Sunday, August 18, 2019

What Ruined Ralph and Jacks Friendship in Lord of the Flies :: essays research papers

Lord of the flies essay Q: at the start of the novel we are told: ‘Ralph and jack smiled at each other with shy liking.’ yet by the end they are mortal enemies. What happens to ruin their friendship? Ralph and jack are friends at the start of the story. They are both the oldest boys on the island and they both have a high level of admiration from the boys at the beginning. Ralph got all the boys together when he had established the conch, which straightaway got him the boys respect. However jack is the head boy at school and is the boss of the choir. Ralph is chosen by the boys as leader, even though they both wanted to be chief. Ralph was tactful enough to consider jack to a vital job, so he asks him to be leader of the hunters. this is what makes them see each other with a shy liking: they have both benefited from power and respect. However Ralph and jack have different notions as Ralph is more sensible he sets his mind on everyone surviving and then getting rescued. He constructs shelters and manages to keep a fire going. Ralph is thinking and caring for everyone. Nevertheless jack is single minded in his pursuit of the pigs. He mainly hunts and then kills a pig for food as he states he loves hunting. ‘A compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up’ This is the meaning of jacks wish that he gives into to instead of doing what he was supposed to do such as help Ralph with work like the fire and shelters. ‘now the antagonism was audible’ indicates Ralph dislikes this and therefore bears a grudge as only Simon helps then goes off to a hiding place. Although Ralph and jack start to dislike things about each other they still resolve in being friends. Bewilderedly they know there’s conflict between them. jack takes his choir to hunt and leaves the fire which goes out and at that moment a ship sails by, then jack arrives back with his choir following, he proudly shows Ralph a dead sow that they killed. Ralph is furious and exhibits real despair at the passing of the ship, possibly, as he begins to feel the pressure of his overall responsibility for the boys.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Qrb/501 Week 6 Deliverable Essay

Week Six News Article Summaries Post Lehman Brothers Stock Market Crash Discussion In 2006, Brothers David and Tom Gardner started a community database to help consumers choose stocks. Developing the concept of longer-term investments over extended periods, versus the forecast method based on timing and risk. Motley Fool, the name chosen for the firm, asked staff to interview the firm’s top 18 investors to discuss lessons learned from the demise of Lehman’s Brother Stock at the five-year anniversary mark. Seth Jayson has learned to invest a little bit each month into the best companies and has stopped looking for quick fixes. Morgan Housel, discusses his lessons: cash= options, and debt= loss of options. Another point is to consider purchasing more when the stock crashes and to view risk as a gift. The forecast profession is deceptive, and to recognize that the market has recovered in four years. David Gardner predicted the fall of Lehman Brothers six months prior to the fall, which reinforced his methods of helping investors, succeed in the market. LouAnn Lofton recommends separating emotion form investing, to think long term and purchase stocks at lower rates during the crash. Alyce Lomax indicates her fears that people have not learned from the crash and that history has a habit of repeating itself. Alex Dumortier, who is CFA, explains his perspective of considering the unimaginable as possible and to prepare for uncertain measures. Jim Mueller recommends his tool for success has b een to keep a journal. Stating his process is to analyze motivations and trends before choosing to purchase stock. Charley Travers firmly reinforces investing in companies with cash rich balance sheets and strong free cash flows. Matt DiLallo took a time out from the market post-crash and looked for longevity instead of timing, stating â€Å"timing in the stock market is a fool’s errand† (Motley Fool Staff, 2012, n.p.). Chuck Saletta shares his process of choosing based on a solid balance sheet. Isaac Pino believes that Main Street has learned and suffered post-crash but not Wall Street, claiming that banks are still carrying too much debt and leverage. Patrick Morris supports what he learned during college studying finance, that â€Å"stocks are priced to be the present values of future cash flows,† and supports rate of return for stocks yielding more than savings (Motley Fool Staff, 2012, n.p.). Frank Thomas believes in planning and building a buying list whil e maintaining enough cash to support daily living costs. John Divine stresses the need to remain calm and keep the long-term goals in the big picture. Joe Tenebruso viewed the crash as an opportunity to move capital into strong companies and developed a new strategy he named Tier 1. Jake Keator learned that investing takes time and to be patient. Anders Bylund recommends the approach of keeping 10% of retirement liquid. John Reeves expresses that in a down market good companies like â€Å"Starbucks and Apple,† are misrepresented in the stock market but will bounce back in time (Motley Fool Staff, 2012, n.p.). In conclusion, the firm of Motley Fool explains skills learned to excel in the stock market: reinforcing long-term goals with companies in good financial shape, and consider purchasing those companies’ stocks during down markets to maximize return. 2008 Crisis Still Hangs Over Credit-Rating Firms This article has some direct links to business math principles because it addresses some concerns from the 2008 financial crisis. In 2008, some financial guru(s) compared it to the great depression, revamping the name to the â€Å"great recession† (Krantz, 2013, n.p.). During this time many major corporations, financial mainly, went into some sort of bankruptcy and got a bail out from the government. In this article the author addresses how some credit rating agencies were excusing poor credit ratings and banks allowing approval of risky mortgages when they should not have. In 2008 the agencies’ ratings played a critical role in the marketing of risky mortgage-backed securities, such as collateralized debt obligations. Investment banks had also bundled collections of individual mortgages, which alone can be hard to trade, into baskets that could be bought and sold like any bonds. These financial instruments were sold to investors but to sell them, the investment banks relied on the receipt of stellar ratings from the agencies to tempt investors starved for return. The author questions whether or not these companies have learned from their mistakes to avoid making the same mistakes again. This article links to this week’s objectives of applying business principles to make finance and operational business decisions because, in these aforementioned instances, credit rating agencies did not do that. They did not follow the basic math principles of business and instead took a road that surpassed logic and went more into greed. By applying the business math principles these agencies would have known that the risk was too great and would not have approved such deals because of the severity of the risks. Obama to Use Lehman Anniversary to Cite Progress * In this article, the author discusses President Obama’s progress on the economy. He is using the fall of the Lehman Brothers to show how much progress he has made in the economy. He is using certain math principles to try to help America get out of the financial crisis. He is trying to create a budget system but is clashing with Congress on the decisions he is making. President Obama argues that a better capitalized and regulated financial sector will give more credit. This will in turn help fuel the economy. According to the article, the federal government has paid back the debt that the accrued during bailouts of 2008. According to the Pew Research Center poll, the public is not convinced that the economy is fixed. The unemployment rate is at 7.3%, which is high. The article states this high rate is because some people have left the workforce and stopped trying to join it again. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts democra t stated, â€Å"We should not accept a financial system that allows the biggest banks to emerge from a crisis in record-setting shape while ordinary Americans continue to struggle† (Kuhnhenn, 2013, n.p.). Obama wants to continue with his budget and use part of the $700 billion that has been allocated to help bail out other companies. The public accepted this a general success. The end of the article states that the federal government will bring in more revenue this year but still has $700 billion budget deficit. There is a spending problem, and it must be addressed. As a business it has to have an income through goods, sales, etc. to succeed. This needs to exceed the liabilities and expense. In the end, this is not what is happening. * The DOW has a Good Week The Dayton Daily News reported that the DOW Jones industrial average had one of its best week’s this year, rising 75 points (0.5%). The speculation for this positive performance included reports showing both inflation remaining stable and consumers purchasing more. Another helpful act came from Intel’s stock rising 66 cents (3%). Analysts found that reports varied on how the economy performed: some showed that although Americans purchased more items like cars and electronics, major clothing retailers cut profit projections for the remainder of the year because of lower sales. Wholesale prices, however, did not grow much, lending evidence that inflation is relatively stable. Investors stated that trading will likely change drastically after the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting on September 17-18, citing that they will decide plans for the bond purchasing program and how much they will cut back spending on those bonds. This article relates to the course objective quite directly. This week’s learning objective ties this course together, taking business math principles and using them to make operational decisions. The DOW Jones shows businesses how they stand against competitors and reveal areas for potential investment. Many corporations have investment advisors watching the stock market and advising when and what to buy or sell. Business leaders watching and analyzing the DOW Jones not only reveals insight into how individual businesses perform but also shows them the prices in certain markets. This is a useful tool for investors to know where to put their money, buying stocks when prices in one market are low and selling stocks in another market where prices have peaked. Your Money: Keeping retirement on track takes focus The main focus of this article was how the financial crisis five years ago has made it harder for people wanting to retire. People today when they want to retire have to take into consideration that in order to retire today there must be a savings in place. According to a retirement survey done by PNC Perspectives people that originally planned to retire between the ages of 60 to 62 will have to work longer than originally expected (Tompor, 2013). According to the survey, â€Å"About 43% of those who are not yet retired and still working said they have a pension; but about 64% of those who are retired have a pension†(Tompor, 2013). This article also shows interviews done with Thomas Palka and Connie DeMetsenare. Thomas is a self-employed business man that does not currently have a pension plan. Thomas at the age of 52 has no plans on retiring any time soon. He knows he has to continue to work in order to have income coming in. Connie is 48 and current is investing in a 401(k) plan through her employer. He and her spouse paid cash for their current house they live in to eliminate being stuck paying a mortgage they may not be able to afford once they retire. Connie plans to retire at the age of 67. Based on this article many aspects can stop a person from retiring. Those aspects include not having a pension or 401(K) plan in place, financial crisis that can affect retirement funds, and having too much debt. To live comfortably a person must have a savings plan in place and eliminate their current debt. Reference AP, A. (2013, September 14). Dow has good week. Dayton Daily News. Retrieved from http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/business/dow-has-good-week/nZwx2/ Krantz, M. (2013, September 13). 2008 crisis still hangs over credit-rating firms. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/13/credit-rating-agencies-2008-financial-crisis-lehman/2759025/ Kuhnhenn, J. (2013, September 14). Obama to use Lehman anniversary to cite progress. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/14/obama-lehman-anniversary/2813687/ Motley Fool Staff, (2013, September 12). Five Years After Lehman: Investing Lessons from the Financial Crisis. Retrieved from http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/9/12/5-years-after-lehman-investing-lessons-from-the-fi.aspx?source=ihpsitth0000003&lidx=1

Friday, August 16, 2019

Halina Mountain Resort Part Essay

Victor Herrera, chairman of the board of Blue Heights Realty & Development Corporation, desired to launch his company’s first big project, a mineral hot spring resort at Bucal, Calamba, Laguna named Halina Mountain Resort (A). He wanted to make it as â€Å"something he could leave for his family†. Blue Heights Realty & Development Corporation was organized in October 1976 attached in owning, improving and managing real estate; it is considered a stable company with authorized capital stock of P1 M and paid-up capital of P900T. The proposed resort was planned to establish to their 2.2 hectare land in Bucal, calamba, Laguna. The land was composed of 1.5 hectare Victor inherited from his father in 1974 and the other 700T hectare which he purchased from his commission from commodities trading. Upon the proposal of the project, Victor asked his son Victor Jr. to make a survey and gathered enough data and information about the vicinity and its rival resort. Also, he made an application with the Ministry of Tourism requesting the approval for the establishment of the resort stating his reasons for going into the resort trade. And lastly, he made a loan application for a P1.3 M with Far East bank and Trust Company however, there is no assurance if it would recognize the merit of his proposal, with a complete paper requirement, Herrera strongly believed that his project is viable & attractive and their reports are unbiased. The only problem would be the approval of his loan application with the Far East Bank and Trust Company. I. Statements of the Objective/s * To pursue the loan from the bank and continue with the desired project for the resort. * To be able to impress the management of the bank to grant their loan. * To seek ideas that will make the Halina Mountain Resort a unique place that will stand out against its anticipated competitors. II. Central Problem/s * Loan Application III. Areas of Consideration * Strengths i. New ideas are being brought up ii. Wide/spacious land to utilize iii. Strong market study iv. Road side v. New business along the area * Weaknesses vi. Large number of competitors vii. No enough funds to start the project viii. New business that the banks are too meticulous to grant their loan application. ix. Limited facilities set up by the Tourism Department of Laguna. * Opportunities x. Create new offerings that will make the resort a different one. xi. Offer packages that are affordable. xii. Apply for the approval of the Tourism Department for the additional facilities for the resort. * Threats xiii. Failure to be granted by the bank with their loan application. xiv. The public may not patronize their new resort. xv. A lot of competitors are near the area. IV. Alternative Courses of Action 1. Halina can present to the bank the result of the market study made by Herrera for their application of loan to be granted. *Advantages: a. It will make the resort look more competitive and strong. *Disadvantages: a. Unsure if this new business will be accepted by the public. 2. Halina can make it a new line of business and make it a subsidiary business by their company. *Advantages: a. More funds may be used without applying a loan from the bank. *Disadvantages: a. The resort will now be a company owned. 3. Halina can offer membership schemes that will generates funds for them to materialize the project. *Advantages: a. It will make the resort a private resort where members can only use the facilities of the resort. *Disadvantages: a. Limited market segment. V. Strategy Formulation I, therefore, conclude that the best solution to the problem is the alternative course of action no. 1, where the Halina Mountain Resort will present to the bank the studies made by their selected firm that their proposed business is a strong and competitive one. They must explain what are the edges of their resort over their competitors that will make them a unique place to stay. VI. Plan of Action 1. Set a meeting with the proper authorities of the bank and discuss the project. 2. If approved, materialize the project and supervise well the actions taken by the people of the resort. 3. Find alternative ways to promote the resort with a minimum cost, i.e. social networking sites. 4. Always make a customer evaluation for management to know what should be improve with their services and facilities. VII. Potential Problems * What if the bank would not approve their loan application? * What if the result of the project will not turn out as planned? * What if there won’t be any customers that will patronize their resort? VIII. Contingency Plan * Halina should try the alternative course no. 2 and pursue the project their company as the head company of the resort. * Find other alternatives that will make the project more attractive to the target market and create a team that will market the resort. * Offer packages that will make it more appealing to the public to try their resort.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Global Cooperation Essay

Have you heard about global cooperation? Do you know global cooperation is helpful? Nowadays, global cooperation is getting more and more important, they help developing countries a lot. Global cooperation is helpful for poor families, technology trade and tourisms. First, global cooperation gives more job opportunities to the people in developing countries. As we know, some Asian countries have very good human resources, so global cooperation can give the people in developing countries many jobs by working with developed countries. In this situation, poor families can have more chances to get a job and support their children. For example, Children can go to school and learn knowledge, which is very good for developing countries, because knowledge is power. Developing countries need knowledge so they can run their countries better. Secondly, since global cooperation being famous, they can support developing countries by trade high technologies. Developing countries need high technologies, so they need global cooperation and get some high technologies from global cooperation. High-tech can help developing countries a lot. For example, developing countries can save energy and reduce pollution by high-tech. High-tech can protect people’s health who works in high-risk factory. On the other hand, developing countries do not need to worry about pollution and save money from Environmental protection because high-tech can help them a lot. Developing countries need high-tech from global cooperation because global cooperation can help them save energy and save money from Environmental protection. Last but not least, global cooperation works with developing countries can attract more tourists. If tourists caught in some troubles in developing countries, which have connection with global cooperation, tourists will get help much more easier. Because when global cooperation happens, more and more people will learn to speak English and English is very useful nowadays. Tourists can get help from them by communicate in English. For example, if I want to travel to developing countries, I will choose some countries which have global cooperation because I can investigate them first. I will not choose the countries, which do not have global cooperation because it is totally unknown for me and it is very dangerous. Global cooperation can help tourists communicate with local people in a totally unfamiliar country easily. To sum up, global cooperation is good for developing countries. They can help poor families, technologies trade and tourisms. Global cooperation is very useful and helpful, we have to start this process now, and there is no reason to wait any longer.

Egyptian Culture Essay

The Culture of Egypt is one of the most ancient cultures and has five thousand years of history. It can be said that it is one of the richest cultures of the world as ancient Egypt was among the earliest civilizations. Egyptian culture is known to have a significant influence on other cultures such as Europe, the Middle East and Africa. However, soon after the Pharaonic era, Egypt came under the influence of Hellenism, then Christianity, and later, Arab and Islamic culture. Modern Egypt continues to have the ancient Egypt’s culture including the influence of modern Western culture, itself with roots in Ancient Egypt (Wikipedia n. ag, 2007). Ancient Egyptian In the ancient Egyptian culture religion played a very important role. In fact without the ancient Egyptian Religion, there would perhaps not much reason for today’s increasing tourism. The great Pyramids of Egypt’s are a major attraction. These huge structures would not exist, nor the fabulous temples, the tombs on the West Bank of Thebes and their mummies, or the colorful decorations on these structures that have attracted travelers to Egypt over the past three thousand years or more. Behind every aspect of Egyptian life, as well as the art, and the cultural accomplishments it is important to understand the religious forces that formed the cultural aspects of ancient Egypt. Religion The spiritual or the religious world that was formed by the ancient Egyptians was a richly fascinating one which remains unique in the history of human religion. Although Egyptian religion was often covered in layers of myth and ritual, it on the other hand permeated the ancient civilization of the Nile and eventually shaped, sustained and directed Egyptian culture in almost every way. In fact if we look at the ancient history, people were more worried of the afterlife than the day to day life. Egyptians believed that they could enjoy life after death that made them to prepare for their death and burial. For instance, they construct pyramids and tombs for kings and queens. Other Egyptians had similar tombs. Additionally, it was very important in order to have a good afterlife for one to not only worship the Egyptian gods, but also live by a rules and regulations that would be judged after death. Ancient Egyptians also believed that the bodies of the dead had to be preserved for the next life and so they mummified the bodies. Even though there was a substantial amount of stability between various areas of Egypt and over the religion’s long existence, there were several changes over the past years and changes in the theology. For instance, while some 1,500 gods and goddesses are known by name from ancient Egypt, many of them were not worshipped at any one time or in any one place. As a result it is possible for one to observe variations over the years and cultural differences. Eventually, several changes took place in the religious aspects. For example, the burial practices of the Egyptians, which were definitely affected by their religious ideologies, went from simple mastabas in the very early periods and during the Predynastic Period, to monumental pyramids during the Old and Middle Kingdoms. This tradition of pyramids and tombs reduced preferring instead to have hidden tombs with no superstructures at all. Perhaps part of the reason for this was the security of the tomb and its content of valuables, though it did not do much to stop the tomb robbers. Another reason behind this was the Egyptian religion’s movement towards Osiris. The god Osiris also seems accountable for another major change in Egyptian religion through its long history along with the popularity it gained. Osiris was a democratic god who without a doubt became more and more popular because the theology surrounding him allowed even common Egyptians the chance of immortality after their death. Believes and Values There are certain beliefs and rituals that still remained. For instance, there seems to have always been a sun god from the earliest of times, however his worship too changed over time, and sometimes significantly. The sun god Re was worshipped at Egypt’s earliest shrines and his worship most likely reached a high point during the late Old Kingdom, when kings not only built their pyramids, but also specialized temples to worship the sun god. Additionally, the rituals main part was the offerings, but there were certainly numerous other rituals, together with many daily functions such as washing and clothing the gods. There are a few rituals that were major celebrations, for example, the statue of one god might be taken to visit the cult center of another. The advantage with this system was that it was mostly during these festivals that common Egyptians probably came closest to their gods, since at other times they were forbidden from the sanctuaries that housed the cult statues. A value system in the Egyptian culture formed a great part as it is even almost the same way that it is today. It can be said that most of the value systems present today in the modern day is adopted form the ancient Egyptian culture. Undoubtedly, the value system had both a secular and religious side. In terms of religious believe, as in many religions today, each person was judged upon death for his or her actions during life, and either condemned to be a member of the damned or the blessed (Watson n. pag). Another aspect of the culture comes with the style of traditions. For instance, the ancient Egyptians were the first civilization to regard marriage as a legal relationship. Marriage in ancient Egypt was a religious obligation. The ancient Egyptian laws prepared the marriage relationship and indicated all rights and duties for the couples. Many of the old marriage contracts have been found, and they were registered and signed by three officers. These ancient Egyptian laws gave the right of divorce to women as well as men, and the wife had great respect and a high degree of prestige (El-Bialy n. pag, 2003). Even today these cultures have been adopted by many other cultures. Egyptology In the recent years, the Egyptian culture has had a great impact on the archaeology and the study of Egypt’s ancient heritage. The field of Egyptology has itself become a major scientific subject of great interest in Egypt and also around the world. It began in Arab Egypt during the Middle Ages, but was later led by Europeans and Westerners in modern times. However in the recent decades the study of Egyptology, has been taken up by Egyptian archaeologists such as Zahi Hawass and the Supreme Council of Antiquities he leads. With the discovery of the Rosetta Stone (a tablet written in ancient Greek) Egyptian Demotic script, and Egyptian hieroglyphs, has in part been credited for the recent stir in the study of Ancient Egypt. Greek which is a well known language, gave linguists the capability to decode the mysterious Egyptian hieroglyphic language. The ability to decode hieroglyphics facilitated the translation of hundreds of the texts and inscriptions that were earlier impossible to read, giving insight into Egyptian culture that would have otherwise been lost to the ages. This stone was discovered on July 15, 1799 in the port town of Rosetta, Egypt, and has been held in the British Museum since 1802 (Wikipedia n. pag, 2007). Economics Today, the major economic activities of Egypt depend on agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation and communication and others. Tourism is a major source of revenue today. Ancient Egyptian farmers relied on the annual floods of the Nile River to irrigate their fields and renew their top soil. Conclusion Finally, it can be said that the rich Egyptian culture has an impact on the various modern day cultures. It was the birth place of one of the world’s first civilizations which arose about 5000 years ago. Egyptians developed one of the first religions to emphasize life after death. Besides, they also build many cities where many skilled architects, doctors, engineers, painters, and sculptors worked. Islam is the official religion of Egypt as about 90 % of them are Muslims. Tourists from all parts of the world travel to Egypt to see such wonders as Great Sphinx, an enormous pyramids etc. For people throughout Egypt, the beliefs and traditions of Islam form a unifying bond. In fact it is one of the richest cultures in the world.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

An Analysis Of Shaffer’s Equus

An Analysis Of Shaffers Equus The play is in two acts, the first consisting of twenty-one; the second of thirty-five scenes. It is not realistic in that it includes flashbacks performed onstage (like a movie). However, it is an explanatory one with Shaffer’s notes while read. It is a play consisting of individuals rather than types. Each character has his/her individuality along with his/her own perspective of life. We learn about the characters from what other characters tell about them; from what they tell about themselves; as well as from Shaffer’s explanation about them within parentheses. Although it is an open ended play it goes far from the lineer plot structure with its amazing climax. The forward and backward action of the play makes it a different one. Moreover while the play has speech when the time is present, it contains action when it is backward. It is a symbolic play and can be called â€Å"a journey into the mind† of Alan Strang, a seventeen year old boy. It analyzes Alanâ⠂¬â„¢s religious obsession with horses which is based on his complicated feelings due to his religious background and his increasing sexual side as a teenager. This confusion of religion, in fact, is a consequence of some signals from his religious, middle-class mother and his atheist, working-class father. Alan’s perception of religion and sexuality is conflicted and his way of praying becomes a fear of a horse spirit named Equus. He ends up with blinding six horses in the stable because of the fact that they have watched him with a girl. Rosefeldt states that Equus is â€Å"†¦inspired by a real-life event of which the author had very little details. Someone told Shaffer about a boy who blinded horses† (Rosefeldt 89). Equus, the horse gradually becomes a source of freedom and worship for Alan. As he worships Equus passionately, Alan goes away from being ‘normal.’ There are two main characters in the play, Martin Dysart and Alan Strang, the protagonis t. While the play is Alan’s story, it soon becomes Dysart’s story, too. Dysart is a psychiatrist and is asked to treat Alan Strang. Dysart admits to treat Alan as a patient, believing his lawyer friend Hesther Salomon that the boy has something special. In Act I, the audiences learn that Alan comes from a Christian mother – Dora Strang – and an atheist father – Frank Strang who have argument in agreeing how to raise Alan. Alan’s mother tries to impose religion on Alan and does not avoid talking about sex as well. As he grows up and becomes a teenager, his mother’s words become confusing for him. Alan’s obssesion with the horses is actually a typical result of his mother’s words: Dora. †¦ I used to tell him a funny thing about falling off horses. Did you know that when Christian cavalry first appeared in the New World, the pagans thought horse and rider was one person? Dysart. Really? Alan. (sitting up, amazed) One p erson? Dora. Actually, they thought it must be a god.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Theory of representation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Theory of representation - Case Study Example The most symbolic event of this political transformation is the recent election of Barack Obama to the office of President. The rest of this essay will critically assess Anne Phillips' "politics of presence" theory of representation, by contrasting it to alternative theories and interpretations forwarded by other scholars. In the introduction to her book 'The Politics of Presence', Anne Phillips states that "most voters know too little about the candidates to make their talents or virtues the basis for political choice. Most voters, indeed, would query whether these should be a central concern. We might all wish to be represented by people we regard as wiser or more able than ourselves, but, faced with a choice between someone more competent and someone whose views we can share, we usually feel safer in giving our support to the latter. The political party provides us with the necessary shorthand for making our political choice: we look at the label rather than the person, and hope we will not be let down." (Phillips, 1998, p.15) The above passage captures the essential dilemma confronting a voter, who is often unsure of which candidate truly represents his/her interests, opinions and beliefs and in turn will help create matching policy measures. Typically, there are no concrete ways in which one can ascertain if a candidate really represents the aspirations of the voter. To this extent the democratic system is said to operate on "the politics of ideas". Anne Phillips' model of representation based on "politics of presence" aims to provide an alternative framework for analyzing representation. At the centre of political representation based on presence is the demand for equality based on gender, race, class and other parameters of a particular democratic society. The well-entrenched politics of ideas, which is the dominant model in the twentieth century, suggests "a broadly secular understanding of politics as a matter of judgement and debate, and expects political loyalties to develop around policies rather than people" (Phillips, 1998, p.16). But either due to the apparent failure of this model of representation or due to the compulsions of modern times, political scientists and public intellectuals are looking at alternative models of representation, based on avenues of "'typical' or 'mirror' or 'random' representation, which they have seen as a better approximation to the old dream of being ruler and ruled in turn, or as a more satisfactory way of ensuring that all interests are adequately addressed" (Phillips, 1998, p.16). Although Anne Phillips does not endorse these radical alternatives to traditional models of democratic representation, the theory based on 'politics of presence' is an effort toward the broader search for alternatives. The politics of presence theory of representation tries to address the sense of political exclusion felt by communities defined by their race, gender or ethnicity. More specifically, the politics of presence "demands for the equal representation of women with men; demands for a more even-handed balance between the different ethnic groups that make up each society; demands for the political inclusion of groups that have come to see themselves as marginalized or