...who are praised for their attempts to make some statement about these matters… (Plut. Lyc. 31).” When looking at Plato’s Republic there are many similarities to the unique Spartan city-state. Ideas that were similar included, elimination of wealth, the ideas about woman, children, and marriage, and the training for the military soldiers. Another aspect that could have aided Plato’s Republic from the Spartan society was the council of Elders that represented the people. This system would allow the people to become more involved in the government and create a more secure system of checks and balances. The similarities between the Spartan society and the Republic made Plato’s ideal city stronger because it allowed the people to be closer in equality then previous systems of government and because of the acceptance of their social classes. The elimination of wealth in the Spartan society was implemented in Plato’s Republic. Both government ideals about erasing currency, trade, and unnecessary luxuries from the societies, personified people as being more accepting of their social classes. The citizens would not flaunt their riches to others because they did not possess more then they needed to be happy within their social classes. “…they are only fed, and not paid in addition to their food, like other men: and therefore they cannot, if they would, take a journey of pleasure; they have no money to spend on a mistress or any other luxurious fancy, which, as the world goes, is thought...
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...Gender Equality in the United States PHI208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning Instructor: August 26 , 2015 The topic I chose to discuss is gender equality, one of the greatest controversy’s debated across the ages. I believe the Utilitarianism has influenced American society in regards to gender equality. I believe that women in society have benefited greatly from utilitarianism way of thinking. This theory as I feel it has been applied in American society, has clouded the judgement of our society and it has become a norm. In our strides to make the genders equal we have failed to step back and see the reasoning behind or look at the effects it will have. It’s had adverse effects on many parts of our society especially the work force and in our court systems. Utilitarianism is the ethical theory that says “given a choice one should make the choice that will bring the most happiness to the greatest amount of people. With the utilitarianism theory it is believed that humans will seek pleasure meaning happiness, such as having a family have that dream job, or even having that dream job. The theory also implies that humans in seeking happiness we also try to avoid pain, losing our families, going to jail or not having the money you want. The theory suggests that our pursuit of happiness and our avoidance of pain go hand in hand with our daily decisions throughout our lives. (http://vizedhtmlcontent...
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...Britain. The first half of the preamble–the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence–says that humans have certain rights, and the purpose of a government is to protect these rights. The first key phrase declares, “. . . all men are created equal.” This, however, is contradictory considering the existence of slavery in the colonies and the fact that the author, Thomas Jefferson, owned hundreds of slaves himself. Some argue that those who signed the Declaration thought of “the people” as male property owners, which would not include women or slaves as being equal. However, in the original draft, Jefferson did condemn King George for allowing the slave trade to flourish, but Congress voted against this because they did not want the document rejected by the slave-holding colonists. This leads into the second half of the quote that men are “endowed . . . with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” This quote is derived from John Locke’s Second Treatise Concerning Civil Government, which states that a government is morally obliged to serve people by protecting their...
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...African Americans like himself. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in his book The Great Gatsby, that he would have liked to eliminate the idle rich, which he was a part of. Every American dream is somewhat different, but they all relate to the times that one lives in. In The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson asked for equality for white landowning males. His American dream was to be free from Britain and to be treated equally. This dream only included people like himself, that were white men who owned land. The people that signed the document were all part of that class. They were the people leading the revolution, so Jefferson thought they should be the ones reaping the benefits. In the text, it talks about “the merciless Indian Savages.” Obviously they were not included as being equal. Jefferson also wrote “We…the Representatives of the united States of America…” He was referring to himself and everyone who signed The Declaration of Independence, none of whom were women or black. Jefferson also wrote “…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. –That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men…” He specifically used the word...
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...of Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu. It truly and artistically reflects the historically declining trend of China’s feudal society. “A Dream of Red Mansions” can also be described as “Girls’ Country”, which is the anthem of female, but also is the threnody of women. The heroine Lin Daiyu, Annatto Fairy, wants to repay the goodness of God Shen Yin, taking her lifetime of tears in exchange for his being saved. Her rebellious sprit and solitary character, makes her as a lotus opening at a secluded place, clinging to her own pureness—for pure you came and pure shall go. She is sentimental and unfortunate, and is doomed to being lonely and pathetical .She, Lin Daiyu, lives under another’s house—Rong mansion, Grand View Garden, and she has no one to complain her sadness to. She is “Yea to the very end of heaven, Where I could find a fragrant grave!” in frustration, “What time the third moon comes, the scented nests have been already built. And on the beams the swallows perch, excessive spiritless and staid” in sorrow, and finally ends up with the sadness of “Flowers fade and maidens die; and of either naught any more is known” (Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang, 2003: 213) “Jane Eyre” shapes an image of a woman, who fights bravely for equality and love in the Male-centered society, in the history of English literature. Jane looks plain, and she is an orphan living with her aunt at an early age. She grows up in church schools, suffering abuse and discrimination. After graduating from the charity...
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...Reflective Assignment The Political Nonviolent Activism of Martin Luther King Jr. I will focus on the life and the nonviolent political activism of Martin Luther King Jr. King Jr. is a world-renowned figure for his nonviolent pursuit of justice, equality, liberty and freedom for all, he worked tirelessly for racial equality and civil rights within the United States of America and his values of beliefs have been referenced the world over in similar pursuits. He is most well known for a speech he gave on the steps of Washington D.C.’s Lincoln memorial in 1963 entitles “I Have a Dream …” at the “March on Washington”. Section 1 (a) Montgomery Bus Boycott In the city of Montgomery Alabama 1955, it would not be surprising to see buses segregated by race; in fact city law to enforce it. When entering buses whites entered and sat at the front filling towards the rear, blacks entered and sat at the rear filling toward the front. If there were no more seats the next black person onto the bus was to stand, when the next white person got on the closest row of black people to the front were required to stand (Clayborne 224). The boycott began after a number of black women had been arrested for not vacating seats, the most recent before the boycott being Mrs. Rosa Parks (Phibbs). The boycott was organized and led by a number of now prominent civil rights activists along with Martin Luther King Jr., including but limited to: Ralph Abernathy, a leader of the American Civil Rights...
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...well recognized figure in the African American community. King was a prominent leader, and civil rights activist who paved the way for two important pieces of legislation to be passed. King helped influence congress to pass the civil rights act of 1964, and the voting rights of 1965. Despite the great unionization Dr. King hoped for between white and black people not much has changed from both parties. If we are to stand by what Dr. King represented fifty years ago then people need to adapt morally with each other and be more accepting. Since Dr. Kings death much has changed between the American people but not entirely. In regards to women as well as African American they too had to fight and protest for women’s rights. After gaining their respect from congress, women today continue to be viewed as minor participants in the working world. Women till this day are discriminated by their gender in some areas of the country, and are a part of this never ending stereotypical cycle. In Dr. King’s speech he explains the social; injustice present in our country and that it is time for it to be revoked: “Now is the time to make real promises of democracy… Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit valley of the racial injustice” (MLK Speech). King conveys a sense of exhaustion amongst his fellow Negro brothers, and sisters but pledges to never stop until justice is served. Even after segregation laws have been passed, fifty years since Dr...
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...between men & women in young generation. SADMAN ANIS Students University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh ABSTRACT This is basically exploratory study and was conducted at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh & United International University, Dhanmondi,Dhaka, Bangladesh over a period of 10 days started from 1st December, 2012 to 10th December, 2010. The main objective of this study is to describe what the condition of feminism in Bangladesh and what is the thinking of our varsity girl about feminism. Total 21 respondents were selected based on age class of 18-22. Feminism is a belief in the right of women to have political, social, and economic equality with men. It is a discourse that involves various movements, theories, and philosophies which are concerned with the issue of gender difference, advocate equality for women, and campaign for women’s rights and interests. According to some, the history of feminism can be divided into three waves. The first wave was in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the second was in the 1960s and 1970s and the third extends from the 1990s to the present. Feminist theory emerged from these feminist movements. It is manifest in a variety of disciplines such as feminist geography, feminist history and feminist literary criticism. Although feminism has emerged in nineteenth in the world, it is yet unknown to women of our country. The concept of feminism in Bangladesh has been rising since last 20th years and women got some equal...
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...Throughout history, women have been portrayed as the passive, subdued creatures whose opinions, thoughts, and goals were never as equal as those of her male counterparts. Although women have ascended the ladder of equality to some degree, today it is evident that total equalization has not been achieved. Simone De Beauvoir, feminist and existential theorist, recognized and discussed the role of women in society today. To Beauvoir, women react and behave through the scrutiny of male opinion, not able to differentiate between their true character and that which is imposed upon them. In this dangerous cycle women continue to live up to the hackneyed images society has created, and in doing so women feel it is necessary to reshape their ideas to meet the expectations of men. Women are still compelled to please men in order to acquire a higher place in society - however, in doing this they fall further behind in the pursuit of equality. All people are forced to see themselves as society has shaped them, both male and female. Although progress for gender impartiality has been made, it can still be said that societal maxims enforce the incorrect notion that women are inferior to men. In matters of economics, women are offered far fewer employment opportunities, and I believe that this can be validated by the fact that many women have been conditioned to; marry well and let him take care of you; Unfortunately, this is often times a tempting choice, and as a trade-off women are content to...
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...Joshua Wu Equal in the Twentieth Century The late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century became the rising point of equality and social reform and protest. After many Nationalist movements of reform and revolts, this resulted in several unified countries. It then led to the next big social issue, equality. The female equality movement, especially the suffrage movement, gained traction throughout the world gaining massive support from many. Many female activists and authors were very vocal about the injustice they faced and how the societies they lived in needed to change. Some of these activists/authors were: Virginia Woolf, Alexandra Kollontai, Constance Markievicz, and Sylvia Pankhurst. Though in different forms and different pursuits these four authors pursued the same ultimate goal, equality. Virginia Woolf was an author during the turn of the century and in her piece, “A Room of One’s Own” she draws meaning from the injustice between the sexes in the time and in the industry of literature and art. In her piece, after referring to Shakespeare, she says, “A highly gifted girl who had tried to use her gift for poetry would have been so thwarted and hindered by other people…No girl could have walked to London and stood at a stage door and forced her way into the presence of actor-managers without doing herself a violence and suffering an anguish…for chastity may be a fetish invented…” (298). Prior to this quote Woolf spoke about the history of Shakespeare and how...
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...The Joy Luck Club “The Joy Luck Club” is a movie about women and about their pursuit of happiness. The film depicts the stories of four Chinese women who moved to the United States and their daughter who was born and grew up in America. This film introduced us to four different stories conflict between mother and daughter. In the film, every mother has a bygone age of marriage sorrow and the same result can be said with their daughters. In order to have the appearance of a good marriage, they have to endure their husbands, but with their mothers’ constant encouragement and help, they actively pursue and finally found the real happiness. It was an indefectible and unaffectedly moving film. The movie tells the story of their each mother and daughter’s life experience. Camera lenses constantly switch between the mothers’s past sufferings to the development of the daughters in the United States. Each of the internal relations about this movie’s plot is very real and true. The film’s depiction of old China is extremely explicit, it covers almost all the bad habits of the Old China. For example, marriage is built on the base of love, but there were a lot of belly pointed marriages in the ancient time. Of course, those were bad habits and ideas acquired in the old society and very far away from our present life. By contrast, the most unforgettable of the movie is the friction between the mother and their American-born daughters. The whole movie deeply discusses the Chinese way of...
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...explains how women should be able to grow freely in the world. Elizabeth Blackwell’s accomplishments led her to become one of the first revolutionary women to shake up the woman’s suffrage movement in the mid-1800s. She came of age in a time where most women felt ashamed about their bodies, so ashamed that they would forgo an examination by a male physician if they fell ill. While seen as the norm in modern day society, the idea of a female doctor in the 19th century evoked feelings of disbelief and sandal, even to a conservative...
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...Xiayra Mae B. Magtibay 1LM2 Submitted to: Mr. Emmanuel De Leon Abstract This paper will be discussing gender equality through further explanation of Masculism and 3rd Wave Feminism by depending on essays and articles made by 3rd Wave Feminists and the philosophies of Plato. This paper will be pointing out the objectives of Masculism and Feminism and their similarities. This paper will also attempt to explain that the demands of both genders can be met. Defnition of Terms * Masculism: is a movement that advocates for the rights, equality and dignity of the male sex in an egalitarian framework. * Egalitarian: believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities * Feminism: the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men and an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women. * Misandrist: a person who hates men * Gender : the state of being male or female * Gender Roles: is a theoretical construct in the social sciences and humanities that refers to a set of social and behavioural norms that, within a specific culture, are widely considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex. * Gender Equality: is the measurable equal representation of women and men. Gender equality does not imply that women and men are the same, but that they have equal value and should be accorded equal treatment. * Social Norms: the behaviours...
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...from male oppression is, in part, a struggle for freedom from rationality and intellectuality. Julia Kristeva, for example, attacks women writers who value "science, philosophy, [and] professorships," calling them valorizers of "phallic dominance" (1974, in Marks and de Courtivron, 1980,166). For Kristeva, a truly revolutionary woman who wishes to succeed in exploding existing social codes must flee everything phallic, and this means that she must reject everything that is "finite, definite, structured, loaded with meaning." In the same vein, Helene Cixous, in her influential essay, "The Laugh of the Medussa" (Cixous, 1976, in Marks and de Courtivron, 1980,245-264), challenges women to forge for themselves, through writing, the "antilogos weapon." This weapon, supposedly the product of writing that "inscribes femininity," will be used to liberate women from the "phallocentric tradition," that is, the tradition of "male writing," which is the "effect" and "support" of the "history of reason." Views such as these are very much alive today. That there is at present tremendous interest in Cixous' writings, for example, is made evident by the listing of no fewer than 160 citations of them in the Arts and Humanities Citation Index for the years 1990-2. To what extent do these views deserve our support? It cannot be denied that some women are still oppressed today, treated unjustly and denied their rights, if not in the US, then at least in the Arab world, in other Moslem ...
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...Anthony made a change with her humanitarian services of being a progressive abolitionist and labor activist. Anthony published a newspaper called the Revolution in 1868. Its main focus was fair labor for all people. “The Revolution advocated an eight-hour work day and equal pay for equal work. It promoted a policy of purchasing American-made goods and encouraging immigration to rebuild the South and settle the entire country” (“Her” 3). This newspaper was the first to promote equality and fairness for all laborers, including women. It made laborers realize that there was something wrong with the way they were treated, and, along with the work of other labor activists, eventually led to the downfall of huge monopolies that did not treat employees with respect or dignity. Anthony was an abolitionist that worked against slavery and oppression of African Americans, she continued with this despite extreme opposition and threats to her personal safety. “In 1856 Anthony became an agent for the American Anti-Slavery Society, arranging meetings, making speeches, putting up posters, and distributing leaflets. She encountered hostile mobs, armed threats, and things thrown at her” (“Her” 1). Susan B. Anthony felt compassion, and stood behind her morals in everything that she did. She was a natural-born leader and really made a change in the lives of these people. Anthony...
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