How Technology (e.g. IT, Satellite and Others) has Affected Globalization, International Trade, and Financial Stability

Globalization refers to the integrations and the interdependence of the world’s economy. The integrations result from the evident technological advancement where people have reached the level of interacting together without having to travel or meet face-to-face with those they interact.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How Technology (e.g. IT, Satellite and Others) has Affected Globalization, International Trade, and Financial Stability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Technology therefore forms the basis of all these advancements as it has made the world a global village with people conducting business transactions through it without literary moving to other places. As a result, the paper reveals how technology has in one way or another affected international trade, globalization and financial stability. Technology has significantly boosted globalization. Internet For instance has of late provided a platfo rm in which people from all over the world interact from different locations thereby sharing ideas without making any movement or meeting physically. People through social networks for instance facebook, yahoo mail and twitter exchange their experiences and ideas thus enhancing the sharing of cultural views and ways of life. The rate at which information flows has increased enabling the creation of new relationships around the world. Apart from these social networks, internet as a form of IT has facilitated business across the globe. Many companies and businesspersons seal deals and carry on with their business through the internet. This trend has led to what people currently refer to as economic globalization where economies of different countries are internationally integrated through the engagement of foreign direct investments, trade, migrations and even flow of capital. All these put together contribute to international trade whose advancement relies much on satellite and inter net. In fact, virtually all business institutions own satellite dishes to facilitate their businesses around the globe.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Developed countries for instance the US, China, Germany and France have an upper hand over less developed nations especially the African countries based on the evident development gradient in the field of IT. This indifference has positioned the developed countries at a level higher in the international trade based on their ability to carry on their business transactions quickly as compared to Africa countries. When it comes to financial stability, technology comes in handy. Technology has enabled quick transmission of information relating to financial matters or rather position around the world with businesses using it to choose the most promising businesses, which provide good returns or rather, which have a stable market. IT has facilitated transactions and transfer of money through means like wire transfer and PayPal among others. However, it also faces a big challenge based on a failure to put appropriate measures in place to safeguard smooth operation. It has brought with it, many fraudsters who use the opportunity to fraud people of their money hence making it less popular means of money transfers. Other countries around the globe employ tactics like delaying in exportation or importation of their products based on the prevailing market conditions in order to avoid making loss. Therefore, this has contributed a lot to the seclusion of other areas especially those believed or seen to provide less returns hence influencing negatively on the general trade of such like countries. Apart from these instances of frauds, IT has to some extend promoted financial stability based on the evident quick transactions therein hence reducing any instances of inflations in the value of the currency or deflation in different markets around the world. In conclusion, it seems apparent that technology for instance internet, electronic mail among others plays a critical role in globalization, financial stability and more importantly in international trade.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How Technology (e.g. IT, Satellite and Others) has Affected Globalization, International Trade, and Financial Stability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The world has become a global village where people interact, work and complete their transactions in the comfort of their rooms because of technological advancement. Good enough, with technological inventions occurring day-by-day, these fields amongst others stand a better chance of becoming better in the near future. This essay on How Technology (e.g. IT, Satellite and Others) has Affected Globalization, International Trade, and Financial Stability was written and submitted by user Brett Terry to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Growing Up

. So for me the many different phases of growing up were the shock of a lifetime. It started off really nice and then eventually ended up smacking me right in the face. Kindergarten will always be a fond memory of mine. I remember back in kindergarten when there used to be a nap time. Oh, how I took it for granted! I would fall asleep quickly and have dreams about playing outside with the other children. Now I am not sure I even know what the word â€Å"sleep† means. My teacher used to play the letter game with me and all of my friends. I remember painting pictures for my mom or getting to hang them up in the classroom. I would always make the biggest mess when it came to painting, smearing it all over the place. I also remember the snacks that the teacher used to give us before I went home at the end of the school day. Now at home, I clean up the messes and give out the snacks. As I grew up, the â€Å"unthinkable† started to happen. When I was little, I should have appreciated pure skin, no wrinkles, and being told to eat all of my vegetables. For example, now I have to use Clearasil, Olay Regenerist, and go to Weight Watchers. Page 2 I used to have so much energy, but now I have to drink coffee to wake myself up. Sometimes, I even drink the whole pot of coffee by myself. I also have the â€Å"privilege† of losing my figure, getting gray hair, and becoming less attractive. Growing up brought me more responsibilities. It used to be that my mom would come into my room... Free Essays on Growing Up Free Essays on Growing Up Growing Up It all begins with the famous phrase, â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up?†. As a child, I thought the words â€Å"growing up† meant becoming like Mom and Dad. It meant having a job, being able to cook dinner, and knowing how to pay bills. I was too young to understand the concept behind those words. So for me the many different phases of growing up were the shock of a lifetime. It started off really nice and then eventually ended up smacking me right in the face. Kindergarten will always be a fond memory of mine. I remember back in kindergarten when there used to be a nap time. Oh, how I took it for granted! I would fall asleep quickly and have dreams about playing outside with the other children. Now I am not sure I even know what the word â€Å"sleep† means. My teacher used to play the letter game with me and all of my friends. I remember painting pictures for my mom or getting to hang them up in the classroom. I would always make the biggest mess when it came to painting, smearing it all over the place. I also remember the snacks that the teacher used to give us before I went home at the end of the school day. Now at home, I clean up the messes and give out the snacks. As I grew up, the â€Å"unthinkable† started to happen. When I was little, I should have appreciated pure skin, no wrinkles, and being told to eat all of my vegetables. For example, now I have to use Clearasil, Olay Regenerist, and go to Weight Watchers. Page 2 I used to have so much energy, but now I have to drink coffee to wake myself up. Sometimes, I even drink the whole pot of coffee by myself. I also have the â€Å"privilege† of losing my figure, getting gray hair, and becoming less attractive. Growing up brought me more responsibilities. It used to be that my mom would come into my room...

Underage Females Working in Brothels via Sex Trafficking Research Paper

Underage Females Working in Brothels via Sex Trafficking - Research Paper Example Underage Females Working in Brothels via Sex Trafficking The results are tragic because in most cases, the underage females that are working in brothels are victims of sex trafficking. They feel frustrated and worthless, seeing no prospect of escaping their wretched lives. Sad to say that even parents that are supposed to show love and protect their children, often contribute to the climate of permissiveness, because they claim that poverty led them to sell their children into prostitution. Widespread depravity and rampant barbarous pedophile cannot be controlled by law enforcement. However, influential personalities recognize the devastating effects of child prostitution by sex trafficking. In fact, nation leaders considered this as a barbarous crime. Thus, working alongside with government agencies, officials and legislative bodies, they are doing their earnest efforts to stop the problem. Yet, despite their noble intentions, sex trafficking of minors is still growing. How extensive is the problem of sex trafficking today? What leads to this horrific situation? According to Sex trafficking Fact Sheet, â€Å"sex trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act is under the age of 18 years†. The Fact Sheet declares that considering sex trafficking as a serious violation of Federal law, Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, or TVPA, is being ratified. TVPA defines ‘commercial sex act’ as any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person. It also recognizes that sex traffickers customarily use psychological and physical coercion, such as making threats of serious harm to or physical restraint against any person, using any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause the victim to believe that failure to do the command action would result in serious harm. The Fact sheet enumerates the various types of sex trafficking. The victims are forced into different forms of commercial sexual exploitation such as prostitution, pornography, stripping, live-sex shows, mail-order brides, military prostitution and sex tourism. Sex trafficking operation usually takes place in a more underground systems such as closed-brothels that operate out of residential areas. It also can be found in a variety of public and private locations such as massage parlors, spas, and strip clubs. Additionally, Fact sheet specifies the common patterns of traffickers for luring the victims, such as, a promise of good job in other country, a false marriage proposal which turned into a bondage situation, parents willful intent of selling their children into sex trade, and others being kidnapped by the traffickers. Frequently, traffickers subject their victims to debt-bondage, the expenses incurred by their travel which include food and transport, thus they must pay the debt by their sex services. Traffickers will use various methods to condition their victims to perform sex acts, such as starvation, confinement, physical abuse as beatings, rape, gang rape, threats of violence to the victims and to their families, forced drug use, and the threat of staining their reputation by revealing to their friends and families friends their nature of work. What an awful situation these underage victims are facing! So far, trafficking is considered to be one of the leading

John F Kennedy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

John F Kennedy - Research Paper Example John on one hand was a Boston mayor from 1906 to 1908 while Patrick on the other hand was a senate representative for Massachusetts in 1892. This may be noted as a contributing factor towards the rise and success of John Kennedy and some of his brothers in American politics (Weber 26). During his childhood, Kennedy is said to have suffered normal ailments such as chicken pox, measles and other infections that affect young children but of significance is that he was diagnosed with a rare scarlet fever infection when he was 3 years old. The infection is said to be one of the most dangerous and communicable diseases and this worried his parents a lot, especially his father, who went to the extent of promising that he would donate half of his had earned savings to charity if his son recovered from this condition. However, Kennedy was a fighter and to the surprise of many, he was able to overcome the threat within approximately three months and true to his word, Kennedy’s father fu lfilled his promise by donating more than half of his entire savings to charity (Thomas 17). The Kennedy family lived in Brookline until when he was 10 years old after which they moved to New York City especially due to the success his father had in business, which made it possible to relocate to a larger and spacious house. During the 10 years before relocation, Kennedy had attended 3 schools which were; Edward Devotion School, Noble and Greenbush Lower School, and the Dexter School, where he completed his 4th grade. Once in New York, he was enrolled into Riverdale country school, where he studied up to the 7th grade after which, he joined the Canterbury school for his 8th grade (Thomas 31). Reports indicate that Kennedy was a bright student, obedient and though he was small in size, he always was courageous and determined to excel in all areas. This was however a challenging task especially since he was an Irish catholic and this did

Ethical Debates in Abortion and Euthanasia

Ethical Debates in Abortion and Euthanasia Autonomy can be defined as self-rule and it is a persons or patients basic right. This principle means that an adult who is an informed and competent patient has the right to accept or refuse any treatments, drugs or surgical procedures. These decisions must be taken in to consideration even if these choices are not in the best interest of the patient. It is a healthcare professionals duty and responsibility to respect patients autonomy. Although sometimes this can be difficult as it may conflict with paternalistic attitudes of other healthcare professionals. A persons autonomy could be overridden in cases such as, if an individuals decision puts public health in danger or could potentially harm others, that persons autonomy may be restricted. Autonomy is often used in the ethical debate of euthanasia. Though it is a patients freedom to make decisions on their own treatment, the concept of autonomy is misunderstood in the case of ending an individuals life. In this case, although a patient is capable of giving valid consent, a doctor does not have the authority to treat a patient unless he has signed a written consent. 2. In order to produce a non-maleficence conclusion without reducing the benefits for others the social worker could approach Bernie with the idea of informally admitting himself to hospital. If Bernie was to become unhappy at any time during his stay he would be able to discharge himself without the pressure of feeling isolated, but he would still be offered the help he needs. This would take some of the pressure off his parents, his mother would then feel less threatened knowing that Bernie is being cared for properly and receiving the help he needs to address his problems. (Psychotic episode, grief counselling, family counselling). His mother and father could then start to concentrate on their own problems and try to correct their relationship. If the whole family where to address their individual problems, it could be suggested this would then in turn create a better family life with effective communication. 3. For the justification for Bernie to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act would depend on Bernies state of mind. Bernie is unwilling to be voluntarily admitted to hospital, so if he was to be sectioned this would enable him to be treated with the correct medication such as anti-psychotic medication which would help treat psychosis. Although if Bernie is not actually psychotic and just grieving for his grandmother then being sectioned would not be justified as his problems could be treated with counselling in the community to help resolve his family issues. If Bernie was to be sectioned this could change how people look at Bernie in the future for example job applications and generally within the community. Bernie has often used threatening behaviour towards his parents, if this was to escalate the sectioning of Bernie could be the only option and then would be justified to protect his family and himself from violence. Abortion The ethical debate regarding abortion asks whether it is morally right to deliberately terminate a pregnancy before childbirth. In the early part of the 20th century laws were brought in to reduce access to legal abortion. Many women resorted to seeking out backstreet abortionists, which either permanently damaged their health or even ended their life due to unwanted pregnancies. In 1967 the Abortion Act became law, since then the act has been unsuccessfully challenged many times by pro-life groups who still try to limit the access to abortions. Looking at abortion from a moral view there are many dimensions which are linked to abortion. This debate is very complex and every question leads to sub-questions and sub-parts. There are pro-life enthusiasts who are against abortion and pro-choice groups who are partially or completely in favour of termination of pregnancy. Pro-life groups/people argue that that it is ethically/morally wrong to kill a foetus which has potential to live; they believe that every foetus is alive and has the capacity to develop into a human being like us. So killing a foetus is the same as killing a human being which is wrong. Pro-choice groups regard abortion as acceptable in some circumstances such as there being a serious medical problem which could endanger the foetus or mothers life, the foetus will suffer from mental or physical abnormalities or where the pregnancy was unintentional for example rape of failure of contraception. Two philosophical theories that could be applied to this debate could be natural law and virtue ethics. Natural law main focus is on actions, it asks if an action is good or bad and in accordance with nature. One of the primary precepts is protect and preserve the innocent. From this we get a secondary precept do not abort. This is an absolute moral rule that you should not kill an innocent person. This is how the Catholic Church views abortion and therefore condemns abortion in all instances. The Church of England tries to encourage the issues surrounding abortion, the church recognises that all individuals have different views regarding this sensitive matter. The 1983 resolution of Synod stated: That in situations where the continuance of a pregnancy threatens the life of the mother a termination of pregnancy may be justified and that there must be adequate and safe provision in our society for such situations Church of England General Synod, 1983 There are a few Catholics that disagree with the Vatican regarding abortion. They argue against the total ban on abortion with arguments such as: Theologians such as Aquinas and Augustine who believed that a foetus does not become a person until between 40 and 80 days after conception has occurred. Every Catholic has the right and responsibility to follow their own conscience on moral matters. Though pro-choice Catholics dont see abortion as being morally good they to argue that there could be situations where it is the least bad moral choice that is available at the time. Virtue ethics are concerned with what kind of people we should be. It helps to develop characteristics which help to make moral decisions easier, for example whether to consider and abortion or not. These ethics dont say that abortion is right or wrong but that it is up to the individuals personal character. A decision that a woman makes about an abortion must contribute towards her happiness. A person, who is virtuous and has disciplined themselves in the virtues of temperance, would be in a better state of mind and condition to decide on the important matter of having an abortion. In some countries such as India, aborting foetuses which are to be born girls are becoming a major problem. Some cultures prefer to have baby boys, so request are termination purely on the basis that the child is female. Pro-choice activist and author Janet Hadley, sex selection abortions in India are extremely common: All over India, there are clinics performing amniocentesis and ultrasound scans, even in districts too poor to afford supplies of clean drinking water. Every day, an estimated 3000 female foetuses are aborted. And there are doctors making a mint. Janet Hadley Abortion: between Freedom and Necessity (Great Britain: Virago Press 1996) 88 Female foeticide is more common than male foeticide, countries, in particular India and China, are more likely to have serious consequences on the balance of the genders in the population. The reasons behind these are mostly cultural, rather than religious. When it comes to this very sensitive debate, I feel I can honestly say that I am neither, for or against abortion. I do feel it is every womans right to decide. Until I am placed in a position where I am undecided on whether to continue with a pregnancy or not, I find it very difficult to have an opinion. Working in an operating theatre, it is part of my role to be part of a surgical team which carries out termination of pregnancies. I think doing this job has influenced me to have an impartial view on this matter. I have seen patients use this procedure as a form of contraception, but have also had to be with patients who have made the decision to terminate their pregnancy due to foetal abnormalities and miscarriage. Every womans circumstances are different and should be taken into consideration, and in a lot of these cases we have to consider the fathers feelings which a lot of people tend to forget. Euthanasia Euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending a persons life in order to end their suffering. According to English law both euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal. This process is sometimes called mercy killing. Euthanasia can fall into categories such as: voluntary euthanasia where a person makes the decision to die and asks for help enable to do this. Non-voluntary euthanasia is when a person is unable to make the decision or give consent to die, for reasons such as being in a coma or being brain damaged, another person will make the decision on their behalf. This could be because the patient expressed their wishes for their life to be ended in these circumstances. Involuntary euthanasia is where someone is killed regardless of their wishes. There has always been lots of controversy surrounding the debate on euthanasia and whether this act should be legal or not. In most countries euthanasia is seen as a criminal homicide or murder. Although in countries such as Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg these practices are still considered legal. Killing is inexcusable yet is seen as excusable when used as a criminal punishment? Arguments regarding this debate can often depend on which method is used to carry out the end of life for the patient. There are many arguments on this debate, many of which fall into different categories such as ethical, practical and religious arguments and many more. Some ethical arguments for anti-euthanasia may include: Euthanasia weakening the respect in society and the sanctity of life, and all human beings are valued regardless of age, religion, sex etc. Voluntary euthanasia could be the start of a slippery slope which may lead to involuntary euthanasia; where a person who wants to live is killed regardless of their wishes. Euthanasia can affect other peoples hum rights, not just those of the patients, for example, family, relatives and even medical staff. Practical arguments for anti-euthanasia in this debate could be: If palliative care was to be carried out properly euthanasia would not needed to be necessary, it could help prevent a patient feeling this is the only option. Doctors should not be allowed to decide when a patient should die; legalisation of this would put doctors in a position of power which would be unacceptable. Religious people feel that euthanasia is against the will of god. Although god has given us all free will, they argue that it would be wrong for us to kill ourselves or ask another to do it for them. The slippery slope argument explains the fears of voluntary euthanasia becoming legal and where it may lead, such as involuntary euthanasia. If the law changes and voluntary euthanasia becomes legal, how would we be able to keep it under control? Without official regulations and control mechanisms proponents of euthanasia feel it would never be legalised Where would this slippery slope lead to? Could doctors start killing patients without their permission? Would doctors kill patients to save money and create more free beds? We conclude that is was virtually impossible to ensure that all acts of euthanasia were truly voluntary and that any liberations of the law in the United Kingdom could not be abused. We were also concerned that vulnerable people the elderly, lonely, sick or distressed would feel pressure, whether real or imagined, to request early death. Lord Walton, Chairman, House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics looking into euthanasia, 1993. Why do people want euthanasia? Most people think that the main reason that people choose to seek euthanasia is because of them being in severe and unbearable pain. There are many psychological factors such as depression, feeling like a burden, the loss of their dignity and not wanting to be dependent which cause people to think of euthanasia. People consider what quality of life they are going to have, for example; a terminally ill patient can be damaged by physical conditions e.g. incontinence, vomiting, paralysis and difficulty breathing. Some peoples arguments may include: People have the right to die when and how they would like; being independent gives them the right to carry out decisions about themselves. A libertarian argument believes that if an action is in the best interest of everybody, then it does not violate anybodys rights, so is morally acceptable. Euthanasia happens, so is it not better to legalise it and make it regulated properly. People are allowed to die with dignity and in their own way. Relatives are spared from watching their loved ones suffer and die painfully. Utilitarianism believes that moral rules should produce the greatest happiness of the greatest people. Looking at it from utilitarian point of view, people who are allowed to die a good death when they choose will allow them to be happier in their final days. Utilitarianism looks at total human happiness and not just that of the patient involved. People who agree with this principle would see the negative effect it would have on those around the patient such as the family, friends and the healthcare professionals, these negative effects would outweigh those of the patient. Kants ethical theory has a different perspective to utilitarianism. Kants theory on mortality derived from the Greek deontology, which means obligation. He didnt agree with the making of moral choices out of compassion or kindness. He believed in what was the right thing to do, and choosing to fight the dying process is more important than just simply ending it all because of suffering and pain. Kant felt that the intentions of and act was more important than the actual act itself. I think that euthanasia is one of the most complicated debates to date. Its very hard to say whether you are either for or against euthanasia until you are put in a position where you could choose to live or die. The only way I could possibly have an opinion on this matter would be to imagine if it was a member of my family wanting to die. If I thought that they were going to have no quality of life and there was no hope of recovering then maybe I would consider euthanasia if it was what they wanted, the only way I would do this would be with their consent. I do strongly feel it does depend on each situation and the mental state of the patient, as voluntary euthanasia could be made and easy option if someone was to have suicidal tendencies.

Development Of Buddhist Education

Buddhism has greatly influenced present day Vietnam. The rise of its civilization can be traced through the effect of Buddhism on the different dynasties. The early wars won by Vietnam can be associated with Buddhist leaders and even the faith that kept the people together during the years of suffering was Buddhism. It has been proclaimed before as the national religion of the country because of its contribution to society and it is only fitting that it be included in the education of Vietnamese children.To gain a better understanding of the development of Buddhist education in Vietnam, we need to know first the roots and development of Buddhism as a religion, what are its beliefs, how it affected the lives of the Vietnamese populace, how it was integrated to education and from thereon discuss the developments that went through up to contemporary times. Buddhism: Origin and Teachings Buddhism originated from southern Nepal around 530 B. C. as an offshoot of Hinduism. Gautama Buddha, â€Å"a prince who bridled at the formalism of Hinduism as it was being interpreted by the priestly caste of Brahmans† , was its founder.He spent years meditating and wandering as an ascetic until he discovered the path of enlightenment to nirvana. Nirvana according to him is â€Å"the world of endless serenity in which one is freed from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. † Buddhism espouses that there are four noble truths – man is born to suffer in successive lives, earthly pleasures and possessions are the cause of this suffering, man shall be delivered from suffering upon cessation of this craving, and following the eight fold path, man shall achieved deliverance – and through this he shall receive salvation.The foundation of the Buddhist concept of morality and right behavior, the eightfold path, consists of right views, or sincerity in leading a religious life; right intention, or honesty in judgment; right speech, or sincerity in speech; right conduct, or sincerity in work; right livelihood, or sincerity in making a living; right effort, or sincerity in aspiration; right mindfulness, or sincerity in memory; and right concentration, or sincerity in meditation†. It is the most important religion in Vietnam.Unlike other religions, â€Å"Vietnamese Buddhism stays on earth rather than ascends up to heaven, attaches to exorcism and prayers for wealth, happiness and longevity rather than heads toward nirvana. † Most Vietnamese practice Mahayana Buddhism rather than its Hindu counterpart. The doctrinal distinction between the two consists of their differing views of Gautama Buddha: the Mahayana school teaches that Gautama was only one of many â€Å"enlightened ones† manifesting the fundamental divine power of the universe; the Theravada school teaches that Gautama was the one-and-only enlightened one and the great teacher, but that he was not divine.The Mahayana sect holds further that laypersons can attain n irvana, whereas the Theravada school believes that only ordained monks and nuns can do so. The beginnings of Buddhism in Vietnam The early beginnings of Buddhism may be traced back from as early as 300 B. C. It was said that Therevada Buddhism have been â€Å"imported directly into Vietnam from India through sea routes since the 2nd century A. D. † Although some believe that â€Å"Buddhism spread first from China to Vietnam's Red River Delta region in approximately the second century A.D. , and then from India to the southern Mekong Delta area at some time between the third and the sixth centuries† , evidence shows that Buddhism reached Vietnam even before it entered China. In the past, Vietnam was very much like the intersection between India and China. At that time, either walking, or by boat, people made a trip from India to China or vice versa, in doing so they must cross Vietnam. Vietnam, therefore, was a good place to stop by for foreign business people as well a s Buddhist monks.Back to 3rd century BC, after King Asoka organized the Third Council -a Conference to Collect the Dharma- at Pataliputra, India, he sent 9 Buddhist monk delegates overseas. The monks went from Afghanistan to the Mediterranean to teach Dharma. One of these, lead by Sona and Uttara went to Burma then Indochina, including Viet Nam. Now, in Haiphong -60miles north east of HaNoi- there is a memorial tower to commemorate King Asoka that was built by local Vietnamese Buddhists at that time to express their gratitude to King Asoka.From that evidence, we may come up with conclusion that Buddhism came to Vietnam as early as 300 years BC, even before China. Then in the second century, Buddhism in Vietnam became more popular and developed with the contributions of Marajivaka, K’Ang Seng Houei, Tchi Kiang Liang three great Buddhist monks who came from India and a local scholar, Mecu Fo. Because Mecu Fo is a key character in Buddhism’s development in Vietnam, we sho uld take a closer look at him. He was Vietnamese or might have been born and raised in a great Chinese-Vietnamese family.We must take into consideration that his place of birth was not originally a Chinese territory, it was just annexed to China from Vietnam. Since he was skilled in Chinese education, he used this skill in order to convert more people into Buddhism. Mecu Fo was mandarin and took advantage of his position to teach his people about Buddhism. Due to his contributions in the propagation and spread of Buddhism in Vietnam, he is considered as the first ever Buddhist lay man in Vietnam. Buddhism: Its Role in Liberation and Its Golden AgeDuring the Ly and the Tran dynasties, Buddhism achieved a golden age in Vietnam. It was during the time of Emperor TRAN NHAN TONG that the first Vietnamese Meditation, Truc Lam Yen Tu was founded , this however did not come until 1010 several decades after Vietnam’s independence from China. However, it is accurate to say that Buddhis m was a very important element in the country’s fight for freedom. For several centuries, the Chinese conquered Vietnam and ruled the people with an iron hand.The Chinese’s main objective was to transform Vietnam into another Chinese territory and annex it afterwards to mainland China. In order to achieve their goal, great atrocities were done to the people both physically and psychologically, the Chinese even employed Sinicization or cultural invasion in order to uproot Vietnamese culture from its citizens and replace it with theirs to ease the annexation. Despite the suffering, there was one thing that kept the Vietnamese people from breaking down and it was their religion.By living on the teachings of Buddhism, the people believed that the wicked shall eventually be punished and that they should keep on surviving until that day comes. During the Chinese rule, revolutions such as that led by two sister trung aimed at liberation were attempted but to no avail. In thes e revolts, Buddhism also played a great role, its temples became the common meeting grounds for freedom fighters and the perfect place to mobilize troops. Finally, in 939 a Vietnamese general named NGO QUYEN, led the Vietnamese people to victory over the Chinese on the decisive battle on Bach Dang river thus ending the Chinese rule.After the war, Buddhist monks in coordination with the newly established government tried to build the kingdom. To show his gratitude, the emperor Dinh Tien Hoang helped organize the Shangha and named Khuong Viet and Phapthuan, both Buddhist monks, as his national security adviser and Secretary of State respectively. Another major milestone for Buddhism during this dynasty was that it was declared as the national religion by the emperor, who was himself a Buddhist.The establishment of the kingdom was coupled with several hardships, the most crucial of all is the threat of another Chinese invasion. Although at first was a mere thought among the people, it became clear when a Chinese spy disguised as a delegate for diplomatic relations entered Vietnam to size up its military power. Upon entering Vietnam, the first person the delegate met was a ferry-man who was to take him to the capital, he was however surprised when the ferry-man was able to converse with him at a level worthy of government office.When the delegate arrived and conversed with Vietnam’s national Security adviser, he concluded based on his meeting with the ferry man and Khuong Viet that Vietnam was well-prepared for an invasion and that invading it would be disastrous. Apparently, the ferry-man who amazed and confused the delegate with the level of learning of a mere ferry-man was Phaptuan in disguise. In the end, the two highest-ranking monks were responsible for averting a possible attack through their diplomatic skills and it forever went on in history as the first diplomatic war won by Vietnam.After more than 30 years, the Chinese began to strengthen its mil itary force on the borders of Vietnam resulting to an election of a fitting leader to decide on the course of action on the said threat. The leader chosen was a talented, kind and high moral man, he was the Commander in Chief of the army and is known as Ly Cong Uan, thus started the Ly Dynasty. Ly Cong Uan was a Buddhist monk raised by Zen Master Van Hanh in a Buddhist temple who then became his national adviser. Under his reign, 300 Buddhist temples were built and the Sangha was well organized with over 1000 monks. He incorporated Buddhist teaching in all aspects of governance.

Aspects of Belonging Notes

English questions: -Explain how some of the specific events that are presented in your texts provide insight into belonging/ not belonging? -Relationships are integral to human beings feeling like they belong. Assess the truth of this statement in regard to your prescribed text and one other text. TODAYS LESSON: -Thesis statements for each aspect of belonging: -Acceptance -Understanding -Relationships -Notions of Identity -Experience -Landscape Write an introduction and conclusion for each of the questions at the top of the page. Acceptance: A strong sense of belonging within a community is reliant not only on the willingness to assimilate, but also on those already in the community to be accepting. †¢Feelings of acceptance can heighten a sense of belonging whereas rejection can alienate individuals. †¢An individual’s fear of alienation can lead them to think or act in ways that are not true to their ideology. Understanding †¢For an individual to feel that they belong to a particular person, place or group, they need to accept and understand the social expectations and behaviours of that community. Understanding the values of a person, place or group is the fundamental foundation for mutual respect that allows for a sense of belonging. †¢An understanding and appreciation of individual differences – even within a group – is essential for the smooth running of the society and thus is the origin of the sense of belonging or not belonging. Relationships †¢The need to belong to a group or community shapes our behaviour, attitude and actions. When humanity experiences a strong connection to a place the notion of belonging is strengthened and enriched. †¢When our relationship with a place is shaped by a narrow and biased view of the world, our notion of belonging can be questionable. †¢Connections with individuals, groups or places can nurture a sense of belonging through the relationship with that other person, group or place. †¢Relationships are the basis upon which an individual may feel a sense of belonging or not belonging towards a person or place. When significant relationships in life are fractured, often many other aspects related to an individual’s wellbeing will be negatively impacted. †¢Relationships come in many forms and can either allow an individual to experience a sense of belonging or hinder this sense of belonging. Notions of Identity †¢When your cultural identity is marginalised, you can feel dislocated and displaced, and believe that you do not belong to your culture or part of the dominant culture. Our search for who we are is fuelled by a need to find a place in the world where we feel we belong. †¢Time and the passage of time can have a significant impact on our notion of identity and from that – to whom and to where an individual might belong. †¢An individual’s fear of alienation can make them act or think in ways that a re not true to their ideology. †¢Our individual identity is greatly constructed by how others perceive us. †¢The community surrounding you impacts your opinion of selfhood, consequently moulding your identity. Experience We search for a place to belong, not realising that it is our perceptions and attitudes, not the place, that ultimately allows us to feel a sense of belonging. †¢Personal experiences shape our beliefs and values and hence contribute to their sense of self and ultimately where they belong. †¢Experiences can have both positive and negative effects on individuals depending on the extent and power of the knowledge gained. †¢The way we view and assess the experiences of life can change overtime and thus impact how we establish the present and future. Place/Landscape †¢ Strong conclusion: Strong relationships nourish belonging, whilst damaged relationships may be detrimental to the experience of belonging† It is evident that both compos ers represent this interpretation, but in varying ways – while Romulus focuses more on so how relationships – and barriers to these – can hinder belonging, â€Å"other related text† focuses much more on the†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. and how these flourish and nourish one’s sense of belonging/ Although different, both composers effectively present their interpretation of relationships, and how these can either nourish or hinder one’s sense of belonging. ORIn conclusion, both â€Å"† and â€Å"† show the various ways in which relationships with people and surroundings can impact an individual’s experience of belonging. Degrees of empathy, understanding, prejudice and sexual attraction, as shown in the examples above, clearly help determine the nature and strength of some of the relationships within the respective texts, and the extent to which they can and do impact on an individual’s broader sense of belonging or exclusion. R omantic, professional and cultural affiliation with others and his surroundings are integral to Romulus’ efforts to belong in his new country, Australia.