The Elusiveness of Good Work in The Insider Essay Example for Free

The Elusiveness of Good Work in The Insider Essay In â€Å"Good Work, Well Done,† Howard Gardner (1999) argues that â€Å"the goal of carrying out good work is harder to reach when conditions are unstable and market forces are allowed to run unchecked. † This, according to him, was the dilemma â€Å"faced by workers in every domain† as existing authority systems in most working environments are designed to penalize whistle blowers rather than to correct unethical business practices. Gardner’s argument is exemplified in Michael Mann’s (1999) film, The Insider. Based on the true story of tobacco industry whistle blower Jeffrey Wigand, Mann’s film is a brilliant movie depicting the intrinsic motivations, values, and expectations that oblige otherwise ambitious, loyal employees into sacrificing profitable careers, and even themselves, for the sake of the majority. The film owes majority of its success to Mann’s directorial genius, exemplary performances by Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, and Dianne Venora; and in part to the compelling story of an altruistic employee who decides to give up his lucrative career for a nobler cause. The Insider is interesting in its genuine depiction of many corporate workers’ experiences, the working environment, and the conflict that ensues due to incongruence between the individual’s personal values and company expectations for loyalty in its organization. By following the narrative of a tobacco company executive who exposes the unethical business practices of the corporation he works for, the film raises the issues of professional ethics as they relate and interact with business ethics in a corporate setting where the concerns of a healthy bottomline override other matters of concern (Gardner, 2002). More importantly, the film captures the complex nature of whistle blowing as â€Å"an extreme that defies the reasonable expectation of the most prominent versions of ethics† (Grant, 2002, p. 396) and the impact of this action on the personal life of the whistle blower. Thus, the film’s title takes an ironic twist as whistle blowing demands that a worker, or an insider, subvert the norms and expectations of the culture he is in and in the process rendering him an outsider. This aspect of whistle blowing is particularly depicted in the dilemma confronting the film’s main protagonist, Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), a scientist working as an executive in the research department of Brown and Williamson, one of the tobacco industry’s biggest companies. Wigand is terminated by the corporation because of his refusal to cooperate with the company’s questionable practice involving the use of nicotine to make cigarettes more addictive that in the scientist’s view was causing major damage to public health. Clearly, Wigand’s case confirms Joseph McCafferty’s (2002) observation that â€Å"more often, those who try to bring to light unethical or illegal practices by their employers are criticized, treated like outcasts, fired, or worse. † For instance, he experiences being harassed and receiving death threats shortly after being fired from the company, ostensibly made to ensure that he keeps his silence and honors his confidentiality agreement. It is not surprising that insiders like Wigand often experience extreme pressure and personal conflict even after they have severed ties with the company they work for. Threats of retaliation through physical or financial harm and legal action often force employees who leave their jobs due to the mismatch between their ethical principles and work expectations vis-a-vis the priorities of the company they work for. The existence of legal and social mechanisms that punish the act of whistle-blowing, and the ineffectiveness of existing legal systems to support those who come forward to tell external stakeholders about illegal or unethical business practices contribute to the difficulties faced by whistle blowers. McCafferty, 2002) Ultimately, these impediments condition the majority of workers into a state of compliance despite their knowledge of wrongdoings in their workplace. Accordingly, Grant (2002) argues that individuals like Wigand display a sense of ethics that surpass conventional ethical behavior and â€Å"exceed the minimal level that is required to sustain civil life. † (p. 96) Given the lack of incentives and the threats posed by this action on their personal life and career opportunities, whistle blowers are clearly driven by a strong belief in moral and ethical ideals contrary to the conventional notion of whistle blowers as vindictive or errant employees. Wigand’s character affirms Grant’s (2002) contention; Instead of being deterred by the harassment and the gloomy prospects awaiting him in his career, he becomes more determined decision to spill Brown and Williamson’s dirty secret in a 60 minutes interview with CBS reporter Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino). Wigand;s character therefore fits Grant’s description of whistle blowers as â€Å"saints in a secular culture. † Throughout the film, Wigand’s sense of justice shines through despite his emotional battles and inner turmoils as he encounters numerous hardships such as being separated from his family and from company efforts to discredit his name. It is therefore only fitting that Wigand is vindicated when Bergman is able to counter the negative publicity and he finds a more fulfilling career that allows him to finally do â€Å"good work† by teaching. Thus, The Insider is an illuminating look at how existing political and economic structures inhibit individuals from doing â€Å"good work† as defined by Gardner (2002). It is also an incisive commentary on how society, in general, conditions employees to normalize unfair business practices by valuing material incentives more than those based on social or moral ones. Consequently, whistle blowers, and others intent on doing â€Å"good work,† are often forced to carry their battles and ethical struggles alone, left vulnerable to the machinery of Big Business, and treated with contempt by their collegues and families.

A Cure For Shyness? Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

A Cure For Shyness? Many of us experience a pounding heartbeat or shaking when faced with a public situation, especially if we think we are going to be judged by others. When does this cross the line between normal and a mores serious disorder? Social anxiety disorder, a relatively newly recognized disorder by the psychiatric profession, involves many of the same symptoms as shyness. What makes the difference between a case of the jitters and a real disorder? Social Anxiety Disorder was first recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as a disorder in 1980 (1). It is characterized by such physical symptoms as increased heartbeat, blushing, dry mouth, trembling and shaking, difficulty swallowing, and twitching in the muscles (2). Many people with social anxiety disorder also have depression. A study in France found that 70 percent of patients who developed social anxiety disorder before the age of 15 also suffered from major depression (3). Diagnostic criteria, according to the current definition of social anxiety disorder given by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, 4th ed. (DSM-IV), requires a persistent fear of at least one social situation which involves exposure to unfamiliar people or scrutiny by others. The patient must fear that he or she will act in this situation in a way that will cause embarrassment, and avoid the situation or experience extreme anxiety or a panic attack if fac ed with the situation. The patient must also realize that the fear is unreasonable. The avoidance or anxiety must interfere to a large extent with the normal routine, functioning, social activities, or relationships with the person (1). This last criterion, a significant interference ... ...%3Dhave51822&cont=&msg=No+Session+cookies&sserv=no 10) Coming to you direct , from Expanded Academic http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/have51822?http_rc=400&class=session&sev=temp&type=session&cause=http%3A%2F%2Fweb6.infotrac.galegroup.com%2Fitw%2Finfomark%2F430%2F157%2F36658653w3%2Fpurl%3Drc2_EAIM_1_coming%2Bto%2Byou%2Bdirect______________________________________________%26dyn%3Dsig!1%3Fsw_aep%3Dhave51822&cont=&msg=No+Session+cookies&sserv=no 11) Selling Shyness - How doctors and drug companies created the "social phobia" epidemic , from Expanded Academic http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/have51822?http_rc=400&class=session&sev=temp&type=session&cause=http%3A%2F%2Fweb2.infotrac.galegroup.com%2Fitw%2Finfomark%2F746%2F514%2F36545191w3%2Fpurl%3Drc1_EAIM_0_A64993728%26dyn%3D23!xrn_59_0_A64993728%3Fsw_aep%3Dhave51822&cont=&msg=No+Session+cookies&sserv=no

Racial bias in the criminal justice system Essay

Numerous study have found widespread racial bias in US criminal justice system. A new report issued by a coalition of civil rights organizations calls the â€Å"massively and pervasively biased† treatment on blacks and Hispanics by the US police and courts the major civil rights problem of the twenty-first century entitled â€Å"Justice on Trial : Racial Disparities in the American Criminal Justice System.† The study finds that minorities in the US face discriminatory treatment at every stage of the judicial process, from arrest to incarceration. The 95 page report was issued by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights based in Washington DC. It’s findings show that blacks, Hispanics and other minorities face unfair targeting by police and other law enforcement officials, racially biased charging and plea bargaining decisions by prosecutors and discriminatory  sentencing by judges.In a report released from Washington DC- Amnesty International criticized Us Federal and state justice systems as riddled with racial discrimination. The report, Racism and the Administration of Justice, cites  as evidence the disproportionate rate of minorities incarcerated, sentenced to death, and executed in the US. In its report, Amnesty International cited cases of racial profiling, unlawful use of force, unlawful shootings, and  deaths in custody affecting minorities from at least 10 states in the US. African Americans and other minorities suffer disproportionate rates of incarceration, accounting for 60 percent of the 1.7 million people currently in jail or prison in the US. African American men are imprisoned at more than eight times the rate of white men, and one third of all young African American men are in jail or prison, on parole, or on probation. African American women are imprisoned at eight times, and Hispanic women at four times, the rate of white women.The overwhelming majority of victims of police brutality, unlawful shootings and deaths in custody are members of racial minorities. A study of 2,000 murder cases in Georgia found that the odds of a death sentence in cases in which blacks murdered whites were s much as 11 times higher than when whites murdered blacks. A study found that in Philadelphia a black defendant is four times more likely to receive a  death sentence than a white defendant. Racism that perverts the course of justice is a daily fact of life for many in the US, yet this plague of bias is over looked, ignored or openly tolerated by police chiefs , prison wardens, judges and our political leaders.Today a full two-thirds of America’s two million prisoners are people of color. One million are African American and 400,000 are Hispanic/  Latino. People of color represent one third of those arrested for drug crimes, but two-thirds of those sent to prison. Whites and racial minorities live in  completely different worlds when it comes to the American criminal justice system.. Since as far back as the 1920’s minorities have been ov er-represented in federal and state prisons. Minorities were then 25% of all prisoners while only about ten percent of the total population.The Kerner Commission warned in its report: â€Å"Our nation is moving towards two societies, one black, one white-separate and unequal.Coramae Richey Mann, Unequal Justice, suggests that white Americans view the classic rapist as a â€Å"black man,† the typical opium user as a â€Å"yellow man,† the archetypal knife wielder as a â€Å"brown man,† the â€Å"red man† as a drunken Indian, and each of these people of color as collectively constituting the â€Å"crime problem†. The race or ethnicity of the stereotyped perpetrator varies between African American, Hispanic, or Native American depending on the nature of the crime or the section of the country.These prejudicial images provide a social-psychological under girding upon which many of the discriminatory aspects of the criminal justice system are  constructed.Racial Discrimination is defined as including any distinction or impairing the exercise of a person’s human rights. The discriminatory treatment of people of color in the criminal justice system fits squarely under  this standard.

Essay about Hispanic and Native Americans Culture in...

Upon initial research of the rich heritage of California the two minority groups that stood out as especially influential in historic California and today’s society are the Native Americans and Hispanic Americans. To better understand and identify with these minority groups we must identify the common themes within their day to day life. By researching each culture’s common family traditions, religious beliefs, arts entertainment, and language one can gain a greater appreciation of many different kinds of people, and in turn have more effective relationships in a multicultural society. Hispanics comprise California’s largest minority group. They make up 37.6% of the total population (US Census, 2011). The term Hispanic defines a†¦show more content†¦The children then teach their parents English along the way, creating a strong bond between them in process (Hirsh, 2002). Hispanic art, food, and entertainment all have a common theme; they are all fun, light-hearted, yet fulfilling and rich in cultural heritage. On one side, Mexican culture in particular loves to make fun of itself. There are many depictions in song and art of lazy Mexicans in large sombreros with thick mustaches eating burritos. On the other hand artists like Diego Rivera paint large murals depicting rich historical events like the revolution, in bold colors on controversial topics (This Old, n.d.). Hispanic Americans have a strong tie to their culture and display it in their cuisine. Rice and beans are staples to la familia, together they provide a complete protein, and are inexpen sive. Spicy peppers and hot sauce provide antibacterial and digestive health qualities that were imperative to provide healthy meals in Mexico because the water supply isn’t guaranteed to be safe for drinking. Historically, many tomato products were introduced to the United States by Mexico, including burritos, tacos, other Mexican cuisine and even ketchup (Sowell, 1981). Religion and politics in Hispanic culture is tied in with the strong family social unit. Over 90% of Hispanics in California are Roman Catholic. They especially respect Patron Saint’s day; to many, it is more important than one’s birthday. The Virgin of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary) andShow MoreRelatedThe New Deal And World War II994 Words   |  4 Pageshad an effect on race relations in the American West. President Roosevelt’s New Deal was an attempt to fix the hardships of the Great Depression. The Great Depression brought about a change in ideology and opinion that made the New Deal possible because of public support to fix the burdens felt by many Americans, not just whites. World War II brought fear, intolerance and increased racism toward minority groups in the West, specifically Japanese and Hispanic. 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