Essay on A Comparison between Traditional and Modern Society

Traditional vs. Modern Society SOSC 1000: Introduction to Social Science Niharika Sethi Student number: 212273066 TUTORIAL #1: Manuel Larrabure Traditional vs. Modern Society In order for society to progress it must change constantly, and as a population we must adjust to new customs and ever changing expectations. Since the foundation of society is its people, it is important to analyze the patterns and behaviors of certain groups, in order to identify the type of society that they live in. This is a codependent relationship, which means the actions of people, directly impacts the growth of society. Over the past few decades we have seen a major paradigm shift in how society functions. We have witnessed changes such as†¦show more content†¦The addition of a legal system was necessary as the population grew, making it one of the major differences between traditional and modern society. Gender roles are instilled in our brains from the day we are born. Gender stereotypes are extremely common, making it difficult to escape certain biases. However, as the norms of society have shifted, gender roles are merely ideas, the hold little value, and it is easier to break free of their restrictions. As Shils describes in his text about the theory of mass society, â€Å"This dispersion of charisma from the center outward has manifested itself in a greater stress on individual dignity and individual rights in all generations, strata in both sexes, and in the whole variety of ethnic groups and peoples.† (Shils, 164) You’re no longer barred to certain expectations based solely on your sex. Individuality is respected and acknowledged, regardless of gender. Women have joined the working force, and are no longer expected to stay at home. Women are also able to express themselves as they please, and have creative freedom. In traditional society, women were forced to sta y at home, be nurturing, and show no signs of sexuality. As perceived by Campbell in his writing of the ethnic Greek group Sarakatsan, he states: â€Å"The quality required of women in relation to honor is shame, particularly sexual shame.Show MoreRelatedWomen Gender Roles in Society Essay795 Words   |  4 PagesGender Roles In Society Essay Gender roles have had a dominant place in society throughout the century, different families emphasizing different roles. Society places certain expectations on men and women; allocating specific responsibilities to each gender. In Alice Munroe’s and James Joyces short stories, the inexplicit social roles for women exist throughout society during these eras. In Alice Munroe’s â€Å"Boys and Girls† the narrator’s mother is viewed as a stereotypical traditional housewife asRead MoreTraditional vs Modern Society958 Words   |  4 Pagesmember of a traditional society would feel as though there are many advantages of his or her type of society as opposed to modern society. A member of a traditional society would feel as though modern society has quite a few flaws. Traditional society focuses more towards the improvement of society as a whole rather than focusing on self and personal gain. There are many comparisons between the two societies that can be made that show the differences in beliefs held by each society. By comparingRead MoreDifference Between Traditional And Modern Society Essay1255 Words   |  6 PagesAlthough both societies established their own belief on ideology, ethics, and traditions. Nevertheless, a traditional society’s foundation built on the extended family with each family considers as the welfare state. Consequently, the family is completely responsible for their well-being and offspring’s success. Conversely, the government is exclusively responsible for many of the services in modern society. 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What was once the idealized nuclear family, is now criticized by many modern day thinkers as it invokes a heteronormative that oppresses any other forms of family and sexual relationships. This concept can be seen in the given article by Bell Hooks. In Hooks’ document, she talks about the racist oppression of sexist dominationRead MoreGay Marriage Should Not Only Be A Civil Right1569 Words   |  7 Pagesgreat country of liberty, the great country of opportunities and the great country of equality. As long as an American wants to marry a person of the opposite sex there seems to be no limits to their pursuit of happiness. Even in the progressive, modern year of 2015, the question of whether or not gay couples should be permitted to perform the act of a legal marriage divides the United States of America into two. Although more th an half of the states have legalized gay marriage, fourteen states,Read MoreNotes on Virtue, Tradition and Animal Mating Essay893 Words   |  4 Pages1. In Rousseau’s criticism of the effects of modern civilization, one of his critical themes that evident is virtue. He believes the new arts and sciences give the appearance but not the reality of virtue, which he holds to be the true value of civilization. Rousseau seems to indicate that humans in a state of nature were moral and generally good, because in their original simplicity they could not deceive one another. The arts and sciences, then, challenge that basic morality, being created throughoutRead MoreInternational and Domestic Marketing Comparison Paper: India and the United States1408 Words   |  6 PagesInternational and Domestic Marketing Comparison Paper: India and the United States Introduction Nations, like the people who inhabit them, are all different. Some, like the United States, are at the forefront of technology and development. Others exist as third world nations, where even the most basic necessities are hard to come by. And then there are those which are in the middle, such as India. In the past 20 years, India has grown in the eyes of the global community from a rural, developingRead MoreEssay on Traditional African Music1598 Words   |  7 PagesTraditional African Music An attempt to pin down a single meaning for the word traditional, presents a problem in many ways. The implications of the word are many, and are tied to various connotations. Some people, Westerners in particular, may actually shun the traditional, as they feel that it implies a resistance to modernity. This view is incorrect, and there exists an ethnocentric double standard when Westerners consider their tradition versus African tradition. Others focus on traditionRead MoreFree-Thinking Women in Mariama Ba ´s So Long a Letter1531 Words   |  7 Pagespresent in this Senegalese society. The clear contrast between traditional cultural practices and the modern ideologies present in revolutionary, free-thinking women, create a definitive border between these two polar opposite viewpoints. Ramatoulaye, Daba, and Aissatou are significant figures in the novel that showcase the modernizing roles and thinking of women through the comparison of their cultural norms. They challenge the ol d older and differ greatly from traditional society; this is emphasized throughout

Essay on How WW1 Changed British Literature - 1776 Words

World War One began on July 28, 1914 and ended with the signing of the armistice on November 11, 1918. The war cost a total of one hundred eighty-six billion dollars. The total casualties of the war were thirty-seven million, with another eleven million civilian casualties. The British Empire alone lost over three million people in the war. (English) World War One effected the whole world- the heartache and bloodshed changed politics, economics, and public opinion. This war changed peoples lives, but it also changes their way of thinking and their way of writing. After World War One British literature was changed from simple stories to a more realistic and meaningful approach to life. Nineteenth century England is what most historians†¦show more content†¦Charles Dickens was the reason that the new spirit of realism came along in the nineteenth century. Dickenss novels of contemporary life exhibit an amazing ability to create living characters. Also, Dickens is known for his different style of humor and parody. Thomas Hardy wrote about other people’s encounters with fate and circumstances, his outlook on life seems pessimistic when you read most of his novels. â€Å"Wellss novels often seem to be sociological investigations of the ills of modern civilization rather than self-contained stories.† (English) H.G. Wells wrote novels based on his experiences in life, he wrote about what he thought would go wrong or what was wrong with the society that he was surrounded by. Poets of the nineteenth century tried to tell stories through poetry. They also experimented with perspective and character. â€Å"‘Amours de Voyage’ is a long epistolary poem that tells the story of a failed romance through letters written by various characters.† (Abrams) â€Å"Amours de Voyage† is an example of how Victorian poets tried to play with their characters. Victorian poets tried to make their story come alive by using great detail, this way the reader could draw a visual picture from the words on the paper. This picture that the author creates carries the emotion of the entire poem. The sound that a poem had during this time made all the difference. The way that a poet used alliteration, emphasis and different vowel soundsShow MoreRelatedHow Ww1 Changed British Literature1772 Words   |  8 Pageswere thirty-seven million, with another eleven million civilian casualties. The British Empire alone lost over three million people in the war. (Engli sh) World War One effected the whole world- the heartache and bloodshed changed politics, economics, and public opinion. This war changed peoples lives, but it also changes their way of thinking and their way of writing. After World War One British literature was changed from simple stories to a more realistic and meaningful approach to life. 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His influence on economics was so great that the boom the Western industrial countries experienced between 1945 and 1975 has been termed the Age of Keynes. When beginning to see how Keynes came to have such an impact and how he fitsRead MoreAs sessment of Credit Management.in Case of Dashen Bank Wukiro Branch11228 Words   |  45 PagesHypothesis 3 1.5 Objective of the Study 4 1.5.1 General Objective of the Study 4 1.5.2 Specific Objective of the Study 4 1.6 Scope of the Study 4 1.7 Limitation of the Study 4 1.8 Significance of the study 4 CHAPTER TWO 6 2. Literature Review 6 2.1 Definition of Credit management 6 2.2 Process of Credit Management 6 2.3 Types of Credit 7 2.4 Credit policy variables 7 2.4.1 Credit Standard 8 2.4.2 Credit analysis 8 2.4.3 Credit term 9 2.4.4 Collection policy

A Game of Thrones Chapter Eighteen Free Essays

string(33) " view atop its three high hills\." Catelyn We will make King’s Landing within the hour.† Catelyn turned away from the rail and forced herself to smile. â€Å"Your oarmen have done well by us, Captain. We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter Eighteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now Each one of them shall have a silver stag, as a token of my gratitude.† Captain Moreo Turnitis favored her with a half bow. â€Å"You are far too generous, Lady Stark. The honor of carrying a great lady like yourself is all the reward they need.† â€Å"But they’ll take the silver anyway.† Moreo smiled. â€Å"As you say.† He spoke the Common Tongue fluently, with only the slightest hint of a Tyroshi accent. He’d been plying the narrow sea for thirty years, he’d told her, as oarman, quartermaster, and finally captain of his own trading galleys. The Storm Dancer was his fourth ship, and his fastest, a two-masted galley of sixty oars. She had certainly been the fastest of the ships available in WhiteHarbor when Catelyn and Ser Rodrik Cassel had arrived after their headlong gallop downriver. The Tyroshi were notorious for their avarice, and Ser Rodrik had argued for hiring a fishing sloop out of the Three Sisters, but Catelyn had insisted on the galley. It was good that she had. The winds had been against them much of the voyage, and without the galley’s oars they’d still be beating their way past the Fingers, instead of skimming toward King’s Landing and journey’s end. So close, she thought. Beneath the linen bandages, her fingers still throbbed where the dagger had bitten. The pain was her scourge, Catelyn felt, lest she forget. She could not bend the last two fingers on her left hand, and the others would never again be dexterous. Yet that was a small enough price to pay for Bran’s life. Ser Rodrik chose that moment to appear on deck. â€Å"My good friend,† said Moreo through his forked green beard. The Tyroshi loved bright colors, even in their facial hair. â€Å"It is so fine to see you looking better.† â€Å"Yes,† Ser Rodrik agreed. â€Å"I haven’t wanted to die for almost two days now.† He bowed to Catelyn. â€Å"My lady.† He was looking better. A shade thinner than he had been when they set out from WhiteHarbor, but almost himself again. The strong winds in the Bite and the roughness of the narrow sea had not agreed with him, and he’d almost gone over the side when the storm seized them unexpectedly off Dragonstone, yet somehow he had clung to a rope until three of Moreo’s men could rescue him and carry him safely below decks. â€Å"The captain was just telling me that our voyage is almost at an end,† she said. Ser Rodrik managed a wry smile. â€Å"So soon?† He looked odd without his great white side whiskers; smaller somehow, less fierce, and ten years older. Yet back on the Bite it had seemed prudent to submit to a crewman’s razor, after his whiskers had become hopelessly befouled for the third time while he leaned over the rail and retched into the swirling winds. â€Å"I will leave you to discuss your business,† Captain Moreo said. He bowed and took his leave of them. The galley skimmed the water like a dragonfly, her oars rising and falling in perfect time. Ser Rodrik held the rail and looked out over the passing shore. â€Å"I have not been the most valiant of protectors.† Catelyn touched his arm. â€Å"We are here, Ser Rodrik, and safely. That is all that truly matters.† Her hand groped beneath her cloak, her fingers stiff and fumbling. The dagger was still at her side. She found she had to touch it now and then, to reassure herself. â€Å"Now we must reach the king’s master-at-arms, and pray that he can be trusted.† â€Å"Ser Aron Santagar is a vain man, but an honest one.† Ser Rodrik’s hand went to his face to stroke his whiskers and discovered once again that they were gone. He looked nonplussed. â€Å"He may know the blade, yes . . . but, my lady, the moment we go ashore we are at risk. And there are those at court who will know you on sight.† Catelyn’s mouth grew tight. â€Å"Littlefinger,† she murmured. His face swam up before her; a boy’s face, though he was a boy no longer. His father had died several years before, so he was Lord Baelish now, yet still they called him Littlefinger. Her brother Edmure had given him that name, long ago at Riverrun. His family’s modest holdings were on the smallest of the Fingers, and Petyr had been slight and short for his age. Ser Rodrik cleared his throat. â€Å"Lord Baelish once, ah . . . † His thought trailed off uncertainly in search of the polite word. Catelyn was past delicacy. â€Å"He was my father’s ward. We grew up together in Riverrun. I thought of him as a brother, but his feelings for me were . . . more than brotherly. When it was announced that I was to wed Brandon Stark, Petyr challenged for the right to my hand. It was madness. Brandon was twenty, Petyr scarcely fifteen. I had to beg Brandon to spare Petyr’s life. He let him off with a scar. Afterward my father sent him away. I have not seen him since.† She lifted her face to the spray, as if the brisk wind could blow the memories away. â€Å"He wrote to me at Riverrun after Brandon was killed, but I burned the letter unread. By then I knew that Ned would marry me in his brother’s place.† Ser Rodrik’s fingers fumbled once again for nonexistent whiskers. â€Å"Littlefinger sits on the small council now.† â€Å"I knew he would rise high,† Catelyn said. â€Å"He was always clever, even as a boy, but it is one thing to be clever and another to be wise. I wonder what the years have done to him.† High overhead, the far-eyes sang out from the rigging. Captain Moreo came scrambling across the deck, giving orders, and all around them the Storm Dancer burst into frenetic activity as King’s Landing slid into view atop its three high hills. You read "A Game of Thrones Chapter Eighteen" in category "Essay examples" Three hundred years ago, Catelyn knew, those heights had been covered with forest, and only a handful of fisherfolk had lived on the north shore of the Blackwater Rush where that deep, swift river flowed into the sea. Then Aegon the Conqueror had sailed from Dragonstone. It was here that his army had put ashore, and there on the highest hill that he built his first crude redoubt of wood and earth. Now the city covered the shore as far as Catelyn could see; manses and arbors and granaries, brick storehouses and timbered inns and merchant’s stalls, taverns and graveyards and brothels, all piled one on another. She could hear the clamor of the fish market even at this distance. Between the buildings were broad roads lined with trees, wandering crookback streets, and alleys so narrow that two men could not walk abreast. Visenya’s hill was crowned by the Great Sept of Baelor with its seven crystal towers. Across the city on the hill of Rhaenys stood the blackened walls of the Dragonpit, its huge dome collapsing into ruin, its bronze doors closed now for a century. The Street of the Sisters ran between them, straight as an arrow. The city walls rose in the distance, high and strong. A hundred quays lined the waterfront, and the harbor was crowded with ships. Deepwater fishing boats and river runners came and went, ferrymen poled back and forth across the Blackwater Rush, trading galleys unloaded goods from Braavos and Pentos and Lys. Catelyn spied the queen’s ornate barge, tied up beside a fat-bellied whaler from the Port of Ibben, its hull black with tar, while upriver a dozen lean golden warships rested in their cribs, sails furled and cruel iron rams lapping at the water. And above it all, frowning down from Aegon’s high hill, was the Red Keep; seven huge drum-towers crowned with iron ramparts, an immense grim barbican, vaulted halls and covered bridges, barracks and dungeons and granaries, massive curtain walls studded with archers’ nests, all fashioned of pale red stone. Aegon the Conqueror had commanded it built. His son Maegor the Cruel had seen it completed. Afterward he had taken the heads of every stonemason, woodworker, and builder who had labored on it. Only the blood of the dragon would ever know the secrets of the fortress the Dragonlords had built, he vowed. Yet now the banners that flew from its battlements were golden, not black, and where the three-headed dragon had once breathed fire, now pranced the crowned stag of House Baratheon. A high-masted swan ship from the Summer Isles was beating out from port, its white sails huge with wind. The Storm Dancer moved past it, pulling steadily for shore. â€Å"My lady,† Ser Rodrik said, â€Å"I have thought on how best to proceed while I lay abed. You must not enter the castle. I will go in your stead and bring Ser Aron to you in some safe place.† She studied the old knight as the galley drew near to a pier. Moreo was shouting in the vulgar Valyrian of the Free Cities. â€Å"You would be as much at risk as I would.† Ser Rodrik smiled. â€Å"I think not. I looked at my reflection in the water earlier and scarcely recognized myself. My mother was the last person to see me without whiskers, and she is forty years dead. I believe I am safe enough, my lady.† Moreo bellowed a command. As one, sixty oars lifted from the river, then reversed and backed water. The galley slowed. Another shout. The oars slid back inside the hull. As they thumped against the dock, Tyroshi seamen leapt down to tie up. Moreo came bustling up, all smiles. â€Å"King’s Landing, my lady, as you did command, and never has a ship made a swifter or surer passage. Will you be needing assistance to carry your things to the castle?† â€Å"We shall not be going to the castle. Perhaps you can suggest an inn, someplace clean and comfortable and not too far from the river.† The Tyroshi fingered his forked green beard. â€Å"Just so. I know of several establishments that might suit your needs. Yet first, if I may be so bold, there is the matter of the second half of the payment we agreed upon. And of course the extra silver you were so kind as to promise. Sixty stags, I believe it was.† â€Å"For the oarmen,† Catelyn reminded him. â€Å"Oh, of a certainty,† said Moreo. â€Å"Though perhaps I should hold it for them until we return to Tyrosh. For the sake of their wives and children. If you give them the silver here, my lady, they will dice it away or spend it all for a night’s pleasure.† â€Å"There are worse things to spend money on,† Ser Rodrik put in. â€Å"Winter is coming.† â€Å"A man must make his own choices,† Catelyn said. â€Å"They earned the silver. How they spend it is no concern of mine.† â€Å"As you say, my lady,† Moreo replied, bowing and smiling. Just to be sure, Catelyn paid the oarmen herself, a stag to each man, and a copper to the two men who carried their chests halfway up Visenya’s hill to the inn that Moreo had suggested. It was a rambling old place on Eel Alley. The woman who owned it was a sour crone with a wandering eye who looked them over suspiciously and bit the coin that Catelyn offered her to make sure it was real. Her rooms were large and airy, though, and Moreo swore that her fish stew was the most savory in all the Seven Kingdoms. Best of all, she had no interest in their names. â€Å"I think it best if you stay away from the common room,† Ser Rodrik said, after they had settled in. â€Å"Even in a place like this, one never knows who may be watching.† He wore ringmail, dagger, and longsword under a dark cloak with a hood he could pull up over his head. â€Å"I will be back before nightfall, with Ser Aron,† he promised. â€Å"Rest now, my lady.† Catelyn was tired. The voyage had been long and fatiguing, and she was no longer as young as she had been. Her windows opened on the alley and rooftops, with a view of the Blackwater beyond. She watched Ser Rodrik set off, striding briskly through the busy streets until he was lost in the crowds, then decided to take his advice. The bedding was stuffed with straw instead of feathers, but she had no trouble falling asleep. She woke to a pounding on her door. Catelyn sat up sharply. Outside the window, the rooftops of King’s Landing were red in the light of the setting sun. She had slept longer than she intended. A fist hammered at her door again, and a voice called out, â€Å"Open, in the name of the king.† â€Å"A moment,† she called out. She wrapped herself in her cloak. The dagger was on the bedside table. She snatched it up before she unlatched the heavy wooden door. The men who pushed into the room wore the black ringmail and golden cloaks of the City Watch. Their leader smiled at the dagger in her hand and said, â€Å"No need for that, m’lady. We’re to escort you to the castle.† â€Å"By whose authority?† she said. He showed her a ribbon. Catelyn felt her breath catch in her throat. The seal was a mockingbird, in grey wax. â€Å"Petyr,† she said. So soon. Something must have happened to Ser Rodrik. She looked at the head guardsman. â€Å"Do you know who I am?† â€Å"No, m’lady,† he said. â€Å"M’lord Littlefinger said only to bring you to him, and see that you were not mistreated.† Catelyn nodded. â€Å"You may wait outside while I dress.† She bathed her hands in the basin and wrapped them in clean linen. Her fingers were thick and awkward as she struggled to lace up her bodice and knot a drab brown cloak about her neck. How could Littlefinger have known she was here? Ser Rodrik would never have told him. Old he might be, but he was stubborn, and loyal to a fault. Were they too late, had the Lannisters reached King’s Landing before her? No, if that were true, Ned would be here too, and surely he would have come to her. How . . . ? Then she thought, Moreo. The Tyroshi knew who they were and where they were, damn him. She hoped he’d gotten a good price for the information. They had brought a horse for her. The lamps were being lit along the streets as they set out, and Catelyn felt the eyes of the city on her as she rode, surrounded by the guard in their golden cloaks. When they reached the Red Keep, the portcullis was down and the great gates sealed for the night, but the castle windows were alive with flickering lights. The guardsmen left their mounts outside the walls and escorted her through a narrow postern door, then up endless steps to a tower. He was alone in the room, seated at a heavy wooden table, an oil lamp beside him as he wrote. When they ushered her inside, he set down his pen and looked at her. â€Å"Cat,† he said quietly. â€Å"Why have I been brought here in this fashion?† He rose and gestured brusquely to the guards. â€Å"Leave us.† The men departed. â€Å"You were not mistreated, I trust,† he said after they had gone. â€Å"I gave firm instructions.† He noticed her bandages. â€Å"Your hands . . . â€Å" Catelyn ignored the implied question. â€Å"I am not accustomed to being summoned like a serving wench,† she said icily. â€Å"As a boy, you still knew the meaning of courtesy.† â€Å"I’ve angered you, my lady. That was never my intent.† He looked contrite. The look brought back vivid memories for Catelyn. He had been a sly child, but after his mischiefs he always looked contrite; it was a gift he had. The years had not changed him much. Petyr had been a small boy, and he had grown into a small man, an inch or two shorter than Catelyn, slender and quick, with the sharp features she remembered and the same laughing grey-green eyes. He had a little pointed chin beard now, and threads of silver in his dark hair, though he was still shy of thirty. They went well with the silver mockingbird that fastened his cloak. Even as a child, he had always loved his silver. â€Å"How did you know I was in the city?† she asked him. â€Å"Lord Varys knows all,† Petyr said with a sly smile. â€Å"He will be joining us shortly, but I wanted to see you alone first. It has been too long, Cat. How many years?† Catelyn ignored his familiarity. There were more important questions. â€Å"So it was the King’s Spider who found me.† Littlefinger winced. â€Å"You don’t want to call him that. He’s very sensitive. Comes of being an eunuch, I imagine. Nothing happens in this city without Varys knowing. Oftimes he knows about it before it happens. He has informants everywhere. His little birds, he calls them. One of his little birds heard about your visit. Thankfully, Varys came to me first.† â€Å"Why you?† He shrugged. â€Å"Why not me? I am master of coin, the king’s own councillor. Selmy and Lord Renly rode north to meet Robert, and Lord Stannis is gone to Dragonstone, leaving only Maester Pycelle and me. I was the obvious choice. I was ever a friend to your sister Lysa, Varys knows that.† â€Å"Does Varys know about . . . â€Å" â€Å"Lord Varys knows everything . . . except why you are here.† He lifted an eyebrow. â€Å"Why are you here?† â€Å"A wife is allowed to yearn for her husband, and if a mother needs her daughters close, who can tell her no?† Littlefinger laughed. â€Å"Oh, very good, my lady, but please don’t expect me to believe that. I know you too well. What were the Tully words again?† Her throat was dry. â€Å"Family, Duty, Honor,† she recited stiffly. He did know her too well. â€Å"Family, Duty, Honor,† he echoed. â€Å"All of which required you to remain in Winterfell, where our Hand left you. No, my lady, something has happened. This sudden trip of yours bespeaks a certain urgency. I beg of you, let me help. Old sweet friends should never hesitate to rely upon each other.† There was a soft knock on the door. â€Å"Enter,† Littlefinger called out. The man who stepped through the door was plump, perfumed, powdered, and as hairless as an egg. He wore a vest of woven gold thread over a loose gown of purple silk, and on his feet were pointed slippers of soft velvet. â€Å"Lady Stark,† he said, taking her hand in both of his, â€Å"to see you again after so many years is such a joy.† His flesh was soft and moist, and his breath smelled of lilacs. â€Å"Oh, your poor hands. Have you burned yourself, sweet lady? The fingers are so delicate . . . Our good Maester Pycelle makes a marvelous salve, shall I send for a jar?† Catelyn slid her fingers from his grasp. â€Å"I thank you, my lord, but my own Maester Luwin has already seen to my hurts.† Varys bobbed his head. â€Å"I was grievous sad to hear about your son. And him so young. The gods are cruel.† â€Å"On that we agree, Lord Varys,† she said. The title was but a courtesy due him as a council member; Varys was lord of nothing but the spiderweb, the master of none but his whisperers. The eunuch spread his soft hands. â€Å"On more than that, I hope, sweet lady. I have great esteem for your husband, our new Hand, and I know we do both love King Robert.† â€Å"Yes,† she was forced to say. â€Å"For a certainty.† â€Å"Never has a king been so beloved as our Robert,† quipped Littlefinger. He smiled slyly. â€Å"At least in Lord Varys’s hearing.† â€Å"Good lady,† Varys said with great solicitude. â€Å"There are men in the Free Cities with wondrous healing powers. Say only the word, and I will send for one for your dear Bran.† â€Å"Maester Luwin is doing all that can be done for Bran,† she told him. She would not speak of Bran, not here, not with these men. She trusted Littlefinger only a little, and Varys not at all. She would not let them see her grief. â€Å"Lord Baelish tells me that I have you to thank for bringing me here.† Varys giggled like a little girl. â€Å"Oh, yes. I suppose I am guilty. I hope you forgive me, kind lady.† He eased himself down into a seat and put his hands together. â€Å"I wonder if we might trouble you to show us the dagger?† Catelyn Stark stared at the eunuch in stunned disbelief. He was a spider, she thought wildly, an enchanter or worse. He knew things no one could possibly know, unless . . . â€Å"What have you done to Ser Rodrik?† she demanded. Littlefinger was lost. â€Å"I feel rather like the knight who arrives at the battle without his lance. What dagger are we talking about? Who is Ser Rodrik?† â€Å"Ser Rodrik Cassel is master-at-arms at Winterfell,† Varys informed him. â€Å"I assure you, Lady Stark, nothing at all has been done to the good knight. He did call here early this afternoon. He visited with Ser Aron Santagar in the armory, and they talked of a certain dagger. About sunset, they left the castle together and walked to that dreadful hovel where you were staying. They are still there, drinking in the common room, waiting for your return. Ser Rodrik was very distressed to find you gone.† â€Å"How could you know all that?† â€Å"The whisperings of little birds,† Varys said, smiling. â€Å"I know things, sweet lady. That is the nature of my service.† He shrugged. â€Å"You do have the dagger with you, yes?† Catelyn pulled it out from beneath her cloak and threw it down on the table in front of him. â€Å"Here. Perhaps your little birds will whisper the name of the man it belongs to.† Varys lifted the knife with exaggerated delicacy and ran a thumb along its edge. Blood welled, and he let out a squeal and dropped the dagger back on the table. â€Å"Careful,† Catelyn told him, â€Å"it’s sharp.† â€Å"Nothing holds an edge like Valyrian steel,† Littlefinger said as Varys sucked at his bleeding thumb and looked at Catelyn with sullen admonition. Littlefinger hefted the knife lightly in his hand, testing the grip. He flipped it in the air, caught it again with his other hand. â€Å"Such sweet balance. You want to find the owner, is that the reason for this visit? You have no need of Ser Aron for that, my lady. You should have come to me.† â€Å"And if I had,† she said, â€Å"what would you have told me?† â€Å"I would have told you that there was only one knife like this at King’s Landing.† He grasped the blade between thumb and forefinger, drew it back over his shoulder, and threw it across the room with a practiced flick of his wrist. It struck the door and buried itself deep in the oak, quivering. â€Å"It’s mine.† â€Å"Yours?† It made no sense. Petyr had not been at Winterfell. â€Å"Until the tourney on Prince Joffrey’s name day,† he said, crossing the room to wrench the dagger from the wood. â€Å"I backed Ser Jaime in the jousting, along with half the court.† Petyr’s sheepish grin made him look half a boy again. â€Å"When Loras Tyrell unhorsed him, many of us became a trifle poorer. Ser Jaime lost a hundred golden dragons, the queen lost an emerald pendant, and I lost my knife. Her Grace got the emerald back, but the winner kept the rest.† â€Å"Who?† Catelyn demanded, her mouth dry with fear. Her fingers ached with remembered pain. â€Å"The Imp,† said Littlefinger as Lord Varys watched her face. â€Å"Tyrion Lannister.† How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter Eighteen, Essay examples

Contemporary Accounting Issue Research Business Project Environment

Question: Describe about the Contemporary Accounting Issue Research for Business Project Environment. Answer: Introduction If the operations of a business organization cause uncontrolled damage to the environment, then it would adversely affect the survival of other human beings. For example business activities leading to rash falling of trees or wastage of energy or pollution would harm the interests of society as a whole. Moreover business organizations need to treat their employees and customers fairly. It is due to these reasons the topic that has been chosen for research is environmental and social reporting by companies. More specifically research is being done to find out why many companies do not produce sustainability reports (Research Gate, 2016). This research is linked with many theories and the theory that stands out most is the stakeholder theory that gives that companies produce sustainability reports because they feel or are held accountable to the different stakeholders. Practical motivation The reporting by a company of its social and environmental performance is important for different stakeholders like shareholders, employees, potential investors and also general public. So the issue that many companies do not produce sustainability reports becomes significant and the reasons why these organizations do not disclose such reports need to be investigated into. Many resources are limited and need to be used responsibly. As the business organization is part of the system it would also suffer from its rash behavior in the long run. The management of the business enterprise would also like to know the environmental risks facing the organization. The investors would like to know how responsible the company is regarding sustainability issues. All these entities can get such needed information in the sustainability report (Probonoaustralia.com.au, 2016). Theoretical motivation Although there is lot of concern among people regarding the environmental and social costs that society has to pay as a result of operations of business organizations, this has still not resulted in companies producing sustainability reports which give also give an indication about the seriousness with which these organizations treat these issues and their commitment towards environment protection. This research would find real reasons why companies are not producing such reports. Some reasons for such behavior have been found in earlier researches. These reasons would be more thoroughly analyzed in the current research project. Moreover the areas which have been inadequately researched like what should be specific disclosures in sustainability reports by companies would be looked into in the current research (Probonoaustralia.com.au, 2016). In addition ways in which the present laws and regulation of sustainability reporting by companies can be strengthened would be found out. Literature review According to Stubbs, Higgins and Milne, (2013) there are many Australian companies which do not do sustainability reporting and there are various underlying reasons for this. The pressures from various stakeholders have increased on management of companies over the years to provide sustainability reports. But still whether a company reports on sustainability of its operations is determined by many internal factors like its size, organizational culture, the industry the firm belongs to, its organizational structure etc. The firms which are relatively bigger in size with progressive outlook and employees specifically looking after sustainability issues report more. There is more sustainability reporting in industries like mining and energy where people are more concerned about the impact of such firms on environment. Many firms do not report because they consider it to be something noble but not a necessity. So there is need for more pressures from different stakeholders and more clear laws relating to environment protection and disclosures regarding the sustainability. According to Ameer and Othman, (2012) who carried out a study, the companies which have adopted more ethical practices and take steps for minimizing adverse effects on environment through their operations are more profitable. In other words being socially responsible has improved their financial performance. These results show that there is need to make companies and people more aware that being socially responsible is for the benefit for business organizations also in monetary terms. Thus business organizations should not only be socially responsible, but should also report about their social performance. According to Hahn and Kiihnen, (2013), there are several factors that determine whether the firms publish sustainability reports or not. The above mentioned individuals argue that sustainability reporting is linked to an extent to legitimacy and stakeholder theories. The companies feel the need to justify their actions affecting environment through sustainability reports. But government should pay more attention to make and implement laws clearly defining the extent of sustainability disclosures to be made by companies. There is need for more stakeholder awareness and pressures in this regard. According to Aceitimo, Ariza and Sanchez, (2012) the extent of integrated sustainability and financial reporting depends on many factors like the size of a company and degree of competition in the industry. A large company is more visible and has more political and public pressures to disclose sustainability reports. Moreover it needs large funds and has investor pressures and it wants to give a positive signal by such disclosures. If there is more competition in industry, the firms would be reluctant to make sustainability disclosures in fear of harming their competitive positions. According to Rao, Tilt and Lester, (2012) the degree and quality of corporate governance in a company is directly related to its environmental reporting. If there are larger number of independent directors in a company there are more chances the firm would disclose adequate information relating to its operations affecting the environment. Thus the government and other regulatory authorities should strengthen corporate governance requirements. Many companies with relatively lesser corporate governance mechanisms do not do sufficient environmental reporting. Hypothesis The available literature which has been analyzed above points to different reasons which have prompted companies to produce sustainability reports over the years like its size and nature of industry the firm belongs to. But still it is the pressures from stakeholders like shareholders and public which has resulted in more disclosures by companies. But the laws relating to sustainability reporting by companies still do not impose many obligations on companies in this regard. Left to themselves, most companies would not produce sustainability reports. These are the reasons why the following hypothesis has been suggested which would be tested during the research process (Zikmund et al., 2013). The hypothesis that has been taken in the research is that inadequate laws and insufficient stakeholder pressures are the primary reasons for many companies not producing sustainability reports. The theory that relates to the above hypothesis is the stakeholder theory. This theory proposes that the reason for companies making disclosures regarding their sustainability performance is that they are accountable to different stakeholder for their actions. Different stakeholders care for environmental and social issues and use their powerful position to put pressure on the management of company to make such disclosures. Research method In this research both primary and secondary data would be collected. Questionnaires would be distributed among different stakeholders of ten companies (Zikmund et al., 2013). These stakeholders would consist of shareholders, managers, customers, suppliers and government officials. The questionnaires would be sent to ten stakeholders of each company. The questionnaire would consist of close ended and open ended questions to find information about how well informed these persons are about environmental and social issues, whether they are aware of sustainability reporting by companies and if they are satisfied with the level of information disclosed by companies in this regard and if their business decisions are influenced by the degree and quality of reporting by companies on their performance relating to environmental and social issues. Further there would be questions like if they have taken any measures to put pressure on the companies to produce adequate sustainability reports. The responses of different stakeholders in the sample would be analyzed (Zikmund et al., 2013). The data would be assessed both quantitatively and qualitatively. This would reveal the extent of awareness and response of different stakeholders in the sample regarding sustainability reporting by companies. In addition to the primary data, secondary data would be collected in the form of government reports, journal articles, and newspaper articles to find out about the current laws that are in place regarding disclosure of reports by companies relating to their environmental and social performance and the views of people regarding them (The Conversation, 2016). The analysis of data collected from primary and secondary resources would help to arrive at the conclusion whether the above mentioned hypothesis is correct or not. Conclusion There has been an increasing awareness about environmental and social issues among people in the last few decades. Business organizations have helped to bring economic prosperity to people by creating employment and quality products. But as incomes of people have risen, they have beginning to care more about other issues which affect their survival and quality of life. There has been spread of information and people have become more aware about how the business organizations carry out their operations and how their actions are affecting environment and working conditions of people. This is the reason why there has been more pressure on companies to produce sustainability reports. But this pressure does not seem to be adequate as many organizations still do not report on sustainability performance. Therefore the role of government becomes very important as it has the power to make laws. As in most countries there is democracy the people can influence what kind of laws are made (The Co nversation, 2016). Moreover investors in companies also yield considerable power. There is need for these stakeholders to realize the importance of sustainability reporting. References Aceitimo, J. , Ariza, L. and Sanchez, I. (2012) Explanatory Factors of Integrated Sustainability and Financial Reporting, Business Strategy And Environment, 23(1), pp. 56-72, [Online]. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bse.1765/full (Accessed: 8 October, 2016). Ameer, R. and Othman, R. (2012). Sustainability Practices And Corporate Financial Performance: A Study Based On The Top Global Corporations,Journal of Business Ethics,108(1), pp.61-79, [Online]. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-011-1063-y (Accessed: 8 October, 2016). Hahn, R. and Khnen, M. (2013). Determinants Of Sustainability Reporting: A Review Of Results, Trends, Theory, And Opportunities In An Expanding Field Of research,Journal of Cleaner Production,59, pp.5-21, [Online]. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652613004654! (Accessed: 8 October, 2016). Probonoaustralia.com.au (2016) Reporting For Reportings Sake? Sustainability Reporting In Australia. Available at: https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2015/05/reporting-for-reportings-sake-sustainability-reporting-in-australia/ (Accessed: 8 October, 2016). Rao, K., Tilt, C. and Lester, L. (2012) Corporate Governance And Environmental Reporting: An Australian Study,Corporate Governance: The International Journal Of Business In Society,12(2), pp.143-163. Available at: https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/14720701211214052 (Accessed: 8 October, 2016). Research Gate (2016) Why Do Companies Not Produce Sustainability Reports. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263145763_Why_Do_Companies_Not_Produce_Sustainability_Reports (Accessed: 10 October, 2016). Stubbs, W., Higgins, C. and Milne, M. (2013). Why Do Companies Not Produce Sustainability Reports?,Business Strategy And The Environment, 22(7), pp.456-470, [Online].Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bse.1756/full (Accessed: 8 October, 2016). The Conversation (2016) New ASX Guidelines To Force Sustainability Reporting. Available at: https://theconversation.com/new-asx-guidelines-to-force-sustainability-reporting-24885 (Accessed: 8 October, 2016). Wiley Online Library (2016) Explanatory Factors of Integrated Sustainability and Financial Reporting. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bse.1765/pdf (Accessed: 10 October, 2016). Zikmund, W. , Babin, B. , Carr, J. and Griffin, M. (2013) Business Research Methods. 9th (edn.) Australia : South Western Cengage Learning.