Definition and Examples of Synecdoche

Definition and Examples of Synecdoche Synecdoche (pronounced si-NEK-di-key) is a trope or  figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole (for example, ABCs for alphabet) or (less commonly) the whole is used to represent a part (England won the World Cup in 1966). Adjective: synecdochic, synecdochical,  or synecdochal. In rhetoric, synecdoche is often treated as a type of  metonymy. In semantics, synecdoches have been defined as turns of meaning within one and the same semantic field: a term is represented by another term, the extension of which is either semantically wider or semantically narrower (Concise Encyclopedia of Pragmatics, 2009). Etymology From the Greek, shared understanding Examples and Observations Thomas Macaulays Use of SynecdocheIn many of the stories [British historian Thomas] Macaulay told he insinuated a more vivid sense of shared Englishness, as when he presented a few Devonian rustics as the English people, forming the most favourable opinion of Williams piety after he landed with his invading army. Apart from anaphora and hyperbole, synecdoche may be Macaulays favorite trope. To brand his version of English nationality into his readers minds, he artfully selected the parts he conflated with the whole nation.Synecdochic Characters and Concepts- Synecdoches are ways in which we construct our understanding of the whole, although we only have access to the part. Synecdoches are part of our general cultural heritage and exist in literature as well as science. Archetypes, mythic characters, gods and goddesses have all been viewed as synecdochical, as have some literary characters, such as Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Desdemona, Romeo, Juliet, Jane Eyre, and Willy Loman. Metonymy and Synecdoche- [I]t is often difficult to distinguish between metonymy and synecdoche. Plastic credit card is a case of synecdoche because credit cards are made from plastic, but it is also metonymic because we use plastic to refer to the whole system of paying by means of a prearranged credit facility, not just the cards themselves. In fact, many scholars do not use synecdoche as a category or term at all.Synecdoche in the NewsThe daily press, the immediate media, is superb at synecdoche, at giving us a small thing that stands for a much larger thing. Reporters on the ground, embedded or otherwise, can tell us about or send us pictures of what happened in that place at that time among those people. The overarching theory rationalizing the great expense and effort that goes into those little stories is they somehow give us access to the big story, the big picture, what is really going on...Synecdoche in Song LyricsSome common forms of synecdoche are exemplified by these [s ong] titles: Take Back Your Mink (raw material for finished product); Rum and Coca Cola (trade name for generic product); Love Me, Love My Pekinese (species for genus); Willie, Mickey, and the Duke (nickname/first name/last name for person/thing); Woodstock (place for event). Synecdoche in Films In photographic and filmic media a close-up is a simple synecdochea part representing the whole. . . . Synecdoche invites or expects the viewer to fill in the gaps and advertisements frequently employ this trope. Also Known As Intellectio, quick conceit Sources (Robert E Sullivan,  Macaulay: The Tragedy of Power. Harvard University Press, 2009)(Laurel Richardson,  Writing Strategies: Reaching Diverse Audiences. Sage, 1990)(Murray Knowles and Rosamund Moon,  Introducing Metaphor. Routledge, 2006)(Bruce Jackson, Bringing It All Back Home.  CounterPunch, Nov. 26, 2003)(Sheila Davis,  Successful Lyric Writing. Writers Digest Books, 1988(Daniel Chandler,  Semiotics: The Basics. Routledge, 2002)

Importance of Knowledge of Culture to Business Managers Essay

Importance of Knowledge of Culture to Business Managers - Essay Example The knowledge of the differences in the cultural dynamics is important to the business managers as it helps in the interaction process among the business organizations. For one to understand the impact that cultural differences have on the business organizations, it is important to understand what the concept of culture entails. Culture can be said to consist of the patterned thinking processes and ways in which different human groups acquire and transmit symbols. It also involves the ways in which the different groups react, and their values and ideas. Culture is also said to be a subjective perception of the environment in which one is living. This environment includes the social stimuli, roles, beliefs, and the value system that is shared by the members of the group. Language and religion are said to play a great role in culture. It is important to note therefore that any given organization exists within a given culture and are therefore influenced by the cultures in which they ex ist (Simms 18). The elimination of trade barriers and the increasing ease of penetration of national boundaries have led to the increase in the need to transfer knowledge and skills between the subsidiaries of the various multinational organizations. This means that the work places in these organizations have become multinational and in the process created a new challenge for the business managers in the management of the workplace as they have to ensure that the new employees who are from different nationality and cultural background have been able to transfer the skills and knowledge that they possess. The knowledge of the differences in culture by the business managers is important as it will help in the facilitation of knowledge transfer. Knowledge transfer involves the attempt by a given entity to copy and apply a specific knowledge or practice from another entity. Knowledge transfer involves ensuring that the efforts that are put in place are effective and that the new knowled ge that was being learnt or acquired from a different organization has been learnt to the extent that it becomes embodies to the practices of the organization. In the transfer of knowledge, the business managers are often faced with the challenge of cultural hindrances in the transfer process. There are some instances in which because of their cultural backgrounds, those involved in are unable to transfer the knowledge in such a way that it contributes to the desired outcome. This is because the knowledge to be passed is embedded in the individuals and therefore can only be transferred by interacting with the individual. The knowledge also has a social dimension to it in that it has been acquired through a process of socialization and as such can only be transferred through socialization. People of different cultures socialize in different ways and it is therefore important for a business manager to be aware how the particular culture interacts. This will help him in facilitating th e interactions necessary for the transfer of knowledge to take place (Pauleen 223). It is also important for the business managers to have knowledge on the difference between the individualistic and the collective cultures. This will help them in the process of ensuring knowledge transfer. It is important for a b

Research proposal Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research proposal - Article Example ss of Korean-American adolescents; and (3) to determine the effect of family and culture in the academic achievement of Korean-American adolescents in US schools. Ethnic Identity as a Predictor of Problem Behaviors among Korean American Adolescents, a Journal article by Eunai K. Shrake, Siyon Rhee; Adolescence, Vol. 39, 2004 presents the underlying problems that Korean American adolescent’s experience. Chung, Jungsook Park. 1998. "A Study of Self-Esteem in Selected Korean-American Youth in the Fort Worth-Dallas Area." Ph.D. Thesis, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary aims to discover certain significant predictors of self-esteem among Korean-American adolescents and to determine the difference in self-esteem scores across the variables of gender, length of residence in the United States, parents marital structure, language preference, and significant others. In this study, â€Å"the adolescents who chose parents as the most significant others received the highest scores in self-esteem analysis. The adolescents who chose friends received the middle score, and the adolescents who chose teachers received the lowest score.† The value tensions in Korean–American mother–child relationships while facilitating academic success written by Sungeun Yang and Kathryn D. Rettig â€Å"explored mothers perspectives concerning their experiences in facilitating the academic success of their adolescents in American schools, using a naturalistic study design, data from transcribed personal interviews of 17 Korean–American mothers, and a phenomenological analysis approach.† Parental Warmth, Control, and Involvement in Schooling by Kyoungho Kim and Ronald P. Rohner â€Å"explored the relationship between Baumrind’s parenting prototypes and the academic achievement, judged by grade point average (GPA), of Korean American adolescents. It also examined the relative contribution to youth’s academic achievement of perceived maternal and paternal warmth and control and

CHILDREN MODELING THEIR PARENTS' PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR Research Paper

CHILDREN MODELING THEIR PARENTS' PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR - Research Paper Example According his first two stages: when the children are between 3 to 6 years old (Stage 1) they cannot distinguish between their own interpretation of the situation and the other person’s point of view clearly. In the next stage (Stage 2, from 5 – 9 years) the children do realize the difference between their own perception and others but they are unable to understand it. This means that from the very early age the moral development of the child starts and the children learn and imitate their adults, with whom they are emotionally attached with, in their own social life (White, Burnam, 1975). Since from the recent years, the tradition of the families to live in isolation is becoming very common, therefore it is evident that most of the children, in the hope to be like them, are imitating their parents consciously or unconsciously (Schulman, & Mekler, 1994). The highest level of learning by a child is through modeled behavior. The chances of adoption will increase if the model is similar to the observer (child) and also share an admired status from him (Zohery, 1994). Children grow and discover best in the scenarios where they are appreciated and protected. Their physical desires are satisfied and they experience psychological security (Preusse, 2008). Keeping this in mind, the children that are exposed to pro- social activities by parents being their models can learn more quickly and adapt those qualities very easily as they are provided with the direction within a security. It has also been seen in the research that the young children who are very much dependent on others, aging from three to five are influenced by the modeling more, as compared to the elder children (Eisenberg, & Mussen, 1989). For this reason, they develop the psyche of the model and unconsciously they behave accordingly. Since in the childhood, the children are mos tly associated with their parents so automatically they develop the habits of their

Marketing of MonoSpace Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Marketing of MonoSpace - Case Study Example Hatala is contemplating the following issues: Political: 90% of Kone's sales come from international markets. This makes it very vulnerable to political stability in its global markets for example Italy is one of the markets of Kone and elevator regulations are governed in Italy by parliament. Thus , to bring MonoSpace i.e. an elevator without a machine room in compliance with standards , it would require an act by the parliament. Economical: The performance of elevator industry is directly proportional to the performance of the construction industry. The construction industry has maximum potential in developing countries rather than the developed countries. The reason for this is that the developed countries have maximized their growth potential whereas the developing countries would require heavy spending on construction to build malls, offices and other infrastructure. Thus, the most economically feasible regions for Kone products would be the less developed Asian and Australian markets as compared to the developed European and EU markets. Social: It can be argued that the MonoSpace elevators are a hard sell since it requires a unanimous decision of people from different backgrounds for e.g. the owner might be affluent and influential wanting perfection in the looks and features of the elevator, the contractor would be worried about the cost benefit analysis and the property developer would be thinking about the cost saving versus the benefit of space saved. Technological: elevator market is a technologically driven market. However, technology that is being applied is at the back office rather than on the consumer side. The consumer is only impressed by the ride comfort and speed of the elevator. The customer i.e. the owner investor or the property developer, contractor etc would be interested in the performance (maintenance cost, Hazards involved), initial investment and the space that is being used by the elevator machine room. This space is rendered useless for the owner since the elevators are using it. The reason behind the margin erosion phenomena is that the features directly impacting the customer (the owner, contractor and property developer) are similar by all the various competitors and there is not much differentiation in the end product. Gearless Traction Gear traction Hydraulic 10% 30% 60% Commercial Buildings High rise Less than 6 floors Low rise Legislative: In France, Kone had received approval only for ten installations. It can be deduced from this that having a machine room less elevator is a benefit provided to the customers however, it has widespread concerns and ambiguities and customers as well as the various governments would like to test the new MonoSpace product first for reliability before letting it be installed all over their regions. Environmental: Unlike the hydraulic elevators, which use two hundred plus liters of oil,

Comparison of Weber and Durkheim

Comparison of Weber and Durkheim Anomie and forced division of labour for Durkheim and rationalization and bureaucracy for Weber summed up the problem of industrial societies. Discuss. Introduction Emile Durkheim Max Weber Conclusion Bibliography Introduction Anomie represents a concept that was introduced by Emile Durkheim (1997, pp. 303-304) in â€Å"The Division of Labor in Society†, which was first printed in 1893. Durkheim (1997, pp. 303-304) utilized the word to describe the deregulation of society whereby the rules representing how people should behave with respect to their interaction with each other was breaking down thus creating confusion as to what in what others expected from one another. In said book, Durkheim (1997, p. 184) advises that that term is where the moral and social norms are not clear, and the removal of behavioural limits represented a path to deviant behaviour. Durkheim is credited with turning sociology into a science as well as its installation as part of the academic curriculum on France, and is considered by many to be the father of sociology (emile-durkheim.com, 2006). Max Weber (cepa.newschool.edu, 2007) is also recognized as one of the founders of sociology. He advises us on many instances that in the world of modernity, that the gods have deserted us (Turner, 1993, pp. 115-117). As Durkheim focused upon a set of social features that represented the subject of sociology, Weber essentially is considered as defining sociology (Marxists Internet Archive, 1999). This exercise shall delve into concepts and terms with respect to how anomie and forced division of labour under Durkheim, and rationalization and bureaucracy for Weber summed up the problem of industrial societies. Durkheim In defining sociology as an academic subject, Durkheim separated sociology from psychology, philosophy as well as economics and other disciplines through stating that sociologists study features of group life (About Sociology, 2007). Durkheim defines solidarity as representing the cohesion of society’s human groupings into social unity, which can consist of mechanical as well as organic (Durkheim, 1997, p. 13-14). Mechanical solidarity represents a condition whereby the individuals within a society are linked via a ‘conscience collective’ (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 61-65). The preceding represents a condition whereby the belief systems and the sentiments that are common in the citizens within the same society (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 31-33). Thus, the individuals within the society are connected, or linked to each other as a result of their common beliefs, thereby belonging to society as opposed to belonging to themselves (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 31-33). A horde is what Durkhei m (1997, pp. 126-127) termed a group or collection of people whereby their cohesiveness is founded in resemblances. Such a group, horde, has no organization or form, and within this group the collective membership look upon each other as kin, whether or not such a relationship exists by blood or union (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 126-127). Within such a group, horde, punishments and responsibility are collective in action and nature and represent the more primitive, or non evolved societal types whereby individual personalities are submerged in the collectivity of the group (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 126-127). As individuals come to rely upon others, outside of themselves for various aspects of life, they have, or are moving towards an organic solidarity (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 69-71). People become and are reliant upon each other whereby individuals have parts to contribute to society as a part of the whole, whereby responsibility to others is a trait as well as moral character (Durkheim, 1997, p. 77). The foregoing is important in understanding the interactions within society that he termed as the moral density (Durkheim, 1997, p. 201). The preceding, moral density is proportionately linked to the division of labor within a society (Turner, 1993, p. 3). Moral density represents an important factor in understanding what causes increased division of labor. Durkheim’s (1993, pp. 113) believes in this revolved around two facets that he thought were responsible for the preceding, material density and social volume. The former, Durkheim states is (Turner, 1993, p. 113): â€Å"Social life is based on a substratum whose size and form alike are determined. It is made up of the mass of individuals that constitute society, the manner of their geographical distribution and the nature and configuration of the whole range of phenomena that affect collective relations. The social substratum varies in relation to the size or density of the population, to whether it is concentrated in towns or scattered in rural areas, to the layout of the towns and houses, to whether the space occupied by the society concerned is large or small, to the kind of frontiers by which it is bounded, to the transport links which run the length and breadth of it, etc, On the other hand, the makeup of this substratum directly or indirectly affects all social phenomena, in the same way as all psychic phenomena are in mediate or immediate relation to the state of the brain. So these are all problems that are patently concerned with sociology and which, as they all refer to the same obj ect, must be part of one science. It is this science we propose to call social morphology.† Social volume, Durkheim states is (Turner, 1993, p. 116): â€Å"†¦as the various elements constituting the group grow more numerous, yet without at the same time ceasing to be closely connected, individuals can only hold their own if they become differentiated, if each chooses a task and a lifestyle of his own in this enlarged battlefield, where the intensity of the struggle grows in keeping with the number of the combatants. The division of labor thus becomes the primary condition of social equilibrium. And indeed, this simultaneous increase in the volume and density of societies is the major new element distinguishing the nations of today from those of former times; this is probably one of the principal factors dominating history as a whole; at any rate, it is the cause which explains the transformations which social solidarity has undergone.† Durkheim (Turner, 1993, pp. 98-99) brings together the facets of anomie, organic solidarity and â€Å"the abnormal forms of the division of labor† through â€Å"distinguished three pathological forms: the anomic, the enforced division of labor, and ‘another abnormal form’, which might be termed lack of internal organizational coordination†. With respect to the foregoing anomie â€Å"is expressed in economic crises, the antagonism between capital and labor, and anarchy in science, arises at times of rapid change, during which new organs and functions develop without a corresponding development of rules of cooperation and therefore of social ties† (Turner, 1993, p. 98). Anomie, represents the rapid as well as radical change in social conditions that presents itself as â€Å"the lack of regulation or deregulation† Turner, 1993, p. 98). Durkheim (Turner, 1993, p. 98) explains that the foregoing does not represent a â€Å"fundamental crisis of the system, but rather a crisis of adaptation, and continuous contact will eventually produce new rules and a new functional equilibrium between the divided functions, thus assuring social integration†. Whereas â€Å"anomie can be eliminated by the gradual development of new rules, in the case of the enforced division of labor it is ‘these very rules themselves which are the cause of the ills† (Turner, 1993, p. 98). The preceding represents when the rules and underpinnings of society are not responsive to the underlying changes in the fabric of society, and thus the established order is retained by force (Turner, 1993, p. 98). This represents the abnormal form of the division of labor that is representative of privileged positions being held by birth and social standing as opposed to abilities and talents Turner, 1993, p. 99). The condition, asserts can be alleviated through the adoption of â€Å"formal equality of opportunity †¦Ã¢â‚¬  as well as â€Å"†¦ freedom to choose a profession† (Durkheim Turner, 1993, p. 99). Max Weber Breiner (1996, p. 26) advises that the critics of Weber’s approach to social science have issues with his reduction of â€Å"all socially interpreted activity to instrumental rationality†. Those who interpret him in a sympathetic manner see â€Å"his focus on the interpretation of the meaningful conduct of social agents a strong argument in favor of the subservience of explanation to the rules or everyday understandings under which actions are intelligible† (Breiner, 1996, p. 26). Turner (1993, p. 4) advises us to be circumspect with regard to Weber’s approach to modernism and rationalization as â€Å"he remained highly ambiguous about the content and consequences† with regard to the foregoing. The preceding, Turner (1993, p. 5) states that the preceding is a result of â€Å"Weber’s ambiguities over capitalism were also expressed in his ambivalent attitudes to socialism as a rational planning of the market†. He, Weber, argues that â₠¬Å"socialism was another step in the growth of rational management of resources; socialism represented a further development of the second serfdom—to calculation, planning, and instrumental rationalism† (Turner, 1993, p. 5). Turner (1993, p. 5) further informs us that â€Å"main issue in Weber’s political sociology is the absence of any analysis of the processes of democratization, about which Weber remained skeptical, if not dismissive†. He (Turner, 1993, p. 5) supports the preceding in stating that â€Å"In this respect, Weber was significantly influenced by Robert Michels’s theory of ‘the iron law of oligarchy’, which suggested that all mass-party organization would come to depend on an elite†. To further understand Weber’s meaning, before we delve into the preceding further, we must understand vocational politics, which represents a vocation, stating that â€Å"For everything that is striven for through political action, operating with violent means and following an ethic of responsibility, endangers the salvation of the soul† (Breiner, 1996, p. 6). Weber continues: â€Å"If, however, one chases after the ultimate good in a war of beliefs, following a pure ethic of absolute ends, then the goals may be damaged and discredited for generations, because responsibility for the consequences are lacking and those diabolic forces which enter into play remain unknown to the actor. These [forces] are inexorable and produce consequences for his action and even for his inner self, to which he must helplessly submit, unless he perceives them†. His â€Å"ambiguity over whether he is giving an impartial general account of the logic of methodical action or a subjective situation-bound account of the multiple logics that constitute the different terrains of action† along with vocational politics have bearing on his concept of rationalization as it tends to skew his view against democracy â€Å"by appealing to objective standards of feasibility while maintaining that commitment to either form is a matter of personal choice† (Breiner, 1996, p. 10). The foregoing has direct bearing upon Weber’s concept of rationalization (Breiner, 1996, p. 10). The preceding thus permits us to explore Weber’s approach and concepts of modernisation within what Turner (1993, p. 12) calls â€Å"a Weberian conceptualization of modern social change†. Within modernity the social as well as cultural facets of life do not point us towards an orderly life, but instead â€Å"a number of life spheres whose demands are objective and not influenced by the subject† (Breiner, 1996, p. 59). Each of these spheres is represented by â€Å"its own logic of action† (Breiner, 1996, p. 59). Turner (1993, p. 16) advises that â€Å"In bureaucracy, rationalization produced a system of reliable, dependable decision-making for the realization of public goals†. Weber argues that â€Å"Secularization had liberated human beings from the magical world of the ancients†, and that â€Å"the very same processes of rationalization threaten to subordinate imagination and inspiration to the demands of standardized routines and technical procedures† (Turner, 1993, pp. 16-17). Turner (1993, p. 17) continues â€Å"they threaten to produce a new characterology of soulless, machine-like robots†. The preceding is contained in context in Weber’s address of September 1919 (Turner, 1993, p. 17). â€Å"The fate of our age, with its characteristic rationalization and intellectualization and above all the disenchantment of the world is that the ultimate, most sublime values have withdrawn from public life, either into the transcendental realm of mystical life or into the brotherhood of immediate personal relationships between individuals. It is no accident that our greatest art is intimate rather than monumental, nor is it fortuitous that today only in the smallest groups, between individuals, something pulsates in pianissmo which corresponds to the prophetic pneuma which formerly swept through great communities like fire and welded them together† Conclusion The bureaucratic maze sees â€Å"the projects of political actors may collide not only with the maximizing logic of economic actors seeking power over the market but also with the logic or bureaucracy, which undermines this economic logic† (Briener, 1996, pp. 115-116). In order to overcome the preceding, Weber explains that the political actors â€Å"may have to mobilize masses of citizens under party machines† (Briener, 1996, p. 116). Turner (1993, p. 92) explains that under â€Å"patrimonialism, at each stage of the tax-gathering exercise and at each level of the bureaucracy, the tax-yield was progressively creamed-off by the bureaucracy†. The bureaucratic nature of the new state systems utilized bureaucratic level to administer programs that were overseen by inefficient levels of management and response to the public good, thus creating a tax based support system that stood upon the back of its supporters (Turner, 1993, p. 93). The preceding stifled creativity and innovation within the system as those in power seeking to maintain their power acted out of their own self interests and political interest first, as opposed to a view to the future that would have benefited their nation as a whole. This defensive posture of holding onto the popular and or accepted views in face of better approaches is a hallmark of bureaucracy which dehumises the human element in support of its own well being and safekeeping. The bureaucracy nature of industrial societies is still in force today, whereby the conforming to the norm represents the belief systems for the majority of its populations thus making Weber’s â€Å"soulless, machine-like robots† Turner, 1993, p. 17)a reality for the lower and middle classes. An upper class still does exist as defined by educational attainment and or family heritage, and this can be found throughout the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and other industrialized nations whereby the founders of major corporations have the heirs and or appointees installed as the operative heads of these machines of capitalisation. This brings us back to Durkheim’s forced division of labor (Turner, 1993, pp. 98-99)which still exists and is a control factor in modern industrialized societies as indicated by the aforementioned educational and heritage facets. The existence of unions and associations to obtain rights and conditions for workers is proof of the foregoing, for if the machinery of society were in fact skewed to all of its individuals, then the need for these types of organizations would not be necessary. This is brings us to what Durkheim (Turner, 1993, p. 98) stated as a â€Å"fundamental crisis of the system, but rather a crisis of adaptation, and continuous contact will eventually produce new rules and a new functional equilibrium between the divided functions, thus assuring social integration†. Privileged positions are to a large degree still a factor of one’s birth, with specialised higher education and contacts representing a path to the upper echelons. Thus Durkheim and Web er were prophetic in their analysis and understandings on some facets. Bibliography About Sociology (2007) Emile Durkheim. Retrieved o 27 May 2007 from http://www.aboutsociology.com/sociology/Emile_Durkheim Briener, P. (1996) Max Weber Democratic Politics. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, N.Y., United States cepa.newschool.edu (2007) Max Weber, 1864-1920. Retrieved on 27 May 2007 from http://cepa.newschool.edu/het/profiles/weber.htm Durkheim, E. (1997) The Division of Labor in Society. Free Press. New York, United States emile-durkheim.com (2006) Emile Durkheim (1858-1917). Retrieved on 27 May 2007 from http://www.emile-durkheim.com/ Marxists Internet Archive (1999) Max Weber: Definition of Sociology. Retrieved on 27 May 2007 from http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/weber.htm Turner, S. (1993) Emile Durkheim: Sociologist and Moralist. Routledge Publishers, New York, United States Turner, B. (1993) Max Weber: From History to Modernity. Routledge Publications, London, United Kingdom

Impressions of America :: History

Impressions of America I have been in this country for almost three months now. One of the biggest challenges is getting along peacefully with the native population. To Americans one of the most important things is to make sure that no one gets insulted or hurt and that everyone is heard. Some would go to the extent of not revealing their true opinion, in order to avoid confrontation. In some group discussion decisions, if reached at all, are made after making long, tedious conversation about the topic at hand. While there are some merits to this kind of behavior, other aspects of interpersonal aspects are lost, such as frankness and being open to one another. Sitting among other international students enhances these observations by listening to the so-called â€Å"outsiders† talk amongst themselves. On one occasion a fellow student tried to explain something to his friend from another foreign country that he had different opinions from him on a certain subject, talking and describing the matter and â€Å"beating around the bush† as they say, when all of a sudden the listener said,† Just say what you think – don’t be an American.† I was amazed that someone noticed or thought the same way I did. Being misunderstood is one of the most common feelings I’ve felt since arriving at J.F.K. Airport. People being insulted or puzzled next to me is a pretty common site and a thing I’ve gotten use to, maybe due to my cynicism or the lack of interest in what other people think about me, a thing that is inconceivable by most Americans that I have gotten to meet. Local manners â€Å"state† that if another person did not take a liking to what you said or did then you must take that into consideration and try to avoid saying or doing that again. This is something that is very polite and considerate but steels away our individuality and personality and at times takes away the ability to really know the person next to you in class or at work. The people I encountered here are diverse and intelligent and by majority, opened to new ideas and way of thought. One of the most frequent questions I am asked is, â€Å"Are you planning to stay here after school?† Or, â€Å"Do you like it here?† These are questions that show interest in me and my future but at times are also implying a certain fear or distrust of foreigners.