Conrads Heart of Darkness and Goldings Lord of the Flies Essay Example for Free

Conrads Heart of Darkness and Goldings Lord of the Flies Essay In doing this I will explore some of the key points in both novels. For example they both criticise the period of time they are living in. For Golding it is after the Second World War and he is addressing that war could break out again. Proving this is in the first chapter we hear we was attacked! This shows that mankind would attack children in a passenger plane. Whereas Conrad is living in the late Victorian era where Europe has thrust imperialism on Africa and has exploited the natives into slavery. Evidence of this is the chain-gangs. Firstly I am going to look at how both of the novels in some show a sort of journey into the human mind. In Lord of the Flies it is where the children cross from the good side of the island to the bad side. This starts with Jack saying Bollocks to the rules! This instantly showed the breakdown in society. This started possibly not the journey of the children from good to bad, but it is a journey that the island takes from good to bad. It starts with Jack saying that his choir shall be hunters. This begins the journey. The island starts to get darker and the children start to show the darkness of the human heart. With hunters that can have qualities linked with it that turns people into mere animals with only one thing on the mindkilling. This is showed by how when Jack, Simon and Ralph find the candle buds, Jack acts aggressive with them Jack slashed one of them open with his knife and its scent spilled over them. He didnt just cut them open; he slashed them. He again has killing on his mind with we cant eat them. It is not only Jack that has taken this journey into evil. Jacks tribe are heard to be chanting incessantly Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! So Goldings depiction of a journey into the human mind addresses the obsession of killing. Conrad has a similar approach, but instead of killing he uses madness. Evidence that this is a common thing in the Congo is when Marlow pays a visit to the Doctor. The Doctor was then with a certain eagerness asked me whether he could measure my head Marlow let him, and asked the Doctor whether he measured the peoples heads when they come back too? Now the Doctor says something somewhat strange Oh, I never see themthe changes take place inside you know So the Doctor implies that people go mad out there and never come back. The characters in the two novels sort of follow the same lines. I have grouped the main four characters from the two novels and have put them in to two pairs- Marlow and Ralph and Jack and Mr Kurtz. Firstly, with Marlow and Ralph they start off as good people but they both make mistakes. For Ralph it was ultimately letting the group vote on whether there were ghosts or not. He did not need to let the vote go. What was strange was the way in that he asked the question Who thinks that there may be ghosts? That question seems to lead everyone into saying that there are ghosts. He instantly lost power. He should have asked, Who thinks that there are no ghosts? This would have led everyone into voting for this. Marlow made the main mistake in being led into Kurtzs charisma. He had stated his dislike of the ivory being kept, but when he met Kurtz you hear him say, I was fascinated Jack and Kurtz were similar in that they were evil. I have already examined the way in that Jack is evil, as he instigated the break down in the society on the island. He also had a band of bloodthirsty hunters. Kurtz is evil in the way that he brought in more ivory than all the other stations put together but he never returned it. Looking at the viewpoint of the two novels I find that are in two different ways to address the nature of the novels. Heart of Darkness has Marlows viewpoint. I believe that this was done so that we could be in line with his thoughts and feelings. This makes us understand more about the darkness of the human heart. Whereas Lord of the Flies has a narrator. We dont get the same inside intelligence as with Marlow, but we get some viewpoints such as Ralph wept for the end of innocence Having a narrator helps us to have focused on Ralph on a curve of learning. Simon is viewed differently as his mind is open to us. For example when he encounters the Lord of the Flies, the words that the Lord of the Flies are saying is merely Simon speaking to himself. Golding is writing about Simon in this way so that he can express who the beast actually is. Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt you knew didnt you? Im part of you? We instantly now start to understand that something as bad as the Beast has been made up by the human heart. The setting that Conrad uses is firstly the Thames and then he compares it with Congo. He uses the fact that the Thames leads into the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth. Then the journey down the Congo is a road to evil and darkness. The things Marlow see such as the chain gangs. Black shapes crouched, layattitudes of pain, abandonment, and despair They were dying very slowly-it was very clear In Lord of the Flies Ralph is Adam in Garden of Eden as he has an instinctual relationship with his surroundings, but his goodness gradually fades as he is tempted by evil. The apple in the Garden of Eden is the bad side of the island (the fort area). This is proved by the fact that that was where Piggy was killed his head opened and stuff came out and turned red. Both novels address the darkness of the human heart. I believe that they are both very similar. Conrad and Golding both use death as their tool of evil. In Heart of Darkness it is the natives of Africa that are exploited and flogged until they die. In Lord of the Flies Golding has used the fact that even children would murder each other if they were in charge of society. Both of the texts are fables. The two authors criticise what is happening or what could happen in their period of time. Conrad didnt like what was happening in Africa in the late nineteenth century. Golding was writing what could happen if another war broke out. They may both go to the extremes to condemn society, but with the violence of the everyday world and the overall greed, anything can happen.

Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis Patients INTRODUCTION Multiple sclerosis simply known as â€Å"MS† is disease, an autoimmune one; it has its affect on the central nervous system of human mind. Affected by multiple sclerosis, the brain faces a number of difficulties in getting messages to other parts of the body. Though, we know fairly little on the issue of multiple sclerosis, research into its root causes and potential treatments is swiftly developing. The researcher claim MS causes the human bodys immune system to target attack myelin, an insulating coating around nerve cells. When myelin is affected, the communication among nerve cells located in the central nervous system is interrupted. When it occurs, few of the parts of the human body do not receive or accept instructions from the central nervous system, the source of controlling everything human body does. The disease can cause dynamic range of symptoms that emerge with a range of severity, from mild distress to absolute disability. Statement of the Problem Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an incurable, chronic, and disabling disease in which the immune system is believed to attack the central nervous system. Would Art therapy be proven effective for the patients of Multiple Sclerosis? In order to analyze the benefits that can be drawn out of the therapy, the researcher must be well aware of the illness, its causes and types. As for the treatment, there are various ways that can help in the phase of the healing process of the multiple sclerosis patients. It is however significant to make relationships among the vulnerabilities of the illness and the soothing benefits of the art therapy that is to be examined in this paper. Moreover, this paper provides a comparative study which to examine the effectiveness of art therapy on the patients of multiple sclerosis in two different parts of the world. U.S. and Middle East being the main focus on the study as far as the geographical setting of this paper is concerned. The researcher’s goal is to identify the casualties and the causes of the illness known as multiple sclerosis and also acquire a better understanding of its types and the vulnerabilities that comes in the baggage. It is mainly important because to look for healing, the problem must be clear and concise. Among various methods that has been proven beneficial in the course of healing for the multiple sclerosis patients, this paper has chosen the gate of art therapy. Art therapy has been in the debate for a while when many controversial illnesses are emerged as an issue to talk about. Art therapy has provided a gateway to many of the soothing process that can be beneficial and helpful in many illnesses. The number of ways art therapy has provided particularly to examine the variation it introduced in order to soothe the variety of vulnerable symptoms have been considered reliable and valuable. Purpose This study is designed to analyze the effectiveness of Art Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis patients. The researcher hypothesizes that Art Therapy will considerably improve the overall aspects required to fulfill a quality life. The paper also comprises a comparative study between United States of America and Middle East Research Question Does Art therapy help in any way to multiple sclerosis patients? How beneficial it is to the patients residing across U.S. and Middle East. TYPES OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Multiple sclerosis might appear in various forms. Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable illness. Some people have initial attacks and do not progress. Occasionally, in elderly, progression will stop altogether. According to Multiple Sclerosis Association of USA, it is not clear why this illness affects people in such a diversity of ways. The types of Multiple Sclerosis include: Relapsing-remitting: Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis short as â€Å"RRMS† is typically characterized by plainly definite attacks of aggravating neurologic functions. These attacks are medically referred to as â€Å"relapses†, break outs or exacerbations which are pursued by partial or total recovery periods such as remissions, during it the symptoms get better partially or entirely, and there is no evident progression of illness. RRMS is the common disease at the time of diagnosis. This form of MS comes and goes with time. It usually builds up in the age from 20s to 30s. Symptoms could be severe at one point of time and then disappear. About 85 % of MS patients develop onset of the disease in this pattern. Relapsing-remitting MS is defined as the provocative attacks on myelin as well as of the nerve fibers. During all those provocative attacks, activated immune cells cause few, localized areas of loss which target the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. Due to the reason that the locatio n of the damage is so changeable, no two patients have exactly the same kind of symptoms. Symptoms are very changeable in RRMS. Devastating fatigue is a common unbearable symptom. One of the initial signs of MS might include double vision or blindness that is partial blindness. Other symptoms comprise of balance issues, spasticity, and numbness. This could make walking really difficult. Some people go through bladder or bowel dysfunction, dizziness, or pain. In few cases, emotional imbalances or cognitive dysfunction may occur. Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis tend to worsen as soon as patients become worked up. Lhermitte’s sign is an impression parallel to an electrical shock burning down from neck. Another out of the ordinary sensation, known as MS Hug, feels like a contraction around chest. Secondary-progressive: The title for secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) comes relevant of the fact that it emerges after (RRMS). Of the 85 % of the people who were initially diagnosed with RRMS, most would sooner or later transition to SPMS, meaning that after a course of time within which they experienced relapses and remissions, disease would begin to develop more gradually (not necessarily quickly), with or without any attacks or relapses for that matter. After the first attack, the disease might begin to develop in a more intentional way. In this type, symptoms do not collapse. Before new therapies were designed, about 50 percent of patients with MS entered a progressive stage. In SPMS, people might or might not continue to face relapses caused by inflammation; the disease steadily changes from the provocative process seen in RRMS to a much more steadily progressive stage characterized by nerve damage or loss. People with PPMS do not usually experience any attacks or relapses. With SPMS, relapses tend to be less different. They might happen less often or never occur at all. When relapses occur, recovery is not as final and complete. Disabilities stay put. The fair reason people progress from relapse-remitting to the secondary progressive MS is not still concise and clear. It doesn’t seem related to a growing or increased immune reaction. One explanation is that the disease progression might be an after-effect of nerve damage that occurred early in disease growing phase. But more investigation is required to understand the uneven disease process. Primary-progressive: Primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) is distinguished by slow worsening of neurologic functioning, without any kind of distinctive relapses or occurrence of remission. A person’s pace of progression may differ over time with infrequent plateaus or momentary improvement — but the progression is unremitting and continuous. People who build up this form of disease generally do so afterward in life. They turn down slowly, without much of the hurdles and ups and downs. This form of illness occurs in only 15% of all patients with MS, but it is however most common type of MS in patients who develop the disease after the age of forty. Due to this vital difference in the disease course, various criteria are used to make a precise diagnosis of PPMS. The criteria to diagnose a relapsing form of MS require confirmation of at least 2 separate areas of loss (distribution in space) in central nervous system (CNS) that occurred at different points in time period (distribution in time). In PPMS, though, there is little amount of inflammation. Rather, nerve damage dominates. Damaged nerves disrupt the transmission of nerve signals and messages. This gives a raise to neurological symptoms. Signs of scar tissue or lesions might eventually form all along the damaged nerves in the brain and also in the spinal cord. Progressive relapsing: Progressive-relapsing multiple sclerosis (PRMS) is the slightest common of the four disease types. Like those with PPMS, patients having PRMS experience steadily declining neurologic function, disease progression from the very start, in addition to infrequent relapses similar to those experienced by patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Because PRMS is progressive from beginning, it may be first diagnosed as PPMS, and then subsequently transit to PRMS when a relapse or attacks occurs. Although this disease type is progressive from the outset, each patient’s symptoms and pace of progression tend to be different. In this type of multiple sclerosis, symptoms originally progress slowly but eventually get worst over the period of time. This type of MS affects about 5% of all the patient suffering from MS. No two patients are likely to have the same kind of MS symptoms in the similar manner. Few symptoms might come and go or come out once and not ever again. A relapse can last a long or short period of time from 24 hours to multiple weeks. During a relapse or attack new symptoms may appear or old symptoms for the moment worsen. In PRMS, relapses might or might not be followed by a little recovery. However, there are no remissions whatsoever. CAUSES Although the root cause of multiple sclerosis is still unknown, evidence suggests that the illness may result from an environmental agent that attacks the illness in a genetically vulnerable human being. These outlines of evidence have given a raise to both environmental and genetic theories for Multiple Sclerosis. The Environmental Theory: Investigators and researchers have explored the likelihood that exposure to viral or bacterial contaminations, environmental toxins, exposure to sunlight, variation in temperature and humidity levels, or diet may in some manner produce or aggravate Multiple Sclerosis. To this date, no particular environmental factor or agent has been declared as the root cause of MS. Examine involving inhabitants migration support the idea that an environment element may possibly bring about danger to enhance MS. Especially; susceptibility for you to grow MS seems to be keen by simply get older involving residence ornamented by simply a number of geographical locations. People that ended up blessed within high-risk location glimpse to acquire a lower threat when they transfer as well as create residence within low-risk parts ahead of get older involving 15. In dissimilarity, people blessed within less-risk location may possibly use a dangerous when they change as well as create residence in a higher- risk position just before the age of 15 years.

Life :: essays research papers

THE STORY OF LIFE Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they Were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a Lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be (possibly your roommate, neighbor, worker, long-lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger), but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some profound way. And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart. Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things. Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for

The Fall of the Inca Empire Essay -- History, Ecuador, Peru, Chile

The Inca Empire, the massive nation that extended 2,500 miles along the western coast of South America and had a population of over 7 million at its peak. It included all of what is now Ecuador and Peru and most of Chile. Known as â€Å"The Children of the Sun†, they excelled at craftsmanship, weaving, and culture (â€Å"Children of the Sun†). A very religious people, they worshiped the Sun as their supreme god and held religious festivals monthly to appease these gods. Although they did not value it aside from its beautiful appearance, the Inca Empire was home to millions of pounds of solid gold and silver. The Inca had no use for it except to use it to craft decorations and statues. In fact, an Inca citizen valued cloth more than they valued gold or silver. Their collapse would be brought about because of the Spanish invasion, a brutal civil war that weakened the empire, and deadly disease brought over from Europe. The Inca Empire was a combination of many small tribes and nations that the Inca had conquered and placed under their rule. Their government was very well organized and efficient at ruling their subjects. The entire empire, however, was led by an emperor that was recognized by the Inca people as the â€Å"Son of the Sun†. The emperor selected his advisors and appointed governors for all of the territories under Inca control. They also had a very large, highly organized military consisting of around 500 thousand men. The Empire could have lasted centuries, if not for the Spanish invasion. Led by Hernando Pizarro, an accomplished conquistador, the Empire would be brought to its knees in just under thirty five years Before any conquistador had ever step foot in Inca lands, issues that would lead to the Inca’s downfall had been buil... ...ve died and the civil war would not have occurred. Who knows, Huyana Capac may have been a much stronger, brutal leader than Atahualpa and would have killed the Spanish as soon had he heard that they had landed in Peru. Pizarro, being the decisive, military leader that he was, would take advantage of the terrible plague and use it against the Inca. As he traveled from village to village, he would leave a person infected with smallpox in the village so that the whole village would become infected and die. When his men were in Cuzco while it was under siege from Manco Inca, he ordered dead bodies infected with small pox to be thrown into the Inca camps at night. Huge number of Inca soldiers died because of attacks like these. Pizarro and his men were from Europe, so they had some resistance to the diseases they brought with them, so they were not affected by them.

Catherine des Roches Epistle To Her Mother :: Catherine Roches Epistle Letter Essays

Catherine des Roches' "Epistle To Her Mother" The "Epistle To Her Mother" by Catherine des Roches of Poitiers discusses the very close and dear relationship that exists between mother and daughter. In this letter, the daughter gives a very detailed and vibrant description of the closeness and respect that she shares with her mother. She also reveals her thankfulness to her mother for all that her mother has bestowed upon her. She does this by taking a vow of silence at the end of the letter, which will allow her mother to live a longer and fuller life. In the letter, she wrote, "Since he [the Samian] wishes to speak, I will be silent, Mother, after humbly beseeching Divine Mercy that it please Him lengthen and prosper your days so that you may live a long life as example of the graces of Heaven" (Roches 254). In this letter, Catherine des Roches states facts and details by addressing many parallel points in an easy to read manner. Catherine des Roches does a very good job of consistently using parallel points that contribute to her effectiveness in getting her point across. This means of description allows the reader to grasp the depth of her gratitude and love that she holds for her mother. In the "Epistle To Her Mother," Catherine des Roches uses a very definite pattern of imagery, which includes her use of many mythological figures and activities as references to describe her mother and the relationship that they share. Catherine des Roches also refers to things such as the earth and nature. An example of this is when she says, "You quickened me as Prometheus, the earth which he himself formed" (Roches 253). In this letter, there is also a strong appeal to the senses with the use of words such as luminosity and illumines. Catherine des Roches wrote, "And just as the body in all its proportions, and the shadow in its width cannot be seen without light, so the brilliant luminosity of your mind illumines for us the narrow path where I pray" (Roches 253). According to The Oxford English Dictionary, luminosity means shedding light and illumines means to light up or to enlighten spiritually. These two words are very strong and appeal to the senses to a great degree.

Engage in personal development in health, social care Essay

1.1 Describe the duties and responsibilities of own work role. I work with clients with Autism and/or a learning disability, within a supported housing setting. My current job role is as a ‘care assistant’. I am responsible for providing support to the service user’s, which includes: personal care, assisting with meal preparation, assisting with medication, organising service user finances, assisting with meal planning and maintaining records. The main purpose of my work is to assist and work alongside clients in their own homes and in the community, helping those clients to access and take part in a full range of community activities. It is my duty to enable clients to acquire and practise everyday living skills, to help make full use of the community resources and facilities and to help provide the personal care and supervision required by individual clients. I received an induction training course when I first joined the company, which provided specialised trai ning relating to the learning disability sector. I receive regular supervision with the house manager where I can discuss any problems, and get support. I can also request training, and my manager can highlight areas where I would benefit from further training in. I attend regular refresher courses in training, so that I am up to date with the current standards required for my role. I treat all service users with respect and dignity, and my work practices reflect and promote equal opportunities. I have read, and understand my Company’s policies and procedures, and am aware of what to do in most circumstances, and the correct reporting/recording procedures to follow. I always work in a professional manner, and ensure all service user information is kept up to date, and confidential. The main purpose of my work is to assist and work alongside clients in their own homes and in the community, helping those clients to access and take part in a full range of community activities. It is my duty to enable clients to acquire and practise everyday living skills, to help make full use of the community resources and facilities and to help provide the personal care and supervision required by individual clients. 1.2 Explain expectations about own work role as expressed in relevant standards. My expectations about my work role are the same as a career as they would be  if I was a service user, I believe you should treat others how you would want to be treated yourself and I’d expect to be treated with dignity and respect In any job your will have standards that you must meet as written in your job description. These are usually ranged from minimum required standards to expected standards, to exceeding expectations. There are regulatory and statutory requirements that are relevant to specific industries which you must comply with for example the GSCC (general social care council) code of conduct would be met with OFSTED standards to provide duties for all employees and employers to comply with. I believe I am aware of all standards that need to be met in my job role at any given time and I make reflective practice a routine part of my job, and would ask my supervisor if I was ever unsure what standards apply to your role. 2.1 Explain the importance of reflective practice in continuously improving the quality of service provided. Reflective practice is important way of learning from experiences and improving services. These methods can determine what methods work well and what doesn’t work very well or not at all. Only when good and poor practices are identified can an accurate assessment of performance be made. Areas of good practice can be built on and repeated and any areas where the service could be improved would be identified and can be addressed with training, advice and support. 2.3 Describe how own values, belief systems and experiences may affect working practice. I believe your background and values are of upmost importance especially in this work setting, a naturally careering person undergoing a careers work role can find the experience very rewarding and very natural however an individual without these particular caring values could find the role a lot of effort and very demanding. Unfortunately I have gained my experience as a career due to a member of my family being autistic, this however as instilled in me a natural ability to provide all levels of care from challenging behaviour to personal care. Looking at this on a bigger scale I can see how this industry could just be a job to some people and therefore would maybe look at some duties as choirs rather than simply helping that person. What you determine as important and what you see as acceptable is an essential single-valued function of who you are. The way in which you respond to subjects or duties is linked to what you believe in, what you consider important and what interests you. You may find you react positively to people who share your values and less warmly to people who have different priorities. When you develop friendships, it is natural to spend more time with people who share your interests and values. However, the professional relationships you develop with people are another matter. As a professional, you are responsible to provide the same quality of support for all. Working in the care sector, you are bound to come across people whose views you do not agree with, and who never seem to understand your point of view. Awareness of differences, your reaction to them and how they affect the way you work is a crucial part of this role and your own professional development. If you allow your own preferences to dominate your work with people, you will inevitably fail to perform to the standards of the Codes of Practice. Beliefs can cause many issues in the care sector, from obvious reasons like the individual would accept only male or female carers to religious beliefs which can be very difficult to understand but is essential to get right to provide good care. If you were careering for an individual of a different religious background their beliefs would be of upmost importance to them and so you must respect that, this could affect a career in a number of ways for example this things in which they talk about, the clothes they wear and being to open with their own religious beliefs could upset the service user. Personal experiences I think play a major role in a persons desired job role, for example a young person who spent a lot of time as a child helping out their father on a building site would more than likely find a skill he or she liked within that industry as they have been introduced to it from a young age. A personal experience story I think answers this question very well is that of my si ster who in a mad panic last year through no choice of her own had to deliver our sisters baby and save his life after he had stopped breathing. Baby and mother all doing well now my sister has just started a midwifery course as she describes the experience as overwhelming and magical, This could lead to a full time job for my sister all spurred on by a personal experience. 4.1 Identify sources of support for planning and reviewing own development. As a large percentage of my job is homecare so my first source of support would be the house manager then the parents/family of the client, and in some cases depending  on the individual’s capacity and communication maybe the client themselves. From these I can learn what has worked in the past and what methods have been tried. I can also get the back story of the client to try and think of new methods and activities in order to help the client’s progression. The client would also have a service plan in their personal file where I can find most of the information I need. If I was working in a community centre I would first read the clients file to try and gather information to fuel my development in order to provide a better service. If I felt I needed more or just further development I could also speak to my seniors within the community centre. The company also hold more detailed files and information that I can access when I need in order to plan and or review development. We regularly receive supervision meetings to discuss any matters and to plan and review development. Here I can ask to be enrolled onto training courses I think would benefit me and my clients.

Monsanto — Appointing, Legislating, and Lobbying Its Way to the Top

Interest groups are defined as an â€Å"organized group of people that makes policy-related appeals† and they can have a profound effect on our government and society (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 419). These groups represent their interests in the political arena in a variety of ways; they can get government officials appointed to government positions, lobby government officials, and fund media to advertise their message to mobilize public opinion and sway voters. Businesses interest groups in particular utilize these strategies, because there is an economic incentive in passing favorable laws and conveying a good image to government and the public. One business interest currently benefiting from their interaction with the Obama administration is Monsanto. Monsanto is a billion dollar company responsible for genetically modified seeds, the chemical Roundup and its associated Roundup ready crops, the toxic chemical substance Agent Orange, bovine growth hormones (rBGH), and the synthetic sugar substitute known as aspartame—to name a few. As a business interest group, it has been a terrific success in using government to push its agenda, much to the dismay of environmental activists, scientists, and concerned citizens who want their government to regulate businesses and protect the public. This paper will examine how business interest groups like Monsanto have been able to further their agenda under the Obama administration through the appointment of employees to federal positions, lobbying, and use of media to mobilize public opinion. ) Appointment to Federal positions The appointment of employees in business to positions in government is a common occurrence today and is often referred to as â€Å"The Revolving Door†. This is the shuffling in and out of government and private sector jobs, and it is bad because it leaves these government officials with biases and the high chance of being favorable to their former employer. In the Obama administration, there are currently many revolvers from private industry (â €Å"Revolving Door†). One current revolver from Monsanto who is now making policy decisions regarding our food safety is Michael Taylor. Michael Taylor was named deputy commissioner for foods at the Food and Drug Administration in January 2010 and is a former Vice President of Monsanto’s Public Policy(â€Å"Meet Michael R. Taylor, J. D. , Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine†). This obviously creates a bias when making decisions about policies regarding products manufactured by Monsanto, such as genetically modified foods or the bovine growth hormones used in milk. When Monsanto employees like Michael Taylor get into these agencies, they are usually favorable to their former employer Monsanto when making decisions. They also ensure direct access for lobbyists to the agencies they are in control of; â€Å"many of Washington’s top lobbyists have close ties to important members of congress or were themselves important political figures, thus virtually guaranteeing that clients will have direct access to government officials† (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 414). Taylor is a former lobbyist and current government official who now gives Monsanto full access into the decision making of many of American’s decisions about food. Unfortunately, he is just one in a litany of government officials who have vested interests in the private sector while still being allowed to make decisions affecting the health and safety of the American public. By getting employees into federal positions, businesses increase their chances of creating a strong iron triangle system that supports their interest group. The iron triangle is a â€Å"stable, cooperative relationship that often develops among a congressional committee, an administrative agency, and one or more supportive interest groups† (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 418). This iron triangle system is powerful in creating favorable legislation and regulation for Monsanto; their good working relationship with legislative committees and executive agencies allows them to support their agenda and further their business by directly shaping policy outcomes. 2) Lobbying members of congress Lobbying is a critical part of how interest groups represent their agenda in government and seek passage of favorable legislation. A lobbyist’s goal is to influence policy in a certain direction by â€Å"mobilizing individual citizens to contact legislators (grassroots lobbying), testifying at hearings, submitting written comments to an agency or committee, press releases, and other activities† (Hasen 217). Lobbyists also take full of advantage of their direct access and â€Å"personal contact with legislators and taff members† to influence policy decisions (Hasen 217). Monsanto is incredibly adept in all these areas, and was the top lobbying client in the agribusiness sector with $8,831,120 spent in 2008 and $5,970,000 in expenditures in 2012 (â€Å"Annual Lobbying on Agricultural Services†). Business interest groups often lobby congress and the executive branch to promote their agendas and enact favorable laws and regulations. They do this by gaining dir ect access to members of Congress and federal agencies and making their interests heard. This is even encouraged by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) that â€Å"requires most federal agencies to provide notice and an opportunity for comment before implementing proposed new rules and legislation† (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 434). This allows businesses like Monsanto to meet with agencies like the USDA, FDA, and EPA to weigh in on issues that affect them, such as the merits and safety of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), discouraging labeling of GMOS’s, or enforcement rules on chemicals and pesticides. Research shows that business interest groups have gained legislative success through directly influencing the bureaucracy. According to research, the â€Å"significant trait in interest group influence is the privileged, institutionalized integration of some groups into public decision making† (Binderkrantz 177-78). Because of Monsanto’s high level of activity with government agencies and their ability to get access and lobby officials directly, their opinion is often integrated into public policy. Another way Monsanto lobbyists gain influence is through the information they have to offer the government. Research says â€Å"the most important factor governing the influence of a group was the ability of a group to provide lawmakers with both technical and political information† (Smith 235). Monsanto provides busy government officials with information about the issues that conveys authority and touts research backing, making policy decisions easier for a government official who may know nothing about the subject otherwise. In fact, many politicians say lobbyists are an essential part of government; in response to a 1978 bill expanding lobbying disclosures, Senators Edward Kennedy, Dick Clark, and Robert Stafford issued the statement that â€Å"Government without lobbying could not function. The flow of information to Congress and to every other federal agency is a vital part of our democratic system† (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 431). This quote exemplifies how politicians rely on lobbyists as an essential source of information regarding policy issues. Lobbyist’s role as conduits of this information to government is crucial because they are in complete control of how information is presented—and thus how their agenda is received. One recent piece of legislation that Monsanto benefited from because of the information their ability to directly access lawmakers was House Resolution 933, an emergency spending bill passed to fund government operations through September and avert a government shutdown. The bill, signed by President Obama on March 26th 20013, will continue to protect this multi-billion dollar corporation from legal ramifications of the safety of its products. The budget bill, now dubbed the â€Å"Monsanto Protection Act†, inserted an unrelated provision that grants Monsanto against legal injunction for the next year and the ability to continue planting seeds and harvesting crops even if there are problems found with genetically modified organisms. Because they were trying to rush this bill through to avoid government shutdown, these shady provisions were able to sneak through. The Missouri Senator who added in the bill, Roy Blunt, admits he worked with Monsanto in creating the details of this legislature (â€Å"New Law Spurs Controversy, Debate Over Genetically Modified Crops†). This piece of protective legislation shows how corporations can use their direct access to government officials to alter policy changes. Because of this advantage of access and authority, business interest groups like Monsanto are extremely successful in transforming their agenda into public policy. Overall, research does indicate that there is a bias towards businesses. When comparing comments from business to nonbusiness commenters in federal agency hearings, there was a clear winner in policy outcomes. Agencies are more likely to be persuaded by lobbyists for business interests because of â€Å"the number of comments coming from business interests† and the fact that the â€Å"comments from business-related interests provide more information and signal a greater level of commenter expertise, causing agencies to respond to the requests made†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Webb 128). This research shows business interest groups have the advantage both in the amount of input, and the sense of credibility the information has coming from a large industry. Monsanto educates these government officials through their company’s own agenda and thus often succeeds in getting the policies it wants passed. This bias towards businesses undercuts the effectiveness of pluralism. Pluralism is the theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government, with the outcome of this competition being compromise and moderation. The idea is that people will belong to interest groups that affect them and let their voices be heard by government, so that their needs can be met. Unfortunately, business interest groups often have a much greater voice than other interest groups through their existing ties to government via federal appointments and because of their financial power to fund lobbyists. Because they have a greater presence, the corporation’s needs are met while the needs of the public become secondary. While â€Å"interest group pluralism presumes that public policy outcomes are determined principally through a contest for influence among organized pressure groups†, we can see that it isn’t a very fair contest when Monsanto’s lobbyists have millions more dollars to spend. Stephenson and Jackson 7) It is clear that there is a negative implication of lobbying when legislation begins to favor elite interests rather than the public good. Because business interest groups are able to influence government in a disproportionately higher rate than citizens, â€Å"legislative outputs no longer reflect the outcome of reasoned deba te, promoting the common good, or the preferences of the median voters. Instead, public policy reflects the preferences of lobbyists’ clients† (Hasen 219). 4. Mobilizing Public Opinion Through Media Monsanto, like other interest groups, often uses media to further its cause. It can be used to rally support for the products it makes or it can be used to oppose policies that could affect the company negatively. Because it is a multi-billion dollar company, it is able to spend an inordinate amount to advertise their agenda and gain public favor more easily than companies that are not as well off financially. Research shows the effectiveness of an interest group’s use of media is correlated to its money and size: â€Å"the best predictor of an interest group's ability to use the mass media as a political tool is the level of organizational resources (money, members, staff, etc. it enjoys† (Thrall 417). This shows that the advertising messages the public receives is determined by who has the most money to market themselves, and companies like Monsanto are obviously a dominant influence due to their resources. A recent example of Monsanto’s use of the media to further its agenda was the attempt at labeling genetically modified organisms (G MO’s) that failed because of Monsanto’s supreme ability to mobilize public opinion. The California Proposition 37 added to the ballot in 2012 was an initiative to label foods that contain genetically modified organisms. Even with mounting concerns about public safety, Monsanto was able to control this issue through media and advertising and ensure that California voters would not let the proposition pass. They were successful because large companies were able to out fund non-profits and other groups who donated a fraction of Monsanto’s budget. Because of their resources and ability to advertise, Monsanto and other agribusinesses were able to easily sway voters with their carefully crafted ad campaigns. By paying to run millions of dollars on ads that threatened rising food costs if food labeling was required, they swayed many Americans worried about tough economic times. Their use of the media convinced citizens that labeling genetically modified foods was against their self-interests financially, and this threat prevented many people from voting the proposition through. It was a big comment on the state of consumer affairs in the country that a simple labeling law could not be passed; though the administration could follow many other countries leads and mandate GMO labeling, Monsanto is left deciding the fate of food with its money, power, and influence. 4) Conclusion: reaffirms your thesis statement, discusses the issues, and reaches a final judgment: your conclusion based on your research and your reasoning. Business interest groups are a powerful force in the decision making process of our country and will continue to exert force over policy as long as they have resources and access. To make their interests known and accepted, they utilize the attainment of federal positions, lobbying, litigation, and funding of media. To get their agenda expressed through the government, they use federal appointments in a process called the â€Å"Revolving Door†. This leads to biased decision making throughout branches of the government that can negatively affect policy outcomes for the public. If this continues, citizens will become alienated and distrusting of the federal government which seems to be only serving the elite interests of corporations. Lobbying is another way that citizens are rightly beginning to lose trust in the system. While in theory all interest groups are supposed to be able to lobby the government, only those interests with large amounts of money, access, and connections will have a good chance at having their interests be heard. Though there are regulations on how much lobbyists can spend and laws requiring them to register, it is still clear that lobbyists for billion dollar corporations are experiencing a higher level of success than public interest groups with little funding. This shows that in government, those with the most money and access will prevail. Unfortunately when â€Å"businesses and trade associations make up more than half of the Washington lobbying community†, it is unlikely citizens will fare as well as corporations (Baumgartner 1194). This has major implications when research shows that â€Å"some special interest lobbies frequently influence legislation and regulation in ways that†¦are detrimental to the public good† (Baker 53). Regulations made from information presented by lobbyists doesn’t serve the public good—it serves Monsanto’s. The use of the media is another area in which Monsanto has dominated its competition. It was the highest contributor in advertising against Proposition 37, and the over seven million dollars poured into the cause was effective in squashing the issue of labeling genetically modified food. When a group like Monsanto is able to pour that amount of funds into mobilizing public opinion, they have complete control over the issue and how they want it to be seen and voted on by the American public. With enough money they were able to assuage concerns over the safety of genetically modified foods and managed to convince people it would actually go against their own self interests in terms of cost. The elite team of advertisers Monsanto has the funds to hire enables them to spin their issues in any way they need to in order to gain both governmental and public support for their agenda. By gaining support they can ensure individuals vote to Monsanto’s benefit and don’t actively oppose the company, leaving their profit motive as the single determiner of important public policy.