Meaning of life - Anthropology Essay Example for Free

Meaning of life Anthropology Essay The Meaning of Life and Cultural Relativism What is the meaning of life? â€Å"What’s the meaning of life? † is today a question generally meant as a joke. This apparently wasn’t true in the past. Religious teachers, from Jesus to Buddha to Mohammed, offered a clear meaning of life. Philosophers from Plato to Augustine to Voltaire to Nietzsche to William James also offered such a meaning, although in progressively less certain ways. Today, however, philosophers have mostly turned away from questions of the meaning of life (or when they discuss it, they may proclaim life’s meaninglessness, as does Nagel in this week’s reading). A big reason for this is that there are so many different beliefs in the world today: they relativize all beliefs, and make certainty problematic. A key principle of anthropology is â€Å"cultural relativism†: this has become a central principle in today’s world at large. How can you know that your sense of â€Å"the meaning of life† is truer than someone else’s sense of â€Å"the meaning of life†? This is why it may be difficult to be both a Christian and an anthropologist. And this is why this course cannot offer much advice as to â€Å"the meaning of life. † Meanings of Life in Anthropology Anthropologists thus can’t discuss â€Å"the meaning of life†; but they can analyze people’s personal meanings of life, as a way of better understanding how people are culturally and socially shaped. There is a fundamental difference between â€Å"the meaning of life† and â€Å"meanings of life,† and only the latter can be fully explored by anthropologists. Anthropologists explore culture: the ways of thinking by which people live. Anthropologists study a range of different culturally-shaped fields, from economics to politics to religion to gender in different societies. However, few anthropologists have directly studied â€Å"meanings of life† (maybe none, except for me! ) This is because in most societies that anthropologists study, there is no ordinary word that people use to describe what’s most important to them in their lives. However, the Japanese language has such a term: ikigai. Ikigai means â€Å"that which makes your life worth living,† or, more practically speaking, â€Å"what’s most important to you in your life. † Common ikigai are work, family, religious belief, creative endeavor, or personal dream. 1 Why does only Japanese have the term ikigai? Why don’t other languages have ikigai? In any case, even if other languages don’t have the term ikigai, people everywhere can understand what ikigai means. It is â€Å"what’s most important to you in life,† â€Å"what makes your life worth living. † What is your ikigai? This is difficult for students, because you haven’t yet made the life choices of work and family that you probably will make over the next few years. But you can get some idea: Is it pleasing your parents? Finding a boyfriend/girlfriend? Gaining knowledge? Getting good grades and a good future job? Helping the world become better? Pursuing creativity? Being close to God? The Sociocultural Analysis of Ikigai . Most Japanese books about ikigai talk about it in a psychological sense: how individuals seek and find and lose ikigai. However, ikigai is also social: all ikigai involve us in the world of other people: whether you live for family, for your personal dream, for God, or for alcohol, all of these are social. Ikigai in this sense I define as â€Å"that which most deeply links the self to the social world†: ikigai is what ties you to the world around you. This can take two broad forms: ikigai as self-realization, and ikigai as commitment to one’s group: both are fundamentally social. Here is a one-sentence cross-cultural theory of ikigai: â€Å"On the basis of culturally and personally-shaped fate, individuals strategically formulate and interpret their ikigai from an array of cultural conceptions, negotiate these ikigai within their circles of immediate others, and pursue their ikigai as channeled by their society’s institutional structures so as to attain and maintain a sense of the personal significance of their lives. † We have ikigai because ikigai gives us a sense of the purpose and significance and worth of our lives; but we necessarily hold these ikigai within the context of the society around us, with which we constantly interact in forming and maintaining ikigai.

Strategies of Job Analysis

Strategies of Job Analysis The most basic building block of HR management, job analysis, is a systematic way to gather and analyze information about the content and human requirement of jobs, and the context in which jobs are performed. Job analysis usually involves collecting information on the characteristics of a job that differentiate it from other jobs. Information that can be helpful in making the distinction includes the following: Work activities and behaviors Machines and equipment used Interactions with others Working conditions Performance standards Supervision given and received Financial and budgeting impact Knowledge, skills, and abilities needed What Is a Job? Although the terms job and position are often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference in emphasis. A job is a grouping of common tasks, duties, and responsibilities. A position is a job performed by one person. Thus, if there are two persons operating word processing equipment, there are two positions (one for each person) but just one job (word processing operator). Differentiating between Job Analysis and Job Design It is useful to clarify the differences between job design and job analysis. Job design is broader in nature and has as its primary thrust meshing the productivity Job analysis A systematic way to gather and analyze information about the content and the human requirements of jobs, and the context in which jobs are performed. Job A grouping of similar positions having common tasks, duties, and responsibilities. Position A job performed by one person. needs of the organization with the needs of the individuals performing the various jobs. Increasingly, a key aim for job design is to provide individuals meaningful work that fits effectively into the flow of the organization. It is concerned with changing, simplifying, enlarging, enriching, or otherwise making jobs such that the efforts of each worker fit together better with other jobs. Job analysis has a much narrower focus in that it is a formal system for gathering data about what people are doing in their jobs. The information generated by job analysis may be useful in redesigning jobs, but its primary purpose is to get a clear understanding of what is done on a job and what capabilities are needed to do a job as it has been designed. Documents that capture the elements identified during a job analysis are job descriptions and job specifications. Job Analysis and the Changing Nature of Jobs Increasingly, commentators and writers are discussing the idea that the nature of jobs and work is changing so much that the concept of a -job  may be obsolete for many people. For instance, in some high-technology industries employees work in cross-functional project teams and shift from project to project. The focus in these industries is less on performing specific tasks and duties and more on fulfilling responsibilities and attaining results. For example, a project team of eight employees developing software to allow various credit cards to be used with ATMs worldwide will work on many different tasks, some individually and some with other team members. When that project is finished those employees will move to other projects, possibly with other employers. Such shifts may happen several times per year. Therefore, the basis for recruiting, selecting, and compensating these individuals is their competence and skills, not what they do.2 Even the job of managers changes in s uch situations, for they must serve their project teams as facilitators, gatherers of resources, and removers of roadblocks. However, in many industries that use lower-skilled workers, traditional jobs continue to exist. Studying these jobs and their work consequences is relatively easy because of the repetitiveness of the work and the limited number of tasks each worker performs. Clearly, studying the two different types of jobs- the lower-skilled ones and highly technical ones- requires different approaches. Many of the typical processes associated with identifying job descriptions are still relevant with the lower-skilled, task-based jobs. However, for fast-moving organizations in hightechnology industries, a job description is becoming an obsolete concept. Employees in these -virtual jobs  must be able to function without job descriptions and without the traditional parameters that are still useful with less changeable jobs.3 Work Analysis Work analysis studies the workflow, activities, context, and output of a job. This analysis can be conducted on a department, business process, or individual level. At one level, the industrial engineering approach of time and motion studies is useful in work analysis. At another level the linkage of what is done in one department may be looked at in relation to work activities performed Chapter 7 Analyzing and Identifying Jobs 215 Work analysis Studying the workflow,activities, context, and output of a job. in another area. For instance, in an electric utility if a customer calls with a service outage problem, it is typical for a customer service representative to take the information and enter it into a database. Then in the operations department, a dispatcher may access the database to schedule a line technician to repair the problem. The customer would be called back and notified about the timing of the repair. The line technician also must receive instructions from a supervisor, who gets the information on workload and locations from the dispatcher. A work analysis identified that there were too many steps involving too many different jobs in this process. Therefore, the utility implemented a new customer information system and combined the dispatching function with customer service. The redesign permitted the customer service representatives to access workload information and schedule the line technicians as part of the initial consumer phone calls, except in unusual situations. The redesign of jobs required redefining the jobs, tasks, duties, and responsibilities of several jobs. To implement the new jobs required training the customer service representatives in dispatching and moving dispatchers into the customer service department and training them in all facets of customer service. The result was a more responsive workflow, more efficient cheduling of line technicians, and broadening of the jobs of the customer service representatives. This example illustrates that analyzing work activities and processes may require looking at what capabilities individuals need as well as what they do. That certainly would be true as office support jobs, such as the secretarial job, are examined. Increasingly, it is being recognized that jobs can be analyzed on the basisof both tasks and competencies. Task-Based Job Analysis Analyzing jobs based upon what is done on the job focuses on the tasks, duties, and responsibilities performed in a job. A task is a distinct, identifiable work activity composed of motions, whereas a duty is a larger work segment composed of several tasks that are performed by an individual. Because both tasks and duties describe activities, it is not always easy or necessary to distinguish between the two. For example, if one of the employment supervisor„ ¢s duties is to interview applicants, one task associated with that duty would be asking questions. Job responsibilities are obligations to perform certain tasks and duties. For jobs that remain task-based, many standard phases of the job analysis process can continue. As indicated in the phases of traditional job analysis that are outlined later in the chapter, extensive effort is made to clarify what specifically is done on a job. Development of job descriptions identifies what is done and lists job functions. Competency Approach to Job Analysis There is a growing interest in focusing on the competencies that individuals need in order to perform jobs, rather than on the tasks, duties, and responsibilities composing a job. This shift emphasizes that it is the capabilities that people have that truly influence organizational performance. As E.E. Lawler suggests, instead of thinking of individuals having jobs that are relatively stable and can be written up into typical job descriptions, it may be more relevant to focus on the competen-216 Section 2 Staffing the Organization Task A distinct, identifiable work activity composed of motions. Duty A larger work segment composed of several tasks that are performed by an individual. Job responsibilities Obligations to perform certain tasks and duties. cies used.4 Competencies are basic characteristics that can be linked to enhanced performance by individuals or teams of individuals. The groupings of competencies, as Figure 7- 1 indicates, may include knowledge, skills, and abilities. VISIBLE AND HIDDEN COMPETENCIES hidden and visible competencies. Knowledge, being more visible, is recognized by many employers in matching individuals to jobs. With skills, although some are evident such as skill in constructing financial spreadsheets, others such as negotiating skills, may be less identifiable. But it is the -hidden  competencies of abilities, which may be more valuable, that can enhance performance. For example, the abilities to conceptualize strategic relationships and to resolve interpersonal conflicts are more difficult to identify and assess. A growing number of organizations are using some facets of competency analysis. A survey of over 200 organizations sponsored by the American Compensation Association (ACA) asked about the major reasons that firms have used the competency approach. The three primary reasons given were (1) communicating valued behaviors throughout the organization; (2) raising the competency levels of the organization; and (3) emphasizing the capabilities of people to enhance organizational competitive advantage.5 Many earlier efforts to use competencies have been job-based, meaning that competencies are identified in the context of specific jobs. In this way the competency approach is a logical extension of traditional job analysis activities. However, some organizations are taking the competency approach to another level by focusing on role-based competencies. This shift has been accentuated by the growing use of work teams, whereby individuals move among tasks and jobs. Some of the roles might be leader, supporter, tactician, technical expert, administrator, or others. Through competency analysis, the competencies needed for individuals playing different roles in work teams can be identified. Then selection criteria, development activities, and other HR efforts must be revised to focus on the different sets of competencies needed for the various roles. COMPETENCY ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY Unlike the traditional approach to analyzing jobs, which identifies the tasks, duties, knowledge, and skills associated with a job, the competency approach considers how the knowledge and skills are used. The competency approach also attempts to identify the hidden factors that are often critical to superior performance. For instance, many supervisors talk Chapter 7 Analyzing and Identifying Jobs 217 Competencies Basic characteristics that can be linked to enhanced performance by individuals or teams. Knowledge Scale: Visible Hidden Abilities Skills Conceptual Model of Competencies about employees„ ¢ attitudes, but they have difficulty identifying what they mean by attitude. The competency approach uses some methodologies to help supervisors identify examples of what they mean by attitude and how those factors affect performance. Several methodologies are available and being used to determine competencies, with behavioral event interviews being commonly found. This process involves the following steps:6 1. A team of senior managers identifies future performance results areas critical to the business and strategic plans of the organization. These concepts may be broader than those used in the past. 2. Panel groups are assembled, composed of individuals knowledgeable about the jobs in the company. This group can include both high- and low-performing employees, supervisors, managers, trainers, and others. 3. A facilitator from HR or an outside consultant interviews the panel members to get specific examples of job behaviors and actual occurrences on the jobs. During the interview the individuals are also asked about their thoughts and feelings during each of the described events. 4. Using the behavioral events, the facilitator develops detailed descriptions of each of the competencies. This descriptive phase provides clarity and specifics so that employees, supervisors, managers, and others in the organization have a clearer understanding of the competencies associated with jobs. 5. The competencies are rated and levels needed to meet them are identified. Then the competencies are specified for each of the jobs. 6. Finally, standards of performance are identified and tied to the jobs. Appropriate selection screening, training, and compensation processes focusing on competencies must be developed and implemented. Examples of the competencies used in organizations vary widely. In one survey of 10 companies, the following were most common. Customer focus Leadership Team orientation Innovation Technical expertise Adaptability Results orientation

Approaches towards Management :: essays research papers

In the early days of the Union Pacific Railroad there really wasn’t really a manageable approach. The means of delivery were mostly by train and Union Pacific was one who provided services. There really wasn’t much of a manageable approach back then, when all you had was a small fleet of trains going across the country delivering goods. Managing wasn’t really something organization thought of, they were in it for the money. If you were an employee of UP such as an engineer you basically got a set of directions from your boss and were off until you arrived at your final destination. Over time these approaches have changed. Approaches such as the classical, human resource and quantitative have all helped UP get from an average company to an excellent company. By using these approaches UP changed into a goal setting organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the Industrial revolution different theories of management were brought up, one being the classical approach. The classical approach was a theory which strived to improve the productivity of operative personnel. With the help of guys like Taylor, the Gilbreths, Fayol, and Weber efficiency increased. During this early time many organizations were very inefficient, where activities were unplanned and unorganized. There were also no real plans, managers really didn’t know what to do besides run the business. UP Railroad was a company who was there to do was to perform services to their customers and that was it. There were no real goals managers could try to strive to, because they had no goals. In and around this time when UP was just established many were doing the same job over and over for very low wages, while certainly not knowing what they were getting into.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  So for years many managers of UP and other organizations didn’t have an efficient plan, while continuing to live by a low standard of living. This is until guys like Taylor and Gilbreth can along. Taylor spent months trying to figure out one way an organization could use one best way to do a specific job instead of everyone doing the same job at once. At UP being more efficient would lower prices and increase wages. As Taylor found a way to be more efficient, Gilbreth also was finding his own ways to being efficient. Best known for his bricklaying technique, Gilbreth also helped revolutionalize efficient work. With their help, organizations like UP could be more efficient, while helping there employees raise the standard of living.

The Canadian Governing System is not Fair or Democratic Essay -- essay

There are Canadian citizens who thought that the Canadian government we have is perfect, citizens who believed that every aspect of the government was truly democratic, and citizens who believe that government could do no wrong. Truly this group of believers has been living a lie. In our Canadian system of government, large aspects within are far from democratic and need to be changed. Liberal-minded people will cry out for a change in order for government to serve the people better, and on the other hand the more conservative thinkers will argue that no change is needed because our government is efficient and considerate. However, our voting system, our Senate, and the power vested to the Prime Minister are far from democratic, do not meet the actual needs of the people and definitely need to be addressed. Canada itself claims to be democratic, yet the Canadian Senate is appointed to office by the current Prime Minister rather than elected by the citizens. The original purpose of the Senate was to give fair representation between provinces and to the citizens. Having failed its purpose, clearly there are issues within the Senate that need to be addressed. Because of the Prime Minister appointing the Senators, they will now serve the Prime Ministers needs rather than the people who they should have been listening to. As if this were not enough of a show of power for the Prime Minister, the Senators cannot be lawfully kicked out of office until the age of seventy-five. An example of Senate idiosyncrasy in Canadian government is Ross Fitzpatrick, who was appointed to office by former Prime Minister Jean Chretien of the Liberals in June 1990. His official opponent, Preston Manning, rightfully questioned the circumstances regardin... ...e a lot of parties are going to be running for office. However, for the fringe parties this creates a major advantage for them. With the load of political parties in the House of Commons, there would be a wider range of interests for people but there would be a lot of indecision and coalitions. It is cold hard fact that Canadian government is not entirely democratic. The question remains of how to deal with this. Canadian government, as effective as it currently is, has major factors in their system that have a negative effect on Canadians. Our current voting system favors the higher-populated provinces and creates a tyranny of the majority. Our Senate is distinctly undemocratic as it is an assigned position. Our head of State, the Prime Minister, holds too much power. Unless we resolve these issues, our government will remain far from a perfect governing system.

Genres Of Literature

Genres of literature are important to learn about. The two main categories separating the different genres of literature are fiction and nonfiction. There are several genres of literature that fall under the nonfiction category. Nonfiction sits in direct opposition to fiction. Examples from both the fiction and nonfiction genres of literature are explained in detail below. This detailed genres of literature list is a great resource to share with any scholars. Types of Nonfiction: Narrative Nonfiction is information based on fact that is presented in a format whichtells a story. Essays are a short literary composition that reflects the author’s outlook or point. A short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative. A Biography is a written account of another person’s life. An Autobiography gives the history of a person’s life, written or told by that person. Often written in Narrativ e form of their person’s life. Speech is the faculty or power of speaking; oral communication; ability to express one’s thoughts and emotions by speech, sounds, and gesture.Generally delivered in the form of an address or discourse. Finally there is the general genre of Nonfiction. This is Informational text dealing with an actual, real-life subject. This genre of literature offers opinions or conjectures on facts and reality. This includes biographies, history, essays, speech, and narrative nonfiction. Nonfiction opposes fiction and is distinguished from those fiction genres of literature like poetry and drama which is the next section we will discuss.

Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” and Gloria Anzuldua’s “How To Tame A Wild Tongue” Essay

â€Å"Identity is the essential core of who we are as individuals, the conscious experience of the self inside† – Kaufman (AnzuldÏ a 62). Coming to America and speaking more than one language, I often face similar situations as Gloria AnzaldÏ a and Amy Tan. Going to high school where personal image is a big part of a student’s life is very nerve racking. American Values are often forced upon students and a certain way of life is expected of them. Many times, in America, people look down on people who do not accept the American Way of Life. The struggle of â€Å"fitting in† and accepting the cultural background is a major point in both essays, _Mother Tongue_ by Amy Tan and _How to Tame a Wild Tongue_ by Gloria AnzaldÏ a, which the authors argue similarly about. Both essays can be related to my life as I experience them in my life at home and at school. High school also has an unparalleled reputation of students trying to â€Å"fit in† with their peers and peer-pressure causing people to accept values different to their own, which is similar to AnzaldÏ a’s case. In AnzaldÏ a’s essay, she reflects on the situation that many people face in a contact zone of many different cultures. She begins by explaining how she felt unaccepted by all groups, Americans, Mexicans, and other Spanish speakers. Many people are also forced accept certain cultures over the other. AnzaldÏ a â€Å"was accused by various Latinos and Latinas† of a being a â€Å"‘Pocho, cultural traitor'†. AnzaldÏ a was rejected by many Latinos and did not mix well with Americans either. Gaining respect of peers is also very hard in high school. Living with parent that speaks â€Å"broken English† is similar in all households and presents similar hardships. In _Mother Tongue_, Amy Tan mainly focuses on the hardships of adapting to American culture. Tan also avoids to being in situations where her mother tries to express herself. Amy is â€Å"red-faced and quit† while her mother â€Å"was shouting at [the stockbroker’s] boss in her impeccable English† (Tan 317). Amy is often embarrassed of her mother’s â€Å"broken† English and avoids speaking up in those situations. In both essays, the authors explain the consequences of foreign language  speakers face in an American predominant society. AnzaldÏ a is usually afraid to express herself truly because many times the outcomes discourage her to do so. AnzaldÏ a recalls â€Å"being caught speaking Spanish at recess [which] was good for three licks on the knuckles with a sharp ruler† and â€Å"being sent to the corner of the classroom† for â€Å"trying to tell [the teacher] how to pronounce [her] name†. The outcome of trying to express herself in her true nature often got her punished severely. Tan feels less fortunate to have been in an immigrant family because many of her opportunities were taken away because of that. While growing up, Tan believed that because her â€Å"mother’s English †¦had an effect on limiting [her] possibilities in life† (Tan 318). Amy Tan thought that while living in fear of not â€Å"fitting in†, the opportunities were taken away from her. The stunted language skill development, in immigrant families, could affect their success in school and other achievement tests (Tan 318). The essays differ from each other because in Amy Tan actually accepts parts of American culture, while AnzaldÏ a resists including the American lifestyle into her own completely. AnzaldÏ a is bitter about the fact that she is forced to accept the American culture. She claims that â€Å"required†¦two speech classes†¦to get rid of [the] accent [were] a violation of the First Amendment† (AnzaldÏ a 54). But Amy Tan struggles to incorporate the American lifestyle at many times. Tan fights the stereotype â€Å"Chinese students go into engineering† and struggles to excel in English rather than engineering (Tan 319). In conclusion, in America, foreign language speakers often feel disadvantageous to Americans that have more resources to exploit. But both authors still agree that preserving their heritage is important and should it should not be lost while trying to â€Å"fit in†. While speaking many languages and going to high school in America, the essays are closely related to my own life. I realized that gaining some new culture and losing some of the old culture is best to adapt to the new a country and different people. Balancing the cultures and languages forms our identity.

Factory Farming

December 4, 2012 Factory Farming With the rising population growth in the United States, food production has greatly changed. Factory farming was developed in the 1920's; soon after the discovery of vitamins A and D, these vitamins were added to the feed, eliminating the requirement for exercise and sunlight for growth. But what exactly is a factory farm? Factory farming is the dominate source of livestock food for the U. S. Harsh and cruel conditions are inflicted towards the animals which are confined in small cages, the factorys are inhumane and morally wrong.Simply put, it is a farm that runs like a factory. The dangers of this kind of agribusiness inflict not only the animals but the environment, communities and our health. Should factory farming be banned? The government refers factory farming as; concentrated (or confined) animal feeding operations (CAFOs). So what are the conditions of these ‘concentrated animal feeding operations? These facilities house hundreds or tho usands of cows, calves, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other animals that live in extremely stressful conditions.They are confined in small cages, Jam packed in rooms with little to no room to move around or lay down comfortably. They are fed drugs to fatten them faster and keep them alive in conditions that could otherwise kill them. Genetically modified organisms (GMO's) are used to make the animals grow faster or to produce much more milk or eggs than they naturally would. (Sorensen, 2009) When animals raised for food are large enough for the slaughter houses they are transported in crowded trucks with often no water or food. The animals that survive this grotesque trip are often slaughtered alive.Practices such as altering animals bodies are common in all factory farms, practices such as; debeaking, A process that nvolves cutting through bone, cartilage and soft tissue with a blade to remove the top half and the bottom third of a chicken's, turkeys or ducks beak. Thi s measure is taken to reduce the excessive feather pecking and cannibalism seen among stressed, overcrowded birds in factory farms (ASPCA). So why aren't factory farms banned? There are many reasons as to why these facilities flourish in the United States and other countries. Factory farms are an efficient way to produce food for the large demand of meat, at a low cost.The large amount of Jobs it entails. They also ensure that huge cities will always have food. Factory farming has also promoted the development of vital amenities like good roads and hospitals among others (Harri). Corporations such as McDonalds and others alike are some of the largest consumers of the factory farming business. Without these farms it would be difficult, or impossible to provide chain restaurants with the amount of meat necessary in order to run efficiently. The people, we nourish this business by our desire for low priced food. Are these advantages actually positive or are we overlooking past the down sides?The number of factory farms in the U. S. s undefined, but according to the Factory FarmMap. org; in 2007 there were 571 ,210 livestock units in New Mexico. New Mexico nas extreme levels ot dairy tactory farms. One of them being along interstate 10 southeast of Las Cruces, there are 30, 000 dairy cows on 11 back to back dairy farms. How are factory farms dangerous? Factory farms pollute our land, air, and water by the extreme amount of waste generated by the vast amount of animals being raised in one place. Land and water have been poisoned by decades of use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers for mass production of livestock feed.According to the New Mexico Environment Department (Burnett, 2009); two thirds of the state's dairies are contaminating groundwater with excess nitrogen from manure leaking from lagoons or being over applied to fields. Nitrous oxides are being released from farms in large quantities due to manure application and are among the leading causes of aci d rain (Grace). Can we ban factory farming? It is irrational to think factory farming can be banned, although changes can be made. We can bring awareness to others about factory farming, and by buying local organic food at either farmers markets, or organic produce stores. Factory Farming Oral Presentation Preparation Factory Farming First of all, I am not against meat eating. However, factory farming is an unacceptable practice of meat producing and this unethical action need to be stopped. In order to support my idea, I am going to discuss the facts about factory farming. In order to have a better understanding about factory farming, it is necessary to define what the factory farming is. It is almost where the meat comes from. In 1920s, factory farming began to modify family farming to maximize the profits at great cost to both humans and animals.In fact, two million small farms have disappeared in 1950s. If the rate continues to be the same, there will no real independent farm left. Soon after they discover the vitamin A and D, which are added to feed animals, the animals are no longer required to exercise and sunlight for growth. Therefore, animals in factory farming are raised indoor for their whole lives. In addition, in the food industry, animals are not consid ered animals at all; they are food-producing machines. They are confined to small cages with metal bars. So, why are there too many people against factory farming?The reason is not hard to find – animals are suffered most by factory farming. There are so many animals spend their lives in cages such as chickens, cows, pigs, fox, bears and even tigers. The first to be transformed into mass-produced farming is chicken. Over 600 million chickens live and die in nightmarish conditions to supply Canadians with their meat and eggs. They are kept in small wire cages, called â€Å"battery cages†, with between 7 or 8 chickens. Because of stress and fear, they are peck at each other. In order to prevent the fights, their peaks are cut.It causes lasting pain; effect the ability to eat, drink, or any movement of their peaks. After 18 to 20 weeks, they are considered â€Å"spent hens†, and need to be sent to slaughter. The second major animal in the factory farm is cow. They are milked by machines, which they are not even allowed to sit down. Normally, the dairy cow is forced into a repeated cycle of pregnancy and having her newborns taken away as young as a few hours old so the milk can be used for human consumption. Another factory farm animal, pigs, are kept indoor, unable to turn around, an only stand and lie down with difficulty. There is no respect for mothers: the baby pigs are taken from their mothers in two to four weeks to be fattened up. After 3 to 4 years, mother pigs will be sent to the slaughter. Instead of giving them some more space to live, factory farmer will have pig’s tails docked and teeth clipped to prevent tail biting. Factory farming does not hurt only animals; it also damages human lives by so many dimensions: environment, health and even the economy. As the number of animals in factory farming increases, the amount of animal waste produced increase, too.It damages the air globally. Moreover, it also raises a great concer n about water pollution. For example, if 2 million birds are killed a day, 12 million gallons of water is needed to flush away 3 million pound of guts, chicken heads, feathers, and blood. Public health concern is another issue. In order to promote growth of animals, more than 83% of farm animals are fed with antimicrobial. In 2008, in the U. S. , two million people become infected at hospitals, of those, 90,000 have died because their infections were immune to treatment.Hilariously, the point of developing factory farming is to increase a country economy system; there are some economic arguments against factory farming. Some can believe that factory farming is more efficient method comparing to local farming, it is also considered the best way to produce protein-rich foods as well as affordable. However, economists say no, because the full cost of factory farming will be equal to the total cost of land use, waste disposal expense, cost of air and water pollution, the cost of public health, and finally the cost of community when the value and quality of life decrease.In fact, according to a study, the cost of cleaning up pollution, together with repairing habitats and dealing with sickness caused by factory farming equal to 2. 3 billion pounds which is almost the same amount as a total agriculture industry’s income. By being aware of this facts about factory farming would make a better world for both humans and nonhuman animals. It will soon destroy both humans and nonhuman animals. In addition, the fact is without factory farming, we still can live with an even better life and health, both for humans as well as nonhuman animals.Again, by some perspectives, humans have the right to consume meat, so in the end animals are killed; however, doing what cost least suffer for animals during their lives is a must. Works Cited Michael Bristow. â€Å"China bear bile farms stir anger among campaigners. † BBC News, Beijing. 19 Feb. 2012. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/world-asia-china-17188043>. â€Å"Factory Farming in Canada. † Chooseveg. ca Mercy for Animals. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://www. chooseveg. ca/animal-cruelty-canada. asp>. â€Å"The Pork Industry. † People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Peta. N. d.Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. peta. org/issues/animals-used-for-food/pork-industry. aspx>. â€Å"What are the Factory Farms hiding? See for Yourself? † Occupy for Animals. 03 Mar. 2012. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. occupyforanimals. org/what-are-factory-farms-hiding-see-for-yourself. html>. Danny Penman. â€Å"The factory farm tigers being turned into wine. † Mail Online. 12 Mar. 2007. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. dailymail. co. uk/news/article-441632/The-factory-farm-tigers-turned-wine. html>. â€Å"Factory Farm: The True Cost. † Human Farming Association. Wildlife Resource and rehabilitation.N. d. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. wildlife-rescue. org /index. php? option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=60>. L, Murray. â€Å"Factory Farmed-Chickens: Their difficult lives and deaths. † Britanica Advocacy for Animals. 14 May. 2007. Web. 11 Jul. 2012 < http://advocacy. britannica. com/blog/advocacy/2007/05/the-difficult-lives-and-deaths-of-factory-farmed-chickens/>. â€Å"Factory Farming in Canada. † Be Compassionate Be Veg. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012 < http://www. beveg. ca/factory-farming-in-canada. php>. Willis, Peterson. â€Å"Family Farming in America. Family Farming ahap. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://familyfarmingahap. weebly. com/family-vs-corporate-farming. html>. Phillip Lymberry. â€Å"Why is Factory Farming such a big deal. † Compassion in World Farming. Youtube. 5 Jul. 2011. Video. 11 Jul. 2012. . â€Å"Back to the start. † Chipotle Mexican Grill. Youtube. 25 Aug. 2011. Video. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=aMfSGt6rHos> â€Å"The Meatrix. † Canada. The meatrix . N. d. Video. 11 Jul 2012. < http://www. themeatrix. com/intl/canada> Factory Farming Oral Presentation Preparation Factory Farming First of all, I am not against meat eating. However, factory farming is an unacceptable practice of meat producing and this unethical action need to be stopped. In order to support my idea, I am going to discuss the facts about factory farming. In order to have a better understanding about factory farming, it is necessary to define what the factory farming is. It is almost where the meat comes from. In 1920s, factory farming began to modify family farming to maximize the profits at great cost to both humans and animals.In fact, two million small farms have disappeared in 1950s. If the rate continues to be the same, there will no real independent farm left. Soon after they discover the vitamin A and D, which are added to feed animals, the animals are no longer required to exercise and sunlight for growth. Therefore, animals in factory farming are raised indoor for their whole lives. In addition, in the food industry, animals are not consid ered animals at all; they are food-producing machines. They are confined to small cages with metal bars. So, why are there too many people against factory farming?The reason is not hard to find – animals are suffered most by factory farming. There are so many animals spend their lives in cages such as chickens, cows, pigs, fox, bears and even tigers. The first to be transformed into mass-produced farming is chicken. Over 600 million chickens live and die in nightmarish conditions to supply Canadians with their meat and eggs. They are kept in small wire cages, called â€Å"battery cages†, with between 7 or 8 chickens. Because of stress and fear, they are peck at each other. In order to prevent the fights, their peaks are cut.It causes lasting pain; effect the ability to eat, drink, or any movement of their peaks. After 18 to 20 weeks, they are considered â€Å"spent hens†, and need to be sent to slaughter. The second major animal in the factory farm is cow. They are milked by machines, which they are not even allowed to sit down. Normally, the dairy cow is forced into a repeated cycle of pregnancy and having her newborns taken away as young as a few hours old so the milk can be used for human consumption. Another factory farm animal, pigs, are kept indoor, unable to turn around, an only stand and lie down with difficulty. There is no respect for mothers: the baby pigs are taken from their mothers in two to four weeks to be fattened up. After 3 to 4 years, mother pigs will be sent to the slaughter. Instead of giving them some more space to live, factory farmer will have pig’s tails docked and teeth clipped to prevent tail biting. Factory farming does not hurt only animals; it also damages human lives by so many dimensions: environment, health and even the economy. As the number of animals in factory farming increases, the amount of animal waste produced increase, too.It damages the air globally. Moreover, it also raises a great concer n about water pollution. For example, if 2 million birds are killed a day, 12 million gallons of water is needed to flush away 3 million pound of guts, chicken heads, feathers, and blood. Public health concern is another issue. In order to promote growth of animals, more than 83% of farm animals are fed with antimicrobial. In 2008, in the U. S. , two million people become infected at hospitals, of those, 90,000 have died because their infections were immune to treatment.Hilariously, the point of developing factory farming is to increase a country economy system; there are some economic arguments against factory farming. Some can believe that factory farming is more efficient method comparing to local farming, it is also considered the best way to produce protein-rich foods as well as affordable. However, economists say no, because the full cost of factory farming will be equal to the total cost of land use, waste disposal expense, cost of air and water pollution, the cost of public health, and finally the cost of community when the value and quality of life decrease.In fact, according to a study, the cost of cleaning up pollution, together with repairing habitats and dealing with sickness caused by factory farming equal to 2. 3 billion pounds which is almost the same amount as a total agriculture industry’s income. By being aware of this facts about factory farming would make a better world for both humans and nonhuman animals. It will soon destroy both humans and nonhuman animals. In addition, the fact is without factory farming, we still can live with an even better life and health, both for humans as well as nonhuman animals.Again, by some perspectives, humans have the right to consume meat, so in the end animals are killed; however, doing what cost least suffer for animals during their lives is a must. Works Cited Michael Bristow. â€Å"China bear bile farms stir anger among campaigners. † BBC News, Beijing. 19 Feb. 2012. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/world-asia-china-17188043>. â€Å"Factory Farming in Canada. † Chooseveg. ca Mercy for Animals. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://www. chooseveg. ca/animal-cruelty-canada. asp>. â€Å"The Pork Industry. † People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Peta. N. d.Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. peta. org/issues/animals-used-for-food/pork-industry. aspx>. â€Å"What are the Factory Farms hiding? See for Yourself? † Occupy for Animals. 03 Mar. 2012. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. occupyforanimals. org/what-are-factory-farms-hiding-see-for-yourself. html>. Danny Penman. â€Å"The factory farm tigers being turned into wine. † Mail Online. 12 Mar. 2007. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. dailymail. co. uk/news/article-441632/The-factory-farm-tigers-turned-wine. html>. â€Å"Factory Farm: The True Cost. † Human Farming Association. Wildlife Resource and rehabilitation.N. d. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. wildlife-rescue. org /index. php? option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=60>. L, Murray. â€Å"Factory Farmed-Chickens: Their difficult lives and deaths. † Britanica Advocacy for Animals. 14 May. 2007. Web. 11 Jul. 2012 < http://advocacy. britannica. com/blog/advocacy/2007/05/the-difficult-lives-and-deaths-of-factory-farmed-chickens/>. â€Å"Factory Farming in Canada. † Be Compassionate Be Veg. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012 < http://www. beveg. ca/factory-farming-in-canada. php>. Willis, Peterson. â€Å"Family Farming in America. Family Farming ahap. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://familyfarmingahap. weebly. com/family-vs-corporate-farming. html>. Phillip Lymberry. â€Å"Why is Factory Farming such a big deal. † Compassion in World Farming. Youtube. 5 Jul. 2011. Video. 11 Jul. 2012. . â€Å"Back to the start. † Chipotle Mexican Grill. Youtube. 25 Aug. 2011. Video. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=aMfSGt6rHos> â€Å"The Meatrix. † Canada. The meatrix . N. d. Video. 11 Jul 2012. < http://www. themeatrix. com/intl/canada>