Milan Kunderas The Unbearable Lightness of Being Essay -- Milan Kunde

Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being The themes of dominance and dehumanization are inextricably entwined throughout history and, therefore, literature. Milan Kundera addresses this concept in his novel, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by describing the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia and its communistic influence on his characters, the interrelations of these characters, as well as its implications in a small excerpt on man's presumed dominance over other creatures. This last passage ties together the mechanization of people with that of animals, showing that the citizens of communist Czechoslovakia are expected to become no more than chattel. The physical invasion of Czechoslovakia by Russia is manifested within the novel by the affect its communist regime has on the native inhabitants of, in this case, Prague. Czech citizens were told that, for their benefit, they must assume solidarity and remove distinctiveness from among them. Czech beliefs were dominated by Russian idealism and individuals were mechanized by a desire for uniformity. This theme is woven throughout the novel, depicted in forms inseparable from the characters and Kundera's sporadic autobiographical insights. Throughout the novel, Kundera uses the concepts of people being mechanized by communism and animals being mechanized by people. ?Mechanical? is a term that refers to that which is automatic, involuntary, emotionless, and unthinking. The actual application of communism, as opposed to its theoretical intentions, lends itself to this unconscious acceptance and conformity. The men and women of Prague will be forced to take an apathetic approach to individuality, career, society, religion and especially politics. Like machi... ...? (289). Ideally, man would show mercy to his fellow human being instead of constantly trying to gain power over him. Russia?s invasion of Czechoslovakia is an exertion of power, a claim of dominance over the will of another country. Its dehumanization of the inhabitants of Czechoslovakia directly correlates to man?s assumption of power over animals. Superiority is a presumed right, justified less by truth than by man?s will to justify. The images Kundera uses to illustrate the invasion of Czechoslovakia are both stark and revealing. They are images of concentration camps, naked uniformity, dominance over dependent creatures, and mechanical humans and animals alike. Tomas?s conquests and Tereza?s dreams are manifestations of a country in a struggle for its independence. With these characters, Kundera humanizes the essentially inhumane concept of communism.

Personal Reflection †My life compare to the Amish Essay

The Amish had first been discovered in 1693, they are known for simple living and plain dressing. Even though they have been around for a very long time their ways of living are still very similar to what it was since the beginning. Unlike my ways of living, I have been on this earth for 16 years (still counting) and my ways of life have changed dramatically year after year. The Amish and I have some similarities and many differences. From the way the use of technology, our gender, our roles and status and even our religion. my life revolves around technology, from the moment I wake up to the moment I step into bed at the end of the day I am surrounded by technology. we might think technology is what makes the world go round. But the Amish thinks differ, they live their life with no use of technology what so ever. this means no phones, no television, no laptop, no electricity (only allowed in certain areas) and definitely no cars. they believe if too much technology is used, the community will slowly be separated from each other. which I believe is very correct. instead of using cars for transport, they would use horse – drawn buggies. my daily routine, everything I do most likely consist of the use of technology. throughout the day I use my phone, use my computer, I use car as a transport, and I am surround by electricity. I feel ashamed of myself because I think the use of technology is the only way someone can get through a day. As for gender, the Amish always had the male(father) as the head of the family. But in my house hold my mum(female) is the head of the house, which is completely opposite to the Amish. The Amish said that unmarried could work and married women had to work within the home . But in my life, women have a choice whether they want to work or stay home whether they’re married or not. when working I have the choice whether to give my pay to my mother or not. but according to the Amish, working children have to give all their pay to their father to support the family. The Amish are very close to one other and families are usually always nearby even after marriage. but where I am living, at the age of 18, family member are able to leave as they please and as far away as they want. since birth my mum never forced me into a certain religion, I was given the choice to choose which religion would suite me best. unlike me the Amish aren’t as lucky as I am, from birth have Christianity forced onto them, and every since that day their lives are now devoted to god. this means devoting  yourself to god before being accepted as an adult member. they are believe that they must obey god at all times. They strongly believe in peace and cooperation. unlike us people who think technology and money makes the world go round and that power is the key to happiness. And lastly our roles and statue, from a young age the Amish were taught their roles, kids would go to school till year 8. The males are always the leader of the family and the person who makes decisions for the entire family and sometimes community. they are also expected to have to work on farm to provide for the family. the females are expected to take care of the family and maintain the house. females usually don’t have jobs outside the house, but young women are usually school teachers. in our society the roles and status can be similar and very different compare to the Amish, in our society males can be the leader but so can the females, the roles in our society are more equal. both males and females can find jobs, do house chores and both can look after the family. And kids finish school at a much older age. in conclusion, the Amish ways of living compare to mine are very different. there is no right way or wrong in living life, both cultures have different views to thin gs so their beliefs to think will be different. At the end of the day we are all human, and we should all respect each other instead of stereotyping one another.

Introduction to Tourism Destination Planning & Development Essay

Tourism provides a major economic development opportunity for many countries and a means of improving the livelihoods of its residents. Both the public and private sectors involved in tourism depend on planning to achieve sustainable tourism development that respects the local community, creates appropriate employment, maintains the natural environment, and delivers a quality visitor experience. Tourism destinations that pursue development without proper planning would face several negative impacts upon the community and host region, such as the erosion of the region’s cultural identity as well as the destruction of landscapes. Malaysia is situated in Southeast Asia and consists of 13 states and 3 federal territories, separated by the South China Sea. 11 of Malaysia’s states are located in Peninsular Malaysia and 2 in east Malaysia, situated on the island of Borneo. The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government and I skandar is known as the administrative center. Tourism is Malaysia’s second largest foreign exchange earner, with a total number of 1,817,061 tourist arrivals in January 2012 alone and 9,438,592 in the following five months[], nearly a hundred thousand more than in the first five months of 2011. Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Dato’ Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen has stated that total receipts from tourism in this period was RM 21.8 billion[] and according to the National Key Economic Area annual report in 2011, the tourism industry is projected to provide and incremental contribution of RM 66.7 billion to the country’s National Gross Income. All these show the very rapid growth of Malaysia’s tourism sector. Moreover, the tourism industry in Malaysia has also been noted to have provided a number of 1.2 million jobs in the country, helping boost the economic and socio-economic development of Malaysia; whether directly or indirectly, tourism has helped generate employment in industries such as agriculture, handicraft, hotel, transport and arts and culture[], while simultaneously conserving aspects of history, culture, heritage and environment of the country. Malaysia’s attractiveness as a tourist destination can be largely contributed by the fact that, in line with its international tagline ‘Malaysia, Truly Asia’, it is a colourful hotpot of cultural diversity. Malaysia’s community consists of not only Malays, Chinese and Indians, but also a number of ethnic people such as the Kadazandusun and Iban in Sabah and Sarawak, as well as the Selatar clan in Johor. With its multi-cultural heritage and ‘exotic’ traditions, food and festivals, many tourists are drawn to visit the country every year. In addition, Malaysia also has the advantage of having a warm, tropical climate all year long, something which many Western travellers look forward to enjoying, as well as having the advantage of being free of major natural disasters such as volcanoes or earthquakes. Malaysia is also proud to have UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites to its name, primarily the Gunung Mulu Geo-Park in Sarawak[], and the historical sites of Malacca[], with Mulu attracting 15000 tourists annually[] while Malacca welcomed more than four million between January and April this year[]. Recently, it has been revealed that the tourism industry was allocated an RM358 million under Budget 2013 in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2013/2014, in order to reach a target of 26.8 million arrivals for the coming year[]. The Government will also review domestic policies and regulations regarding foreign equity restrictions and limits on employment of foreign talent, as well as rules governing recognition of international qualifications, requirements for commercial presence, composition of board of directors, and residency for expatriates[] in order to assist in liberalising the services sector to reach its full potential in Malaysia. Successful implementation of tourism destination development involves a lot of planning, in terms of the assessment of available resources at the destination, marketing strategies to be undertaken, economic and financial analysis as well as an analysis of the market, the environment and also the social impacts of the development. In this assignment, I will attempt to measure the planning process and effects of it in regards to the state of Pahang in Malaysia. Introduction- Pahang Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia and is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and by the South China Sea. Its state capital is Kuantan, and the royal town is Pekan. Approximately 1.5 million people reside in Pahang to date and the ethnic composition is roughly 1,000,000 Malay and Bumiputera, 233,000 Chinese, 68,500 Indians, 13,700 others, while the rest are non-citizens. Geographically diverse, Pahang ranges from mountainous country in its west to one of the longest coastline in the east of Peninsula Malaysia[]. There has been evidence found that indicates the earliest habitation of Pahang leads back all the way to the Mesolithic Era. Once famous for the deposits of tin and gold found along the upper reaches of the Tembeling River, Pahang had attracted the interest of outside powers long before the founding of Malacca in 1400. Under the control of the maritime empire of Srivijaya, Pahang had expanded to cover the entire southern portion of the Malay Peninsula in the 8th and 9th Centuries. With the collapse of Srivijaya power around 1000, Pahang was claimed first by the Siamese and then, in the late fifteenth century, by Malacca. After Malacca fell to the Portuguese in 1511, Pahang became a key part of the territorial struggles between Acheh, Johor, the Portuguese, and the Dutch. Repeated raids, invasions, and occupations devastated the state, until the decline of both Achenese and Portuguese power in the early 17th century allowed Johor to re-establish its influence on the much fought-over state. In the late eighteenth century, Pahang gradually gained autonomy, and in the middle of the nineteenth century it had become an independent state[]. The name ‘Pahang’ has been said to originate from the language of a Siamese ethnic tribe, meaning ‘ore’. The tribe once live there and opened up several mining areas, especially in Sungai Lembing. According to an old Malay story, at the place near the Pahang River, on the opposite side of Kampung Kembahang, a large ‘mahang’ tree fell across the river, thus the name ‘Pahang’ originated. The old name of Pahang is Inderapura[]. Two thirds of this huge state is covered in forest, thus Pahang’s population is dependent mainly on agriculture and natural resources. There is extensive palm oil, cocoa and rubber cultivation. Due to its long coastline, fishing and tourism related activities are prominent in Pahang and there are some small-scale manufacturing and cottage industries which residents are also dependant on[]. The tourism mission of Pahang is: Promoting Pahang as a Major Tourism Destination based on cultural heritage and natural resources for the socio-economic development of the state.[] Resources of Pahang The Arabic honorific of Pahang is Darul Makmur (â€Å"Abode of Tranquility†), an apt description of the state, with its lush tropical forests, cool mountain air, beaches, lakes and waterfalls nestling in the arms of mountain crevices. Pahang is truly a wild land with a picturesque and ethereal natural beauty beyond comparison. However, Pahang has more than that and its resources can be roughly categorized into different classes; natural resources, cultural resources, and manmade resources. Natural Resources of Pahang True to its fame, Pahang is home to many beautiful and breathtaking natural sites and wonders. It is home to unexplored rainforests, carefully preserved wildlife habitats, undisturbed ecological sites and raging, wild rivers and waterfalls. 1. Taman Negara The natural heart of Pahang is unquestionably Taman Negara, Malaysia’s oldest national park, lovingly referred to as â€Å"The Green Heart†. Gazetted as a National Park in 1938, Taman Negara is Malaysia’s largest and oldest natural park, with over 4000 km2 of wild, virgin rainforest. Although it also spans across the states of Terengganu and Kelantan, its largest protrusion is into Pahang. It is carefully conserved and protected due to its status as one of the last remaining frontiers of pristine rainforest, not only in Malaysia, but in the world. Taman Negara has a wide variety of flora and fauna, like the long-tailed macaques and rare Sumatran rhinos, as well as over 250 species of flora. One of the most frequented tourist attractions at Taman Negara is the Canopy Walkway, a suspension bridge of strong ropes, cables, net and wood that hangs 40 metres above the ground from which tourists are able to appreciate the park’s natural beauty without disturbing its resident wildlife. There are also several limestone hills in Taman Negara that have stayed undisturbed since several hundred millions of years ago. Some of the popular caves are Gua Telinga, Gua Kepayang, Gua Daun Menaru and Gua Luas. Visitors also have the chance to take a 40 minute boat trip up the Tahan River to the Lata Berkoh Waterfall, where they can get the invigorating experience of swimming in the cool waters of the deep pool beneath the fall. Adventure-seeking tourists are also able to shoot up the 7 rapids of the Tembeling River, which takes about 5 minutes as it is a 9km ride. With the help of a hired guide, visitors can also go jungle trekking to experience Taman Negara up close along well-marked trails like the Tahang, Terenggan and Neram Trail.   As Taman Negara is so meticulously guarded, tourists need to obtain certain permits or licenses in order to gain access to the park. These licenses differ depending on the tourist’s particular intention and can be applied for at any Department of Wildlife counters located at the Kuala Tembeling Jetty or Kuala Tahan. The permits and respective fares are listed in the following table.

Joe Lieberman Profiles in Courage

Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman According to John F Kennedy, from his book Profiles in Courage a person who â€Å"In whatever arena of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience – the loss of his friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men – each man must decide for himself the course he will follow. (246)† is a profile in courage. Joe Lieberman an independent democrat has made many controversial actions towards the impact of his career (Condon).Lieberman a Connecticut Senator was elected in 1988, has made some controversial decisions in his career (Gunzburger). The ongoing war in Iraq is a commonly debated topic Lieberman, unlike his political party’s views, supported the troops in Iraq wishing they stay (Adyanthaya). In the most recent presidential election Joe Lieberman sided with Republican nominee John McCain much to the dislike of the Democratic Party (Caliborne and Hovell). His most recent action is his beliefs towards the healthcare bill (Condon).Senator Lieberman has gone against his political party risking his popularity and support from his people. The War in Iraq and Afghanistan has been a very controversial topic of how to approach a way out. Joe Lieberman has supported relieving Iraq of Saddam Hussein before George W. Bush was even elected president for his first term (Adyanthaya). Lieberman, in 1998, co-sponsored the Iraq Liberation Act. Unanimously the Act passed the Senate and made a change to the power of the government in Iraq official U. S. policy.Many people in the Democratic Party changed their opinion of the Iraq Liberation. Joe Lieberman went against his party supporting the Act (Adyanthaya). Many of Lieberman’s supporters were against America being involved in Iraq. Lieberman has been a target of political attacks based on decisions and beliefs (Adyanthaya). An article in the New York Times has describe d him as â€Å"an increasingly unwelcome figure within his party. † Lieberman’s beliefs and decisions have led his party to rule him out and may have started to ruin his political career.In 2000 he was the Democratic Party’s nominee for Vice President. In the 2006 senate election Lieberman was faced with a challenger for the upcoming election (Caliborne and Hovell). To make Lieberman’s matters worse The Daily Kos the single most popular liberal website at the time, was looking for donations to help Lieberman’s challenger Ned Lamont. Ned Lamont won the Democratic vote over Lieberman in the 2006 primary Senate Election (Burns). Lieberman came back and won as an Independent. In 2007 Lieberman was a supporter of Vice President Cheney’s plan for the war in Iraq.Lieberman appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation . There Senator Lieberman stated â€Å"I think we’ve got to be prepared to take aggressive military action against the Iranians t o stop them from killing Americans in Iraq. And to me that would include a strike over the border into Iran, where we have good evidence that they have a base at which they are training these people coming back to Iraq to kill out soldiers (Porter). † Once again Lieberman went against his Democratic Party supporting the Republican opinion on the war in Iraq.In the 2008 presidential election Joe Lieberman made his stand supporting Republican nominee John McCain. In 2007 Lieberman decided to endorse McCain because he considered him to be â€Å"the most capable to be commander in chief†¦, and the most capable of uniting the country so that we can prevail against Islamic extremism† said an aide of Lieberman (King and Bash). Lieberman’s aide also insured that the senator doesn’t see this as a â€Å"commentary on or an endorsement of the Republican Party, only the person (King and Bash). † Many people who know and respect Senator Lieberman are unhapp y with his decisions.Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stated â€Å"I have great respect for Joe, but I simply have to disagree with his decision to endorse Senator McCain (King and Bash). † When founder and CEO of the Democratic Leadership Council Al From, found out about Lieberman’s choice he said that â€Å"I am very saddened by senator Lieberman’s choice, and profoundly disagree with it. We need a Democratic president in 2008. (King and Bash)†, In response Lieberman said that â€Å"I know that it’s unusual for a Democrat to been endorsing a Republican. Lieberman also added that â€Å"Political Parties are important in our country. But they’re not more important than what’s best for our country, they’re not more important than friendship. † McCain said that â€Å"I think it’s courageous when anyone crosses party lines to support a candidate from another party, the easiest thing for Joe to do would have just h ave sat on the sidelines in this campaign (Caliborne and Hovell). † The most current topic Joe has dealt with is the heath care reform bill.Senator Lieberman states that he has been â€Å"opposed to a movement-created, government-run insurance company (Grim)† In August of 2009 Lieberman believed that we have to put of the health care reform until the economy is out of recession (Noah). In October the bill that contained no public option passed the committee with every Republican opposed with the exception of Olympia Snowe (Grim), Lieberman stated that he will not support it â€Å"the way it is now. (Noah)† He also said that he will join a Republican filibuster against healthcare reform if it did contain public option.Lieberman said he’s â€Å"opposed a public option because of the potential burden it could place on taxpayers (Condon). † Democrats however made a public option that would be funded by premiums in place of federal funds (Condon). Health care options have yet to be finalized and Lieberman’s decisions are yet to be determined. â€Å"Being a Republican is important. Being a Democrat is important. But you know what’s more important than that? The interest and well-being of the United States of America (King and Bash),† he has said and has exactly done.In Lieberman’s opinion he has made decisions on the interest and well-being of the country (Caliborne and Hovell). He has stood up for what he believed in, gone against many of his supporters and against his own political party. What else does Lieberman have to do to become a Profile in Courage? Works Cited Adyanthaya, Anil. â€Å"RealClearPolitics – Articles – Profile in Courage? Not John Murtha. † RealClearPolitics – Opinion, News, Analysis, Videos and Polls. N. p. , n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2009. . Alter, Jonathan. Alter: Lieberman, Health Care, and Hurt Feelings | Newsweek Voices – Jonathan Alter | Newsweek. com . † Newsweek – National News, World News, Health, Technology, Entertainment and more†¦ | Newsweek. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2009. . Burns, Alexander. â€Å"Ned Lamont could ‘opt in' vs. Joe Lieberman – Alexander Burns – POLITICO. com. † Politics, Political News – POLITICO. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2009. . Condon, Stephanie . â€Å"Joe Lieberman Says He'll Block Reid's Health Care Bill – Political Hotsheet – CBS News. Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News – CBS News. N. p. , n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2009. . Grim, Ryan. â€Å"Lieberman Willing To Sink Health Care Reform†¦ But He Would Really Hate To Do It (AUDIO). † Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. N. p. , n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2009. . Gunzburger, Ron. â€Å"Politics1 – Profile of Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT). † Politics1 – American Politics, Elections, Candidates & Campaigns.N. p. , n. d. W eb. 12 Dec. 2009. . Kennedy, John F.. Profiles in Courage. New York: Harper & Bros, 1956. Print. King, John, and Dana Bash. â€Å"Lieberman: McCain can reunite our country – CNN. com. † CNN. com – Breaking News, U. S. , World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. N. p. , n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2009. . â€Å"Lieberman Throws Support Behind McCain – Political Radar. † Political Punch. N. p. , n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2009.

Traditional way of teaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Traditional way of teaching - Essay Example Knowledge is what we gain from experience. People often end up believing something else which may or not be true just for satisfaction. He stresses upon the need to gain knowledge through physiological reasoning. His theory compromises of several factors which support each other to outline his theory. He started with a cave, in which there were prisoners. The prisoners were fixed to some rocks. All they are allowed to look at it a wall. People outside the cave walk along carrying stuff on their head which might be animal or a person. All they are left to see are shadows. Then follows the guessing game of which shadow would appear next. If any of the prisoners guessed correctly, the others would end up praising him. Then Plato writes that if one of the prisoners had escaped the cave he would have realized that all that they have been thinking was wrong. He would be stunned at the world he discovers outside the cave and does not believe it. That is where he finds out that his former point of view of the world was false. He discovers the sun and the benefit of the sun and the outside gist of nature. Then Plato writes then again had that prisoner returned to the cave his old fellow prisoners would have offended by the truth he told them. The way Plato has designed this example emphasizes the importance of knowledge. It also shed light on the fact that we take wrong meaning of things due to lack of knowledge. Paulo stresses for the need of personal experience and psychological thinking to quest the thirst of knowledge. He says that people believe what they are showed without even questioning. With knowledge comes goodness because that’s what knowledge engraves in us. To be a better person and to do the right thing at the right time is a responsibility we all should accept. Ethics has two ways. They may be called the good and the right. The right has to do

Reflections on doing, being and becoming Assignment

Reflections on doing, being and becoming - Assignment Example The idea that was most interesting and which I would like to explore more is the part of doing as an occupation which many people have focused on much to the extent of destroying our planet and nature. This is of interest because of all the theories that have been put forward about the destruction of nature and the planet, no one has focused deeply on occupation being related to the act of doing which is driven by the notion of an individual’s being. If the being can be addressed in detail, then the doing in relation to occupation can be addressed as well. What additional questions or wonderings do you have about this? The explanation of being in the article has not really touched on psychological explanation and how whether a being can be changed or not and if it is changed, what kind of effect can it have on the becoming as well as doing of an individual. If the inner life of an individual can be changed, can it make an individual better, enable them make better choices and decisions or there will be no much effect felt or seen. Why, in your opinion, do you believe this warrants further discussion? The article itself has not delved deeply into the three aspects and they are all interconnected. If further research can be carried out in the aspect of being, then the results can be able to shed much insight into how to make the occupations of people better the planet rather than destroy them, or even enable them chose better occupations. The aspect of being is much more important than indicated in the article.

Perceptions of Leadership Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Perceptions of Leadership - Coursework Example If on the other hand followers’ perception instigates them to motivate themselves in order to achieve the set goals, leaders may end up collaborating with the followers hence adopting a completely new leadership style. Leaders can best assess follower perceptions of their leadership style in a number of ways. One of the most effective strategies is by carrying out a survey or giving them questionnaires to fill. The questionnaire should contain questions that would help the leaders establish the level of satisfaction followers have on their leadership style (Bolton & Veldkamp, 2013). The questions should also be open so that followers can criticize and fully express their attitude towards the type of leadership in an organization. However, they should not require them to fill their personal information like names and contact. Other strategies include observing followers behaviors though this method may be less effective. In case the perception of the leader is not aligned with that of the followers, he or she should try adjusting his or her perception as well as that of the followers so that they can reach to a balance. However, this should apply in case the perception of the followers is effective and worthwhile. If their perception is ineffective, leaders should focus on gradually introducing the necessary change while giving the followers adequate time to adapt (Hughes, Ginnett & Curphy, 2012). Assessing followers’ perception by making them fill survey questions that are open is the best method because it would give the followers a chance to freely express themselves without any intimidation. This method has been proven to be effective by many researchers particularly if the followers are assured of privacy and that they cannot be victimized. Other methods like observing followers’ behaviors may not be effective because followers would pretend when they realize that they are being assessed (Bolton & Veldkamp,