Impact of Technology Essay Example for Free

Impact of Technology Essay Every day we cannot live without technology. We wake up in the morning, we take a bath, we have breakfast, we do our daily activities, and all are affected by something called technology. From the simplest form of it until the most complex one, technology filled our daily life. The famous phrase Information Technology of course is one of the forms of technology. Before we continue talking about technology, we must know its definition. Shortly, technology is something related to science and engineering, which is used by the human or other creatures in dealing with their environment, to make their life easier. The technology develops fast. From the ancient age to the modern age, there are billions of its products that have made our life easier. In prehistoric age, the ancient human created the tools made of stone. They also invented the wheel, which is very important to the next centuries. Imagine that there weren’t any invention of wheel. We must give a lot of energy to move our goods from one place to another. Many centuries later, there are a lot of important inventions for human’s life, such as the invention of telephone. Using it, we may communicate through long distances. And the latest technology which has given many changes to the world and is still being developed is the information technology. The development of technology gives some impacts to human beings and the other creatures. The positive impact is, it makes our life easier. Without the inventions of technology, I think we would live our lives just like the prehistoric men did. Technology, just like the other things in this world, also has negative impacts. I’ll give you three examples. First, technology takes out the filters, like social filter, cultural filter, and religious filter. We can see in Internet technology. Internet is a medium in which no filter and censorship. Without parental guidance, your children may consume inappropriate materials from the Internet. The second one is the decrease of your social skills. Too much usage of technology makes you more antisocial. In the past, children used to play traditional games with their friends outside the house. But now they prefer playing video games in their own room, all by themselves. The easy access of technology also makes you too dependent to it. In the past, our people had more memorizing skills. They had to memorize things, because there was no tool to use to record things, except notebooks (the original phrase of notebook, not the portable computer). But nowadays, by using the computer, you can save any information you want in its memory to retrieve it in another day. In advance, by using the Internet connection, you may search any information you need through any search engine like Google, Yahoo, Altavista instantly. Dealing with those negative impacts, what can we do? First, we must be aware of them. We must be aware that technology could also cause bad things. After that, we must give the people knowledge of those negative impacts and how to deal with them. The government also has to do some actions about this. They must give some regulations relating with the press and the media. It is just need to be done to protect our society, not to restrain the press. And then, to increase the social skills, we must create the real community; build the real network, makes friends in the real world, of course not in the cyber world. By doing that, it will take us back to our nature as social creatures.

Extended Family Cover Essay Example for Free

Extended Family Cover Essay Survey respondents believe that women are not as â€Å"internationally mobile† as men, yet 80 percent of female expatriates have never turned down a relocation, compared to 71 percent of men. A second powerful assumption is that women encounter more work-life conflict while managing a global schedule. However, nearly half of both women and men report that they find work-life balance difficult. Finally, survey respondents believe clients outside the United States are not as comfortable doing business with women as they are with men. In fact, 76 percent of women expatriates said being a woman had a positive or neutral impact on their effectiveness overseas. Both women and men, managers and human resources executives, hold the preconceptions that emerged in this study about womens ability in the international arena. Yet paradoxically, 90 percent of female expatriates, 91 percent of women with global responsibility who havent relocated, and 93 percent of men married to expatriates said they would accept their current assignments again. In fact, current expatriates (85 percent) and former expatriates (86 percent) believe global experience makes them more marketable to other companies. Compared in the past, companies at present become more open in having women as part of the workforce and consider them in equal footing as their male employees. Working Woman magazine cited Philip Morris as a company where 31 percent of all managers are women. With respect to international assignments, Philip Morris makes sure that women are tapped for those assignments. Another company, Hewlett-Packard, has a woman leading the company. The chair, president, and CEO of Hewlett-Packard is Carly Fiorina. She makes Hewlett-Packard one of only two companies in the Fortune 500 with a woman as chair, president, and CEO. Hewlett-Packard, which has a strong international presence, has a long history of supporting and promoting women (Palagano Lee, October 2005). The next items are the list of favorable companies that provide as much benefits to working mothers in their organization: Microsoft, Bacardi and Computer Associates all offer family healthcare benefits packages for partners and their children. It helps to maintain high worker performance and establishing a caring reputation are the important motivating factors, as employers believe satisfied employees will spread the word about a companys practices (Extended Family Cover, 2004). While BMW Plant Oxford, manufacturer of the Mini Cooper, presents different options of flexible, voluntary family benefits, that include insurance products, dental coverage and healthcare cash plans; workers have an option to devise their own benefits packages tailored to individual family needs. BMW also offers family social events, it is one of their strategies to improve worker morale and performance, intensifying job engagement and encouraging better relationships among employees (Extended Family Cover, 2004). IBM provides its employees with schedule flexibility, extended personal leaves and dependent care referral services. Also, IBM has recognized the need to conduct training programs that sensitize its managers to the problems that employees may encounter as they try to balance family and job demands. (Extended Family Cover, 2004). A pioneer in lactation support benefits, Procter and Gamble (PG) has such programs at all its major worksites and in most of its production plants. This kind of strategy has helped maintain high morale and retention rates. It is also enhanced productivity and reduced absenteeism among female workers. Mothers schedule their own breaks in lactation rooms that have hospital-grade pumps, refrigerators for storing milk, curtained-off nursing stations for privacy and a supply of educational materials along with a registered nurse for onsite support (Callahan, 2005). Aetna Inc. s Mothers at Work program, which received a 100% satisfaction rating from participating nursing mothers, has lactation rooms in its 50 locations and an in-house Web site with information for breastfeeding mothers returning to work. Nursing mothers receive an individual pump and professional lactation consultation. In 2004, 62% of Aetna employees nursed for six months, as compared with the 27% national average of nursing mothers (Callahan, 2005).

Consumer behaviour in Brazil

Consumer behaviour in Brazil Brazil is the largest country in Latin America. The total population of Brazil is 170 million. The south east part of Brazil has the highest population and then comes the north east region. The GDP and per capita of the south east is more than that of the north east of Brazil. CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR The consumer behaviour in brazil to the detergent market is different in the north east and the south east of Brazil and is depended on many influences. One of the influence is the social influence. Social Influences North East Brazil South East Brazil Culture and sub culture 65% of the population are a mix of African and European origins and their lifestyles, rituals and values share an African influence. Music and humour are the key elements of their culture. Only 35% of the population share an African influence whereas the rest are the migrants from Europe. This part is the financial and the political hub of Brazil. Social class More than half of the population fall in the low income category .The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture. It is more labour intrinsic type of job. Most of the women in the family are housewives. Only 21% of the entire population fall in the low income category and most of the women are from the working class. Group Membership Most of the women meet and wash their clothes in public laundry or pond in a group. Cleanliness being an issue of gossip, every woman tend to keep their family clean to please the group. Most women own a washing machine so self esteem and social status is given less importance. The purchase behaviour of a customer depends on various factors as shown in the diagram below. The social influences are the subjective norms. Apart from price of the detergent, the important attributes for the north east customers as per the rankings are Power of detergent Its fragrance The ability to remove stains without the need of soap and bleach The dissolving power with the water Packaging Impact on colours Whereas the south eastern customers are habitual decision makers. They would prefer to use the same detergents that they are using unless they dont get any flaws. BRAND PLAYERS AND THEIR STRATEGIES UNILEVER: TOP BRANDS: Omo is the top brand of the portfolio and is considered as a high quality at a premium position which is for the high end market. Omo has more than half percentage of the total market share in Brazil .Minerva is a medium quality product with low brand awareness and second in market share. Campeiro is a well-known cheapest product but with a low top of the mind penetration. The target customers of Unilever were the high income segment. The highest profit margin that Unilever generates is from the sales of Omo. STRATEGY USED: With the help of brands like Omo Unilever was the market pioneer in Brazil and hence got the first mover advantage in the detergent sector. Unilever is the LEADER in the market. It followed the strategy whereby it created the most desirable market space in the minds of the consumers as seen by the Top-of-Mind-Awareness results. (Exhibit 8) Their main strategy is to advertise and increase the sales especially of Omo as the profits generated from their detergents proves a backbone for their expansion in food and personal care categories. Unilevers main line of promotion was through the media advertising. This is cost effective and irrespective of the income, Brazilians are avid television watchers. POSITIONING: The various products of Unilever are positioned as per the product and its appeal. Its positioning ranges from removal of stain by eliminating the need of bleach (Omo) to delivering pleasant smell and softness (Minerva) to cost reduction (Campeiro) DISTRIBUTION: Unilever had the daunting task of distributing to 75,000 small outlets in the Northeast. For this it relied on its existing network of generalist wholesalers and sometimes also on secondary, smaller local wholesalers. This however increased their cost. It also had the option of contracting with the specialized distributors. PROCTER GAMBLE: TOP BRANDS: Ace is of the superior quality and is still sold at a lower price than its second brand. Through research and development, their strategy would be to improve the price and the perceived quality of Bold and Ace which is in competition with Minerva and Omo respectively. STRATEGY USED: PG is a MARKET CHALLENGER which is aggressively trying to extend its market share. It has specific challenger strategies like VALUE PRICE GOODS AND SERVICES and IMPROVED SERVICES. The advertising is not very effective as the consumers dont have much knowledge or a top of the brand awareness as compared to the other brands in the market. POSITIONING: Like most of the products of Unilever their products are also positioned depending on the target customers. Two of their main products are positioned similar to Unilevers products e.g. Bold and Pop whereas Ace is positioned as a superior whiteness source. ASA ASA is a local Brazilian brand and is only popular in Northeast TOP BRANDS: Invicto which is an entry level detergent as it is a low cost detergent and valued by its customers. It is a key competitor of Campeiro and focuses on cost reduction across all dimensions. STRATEGY USED: They are the MARKET NICHERS and have been serving a special segment of the market as a whole. POSITIONING: Positioned like Campeiro i.e. as a low priced product SWOT OF UNILEVER IN BRAZIL (AS PER CASE) PRESENT SITUATION: Unilever is the pioneer of consumer goods industry in Brazil and a clear leader in the detergent powder category with an 81% market share achieved by brands like Omo, Minerva and Campeiro. The Brazilian fabric wash market consists of two categories: detergent powder and laundry soap. It faces a huge threat from PG and hence Unilever should look into tapping the niche markets before its competitors entry into them STRENGTHS: Detergent market pioneer in Brazil. Hence gained the first mover advantage which proved very favourable for its success Unilever is a strong brand in itself and has wide acceptance for its products all over the world Have a wide range of brands i.e. have a strong brand portfolio which caters to different market segments. For e.g. Omo is more technology oriented, Minerva clings to its emotional appeal and is a traditional brand, Campeiro focuses more on cost reduction They are innovative and customer centric in their approach. E.g. introduction of 4 new variants of Omo. Each of them have different properties targeted at specific needs of customers Detergents will always remain the cash cows for Unilever WEAKNESS: Difficult to make a selection with respect to cost effectiveness between the Generalist Wholesaler and Specialist Distributor since both could prove to be equally useful in its own way and once selected very hard to reverse Vast difference in distribution of social classes in the Southeast and Northeast. So similar strategies and products will not have the same result and might also vary vastly from the expected result especially in the Northeast Its brand Campeiro is perceived to be low on quality since it is also low priced High availability of substitute products OPPORTUNITY: Tap the niche market i.e. the untouched low income sector before the competitors penetrate there Change the positioning of detergents in the minds of the Northeasterners so as to increase the use quantitatively Make use of the high frequency of washing tendency in the Northeasterners which would improve product sales in this area Omo has the highest Top-of-Mind-Awareness amongst the Northeasterners (approximately 70%). This can be used as a way to generate awareness about Unilevers other brands and also for the product which needs to be directed to the lower income consumer segment (exhibit 8) Improvement in Brazils overall economic performance thereby improving the purchasing power of the natives and especially the lower income consumers Adopt appropriate strategy targeted at the lower income group so that Unilever successfully manages to tap all the classes of people Introduction of more technology based and innovative products like Omo THREATS: Rapid growth and improvement of PGs RD and marketing expertise Northeasterners manner of using detergents is different from the Southeasterners. As per this logic the use of detergents is less with the Northeasterners Preference of laundry soap over detergent powder in the Northeast. This would pose a challenge to the lower income consumer segment product which the company wishes to market Competitor brands like Bold, Pop and Invicto are direct competition to Minerva and Campeiro with regards to quality and price There is almost equal market penetration of the competitors brands with Unilevers brands. For e.g. Invicto, Ace, Campeiro (penetration in the range of 60-80%) Introduction of local products by smaller companies with better distribution Price war with other giants like PG UNILEVER IN BRAZIL As given in the case study, Unilever in Brazil has a strong 81% market share by means of its three brands: Omo, Minerva and Campeiro. Question at hand is Whether or not to market detergents to lower income consumers in Northeastern Brazil and How to go about it The lower income segment isnt tapped by any of the giants of the detergent industry hence it provides opportunity to the company for growth in this segment. Also there is a need for good products matching the flagship brand Omo combined with affordability as clearly seen by the example stated about Maria ConceiÇà £o. TREND IN BRAZIL: As per case study it is known that Northeasterners believe bleach is a must for removal of stains; detergent powder is used only to make the clothes smell good. For the Northeasterners cleanliness is perceived as important despite of their low income survival. Cleaning of clothes for them is also seen as a measure of dedication of the woman of the family. Hence the challenge is to change few age old perceptions and yet successfully make a mark in the lower income segment. For this Unilever will have to convert the laundry soap users into an Omo class user. This is a long term strategy but yet a feasible one. WHY CHOOSE LOWER INCOME GROUP: Enter lower income group segment before PG penetrates there Detergent market in this segment will always be a cash cow Need gap analysis shows that there is an existing need for good detergents in this market IMPLICATIONS OF MOVE: SHORT TERM IMPLICATIONS: First mover advantage, shift of investment of money in low price brand from premium brands LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS: Market leader in low income detergent market, without a shift in Omo customers the new brand will be able to attract lower income customers WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? There are various options with Unilever. Namely, Launch a new product in the market targeting the lower income consumer without cannibalizing its own premium brands extensively Reposition one of its existing brands Have a cheaper version of Omo/Minerva Carry out an extension of one of the existing brands I believe that Unilever in Brazil should carry out PRODUCT LINE EXTENSION. Hereby they should introduce an additional item in the same product category. Unilever should have an extension of its brand Minerva named Minerva Progress (similar to Omo Progress which removes difficult stains without bleach and laundry soap). Minerva Progress should be positioned between Omo and Minerva PROS: The positioning of product between Omo and Minerva will help gain visibility Can promote positively using Unilevers brand name Good market penetration of Minerva as a brand  [1]   CONS: Minerva as a brand is perceived to be a medium quality brand with less Top-of-Mind-Awareness  [2]   Fierce competition with PG brands like Bold and Ace WHY EXTENSION OF MINERVA: Not possible to have a low cost product under the Omo brand since this would confuse the consumers about the original Omos credibility Launch of a new product will not be cost effective Having an extension of Campeiro might not be successful due to the original image of the brand as a cheap quality brand Repositioning of any of the top brands might confuse the consumers and Unilever might lose its loyal customers Minerva having a good market penetration can perform well if the positioning for the extended product is done appropriately. Also as per Exhibit 8 the consumers in the Northeast have good knowledge about the Minerva brand (rated second after Omo). Hence the company should capitalize on this fact and thereby build a route to tap its lower income segment by using the brand name. A MARKET RESEARCH SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT TO UNDERSTAND THE RANGE IN WHICH THE CUSTOMERS WOULD BE WILLING TO SPEND MARKETING MIX OF MINERVA PROGRESS: PRODUCT: A new formula should be produced to match the requirements of the customers and at the same time not increasing the cost Product should have attributes as per requirement of the lower income segment especially cleanliness, whitening and productivity  [3]   Along with price the product should match the six key attributes important to this segment. Formulation should have more emphasis on stain removing capability while keeping Minervas original features intact like perfume and softness The product should be made available in various sizes and types. This would be apt for customers who do not use a large quantity of product per month. This would also give a notional feeling to the customer of having spent less Use of packaging other than cardboard boxes e.g. plastic sachet PRICE: The price of the product should be affordable for the lower income consumers The company is increasing the cost on formulation and nullifying it by cutting down on packaging charges The product should be such that it is priced less than Omo and Minerva itself but a little more than Campeiro Unilever should adopt PENETRATION PRICINGfor its product whereby the profit margin for Unilever would be less but it would maximize unit sales and increase market share in this segment Adoption of penetration pricing would also discourage the competitors entry Also initially Unilever can have an INTRODUCTORY PRICE for the product which would encourage people to purchase the product SUGGESTION: Unilever can also get into backward integration to reduce its cost thereby managing to produce low priced products PLACE Unilever should sell its products at all places in the Northeast Since the big shopping malls are perceived to be expensive it should display its products at local stores Unilever should display Minerva Progress along with Omo. This is because Omo itself has a good image that even this product will be highlighted to all the customers PROMOTION Product should not be advertised as a product meant only for the low income group since this might create a negative impression about the company Medium like hoardings, radio, television should be used Above the line promotion should be emphasized on more than below the line advertising Sales promotion activities should also be carried out heavily which are directed at the customers DISTRIBUTION: Intensive distribution should be used to make the product available extensively in all the retail outlets To target the lower income segment Unilever should adopt the Specialized Distribution method as given in Exhibit 13 PUSH STRATEGY: Initially a push strategy should be used wherein the product is pushed at the customers and made widely available to them. Then depending on the demand forecasts a push-pull strategy should be used. POSITIONING: FRAME OF REFERENCE: Detergents POINT OF DIFFERENCE: Quality with affordability POSITIONING: Attribute and benefit positioning STATEMENT: THE MORE THE BETTER OR THE LESSER THE BETTER.WE GIVE YOU BOTH; MORE QUALITIES FOR LESSER PRICE! PERCEPTUAL MAP: 200 MINERVA PROGRESS OMO 200 0 100 ACE BOLD PERCEIVED QUALITY PRICE INDEX 100 CAMPEIRO POP INVICTO MINERVA = UNILEVER = PG = ASA

We Must Report Child Abuse and Neglect Essay -- Argumentative, Persuas

Each of us has the moral obligation to report suspected cases of child abuse. National statistics indicate that five children die daily as a result of child abuse (Childhelp, 2015). Reporting suspected child abuse can prevent the abused child from continuing the horrific cycle of abuse toward their own children (Smith & Segal, 2015). There are four forms of child abuse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional abuse (Smith & Segal, 2015). Christine â€Å"Chris† Witty, a gold medal winning speed skater, molested by a family friend at the age of four, â€Å"it’s important to talk about it. You raise awareness. But you can also prevent it (child abuse) by not letting it be a secret† (Newberry, 2008, para. 3). Researchers have shown that child abuse may be caused by a complex combination of personal, social, and cultural factors (Family Resource Center, 2015). Measures should be taken to protect children because they are the future. Child abuse is a serious problem that no one wants to admit it exists or do not know how to stop it, if they are aware it exists. Although people are afraid to get involved, suspected cases of child abuse need to be reported immediately because reporting child abuse can save a life. Physical abuse and sexual molestation are the most common forms of child maltreatment (Pillado, Kim, & Dierkhising, 2010). Physical abuse is non-accidental trauma or physical injury caused by punching, beating, kicking, burning, or otherwise harming a child (Smith & Segal, 2015). Physical abuse is the most visible form of child maltreatment and there are several warning signs (Smith & Segal, 2015). The most common warning sign of physical abuse is continual injuries or unknown bruises, contusions, or lace... ...92502d%40sessionmgr4&hid=7&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=mih&AN=6743462 Kids First Child Abuse Treatment Center. (2009). 7 Ways to prevent child abuse. Web. 23 May 2015. http://www.kidsfirstinc.org/preventing-abuse National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2010). Understanding child maltreatment. Web. 23 May 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/CM-factsheet-a.pdf Newberry, P. (2008, September 15). Olympian goes public with sexual abuse. USA Today. Web. 23 May 2015. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2008-9-15 Pillado, O., Kim, T., & Dierkhising, C. B. (2010). Fact sheet: Child maltreatment. Web. 23 May 2015. http://stopyouthviolence.ucr.edu/factsheets/FACTSHEET%20ChildMaltreatmentSpring2010.pdf Smith, M., & Segal, J. (2015). Child abuse and neglect. Web. 23 May 2015. http://www.helpguide.org/mental/child_abuse_physical_

Illinois Capital Punishment System :: essays research papers

Clemency, compassion?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How exactly can I explain the Capital Punishment System here in Illinois? Well to be honest, I would have to go with, total chaos. For you who don’t know what Capital Punishment is, it is the system we use to place criminals who commit very serious crimes on Death Row. Out of the 50 states in our wonderful country, 38 of them have a Capital Punishment System, Illinois being one of them. Recently, while Governor George Ryan was in office, it was decided to halt all executions, making Illinois the first of the 38 states to do so.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capital Punishment was brought back to Illinois in 1977. From ’77 to ’87 there were a total of 128 prisoners enrolled on death row. In 1990 alone there were 125 murderers waiting to face the ultimate punishment. Out of those people, a total of 12 people have been executed through lethal injection, but 13 prisoners were released from death row as innocent. 7 of the 12 executed were after 1976, 5 were in 1995 alone. Is it just me, or is this a bit confusing? The Government seemed to get a little death hungry during these years. It’s obvious that there are bound to be many other innocent people, sitting in jail cells suffering for a murder that they did not commit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Governor Ryan stepped in office determined to find out what is wrong with this system in Illinois. He came in actually as a firm believer of the death penalty, but seeing that 13 people were found innocent, Governor Ryan became frustrated and decided to take action. After researching how the system works, and becoming aware of the flaws, the former Governor pardoned 4 more prisoners (Aaron Patterson, Madison Hobley, Stanley Howard and Leroy Orange) who confessed under police torture and convicted because of those confessions. â€Å"I believe these men are innocent or I wouldn’t have pardoned them, the system has failed for all four men and it has failed for all the people of this state.† Governor Ryan said at Depaul University. He also believes that there are at least 33 wrongly convicted, and since Capital Punishment was reinstated 93 have been released from custody because they were found innocent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This system in Illinois is obviously full of error and no one can ever seem to be 100% sure of determining who’s guilty and who’s innocent, and if they should die or not.

Catherine Slopers Self-realization in Henry James Washington Square E

Catherine Sloper's Self-realization in Henry James' Washington Square In his essay, "Washington Square: A Study in the Growth of an Inner Self," James W. Gargano argues convincingly that the Henry James's novel, Washington Square, revolves around the emotional, psychological, and spiritual development of Catherine Sloper. With one small exception, Gargano makes his case so persuasively that it seems hard to believe that there could be any other view of Catherine and her role in the book. Yet, Gargano asserts that James scholars before him have persistently focused elsewhere leaving Catherine to be categorized much the same way her father characterizes her as dull and listless (Gargano 355, 357). Gargano rightly shifts the critical debate from fascination with the ethical conundrum of Dr. Sloper's behavior to concentration on the process of self-realization which takes place slowly and silently in Catherine's mind (Gargano 355). Finding proof of his thesis in the exacting way James investigates Catherine's growth, Gargano sees that James has purposely shown Catherine as innocent in the beginning of the story to demonstrate a contrast to who she becomes as she begins to wake up to herself as the story progresses, and contends that upon meeting Townsend, Catherine "emerg[es] from a sort of dormancy" (Gorgano 356). Gorgano astutely points out that meeting Townsend is not a horrible mishap in the life of Catherine Sloper, but an event which catalyzes the girl to mature in her thinking and feeling. Gargano pays special attention not only to Catherine's behavioral changes, but to the way James notes those changes as part of an inner process (Gargano 356). From her deceptive replies to her father's straight forward questions t... ...orsel of fancywork, [and] seat[ing] herself with it again-for life, as it were" imply an empty period of waiting for death (Gargano 362, James 219). This interpretation of the end of Washington Square is inconsistent with Gargano's earlier contentions, and should be re-examined. Another possible and significantly more powerful interpretation of the ending of the book-that James is showing Catherine as fully self-contained and ultimately satisfied with the choices that she has made-makes more sense. Despite his final reticence, the quality of his thinking and the quantity of his evidence suggest that James Gargano has a good understanding of Henry James's main artistic occupation in writing Washington Square. Works Cited Gargano, James W. "Washington Square: A Study in the growth of an Inner Self." James, Henry. Washington Square. New York: Signet, 1979.

“An Outpost of Progress”: Ideology and Action

Simplifying the actions for both sides in relation to ideology, the inferior's actions are placed on a spectrum of accepting that ideology to rebelling against it and the superior on a spectrum of the action of imposing [his] own ideology to the lack of imposition. As stated earlier, due to there being a lack of action the superior is then able to potentially see the wrongs in [his] actions while the inferior is constantly stuck in a place of action without ability to reflect ? a victim's complex.The short story â€Å"An Outpost of Progress,† written by Joseph Conrad, speaks about the Individual and the crowd: â€Å"the courage, the composure, the confidence; the emotions and the principles; every great and every Insignificant thought belongs not to the Individual but to the crowd: to the crowd that believes blindly In the Irresistible Orca of Its Institutions and of its morals, In the power of Its police and of Its opinion† (Conrad 2). The idea Conrad gives that an ind ividual is only capable of thinking and/or believing what [his] environment suggests is meant to refer specifically to the colonizers (European) ideology.French essayist Albert Mermen would disagree with Concord's ideas about the crowd and the individual, however (similar to Conrad) his text The Colonizer and The Colonized places its focus on the flaws of the colonizers ideology rather than ideology in general. Though the intention f both texts is to give an outlook on a specific ideology and the way it should be questioned by colonized and colonizer alike, it is also a gateway to think deeper about and question Ideology ? one's own and other's ? In general.Looking only at religion and the evident religious aspects In the story and the act of colonization In general, both the colonized and the colonizers are subject to the Ideology of religion. Asserts and Carrier, the colonist characters, are Christian: Make (or â€Å"Henry Price†l a native, believes in â€Å"dark spirits. † The way the story ends can be interpreted two ways if the bat: the colonists give up (realizing defeat) or they realize the wrongs in their Christian European ideology and the act of forcing it upon others, even indirectly.Putting the focus on religion, one could say that the dark spirits Make believes in brought about the two men's downfall. Ignoring the idea of the dark spirits, Asserts and Carrier more likely had reflected upon their actions and realized the Christian faith and the corresponding ideology is not universal truth. Asserts and Carrier are how Mermen describes the colonist's eye or assumptions toward the colonized: Nothing could better Justify the colonizers privileged position than his Industry, and nothing could better Justify the colonized destitution than his Indolence.The mythical portrait of the colonized therefore Includes an unbelievable laziness, and that of the colonizer, a virtuous taste for action† (Mimi 123). The two men are said Mimi explai ns the colonist view point: â€Å"The point is that the colonized means little to the colonizer. Far from wanting to understand him as he really is, the colonizer is preoccupied with making him undergo this urgent change† (Mimi 127).For the Illinois to see Make as the opposite of what a native is supposed to be according to what they had been taught would be a shock of reality; being put into a new situation makes it so prior-assumptions can be replaced with real life observations. Based on observations made, the concept of forcing now actual people into slavery appears different. The initial ‘progress' for the colonist characters in general is to successfully colonize the new land, potentially halting progress for the colonized and their society.Mimi says, â€Å"What is clear is that colonization weakens the colonized ND that all those weaknesses contribute to one another† (Mimi 159). The progress changes meaning for colonizers and becomes more-so a sense of awa kening for the colonizer and carries a darker literal message: â€Å"Progress was calling to Asserts from the river. Progress and civilization and all the virtues. Society was calling to its accomplished child to come, to be taken care of, to be instructed, to be Judged, to be condemned; it called him to return to that rubbish heap from which he had wandered away, so that Justice could be done† (Conrad 16).Asserts had failed his session, but due to his realization and not [due to] a lack of ability to succeed. The two men died by acknowledging the fact that they were both â€Å"slave dealers,† [to them] a dirty thing to be which, once put out there, caused Asserts to kill his assistant and then commit suicide himself. The symbolism in Asserts' death relating to the crucifix is powerful and makes his intentions clear; Asserts realized the Christian religion and his European ideology were not the only way and that his people, himself inclusive, were forcing the native pe ople into something that was not correct.