THE (ME )IN LEADERSHIP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

THE (ME )IN LEADERSHIP - Essay Example But the definition was too generalized to understand what leadership is really all about; what makes a leader, and what character trait must be learned to become an effective leader. But recent scholars however has synthesized of what really makes a good leader. The idea of being a good leader is no longer as elusive as before. While for others leadership is inherent, it can now be learned integrating the inherent intrinsic quality of an individual and developing it to be become an effective leader. II. The Poster Explained Learning leadership begins with learning the â€Å"self†; to have certainty about himself/herself to as a foundation of confidence to lead and get things done. â€Å"It is necessary for a â€Å"leader, who possesses a clear self-concept through private self-consciousness, to be more likely to possess a strong purpose-in-life. Having a strong purpose involves consistency in self-identity (i.e., self-concept clarity) (Campbell, 1990; Frankl, 1992). The â₠¬Å"possession of a clear self-concept through private self-consciousness enables an individual to recognize the gap between what he or she is (i.e., real self) and what he or she should become (i.e., ideal self). This recognition may enable a leader to develop a strong purpose-in-life by setting goals in order to narrow the gap between the real and ideal self (Frankl, 1992; Marcus & Wurf, 1987). This clarity and lucidness of self-concept is necessary not only to get things done but also to harmonize my inner sense of self to what my peers sees in me. This â€Å"self-concept of reality is again distinct from the contents of the self-structure and is instead the level of lucidity and certitude of one's own understanding of that content- how well the leader thinks they know themselves. Campbell et al. (1996). This clear awareness of myself translates to a clearer sense of goal and purpose which will evolve to Self-Belief. Self-belief, which is the inner confidence that I will succeed and overcome any obstacle to achieve the best outcomes for service improvement. This Self-Belief attribute also will enable me to transcend myself. To be conscious how I see myself and how others sees me as well. As Abraham Maslow (1968) elaborates â€Å"He thinks that there is much more to us than what we mirror about the world around us, writing, "there is not only an orientation to the outer but also to the inner". This â€Å"mirroring as the reflections of self that a group member encounters in other group members, in the group leader, or in the group as a whole (Bion, 1961) harmonizes us within and eliminates discord beginning from perception of how I look myself through my peers. This type of mirroring can include the psychological mechanisms of denial, splitting, projection, introjection, indentification and projective and introjective indentification (Pisani, Colangeli, Giordani, & Popolla, 2006). On the other side of the mirror(s) lies the possibility of self-knowledge an d true relationship. When group members can recognize and own their projections, when they can work with them carefully and honestly in group, when they can bear the reflection(s) of their full identities, they can know more about themselves. Such, this sensitivity towards myself and others comes to mind the idea of myself likening to a dynamo whom the

Pablo Picasso & Cubism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pablo Picasso & Cubism - Essay Example The essay "Pablo Picasso & Cubism" investigates the influence of Pablo Picasso on Cubism movement. The evolution of Pablo Picasso’s artistic styles and forms over the course of his long and fulfilling career provides us with interesting insights into the psyche of the man himself. Along with his contemporary Braque, Picasso is credited with the invention of the Cubism. This invention is not pre-conceived. Picasso or Braque did not set about radically altering norms of art; rather the circumstances of life of these gentlemen have had a significant effect on the way their minds conceived their paintings. Furthermore, Picasso is famous for the number of self-portraits he did. Hence, the biographical and the artistic are intricately linked. The rest of the essay will expand on this theme capture the essence of Cubism through its inventor. Picasso’s artistic career effectively started in the year 1900, when he first displayed his works in a Barcelona tavern named Els Quatre Gats. The fact that a defining figure of twentieth century art should start his dialogue with the rest of the world at the turn of the century is very symbolic. The beginning was a remarkable affair, for Picasso was still only nineteen and has proven his talent for drawing as a vehicle for ideas. After this initial success, Picasso grew in confidence and questioned orthodox views of education and social conduct. Adopting a radically different lifestyle, Picasso showed that behind his art was a profound caring for humanity.

Afghanistan Geostrategic Importance

Afghanistan Geostrategic Importance When Allah had made the rest of the world, he saw there was a lot of rubbish left over, bits and pieces and things that did not fit anywhere else. He collected them all together and threw them down on the earth. That was Afghanistan.  [1]   An old Afghan Saying. Introduction The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia,  [2]  South Asia,  [3]  or the Middle East.  [4]  It is bordered by Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south and east, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China in the far northeast. The geographic entity now known as Afghanistan has a very long history, and has been an ancient focal point of the Silk Road and migration. It is an important geostrategic location, connecting East and West Asia or the Middle East. The land has been a target of various invaders, as well as a source from which local powers invaded neighbouring regions to form their own empires. Ahmad Shah Durrani created the Durrani Empire in 1747, which is considered the beginning of modern Afghanistan.  [5]   In the late 19th century, Afghanistan became a buffer state in The Great Game played between the British Empire and Russian Empire. Due to its strategic placement Afghanistan became the focal point of intense rivalry between Tsarist Russia and Britain during the nineteenth century. On August 19,1919, following the third Anglo-Afghan war, the country regained independence from the United Kingdom over its foreign affairs. During the ensuing conflict, the war-weary British relinquished their control over Afghan foreign affairs by signing the Treaty of Rawalpindi in August 1919  [6]  . In commemoration of this event, Afghans celebrate August 19 as their Independence Day. Afghanistan remained at the centre stage of international politics as a theatre in the cold war games of super powers with Pakistan acting as the frontline state of USA for channelling its financial, material and military supplies to the Afghan Mujahedeen. Since the late 1970s Afghanistan has experienced a continuous state of civil war punctuated by foreign occupations in the forms of the 1979 Soviet invasion and the 2001 USA led invasion that toppled the Taliban government. Afghanistan has assumed importance due to its potential to influence the societies and politics in its bordering countries. (Refer fig 1) Historical Perspective The geography of a nation determines its history, politics and the nature of its people. Afghanistan has been called by many names from being the heart of Asia by the great Indian poet Mohamed Iqbal, to the cockpit of Asia by Lord Curzon.  [7]  The geo strategic location of Afghanistan has been significant since the earliest Aryan invasion it being located on the crossroads between the Arabian Sea and India and between the central Asia and South Asia, the country has indeed stood guard over the land routes to the Indian subcontinent. Even the ruler of Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh, had recognised that the key to the security of the plains of India lay in Kabul.  [8]   Afghanistan has always remained an area of imperial aspirations, differing perceptions and competitions both in medieval and modern times.  [9]  Even before Afghanistan emerged as a geo political entity, the region had seen competition for influence by the Mongols, Persians, the Mughals as well as local tribal chiefs. Though Afghanistan as a state existed since 1747, its current political borders evolved only toward the end of the last century (1880-1901) as an outcome of rivalry between British India and Tsarist Russia. Creation of a buffer state between the two giant powers in Asia was a political and military compulsion. Politically speaking, it was the issue of security between British India and Russia that determined Afghanistan as a state more than the factor of its sovereignty since Afghanistans spatial location denied it the resources for it to be a viable state.  [10]  Successive Afghan rulers have maintained stability by sourcing revenue (i.e. plundering) from its n eighbours  [11]  . Afghanistan played a pivotal role in the security perspective during the era of the great game in the Nineteenth century when Russian and British imperial powers seemed to be on a collision course in Central Asia.  [12]  The history of Nineteenth century is consequently a history of moves and counter moves on the part of the Russians and the British Empire, which ultimately resulted in the emergence of the land locked Afghanistan as a buffer state in the demarcation of frontiers. Thus, it was primarily this Great Game being played out in Afghanistan, which resulted in evolving its current political borders, rather than its need for sovereignty. Since its stability was a key factor in maintaining the fragile security balance in the region, the external powers continued to supply rulers of Afghanistan with assured resources to sustain control and internal stability. Thus, Afghanistan became the only country to hold off both Russian and British expansion in the last century without aligning itself with either. The demarcation of Afghanistans border with Russia commenced in 1887, however Russians never lost sight of the fact that they needed to have their influence in the region, and this led to the signing of the Treaty of Friendship between the two in 1921  [13]  . The British too, carried out the demarcation of the border with Afghanistan by creating the Durand line, named after Sir Mortimer Durand in 1893, without giving any thought to the tribal affinities and traditional affiliations.  [14]   Geographical Location Afghanistan is the worlds 41st-largest country (after Burma) and has an area of 245,000 square miles. It is landlocked and mountainous, with plains in the north and southwest. Afghanistan with a noticeable sizeable chunk of geometrically regular territorial configuration lies at the intersection of the Indian Sub-Continent (Pakistan), the Middle East (Iran), Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) and China (The Wakhan Corridor).  In terms of International borders, the details are Pakistan (2430 km); Iran (936 km); Tajikistan (1206 km); Uzbekistan (137 km); Turkmenistan (744 km), and China (75 km).  The northern and southern portion of Afghanistan is divided by the massive Hindu Kush mountain ranges  [15]  . The Pamir Mountains to the northeast also named the roof of the world by Marco Polo are the junction between Tajikistan, Afghanistan and China. In the east, the passes in Suleiman mountain range like the famous Khyber Pass have provided access to the Indian subcontinent. Geo Strategic Relevance since World War II The post World War II saw the collapse of the British colonial rule in the Subcontinent and Soviet Union emerging as a Super Power with USA led western bloc and Soviet Union led eastern communist block  [16]  . With the British departure from India Afghanistan lost its importance, possibly since the western bloc found an ally in Pakistan to counter the Soviet expansion. However, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 brought the country to the limelight once again and the strategic balance of the subcontinent was altered dramatically with intervention of extra regional powers. The geo strategic relevance of Afghanistan in the above backdrop cannot be overlooked and it gained further importance with the breakup of Soviet Union. Infact the country has emerged as a new centre for terrorism. Post Cold War Era and the New Great Game The withdrawal of Soviet Union from Afghanistan once again altered the geopolitical and geo strategic importance of Afghanistan. The resultant power vacuum, infighting among the Mujahedeen commanders, weak government of Najibulla at Kabul, and the lack of United States support to Pakistan, were to a large extent responsible for the state of affairs in Afghanistan. Coupled with an indifferent world community, it formed a sure shot recipe for disaster. Surrounded by two nuclear states (China and Pakistan), a threshold nuclear state (Iran) and having two other nuclear powers in its near vicinity (India, and Russia) places Afghanistan in a difficult situation with its neighbours as well other powers vying to get a foothold in the region to spread their influence in the region and the subcontinent. The emergence of new States in Central Asia in 1991 brought to limelight the vast Hydrocarbon resources available in the region and once again Afghanistan acquired the critical importance of the land route from Central Asia to Arabian Sea. It could be asserted that despite its landlocked location, Afghanistan is important in geo-economic terms too both in terms of substantial deposits of oil and natural gas (assessed but not tapped) and as a energy corridor for Central Asia energy produce.  The newly independent states of the Central Asian region have been desperately looking for means of communication to export their oil and gas riches, so as to end their isolation and economic dependence on Russia. Turkmenistans hope of reviving plans to lay the pipeline across war torn Afghanistan to Pakistan and then to India revealed the desperation facing these states. Taliban and the Impact on the Geo Strategic Environment When Russia eventually withdrew from Afghanistan, the US-supported Mujahideen took control. Instead continuing the support for the buffer state, Americas subsequent withdrawal from the region caused a power vacuum, allowing sectarian interests (the Taliban) to seize control. As Afghanistan had been abandoned by both Russian and the West, the Taliban had no interest in acting as buffer, and pursued their own agenda. Afghanistan, apart from being the land bridge to central Asia has also become a home to the fundamentalist ranging from the Jihadis from Kashmir to the Uighur separatists and provided a suitable launch pad for such activities in Central Asia. Afghanistans geo-political and historical background further complicated the situation. The Taliban were initially welcomed by the war torn population since they promised an end to the prevailing anarchy. However, the subsequent quest for power and their change in stance from having no political ambitions, to a flat refusal for power sharing pushed Afghanistan into another period of instability. Afghanistan, till Dec 2001, can therefore be described as having been a legally undivided territory of fragmented power  [17]  . Soon Taliban as a Host to Al Qaida and its leader, Osama Bin Laden, turned into reality the threat of Islamic Fundamentalism faced by the Central Asian states since 1991. The strengthening of links between militant organisations like Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Al Qaida, the Chechen rebels, Uighur separatists and the Taliban, further compounded the security situation in the region. The bombings of the US embassies in 1998 brought USA and the Taliban on a collision course. However, it was the 11 Sep 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre, which roused the world community and forced them to deal with the menace posed by Taliban and its associates. The Relevance Post 11 Sep 2001 The global war on terrorism (GWOT) launched by USA and its allies has added great deal of turbulence in the region. Presence in Afghanistan provides USA an opportunity to influence the region and keep a check on Russian, Chinese, Pakistani, Iranian and the Indian influence, the nuclear states in the region, a job it has already commenced, as is evident from the pressure on Pakistan and the Iranians.  [18]  The United States however is in a strategic dilemma as it made its Afghanistan strategy totally dependent on Pakistan Armys cooperation.   A strategic denouement is underway presently.  The United States geopolitically stirs a witches cauldron in Afghanistan by giving primacy to Pakistan Armys strategic sensitivities to control Afghanistan  [19]  .  Any US exit from Afghanistan could create a political vacuum which would most likely get filled in by Russia, Iran and India.  [20]  

Sandro Botticellis Painting, The Birth of Venus :: Visual Arts Paintings Art

Sandro Botticelli's Painting, The Birth of Venus Sandro Botticelli (1444-1510) was a Florentine painter. Almost all of Botticelli’s life was spent in Florence. His genre of painting was based around mythological ideals and also religious subject matter. Botticelli painted in a highly personal style characterized by elegant execution, a sense of melancholy, and a strong emphasis on line; details appear as sumptuous still life’s. His paintings like The Birth of Venus, were a great impact on the Humanist art movement. Humanism was a belief in human effort rather than religion, showing emphasis on education and the expansion of knowledge; focusing especially on classical antiquity.[1] The Birth of Venus shows Venus riding upon a giant cockle shell, intently this focuses our attention directly towards her. Other figures in the painting include Zephyrus (the west wind) and the nymph Pomona. The painting is a mythological narrative which illustrates the birth of Venus, goddess of love.[2] The narrative has given us the explanation that â€Å"Zephyrus (the west wind) blows Venus, born of the sea foam and carried on a cockle shell, to her sacred island, Cyprus. There, the nymph Pomana runs to meet her with a brocaded mantle.†[3] Botticelli has achieved a sense of movement in the painting; Zephyrus’ gusts catch the brocaded mantle in undulation, carrying also the perfumed rose petals that swiftly fall upon the whitecaps. The Birth of Venus was painted in ca.1482 and has been exhibited at the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence. This painting was intended to be one of Botticelli’s most famous artworks painted for the Medici. The Medici were enthusiastic art collectors of the humanist art movement during the Renaissance. This painting can also be considered a relevant work of art, and the rebirth of the ancient ideal of beauty in the early Renaissance. The Birth of Venus is a work measuring approximately 5’ 8† x 9’ 1†.

Fast Food Nation Essay

â€Å"Fast Food Nation† is a film directed by Richard Linklater and it was released in the year 2006. This is one of those films, which provide new sources of thinking to a generation. This film deals with a large number of topics, which are old but still existing on our planet. Among these topics the mentionable ones are gender, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation and oppression. The film also shows that although being different parts of the social strata – these things are actually well related with each other. They act not only in the small communities but also throughout the world. There is no bar for these topics among the developed and developing countries in the present day world. â€Å"Fast Food Nation† upholds the problems, which are old enough to have been erased by now. But as a matter of fact, they still loom large in the human societies of all standards. Don Anderson is the main character of the movie. He is the famous Anderson who is known for the preparation of â€Å"Big One† of Mickey’s hamburger. This shows how the protagonist of the film is connected with the world of fast food. The main thing around which the film is constructed is to judge whether these businesses are honest or not. Anderson is not a bad human being but as a matter of fact he does not seem to know everything that is associated with his business. He finds one fault with the products of his company and travels to Cody in Colorado to trace the source of these bad and unhealthy ingredients in the products. Cody in Colorado is the center for the preparation of all the products of Mickey’s. Very soon Anderson comes to know about the faults that are actually taking place while manufacturing the products of his company. These are some of the most horrible truths waiting for him. The film has dealt with some other complicacies as well. Among them, the most important one is the exploitation of the illegal immigrants. People come to America to win a good fortune from various corners of the world. Mexico is one of these countries from where a number of illegal immigrants come in search of jobs. Very soon after entering the country they are exploited by the white settlers of the United States of America. Fast food culture has given birth to a huge industry in this country and most of the immigrants are taken in for the jobs that are available in this industry. Cheap labor is the main reason why the companies are always interested in taking these employees. By doing this, they can also earn a huge amount of profit within short time. (Linklater, et al, 2006) The tagline of â€Å"Fast Food Nation† says â€Å"The Truth Is Hard To Swallow†. In a way this film introduces the audience with the modern day world where almost every vice is present in the society just as they used to exist in the past. The presence of cow manure in the Mickey’s product is highly symbolic as it shows the commonly found tendency to live by cheating on others. A fast food nation like USA today looks after only the benefits from the business and not after the quality of service they are providing the customers with. This is the harsh truth, which Don Anderson discovers in his own company while visiting Cody in Colorado. â€Å"Fast Food Nation† is a movie that concentrates on many of the recent problems, which we come across in the modern world. Apart from that there are also other problems, which are not felt by us. Some of the downtrodden people have to face these truths in their lives. This is really unfortunate as we talk about the overall development of the world we act in a very hypocritical way. According to some of the well known critics â€Å"Fast Food Nation† is a well made angry movie which vents out the idealistic wrath on the wrong way in which the nation like USA is traveling towards a so called progress. It is obviously a credit going to Richard Linklater for the fact that he has chosen such a sensitive subject on which the economy of USA is dependent to a great extent. The glamour-less style of the movie is one of the most important symbolic, which is followed throughout the movie. We all know that America is a country of glamour and this is why a movie based on this country is hoped to be flashing with glamour and style. Unlike all other movies, â€Å"Fast Food Nation† is an entirely anti-glamour movie where all the characters are the dwellers of a very indifferent land. Truth hidden beneath the glamour is the main motive of this movie and this is why Linklater has focused more on incidents rather than the glamorous aspect of the film. (Morris, 2006) Linklater is very much successful in taking the audience to the root of the problems. He takes the audience to the slaughterhouses where raw materials for hamburger are produced. Visiting these places the audience is able to go through a series of events, which are revealing about how USA still deals on the grounds of race, gender and ethnicity. The Mexican immigrants are nothing better than the cows, which are slaughtered for the production. They are also exploited to a huge extent. By connecting to the story of the Mexican border Linklater actually introduces the audience with another horrible truth, which is looming large in the country. The country, which boasts of its democracy, is itself a system of exploitation and this is something, which Fast Food Nation deals with very carefully. Uniglobe is the meat plant where the team of Mexican workers joins. This is the place where the white Americans take the full advantage over the Mexicans as they have come in the country obtaining illegal process. It is very shocking to see a white that works as the floor supervisor threats the Mexican workers to kill them through the slaughtering machine unless they work properly. This show of rudeness opens up the horrible way in which the white people in American society are still dealing with the Mexicans. Money is the main thing, which draws the poor Mexicans to this vast land of USA where they have neither identity nor respect. There is a scene in the movie where a Mexican falls inside the slaughtering machine and loses his hand, which is chopped by the blade. The terrible scene is something, which agitates the audience to the core. Fast Food Nation not only focuses on the macro system of the society but also on the micro system where the workers are exploited at the same rate. We see the troubles, which are faced by Sylvia, the Mexican young woman who starts working as a hotel room cleaner. She faced huge problems in the slaughterhouse of Uniglobe where her husband and sister continue to work. The dangers of crossing the border are one of the most important elements, which the movie has dealt with. It shows the extent of risk, which the Mexicans are ready to undertake for their survival. Throughout the film it has dealt with huge problems in modern America. But the most important thing about them is the fact that everything, which happens in the life of the Mexican friends, is also the parts of the greater American life. Exploitation and all the other associated elements in the movie are actually representing the wholesome picture of the United States of America.   (Mother Jones, 2006) The use of satire in the film is a main thing, which consolidates the theme even more. There are actually three narrative parts that have been used in this movie. The pattern of the movie is very much like the documentary films, which shows the true picture of the world and easily deal with even some of the most controversial topics. Apart from human cruelty, animal cruelty is also an integral part of the film. However, the movie also concentrates on the matter of sexual orientation, which is a big issue in today’s America. Amber, the role played by Ashley Johnson, faces problems seeing the difference of sexual orientations among her friend. She asks her close friends not to meet cute looking boys, believing that they practice homosexuality. This is somehow associated with the slaughterhouse atmosphere and the theme thus becomes more convincing.

Black People and Roberta Essay

In Toni Morrison’s â€Å"Recitatif,† the story is about two girls, Twyla and Roberta. They grow up in an orphanage because their mothers could not care for them. Morrison makes it clear the girls come from different ethnic backgrounds but never states which one is black or white. At one point in the story Twyla comments, â€Å"We looked like salt and pepper. † I grew frustrated with the story and had to read it several times. I could never determine who was black and white and the lesson I learned should have been it doesn’t really matter. The story begins with Twyla’s mother dropping her off at the orphanage. She meets Roberta and they become best friends. The bond they share occurs because they were not considered real orphans. They were abandoned kids unlike the other children whose parents had died. One of the last times the girls see each other was the day of a visitation. On that night, Twyla’s mother was wearing â€Å"those tight green slacks that made her butt stick out. † Many people have labeled blacks as having larger butts. She could have been black, she could have been a heavy white woman with a large butt, or a Hispanic woman like me. But I automatically stereotyped and went with Twyla has to be black. During the visitation Roberta’s mother â€Å"had brought chicken legs. † Twyla notices Roberta does not eat the chicken legs. I always thought black people liked chicken more than white people which means Roberta was white since she did not eat the chicken. Or maybe she just wasn’t hungry. Shortly after that visitation Roberta’s mother came to take her home, leaving the girls devastated. They see each other several times throughout the years. At their first meeting, Roberta was rude and distant because she was high. Roberta tells Twyla she is on the way to see Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix was an infamous black guitarist. I thought at this point Roberta has to be black. However Hendrix’s band was interracial with a diverse audience. Roberta could have been white due to the diverse audience. I am a huge Hendrix fan and I am not black so why would I think Roberta is. Twelve years later they meet again at a grocery store. Roberta married a rich man and was extremely friendly to Twyla. Twyla cannot hold back her emotions and asks Roberta about the last time they saw each other. Roberta shrugs it off, â€Å"Oh, Twyla, you know how it was in those days: black—white. You know how everything was. † I can relate to this. In 1980, the Cuban Mariel Boat Lifts came over bring thousands of Cubans. I am Cuban but I was born here. Kids I had known since kindergarten treated me as if I just come over on the boats. It had a lasting effect on me and matured me beyond my years. The third time they meet is at the school where their children attend. Roberta and other mothers were picketing because they did not want their kids to be segregated. This led to a fight severing any last chance of a friendship for them as it would not be resolved until Twyla and Roberta meet for a final time. As the story ends I do not get a sense of closure. The question of which girl is white or black remains unanswered. It opened my eyes and made me question how prejudice I really am. I try to not stereotype as a result of what I went through as a child but I found myself doing just that. I can understand why Morrison wrote the way she. I am not sure what her goal was overall but to me it seemed as if she were teaching me about prejudices. â€Å"Recitatif† challenged me to not judge either girl by their race but accept them for who they are. In the end, what difference did it really make about the girls’ races? The story is about how their friendship develops and then deteriorates. Nothing more; nothing less.