Academic Qualification Ensures Success in Life Essay Example for Free

Academic Qualification Ensures Success in Life Essay The definition of success differs from person to person and field to field. One could take economic success as a touchstone to label a person successful in life, ignoring his of her other failures, like divorce, health, inefficiency, etc. Others may look at a capacity for overcoming challenges, irrespective of what someone earns and the nature of their private life. So who is a successful person and who is a failure? Do school and college grades and examination results provide a way of predicting or ensuring future success? If that is true, then we should encourage as many young people as possible to go to university and work hard to gain formal qualifications. But is it true? Aren’t some college drop-outs like Bill Gates and Richard Branson hugely successful icons of success? And should we automatically consider the millions of young people who have not had the opportunity to gain academic certificates to be failures in life? Success never depends upon grades. If success and opportunities were measured by grades then the corporate world and potential marriage partners would not ask for biodata in resumes, where other qualifications are also mentioned. Nor would they interview the prospects in order to find out what they are like as people, rather they would give a blind appointment to the people with the best paper qualifications. So qualifications alone are never enough, success depends upon physical characteristics, personality, and a willingness to work hard. Success is not getting a grade or a degree, if that was it then why arent all the graduates from Harvard, Oxford or Cambridge uniformly successful? The rule of success is hard work and destiny of course. If a student of engineering gets good grades but he is not practically effective in relationship-buildings and solving crises or proper planning, even though he may be successful in getting a job but it will not lead him far. On the way he is sure to fade out. If you look into a directory of successful people who are doctors, engineers and IT professionals, then you will notice that many of them dream to be employed by people like Bill Gates or Richard Branson, who are prosperous despite not having college degrees. In other words, prosperity does not depend upon academic qualifications but upon opportunities provided by entrepreneurs who may not be necessarily be highly educated. Successful entrepreneurs even benefit from not having academic qualifications, because going to college and taking examinations forces people to learn and think like millions of other graduates. This actually makes it less likely that they will come up with the truly mould-breaking insights and â€Å"disruptive† ideas on which successful innovations and new business models are built. Unfortunately the materialistic world has changed the concept of success. It has become a rat-race where every student chases grades and therefore the entire perception of success and prosperity has changed. Rather than studying to reach our full potential, we do it because we think it is necessary for a successful career. So we spend ten years in school and a few more years of our precious life in college to get educated, then more time is passed in hunting for jobs. Even after that we may find ourselves in the wrong profession and lacking job satisfaction. And then recession comes along, when we are told that our wealth has been blown away by the foolishness of expensive fat-salaried CEOs. Now comes a time when we go to work with a constant fear of losing the job we don’t enjoy. Is this the correct understanding of prosperity? So now the definition of success is changed. If you are able to save your job then you are successful! Can academic qualification stop us from becoming a civilization of drunkards, rapists and war-mongers, marked by broken families, domestic violence and crime? If you look at countries where the largest number of people have higher academic qualifications, they are the ones most affected by social breakdown. And would you call the conduct of the US wars on Iraq and Afghanistan a successful example of the superiority of the US economy and society? In fact true success is shown in having the moral courage to speak out against atrocities and injustice, showing generosity towards the poor, and respecting our parents. These are characteristics which are found in people from all social and educational backgrounds, but often absent in many educated Americans and Europeans, in spite of the universities they have been to and the grades they have achieved. Often academic qualifications have no real relevance to the jobs graduates are employed to do. A few decades ago employers in areas such as banking, engineering, management and government service recruited people straight from school at the age of 15 or 16, training them on the job and promoting them to higher levels of responsibility according to their ability. Today none of these jobs has changed very much, but all now require applicants have a university degree. Why has this changed? One reason is that the upper and middle classes are trying to protect their own jobs – demanding new recruits have expensive academic qualifications excludes many talented young people from poorer backgrounds.

Essay on Blanche DuBois as Butterfly in Tennessee Williams A Streetcar

The Portrayal of Blanche as Butterfly or Moth in A Streetcar Named Desire  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      In A Streetcar named Desire, Williams uses description and dialog to develop the play’s characters. In the beginning of the play, Williams describes Blanche as a "moth". A moth and a butterfly seem to be very similar; however, they have very different outward appearances and habits. A butterfly is very "showy " as it flits throughout life, whereas a moth tries hard not to bring attention to itself. Butterflies are open and very visible, but a moth is nocturnal and secretive. The American Heritage Dictionary defines a butterfly as "a person interested principally in frivolous pleasure"; a self-centered person intent on pleasure (line 2). Although Williams describes Blanch as a moth, his use of description and dialog bring out sexual undertones that portray Blanche to be a butterfly instead of a moth. In Scene I of A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams writes-- Her appearance is incongruous in this setting. She is daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice, necklace, and earrings of pearl, white gloves and hat, looking as if she were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party in the garden district†¦There is something about her uncertain manner, as well as her clothes, that suggests a moth. (qtd. In Bloom 51) Williams’s description leads others to perceive Blanche as an insecure, unassuming person, a typical Southern Belle-- a moth. Although the color of Blanche’s clothing suggests simplicity, the style of her clothing contrasts with the surrounding environment. Blanche is wearing this attire as she arrives at her sister’s home. Her sister lives in a run- down three-room apartment. The apartment contains th... ...erpretations of A Streetcar Named Desire: a Collection of Critical Essays.   Ed. Jordan Y. Miller.   New   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jersey: Prentice, 1971. Monarch Notes. "Works of Tennessee Williams." Williams, Tennessee, 1 Jan. 1963 (http://www.elibrary.com/s/edu mark/search). Preston, Rohan. "Actors Rev Up a Gritty, High-Octane ‘Streetcar’" Minneapolis StarTribune. 3 March 1999, 04E. "Streetcar’s Fiftieth Anniversary" All Things Considered. NPR. WWNO, New Orleans. 1 Dec. 1997. The American Heritage Dictionary, CD-ROM. Microsoft Bookshelf 98. Microsoft Corp. 1987-97. Williams, Dakin and Shephard Mead. Tennessee Williams: An Intimate Biography. New York:   Arbor House, 1998. Williams, Tennessee. "A Streetcar Named Desire" a New Directions Book, copyright 1947. Canada: Penguin, 1980. Williams, Tennessee. Memoirs. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1975.   

Cloud-computing services provide Essay

1. What business benefits do cloud-computing services provide? What problems do they solve? There are many benefits to cloud computing. Businesses of all sizes have the ability to take advantage of these and often find the costs within their individual budgets. Cloud computing environments are able to run on existing infrastructures, which makes the switch to cloud computing minimal from this aspect. Costs are incurred based on the amount of computing power they actually consume. (Laudon & Laudon, 2014) In addition this type of environment enables businesses to scale their needs on an as-needed basis, which helps to keep costs within budgets. Another benefit is the ability to respond quickly due to the portability of the application. With cloud computing businesses have the flexibility in how they utilize applications; this results in better turn around on information as employees have the ability to gain access to data and applications from anywhere. Cloud computing can assist in solving problems such as reducing costs. Since there is no need for additional equipment budgeting dollars can be spent elsewhere. In addition, with much of the infrastructure in the cloud the need for additional IT employees is eliminated. There is no additional need for support and maintenance on hardware and software with cloud computing. Cloud computing solves many problems such as reducing costs, improving efficiencies, providing additional sources for customers, and providing remote access for employees. Examples given in the case study included Zynga – a gaming platform offered on Facebook. When Zynga comes out with a new game, they have no knowledge of the amount of computing power they will need. They are better able to adjust this based on the popularity of any given game via cloud computing. The reliability of cloud computing for them equals revenue. Many other companies have benefited from cloud computing, it enables them to promote and sustain additional Internet traffic without crashing their internal systems. 2. What are the disadvantages of cloud computing? There are some disadvantages as well. The responsibility of storage is in the hands of the provider. This presents potential security risks as users can upload and download information from cloud computing and potentially use it to perform illegal tasks. (I think of the Target issue in November, whereby thousands of consumer’s information was breached.) Since the software applications depend on the provider to manage and support there is also risk if the site were to go down. The customers are dependent on the provider to find and fix the problem in a timely manner. No business wants their system to be down for an indefinite amount of time especially those that seek to gain revenue. Businesses are also reliant on the provider performing the appropriate updates to systems. As with any information switch there is potential for errors to occur. I believe one such occurrence happened recently with an airline company. The rates were entered incorrectly, which cost the airline a lot of money. There is always potential for errors or â€Å"fat fingers† as it is known. Overall the disadvantages are reliability and security. 3. How do the concepts of capacity planning, scalability, and TCO apply to this case? Apply these concepts to both Amazon and to subscribers of their services. Capacity planning is the process of determining the production capacity needed by any given organization to meet the needs of the products being promoted. Scalability is the ability to process and handle a growing amount of need and the ability to accommodate this type of growth. The total cost of ownership (TCO) is a financial estimate intended to help buyers and owners determine the direct and indirect costs of a product or system. (Laudon & Laudon, 2014) The concepts of these apply to the case. Cloud computing uses planning, scalability, and TCO. Amazon is one of the biggest online retailers in the world (I think I personally help them to achieve this ranking), this means they need to provide hardware capacity planning and scalability not just for  themselves, but for their subscribers as well. If they overestimate their needs they risk financial losses, and if they underestimate they run the risk of creating shortages for their own business needs as well as subscribers. As subscribers, if they run into non-availability too often they will lose faith in the ability of Amazon to manager their services and seek out other vendors – again causing potential losses to them as a company. Estimating the scalability for a large diverse consumer base without over or underestimating is difficult, but crucial for their continued success. Amazon has to take on the total TCO of its services, while at the same time ensuring it can maintain profitability. The services subscribers’ benefit from not having to be concerned with these issues and not bearing the brunt of TCO issues. 4. What kinds of businesses are most likely to benefit from using cloud computing? Why? While all businesses can benefit from using cloud computing, it is perhaps more beneficial for those smaller businesses, especially from a budgetary aspect. For smaller businesses they don’t have pre-existing data that needs to be transferred and are able to start their operations directly on the cloud. The ability to scale their operations is another great advantage. As their business grows so can their computing abilities with minimal capital expenditure. The cloud allows these smaller business owners to somewhat level the playing field with those larger companies who often maintain larger IT assets. It is a financially viable solution that doesn’t require large capital expenditures for servers, IT teams, and data system infrastructures. For these larger companies the cost savings are not as easily determined. Many already have â€Å"huge investments in complex proprietary systems supporting unique business processes, some of which have given them strategic advantages.† (Laudon & Laudon, 2014)

Martin Luther King Jr And Antigone - 1358 Words

Martin Luther King Jr and Antigone were two people who used a nonviolent resistance technique to stand up for a cause they believed in. The technique they used is called Civil disobedience which is the refusal to comply with certain laws in a peaceful, non-aggressive protest. Both Martin Luther King Jr and Antigone were seeking justice for a cause without having to become physically violent with the opposing party. It took strength to go against their oppressors but they were willing to make self-less sacrifices. Martin Luther King Jr and Antigone provides many examples of how they used a similar approach to have a nonviolent confrontation. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Antigone are fighting inequality and injustice. During an†¦show more content†¦She knew she had to bury her brother and she did just that. Dr. King on the other hand did not approach his circumstances in the same manner. He clarified his actions and explained why he was using a non violent approach. He w rites, â€Å"IN ANY nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action. We have gone through these steps in Birmingham.† (MLK , Pg. 77-78) . He also says, â€Å"All too many others have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained-glass windows†(MLK, Pg 77-78). Dr. King and his following had to make strategic steps to achieve the main goal which was to stand up to injustice. Many people, at that time in history, were afraid to stand up against their oppressor because doing so would lead to death. Antigone was not afraid of death. As I read more of the letters Dr. King wrote to the state’s leaders, I believe he also was at the point where he no longer fear. Dr. Kings’ steps began to be more aggressive and strategic but remain nonviolent. In his letter, he writes, â€Å"...the purp ose of direct action is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation. We therefore concur with you in your call for negotiation. Too long has our beloved Southland been bogged down in the tragic attempt to live in monologue rather thanShow MoreRelatedThe Civil Disobedience of Antigone and the Teachings of Martin Luther King Jr.1402 Words   |  6 Pagesdisobedience†. One of the most well known activists of civil disobedience was Martin Luther King Jr. during the American civil rights movement of the 1960s. King’s theory of a non-violent approach to injustices consisted of a process that promoted dialogue of a peaceful nature in order to gain understanding while reconciling differences. Nevertheless, when the laws made by man attempted to negate the laws of God, King urged people to use creative tension in the form of civil disobedience to establishRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr.s Letter From A Birmingham Jail And Antigone1004 Words   |  5 PagesThe â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† by Martin Luther King and the play of â€Å"Antigone†, both demonstrate ways in which civil disobedience is used to challenge unfair laws. Although Martin Luther King and Antigone both go against the unjust law, however, they go about it in different ways. For instance, Antigone acts in civil disobedience in order to accomplish a family oblig ation, meanwhile, Martin Luther King Jr. visions civil disobedience as a method to obtain equality for the sake of his communityRead MoreAntigone And Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. s Letter From Birmingham Jail1233 Words   |  5 PagesIn Sophocles’ Antigone and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†, Antigone and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. used resistance against powerful leaders to follow their morals and make a statement. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s approach towards the reconstruction of society’s cultural understanding of segregation used civil disobedience in a more public and large-scale approach, whereas Antigone’s use of civil disobedience defied the law in a much more private, small-scale way toRead MoreEssay on Antigone: Martin Luther Kings Nonviolent Campaign1041 Words   |  5 Pages Martin Luther King, Jr. defines â€Å"civil disobedience† as a way to show others what to do when a law is unjust and unreasonable. As King stated in the letter from Birmingham, â€Å"Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.† When Negros were being treated unfairly, Martin Luther King, Jr. stepped in to show people how to peacefully protest and not be violent. The dictionary definition of civil disobedience is the refusal to comply withRead MoreThe Fight for Social Justice Essay892 Words   |  4 Pagescomes at a great cost to those involved. Through writings such as Dr. Martin Luther King’s â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† and Sophocles’ â€Å"Antigone†, as well as, lectures such as Dr.Colbourn’s lecture â€Å"Confronting History and the Good Life: Life after Rosewood† it is demonstrated how life, freedom, and a normal everyday life suffer as a cost of fighting for social justice and the common good. To begin with, Dr. Martin Luther King as well as many other African- Americans fought for equality, socialRead More Exploration of Civil Disobedience in Sophocles Antigone, Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail, and Platos From Crito580 Words   |  3 PagesExploration of Civil Disobedience in Sophocles Antigone, Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail, and Platos From Crito Civil disobedience spawns a major and widely debated issue by many who established by well-known intelligent scholars and many examples of civil disobedience become displayed. The acts of civil disobedience can be noted in major works such as Sophocles?s Antigone, King?s ?Letter from Birmingham Jail?, or even from Plato?s ?from Crito?. A specific claim exemplified throughout theseRead MoreAn Inspirational Quote on Adolf Hitler871 Words   |  4 Pagesa result of his actions, more than million lives were lost. In this case, Adolf Hitler is known to be the Tyrant. In the early 1960’s Martin Luther King Jr gave a speech; a speech of what he believed in and what he fought for most of his life. As a result of his phenomenal speech, racism decreased. Black people and white people united together. Martin Luther King Jr changed the world for the better, however died trying to accomplish his goal. Without his words and beliefs the world would not be theRead MoreNon Violent Protest Â⠀" Dr. Martin Luther Kings Moral Disobedience!1563 Words   |  7 PagesVarsha Chawdhary Prof. Hughes Eng 101 Section 811 13th October 2005 Non violent protest Ââ€" Dr. Martin Luther Kings moral disobedience! Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the issue of non-violence in his letter from Birmingham Jail. He states that any law, which is unjust and inhuman, is not a moral law. Dr. Kings argument for non-violent protest against the authorities is just and moral; because any action taken for the greater good of human beings may be called disobedience by the authorities, but asRead MoreLiterature: A Reflection of Society1764 Words   |  8 Pageswriting style and explore thoughts in various ways, which has different effects on different people. Although not all literature promotes social change, many pieces of literature have had a profound impact on their respective societies, including Antigone by Sophocles, â€Å"Civil Disobedience† by Henry David Thoreau, and Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. Greek theatre was an extremely important part of life in ancient Athens and held much influence over the people because it was a part of the new politicalRead MoreCivil Disobedience, And Martin Luther King Jr. s Letter From Birmingham Jail1018 Words   |  5 PagesHistoric figures such as Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. all acted civilly disobedience, but society benefitted from their movements. Civil disobedience is the underlying theme of Sophocles’ Antigone and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter From Birmingham Jail. The main character of Sophocles’ Antigone, Antigone, acts civil disobedience, just as Dr. King acted civilly disobedient. Both Antigone and Martin Luther King Jr. fought to gain justice for the people who they believed were