Importance of Control in Staffords Traveling Through the Dark Essay

Importance of Control in Stafford's Traveling Through the Dark In William Stafford's "Traveling Through the Dark," the narrator encounters a dead deer on the edge of the road. He knows that the safe and proper course of action is to push the deer into the canyon, but when he finds that the doe was near giving birth before she died, he hesitates to kill the unborn fawn. Stafford's central idea in the poem revolves around the decision the narrator makes to sacrifice the deer in order to clear the road of obstacles, so that others who drive on the dark, narrow road won't have to swerve. The image of the deer evokes sympathy and compassion from the reader because the image isn't merely that of a dead animal. The second stanza describes the dead deer as the reader would expect. The narrator "stood by the heap, a doe, a recent killing; / she had stiffened already, almost cold." The lifeless deer, merely a heap of animal recently killed on the road, seems ready to be pushed into the canyon, but the next stanza reverses the image of the deer. The narrator approaches ...

Pros and Cons for Outsourcing

The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing services in the US By Berend Schoute (1713035), student of the VU university Amsterdam. INTRODUCTION Hillary Clinton, â€Å"I don't know what reality the Bush administration is living in, but it's certainly not the reality I represent, from one end of New York to the other. † This response came on the statement of the head of U. S. President George W. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers, Gregory Mankiw. He said: â€Å"outsourcing is just a new way of doing international trade,† which makes it â€Å"a good thing. † In the last decade most economists are a proponents of offshoring services outside of the US.They say that the benefits of outsourcing exceed the disadvantages. The main discussion is more likely a political one. It shows that a lot of citizens are pursuing protectionism to prevent any problems for American workers. THEORY Outsourcing occurs when a company fragmentizes a production process and sends this to another outsi de company. When companies are outsourcing to other countries/continents, it is also known as offshoring. A survey held by Lewin and Peeters (2006) showed that 90 of the 650 companies that are listed on the US Forbes Global 2000 are offshoring major business functions at that time.This outcome says that many major companies are interested in outsourcing jobs. Further outcomes mentioned that overall IT-functions (66% of the survey participants) are mostly shipped elsewhere, followed by Finance/accounting functions (60%). The most attractive destination for offshoring is India, where 60% of the functions of companies participated in the survey is to be offshored to. (Lewin and Peeters,2006) There are multiple arguments for offshoring jobs to another country. Some of these reasons can be examined by simply looking at the numbers, but most of them are abstract and difficult to catch.We speak of an omitted variable bias when a model that you create misses some important causal variables. The model can give you some positive results, but it isn’t reliable. This problem can occur in every survey, so the investigators need to be careful with the outcomes. The main argument for outsourcing is clearly labor cost reduction. The differences in wages are very large between the developing countries and the US. For example, an IT-specialist is paid $ 60 per hour on average in the US, where India pays this worker only $ 6 per hour.Although these cost benefits trough labor are substantial, extra costs incur when setting up the new offshore location. After taking all costs in account, there still is a cost reduction of 45 to 55 % (Mckinsey Global institute,2003). This cost reduction can cause a higher productivity because the domestic firm can focus on other important operations. Drezner (2003) said: ‘Thanks to outsourcing, U. S. firms save money and become more profitable, benefiting shareholders and increasing returns on investment. Foreign facilities boost deman d for U. S. roducts, such as computers and telecommunications equipment, necessary for their outsourced function. And U. S. labor can be reallocated to more competitive, better-paying jobs’. This statement is fully supported by most economists. The commodification process allows the spread of the benefits of IT-outsourcing even further, making the growth and the competitive advantage even greater (Drezner, 2003). A simple explanation of the advantage can be given by looking at the Heckscher-Ohlin model. This model simply suggests that countries that are capital abundant will export capital intensive products vice versa.For example it explains the fact that India focuses on labor intensive products because this abundance causes a competitive advantage caused by relatively low wages. In reality it’s off course more difficult, because the underlying assumptions are hardly realistic: 1. factors of production are perfectly mobile and 2. no difference in level of technology across countries. Drezner(2003) explained this by the following statement: ‘The logic underlying an open economy is that if the economy sheds jobs in uncompetitive sectors, employment in competitive sectors will grow.If hitech industries are no longer competitive, where will new jobs be created? ’ This previous theoretical introduction didn’t made the discussion between the pros and cons yet clear. It simply shoes some arguments of a proponent and a opponent. We still need hard evidence from both parties to give a good view on the truth. PROS VIEW Opponents of outsourcing are talking about the fact that American workers are losing their jobs cause of the labor movements. This is off course a fact, but what are the actual numbers ? The Mckinsey Global institute (2003) notes that in the upcoming 5 years , the growth was going to be around 30-40%.Forrester Research predicts that the total outsourced jobs will be around 3,3 million in 2015. According to projections, the hardest hit sectors will be financial services and information technology (IT). In one May 2003 survey of chief information officers, 68 percent of IT executives said that their offshore contracts would grow in the subsequent year (Mckinsey Global institute,2003). Therefore, at first sight the perception of the opponents is really sustainable. The total growth in the last two years (2002-2003) was really good, the productivity growth was even greater.The overall job growth have been really alarming. This indicates that the opponents are right in their perception. Controversially, if you unpack the numbers, you will find that 90% of all jobs in the US require geographic proximity. So these jobs were untouched anyway. The Forrester prediction of 3,3 million is spread over 15 years which means 220 thousand extra outsources jobs per year. Nowadays employment in the United States is about 130 million, and with approximately 22 million new jobs to be added till 2010, means that the ef fect of offshoring is less than 0,2% of American workers (Drezner,2003).Another argument of the proponents is that the net change in the outflow of workers against the inflow is negative. So the difference between insourcing workers because of foreign companies coming to the US and outsourcing is getting smaller. An important argument pro outsourcing is the fact that it increases the productivity of a company. The question we need to ask ourselves is can we confirm this increase with empirical evidence. Amiti & Wei (2006) investigated this question and have found some nice figures. In their survey hey tried to analyze whether there are any benefits of outsourcing in the productivity of a company. To prevent an omitted variable bias, they needed to find a valid instrument for service offshoring. In their regression model they used the number of internet hosts in the countries that supply the largest shares of services to the US. These outcomes reflect the changes in new technologies that would only affect US productivity through their effect on offshoring. Their empirical outcome was that there is a positive effect on productivity through outsourcing. CONSThe American citizens who are pursuing protectionism to prevent any problems for American workers. They say that they lose jobs because of outsourcing. This off course is true, but it’s important to look at the percentage that is reemployed. This number is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tells us that 69% of the workers that lost their job due to offshoring, eventually is reemployed. In the previous, I only talked about low-skilled jobs outsourced to other countries. Nowadays a new trend is unfolding with the outsourcing of high value added jobs to ‘developing’ countries.For example radiologists who can be replaced by cheaper Indian radiologists that constantly are able to screen material that was send to them by US hospitals. The exact numbers aren’t clear because this trend recently came up. The debate about the high skilled outsourcing should focus on consolidating strength of the US in higher value added knowledge services where investment in human capital will be decisive. Until there is no empirical evidence of a negative effect of this kind of outsourcing, the US must focus on the quality of their higher value added knowledge services (Rudiger, K. 2007). There are also a couple of other disadvantages that come up when outsourcing services overseas. These disadvantages have been used by the opponents of outsourcing. A first struggle can be that a newcomer can find itself a unreliable supplier, which puts his work aside when finding a better paying partner or a supplier loses the workers who finds better paying jobs. In reality a supplier loses around 15 to 20 % of it’s workers each year (Weidenbaum, 2003). Other hidden costs or disruptions can be for example bad infrastructure, a lot of power blackouts and extra transportation cos ts.Weidenbaum also states ‘overseas managers often do not understand the American business environment: our customers, lingo, traditions, and high-quality control and expectations for prompt delivery of goods and performance of services’. These disadvantages can be prevented by good outsourcing preparation. CONCLUSION In the beginning of this essay I discussed the US protectionism to offshoring jobs. When looking at all the studies it came clear that offshoring brings substantially benefits to the economy of the US (and the world).In this essay we saw that firms can reduce costs up to 55 % of the particular department. Because of the cost reduction and productivity growth, the US can improve its output and competitive advantages against other countries. The disadvantages do not outweigh all the advantages of outsourcing discussed in this essay. When the politicians focus on the flexibility and quality of the economy they can create a win-win situation for the US. In the upcoming years next studies need to be about whether any skill group (high value added services in particular) is relatively more affected. REFERENCES Amiti & Wei. 2006). Service Offshoring and Productivity: Evidence from the United States. NBER Working Paper no. 11926. Drezner, D. (2004). The outsourcing bogeyman. Foreign Affairs. Mckinsey Global institute. (2003). Offshoring: Is It a Win-Win Game? † Weidenbaum. (2003). Outsourcing: Pros and cons. Business Horizons (2005) 48, 311—315 Lewin and Peeters (2006). â€Å"Offshoring work: Business hype or the onset of fundamental transformation? † Long Range Planning, 39(3): 221–239. Rudiger, K. (2007). Offshoring, a threat for the UK’s knowledge jobs? A working paper prepared for the Knowledge Economy Programme.

Gender Roles Peter Pan - 1247 Words

Gender Roles in Peter Pan J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan tells the story of â€Å"the boy who never grew up.† Barrie paints Peter as an extraordinary character living in a mystical world called Neverland, flying through the air, and fighting villainous pirates. He is also the boy who takes a young girl named Wendy from England back to Neverland with him. The interaction and interdependence of Barrie’s two characters, Peter and Wendy, symbolize and spread cultural gender stereotypes by mirroring the stereotypes embodied by the adult characters in the story—Mr. and Mrs. Darling—and by reflecting the ideas of gender roles of the time and foreshadowing the children’s understanding of reality and expectations, as well as their eventual maturation. Wendy’s father, Mr. Darling, sets the prime example for adult male stereotype. Barrie characterizes him as the breadwinner of the Darling family and a proud businessman. Throughout Barrie’s insight into his character, the reader observes him insist upon respect and obedience from his children and wife; and even the family dog. In one instance, Mr. Darling even boasts to Wendy that his wife, Mrs. Darling, not only loves him, but more importantly, respects him. This attitude as displayed by the character of Mr. Darling as the most prominent adult male influence can be argued to be associated with the male stereotype in many ways. Mr. Darling’s character in the text supports the culturally stereotypical view of the male gender as the Block 2Show MoreRelatedRoles Of Men And Women Essay1707 Words   |  7 PagesIn the late 1800’s the roles of men and women are very different than what we see in today’s culture. Although we maintain a description of men being masculine and women being feminine, in recent years this topic has become either clarified or convoluted depending upon the culture a person was raised in. 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Analysis Of The Things They Carried - 1106 Words

Beginning. Thematic Statement: â€Å"The Things They Carried†- The mental and morale that a person go through is intense because it becomes the fundamental that will be throughout the whole story. Device Concrete Detail w/ MLA Commentary Situational Irony of how the soldier talked about Lavender â€Å"They told stories about Ted Lavender’s supply of tranquilizers, how the poor guy didn’t feel a thing, how incredibly tranquil he was†(O’Brien,19). So when Ted Lavender got shot in his head, he got his â€Å"mind blown† for the last time, now the phrase â€Å"mind blown† has many meanings, it depends on the context and how it’s used the definition of it is when something shocking happens and the mind isn’t able to comprehend it, or whenever Lavender would smoke marijuana to calm himself down because he gets scared, and then there’s its literal meaning. In the novel the author, O’Brien uses this to show a sense of humor to show that Lavender got his mind blown literally, how he couldn’t feel a thing and was â€Å"..incredibly tranquil...†The author uses Situational Irony to discuss the tragedy of death, but also include a sense of humor to encircle the tragedy of the book. Symbolic meaning of the title â€Å"They were tough. They carried all the emotional baggage of men who might die. Grief, terror, love, longing--...They carried their reputations. †¦ carried the soldier s greatest fear,which was the fear of blushing. ItShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Things They Carried 1120 Words   |  5 Pages Scars From Vietnam: An Analysis of a Soldier’s Connection With War Itself in The Things They Carried. â€Å"War is like love, it always finds a way.† -Bertolt Brecht War , like love, is always present can be a person’s worst nightmare, since it always finds ways to emotionally or physically impact one’s life. 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The Things They Carried, belongs high on the list of the best fiction about any war... crystallizes the Vietnam experiences for everyone and exposes the nature of all war stories.( New York Times, Book of the Century). Tim O Brien, the authorRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Things They Carried 2006 Words   |  9 Pages 1. Birth-October 1, 1946; present 2. The things they carried was written in the late 1980 s and published in 1990. The novel acts as a response to the era it discusses by solidifying the un-generalized version of war through fictional anecdotes from the narrator and characters. The truth is never portrayed through historic context or media, and with this novel, the author was able to reciprocate the emotions felt by soldiers from the graphic scenes or actions envisioned/written. 3. FactorsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Things They Carried 1409 Words   |  6 PagesDenali Dickson Butler July 22, 2014 Long Form I. The Author and His Times: 1. Birth- October 1, 1946 to present 2. The Things They Carried was published January 1, 1990. This novel discusses stories from the Vietnam War, written many years afterwards. The book shares stories from several different people during the war and shares the truth as they remember it. 3. The factor that influenced the author in his decision to publish this novel was his desire to share his stories with the world. StoriesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel The Things They Carried 1034 Words   |  5 Pagesto another it is a fictional piece of literature meant to teach or entertain its audience. Others may go so far as to argue only the truth is of importance in a story. Tim O’Brien expands on the true significance of a story in his novel The Things They Carried. He uses the scene of a real war with fictional additions to convey the message of the brutality of war, emphasizing the idea of the truth of the story being irrelevant. Similarly, in J. D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden utilizes

Dispute Resolution Resolving And Managing Legal Disputes

Dispute Resolution Processes: Resolving and Managing legal disputes The Spectrum of Dispute Resolution Processes It is important to understand the basic nature of dispute resolution processes and how they relate to one another. Whilst dispute resolution as a whole is complicated to define, the Spectrum of Dispute Resolution visually displays the six main processes from their ability to resolve conflict to their ability to resolve a dispute. Walking away, negotiation and mediation fall on the conflict solving side. Whist litigation and arbitration fall to the dispute solving side. Conciliation and case appraisal sit somewhere in the middle of these processes. For the purpose of discussing the advantages and disadvantages of dispute†¦show more content†¦Only 5% of all disputes are settled in a court room, and as such every other dispute can be solved through one of the many mechanisms that the Spectrum outlines. Advantages of Dispute Resolution Processes The clearest advantage or benefit of dispute resolution processes is the structure provided to solve the underlying conflict of a dispute. This is due to the emphasis on party empowerment, mediated discussion and a supportive network of professionals willing to ensure every avenue of the conflict is resolved. Furthermore, most dispute resolution processes seek to improve communication, enhance the relationship between the parties and assist in fostering co-operation and collaboration between both parties; provided, that they are both willing to participate. Another benefit which follows on from this, is the increased satisfaction that comes from participating in crafting an agreement which both parties had a hand in from the beginning. There are many practical benefits to dispute resolution. Particularly, that there is no need to use or follow any legal standard with regards to evidence, precedent ect. Often times there is no legal solution to a dispute, but rather a need for a personal agreement between the parties over certain factors. Another benefit, is that it is generally a faster and cheaper process to conduct. Arguably this makes it more efficient for everyday citizens but also applicable to larger corporations. Most

Cultural Relativism in Business free essay sample

Business And Islamic Ethics Topic: Cultural Relativism In Business Submitted to: Mr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khalil Submitted by: Waqas Shehzad Class: BBA 5D Cultural Relativism: Cultural relativism is the view that all beliefs are equally valid and that truth itself is relative, depending on the situation, environment, and individual. Those who hold to cultural relativism hold that all religious, ethical, aesthetic, and political beliefs are completely relative to the individual within a cultural identity. Cultural relativism (CR) says that good and bad are relative to culture. What is good is what is socially approved in a given culture. Our moral principles describe social conventions and must be based on the norms of our society. Cultural relativists see morality as a product of culture. They think that societies disagree widely about morality, and that we have no clear way to resolve the differences. They conclude that there are no objective values.Cultural relativists view themselves as tolerant; they see other cultures, not as wrong, but as different. Types of Relativism: Relativism often includes: †¢Moral relativism (ethics depend on a social construct) †¢Situational relativism (right or wrong is based on the particular situation) †¢Cognitive relativism (truth itself has no objective standard). Cultural Relativism in Business: The 21st century is an era of the globalization of world economy. Cross-national business is facing great challenges in cultural differences.In one survey entitled â€Å"What is the biggest barrier in doing business in the world market†, cultural differences ranked first in all eight items including law, price competition, information, language, delivery, foreign currency, time differences, and cultural differences. Hofstadter (1993) believes that the spread of businesses onto the global stage brings the issue of national and regional differences to the fore. There is something in all countries called management, but its meaning differs to a larger or smaller extent from one co untry to another (Hofstede, 1993).It can also be observed that most of the failures faced by cross-national companies are caused by neglect of cultural differences. Every culture has its own concepts of right and wrong, what is ethical and what isn’t, and business practices need to be designed around this theme line No business will be successful if it does not take cultural considerations into perspective: 1. In designing its main business practices 2. In settling ethical issues Cultural Relativism in Doing Business: The perspective that culture and business are intertwined may be provocative for some and obvious for others.For a long time, however, many businesspeople have been wise enough to base their decisions on behaviour that is expected and approved of by the groups of stakeholders that are affected by those decisions. The new challenge that has recently appeared on managements horizon in this regard is the complication provided by having to deal with diverse, rather than homogeneous, cultures within North American operations, and more particularly, cultures different than their home or parent culture when they operate in foreign markets.When the divergence between cultures is marked, choices or trade-offs have to be made between them, or business practices have to follow different rules in each. There are risks inherent to each approach which need to be explored. Ethical Values in Different Cultures: Research on belief in ethics and social responsibility among Asians is somewhat scant. Mehta and Kau (1984) found that Singaporeans are less ethical than Americans in nine of 10 situations. Unlike Americans, Singaporeans do not consider padding expense accounts as unethical.In another study, Kau, Tan, and Wirtz (1998) found that almost 30% of Singaporeans did not agree that honesty pays. In Hong Kong, managers have been observed to be less ethical than their expatriate counterparts from the U. S. and Britain, but similar to those from China and Macau (McDonald and Kan, 1997). They are more agreeable to using deception for gaining competitor information, protecting dishonest employees, practicing deceptive advertising and labeling, having deceptive pricing, manipulating expenses, and engaging in insider trading.This observation is supported by Nyaw and Ng (1994) who found that Hong Kong managers are more tolerant of unethical behavior towards customers and suppliers than Canadian managers. At a corporate level, deception of various forms has been observed among East Asians (Tung, 1994). For instance, the Japanese speak with soft-spoken voices so that their American counterparts underestimate their tenacity. In the process of gathering market intelligence, some East Asian firms spread erroneous information to contaminate and frustrate competitors strategies.We must change the focus of business ethics away from primary emphasis on Western ethics toward a deeper understanding of value systems that stem from different conceptions of human nature. We need to abandon the project of universalizing ethics along Western lines. Cultural Relativism and Business Options: Given the concept of cultural relativism, business executives can take one of three choices: (1) insist on uniform standards worldwide, or (2) tailor or adjust the companys standards of conduct for each locale, or (3) decide on each instance on a situation by situation basis.The problem with insisting on common worldwide standards is that local customs in foreign cultures may be trampled upon or offended. The reverse is true for the other two options. If company practices are altered based on local customs or a specific situation, then the customs of the company’s home markets and stakeholders may be offended with inevitable fallout. Take the example of facilitating payments or bribes. If a company insists that bribes will not be paid anywhere in the world, it may face severe problems operating in some foreign countries.On the other hand, if the company states that bribes will not be paid in the developed world, but may be paid were necessary in the third world, then it may be attacked by pressure groups at home. If each instance is to be decided by a senior executive, and managers know that the company condones bribes sometimes, they will be likely to go along with bribes everywhere because they know the company thinks it an acceptable practice. These trade-offs are not simple for executives to make, particularly since the culturally sensitive issues involved are very inflammatory in some cultures.Operating issues that are sensitive to North American markets would include: child labour, treatment of women, health and safety matters, quality of life impacts, dealing with oppressive regimes, and environmental imp acts. Contracting practices that are also to be watched carefully include bribery, facilitating payments, dealings with family, nepotism etc. all of which involve the management of conflicts of interests. You can see that, if the manager is to optimize the companys performance on its strategic objectives, developing a company code and practices to respect cultural sensitivities is a very difficult balancing act.It is increasingly problematic for companies to adopt the policy of operating abroad at the level of local laws that are much different from those in their home markets, particularly in areas like labor standards, health and safety standards , and environmental protection. This is increasingly seen as opportunistic and unprincipled. The fallout from child labor boycotts, collapsing mines, and pollution has ruined many promising ventures. Cultural relativism and Islam: The debate between universalism and relativism is as old as the history of hilosophy itself, though as two recognizable schools of thought they may be modern. Islam teaches that man is one being with a body and soul. He has not only mind and consciousness, but also a conscience. All the qualities of man that make him really human are God-given gifts that are linked to his soul. This means that quite apart from racial or cultural influences, man has certain innate qualities, which in their totality can be called human nature. Anchored at the Quran, we need not be perturbed by these fads and fashions in philosophy or sociology.But there is no harm in studying them and judging them for what they are worth. Hence cultural relativity can be practiced in business but keeping the teachings of Islam in mind. Conclusion: Hence we can conclude that different techniques are applicable but according to the situation. Cultural relativity can also be practiced but keeping in mind the ethical values of one’s own belief system and the teachings of religion. Islam is also concerned with the basic teaching and principles which are to be followed while doing business and adopting cultural relativity.Cultural relativity can be an integral part for success in business when carried out in other societies Innovative ideas based upon cultural sensitivities can provide win win situations even in difficult areas like bribery. The following example explains the success of a business by following ethical cultural relativism. Some companies simply decline to pay bribes. They lose some business, but some report that the fear of losing business is overblown, and that when it became known that they would not pay bribes, they were no longer asked for them but contracts were won.One company, however, decided that they would refuse to pay a bribe in China, but offered to contribute to a community project a pa rk which is particularly prized in that culture, and where several positions on the governing board were to be filled by community elders and members of the contract awarding group. The company rebuffed requests for pay-offs to purchasing and local officials, but indicated that they would be prepared to contribute to the local community. In the end, this proved to be a very successful strategy both abroad and at home.

Teachings of Buddha and Consumerism

Our modern life is overwhelmed by a culture of consumerism whose effects are far reaching to all people. This culture has led to many people trying to affirm their self identity and seek happiness by engaging in extensive consumption of products. To fuel this need for goods, more products are continuing to flood the market so as to sate our seemingly unquenchable thirst for products. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Teachings of Buddha and Consumerism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The ancient teachings of Buddha offer some insights into how this culture can be taken into perspective and even broken. This paper will analyze the Four Noble Truths as offered by Buddha so as to ascertain if these truths can be used to overcome the bondage of materialism that has consumed modern man. The teachings of Buddha were considered as a raft through which man would be able to move from his current position of discontent to a farther shore of content. The â€Å"Four Noble Truths† are principles that are fundamental to the Buddhist philosophy. The first noble truth states that â€Å"Life means suffering†. This truth points to the inevitability of man to avoid physical pain and misery over his lifetime. It also reveals that there are positive experiences which man experiences in his lifetime. Buddha affirms that these positive experiences are temporal and they pass away with time. The culture of constantly consuming products is mostly in a bid to find true happiness. However, the teachings of Buddha rightfully state that this is only a temporal consolation. Through Buddha’s teachings, we can see that suffering is inevitable and therefore not something to try to avoid at whatever costs. The second Noble Truth states that â€Å"The origin of suffering is attachment†. As such, suffering is seen as springing from our desires, passions and clinging to objects that we hold dear. B uddha declares that since the objects of our affection are only temporal we cause ourselves great pain when we loss them. With this in mind, people should avoid attaching too much to their material possessions since they are temporal. By doing this, people can save themselves from heart ache that comes from the loss that inevitably follows. The third truth claims that â€Å"the cessation of suffering is attainable†. As such, man is not without a means by which he can alleviate his suffering that Buddha attributes to his earthly attachments. Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, this teaching prescribes a different path to terminating suffering from the one that our modern culture applies. While our culture emphasis attainment of wealth and power as the only means through which suffering can be contained, Buddha reveals that suffering can be removed by the human act of detaching ourselves from our previous attachments. In conclusion, Buddha also offers a solution to the problem of suffering that man has. This is in the Forth Noble truth which proposes a balance between self over-indulgence and self-mortification which involves denying yourself off everything. This is the balance that man must try to attain so as to avoid the ills that the culture of consumerism brings. This means that people should not altogether disengage from their consumption. Instead, moderation needs to be exercised so as to bring about peace of mind as well as avoid the wastage that over indulgence in consumerism causes. This paper set out to assess the relevance of Buddha’s teachings in light of the over indulgence in consumerism that people face in the current age. It has been discovered that the teachings of Buddha can be used to reduce this culture since these teachings clarify that the problem that man tries to solve through overconsumption of products canno t be solved by this means. It is my belief that by applying these teachings of Buddha, the â€Å"cycle of self-identity through materialistic consumerism† can be broken. This essay on Teachings of Buddha and Consumerism was written and submitted by user Zackary Warren to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.