Cultural Differences And The European Union Politics Essay

Cultural Differences And The European Union Politics Essay The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes a country is what we call culture. Cultural differences have always existed between friends and families, but when it comes to countries their integration and relations can get a little messy. The European Union has always been known not only by its political and economic fusion, but also as a very diverse cultural union between countries. But when it comes to Turkeys integration to this conglomeration of states, cultural problems have become to be a sensitive barrier preventing their fully incorporation. This problem ranges from Turkeys non-European geographical location, its large and poor population affecting the European Unions financial budget to its diverse and complicated culture compared to the Christian-based EUs culture. Turkey is the only pluralist secular democracy in the Muslim world and has always attached great importance to developing its relations with other European countries. Turkish culture has had a profound impact over much of Eastern and Southern Europe becoming the bridge connecting to different continents, Europe and Asia. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨ Therefore the question simplifies to; until what extend does Turkeys culture affect its entrance to the European Union? The European Union and its new members The European Union is a coalition of twenty-seven independent states based on the European Communities and founded to enhance political, economic and social co-operation. This union aims peace, prosperity and freedom for its 948 million citizens in a fairer and safer world. EU also aims to create a new economic growth based on regional specialties and the rich diversity of traditions and cultures. Unity is strength; the process of integration has not smothered the different ways of life, traditions and cultures of its peoples (Europa, 2010). The most important objectives of the EU are to establish European citizenship, guarantee freedom, security and justice, encourage economic and social progress and affirm Europe ´s role in the world. Its integration consists of most of Western Europes countries, being Bulgaria and Romania the two last members to enter EU in 2007. In the candidate list still remains Croatia, Former Yugoslavia Republic and Turkey, being this last one the most controversial case in the EU. Moreover, this confederation of countries makes their decision in treaties; known as primary legislation. These laws are decided by the institutional triangle formed by the Council of Ministers, European Parliament and the European commission. They represent the national governments, the people and a body independent of EU governments. One of the most dominant achievements of the EU is the single market and the economic and monetary union. In the other hand, each citizens of the EU has the right to travel, live and work anywhere in Europe. Thanks to the Maastricht Treaty, every citizen of the Union has voice and votes in the local elections of their countries and in the elections to the European Parliament. Every citizen has to feel European with its own culture and education. This is why the EU has a lot of programs to help the people to adapt in the different cultures; We are not bringing together states, we are uniting people, (Monnet, 1952). Turkey and its culture To understand why Turkey has been one of the most controversial cases in the EU, one has to identify its background. Since the beginning its been know that Turkey wanted to be part of European Union. In fact they have 9% of its country inside Europe. Its neighbored to the west with Greece and Bulgaria. This country combines a diverse and heterogeneous set of elements that form their rich and complicated culture. They have been one of the countries that have every extreme of Eastern and Western culture. It all started with the Ottoman system in which they cannot mix with each other and thereby retain separate ethnic and religious identities within the empire. When the empire fell and the Turkish Republic arose they adapted a unitary approach that forced all of the cultures to mix with each other to make the Turkish national and cultural identity. This was a total failure that derived in more separation between the traditional Muslim cultures versus the cosmopolitan modernity of Istanbul. This gap made a collectivist political culture which is defined by fear of disagreement and disharmony, this derivates in citizen more concern as a group and not as individual justice. Furthermore, another aspect in this type of culture is in the way they dealt with conflict. In this case they have a lot of social division and they are suppressed by dominant elites resolving the entire disputes by the acceptance of authority figures. Since the beginning the Republic was well know as a father state, so this would then point to deep commitment of the people to the state, since fathers are often perceived as incapable of wrong-doing especially by their children, or in this case the Turkish civil society. This conflict in cultural differences has become a barrier to its entrance to the EU, so this past decade Turkey has determine itself to change it to a more Polyarchal political culture. This proposes a more predominant tolerance to religious and political values. Even though its not perfect people started to see the change, especially as the Delegation in European Commission (2007) said Concerning human rights and the protection of minorities, the legal framework to fight against torture and ill-treatment is established. When Turkeys political culture can finally assume the full colors of a Polyarchy, the democratic norms of the EU will be deeply and unshakably embedded in the minds of the Turkish people. In addition, taking in mind the Christian-based Europe it is important to establish that Turkeys Muslim predominance makes a very important impact in the culture. The 99.8% of the population is Muslim. They have a secular government but the religion is a really important factor to look at, because their traditions affects in the way people developed and in the form the government acts. It is a really divided society with a lot of really attached ways of seeing things that makes it a really complicated country. Its the fight between the past and the future. These differences existing in one same culture and country have created a series of debates and concerns from the European Unions part, strongly questioning the candidacy of this half-Asian half-European country. Turkey the eternal European Union Candidate? Turkey is considered to be a country divided by two continents, Europe and Asia. It occupies a small part of southeastern Europe, all of the Anatolian Peninsula, and the rest of it is located in the Asian continent. The official negotiations between Turkey and the Union began in October of 2005, considering Turkey at last as a formal possible member of the EU in the future. Turkeys story with the European Union goes back for years. Since 1963, when it was accepted for the first time as an associated member of the European Community, Turkey has tried to become a full member of this twenty-seven states union that comprises the worlds wealthiest and most successful trading bloc. Even though its intentions where known since the beginning, it wasnt until 1987 that Turkey officially applied for a full membership. Although they did not get what they really had in mind, Turkeys application strengthen their relations, meaning with this that efforts to widen relations intensified on both sides and actions to complete the Customs Union in time began again. Further in time, in 1997 one could say that the Costumes Union was functioning acceptably and that it had demonstrated the ability Turkey had to adjust to the EU standards in many areas, but that didnt prevented the commission to cite numerous political issues as pre-conditions for moving forward their relations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨ It is easy to imply that EUs claims, saying that all candidates would be evaluated according to the same objective criteria and that there would be no discrimination in their evaluation, made Turkey find the Commissions approach unjust and prejudicial. It wasnt until 2005 that negotiations formally began and have extended until today with different kinds of issues or excuses from the European Commission. This has given hope to some Turks, as Gluf News said in Turkeys European Membership (2008): No one expects this to happen for at least ten years, but there is no denying that this is a significant moment in European history. No country that has started the process of EU accession has ever failed to be granted membership. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Barriers to Turkeys EU entrance As said before, the relations between Turkey and the EU date back since their application for an association in 1959. The problem of its geographical location is not the only barrier this country is facing when talking about becoming a full-integrated member of the European Union. Some of the arguments against Turkishs membership to the EU include their public opinion progressively turning against EU, arguing that their relations are not based on reciprocity and shared interest. Saying that the EU is known to benefit more than Turkey, seeing from these relations with not established motivation to help Turkey with some of its problems and main worries. Furthermore, Turkeys large and poor population would directly and indirectly be a burden in the financial aspect to the other members, specifically referring to the EU budget, structural funds, flow of Turkish workers, among others. And its important to take in mind that its population would create preference in favor of Turkey in the European Union decision-making, making Turkey, in terms of the number of votes, the second most powerful state. But maybe it can be said that the argument most sensitive centers on the cultural and religious differences existing between Turkey and this agglomeration of states. Cultural and religious mixture is one of the European Union self identities that recognizes and respects variety, but it is well known that Turkeys differences in this subject have been one of the biggest barriers for its entrance. The differences in relations between people and nations and culture can be greater than disparity between groups. Things involved like education, social standing, religion, personality, belief structure, past experiences, affections shown in the home, and countless of other factors affect without doubt human behavior and its relation with other cultures. This specific subject was more and more used as an argument in opposition to Turkeys integration into an organized Europe since at least 1987, when Turkey, already an associate member, made the application for full membership of the European Community. This community, in the direction of a political unit with common democratic decision-making, as the European Union expressed, was based on common decisions according to values. With this it can be said that values are indispensable components of culture. The more cultural diversity there is in an association, the bigger probability there will be that either decisions dont get made or minorities get outvoted by majorities creating with this more problems. Therefore, the importance does not relay on how values, norms or goals are formulated but in the functional performance of the institutions dealing with them. Integrating a different social system is not only an incorporation of norms but also an integration of organizations. When talking about culture, one can say its known as an accessory of a society. Since this twenty-seven state community is not a society but more of an institution of states that represent different societies, it would be a mistake to speak of a culture in the strict sense of the word. One could rather think of a cultural area, maybe Christian-occidental, which linking it to a particular social system must not be done. The Muslim preponderance in Turkey has complicated and slowed down the action process, even though their presence is in the whole Europe, still some argue that given Turkeys Muslim character, Turkey is not even European at all. As R. Michel said (2005): Beneath the thin veneer of the European-identity argument is a deep-seated but seldom acknowledged belief among the European elite that Muslims cannot be fully European. Therefore the performances in music, poetry and arts, is not only what culture includes, but also the circumstances of everyday life. The difference will exist and be noticed, especially in the areas where religious norms and traditions have their impact on everyday life. But, according to the Turks, these are not always extremely important. Discussing Turkishs membership to the EU with reference to cultural and religious factors, it is important to notice that Turkey is known as a secular country, as in a strict separation of religious and states affairs. However, Turkey is not the same as the rest secular countries, saying that the separation concerning the state and religion exist, but the religion is under the control of the government. On the other hand, it is important to emphasize that including Turkey to the process of incorporation to Europe will constitute an answer to one of the most well-known global problems now a days: Islam can co-exist with democracy and secularism. Giving out not only a global message, but also one that would be favorable for the immigrant population that forms the minorities in several EU states. In addition, the human rights record that Turkey has had is another question that has risen regarding to its incision. Turkey, because of its Muslim yet secular standards, has to answer about human rights abuses in the form of inadequate vision of womens rights, unequal rights to the minority Kurds, and even nationalistic legislation of the Turkish Penal Code that reprimands people for insulting Turkishness. Consequently, in views of the tremendous efforts undertaken by the Turkish Government and society to adapt to European standards in all aspects, there is an expectation that in some time an irreversible step towards EU membership will be taken. They state that their society is ready to embrace Europe and that the fact that the ties between Turks living in Europe have helped the mentality in Turkey to change. And finally, besides of all the mess between cultural problems and their entrance to the EU; Turkey would become a bridge between East and West, between Islam and Christianity, between different cultures and civilizations. This country will become an inspiration for all the Muslims in the west, that they have been pushed away by Europe. So in fact it would be a great revelation for the whole world because of the disparity of culture. Its a gun that can backfire, because Europe has always been the rulers above cultures, so giving space in the EU to a Muslim country would change this entire image, and can make them in some way to loose power. To sum up, cultural differences have come to be known as one of the biggest barriers to Turkeys entrances to the EU. Its religion based, traditional and in ways dominant culture have created a fear of cultural disparities in Europeans. Conclusion Once analyzed the different positions that Turkey has played as a EU candidate and the long list of demands this conglomeration of states has asked, it poses a big question mark on the sincerity of the EU about accepting Turkey as a member. None of the member states were given such a long list of ever lasting demands that are not part of the original list of criteria. Given these complicated issues, it seems that many of the EU member states have no intention of embracing Turkey as a member. Having Turkey as a member of the EU offers a vital opportunity to start the process of understandement and support the potentially serious cultural diversity along religious lines; and will decrease the future global problems. In so many ways it would be a factor de win-win but also loose, because the EU need ´s Turkey ´s handwork and borders but they dont need to bring more cultural problems to de EU members. If they accept them they will have to make a full recognition of its multi-cultural diversity and find a way to make them homogeneous. Therefore, Turkish people already in the EU will have a big role to play in this process because they represent the cultural diversity. So the European Union will have to confront and encourage the area of national identity and intercultural relations. As Stephen Twigg (2005) said, the effects of Turkish immigration into the EU are a part of the Unions future. There is no going back to an imagined mono-cultural past that tries to submerge immigrant communities into some imagined pure and homogenous cultural identity As said before and to summarize this, if the European Union really wishes Turkeys future integration its tolerance for cultural diversity and acceptance should be open and acquiescent enough to let this country join its close and exclusive group.

Introduction to Culture and Imperialism

Introduction to Culture and Imperialism Edward Said Culture is one of the things that elude an accurate definition. Some of the various well-known definitions are cited by Said in his various works. For instance: â€Å"Culture is the learned, accumulated experience of the communities, and it consists of socially transmitted patterns of behavior. † The final analysis of definition boils down to â€Å"socially transmitted patterns of behavior†, and makes more sense, though like other definitions, it too cannot be taken as exact and conclusive. Said also cites anthropologist Clifford Greety’s definition, An ordered system of meanings and symbols in terms of which social interaction takes place, and social system is the pattern of social interaction itself. † This definition too, has partial relevance to what culture amounts to. Said seems more in agreement with Matthew Arnold who regards culture as, â€Å"each society’s reservoir of the best that has b een known and thought†. Edward Said’s entire professional life was devoted to the teaching of literature. As his critical outlook was influenced by his colonial social background, he could not help looking for imperialistic implications in literature.Imperialism too does not lend itself to a complete conclusive definition, though it is more easily comprehensible than the word culture. For a meaningful discussion, Solomon Modell’s definition of imperialism makes a good promise. He says, â€Å"Imperialism is a policy of extending a country’s power beyond its own borders for the purpose of exploiting other lands and other people by establishing economic, social and political control over them. † Said gives an updated version of Modell’s definition in the following words† Imperialism means the practice, the theory and the attitude of a dominating metropolitan centre that rules a distant territory. † It is obvious that the interaction in imperialism takes place between the dominating and dominated nation. That interaction never develops in friendship, because of distrust and contempt on either side. The dominated nation never accepts the ideology and attitude of dominating nation. The best example is the Indo-Pak Sub-Continent, for instance, about 200 years of British rule could not bring friendship between Indians and British government.Literature not doubt is the mirror of culture. Said deplores the general attitude of the critics and readers who never care to look at the cultural aspects of the works of fiction, like the works of Carlyle, Ruskin or Even Dickens. On the other hand, he admires Conrad’s persistence as he forecasts the unstoppable unrest and misrule of the Latin American republics and singles out North America’s particular way of influencing conditions in a decisive, yet barely visible way. He praised â€Å"The Heart of Darkness† by Conrad.Speaking of the interaction between i mperialistic regime and colonized nation, he conceives culture as a protective enclosure where imperialist should stop to check his politics before he enters the door. â€Å"I found it a challenge not to see culture in this way†, says Edward Said. Since the culture includes ideology and attitudes of a nation, any effort on the part of imperialist to subdue the culture of a nation invokes violent resistances. Palestine, Kashmir and Iraq are apt illustrations of the resistance, which results in blood acts of fighting and terrorism.Education, is the field, through which imperialist finds easiest access to the culture of the subjugated nation. As most of the third world countries are backward in education, imperialists launch so-called programs for educational development, to achieve their goal. British did this by setting up state-governed schools and colleges, the curriculum was designed to produce minor officials in cheap English dress, speaking shaky English. Introduction to culture and imperialism is an accurate appraisal of current world scenario around us. It is a warning for people of the world against imperialistic approach of US.Cold War has made US the sole power, being unprecedented. During the Cold War, US had to contribute for the socio-economic development of the third world countries. Its attitude was soft and plaint. It had to respect the mandate of the UNO. In the case of US aggression, the victim state could invoke the intervention of USSR, which US could afford to ignore. With the engineered fall of USSR, US emerged as the self-appointed lord of the world. Muslim militants groups were created, trained, organized and financed to cause the fall of USSR. These groups were made to believe that it was the war between Islam and communism.Heavy consignments of sophisticated arms were supplied to those warriors. Pakistan also had to pay a heavy price by playing a major part in the downfall of USSR. Islam came to be the next target of the sole Su per Power of the world, as a potential challenge in the years to come. The oil-rich Iraq has already been laid waist in the ruthless hunt of WMDs. Afghanistan that spearheaded the war against communism, is now main target in the hunt of Osama. But the power-drunk Super Power does not bother about justifications for whatever it does, so long as it remains at the top. UNO is also helpless in this regard.US adopted the preemption policy. Even terrorism is the exclusive prorogation of the sole Super Power. The prorogation includes defining nuclear proliferation, and therefore Iran is presently on the hit list, whereas Pakistan likely to be the next target, gets an occasional growl from US administration. During 19th century immense power was concentrated in Britain and France as a result of industrialization. It was unprecedented and more formidable than power of Rome, Baghdad, Spain and Constantinople. In the later years, US also came up with Britain and France and that was peak of Wes t domination.The rise was so fast that rate of acquisition of foreign territory had risen up to 247,000 square miles per year in 1914. During this time, US was forwarded as an empire. After annexation of North American territory, Plans were set afoot through intervention to Philippines, the Caribbean, Central America, the Middle East, Vietnam and Korea. Edward Said clearly labels as Imperialism whatever US is doing around the world. He says, â€Å"The goal of the US policy is to bring a world increasingly subject to the rule of law, and it is the United States, which organizes the peace and defines the law.United States imposes the international interests by setting the ground rules for economic development and military development across the planet. † Edward Said pins his hopes on a gradual development of awareness, culminating in a formidable, well-organized resistance that would eventually force US to think wise before meddling with sovereignty of other states, but this so lution depends upon the numbers of factors which may or may not come together and it may take ages before they come.

Arranged Marriages

Arranged marriages: the issues that arise from arranged marriages Arranged marriages. It has been a controversial topic throughout time but many are not aware of the issues that can arise from them, but also the advantages that arranged marriages can bring. Firstly, I would like to stress that many people do not actually understand the difference between forced marriages and arranged marriages, but they are in fact, two very different things. A forced marriage is when (usually) a girl is forced to marry another man, even if she does not want to, and often with a man she has not met with before.An arranged marriage is when a marriage partner is decided many years before the actual marriage, but often the pair have met several times before and most girls are allowed to ‘pick’ their partner. In this sense, arranged marriages are a lot more liberal than forced marriage, and we are going to be focusing on these today. According to statistics, the average percentage of arrange d marriages in the UK is around 5%, which is actually a large number if you think about it, but why?Many people actually think arranged marriages are more successful than regular marriages- as everything is carefully planned out before hand, the relationship is supposed to be ‘more stable’. Divorce rates within arranged marriages are also many times lower than regular marriages. One particular news article suggests this is the case because of the many factors that the parents have considered, for example, life goals, common interests, etc. Because the relationship is not fully fuelled by love and passion, arranged marriage relationships are often more stable, and often better long-term.Many parents (not necessarily in the UK) feel that arranged marriages are ‘safer’, as the parents know the partner better, and this helps to be able to choose the most compatible partner for their child. Observing these many benefits, personally I think that this practice sho uld be allowed to continue in the 21st century. The evidence is clear that arranged marriages do not actually all result to domestic violence, no chemistry or love between the husband and wife, etc. but actually, can be a safer and more logical choice to marriage than regular marriages.Although this path is not definitely for everyone, I think arranged marriages will definitely work for others, and actually result in lower divorce rates, etc. But what exactly are the disadvantages and advantages of arranged marriages? As mentioned before, the advantages of arranged marriages include a more stable relationship (leading to lower divorce rates), the risk of incompatible relationships are completely reduced, and the parents on either side both know each spouse better, which has many benefits.Although there are many advantages, there are also a few disadvantages, actually including incompatibility! Because the marriage is not necessarily a love marriage, it is easy to lack the love that might keep a marriage going! Also, many partners within an arranged marriage may actually be more tempted to cheat on their spouses, as there is no love or chemistry within the marriage! An arranged marriage may also mean more interference from the family of the partner, which could cause discomfort and reluctance.Also, because the general public do not have a very good opinion about arranged marriages, this could cause harm and low-self confidence of the person, as they could be looked down upon, and demoralised, through no fault of their own. Now we have all the advantages and disadvantages of arranged marriages, it is time to find out the actual opinions and thoughts of someone who is in an arranged marriage. For this purpose, we have interviewed someone who is actually in an arranged marriage, Aishwarya Dutta, 45, and who had an arranged marriage in the UK.US: So you have had an arranged marriage? AD: yes, I have in fact been married, by an arranged marriage. US: were you quite against the idea at first? AD: well, I was actually not too enthusiastic about the idea at first, but gradually, I realised that arranged marriages were just more logical and simple- you know the person that you are going to stay with for the rest of your life, you know their parents, and I thought it would be a lot more comfortable for me than if I had a normal marriage? US: what do you think about your relationship?AD: I think our relationship is pretty sturdy, it is certainly not all about love and passion, but that does not mean we are in a loveless relationship! I feel very comfortable with my husband, and I certainly have known him now, for a very long time. I think an arranged marriage certainly has many long-term benefits, such as a more stable relationship, and a relationship that is a lot more secure. Now that we know the feelings of someone who is actually in an arranged marriage, it is time for someone who is anticipating an arranged marriage to be interviewed.We are goi ng to interview Heera Ahuja, 21 and shortly married in 3 months. US: hello Heera, so what age did you find out you were going to have an arranged marriage? HA: so I find out I was going to have an arrange marriage at 18, as I was leaving high school. US: what were your initial thoughts when you found out you were going to have an arranged marriage? HA: Honestly, when I first found out I was going to have an arranged marriage, I was not exactly very excited.I felt a little shocked, and I felt disappointed, almost, because I had always imagined marrying the love of my life, instead of someone who I already know, and don’t exactly have feelings for. US: have your thoughts changed in any way since then? HA: yes, they have definitely changed. I no longer feel unhappy about this marriage, I think there will be some definite long-term benefits, although I don’t feel the most excited for my marriage, I have no idea what it will be like yet, so I will just have to wait and see! Arranged marriages in the UK seem a lot more liberal and relaxed, but we will have a look at the arranged marriages around the world, and how they differ. Firstly in India, most people follow the arranged marriage system, because they believe it protects the family, social status, etc. Although child marriages used to be common, they are now abolished by law. Also, up until the 1950s, arranged marriages were the norm in most Asian countries, however, during the recent 40 years, they have rapidly decreased and love-marriages have increased.There are many arranged marriages within Jewish religions, Islamic religions, etc. and most involve meeting the partner beforehand, meetings with potential partners, etc. These marriages are often actually successful, and have many happy endings. Overall, I think arranged marriages are not necessary a bad thing. Personally, I prefer the idea of love-marriage just because it seems more traditional and right for me, but I do think there are many adva ntages to arranged marriages that were mentioned before. I am not against arranged marriages, but not necessarily in favour of it. Arranged Marriages Arranged marriages: the issues that arise from arranged marriages Arranged marriages. It has been a controversial topic throughout time but many are not aware of the issues that can arise from them, but also the advantages that arranged marriages can bring. Firstly, I would like to stress that many people do not actually understand the difference between forced marriages and arranged marriages, but they are in fact, two very different things. A forced marriage is when (usually) a girl is forced to marry another man, even if she does not want to, and often with a man she has not met with before.An arranged marriage is when a marriage partner is decided many years before the actual marriage, but often the pair have met several times before and most girls are allowed to ‘pick’ their partner. In this sense, arranged marriages are a lot more liberal than forced marriage, and we are going to be focusing on these today. According to statistics, the average percentage of arrange d marriages in the UK is around 5%, which is actually a large number if you think about it, but why?Many people actually think arranged marriages are more successful than regular marriages- as everything is carefully planned out before hand, the relationship is supposed to be ‘more stable’. Divorce rates within arranged marriages are also many times lower than regular marriages. One particular news article suggests this is the case because of the many factors that the parents have considered, for example, life goals, common interests, etc. Because the relationship is not fully fuelled by love and passion, arranged marriage relationships are often more stable, and often better long-term.Many parents (not necessarily in the UK) feel that arranged marriages are ‘safer’, as the parents know the partner better, and this helps to be able to choose the most compatible partner for their child. Observing these many benefits, personally I think that this practice sho uld be allowed to continue in the 21st century. The evidence is clear that arranged marriages do not actually all result to domestic violence, no chemistry or love between the husband and wife, etc. but actually, can be a safer and more logical choice to marriage than regular marriages.Although this path is not definitely for everyone, I think arranged marriages will definitely work for others, and actually result in lower divorce rates, etc. But what exactly are the disadvantages and advantages of arranged marriages? As mentioned before, the advantages of arranged marriages include a more stable relationship (leading to lower divorce rates), the risk of incompatible relationships are completely reduced, and the parents on either side both know each spouse better, which has many benefits.Although there are many advantages, there are also a few disadvantages, actually including incompatibility! Because the marriage is not necessarily a love marriage, it is easy to lack the love that might keep a marriage going! Also, many partners within an arranged marriage may actually be more tempted to cheat on their spouses, as there is no love or chemistry within the marriage! An arranged marriage may also mean more interference from the family of the partner, which could cause discomfort and reluctance.Also, because the general public do not have a very good opinion about arranged marriages, this could cause harm and low-self confidence of the person, as they could be looked down upon, and demoralised, through no fault of their own. Now we have all the advantages and disadvantages of arranged marriages, it is time to find out the actual opinions and thoughts of someone who is in an arranged marriage. For this purpose, we have interviewed someone who is actually in an arranged marriage, Aishwarya Dutta, 45, and who had an arranged marriage in the UK.US: So you have had an arranged marriage? AD: yes, I have in fact been married, by an arranged marriage. US: were you quite against the idea at first? AD: well, I was actually not too enthusiastic about the idea at first, but gradually, I realised that arranged marriages were just more logical and simple- you know the person that you are going to stay with for the rest of your life, you know their parents, and I thought it would be a lot more comfortable for me than if I had a normal marriage? US: what do you think about your relationship?AD: I think our relationship is pretty sturdy, it is certainly not all about love and passion, but that does not mean we are in a loveless relationship! I feel very comfortable with my husband, and I certainly have known him now, for a very long time. I think an arranged marriage certainly has many long-term benefits, such as a more stable relationship, and a relationship that is a lot more secure. Now that we know the feelings of someone who is actually in an arranged marriage, it is time for someone who is anticipating an arranged marriage to be interviewed.We are goi ng to interview Heera Ahuja, 21 and shortly married in 3 months. US: hello Heera, so what age did you find out you were going to have an arranged marriage? HA: so I find out I was going to have an arrange marriage at 18, as I was leaving high school. US: what were your initial thoughts when you found out you were going to have an arranged marriage? HA: Honestly, when I first found out I was going to have an arranged marriage, I was not exactly very excited.I felt a little shocked, and I felt disappointed, almost, because I had always imagined marrying the love of my life, instead of someone who I already know, and don’t exactly have feelings for. US: have your thoughts changed in any way since then? HA: yes, they have definitely changed. I no longer feel unhappy about this marriage, I think there will be some definite long-term benefits, although I don’t feel the most excited for my marriage, I have no idea what it will be like yet, so I will just have to wait and see! Arranged marriages in the UK seem a lot more liberal and relaxed, but we will have a look at the arranged marriages around the world, and how they differ. Firstly in India, most people follow the arranged marriage system, because they believe it protects the family, social status, etc. Although child marriages used to be common, they are now abolished by law. Also, up until the 1950s, arranged marriages were the norm in most Asian countries, however, during the recent 40 years, they have rapidly decreased and love-marriages have increased.There are many arranged marriages within Jewish religions, Islamic religions, etc. and most involve meeting the partner beforehand, meetings with potential partners, etc. These marriages are often actually successful, and have many happy endings. Overall, I think arranged marriages are not necessary a bad thing. Personally, I prefer the idea of love-marriage just because it seems more traditional and right for me, but I do think there are many adva ntages to arranged marriages that were mentioned before. I am not against arranged marriages, but not necessarily in favour of it.

Differences And Similarities Between Elon Musk And Bill Gates

Do you know who is Elon Musk or do you know Cascade Investment? You may not be familiar with these two names and answer no. But if I say Tesla and Bill Gates, now you will be more familiar with them. Elon Musk is the CEO of Tesla Inc, SpaceX, and Solarcity. He is changing the world and humanity by his vision, and using the new technologies. Bill Gates is an American businessman, and investor. He is also the co-founder of the Microsoft corporation. Currently, he announces a $1.7 billion investment in U.S schools. According to their successful leadership, there are a lot differences and similarities between them when it comes to communication, creativity, and positive attitudes. First of all, there are some differences and similarities†¦show more content†¦He has the ability to gain advantage for doing things. â€Å"Let me talk now about what I think software will do in the decades ahead† presented by Bill Gates at Stanford University。â€Å"Nobody thought of sof tware as being important at all. There was no software industry.† According to this quote from his speech, he is showing us his divise thinking, and predictive skills. He also predicted the software will be more and more important in our lives at the future by using the comparison between past and present. On the other side, Elon Musk’s thinking is more creative. He has found the Tesla company which is to provide us the green energy car thats powered by electricity, and he also found the Solarcity. Solarcity is a company which working on solar power convert to electricity, and he also found the SpaceX which is mostly working on discovering the space and recyclable rockets. Accordingly, his companies are mostly working on creating environment friendly products. No just the differences between Bill Gates and Elon Musk, but there are also some similarities between them. They both are thinking scientifically by using their critical thinking skills, and new technologies to c reate new things that really benefit people and our society. Finally, aside from comparing their communication and creativity, there are also some differences and similarities when it comes to positive attitudes. â€Å"Bill Gates quote. Regardless if a fan of Microsoft, Linux or Apple. This is a greatShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesShortcuts in Judging Others 170 †¢ Specific Applications of Shortcuts in Organizations 173 The Link Between Perception and Individual Decision Making 174 Decision Making in Organizations 175 The Rational Model, Bounded Rationality, and Intuition 175 †¢ Common Biases and Errors in Decision Making 177 Influences on Decision Making: Individual Differences and Organizational Constraints 184 Individual Differences 184 †¢ Organizational Constraints 186 What About Ethics in Decision Making? 187 Three Ethical DecisionRead MoreI nnovators Dna84615 Words   |  339 PagesInnovator’s DNA into Practice 175 People 9 Putting the Innovator’s DNA into Practice 193 Processes 10 Putting the Innovator’s DNA into Practice 215 Philosophies Conclusion: Act Different, Think Different, Make a Difference 235 Appendix A: Sample of Innovators Interviewed Appendix B: The Innovator’s DNA Research Methods Appendix C: Developing Discovery Skills Notes Index Acknowledgments About the Authors 241 245 249 261 269 283 295 100092 00a