TOPIC: ISSUE43 - "To be an effective leader, a public official must maintain the highest ethical and moral standards."
WORDS: 555 TIME: 00:57:34 DATE: 2008/7/31 22:48:48
The speaker asserts that in order to be an effective leader, a public official must maintain the highest ethical and moral standards. Actually, the highest ethical and moral standards are not the necessary requirements for an effective leader. Without these, there are many public officials become effective leaders.
To begin with, an effective leader must obey basic ethical and moral standards, which are the norms of our human beings, such as the honesty, integrity, credit and so on, but not the highest ones. Furthermore, if a leader can manage the higher standards, the possibilities of his being an effective leader would be much higher than the ones cannot. For example, Mandela, the political leader of South Africa, gained the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 because of his fighting for human rights and equalities. He was thought to be an effective and famous leader in the world.
However, under certain circumstances, an effective leader may be against the ethical and moral standards. For example, on April 26th 1986, the big exposure of Chernobyl in Soviet Union revealed that what an effective leader must do at the emergency. The political leader of Soviet Union did not reclaim the exposure to public soon, because on one thing they should know what exactly happened, and on the other hand, the prescribing of the news would calm down the public and therefore avoided more serious disaster. Although the leaders didn't tell the truth to the citizens, the trouble was solved eventually and the government prevented their people from much more losses. The other example demonstrated that to be an effective leader, sometimes he must be opposite of these ethical and moral standards. For instance, in the Second World War, the Japanese were not willing to surrender unconditionally, although the Germany and Italy have already given up. By measuring the future losses of the battle in landing on Japan, Truman, the president of the United States decided to use atom bomb, which was the unethical and unmoral weapon.
In addition, the lack of highest ethical and moral standards cannot prevent a public official from being an effective leader. Clinton, the president of America, was involved in the sex scandal, but his achievement in the economics of the United States cannot be concealed by this scandal. Due to his progressive leadership and hard-working, the economics in the United States developed fast than ever before which brought benefits to all the American or even to the people all over the world. It is demonstrated that an effective leader might go against to the standards, but it is actually a little case, compared with his big contributions. Not unique but as a double, the same thing happened on Nixon. Nixon, who made big dedication in the relationship between the United States and China, was the primary role in the Watergate scandal and therefore became the first one resigning and leaving the position of president. Although the Watergate, in fact, had bad efforts on Nixon, but nobody can deny his achievement as an effective leader.
Generally speaking, it is unnecessary for an effective leader to maintain the highest standards. In addition, there are more important factors for a public official to be an effective leader besides the ethical and moral standards, such as the abilities of organization, speech in public, human glamour and so forth.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
ISSUE88
TOPIC: ISSUE88 - "Technologies not only influence but actually determine social customs and ethics."
WORDS: 546 TIME: 01:03:02 DATE: 2008/7/30 0:41:35
The speaker asserts that technologies have influences on social customs and ethics and actually determine them. I can't agree more with the former statement but be against with the view that social customs and ethics are determined by technologies.
To begin with, technologies influence our social customs and ethics in fact. For example, nearly 60 years ago, when there is no telegraph or telephone, we can only use letters, which were written by hands and transferred by labors, for communication of each other. So, it is part of their life for the people working or study far from their hometown to write a letter daily or weekly for sending their status to the relatives in order to make them easy. And with the development of our technologies, we use telephones to contract each other, by which we can hear sounds of the other side or even see the pictures or videos. But it is not the modernest way for communication too. The E-mail, which is the result of computer science and technology, will take place of all the other ways and be the most popular methods of commucation in the future.
However, the technologies cannot determine our social customs at all. For example, the Spring Day, which is the grandest festival in China, on which all the Chinese people set off firecrackers in order to celebrate the new year's coming. Although there is much more activities for us to do in that day, such as playing computer games, driving for holidays and so on, the firecrackers actually represent a culture which Chinese people cannot get rid of. In addition, the same thing happens in America, when the Chirstmas Day, all the children want the gifts from Santa Claus and there parents fill their willings, although the parents and some of the children know there is no Santa Claus at all because of the modern technologies. These two examples suggest that under certain circumstances, the technologies cannot influence or even determine our social customs.
In addition, the technologies cannot determine our ethics too. For example, although we can manage to know the sex of a child before he was born, it is cannot be used widely and be a sufficient reason for one's abortion due to the couple's descrimination of boy or girl, because it will break the balance between man and woman. Furthermore, the clone, which is a modern technology and became popular nowadays, do not take actions on human so far. Admittedly, it is believed that there is no problem for our human beings to clone ourselves in technology, but our ethics constrains the use of clone on human beings.
Furthermore, our social customs and ethics are determined by many complex and complicated factors. For instance, the Arabic woman always wear vein on their head while the Japanese woman dress with kimono, which are not the result of the development of technology actually. And the difference ways of education between American parents and Chinese parents also reflects many factors, influence or determine our social customs and ethics, except technology.
Generally speaking, technologies really have influences on our social customs and ethics, but cannot determine them. There are more significant factors, including history, culture, geology and so forth, than technology for our social customs and ethics.
WORDS: 546 TIME: 01:03:02 DATE: 2008/7/30 0:41:35
The speaker asserts that technologies have influences on social customs and ethics and actually determine them. I can't agree more with the former statement but be against with the view that social customs and ethics are determined by technologies.
To begin with, technologies influence our social customs and ethics in fact. For example, nearly 60 years ago, when there is no telegraph or telephone, we can only use letters, which were written by hands and transferred by labors, for communication of each other. So, it is part of their life for the people working or study far from their hometown to write a letter daily or weekly for sending their status to the relatives in order to make them easy. And with the development of our technologies, we use telephones to contract each other, by which we can hear sounds of the other side or even see the pictures or videos. But it is not the modernest way for communication too. The E-mail, which is the result of computer science and technology, will take place of all the other ways and be the most popular methods of commucation in the future.
However, the technologies cannot determine our social customs at all. For example, the Spring Day, which is the grandest festival in China, on which all the Chinese people set off firecrackers in order to celebrate the new year's coming. Although there is much more activities for us to do in that day, such as playing computer games, driving for holidays and so on, the firecrackers actually represent a culture which Chinese people cannot get rid of. In addition, the same thing happens in America, when the Chirstmas Day, all the children want the gifts from Santa Claus and there parents fill their willings, although the parents and some of the children know there is no Santa Claus at all because of the modern technologies. These two examples suggest that under certain circumstances, the technologies cannot influence or even determine our social customs.
In addition, the technologies cannot determine our ethics too. For example, although we can manage to know the sex of a child before he was born, it is cannot be used widely and be a sufficient reason for one's abortion due to the couple's descrimination of boy or girl, because it will break the balance between man and woman. Furthermore, the clone, which is a modern technology and became popular nowadays, do not take actions on human so far. Admittedly, it is believed that there is no problem for our human beings to clone ourselves in technology, but our ethics constrains the use of clone on human beings.
Furthermore, our social customs and ethics are determined by many complex and complicated factors. For instance, the Arabic woman always wear vein on their head while the Japanese woman dress with kimono, which are not the result of the development of technology actually. And the difference ways of education between American parents and Chinese parents also reflects many factors, influence or determine our social customs and ethics, except technology.
Generally speaking, technologies really have influences on our social customs and ethics, but cannot determine them. There are more significant factors, including history, culture, geology and so forth, than technology for our social customs and ethics.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
ISSUE17
TOPIC: ISSUE17 - "There are two types of laws: just and unjust. Every individual in a society has a responsibility to obey just laws and, even more importantly, to disobey and resist unjust laws."
WORDS: 593 TIME: 00:48:51 DATE: 2008/7/27 23:49:13
The speaker asserts that there are two kinds of laws. One is just and the other is unjust. But in my point of view, it is hard for us to distinguish the just law with the unjust, because it could change under different circumstances and be distinct to certain people. I hold the same view with the speaker that everyone in a society has a responsibility to obey just laws but opposite to the point that we also can disobey and resist unjust laws.
To begin with, a law would be just for some group of people while others thought the law is unjust. For example, with the development of our society, the pollution is a big problem we must confront. So, the government carried out a plan for constraining the factory's production in order to reduce the exotic gas and solid which do harms to people living around. Undoubtedly, this plan is a just law which supported by the people around, because it can improve their living conditions, if the factory emits less exotic things in the future. However, the workers in the factory will hold the opposite view that this plan for protecting environment really has bad efforts on their surviving, because they will work for shorter time and earn less. So, the same law is just and unjust at same time.
Furthermore, the different situation can effect on whether the law is just or unjust. In the Second World War, in order to strength the army and therefore conquer the whole world, the Germany encouraged their citizens to have as many babies as possible. Even there was a law in Germany to prize the women for having many babies and punish the ones for few, As the result, there are many children who did not know who was their father in fact. Compared with China nowadays, the population of China is too huge. So there is a law, which is called Family Planning, to constrain the number of babies one couple can have. Notwithstanding, we cannot proclaim that which law is just and which is unjust, although the two laws are distinct totally.
In addition, the same thing happens in education of different nations. The Chinese parents teach their children by beating more or less, when there are errors in what the children have done. However, In the United States, whatever the child have done for fault, his or her parents have no authorities to educate by beating, because of the limitation the certain laws. So, we cannot regard the laws as just or unjust too.
In a word, in my opinion, most laws in the world are all just. The reason why there are some groups of people who are against with these laws is that the laws do harms to their own benefits more or less. For instance, the workers in the factory, talked in the first example, held the opposite view of the law because of their reducing earnings. Furthermore, due to the different circumstance which a nation must confront, the Germany and China carry out the totally distinct laws which are both just only for itself. And then both the American parents and Chinese parents hope their children have a better future, although they use the different methods.
Generally speaking, most of our laws are just. And every individual in a society must obey all laws, which cannot be divided into just and unjust, because if we obey a law which seems harm for us, we will gain more due to others obeying of other laws.
WORDS: 593 TIME: 00:48:51 DATE: 2008/7/27 23:49:13
The speaker asserts that there are two kinds of laws. One is just and the other is unjust. But in my point of view, it is hard for us to distinguish the just law with the unjust, because it could change under different circumstances and be distinct to certain people. I hold the same view with the speaker that everyone in a society has a responsibility to obey just laws but opposite to the point that we also can disobey and resist unjust laws.
To begin with, a law would be just for some group of people while others thought the law is unjust. For example, with the development of our society, the pollution is a big problem we must confront. So, the government carried out a plan for constraining the factory's production in order to reduce the exotic gas and solid which do harms to people living around. Undoubtedly, this plan is a just law which supported by the people around, because it can improve their living conditions, if the factory emits less exotic things in the future. However, the workers in the factory will hold the opposite view that this plan for protecting environment really has bad efforts on their surviving, because they will work for shorter time and earn less. So, the same law is just and unjust at same time.
Furthermore, the different situation can effect on whether the law is just or unjust. In the Second World War, in order to strength the army and therefore conquer the whole world, the Germany encouraged their citizens to have as many babies as possible. Even there was a law in Germany to prize the women for having many babies and punish the ones for few, As the result, there are many children who did not know who was their father in fact. Compared with China nowadays, the population of China is too huge. So there is a law, which is called Family Planning, to constrain the number of babies one couple can have. Notwithstanding, we cannot proclaim that which law is just and which is unjust, although the two laws are distinct totally.
In addition, the same thing happens in education of different nations. The Chinese parents teach their children by beating more or less, when there are errors in what the children have done. However, In the United States, whatever the child have done for fault, his or her parents have no authorities to educate by beating, because of the limitation the certain laws. So, we cannot regard the laws as just or unjust too.
In a word, in my opinion, most laws in the world are all just. The reason why there are some groups of people who are against with these laws is that the laws do harms to their own benefits more or less. For instance, the workers in the factory, talked in the first example, held the opposite view of the law because of their reducing earnings. Furthermore, due to the different circumstance which a nation must confront, the Germany and China carry out the totally distinct laws which are both just only for itself. And then both the American parents and Chinese parents hope their children have a better future, although they use the different methods.
Generally speaking, most of our laws are just. And every individual in a society must obey all laws, which cannot be divided into just and unjust, because if we obey a law which seems harm for us, we will gain more due to others obeying of other laws.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
ISSUE70
TOPIC: ISSUE70 - "In any profession-business, politics, education, government-those in power should step down after five years. The surest path to success for any enterprise is revitalization through new leadership."
WORDS: 617 TIME: 00:45:00 DATE: 2008/7/23 12:37:32
The speaker asserts that the leader must be took place with a new one after five years in any profession, such as business, politics, government and so forth. Generally speaking, the above norm, which depends on the situation that we are in, the specialization of certain profession from case to case, cannot be available for all circumstances. Furthermore, it is not always the best way to succeed through new leadership.
To begin with, whether the every five years' replacement is suitable or not depends on the epic we are in. The empire, which has the sovereign power in feudal society in past years, would take charge of his nation until his death. This phenomenon is based on the assumption, which we regarded as ignorance, that the empire was the son of God or the son of Heaven which was distinguished from different cultures and nations. At that time, the direction of development of nation, the death of people was all decided by the empire, which may intensify the power of centre and therefore be prone to use the resource of all the nation expediently. In addition this kind of production relations would stimulate and improved the productivity undoubtedly but it really do not suit for productivity nowadays because all of us realize what the leadership is and what the relationship between leader and people really is.
Furthermore, sometimes the surest path to success for us is really revitalization through new leadership and there are more and more leaders in grand enterprises want to step down and be replaced with new ones. For example, Bill Gates, the world's famous computer scientist and businessman, have been away from Microsoft, which was founded by his own and was one of the well-known enterprise in the world, and devoted all his life to philanthropy forever. Admittedly, his kindness is one of the reasons for his leaving, but the other one, the more important, is the fundamental reason that he realized that it is not suitable for him to be in power in so long a time, which may do harms to the management and creation of Microsoft. In addition, Welch brought new cultures and modern management into GM, whose profits increased from 1.6 billion to 12.7 billion in 2000. These examples both substantiate the advantages of new leadership.
However, in certain realms, especially in politics, the replacement of leader would have bad efforts on the whole nation. The Soviet Union, which is one of the strongest nation in the world since the Second World War, was disorganized in 1991, because during the fifty years approximately, the Soviet Union's leader have changed many times and nearly each new leader held the opposite view to the last one. So, the interim heritage of the regime undermined the united of the union. So, for a country, it is the most significant to keep on the direction of development.
In addition, is it the best way for our meeting success by replacement of leadership? Absolutely not. Besides it, there are many useful approaches, such as updating the technology in production, undermining the useless department, and carrying out the system of encouragement or punishment. Furthermore, compared to the above methods, the new leadership will be less helpful under certain circumstances. So, the perfect way for any enterprise to be successful is that to deal with the problems with certain approaches.
Generally speaking, the replacement of leader has both advantages and disadvantages. If can use it in proper situation, we will gain more benefits. Besides, it is not the single way for us to achieve our success through new leadership, because there are more other approaches to solve the different and complex troubles in our life.
WORDS: 617 TIME: 00:45:00 DATE: 2008/7/23 12:37:32
The speaker asserts that the leader must be took place with a new one after five years in any profession, such as business, politics, government and so forth. Generally speaking, the above norm, which depends on the situation that we are in, the specialization of certain profession from case to case, cannot be available for all circumstances. Furthermore, it is not always the best way to succeed through new leadership.
To begin with, whether the every five years' replacement is suitable or not depends on the epic we are in. The empire, which has the sovereign power in feudal society in past years, would take charge of his nation until his death. This phenomenon is based on the assumption, which we regarded as ignorance, that the empire was the son of God or the son of Heaven which was distinguished from different cultures and nations. At that time, the direction of development of nation, the death of people was all decided by the empire, which may intensify the power of centre and therefore be prone to use the resource of all the nation expediently. In addition this kind of production relations would stimulate and improved the productivity undoubtedly but it really do not suit for productivity nowadays because all of us realize what the leadership is and what the relationship between leader and people really is.
Furthermore, sometimes the surest path to success for us is really revitalization through new leadership and there are more and more leaders in grand enterprises want to step down and be replaced with new ones. For example, Bill Gates, the world's famous computer scientist and businessman, have been away from Microsoft, which was founded by his own and was one of the well-known enterprise in the world, and devoted all his life to philanthropy forever. Admittedly, his kindness is one of the reasons for his leaving, but the other one, the more important, is the fundamental reason that he realized that it is not suitable for him to be in power in so long a time, which may do harms to the management and creation of Microsoft. In addition, Welch brought new cultures and modern management into GM, whose profits increased from 1.6 billion to 12.7 billion in 2000. These examples both substantiate the advantages of new leadership.
However, in certain realms, especially in politics, the replacement of leader would have bad efforts on the whole nation. The Soviet Union, which is one of the strongest nation in the world since the Second World War, was disorganized in 1991, because during the fifty years approximately, the Soviet Union's leader have changed many times and nearly each new leader held the opposite view to the last one. So, the interim heritage of the regime undermined the united of the union. So, for a country, it is the most significant to keep on the direction of development.
In addition, is it the best way for our meeting success by replacement of leadership? Absolutely not. Besides it, there are many useful approaches, such as updating the technology in production, undermining the useless department, and carrying out the system of encouragement or punishment. Furthermore, compared to the above methods, the new leadership will be less helpful under certain circumstances. So, the perfect way for any enterprise to be successful is that to deal with the problems with certain approaches.
Generally speaking, the replacement of leader has both advantages and disadvantages. If can use it in proper situation, we will gain more benefits. Besides, it is not the single way for us to achieve our success through new leadership, because there are more other approaches to solve the different and complex troubles in our life.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
ISSUE136
TOPIC: ISSUE136 - "The absence of choice is a circumstance that is very, very rare."
WORDS: 583 TIME: 01:25:19 DATE: 2008/7/20 23:32:13
Someone deals with things by waiting for others choices while others by choosing the exact ones in his own opinion. The absence of choice is a circumstance that is very, very rare, under both of the above conditions.
To begin with, there really are few choices for us under certain circumstances, especially in the nature disasters or under some limitation of laws and norms. The earthquake in SiChuan Province, which is the biggest one in 21st century so far, have brought nearly 100,000 people into death while much more people injured or lost their hometowns. There is no choice for our human beings to inhibit the earthquake from breaking out, because no matter how strong we are, we are only a small part of the nature which we cannot fight against. So, there is no choice for inhibiting the earthquakes but ones for declining its damage. In addition, as a soldier, he must follow his leader's order unconditionally, even if he will be death in the mission. So, there is no choice for the soldier but to wait commands.
However, the circumstances talked above, in fact, are rare. There are more conditions that we are not willing to choose or don't dare to choose. For example, due to the unbalanced development of economics in China, it is really a big problem for students to get a satisfied job after they graduated from universities or colleges. The reason for students under unemployment is not there is no job available for them, but they do not want to choose the job subjectively which cannot suit for their high degrees. On the other hand, there are choices but we do not dare to choose, too. For instance, in the last century, when Plank, one of the most famous scientists in physics, studied the radiation of full body, he found that there is no choice for him to solve this problem but to make the assumption that the light must be divided into pieces which was really a crazy theory at that time. Other scientists have already realized the problem before Plank, but they thought there is no choice and do not dare to choose the uncommon assumption which made Plank meet with success.
Moreover, why we found the absence of choice for ourselves under certain circumstance? Admittedly, whether there are choices or not is related to the different people. Furthermore, how can we make more choices available for us? The perfect choices which can lead to success are not exist unconditionally but be created or discovered by ourselves. For example, there are hundreds universities and colleges in the United States. But they are not choices for us if we don't have a high GPA, TOEFL and GRE scores, strong recommendation, attractive personal statement. Only when we are more outstanding than others can this choices be created or discovered and be available for us.
In addition, it is the best choice, sometimes, for us to refuse to choose in fact. When it is hard to decide a choice, we can wait for variations or others choices for helping us to choose the way which may bring us much more success than firm decision.
Generally speaking, the absence of choice is a circumstance that is very, very rare, actually. However, in order to meet a grand success, we must create or discover more perfect choices other than choose passively. If there is really no choice at all, to say at least, we can wait and wait for change.
WORDS: 583 TIME: 01:25:19 DATE: 2008/7/20 23:32:13
Someone deals with things by waiting for others choices while others by choosing the exact ones in his own opinion. The absence of choice is a circumstance that is very, very rare, under both of the above conditions.
To begin with, there really are few choices for us under certain circumstances, especially in the nature disasters or under some limitation of laws and norms. The earthquake in SiChuan Province, which is the biggest one in 21st century so far, have brought nearly 100,000 people into death while much more people injured or lost their hometowns. There is no choice for our human beings to inhibit the earthquake from breaking out, because no matter how strong we are, we are only a small part of the nature which we cannot fight against. So, there is no choice for inhibiting the earthquakes but ones for declining its damage. In addition, as a soldier, he must follow his leader's order unconditionally, even if he will be death in the mission. So, there is no choice for the soldier but to wait commands.
However, the circumstances talked above, in fact, are rare. There are more conditions that we are not willing to choose or don't dare to choose. For example, due to the unbalanced development of economics in China, it is really a big problem for students to get a satisfied job after they graduated from universities or colleges. The reason for students under unemployment is not there is no job available for them, but they do not want to choose the job subjectively which cannot suit for their high degrees. On the other hand, there are choices but we do not dare to choose, too. For instance, in the last century, when Plank, one of the most famous scientists in physics, studied the radiation of full body, he found that there is no choice for him to solve this problem but to make the assumption that the light must be divided into pieces which was really a crazy theory at that time. Other scientists have already realized the problem before Plank, but they thought there is no choice and do not dare to choose the uncommon assumption which made Plank meet with success.
Moreover, why we found the absence of choice for ourselves under certain circumstance? Admittedly, whether there are choices or not is related to the different people. Furthermore, how can we make more choices available for us? The perfect choices which can lead to success are not exist unconditionally but be created or discovered by ourselves. For example, there are hundreds universities and colleges in the United States. But they are not choices for us if we don't have a high GPA, TOEFL and GRE scores, strong recommendation, attractive personal statement. Only when we are more outstanding than others can this choices be created or discovered and be available for us.
In addition, it is the best choice, sometimes, for us to refuse to choose in fact. When it is hard to decide a choice, we can wait for variations or others choices for helping us to choose the way which may bring us much more success than firm decision.
Generally speaking, the absence of choice is a circumstance that is very, very rare, actually. However, in order to meet a grand success, we must create or discover more perfect choices other than choose passively. If there is really no choice at all, to say at least, we can wait and wait for change.
ISSUE120
TOPIC: ISSUE120 - "So much is new and complex today that looking back for an understanding of the past provides little guidance for living in the present."
WORDS: 623 TIME: 00:18:26 DATE: 2008/7/20 18:45:44
There is so much new and complex today that someone holds the view that it is no use for guiding for our living in the present to look back for the past. This statement is right under certain circumstances, but it is so absolute extremely when extended to more field.
Admittedly, with the development of science and technology, there are big changes of our world, especially in economics, sciences, art and so on. The big and rapid changes make the distinguished differences between present and past. Nowadays, there are more and more new and complex things which created or discovered by our human beings. There is no denying that we cannot totally live in the present with the experiences derived from what we have done in ten years or even one hundred years ago. Compared with the experiences, the creation and imagination are the same important in modern world. In other word, it is just waste for our time to look back for experiences in the past instead of living in present with combining the understanding in past and creation in present.
However, we cannot ignore the importance of the guidance provided by the understanding of the past. Take the field of science for example; Newton, the most well-known physicist in the world, said he was just on the shoulder of giant which represent for the understanding, experience and accomplishment of the predecessor in the past. Furthermore, the same thing happens on Einstein because his famous theory-the Relative Theory-was the opposite of and derived from Newton's typical physics theory. So, can't we say that Einstein stood on the shoulder of Newton? In a word, it is looking back for an understanding of the past that provides guidance for living in the present, at least in the field of science, which was proved by the above two examples.
Moreover, it is really helpful for our better living in present to look backwards. In 1918, the four years' First World War ended which nearly destroyed the whole world. However, the Second World War broke only 21 years later. The unfair pact between the winner and loser in First World War is the fundamental and direct reason of the fact that the two wars were broke in such a short time. By realizing the disadvantages of the unfair pact, there is no such a pact between Axis and Allies at the end of Second World War. Moreover, our human beings hold the view that the peace and development are the two main themes in the world by looking back for the understanding of the wars in past. Even if when we were at the peak of the Cold War between Soviet Union and the United States, there was no real war happened.
In addition, we should guide our living and action with the experiences in the history and understanding of the past. In fact, the same things happened again and again in the history. So, if we take care of what has happened past, we would have found many people had encountered the similar trouble which just we confronted present. Perhaps, we could found some efficient ways, which our predecessors have already used, to solve our own problems. There is a simple example that when we encounter a sneak in forest, to avoid being attacked, we will stay where we are without moving. And why we do this? It is derived from the experiences of our predecessors.
Generally speaking, Although the world has changed a lot and so much is new and complex nowadays, we must realize the importance of looking back for the past, because all the things what we created or discovered are related to our understanding and experiences in the past more or less.
WORDS: 623 TIME: 00:18:26 DATE: 2008/7/20 18:45:44
There is so much new and complex today that someone holds the view that it is no use for guiding for our living in the present to look back for the past. This statement is right under certain circumstances, but it is so absolute extremely when extended to more field.
Admittedly, with the development of science and technology, there are big changes of our world, especially in economics, sciences, art and so on. The big and rapid changes make the distinguished differences between present and past. Nowadays, there are more and more new and complex things which created or discovered by our human beings. There is no denying that we cannot totally live in the present with the experiences derived from what we have done in ten years or even one hundred years ago. Compared with the experiences, the creation and imagination are the same important in modern world. In other word, it is just waste for our time to look back for experiences in the past instead of living in present with combining the understanding in past and creation in present.
However, we cannot ignore the importance of the guidance provided by the understanding of the past. Take the field of science for example; Newton, the most well-known physicist in the world, said he was just on the shoulder of giant which represent for the understanding, experience and accomplishment of the predecessor in the past. Furthermore, the same thing happens on Einstein because his famous theory-the Relative Theory-was the opposite of and derived from Newton's typical physics theory. So, can't we say that Einstein stood on the shoulder of Newton? In a word, it is looking back for an understanding of the past that provides guidance for living in the present, at least in the field of science, which was proved by the above two examples.
Moreover, it is really helpful for our better living in present to look backwards. In 1918, the four years' First World War ended which nearly destroyed the whole world. However, the Second World War broke only 21 years later. The unfair pact between the winner and loser in First World War is the fundamental and direct reason of the fact that the two wars were broke in such a short time. By realizing the disadvantages of the unfair pact, there is no such a pact between Axis and Allies at the end of Second World War. Moreover, our human beings hold the view that the peace and development are the two main themes in the world by looking back for the understanding of the wars in past. Even if when we were at the peak of the Cold War between Soviet Union and the United States, there was no real war happened.
In addition, we should guide our living and action with the experiences in the history and understanding of the past. In fact, the same things happened again and again in the history. So, if we take care of what has happened past, we would have found many people had encountered the similar trouble which just we confronted present. Perhaps, we could found some efficient ways, which our predecessors have already used, to solve our own problems. There is a simple example that when we encounter a sneak in forest, to avoid being attacked, we will stay where we are without moving. And why we do this? It is derived from the experiences of our predecessors.
Generally speaking, Although the world has changed a lot and so much is new and complex nowadays, we must realize the importance of looking back for the past, because all the things what we created or discovered are related to our understanding and experiences in the past more or less.
ISSUE212
TOPIC: ISSUE212 - "If a goal is worthy, then any means taken to attain it is justifiable."
WORDS: 516 TIME: 00:45:00 DATE: 2008/7/20 0:56:46
The speaker asserts that if a goal is worthy, then any means taken to attain it is justifiable. We cannot simply decide whether this statement is right or not before we clarify that what a goal can be regarded as a worthy one and what kind of means can be used to attain a goal.
To begin with, how can we define the worthiness of a goal? Taking the cheating in exam for example, a student intend to achieve his goal for getting good scores in examination by cheating, such as copying other students' answers, using electrical devices for communication and so on. If he succeeds in cheating, undoubtedly he will get perfect scores. However, once he failed, he will be punished for what he have done and lost more than an exam eventually. So, is the goal worthy for the student's cheating in exams? Absolutely not. Only when what we received is much more than what we cost for achieving the goal can the goal be regarded as worthy one. Furthermore, it is no deny that nobody want an unworthy goal, even if it is simple to attain.
In addition, although a goal is worthy enough, we cannot take all means to attain it without being concern with the legitimacy of what we do for achieving it. For instance, nearly all the scientist wants to be the famous one in the world. Some of them make good efforts to implement their goal by hard working, persistent researching and so on, while others attain this goal by stealing others accomplishment, making fake experiment results and so forth. They both have the same goal, but the latter one, compared to the former one, using the illegal way for attaining the goal, what we call it "unjustifiable". Furthermore, what will our science field be, if all of us achieve our goal by taking any means including unjustifiable ones? These unjustifiable means will undermine the fair and honest in the science and therefore do harms to ourselves.
And then, we cannot achieve our own worthy goal with justifiable means, which has bad effects on others. Hitler, the primer of Germany in Second World War, attains his own goal which is to conquer all the other nations and kill all the Jews in the world by taking all possible means. He forced his goal on the entire German and lead the Germany into endless and crucial war. Hitler's goal is worthy, which only is regarded as worthy one by him, but his goal really did harms to others, especially the Jews. In a word, Hitler's goal is worthy for himself but was illegal and unjustifiable for the world. We cannot attain such an unjustifiable goal by certain means even if the methods we use are justifiable.
Generally speaking, before we judge whether the mean taken to attain a goal is justifiable or not, we must check whether the goal is really a worthy one. Furthermore, only when the means, which we take for achieving our goal, are not illegal and undermine others, do we regard it as justifiable one.
WORDS: 516 TIME: 00:45:00 DATE: 2008/7/20 0:56:46
The speaker asserts that if a goal is worthy, then any means taken to attain it is justifiable. We cannot simply decide whether this statement is right or not before we clarify that what a goal can be regarded as a worthy one and what kind of means can be used to attain a goal.
To begin with, how can we define the worthiness of a goal? Taking the cheating in exam for example, a student intend to achieve his goal for getting good scores in examination by cheating, such as copying other students' answers, using electrical devices for communication and so on. If he succeeds in cheating, undoubtedly he will get perfect scores. However, once he failed, he will be punished for what he have done and lost more than an exam eventually. So, is the goal worthy for the student's cheating in exams? Absolutely not. Only when what we received is much more than what we cost for achieving the goal can the goal be regarded as worthy one. Furthermore, it is no deny that nobody want an unworthy goal, even if it is simple to attain.
In addition, although a goal is worthy enough, we cannot take all means to attain it without being concern with the legitimacy of what we do for achieving it. For instance, nearly all the scientist wants to be the famous one in the world. Some of them make good efforts to implement their goal by hard working, persistent researching and so on, while others attain this goal by stealing others accomplishment, making fake experiment results and so forth. They both have the same goal, but the latter one, compared to the former one, using the illegal way for attaining the goal, what we call it "unjustifiable". Furthermore, what will our science field be, if all of us achieve our goal by taking any means including unjustifiable ones? These unjustifiable means will undermine the fair and honest in the science and therefore do harms to ourselves.
And then, we cannot achieve our own worthy goal with justifiable means, which has bad effects on others. Hitler, the primer of Germany in Second World War, attains his own goal which is to conquer all the other nations and kill all the Jews in the world by taking all possible means. He forced his goal on the entire German and lead the Germany into endless and crucial war. Hitler's goal is worthy, which only is regarded as worthy one by him, but his goal really did harms to others, especially the Jews. In a word, Hitler's goal is worthy for himself but was illegal and unjustifiable for the world. We cannot attain such an unjustifiable goal by certain means even if the methods we use are justifiable.
Generally speaking, before we judge whether the mean taken to attain a goal is justifiable or not, we must check whether the goal is really a worthy one. Furthermore, only when the means, which we take for achieving our goal, are not illegal and undermine others, do we regard it as justifiable one.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
ISSUE207
TOPIC: ISSUE207 - "Rituals and ceremonies help define a culture. Without them, societies or groups of people have a diminished sense of who they are."
WORDS: 533 TIME: 02:42:04 DATE: 2008/7/19 14:26:14
Rituals and ceremonies, of which all of us cannot be lack, are the two main activities in our daily life. For thousands years of human society, the rituals and ceremonies play an important role in politics, economics, military, especially in culture which is a sign of inheriting of human beings. So, are the rituals and ceremonies included or even equal to culture? Furthermore, can our human beings live without them while avoiding diminished sense of who we are?
Admittedly, rituals and ceremonies help define a culture definitely. There are many examples for supporting the view ranged from past to present in all nations in the world. The Christmas Day, the most popular festival in the United States, on which nearly all people in States celebrate together, such as dressing Christmas tree, waiting for Santa Claus and so forth, is a significant symbol of American culture and commemorate for the born of Christ. And on the contrary, the grandest festival in China is the Spring Day which mark a time that a new year's coming. On that day, all the Chinese people get together with their relatives around table talking about their success this year and plans for the further while eating and drinking. The differences between the two festivals define distinct culture between America and China.
However, are rituals and ceremonies the sufficient condition to define a culture? In other word, does ritual and ceremonies include all the culture of a nation? Absolutely not. Rituals and ceremonies are only a small part of culture which contains many other factors, such as the clothes people wearing, the way people communicate with each other, languages, histories and so forth.
Furthermore, societies or groups of people will not have a diminished sense of who they are without rituals and ceremonies. For instance, we can judge an American in France and French in America derived from the different languages they are speaking which is also a significant part of culture. In addition, Chinese people eat by using chopstick for their primary choice while European people usually use knife and fork, from which we can distinguish a Europeans from a Chinese. Although all the universities and colleges will hold rituals and ceremonies when a new term begins and the last ends, we cannot decide how grand a university or college is simply by this. The research level, history, atmosphere of studying is more important than rituals and ceremonies.
In addition, with the development of human society and culture, there are more and more rituals and ceremonies are not suitable for the modern world. For example, in feudal China people who talk with his leader must go down on knees, which is a ritual stand for the reverence of the superiors. And in ancient Egypt, when the empire is dead, hundreds or even thousands of people must be killed for being buried with the empire's death, which usually occurs in ancient period in all nations.
Generally speaking, rituals and ceremonies help define a culture undoubtedly, but it is not all of the culture. Furthermore, there are more important factors than rituals and ceremonies for defining a culture. In other word, we cannot lose ourselves without them.
WORDS: 533 TIME: 02:42:04 DATE: 2008/7/19 14:26:14
Rituals and ceremonies, of which all of us cannot be lack, are the two main activities in our daily life. For thousands years of human society, the rituals and ceremonies play an important role in politics, economics, military, especially in culture which is a sign of inheriting of human beings. So, are the rituals and ceremonies included or even equal to culture? Furthermore, can our human beings live without them while avoiding diminished sense of who we are?
Admittedly, rituals and ceremonies help define a culture definitely. There are many examples for supporting the view ranged from past to present in all nations in the world. The Christmas Day, the most popular festival in the United States, on which nearly all people in States celebrate together, such as dressing Christmas tree, waiting for Santa Claus and so forth, is a significant symbol of American culture and commemorate for the born of Christ. And on the contrary, the grandest festival in China is the Spring Day which mark a time that a new year's coming. On that day, all the Chinese people get together with their relatives around table talking about their success this year and plans for the further while eating and drinking. The differences between the two festivals define distinct culture between America and China.
However, are rituals and ceremonies the sufficient condition to define a culture? In other word, does ritual and ceremonies include all the culture of a nation? Absolutely not. Rituals and ceremonies are only a small part of culture which contains many other factors, such as the clothes people wearing, the way people communicate with each other, languages, histories and so forth.
Furthermore, societies or groups of people will not have a diminished sense of who they are without rituals and ceremonies. For instance, we can judge an American in France and French in America derived from the different languages they are speaking which is also a significant part of culture. In addition, Chinese people eat by using chopstick for their primary choice while European people usually use knife and fork, from which we can distinguish a Europeans from a Chinese. Although all the universities and colleges will hold rituals and ceremonies when a new term begins and the last ends, we cannot decide how grand a university or college is simply by this. The research level, history, atmosphere of studying is more important than rituals and ceremonies.
In addition, with the development of human society and culture, there are more and more rituals and ceremonies are not suitable for the modern world. For example, in feudal China people who talk with his leader must go down on knees, which is a ritual stand for the reverence of the superiors. And in ancient Egypt, when the empire is dead, hundreds or even thousands of people must be killed for being buried with the empire's death, which usually occurs in ancient period in all nations.
Generally speaking, rituals and ceremonies help define a culture undoubtedly, but it is not all of the culture. Furthermore, there are more important factors than rituals and ceremonies for defining a culture. In other word, we cannot lose ourselves without them.
ISSUE11
TOPIC: ISSUE11 - "All nations should help support the development of a global university designed to engage students in the process of solving the world's most persistent social problems."
WORDS: 572 TIME: 01:39:36 DATE: 2008/7/19 0:31:50
Global university, a new kind of university, whose objective is to engage students who are from all nations in the process of solving the world's most persistent social problem, is proposed nowadays. Due to the development of human society, the relationship between all the nations is getting closer and closer, especially in the economics, politics and some significant problems which are concerned by most of nations. All of us in the world, ranged from person to nation, try our best to cooperate with each other. So the global university is a kind of collaboration. However, could global university improve the relation between us and therefore solve these complicated problems? And is it an efficient and necessary way to support the development of a global university in order to achieve our goal?
To begin with, global university would play an important role in solving the world's most persistent social problems. The global university, designed to engage students from all nations, concentrated its goals on prohibition of the drugs, illegal weapons, transnational crimes and so forth. Therefore, nothing can be more important than the cooperation of different nations, which may be improved by global university. Furthermore, the student would use his knowledge received in global university to solve the social problems in his nation. And then the problems in the whole world would be solved, if the ones of every nation have been done.
In the other hand, there are some problems in supporting the development of global university. First, due to the different states of nations, especially the geographical position, the level of economics and so on, not all the nations has the same interesting on the same persistent social problems. For example, except these common problems, such as drugs, transnational crimes, the United States will concentrate more on the terrorism and resources, while the nations in Africa will be concerned more with hungry, war and poverty. So it is hard to involve all the nations' problems in a global university. Second, the global university would be used for certain nations to get its own benefits illegally. The nation devoted more than others will take charge of the university very probably and the primary nation will use the special power to break the balance of students in different nations which caused an opposite effect exactly.
Furthermore, it is unnecessary for us to support the development of global university because we have much more organizations already and there are more efficient ways to solve problems. First, the United Nation is the organization whose objective is to improve the collaboration of different nations to solve the world's most persistent social problems, ranged from the poverty in Africa to the terrorism in the world. In addition, Compared to global university, the UN has more jurisdictions because it is a uniform international organization with members of nearly all the nations in the world. Second, with the development of Internet, students in different nations can communicate with each other conveniently. So we can change the global university to the form of discussing on net, which must be saved a lot of money and involved more nations than former form.
In a word, it is hard for us to decide whether all nations should help support the development of a global university because it has both advantages and disadvantages which are discussed above deficiently. Therefore, we must do more surveys on the global university before we take action.
WORDS: 572 TIME: 01:39:36 DATE: 2008/7/19 0:31:50
Global university, a new kind of university, whose objective is to engage students who are from all nations in the process of solving the world's most persistent social problem, is proposed nowadays. Due to the development of human society, the relationship between all the nations is getting closer and closer, especially in the economics, politics and some significant problems which are concerned by most of nations. All of us in the world, ranged from person to nation, try our best to cooperate with each other. So the global university is a kind of collaboration. However, could global university improve the relation between us and therefore solve these complicated problems? And is it an efficient and necessary way to support the development of a global university in order to achieve our goal?
To begin with, global university would play an important role in solving the world's most persistent social problems. The global university, designed to engage students from all nations, concentrated its goals on prohibition of the drugs, illegal weapons, transnational crimes and so forth. Therefore, nothing can be more important than the cooperation of different nations, which may be improved by global university. Furthermore, the student would use his knowledge received in global university to solve the social problems in his nation. And then the problems in the whole world would be solved, if the ones of every nation have been done.
In the other hand, there are some problems in supporting the development of global university. First, due to the different states of nations, especially the geographical position, the level of economics and so on, not all the nations has the same interesting on the same persistent social problems. For example, except these common problems, such as drugs, transnational crimes, the United States will concentrate more on the terrorism and resources, while the nations in Africa will be concerned more with hungry, war and poverty. So it is hard to involve all the nations' problems in a global university. Second, the global university would be used for certain nations to get its own benefits illegally. The nation devoted more than others will take charge of the university very probably and the primary nation will use the special power to break the balance of students in different nations which caused an opposite effect exactly.
Furthermore, it is unnecessary for us to support the development of global university because we have much more organizations already and there are more efficient ways to solve problems. First, the United Nation is the organization whose objective is to improve the collaboration of different nations to solve the world's most persistent social problems, ranged from the poverty in Africa to the terrorism in the world. In addition, Compared to global university, the UN has more jurisdictions because it is a uniform international organization with members of nearly all the nations in the world. Second, with the development of Internet, students in different nations can communicate with each other conveniently. So we can change the global university to the form of discussing on net, which must be saved a lot of money and involved more nations than former form.
In a word, it is hard for us to decide whether all nations should help support the development of a global university because it has both advantages and disadvantages which are discussed above deficiently. Therefore, we must do more surveys on the global university before we take action.
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