Ken Kesey Essays - Counterculture Of The 1960s, Ken Kesey

Ken Kesey During the course of the last fifty years, society has changed significantly. In modern society a great emphasis is placed on individualism and diversity within a society. It is rare that an individual would be ridiculed or forced to change simply for not complying with what society views as "normal". This has not always been the case though. The nineteen fifties were much different. This was an era of social conformity. The members of society who were intent on maintaining this social state ostracized individuals who were considered "abnormal". Such "abnormal" individuals just simply accepted the fact that they were not part of this normal society. Because of society's influence, these people sought help in psychiatric wards in attempts to better themselves and thus fit into society. By doing so, they let society conform and mold them into what was thought as "normal". Ken Kesey was a man in this era that did not believe in social conformity. Kesey, along with his followers set off on a mission to open the minds of people who were focused on maintaining this status quo. Ken Kesey's journey led him to write One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. This novel focuses on the struggle between individuals who are intent on keeping things the same with those who are considered "different". Harding is a character in the novel that is limited by opposing forces of society and who in turn, seeks refuge in hopes to be accepted. With the influence of McMurphy, Harding changes from an apprehensive "rabbit" to a self-assured man. This change illustrates Kesey's view that an individual can realize the worth of their life through self-acceptance and reliance on ones self rather than conforming to social norms. Harding admits himself in the psychiatric hospital because he is "abnormal" in a society that highly values normality. "[He] discovered at an early age that [he] was...different? ...[He] indulged in certain practices that...society regards as shameful"(pg. 294). Admitting himself in the hospital is Harding's way of succumbing to the forces of society. He simply accepts the fact that without help he will never fit in the "real world". Harding knows that "This world belongs to the strong..."(pg.62). For this reason he felt that is why he belonged in the hospital. The hospital is a place where "[a] good strong wolf like the Nurse [could] teach [them their] place"(pg.62). Initially with no self-esteem, Harding lets the Nurse and the other hospital staff tell him how to live. When initially questioned of his abnormal life by the other patients and the staff, "Harding [had] his thin shoulders folded nearly together around himself...his hands trapped between his knees...trying to look calm-but he's chewing his cheeks...not calm at all" (pg.54). Harding is a nervous man who finds it difficult to deal with his differences and simply follows society's commands in order to keep things easy. Harding's views and behaviors start to change slowly as he associates more with Randle McMurphy. McMurphy enters the ward involuntarily and has a much different outlook on life than the other patients. McMurphy places a great influence on being an individual and goes to great extents to be just that. He is a leader and not a follower. His straightforward tactics and self-confidence allow him to freely express his values. Along with these attributes, McMurphy also treats the other patients normal and does not treat them how society does. By treating them as equals and by instilling into them his views and ethics, they are able to see the world differently. McMurphy's concern with the music that "dulls the senses" shows another side of him as well. It shows his concern and consideration for his peers. A more important feature of McMurphy is that he shows no shame. This shows the patients, including Harding, that there is no need to fell shame for being who they are. Amongst these things, McMurphy teaches the patients the power of trying and believing in ones self. McMurphy attempts to lift the panel in order to try to escape and he fails. Even though he failed in the end, he still had enough confidence to try. The lesson is learnt that it is far better to try and fail than to never even try. Looking at McMurphy's actions and values shows that he is perceptive and sensitive to others. He is able to see the men's weaknesses and attempts to build them up. He hopes that in the end they will see Big Nurse's strategy and be able to stand on their own feet and fight

International Business Transactions of United States and Saudi Arabia

International Business Transactions of United States and Saudi Arabia International business is a type of trade that involves commercial transactions between two or more countries operating beyond their national boundaries. In other terms, these are business transactions involving several nations, which are carried out at the international level.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Business Transactions of United States and Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As it would be observed, international business transactions are of great importance to participating countries in a number of ways. For example, they help in strengthening a country’s international relations with other countries in the world. More importantly, they give countries a direct opportunity to market their products in the global markets, thus playing a key role in shaping their economic development. This paper is about international business transactions and it revolves around two countries th at have been successful in this type of trade. The two featured countries are United States and Saudi Arabia. In fact, United States is one of the most developed countries in the world, in terms of trade and economy (Rugman and Collinson 35). At 9.8 million km2 in land area, the US is arguably one of the largest countries globally. Currently, the country’s population stands at around 317 million people. United States is a major player in the global markets, and this is evident from its large business links with other countries across the world. As a result of these commercial establishments, America enjoys one of the most successful economic relationships in the world.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More USA is a major player in export transactions, and some of its major exports are transportation equipment, petroleum oils, pharmaceutical products, organic chemi cals, and telecommunications equipment. In terms of the imports, USA is the leading importer of commodities and products in the world. Some of their major imports would include refined petroleum oils, crude petroleum oils, automobiles, medicaments, and automatic data processing machines. Most of the country’s exports go to Canada, while most of its imports come from China. Just like other advanced nations, USA enjoys a wide range of industries and manufacturing companies (Rosenberg, Nathan and Rosenberg 68). The largest industries in the country include the automotive industry, the retail industry, healthcare industry, pharmaceutical industry, and oil and gas industry. These industries and others that are not listed here serve as the backbone of the country’s economy. As a notable participant in the international business arena, United States is a trade partner to many other countries around the world. However, some of its biggest traders in terms of exports and import s are Mexico, Japan, China, Canada, and Germany, among others (Helpman, Melitz and Rubinstein 445).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Business Transactions of United States and Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The U.S. is currently the largest single economy in the world, with a Gross Domestic Product of $16.6 trillions according to the latest listings. The other country that is featured here is Saudi Arabia, popularly known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With an estimated area of 2.1 million km2, the popular Arab State is said to be the largest country in terms of land area in the whole of Western Asia. Currently, the country has an estimated population of about 29 million people comprising of the original citizens, illegal immigrants, and registered foreign expatriates. Just like America, Saudi Arabia is a major player in international business, especially in transactions involving petrol eum and oil-based products, which are said to have a heavy command on the country’s economy (Achoui 41). Even though Saudi Arabia is incomparable with the U.S. when it comes to international business transactions, they are well recognized at the global markets for being a major importer and exporter of a wide range of products. Currently, the Arabic state is ranked at position 19 among the biggest exporters, and position 20 among the biggest importers in the world. Some of the major exports of the country are petroleum and petroleum products, petrochemicals, electrical appliances, construction materials, plastic products, and metal-related goods (Jasimuddin 61).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, Saudi Arabia imports products such as motor vehicles, machinery equipment, foodstuffs, and coal products, among other things. Just like the U.S., Saudi Arabia is also home to numerous industries, with some of the big ones including petroleum refining industries, oil industries, petrochemical industries, pharmaceutical industries, plastic industries, pharmaceutical industries, and cement industries among others. As a recognized importer and exporter of vast products, Saudi Arabia has a large network of business partners from allover the world (Niblock and Malik 77). Some of the major trading partners of the Arab State of Saudi Arabia include the UK, Japan, China, Thailand, Canada, and the United States. The country also has numerous trade relations with other surrounding Arabic nations such as Yemen, Iran, Syria, and Iran, just to mention a few. Saudi Arabia enjoys a strong economic situation, considering its current GDP that stands at $160 billions. As it would be observed, the commercial sector in the country has grown rapidly over the past few decades. This, however, has made the Arabic state the most powerful economy in the Arabic world. Based on these observations, there is no doubt that Saudi Arabia has a great potential in international business transactions. Achoui, Mustapha. â€Å"Human resource development in Gulf countries: an analysis of the trends and challenges facing Saudi Arabia.† Human Resource Development  International 12.1 (2009): 35-46. Print. Helpman, Elhanan, Melitz Marc and Rubinstein Yona. â€Å"Estimating trade flows: Trading partners and trading volumes.† The Quarterly Journal of Economics 123.2 (2008): 441-487. Print. Jasimuddin, Sajjad. â€Å"Analyzing the competitive advantages of Saudi Arabia with Porter’s model.† Journal of Business Industrial Marketing 16.1 (2001): 59-68. Print. Niblock, Tim and Malik Monica. The political economy of Saudi Arabia. UK: Routledge, 2007. Print. Ros enberg, Nathan. How the West grew rich: The economic transformation of the  industrial world. New York: Basic books, 2008. Print. Rugman, Allan, and Collinson Simon. International business. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2009. Print.