Analysis of Hitler Biographies

Analysis of Hitler Biographies In Ian Kershaws chapter titled The Making of the Dictator, he takes a look at Hitlers time from being appointed chancellor on January 30th, 1933 to the early days after the election of March 5th 1933. When Hitler was appointed chancellor on January 30th, there was much support and hope for his cabinet, but there were also millions of people against him. Julius Leber, SPD Reichstag deputy at the time, questioned Hitlers government, he said We know their aims. Nobody knows what their next measures will be. The dangers are enormous† (331). Nobody knew just how dangerous Hitler could be at that time. When Hitler became chancellor many ordinary people did not react, because of the struggle they had experienced through the Depression. Others did not think that Hitler had any staying power in German politics, because they thought that Hitler would lose popularity when the emptiness of his promises was revealed. Even the critics could see that if Hitler was able to tackle mass unemployment he would gain a lot of support. On February 27th Marinus an der Lubbe set fire to the Reichstag. Nazi propaganda went to work and rallied support against the communists for what the Nazis made out to be their plot. Hitler called an emergency decree for the protection of people and state. With one paragraph Hitler had effectively taken away personal liberties that had been defined in the Weimar Constitution including freedom of speech, of association and of the press, and of privacy of postal and telephone communications. Within four months of Hitler being in power trade unions were dissolved and within six months all opposition parties had been suppressed or had been liquated and the most active political leaders had fled the country. The growing threats within the Nazi party were eliminated in the â€Å"Night of the Long Knives† on June 30th 1934. When Hitler was just starting as chancellor, he knew that he could not rule without the support of the military. Hitler was able to win support with promises of major military support. In the first cabinet meeting Hitler portrayed a very different side. He was open to suggestions, ready to take advice, and listened to other view points. Hitlers first cabinet meeting took place on January 30th 1933 and it was at this meeting that Hitler stated that he wanted to have the Reichstag dissolved and win a majority in a new election in March. Hitler was able to convince Hindenburg to dissolve parliament and the campaign went in full swing. â€Å"Appeal of the Reich Government to the German People† was the first time that Hitler spoke to the German people on the radio. Within four years the German peasant must be saved from impoverishment. Within four years unemployment must be overcomeNow, German people give us four years and then judge and sentence us (440-441), though he had addressed the economy, he never specified how he was going to fix it. During the campaign Hitler also had not yet made a plan for war, but he made sure that military spending was going to be a priority, â€Å"the next five years must be devoted to the restoration of the defence capacity of the German people (444). Once again Hit ler offered no concrete measures on how he was going to do this, but the National defence was soon given 35 billion R M over an 8 year period. Hitler painted this upcoming election as the last chance to reject communism in Germany, and hinted that if they didnt, force would be used. Hitler was really ignorant of the principles of economics and received a lot of credit for things that he should not have. Though Hitler at one point made a speech about a gradual tax relief for the automobile industry and road building program, he actually had not mentioned a specific program, but rather the prospect of one. Any tax relief that was given to the automobile industry was part of a larger framework. Hitler also had communists beaten, tortured and wounded, but for some reason the violence and repression of rights were wildly popular. When the election results were announced on March 5th, the Nazis had won 43.9% of the vote and their coalition partners gained 8%. Hitler was now in place to be come the dictator of Germany. This chapter in the book really showed how Hitler was really a master of politics. He absolutely disregarded the specifics of any important situation and continually used his rhetoric to make people believe that things were being or would be done. Its incredible that he was able to make something like the taking away of personal liberties popular among the people. This chapter is very informative and Kershaw has an easy to read writing style. My problem with his writing is that he tends to jump in time a lot and that is not helpful when people are trying to do their research in chronological order. Kershaw does do an excellent job of emphasizing just how effective Hitler was at achieving his goals, like when Hitler first became chancellor and portrayed himself as a man who was trying to learn and cared about the opinions of others. Or how Hitler said that the violence against communists was committed by people who were disobeying his orders, thus effectively removing himself from the situation. This information will be especially useful to me in the body of my essay as I try to justify my choice of Hitler as the most important person of the twentieth century. Kershaw, Ian.Hitler: 1936-1945 Nemesis. New York: W. W. Norton Company, 2000: pp 129-159 In Ian Kershaws chapter titled Marks of Genocidal Mentality a close look is taken at the build-up towards the genocide against the Jews and the vital role that Kristallnacht played in that. The day before Kristallnacht, Himmler gave a speech in which he said In Germany the Jew cannot hold out. This is a question of years. We will drive them out more and more with an unprecedented ruthlessness (131). On the night of November 9-10 Germany exploded in a display of violence against its Jewish community. This was a nationwide pogrom and it was the third wave of anti-Semitic violence, which the previous ones took place in 1933 and 1935. At the beginning of 1933 there had been some 50, 000 Jewish businesses in Germany. By July 1938 there were only 9000 left. In Munich, there were 1,690 Jewish owned businesses and this number fell to 666 by October 1938. There was a flood of legislative measures that imposing discriminatory restrictions and occupational bans on Jewish doctors and lawyers, Jews werent even allowed to be pedlars. A decree made on August 17 had made it mandatory for males to add the forename Israel and for females to add the forename Sara; these names were to be u sed in all official matters. On October 5th Jews were made to have a â€Å"J† stamped on their passports. A few days after that, Gà ¶ring declared that the Jewish Question must now be tackled with all means available, for they must get out of the economy† (144). Make no mistake, Hitler had never deviated from the fact that Germanys salvation could only come through the destruction of Europes Jews. During a visit to Munich, Hitler took objection to the location of the citys largest synagogue and the Jewish community was only given a few hours of notice before its destruction. Hitler did not want to be publicly associated with the anti-Jewish movement during 1938. He did this to preserve his image at home and abroad. For example, the press was not allowed to ask him about the â€Å"Jewish question† when he was travelling over Germany and the legislation that ousted Jewish lawyers was not publicized, since it took place during the Sudeten crisis and would draw bad publicity. â€Å"Aryan† businesses looked for every opportunity to profit off of their Jewish counter parts. Jewish businesses were bought out by â€Å"Aryan† businesses. Doctors and lawyers wanted to take advantage of the economic opportunities available if the Jews were ousted. There is no doubt that Hitler supported the action against Jews even if he wasnt in the limelight at this time. Hitler was moving away from the assumption that emigration would remove the â€Å"Jewish problem† as only  ¼ of Jews had left Germany by October 1938. The Evian Conference had a major role in this as 32 countries refused to increase their Jewish immigration quotas. â€Å"Crystal Night† had a huge effect on Hitler, and after the pogrom Hitler agreed with Goebbels that the time to unleash the fury of the Nazi movement on the Jews had come. In his speech to the Reichstag on January 30th 1939, Hitler revealed his intentions of genocide. The information from these pages might contain some of the most influential points in my essay. The reason for this is as I try to portray Hitler as the most important man in twentieth century showing his influence over the people will be crucial. Hitler influenced the masses to violence without even being involved. He made Germany become an anti-Semitic nation in the matter of years. This chapter discussed the steps to largest genocide in history of which Hitler was the catalyst. Once again Kershaws writing is good and very informative, but tends to be jumpy. Redlich, Fritz.Hitler: Diagnosis of a Destructive Prophet. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=od=78810661: pp. 151-171. Chapter 7 of Redlichs work is entitled Warlord. In this chapter he discusses numerous topics pertaining to Hitlers work as the warlord of Germany. He starts of the chapter by discussing the invasion of Poland. On September 1st 1939, fifty seven German divisions invaded Poland, and Hitler knew that he had attacked a weaker opponent. The invasion of Poland worked out to the success of the German army. Hitler wasnt only making attacks internationally, but he was also responsible for a lot of deaths in his own country. On October 18th, Hitler signed a secret decree regarding euthanasia, part of it read â€Å"Reichsleiter Bouhler and Dr. Brandt are charged with the responsibility of enlarging the authority of certain physicians to be designated by name, in such a manner that persons who, according to human judgment, are incurable, can, upon a most careful diagnosis of their position of sickness, be accorded a mercy death† (Pg 154).   This policy soon became an open secret in the country, and the family members of those who had suffered from these mercy deaths soon began to rebel and protest. After invading Poland, Hitler gave Britain and France a peace offer. When it was rejected Hitler wanted a quick start to the western campaign. In spite of Hitlers excitement the campaigns did not start until the spring of 1940. With out any formal declarations of war, Hitler overran Holland, Belgium and conducted a Blitzkrieg on France. On May 24th, Hitler had the BEF trapped against the sea, but he stopped his tanks. To this day there is not enough evidence to find out why Hitler had the tanks stopped, but as a result the British were able to make a sea escape. Hitler had successfully erased the â€Å"Shame of Versailles.† Hitler had become the most powerful man in Europe, but Germany still had problems. While the Russians provided Germany with food and raw materials, Hitler wanted economic self-sufficiency. The â€Å"Jewish problem† had gotten bigge r in Hitlers eyes, and needed to be dealt with and Hitler also needed to figure out how to beat Britain. Hitler organized Operation Sea Lion, which involved his air force attacking Britain as a prelude to a sea invasion, but the operation was a failure. In regard to the Italians, Mussolini surprised Hitler when he decided to invade Albania, even though Italy already had control of Albania. This move was done just to show that Italy could conquer a country as well. Hitler then asked Mussolini to not invade Greece, but Mussolini did it anyways, the result of this was a delay in the Russian campaign. Hitler showed a great development during these early years of the war. Hitler had basically listened to everything his generals had said during the Polish campaign, but he began to differ with them when it came to the western campaign as he favoured more modern strategies. The success of the western campaign really enhanced his supremacy and thus a war lord was born. This excellent chapter by Mr. Fritz provides great information about Hitler as a warlord and provides information about how Hitler progressed from being a subservient leader (when it came to the military) to the man who was in total control of the army. This information is going to be invaluable to my essay, as part of the reason to think of Hitler as the most important person during the 20th century is the way he affected lives through war. He was an absolutely brutal leader as evidenced when he discussed the Russian campaign and said â€Å"The natives? Well sieve them. The Jews well take out completely [setzen sie ganz heraus]. We wont go into the Russian cities, they have to perish completely. We dont need to have any pangs of conscience (164). Hitlers rise to the most powerful man in Europe is absolutely incredible and it is hard to think of man who had experience the amount of success that Hitler did in his early years as the Fà ¼hrer. Waite, Robert G. L.The Psychopathic God: Adolf Hitler. New York: Da Capo Press, 1993. http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=od=58048406: pp. 3-33. Robert Waites chapter titled The Image and the Man might have the most shocking I have read for this essay. He delves into the characteristics of Hitler and provides some shocking personal details of his life. Part of Hitlers genius lies in the way he set-up his government. He created a political system that could not survive without him. Hitler utilized the emotional and irrational factors of politics like no other person in history. Former British PM David Lloyd George once said of Hitler â€Å"The old trust him; the young idolize him. It is not the admiration accorded to a popular Leader. It is the worship of a national hero who has saved his country from utter despondency and degradation. . . . He is as immune from criticism as a king in a monarchical country. He is something more. He is the George Washington of Germanythe man who won for his country independence from all her oppressors† (4).  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Winston Churchill also admired the Hitlers accomplishments and called them among the most remarkable in the whole history of the world† (4). This praise was deserved, as within 5 years he had revived Germany, given the people hope and wiped away the â€Å"Shame of V ersailles.† While in propaganda media, Hitler looked the part of a great leader, but this is not necessarily true. Hitler was 59† and weighed 150 lbs, and as his time in office increased, his posture wasted away. Hitler was apparently fascinated with hands and he had collected numerous books that were dedicated to this topic and dedicated his time to finding whether great leaders of the past had hands like him. We have heard of many famous people who are dedicated to reliving their childhood and Hitler can be grouped into this category as well. Hitler believed that there was an elixir of youth and almost sent an expedition to India to look for it. He ate candies like a child and in moments of agitation the great Fà ¼hrer would suck on his little finger. Every evening Hitler would watch a movie, his favourites were Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and King Kong. Another interesting thing about Hitler was that he hated the passage of time. He constantly sought to confuse day and night and in his office he only had one clock, which was a family heirloom and was never wound. Death fascinated Hitler and he thought that with his death his fame would only increase, as he said â€Å"I know how to keep my hold on people after I have passed on. I shall be the Fà ¼hrer they look up at and go home to talk of and remember. My life shall not end in the mere form of death. It will, on the contrary, begin then† (22). The idea of suicide was constantly on Hitlers mind; even as a child he had made a suicide pact with a girl who had rejected him. Coincident or not, it is fitting that Hitler died of suicide. As I said above this chapter was quite shocking, actually after I read the chapter I doubted the legitimacy of its claims. I couldnt believe that one of Hitlers favourite movies was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves or that he would suck on his little figure. This is really not what I expected of one of the most ruthless leaders in history, a man who said â€Å"I shall become the greatest man in history. I have to gain immortality even if the whole German nation perishes in the process† (24). The information in this book will be useful in portraying another side of Hitler that the public never saw. Another piece of information I found interesting, was Hitlers hate of the passage of time. Was it because he feared old age? Or maybe he knew that is judgement day was coming?   Hitler strived to be a great leader and while he was a very evil man, there is no denying the impact he had on the 20th century. Fischel, Jack R.The Holocaust. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=od=98665227: pp 31-51 Any paper on Hitler would be incomplete with out detailing the Holocaust, which we all know to be as the most horrific genocide in human history. In chapter 3 of his book, Fischel takes a detailed look at the road to genocide. At the time World War II had started, the average German was unaware of the Holocaust. This genocide began with the institution of euthanasia programs. Under these programs â€Å"categories† of people were determined to be unfit to breed and unfit for Germany. At the headquarters of the euthanasia program, victims were gassed in rooms that were disguised as showers and then have their bodies cremated. Over 100, 000 people became victims of the euthanasia program, before the families of the deceased began to protest. After the capture of Poland a â€Å"process of ethnic cleansing occurred† (40). Polish people were being displaced from their homes to have Germans move instead. Himmler wasnt a huge supporter of the initial treatment of the Poles, because he felt that many of them were of mixed German blood or were actually German, so instead he proposed that after the war that the Polish population be inspected. Initially, Hitlers regime wanted to move the Jews to Madagasc ar, this was called the Madagascar Plan. The Madagascar Plan fell through after Germany was unable to defeat Britain and this is when the idea of genocide began to firmly develop and it was after the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, that the Nazis decided to eradicate the Jewish people. A bureaucracy was created to organize the murder of Jews. Mobile killing squads called the Einsatzgruppen were first seen during Anschluss. During the invasion of Poland 16,000 Poles and Jews were murdered by the German Army and the Einsatzgruppen. After the invasion of the Soviet Union the Nazi had 1 million Jews under their control. On July 31, 1941 Goering sent a letter to Heydrich that read send me, as soon as possible, a draft setting up details of the preliminary measures taken in the organizational, technical and material needs for the achievement of the final solution which we seek,† (49) it is clear from reading this quotation that the seeds for genocide had been planted. This chapter provided good information about how the Holocaust began and transformed, from the euthanasia program to the Madagascar Plan. I wonder how the German people were not alarmed at the euthanasia program, if the families were truly making enough problems to bring the end of the program. Were the German people really that enamoured with Hitler that they paid the program no notice? After the deaths of 100, 000 people, it is really hard not to see the evil that Hitlers government was capable of. Its sad to read about the shift from the Madagascar Plan to the eradication of Jews, because even though the Madagascar Plan is not ideal, it would have spared the lives of millions of people. All of these things were done under Hitlers watch, and no doubt that Hitler was aware of the draft of final solution that was requested in the letter quoted above, further showing his impact as a person in the 20th century. Erwin Leiser. Mein Kampf. Edited by Erwin Leiser. Los Angeles, CA: Columbia Pictures Industries Inc., 1960. 00:00 29:34 The first 30 minutes of the documentary entitled Mein Kampf detail Hitlers early life and his rise to Chancellor. As a child Adolf is a bad student and often argues with his father over his future, because Hitler wants to become an artist. At the age of 16, Hitler falls ill with tuberculosis, and never returns to school. In 1907, Hitler moved to Vienna and tries to gain acceptance into the academy of art, which he fails to do in two tries. After failing the second time, Hitler becomes a labourer and sells post cards for a living, this isnt very profitable and he loses his apartment and lives in a flop house, but considers himself superior to the other tramps there. It is during this time that Hitler spends his money on his first anti-Semitic pamphlets. He is so interested in the writings that he looks up the author to find pieces that are no longer being circulated. He is filled with ideas that about the blonde man who is superior to the dark man and that the Jew is the devil. Hitler moves to Munich and lives the same lifestyle that he lived in Vienna and it is during this time that he is rejected from the Austrian army. On August 1st, 1914 Hitler listens to the proclamation of the declaration of war and is inspired enough to join the German army and become an infantry soldier. During his time in service he is wounded at the western front in 1916, but returns to the front in 1917 as a vice corporal. In 1918, his eyes are injured in a gas attack and he is in the hospital when the war is ended. Hitler is again left unemployed and decides to become a politician. Hitlers next big move is the Beer Hall putsch and is arrested after its conclusion. He is sent to jail, but lives in favourable conditions. During his time in prison he writes a book called Mein Kampf which turns into a political platform. In the book he describes a united Austria and Germany and mentions that in World War I, gas should have been used on thousands of Jews. At first the book is treated as a joke, but later gains a lot of respect. When Hitler gets out of prison he tries to re-organize the party and realizes that he should only make his revolution when he comes to power. During this time Nazi registration grows, and Hitler is appointed to the Chancellorship on January 30th, 1933. Watching this documentary was as beneficial as reading books for numerous reasons. I think what stood out to me most was the clip that was featured of Hitlers first speech as chancellor. I was captivated; I couldnt take my eyes off the screen. Seeing the raw emotion with which he spoke made me understand how the masses could have been swayed to let such an evil man be let into office. That is where the true value of this source lies, because I have already seen all the information that was presented before, but now that I was able to see Hitler and some of his assistants in action it is much easier for me to understand Germany during Hitlers rise to power.

The Education System of Today

Testing today has taken over schools. The pressure of society for a person to strive to reach the best schools and therefore the best education, to do this your test scores have to be the best. This brings up the question on weather or not the highest test scores show who the smartest people really are? These high test scores raise the question, does the school you go to have an influence on how you do on your tests. If it does make a difference does the money involved create a preddjudicous. Also should someone use all their powers available to find get into the best schools? Society is leaning more towards Machiavelli†s view where the ends justify the means. This also brings morals into the situation. The education system of today has used testing as an easer way to show how smart someone is. Teachers use tests to see how well students understand what they have taught. This has a positive effect making the students learn the material that the teacher wants them to learn, however the student ends up just learning it because they have to. In order to become educated someone has to want to learn something. That is the only way that they would truly push themselves to further their knowledge. The only thing that pushes students to learn today is the pressure that society makes. These pressures consist of anything from parents pushing the child to go to college, to business that will not hire anyone without a college degree. Parents want to see their child succeed more then the child wants too. The child wants to succeed too because no one wants to grow up only to be able to work in a minim wage job. Without the benefits of a college degree a person is limited as to what positions are available in today†s workplace. The better the college that the person got the degree from the better chance they have at the job. This leads into the whole network of schooling involved to get the best jobs available. In order to get into the best college to get the best job one has to go to the best high school, which takes the best lower school, and to get into that lower school one has to get into the best preschool. This path is not an exact one but there is a quality of school that has to be kept up with. At the young age where this cycle is started the child has no say in any of it. The parents are left to put their child in the best school they can. Most parents will go threw many lengths to give their children the best possible start into the world. They will spend all of their precious money and they will use all of their contacts to get their child into the best schools they can. This however is an unfair system. Not everyone can afford the best schools because they usually end up being the most expensive. Like wise not everyone has an aunt to get them into the collage that they otherwise would not have been able to get into. This raises the question do the ends justify the means like in Machiavelli's peace â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince†. The system that he suggests a prince should govern under is not the ideal system but in the end it makes the best prince. The system that someone uses to get threw schools using all available resources may not be the fairest but in the end they will get the best education possible. I believe in using all available resources to give yourself a leg up on others. Sure it is not an ideal way to run the education system. It is not fair to everyone that dose not have the same resources, but it is a dog –eat-dog world and you have to do what you can to make it. In order to make education less of a social and financial thing standardized testing was invented. These tests were and still are supposed to be a way that gives everyone, no matter what connections or how much money they have, the equal chance. This in theory would be perfect but it dose not work that way. The tests can only test on so much material, and who says that the material is the most important. These tests did lessen the gap between schools. Someone that went to a private school with the best teachers had just as a student that was home taught. It tested on the same material and it gave everyone the chance to show their knowledge. There are many nitpicky things that come up about the unfair ness of tests like the SAT. It is impossible to make questions that equally apply to everyone. As an example a question about sailing would be a lot harder for someone that did not live near water then it would be for someone that grew up on a sailboat. The only major problem with tests like the SATs, is that it dose not take into account the people that are smart and know just as much as the next guy but just doesn†t do as well on tests. Tests only show you so much of a person. The problem of a test is in its inability to show the person. Sure it shows how well that person knows the material he or she is tested on, but it dose not show that person. What if the student dose poorly on the SAT, but ends up having the best management skills. He won†t get into the best collage and there fore the biggest companies will not look at him and he will end up getting a lesser job. It also has the opposite possibility. If someone dose amassing one these tests and gets hired by a big aw firm but this person cannot get along with anyone, it turns out just as bad. This too can be argued by the fact that many of these business hiring these people, that do amassing on these test, are looking for they type of person that is known to test well. There is an endless list of prows and cons for testing. Some of them are so nitpicky they are laughed at, but in the hole I believe that tests are good. They are only good for finding someone†s intelligence if they are used along with other methods. There is no one way that is good for everyone. If every person was the same and knew the same things then you could fined one way to see who was smarter, but people are different. Some people excel in English and some excel in math but how do you judge who is smarter. They do not have a common area to be tested in. The editoral by David Ignatius points out all the wrongs with today†s education system, but it dose not give a realistic solution. Sure it would be nice to encourage people to go to collage just to learn more and farther their knowledge, but most students go to school now because it is the only way to keep their options in life open. I personally came to college to learn how to become an engineer. I am very interested in this field and am doing well. In the beginning of the year I started taking psychology, which I fined very interesting. I had to drop the class. In order to excel in my required core sources I needed more time and therefore had to drop psychology. This was a very hypocritical move on my part. I wanted to farther my knowledge in other subjects that interest me but I gave in to the pressures to succeed instead of learn. School is not ideal and the education systems are not completely focused on learning, but that is the way it is now so as a student I have to deal with this and make the best out of what I am given. Every advantage that is possible should be taken, like when Machiavelli pointed out the methods for becoming the best prince, not the best methods for becoming a prince. They were not always the ideal way of dealing with situations but it was the most effective. Just like testing and using connections is not the best method for getting an education but they will give you the best shot at excelling at it. The Education System of Today Testing today has taken over schools. The pressure of society for a person to strive to reach the best schools and therefore the best education, to do this your test scores have to be the best. This brings up the question on weather or not the highest test scores show who the smartest people really are? These high test scores raise the question, does the school you go to have an influence on how you do on your tests. If it does make a difference does the money involved create a preddjudicous. Also should someone use all their powers available to find get into the best schools? Society is leaning more towards Machiavelli†s view where the ends justify the means. This also brings morals into the situation. The education system of today has used testing as an easer way to show how smart someone is. Teachers use tests to see how well students understand what they have taught. This has a positive effect making the students learn the material that the teacher wants them to learn, however the student ends up just learning it because they have to. In order to become educated someone has to want to learn something. That is the only way that they would truly push themselves to further their knowledge. The only thing that pushes students to learn today is the pressure that society makes. These pressures consist of anything from parents pushing the child to go to college, to business that will not hire anyone without a college degree. Parents want to see their child succeed more then the child wants too. The child wants to succeed too because no one wants to grow up only to be able to work in a minim wage job. Without the benefits of a college degree a person is limited as to what positions are available in today†s workplace. The better the college that the person got the degree from the better chance they have at the job. This leads into the whole network of schooling involved to get the best jobs available. In order to get into the best college to get the best job one has to go to the best high school, which takes the best lower school, and to get into that lower school one has to get into the best preschool. This path is not an exact one but there is a quality of school that has to be kept up with. At the young age where this cycle is started the child has no say in any of it. The parents are left to put their child in the best school they can. Most parents will go threw many lengths to give their children the best possible start into the world. They will spend all of their precious money and they will use all of their contacts to get their child into the best schools they can. This however is an unfair system. Not everyone can afford the best schools because they usually end up being the most expensive. Like wise not everyone has an aunt to get them into the collage that they otherwise would not have been able to get into. This raises the question do the ends justify the means like in Machiavelli's peace â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince†. The system that he suggests a prince should govern under is not the ideal system but in the end it makes the best prince. The system that someone uses to get threw schools using all available resources may not be the fairest but in the end they will get the best education possible. I believe in using all available resources to give yourself a leg up on others. Sure it is not an ideal way to run the education system. It is not fair to everyone that dose not have the same resources, but it is a dog –eat-dog world and you have to do what you can to make it. In order to make education less of a social and financial thing standardized testing was invented. These tests were and still are supposed to be a way that gives everyone, no matter what connections or how much money they have, the equal chance. This in theory would be perfect but it dose not work that way. The tests can only test on so much material, and who says that the material is the most important. These tests did lessen the gap between schools. Someone that went to a private school with the best teachers had just as a student that was home taught. It tested on the same material and it gave everyone the chance to show their knowledge. There are many nitpicky things that come up about the unfair ness of tests like the SAT. It is impossible to make questions that equally apply to everyone. As an example a question about sailing would be a lot harder for someone that did not live near water then it would be for someone that grew up on a sailboat. The only major problem with tests like the SATs, is that it dose not take into account the people that are smart and know just as much as the next guy but just doesn†t do as well on tests. Tests only show you so much of a person. The problem of a test is in its inability to show the person. Sure it shows how well that person knows the material he or she is tested on, but it dose not show that person. What if the student dose poorly on the SAT, but ends up having the best management skills. He won†t get into the best collage and there fore the biggest companies will not look at him and he will end up getting a lesser job. It also has the opposite possibility. If someone dose amassing one these tests and gets hired by a big aw firm but this person cannot get along with anyone, it turns out just as bad. This too can be argued by the fact that many of these business hiring these people, that do amassing on these test, are looking for they type of person that is known to test well. There is an endless list of prows and cons for testing. Some of them are so nitpicky they are laughed at, but in the hole I believe that tests are good. They are only good for finding someone†s intelligence if they are used along with other methods. There is no one way that is good for everyone. If every person was the same and knew the same things then you could fined one way to see who was smarter, but people are different. Some people excel in English and some excel in math but how do you judge who is smarter. They do not have a common area to be tested in. The editoral by David Ignatius points out all the wrongs with today†s education system, but it dose not give a realistic solution. Sure it would be nice to encourage people to go to collage just to learn more and farther their knowledge, but most students go to school now because it is the only way to keep their options in life open. I personally came to college to learn how to become an engineer. I am very interested in this field and am doing well. In the beginning of the year I started taking psychology, which I fined very interesting. I had to drop the class. In order to excel in my required core sources I needed more time and therefore had to drop psychology. This was a very hypocritical move on my part. I wanted to farther my knowledge in other subjects that interest me but I gave in to the pressures to succeed instead of learn. School is not ideal and the education systems are not completely focused on learning, but that is the way it is now so as a student I have to deal with this and make the best out of what I am given. Every advantage that is possible should be taken, like when Machiavelli pointed out the methods for becoming the best prince, not the best methods for becoming a prince. They were not always the ideal way of dealing with situations but it was the most effective. Just like testing and using connections is not the best method for getting an education but they will give you the best shot at excelling at it.

Nutrition †Food Essay

In our today’s society, especially western countries, the issue of fast food seems to be at the top of every health related debate. As these debates become more controversial, the question of who bears the responsibility remains unanswered. In his essay, Don’t Blame the Eater, David Zinczenko attempts to answer this key question by placing the greater responsibility of America’s obesity and other fast food related health issues on the fast food industries. Contrary to Zinczenko’s argument, Raldy Balko, in his essay, What You Eat Is Your Business, states that, people should take ownership of their health and well-being, and are therefore responsible for what and how they eat. Although both Zinczenko and Balko address the issue of responsibility, though with contrast, but valid arguments, Zinczenko seems to present a more convincing argument due to the way in which he explains the politics of food, the way in which our lifestyles are altered by what we eat, and things we can do to change the way we see food and its role in our lives. Although Zinczenko hold consumers responsible to an extent, he blames the fast food industries for the rising rate of obesity and other health issues related to fast food due to their failure to provide labels for their products. Zinczenko convincingly supports his claim by noting statistical data that shows the rise in money spent to treat diabetes. â€Å"Before 1994, diabetes in children was generally caused by a genetic disorder only 5 percent of childhood cases were obesity related, or Type 2 diabetes. Today, according to the National Institutes of Health, Type 2 diabetes accounts for at least 30 percent of all new childhood cases of diabetes in this country†(Zinczenko 392). He argues that, if the fast food companies are regulated so that they are responsible for their food contents, by providing proper labels, than consumers will make informed food choices. Contrary to Zinczenko, Balko argues that what one eats should be a matter of personal responsibility. To Balko’s credit, I believe that people should take personal responsibility for their health by adding a sensible diet and exercise to their routines. Where I differ from Balko is when he says that government restrictions on food are a result of people making poor food choices. According to Balko, â€Å"a society where everyone is responsible for everyone else’s well-being is a society more apt to accept government restrictions† (397). I think Balko’s argument in this regard, is a selfish one, and is an attempt to exempt the rich from paying their fair share of taxes that would otherwise benefit the poor or some middle families who cannot afford the high cost of health insurance. Both Zinczenko and Balko seem to agree on the rising health costs that are somehow a result of fast food, these two authors seem to differ on reasons. Zinczenko argues that health care cost is on the rise because of diseases caused by fast food due to the failure of fast food companies to provide labels and that consumers should not be blame for it. However, Balko argues that it is so that, we allow the â€Å"government to come between us and our waistline† (396). Balko states that, the more the government continues to fund health issues that are direct attribute of poor food/health choices, the more people will continue to dine on fast food and engage not in an effective diet and exercise regimen. (398) The growth of the fast food industry and the rate at which fast food is consumed is so fast, and its accompanying risks of obesity and related cardiovascular diseases have become a societal epidemic. Zinczenko blames the fast food industries for the spring in the rate to which obesity have grown in the United States. Even though Zinczenko is right about the rising rate of obesity, and that the consumption of fast food forms part of its etiology, the thesis of his argument cannot be proven and therefore cannot form the basis for his claims against the fast food companies since there are other contributing factors regarding the cause, onset, and progression of obesity. Obesity is also biologically linked. These biological attributors include: genetics, hormones, enzymes, and vitamins and minerals. Some people have fat in their genes that, no matter what they do, they are just fat. Others have issues with hormonal imbalances and or inadequate enzymatic actions that would aid in the adequate digestion and absorption of certain foods. Fast food is just one of the many environmental attributes associated with obesity. So Zinczenko can accurately make his case against the fast food industries for providing labels so as to enable consumers make informed food choices and not a case of obesity. Sometimes, people are too fast to pass judgment on others, especially people that are obese. I am equally guilty of the accusation myself. I work as a nurse at a nursing home facility and, in most cases, when staff member comes to me complaining of headache, first thing I say to them is; let’s check your blood pressure and, God forbid, the blood pressure is elevated, or if that person just look fat to me, my next comment is, it is because of all the junk you eat. My judgment, though may be incorrect, is based on the fact that most of these staff members are single parents, live in inner cities, and have a total commute time of two hours to and from work. Not to mention, some of them have more than one job. However, these people are being made to feel guilty about something that is totally out their control. In most instances, their wages aren’t even enough to meet up with their rents and utilities bills. Fast food comes handy in such instance where one can spend ten dollars and get ten cheeseburgers to feed a family of three to five versus going to the grocery store where each healthy ingredient is almost equivalent to the price of the entire dinner comprising of fast food. People fall back on fast food because it is cheap. Zinczenko explains that his parents were split up and that he had to live with his mother who worked long hours just to make the monthly bills. â€Å"Lunch and dinner, for me, was a daily choice between McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken or Pizza Hut. † (Zinczenko 391). In Zinczenko’s case, his lifestyle is altered because fast food is his only option since his family is dysfunctional. His single mother has to work very hard to pay bills and provide him a meal. It doesn’t matter the kind of meal. A meal is a meal, especially for someone who doesn’t have the time to prepare a home cooked meal. The people afflicted with fast food related obesity are not to blame for what they eat because they have very little or no options regarding what they eat due to all of the above reasons. However, to Balko’s point, while people may not have the option about what they eat, they have the option to control how they eat. Zinczenko states in his essay that fast food is â€Å"the only available options for an American kid to get an affordable meal†, and so, he urges his readers not to â€Å"blame the Eater† (392). But as with Zinczenko, we are well aware of the role fast food play in our lives. We understand that, though fast may be one, or the only available meal choice that we have, the way we eat can help us determine the role these foods play in our lives. Zinczenko supports his argument about the role food play in his life by giving information about his pre-college weight. â€Å"By age 15, I had packed 212 pounds of torpid tallow on my once lanky 5-foot-10 frame† (392). Even Zinczenko believes that, consumers are as equally responsible for the way they eat. However, he maintains his argument that the fast food companies bare the greater responsibility. In conclusion, both the eater and the producer are responsible for fast food related obesity, but I believe that the fast industries should bare the greater responsibility. Fast food companies must provide their consumers with proper food labels that enable them to make inform decision about what they eat. Label should not be falsified or misleading, like in the example giving by Zinczenko about the misleading label on the â€Å"chicken salad† (393). He refers to the salad as not healthy and that it is a caloric death- trap aimed at eaters who will not suspect it. Although Balko makes some really good points, his objectives seem to me as a means to an end. Zinczenko cautions that there are few or no alternatives to what we eat and that things have to change. Balko cautions that allowing food regulations for labels means letting the government between you and your waistline. In either case, we as a people have a responsibility to consider what and how we eat.

The United States And The Constitution - 2597 Words

In any society, the first thing that must be determined is from where the power to govern comes. No matter what form government takes, one thing remains constant; no person or group can govern without the will and consent of the people. This goes for despotic mad men and duly elected officers of a free electorate. If those who rule must command the will of those they lead, it must then follow that all executive power flows not from nobility, birthright, or wealth, but from the people themselves. It is this very principle, that any government was given authority and legitimacy from its subjects, that the United States government is based on, namely the Constitution. Taking their cue from the federal government, the states Nevada†¦show more content†¦Drawing on the British parliament, Greek democracy, Roman republic, and even the Native American confederations, The Constitution of the United States was completed on September 17, 1787 and ratified seven months later. The U.S. Constitution has 4,400 words. It is the shortest written Constitution of any major government in the world; However, if this is the document that all law in America is based then why is it so short? Because those founding fathers that had opposed centralized government wanted to have a document that expressly explained the duties, powers, and responsibilities of the new government. This truly was written as a rulebook for the government naming each and every rule that the people of the former colonies wanted the central government to abide by. Since the people wished this central government to have little power, the document is understandably short. In fact, the length of this document has only increased when it has been necessary to further curtail government’s power and increase civil liberties, prohibition being the only exception; however with its repeal this can be considered a wash. In juxtaposition, the Nevada State Constitution is 16,543 words long; almost four times as long as the U.S. Constitution. At first, many may find that the only explanation for the increased length is pretentious verbosity; however there are numerous reasons for this increased length and most have to do with