Foensic Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Foensic Accounting - Assignment Example Practicing sales of the company’s merchandise during off-hours can also result in â€Å"off-book† frauds. Ways to prevent this include: surveillance of the employees at all point-of-sales; investigating of gaps in the transaction sequence or the pre-numbered receipts; and encouraging customers to ask for receipts for any purchases made so as to make employees ring up sales. Case management software refers to an immensely powerful tool used by investigators to conduct timely, effective and efficient investigations in an organization. It can be used to investigate issues such as workers’ compensation cases, customer cases, fraud and insurance claims among others (Silverstone & Sheetz, 2007). It works in a variety of forms including alerts to the mangers or investigators when a new case is entered, capturing of new referrals by employees when they notice any form of fraud but, anonymously, and identifying of repeat offenders of misconduct in an organization. Mostly, this software is used in internal investigations and risk management in a

Sport Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sport Education - Essay Example Individuals do not exist in a nutshell; they interact, relate, and behave in specific manners which eventually affect their health. The schools’ curriculum should include subjects which promote health and physical education through sports to enforce correct behavioral patterns at a young age and continue this positive reinforcement until adulthood. Therefore, health promotion and physical education in the schools through sport education is of critical importance. The objective of this research paper is to consider the potential barriers to fully implementing the sport education framework into the delivery of physical education (PE) in the UK, making particular reference to one’s school sport experiences. Physical education is a mandatory course promoting physical activity and sports mostly from grades 1 to 6. The objectives of physical education classes are teaching to ensure physical fitness, promoting regular exercises, and presenting nutrition and health subjects. In some traditional schools, however, physical education incorporates sports only as a minor endeavor with limited sports skills being honed. In this regard, Daryl Siedentop conceived the incorporation of sports education in Ohio State University’s curriculum with the purpose of educating children â€Å"in the fullest sense, and to help develop competent, literate, and enthusiastic sportspeople (Siedentop, 1994, 4)† (Penney, Clarke, Quill & Kinchin, 2005, 5). The objective of SE is that â€Å"students will be supported in developing the skills, knowledge and understanding to progress their own and others learning, their participation in physical activity and sport, and their enjoyment of it, within and outside of the physical education curriculum. Finally, Sport Education endeavours to locate learning experiences and participation in physical activity and sport in the wider social,

Cosmetic Surgery among women Essay Example for Free

Cosmetic Surgery among women Essay Table of Contents: Introduction Page 2 Causes of Cosmetic Surgery (by Hilda) Page 3 Physical Damage after Cosmetic Surgery (by Bonnie) Page 4 Psychological Effects of Cosmetic Surgery (by Ashley) Page 5 Conclusion Page 6 Works Cited Page7 Appendix A – Women and Health: Power, Technology, Inequality, and Conflict in a Gendered World Appendix B – Reflecting on Cosmetic Surgery: Body image, Shame and Narcissism Appendix C – Body Work: Beauty and Self-image in American Culture Appendix D – Body Image: A Handbook of Science, Practice, and Prevention Appendix E – Nips tucks: Everything You Must Know Before Having Cosmetic Surgery Appendix F – Check list Introduction To examine the history of cosmetic surgery, Ratcliff stated that cosmetic surgery was originally used to reconstruct the injuries of the returning soldiers from the First and Second World Wars. However, due to the long-time promotions of the media in the standard of beauty of women and the turning of the effects of aging to pathological changes by doctors, the usage of cosmetic surgery has changed (133). Ratcliff reported the statistics in 1998 from the American Association, which showed 3,892,149 cosmetic surgeries for women (135). Nowadays, cosmetic surgery becomes more common, especially for women. Instead of needing it, women see it as a want. They want to attain their ideal images by cosmetic surgery. However, the raising of cosmetic surgery causes both physical and psychological problems. This paper will examine the causes and effects of cosmetic surgery. Causes of Cosmetic Surgery  by Hilda Kong Tsz Yan Northrop reported the Davis’ and Gimlin’s findings in 1995 and 2002 that the judgment of men is not the main reason for women to have cosmetic surgery. The opinions of men are just the supportive of the cosmetic surgery decisions of women (157). With the increasing number of women having cosmetic surgery after divorcement, Northrop believed that many women would change jobs or resume studying to enlarge their competence and competitiveness. Cosmetic surgery would improve their body image and increase the opportunities of employment (157). Northrop also thought that cosmetic surgery had the meaning of getting back control of the bodies for divorced women. They did not mind the pain of cosmetic surgery as they thought it was the inevitable part of process of retrieving ownership of their bodies (158). For common women having cosmetic surgery, Northrop suggested that due to the rejection and replacement by other people who had better looking in daily life, women would have dispirited self image and feel shame. They therefore want to improve their situations by cosmetic surgery (159). I am surprised that cosmetic surgery has a great meaning for women. It does not only boost the self-esteem of women, but also has the meaning of getting back their bodies. I have believed that opinions of men are the main reason for women to have cosmetic surgery all the while. However, it appears to me that there is evidence to say that women want to have cosmetic surgery because of women themselves. Physical Damage after Cosmetic Surgery  by Bonnie Hui Nga Ting Gimlin highlighted cosmetic surgery can cause a serious problem on health that the body may have rejection on tissue engineering application. She also described women had breast augmentation and it is extremely pain. They may feel difficulties and uncomfortable when they lying or putting up the hand.  If it is not success, the surgeon chisels the chest wall of the patient for removing the chemical part out. It cannot stay inside the body. Furthermore, the breast may have scars or deform (77). In addition, Gimlin stated if woman had cosmetic surgery for whole body, the woman may get poor in facial expression. Also, if a woman had liposuction, the patient may get corrugated and uneven structure of the skin (77). Gimlin also claimed that due to new benefits or more resources, the body can advance and transform continuously (78). However, I disagree with Gimlin that the body can advance and transform after cosmetic surgery. If we had cosmetic surgery not because of disability, I think it is not upgrading and this must have side-effect that we use chemical way to change our body structure. Moreover, I think women had cosmetic surgery for beauty purpose and the physical effects are the cost of the beauty. I think the pain is bigger than the value of beauty for me and beauty cannot be everlasting. It is not worth a try. I do not want to stake my health for whole life to get a beautiful appearance for few years only. Psychology Effects of Cosmetic Surgery  by Ashley Ngan Ka Yan Not only the physical damage is serious, but also the psychology effect should be concerned as well. Cash and Linda report that 5-15% of cosmetic surgery patients are having body dysmorphic disorder which is a kind of mental illness that their body will be criticized by themselves extremely such as their skin, hair or even any body parts. Thus, they may not satisfy the postoperative results as they will still look for the flaws of their appearance (396). For women having cosmetic surgery, Cash and Linda highlight that the occurrence rate of suicide are increasing frequently and having mental disorder are happening most likely specially the women who have breast implant, so they need to have psychological and psychiatric remedies in order to prevent their self-murder ideation or self- harm conducts (397).  Moreover, Cash and Linda suggest that producing preservative influence for women who may have those risks for self-destruction because of mental illness and psychosis (398). I am surprised that cosmetic surgery can cause the psychology effect seriously like suicide and self-harm behaviors, so I do agree with Cash and Linda that providing more support for those women who may have body dysmorphic disorder in order to deduct the unfortunate happenings because life is important and it should be treasured. It also reminds me that we should think twice before making change to our body as once you did it, you might not be able to go back. Conclusion Although there are negative effects of cosmetic surgery, it cannot eliminate the advantages it gives to women. Cosmetic surgery gives self-esteem and a new body image to women. It makes women accept themselves again and comfort them when they face others and do not feel inferior when they saw their face or body. So, why not look for outstanding doctor to help you fulfilling your goal. To choose the right doctor, Barry suggested that the first thing is comparing more than two doctors and taking consultations with them (17). Second, choosing a doctor according to their experience and technical abilities and do not trust any advertising, magazines or television shows because great doctors do not need to get promoted (18). Third, you must know what you want to change before having operation and during the consultation time. You have to ensure that your doctor understands your expectations after surgery (18-20). Works Cited Barry, Diana. Nips tucks: Everything You Must Know Before Having Cosmetic Surgery. Los Angeles: General Publishing Group, 1996, 17-20. Print. Cash, Thomas F., and Linda Smolak. Body Image: A Handbook of Science, Practice, and Prevention. 2nd Ed. New York: The Guilford Press, 2011, 396-398. Print. Gimlin, Debra L. Body Work: Beauty and Self-image in American Culture. University of California Press, 2001, 77-78. Web. Northrop, Jane Megan. Reflecting on Cosmetic Surgery: Body image, Shame and Narcissism. Hoboken: Taylor Francis, 2012, 157-159. Web. Ratcliff, Kathryn Strother. Women and Health: Power, Technology, Inequality, and Conflict in a Gendered World.1st ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001, 133-135. Print.

Primary methods of maintaining organizational culture

Primary methods of maintaining organizational culture An organizations culture is made up of comparatively stable characteristics. It grows over many years and is rooted in intensely held values to which employees are forcefully committed. In addition, there are number of forces are successfully operating to maintain a given culture. These include written allegations about the organization mission and philosophy, the design of physical spaces and buildings, the dominant leadership style, hiring criteria, past promotion practices, entrenched rituals, popular stories about key people and events, the organizations historic performance evaluation criteria, and the organizations formal structure. Significantly, the organizational culture includes values, assumptions, goals and Industry demands. So the culture has been maintained through Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA), Employee on-boarding (socialization), Leadership (Top management) , and organizational Reward systems. It determines what types of people are hired by an organization and what types of people are left out. Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA) : First, employees are attracted to organizations where they will suit in. According to Judge statement, the employees with distinctive personality traits find different cultures attractive.[1]For example, out of their individual traits, employees who illustrate neurotic personalities were less likely to be attracted to inventive cultures, whereas those who had openness to experience were more likely to be. By ASA process, While selection, candidates and corporations both are looking for people who will fit into their current corporate culture.[2] Considering southwest airlines and Google are the best example for that. Attrition refers to the instinctive process, where the candidates who do not fit in will go away from the company. Research indicates that person-organization incompatibility is one of the important reasons for employee turnover.[3] New Employee On-boarding : On-boarding pertains to the process through which new employees learn the attitudes, knowledge, skills, and behaviors required to function effectively within an organization.[4] When the organizational employees socializing the new people, inviting as a part of their family, they will feel accepted by their peers and confident regarding their ability to perform, and also they can share the assumptions, norms, and values that are the part of the organizations culture. This understanding and confidence is making the new employees to perform their ability and traits in a excellent way. As well as it gives higher job fulfillment, Effective organizational commitment, and long period of time experience within the company for them. Organizations can also engage in different activities to facilitate on-boarding, such as implementing orientation programs or matching new employees with mentors. These processes are expanded by the nature of the company.[5] (refer Exhibit 1-1) Leadership : Leaderships are significantly helpful in creating and modifying the organizations culture. There is a direct agreement between the leaders style and an organizations culture. For example, when leaders motivate and praise the employees in the firm by their knowledge , skills, initiatives, the corporate culture tends to be more supportive and people- oriented. Consequently, the leaders are providing rewards, contingent on performance, again it tends to be more performance-oriented and competitive also to them.[6] Likewise, the leaders will influence directly to the cultures of their organizations. Apart from the leaders influence, the role model is another tool (Charismatic). Research have suggested that leader behavior, attitudes, and decision-making, the consistency between union policy, leader actions and role modeling determine the degree to which the organizations culture emphasizes ethics [7]. The leaders own behaviors will influence each individuals to understand what is acceptable behavior and what is unacceptable. In an organization, in which high-level leaders make the effort to involve others in decision making and seek opinions of others, team diversity is more likely to evolve. By acting as role models (charismatic), leaders send signals to the organization about the norms and values that are expected to guide the actions of its members. Leaders also proves their success from reactions to the actions of others in the organizational culture. Through their day-to-day actions improvements, leaders shape and maintain the organizations culture Effectively. Reward Systems : The Organizational reward system offering pliability and motivation for maximum effectiveness from the employees rather than being hard and rude. Usually, the company culture is formed by the type of reward systems and based on the kinds of behaviors and outcomes it chooses to reward and punish. One relevant element of the reward system is whether the organizational rewards either behaviors or outcomes. In some companies, the employees rewards system highlights intangible elements of performance also its looking like easily accessible metrics. In these companies, supervisors and peers may evaluate the workers performance by seeing the persons behaviors as well as the results. In such companies, we may expect a culture that is comparatively both either people-oriented or team-oriented, so the employees can act as part of a family [8]. However, in companies in which goal attainment is the sole criterion for reward, there is a focus on measuring only the results without much regard to the process. In these companies, we might supervise result-oriented and competitive cultures. A company culture evolves to determine which behaviors are deserved, which ones are penalized, and which are ignored by them. A reward system is a major tool managers can exert when undertaking the controlling function. In order for a reward system to be effective, the rewards must hold some importance for the employees. Reward systems should focus on positive reinforcement. It is the most effective tool for encouraging desired behavior because it stimulates people to take actions because they want to, because they get something of value (internally or externally) for doing it. An effectively designed and managed reward program can drive an organizations change process by positively reinforcing desired behaviors. According to (Thomas,1994) author presents criteria for building effective reward systems that he calls the SMART criteria. These criteria should be used when designing and evaluating programs. The programs should be: Specific. A line of sight should be maintained between rewards and actions. Meaningful. The achievements rewarded should provide an important return on investment to both the performer and the organization. Achievable. The employees or groups goals should be within the reach of the performers. Reliable. The program should operate according to its principles and purpose. Timely. The recognition/rewards should be provided frequently enough to make performers feel valued for their efforts. CREATING AN ETHICAL CULTURE : Ethical managerial leaders and their people take the right and good path when they come to the ethical choice points. An organizational culture most likely to shape high ethical standards is one thats high in risk tolerance, low to moderate in aggressiveness, and focuses on means as well as outcomes. Although, the managers in the organization, innovate and take risk to avoid the unbridled competition, and will pay attention to How and What goals are achieved.[9] Considering the Johnson Johnson employees culture, have become to know how their strong organizational culture it is. If the culture is strong and supports high ethical standards, definitely it should have a very powerful and positive influence on employee behavior. Even though, sometimes a strong culture can make an unethical behavior because of aggressive culture between the employees. Research suggesting that, some of the practices that management can undertake, Being a visible role model, Communicating ethical expectations, providing ethical training, Visibly rewarding ethical acts and punishing unethical ones, and finally providing protective mechanism can help the employees to be more active into the organizational culture. According to Turknett research, process that can help to ensure that the organization has an ethical culture and that has the leaders who lead with character. Investing in a process that seeks to infuse an ethical culture is especially important in the case where there is an ethical infringement. And by his three Cs, merely developing a cultural character into the people. Code, Character and Conversation providing a good framework for thinking about infusing ethics into organization culture. By using his model called Growing Leadership Character can also use to cascade these concepts deep into the organizational ranks. Moreover, his theory expressing the three basic character into the human. thus, providing an ethical behavior. When someone has character, usually it also mean that they are the people who work hard, get results, and are the people always Responsible. They also, however, ground all action in a solid base of Integrity, and they treat people with respect and Equity.[10] Nevertheless, Dr. Charles D. Kerns illustrates in his various research, how the values are influencing ethical behavior into the human. It could say clearly that VABEs (Values, Assumptions, behaviors, Emotions) seems to be a subset of virtuous values that align with ethical behavior.[11] Values > Attitudes > Ethical Behavior In Martin Seligmans, Authentic Happiness, has reviewed these core virtuous values that influence ethical behavior and appear to have universal appeal. Wisdom and Knowledge, Self Control, Justice and Fair Guidance, Transcendence, Love and Kindness and Courage and Integrity are giving personal values accordingly.However, there are some USA Based Indian companies are providing an ethical training into the employees, Significantly could illustrate as an example, Sierra Atlantic (California-Based software company) Hyderabad, trains its Indian employees in various aspects of U.S culture. As a result, they won a bid with an American firm over an Indian competitor because the Sierra employees were viewed as a better cultural fit. Such successes make it likely that companies with foreign clients will either adopt or continue to use cultural training.[12] Mary-Jo Kranacher is recommending some more values, to build an ethical culture into the organization, effectively. Developing ethics policies, Implementing controls, Establishing penalties and rewards, Communicating policies and procedures to others from top management to bottom, Enforcing policies consistently are included in his major suggestions.[13] As a result, the purpose of an ethics policy is to support a culture of openness, trust, and integrity in a companys management and business practices.

Five Major Social Institutions :: essays papers

Five Major Social Institutions How has my personality been shaped by the five major instutions? Firstly, my family is one of the most influential parts of my life. My family has taught me all the values that I think that I would need in life. I was not raised in an abusive family, which shapes my personality by making me less aggressive towards my peers, and teaching me that you can^t get your way through force, but by patience. I think that my family has positively affected my life through treating me like I^m a person, something that gets hurt easily. Does education really affect the way I am? Maybe not directly, but indirectly. Education is a means of teaching some values, but that^s not education^s main purpose. Education teaches us about a great many things. In kindergarten, you learn the alphabet and to count to ten, in elementary school, you learn penmanship, and the four basic ways to get seventy through a chain of addition, grammar, and we start to want to do our own thing instead of everything that our parents want^s us to do. So, does education really affect our personality? No, it does not affect us. But, our friends at school do. Our friends will be either our good friend, or our worst enemy by the time we^re in high school. Friends shape the most of our personality out of the family. Another way that our friends have shaped the way that we are, is the way they treat us. For example, your friends call you names, talk trash behind your back, and generally talk trash around you now do you think that you would have good self-esteem? I do not think that would be possible, even if your parent are always calling you nice things, spoiling you rotten, you would still have bad self-esteem. The economy is a very essential part of our daily life, it shapes what shape our town or city will be in. If the economy is poor, do you think that it will draw a huge tourist crowd if the whole town or city was a ghetto? I personally do not think so. I think that it would turn out to be a heavily gang populated city, with many drug deals and prostitution going on. Luckily I was not raised in the ghetto, not to say that I am a particularly rich person, my family is just a little off to the good to do side, but not really. The economy has shaped the way that I am by where I was raised, I was for the majority of my young

Soldier X by Don L. Wulffson Essay -- Soldier X Don L. Wulffson

Soldier X by Don L. Wulffson Plot I read the book Soldier X by Don L. Wulffson that takes place during the world war II period. The main character of the book is a 16 year old German boy named Erik Brandt. Although Erik lives in Germany he is also half Russian and speaks Russian very well. Erik does not want to be a part of Hilters Nazi army during world war II but he is forced to fight on the side of the Nazis. During one battle of the war is he forced under a tank during a large scale battle with the Russians. He has no choice but to change clothes and gear with the Russian soldier and be now becomes part of the Russian army. He spends some time in the Russian army and then he gets wounded. He gets send to a Russian hospital and meets a nurse named Tamara. He falls in love with her but then one day the hospital is bombed and he has to escape with her and out of Russia. The story comes to an end with Erik and Tamara escaping Europe and making to over the Atlantic ocean to the United States to have kids and live the rest of there lives. How this book relates to Social Studies The book Soldier X is all about world war II. The book talks about many of the bad thing during World War II. Such as things that happened during battles and Hilters ideas to kill all Jews. And to rid the world of Judaism. It also relates because it talks about the tensions between Russia and Germany. What I Learned from reading this book While reading this book I learned about many wo...

Plato †The Republic, Machiavelli †The Prince, Hobbes †Leviathan Essay

1. The Lessons of Nature The most important lesson I believe I have learned about modern and historical politics from my reading of Plato, Machiavelli, and Hobbes, is that Western society has historically viewed politics as a way to grapple with human nature and the self-interests which are believed to drive human behavior. Although this perception of human nature has opposing views among Western philosophers such as Locke, I took the collective impact of The Republic, The Prince, and Leviathan as penetrating insights into the hierarchical and self-interested aspects of humanity, which in some ways, by some points of view seemed contrary, to me, to the essential viewpoint and philosophical perspective which may be necessary for Western society to embrace in the future. So an important insight for me, in fact, the most important insight in my opinion is that these great philosophers denote, to a very large degree, the visions of the past, and ideas about politics, which, while still very current, are probably apt to evolve in the future.   One might even go so far as to suggest that the present, with its global discord and challenges presents a time of â€Å"punctuated equilibrium† for Western philosophical and political thought. 2. Hobbes’ Lesson of the Leviathan To begin with, viewing the massive, sometimes oppressively â€Å"omnipotent† government in contemporary times as something which is not only necessary, but — in fact – demonstrates both the triumph of humanity over the hostilities of nature, but also the attainment of â€Å"justice† is sometimes difficult for me to see.   On the other hand, I have no issue with seeing that many other people, and in fact, people in powerful positions in government, belive this completely. When Hobbes writes that: â€Å" Hitherto I have set forth the nature of Man, (whose Pride and other Passions have compelled him to submit himselfe to Government;) together with the great power of his Governour, whom I compared to Leviathan, taking that comparison out of the two last verses of the one and fortieth of Job; where God having set forth the great power of Leviathan, calleth him King of the Proud†Ã‚   (Waller,1901, p. 231), I shudder to think that actual people in positions of power in the real world believe this as gospel. I think, specifically, of the Bush administration’s recent attempt to expand Presidential authority: â€Å"There is nothing, saith he, on earth, to be compared with him. He is made so as not to be afraid. Hee seeth every high thing below him; and is King of all the children of pride.† (Waller, 1901, p. 231) 3. The Lesson of the Modern Presidency The logical outcome of the modern vision of the President as the leader of a specific political party, rather than the Constitutional conception of the President as a non-partisan arbiter of the Congress, is that individual Presidential candidates, rather than the political parties themselves, would emerge as the foremost consideration in Presidential elections. Hobbes’ Leviathan needs a â€Å"head† and in modern times his admonition, quoted below, seems especially frightening: â€Å"The maintenance of Civill Society, depending on Justice and Justice on the power of Life and Death, and other lesse Rewards and Punishments, residing in them that have the Soveraignty of the Common-wealth; It is impossible a Common-wealth should stand, where any other than the Soveraign, hath a power of giving greater rewards than Life; and   of inflicting greater punishments, then Death  (Waller, 1901, p. 326) In practical terms, the rise of the â€Å"candidate† campaign has eliminated the old method of â€Å"platform† politics where a political parties ideological and issue-related stances are measured against one another with the direct contest between one   candidate and another.   One clear result of this practice is that individual candidates are now virtually dissected by the media and by prospective voters to measure their probable â€Å"characters† and â€Å"defects.† The fascination with individual manners, faux pas, manner of dress, speech, religious affiliation, past memberships in social organizations or clubs, or even past associations with friends or acquaintances now play, arguably, a more important role than issues in recent Presidential elections. In modern Presidential politics, the political parties often seem like afterthoughts. The present day situation presents a precisely opposite vision of a Constitutional model for the American Presidency. Because the Presidential candidates are now regarded as leaders of their respective parties and not simply as nominees of them, the expectation is that a given candidate will follow, to partisan exclusion, the   aims and desires of his or her party. In fact, the expectation in modern politics is that the party and the candidate are virtually identical, but that in the long run executive, rather than democratic, authority is the final word. An entire library of observations could be written about the expansion of Presidential authority — indeed, the tyranny of Presidential authority — relative to political parties which is exemplified by the Bush administration. 4. The Lesson of Plato and Slavery When reading political philosophy, I am usually aware of historical relationships that might seem a bit odd to others. Therefore, my thinking about not only the historical, but contemporary, impact of African American slavery in America while reading Plato’s Republic may seem off-beat at first, but the thought-process I underwent, and the conclusions I drew are part of the important lessons about political philosophy I learned from class-readings. One thing that stood out for me in all three writers was the hierarchical fundamental assumptions that comprised the core-beliefs of all three philosopher’s works. An example of this rigid, hierarchical thinking is found in the following passage of the   Republic: they should receive the laws from us in the finest possible way like a dye, so that their   Ã‚   opinion about what’s terrible and about everything else would be color- fast because they had gotten the proper nature and rearing, and their dye could not be washed out by those lyes so terribly effective at scouring, pleasure  (Plato,1991, p.108) The kind of cultural schism encouraged by this kind of thinking, is, in reality, both profound and of long duration. I started to wonder what it would be like if one ruling class, reared on the airy ideas of Plato, the â€Å"objective† and hierarchical ideas of Hobbes, and the self-interested mastery of Machiavelli enacted the principles set forth in these philosophies, not as mere ideas, but as deep culturally encoded principles. Obviously, it was not a stretch to think fo the history of African Americans, first subjected to the tyranny of slavery, then cast into the role of â€Å"other† after the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery, who became a culture without any identity other than that which had been thrust upon them from their former â€Å"masters.† However, African Americans were cast into an equally prejudicial cultural role in America and this time, the justification for both Northerners and Southerners was that slavery, though evil, had at least allowed for the â€Å"humanization† of the African race. This deep-seated racism obstructed any chance for the African Americans in the post Civil War era to geminate a specifically African American culture of their one making and instead cast them back into a role   very similar to the one they had occupied as slaves. The institution of slavery in America was malicious enough and long-lasting enough to genuinely sever African Americans from their historic cultural roots. The loss of their indigenous culture gave rise to hybrid African American cultures and a search for African American identity which, although many gains in civil liberties and social awareness have taken place,   continues to this day. My thought is that any distinction of hierarchy where the intimation is that the rule of one class over another is both natural and necessary, will result in the erosion of culture in both the ruling and subjected classes.  Ã‚   Plato ridicules such an idea: if the people are discontented and say that it is not just for a son in his prime to be supported by his father, but the reverse, the father should be supported by the son; and that they didn’t beget and set him up so that when he   had grown great they should be   Ã‚   slaves to their own slaves and support him and the slaves along with other flotsam, but so that with him as leader they would be freed from the rich and those who are said to be gentlemen in the city; and they now bid him and his comrades to go away from the city   like a father driving a son along with his trouble- some drinking fellows out of the house?  (Plato, 1991, p. 118) However, I would suggest that the historical case of African American slavery represents a very apt model for how the political philosophies of hierarchy can lead to enduring corruption because the contemporary political situation of the United States both domestically and internationally, is still very much connected to race and race-based hierarchies. By following Hobbes’ idea that the ruled must be led by their rulers, or Plato’s idea that the ruled should be indoctrinated to love their station in life, or Machiavelli’s idea that the ruled should be placated or tricked by their rulers into a state of   passivity, there is a feeling in my mind that an entirely different mode of thinking could be and should be engaged, not to vindicate, but to rescue the world from the antiquated philosophies of the past. 5. The Lesson of Machiavelli and Assassination The point at which the self-interest of leaders becomes, itself, the most dangerous threat to any nation, culture, or society, is among the most important lessons I learned from the class readings and I most specifically learned this from reading The Prince, which I found to be, like Hobbes and Plato, much more illuminating on   the subject of how Western society has viewed itself and its political institutions than as a penetrating glimpse into humanity’s essential nature   or future cultural and political existence. Machiavelli stresses that all acts of a political nature are rooted in self-interest. It is not a matter of public-service, but of public passivity and censure that drives the politician. Speaking of Oliverotto’s murder of his enemies, Machiavelli remarks: â€Å"After this murder, Oliverotto mounted his horse, paraded through the town, and besieged the chief officials in the government palace; so that out of fear they were forced to obey him and to constitute a government of which he made himself prince† (Machiavelli, 1998, p. 32). Implicit in this remark is not only the idea that murder can be an expedient political strategy but that any political act is partially only what it is perceived to be.   Machiavelli mentions of Oliveratto â€Å"And when all those were killed who, because they were discontented, might have harmed him, he strengthened himself by instituting new civil and military institutions; so that, in the space of the year that he held the principality, (Machiavelli, 1998, p. 32). In conclusion, the political philosophies of Hobbes, Machiavelli, and Plato represent a compelling collection of ideas which seem to have driven Western politics for centuries. However strong the rational conclusions, observations, and inspired thoughts of these past philosophers –to my mind — none of the theories offered seem to address the issues which seem most problematic and current in contemporary society. By following the ideas in these philosophical systems which elevate self-interest, social schism, warfare, and political expedience, the social, political, and cultural resources of the West are weakened, not strengthened.