The Alchemist Characters

The characters in The Alchemist are a reflection of the genre of the novel itself. As an allegorical novel, each character represents something more than a mere being living and operating within a fictional context. In fact, The Alchemist itself, aside from being structured like a quest-oriented adventure novel, is a parable of fulfilling one’s own destiny. Santiago A shepherd boy from Andalusia, he is the protagonist of the novel.  His parents wanted him to become a priest, but his inquisitive mind and headstrong personality made him choose to become a shepherd instead, since that would allow him to travel the world. Following a dream about pyramids and buried treasures, Santiago travels from Spain to Egypt, with stints in Tangier and in the El Fayyoum oasis. In his journey, he learns various lessons about himself and about the laws governing the world from a peculiar cast of characters. He is both a dreamer and a self-satisfied, down-to-earth youth—a stand-in for mankind’s impulse to both dream and remember one’s own roots.   Starting his adventure as a shepherd, he becomes a spiritual seeker thanks to his encounter with Melchizedek, and, as he progresses in his quest, he becomes acquainted with the mystical force that imbues the world, called the Soul of the World. Eventually, he learns how to read omens, and is able to communicate with natural forces (the sun, the wind) and supernatural entities, such as the Hand That Wrote All, a stand-in for God. The Alchemist He is the novels’ title character, who lives at the oasis and can turn metal into gold. The alchemist is another teacher figure in the novel, guiding Santiago through the last leg of his trip. He is 200 years old, travels on a white horse with a falcon perched on his left shoulder, and carries a scimitar, the Philosopher’s Stone (capable of turning any metal into gold), and the Elixir of Life (the cure for all ills) with him the whole time. He mainly speaks in riddles and believes in learning through action instead of through verbal institution, as the Englishman does. Under the alchemist’s guidance, Santiago learns to communicate with the world around him, eventually leaning into his own supernatural abilities. Thanks to the alchemist, he undergoes a transformation that echoes the nature of alchemy—the transformation of an element into a more valuable one.  He is connected to the Soul of the World, which provides him with supernatural powers. However, despite the powers that allow him to turn any metal into gold, the alchemist is not motivated by greed. Instead, he believes he has to purify himself before turning any common element into a precious metal. Old Woman She is a fortune teller who interprets Santiago’s dream of pyramids and buried treasures in a straightforward manner and makes Santiago promise he will grant her 1/10 of the treasure he is poised to find. She pairs black magic with iconography of Christ.   Melchizedek/King of Salem A wandering old man, he introduces concepts such as Personal Legend, The Soul of the World, and Beginner’s Luck to Santiago. He also gives him a set of stones, Urim and Thummim, that will answer, respectively, yes and no. Melchizedek is the one who, metaphorically, transforms Santiago from a simple shepherd into a spiritual seeker, and is the first character to showcase any use of magic in the novel.  He is actually a powerful figure of the Old Testament, who was awarded 1/10 of Abraham’s treasure for blessing him.   Crystal Merchant The crystal merchant serves as a foil to Santiago. A merchant in Tangier with a less-than-friendly disposition, he hires Santiago to work at his shop, which results in his business soaring. His Personal Legend consists of making a pilgrimage to Mecca, but he accepts the fact that he will never fulfil his dream.   The Englishman He is a bookish individual obsessed with acquiring knowledge with books, he is determined to learn the ways of alchemy by meeting the mysterious alchemist who is said to live by the El Fayyoum oasis. Given the allegorical nature of The Alchemist, the Englishman represents the limits of knowledge acquired from books.   Camel Herder He was once a prosperous farmer, but then a flood destroyed his orchards and he had to find new ways to support himself. In the novel, he has two functions: he teaches Santiago the importance of living in the moment, and shows how wisdom can be acquired from the most unlikely sources. The camel herder is a keen observer of the omens coming from God. Fatima Fatima is an Arab girl who lives at the oasis. She and Santiago meet when she is filling her water jug at one of the wells, and he falls in love with her. The feeling is mutual, and, being a woman of the desert, she supports Santiago’s quest instead of feeling petty or jealous, knowing that it’s necessary for him to depart, so that he will eventually be able to come back. Even when he hesitates to leave her, she convinces him that he has to go, since she trusts that, if their love is meant to be, he will make it back to her.   Fatima is the love interest of Santiago, and Coelho explores love through their interactions. She is the only female character that’s fairly developed. In fact, she demonstrates that she, too, can understand omens. â€Å"Ever since I was a child, I have dreamed that the desert would bring me a wonderful present,† she tells Santiago.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Now, my present has arrived, and its you.† The Merchant The merchant buys wool from Santiago. Since he worries about scams, he asks him to shear the sheep in his presence.   The Merchant’s Daughter Beautiful and intelligent, she is the daughter of the man who buys wool from Santiago. He feels a mild attraction towards her. The Tribal Chieftain of Al-Fayoum The Chieftain wants to maintain Al Fayoum as a neutral ground, and, as a consequence, his rule is strict. Yet, he believes in dreams and omens.

Gender and Educational Attainment - 1048 Words

There are significant differences between the genders in terms of the educational success of girls and of boys. In the 1960s, boys achieved results that were on average 5% better than girls. Until the mid 1980s, boys out-performed girls at all levels of the education system, with the exception of 11+. Most educational writers read this as being proof that girls were generally less intelligent than boys and that boys were late developers . There was little serious challenge to this type of thinking until the 1960s and 1970s when feminists pointed out that the better school performance of boys was not the result of the superiority of male intelligence, but that the educational experiences of boys and girls were very different.†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, Hartman points out that the attention that is paid to gender differences in achievement is large when compared to the way much larger differences in attainment between the social classes are ignored. Traditionally high achieving females have come from middle-class backgrounds. Riddell (1992) found that middle-class girls shared the achievement values of the school and sought the approval of teachers. Working-class girls saw their futures in terms of the local job market combined with motherhood and domesticity. However, Sharpe (1994) found working-class girls attitudes had changed dramatically in the past 20 years with careers, travel and independence now increasingly valued. Such attitudes reflect what Wilkinson (1994) refers to as the genderquake whereby young females are increasingly striving for a fulfilling career with good earning potential. Thus young women are more confident, assertive and ambitious; striving for gender equality. There has been a huge growth in the numbers of women working, with successful career women operating as positive role models. In 2005, figures show nearly double the number of women entering high status careers such as medicine and the law. Working mothers are providing positive role models for their daughters. Fuller (1984) found in her study of black girls in Brent, that girls were motivated not to end up in dead-end jobs like their mothers. Working class unqualified women still tend to beShow MoreRelatedIn What Ways Do Social Class, Gender and Ethnicity Intersect with Educational Attainment and Participation? Provide Some Examples to Illustrate.1895 Words   |  8 PagesSociology Essay In what ways do social class, gender and ethnicity intersect with educational attainment and participation? Provide some examples to illustrate. Nearly thirteen years into the new millennium and so many of the gaps most noticeable within the education system in the twentieth century have been closed. Attainment and participation in both primary and secondary education is now almost equally open to boys and girls from around the world, and tertiary education is even seeing a biasRead MoreIn What Ways Do Social Class, Gender and Ethnicity Intersect with Educational Attainment and Participation? Provide Some Examples to Illustrate.1887 Words   |  8 PagesSociology Essay In what ways do social class, gender and ethnicity intersect with educational attainment and participation? Provide some examples to illustrate. Nearly thirteen years into the new millennium and so many of the gaps most noticeable within the education system in the twentieth century have been closed. Attainment and participation in both primary and secondary education is now almost equally open to boys and girls from around the world, and tertiary education is even seeing aRead MoreDifferences Between Girls And Girls1703 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the decades there have been noted differences in the educational realm pertaining to gender. Some debate over the differences in learning style with boys and girls. Others conclude that teachers teach and treat boys and girls differently. Society and other factors can influence and cause discrepancies in the overall educational attainment for boys and girls. Historically men have lead the race in educational achievement. However, since the eighties, women have started to be coequalsRead MoreEducation Is The Most Important Actuary1366 Words   |  6 Pageseducation in India implies that Educational Attainment and Opportunities for the Urban Deprived especially children in slums are much lower than for the affluent section of population. 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Yet, even if a person without a 4-year college degree does obtain a job in the nonprofit sector, this study finds that it is more likely that they are going to be working in a temporaryRead MoreThe Role Of Gender Challenging Role Models1710 Words   |  7 PagesThe use of gender challenging role models in the classroom is a method I am going to use during my final professional practice and during my year as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT). I am going to use these demonstrate to both girls and boys that the media depiction of success is not accurate and that success can be measured in various ways. Role models such as Marie Curie, Dian Fossey and Mary Anning are good historical figures to use but children could see these as dull despite their achievementsRead MoreGender inequality: Male underachievement1304 Words   |  6 Pageshigher representation and success. At the post-secondary level women are earning most of the degrees awarded. Where did our males disappear to? Gender ineq uality is an extensive, complex and often vague concept. Simply it is defined as the ranking of a particular gender, whether male or female, over the other and how they are treated based on their gender. Gender inequality and the result of male underperformance in schools have become major issues in the Caribbean, and affect the individuals involvedRead MoreSociology1334 Words   |  6 PagesINEQUALITIES IN EDUCATION GENDER CLASS ETHNICITY CLASS †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯WHY ARE THERE INEQUALITIES BASED ON CLASS? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ INTELLIGENCE? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ VALUES? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ CULTURAL OR MATERIAL FACTORS? INTELLIGENCE †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Some social scientists argue that some people are simply more intelligent than others. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ This assumption results from IQ tests. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ However, IQ tests are a questionable tool to measure intelligence. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Because: standards used in such tests are †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ middle class standards, †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Western cultural context Therefore:Read MoreThe Role Of Culture And Community And The Role Of Peers902 Words   |  4 Pageshigher education purposes. Three different themes are identified in this interview: The Role of Family, The Role of Culture and Community, and the Role of Peers. The Role of Family Alireza’s family played a significant, but subtle role in his educational attainment experience. Indirectly, his parents bought him â€Å"positive† toys, like Legos, to stimulate his mind, established a lax system of rewards and punishment for him as a young child to encourage him to do well in school, and emphasized the importance

Does A Child Know What Being Transgender Essay - 1278 Words

Does a child know what being transgender actually means? What does transgender mean? According to dictionary.com transgender is an adjective that means: â€Å"denoting or relating to a person whose self-identity does not conform unambiguously to conventional notions of male or female gender†(dicionary.com). In simpler words, a person identifies different with their biological sex. In recent studies, more and more of children under the age of ten have claimed to be transgender or have been diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria. These children claim to be born in the wrong body and have a boy or girl brain (http://www.slate.com), but leading scientists have found that there are no differences in a male and female brain (Francoeur 18). The majority of child specialists lean towards the wait and watch program. Debra W. Soh says that children should wait for any medical procedures and that most of them grow out of it. Her exact words were â€Å"I urge families, who are struggling through a sea of mixed information and unknowns, to not act in haste. Know that your support and acceptance will help your child survive this difficult time so that, together, you can make an informed decision when they are ready (https://psmag.com) .† During the early stages of development, children are learning about themselves and have hard times identifying where they fit in. Some girls like being tomboys, but that does not mean they are transgender or want to be. Unfortunately, gender roles encourage young,Show MoreRelatedIn This Paper, I Will Discuss Transgender Children, Specifically1041 Words   |  5 PagesIn this paper, I will discuss transgender children, specifically contextual variables that impact psychological adjustment. Define stress, stressors, and coping strategies, and contemplate their relationship to health and wellness of these. Identify and describe social psychological phenomena. 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Du e to the students revealing their gender identity, several schools had to address some controversies. The Transgender people were having a difficult time accessing the bathrooms on school campusesRead MoreTwo Sides Of The Same Coin. The Struggle Of Old World Blues.1143 Words   |  5 PagesTwo Sides of The Same Coin The Struggle of Old World Blues â€Æ' Two Sides of The Same Coin The Struggle of Old World Blues What is love? What is acceptance? What is it to know who you truly are and be happy with yourself? These are common questions a person thinks to themselves at one point or another in their lifetime. Many people unsure of who they are, unsure how to truly discover themselves, if they would be happy with who they are and if their loved ones or even society will love them the sameRead MoreThe Community Of The Lgbt Community Essay1356 Words   |  6 PagesBrandon Boso, female to male transgender, was eleven when he came out to his parents as transgender. 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The Culture Of The United States Essay - 2213 Words

Culture is very important to individuals, especially for those who reside in the culturally-diverse United States. The United States can be compared to a salad bowl; different cultures and people are involved and tossed together to make one beautiful and delicious salad. People consider culture as a way to celebrate and acknowledge their own traditions and beliefs. It is very easy to keep these traditions when everyone upholds the same respect for them, but, in a world where America is considered as one of the most diverse countries in the world, it is very hard to uphold one absolute culture. While it is a beautiful notion to be so culturally diverse, children of immigrants suffer with identity issues and where they stand as an American. With several stereotypes against first-generation children, such as Asian-Americans being portrayed as the â€Å"model minority†, it proves that first-generation Asian-Americans has to go through a lot to determine how they should balance the ir Asian history and American upbringing. Cultural syncretism is defined as â€Å"a concept that refers to the social processes by which the beliefs and practices of two cultures mix and create a new cultural characteristics† (what). This definition is what best describes the experience that Eddie Huang had in his youth. â€Å"Fresh off the Boat† is his memoir and a TV show that takes audience back to Eddie’s childhood where he and his family struggles from being the only Asian in a white-dominated community. TheShow MoreRelatedCulture And Culture Of The United States1381 Words   |  6 PagesMany cultures are recognized in the United States, the question is where did they all come from?, and how does integration of cultural choices influence today s culture? To understand this you have to understand history. The people of today, their ancestors, have all migrated to different places throughout the united states so you could say that we are all immigrants. Ma ny cultures are rather similar to others because they have migrated from the same parts of the world, but yet some show a majorRead MoreThe Culture Of The United States997 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States is made up of different cultural groups that often been Americanized, due to the cultural dominance. The dominant culture in a society is seen in a group of members that are the majority or has more power over other culture groups. American culture dominances is seen through their values. America is materialized culture; their culture is seen through the value American dream, style, food and political values. The diffusion of cultural dominance in America has been causing negativeRead MoreThe Culture Of The United States1057 Words   |  5 PagesWithin each culture you will find various items called material culture that is associated with that cultural group in a certain way (Little, 2014). These items may or may not be unique to that specific culture. However, these items represent the different ideas or beliefs of that culture. These ideas and beliefs are referred to as the nonmaterial culture (Little, 2014). In the United States there are shared ideas about certain material culture that stretches from coast to coast. Some of the ideasRead MoreThe Culture Of The United States Essay1773 Words   |  8 Pagestime, cultures develop automatically. Regardless of how a culture was during the time of a country’s start, it will become completely different over a long period. Societies differ across the globe; however, their origins are all connected. For instance, America came into being by a mixture of people from around the word who originated from many different places, each with unique cultures. Therefore, the framework during the start of America was just bits and pieces of other country’s cultures. InRead MoreUnited Arab : Culture And The United States964 Words   |  4 PagesUnited Arab Emerites Culture In February of 1971, President His Highness Sheikh Azayden bin Sultan AI Nahyan united six states from the United Arab Emirates (â€Å"UAE,† 2015). The six states are Abu Dhabi, Ajmna, Dubai, Fijairah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain. This established the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The next year, United States of America became the third country to establish formal diplomatic relations with UAE. In 1972 the United States established its Embassy in Abu Dhabi which resultedRead MoreSouthern United States Culture1343 Words   |  5 PagesSouthern United States Culture The Southern United States is a very interesting place, full of culture and history, such as the Civil War battlefields or the antique shops that you see along the side of the road as you drive through this beautiful part of the United States. It has many different characteristics and many different special things that make it unique. Globalization and Identity, Ethnicity, Religion, The Social Construction of Race, Gender Roles, Class, Places and Spaces (RegionalRead MoreUnited States Political Culture754 Words   |  4 Pagesthe political culture in George Orwell’s novel, 1984; a stark, depressing world where â€Å"Big Brother† is watching you at all times. The political culture of the Untied States, thankfully, is a much more democratic and freeing environment. â€Å"Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...† is what we live by, not â€Å"Freedom is slavery.† The political culture of the United States is made up of two main concepts: liberty and equality. These will be discussed in this paper. United States; a country foundedRead MoreThe American Culture Of The United States Essay1303 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican culture is mainly western. Despite the fact that westernisation has dominated the culture, it has largely been influenced by Africans. It is as a result of the Africans who at first stayed and worked in American soils. Their presence had a greater impact in the way people in the United States Lives. The United States has their owner and distinct characteristics in the way they live. Their culture is so diverse as a result of the interaction with other people in the world especially the AfricansRead MorePolitical Culture Of The United States1513 Words   |  7 PagesPolitical culture in the United States is about a person’s behavior, value and belief. Most important ideas of political culture are the rights of people, responsibility of both the people and the government and the relationship between people and the government. Common languages and symbols a re used in political culture to unite people. However, the understanding of a constitution, freedom of speech and voting divide people. What is a constitution? A constitution is an agreement that representRead MoreCulture Shock Of The United States Essay1537 Words   |  7 PagesCulture Shock has played a tremendous role in the growth of cultural ecology because it is an issue that is constantly growing all over the world. In the United States, it may not seem like things are changing involving culture shock, but it is not any different then the changes in places like Africa and China for example. It is developing equally across the world because there are now more ways to travel. So, what exactly is culture shock anyways? Well, it is known as going to a foreign or unfamiliar

The Positive Effects of the Internet Free Essays

string(310) " from the internet and if you ask any long-distance couple they’ll very easily be able to reel you off some positive effects of internet use as it allows them to talk every night without wracking up a ridiculously long phone bill on Skype or MSN, and how it even allows them to see each other on the webcam\." Positive effects of the internet Internet, as most of us know, is a large network of networks, which communicate with each other by means of data packets. Internet is regarded as the largest information base. Today, Internet has become an integral part of our daily lives. We will write a custom essay sample on The Positive Effects of the Internet or any similar topic only for you Order Now We depend on the Internet to update ourselves about current news and rely on the communication platform it offers to get in touch with our near ones. The information from all around the world is just a click away, thanks to the Internet. Internet has surely affected the society positively. With the onset of the Internet, access to information has become easy. Internet has served being an efficient and organized storage of information. Internet search engines are the best information retrieval systems that are functional over the Internet. Typing in a simple search query to a search engine fetches you thousands of search results. Moreover, the ranking strategies adopted by the search engines ensure that the most relevant results are delivered to you on priority. The search engines crawl over all the information that seems relevant to your search query. They retrieve the most relevant results in top order, thus helping you fetch the required information with great ease. Information is truly a click away! The Internet provides some of the most effective means of communication. Emails and instant messages have made online communication possible. Social networking and blogging websites and online discussion forums have proved being popular platforms of expression. People in different parts of the world can collaborate over the Internet. They can exchange views, share information and work together over the Internet. It was the development of the Internet that made online education and distance learning possible. Professionals working in physically distant locations can collaborate their efforts, thanks to the Internet. Today, the Internet is a part of every sphere of life. Looking at the wide range of the positive effects of Internet, it is sure to rein in future too! Go through these basic Internet terms for a technical know-how of the world wide web. As with any new technology, everyone is always talking about the negative side effects of the internet and saying how it ruins real face to face relationship, fills our minds with filth and damages our eyes and melts our brains. As usual it’s the panic mongers whose voices are most heard in the media and it’s gotten to such a point that people begin to feel guilty when they boot up their computer. The same things were said about rock music when records were at their most popular, and about televisions when they were first invented. The fact of the matter remains however that we still use both music players and televisions and that the internet isn’t going anywhere either. The reason for this is that although all these things do have a few downsides (like anything), they also have a plethora of upsides. The positive effects of internet use far outweigh the negatives, whether you’re a child, a pensioner or a business man and to say otherwise is not only small minded but destructive. Before we get onto the positive effects of internet use, let’s start with these much touted negative side effects. The naysayers would have us believe that the internet prevents us from interacting on a face to face basis and destroys old fashioned pursuits of writing letters and speaking on the phone; people even meet their spouses online these days! With business and finance now handled online we’re also far too dependent on the internet and would be at a loss should it break down. With the internet in our pocket we’re now never ‘disconnected’ and are at our boss’ beck and call 24 hours a day. Our bank cards are also more susceptible than ever to fraud and theft†¦ And through all this we’re getting addicting and neglecting our real relationships, stuck inside in a more and more hermit like existence. They also say that sitting in front of a computer prevents us from getting outside and basking in fresh air and instead gives us repetitive strain injuries, hunched over spines and square eyes. As though this wasn’t enough, when we are sat inside on the computer we’re mostly looking at filth as that’s what the internet is comprised of – and having so much temptation and porn at our finger tips can only be a bad thing. The temptation isn’t limited to porn though – we’re also surrounded by bad investments and all-to-easy online shops not to mention gambling sites. And it’s not just ourselves we affect online – we also damage industries by downloading free books and music and downloading pirated movies. The internet provides a hiding place for all the perverts and weirdoes to meet online and to talk about completely irresponsible and antisocial subjects in a way that they could never get away with online. Adverts for penis enlargement, Viagra and Bestiality pop up every two minutes and find their way into our inboxes. Never mind the positive effects of internet use; all this is something you’re willing to expose your children to? The truth of the matter though is that all these things are simply symptoms of our own psyche as a race and if you look at them slightly differently you’ll see that many of these ‘downsides’ actually represent progress and the positive effects of internet use. Firstly, the accusation that the internet ruins ‘real life’ relationships is a bit of a misnomer and perhaps what people are forgetting here is that those people at the other ends of e-mails and on social networking sites actually are ‘real life’ people too. In the case of sites such as Facebook and others then, you’re actually more in contact with people than you would be otherwise and in fact need never lose contact with anyone ever again. Romantic relationships also benefit from the internet and if you ask any long-distance couple they’ll very easily be able to reel you off some positive effects of internet use as it allows them to talk every night without wracking up a ridiculously long phone bill on Skype or MSN, and how it even allows them to see each other on the webcam. You read "The Positive Effects of the Internet" in category "Papers" And for those who actually meet online†¦ so what? For those who lack the social skills or the opportunity to meet people in more traditional ways (and what’s so elegant about snogging someone drunkenly in a club anyway? ), it can be a great way to meet someone that they might not otherwise. Taking away the ‘physical’ element to begin with may even make the relationship less shallow and get both parties to visit new and exotic locations. There are also positive effects of internet usage in business. While it’s true that office workers are now spending less and less time ‘relaxing’ with no internet connection and so no capacity to work; it also means that they have to take fewer trips into the office and means that some people can now work entirely from home and set up their own businesses. And by ‘working from home’ what we really mean, again thanks to the internet, is working from anywhere – while travelling, in a pub or while chilling in the hot tub. It also means fewer business trips abroad when people can make video conferences far more easily which means more time with the family and less damage to the environment. Who’d have thought being eco-friendly would be one of the positive effects of internet use? While many technologies have taken jobs away from the public, the internet has opened up a wealth of opportunities and heralded an age where anyone can be published and anyone can be an entrepreneur. Even if you only sell a few old items on e-bay; anyone can make money online. With the ‘One Child One Laptop’ scheme that’s heading to Africa, and the large-scale attempts to provide the continent with a secure internet connection this could see one of the largest continents joining us online to share their views and earn themselves some money. This will give them access to all the education they could need as well as the resources they’d need to make the most of that. Many of them could see themselves working their way out of poverty – and online they can expect the same wages as other continents as its faceless nature eradicates discrimination. One of the positive effects of internet use then is that it could help some people in escaping from the poverty trap. And yes more of our personal information is now available online and to an extent that does leave us vulnerable. At the same time however, bank robberies are a thing of the past and most of us no longer carry more than ? 20 on us at a time. If we are careful and follow the guidelines advised by the banks and online businesses, then our data should be safer than it was before – it’s shredding the hard copies you need to be careful of. And the internet is full of filth. Well okay that’s quite true, but to be fair that’s not all it’s filled with either. Apart from anything else the internet is filled with knowledge and information. If you’re friend or your child started spending lots of time in the library you’d be impressed right? Well the internet is essentially the largest library of all, and even if you don’t aim to use it for learning purposes it’s pretty hard to go online without learning something. The news for instance is flashed on most search engines and e-mail providers’ home pages and it’s far to tempting not to use Wikipedia as a means to settle debates and disagreements. Wikipedia and other sites in general in fact provide almost everything you could ever need to know right at your finger tips. Furthermore, simply interacting with people from other cultures is bound to help make you more cultured and worldly. Just getting to see other people’s points of view on forums and in chat rooms (and sharing their point of view is something people are only too pleased to do online, just check out YouTube for proof) will make you more open minded and a more reasoned critic. Improve your knowledge and informing your points of view are two of the most important positive effects of internet use. As for all that temptation†¦ Well the amount of porn on the internet really only reflects how sex-obsessed we are as a culture and blaming the internet isn’t going to achieve anything. If someone really wants to access porn they’ll find a way, and surely it’s better that they vent their sexual frustration in a safe environment and for free? And anyway, masturbation in itself is completely natural and not unhealthy so there’s not really anything to be worried about. Sure there’s some rather extreme stuff on there, but that will always exist internet or no, and if you want to prevent you kids from seeing it you just need to set up a filter. And as for those ‘all too easy’ online shops, most of them provide significant discounts on their items meaning that you can afford to be a bit more materialistic. In doing so you’re also putting money back into the economy, so again what many people view as a bad thing is actually one of the positive effects of internet use. Destroying industry and providing a place for these deviant ‘subcultures’ to converse? Those too are perhaps the most positive effects of internet use. These are the things that promise to change the way politics and business work forever and potentially usher in a new age of supreme democracy and resources. Granted, there are some sub groups online that we’d probably rather there weren’t, but at least if they’re online they can talk to each other and leave us alone. Other ‘subcultures’ however simply reflect different ways of thinking – and the internet gives them an open forum to freely express themselves, something that everyone has a right to do. The anonymity and freedom that the internet gives us can also be a good thing as well as bad. On the one hand it does allow people to get away with things they would otherwise, and to lie about their identity. On the other hand however it also further oils the cogs of democracy by giving people an opportunity to speak freely without fear of retribution and gives everyone a voice. It also gives people the opportunity to ‘try out’ different personas and shed their social anxiety which can be a liberating experience. On the internet racism is also impossible when anonymity is observed – it is a place where people are judged only on the quality of their contributions. This expression then gives a voice to those who wouldn’t be heard otherwise, and petitioning can take part on a global level where people are united by cause rather than geographical location. Soon governments may take advantage of this open forum and start listening more closely; an age may exist where we all get a say on every decision that affects us, where we act as ‘one mind’ in decisions that affect the general public, but as completely autonomous and free individuals the rest of the time. And as for the free exchange of movies, books and CDs – well many companies and artists have found that by freely distributing their material they actually make much more money by generating a larger following. Information is a resource that will never run dry and so to charge for it could be seen as immoral. Particularly as the internet allows all of us to create and market our own work. In time then, most things will be free and money will mostly be made via advertising sponsorship. So in conclusion, the positive effects of internet use have only just begun, and if we continue as we are and ignore the pessimistic doom-mongers then it won’t be long before we’ve heralded in a new age where true democracy and the free flow of information and art are commonplace. With this in mind, who really cares if it’s full of porn? How to cite The Positive Effects of the Internet, Papers

Architectural Engineering Design Management â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Architectural Engineering Design Management? Answer: Introducation Behavior and personality of a person heavily depends on the cultural and societal background that person is from. A business organization operates on human resource and when two or more people come together there are certain ways of mannerisms and globally accepted principles that have to be followed to maintain respect, honesty and a sense of professionalism. The study that deals with the human behavior in an institutional or organizational setting is called organizational behavior. It is the process of analyzing the interaction, communication. It is important to understand the trends of organizational behavior to motivate the employees and help them to increase high efficiency. There are two divisions to organizational behavior firstly it deals with the nature of human beings and secondly the nature of an institution. The concept that are studied under organizational behavior have significant impact on improving the productivity and ensuring high performance of the employees of the organization, it also helps in increasing the level of job satisfaction, encouraging leadership and promoting innovation and creativity. Several ideas and planning of policies and decision making takes place in an organization so that positive outcomes are achieved from the work force of the company in order to generate high performance. It is not only important for the general aim and objective of the company it also plays a significant role in achieving smooth day to day operations (Christina et al. 2014). Common policies and decisions taken by the management owing to the concept of organizational behavior are: reorganization a group so that people get more opportunity to work with each other rather than adjusting to a group which he or she may be unhappy with, improving and execution of employee friendly method of performance assessment, improving the remuneration and compensation policies etc. In order to understand the importance of organizational behavior here is an example, differences in the cultural background of the people working together is good for the organization but a kiss on the check as a way of appreciation is a western culture where as it is regarded as offensive in some eastern cultures. Organizational behavior study offers the management insights about the diverse cultural background of the resources employed in organization. It provides the management with an opportunity to identify the challenges and issues faced by the resources and help the management find a solution to the problems and issues (Christina et al. 2014). Together with the human resource department, the management and the executives of an organization are able to formulate policies and take decisions to make the work culture of the organization more efficient for the employees. One of the significant aspects of organizational behavior is motivation. Motivation is very important to make the employees feel that the work they are doing for the company is valuable and that the company is happy to have them. It is seen that motivation increases the work efficiency and appreciation gives an individual a boost of confidence. Maslows needs theory works in an organization as it give the management an idea about what can motivate an individual. It is easy to think that monetary increment behaves as an incentive, but it is always not the case (Wood et al. 2016). The next theory is the ABC model of attitude describes that there are three basic elements that affect the attitude of an individual: affective, behavioral and cognitive. A certain situa tion, circumstance, thought, idea or any other individual might impact the attitude of an individual this is called the affective attitude. For example, two associates in an organization have an argument over a certain topic therefore refusing to work as a team with each other. When an individual interacts or counter acts with an attitude its called behavior. Example: An employee offers a resignation because he or she had an argument or a disagreement with the senior or a fellow employee. Cognitive element is the thought that is associated with an attitude. Example: A person bows down to represent hour and respect and the other person appreciates the effort and reciprocates (Christina et al. 2014). For a business organization it is very common to face a crisis situation on a daily basis. For example: health and safety of the employees are a common issue when it comes to oil and gas industry. There are several incidents of falls, explosions and exposure to hazardous gas and chemicals. The industry has received a lot of criticism and complaints regarding the ethical stand point of the industry in these cases. In order to combat the situation and reducing the incidents of occupational dangers that are associated with the industry several technological and innovations are in the pipeline for the management of these companies to implement. Guideline and rules that are set by third party authorities are strictly followed in order to reduce accidents and health hazards. Another ethical issue that is commonly faced by organization is the gender discrimination. Women and men being treated in a different way is one of the most common issues of the society since ages. It is seen that some companies offer night shifts only to men workers to safeguard the women employees from various problems that can occur due t night shifts. But it is debatable how fair it is for the male employees. Rotational shifts can be introduced and a choice can be offered to both the male and the female employees to opt for night shifts. Special compensation for people working in the night shifts can be introduced in order to motivate the workers (Wood et al. 2016). According to Zhou, Meier and Spector (2014) discusses about counterproductive work behavior. The impact of this is negative in the work culture and organizational behavior along with the daily operation of the business. The employees who are highly agreeable that is they understand the reasons for a policy or a decision taken by the management tend to be more supportive than the others who are not easy to convince. Furthermore, the people who are highly conscientious are careful and take their job seriously in a responsible manner. Apart from this the resources that have a high emotional stability offer a positive impact on the work culture as a whole motivating and inspiring people around to increase efficiency and encourage high performance. However, job satisfaction is directly responsible to the amount o stress a person is in the work environment. Attitude is a significant and useful aspect in an individual. It drives a person towards positivity or negativity, for example an indi vidual with a positive attitude and is motivated in nature, this aspect will drive the person to work in a better and improved manner and guarantee high performance without any external motivation form the management. It is also seen that positive attitude is contagious and it influences people around to work better as well. Positive attitude helps a person have a positive outlook to any crisis situation as well, which in turns helps that person to deal with the situation better (Baldonado 2015). Organizational behavior study also helps the human resource department of a business organization in the hiring process as it clearly designated the qualities and the attributes that will be required for the vacant place in the organization. Understanding of Organizational behavior provides the management aid with rules, regulations and guidelines for the smooth operation on a daily basis (Demirtas and Akdogan 2015). Job satisfaction is the level at which a person feels committed towards an organization in respect to the type of work, work environment work culture etc. Factors that determine job satisfaction are firstly remuneration or the salary that the employee is being offered in exchange for the service and the job that he or she has to perform for the organization is the primary reason of job satisfaction for many people. An employee gets a boost of confidence and morale when they are being appreciated by their seniors or co-workers; this is an important abstract factor affecting job satisfaction. Sometimes organizations become too strict on the rules and regulations to the extent where the employee starts feeling chocked within the organization (Pinder 2014). Hence it is important for the management to involve in a mixture of formal and informal approach in interaction and communication. It is important to have an interactive relation in between an employee and the management of the compan y in order to create a situation of ease and comfort. Lastly, if the work that the employee is engaged in is not pleasing him or her; or doesnt cater to his or her forte then it may be difficult for him to continue with the job reducing the satisfaction level even if the remuneration and other factors are positive (Demirtas and Akdogan 2015). Management should care about the job satisfaction level and organizational commitment as it offers high rate of employee retention which in turn increases the goodwill of the company in the industry and also among the employees. Motivated and satisfied employee ensures high performance and high productivity for the organization which is very important and also ensures that the work environment in the organization is happy and content. Reference list: Baldonado, A.M., 2015. Workplace fun: Learning from google, southwest airlines, and facebook.International Journal,15. Christina, S., Dainty, A., Daniels, K. and Waterson, P., 2014. How organisational behaviour and attitudes can impact building energy use in the UK retail environment: a theoretical framework.Architectural Engineering and Design Management,10(1-2), pp.164-179 Demirtas, O. and Akdogan, A.A., 2015. The effect of ethical leadership behavior on ethical climate, turnover intention, and affective commitment.Journal of Business Ethics,130(1), pp.59-67. Pinder, C.C., 2014.Work motivation in organizational behavior. Psychology Press. Wood, J.M., Zeffane, R.M., Fromholtz, M., Wiesner, R., Morrison, R., Factor, A., McKeown, T., Schermerhorn, J.R., Hunt, J.G. and Osborn, R.N., 2016.Organisational behaviour: Core concepts and applications. John Wiley Sons Australia, Ltd. Zhou, Z.E., Meier, L.L. and Spector, P.E., 2014. The role of personality and job stressors in predicting counterproductive work behavior: A three?way interaction.International Journal of Selection and Assessment,22(3), pp.286-296.