Cultural Mosaic on the Buddhist Culture Research Paper

Cultural Mosaic on the Buddhist Culture - Research Paper Example But the Buddhist view of education is a lot more open-ended and fluid. Also, while there are fundamental tenets upon which Buddhist education system rests, they only serve as an aid to the student in discovering truths for himself. In other words, while the Western educational model has at its core the principle of ascertaining truth through rational inquiry and systematic experimentation, the Buddhist model espouses the principle that introspection through meditation will lead to the ultimate truth. (Haskett, 2005, p.192) Moreover, it is integral to Buddhist culture to put the ‘collective’ good ahead of ‘individual’ excellence. Notwithstanding these basic differences, one could still incorporate certain norms, customs and cultural aspects of Buddhist education into American schools. This essay will show that not only is this exercise feasible but also rewarding for the educators and students involved. A key feature of the Buddhist education system is its sp iritual dimension. In fact, the seeking of spiritual truth is a cornerstone of Buddhist culture. The Buddhist system attempts to prepare students to transcend the scientific realm and into the spiritual realm. School administrators in America might find it challenging to encourage students on spiritual quest alongside the emphasis on scientific inquiry. Moreover, in the spiritual realm, objectives tend to be vague and instructions difficult to comprehend. But a simple means by which the esoteric sounding spiritual quest can be incorporated in the American classroom is by breaking it down into common social principles such as co-operation and compassion. In other words, school curricula in the United States could give grade points for students for their social skills and their willingness to help fellow students. The Buddhist system sees education as a component of a student’s social life, as opposed to being distinct to it. (Tat Chia, 2009, p.122) In this scenario, ‘edu cation as competition’ would be replaced by ‘education through sharing of knowledge and experience’. A similar point is made even by some Western scholars like Daniel Goleman, who underscore the importance of Emotional Quotient (EQ) alongside the development of Intelligence Quotient (IQ) for overall healthy personality development. The spate of campus shootouts in recent years in America clearly indicates some fundamental flaws in the schooling system. By embracing the Buddhist principle of ‘non-violence’ and inculcating it in students will mitigate the occurrence of such shoot-outs. Non-violence aligns closely with virtues of co-operation and compassion. (Shin, 2010, p.33) American schools can include biographical sketches of world leaders renowned for the message of non-violence. These would include Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., etc. A study of their life examples is an effective method for instilling the value of non-viol ence in American students. The Buddhist education system emphasizes reverence for the mentor/teacher. Conventionally, having evolved in a monastic setting, the chief monk would be regarded by students as an enlightened soul whose guidance is sought after at each stage of learning. It would also serve the interests of students in America if they make it the norm to pay more respect to their teachers. The most prominent of contemporary Buddhist teachers, His Holiness The 14th Dalai

Miscommunication between Teachers In Terms Of Culture, Language, Case Study

Miscommunication between Teachers In Terms Of Culture, Language, Generation Differences - Case Study Example In the following discourse, the paper delves into the relevance of the above in miscommunication between teachers and students. It is a fact that different cultures perceive certain message cues differently and it is no different in the student teacher relationship. Despite the vast amount of information that is now so readily available to the students since the advent of the internet, the teacher still remains the most credible and important source of information for the students which means the miscommunication should be eliminated at all cost. In cases of generational differences, the teacher is in most instances the one in the older generation as compared to the students with the exceptions being the novelty and not the norm. So it’s upon the teacher as the educator to try and understand how to cope with the differences arising with the students as a result of the generation gap. This paper examines that how teaching and culture are interrelated with one another and how it affects the teaching capabilities of an instructor. Educators face a hard time while teaching students with diversified cultural backgrounds. Intercultural miscommunication is a common breakdown that can occur when two different groups belonging from different cultures are brought together. ... The Impact of Intercultural Miscommunication and Generation Gap on Students Cultural miscommunication and generation gap can tremendously affect the students. Cultural shock and generation gap can give rise to depression and stress in them. Teachers focus more on building close relation with the students who bear the similar culture and language with them as compare to ones who have hailed from a different background. They focus more on students to absorb the new culture and language which can psychologically damage a student’s mindset, his values and traditions (Anderson, 1992). It is important for the teachers to understand the widening gap and the factors linked with miscommunication in order to overcome. Also, teachers should possess the ability to effectively communicate with the students regardless of any differences and they should focus more on a student’s ability to learn and absorb the knowledge in a better way which could help them to understand their need to be familiar with a new language or culture. They should apply different teaching strategies to overcome the miscommunication such as teachers should engage students in class discussions, help them to become more participative and to help them in absorbing the new culture and language. Implications for Teachers At the same time, teachers should learn to understand that for students it would be difficult to adjust themselves in a different culture which could affect their learning abilities. They should put maximum efforts to overcome miscommunication caused by language and culture. Context There is the occurrence of what has largely been referred to as the generational change. The

Explain what causes changes in supply and demand

Explain what causes changes in supply and demand The constancy and steadiness of any economy is based on the structure of its supply and demand. The supply and demand establish the pattern of the prices and the quantities of different commodities and products in the economy. The increase and decrease in the supply and demand fluctuates the prices and the quantities of different products. The market has a certain balance between various elements and all this symmetry is affected by the variation in the pattern of supply and demand. Various replacements and substitutions play role in adjusting the balance of the market and the prices and their elasticity are also affected by these. Furthermore all this has an effect on the society. Basically four market systems are there. Varied roles are played by the economists in different markets. Explain what causes changes in supply and demand A market is a place where various products are bought and sold. At times there is too much quantity of a certain good is present in the market then it is said that the supply of that good is high. When a product is produced and the capability and eagerness to sell this product is there at a certain price in a certain time period then this is known as supply of that product. Similarly when there is a capability and eagerness to buy a certain product at a certain price in a certain period is known as the demand of that product. The income is traded in return of various jobs and tasks. Likewise if we have a demand of any particular product we offer money in order to buy it. Market equilibrium is basically where the demand of any product is almost equal to the supply of the product. At this stage the prices for such a product are the most suitable for it. Whereas if there is too much supply and the demand for a product is comparatively low then the consumers will pay less for that product. Similarly if there is too much demand of any product but the market has a less supply of that product then the price of such a product goes high and the buyers are willing to pay even more for it. Therefore in order to maintain the market equilibrium it is better to bring the supply equal to demand and vice versa. Determine how changes in price and quantity influence market equilibrium Steven Tomilison defines equilibrium (Understanding Market Equilibrium, Determining A Competitive Equilibrium, p1,) as a state where there is no propensity to change. Market equilibrium is a stage where the prices and quantity of any product remains constant and endure the pressure by the buyers and the sellers. Here the supply of a product is basically similar to the demand of the product. This equilibrium is disturbed when there because of undue pressure a change is brought about in the prices or quantity of any product. What actually happens is that there maybe less demand of a product where the sellers might bring in too much of the product in the market. Here basically there is less willingness to buy a product or the demand of that product is reduced thus affecting the prices and also reducing them. Likewise if there is too much eagerness by the buyers to buy a certain product but the suppliers bring in lesser quantity in the market this will increase the demand thus increasing the prices of that product also. This all is actually bringing a change in the prices and quantity of a product thus affecting the supply and demand and bringing a change in the market equilibrium. This all can be stated that an increase in quantity decreases the prices whereas the decrease in quantity will increase the prices. Describe how the necessity of a good and the availability of substitutions impact price elasticity. Harrison (2004) defined elasticity as the flexibility to increase or decrease. When it comes to the elasticity of the prices this can be shown by a graph of price elasticity of demand or PED. This price elasticity of demand is calculated by dividing both the percentages of demand with the price. This PED is very useful. Companies are interested in them when investing in new business or starting new ventures. It gives them the idea of competitive prices and the profit margin. According to Harrison (2004) the influence or effect of the taxes and subsidies is seen by the governments by this PED. By levying more taxes on harmful products such as cigarettes or alcohol will increase its prices thus decreasing its demand. Similarly by providing a subsidy on any product will decrease the price of that product thus reducing its price and making it easier for the consumers to buy it or increased demand. Nowadays for every product there are different alternatives or substitutions present in the market. The necessity of a product will lead to finding its substitution and creates a direct relationship in them. This relationship fluctuates because of different situations and conditions of the market and the world and this is what capitalism is. Food has been described as essential and fundamental element for life by the China Agricultural Economic Review. This review describes the relationship between the supply, demand and the prices of different products in Nigeria. The domestic food prices were increased when Nigeria faced a food shortage between 1998 and 2001. To overcome this shortage different food products and livestock was imported from other countries. This increased the prices of these food products as large import bills came along with them which added up to the prices of these products. Automatically these prices were to be endured by the consumers. This resulted in large import bills. Now the domestic food prices were already high because of the shortage the imported food prices were almost similar or even higher then those products. This all brought about the elasticity in the prices and the economy was provided with elasticity. The market would have said to be inelastic if there was no shortage and the food p rices were normal and there were less imports and competition higher. http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/pqdweb?did=1657972491sid=3Fmt=6clientId=13118RQT=309VName=PQD). Market Systems and the Role of an Economist There are different types of business and likewise the market systems are also of different types. As per Mankiw (2007) the market systems can be divided into four basic types, and the markets not only in US but all over the world usually fall under one or the other categories. Majority of the economists also agree with this diversification of market systems. Monopoly is one of the market systems. As the name refers the market is dominated by a single or sole seller and usually no alternatives are present for such a product. Since there are no substitutions the competition factor is also absent. Due to the advancement in the technology and information explosion usually the monopoly of any one product is nowadays not commonly seen but still companies like cable companies, trash collectors etc. are considered to be monopolies due to the uniqueness they provide through their product or services. According to Mankiw (2007) the monopolies enjoy this state because of the low marginal value they keep. Oligopoly is another type of market system. According to Mankiw (2007) in oligopoly there are very few sellers present in the market for a certain product and action of one at times affects others also. The profits of everyone are affected by oneà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s decision. This type of competition is known as imperfect competition. Monopolistic competition is one of the market systems. As per Mankiw (2007) in this type of market system there are sellers who sell products which may be alike but cannot be considered as identical. That is their few features may be similar but they do differ from one another in other features. Again this is a type of imperfect type of market systems where the buyers are same but the products are different. Perfect competition is the fourth type of market system and as the name indicates that the competition in this type of market system is perfect. The product is absolutely same but there are a number of sellers present in the market. The competition here is too high because of the number of sellers and the price of the product is usually very near to the cost of the product. It is difficult for the sellers to gain a good margin out of such type of a market. One business can only be successful if it copes up well with the type of market system it enters. Good economists tend to understand the demand of the market system. They are well aware of the cost of the production and make efforts to offer better then its competitors. The buyers are always looking for the best with the most cost effective price. In order to earn the most of the market share one has to cut down its prices to the lowest then only it can compete successfully. Conclusion Thus the price of the product, the product itself, its buyers and sellers are the factors that affect the supply and demand of a product. The decision of the buyers regarding the quantity and their purchase is very much dependent on the price of the product. They are always willing to pay for quality but it is essential that it should be affordable for them. The increase in supply is because of too much quantity of a product present in the market, similarly the demand increases when there is not enough of the product present in the market. The price elasticity is also dependent on the importance of a good and the competition present for that good.

Sexual and Maternal Instincts in James Fenimore Coopers Last of the Mohicans :: The Last of the Mohicans

Cora Munro's Sexual and Maternal Instincts in James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans Cora Munro's relationship with her younger, fairer sister Alice demonstrates a distinct mother-daughter pattern that manifests itself in every interaction between the two women. Throughout James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans, the character of Cora continuously hides her sister's face in her bosom as an indication of undying protection from the ravages of the American frontier. Alice depends on Cora as her champion and defender but, most unmistakably as a mother figure. Cora maintains a immutable position of motherly nurture with her sister, however, when interacting with other frontier characters, Cora shifts her style of human interaction towards a conscious understanding of her gender capacity. Though not overtly sexual, Cora does demonstrate a cognizance of female sexuality and feminine influence on various male characters. Cora does not often demonstrate motherly instinct while practicing the powers of her sex; rather, her authority particular to each sphere man ifests itself during situations of great conflict and tension concerning Alice or, separately, the other surrounding male characters. The narrator refers to Cora's motherly intuition in many instances, but most especially when Alice demonstrates a case of need or dependence. When Alice shows doubt and fear, Cora immediately rushes to protect and soothe her. Cooper writes, "For many moments the elder sister looked upon the younger, with a countenance that wavered with powerful and contending emotions. At length she spoke, though her tones had lost heir rich and calm fulness, in an expression of tenderness, that seemed maternal" (109). Cooper writes clearly of the strong bond that exists between the sisters while illustrating a power relationship that has Cora playing the role of shepherd and Alice as that of a small, helpless lamb. Moreover, Cooper repeatedly shows the character of Alice grasping onto the arm of Duncan Heyward†¹an obvious physical need for refuge and shield†¹while Cora remains free of an explicit male bond and receives the admiration of the remaining men from afar. Alice, the weaker of the two, appeals to her sister for attention while Cora remains aloof and confident. Cooper, at many instances, describes Cora with almost beatific characteristics which heighten her esteem and power as a female character. Her motherly feelings towards Alice verge on the saintly; Cora often rises above common human sensibility and takes on the role of a martyr in the manner that a mother would for her child.

Magnanimous Pharash

The Magnanimous Pharaoh Forever Lives in Me On the morning I was making plans for my summer break, I got a package from home in about a 6 inch 4 mail box. I ran to my room in excitement to unwrap my new gift. Surprisingly, I saw a blue and white hardcover textbook. I sighed in disappointment it was the Kaplan textbook I had to study for my SAT exams. At night, when I was about starting to read I was so uninterested and disturbed that I started flipping through pages. Not long after, I felt dizzy and went to bed.That night, I had a dream, I saw myself in a completely new lifestyle, attitude, behavior and most of my rinds had same transformation as mine. I wonder how this rarely believed dream came true and made me a wonderful young man I am. Every morning in my brick hostel, in my clean and small room at the four walls of Immaculate High School on the outskirt of Kirkwood in Lagos, Nigeria. Before I hear the six loud bells of the tower when the sun ray penetrates my window, there's a knock on my door. I hear a shrill and high pitched voice say, Get up! Get up! A slender man in his daily stripped khaki pants with a glass of cold water stands tall over me. I suspect the glass of water could e used to drench my shirt rather than quench my thirst if I fail to wake. This is Pharaoh, 45 years old, house helper, sweeper, caretaker, and the only person to know where I keep my letters from my girlfriend. He was Just a man all students believed was either a high school dropout or a douche that had no word of encouragement or could be of influence and importance. He is like a precise robot programmed to keep my life and that of the other seventy other boys in my boarding house in order.For five years, I saw him every day cleaning and washing. It is a mystery to me how someone who lives such a mundane life sill greets me with a flash f his 31 teeth overtime I cross his path. Growing up, I never felt respect and I was not ready to give it back, my disregard about life didn't make me see the exigency of being a benevolence to people and life my tender mind was only bothered about the positive aspects of life having fun, hanging out with friend, play video games, and surfing the internet were my priorities.I was not ready to be pestered by the negativity of life all I wanted was pleasure, I felt no remorse about being rude and disobedient I thought money could solve every difficulty and problem. I ponder recurrently to know what the cause is. Was it my parents? Should I have not be nurtured as a rich kid while growing, or was I influenced by school mates. I thought of all this in my early teenage years. I wonder how a minor incident could be of transformation and totally put a stop to my way of living in my early teenage years.Few months before spring break, I had a terrible night tossing and turning before my SAT exam. Words swam in my head as I pondered the difference between allusion, illusion, and elision. The next morning Pharaoh looked more tense t han surprised to see me awake. He asked me much like my mother would, â€Å"What happened? Why do you look so worried? Has the sun risen from the West? On filling him on my war with words, he smiled and assured all would be fine. It was the first time I heard him speak, and it was a revelation. I didn't realize that this man was more than Just a â€Å"come and go' machine.The fact that he empathetic with me like my mother convinced me that he was going to influence my life for the better and make great amends to my way of living. That afternoon when he came to clean my hostel room, I inserted a #100 naira note into his hand and requested him to get a packet of chips. He frowned and frowned even more. I snatched back the note and ran to the dining hall for a barely edible breakfast. I felt bad for having crossed the line. I should have respected the school rules, I wished that he would not complain about my transgression.To my astonishment, that afternoon, I saw not one but two pac kets of chips lying neatly on the pillow. He grimaced, displaced his 31 teeth, and walked out of the room. I was taken aback, I couldn't believe that a man with a large family to support and a meager income to do it with had generosity to fulfill my petty temptation. Many chips later, I realized that he didn't grudge me the chips; he was simply against taking money from me. He found Joy in giving and he had great pride in himself. Secretly, I envied him.For he had found the contentment most people spend their live chasing. I envied him because he smiled all through the day. I learned from his example, that there are some things money can't buy. Contentment and generosity are Just two of them. Pharaoh may not be a Mahatma Gandhi or a Nelson Mandela that might have influenced a lot of people due to their reputable positions, and encouraging lifestyle, but Pharaoh lifestyle as an average living Man though he wasn't educated, rich or popular but he was till generous with the little he h ad and was contented with what he had left.He was able to influence the life's of other teenage boys in my high school dormitory through his simplicity and humility and made remarkable changes in our lives, my parents were happy to see the new me and lauded him for being a great influence to my life and that of my school mates. Pharaoh may not have the ability to do great things, but I saw the greatness to have the ability to do small things in him.

Censorship in High School, From Mark Twain Essay

â€Å"It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my will is the only edict I must respect. â€Å"-â€Å"Anthem† by Ayn Rand. As Americans, we are granted many rights and freedoms which are not given to all nations and countries. These â€Å"certain inalienable† rights have been an issue of debate for hundreds of years. High school students are taught the basics of our laws and constitution in government. However, their basic rights afforded to them by the United States are always in question. While they can work in our society and get tried as adults in court, their first amendment right is taken away daily. Over the years, our greatest novels have been burned or banned, and put in the same category as pornography and smut. Journalism classes have been given only certain topics, upon the discretion of the school board, to publish in newspapers. Even sex education has been stifled in some states because people think it gives permission for teens to be promiscuous, and they need to be sheltered from this. Instead, we need to prepare them for life in the real world, let them form their own opinions on a variety of topics, and not take away their right to read and learn any subject matter in spite that it might be an uncomfortable issue in society. First, repressing information or misinforming teenagers in schools is immoral and unethical. The topic that is on teenagers minds the most, and is probably explained the least, is sex. By their 18th birthday, 6 in 10 teenage women and nearly 7 in 10 teenage men have had sexual intercourse. That said, 35% of national public schools necessitate abstinence only in sexual education. The only discussion of birth control and contraception is its ineffectiveness (1). The Alan Guttenmacher institute, which is the National Center for Education Statistics, shows from 1995-2002 teen pregnancy has dramatically declined. The cause of this is due to educated birth control methods, not abstinence. The institute also proved that only 14% of the decline was as a result of prolonging the sexual experience. That leaves 86% of teenagers becoming more aware of safe sex methods and using them. Since then, the rate has had a plateau and is likely to increase because of these programs. The government spends one hundred and seventy six million dollars annually on abstinence curriculum, and yet â€Å"more than 9 out of ten Americans have sex before marriage and have done so for generations. † I agree that teaching a child sex is foremost the parent’s right and privilege. But why would parents want to mislead their children? also I agree that sexual education should teach abstinence first and primarily. That is why comprehensive sexual education guides teenagers in the right informative direction. Teachers and parents can inform and educate, sending that teenager out into the world with realistic expectations. With the glorification of sex in the media, the question is can that teenager discern fact from fiction in a moral and knowledgeable fashion? The late 1960s were controversial for the U. S due to its role in Vietnam. In 1967, three students that attended public school in Des Moines, Iowa, were suspended from school. The students decided to wear black armbands to reflect their mourning of soldiers and to signify their opposition of the war. This monumental case went to the supreme court, where ultimately it was decided: â€Å"Prohibition against the expression of opinion, without any evidence that the rule is necessary to avoid substantial interference with school discipline or the rights of others is not permissible under the first and fourteenth amendments†(Tinker vs. Des Moines school district 393 us 503). In 1988 high school journalists tried to publish articles about teen pregnancy and the effects of divorce on students. However, the last two pages of the paper were cut because they were deemed inappropriate. The school board claimed the right of privacy had been an issue. Also, The principle felt that the topic of sexual activity and birth control were inappropriate and uncomfortable. So do we uphold one right of press above others for privacy? This case went to the United States District Court that claimed â€Å"the first amendment rights of students in the public schools are not automatically coextensive with the rights of adults in other settings. † Judges ruled that a â€Å"school need not tolerate student speech that is inconsistent with its basic educational mission, even though the government could not censor similar speech outside the school. †(2). The Court of Appeals found that the newspaper was â€Å"intended to be and operated as a conduit for student viewpoint† and â€Å"precluded school officials from censoring its contents except when â€Å"‘necessary to avoid material and substantial interference with school work or discipline . . . or the rights of others†(3). Well, what if the school got hit with a law suit due to infringement of privacy? The courts found no lawsuits could have been maintained against the school with the written material. Judge Brennan concluded that no explanation could be given to cut the pages. They were made â€Å"simply because he considered two of the six â€Å"inappropriate, personal, sensitive, and unsuitable† for student consumption. He violated the first amendments prohibitions against censorship of any student expression that neither disrupts class work nor invades the rights of others† (3) With court rulings such as this, its hard to believe that schools today are still fighting with students against their right to publish articles that give some sort of meaning to their high school experience. One of the biggest concerns understandably, is a disrupted school environment. we are there to learn, and it is hard to facilitate that when controversy is on the lips of all. It is hard to make that distinction. But the distinction is there, and if there is an article that talks about viewpoints, concerns, and is informative to current issues, it should not be censored due to the fact that it is uncomfortable for officials. In an era that consists of Paris Hilton, impersonal computers, and video games, maybe schools should give teenagers something that isn’t superficial to be passionate about. Imagine walking in an English classroom, sitting at a desk and opening the text for the day, which is Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet†. Scanning the pages, and then realizing something is not right. There are whole pages missing, and a lot of the writing is blackened out. Someone has vandalized the book! The teacher sorrowfully explains that the school will not let students read certain novels because of vulgarity, sex, violence and â€Å"radical ideology†. He also says that â€Å"Tom Sawyer†, â€Å"A Wrinkle in Time†, and â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird† have been deleted from the curriculum until further notice. Furthermore, the PTA will be burning all the copies of Aldous Huxley’s â€Å"Brave New World† after football practice if anyone wants to participate. The same happens in art class, where in the textbook all the nude statues and paintings have clothing drawn on them. In biology, any mention of Darwin has been ripped out of the pages of the text book. As extreme as this may sound, these are all incidents that have happened in the present years. As someone who grew up with all these classics in the classroom, I am devastated at the thought of not being able to develop with these characters. My love of books developed in the second grade, and I never viewed any of the opposing material as controversial. In fact, none of the students in the classrooms broke into riots at the mention of the dreaded â€Å"N† word in â€Å"Huckleberry Finn†. Actually the teacher used it to explain the word, the history, and how hurtful it was. The book coincided with the lessons we were learning in history on the anti-slavery movement. Trying to protect a young adult from sex and violence is reasonable and should be done on an educated basis. Parents need to be involved in their teenager’s life. If a book makes them uncomfortable, read the whole book and not just the uncomfortable portions. Discuss the material openly, and help the child form morals and ethics. For the teacher, if a parent has a problem with the material, give the teenager an alternate assignment. Why should every person in that classroom be denied their right to learn? Studies have shown that reading books like these help with the critical thinking process and aides in further education. Schools are forums where students learn to provide objectivity and make their own educated opinions. Besides, with today’s flow of mass media and internet, teenagers and children are exposed to more questionable resources. They are over exposed to an amount of sex, violence, and vulgarity that no classic literature can compare to. In conclusion, schools should be enlightening teenagers and giving them the tools they need for their future, letting teens shape and articulate their opinions and options realistically, and letting them learn any subject that is pertinent to their life even if it is â€Å"taboo† in society. Legally, schools have to validate banning an opinion, expression, or curriculum by showing that it was for more than a need to stay away from the discomfort that goes with an unpopular viewpoint. I think Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said it best with, â€Å"Censorship reflects a society’s lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime†