Clarity of the Class Readings on Social Situation in America

Name

Course:

Date:

Clarity of the Class Readings on Social Situation in America

Social inequalities will always exist in America as long as we have different social classes that is the working class, the middle class and the low class. People rarely talk about the existence of social classes in the U.S but thy exist and are seen through actions of discrimination, racism and corruption. From the three reading in the class there is a lot of impact about social trends in America that I have concluded, ranging from facts which I did not understand and realities that we experience daily. From the three readings, ‘The Virtue of Prosperity’, ‘Class in America…’ and ‘The Myth of equal Opportunity’ have really impacted on my view about social issues in America.

Spiritual and social crisis have been impacted negatively with technology from the past ten years. The age of unprecedented prosperity makes many people in the U.S more successful than they could ever imagine. The advancing technologies give us the ability to communicate to a wide range of people and it is through this we get the chances to embrace power since technologies create capitalism and wealth. Currently the people in the U.S are utilising technologies for negative purposes where techno capitalism brings inequalities, watching the videos destroy the cherished values in the society and through technologies families and communities are undermined. Technology brings a lot of changes to the economy but people are still left with unanswered questions on how the web developers make a huge amount of money that even a small country cannot (Dinesh D’Souza. Pg. 23). If we use technology and other inventions rightfully we will achieve the American dream of prosperity.

From the readings I can say that poverty is a state that can be passed from generation to generation whereby once your parents are born poor there is a high possibility of being poor or one class ahead of theirs. If one is born I a family that is doing well there is a high chance of getting better foundation in terms of education and when growing up there is a wide range of opportunities unlike those born from low class (Gregory Mantisios. Pg.8). Through the readings it has been made clear to me about he understanding of the power of a social class where the rich have more changes of getting rich and the poor can remain poor unless they struggle hard. The haves and the have-nots exist in the American society it is just that we tend to ignore this part and claim we are all equal.

The idea that people always work for low wages in bad poor working environments is something that will go on since the rich will continue to exploit the poor who are always desperate to make a living. We all have different opportunities and nobody should lie that there is fairness in our offices, schools and commercial stores. People are given opportunities according to their race, social class and who they are related to in the society. The readings clarify that equal opportunities is a saying that is used to make the Americans feel included in everything but when it comes to actions there is bias (Adrian Hemans. Pg.6). The condition of the low and the middle class can be improved if more donations and organisations come together to support the ideas of people from these classes. The people with talents and initiatives can be helped with money and loans from the banks and government to help them achieve their dreams. If we stay true to our virtues and treat everyone equal the American dream of prosperity can be achieved.

References

Adrian Hemans. The Myth of Equal Opportunity (2000)

Dinesh D’Souza. Excerpt from The Virtue of Prosperity: Finding Value in an Age of Techno Affluence. (2000).

Gregory Mantisios. ‘Class in America: Myths and Realities (2000)

My Philosophy of life over the past couple of months of learning philosophy, by its definition, is extremely vague and confus

My Philosophy

My Philosophy of life over the past couple of months of learning “philosophy,” by its definition, is extremely vague and confusing. It can be related to anything to do with thought, perception, and even basic human existence. However, over the notes, readings and class discussion I have been part of through these months, I learned that philosophy is just simply the study of knowledge. It is also described as the love of wisdom. Consequently, in further defining philosophy, perhaps it is easier to simply state what it may or may not involve rather than trying to find a concrete and firm definition. Philosophy includes the studies of logic, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology. Logic deals with the principles and systems of reasoning. We deduce and interpret information by this method. Ethics involves the principles of morals and the judgment of “good” and “bad” conduct.

In a world where people are murdering, stealing and harming each other, it’s hard to find the good in people now a days. The people who are doing these things need help. That’s where people with good morals can step in hopefully and change the way they think. I think that people are created initially good and then go create their own nature, which is what Plato thought. He believed that when you are born, you are born with a “clean slate.” I can agree with this by what I have learned In church with my religion, and I think that anyone that believes in God can believe this. Now some of us have it better than other, which can really hurt our chances to do well in this world. If you where born in a bad neighborhood with a lot of violence and drugs, then hung out all with a bad crowd, chances are you will become a bad person. That why these kids need to be put in the right direction.

Aristotle said that everyone lived to be happy, that is something that I totally agree with. Even though different things make different people happy. Aristotle also pointed out that pleasure and happiness is two different things. Like eating wings on a Tuesday night might be pleasurable but may not make me happy so to say. I live my life by having my own philosophical thinking, a combination of my own believes and disbeliefs on the outlook on life. I do not agree with everything that one philosopher thinks, I agree with some points then disagree with others. I just try to do what I think is the right thing, and what makes me happy. I base this on what I have learned through out life. You have to use what morals and values you have, and hopefully they are good. You must first look at your morals and ask yourself if they are good or bad. Having a good moral judgment means you have values in your life. Values are beliefs you have in life that are worth a lot to you. For example, I value life more than anything in this world. I think murder and suicide is terrible. We are put on this world for life, when someone takes that a way I think that is the greatest sin. That is only one of many values, some others include truth, honor and love. These are some great values to have in life, which can make you a very good person. Truth is good because your friends and family will always trust you and be able to rely on you. Honor lets people know that you are a faithful person and can be trusted. Love is the greatest one, whether it is in a relationship with a girlfriend or a family member, or maybe even a person that you don’t even know, Jesus loved everyone and knew they were capable of being good.

Aristotle defined a virtue as a habit of living according to reason. He said that all people had the potential to be virtuous. So if we learn how to take our values and not have too much of it and not too little of it then it becomes a habit, then it will become a virtue. I agree with what he said, I think if we start being truthful, no matter what the case is then eventually we will become a truthful person. People sometime value the wrong things. We value money, greed, and pleasure. Although money is needed in life, I think it can be taken to far.

I have these values but they are no where close to being what they should be. God gave me the potential to be virtuous so it is up to me to strive to meet these standards if I want to be a good person. I am a very caring person, I hardly ever get mad at someone or am mean to someone. I know how it feels to be yelled at or made fun of, so I have learned not to do that to someone. My mother is the one that has taught me most of what I know. So when I got old enough to know right from wrong it didn’t matter how I seen things around me, I just tried to put myself into their shoes to see how they felt. My parents are separated and really didn’t have a great relationship through my whole life, but it didn’t really affect me. I know they both had their flaws and sometimes was right, and sometimes was wrong, but I always understood how to see what they did wrong and reverse it in my own personality.

Basketball is a big part in my life, it has kept me out of trouble too. All throughout high school while my friends were out partying and drinking, I was at the park practicing. Playing college basketball was always a dream of mine. Having dreams and goals is a very good thing. It keeps you occupied and keeps your head on straight, so you do not get caught up in the bad things in life.

Going back to what I was saying earlier about while my friends were drinking. I don’t think drinking is that bad, unless you are binge drinking out of control and you do not know what is going on. Going out and having a few beers with your friends can do no harm. Just as long as you don’t have enough to impair your thinking so much that you make bad decisions that can harm you.

Along with having good values you have to have a very good attitude towards life. Everyone has problems so you need to have good outlets of your problems. I usually deal with my problems in a very rational way. For every problem there is a solution. Sometimes when we get mad we don’t see the solution or we see it but it just seems way to hard to solve. We either don’t know where to begin or don’t know where to go. So we give up. I try not to think like that. If there is a problem I try to fix it right away. For example, if I heard from one of my friends that someone was talking behind my back. I would go to the source, which would, be the person talking. I would go up to them calmly and ask them what was going on. You can’t rely on what others say. Stories get twisted and people like to exaggerate a lot. It also helps when you can go to your family and friends for advice. They are very good outlets for your problems. If you have good family and friends, they can be very understanding and they will listen more than the usual person would. I have been fortunate enough to have family and friends like that.

I am not saying I am issue free at all. I think my biggest problem is judging people. Sometimes I think that my life is so good that everyone should be like me. Every now and then I have to sit back and think, wait a second, people have a lot more problems than me and deal with them differently than I do, which is not wrong at all. Who knows, I might be the one with the wrong outlooks and ways of thinking.

I think I could overcome his by just changing my way of thinking. When you start understanding that people can think differently than you do and deal with things differently that will make you a better person. This is a big problem with everyone. Understanding that you can help this person with their problems but still giving them the chance to vent and deal with things there selves is good. You can only help them as far as they want to help themselves. You can’t control them or nor should you want to. If they want to change they need to take the first step and that is knowing that there is a solution and that this problem is just one of many speed bumps you will come to in life. You may just need to point them in the right direction and be that friend to just listen and understand. I think if everyone had this mind set that the world would be a better place.

As you can see I have my own little outlook on life. It isn’t nothing really new, it may be what you call a regular outlook of a 20 year old college student. But throughout the last 20 years of my life, I don’t think I have been depressed or wished my life was a whole lot different. My parents have been separated and bad things have came in my path but it hasn’t slowed me down. I just deal with my problems and look at the brighter side of life. Life is too short to worry about the small, petty things. Philosophy class this year was very confusing, but still opened my eyes and made me think of how I felt about things. It made me look at my own life a lot closer and analyze it. Aristotle and Plato both had some similar ways of thinking. I agreed with a lot of what they said, even though I might not go into it, or think about it as much as they did. I guess you can say my philosophy would be go with the flow, be happy, stay out of trouble and live life.

Bibliography:

My preface on Concepts of Politics

My Preface on Concepts of Politics

Institution:

Name of Student:

My preface on Concepts of Politics

Democracy refers to a government system in which either eligible state members or the whole population governs the state and is mostly done through the elected representatives. Canada is an example of a state that practices democracy, to be specific, parliamentary democracy. The various political concepts are as discussed below.

Government is a political concept that revolves around mechanism through which the citizens are ruled or controlled (Key Concepts in Politics, 2007). The central feature of governance is its ability to collectively make decisions and its capacity to enforce these decisions that have been made. Governance may also refer to the collective body of the institutions or people who make and ensure that the laws or rules are enforced for the larger community. A democratic state would conduct a free and fair election to elect the people who will make and enforce the laws on behalf of the larger community.

Human nature is another political concept (Key Concepts in Politics, 2007). It is the immutable and essential character of human beings. This concept basically highlights what is innate about the human beings and what is considered natural about the human life. It fails, however, to emphasize on what human beings might have gained through the various forms of education or through their own social experiences. Most of the political doctrines form their basis on theories about human nature and in most cases these doctrines are simply implied. This concept does not overlook how complex human beings are.

Law is a political concept which refers to a set of enforceable and public rules which are applicable throughout the political community. For a rule to be law it must be compulsory, made by the government and must be published and recognized by the citizens as the rules of the land. Power is broadly referred to as ability to achieve an outcome that one desires. It revolves around one’s ability to keep themselves alive to the ability of the government to promote economic growth. Political analysts however see power as one’s ability to influence others to do something that isn’t of their choosing.

The state is an association which is political and has established a sovereign jurisdiction within territorial borders that have been defined (Political Concepts, 2014). The state establishes permanent institutions and then uses them to exercise authority. These institutions are public and the state portrays permanent interests of the society. Sovereignty, as a political concept, is simply the rule of unlimited or absolute power. It is divided into two that is legal and political sovereignty.

In summary, the various concepts of politics include sovereignty, the state, power, law, human nature and government. These concepts are important in political fields such as political science as they set the guidelines or the rules of engagement to be used in politics.

Reference

Gad, U. P., & Petersen, K. L. (2011). Concepts of politics in securitization studies. Security Dialogue, 42(4-5), 315-328.

Aalberg, T., Strömbäck, J., & De Vreese, C. H. (2011). The framing of politics as strategy and game: A review of concepts, operationalizations and key findings. Journalism, 1464884911427799.

Class (2) Peer Response (1)

Class (2) Peer Response (1)

Name

Institutional Affiliation

Strategic leaders are leaders that have supportive teams to ensure that their objectives and goals are met while ensuring that their strengths and weaknesses are managed to the best of the team members’ abilities. On this note, therefore, I agree with the researcher fully, since strategic leaders are supposed to operate on the basis of approaching issues or crises, with fast-working solutions at hand to meet both individual and organizational goals.

On top of this, the researcher writes about the embrace of rivals and strong-minded people into the cabinets of both of these leaders. There is a lot of truth in this. Abraham, for instance, included two of his rivals, Edward Bates and William H. Seward, during his nomination for the presidential election while managing to seek military advice from the commanding general, Winfield Scott (Ameet, 2019). Lincoln further included important colleagues, on top of his rivals, to challenge him and his way of thinking (Brettle, 2020). Obama, in the same light, appointed Hillary Clinton as the secretary of state during his presidential nomination, together with several other rivals onto his cabinet, just like Lincoln did to embrace the intellectual horsepower that led to their success (Nelson, 2019). I am in strong agreement with the researcher on inclusion of the rivals and strong-minded people into the cabinets of Lincoln and Obama as strongholds in their decision making process.

With regard to taking into consideration the views of his team members, Lincoln sought the advice of his own on various matters, including the abolition of slavery. Although this was an important step, he listened to all the advice that he was given, even in light of thoughts against decisions of slavery abolishment, and then made his final decision. His final decision was lined in the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves, which was agreed upon by some and disagreed upon by others (Coutu, 2009). On that note, Lincoln was sure to take his and his team’s responsibility for any issues that might have arisen as a result of mistakes that had been made along the way. This was a matter of reliance on the team but not self-reliance. The researcher has done a good job in the engagement of his team in decision making, so much so that it reflected positively on his government, especially in slavery abolishment. Looking at Obama in the same light, he engaged a lot of his cabinet members in decision making regarding the financial crisis that the country faced (Epstein, 2009). His engagement with both democrats and republicans helped inform his financial decisions better to an improvement during the crisis. Problem solving during his tenure included a lot of engagement with all sorts of intelligent people in his cabinet. I agree with the researcher’s work on the steps Obama took in dealing with the financial crisis.

It is clear that Lincoln and Obama were strategic leaders when they were serving as presidents, and especially when including their rivals and other strong-minded people in decision making. Challenging decision making is what they were going for, on top of a lack of compromise, and feedback for improvement. The researcher makes strong arguments in this regard.

References

Ameet, R. (2019, Feb 13). Four Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln. Medium. https://medium.com/@ameet/four-leadership-lessons-from-abraham-lincoln-83867391bfe0Brettle, A. (2020, Apr 28). 3 crisis-leadership lessons from Abraham Lincoln. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/3-crisis-leadership-lessons-from-abraham-lincoln-136794Coutu, D. (2009, Apr). Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2009/04/leadership-lessons-from-abraham-lincolnEpstein, G. (2009, Jun 10). Obama’s Economic Policy: Achievements, Problems and Prospects. OpenEdition. https://journals.openedition.org/regulation/7459Nelson, M. (2019). Barrack Obama: Domestic Affairs. Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/president/obama/domestic-affairs

Class (2) Peer Response (2)

Class (2) Peer Response (2)

Name

Institutional Affiliation

The researcher identifies the importance of having dependable people around us, especially in consideration of their differing or developed opinions. On this note, I completely agree with his need. In the same frame of mind, the researcher identifies the importance of strategic leaders operating in the same way, through having dependable people around them to help eliminate the issue of minute mistakes that might be greatly impactful. The researcher then goes ahead to identify the differences between the presidencies of Obama and Trump, in this light of strategic leaders and thinkers.

First, Obama considered the engagement of his rivals, past, and future presidential contenders as the best team members, not only in strengthening his leadership capabilities but also in moving the country (Coutu, 2019). I agree with the researcher on the terms that Obama already had in place as a good idea for effective decision making in his presidency. It is true that the members aboard Obama’s cabinets did not necessarily disagree a lot as was expected, but it is also true that they helped bring a great deal of knowledge and information to the president’s attention, especially in the most challenging of times (Vinik, 2014). This is to say that they resourceful in dealing with crises. In this case, therefore, I completely agree with the researcher on the strategic leadership of Obama.

On the other hand, the researcher views Trump as a leader far from embracing strategic leadership. Trump is said to have a different approach to leadership. He lacks a strategic plan to bring his goals to fruition, thus making the achievement of these goals difficult. With his firing and hiring ways, it is difficult for Trump to have a dependable team, especially in light of being resourceful when needed (Power, 2017). The constant turnover is an issue in effectiveness. Trump lacks empathy especially towards those people with whom he disagrees. Not only does he lack empathy, but he also fails to understand why certain task forces are in place. In the case of the task force on public health threats and pandemics that had been created by Obama, he has it dismantled when he takes over presidency. He applies his personal feelings in leadership; therefore, failing to see what is important for his leadership and most importantly, for his people (Riggio, 2018). This leads to ineffective decision making, resulting in ineffective leadership. This is one of the explanations why the COVID-19 pandemic has been a difficult issue to deal with, especially in light of a lack of preparedness. On this note, I agree with the researcher on lack of strategic capabilities on Trump’s part. There is a greater failure in a lack of effective communication and a lack of criticism acceptance, both of which contribute to consideration of Trump as lacking strategic capabilities (Bridges, 2019). I agree with the researcher on this point of ineffectiveness of Trump as a strategic leader.

The two leaders have a lot of differences. However, it is clear that Obama has had more achieved with a dependable team by his side, as opposed to the limited achievements by team, especially due to a divided, ineffective, and less than strong-willed team. On this, I agree with the researcher.

References

Bridges, F. (2019, Apr 30). How Trump Embodies The Definition Of A Bad Leader. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2019/04/30/how-trump-embodies-the-definition-of-a-bad-leader/#6a205ec5c0c3Coutu, D. (2019, Apr). Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2009/04/leadership-lessons-from-abraham-lincolnRiggio, R.E. (2018, Oct 28). Leadership Lessons from Donald Trump. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201810/leadership-lessons-donald-trumpPower, R. (2017, Jun 20). 5 Leadership Failures of President Trump. Inc. https://www.inc.com/rhett-power/5-leadership-failures-of-president-trump.htmlVinik, D. (2014, Oct 29). Why Can’t The Media Give Obama Credit For Crisis Management? The New Republic. https://newrepublic.com/article/120022/obama-better-crisis-manager-media-gives-him-credit

My prior experience

Part 1

My experience working at a popular car wash and at a restaurant in the neighborhood gave me the insight that management strategies and theories are more applicable in the real world than I had thought. When we talk about management theories, we’re talking about a set of beliefs that provide essential rules for the direction of a firm or organization. These theories have been compiled throughout the course of history. They explore the ways in which managers may motivate people to do the best work they are capable of and execute strategies that aid the organization in achieving its goals. The vast majority of the time, executives will integrate concepts from a variety of management theories in a way that is designed to work most effectively with the people and traditions of their organization. Even though they were created hundreds of years ago, many management theories are still applicable for managing teams at work and running businesses in the twenty-first century.

My prior experience has shown me that management theories provide businesses with the ability to focus, communicate, and make progress. When used in the workplace, management theory enables those in charge to direct their attention to the areas of their responsibilities that are the most important. For example, Taylor’s scientific management theory still applies today in the way managers and leaders motivate employees by simplifying tasks in a way that increases productivity. When a management strategy or theory is put into action, the most important aims and objectives of the business are continuously brought together. The study of management theory also makes it possible for us to communicate with our fellow employees in a way that is more productive, which in turn helps us to do more in the same amount of time. It is helpful to have a rudimentary understanding of management theory in order to establish fundamental assumptions on management styles and goals. This results in time savings at work during the course of daily interactions and meetings.

My experience in a range of fields has shown me that no two organizational structures are identical, which is a point that must be emphasized again. Similar to other types of theories, management theories can only be applied to a certain number of different situations. In the systems management theory, for example, organizational success is reliant on key elements such as interrelations, synergy, and interdependence between subsystems. There is no one management philosophy that can be applied to all companies, due to the fact that every business is different. It is likely that the strategies that are successful for one business could not be successful for another. When a particular situation does not fit a certain theory, it is essential to investigate the possibility of constructing a new theory that better fits the problem. This is because there are many possible explanations for the phenomenon in question. Some ideas may be able to weather the test of time, while others can become defunct as new ones develop to fill the hole that the old ones leave behind.

Part 2

Question 1

I agree that every manager must comprehend and implement motivational philosophies. Motivation theories may assist management teams in determining the most effective means to achieve a corporate objective or achieve a desired outcome. Managers may also be able to assist their staff more effectively if they can effectively utilize motivation theories. Managers may apply incentive theories to increase productivity, profits, staff retention, and job satisfaction. As a manager, you may want to increase the motivation of your workers to assist the organization achieve its objectives. Using theories of motivation, you may motivate your team to achieve a goal by providing them with incentives, satisfying their wants, or awarding them with rewards.

According to the incentive motivational theory, individuals are motivated by reinforcement, praise, incentives, and rewards. According to the incentive theory, individuals act in various ways in order to achieve a goal, persuade another person to do something, or get a reward. For instance, praise may be useful in one-on-one settings, such as quarterly employee evaluations. A manager may create rapport and trust with an employee by praising their job performance. Also, one of the most effective methods to encourage employees is to provide them with opportunities for advancement, since this makes them feel valued and as if they are making progress. A promotion may result in a new job title, a salary boost, and a shift in responsibilities. Other sorts of motivators in the incentive motivating theory include opportunities, paid time off, unpaid time off, salary increases, and bonuses.

According to McClelland’s need theory, there are three distinct types of requirements. There is a certain sort of individual that desires to fulfill each demand. Understanding McClelland’s need theory might aid managers in determining what their employees need, allowing them to place them in conditions where they can flourish and achieve their objectives. For instance, the concept might assist managers in determining if an employee will get along well with a team and in gaining knowledge from the experience. Employees that are driven by a feeling of belonging often have well-developed interpersonal skills, which may assist them in forming strong and meaningful ties with colleagues.

Competence theory of motivation stipulates that the majority of individuals want to do certain tasks in order to demonstrate their skills, intellect, and abilities. If someone demonstrates their intelligence in front of their colleagues, they may feel competent in their job. People who are confident in their abilities to do their tasks may be more productive and efficient as a result. It may be suggested that employees who are confident in their abilities acquire further knowledge so they may share it with their colleagues and get recognition. Therefore, managers must understand and use the most effective motivating theories in order to maximize the performance of their employees.

Question 6

“You can’t manage what you can’t measure,” is a remark attributed to Peter Drucker, a well-known management thinker. Drucker argues that in order to determine whether or not you are successful, you must first define success and then keep track of what you have accomplished. You’ll be able to track your progress and make any necessary modifications to your process to achieve the desired outcome if you have a clear notion of what success looks like. You’ll constantly be in a state of ambiguity if you don’t have clear objectives. However, this remark may lead you to believe the incorrect thing about management, since many of the most significant aspects of leadership and management cannot be quantified, despite their importance to a firm. When measures are utilized as a means to a goal in and of themselves, they lose their use and become a nuisance. Many qualities, such as confidence, honesty, and the ability to work well with others, are difficult to assess. Despite this, there is still a lot that can and should be examined and observed all of the time.

This concept is often used in a variety of commercial scenarios. Because you’ll have to pay attention to it, just observing a habit may be enough to modify it. It might also imply that taking measures to improve the activity is a method to have greater control over it. If a new firm keeps track of how much it sells each month, for example, the owner will have cause to feel that the quantity of money coming in is insufficient, which will open the door to alternative options.

To help them expand, the great majority of organizations measure a variety of key performance indicators (KPIs) on a regular basis. The fundamentals, such as how many clients you have and how much it costs to acquire new ones, are straightforward. The more in-depth ones may show you anything from how much capacity is being utilized to how many people are opting out of emails to how many people abandon their shopping carts. A good key performance indicator (KPI) will be clear, measurable, and impact the company’s overall objectives. Every firm will have a different response to this issue. The most fundamental key performance indicators for a retail shop are total sales, the number of customers, and the average size of their carts (KPIs). Each of these factors is distinct, can be assessed, and has an impact on the overall performance of the store. A subscription-based mobile app, on the other hand, may place more emphasis on the overall number of downloads, the rate at which individuals cancel their subscriptions (known as “churn”), and how many people use the free vs premium versions.

We now have more tools than ever before to measure more things, and we can do so much more quickly. The world is awash with data, and there are a plethora of tools for grabbing and breaking it down. It would be difficult to determine whether we should do something more, less, or not at all if we couldn’t figure out what would happen if we did it. The method for evaluating an individual’s or a team’s performance is the same. We must know the precise measures that will be utilized.

My Professional Ethical Hero

Ethical profile

Name

Instructor

Course

Date

Ethical Autobiography

Morality is defined as the sense that is able to differentiate decisions, intentions and actions between those that are right and wrong. As human beings, we are able to perceive what is right and wrong. However, it is a relative conclusion and depends on an individual. What a person sees as right may be seen as wrong by another person. Deciding what is right and wrong is a personal decision that one reaches alone. Determination of what is right and wrong is done using what is termed as a moral compass (Hall, 2004). Moral compass are things that guide an individual when making personal decisions on the basis of virtues and morals. It can be anything from a person, a book or even religion. Among the most common moral compass used in determining right from wrong in daily life is one’s conscience. An internal subconscious is used to determine what is right and wrong. The conscience is an inner voice that prompts a person when they do something wrong. When one does something that is good for them as an individual and those that are around them then it is something right. As a child, one learns to differentiate what is right from wrong but as they grow older, one is required to make their own decisions based on their conscience. Common sense can also be used to determine what is right and wrong. When one is required to make a decision on ethics, they use their brains to come up with an appropriate decision. In our day to day lives, we are supposed to decide right and wrong based on whether our decision is fair or good.

Ethical behavior is acting in a manner that is consistent with what individuals and the society think are good values. Ethical behavior involves demonstrating key moral principles such as fairness (Hall, 2004). Fairness is ethical behavior whereby an individual does not practice injustice or biasness. It involves making judgments without any form of discrimination. Another example of ethical behavior is being honest. Honesty is the choice of not lying, cheating, or deceiving others in any way. It means being trustworthy, sincere and loyal in everything that one does. Another ethical behavior is practicing equality. Equality is ensuring that people are treated equally according to ability, degree or value. It involves treating people in a fair way and equally regardless of whom they are or where they are from. Another ethical behavior is being loyal. Loyalty means being faithful or devoted to a person, country or a particular cause. It means remaining faithful to things one is committed or obliged to do (Hall, 2004).

People develop ethical behavior as they grow up in their family environment. Ethical behavior is mostly influenced by the cultural heritage of where an individual is from. Culture heritage expresses the way people live and it has developed over time and passed through generations. Cultural heritage shapes our values because it comprises of practices, customs, values and expressions that people have. Cultural heritage produces a representation of belief, value systems and lifestyles of people. In short, cultural heritage influences the behavior of people and hence shapes their values. People’s values are formed on the basis of their cultural heritage.

I have found myself exhibiting the four ethical behaviors through my day to day activities. I am always fair in everything that I do in my day to day activities. I am not bias and neither do I practice injustice in anything I do. I am honest in everything that I do, I do not cheat, lie or deceive others in nay way. I always practice equality and do not discriminate anyone that I deal with. I am always loyal in what I do. I am devoted and faithful in everything that I am set to do.

Professional Ethical Hero

My ethical hero is my football coach and he is undoubtedly my role model. He is professional and ethical in everything that he does. He is quite sensitive on different issues and knows how well to approach different people and situations that he faces. He always thinks about others and goes an extra mile of ensuring that everyone is okay. He knows what to say and when to say it such that he does not hurt anyone’s feelings. He puts his team members first and always makes sure their needs are taken care of without any favor. He knows how to set boundaries with his team members as well as his colleagues. He knows how to maintain these boundaries and ensure that no one crosses the boundaries. If a situation requires him to remain professional he dies exactly that. However, he knows when to change from being professional to casual when the situation requires. He also respects other people’s privacy and is not considered about people’s personal lives.

He only involves himself with issues pertaining to the game and nothing else. He does not bother about our personal lives. He only gets involved in one’s personal life if they willingly share their personal information. He is also has an ethical commitment whereby he carries out his activities in an ethical manner. He does mot discriminate the team members in what he does. He treats everyone equally and does not favor anyone regardless of whom they are. For instance, there was a time we needed a team captain for the team. All the team members expected to appoint someone he wanted. However, he did not anyone as we had expected, instead, he decided we should vote for our preferred captain. We ended up voting and the person with the highest number of votes was appointed as the captain. The incident shows that he has ethical commitment in his dealings. He has also shown ethical courage many times. He always stands by what is ethical and is not influenced into acting unethically. There was a time the team had qualified for national competitions. The team that had won the previous year did not qualify and their coach was willing to do anything to go to the nationals. The coach offered our coach some money to bribe him into not going to the nationals so that his team can go instead. Our coach did not agree and refused to take the bribe. He was ethically courageous to stand by what is right and not follow what the other coach wanted.

My coach is not corrupt, he does not believe in corrupt dealings. He always makes sure that he is straight forward in what he does. He does not believe in shortcuts but follows the correct procedure in everything. He is honest in his dealings and does not cheat or lie. He is not deceitful and is always truthful. He compassionate and cares about the feelings of his colleagues and employees.

He serves as a role model to other people who are in the helping profession. Those in the helping profession are supposed to be caring and compassionate. They are supposed to put the needs of others before their own and always show concern. They are also supposed to be fair in their dealings. Those in the helping profession interact with different people and hence they are not supposed to discriminate people in any way. They are to treat people equally regardless of their tribe, age, color, nationality, gender and so on. In the helping profession, there is a lot of assistance offered to organization in the form of grants. Those in this profession are expected not to be corrupt and be transparent in issues to do with finances. My boss exhibits all these characters that can be emulated by those in the helping profession.

We often pick values from those we interact with everyday. My coach has been a great influence in my value system. I often find what he as admirable and hence strive to be like him. I see the satisfaction he derives from what he does and would certainly what to feel the same way he does. Seeing him do what he does gives me great confidence to follow suit.

Ethical Decision-making style

The understanding of how ethical decisions are made and followed through is the first step involved in making better choices. The second step involves taking a systematic approach in making ethical decisions. There are various ethical decision making models that can be applied in our day to day lives. Decision-making models help in making better ethical choices. Taking a systematic approach on an issue encourages an individual to define a problem, get the required information and apply the necessary ethical values and standards, examine alternatives and follow through the choice they make. Ethical decision-making models also help an individual defend the choices they make. Ethical dilemmas are not always solved through application of ethics codes (Cottone, & Claus, 2007). Ethical decision-making models can be useful in analysis and making ethical decisions. The ethical decision-making model that reflects on my early and ongoing experiences with moral issues and values is work by Corey et al. It comprises of eight steps; the first step is identification of the problem. The step enables one acknowledge that there exists an issue that needs attention. For instance, one can be late for a party that is seen as a violation of cultural expectations. However, the act is not a moral problem that involves right and wrong. On the other hand, when decides to accept a kickback from a supplier then there is an ethical dilemma involved.

The second step involves identification of the potential issues involved. It is important to get adequate information on the issues involved that will be required to make effective decisions. There is need to thoroughly examine the ethical dilemma in order to establish the issues that require attention. The third step involves reviewing the relevant ethical guidelines (Joseph, 2008). There are different ethical standards that have been set and are used to determine ethical behavior. The ethical standards are used in ethical dilemmas to find out what is ethically wrong and right. The forth step involves knowledge of relevant laws and regulations (Joseph, 2008). There are laws and regulations that can be used to determine what is wrong and right. The fifth step involves obtaining consultation from other people on the ethical issue (Joseph, 2008). There are times when one needs a second or even a third opinion on a matter before reaching a decision. Seeking consultation helps in finding out other people’s views on an issue. The sixth step is looking at the possible and probable courses of action (Joseph, 2008). It is important to look at the different options that are applicable in a situation. The seventh step is noting down the consequences of the different courses of action that can be taken (Joseph, 2008). It is important to look at the advantages and disadvantages of the course of action that one considers using in solving the problem. The last step is making a decision on the best course of action to take. It involves stepping up and making the ethical decision (Joseph, 2008).

The course and my cultural heritage have played an influential role in helping come up with the ethical decision-making model. Through the course, I have learned various ethical decision making styles. The knowledge has enabled me to come up with the best ethical decision-making model. Culture heritage also influences the ethical decision-making model I use because of the values within my cultures. There are things that are things that are acceptable as ethical in my culture while others are considered unethical. Culture heritage helps in establishing the existence of a problem. It also helps in providing possible cause of action that can be used to make ethical decisions (Cottone, & Claus, 2007).

Professional and Ethical development

Ethical development is mostly considered to be a career long process (Qizilbash, 2005). There are various areas in the module that need development such as ethical theories. Ethical theories provide a framework that can be used as reference points on particular moral issues. There are different philosophical ethical positions that can be applied in our day-to-day lives. An individual needs ethical development on ethical theories so as to understand them better. Ethical development is also required so that an individual can know how to apply these ethical theories in life (Qizilbash, 2005). Another area that needs ethical development is ethical decision-making models. There exist different ethical decision-making models that an individual can apply in the process of making decisions. One requires ethical development in decision making in order for them to be bale to come up with ethical decisions. Ethical development can be acquired through self-evaluation in order to find out if one is acting ethically. It involves asking yourself whether one’s individual ethics fit what they do in their day-to day-lives. Ethical development can also be achieved through research and seeking information. Active information searching is a crucial way of approaching ethical issues people face. Research on relevant legal standards, ethical codes, procedures and policies provide a lot of information on the ethical approach of a particular situation.

References

Cottone, R., & Claus, R. (2007). Ethical Decision-Making Models: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Counseling & Development, 275-283.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Hall, K. (2004). Student development and ownership of ethical and professional standards. Science and Engineering Ethics, 383-387.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Joseph, M. (2008). Developing and teaching models of ethical decision making (Rev.Ed.). Chicago, IL: School of Social Work, Loyola University of Chicago.

Qizilbash, M. (2005). Ethical development. University of Southampton, Department of Economics.

Civic Disturbance Emergency Response (Sentinel City)

Civic Disturbance Emergency Response (Sentinel City)

Lucreshia Jackson

American Sentinel College of Nursing & Health Sciences

SIM432PE

28th September 2022

Civic Disturbance Emergency Response (Sentinel City)

Civic disturbance refers to the situation that disrupts the community and therefore requires to be intervened to maintain safety within the public (Moeller, 2018). The situation could be a strike, a riot, or a demonstration within a community. These situations can result in disorder, violence, assault, or vandalism within the community. The following report, therefore, focuses on the civic disturbance in Sentinel City.

During my bus tour in Sentinel City, there were reports through the media and public of the incident along Coty hall that contributed to civil disorder. According to the laws in Sentinel City, the City Hall is a point where the residents in the City gather t raise their issues and concerns about the city government. However, on this particular day, the number of residents that had gathered along the City Hall was huge, and they could be heard complaining about the huge tax increments in the City. Most of these demonstrators were from low businesses tired of being blown by the huge tax increment, and the city Mayor was not addressing their issue. This demonstration was accompanied by a few hours of confounding between the city residents and the law enforcers.

Therefore, this scenario resulted in two significant effects on the public’s health and needed an emergency reaction. This incident resulted in so many death cases and others suffering both minor and major injuries. According to the media reports, the affected included the disabled, the children and the elderly, who constituted 40% of the overall deaths. The incident had no red flags, and therefore, the authorities delayed responding since they were unaware. The death of hundreds of residents created public tension, and those affected were at risk of suffering mental disorders, which could result in another public health concern. Secondly, this incident created a significant risk and spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is due to the breaching of the protocols set to prevent the spread of the virus. The residents in the scenario interacted freely without keeping a social distance, and during confrontations with the police, the residents came into contact with each other. This is against the COVID-19 protocols set by the health ministry. If residents were infected with the virus, they infected hundreds of the residents. The residents who burnt cars during the demonstration caused air pollution due to the smoke from the burning tires, which could have affected the respiratory health of many residents.

The emergency response team in Sentinel City includes the public teams, such as the local authority and the private teams, which include the media and the Red Cross crew. The local authorities have the duty of communicating the progress to contain the incident and ensuring that the COVID-19 protocols are taken into account. The police officers’ job is to disperse the demonstrating residents to restore law and order and prevent vandalism and looting during the incident. The Red Cross teams would provide first aid services to injured residents or officers during the incident. On the other hand, the media would air all the ongoing activities during the incident, including the measures being taken to contain the situation.

Risks and benefits can accompany the media involvement in the civil unrest incident. The advantages include ensuring that information quickly reaches the local authorities about the incident to take action to contain the situation. The media will also act as a mediator between the public and local authorities by urging them to come together and find a solution to the situation to avoid more incidences leading to such civil unrest. The risk of media being involved would create public tension. This is because the media usually air scary images of dead or badly injured individuals, creating fear in public.

Some of the public resources that would be used to help respond both in the short and long term include telehealth services and electronic posters. Telemedicine is appropriate since communication through telemedicine services ensures constant communication between the healthcare officers and the patients’ families in virtual settings through online and doctor services or video calls. Electronic posters are another method that would help the healthcare officers in Sentinel City provide information on how to stay safe from the COVID-19 virus. The posters could include images of people keeping social distance, washing their hands using clean running water and soap, wearing masks and other protocols. The images could also display inappropriate behaviours such as not observing social distance or sneezing uncontrollably in public settings.

To avoid this incident, the response team in Sentinel City has to re-adjust its plans by employing the four phases of emergency management. The faces include the preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery phases (Nojavan et al., 2018). The first phase will help lessen the probable impact of the disaster as there will be the identification of hot spots, emergency operations will be set up, and an action plan will also be formulated. The second phase will involve taking quick actions such as training officers to handle civil unrest or training the residents on how to run for their safety during civil unrest to prepare for emergencies. The third phase involves protecting the public after the disaster strikes, such as setting centers for offering first aid or a partial curfew that limits people’s movements, thus minimizing civil unrest. The fourth phase involves the creation of protocols or action plans to solve civil issues peacefully, lowering strike incidents (Nojavan et al., 2018).

The emergency management team in Sentinel City should therefore utilize the four phases to prevent future occurrences of fatal incidents such as the one experienced along City Hall. Therefore, they should look for loopholes in their emergency management plans to avoid the occurrence of unaware civil unrest in the City.

References

Moeller, S. D. (2018). Dangerous Exposures. In Journalists in Peril (pp. 115-122). Routledge.

Nojavan, M., Salehi, E., & Omidvar, B. (2018). Conceptual change of disaster management models: A thematic analysis. Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies, 10(1), 1-11.

Civil Disobedience in Relation to the Letter from Birmingham

Students Name

Institution Affiliation

Course Number/Name

Date

Civil Disobedience in Relation to the Letter from Birmingham

Introduction;

Civil Disobedience is a native’s dynamic, pronounced refusal to comply with particular laws, requests, requests, or directions of an administration or universal authority. Common insubordination is characterized here and there to be called common defiance as being peaceful. Therefore, there is a popular rebellion here and there compared to peaceful resistance. Your brother is the letter from Birmingham, also identified as the letter from the jail in Birmingham City or the Negro. It’s an internal memo published on April 16, 1963, by Martin Luther King Jr. The letter protects the technique of peaceful protection against bigotry. It says that individuals have an ethical duty to break unreasonable laws and move directly, rather than trusting that equity will be passed via the courts. King says, “Anywhere in bad shape is a risk to equity,” reacting to being called “untouchable.”

In his 1848 exposition, Henry David Thoreau instituted the term ‘ Civil Disobedience’ to portray his refusal to pay the U.S. government’s actualized state survey charge to indict a war in Mexico and uphold the Fugitive Slave Act. In his exhibition, Thoreau sees that only a few individuals–legends, saints, loyalists, reformers in the best sense–with their still, small voices serve their general public, thus fundamentally oppose society in general, and are usually treated as opponents by it.

Although common defiance is viewed as a statement of contempt for law, Martin Luther King Jr. respected common resistance as a showcase and routine of worship for code; for as “On any man who breaks a law that lets him know is out of line and enthusiastically recognizes the punishment by remaining in prison to stimulate the still, small voice of the network at the threshold.

Body;

The letter reacted to a few reactions crafted by “A Call for Unity” ministers, who consented that there were shameful cultural acts yet argued that the fight against ethnic isolation must be battled solely in the courts, not on the roads. As a clergyman, King reacted on religious grounds to these reactions. He contended as a lobbyist testing a socially settled one on legal, political, and recorded properties. He spoke about the nation’s abuse of dark people, including himself, as an African American.

Thoreau’s scriptural suggestions are entirely another issue. They negatively support his article. Rather than instilling in the peruser, for example, King’s, a feeling of pride and expectation, they represent just a few things that aren’t right with society. This was Thoreau’s expectation undoubtedly, and they function better with the piece’s tone, yet the fundamental reality is that King’s specific hallucinations work superior to Thoreau’s negative references to an enthusiastic dimension.

The creators address shameful acts submitted by the legislature within “Common Disobedience” and “Birmingham Jail Letter.” Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King use two very surprising viewpoints: Thoreau is a white American residing in the 1800s who stopped paying a bonding administration for administrative expenses, and King is a dark man at the cutting edge of the Civil Rights Movement. The ruler is liable to the laws he contradicts; Thoreau is not. Two of them, despite their varying perspectives, advance comparable belief systems.

Martin Luther King and Henry David Thoreau each compose unique, convincing exhibitions that delineate social foul play and examine common non-compliance, which is the refusal to consent to a point by the law. King addresses a particular gathering of people in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”: the African Americans, and examines why he feels they should end isolation. Thoreau then again addresses, in “Common Disobedience,” a more extensive, untenable collection of people as he mostly communicates his emotions towards what he feels is an unreasonable government.

Although Thoreau and King both address these decent quality and equity themes throughout their exhibitions, their articles are not the slightest bit comparable recorded as a style, tones, and goals of hard copy. Lord speaks to his perusers about the injustice independently served by African Americans. He uses a passionate intrigue to make a move to end isolation as he argues his perusers. Together with his idealism for the opportunity, this intense intrigue sets him and his composition not precisely the same as that of Thoreau. Thoreau’s article, then again, condemns the most for American government of the uncalled.

The use of scriptural mention is one powerful system that each creator updates to help his thoughts sincerely. In any case, King’s method is more grounded in the examination, because the tone of his references speaks to the peruser all the more. The inferences of Lord make the peruser need to move against shame, while Thoreau’s are darker-bound to make the peruser need to submit to and acknowledge the treacheries depicted.

“Civil Disobedience,” by Henry David Thoreau, and Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” fuse the feelings of the equity of the creators. Each creator effectively demonstrates their central issue; Thoreau manages reality as he identifies with the government, he asks, “not on the second no administration, but a superior government immediately.

Kings letter from a Birmingham jail was a demonstration of his unreasonable support for a challenge against the white conventions. Lord, a pioneer of bunches of social freedoms, as opposed to customary perspectives; King supported the challenging meeting and created unreasonable laws. In his Birmingham letter Jail King states, “All things being equal, I am certain that if I had lived in Germany at the time, I would have helped and improved my Jewish siblings. I would advocate straightforwardly resisting the anti-religious laws of that nation on the off chance that today I lived in a Communist nation where certain standards dear to Christian trust are smothered.”

Dr. Ruler himself was inspired by his “Fantasy” for a superior America, by his religious vision for another world, and by the enormous number of supporters who, for a remarkable reason, were customary individuals. He was, considered all things, a minister, and evangelists are estimated by their ability to move to a great extent. “Birmingham Jail Letter” is not just a smug-conservative analysis. It’s a suggestion for everyone who can hear the message to take action routed.

The two creators address the common defiance issue, or the refusal to accept laws as a kind of quiet political challenge, as an approach to achieving social goals. I agree that general insubordination is a supporting device in the formation of an administration and that both King’s and Thoreau’s goals on the subject can give an extraordinary stage of social equity. Common non-compliance with scholar Socrates can be followed back to Ancient Greece. He would not reverence the normal divine beings, and he was imprisoned and condemned to death because he went to bat for what he had faith in.

There are two writings on what they feel is “minimized,” known as Martin Luther King, Jr’s. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and “Group Names and Mascots” by Robert Schmidt. Both used comparable techniques to approach their subjects during their arguments; for example, the claim was used, and incredible evidence was used to clarify theoretical articulations. Similarly, their announcements or cases are intended to assist their assumptions and persuade others. These two articles deal with two unique issues. Be that as it may, these articles shared moved towards segregation of societies.

There are numerous talk claims in this letter that are used to induce perusers. Lord uses ethos, logos, and feeling throughout his argument to show the group of onlookers that he is tenable, consistent, and on an individual dimension he can identify with others. The most grounded intrigue used in this letter is feeling as it is usually used in most messages.

People’s gathering allows the creator to focus on specific collections or individuals. Both Thoreau and King go for large crowds. It can be very well understood that Thoreau’s group of onlookers is centered on U.S. residents as he regularly composes the foul play that the administration shows to his kin. For example, Thoreau says, “Why doesn’t it urge its natives to be on the alarm to draw attention to its weaknesses and show improvement over them?”

Conclusion;

Either way, King’s gathering of people is acknowledged to have been the eight ministers who composed with King’s activities, but it is still suggested that King’s group of spectators also include U.S. and world residents. Both of these writers have large groups of viewers who have a significant influence on the measurement of the effects of the two exposures. The voice described in an article is the speaker of an exhibition. And both King, as well as Thoreau, talk to various sounds to assist the group of onlookers in understanding the origin of the creator.

In conclusion, the two articles also have numerous distinctions that are evident throughout the investigation of the two expositions that separate individual understanding of each content, except that the general reason for these two papers is to induce people’s gatherings that common defiance is essential if there is an awful social form in the legislature that administers someone.

Works Cited

Bloom, Lynn Z. (1999). “The Essay Canon” (PDF). College English. 61 (4): 401–430. doi:10.2307/378920. ISSN 0010-0994. Retrieved January 18, 2012.

Brooks, Ned. “Meet The Press: Martin Luther King, Jr. on the Selma March.” NBC Learn. NBCUniversal Media. Retrieved 22 November 2017.

King, Martin Luther, and C. T. Vivian. “Letter from Birmingham jail.” Arguing about the law (2013): 254-264.

Thoreau, Henry David. Civil disobedience. Broadview Press, 2016.

My Opinion on Human Existence

Name:

Course:

Instructor’s name:

Date:

My Opinion on Human Existence

What gives your life meaning? As for me, I believed it was God but not anymore. Some people would hold a different opinion on that issue as some will say God, love, games, money, fiction, among other things. I always believed that God created me with a particular essence, and nobody would fault me for wanting my life to be meaningful. All people crave or even need to have a sense of meaning in their lives. However, how do people understand the purpose of their lives as being meaningful? The vast majority of people devote a tone of energy to find meaning for their lives through religion, community development, fighting for civil liberties, among others. No matter how one does it, my research on humans’ existence gives two options based on existentialists. Many philosophers argue that all of the above aspects can provide one the meaning of their lives, but at the same time, others say that none of them can. My opinion is none of them can.

Two ancient Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, held everything in life that has an essence (Gordon, 1). By essence, they meant that existence of specific core properties vital for something to be given that particular meaning. The absence of such properties in that particular thing would lead to the meaninglessness of that thing. For example, it does not matter if a knife has a metal or wooden handle as long as it has a blade. However, it would be different if it lacked the blade since it will not be called a knife. The knife’s essential property is the blade since the blade predetermines the defining function of a knife. When it comes to life, Plato and Aristotle insisted that humans’ essences existed in them before they came to live, and God preloads humans with their respective identities.

Part of the essence is to be a good human who adheres to their essences. One may be somewhat confident in defining his/her identity, thus standing a great chance of living up to your essence. The most important thing in my previous beliefs is that I was born to become a particular thing. Philosophers term this kind of view as essentialism, and a significant number of people still hold on to it. After reading the literary works of Friedrich Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Sartre, my belief changed on the essentialist ideas of being imbued with any purpose. Friedrich believed in the ultimate meaningless of life that he called Nihilism. Sartre challenged essentialism by asking, what if humans exist first without any imbued essence (Sartre and Philip 1)?  However, it is upon individual responsibility to figure out their identities. In other words, existentialism holds that existence precedes essence. Humans’ existence happens first; then, they later determine what they will become as they grow older through the way they choose to live. I now believe that human beings do not have any predetermined purpose and no set path to follow.

In my previous beliefs, it was difficult to explain how radical the ideals were back then since, for many decades, people did not have to follow absolute paths, but God did it for them. I am now critical of the notion that God made human beings or the world with a fundamental essence in his mind. I believe in God’s existence, but it is somewhat different when it comes to instilling me, my life, and the cosmos with meaning. It is not what God is all about. I believe humans are born in the universe, which they, their world, and their actions lack any real inherent significance. Human beings’ quest for the meaning of absurdity, but they are abandoned in a meaningless universe. Since there are no teleological facts, humans are not created or exist for any given purpose. If there is no reason for our existence or that of the universe, what is the justification for abiding by such things? Things like cosmic justice, fairness, order, and rules do not even exist, and even they do, its upon humans to put them by themselves.

I believe people are shockingly free, and if their actions lack guidelines, then its upon people to create their moral code and invent morality to live by. One might think to find answers from some authority, but they are fake. One may adhere to a religion, government, etc. but they are people just like you. Those authorities cannot give people their respective life meanings since they do not have any answer; instead, they figured out how by themselves how to live. As such, humans should live authentically. Humans should accept the full weight of their absurd and acknowledge that it’s only them who can determine any meaning regarding their lives. And if one follows a different path rather than that of his/herself, then I presume that person to be having a bad faith. In other words, one refuses to accept the absurd.

To affirm that human essence is predetermined by themselves, Jean-Paul Sartre gives an analogy of a student who was in a dilemma of choosing between to go for a war to help his country or being left behind to stay with her elderly mother. The student consulted his teacher for advice. Perhaps, if he had gone to war, it would have impacted millions of people, but still, he will make a small number of considerable army troops. Also, she risked never seeing her mother again. If the person had stayed with his mother, he would only make an impact on one person. Sartre said that nobody could answer, and his decision will be the only authentic choice (Sartre 1). Reading such arguments, I became an existentialist believer. I now believe that humans are not created with any particular essences, but it is upon them to give their life meaning.

Works Cited

Gordon, Jill. Plato’s erotic world: from cosmic origins to human death. Cambridge University Press, 2012.

Sartre, Jean-Paul, and Philip Mairet. Existentialism and humanism. London: Methuen, 1960.

Sartre, Jean-Paul. Existentialism is a Humanism. Yale University Press, 2007.