, cannot be broken, even if it â€Å"bends with the remover to remove†, meaning if a partner were to be disloyal, true love would still still stay unbroken. Shakespeare also believes that it would be wrong in trying to separate two true lovers, as seen here: â€Å"Let me not to the marriage of true minds, admit impediments. † He sees a true couple as almost a religious blessing, as he refers to the marriage tradition, asking for reasons of which a couple should not be wed. Shakespeare later writes: â€Å"O no! It is an ever-fixed mark, that looks on tempests and is never shaken. It is the star to every wandering bark, whose worths unknown, although its height be taken†. Again, Shakespeare is comparing true love to lighthouses and bright stars, suggesting that true love guides people to comfort, safety and happiness. He could also be expressing his thoughts on relationships, suggesting that even when things go bad, true love will still guide you through tough times and can repair your relationships. Shakespeare again, states that true love is forever, even though physical beauty will deteriorate, it will stay unbroken until the end of time. (â€Å"Love’s not time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks, within his bending sickle’s compass come: love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom. †) Loyalty is an extremely important element which keeps relationships together. Many modern poets write about the sadness and depression they experience as a result of lost love. Browning’s no different from the rest. He too, believes that loyalty is key in love and he conveys his thoughts through his dramatic monologue, ‘My Last Duchess’. The poem was written in the romantic era (nineteenth century) and served as one of the greatest works of literacy at the time. ‘My Last Duchess’ shocked many with its dramatic context, and amazed many more with its hidden messages and its colourful suggestions. In ‘My Last Duchess’, Browning demonstrates the disastrous consequences of a lack of loyalty in love, and this is mainly shown through the death of a partner. Death is an arguably common occurrence in poems involving love and ‘My Last Duchess’ is an excellent example of how effective death can bring out the importance of loyalty. The poem is not divided into sections of any sense, resulting in it seeming like an everyday conversation. The poem also features a first person narrator, and this all adds up to the realism behind the poem. It should also be noted that the poem contains minimal imagery and again, this is to create a realistic scene and situation. Browning believed that love is nothing of fantasy, and he is trying to convey that love is very real and must be taken seriously. In ‘My Last Duchess’, Browning writes â€Å"since none puts by the curtains I have drawn for you†, this is suggesting that the Duke is incredibly possessive and he could be possibly suggesting that in real life, men have their wicked qualities and it could be the downfall of a relationship. Later in the poem, Browning describes the duchess as â€Å"too easily impressed†, and â€Å"T’was not her husband’s presence only, called that spot of joy into the duchess’ cheek†. This hints that the duchess could be lacking in her loyalty, or being unfaithful to the Duke of Ferrara. As a result, the duke has the duchess killed, which blatantly shows the evil and jealousy in humans, and demonstrates how many relationships are built up on the foundation of false love, which results in lack of loyalty. This can be linked to Shakespeare’s sonnet 116, which implies that love is commonplace, but true love is beautiful and rare. Browning’s view on love is thus: love is no game, relationships mustnt be taken lightly, loss of loyalty can cause catastrophes. Browning seems to be implying that until the duke finds true love, he will not stop killing his wives (as he seems unfazed with filling in the emissary with the details and reasons for his act of murder). However, this view contradicts slightly with Shakespeare’s view on true love, in which unfaithfulness does not cause relationships to waver. Another good poem showcasing the consequences of unfaithfulness would be ‘The Apparition’ by 17th century poet, John Donne. Again, this poem deals with death, and although this time, it is metaphorical, it still fits in beautifully among 17th century poetry, which focuses on the metaphysical. The story is of a woman being unfaithful towards her now ex-partner, and Donne relates the feeling of abandonment with death. Within ‘The Apparition’, Donne uses a plethora of (unpleasant) sexual imagery and suggestive themes: â€Å"in worse arms shall see; then thy sicke taper will begin to winke, and he whose art then being tyr’d before†, which suggests that unfaithfulness bears consequence for both individuals within a couple, as the unfaithful partner is being neglected and mistreated. Donne is also using a lot of euphemistic language, e. g. â€Å"sicke taper†, which may stand for something less pleasant. Donne’s attempt to cover up this sexual imagery could suggest that he is trying to cover his love for this ex-lover. Later in ‘The Apparition’, the lines â€Å"bath’d in a cold quicksilver sweat wilt lye† can be presented as a cold, cruel scene, as quicksilver (mercury) is seen as a poisonous metal, which could suggest that disloyalty in relationships could result in a poisonous or corrupted life. Near the end of ‘The Apparition’, Donnes writes â€Å"since my love is spent, I’d rather thou shouldst painfully repent†, and this shows Donne’s belief of which disloyalty completely destroys people, caused him to wish the worst to befall upon her. Another poem on the topic of disloyalty would be Christina Rossetti’s ‘Cousin Kate’. Written in the romantic period (19th century), this poem tells the story of a cottage maiden who suffers from the effects of unfaithfulness and rejection. In ‘Cousin Kate’, the narrator who is described as â€Å"contented among my cottage mates, not mindful I was fair†, is neglected by her lover. By writing that even the most sensible and fair women could be destroyed by lack of loyalty, Rossetti could be suggesting that unfaithfulness is a force so powerful, it can wreck even the strongest bonds. In ‘Cousin Kate’, Rossetti writes â€Å"Call me an outcast thing†, this shows that Rossetti believes that a failure in love causes people to face the negatives the society endows her, and suggests that love is often unjust. However, Rossetti, like Donne, believes in justice and near the end of ‘Cousin Kate’, she reveals and talks about her child, who is described as â€Å"my shame, my pride†, and notes that since cousin Kate cannot bear children, the lord will remain childless and she feels that even though disloyalty, justice will always be present. Love does not only revolve around trust and loyalty. Love is built up of many elements, and John Keats writes about the power and allure of love in his poem ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’. Written in the 17th century, ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’, also consists of somewhat supernatural and magical elements. The poem is split into two subsections and consists of two narrators. The first narrator, a lady addressing the knight, speaks of the knight’s ill condition, but does not realise the truth of what has befallen the knight. Keats is possibly suggesting that although it is better to hear the story from two sides, you may not always get the full story. The same occurs in love, in which you may not know the whole truth behind many relationships. The lady states â€Å"The sedge has wither’d from the lake, and no birds sing. † and â€Å"The squirrel’s granary is full, and the harvest’s done†. These lines contain autumn imagery, the state of decay. This could suggest that love is not forever, and all relations have the possibility to decay. The theme of decay is also strong pathetic fallacy for the events which happen in the poem. The lady then speaks of â€Å"a lily on thy brow†, as flowers are normally symbols of love, but lilies are symbolic for death, Keats is possibly suggesting that love in full of opposites and contrasting ideas. The knight first speaks of â€Å"a faery’s child†. Fairies are said to have supernatural powers, and this suggests the unexpected, magical events which happen during the course of being in love. Later, he states â€Å"She look’d at me as she did love, and made sweet moan†. This is possibly some euphemistic language to cover up strong sexual imagery. The use of euphemisms and cover ups may suggest that love is powerful and is undoubtedly strong, and uncontained love may be dangerous. He then lists a series of holy foods: â€Å"roots of relish sweet, and honey wild and manna dew†. Keats is obviously trying to convey to the readers that love is so powerful a force, it may even be holy and is a gift from god, given that manna dew was also a gift from god. The knight then recounts that he had a dream, and it was â€Å"the lastest dream I ever dreamt†. The idea of last dream implies that he cannot sleep again, which was a known symptom of lovesickness in the 17th century. Keats is implying that love is so powerful, it can fill your mind and take over your life. The knight then tells us that in his dream, he sees â€Å"pale kings and princes too† â€Å"They cried La Belle Dame Sans Merci hath thee in thrall! †. From this, we can see that Keats is implying that relationship problems happen more frequently among the rich and powerful, as all these high position men are being seduced by the faery’s child. This could be Keat’s view that true love is not built up on a desire for riches and power, but a sense of mutual agreement. At the end of the poem, the knight awakens from his dream, and he is described as â€Å"sojourning† and â€Å"palely loitering†. This suggests that women have immense power over men in relationships, and spoils of love is frequently one sided. The last lines are as thus: â€Å"Though the sedge has wither’d from the lake, and no birds sing†. These repeated lines confirm that the world is indeed decaying for the knight, proving the importance of love and relationships. This is also a short cyclical structure, and this could suggest that love and heartbreak is all a cycle, and we should learn to accept the tough times in life. When the word ‘love’ is mentioned, hearts, flowers and females come to the minds of males, but do all males see love the same way? Keats, Browning and Donne provide good examples of masculine views on love, and these views are seen in their poems, ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’, ‘Porphyria’s Lover’, ‘My Last Duchess’ and ‘The Apparition’. In ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’, Keats describes men as objects to be seduced, a woman’s plaything. In the poem, the faery enticed many powerful men and put them all under her control by means of them contracting lovesickness. Keats may be implying that infatuation is often confused for love, and the results of being misguided can include becoming someone’s pawn, as some women take advantage of this situation and will attempt to manipulate and control men. Chivalrous love is also a key focus in ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’, and Keats believes that being chivalrous is important in any relationship, but men must be aware that they are not being played with. In the poem ‘Porphyria’s Lover’, Browning presents us with a rather contrasting view. In ‘Porphyrias Lover’, the roles are switched around, instead of the female establishing control over the male, the lover in the poem suddenly decides that he owns Porphyria, and briefly strangles her. The use of the statement: â€Å"she was mine, mine fair† shows the male’s perception of dominance over his Porphyria. The use of repetition also strengthens this idea. In the end of the poem, the narrator states that â€Å"God has not said a word†, which implies that the lover believes he has committed no offense, and his actions were justified. Browning’s other poem, ‘My Last Duchess’, seems to revolve around the same concept, that men are free to do what they wish to women. It is a fact that the duchess is â€Å"easily pleased†, but it has not been proven that she has done anything wrong. The duke murders her on the basis of suspicion, and again, he feels it is his right to do so, as he proclaims that he shall murder his next wife if she were to be unfaithful too. It seems that Browning’s view on love is very one sided (at least as it is shown in his poetry), and he seems to believe in male superiority. From ‘The Apparition’, we can see that Donne’s views are slightly more similar to the modern day views on love. Donne first makes it clear that in the poem, he is now a ghost, and the ex-lover is the killer: â€Å"O murdresse, I am dead†. This suggests that the pain he feels from the break-up is strong enough to metaphorically kill him, and many modern day people going through tough relationships can relate to this. He later speaks of how his ex-lover has made the bad choice leaving him and how she will be treated unfairly: â€Å"in worse arms shall see†. Many modern day people also feel this way, the belief that they are better than the third party. In the end, Donne wishes the worst to befall his ex-lover, and this view is commonly shared among 21st century youths. Donne creates a precise but generalized male’s view on lovers and loyalty, and his views are most suited to what is accepted and expected out of males in our society today. It is important, when trying to present a message, that you acquire the correct context. ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ is set in the medieval period, and medieval settings are often hints for fantasy. Given that the poem is replicating a non-existent setting, and that the poem itself was written in the ‘metaphysical poetry’ era, it is easy to assume that this context is one of illusion. Keats could possibly be suggesting that love is a powerful illusion, women are controlling and tyrannical, and true love is the only way out of this trap. Given this context, we can also assume that lovesickness is caused by men being separated from their women, and this suggests that Keats believe men should break free of this illusion and let go of their past. This context is well suited for bringing out the message of this poem, which is the strength of false and true love, as the fantasy setting and the supernatural events constantly remind you of power and magical acts. As ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ is set in the past, it is also possible that Keats is suggesting that chivalry is dead, and there is no time nor need for chivalry in the modern world. Aside from context, form is usually a key point in poetry. The form of ‘Sonnet 116’ made it obvious that it was a manuscript on true love, as Shakespeare had arranged the lines in a listlike form. Short, snappy verses suggest that to love, you must follow procedures, and ‘Sonnet 116’ is the instruction manual. The regular rhyme scheme of ‘Sonnet 116’ also suggests that love is straightforward and does not suffer from change in any way. the couplets in the end may imply that true love is fair and couples are never meant to be broken. ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ is presented neatly into four line stanzas and a constant rhyme scheme for every second and fourth line. The controlled divisions and rhyming may be to emphasize the fact that women control men, and how fluid things flow when someone is in control. There is a break in the rhyme scheme in the very first and last stanzas, and this may symbolize the possibility to break free of control, by avoiding temptation in the beginning, and by finding true love in the end. ‘The Apparition’ follows an unusual rhyme scheme, which goes ‘abbabcdcdceffeggg’. This is strange, for the poem seems mismatched and in disorder. It is possible that this was what Donne was implying, that disloyalty in love causes one to become confused, and throws a person’s life into disarray. The fact that the rhyme scheme steadies in the end may be a message, suggesting that people must learn to forget about the past, stabilize and look forward to the future. ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ features no stanza division, but follows a controlled, yet irregular rhyme scheme. The lack of stanza division suggests that the action is fast paced and flowing, and there is no flaw in the lover’s plan. The controlled rhyme scheme emphasizes the lover’s control over Porphyria, but the irregularity suggests his mental instability. Every individual has their own view and opinion on the topic of loyalty, love and relationships. Through these poems, I can conclude that love is usually presented as a powerful, yet natural force with the ability to influence and control humans, and plays a very important role in society throughout the ages.

Satan The True Hero Of Paradise Lost Essays - Religion,

Satan: The True Hero Of Paradise Lost Satan: The True Hero of Paradise Lost The argument over who is the true protagonist of Paradise Lost, has been brewing for centuries. One would gather that Milton, a Puritan, would have no problem casting God as the hero, and Satan as the antagonist. But looking back in history, Milton saw that most epic heroes had conflicts that prevented them from accomplishing their goals. God and his Son have no conflict, and Adams story doesnt really begin until the Fall of Man. Therefore, Milton was forced to select Satan as the hero of Paradise Lost because he adheres to the guidelines of epic poetry set by Homer, Vergil and others. There many examples of how Milton uses and edits the tradition of these previous epics in the formation of the Devil as a hero. One of the most basic examples of heroism in epic poetry is the exhortation of the leader to his followers. In The Odyssey, Homer lets Odysseus give a speech that would convince anyone they could survive the journey to the Strait of Messina, Then we die with our eyes open , if we are going to die, or know what death we baffle if we can.(ln.1243-1245) After passing the Sirens, the ship approaches the Strait, and the crew sees the twin terrors of Scylla and Charybdis, they are mortified. Odysseus again lifts their spirits with this speech, Garcia 2 Friends, have we ever been in danger before this? More fearsome, is it now, than when the Cyclops penned us in his cave? What power he had! Did I not keep my nerve, and use my wits to find a way out for us? Heads up, lads! We must now obey orders as I give them.(1294-1302) Here Odysseus shows the true ability of a hero to lead in the face of adversity. Of course Odysseus had the assurance that he would survive the journey and his crew will not, but that does not stop him from leading them. In Paradise Lost, this device is used in the opening scene. After suffering a major defeat at the hands of the Almighty and his angels, Satan awakens in a lake of fire. He first speaks to Beelzebub, his second in command, telling him, All is not lost, the unconquerable Will, and study of revenge, immortal hate, and courage never to submit or yield: and what else is not to be overcome? Since by Fate the strength of Gods and Empyreal substance cannot fail, Since though experience of this great event in Arms not worse, in foresight much advances, We may with more successful hope resolve to wage by force or guile eternal War irreconcilable, to our grand Foe, who now triumphs, and in thexcess of joy sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heavn.(106-109,116-124) Beelzebub, perhaps showing signs of little faith in his leader (like Odysseus crew), raises some important questions. What if he our Conqueror, (whom I now of force believe Almighty, since no less than such could have oerpowrd such force as ours) have Garcia 3 left us this our spirit and strength entire strongly to suffer and support our pains, that we may so suffice his vengeful ire, or do him mightier service as his thralls by right of War, whateer his business be, here in the heart of Hell to work in Fire, Or to do his errands in the gloomy Deep; What can it then avail though yet we feel Strength undiminisht, or eternal being to undergo eternal punishment?(143-155) Satan, as any good leader would, quickly allays his companions fear with more speech. During the speech, Satan casts doubts about Gods supremacy and boldly states that they are better off where they are, Here at least we shall be free Here we may reign secureBetter to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.(258-263) Beelzebub is taken aback by Satans words and awakens all of the fallen angels. Once Satan has their attention, he rouses these fallen angels with another speech, asking How such united force of Gods, how such stood like these, could ever know repulse? For who can yet believe, though after loss, that all these puissant Legions, whose exile hath emptied Heavn, shall fail to re-ascend

peoplesoft essays

peoplesoft essays The business environment world has changed more over the past decade than it did over the last 50 years. The key forces in this new business world are customer, competition and change. The pace of change continues to accelerate and enterprises around the world seek to undergo business process reengineering (BPR). BPR is a radical change that a business has to make in order to keep pace with todays ever-changing global markets. Two of the most prominent tools used to make this radical change are PeopleSoft and SAP. Majority of successful corporations are using these two client-server applications to make informed business decisions, which in return enabled these companies to accomplish their business goals and utilize the information gathered to create competitive advantage. PeopleSoft was founded in 1987 and is one of the leading providers of enterprise wide client/server business solution for Fortune 1,000 companies. More than 4,700 organizations in 107 countries use PeopleSoft software. PeopleSoft develops, markets and supports organization-wide software solutions to handle core business functions including human resources management, treasury management, performance measurement and supply chain management. It also provides industry specific enterprise solutions to customers in select markets such as telecommunications, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, public sector, retail, transportation and utilities. In addition, company also offers PeopleSoft Select, a complete packaged solution including software, hardware and services to address the needs of medium-sized organizations (Montgomery Research, 1998b). In order to improve customers efficiency and increase it market share PeopleSoft announced in May, 2003 that they will support direct integration with the SAPs business applications using PeopleSofts AppConnect integration technology. This should help or ...