Robert Cohns Struggle for Respect in The Sun Also Rises Essay

Robert Cohn's Struggle for Respect in The Sun Also Rises    Jake Barnes: "You're not an aficionado?" Spanish waiter: "Me? What are bulls? Animals. Brute animals... A cornada right through the back. For fun-you understand." (Hemingway, 67)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Why does everybody hate Robert Cohn? At the beginning of Hemingway's novel, The Sun Also Rises, Jake Barnes, the story's point-of-view character, wants us to believe that he has at least some appreciation for Cohn. He relates some of Cohn's life for us, how at Princeton he was a middle weight boxing champ, how despite his physical prowess he had feelings of "shyness and inferiority...being treated as a Jew," (Hemingway, 11) his turbulent career as a magazine editor and his failed marriage. It's easy to begin to feel sorry for this guy. The only mistake he made was falling for Lady Brett Ashley. Cohn's infatuation with this heartless wench, coupled with the jealousy and competitive nature of the novel's other bon vivant characters, lead to his disgrace.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brett Ashley is, from the start, a careless woman. A lady by marriage only, she has affairs with many men, breaks many hearts, and drinks lots of liquor. She wants to be the center of everyone's attention. She may be physically stunning, but she lacks class and restraint. Like the rest of the novel's main party, she has a taste for living the good life in disregard of the feelings and actions of others. It seems everyone loves or has loved her, including Jake Barnes. So Robert's unfortunate attraction to Brett Ashley has already heightened tensions between the male characters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For a significant portion of the novel, Cohn is defending himself from the threats and name-calling of Mike, the man to whom Brett... ...on, he posed no great threat to the group and was more a victim of racism than of unrequited love. If his interest in Lady Brett amounted to anything, it was as a target for the jaded sentiments of his "fellow" bon vivants; someone should have clued Cohn in and told him he'd be better off staying in Paris. I suppose these sordid affairs only prove Hemingway's feelings, as expressed by Bill in the novel: "You're an expatriate. You've lost touch with the soil. You get precious. Fake European standards have ruined you. You drink yourself to death. You become obsessed by sex. You spend your time talking, not working." (120) Maybe Robert Cohn, a victim of this ruination, will know better than to waste his time with these dark-hearted dilettantes who hold costly ideas of enjoyment. Works Cited Hemingway, Ernest The Sun Also Rises. Scribner Paperbacks: NY, 1997.

Government and Society

Corporate Social Responsibility is essentially about doing good and doing well.It generally refers to the process of integrating social values and mission within business decision making, to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes towards business, environment and the community at large. Concept of CSR includes specific issuesProduct safety Honesty in advertising Affirmative action Employees rights Affirmative action Environmental sustainability Ethical behavior Difference btw illegal and unethical behavior Eg: Buffet: wasted food. Glob csrCorporate Citizenship Concepts Corporate Social Responsibility ïÆ'   Obligation ïÆ'   accountability Corporate Social Responsiveness ïÆ'   Action activity Corporate Social Performance ïÆ'   outcomes resultsBusiness criticism/ social Responsibility cycle4-part definition of CSR Sustainable stakeholder model The Social Responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical and discretionary ( philanthropic) expectations that societ y has of organizations at a given point of time. Economic ResponsibilitiesBusiness employs many management concepts that are directed toward financial performance of the organization Economic sustainability REQUIRED of biz by society Profitable Max sales, min costs Strategic decisions Legal responsibilities Reflect spciety’s view of â€Å"codified ethics† in the sensethat they embody basic notions of fair practices as established by our law makers Biz’s responsibility toward society to comply with these laws Do not embrace the full range of behaviours expected of biz by society Law is unable to address all issues that biz may faceLaw often lags behind more recent interpretationsof what is considered appropriate behavior Laws are made by lawmakers and may reflect the personal interest and political motivations of legislators rather than appropriate ethical justifications. Laws are essential but not adequateREQUIRED of biz by society Obey all laws, adhere to all r egulationsEthical Responsibilities Embrace activities and practices that are epected or prohibited by society even though they are not codified into aw Embody the full scope of norms, standards values and expectations that reflect what consumers, employes, shareholders, and the community regard as fair, just, and consistent with respect for or protection of stakeholders’ moral rights. Ethics/values are the driving forces behind the initial creation of laws and regulations. EXPECTED of a bizAvoid questionable practices. Do what os fair right and justDiscretionary expectations ( Philantrophic) Reflect current expectaions of biz by the public. Amount and nature of these activities are voluntary or discretionary, guided only bu biz’s desire to engage in social activities that are not mandated, not req by law, and not generally expected by biz in an ethical sense DESIRED/EXPECTED of biz by societyGood corporate citizen Contribute back by providing programs supporting commun ity: education, health or human services etc†¦ Provide for community betterment Engage in volunteerismPyramid of CSR Sustainable stakeholder modelEquation Economic Responsibility + Legal Responsibilities + Ethical Responsibilities + Philantrophic Responsibilities = Total Corporate ResponsibilityArguments against CSR FOR AGAINST Enlightened Self-interest If business is to have a healthy climate in which to operate in the future, it must take actions now to ensure long term viability Long term viability is the pri driver in the current concern for sustainability. Warding off government RegulationsAbility to ward off future govt regulations and intervention May ensure greater freedom in decision making Resources available Biz has a reservoir of management talent functional expertise, and capital.Proacting versus Reacting Proacting is more practical and less costly than simply reacting to problems that have alr occurred. Eg: environmental pollution: Biz cld prevent environmental de teoriration by adopting cleaner alternativesPublic support Classical Economics Social issues are not concerns of biz pp Should be resolved by the unfettered workings of the free market Business not equipped Managers are oriented towards finance and operations and do not have necessary expertise ( social kills) to make social decisions. Less true todayDilutes business purpose Too much power already Global competitiveness Placing biz in a vulnerable position in terms of global competition. Biz has to internalize costs that it formerly passed on to the society: environmenta cisr, discrimination.

Difference Between Totalitarianism, Authoritarianism, Fascism

Totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and fascism are all forms of government—and defining different forms of government isnt as easy as it might seem.   All nations have an official type of government as designated in the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook. However, a nation’s own description of its form of government can often be less than objective. For example, while the former Soviet Union declared itself a democracy, its elections were not â€Å"free and fair† as only one party with state-approved candidates were represented. The USSR is more correctly classified as a socialist republic. In addition, the boundaries between various forms of government can be fluid or poorly-defined, often with overlapping characteristics. Such is the case with totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and fascism. What is Totalitarianism? Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler in Munich, Germany September 1937. Fox Photos/Getty Images Totalitarianism is a form of government in which the state’s power is unlimited and controls virtually all aspects of public and private life. This control extends to all political and financial matters, as well as the attitudes, morals, and beliefs of the people. The concept of totalitarianism was developed in the 1920s by Italian fascists. They attempted to spin it positively by referring to what they considered totalitarianism’s â€Å"positive goals† for society. Still, most Western civilizations and governments quickly rejected the concept of totalitarianism and continue to do so today. One distinctive feature of totalitarian governments is the existence of an explicit or implied national ideology—a set of beliefs intended to give meaning and direction to the entire society. According to Russian history expert and author Richard Pipes, Fascist Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini once summarized the basis of totalitarianism as â€Å"Everything within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.† Examples of characteristics that might be present in a totalitarian state include: Rule enforced by a single dictatorThe presence of a single ruling political partyStrict censorship, if not total control of the pressConstant dissemination of pro-government propagandaMandatory service in the military for all citizensMandatory population control practicesProhibition of certain religious or political groups and practicesProhibition of any form of public criticism of the governmentLaws enforced by secret police forces or the military Typically, the characteristics of a totalitarian state tend to cause people to fear their government. Rather than trying to allay that fear, totalitarian rulers encourage it and use it to ensure the people’s cooperation. Early examples of totalitarian states include Germany under Adolf Hitler and Italy under Benito Mussolini. More recent examples of totalitarian states include Iraq under Saddam Hussein and North Korea under Kim Jong-un. What is Authoritarianism? Fidel Castro circa 1977. David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images   An authoritarian state is characterized by a strong central government that allows people a limited degree of political freedom. However, the political process, as well as all individual freedoms, is controlled by the government without any constitutional accountability In 1964, Juan Josà © Linz, Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Political Science at Yale University, described the four most recognizable characteristics of authoritarian states as: Limited political freedom with strict government controls imposed on political institutions and groups like legislatures, political parties, and interest groupsA controlling regime that justifies itself to the people as a â€Å"necessary evil† uniquely capable of coping with â€Å"easily recognizable societal problems† such as hunger, poverty, or violent insurgencyStrict government-imposed constraints on social freedoms such as suppression of political opponents and anti-regime activityThe presence of a ruling executive with vague, shifting, and loosely defined powers Modern dictatorships, such as Venezuela under Hugo Chà ¡vez or Cuba under Fidel Castro, typify authoritarian governments.   While the People’s Republic of China under Chairman Mao Zedong was considered a totalitarian state, modern-day China is more accurately described as an authoritarian state because its citizens are now allowed some limited personal freedoms. Totalitarian Versus Authoritarian Governments In a totalitarian state, the government’s range of control over the people is virtually unlimited. The government controls nearly all aspects of the economy, politics, culture, and society. Education, religion, the arts and sciences, even morality and reproductive rights are controlled by totalitarian governments. While all power in an authoritarian government is held by a single dictator or group, the people are allowed a limited degree of political freedom. What is Fascism? Rarely employed since the end of World War II in 1945, fascism is a form of government combining the most extreme aspects of both totalitarianism and authoritarianism. Even when compared to extreme nationalistic ideologies like Marxism and anarchism, fascism is typically considered to be at the far-right end of the political spectrum. Fascism is characterized by the imposition of dictatorial power, government control of industry and commerce, and the forcible suppression of opposition, often at the hands of the military or a secret police force. Fascism was first seen in Italy during World War I, later spreading to Germany and other European countries during World War II. Historically, the primary function of fascist regimes has been to maintain the nation in a constant state of readiness for war. Fascists observed how rapid, mass military mobilizations during World War I had blurred the lines between the roles of civilians and combatants. Drawing on those experiences, fascist rulers strive to create a rabidly nationalistic culture of â€Å"military citizenship† in which all citizens are willing and prepared to take on some military duties during times of war, including actual combat. In addition, fascists view democracy and the electoral process as an obsolete and unnecessary obstacle to maintaining constant military readiness. They also consider a totalitarian, one-party state as the key to preparing the nation for war and its resulting economic and social hardships. Today, few governments publicly describe themselves as fascist. Instead, the label is more often used pejoratively by those critical of particular governments or leaders. The term â€Å"neo-fascist, for example, describes governments or individuals espousing radical, far right political ideologies similar to those of the World War II fascist states.