The Lost Symbol Chapter 19-21

CHAPTER 19 Director Inoue Sato stood with her arms folded, her eyes locked skeptically on Langdon as she processed what he had just told her. â€Å"He said he wants you to unlock an ancient portal? What am I supposed to do with that, Professor?† Langdon shrugged weakly. He was feeling ill again and tried not to look down at his friend's severed hand. â€Å"That's exactly what he told me. An ancient portal . . . hidden somewhere in this building. I told him I knew of no portal.† â€Å"Then why does he think you can find it?† â€Å"Obviously, he's insane.† He said Peter would point the way. Langdon looked down at Peter's upstretched finger, again feeling repulsed by his captor's sadistic play on words. Peter will point the way. Langdon had already permitted his eyes to follow the pointing finger up to the dome overhead. A portal? Up there? Insane. â€Å"This man who called me,† Langdon told Sato, â€Å"was the only one who knew I was coming to the Capitol tonight, so whoever informed you I was here tonight, that's your man. I recommend–â€Å" â€Å"Where I got my information is not your concern,† Sato interrupted, voice sharpening. â€Å"My top priority at the moment is to cooperate with this man, and I have information suggesting you are the only one who can give him what he wants.† â€Å"And my top priority is to find my friend,† Langdon replied, frustrated. Sato inhaled deeply, her patience clearly being tested. â€Å"If we want to find Mr. Solomon, we have one course of action, Professor–to start cooperating with the one person who seems to know where he is.† Sato checked her watch. â€Å"Our time is limited. I can assure you it is imperative we comply with this man's demands quickly.† â€Å"How?† Langdon asked, incredulous. â€Å"By locating and unlocking an ancient portal? There is no portal, Director Sato. This guy's a lunatic.† Sato stepped close, less than a foot from Langdon. â€Å"If I may point this out . . . your lunatic deftly manipulated two fairly smart individuals already this morning.† She stared directly at Langdon and then glanced at Anderson. â€Å"In my business, one learns there is a fine line between insanity and genius. We would be wise to give this man a little respect.† â€Å"He cut off a man's hand!† â€Å"My point exactly. That is hardly the act of an uncommitted or uncertain individual. More important, Professor, this man obviously believes you can help him. He brought you all the way to Washington–and he must have done it for a reason.† â€Å"He said the only reason he thinks I can unlock this `portal' is that Peter told him I can unlock it,† Langdon countered. â€Å"And why would Peter Solomon say that if it weren't true?† â€Å"I'm sure Peter said no such thing. And if he did, then he did so under duress. He was confused . . . or frightened.† â€Å"Yes. It's called interrogational torture, and it's quite effective. All the more reason Mr. Solomon would tell the truth.† Sato spoke as if she'd had personal experience with this technique. â€Å"Did he explain why Peter thinks you alone can unlock the portal?† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Professor, if your reputations are correct, then you and Peter Solomon both share an interest in this sort of thing–secrets, historical esoterica, mysticism, and so on. In all of your discussions with Peter, he never once mentioned to you anything about a secret portal in Washington, D.C.?† Langdon could scarcely believe he was being asked this question by a high-ranking officer of the CIA. â€Å"I'm certain of it. Peter and I talk about some pretty arcane things, but believe me, I'd tell him to get his head examined if he ever told me there was an ancient portal hidden anywhere at all. Particularly one that leads to the Ancient Mysteries.† She glanced up. â€Å"I'm sorry? The man told you specifically what this portal leads to?† â€Å"Yes, but he didn't have to.† Langdon motioned to the hand. â€Å"The Hand of the Mysteries is a formal invitation to pass through a mystical gateway and acquire ancient secret knowledge– powerful wisdom known as the Ancient Mysteries . . . or the lost wisdom of all the ages.† â€Å"So you've heard of the secret he believes is hidden here.† â€Å"A lot of historians have heard of it.† â€Å"Then how can you say the portal does not exist?† â€Å"With respect, ma'am, we've all heard of the Fountain of Youth and Shangri-la, but that does not mean they exist.† The loud squawk of Anderson's radio interrupted them. â€Å"Chief?† the voice on the radio said. Anderson snatched his radio from his belt. â€Å"Anderson here.† â€Å"Sir, we've completed a search of the grounds. There's no one here that fits the description. Any further orders, sir?† Anderson shot a quick glance at Sato, clearly expecting a reprimand, but Director Sato seemed uninterested. Anderson moved away from Langdon and Sato, speaking quietly into his radio. Sato's unwavering focus remained on Langdon. â€Å"You're saying the secret he believes is hidden in Washington . . . is a fantasy?† Langdon nodded. â€Å"A very old myth. The secret of the Ancient Mysteries is pre-Christian, actually. Thousands of years old.† â€Å"And yet it's still around?† â€Å"As are many equally improbable beliefs.† Langdon often reminded his students that most modern religions included stories that did not hold up to scientific scrutiny: everything from Moses parting the Red Sea . . . to Joseph Smith using magic eyeglasses to translate the Book of Mormon from a series of gold plates he found buried in upstate New York. Wide acceptance of an idea is not proof of its validity. â€Å"I see. So what exactly are these . . . Ancient Mysteries?† Langdon exhaled. Have you got a few weeks? â€Å"In short, the Ancient Mysteries refer to a body of secret knowledge that was amassed long ago. One intriguing aspect of this knowledge is that it allegedly enables its practitioners to access powerful abilities that lie dormant in the human mind. The enlightened Adepts who possessed this knowledge vowed to keep it veiled from the masses because it was considered far too potent and dangerous for the uninitiated.† â€Å"Dangerous in what way?† â€Å"The information was kept hidden for the same reason we keep matches from children. In the correct hands, fire can provide illumination . . . but in the wrong hands, fire can be highly destructive.† Sato took off her glasses and studied him. â€Å"Tell me, Professor, do you believe such powerful information could truly exist?† Langdon was not sure how to respond. The Ancient Mysteries had always been the greatest paradox of his academic career. Virtually every mystical tradition on earth revolved around the idea that there existed arcane knowledge capable of imbuing humans with mystical, almost godlike, powers: tarot and I Ching gave men the ability to see the future; alchemy gave men immortality through the fabled Philosopher's Stone; Wicca permitted advanced practitioners to cast powerful spells. The list went on and on. As an academic, Langdon could not deny the historical record of these traditions–troves of documents, artifacts, and artwork that, indeed, clearly suggested the ancients had a powerful wisdom that they shared only through allegory, myths, and symbols, ensuring that only those properly initiated could access its power. Nonetheless, as a realist and a skeptic, Langdon remained unconvinced. â€Å"Let's just say I'm a skeptic,† he told Sato. â€Å"I have never seen anything in the real world to suggest the Ancient Mysteries are anything other than legend–a recurring mythological archetype. It seems to me that if it were possible for humans to acquire miraculous powers, there would be evidence. And yet, so far, history has given us no men with superhuman powers.† Sato arched her eyebrows. â€Å"That's not entirely true.† Langdon hesitated, realizing that for many religious people, there was indeed a precedent for human gods, Jesus being the most obvious. â€Å"Admittedly,† he said, â€Å"there are plenty of educated people who believe this empowering wisdom truly exists, but I'm not yet convinced.† â€Å"Is Peter Solomon one of those people?† Sato asked, glancing toward the hand on the floor. Langdon could not bring himself to look at the hand. â€Å"Peter comes from a family lineage that has always had a passion for all things ancient and mystical.† â€Å"Was that a yes?† Sato asked. â€Å"I can assure you that even if Peter believes the Ancient Mysteries are real, he does not believe they are accessible through some kind of portal hidden in Washington, D.C. He understands metaphorical symbolism, which is something his captor apparently does not.† Sato nodded. â€Å"So you believe this portal is a metaphor.† â€Å"Of course,† Langdon said. â€Å"In theory, anyway. It's a very common metaphor–a mystical portal through which one must travel to become enlightened. Portals and doorways are common symbolic constructs that represent transformative rites of passage. To look for a literal portal would be like trying to locate the actual Gates of Heaven.† Sato seemed to consider this momentarily. â€Å"But it sounds like Mr. Solomon's captor believes you can unlock an actual portal.† Langdon exhaled. â€Å"He's made the same error many zealots make–confusing metaphor with a literal reality.† Similarly, early alchemists had toiled in vain to transform lead into gold, never realizing that lead-to-gold was nothing but a metaphor for tapping into true human potential– that of taking a dull, ignorant mind and transforming it into a bright, enlightened one. Sato motioned to the hand. â€Å"If this man wants you to locate some kind of portal for him, why wouldn't he simply tell you how to find it? Why all the dramatics? Why give you a tattooed hand?† Langdon had asked himself the same question and the answer was unsettling. â€Å"Well, it seems the man we are dealing with, in addition to being mentally unstable, is also highly educated. This hand is proof that he is well versed in the Mysteries as well as their codes of secrecy. Not to mention with the history of this room.† â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"Everything he has done tonight was done in perfect accordance with ancient protocols. Traditionally, the Hand of the Mysteries is a sacred invitation, and therefore it must be presented in a sacred place.† Sato's eyes narrowed. â€Å"This is the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building, Professor, not some sacred shrine to ancient mystical secrets.† â€Å"Actually, ma'am,† Langdon said, â€Å"I know a great number of historians who would disagree with you.† At that moment, across town, Trish Dunne was seated in the glow of the plasma wall inside the Cube. She finished preparing her search spider and typed in the five key phrases Katherine had given her. Here goes nothing. Feeling little optimism, she launched the spider, effectively commencing a worldwide game of Go Fish. At blinding speed, the phrases were now being compared to texts all over the world . . . looking for a perfect match. Trish couldn't help but wonder what this was all about, but she had come to accept that working with the Solomons meant never quite knowing the entire story. CHAPTER 20 Robert Langdon stole an anxious glance at his wristwatch: 7:58 P.M. The smiling face of Mickey Mouse did little to cheer him up. I've got to find Peter. We're wasting time. Sato had stepped aside for a moment to take a phone call, but now she returned to Langdon. â€Å"Professor, am I keeping you from something?† â€Å"No, ma'am,† Langdon said, pulling his sleeve down over his watch. â€Å"I'm just extremely concerned about Peter.† â€Å"I can understand, but I assure you the best thing you can do to help Peter is to help me understand the mind-set of his captor.† Langdon was not so sure, but he sensed he was not going anywhere until the OS director got the information she desired. â€Å"A moment ago,† Sato said, â€Å"you suggested this Rotunda is somehow sacred to the idea of these Ancient Mysteries?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"Explain that to me.† Langdon knew he would have to choose his words sparingly. He had taught for entire semesters on the mystical symbolism of Washington, D.C., and there was an almost inexhaustible list of mystical references in this building alone. America has a hidden past. Every time Langdon lectured on the symbology of America, his students were confounded to learn that the true intentions of our nation's forefathers had absolutely nothing to do with what so many politicians now claimed. America's intended destiny has been lost to history. The forefathers who founded this capital city first named her â€Å"Rome.† They had named her river the Tiber and erected a classical capital of pantheons and temples, all adorned with images of history's great gods and goddesses–Apollo, Minerva, Venus, Helios, Vulcan, Jupiter. In her center, as in many of the great classical cities, the founders had erected an enduring tribute to the ancients–the Egyptian obelisk. This obelisk, larger even than Cairo's or Alexandria's, rose 555 feet into the sky, more than thirty stories, proclaiming thanks and honor to the demigod forefather for whom this capital city took its newer name. Washington. Now, centuries later, despite America's separation of church and state, this state-sponsored Rotunda glistened with ancient religious symbolism. There were over a dozen different gods in the Rotunda–more than the original Pantheon in Rome. Of course, the Roman Pantheon had been converted to Christianity in 609 . . . but this pantheon was never converted; vestiges of its true history still remained in plain view. â€Å"As you may know,† Langdon said, â€Å"this Rotunda was designed as a tribute to one of Rome's most venerated mystical shrines. The Temple of Vesta.† â€Å"As in the vestal virgins?† Sato looked doubtful that Rome's virginal guardians of the flame had anything to do with the U.S. Capitol Building. â€Å"The Temple of Vesta in Rome,† Langdon said, â€Å"was circular, with a gaping hole in the floor, through which the sacred fire of enlightenment could be tended by a sisterhood of virgins whose job it was to ensure the flame never went out.† Sato shrugged. â€Å"This Rotunda is a circle, but I see no gaping hole in this floor.† â€Å"No, not anymore, but for years the center of this room had a large opening precisely where Peter's hand is now.† Langdon motioned to the floor. â€Å"In fact, you can still see the marks in the floor from the railing that kept people from falling in.† â€Å"What?† Sato demanded, scrutinizing the floor. â€Å"I've never heard that.† â€Å"Looks like he's right.† Anderson pointed out the circle of iron nubs where the posts had once been. â€Å"I've seen these before, but I never had any idea why they were there.† You're not alone, Langdon thought, imagining the thousands of people every day, including famous lawmakers, who strode across the center of the Rotunda having no idea there was once a day when they would have plunged down into the Capitol Crypt–the level beneath the Rotunda floor. â€Å"The hole in the floor,† Langdon told them, â€Å"was eventually covered, but for a good while, those who visited the Rotunda could see straight down to the fire that burned below.† Sato turned. â€Å"Fire? In the U.S. Capitol?† â€Å"More of a large torch, actually–an eternal flame that burned in the crypt directly beneath us. It was supposed to be visible through the hole in the floor, making this room a modern Temple of Vesta. This building even had its own vestal virgin–a federal employee called the Keeper of the Crypt–who successfully kept the flame burning for fifty years, until politics, religion, and smoke damage snuffed out the idea.† Both Anderson and Sato looked surprised. Nowadays, the only reminder that a flame once burned here was the four-pointed star compass embedded in the crypt floor one story below them–a symbol of America's eternal flame, which once shed illumination toward the four corners of the New World. â€Å"So, Professor,† Sato said, â€Å"your contention is that the man who left Peter's hand here knew all this?† â€Å"Clearly. And much, much more. There are symbols all over this room that reflect a belief in the Ancient Mysteries.† â€Å"Secret wisdom,† Sato said with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice. â€Å"Knowledge that lets men acquire godlike powers?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"That hardly fits with the Christian underpinnings of this country.† â€Å"So it would seem, but it's true. This transformation of man into God is called apotheosis. Whether or not you're aware of it, this theme–transforming man into god–is the core element in this Rotunda's symbolism.† â€Å"Apotheosis?† Anderson spun with a startled look of recognition. â€Å"Yes.† Anderson works here. He knows. â€Å"The word apotheosis literally means `divine transformation'–that of man becoming God. It's from the ancient Greek: apo–`to become,' theos–`god.' â€Å" Anderson looked amazed. â€Å"Apotheosis means `to become God'? I had no idea.† â€Å"What am I missing?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Ma'am,† Langdon said, â€Å"the largest painting in this building is called The Apotheosis of Washington. And it clearly depicts George Washington being transformed into a god.† Sato looked doubtful. â€Å"I've never seen anything of the sort.† â€Å"Actually, I'm sure you have.† Langdon raised his index finger, pointing straight up. â€Å"It's directly over your head.† CHAPTER 21 The Apotheosis of Washington–a 4,664-square-foot fresco that covers the canopy of the Capitol Rotunda–was completed in 1865 by Constantino Brumidi. Known as â€Å"The Michelangelo of the Capitol,† Brumidi had laid claim to the Capitol Rotunda in the same way Michelangelo had laid claim to the Sistine Chapel, by painting a fresco on the room's most lofty canvas–the ceiling. Like Michelangelo, Brumidi had done some of his finest work inside the Vatican. Brumidi, however, immigrated to America in 1852, abandoning God's largest shrine in favor of a new shrine, the U.S. Capitol, which now glistened with examples of his mastery–from the trompe l'oeil of the Brumidi Corridors to the frieze ceiling of the Vice President's Room. And yet it was the enormous image hovering above the Capitol Rotunda that most historians considered to be Brumidi's masterwork. Robert Langdon gazed up at the massive fresco that covered the ceiling. He usually enjoyed his students' startled reactions to this fresco's bizarre imagery, but at the moment he simply felt trapped in a nightmare he had yet to understand. Director Sato was standing next to him with her hands on her hips, frowning up at the distant ceiling. Langdon sensed she was having the same reaction many had when they first stopped to examine the painting at the core of their nation. Utter confusion. You're not alone, Langdon thought. For most people, The Apotheosis of Washington got stranger and stranger the longer they looked at it. â€Å"That's George Washington on the central panel,† Langdon said, pointing 180 feet upward into the middle of the dome. â€Å"As you can see, he's dressed in white robes, attended by thirteen maidens, and ascending on a cloud above mortal man. This is the moment of his apotheosis . . . his transformation into a god.† Sato and Anderson said nothing. â€Å"Nearby,† Langdon continued, â€Å"you can see a strange, anachronistic series of figures: ancient gods presenting our forefathers with advanced knowledge. There's Minerva giving technological inspiration to our nation's great inventors–Ben Franklin, Robert Fulton, Samuel Morse.† Langdon pointed them out one by one. â€Å"And over there is Vulcan helping us build a steam engine. Beside them is Neptune demonstrating how to lay the transatlantic cable. Beside that is Ceres, goddess of grain and root of our word cereal; she's sitting on the McCormick reaper, the farming breakthrough that enabled this country to become a world leader in food production. The painting quite overtly portrays our forefathers receiving great wisdom from the gods.† He lowered his head, looking at Sato now. â€Å"Knowledge is power, and the right knowledge lets man perform miraculous, almost godlike tasks.† Sato dropped her gaze back down to Langdon and rubbed her neck. â€Å"Laying a phone cable is a far cry from being a god.† â€Å"Perhaps to a modern man,† Langdon replied. â€Å"But if George Washington knew that we had become a race that possessed the power to speak to one another across oceans, fly at the speed of sound, and set foot on our moon, he would assume that we had become gods, capable of miraculous tasks.† He paused. â€Å"In the words of futurist Arthur C. Clarke, `Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.' â€Å" Sato pursed her lips, apparently deep in thought. She glanced down at the hand, and then followed the direction of the outstretched index finger up into the dome. â€Å"Professor, you were told, `Peter will point the way.' Is that correct?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am, but–â€Å" â€Å"Chief,† Sato said, turning away from Langdon, â€Å"can you get us a closer look at the painting?† Anderson nodded. â€Å"There's a catwalk around the interior of the dome.† Langdon looked way, way up to the tiny railing visible just beneath the painting and felt his body go rigid. â€Å"There's no need to go up there.† He had experienced that seldom-visited catwalk once before, as the guest of a U.S. senator and his wife, and he had almost fainted from the dizzying height and perilous walkway. â€Å"No need?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Professor, we have a man who believes this room contains a portal that has the potential to make him a god; we have a ceiling fresco that symbolizes the transformation of a man into a god; and we have a hand pointing straight at that painting. It seems everything is urging us upward.† â€Å"Actually,† Anderson interjected, glancing up, â€Å"not many people know this, but there is one hexagonal coffer in the dome that actually swings open like a portal, and you can peer down through it and–â€Å" â€Å"Wait a second,† Langdon said, â€Å"you're missing the point. The portal this man is looking for is a figurative portal–a gateway that doesn't exist. When he said, `Peter will point the way,' he was talking in metaphorical terms. This pointing-hand gesture–with its index finger and thumb extended upward–is a well-known symbol of the Ancient Mysteries, and it appears all over the world in ancient art. This same gesture appears in three of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous encoded masterpieces–The Last Supper, Adoration of the Magi, and Saint John the Baptist. It's a symbol of man's mystical connection to God.† As above, so below. The madman's bizarre choice of words was starting to feel more relevant now. â€Å"I've never seen it before,† Sato said. Then watch ESPN, Langdon thought, always amused to see professional athletes point skyward in gratitude to God after a touchdown or home run. He wondered how many knew they were continuing a pre-Christian mystical tradition of acknowledging the mystical power above, which, for one brief moment, had transformed them into a god capable of miraculous feats. â€Å"If it's of any help,† Langdon said, â€Å"Peter's hand is not the first such hand to make an appearance in this Rotunda.† Sato eyed him like he was insane. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† Langdon motioned to her BlackBerry. â€Å"Google `George Washington Zeus.' â€Å" Sato looked uncertain but started typing. Anderson inched toward her, looking over her shoulder intently. Langdon said, â€Å"This Rotunda was once dominated by a massive sculpture of a bare-chested George Washington . . . depicted as a god. He sat in the same exact pose as Zeus in the Pantheon, bare chest exposed, left hand holding a sword, right hand raised with thumb and finger extended.† Sato had apparently found an online image, because Anderson was staring at her BlackBerry in shock. â€Å"Hold on, that's George Washington?† â€Å"Yes,† Langdon said. â€Å"Depicted as Zeus.† â€Å"Look at his hand,† Anderson said, still peering over Sato's shoulder. â€Å"His right hand is in the same exact position as Mr. Solomon's.† As I said, Langdon thought, Peter's hand is not the first to make an appearance in this room. When Horatio Greenough's statue of a naked George Washington was first unveiled in the Rotunda, many joked that Washington must be reaching skyward in a desperate attempt to find some clothes. As American religious ideals changed, however, the joking criticism turned to controversy, and the statue was removed, banished to a shed in the east garden. Currently, it made its home at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, where those who saw it had no reason to suspect that it was one of the last vestigial links to a time when the father of the country had watched over the U.S. Capitol as a god . . . like Zeus watching over the Pantheon. Sato began dialing a number on her BlackBerry, apparently seeing this as an opportune moment to check in with her staff. â€Å"What have you got?† She listened patiently. â€Å"I see . . .† She glanced directly at Langdon, then at Peter's hand. â€Å"You're certain?† She listened a moment longer. â€Å"Okay, thanks.† She hung up and turned back toward Langdon. â€Å"My support staff did some research and confirms the existence of your so-called Hand of the Mysteries, corroborating everything you said: five fingertip markings–the star, the sun, the key, the crown, and the lantern–as well as the fact that this hand served as an ancient invitation to learn secret wisdom.† â€Å"I'm glad,† Langdon said. â€Å"Don't be,† she replied curtly. â€Å"It appears we're now at a dead end until you share whatever it is you're still not telling me.† â€Å"Ma'am?† Sato stepped toward him. â€Å"We've come full circle, Professor. You've told me nothing I could not have learned from my own staff. And so I will ask you once more. Why were you brought here tonight? What makes you so special? What is it that you alone know?† â€Å"We've been through this,† Langdon fired back. â€Å"I don't know why this guy thinks I know anything at all!† Langdon was half tempted to demand how the hell Sato knew that he was in the Capitol tonight, but they'd been through that, too. Sato isn't talking. â€Å"If I knew the next step,† he told her, â€Å"I'd tell you. But I don't. Traditionally, the Hand of the Mysteries is extended by a teacher to a student. And then, shortly afterward, the hand is followed up with a set of instructions . . . directions to a temple, the name of the master who will teach you–something! But all this guy left for us is five tattoos! Hardly–† Langdon stopped short. Sato eyed him. â€Å"What is it?† Langdon's eyes shot back to the hand. Five tattoos. He now realized that what he was saying might not be entirely true. â€Å"Professor?† Sato pressed. Langdon inched toward the gruesome object. Peter will point the way. â€Å"Earlier, it crossed my mind that maybe this guy had left an object clenched in Peter's palm–a map, or a letter, or a set of directions.† â€Å"He didn't,† Anderson said. â€Å"As you can see, those three fingers are not clenched tightly.† â€Å"You're right,† Langdon said. â€Å"But it occurs to me . . .† He crouched down now, trying to see up under the fingers to the hidden part of Peter's palm. â€Å"Maybe it's not written on paper.† â€Å"Tattooed?† Anderson said. Langdon nodded. â€Å"Do you see anything on the palm?† Sato asked. Langdon crouched lower, trying to peer up under the loosely clenched fingers. â€Å"The angle is impossible. I can't–â€Å" â€Å"Oh, for heaven's sake,† Sato said, moving toward him. â€Å"Just open the damned thing!† Anderson stepped in front of her. â€Å"Ma'am! We should really wait for forensics before we touch–† â€Å"I want some answers,† Sato said, pushing past him. She crouched down, edging Langdon away from the hand. Langdon stood up and watched in disbelief as Sato pulled a pen from her pocket, sliding it carefully under the three clenched fingers. Then, one by one, she pried each finger upward until the hand stood fully open, with its palm visible. She glanced up at Langdon, and a thin smile spread across her face. â€Å"Right again, Professor.†

Comparing The Allegory of the Cave and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Plato’s work in the Allegory of the Cave emphasizes the actualization of reality and truth. Fredrick Douglass’ life, which is portrayed in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, is similar to Plato’s philosophical idea presented in â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave. † Plato, a Greek philosopher introduces the significant meaning of reality and truth through his philosophical text. He illustrates the difference between illusion and the real world, which represents reality. In comparison, Frederick Douglass was an African American who had limited rights since he was a slave.Douglass decided to escape the darkness and get educated to become aware of the outside world. The definition of progress in both tales, are very similar. In both stories, there are four major progressions. First, both stories begin with men who are in the stage of ignorance. Second, these men are somehow able to escape from their bondage to ignorance. Third, they ar e enlightened. Fourth, they go back to their fellow friends, who are still bound to ignorance, and enlighten them. â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave† and the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass share the path to knowledge from ignorance.Initially, the idea of imprisonment is implied. The people from the cave were tied up along the wall with fire that created shadow against a wall. In â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave†, the shadows caused misrepresentation of the real world, or ignorance. On the other hand, Douglass was held back from learning how to read and write by society during that time period. Unfortunately, his identity was forced upon him to be a slave, since there was racism, oppression, discrimination, degradation and segregation between white persons and black persons.Therefore, it was difficult for African-Americans to speak, know, or understand freedom. At first, it was impossible for the two groups, those chained in the cave and African-Americans, to af fect their immediate environment, or realistic elements, since they lacked liberty. In addition, exclusion from the freedom to interact with the â€Å"real world† led to other people accepting the way they live, believing there was no other choice. In the second stage, Douglass and one of the prisoners from the cave received the opportunity to explore the real world.When Douglass was sent to Baltimore, he gained new insight and was introduced to a new world. Douglass was eager and strongly felt the necessity for gaining an education. Despite all the possible obstacles and consequences, Douglass was eager and felt the necessity to learn how to read and write. He tried to get the help from the his surroundings to obtain an education. However, the most important lesson he got was that he started to realize the real reason for the existence of slavery.On the other hand, the man freed from the cave was forced to adapt himself to a new environment. Looking at the light, numerous li ving organisms, and other objects had created a different interpretation of his existent. In both situations, it was extremely difficult to accept the reality for both Fredrick Douglass and the freed man. Despite initial difficulties and fears, realizing and observing another reality created an eye-opening moment. In the third stage, Douglass gained much insight through his education, which led him to read books about slavery.Later on, anger builds up as Douglass discovers the forced identity on him and he started to rebel against his masters. In comparison, as the time went on, the freed man got used to the new surroundings available to him. He realized that sunlight and other objects were useful and beneficial. Later, the freed man realized that the sun is an essential part of the world we live in. The final stage in both pieces of literature was the most important. Their final goal was to educate others who were still living in darkness, or ignorance.The freed man took as many pr isoners out of the cave to help them attain knowledge. In addition, upon contemplation of these steps, one may make the following philosophical reasoning: perception of reality is learned through our observations. In comparison, Douglass was eager to seek freedom and got himself to New York. However, he did not end his journey there but fought for the rights of those stilled enslaved. In addition, he eventually wrote about life story to educate others and to motivate others to stand up for equality.Plato and Douglass came from different time periods in history, along with different styles of text. Plato represented his text philosophically and allegorically but the literature that Douglass represented was presented in non-fictional and historical context. However, the time period did not affect the perspectives towards human beings. â€Å"Plato’s The Allegory of the Cave† and Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave showed their r espective audience how the idea in relation to ignorance, education, and the way of perceiving of the reality is similar. Comparing The Allegory of the Cave and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Plato’s work in the Allegory of the Cave emphasizes the actualization of reality and truth. Fredrick Douglass’ life, which is portrayed in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, is similar to Plato’s philosophical idea presented in â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave. † Plato, a Greek philosopher introduces the significant meaning of reality and truth through his philosophical text. He illustrates the difference between illusion and the real world, which represents reality. In comparison, Frederick Douglass was an African American who had limited rights since he was a slave.Douglass decided to escape the darkness and get educated to become aware of the outside world. The definition of progress in both tales, are very similar. In both stories, there are four major progressions. First, both stories begin with men who are in the stage of ignorance. Second, these men are somehow able to escape from their bondage to ignorance. Third, they ar e enlightened. Fourth, they go back to their fellow friends, who are still bound to ignorance, and enlighten them. â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave† and the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass share the path to knowledge from ignorance.Initially, the idea of imprisonment is implied. The people from the cave were tied up along the wall with fire that created shadow against a wall. In â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave†, the shadows caused misrepresentation of the real world, or ignorance. On the other hand, Douglass was held back from learning how to read and write by society during that time period. Unfortunately, his identity was forced upon him to be a slave, since there was racism, oppression, discrimination, degradation and segregation between white persons and black persons.Therefore, it was difficult for African-Americans to speak, know, or understand freedom. At first, it was impossible for the two groups, those chained in the cave and African-Americans, to af fect their immediate environment, or realistic elements, since they lacked liberty. In addition, exclusion from the freedom to interact with the â€Å"real world† led to other people accepting the way they live, believing there was no other choice. In the second stage, Douglass and one of the prisoners from the cave received the opportunity to explore the real world.When Douglass was sent to Baltimore, he gained new insight and was introduced to a new world. Douglass was eager and strongly felt the necessity for gaining an education. Despite all the possible obstacles and consequences, Douglass was eager and felt the necessity to learn how to read and write. He tried to get the help from the his surroundings to obtain an education. However, the most important lesson he got was that he started to realize the real reason for the existence of slavery.On the other hand, the man freed from the cave was forced to adapt himself to a new environment. Looking at the light, numerous li ving organisms, and other objects had created a different interpretation of his existent. In both situations, it was extremely difficult to accept the reality for both Fredrick Douglass and the freed man. Despite initial difficulties and fears, realizing and observing another reality created an eye-opening moment. In the third stage, Douglass gained much insight through his education, which led him to read books about slavery.Later on, anger builds up as Douglass discovers the forced identity on him and he started to rebel against his masters. In comparison, as the time went on, the freed man got used to the new surroundings available to him. He realized that sunlight and other objects were useful and beneficial. Later, the freed man realized that the sun is an essential part of the world we live in. The final stage in both pieces of literature was the most important. Their final goal was to educate others who were still living in darkness, or ignorance.The freed man took as many pr isoners out of the cave to help them attain knowledge. In addition, upon contemplation of these steps, one may make the following philosophical reasoning: perception of reality is learned through our observations. In comparison, Douglass was eager to seek freedom and got himself to New York. However, he did not end his journey there but fought for the rights of those stilled enslaved. In addition, he eventually wrote about life story to educate others and to motivate others to stand up for equality.Plato and Douglass came from different time periods in history, along with different styles of text. Plato represented his text philosophically and allegorically but the literature that Douglass represented was presented in non-fictional and historical context. However, the time period did not affect the perspectives towards human beings. â€Å"Plato’s The Allegory of the Cave† and Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave showed their r espective audience how the idea in relation to ignorance, education, and the way of perceiving of the reality is similar.

American Persona

A persona as commonly known to many people is a social role played by a character. With all the kind of immigration that continuously takes place in America it is not easy to clearly distinguish who is an American. An American persona in a general perspective refers to someone whose origin is America. In history an American refers to the Red Indians; now they are refered to according to the political nomenclature Native Americans. Ironically, they have been reduced to almost an extinct community in their own country. Is it possible for one to clearly define an Italian, a British or a German? The America we live in has a Paris in Texas, a Moscow in Idaho and a Birmingham in Alabama. Even bigger cities and states in the world have changed their old cities names to others like New York, and New Jersey. Several Asian and American countries have changed the names adopted during the colonial era to others which match their customs and traditions. This is not the case to American personalities. After a whole 200 year period of being a free Nation, America is really content to remain residing to the areas where their parents, grandparents and other relatives had left behind. They are not destined to come up with other names that are not American. When someone talks about an American it is almost obvious that an ethnic prefix will be added before the word American for instance: Italian American, Russian American and Polish American. The single ethnic group who do not use these prefixes include the one whose ancestors were originally from British. That is why it is rare to here that one is an English American. The United States of America is a land that is known for its richness in diversity and cultures. In American history the natives, settlers and immigrants have learned a lot and passed through several challenges here and there. Generalising the nation for specific characteristics may not be very simple. The reason as to why this is so is because this society has several other communities in it with which have their own distinct characteristics. Whereas the Native American society has a tendency of being hardy, the settlers introduced versatility in the utilization of America’s rich resources and the colonists are uniquely associated with the introduction of scope for restraint and amalgamation of the diverse nature of America. The other source of uniqueness of Americans include the size of the nation and its climatic changes; ranging from winter, autumn and summer. The variation of the geography of the region has a great impact on the ethnic communities in the region. If variety is the secret answer to spicy life then America has it. The range in diversity goes all the way from the Atlantic region up to the Pacific area. Americans are known to the whole world for the value and respect of their individuality. The kind of spirit they poses that can never be doubted in the eye of the storm of the worldwide contradiction. People of America embrace resilience and equality among themselves and even other people with whom they live. Even though they did not adopt these aspects as a result of suffering and forcefulness, but they learned them very fast in a quick and thorough way. Like they battled with American civil war and colonisation, they also fought to bring down racial differences with strength and vigour of character. Their decisions always relied on the fact that they respect the underlying unity of thought, deeds and actions. In regard to fearlessness, they believe that as a nation they establish their own destiny. They have never acted in fear when they want to speak up. They have in various circumstances voiced their values and opinions freely. The attribute of not fearing anyone makes them able to express their opinions regarding politics without fear and abide by the liberties bestowed upon them as a society by the US constitution without fear or favour. The fact that they are fearless makes them able to refrain from collecting class distinctions or conscience (Burnett et al. ) According to their concern attribute, they are friendly to everyone in nature and can take their friendship to the next level genuinely. That is why they take part as forerunners in the United Nations. On the attribute of being informal and realistic, Americans are most comfortable when they are informal; this is not only confined to dress code and manners, but to all aspects of their lives. They are known for being able to break the fetters and find their way to the rooftop. In terms of being realistic they may or may not assume that their acquaintances are also their close friends. It is obvious that their variation in English language is strange all over but this does not hinder people from accepting them the way they are. The differences in spelling and pronunciation make more sense. It is not easy for a person who is not born in America to develop a system that is distinctly American. America’s foreign policy affects each and every person in the world in terms of prices, taxes, supply of gasoline, and the lives of our soldiers also depends on how we associate with US. This country can bring hope to the lives of the poorest people in the world. It is because of their persona that they are able to respect the lives of others who are not even their own. Most American citizens believe in embracing their values, justice, fairness, democracy, a helping hand when there is need and hard work. Their values are applied from their households, to community and to the rest of the world. The middle path of foreign policy requires that people work together with their allies, reward individuals who share American values and join arms against hatred (Alan and Steve). It would not be right to say that the American persona needs to be changed and not adopted, yet it is embraced by all Americans and is composed of very good attributes that should apply to every other nation in the rest of the world. Americans may be guided by the fact that ‘time is money’, though when they decide to unwind, it is difficult to compare to any other. To them being punctual is a virtue and a form of professionalism and life is as easy as a personal one. They accept that they are materialistic, but accept it and do not shy away from that. Works Cited Rebbecca, Burnett. , Elizabeth, Foster. , and Judith, Stanford. American Persona: A creative approach to writing. Littleton, MA: Sundance Press. 1998. Print. Alan, Dobson and Steve, Mash. US Foreign policy since 1945. New York: Routledge Press. 2002. Print.

Literature Review and Resource File Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Literature Review and Resource File - Essay Example et al. (2007). The Effectiveness of HIV Partner Counseling and Referral Services in Increasing Identification of HIV- Positive Individuals: A Systematic Review. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 33(2S), 89-100. The central idea addressed is that a PCRS effort that employs the use of provider referral is effective in identifying people infected with HIV. However, this research cannot find enough evidence to determine if PCRS is also effective for reducing transmission or changing behavior. Robinson, R. et al. and Moodie-Mills, A. C. (2012). HIV/AIDS Inequality: Structural Barriers to Prevention, Treatment, and Care in Communities of Color: Why We Need A Holistic Approach to Eliminate Racial Disparities in HIV/AIDS. Center for American Progress. pp. 1-20. The author(s) of this article, Robinson and Moodie-Mills, provides important and informative concepts for a public health practitioner because it not only identifies a range of barriers in the prevention and treatment of HIV in a certain community, but also suggests ways in which those barriers can be removed. The article explores structural barriers that include but are not limited to racial disparity, residential segregation, housing discrimination, lack of sex education, criminal injustice, laws for HIV exposure, and immigration. The overall idea advanced by this article is creating awareness in people about what HIV is, how it is acquired, and how it can be prevented, providing sex education to people, using miscellaneous strategies of treatment of HIV, and suggesting necessary modifications in laws and regulations to help tackle the problem effectively. This article is important for a public health practitioner in order to understand what is the present level of knowledge and information regarding the cure for HIV and what options are available for treatment of the infected people. The article explains that No cure has been identified for HIV-1 as yet, although therapeutic research is

CPT and ICD-9 Coding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CPT and ICD-9 Coding - Essay Example The International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) manual, is used by patients. For instance, when a patient wants to find the codes, one is required to input the keywords and the codes are presented on the screen. 3. Describe how to use the HCPCS manual? The Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) are numbers that are assigned to medical practitioners who provide diagnostic services. Therefore, the HCPCS manual is used in the identification of the medical practitioners and their payment after diagnosis. One inputs the number of any particular medical practitioner and the details are displayed. 4. Define upcoding and explain why it should be avoided? Upcoding is a provider’s use of the CPT codes so as to invoice a health cover customer for providing a higher-service than the actual. This should be avoided since it is illegal, and it is a fraud. Furthermore, it is more costly to the taxpayers and

Discussion board 2 - Research Design Class Essay

Discussion board 2 - Research Design Class - Essay Example Such studies are also significant since they present near real life situations as opposed to case studies and experimental studies which may are always done under controlled conditions. An example of business-related research that might be better handled by longitudinal approaches are the buying patterns for grocery products among families in a specific town. This is because, such data will indicate changes in the in the buying patterns and behavior of those families and households over time. Another example of a longitudinal study is a research conducted to determine the suitability of a product in for a market over its lifetime in a market (product market research). This method of study in both cases is suitable since in the first case, measurement of data over time to determine trend is applicable. In the second example, the method is applicable it involves the establishment of temporal order. Posting 1 is correct in stating that longitudinal studies normally gather information on a population at a single point in time. The posting is however wrong to state that quantitative research can be performed more quickly than experimental and longitudinal design. This is because the later two designs are subsets of quantitative research. The US census is a longitudinal study in which case the posting is correct as it involves repetition in collection of the same (or similar) data over time. The example of changing product packaging as an experiment is correctly stated as two groups may be applied (views regarding the first packaging and the second packaging). An experimental study however would not provide answers as to why consumers would like one type of packaging and not the other as stated by the posting. In stating that â€Å"both methods are typically more expensive and time-consuming for a company than performing cross-sectional research†, posting 1 is wrong. This i s so since

Leadership and Organisational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership and Organisational Behaviour - Essay Example According to the discussion  Schmidt is in the practice of listing down his best employees and communicate with them in a personal manner to encourage them to perform better. There are also numerous systems in the organization to reward top performing employees such as stock option, financial incentives, etc. He makes his employees feel that they are the owners of their work and to facilitate such an environment he provided a broad definition of the goals of the company.This paper outlines that  Schmidt leaves the implementation part of achieving the goals of the organization entirely to his employees. He doesn’t prefer to interfere in this regard. Schmidt reinforced the entire system of his organization such that the hierarchies of the organization do not get in the way of employees with regard to their performance. Google Inc is in the practice of following a â€Å"distributed leadership† culture for its employees. Distributed leadership culture states that people living in the environment are primarily responsible and also accountable for group and personal development. Team work is the best alternative to find the path that is best suited for an organization. It is concerned about the fact that each member of an organization must take a different role and that there must be demonstration of collective responsibility in this regard.  Google Inc expects its employees to share their expertise and ideas in this ever changing environment to achieve constant growth.

Reflective paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Reflective paper - Essay Example Pieces of art communicate to the art lovers in different ways but a precise knowledge of the gender of the artist would shed some light on what they wanted to put across. Through art, men could express appreciation of the female figure or shape as well as exploitation of the same while feminists have used art to their advantage to express woman power and their solidarity as women. Gender difference means that gender constitutes a system of meanings consisting two exclusive and opposite categories, which encompass all people. Gender has its basis on cultural interpretations of existing biological differences between men and women and not so much as the differences that exist biologically per se. Gender difference is represented in the physiological features and the appeal that revealing of body parts by women has to men even in advertisement (Leder & Geger et al. 2-10). The man is represented with a flat burst while that of women is protruding in form of breasts. The physical features themselves show a clear difference between the masculine and the feminine. The muscle in the forearms suggests masculinity while curves and hips suggest femininity. Human beings are sensate beings and our interpretation of the world is through our senses (Leder & Geger et al. 2-10). Gender and family are very significant determinants of the physical as well as social environments represented in art. The physical constructions order as well as direct activities, feelings of identity, and relationships in very profound ways. These quite different construct types share a unique mutually determinant relationship with one another. At any specific time in history, ideas concerning family and gender are used in art to determine the physical location and design of open places, places of work, and dwellings including other designed settings. It is these environments that eventually reinforce and support the ideas of gender in art that were used to generate them.

Private enterprise system Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Private enterprise system - Research Paper Example The competitive nature of the economy, due to the capitalist system, makes it easier for consumers and firms to buy and sell goods and services freely. In a private enterprise system in its purest form all factors of production are privately owned and there is no intention from the government to set market prices or intervene in the economy (Gitman & McDaniel 2007). Due to the little intervention by the government market forces dominate the economy and the three basic questions in economics: 1) what to produce? 2) how to produce? and 3) for whom to produce? are determined by the market mechanisms of demand and supply. 1. What goods and services to produce: it is the people who decide the mix of goods and services that should be produced and sold in the economy. The people demand those goods and services that they either need or want. Their needs and wants are based on the amount of income they have or wealth they possess to buy the goods and services. Firms then produce and supply th e goods and services that are demanded by the customers in order to maximize their profits. 2. How to produce the goods and services: as there are limited resources available to an economy, producers aim to use minimum resources to maximize output and profits. As a result firms use the most effective, efficient and least costly factors of productions to produce the goods and services desired by the consumers in the economy. 3. For whom to produce: as there are only a limited number of resources available hence only a limited amount of goods and services can be produced. People’s income is the major determinant regarding who gets the produced goods and services. Although firms produce the goods and services demanded by the economy, people with more income and more money at their disposal will dominate and be able to buy whatever they desire. Hence as can be seen the basic economic questions are answered in a private enterprise system by the decisions of producers, consumers an d the market forces of demand and supply. There are four economic rights in a private enterprise system. The fundamental right on which the whole capitalist system stands is the right to own private property. As the private enterprise system states that resources are privately owned, people have the right to buy, sell, own, use and transfer property. Some forms of property include land, machinery, building, equipment and private possessions. People won’t be able to sell goods and services if they are not allowed the right to own as they will not be able to transfer this right to others through an agreement. The second right that exists in a private enterprise system is that the business owners have the right to keep profits from their business activities after taxes have been paid. Profit is the reward for the business owners as he is the one who takes the risk of investing his privately owned resources in the business hence any income generated by the owner in excess of his costs becomes his profit which he is entitled to keep. Another important right is the right of freedom of choice. People in the private enterprise economy are free to choose their own job, find alternate jobs if they are not satisfied with the current, become part of labor unions, negotiate their wage with the employer, choose from a diverse range of goods and service or choose to set up their own business. As can be highlighted from these examples

Regulatory Agency Paper Essay Example for Free

Regulatory Agency Paper Essay The Joint Commission (TJC) is the nations oldest and largest accrediting body in health care that sets the standards for quality care. It is a non-profit and independent organization that surveys and accredits more than 20,000 healthcare organizations in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is known to be the symbol of quality in an organization’s assurance in enduring certain performance standards. Organizations undergo an onsite survey by a survey team from The Joint Commission at least every three years to earn and maintain the gold seal of approval with the exception of laboratories. Laboratory accreditation by The Joint Commission is every two years. Structure The Joint Commission was founded in 1951 whose primary purpose was to provide voluntary accreditation for meeting established minimum quality standards. According to The Joint Commission, the standards of quality were reformed in 1970 to represent the highest achievable levels, instead of minimum necessary levels. This movement spearheaded the current form of survey where in a continuous quality improvement is promoted. TJC was used to be called the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) back in 1987 and was recently changed to The Joint Commission (TJC) after changing its trademark in 2007. According to The Joint Commission, it has three additional affiliated bodies, each a separate corporate entity: 1.) The Joint Commission Resources, which publishes educational offerings and consultation materials, 2.) Joint Commission International, established to extend the offerings of The Joint Commission to foreign nations, and 3.) The Center for Transforming Healthcare, created for accredited organizations to provide continuous solutions and guidance. The Joint Commission’s Division of Accreditation and Certification Operations performs field operations, including surveyor Management Development, and scheduling of site visits (The Joint Commission, 2014). Effects on Health Care Numerous health care organizations are subjected to inspection and accreditation. Nursing homes, physician’s clinics, surgery centers, behavioral health facilities, hospitals, and home health care providers are subjected to surveys to earn an accredited status. Accreditation status is  crucial in any health care organization as it is an integral part of its individual state licensure. Once accreditation status is achieved, the facility is recognized as an organization that meets quality and is committed to meeting performance standards set by The Joint Commission. Subsequently, state licensure of a health care organization is much more difficult and impossible to achieve if the organization fails its inspection from TJC. State licensure is a required necessity to open any health care facility, without it, it cannot legally open its doors for business. It is important for health care organizations to educate and train its employees in promoting quality as it relates to customer satisfaction. Patient satisfaction is crucial in health care organization since Medicare reimbursement rate is dependent on its performance. Maintenance of a high score with Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, also known as, HCAHPS should be considered a priority. It is crucial for the hospital leadership to recognize that poor-quality care can affect an organization’s outcome and failure to integrate risk management and quality efforts can lead to partial and ineffective results. Standards for leadership in TJC recognize three leadership groups: the governing body, the chief executive and other senior managers, and the leaders of the licensed independent practitioners. Code of Federal Register The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is a centralized system for the federal government to communicate up-to-date legislation from the executive department or the agencies of the federal government to the public. The Federal Register System has two major publications. One is the Federal Register and the second is the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). â€Å"The Federal Register is published and issued every federal working day. Legislation is published first as a proposed rule followed by a comment period. The comment period is a time the public can give their input on the proposed rule. Once the rule is finalized, it becomes a legal document a minimum of 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. These final rules are then codified and published annually in the CFR. The Federal Register and the CFR must be used together to determine an up-to-date stipulation of a ruling† (Understanding the Code of Federal Regulations, 2014). CFR is divided into 50 titles that represe nt a wide area of subjects  relating to Federal regulations. Health care facilities belong to CFR 42 part 35. Duties As a part of CFR 42, The Joint Commission requires health care facilities to report sentinel events. In 1998, TJC started to require the reporting of one specific type of medical error or serious adverse event called sentinel event. It is critical for organizations to perform a root cause analysis of the event to identify the true underlying cause. This process focuses on the fact that most events are the result of system problems and are not cause for individual blame. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation (CoP) are embedded within the TJC standards, along with additional standards covering patient safety and quality of care. The Joint Commission is an authorized accrediting organization by the CMS. A hospital accredited by TJC is deemed to meet all Medicare requirements for hospitals. However, there are special conditions for psychiatric hospitals that apply. Organizations involve in providing mental health care must have a separate TJC certification in addition to the main hospital accreditation. Successful accreditation is based on the facility’s ability to correct deficiencies so there is no downside to discovery of issues during the survey process. TJC Accreditation and Certification A multi-disciplinary inspection team spends at four days in the hospital, depending on the size of the facility. Standards that measure plant safety, medical staff, quality assurance, department services and the current processes of the hospital to improve the quality of its services are surveyed. The Governing Board has an active role in in the accreditation process. According to The Joint Commission organization, it wants to see methods and systems in place to ensure that the governing board has a supervision role in the credentialing of the medical staff, quality assurance and continuous improvements of the care provided by the hospital (The Joint Commission, 2014). The Joint Commission awards a three-year accreditation to hospitals that meet its standards. In some cases, it makes receiving accreditation part of meeting certain standards between surveys. If these standards are not met, it can result to a conditional accreditation or denial of accreditation. Hospitals that are accredited are automatically eligible to participate in the Medicare program. Accreditation or Medicare certification is required for participating in most managed care programs. The Joint Commission performs unannounced surveys, except for initial surveys. The hospital receives notification of inspection at 6 am on the day of survey. The purpose of every survey is to verify compliance with the defined standards. Health care organizations must abide by the standards defined according to the performance expectations and processes to deliver quality care. According to The Joint Commission, standards are not scored; rather, each standard contains subpart Elements of Performance (EP), which are scored on â€Å"satisfactory compliance† or â€Å"insufficient compliance† levels. EPs amount to specific actions, processes, or structures that must be fulfill ed to achieve the goal of a standard. It is the EP compliance score that forms the basis for an organization’s overall compliance with a specific standard (The Joint Commission, 2014). Surveyors will usually leave the premises of the facility after a survey if there are no immediate threats found to patient lives without taking any direct actions in the facility’s operations. The survey report with Requirements for Improvement or RFI will be published. The organization has forty five to sixty days to correct the RFI notations as Evidence of Standards Compliance. There has not been a case in health care accreditation survey wherein the organization received a perfect score. Most organizations receive at least three RFIs as The Joint Commission continues to promote the value of quality in their standards. Conclusion It is necessary that health care entities such as hospitals, clinics, long term care facilities, and other health care organizations enhance their efforts in the quality of services they provide by participating in various performance improvements tools and activities. In doing so, the mandates of the Federal government are met and as well as the standards of The Joint Commission. The Joint Commission accredited organizations have been proven to achieve and provide the highest level of performance and service to their patients. Health care organizations must adhere to the provisions in the rules and regulations of the Condition of Participation (CoP) mandated by  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Preparation for a TJC survey is a challenging process as it requires an intensive assessment process of policies and procedures relative to the standards of care by The Joint Commission. To obtain accreditation, a healthcare organization must be proven in compliance wit h all the standards regulatory standards mandated by the State and Federal government. References Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services. (2014). CMS. Retrieved from http://www.cms.gov Federal Register. (2014). Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Retrieved from http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/subject-title-42.html Greenfield, D. (2008, January 18). Health Sector Accreditation Research: A Systematic Review. International Quality in Health Care, 20(3), 172-183. doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzn005 The Joint Commission. (2014). Facts abou The Joint Commission. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org Understanding The Code of Federal Regulations. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.grainger.com/content/qt-110-understanding-federal-regulations

Cultural Intelligence in Thai Society

Cultural Intelligence in Thai Society Abstract The purpose of this article was to explain and discuss cultural intelligence in Thai society where Buddhism plays a very important role to daily life of Thai people. Cultural intelligence is important can be helpful for individuals who interact with people from different cultural backgrounds and help for manage effectively culture differences. According to the model Thomas and Inkson (2004), the development of cultural intelligence occurs in five stages are reactivity, recognition, accommodation, assimilation, and proactive. There are three characteristics to increase cultural intelligence including integrity, openness, and hardiness. These characteristics look similarly in Thai culture factors. As Buddhism plays a very important role in the daily life of the Thai people. Since about 95% of the people in the kingdom of Thailand are Buddhist Therefore, Thai society or Thai people have basic from Buddha core teaching which helps people in everywhere to become more to develop cultural i ntelligence. Keywords: cultural intelligence (CQ), development cultural intelligence, Thai society Introduction In the recent year cultural intelligence (CQ) has been introduced into the global business literature (Earley, 2002; Earley Ang, 2003). This concept is meant to reflect the capability to deal effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. The ability interacts effectively with people who are culturally different. Globalization has been accelerated by a host of factors in the international business environment, including the following: New international trade agreement the growth of international trade the growth of multinational corporations the restructuring and downsizing of organizations the privatization of state enterprise the ability to locate business, particularly manufacturing, wherever cost it lowest the ability to execute financial transactions instantaneously on a global basis the transition of command economies to free markets the expansion of international migration the ability of information and communication technology to transcend time and distance (Th omas Inkson, 2004). Although international commerce may have existed for many years ago, it is only in the past few years that globalization has such a broad effect on business. Until recently only a few very large multinational companies were concerned with foreign operations. For most firms business was largely local, tried closely to the city or region in which they were located, and certainly limited to the confines of the country. Now, business extends across all manner of porous boundaries—some of which have become so porous they have almost ceased to exist—across the entire globe. Even very small firms now have the capability to be global. With a computer, a modem, and telephone connection it is possible to be a global business almost instantaneously. Because of globalization, the environment of business is now more complex, more dynamic, more uncertain, and more competitive than ever before. And there is no evidence that these trends will reverse or decrease (Thomas Inkson, 2004). Globalization of people is the result of dramatic shifts that have taken place in economics, politics, and technology. However, the day-to-day reality of global business involves interactions and relationships with people who are culturally different. In business today, we travel overseas among people from other cultures, we speak with them on international telephone calls, and we correspond with them be e-mail. Even in our home cities, we notice that more and more of our colleagues, our clients, and even the people we pass in the street are observable from cultures different from our own. The trend is inexorable. The range of different cultural backgrounds in huge; colleagues, business associates, and contacts probable represent countries or ethnic groups from all over the world. Johansen and McLean (2006) said that: Globalization, communications technology, immigration, an increased focus on religion and spirituality, and the ease of both domestic and international travel offer an opportunity to work, learn, and interact with people whose backgrounds differ from our own. To be effective, HRD practitioners must recognize how cultural background, assumptions, and view of the world influence an understanding. (P. 1) Culture can be seen as shaping the nature of social structures as they grow and adapt (Hofstede, 1991). Earley, Ang, and Tan (2006) suggested that â€Å"cultural intelligence as operating within a diversity context consisting of at least three layers – individual, team, and organization† (p. 168). As mention above, Earley (2002) concluded that it is a challenge to create suitable behavior in a new cultural setting that makes cultural intelligence unique. What is exactly cultural intelligence look like? How to improve cultural intelligence? Thomas and Inkson (2004) suggested three characteristics to increase cultural intelligence including integrity, openness, and hardiness. They also describe that culturally intelligent people see the connections between a culture and its context, history, and value orientations. People realize that knowledge of the culture of a country or region is only valuable in the context of understanding its religious, philosophical, and historical issues. All of these inspire the author to think about what does the relationship between cultural intelligence in my home county, Thailand. Thai culture has been greatly influenced by Buddhism. Thai culture is often known as â€Å"Thai-Buddhist culture† (Dhirvegin, 1998, p. 13). Buddhism plays a very important role in the daily life of the Thai people. Since about 95% of the people in the kingdom of Thailand are Buddhist (Chadchaidee, 2005). Do any Thai people really need to develop cultural intelligence? If yes, what kinds of cultural intelligence that Thai people needed? Purpose of the article This article is aims to explain and discus about cultural intelligence issue especially in Thai society. In order to clearly understanding, the author will present the concept of cultural intelligence, Thai culture and society, Buddhist core teaching will be discussed. Cultural Intelligence Issue There are many scholars define cultural intelligence (Earley, 2002; Early Ang, 2003; Earley, Ang Tan, 2006; Erley Mosakowski, 2004; Earley Peterson, 2004; Tomas, 2006; Thomas Inkson, 2004). In this section, the author will present an overview of cultural intelligence that including definition of cultural intelligence, components of cultural intelligence, characteristics supportive of cultural intelligence, and developmental stages of cultural intelligence. Cultural intelligence, one component of cultural competence, is defined as â€Å"a person’s capability to adapt effectively to new cultural contexts† (Earley Ang, 2003, p. 59). More specifically, cultural intelligence is â€Å"a seemingly natural ability to interpret someone’s unfamiliar and ambiguous gestures the way that person’s compatriots would and colleagues would, even to mirror them† (Earley Mosakowaski, 2004, p. 140). Cultural intelligence captures a person’s capability to adapt effectively to new cultural contexts and it has both process and content features (Earley Ang, 2003; Thomas Inkson, 2004). Similar to earlier definitions, Thomas and Inkson (2004) present the three component of cultural intelligence.   According to the Figure 1, Thomas and Inkson (2004) described at first, the culturally intelligent manger requires knowledge of culture and of the fundamental principles of cross-cultural interactions. This means knowing what culture is how cultures vary, and how culture affects behavior. Second, the culturally intelligent manager needs to practice mindfulness, the ability to pay attention in a reflective and creative way to cues in the cross-cultural situations encountered. The last, based on knowledge and mindfulness, the culturally intelligent manager develops behavioral skills, and becomes competent across a wide range of situations. These skills involve choosing the appropriate behavior from a well-developed repertoire of behaviors that are correct for different intercultural situations. All of three elements are interrelated with the other. This knowledge is only the beginning to becoming culturally intelligent. Cultural intelligence involves understanding the fundamentals of intercultural interaction, developing a mindfulness approach to intercultural interactions and finally building adaptive skills and a repertoire of behaviors so that one is effective in different intercultural situations. If we accept the notion that cultural intelligence is learned over time through intercultural interactions we can also envision that individuals pass through various stages of development in their level of cultural intelligence. Thomas and Inkson (2004 pp. 66-68) presented five stages to develop cultural intelligence including: Stage 1: Reactivity to external stimuli. A starting point is mindlessly following ones own cultural rules and norms. This stage is typical of individuals with very little exposure to, or interest in, other cultures. Parochial individuals do not even recognize that cultural differences exist. If they do, they consider them inconsequential. People at this stage of development can be heard to say things like â€Å"I dont see differences, and I treat everyone the same.†. Stage 2: Recognition of other cultural norms and motivation to learn more about them. Experience and mindfulness produce a newfound awareness of the multicultural mosaic that surrounds us. A heightened sense of mindfulness presents a sometimes-overwhelming amount of new information Curiosity is aroused, and the individual wants to lean more. People at this stage often struggle to sort through the complexity of the cultural environment. They search for simple rules of thumb to guide their behavior. Stage 3: Accommodation of other culture norms and rules in ones own mind. Reliance on absolutes disappears. A deeper understanding of cultural variation begins to develop. The cultural norms and rules of various societies begin to seem comprehensible and even reasonable in their context. The recognition of appropriate behavioral responses to different cultural situations develops; however, only fairly obvious cues are attended to, and adaptive behavior takes a lot of effort and is often awkward. People at this stage know what to say and do in a variety of cultural situations. However, they have to think about it, and adaptive behavior does not feel natural. Stage 4: Assimila tion of diverse cultural norms into alternative behaviors. At this stage adjusting to different situations no longer requires much effort. Individuals develop a repertoire of behaviors from which they can choose depending on the specific cultural situation. They actively experiment with new behavior. They function in a number of different cultures almost effortlessly and with no more stress than if they were in their home culture- Members of other cultures accept them as culturally knowledgeable and feel comfortable interacting with them. They feel at home, almost anywhere, Stage 5: Proactivity in cultural behavior based on recognition of changing cues that others do not perceive. People who are highly culturally intelligent have the ability, through continuous sampling of internal states and external cues, to sense changes in cultural context, sometimes even before members of the other culture. They are so attuned to the nuances of intercultural interactions that they almost automa tically adjust their behavior to anticipate these changes and facilitate better intercultural interactions among others. They seem to intuitively know what behaviors are required and how to execute them effectively. Individuals at this stage of development may be quite rare; however, it is a level of cultural intelligence to which we all might aspire. Griffer and Perlis (2007) stated that the development of cultural intelligence begins with a study of self and the awareness that everyone has a multi-perspective identity. Many people look into a mirror and describe themselves on the basis of what they see and subsequently describe others in the same way. Looking into that mirror, we see characteristics that can be easily described as race. Multi-perspective identity is defined as â€Å"characteristics of our identity that enable each individual to view reality through specific perspectives based upon ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic class† (Perlis, 2001 p. 11). This concept can certainly incorporate other forms of difference that comprise one’s identity; however, the definition for our work addressing the development of cultural intelligence will focus on these basic cultural characteristics. As pre-service we begin to see themselves as multi-perspective individual s and understand the interrelationships between these forms of their identity, they will develop cultural intelligence. Thomas Inkson (2004) suggested the possession or development of these underlying characteristics – integrity, openness, and hardiness – can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence easier. Integrity is â€Å"having a well-developed sense of self and understanding how one’s own belief system motivates behavior† (Thomas Inkson, 2004 p. 65). People differ in the ways they describe our inner self cannot be directly known by other people. It is important for us to have an honest understanding of ourselves. Openness is â€Å"showing deferential respect and a willingness to learn from others† (Thomas Inkson, 2004 p. 65). It is mean inquisitiveness particularly about people from different cultures. Hardiness is â€Å"robustness, courage, intrepidness, and capability of surviving unfavorable conditions. If we are hardy we can cope with stress, recover from shocks, and perceive stressful events as interesting and meaningful and as an opportunity for growth and learning. † (Thomas Inkson, 2004 p. 65). In summary, Cultural intelligence is a person’s aptitude to task successfully with people from different culture background and understanding. Cultural intelligence has three component of cultural intelligence include with knowledge, mindfulness, and behavior. The development of cultural intelligence occurs in five stages are reactivity, recognition, accommodation, assimilation, and proactive. Finally, the author present three characteristics to increase cultural intelligence including integrity, openness, and hardiness can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence. The next section the author will present about Thai culture and society. Thai Culture and Society Thailand is situated in the heart of Southeast Asia with Bangkok as the capital city. Thailand spreads out over 513,115 square kilometers of land and stretches some 1,620 kilometers from north to south and 775 kilometers from east to west. Thailand is divided into four natural regions: the north, northeast, the central plain, and the south. The Kingdom, a society that is also free, cohesive, and open, remains one of the most attractive places in the world to visit and conduct business. Buddhism is the faith of approximately 95 percent of the population (About Thailand, 2007). Today, Thai people share a rich ethnic diversity, Mon, Khmer, Tai, Chinese, Malay, Laotian, and Indian stock, with the result that there is no typically Thai. About 80% of all Thais are connected in some way with agriculture, which influences and is influenced by the religious ceremonies and festivals that help make Thailand such a distinctive country (UNDP: Thailand Human Development Report, 2007). It should be noted that the concepts of Thai culture are mostly similar to Buddhist principle. Buddhist principles are pragmatic (Payutto, 2003) as we can see from one of the teachings about pairs that though little he recites the Sacred Texts, but put the precepts into practice, forsaking lust, hatred and delusion, with right knowledge, with mind well freed, cling to nothing here or hereafter, he has a share in religious life (Wannapok, 1988). There are the main ideas of Buddhism are contained in the statements known as The Noble Eightfold Path and the Middle Way. Truth defines the Buddhist way of life and contains ail the ethical teaching and practices of Buddhism. It provides the way and means to attain the goal as set forth in the third Truth. This way is called the Noble Eightfold Path as it consists of eight factors as show in Table 1. Table 1: The Noble Eightfold Path as it corresponds to the Threefold Training The Threefold Training The Noble Eightfold Path ‘Panna’ or Wisdom Right View Right Thought ‘Sila’ or Morality Right Speech Right Action Right Livelihood ‘Samadhi’ or Meditation Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Concentration. Knietim (2009) suggested that Right View is means to see and to understand things as they really. As such, right view is the cognitive aspect of wisdom. Right Thought is the kind of mental energy that controls our actions. It can be described best as commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement. Right Speech is importance of speech can save lives or break, make friends or enemies. Right Action is expression and involves bodily actions. Right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others. Right Livelihood means that one should earn ones living in a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. Right effort is mental energy, it is the force behind right effort. The same type of energy that fuels desire, envy, aggression, and violence can on the other side fuel self-discipline, honesty, benevolence, and kindness. Right mindfulness is the ability to see t hings as they are, with clear consciousness. Right mindfulness enables us to be aware of the process of conceptualization in a way that we actively observe and control the way our thoughts go. Right Concentration is through the practice of meditation. The meditating mind focuses on a selected object. Through this practice it becomes natural to apply elevated levels concentration also in everyday situations The eight aspects of the path are not to be understood as a sequence of single steps, instead they are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other. The eight factors of the Path are therefore organized into a system called the Threefold Training of morality (comprising the Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood factors), concentration or thought development (comprising the Right Effort,  Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration factors), and wisdom (consisting of the Right View, and Right Thought factors) (Chanchamnong, 2003). One of the most complex values in Thai culture is â€Å"The concept of Kreng Jai†. It is very difficult for foreigners to understand. This concept is the concept of being â€Å"considerate†. Komin asserts that this concept underlies a significant portion of everyday interpersonal behavioral patterns of the Thais (Komin, 1990). She further explained that: Its closest meaning is to be considerate, to feel reluctant to impose upon another person, to take another persons feelings (and ego) into account, or to take every measure not to cause discomfort or inconvenience for another person. Kreng jai refers to such attitude predisposing to ones resulting behavior towards someone else. Kreng jai behavior is to be observed by all, superiors, equals, and inferiors, including intimate relationships like husband-wife, and close friends, with differences in degree. (pp. 161-162) In general, Thai people helps others people without expecting any return or any compensation. At the same time the person who receives help will feel indebted to the helper and he will remember that and try to repay or return the favor at a later date. This is one of culture factor called â€Å"The concept of helping each other† (Joungtrakul, 2008). One of the most important in Thai society is the concept of ‘Bunkhun’. Thai people deeply and will be quite difficult to change. There are limitations in applying this concept as it may go beyond proper practice. However, to ignore or to delete it from a model would be difficult and may cause some problems in practice. Its removal could do more harm than good. There is no doubt Buddhism has a conscious significant role in the everyday Thai life. With regard to religious activities, likewise, the Thai are constantly engaged in merit-makings, and numerous other religious ceremonies. These activities are religious rituals. And as a Buddhist country, there are such activities to perform all year round, at home, at work, and in the community. Komin (1990) described that Thai people are sympathetic to others and it becomes the nature of the Thais in general. The application of this concept will create cooperative attitudes and collective efforts by the two parties to achieve common goals. Thai people also practice this concept in their daily lives and the phase of ‘meet half way’ is understandable by the Thais. This concept calls â€Å"The concept of compromising†. As the Thai culture is a â€Å"Thai-Buddhism culture† (Dhiravegin, 1998, p.l3), the middle path is a way of life for a Thai. Thais are compromising in nature and try to avoid any explicit confrontation. Thais follow the Buddhist principles of helping all people. This is usually done by joining in constructively creating social harmony and unity according to the four principles of helpful integration (Sangaha-Vatthu), which are: (1) Dana: giving, sharing (helping through money material goods); (2) Piyavaca: amicable speech (helping through words); (3) Atthacariy: helpful action (helping through physical effort); (4) Samarattata: participation (helping through problem solving) (Payutto, 2000 p.7). Buddhism Role’s and Cultural Intelligence in Thai Society According to three characteristic of Thomas and Inkson concept, there are integrity, openness, and hardiness which can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence. They explain that ‘Integrity’ is having a well-developed sense of self and understanding how one’s own belief system motivates behavior. ‘Openness’ is showing deferential respect and a willingness to learn from others. ‘Hardiness’ is robustness, courage, intrepidness, and capability of surviving unfavorable conditions. In the view point of the author, these three characteristic of develop cultural intelligence relate to some part of Buddha’s core teaching that show in Table 2. Characteristics to improve cultural intelligence relate to Buddha’s core teachings Characteristics Buddha’s core teachings Integrity Chanda: the will or aspiration. This is compatible with the faith that leads to achieving wisdom (Chanchamnong, 2003, Payutto, 2003). Openness Citta: Thoughtfulness, i.e. making a conscious effort to think analytically in order to achieve the right views (Chanchamnong, 2003, Payutto, 2003). Hardiness Viriya: the effort, the energy which one exerts in the right way to accomplish the right view (Chanchamnong, 2003, Payutto, 2003). According to Table 2 shown the relationship between the three characteristics to improve cultural intelligence relate to Buddha’s core teachings is very closely. For the stages of cultural intelligence development, from literature review and compare between cultural intelligence concept of Thomas and Inkson (2004) with Buddhist principle concept especially as shown Table 2. The author beliefs that in Thai society, Thai people will be getting into develop stage of cultural intelligence with not too different. In fact the Buddha core teaching trains the people go to be the good person like other religion, help each other’s sympathy and support the society. Indeed, the Buddha core teaching focus in human resource development specially begins from self development, physical and mentor. That is mean the people who develop their own self will gain more cultural intelligence. Conclusion Cultural intelligence is important for individuals who interact with people from different countries, religious background – those with different cultural backgrounds. Cultural intelligence is a person’s aptitude to task successfully with people from different culture background and understanding. According to three characteristic of Thomas and Inkson concept, there are integrity, openness, and hardiness which can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence. They explain that ‘Integrity’ is having a well-developed sense of self and understanding how one’s own belief system motivates behavior. ‘Openness’ is showing deferential respect and a willingness to learn from others. ‘Hardiness’ is robustness, courage, intrepidness, and capability of surviving unfavorable conditions. Three characteristic of develop cultural intelligence have relate to Buddhist core teaching. Indeed, the Buddha taught many things, but the basic concepts in Buddhism explains a purpose to life, it explains apparent injustice and inequality around the world and it provides a code of practice or way of life that leads to right happiness. Buddhism in Thailand is strongly influenced by traditional beliefs regarding ancestral and natural spirits. Therefore, Buddha ways can help Thai people to develop a repertoire of behavioral skills appropriate to different intercultural situations and will be able to choose the right ones for a given interaction. The Thai word say â€Å"Khao mueng tar-lew, tong lew-tar tarm†, the meaning in English is â€Å"When in Rome, do as the Romans do† as a great cultural intelligence. References Chadchaidee T. (2005). Essay on Thailand. (17th enlarged edit.). Bangkok: Thanapol Vitayakarn. Chanchamnong S. (2003). The Buddha’s core teachings. Bangkok: Saisungsukaphapjai. Dhiravegin, L. (1998). Evolution of Thai political and dministration (in Thai) (6th ed.). Bangkok: Thammasat University Press. Earley, P. C, Ang, S. (2003). Cultural intelligence: An analysis of individual interactions across cultures. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press. Earley, P. C, (2002). Redefining interactions across cultures and organizations: Moving forward with cultural intelligence. Research in Organizational Behavior 24, 271-299. Earley, P. C. Mosakowski, E. (2004). Cultural intelligence. Harvard Business Review (10), 139-146. Earley, P. C., Ang, S., Tan, J. S. (2006). CQ: Developing cultural intelligence at work. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Earley, P.C. and Peterson, R.S. (2004). The elusive cultural chameleon: Cultural intelligence as a new approach to intercultural training for the global manager. Academy of Management Learning and Education 3(1), 100-15. Griffer M.R. Perlis M.P. (2007). Developing cultural intelligence in preservice speech-language pathologists and educators. Communication Disorders jhQuarterly, 29(1), 28-35. Hofstede, G. (1991). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind: Intercultural cooperation and its Importance for survival, Cambridge, England: McGraw-Hill. Johansen B. P. McLean G. N. (2006). Worldviews of adult learning in the workplace: A core concept in human resource development advances in developing human resources, Advances in Developing Human Resources 8(3), 321-328. Abstract retrieved July 8, 2009, from http://adh.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/8/3/321. Joungtrakul, J. (2008). The Stride: A concerted industrial action in Thailand. Bangkok: Business Law Center. Knierim T. (2007). The Noble Eightfold Path. [Online] Available from http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html. [2009, July 25] Komin S. (1990). The Psychology of the Thai people Values and Behavioral Patterns. Bangkok: National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), Research Center. Payutto , P.A. (2000). A Constition for Living (6th ed.). Bangkok: Saha Dhammikkha Press. Payutto, P.A. (2003). The Pali Cannon: What a Buddhist Must Know. Bangkok: S. R. Printing Mass Products. Perlis, S.M. (2001). Sexual orientation and multiperspective identity on a small, Catholic campus: An analysis of the cultural climate and multicultural organizational change. Doctor dissertation, Temple University, Philadelphia. The Royal Thai Embassy (2007). About Thailand: An overview of Thailand. [Online] Available from http://thaiembdc.org/aboutthai/overview.htm. [2009, July 1] Thomas, D. C., Inkson, K. (2004). Cultural intelligence: People skills for global business. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Thomas, D.C. (2006). Domain and development of cultural intelligence: The importance of mindfulness, Group and Organization Management 31(1), 78-79. United Nations Development Program: Thailand Human Development Report 2007; Sufficiency Economy and Human Development. [Online] Avaliable from: Retrieved http://www.undp.or.th. 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Racism and Identity Hand in Hand Essay --

In society, there are many misconceptions in terms of racism. According to the merriam-webster dictionary, racism is define the belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others . Many people would agree with that definition. What is racism? The normal person if asked will simply reply, not liking someone for the color of their skin. Racism from my attitude which is substantiated by historical events is a system of power .Therefore is a system of power that is used to control the world and its people. Racism was employed by Europeans to subjugate and discriminate against other groups, in particular Africans/black people. It is also a power which ran through a systemic way to hinder and sabotage other groups. The system is so elaborate that it almost seems nonexistent on a systematic level. Hence, this is why many people do not think it exists anymore. Racism is pervasive in society and remains a silent code which has a profound effect society. Ralph Ellison author of the award-winning novel , Invisible Man deals with racism and how it effect an individual .I would analyze racism and display how it effect ones identity . Vocabulary, defines identity as an individual characteristic by which a thing or person is recognized or known. In other words it is how one views, look, sees and defines themselves. Many people identity are influenced by religion, environment, parents, culture, gender, teachers and textbooks. Media also can play a role in shaping one’s identity. This can include internet, news, movies, radio and etc. One’s identity can be shaped by many different things or experiences. The things that shaped my identity are family, race... ...e.. Fanon's work displays that double consciousness is also a condition of colonized people. ‘Black Skin, White Mask’’ documentary states the reaction of racism between black and white arise when the white become aware that one is attracted to black something. Something blacks meaning a black person. In conclusion racism appears in the field of vision. In summary, Racism influences ones (blacks) identity. This has a negative effect in the Black community .Often blacks looks thru the eyes of a white person to feel in power which lead to double conciseness. The Invisible Man story makes the reader, well at least in my case draw upon times in which I have indirectly experienced racism and lack of self-esteem. However, I know that by definition of racism I am affected by its global and local systematic approach to keep me and those who resemble me, subjugated.