The Qualities of a Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli

In The Qualities of a Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli discusses the attributes that he believes make for a good leader. Although Machiavelli wrote The Qualities of a Prince centuries ago, some of the qualities he advises a prince to have can be adapted to the leaders of today. Some of these qualities include being generous and being feared by the public. Machiavelli claims that if â€Å"generosity is used in such a manner as to give you a reputation for it will harm you. † Today, this advice is completely useless.Pope Francis of the Catholic Church is a prime example of how being generous is, in fact, a good quality of a leader. Recently, the pope has been venturing out of the Vatican at night to help the homeless men and women. Due to his generosity, people have grown fonder of Pope Francis, making him a better leader with loyal followers. Pope Francis breaks bread with the homeless and sits with them to show them that they are loved. These generous acts make him more of a lovabl e leader, and show the people of the Catholic Church that they are in good hands.Machiavelli also states that â€Å"it is much safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking. † This advice, on the other hand, is reliable today. A recent leader who is feared by the public is Kim Jong-Il of North Korea. Kim Jong-Il is known for being a totalitarian dictator, giving his people little to no political rights or civil liberties. He has also forced women into marriage, mandated abortions, tortured his people, executed citizens publicly, and used forced labor in prison camps.The fear of Kim Jong-Il and his incredibly strict and derogatory regulations allowed him to rule over North Korea without being assassinated by his people. Kim Jong-Il proves that being feared can be more effective than being loved by the people. Today, there must be an equal balance between generosity and being feared. Pope Francis and Kim Jong-Il prove that both tactics are effective in leading, but the situations in which they are effective vary. Therefore, Machiavelli was correct in that being feared is a quality of a good leader, but was mistaken in believing that being generous did not make for an effective leader.

Eulogy of Piggy Essay

Hello, my name is Ralph. We gather here today to remember our dearest friend, Piggy. Piggy was a misunderstood, brave boy with a big heart, only wanting what was best for his friends, who’s been taken from us by savagery, stupidity and pride. I hadn’t met Piggy before the crash. All I remember was waking up after it happened, and found a boy lying near a tree. When I walked over to him, we introduced each other. I told him my name was Ralph, and waited for a reply in return. But he hesitated to tell me his name was Piggy, as he thought I would I would tease him, but I told him that I would never tease him about it. Later we found the conch to help us locate the other boys who had survived. When we went around introducing ourselves to the others, they weren’t so lenient on teasing Piggy. Piggy was a strong and good hearted boy, especially when the others teased him, took his glasses or talked over him. Even though Jack and his hunters again and again pushed him to the edge, he would stand strong and not lose his temper, and I greatly respect him for not letting his pride or emotions give in to the bullies. Another thing I valued in Piggy was that he was always supportive in the things I did, even if they went wrong or if Jack had something negative to say about it. Piggy had so many good qualities, that no one ever noticed which will be greatly regretted by many. To be truly truthful, Piggy was the closet thingy I had to a best friend, and it kills me to know that I will never see him again, and I guess if he was here with us today, he would say keep you head up Ralph, and everything will be alright. Piggy will be sorely missed.

Medicine and Thesis Statement

Some people think old buildings should be destroyed and replaced with modern buildings. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Study foreign language at overseas is beneficial or not agree or disagree with extent? D? u hi? u trong d? bai: Only, the most important, some, all, necessary, many M? d? u: NP†¦. Brings the negative and positive that lead to wide discussion. Thesis statement: Example 1 Some people believe that it is acceptable for young children to undertake jobs that they are paid for, whereas others believe that this is wrong and should be illegal. This essay will discuss both sides of the issue.Example 2 At present, more and more young children are becoming involved in paid work. Whilst some people are of the opinion that this is an entirely acceptable practice, others believe that this is completely wrong and should be made illegal. Example 3 At present, more and more young children are becoming involved in paid work. Whilst some people are of the opinion that thi s is an entirely acceptable practice,  I believe  that this is completely wrong and should be made illegal. 2) Agreeing or Disagreeing Currently there is a trend towards the use of alternative forms of medicine.However, at best these methods are ineffective, and at worst they may be dangerous. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? A thesis statement that  agrees with the opinion: Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine and it is still used by many people all over the world. However, I strongly believe that this form of medicine does not work and is possibly a danger to those using it. A thesis statement that  disagrees with the opinion: Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates onventional medicine and it is still used by many people all over the world. I am unconvinced that it is dangerous, and feel that both alternative and conventional medicine can be useful. A thesis statement that  partly agrees with the opinion: Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine and it is still used by many people all over the world. I agree that for certain conditions this type of medicine is ineffective and could even be dangerous, but for some illnesses it is a good alternative choice. Government investment in the arts, such as music and theatre, is a waste of money.Governments must invest this money in public services instead. To what extent do you agree with this statement? These days, the government spends a large part of its budget not only on public services, but also the arts. Although I agree that it is important to spend money on public services, I do not think spending on the arts is a waste of money. 3) Other Essays Problems and solutions: Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.Sample thesis in bold: Many countries of the world are currently experiencing problems caused by rapidly growing populations in urban areas. Both governments and individuals have a duty to find ways to overcome these problems. Causes and Effects: The percentage of overweight children in western society has increased by almost 20% in the last ten years. Discuss the causes and effects of this disturbing trend. Over the last ten years, Western societies have seen close to a 20% rise in the number of children who are overweight.This essay will discuss some reasons why this has occurred and examine the consequences of this worrying trend. Advantages and Disadvantages: In order to solve traffic problems, governments should tax private car owners heavily and use the money to improve public transportation. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution? Traffic congestion in many cities around the world is severe. One possible solution to this problem is to impose heavy taxes on car driver s and use this money to make public transport better. This essay will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of such a measure.

The British Royal Marine Corps' Influence on The United States Marine Research Paper

The British Royal Marine Corps' Influence on The United States Marine Corps - Research Paper Example This paper is dedicated to the study of British Royal Marine Corps’ influences on the United States Marine Corps. The United States attitudes and reactions to the presence of the British corps in their land. When the British gained control of the United States Maritime, they resulted in treating the United States residents as akin to slaves. Stating that the British treated United States Corps cruelly would be an understatement. This was bound to evoke feelings of reprisal in the community of the United States’ Corps. In order to understand the complexities of the reactions of the United States corps towards the British corps, it is imperative to first analyze the manner in which the British authority treated the Indians. The facts that have been publicized concerning the British rule in United States corps give a glimpse of the sad realities that faced the population of the Briton at that time. With respect to the British population in India at the time, the Indians di d not have any rights. An example of the treatment they faced is best exemplified by the fact that they were not allowed to walk on the sidewalks next to the British. Failure to adhere to this and any other baseless law resulted in the incarceration of the Indian outlaw. It is right to refer to wrongdoers as such since they basically received treatment akin to outlaws. While inside the jails and prisons, the Indians were severely beaten and abused by the commanding British police officers. The treatment of the United Corpse at that time is akin to the treatment of the black population by the Americans in the nineteenth century.

The Limitations of the Behaviourist Approach to the Study of Learning, Essay

The Limitations of the Behaviourist Approach to the Study of Learning, with Reference to Chomsky's Critique of Skinner - Essay Example Chomsky’s works have been rated as the most influential pieces in the study of psychology particularly concerning behaviourism. In this case, a lot of transformations were witnessed amongst learners who studied the language. With his works labelled as classics, and having all the evidence in regard to the study of language, as opposed to behaviourism that is too general, this work shall aim to understand the limitations of the behaviourist approach, with the reference to Skinner. 2.0. Body In the views of Noam Chomsky, the aspect of behaviour cannot be understood in the study of B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning. According to the thoughts of Routledge & Chapman (2005) Chomsky indicates that Skinner’s work is the worst ever written in the history of psychology. In this case, Chomsky indicates that his work comprises tangible evidence and conclusions as compared to the behaviourism standpoint. First, Chomsky argues against the viewpoint of Skinner’s learni ng through operant conditioning by arguing that one cannot study the behaviour of an individual, but not the components under study. The psychologists in this case, must not rely on the existing evidence and the abilities portrayed by the individuals, but the psychologists must go a step ahead and analyze the contents of the brain of the persons under study. From the brain, the researchers are likely to understand how the behaviours portrayed by the individuals have come into practicality. The brain, according to Chomsky (2006), is the root of the behaviours portrayed by the individual. The behaviours are simply a replica of the processes that go on in the individuals’ brain and cannot be alienated from the end product that is the behaviours of the individuals (Chomsky, 2006). In relation to Chomsky, Skinner went for end product- the behaviours portrayed- without getting to the grounds in which the behaviour has its roots. According to Altmann & Gaskell (2007), Chomsky emphas ises that study of the brain gives evidence of the behaviours portrayed by the individuals. In his work, Chomsky compares the study of behaviour to referring to Physics as readings in Science without considering the fact that the readings are mere data collected after an occurrence of a certain experiment by the learners or scientists in the laboratory (Randall, 2007). The study, analysis, testing and comparisons of data in the study of any field are compulsory. The end product cannot be alienated from its components; thus, the study of behaviour by Chomsky holds much evidence as compared to Skinner’s study on operant conditioning and learning. On another view point, Chomsky indicates that yet another limitation of Skinner’s behaviourist approach is that he relied so much on speculations as compared to critical study of the conditional behaviour. Scheer (2010) indicates that Skinner applied experimental investigations that had unfounded experimental techniques that wou ld have led to his study to having valid evidence on human behaviour. The limited significance of the techniques led to the coming up with the premise that behaviour cannot rely on inferences, but critical analysis of facts. According to Shackelford & Vonk (2012), Chomsky holds the view that language can only be understood in relation to Information

Coastal Erosion on Essex Coast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Coastal Erosion on Essex Coast - Essay Example Expenditure on coasts has risen to protect the coast from further depletion as well as shielding nearby residences from flooding. People have tried for many years to control erosion by the abrasive forces of the ocean. In the following paragraphs, I will depict some of the reasons for the erosion of international coastlines. Then, find will analyze the types of sea defences that can protect coastlines. Then we will evaluate which sea defence is will aid Clacton on Essex coast. Coastal erosion is the local loss of coastal landmass due to natural processes such as waves, winds and tides, or even due to human interference. There are many reasons why there is an erosion happens on coastland. A simpler reason is because the pounding of waves that affect the shoreline daily (i.e. High tide and low tide.) The natural causes such as storms, hurricanes, instanteous surges toward the shore can change the form of the shore. Large storm-generated waves often cause coastal erosion, which may take the form of long-term losses of sediment and rocks, or merely in the temporary redistribution of coastal sediments. Erosion in one location may result in accretion nearby. On rocky coasts, coastal erosion can result in dramatic rock formations in areas where the coastline contains stones with a plethora of resistances to erosion. The softer areas of a beach will be eroded much faster than the harder ones, which can result in typical structural land masses such as tunnels, bri dges, columns, and pillars. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_erosion) Some insinuate the temperature change of the climate due to global warming may contribute to erosion. As the planet's temperature rises, the ice caps in the north and south begin to melt and results in higher sea levels. The increased in temperature is do to emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The planetary climate system varies through natural, internal processes and in response to variations in external factors including solar radiation, volcanic emissions, and human proliferated greenhouse gases. The detailed causes of the recent warming remain an active field of research, but the scientific studies insists that increased levels of greenhouse gases due to human activity as the main component. This attribution is clearest for the most recent fifty years, for which the most detailed data are available. Contrasting with this view, other hypotheses have been proposed to explain some of the observe d increase in global temperatures, including: the warming is within the range of natural variation; the warming is a consequence of coming out of a prior cool period, namely the Little Ice Age; or the warming is primarily a result of variances in solar radiation, higher sea levels will strengthen the displacement of sediments and can affect coastal habitats. In addition, droughts can cause vegetation to die. When the vegetation dies, the land is loose because the roots no longer can hold together the ground because it is decaying. Therefore, coastal erosion can easily uproot and erode the dry land mass. Furthermore, flooding has been for centuries a major problem for residents residing near shores. Not only does water destroy property or sacrosanct materials, but it can decapitate homes and threaten life. Coastal erosion affects homes, tourism, and businesses. When many settle in a coastal area, they begin building homes. Then, if that area has a tourist attraction,

English - Literary Criticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

English - Literary Criticism - Essay Example To Eagleton, mass culture has a role in society, and that role is to connect the social experience in a discourse. To this end, Eagleton sees literary criticism in this light as being traditional, for this was the traditional mode of literary criticism through the ages. All the while, literary criticism should draw upon diverse fields, such as gender studies, psychoanalytic studies, film studies, cultural theory and the writings of the past (Eagleton, 1984, p. 123). Thus, for Eagleton, as for most critics, a simple story of talking pigs who take over a farm and soon become despotic is seen not in terms of its literary merit, but, rather, as an allegory for something else – the Russian Revolution. The criticism must take this into account, and, thus, the criticism must have a basis in historical thought and politics. Mass culture, such as literature and poetry, thus have a function beyond that of merely entertaining the masses – the literature and the poetry must say som ething about our society, and the criticism of such should be able to interpret these works in this manner. In this case, the work in question would need to be interpreted for the symbolism that it conveys, and the meaning that speaks to society as a whole. The passage should be reflective of societal values that are common to all, or universal, and this meaning must be teased from the passage. In this case, Alice has found another world that is parallel to this one, except that it is considerably different. It is through the looking glass, which is an expression that is commonly used for events that are bizarre to human understanding. Just the fact that through the looking glass has entered societal vernacular is proof of what Eagleton is saying – the work of Lewis Carroll has a unifying social message, one that everybody can understand. When events seem to be too bizarre to comprehend, or, in other words, become events where somebody might say â€Å"you can't make this stu ff up,† then one may say that the events are through the looking glass. At the same time, the passage speaks to the universal desire to be somewhere else, become somebody else, and inhabit another world. Perhaps the other world might be one that is free from war, hunger, poverty, and suffering. That, too, would be through the looking glass, as a world that is free from the scourges of this world would be one that would be truly bizarre to comprehend. Yet, that is the utopia about which most, if not all, of us dream. Since this desire is universal, then it would be considered by Eagleton to be unifying and a way to speak to society, and draw all factions of society together. At the same time, the passage might be considered to be social commentary, which is another element of criticism, according to Eagleton. The social commentary in this case would be the commentary that we should all strive for another world, better than the world that we have now. It seems that the looking g lass world of Alice is a world that is better than the current world, for the pictures are alive and there is a man in the clock who is grinning at her. While these are fantastic elements, they are also elements which might make up a better world. Pictures which come alive would be one element of a better world, for the people in the pictures are no longer two dimensional beings, but become living and breathing. Loved ones who have passed, yet are