why work?

Many people see the reason for working to be for themselves to make their place in society. The perception is that people work for themselves, and because it is a way to make ends meet. It is nothing but toil, and a nuisance that must be done. Some philosophers, like Marx, have even gone as far to say work is for itself against human nature. Human nature after all, requires one to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Work has been argued to provide pain as it is something we do, but never really want to do, and work never provides pleasure. So in this argument human nature is to avoid work, but we hinder human nature by still going to work, and working in the labor force to produce. However there are people, and plenty of them, that like to actively work and produce in the labor force. There is a positive realm to working, and that is known as self-realization. Work in this case is a way in which one overcomes the division with nature and reestablishes our unity with it. According to philosophers such as Marx and Hegel, this particular aspect of work, is a means in which we can satisfy our material appetites and needs with an end in it. We can walk away from our creations and development them not necessarily to live with them everyday or to use our productions in a way of survival like an animal would. Depending on how one looks at work, it can be looked as just toil, and in a negative aspect, or it can be looked at in a positive way.

Business Ethics, is there such a thing?

With all the scandals and controversies today surrounding major corporations such as Enron, one ought to consider whether or not there really is a set of standards and ethical codes to be considered in the world of business. Sure there are the set of business ethics that one learns in a class designated business ethics, but is it more than just what is taught in such class. It involves whether or not that set of standards and code of ethics that is taught in class or preached by ethicist is actually followed in the business world. If you were to actually look at the business world, you would have to believe that ethics is something that is nonexistant in the real world and only on paper. Beyond the lying, cheating, deception, money laundering scandals, the need for profit at any cost and the way employees are treated in some business with benefits and wages it is entirely unfair to the employee and against a number of ethical standard values. The idea of a major corporation in America seems to be the bigger the profit the better. So by whatever means that takes to achieve, the CEOs, Presidents, Executive Board members, or whomever else is willing to go there and beyond. Whether that means making their product cheaper or lessening the wages to the bare minimum for their employees. Whatever it is, it comes out in an unfair, unethical way to someone, somewhere.

Do you really support our troops?

Everywhere you go, you see the magnetic yellow ribbons on cars or pinned to a wall, or another yellow ribbon hanging off of something. The yellow ribbon of course stands for "Support Our Troops," talking of course about those overseas fighting in this war on terrorism. However do you really support the troops. I do, but of course, I don't have one of those yellow ribbons, nor do I plan on buying one. I have an Uncle in the heart of Iraq right now, but I don't need to buy a yellow ribbon, in which none of the funds go towards helping the troops. I just merely have to support what he is doing, stay in contact, maybe send him a few care packages, and keep him in my prayers. People throughout the country attempt to say they support our troops in Iraq by only purchasing the media led magnetic yellow ribbons, that truly don't send any support to the troops. Sure it is a way to show that you support their job, and you hope they come home safe, but are you doing anything behind the scene to truly show your support. Do you truly understand why they are over there? Look past what the media is telling you; dig deep into what is really going on; find the independent journalists on line, they'll tell you what is really going on. The yellow ribbon magnets are among many media tactics to distract people and draw people into a world that may or may not be real. Of course this war is real. There is no denying the fact that people are dying every day in the name of this country, but please find away to move past what the media is telling us, and find away to directly support a troop, or a group of troops.