Thursday, February 27, 2020
Exam questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Exam questions - Essay Example Futures contracts can be transferred between parties. Futures have advantages similar to those mentioned for forwards. Currency Options involves a contract for a fee (premium + commission), sold by one party to another that provides the buyer the right, although not the obligation, to purchase or sell a specified amount of a single currency for a given amount in another at an agreed-on price within a given period of time or on an exact date. Its advantage is that it protect against downside risk in addition to allowing upside appreciation. Currency Swaps on the other hand is an agreement by two corporations to exchange specified amounts of currency currently and to reverse the exchange at a given point in the future. A currency swap might not incorporate an initial exchange, in which instance it would incorporate one or multiple payments during the swapââ¬â¢s life in addition to a final exchange. This option helps in minimizing the costs of foreign conversion while client is secur ed against exchange rate risk. Additionally, it costs nothing to enter into a swap. Back-to-Back Loans is a form of loan where two corporations in different nations borrow offsetting amounts in individualââ¬â¢s currency. The aim of this transaction is to hedge against fluctuations in the currencies. It key benefit is that it allows one to gain from approved spot limits. A Non-deliverable forward contract is a form of agreement between parties where one (an individual) is protected against undesirable rates in foreign exchange. Generally, it is a cash settled transaction and as such there are no real exchange of currencies at maturity. Essentially, a net payment is made by one of the parties to the other on basis of the contracted rate alongside the market rate at the day of settlement. It effectively involves hedging of expected foreign currency cash flows. Simply put, a contract rate is agreed up-front, alongside the fixing rate (and the corresponding fixing date). The contract rate is made use of in calculation of the amount payable on the nominated date of maturity. It is important to mention that an NDF may is useful in management of currency risks related to exportation and importation of goods, foreign currency purchase, conversion of foreign currency denominated dividends, or in settlement of other foreign currency contractual agreements. It is more particularly useful in instances where physical exchange is not necessary on the maturity date or in instances where a foreign central bank puts some limit to offshore access to its local cash niche. It should be put into use in instances where one has a genuine commercial necessity to manage currency risks linked to a particular pair of currency. Q2: The strike price of an equity option in popular plc is 380p and the premium was 24p per share. The current market price of a share in the company is 410p. The exercise date is still over one month away. Calculate the profit or loss on one contract to date fo r: A long call A long put A short call A short put If the market price of shares in popular rose explains how, and why, the premium would alter as a result for: i) a long call The profit made by the trader will increase. This is due to the fact
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Marketing of Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Marketing of Services - Essay Example This is arguably the most special characteristic of service products and is the most difficult characteristic to appreciate (Hoffman & Bateson, 2009). This is because services are highly perishable as compared to products. The challenge comes when a person asks themselves how, for instance, the services of a taxi company are considered to be more perishable than, say, fresh vegetables and food products. The main reason of this highly perishable nature is the fact that, unlike many physical products, most of the services cannot be stored. For example, if an airline fails to sell some seats on a particular flight, then those seats and subsequently the sales revenue is lost. This is an irreversible loss incurred immediately the plane takes off. Service providers should thus ensure that they sell their services in a timely manner to avoid the risk of them perishing and incurring a loss. Physical products are usually displayed in stores for customers to see, touch, weigh or even sniff before making a purchase (Hoffman & Bateson, 2009). For services, however, the physical attributes of the service cannot be experienced (Hoffman & Bateson, 2009). An individual choosing a service, say a massage, cannot feel, touch, or smell the service before making a purchase. The only option that the person has is to make an assessment of the service based on word of mouth, past experience or just take a leap of faith before making the purchase. This intangible nature of a majority of the services gives rise to problems for both suppliers and consumers when selling and buying services. In the production, marketing and selling of physical products, companies can observe and maintain consistency on such product features as packaging and quality to ensure products remain uniform (Hoffman & Bateson, 2009). For example, regardless of oneââ¬â¢s physical location, the customer is always assured that the bottle of Pepsi they
Friday, January 31, 2020
National identity Essay Example for Free
National identity Essay Critically assess the relationship between national identity and schooling in the period 1870-1939? The relationship between national identity and schooling is one that has been seen as both a problem, where by the integrating of the concept of national identity into schooling is seen as the poison that generates cross-national conflict (1) and a defensive reaction to preventing and dealing with the problems that Britain faced during that epoch, where the political and social environment in Europe provided a sort of hothouse atmosphere for nationalistic writings of the most fervent kind(2) Dr Tate outlined in brief that national identities depended on stories and that teachers need to provide children with a sense of belonging to a community which stretches back into the past and forward into the future in order to five them a sense of meaning' (3) The idea of creating a sense of belonging for children, is one that is shared worldwide, humans I have been told, need narratives, however the use of national identities here is used in a positive and discreet in content manner. I wonder what concepts does Dr Tate associate with national identities, and what aspects of the past and future should children be informed about? To answer the question given I will look deeply into, the relationship between national identity and schooling, ways of introducing national identity in schooling, threat abroad and at home, the effects, the problems and questions raised by the idea of national identity in schooling. I will begin by introducing some of the important Legislations and Codes introduced by the government as these reflect the concern of the day, and play an important role in schooling, and national identity. The revised code of 1862 introduced a new concern arising over the education attained in schools, and thus the payment by results system was introduced, and teachers were paid for those that achieved results. The importance of this central part of legislation was that it governed the activities precipitated in schools. These school codes were issued by the government to dictate what should be taught in schools and at what level for what age. Attendance and a uniformed standard of education were central to what the government sought to achieve in this legislation. This piece of legislation was hated so much by the teachers, and thus it was attacked by masses of teachers thus was withdrawn in 1898. The New Code of 1871 awarded 40 hour drills per year via grant aid. The drills were seen as a form of implementing the importance of obedience into the children. The importance of obedience was seen as vital to the social stability of the school. Reference: 1. (W.E.Marsden, Nationalism, propaganda and war and peace, pg29-47) 2. (P.M.Kennedy, The decline of nationalistic history in the west, 1900-1970, Journal of Contemporary History, 8 (1973)88.) 3. (History today, History and national identity in the classroom, pg 6) 4. (Theres no place like home, Education of History 28, pg 236-237) 5. (1 Mass Observation Archive FR878) 6. (J.Bourke, Working-Class Cultures in Britain, 1890-1960. Gender, Class and Ethnicity (London: Routledge, 1994), 186) 7. (A.D.Smith, National Identity, London, 1991, p.9-11) 8. (J.M.Mackenzie, Propaganda and Empire. The manipulation of British Public Opinion, 1880-1960 Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1984), 176.see k.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Blaming External Pressure for the Tragic Decline of Tess in Tess of the
Blaming External Pressure for the Tragic Decline of Tess in Tess of the D'Urbervilles From the beginning of the novel 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' by Thomas Hardy, it is clear that the main character, Tess, is not going to have an easy life. She is deliberately targeted by cruel "Immortals" as their sadistic plaything. This is symbolized during the club dance, where Tess is "one of the white company" but is the only one to have a bright "red ribbon" in her hair. The mark of blood is on her from the start. Whilst Tess is going to market she accidentally kills the family's horse. Her own guilt for this accidental death is the first stage in a long series of incidents leading to Tess's tragic death at the end of the novel. Social and environmental pressures rank high on the list of causes of Tess's tragedy. In the late 19th century there were many changes taking place in rural England. The advances achieved as a result of the Industrial Revolution meant that even in the countryside farming was becoming mechanized and there were fewer manual labour jobs for the simple peasant people to do. This meant many people had to leave their town where they had spent most of their lives to go and find work. So, for example, the Durbeyfields' departing from Marlott after the death of "Sir John", was only part of a greater rural upheaval. Tess's search for work to make up for the loss of her family's horse led her to the sinister and blatantly predatory Alec d'Urberville who she initially thought was a relative. The sexual double standards typical of late Victorian society were also clear at this point. Females who sinned paid a much higher social price for their mistakes. But Tess did not want to sin - she was pres... ... reach Stonehenge it is obvious that Tess's life of never ending pain and suffering will soon be over. Stonehenge is significant as it was a place for sacrifices in pagan times. The cruel "Immortals" have at last brought Tess to the place of sacrifice - they will soon end their sadistic "sport". I conclude that Hardy wrote this book to show that "individuals have no control over their lives, but are at the mercy of impersonal and inexorable forces", as stated in the resource notes to the Cambridge edition of the novel. From the beginning Tess's destiny was mapped out. She was born to suffer and eventually die. Tess was in the end a victim of the circumstances of late Victorian rural society, with all its cruel discrimination against erring females, but even more so of cruel supernatural forces who had marked her out as their victim from the beginning.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Canadian Diamonds, Back in the Rough
At this point in time, the then lucrative diamond business in Canada is suffering a rough blow as the Canadian dollar continuously increases versus the U.S. dollar, as several investors back out their support for the diamond business, and as the U.S., the largest consumer of diamonds, undergo recession. The popularly known diamond mogul, De Beers, was strained by the escalating Canadian dollar and its results to construction costs. These factors led De Beers to sell off their assets in Canada that amounts to nearly $ 1 billion U.S. dollars. (Hoffman, 2008) The representative of De Beers based in Canada, Derek Teevan, justified the decision of investors to withdraw from the diamond sector. He argued that the costs for operating a diamond business is sustained in Canadian currency, which is higher compared to its cost in U.S. dollars. In addition, diamonds are bought in U.S. dollars. This spells out an unprofitable diamond business. According to Mr. Lindsay, president of Teck Cominco Ltd., the diamond sector will suffer until such time that costs are regulated within five years. As of press time, negotiations continue as Teck Cominco Ltd. attempt to purchase Canadaââ¬â¢s diamond businesses. (Hoffman, 2008) The author reveals the major concern of the Canadian diamond sector. Based on research and recent information about diamond investors and businesses in Canada, the author was trying to inform his readers about the declining diamond sector and the effect that the rising dollar posits in this issue. The concerns that were presented in the article is of importance to businesses who are planning to invest in the Canadian diamond sector thus, needing to be well-informed about the economic standing of the different business sectors in the country. Atlantic Premiers Sign Energy Framework The premiers in New Brunswick have released a statement indicating their attempts to develop Maritimeââ¬â¢s access to Labradorââ¬â¢s hydro resources. According to them, the Maritimeââ¬â¢s use of these resources is cost-effective and is instrumental in the minimization of their dependence to fossil fuels that originate from other parts of the globe. This would be possible through the Lower Churchill Falls Project. The premiers and cabinet ministers in Canada drafted and signed an outline that contains the concepts aligned with the project. They also requested for the help of the members of each province to further their aims and objectives. (Tutton, 2008) The premier of New Brunswick has been communicating ideas about the transfer and generation of energy through the use of undersea cables with the premier of Newfoundland. If this pushes through, they would be expecting to spend as much as $ 25 million every year in the area alone. However, they are not keeping their options closed as they are thinking about energy transfers through Quebec and Ontario. If the transmission of power from Labrador to Maritime pushes through, this would mean that New Brunswick should establish more transmission capacity. (Tutton, 2008) The issues in this essay tackle the program drafted and signed by Atlantic premiers in order to develop the transmission of energy through the utilization of under sea cables. In addition, it also provides substantial information that states the advantages and disadvantages of the Lower Churchill Falls Project particularly in New Brunswick. Several options are available in this scenario and Shawn Grahm, the new premier of New Brunswick, should be able to go with a plan that is cost-effective and supportive of the interests of the area. Trucking Industry Facing Challenges The recently elected president of Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, Gordon Peddle, has claimed the development and enhancement of the image of the trucking business as one of his objectives during his term in office. The image of the trucking industry, as well as the improvement of the quality of service provided by these companies is the main concerns of APTA. (The Special Features Staff, 2008) Despite the flourishing financial statements of other people in the business all over the world, the trucking industry based in News Brunswick has been suffering too. This is due to the fact that the trucking industry is a very difficult business to handle. One of the primary reasons for the decline of the trucking industry is those people who leave the trucking business for higher income rates, thus leading to the lack in personnel. Another reason is that the increasing Canadian dollar versus the U.S currency influences the high costs of materials and parts that are used in developing trucks. As the new chairman of APTA, Peddle is putting on great efforts to solve this problem by collaborating with the Human Resources Sector and Trucking Human Resources Sector, and by being open to applications from foreign truck drivers. (The Special Features Staff, 2008) The author presents the readers the challenges that Peddle will be facing during his rule as the new chairman of APTA. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed in order to enhance and improve the trucking industry and with the challenges that are ahead, Peddle must be on his toes in order to achieve his aims, objectives, and general plan of action. The article would be instrumental in evaluating whether Peddle would be capable of addressing the needs of the trucking industry through comparison of past experiences and the new trucking industry under Peddle. Go West, Gang Members: Alberta Attracts Drug Dealers The growing economy of Alberta due to its oil market has attracted numerous investors. So much so, that even businesses who operate illegally are putting up their industry in the area. These illegal business enterprises involve gangs who thrive in Alberta because of the high demand for prohibited drugs and substances, such as cocaine. This has been the trend since 1977, as the Edmonton Police Department has strived hard to track down gangs and gang members in their efforts to eradicate drug pushing, trafficking and addiction in their area, thus leading to lower occurrences of crimes. (Chiang, 2008) To address this issue, the Edmonton Police Department has been collaborating with the RCMP in order to identify immigrants and determine whether they are involved in gangs and illegal businesses. They have also conducted an undercover operation that revealed a laboratory that manufactures ecstasy and cocaine that are sold in Alberta. (Chiang, 2008) The author reveals the effects of a booming economy to the increase in crime rates and occurrences in an area. People will be well informed that even if a country is successful in attracting investors that would further the stand of the economy, the price that the people would have to pay for this is the rising occurrences of crimes, such as drug trafficking and pushing. (Title Goes Here) The rising Canadian dollar has yet again proved its detrimental effects to the manufacturing industry in the country. As the dollar rises, lay offs would be implemented to cut the rising cost of manufacturing. Lay-offs will be done in the marketing industry in order to lessen the companyââ¬â¢s expenses on wages for manpower services. However, on a positive note, the decline in the manufacturing industry has caused the improvement of the employment rate in the country. This fact is evident through the statistics interpreted starting 2001 until 2006. Professionals agree that the rise in employment would continue to improve in the following years. (Yew, 2008) The rising employment rate in Canada is due to the fact that new occupations are being opened for the benefit of the employment sector to compensate for the losses in employment in the manufacturing industry. In addition, new occupations are being opened for unemployed people because of the global changes, improvement and development which are highly in need of skilled employees who could be absorbed to work under a specialized job description. In contrast to the nature of manufacturing jobs, more people have been studying and working to enter jobs in the health care industry, social welfare and development organizations, finance services, mining and energy industries, which as of press time have experienced a high increase in employment. Canada has put its efforts to replace manufacturing jobs with jobs that are more profitable and adheres to technological learning and advancement. à (Yew, 2008) The advantages of the decline in employment opportunities in the manufacturing industry are revealed in the article by the author. This is a known advantage of having the dollar rise above the U.S. dollar. The surfacing of other occupations in the employment sector allows career development for the people. References Chiang, C. (2008). Go west, Gang Members: Alberta attracts drug dealers. Retrieved March 22, 2008, from Hoffman, A. (2008). Canadian Diamonds: Back in the Rough. Retrieved March 22, 2008, from The Special Features Staff. ( Tutton, M. (2008, January 19). Atlantic Premiers Sign Energy Framework. The Canadian Press, p. C2. Yew, M. A. (2008, March 5). Toronto Star, p. B 1
Monday, January 6, 2020
Essay on Ethics and Management Decision Making - 4729 Words
ââ¬Å"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; We know now that it is also bad economicsâ⬠(Franklin Delano Roosevelt as cited in Godwin, 2008; Good Money Quotes, 2010) 1. Introduction Business Industry has witnessed the outcomes of bad moral decisions taken by business leaders. Enronââ¬â¢s story is only one example of corporate scandals and cases of bad moral decisions, which has not only shaken the public trust in corporations, but also affected the bank accounts of investors and employees. Before the bankruptcy of Enron; it was included in one of the fortune 500 companies after its fraudulent accounting case the share went down to $1 (Enron scandal, 2010; PBS, 2002; Godwin, 2006; Godwin, 2008). The ââ¬Å"bad applesâ⬠â⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦This only happens because of their leaders who make such decisions which leads towards increasing the profit margin and creating social mutually benefit (Godwin, 2006; Godwin, 2008; CBS, 2002; PBS, 2002). Some business leaders are taking good moral decisions and the reason behind that idea is that the core part of their business strategy is to create mutual benefit for both wider society and business as well. The growing desire of top management is to find out ways to create mutual benefit for both the organizations and the stake holders but the public still believes that companies are greedy entities which make decisions only in their self-interest, even at the cost of greater public welfare. It is the utmost obligation of the companies to discern the social issues while making the decisions (Yashiro, Yoshida and Suzuki, no date; Godwin, 2006; Schwab, 1996; Godwin, 2008; Werhane, 1998; Werhane, 2002; Heath, 2008; Mehalik and Gorman, 2006). Morality is basically the individualââ¬â¢s perception of what is ââ¬Å"good or ââ¬Å"right. The human behaviors are determined by the environment. What so ever human is behaving is just because of its environmental factors (Rest, 1994; Godwin, 2008).Moral Imagination is the mental ability to create or use ideas, images, discern moral aspects implanted within a situation and develop a range of possible solutions of the situation from a moral point of view (Godwin, 2008; Werhane, 1998; Werhane, 2002; Heath, 2008; Mehalik andShow MoreRelatedStandards For Financial Decision Making926 Words à |à 4 PagesAbstract. The article reviewed was Standards for Financial Decision-Making: Legal, Ethical, and Practical Issues. The key of the abstract is to emphasize the existence of standards and statutory mechanisms for financial decision-making. The article is based on standards of the National Guardianship Association (NGA) (p. 1275). Introduction. The authors study the meaning of term ââ¬Å"standardâ⬠. 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Sunday, December 29, 2019
Political And Social Criticism In 1984 - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2398 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/04/10 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: 1984 Essay Did you like this example? There must be something in books, something we cant imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. According to Ray Bradbury, You dont stay for nothing. It is curious to think that a single work of art, a single poem, and a single book can radically change the minds of the populace as a whole and yet it has been a recurring theme throughout history. Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Political And Social Criticism In 1984" essay for you Create order As a major source of political and social criticism, books have been implemented in criticism of political machines, social injuctices, the greedy and selfish side of human nature that works toward assuming total control. As sometimes a blunt and rude awakening, dystopian novels illustrate, often in exaggerated ways, a fictional reality that disturbingly mimics what has occurred or is occurring in reality and has the potential to prophesied the emergence many different types of societies along with the conflicts between the people and the government. One dystopian writer who was influenced to write a novel criticising the totalitarian regimes of his time, such as Natzi Germani under Hitler and the Soviet Union under Stalin, was the left-wing writer George Orwell. In one of his lesser praised books,1984, argued by critics as being a very underdeveloped story lacking interesting plot points and containing a harshly pessimistic outlook on Londons society, George Orwell warns that a similar society to the socially oppressive, totalitarian society of Oceania could arise if social oppression in the forms of degradation of the self, political greed and extreme patriotism and oppression of the working class through enhancements in technology and erasure of the past continue in his current society. Orwell is well recognized for his inclusion of political and social criticism within his novels and essays. He used real world politics to be able to effectively depict and prophesize human greed for power and need to control people in totality through unquestioning loyalty. The critic Morris Dickstein comments that: Orwells appeal to posterity brings to mind poems like Whitmans Crossing Brooklyn Ferry or Brechts An die Nachgeborenen (To Posterity), which begins, Truly, I live in the dark ages, and ends with an appeal for understanding: Think back on us / With kindness. Winston scribbles in his diary, as Orwell writes the novel, for the future, for the unborn, though he wonders if such communication is really possible, especially under a system that claims it can wipe out any trace of him. (105). It is interesting to note that Orwell, with his lifetime numbered with a severe illness that took hold around the time of his writing 1984, rushed to get his message out to his future audience, in an effort to provide critical insight about political idealisms, such as communism and totalitarianism(Dickstein). Similarly, although he does not know how his message will be sent or received, Winston seems to want to relay a message for the future generation as a warning sign to be cautious with the seemingly desolate direction of total control that is Oceania. His desire is to make sure that his truth is spoken so that the future generation may know and understand the horrible conditions Winston lived in and aspire to change the negligent and oppressive lifestyle the government is forcing their own people to lead. Moreover Dickstein comments that Nineteen Eighty-Four has several minor characters who also serve as emblems of Orwells argument, including Syme, the ideological zealot, and Pa rsons, the slovenly, stupid true believer who is turned in by his own children(104). The unbridled patriotism that the people of Oceania exude, unsurprisingly, backfires when extreme amounts of surveillance come into play. The patriots ignorance and the belief that unquestioning loyalty has the ability to protect the self from perceived unlawfulness are products of the governments want to assume control. Not only is this exaggerated form of patriotism needlessly present in the adults it is also disproportionately apparent in the younger generation because the propaganda in favor of the government was all the children ever even knew. The adults may have grown up in a time where Oceania had not formed yet and so may be less influenced by the propaganda but because the children were born when this government was fully fledged, they are able to be molded in such a way that makes them turn against their own kin for the benefit of the government. As illustrated by the main character Winston, the two minutes Hate was a prime example of this extreme form of patriotism in whi ch: The most horrible thing about the Two Minutes Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but it was impossible to avoid joining inA hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledge hammer seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current, turning one even against ones own will into a grimacing, screaming lunatichis secret loathing of Big Brother changed into adoration, and big brother seemed to tower up, an invincible, fearless protector, standing like a rock against the hordes of Asia, and Goldstein, in spite of his isolation(Orwell 15). In his dystopian world, technology,specifically the telescreen, is used as a method for surveilling the populace to keep the people in a state of terror for their livelihood, specifically the telescreen, which is able to receive and transmit any sounds above a whisper to the thought police. This essentially gives rise to the effect of people believing that their every actions and thoughts can and will be heard and if anything goes against the belief system that the Party offers, the consequences are severe, in the form of torture and death. As an effect this causes the to be docile and unquestioning complacency of the populace. As the critic John David Frodsham pointed out how the system of surveillance to beget loyalty in 1984 mimics reality. As one observer commented, as late as 1975: China is an immense bar racks living in a permanent state of terror and fear. The Maoist way of life is based on surveillance of the citizenry. Several houses make up a cell whose members are required to report their thoughts and actions to each other. . . The individual has no right to personal life. . . where he goes, what he talks about, what he eats, what he reads, what he listens to on the radio, all this is immediately learned by those around him and reported to the neighborhood revolutionary committee !Thanks to the bao-jia (mutual surveillance) system, Maos China did not need the telescreen. Thought-control had been achieved without elaborate technology (144). With effectively little to no privacy, the government of Oceania, as well as China in the Maoist way of life, have efficiently stripped the populace of their identities and amassed control through surveillance (Frodsham). Likewise the fear factor in 1984 of being reported by someone or overheard by the Thought Police allows Oceanas government to effectively assume control. To the people of Oceania the thought of being taken away to never be seen or heard of again and to have their entire life uprooted has effectively made the masses complacent and docile enough to not utter a single word against the government and to foolishly believe the propaganda that is being spread to further elicit complacency. Frodsham continues to explain that For Orwell, Nature was essentially good and technology essentially evil. Technology in 1984 is used to enslave men, not liberate them(142). It is interesting to note that many technologies are in current use that help the government surveil and keep their people in line so utter chaos does not ensue. However, the extent of which the novel uses technologies such as the speakwrite and telescreen as a form of control is quite literally frightening as one misspoken word or action could get one killed. The extreme misuse technology in the novel is, quite literally, evil in the sense that, technology is innovative and meant to help one live a more comfortable life, but is rather used to constrain people into a very limited form of living where fear prevails and peace of mind does not. In the novel, OBrien explains that:The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. (1984, 175). The power that OBrien is illustrating is in and of itself desolate. It is a power that provides for no security or peace of mind for the people as a whole but rather illustrates the burning desire of the few who are in power to gain more and more power, of course without second thought of the consequences and without second thought for the wellbeing of the people. The greed that is illustrated in O Briens explanation as claimed by critic H. Mark Roelofs, stems from the knowledge that, power of this order cannot be possessed by a single individual except in and for the perpetuation of myth, to wit, the myth of Big Brother. In fact, toted power can be possessed only by a class, or a party representing a class(23). In essence, having power of that extent possibly be held in the hands of one individual. However brainwashing the population into believing that there exists someone in the right who is all seeing and all controlling, Big Brother, and symbolically having someone who is trying to overthrow this myth of Big Brother who is in the wrong, as demonstrated by the enemy of Oceania, Emmanuel Goldstein, essentially makes the people ideologically complacent to the control of Oceanias Party. As further explained by the critic Roelofs, In consequence, their power could be taken to the ultimate pitch total power is more like an absolute perversion of love(23). As a result of the Partys lust for power and greed combined with an overall lack of concern over the well being of the population as a whole, people like Obrien, who find those going against the societal norms to completely and utterly destroy the thi nking, conscious and rational mind, essentially the self, allow for a almost mindless and unquestioning loyalty to the Party to be instigated. Furthermore, in the novel Obrien exclaims If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever (178). Essentially, the Party has created a government without freedom, a grim reality that is substantially hopeless for the populace. There seems to be an overall lack of compassion, gratitude, and true criticism of the power hungry government that stems from rational thought based on the idea that government is meant to protect the wellbeing of the people. Roelofs claims that, It must always be noted that party members love (i.e., merge themselves with) the Party, and that the populace and Winston Smith in particular- must love Big Brother (23). Because the people have been conditioned to such an extent to believe that they must love Big Brother, they know only how to believe the lies the government is feeding them with a spoon and lack the ability to criticise and provide for intelligent debate that may help improve the well being of the people. Likewise the extreme forms of surveillance make this task quite difficult since so few are willing to stand up for better humane treatment at the expense of their lives. The self is a concept that is constantly being sought after, along with individuality and uniqueness. However, due to the inhumanity and cruelty illustrated throughout the book, the self along with individuality is not something that is considered or even widely sought after. According to the critic Irving Howe, Orwell is trying to present the kind of world in which individuality has become obsolete and personality a crime..and Orwell has imagined a world in which the self, whatever subterranean existence it manages to eke out, is no longer a significant value, not even a value to be violated (195). The very idea of having an identity, within the dystopian society that orwell has created, is seen as being blasphemous. The people are often depicted as robots, doing what the masses do, never stepping out of line for fear of severe judgement, and never once thinking or speaking their minds because they have been conditioned to not think. Therefore because the people are so far gone under the control of the government , none can ever have an original opinion or thought, none can critique, and none can ever be able to contemplate what it is to be human, to have an identity and a sense of self. The horrifying illustration of the older generation not being able to teach the younger generation how to think analytically and always question and have intelligent conversations comes into play through the portrayal of mindlessness throughout the novel. 1984 demonstrates the horrific society in which politics has overridden a persons ability to express themselves freely without fear of reprimands along with society and how it functions as a whole and Howe describes the novel as a profoundly anti-political book, full of hatred for the kind of world in which public claims destroy the possibilities for privacy (196). It should be noted that Orwells intention of the messages in the book are not anti-political in nature but are rather anti- totalitarian in which the entire state is required to have total subservience to a centralized and dictatorial authority. This is shown illustrated to the many instances of a lack of privacy and surveillance taken to extreme levels to garner complete and utter conformity of the people the government serves along with the utter lack of care of the government towards the people they are meant to serve and protect. To further demonstrate the illusion of good living conditions and security, the government has workers such as the main character, Winston, erasing and rewriting history and facts to prevent truth from reaching the public and to spread lies. As illuminated by R. B Reeves: inhabitants of this world (of crowded apartment houses that reek of boiled cabbage, of foul smelling Victory Gin, of Victory Cigarettes that fall apart) cannot know how truly bleak their lives are since they have no means of comparison. All knowledge of the past has been altered; so there is no way of discovering whether life had been better previously(14).
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