General Essay on Chinese Religions Essay Example for Free

General Essay on Chinese Religions Essay Early Chinese religion belongs to the mythical and prehistoric period. Tradition speaks of the origins of Chinese culture lying in the 3rd millennium BCE with the Hsia dynasty. As of yet no historical evidence has been found for such a dynasty; all references to it are mythical. It is only with the Shang dynasty, which is traditionally dated from 1766 to 1122 BCE, that we find evidence of a developing culture and religious practices. The religion of the Shang was principally characterised by the use of oracle bones for divination and the development of the cult of ancestors. It was believed that the cracks that resulted from burning ox bones or tortoise shells represented messages sent from the gods about a variety of matters such as illness, the weather or hunting. Belief in deities and the practice of the worship of ancestors has persisted in Chinese life, and has come to form the basis of what has broadly been termed popular religion. Popular religion in fact represents a mixture of early religion and elements of the three great religions: Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. At the heart of popular religion is the worship of deities and veneration of ancestors at shrines in the home or temples. There are many deities associated with this form of religion, but the best known are Shang Ti, the supreme ruler of heaven, and Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy and protector of women and children. In the Chou dynasty a more structured form of religion developed. This is associated with the teaching of Kung-Fu Tzu (551-479 BCE), whose Latinised name is Confucius. Confucius sought to establish a socio-political ethical system, with theological beliefs concerned with human destiny and the conduct of human relationships in society, based on a belief in the goodness of human nature. He believed in a providential Heaven (Tien) and in prayer which encouraged him in his mission. He emphasised the five relationships namely, Father-Son; Ruler-Subject; Husband-Wife; eldest son to brothers; friend and friend to be expressed by li (correct ceremony) to bring he (harmony). Such relationships were rooted in family piety which came to give a prominent place to Ancestor Worship and to respect for deified men, which came to find expression in the Sacrifices of the State religion. The Confucian canon can be divided into two parts: the Five Classics and the Four Books. The Five Classics were handed down from earlier times and emphasised by Confucius. These are the Book of Odes; the Book of History; the Book of Rites; the Book of Divination; and the Spring and Autumn Annals. The Four Books consist of The Analects (Conversations of Confucius); the Doctrine of the Mean; The Great Learning; and the Book of Mencius. Out of the teachings of Confucius emerged various schools associated with a master. Notable was the work of Meng-Tzu (c. 371-c. 289 BCE) and Hsun-Tzu (300-230 BCE). Meng-Tzu and Hsun-Tzu formed rival schools whose doctrinal differences were based in a fundamentally different conception of human nature. Meng-Tzu taught that people were fundamentally good and that what made them bad was their environment. Consequently, Meng-Tzu emphasised the importance of education as a means for bringing out the innate goodness of people. By way of contrast, Hsun-Tzu had a more pessimistic view of human nature. Hsun-Tzu taught that people were inherently evil, and that they could only be taught to be good through training. He also was religiously sceptical, teaching that religious ritual had no purpose except to provide moral training. It was this negative attitude towards religion that was one of the main factors behind the subsequent rejection of the teachings of Hsun-Tzu by mainstream Confucianism and the establishment of Meng-Tzus teachings as orthodox. At the same time that Confucianism was developing, two rival schools were active in China: the Mohists and the Legalists. Mohism was founded by Mo Tzu (c. 470-390 BCE). Mo Tzu advocated universal love and opposed the elaborate and expensive rituals that defined Chinese religious life. This put him at odds with Confucianism in that Confucianism advocated particular love for ones parents as well as the importance of ritual for interpersonal relations. Although during the 4th century Mohism was strong enough to rival Confucianism, it went into decline in the 3rd century, and by the time of the unification of China in 221 had virtually disappeared. It is unclear why the tradition declined so quickly. Legalism is more of a political philosophy than a religion. The various strands of legalist doctrine were systematised by Han Fei Tzu (d. 233 BCE). Han Fei Tzu had been taught by Hsun Tzu and adopted his pessimistic attitude to human nature. Unlike Hsun Tzu, Han Fei Tzu did not believe that people could be reformed, advocating instead a strong, even ruthless, form of government that could control human behaviour. Legalist principles were put into effect by the Chin dynasty, which unified China in 221 BCE, and was subsequently overthrown in 207 BCE. The brief rule of the Chin had a devastating impact on Confucianism, whose scholars it persecuted and whose books it destroyed. Fortunately for the tradition, Confucianism received official acceptance of the Han dynasty and flourished during the Han period. Under the Han dynasty (206 BCE 220CE), the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE), and the Sung dynasty (960-1127CE) Confucian teaching was used for public examinations. In 631 CE the Confucian canon was made the sole subject for the examination of aspirants to official positions, so Confucianism came to be known as Ju-chiao, the Doctrine of the learned. During the Sung dynasty (960-1126 CE) Neo-Confucianism emerged as a distinct movement in response to Taoism and Buddhism. Two traditions of Neo-Confucian thought emerged: the School of Principle, represented by Chu Hsi (1130-1200), and the School of Mind, represented by Lu Chiu Yuan (1139-1193) and, later, Wang Yang Ming (1472-1529). Chu Hsi sought to provide a metaphysical explanation of the nature of reality as well as an ethic for human conduct. For Chu Hsi the basis of all reality was the Supreme Ultimate (Tai Chi). In order for people to live properly they had to purify their chi (vital energy) through taming their desires so that they could be united with the Supreme Ultimate. In reaction to Chu Hsis dualistic perception of reality Lu Chiu Yuan presented a monistic picture of the universe. He claimed that the universe and the mind are one. Therefore, through understanding ones own mind one could understand the nature of the cosmos. This was developed by Wang Yang-ming. Wang Yang-ming believed that individuals could perfect themselves through moral self-cultivation. This involved returning to an original mind whose principal quality was love (jen). Also of ancient origin is Taoism whose classic text, the Tao Te Ching, is attributed to a supposed contemporary of Confucius (551-479), Lao Tzu. This text has had many interpreters whose works have developed in various sects, some of which have been very influential. There are two streams of Taoism: Religious Taoism, which is represented by the many sects concerned with the quest for immortality, and Philosophical Taoism, which was concerned to explain the human condition. The major imported religion is Mahayana Buddhism which is believed to have entered China in the 1st century BCE. An important early Buddhist teacher was An Shih Kao who founded what came to be known as the Dhyana School, characterised by its emphasis on meditation. Another major early school was the Prajna school whose doctrines were based on the interpretation of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajnaparamita). It was, however, between the 5th and 8th centuries that Buddhist schools flourished and developed in China. Schools that were active at this time were: San-Lun, Ching-tu, Tien-tai, Chan, Chu-she, Hua-yen, Lu, San-chieh, Fa-hsiang and Chen-yen. The great persecution of Buddhism in the middle of the 9th century led to its rapid decline, and by the time of the Sung dynasty only the Chan and Ching-tu schools remained significant. Incursions from the West began at an early date, mainly in regard to trade and commerce from Arabia and India, probably to Canton or Hangchow. Infiltration of a different kind took place under the Mongols (1260-1368), when the armies of Ghengis Khan spread westwards over countries occupied by the Muslims. The records of the Yuan dynasty indicate that many distinguished officials (both military and civil) were Muslims, bringing with them knowledge of Arabic science known to Kublai Khan and the use of catapults in siege warfare. In Ming times Arabic books on science came into the Imperial library. After the Mongol period, no great influx of Muslims took place, but they spread into most provinces of China, especially in the north-west and west (the provinces of Kansu, Szechwan and Yunnan) and in the north-east (in Manchuria and Hipei). They mainly live in their own communities in their mosques and schools. Their first mosque appears to have been built in Sian in 742. Another group attracted by commerce were the Jews who traded across Central Asia, during the Tang dynasty (618-907), whose communities have mainly been along the sea board in cities such as Shanghai and Canton. The earliest evidence we have of a Jewish community in China derives from a letter written in the 8th century by a Jewish merchant I China. By the 9th century there was a distinct Jewish community in Kaifung, its continued presence evidenced by the construction of a synagogue in the city in 1163. From the 15th century onwards the Jews became increasingly integrated into Chinese life to the extent that by the 19th century the community had all but lost its distinctive identity. As a result of the western colonialism of China in the 19th century and the establishment of new trading contacts with Europe Jews settled in some of the major cities of China. Christianity came to China first by the way of Nestorian Christians, after the arrival of A-Lo-Pen in 781 where it flourished for two centuries (by favour of the imperial court) until the reign of Wu Tsung who closed the monasteries and persecuted the church. It flourished again under Mongol rule in the 13th century, and in 1289 Kublai Khan established an office for the supervision of Christians. At about this time the Roman Catholic Church came to the Mongol empire, when a Franciscan monk came to the Khans court of Kharatorui in 1246. Shortly after that St Louis of France sent an embassy, followed by Marco Polo in 1275; a request from Kublai Khan for a hundred teachers did not, however, bear fruit apart from a small Franciscan mission led by John of Monterovino, who was appointed Archbishop in Cantilec in 1289, and under him three bishops were appointed. Then in the 16th century the Society of Jesus became very active in China inspired by the work of Francis Xavier who had preached in India and Japan. Matteo Ricci came to Canton in 1610 and then to Peking, where he founded a Christian community and gained prominence as an outstanding astronomer. From that time the Roman Catholic Church has continued despite periods of persecution. Protestant missions date from 1807 with W. Morrisons arrival in Canton for the London Missionary Society. Other missions soon followed with the Presbyterians in 1847, the Anglicans in 1849 and the Methodists in 1850. Also prominent have been the China Inland Mission, under Hudson Taylor an interdenominational missionary society. In the twentieth century house churches have been prominent, often associated with such evangelists as Watchman Key. These Protestant activists have contributed greatly to educational and medical developments as well as political and social influences from the West; these were often backed by military force and, therefore, deeply resented. Recent changes under Communist influence, led by Mao, have been profound, strengthening agnostic tendencies for many in the population. Traditional religious practices are still continued in many homes in China and among overseas Chinese. In recent times relaxation of restriction has given fresh opportunity for religious activity. Many Taoist and Buddhist temples, as well as mosques and churches, are being renovated and reopened. Greater openness to the West has been accompanied by renewed conversion to Christianity; the demise of communism has encouraged the rediscovery of traditional religious values. Taiwan has provided an important haven for traditional Chinese religions, as well as the establishment of new religions, since the Nationalist government established itself on the island in 1949. A number of syncretic movements such as San-I-Chiao (Three in One Religion), were suppressed in China following the Communist victory, but have found a haven in Taiwan. Other interesting traditions that have been transplanted to Taiwan are those which are collectively designated the Hsien Tien Tao (Way of Former Heaven sects). Five of the best known of these are the I-kuan Tao, the Tung shan She, the Tien-te Shang-chiao, the the Tao-yuan, and the Tzu-hui Tang. These are characterised by a belief in a creator deity (usually a cosmic Mother figure) from whom humanity has strayed. These sects also claim to transcend all other religions and, therefore, provide a way by which all these religions can be united. All but one (the Tzu-hui Tang) were founded in mailand China, later moving to Taiwan. The Tzu-hui Tang was itself founded in Taiwn in 1949. Also originating from the mainland are the spirit-writing cults. These are cults which derive religious beliefs and practices from a deity mediating through an entranced medium. The practice of spirit writing has been a part of Chinese life probably since the Tang dynasty (618-907). In the 19th century a spirit-writing movement developed in China and entered Taiwan in the same century. This continues to be part of the Taiwanese religious landscape to the present day. There are, of course, a number of recently emerged distinctively Taiwanese movements. Xuan Yuan Jiao (Religion of the Yellow Emperor) was founded in Taiwan in 1957. Xuan Yuan Jiao represents the attempt to recapture the spirit of pre-Han Chinese religion through incorporating Taoist, Confucianist and Mohist teachings and interpreting these as emanating from a tradition that derives from the Yellow Emperor. The religion is highly political in character since its purpose is to revive Chinas national spirit following the loss of the mainland to communism. Buddhism continues to flourish in Taiwan. Following the Communist victory in mainland China in 1949 a further wave of Buddhist monks arrived in Taiwan from the mainland. This has strengthened the presence of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism in the island and influenced the character of earlier traditions. Since 1950 the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China has been the focal point of Taiwanese Buddhism. This is responsible for ordination ceremonies for Buddhist monks, nuns and lay people. In more recent years Taiwanese Buddhism has adopted a more missionary approach both within Taiwan and abroad, particularly in North America. In the 1960s two important Buddhist organizations emerged: the Tzu Chi Compassion Relief Foundation and Fo Kuang Shan. The first of these was founded in 1966 by a self-ordained nun named Cheng-yen. This organization has sought to introduce a strong degree of social concern into Taiwanese Buddhism. Fo Kuang Shans origins can be dated to 1967 when when a Chinese monk, the Ven. Hsing-yun, opened a temple at Fo Kuang Shan in Southern Taiwan. Like the Tzu Chi Compassion Relief Foundation, Fo Kuang Shan emphasizes social action as a means to promote Buddhist values. More recently, Ling Jiao Shan in the north of Taiwan has become a centre of Buddhist activity. Founded by Master Hsin Tao, Ling Jiao Shan has acquired prominence within Taiwan and beyond on account of its establishment of a museum of world religions with branches in Taiwan and the United States.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch Essay Example for Free

Great Pacific Garbage Patch Essay Everything that we throw into the environment as waste will always come back to haunt us in a larger form than we ever expected. With the level of consumerism that the society today have enjoyed because of the goods available in the market today, wastes also abound and without proper disposal mechanisms, it has led to the degradation of the environment. More so, the convenience of producing commodities in the form of plastic has led more and more wastes to be sent out in the environment. A great number of which has found their way into the oceans to become what is now termed as â€Å"The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. † It is noted for its relatively large size, the contents it has, and the area it has occupied. The Great Garbage Patch is an accumulation of plastic non-biodegradable wastes which have been dumped in the ocean or found its way to the sea from the land. The bottom line is that there is a great amount of garbage found in the ocean that is brought about by human activities. It affects marine life and will later on impact on the health of human beings. Interestingly, it has been noted that the ratio of plastic wastes in the water to that of sea life is 6 is to 1 (â€Å"The Great Garbage Patch,† n. d. ). In light of this information, it is no longer a surprising fact that there are indeed a significant volume of plastics that have been accumulated in the ocean because of the amount of materials dumped in it. The area which this garbage occupies is around 500 nautical miles from the coast of California up to Japan (Jacquot, 2008). The impact it has over the quality of life in the ocean is devastating as it grew more than the zooplankton and affects life within it (Kostigen, 2008). It is indeed proven that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has taken over a large area of the ocean. Knowledge of this term leads people to an informed judgment next time plastics are used and results to a heightened consciousness in terms of their behavior. Moreover, private organizations should adhere to the use of biodegradable plastic or a similar technology in order to help the environment. In the future, the efforts of the individuals and organizations will greatly help in saving the environment. References Jacquote, J. (2008). The Great Pacific Garbage Patch: â€Å"Out of sight, of out of mind. † Retrieved March 9, 2009, from http://www. treehugger.com/files/2008/02/great_pacific_garbage_patch. php. This site provides scientific and factual information regarding the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Kostigen, T. (2008). The world’s largest dump: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Retrieved March 9, 2009, from http://discovermagazine. com/2008/jul/10-the-worlds-largest-dump. It is an account of the author’s experience in relation to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The great garbage patch. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 9, 2009 from http://www. greatgarbagepatch. org/. It basically provides information in order to persuade the readers to take action.

Barn Burning | Analysis

Barn Burning | Analysis The story Barn Burning is an example of coming of age story because the coming of age story entails the initiation of an individual into an enhanced level of self awareness (Coming of Age,29); in other words, coming of age story means that a person realizes something is wrong an tries to change it . By the end of the story Sarty feels loss and rebirth by loosing his family but gaining manhood, this is where he enters the level of self awareness. Sartys attitude changes because he starts growing apart from his father and his family; he also comprehends the big difference between what is right and wrong, and this realization brings Sarty to a higher sense of self awareness. There are accounts in this story where Sarty does not agree with his fathers actions, but he does not allow himself to think about them. Sarty seems tired of his family moving cities each time his father does something bad; Sarty says to himself, maybe hes done satisfied now, now that he hasà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ stopping himself, not to say it aloud even to himself(Faulkner 1957). Sarty still believes that his father will stop burning barns; he wants his father to really know what he is doing and that is wrong. Sarty has faith that his father would mature into a more reasonable person by thinking before acting. Abners actions make Sarty react and realize his father is doing wrong and he is not doing much about it because he is too close to his family and needs to be loyal to them. Sarty starts to mature when he realize that his father is doing wrong, and he decides he wants to do the right thing. For example when he decides to escape, he goes against his father by warning the Negro about h is father wanting to burn the barn, despite what might happen to his father and brother. We see Sarty running, knowing it was too late yet still running even after he heard the shot and, an instant later, two shots, pausing now without knowing he had ceased to run, crying Pap! Pap (Faulkner 1967). Sarty starts to mature and grow up by getting a sense of what his father was doing, he was tired of all his fathers actions and he decided to do something about it, Sarty knew that going against his family was wrong but he decided to do the right thing. Sarty does everything his father tells him to do without saying a word because if he doesnt Abner might beat him. Sartys father says, You got to learn to stick to your blood or you aint going to have any blood to stick to you (Faulkner 1958). These words were stuck into Sartys naive mind many times; that might be the reason why he always defends his father and does not betray him. He knows that lying is wrong, but he has not yet separated from his father, and knows that being silent in the courtroom would help his father. For example, while in the courtroom Sarty has to keep quiet in order to save his father because Sarty knows what his father has done, in the story his father says You were fixing to tell them à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ .He didnt answer. His father struck him with the flat of his hand on the side of the head, hard but without heat à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.(Faulkner 1958). At this point where most children would hesitate and tell everything, Sarty didnt. He face the trial like a man rat her than a boy by the way he behaved in the courtroom and taking things like a real man should. Throughout the story we see Sartys loyalty to be debatable. For example, outside the courtroom when Sarty hears some boys calling his father a barn burner, Sarty goes into his fathers defense, getting into a fight in which he sheds his own blood to protect his fathers good name . Sarty also provides the oil to burn the de Spains barn after the little rug incident; Sarty says, he wont get no the bushels neither. He wont get one (Faulkner 1964). These two examples show how Sartys loyalty towards his father seems to change because of his naive little mind; and he does not know what to do. Sarty is not sure if he should stick to his blood or not. In the end he decides to do the right thing and ends up betraying his father and family and runs away. This coming of age story shows us how an individual, in this case young Sarty, develops an enhanced level of self awareness that is either an end in itself or the psychological and emotional orientation necessary for indoctrination into the su rroundings (Coming of Age 29). In simple words, Sarty has courage and betrays the ones he love in order to do what is right, despite what his father says. This is a thing that not too many people do because of fear. Sarty overcomes that he went against his own blood, and do what is right; this makes the story a coming of age story. Work Cited Faulkner, William. Barn Burning The Norton Anthology: American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. New York. 1955-1967. Print. The Coming-of-Age Story. Short Story Criticism. Ed. Jelena Krostovic. Vol. 130. Detroit: Gale, Cengage Learning,2010. 29-146. Print.

Double-Consciousness in Audre Lorde’s Coal Essay -- Audre Lorde Coal E

Double-Consciousness in Audre Lorde’s â€Å"Coal† There is a double-consciousness, according to W.E Burghardt Du Bois, in which we view ourselves through a veil. Underneath of this veil is the true self. The person that we are in our purest state. The veil itself, however, is how society sees us and our realization of that projection. Looking in a mirror, both layers can be seen. However, the true self is still covered, muddled, unclear beneath the sheer outer shell of expectation. In her poem â€Å"Coal†, Audre Lorde alludes to this concept through the dual image of a piece of coal and a diamond. As a black woman, Lorde only transforms from coal to diamond when she embraces her blackness as coal and, ironically, rejects the societal pressure to conform by speaking her words and embracing that she is black and coal. In the beginning, Lorde equates herself with a piece of coal. She says that she is â€Å"the total black†(2068). As a piece of coal, she is black both inside and out. Being outwardly black, she may still be oppressed by the society around her, her identity being engulfed by the world. In the state of coal, she is merely â€Å"being spoken from the earth’s inside†(2068). Words would be stifled by the surrounding layers of dirt that engulf her. As coal, Lorde is susceptible to the double-consciousness described by Dubois. The poem begins with an â€Å"I†, and continues in the second line to say â€Å"is the total black†(2068). She separates herself from the total black here, indicating that her true self is not necessarily within that â€Å"total black†(2068). She also separates herself from the bad grammar associated with illiteracy that characterizes many black communities. The total black, is not Lorde herself, but in fact,... ...ry occurs when Lorde says â€Å"At this point in time, I believe that women carry within ourselves the possibility for fusion of these two approaches so necessary for survival, and we come closest to this combination in our poetry† (Lorde 2210). Thus, through further exploration of Lorde as a person, new insight is given to the poem â€Å"Coal†. The poem also inadvertently raises questions about other poems when upheld as an example for comparison to elucidate Lorde’s feelings about double-consciousness. This greater understanding and discourse on the subject of double-consciousness is vital to understanding the poem â€Å"Coal† because it is vital to the identity of Audre Lorde as a person. Since her writing is almost exclusively and scrutinizingly about herself, learning about the broader topics and events in Lorde’s life are intrinsic to the specific poem of â€Å"Coal†.

Book Report on A Modern Utopia by H. G. Wells Essay -- Modern Utopia W

Book Report on A Modern Utopia by H. G. Wells H. G. Wells’ book, A Modern Utopia was published in 1905. This book seems to be unique for two reasons. As Wells tells us, it is told from the point of view of "a whitish plump man" that he calls the "Voice" (1). This allows the book to be what Wells calls, "a sort of shot-silk texture between philosophical discussion on the one hand and imaginative narrative on the other" because the Utopia that we visit in the story is the one inside the mind of the "Voice" or the narrator (ix). He (the Voice) is talking to a friend, a botanist that continues with him on his journeys, about utopian thought when suddenly these two men have been transported past Sirius to Utopia, the Voice’s ideal planet that is exactly the mirror of Earth, from geology to each individual person. Sometimes the narrator describes what is actually going on around them, what they are actually doing in Utopia, but more often he talks about what he thinks Utopia should be like, and the reader must interpret this as how this Utopia is, since this Utopia itself is in his imagination. The plot is this: the two men find themselves on this new planet by a feat of imagination. They find a coin on the ground, which pays for the inn at which they stay for a few nights. They speak to a man who dislikes the government and prefers Nature and simplicity. Because they are running out of money, the two men go to the Public Office to try and find work, where they are fingerprinted. The fingerprints surprisingly identify an existing citizen of Utopia, the record of the men’s duplicate. Because of the confusion, the men are shipped to a toy-carving factory in Lucerne, where, because the authorities figure out that they have doubles... ...es not appear in any utopian visions of the ancients, and thus marks this world different from those of antiquity. This brings up an interesting question; since this world is based on capitalism, is it attainable from our present capitalist society? Why or Why not? Is it possible to have a capitalist utopia? The Voice’s double argues that wealth is not power. Is this true? Could it be true under different circumstances? This Utopia is also a global, World State. Is this feasible? Is this necessary? This Utopia proclaims itself imperfect. Is this an oxymoron? Is a society that admits room for improvement a Utopia? The ruling class of this Utopia, the Samurai, is a voluntary ruling class. What problems would this involve? What problems would it solve? Works Cited Wells, H. G. A Modern Utopia. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1967.

Essays --

â€Å"Nurses eat their young.† It is an aged saying in nursing which describes the hazing and lateral violence which frequently occurs in the workplace. The victims of this bullying are usually new graduate nurses or nursing students. New graduates start their careers at the bottom of the proverbial totem pole; spending much of their time trying to learn the ropes and gaining experience as nurses. To the more experienced nurses they may appear to be easy targets with their â€Å"deer in the headlights† faces; believing the newbies are too frightened to fight back. Certain nursing schools, which will remain anonymous, use similar boot camp- like mentality while training their student nurses. The students at these schools remain fearful of their nursing instructors at all times. This instinct is required to survive their harsh reality of nursing boot camp. These students remain fidgety throughout their time in nursing school and this same shell-shocked behavior carries ov er to the early months or even years of their nursing careers. Nursing is supposed to be a field of compassion, the general belief being that most nurses are compassionate, caring human beings. So why are new nurses being hazed instead of nurtured by more experienced nurses and nursing instructors? Does this hazing really exist? If so, why? Is there anything being done to stop this lateral violence subjected upon new graduates? Is there more that can be done to prevent future victimization of new graduate nurses? To investigate these questions a preliminary interview and survey of several new graduate nurses, younger nurses with 2-8 years of experience, highly experienced nurses with 15 or more years of nursing experience, as well as nursing instructors and nursing precept... ...Most nurses chose the field because they are compassionate people and may need to remind themselves they were once new graduate nurses. Another remedy may call for older, savvier nurses, to stick up and defend the new nurses who are being picked on. Even with all the efforts suggested, â€Å"Nurses eating their young† will take time to cure and future study of other possible remedies towards lateral violence will be required. Whether if it is due to stress, burnout, attempt to educate newer nurses, or someone just trying to build their own confidence; these behaviors have existed for many years. It is an obvious problem with documented detrimental effects on young nurses. A true solution will only arise through continued education on the subject, greater enforcements, a little bit of self-reflection, and combined efforts from ALL medical staff members and school staff.

Organizational Culture of Cisco Systems Inc. Essay

Cisco Systems, Inc. is a global company that embodies the many characteristics of a company that values its employees as much as its clients. Cisco listens to their employees and responds to their needs. Cisco Systems has long been recognized as being one of the top 25 best places to work in America because of how its high regard for its employees. Cisco’s Organizational AppealThe appeal of Cisco’s organizational culture is that it appreciates its employees. It offers flexibility that few other companies do. This is particularly appealing to me in that I have observed over the years that many companies forget that if an employee feels like a stakeholder in the business, then he or she will be far more willing to take the extra steps to walk the extra mile to perform to the highest of standards. An unhappy, disgruntled employee, on the other hand, will merely show up, do just enough to keep the boss off his or her back and call it a day. Cisco Systems offers a myriad of perks to its employees including but not limited to:1.Access to on-site childcare. 2.E-learning courses. 3.Formal and in-formal flexibility of work hours that allows for the integration of home and professional life in a comfortable, manageable way. 4.On-site Weight Watchers Programs. 5.Elder Care Assistance. These are but a few of the benefits that Cisco offers. When an employee feels like the company believes in and cares for them as a person, then they believe in that company too. I share the core value of employees coming first with Cisco. I believe that without employees to tote the barge and life the bale, the work will not be done. All too many companies forget that business is like an upside-down pyramid and that the employees are at the top of the pyramid no matter how management may try to think otherwise. The seven characteristics that Cisco Systems employees include stability where growth comes in a balanced manner, outcome orientation, innovation, team orientation, people orientation, organizational easygoingness and detail orientation. Each and every one of these characteristics must be present. They must be present in a manner that is balanced. Should any one of them characteristics become imbalanced, an organization will find itself in deep trouble. Cisco Systems has managed to find and maintain the delicate balance of all of these and their success is reflected in their continued growth and prosperity. However, if I had to narrow the field to just one, I would have to saw their orientation to the team concept, team organization, if you will, is their primary embodiment. Virtually all of their professional activities are organized around partners and teams. Cisco Systems possesses a very strong cultural appeal. This is evidenced by the undeniable fact that they are a leader in cultural diversity and technological advancement. They have earned the respect of their employees and their partners because of this organizational culture. This culture is ethical in nature because to treat employees fairly and as human beings, not just bodies that fill the seats in the cubicles is a matter of morality on the part of the employer. High business morals are consistent with high business ethics. It cannot be denied that Cisco Systems is a model for other organizations to emulate when the layers are peeled away. References: Gildorf, Jeanette W. â€Å"Organizational Vulture.† Business Guidelines. 2006. 18 Mar. 2008 . Stock, G. N. (2007). Organizational Culture. Internal Journal of Production Economics, 106(2), 368-392.