Relationship Between Spiritual Well-being and Happiness

Relationship Between Spiritual Well-being and Happiness INTRODUCTION This chapter comprises of the summary of the present study, the conclusions drawn after the analysis of the data and the implications of the study. It also includes the limitations of the study along with the suggestions for future research. SUMMARY The purpose of the study was to compare the happiness of individuals scoring high on spiritual well being and individuals scoring low on spiritual well being. Further, the study also explored whether there were any significant gender differences in happiness as well as spiritual well being. Random sampling method was used to collect the sample. The sample was collected from various post graduate colleges and private companies in the city. First permission was sought from the institutes to conduct the research in their respective campus. Then the questionnaires were administered to the participants. The sample was administered two questionnaires, in order to measure the relevant variables of the study. Spirituality was assessed with the help of the Spiritual Well Being Questionnaire by Ellison Paloutzian (1982). Happiness was measured using the Subjective Happiness Scale by Lyubomirsky Lepper (1999). The sample size was 222. To compare the happiness of individuals scoring high on spiritual well being and individuals scoring low on spiritual well being, the total sample (N-222) was divided into two groups based on the scored obtained on the Spiritual Well Being Scale by Ellison Paloutzian (1982). Those individuals whose scores lay one SD above the mean (above 104.38) formed the high group whereas those individuals whose scores lay one SD below the mean (below74.84) formed the low group. Thus, the sample consisted of 44 in the high and 37 in the low group (N=81). For studying the gender differences in happiness and spiritual well being, the sample comprised of 112 male and 110 females (N=222). The sample belonged to the middle class of society, from the age range of 21 to 30 years of age. It included unmarried individuals of different religious groups (Hindus, Muslims, Christians). It included students as well as working professionals residing in Pune city. The minimum educational qualification of the sample was twelfth grade. SPSS software was used for the purpose of analyzing the obtained data. The independent samples T Test was employed to compare the groups on happiness and spiritual well being. Based on the review of relevant literature, the hypotheses of the present study were formulated as: Individuals who score high on spiritual well being will be significantly happier as compared to individuals who score low on spiritual well being. There will be no significant difference in happiness among males and females. Women will score significantly higher on spiritual well being than males. CONCLUSIONS The findings from the present study can be concluded as follows: It was found that there was a significant difference in happiness between individuals who scored high on spiritual well being as compared to individuals who scored low. The mean score of the high group was significantly higher on the variable of happiness as compared to the mean score of the low group. Therefore it can be concluded that individuals who score high on spiritual well being were happier as compared to individuals who score low on spiritual well being. Gender differences were observed on happiness. It was found that there was a significant difference in happiness between males and females, with females scoring significantly higher on happiness in comparison with males. Hence, it can be concluded that women are happier in comparison with men. No gender differences were observed on the variable of spiritual well being. It was found that there was no significant difference in spiritual well being between males and females. Even though the mean score for women was higher, the difference was not significant. Thus, it can be concluded that there are no significant gender differences on spiritual well being. IMPLICATION OF THE STUDY It was found from the present study that individuals high on spiritual well being were happier in comparison individuals low on spiritual well being and no gender differences were seen in spiritual well being. It was also found that women were happier than men. The study of gender differences is essential in understanding how different genders respond to different situations. Spirituality can be used in counseling and therapeutic settings as a coping mechanism to enhance mental health. Furthermore, the findings of the study have implications in the medical field, where people with life threatening diseases can be taught to cope using spiritual practices and techniques. The findings also can be used to create awareness and psycho-educating people about the benefits of spirituality. Since spiritual well being is related with greater happiness, people can use spiritual techniques to improve their well being. LIMITATIONS One important limitation in the comparison of individuals scoring high on spiritual well being and individuals scoring low, was that gender was not controlled. There were more women (25) in the high group as compared to men (19). On the other hand there were more male in the low group (22) than females (15). Lee, Seacombe Shehan in 1991 found that women were more likely to report themselves as happy compared to men (Diener et al, 1999). Gender may have had an influence on the dependent variable, happiness. Another limitation of the study was that the sample size, for comparing happiness of individuals scoring high and low on spiritual well being, was small. Hence it is difficult to make sweeping generalizations. The religious affiliation of the sample was not controlled. The sample consisted of individuals belonging to different religions such as Hindu’s, Muslims and Christians. However, the three religious groups were not equally represented. Thus, this becomes a limitation as religion may play a role in an individual’s spiritual well being and happiness. Further, other religious groups were not included which also is a limitation. The age range of the sample was 21 to 30 years. Hence, the results may not applicable to other age groups. The sample included individuals belonging to the middle strata of society living in an urban area in Pune city. Thus, individuals from the lower and upper class of society as well as those residing in rural areas were not considered which becomes a limitation as results may not valid for these groups. Since self report inventories were used for obtaining the relevant data, social desirability and faking could not be controlled. This also becomes a limitation of the study. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH In the present study gender was not controlled while comparing individuals scoring high on spiritual well being and those scoring low on spiritual well being. Some research studies indicate that women are happier than men (Blanchflower and Oswald 2004; Frey and Stutzer 2002; Praag and Ferrer-i-Carbonell 2008 cited in Tiefenbach and Kohlbacher,2013) whereas others suggest that men are the happier sex (Stevenson Wolfers, 2009 cited in Compton Hoffman, 2011). Hence it is recommended to take equal number of males and females in order to get a better understanding of the relationship between spirituality and happiness. Further, it is suggested to consider the religious affiliations of the participants by taking equal number of individuals from each religious group (Cohen, 2002). Also, religious minorities can be included to increase generalizability. Future research can also study different age groups such as middle aged adults and geriatric population. Research has shown that happiness decreases from youth to middle age and then increases from middle age to old age (Blanchflower Oswald, 2008 cited in Carr, 2011). Thus, different age group can be compared on spirituality and happiness. Further research can delve into various other factors such as socioeconomic status, geographical location, marital status, family structure and study its relationship with spirituality and happiness so as to understand if these factors mediate the relationship between the two variables.

Two Social Reformers In India History Essay

Two Social Reformers In India History Essay As a result of the expansion of British imperialism to Asia, Sri Lanka and India became British colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries respectively .Subsequently due to the mode of administration introduced by the British, many significant changes were caused in political, social, economic, cultural and religious spheres. Most of these transformations were not beneficial for the people of both these countries as they rather conformed to the British way of life. Mostly affected by these were the ordinary people while a section of the middle class society in both countries acquired the English education and were actively supporting the British another section of the same class who was also nurtured by English education worked with dedication to safeguard the indigenous identity. This section further formed the necessary background for liberating their countries from British imperialism by initiating social reforms. Raja Ram Mohan Roy of India and Anagarika Dharmapala of Sri Lanka coul d be shown as two significant personalities among those who contributed towards such social reforms. They first brought about a religious revival and subsequently contributed towards achieving economic, political and cultural awakening. These two leaders expected to awaken the masses through this and to finally uproot the British imperialism from the two countries. Raja Rammohan Roy As no any aspect of western political history can be spoken without mentioning Aristotle, the most revered name of Raja Rarnmohan Roy is engraved in the political history of modern India. It was Aristotle is political thoughts that inspired the Western world after twenty-three centuries. Similarly there was a need for a movement in modem India to go back to the ideal of Raja, who is regarded as the pioneer of many fields in the social and religious movements. Raja is well known throughout the world as the pioneer of the school of comparative religion. This great Vedantist, opposed the influence of the Christian missionaries, while laying the foundation of monotheistic revival in India. He is the most famous advocate of the social reformation on the logical principles, and one of the pioneers of Western education in this country for the understanding of the political thought of modern India. (Sharma 1996) It is essential to have a very deep understanding of the political ideas of this great reformer. Raja was essentially a philosopher. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle were the pioneers of the western political field. India did not have a shortage of philosophers in the middle ages, but none of the philosophers from Sankaracharya of the eighth century to Valadeva Vidyabhushan of the eighteenth century were interested in the political field. Politics had no appeal to anybody when there was guarantee of independence, or enlightened public opinion. Politics was thought to be a concern of the princes alone. That was the situation of India in the middle ages, under the Rajputs and the Mohammedans. Responsibility of the government to the people of India was being slowly but gradually awakened. He set out the vernacular journal, Sambad Kaumudi in 1821 to make the political thoughts of the people of Bengal improve and it was the earliest favourable opportunity that helped the spreading of political ideas in Bengal (Samuelson,1889). Security of life and property had been ensured in Calcutta. If not, the English language might have been picked up by a small number of wealthy citizens, and their ideas might be broadened and liberalized with their connections of the English merchants and officials in Calcutta. A selected band of devoted followers had gathered round him with a determination to spread English education and to reawaken the country by means of social and religious reforms. We find Raja R. Roy fighting vigorously against the corrupt practices in the Hindu religion, against the superstitions and inhuman customs of the Hindu society and against the narrow parochial outlook of Indian mind. But a letter of Raja says that all his ideas of social and religious reforms were based on the ideal of bringing about the political regeneration of India. Raja said in 1828, I regret to say that the present systems of religion adhered to by the Hindus is not well-calculated to promote their political interest.(Bimanbihari 1967) Of these the names of Dw arkanath Tagore, Ramanath Tagore, Kaleenath Roy, Uoykontonath Roy, Ram. Chunder Bidyabagish, Hurehuricler Ghose, Gowrechurun Bonnerjee, Shibchandra Dcv and Tarachand Ghuckcrvcrty were associated with Raja in his social, religious, educational and political activities, and in demanding elementary political rights for the people of India. He did not have to see the establishment of a free press in India, but neither the European nor the Indian citizens of Calcutta forgot that it was the effort of Raja which secured for them the freedom of the press in 1835.Raja was acknowledged and respected not only in India but also in England as the pioneer of the political movement in this country. In the Free Press Dinner given to Sir Charles Metcalf in the Town hall on the 9th February, 1838, Mr. Leith proposed a toast to the memory of Ramrnohan Roy, and Prasannacoomar Tagore rose as a friend of the late Roy to thank the liberator of the Press. (Chunder 1901) Rammohan was deeply attached to the right of expressing ones opinion freely. His memorandum to the Supreme Court and appeal to the King in Council regarding the freedom of the press are regarded as the Areopagltica of Indian History. He drew upon history as well as the broad principles of political science to show that freedom of the press is beneficial to the government. Raminohan shows that whatever is of highest excellence in government, or of greatest virtue and social conscience, it can be secured only by the freedom of the Press; while licensing and tyranny of opinion have always gone hand in hand with bad government. He claimed that the Indian people had enjoyed the liberty of the press for so many years since the establishment of the British Rule. (Bimanbihari 1967) A free press means to be the very best channel of information to the supreme authorities in England. Roy did not claim clear liberty for the Indian press. He brought it to the attention of the King in Council that in the past high offices had been open to the people. The freedom of the press had a significant effect to change the thought of the people. The principle of economic activities of Roy was based on the very important practical matters in the country, rather than on the theoretical and philosophical matters. He was strictly attached to the institution of individual property. He deeply believed that the benefits of permanent settlement should be extended to the cultivators, the farmers and labourers in every part of the country. He did not want to see the direct management of land by the Government. Roy believed that every man is entitled by law and must be allowed to enjoy the fruits of his honest labour and good management. (Dutta 1944) He was in favour of the existing prosperous middle class in the country. Roy strongly thought that the duty of the government must be to protect the poor cultivators from the powerful Zamindars. Also the Hindu females must be protected from the oppression of their male relatives. But no legal protection was afforded to the cultivators by the Government.'(Poonam 1990) Raja was moved deeply on seeing the poor condition of the peasantry. Raja suggested three methods for this. The first was the taxation on luxuries which are not necessities for life. The second was the reduction of expenses of the revenue establishment. He proposed that respectable Indians might be appointed collectors on a salary of about three or four hundred rupees per month, instead of European collectors getting a salary of a thousand or one thousand five hundred rupees per month. He wanted to help the over-burdened peasants through reform. And also he wanted to make the higher class of Indians contented and efficient. For the reduction of the cost of administration another reform of far-reaching consequence was suggested. (Tagore 1981) He maintained that permanent settlement with the cultivators would make them attach to the British Government. The question of the drain of Indian wealth was discussed for the first time in the periodical Press. To check such a large drain of Indian wealth, he propos ed that the European capital earned in India should be encouraged to settle in India. Then the wealth might not go out of the country. That is what he believed. Roy opposed the ordinary labourers of England to come and cultivate the land. He expected to welcome only European skill and capital but not labour. He hoped that Europeans would introduce better methods of agriculture and effect improvements on the mechanical side. He knew, however, that it was futile to make a prophecy about the course which History might take in future. (Tagore1981) He wanted to help the Government in improving the moral, social, cultural and political condition of India. He insisted on the moral obligation of the Government to protect the cultivators. He demanded that the Government should promote a more liberal and enlightened system of instruction, embracing Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, and Anatomy, with other useful Sciences. He was the earliest pioneer of the rights of women. In 1822 he wrote a book Brief Remarks regarding Modern Encroachments on the ancient rights of females according to the Hindu Law of Inheritance. He pleaded here for the rejection of the modem doctrine limiting womens rights in favour of the older and more liberal views. (New Delhi Publications 1977) By citing texts from ancient law- givers he showed that daughters were entitled to one-fourth part of the portion which a son could inherit. He regretted that the Government had not taken any step to regulate the custom of taking a second wife during the life time of the first. He wrote Had a Magistrate or other public officer been authorized by the rulers of the empire to receive applications for his sanction to a second marriage during the life of the first wife, and to grant his consent only on such accusations as the foregoing being substantiated, the above law might have been rendered effectual, and the distress of the female sex in Bengal and the number of suicides would have been necessarily very much reduced, (Chunder 1901) Roy, the first great thinker, suggested a plan for breaking down the barriers of caste system by introducing inter-caste marriage. (Nag 1972) In this matter, he took the help of the permission given in one of the scriptures In the Mahanirvana Tamtra the Saiva form of marriage is described: There is no discrimination of age, caste or race in the Saiva marrege. As enjoyed by Siva, one should marry a woman without husband and who is not Sapindaie, who is not within the prohibited degree of marriage. (Barua, ed. 1988) He wanted to make this form of marriage more widely prevalent in Hindu society. Had his plan been acceptable to the people, widow-remarriage, inter-caste and interracial marriage would probably have become valid without any fresh legislation. R.R. Roy refused that women were inferior to men in understanding and firmness of character. In his Persian weekly journal, entitled Mirat- ul- Akkhbar, Rammohan wrote an article in April, 1822 on the principles of the English Constitution. He explained the basic objectives of Government as follows, It is not concealed from rational men, that in order to preserve mens lives and properties from the attacks of their fellow-citizens, and to form friendly relations with neighbouring states, and resist the aggressions of nations who aim at aggrandizing themselves on the ruin of others-it is absolutely necessary that every nation should have some kind of government. (Collet 1913) To conquer other peoples territories had been a time-honoured custom of the state in ancient and medieval India. Following the traditional classification of the forms of Government, Roy said, There are three species of Government that may be deduced from reason namely, first every individual of a nation may have an actual share in the executive government; or secondly, the reins of government may be commi tted to a single person ; or thirdly, the affairs of the nation may be entrusted to a portion of the higher class or of the lower class of the people. (Bimanbihari 1967) He did not like to have the rule of a monarch with unlimited power for the best of men are not supposed to be free from passion, and immoderate desires which very often overcome the dictates of reason; or exempted from those errors and vices which belong to human natureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Having thus shown the defects of all the three categories, of Government Rammohan supports the cause of limited or constitutional monarchy in the following words As it is absolutely necessary to have some form of Government, the executive power should be committed to a single individual on condition that he does not infringe the laws established by the nation; which has been experienced to be the best of all forms of Government, since in this case the subjects have the power, of watching the proceedings of the executive Government; w hich is thus obliged to court the goodwill of its subjects. (Bimanbihari1967) Raja Rammohan Roy was one of the earliest champions of the noble ideal of international cooperation. The prayer he made to the Supreme Being was May God render religion destructive of differences and dislike between man and man, and conducive to the peace and union of mankind. Rammohan, the strong thread of the universal brotherhood, suggested various means by which the union between India and Great Britain might become strong and permanent. He thought that the complete security of property, equality before the eye of law, enjoyment of all the civil rights, appointment to high offices according to merit, and consultation of public opinion, if allowed by the Government, would make the Indians firmly attached to the present system of Government, so that it may become consolidated, and maintain itself by the influence of the intelligent and respectable classes of the inhabitants, and by the general good-will of the people, and not any longer stand isolated in the midst of its people, supporting itself merely by the exertion of superior force. (New Delhi Publications 1977) But Raja was no doctrinaire and did not believe in political prophecy. He knew perfectly that in spite of all he had said about the means of securing the permanence of Brit ish rule in India, a time might come for India to become independent of England. He expected that the separation should be a peaceful one and that India with the help of the Christian powers of Europe should take up the task of enlightening and civilizing the surrounding nations of Asia. Anagarika Dharmapala One who was to be born in1864 fathered by a businessman called Don Carolis Hewavitharana, was named as Don David. His parents had to name him so because a Christian name had to be given to a child born during this period. Don Carolis Hewawitharana was one of the most cordial and the closest helpers and the followers of Henry Olcott. Don David was educated in English at Saint Benadict College and at Saint Thomas college and finally at Royal college. Then he had to learn Christianity. In the meanwhile he was taught Buddhism at home by his parents. Colonel Henry Olcott came to Sri Lanka with his wife and were warmly welcomed. In 1880 he joined the Anti-Alcoholic Movement (Amadyapa viyaparaya) and became a fulltime activist. In 1883, the attack on the procession at Kotahena was witnessed by him and he determined to devote his time and energy for the improvement of the standard of the Buddhists in Sri Lanka. In 1884 with Madam Blawtski-the wife of Henry, he went to India. In 1886 he was t he interpreter of Sir Olcotts speeches at his journey of reformation of Buddhism and the Buddhists and for this duty he decided to resign from his government job. Then onwards he devoted his full time and energy for the securing of the Buddhism and the Buddhists. In 1886-1890 he was appointed as the General Manager of the School of Idealism. In 1888 he changed his name given to him in his birth certificate and came to be named as Dharmapala. In 1895 he left his lay- life or the household life andbecame as a monk. In1890 he went to India and experienced the destructive situation of the temples in India and started a reconstruction campaign. He established the Maha Boddhi Society (The Great Buddhist Association) and brought all those temples and their administration under the control of the above association. In the establishment of the G.B.A, he was helped by Ven..Hikkaduve Sumangala, Colonel Olcott, G.P.Weerakkodiand Charles Batuwantudawe. In 1893 at the World Religious Conference i n Chicago he worked and appeared for the Theravada Buddhism. At this conference his speech brought him an invitation to England made by Sir Edwin Arnold. He was on the religious diplomatic service of Buddhism in countries like Japan, Burma, Englandand Switzerland. He became a very famous figure at the judicial trial made in 1895 at Buddhagaya. After this trial Buddhagaya was brought under a Buddhist administration. As a result Dharmapala became a prominent figure among the Buddhists and was recognized as a hero for securing the Buddhagaya. (Sangharakshita 1983)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Around the 1890s ,his an article arousing the patriotic feelings among the Sinhalese Buddhists through the Sarasavi Sadaresa newspaper, became a very crucial matter of his career as a national hero. He wrote, By studying the stone scriptures and stone structures in Anuradhapura it is very clear that the incomparable, invaluable and skilful works of talented ancient Sinhalese but he wrote on today the white men are addressed as Sir by all Sinhalese and they must not be slaves to them at any cost.(Sarasavi Sandarasa 1881) His devotion on the upliftment of Buddhism and the Buddhists made him a very popular figure among the people of the country. In 1911 he came to Sri Lanka after a long of journey on religious services. In 1906 he started a Sinhala Buddhist newspaper called Sinhala Bauddhaya and it was the main means to unite the Sinhala Buddhists. (Karunarathna 2002) In 1903 he started a project to protect the holy places of ancient value in Anuradhapura.(Jayawardene 2004) He started an Anti-alcoholic Movement under the slogan of Alcoholic addict is an outcast. (Jayawardene 2004) He had many lectures against the use of alcohol by the Sinhalese. He was strictly against the slaughtering of cattle for flesh eating. Dont drink toddy and dont be a toddy cat were the words which came out of his lips seeing the mad addiction of people on alcohol. He voiced out saying Dont do any menial services to the whites. (Karunarathna 2002) Around 1911 he became a pioneer social reformer. He was a patriot and made speeches arousing the patriotic feeling of the people. He wanted to keep the younger generation stand against the whites and to make them stand erect with the real Sinhalese backbone. The speeches made by him resulted in motivating the self-confidence in the heart of the nation. He attacked verbally to the Westernized well to do class in Sri Lanka very seriously. He made them aware of the need of their full cooperation in the case of the development of the Sr i Lankan nation. (karunarathna 200) Dharmapala said that while Tamils and Muslims were keenly participating in business the Sinhalese Buddhists never attempted to develop themselves. He blamed the Sinhalese at point blank for their weak points and asked them to think and start practising the skills they had for the benefit of themselves and for the country. Whatever the wealth the Sinhalese had, he said that they only followed the life of the white and were their followers. He had seen that the resources we had, werent utilized by the majority of the Sinhalese instead what they did,   according to him, was copying the Western life ,culture and spending money only on that.(Nawarathna 2007) He expected a self-developed, self dependant and an independent economic system in the country based on the exemplary plans of Japan. During 1860-1905 Japan could overcome all the difficulties caused by the war and she became an industrialized nation and it was more prominent during the Russian-Japan war. In this situation it was Japan which exhibited that Asians could win the goal of industrialization better than Europeans. Above were the ideas Dharmapala motivated to go ahead of fighting for an independent self confident and self-developed nation. Once he described how Japan reached the goal of self- prosperity like this In 1870 Europeans knew nothing of Japanese. In the same year some nobles of Japan left for America, England, France, Germany and Russia on an educational tour. There they could examine the cultural environment and the skilfulness of their technical methods. Coming back to their mother country they planned their own way of teaching these aspects to the Japanese youn ger generation. More than fifty students were sent to such developed countries and they were given a thorough knowledge of the relevant fields. They came back to Japan and started their duties and responsibilities to develop the country in an indigenous way securing their local culture and customs. Then only they were able to produce high standard industrial productions instead of importing them from European countries. He further explained that without producing anything and waiting for the goods to come from other countries agape the rich class in Sri Lanka tried to earn money from unnecessary sources. He criticized this practice very gravely and the oppressing of common people by the haves was also critically rejected by Ven.Dharmapala. (Sinhala Bauddhaya 1911) He had a great expectation to secure the development through harmonizing the working people and the businessmen and achieving the industrial knowledge for the development process. He was a great believer in developing the local economy based on local resources. Once he said that there is no other stupid nation in the level of as Sri Lanka. He wrote to Sinhala Bauddhaya, Every basic need is expected to come from the ship. The richest in my country are the best fools in the world. The other nations in other countries collect wealth through businesses. Some are producing many goods and earn enough money. But the richest in my country do nothing but only kill cattle, eat their rotten flesh, establish taverns and bars or distil arrack. They enjoy life by drinking alcohol and enwrapping the westernized cultural cloth around their fleshy naked body. (Sinhala Bauddhaya 1911) The common Sinhalese were very fond of listening to his speeches and he was very popular among them. He was a prominent leader among the common folk. His speeches depicted the urgent necessity of reawakening of Sinhalese into the self prospering future. He expressed that Sinhalese are fools with no abilities of handicrafts but only have the abilities of begetting children. He seriously opposed and rejected the way of addressing the whites by our Sinhalese. He didnt like to hear them being addressed as Sir. He understood that the whites will never develop the country but they wanted only to earn money here and destroy the Sinhalese nation. (Karunarathna2002) He said that only 10 Sinhalese youth who knew the crafts would be enough to develop the country. He strongly believed in the self governing system. (Sinhala Bauddhaya 1912) It was the experience of Japanese. He requested the local wealthy class to come forward and be the leaders of the development process of the country. On the ot her hand, he was a racist. He believed that by rousing the thoughts of Sinhalese racism the awakening of Buddhism and economic development could be gained. For this he invited the rich to take the lead. To enjoy the self- government and the Buddhist cultural environment he stressed the need of racism. He made an invitation to three groups in society. They were the working class, crafts men farmers and businessmen and the educated lot such as Sir Obeysekara, Sir James Peries, Paul Peries, Simon Silva, Richard Silva, John Silva, Donald Obeysekara, Jayawardhana, Hulugalle Adhikaram and the authors of the press. From the business class the figures like M. Don Karolis and sons H.Fernando, D.D. Pediris, W.E.Bestian, etc were among them. (Sinhala Bauddhaya 1912) Anagarika Darmapala strongly objected to the taking over of the lands under the Barren Lands Act. He did not like to see the Sinhalese landowners to become labourers of their own lands under the whites. (Bandara 2007) The Colonial authorities paid their keen attention to the continuation of Dharmapalas bitter criticism of their regime. Dharmapala wanted to have an organization of the people to work against the English rulers in the country. On the 20th of September in 1911 he wrote an article to the press speaking of the need of self government of Sinhalese for the Sinhalese land. (Sinhala Bauddhaya 1912) Dharmapala was reported to be an extremist by the Colonial Secretary to the then Governor. As a result it was decided to bring him before the court for acting against the Crown. (Guruge1965) But Attorney General said that there was no clue to have any law suit against him. But the Governor didnt accept it. Further, Attorney General wrote that, after a long period of investigation w ith the help of the police, on his work, there was no evidence to sue him. (Bandar 2007) The saddest thing was that some Sinhalese who were the followers of English rulers went against his ideas. Such a one was the author of Lakmini Pahana Reginold Fernando. He wrote a letter to the Colonial Secretary dated 17th October in 1912 (Guruge1965) requesting to take legal action against the patriot Anagarika Dharmapala for being a real local hero for fighting for the independence of the nation. However, the Government couldnt take action against Dharmapala and instead the author of the paper was taken into custody and was sent to prison for 3 months. (Guruge1965) Whatever the struggle he made for the protection and the establishment of Buddhism and the benefits of the Buddhists and the freedom of the country Anagarika Dharmapala didnt have any vision of a political movement. Among the business society and the educated class he was not welcomed as they were afraid of him to be their closest friend. This is because his ideas were against the British rulers. He was accused of being against the working class. He wrote to the Governor saying that he only opposed the ways the officials worked and it was a truth that he worked against them but not against the British Crown. He firmly said that he was a strong believer in the Crown and he was much trustworthy of the Crown. (Guruge1965) He insisted that his only aim was to work for the sake of Buddhism and the people of the country and for the ethics, customs and the cultural values of the people but not for the British government. (Siri Sumedha 1999) But the rulers did pay careful attention to his wo rk. As the things went on like this he started a campaign for making the people of the values of enjoying the self economical development and Buddhist based self-sufficiency with the process of self government. He made a scholarship scheme to Japan and educated the able students for establishment of a systematical industrial economic situation in the country with the improvement of handicraft abilities of the youth. As a result in 1913 at Rajagiriya, Hewawitharana Weaving School was started with the patronage of Hewawitharana family. (Dinamina 1915, Sinhala Bauddhaya 1922)   Finally, he invited the educatedand other well to do groups in the country to take the leadership of building a Buddhist cultural and economic country based on racism. However, his addressing focused only on the well to do Sinhalese Buddhist figures in society. Those who benefited from the rulers of the Crown didnt pay any attention to Dharmapalas propaganda. Tamils, Muslims and Europeans were not addressed by him for the progress in the country. In 1915 Sinhalese and Muslim conflict made him a prisoner in India for about 5 years. (Jayawardene 200) But except a very few, others didnt speak for him because of his racist thoughts. Though he was a Sinhalese Buddhist racist, if there was a Buddhists leader who worked for the benefit of the Buddhist people it was none other than Anagarika Dharmapala. Conclusion Raja Rammohan Roy and Anagarika Dharmapala could be recognized as two great personalities who fulfilled a special role in the social reform activities of their respective countries. Both of them had a good English education and learned various facts from books and newspapers as well as through social contacts about the freedom enjoyed in other countries of the world. Therefore they very well realized the miserable situation of the masses in their countries caused by the British hegemony. To rectify this and to supply the needs of the suffering masses they introduced social reforms. These were introduced along political, social, cultural, economic and religious lines and a national identity was formed through this. Therefore Roy and Dharmapala should indisputably be accepted as pioneer social reformists who paved theway for the national freedom urgently needed by the people of both countries.

Isabellas Accusations in Measure for Measure by Shakespeare :: essays research papers

Near the end of all plays there is the climax, the part of the play where all the action comes together, the most important part of the play. Near the end of Measure for Measure, Isabella confronts Angelo in front of the Duke. This is the climax of the play. Although there are many important parts in Measure for Measure, by William Shakespearem, Isabella's accusations of Angelo is the most important because of the language used, the charactor development that comes out, and the emphasis of the plays themes. Shakespeare is famous for his ability with words, and this short passage is no exception. In iambic pentameter, this passage consists of Isabella telling the Duke about Angelo's inappropriate actions towards her. In current english the lines translate to Isabella saying that she is not insane and that although Angelo may seem to be innocent and perfect, the Duke must look past that to see the truth. She asks the Duke to believe that Angelo can actually be a bad person. When the Duke calls her insane once again, Isabella asks him to look past what appears to be the truth, and find what is actually the truth. Isabella changes a lot throughout the play, but it all becomes more evident in this short passage. She finally sticks up for herself, by telling people about what Angelo attempted to do to her. Her way of talking changes as she feels more and more helpless. The Duke not beleiving her is a huge blow to her arguement, as it is ultimatly the Dukes decision on what to beleive. She becomes more and more desperate as she feels more and more helpless. At the start of the passage she is confident, explaining to the Duke that Angelo is not as perfect as everyone thinks. In the second part of the passage Isabella seems to be begging with the Duke to beleive her, asking him to "harp not on that", talking about how the Duke believes she is insane. This passage emphasizes the major theme of the play, justice. The whole passage is about Isabella trying to create justice. Angelo did something wrong, and therefore should be punished for it. The whole issue that Isabella is fighting for is about justice. She beleives her brother was executed for something that should not be considered wrong.

Emily Bronte :: Essays Papers

Emily Bronte Emily Bronte was born on July 30th, 1818, the 5th child of the Reverend Patrick Bronte, a stern Evangelical curate, and his wife Maria. When Emily was three years old, her mother died of cancer, and her Aunt Branwell, a strict Calvinist, moved in to help raise the children. They lived in a parsonage in Haworth with the bleak moors of Yorkshire on one side and the parish graveyard on the other. When Emily was 6 years old she went to a boarding school run by charity. The students were kept hungry, cold, tired, and often ill. In 1825 Maria and Elizabeth both died of tuberculosis, the disease that was later to claim Emily's own life, and that of her younger sister Anne. Following these new bereavements, the surviving sisters Charlotte and Emily were taken home, but they would never forget the terrors and the hardship of their lives at school. Life at home was much better for Emily and her siblings. In their isolated childhood on the moors, they developed an extremely close relationship partly based on their mutual participation in a vibrant game of make-believe. They developed two empires. They were Angria and Gondal. She left home to be a governess in 1837 and to study in Belgium in 1842, but both times she found she was unable to bear being away from home and her beloved, wild countryside. In 1845 Charlotte, Emily, and Anne published a book of poetry under the names Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. They sold only two copies, but did not give up writing. Wuthering Heights was probably written in 1845. Wuthering Heights (by Ellis Bell), was published in 1847, and attracted considerable critical attention. Many people were shocked and horrified by sheer violence of Emily's novel. Emily Bronte :: Essays Papers Emily Bronte Emily Bronte was born on July 30th, 1818, the 5th child of the Reverend Patrick Bronte, a stern Evangelical curate, and his wife Maria. When Emily was three years old, her mother died of cancer, and her Aunt Branwell, a strict Calvinist, moved in to help raise the children. They lived in a parsonage in Haworth with the bleak moors of Yorkshire on one side and the parish graveyard on the other. When Emily was 6 years old she went to a boarding school run by charity. The students were kept hungry, cold, tired, and often ill. In 1825 Maria and Elizabeth both died of tuberculosis, the disease that was later to claim Emily's own life, and that of her younger sister Anne. Following these new bereavements, the surviving sisters Charlotte and Emily were taken home, but they would never forget the terrors and the hardship of their lives at school. Life at home was much better for Emily and her siblings. In their isolated childhood on the moors, they developed an extremely close relationship partly based on their mutual participation in a vibrant game of make-believe. They developed two empires. They were Angria and Gondal. She left home to be a governess in 1837 and to study in Belgium in 1842, but both times she found she was unable to bear being away from home and her beloved, wild countryside. In 1845 Charlotte, Emily, and Anne published a book of poetry under the names Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. They sold only two copies, but did not give up writing. Wuthering Heights was probably written in 1845. Wuthering Heights (by Ellis Bell), was published in 1847, and attracted considerable critical attention. Many people were shocked and horrified by sheer violence of Emily's novel.

Importance of Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac’s On The Road Essay

Importance of Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac’s On The Road It is Dean Moriarty, in Jack Kerouac’s On The Road, who represents the eternal flame of youth that was adopted by the rebellious youth culture of the Beat Generation. He is free from responsibility, â€Å"simply a youth tremendously excited with life†¦want[ing] so much to live and to get involved with people who would otherwise pay no attention to him† (Kerouac 4). Just as the Greek of the Olympics, â€Å"with [the] torch†¦[that] ignites the pagan dream of immortality† (Rodriguez 1), Dean embodies the almost immortal flame of youth, the eternal â€Å"sideburned hero of the snowy West† (Kerouac 2). As â€Å"He was the BEAT—the root, the soul of Beatific† (Kerouac 195), Dean embodied and still embodies the spirit of the immortal Beat Generation. Post-World War Two, the fifties saw the arrival of â€Å"juvenile delinquents, motorcycles, and leather jackets†¦[and the hipsters, who] adopted an ethic at odds with most Americans, and his values and view of the world soon became the Beats’† (Foster 8). The character of Dean Moriarty is literally and figuratively the firebrand of the invincible youth culture known as the Beat Generation, as he was one of â€Å"a youth tremendously excited with life†¦the holy con-man with the shining mind† (Kerouac 5). The passionate madness of life and rebellious con-man life-styles evinced in the character of Dean Moriarty are symbolic of the generation. Tim Hunt proposes that Sal Paradise, the protagonist or perhaps the conventional man, chooses â€Å"his [Dean’s] romanticized version of Denver slum life†¦[this] represents the New World at its most anarchistic and individualistic apex† (Hunt 39). Because Dean Moriarty holds this carefree and enthusiastic nature of the unconq... ... be immortal himself, his actions and Beat are enduring, that is, living within On the Road eternally. As James Dean became a symbol and inspiration for the Rebel, Dean Moriarty became the literary representation of the rebellious Beat Generation, holding onto that eternal flame—the passionate recklessness, the easygoing charisma that can ultimately found in youth. Works Cited Campbell, James. â€Å"The place of dead roads.† This is the Beat Generation. Los Angeles: U of California Press, 1999. Foster, Edward Halsey. â€Å"Kerouac.† Understanding the Beats. Columbia: U of South Carolina, 1992. Holstad, Scott C. â€Å"Kerouac: A look.† Kerouac’s On The Road and the American Quest. 1999. 04 Jan 2002. Hunt, Tim. â€Å"An American Education.† Kerouac’s Crooked Road. Los Angeles: U of California Press, 1996. Kerouac, Jack. On the Road. New York: Penguin Books, 1976.

Communication Plan Essay

Section II: Communication Plan Jim Jimenez, MGT311 Sept 11, 2013 Professor Jimenez Riordan Manufacturing Part II Communication Plan Strategy Riordan Manufacturing is implementing a Customer Management System across all its operating groups. The system is a critical business decision and is spearheaded by Riordan’s Senior Management Group. After a number of internal studies and review of our current information systems Riordan as an organizational group has determined that one central integrated Customer Management System (CMS) will position the organization to meet a number of key goals and marketing strategies that helps Riordan to meet our customers’ demands and growth requirements. Outline key concerns and what areas of the business will be impacted by the implementation of the CMS system. The CMS system will impact all areas of the Riordan’s operations. This is the reason upper management is taking a direct role in the presentation and implementation of this critical system. At the start of the year Riordan will post a number of notices at the December company meeting, in all the production floors banners will be placed with the production floors of all the Riordan’s manufacturing plants with the themed â€Å"Unifying a Global Team† as the CMS system change message. In January management will lead the kickoff of the CMS project with a company-wide presentation of the reasons for the CMS project, the impact on all operations, the impact for everyone and more importantly the benefits of the CMS project. Outline of the January presentation as follows: Areas affected by the CMS change: The CMS project will unify all database or information regarding our customers on one system. CMS will eliminate the problems faced by rapid growth and legacy software. Different regional groups complained that isolated system databases were not being updated and information was not accurate. CMS address all these requirements and  provides centralized database management. All divisions will be using the same software applications and data entered will be accurate across all the divisions’ regards of the geographical location. The need for a centralized and modern CMS system cannot be stressed. Our customer s are global, they are demanding immediate information across the different regions that Riordan operates. In order for Riordan to grow and provide the services our customer are demanding Riordan needs to change and keep up with our customers. Management realizes the CMS system will impact every employee at Riordan and has developed a training and development schedule that will be provided to management, supervisors, leads and to every employee that interfaces with the CMS system. Progress will be highlighted at our quarterly companywide meetings and regularly be highlighted in the Riordan What’s UP newsletter. Work Groups will be formed based on functional areas lead by group supervisors that will address any concerns and encourage everyone to learn and work with the new CMS system. In summary outlined of the new CMS system to be implemented at Riordan. January kickoff – Companywide presentation by management on the reasons for rolling out the CMS system. Review of all areas impacted, benefits and time schedule for implementation. Quarterly meetings – Companywide to present progress and highlight all our successes and any group or individual contributions to the success of the project. Mid-year (July) – Recap of how the CMS project is doing companywide at our family picnic and at all the production areas. Year-end Review and highlight all our Unified Global Team success ! In additions our monthly newsletter will present local success stories and how our employees are adapting to the new system. We will also have our production floor success parties focusing on local group success and provide ongoing status of the CMS implementation. s creating a new team for the newly designed CardiCare Value heart valves division. The task is to identify what strategy will be implemented to get this work team built and ready to take on the tasks for production of CardiCare Values. A number of strategies have been presented in MGT311. Following is a brief description of some of the team strategies that are effective in a manufacturing environment. Secondly a choice of what strategy to implement and the pros and cons (challenges) for selecting this  direction, implementation steps and what measures will be implemented to monitor if the strategy has been successful. According to Robbins & Jones Work Teams are positive synergies through coordinated effort, meaning the performance is greater than the sum of the individual inputs (page 315). Possible team strategies; Self-managed work teams are groups of employees (10 to 15 in number) who perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of thei r former supervisors. Cross-Functional Teams made up of employees from about the same hierarchical level but different work areas, coming together to accomplish a task, virtual team made up members that are not in the same physical location (definitely not a choice for this organization) and MBO or Management by Objectives which is a system in which managers and their employees jointly decide on goals, areas of responsibilities, and desired results. The new work group will be composted of many current managers, supervisors and employees from different departments. This intact group should help in getting a good running start and move forward quickly. Regardless if we are building a team existing or new members or members from other departments, temporary teams or task directed teams there are important rules that help in creating highly effective teams. Clear Purpose: group members must understand the goals and objectives for this production team. Employees should be provided with clear direction and it is critical that all managers and supervisors receive buy in (e.g. ownership) from the existing employees and make everyone aware that there are open lines of communication. Identify all areas of training and assessment of any skill development for all employees. Great that they know and are familiar with the organization, but they are now doing a new operation and this may require changes, or new ways to getting the job done right. Outline roles and assignments for all employees (managers, supervisors, leads and employees). Stress open communications and outline 30, 60 and 90 day team and group progress reports.

Democracy and the news Essay

This paper will look at the different ways the media reflects and affects society by examining the various relationships that exists between the media, the state and the citizens. It will firstly define key terms, allowing for controversial words to have a specific and continuing definition throughout the paper. Three key ideas, centering around the relationships between the media and the state, will make up the major part of this paper; namely how the media affects the state, how the state affects the media and failed attempts by the media to affect the state. Examples of each concept being discussed will be included, showing the notion in practice. Relationships between the media and citizens will also be examined and discussed, again using examples to show each in action. The relationship between the media and citizens will be discussed, examining the ability of the media to influence the public, the public’s ability to influence the media and failed attempts of the media t o influence the public. The conclusion of this paper will detail the role of the media within society, how it operates and different functions it both performs, and attempts to perform. The media is a constantly changing medium. It includes television, newspapers, magazines, journals, radio, cinema, advertisements, and interactive multi-media. It can also include the Internet, video games, mobile phones and computers ( O’Shaughnessy & Stadler, 2002 ). No undisputable definition of the term ‘media’ exists, however, for the purpose of this paper the following definition given by O’Shaughnessy and Stadler ( 2002 ), will be understood as conclusive. The media are technologically developed and economically profitable forms of human communication, held either in public or private ownership, which can transmit information and entertainment across time and space to large groups of people ( O’Shaughnessy & Stadler, 2002; Pg 4 ). A democracy is † the notion that power and authority is vested in the people,  Ã¢â‚¬  ( Singleton et al, 2000; Pg 4 ). In Australia, citizens vote for representatives that make up the parliament, and the party holding the majority form Government. Government operates at three levels; Commonwealth, state and local. Parliamentary members are held accountable and responsible for their actions, and numerous institutions designed to check and balance power exists to ensure this occurs. Citizen is defined in The Macquarie Dictionary ( 1994 ) as being â€Å"a member, native or naturalized, of a state or nation, † ( Pg 187 ) and will adopt this definition throughout this paper. The print and electronic media’s ability to broadcast information both quickly and widely across society allows the media to successfully enact the role of ‘ public watchdog ‘ ( Wheeler, 1997; Pg 238 ). The media feeds citizens information. The public is informed of what occurs around them and abroad, who their politicians are, how they look and sound and important issues being suggested, debated and implemented within government. † Politician – journalist relationships are inherently collusive. Each needs the other to achieve their objectives † ( Franklin 1998 ). Politicians require the services of journalists for their messages to reach the general public and journalists need politicians in order to cover politics ( Ward 2002 ). The relationship between the state and the mass media can quickly become vulnerable. The media holds a particular power, which can see it become an agenda setter for society. Not only politicians realise the importance of the media as a platform from which to speak. Pressure groups seek out the media in order to publicize their objectives. Those that successfully use the media acquire a community status, which has the potential to morph into a political status, from which opposition to political ideals, occurrences or similar can be passed on to citizens. Examples of such groups include Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and Amnesty. These groups can become oppositional spokesmen to government policy, sources of information and social commentators on legislation or policy ( Negrine, 1989; Pg 163 ). The media uses these groups as an official  authority, as they are recognized and respected organisations within the greater community, a status gained through use of the media itself. Examples exist where journalists can be seen as ‘ propaganda agents ‘ for politicians. The term ‘ manufacturing consent ‘ is described by Robinson ( 2002 ) as the † power of the government to set the news media agendas, † ( Robinson, 2002; Pg 12 ). Entman ( 1991 ), examines an example of this with two incidents from the 1980’s. The media’s contradictory handling of two aircraft shoot-downs, the Korean Airline and Iran Air, despite case similarities, proved the presence of political persuasiveness. Both resulted in a large loss of civilian life, and both were the result of military mistakes. The Iran Air shoot-down for which the US was answerable, was described † in terms of a technical failure, † ( Robinson, 2002; Pg 13 ). The Korean Airline shoot-down, effected by the USSR, was † framed as a moral outrage, † ( Robinson, 2002; Pg 13 ). The US media covered these two incidents as instructed to by US administrations and, says Entman ( 1991 ), chose to neither challenge nor criticize the facts presented to them by the state ( Robinson, 2002 ). The combination of Western governments intervening during humanitarian crises, and the considerable media attention given to dire circumstances abroad, saw the relationship between the media and the state linked as contributing factors, namely with the media encouraging the state to intervene ( Robinson, 2002 ). This trend became known as the ‘ CNN effect ‘ ( Robinson, 2002; Pg 1 ). Media coverage was proclaimed to influence policy-makers, resulting as † either a necessary or sufficient factor in producing a particular outcome, † ( Robinson, 2002; Pg 37 ). The ‘ CNN effect ‘ ( Robinson, 2002 ) adheres to the fact that definitive policy decisions lie with the policy makers, but media coverage can encourage policy makers to see that a decision is attained ( Robinson, 2002 ). An example of media coverage contributing to humanitarian intervention is that which became known as ‘ Operation Deliberate Force ‘, an action led progressively by the US into Bosnia between 1992 and 1995. The war in Bosnia was the biggest conflict resulting from the dissolution of the Federal  Republic of Yugoslavia ( FRY ). Bosnia broke away from the undermined FRY and fighting began in 1991 between Bosnian government forces on one hand, and Bosnian Serb nationalists and Yugoslav army on the other. The latter two intent on creating ‘ethnically pure ‘ regions in Bosnia ( Robinson, 2002; Pg 73 ). Pressure mounted in the US for intervention and as the war continued, US involvement increased, culminating in 1995 when the US became directly involved with the Bosnia war. This occurred after the 1994 Sarajevo market place bombing. The media expelled a † do something † ( Robinson, 2002; Pg 82 ) attitude and it came at a time when US policy-makers were unsure of just how much force they should exude. Holbrooke ( 1999 ) believes a CNN effect ultimately persuaded the US to act. The eventual response that came from the US was a threatened use of massive force, should the Serb nationalists fail to cease actions against civilians. † The reason the West finally, belatedly intervened was heavily related to news media coverage, † ( Holbrooke, 1999; Pg 20 ). Media influence, however, cannot entirely be held responsible for the US intervention. Avoidance of a humiliating UN withdrawal, along with the credibility and competence of the US can also be considered contributing factors. ( Robinson, 2002; Pg 85 ) The media can also attempt to set an agenda and fail. When politicians are certain of their policy, media coverage can have virtually no influence in encouraging a policy change ( Robinson, 2002 ). The war in Kosovo, also a result of the FRY dissolution, proved an area of much controversy between US administrations and the media. Albanian Kosovars, disheartened with a lack of international support, supported a Kosovo Liberation Army ( KLA ). KLA attacks on Serb forces were answered with considerable force, which included civilian targets ( Robinson, 2002; Pg 94 ). Two contingency plans were decided upon; the deployment of ground troops, and the use of air strikes, and were to go ahead should Serb forces continue attacks against Albanian civilians. US air strikes prevailed, but appeared to have little affect on the Serbian military. The US media became critical of the actions undertaken, and it became clear that the general community consensus lent toward a group campaign into Kosovo. It was concluded by Robinson, ( 2002 ) that although a large section of media coverage in the US encouraged the deployment of ground troops, it added little pressure on the government to  do so ( Robinson, 2002 ). Not all media outlets chose to criticize the policy-makers however, and a minority were seen supporting air attacks, ( Robinson, 2002; Pg 109 ). This example shows that although a CNN effect was clearly present, it failed in its attempt to influence policy change. Two theories suggest ways of understanding the relationship between the media and society. Firstly, it is suggested † the media reflect the realities, values, and norms of a society. †¦ The media act as a mirror of society ( O’Shaughnessy & Stadler, 2002; Pg 28 ). Secondly, it can be said that † the media affect how people think, believe, and behave. The media construct our values for us and have a direct effect on our actions † ( O’Shaughnessy & Stadler, 2002 ). Both theories will be discussed. The media role includes both identifying issues of public concern, as well as acting as check on the abuse of power, this generally being political power. Journalists describe society to itself. They seek truth. They convey  information, ideas and opinions †¦ They search, disclose, record,  question, entertain, suggest and remember. They inform citizens and  animate democracy ( White, 1996; Pg 288 ). It is important to note that journalists, similarly to politicians, are held accountable for what they report. † Accountability engenders trust, ( White, 1996; Pg 288 ). Journalists in Australia are answerable to a self-regulatory and industry funded board known as the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. The media often influences’ and reflects the priorities of communities or societies. The media is reliant on advertisements for revenue. In order to attract businesses to advertise, the outlet must attract consumers. This sees media  outlets selling the news, opinions and human-interest pieces that appeal to the values, opinions and sense of the greater market, namely, the readers and viewers. Increasingly, it is impossible to discuss the media without broaching the subject of public relations. Public relations professionals are most apt at using the media to suit their needs. They create the stories and feed the media with them, highlighting those facts they wish known, and keeping the undesirable ones hidden. If a cause requires the attention of the general public, it is possible to entice the media to cover it by creating newsworthy conditions. Politicians employ public relations professionals, who are often professional journalists, to liaise with the media. Obligations of the media to the citizen are to represent, interpret and evaluate ( O’Shaughnessy & Stadler, 2002 ). The majority of citizens receive their knowledge of global issues through media outlets. The media explains these occurrences to the general public, giving them an understanding of what they may not otherwise know. The media can be seen as an educational tool, giving understanding of the norms, values and realities of society to citizens ( O’Shaughnessy & Stadler, 2002 ). The real power of the media lies in its ability to ‘ agenda set ‘ ( Ward, 2002; Pg 404 ). † The media may not be able to tell people what to think but †¦.. they are remarkably successful in telling audiences what issues to think about, † ( Cohen, 1963; Pg 13 ). The media can act as society’s definer, giving meaning and understanding to situations and occurrences. Although the definitions and explanations may not necessarily reflect the attitudes of the subject ‘ experts ‘, the power of the media can quickly see misinformation become the general consensus. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the term ‘ terrorism ‘ has been misinterpreted within the media, and used to describe what academics in the field would not label as terrorism. Debate is strong regarding the issues of media censorship, with allegations, arising more and more frequently, regarding violent, sexually explicit and disturbing films, comics, song lyrics, Internet sites and books. Misdemeanor behaviour is often said to have been motivated and inspired by such mediums. In Australia’s republic referendum held in 1999, † 18 of Australia’s 20 daily newspapers supported a ‘Yes’ vote, † ( Ward, 2002; Pg 404 ). Despite this, the majority of Australian’s voted against Australia becoming a republic. Media scholars are aware that media campaigns will not alter political views of those with existing political opinion and loyalties. An increasing minority however, are influenced by media propaganda and media content may prove valuable during elections in the more marginal seats ( Ward, 2002; Pg 404 ). The example of the republic referendum could be seen as an attempted, and ultimately failed, use of the CNN effect on society. _________________________________________________ The above discussion is in reference to situations within western democracies. Other political systems, including dictatorships and less democratic regimes, eg. Zwimbabe, USSR, and China use the media differently, tending to control opinion and political views, and thereby dictating public viewpoints. Prior to the recent elections in Russia, many of the non-government television stations were taken over or shut down, and had to change their influence and affiliations before being allowed to broadcast again. This saw the public denied access to media that presents a point of view different to that which the government wants citizens to have. Hitler shut down all newspapers during his leadership and produced his own, preaching his messages to the masses, this undoubtedly contributing to the large number of Germans that became Nazis. Media ownership is an essential element in this debate, and it is vital to recognize the regulations regarding media ownership in Australia. The federal government of 1986 sought to ensure that media ownership remained as diverse as possible. † A person owning a television license cannot at the same time own more than 15 per cent of a newspaper published in the same city † ( Singleton et al, 2000: Pg 308 ). 1992, however, saw legislation altered to allow more than 15 per ownership, provided the owner is deemed † not to be in control † ( Singleton et al, 2000: Pg 308 ). In a democratic society it is always possible for the alternative point of view to be presented, and for the most part, all sides of debates are considered. The media affects and reflects. It can act as an agent of propaganda and it can set the agenda. It can influence, or be influenced. The media, the state and the citizens are interdependent, each needing and using the other to inform and be informed. Western democracies will continue to see a balance within the media and the information it contains, as media ownership laws ensure the media remains democratic. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cohen, B. 1963. The Press and Foreign Policy. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Entman, R. 1991. ‘ Framing US Coverage of International News: Contrasts in Narratives of the KAL and Iran Air Incidents ‘. Journal of Communication 41(4):6 – 27. Holbrooke, R. 1999. No Media – No War. Index on Censorship, 28(3): 20-1. Negrine, Ralph. 1989. Politics and the Mass Media in Britain. London: Routledge. O’Shaughnessy, Michael & Stadler, Jane. 2002. Media and Society, An Introduction. 2nd Edition. Victoria: Oxford University Press. Robinson, Piers. 2002. The CNN Effect: The myth of news, foreign policy and intervention. London: Routledge. Singleton, Aitkin, Jinks & Warhurst. 2000. Australian Political Institutions. 6th Edition. Malaysia: Pearson Education Australia Pty Limited / Longman. Ward, Ian. 2002. Media Power. Government, Politics, Power and Policy in Australia. Summers, John ( Ed ). NSW: Pearson Education Australia Pty Limited / Longman. Wheeler, Mark. 1997. Politics and the Mass Media. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd. White, Sally. 1996. Reporting in Australia. 2nd Edition. South Yarra: MacMillan Publishers Australia Pty Limited.