Mercantilism and Its Effect on Colonial America

In general, mercantilism is the belief in the idea that a nations wealth can be increased by the control of trade: expanding exports and limiting imports. In the context of the European colonization of North America, mercantilism refers to the idea that colonies existed for the benefit of the Mother Country. In other words, the British saw the American colonists as tenants who paid rent by providing materials for Britain to use. According to the beliefs at the time, the wealth of the world was fixed. To increase a countrys wealth, leaders needed to either explore and expand or conquer wealth through conquest. Colonizing America meant that Britain greatly increased its base of wealth. To keep the profits, Britain tried to keep a greater number of exports than imports. The most important thing for Britain to do, under the theory of mercantilism, was keep its money and not trade with other countries to get necessary items. The colonists role was to provide many of these items to the British.   However, mercantilism was not the only idea of how nations built wealth at the time of the American colonies search for independence, and most acutely as they sought solid and equitable economic foundations for the new American state. Adam Smith and The Wealth of Nations The idea of a fixed amount of wealth existing in the world was the target of Scottish philosopher Adam Smith (1723–1790), in his 1776 treatise, The  Wealth of Nations. Smith argued that the wealth of a nation is not determined by how much money it holds, and he argued that the use of tariffs to halt international trade resulted in less—not more—wealth. Instead, if governments allowed individuals to act in their own self interest, producing and purchasing goods as they wished, the resulting open markets and competition would lead to more wealth for all. As he said,   Every individual†¦ neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it†¦ he intends only his own security; and by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Smith argued that the main roles of government were to provide for common defense, punish criminal acts, protect civil rights, and provide for universal education. This along with a solid currency and free markets would mean that individuals acting in their own interest would make profits, thereby enriching the nation as a whole.   Smith and the Founding Fathers Smiths work had a profound effect on the American founding fathers and the nascent nations economic system. Instead of founding America on the idea of mercantilism and creating a culture of high tariffs to protect local interests, many key leaders including James Madison (1751–1836) and Alexander Hamilton (1755–1804) espoused the ideas of free trade and limited government intervention. In fact, in Hamiltons Report on Manufacturers, he espoused a number of theories first stated by Smith. These included the importance of the need to cultivate the extensive land that is in America to create a wealth of capital through labor; distrust of inherited titles and nobility; and the need for a military to protect the land against foreign intrusions.   Sources and Further Reading Hamilton, Alexander. Report on the Subject of Manufactures. Original Reports of the Secretary of the Treasury RG 233. Washington DC: National Archives, 1791. Smith, Roy C. Adam Smith and the Origins of American Enterprise: How the Founding Fathers Turned to a Great Economists Writings and Created the American Economy. New York: St. Martins Press, 2002.Jonsson, Fredrik Albritton. Rival Ecologies of Global Commerce: Adam Smith and the Natural Historians. The American Historical Review 115.5 (2010): 1342–63. Print.

Rebellion as It Really Is - 1105 Words

â€Å"Rebellion cannot exist without the feeling that somewhere, in some way, you are justified† (Albert Camus). â€Å"Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed†. (Declaration of Independence) Therefore, should people who feel oppressed retaliate against their government? Governments are to have certain checks and balances to ensure that one government or power does not become prodigiously in control, that one government does not establish dominance and control over its people. If they succeed in dominance, it is our duty to abolish their predominance. â€Å"Dominance. Control. These things the unjust seek most of all. And so it is the duty of the just to defy dominance and to challenge control.† (Robert Fanney) Government rebellion is not only one of our rights; it is our duty as citizens of the United States to counter-act our government when it is no longer serving for the good of our people and the natio n as a whole. Our founding fathers had an idea of how they wanted to lay the foundation of the United States. Each individual is endowed at birth with unalienable rights given by his/her creator. â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Declaration of Independence) Nobody is permitted to take these unalienable rights from us. No government can acquire an individual’s God given rights. No government can demolish our God givenShow MoreRelatedThe Battle Of The Colonists By Nathaniel Bacon891 Words   |  4 PagesBerkeley, following the slaughter of several hundred colonists by the Native Americans. Their leader, Nathaniel Bacon, claimed that he was fighting for the colonists best interests because it was his duty to protect them. Following Bacon s lead, the rebellion began attacking all Native Americans, both hostile and peaceful. 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A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty Free Essays

string(69) " melted the silver off the pommel and burnt the crossguard and grip\." Jon Are you well, Snow?† Lord Mormont asked, scowling. â€Å"Well,† his raven squawked. â€Å"Well. We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty or any similar topic only for you Order Now † â€Å"I am, my lord,† Jon lied . . . loudly, as if that could make it true. â€Å"And you?† Mormont frowned. â€Å"A dead man tried to kill me. How well could I be?† He scratched under his chin. His shaggy grey beard had been singed in the fire, and he’d hacked it off. The pale stubble of his new whiskers made him look old, disreputable, and grumpy. â€Å"You do not look well. How is your hand?† â€Å"Healing.† Jon flexed his bandaged fingers to show him. He had burned himself more badly than he knew throwing the flaming drapes, and his right hand was swathed in silk halfway to the elbow. At the time he’d felt nothing; the agony had come after. His cracked red skin oozed fluid, and fearsome blood blisters rose between his fingers, big as roaches. â€Å"The maester says I’ll have scars, but otherwise the hand should be as good as it was before.† â€Å"A scarred hand is nothing. On the Wall, you’ll be wearing gloves often as not.† â€Å"As you say, my lord.† It was not the thought of scars that troubled Jon; it was the rest of it. Maester Aemon had given him milk of the poppy, yet even so, the pain had been hideous. At first it had felt as if his hand were still aflame, burning day and night. Only plunging it into basins of snow and shaved ice gave any relief at all. Jon thanked the gods that no one but Ghost saw him writhing on his bed, whimpering from the pain. And when at last he did sleep, he dreamt, and that was even worse. In the dream, the corpse he fought had blue eyes, black hands, and his father’s face, but he dared not tell Mormont that. â€Å"Dywen and Hake returned last night,† the Old Bear said. â€Å"They found no sign of your uncle, no more than the others did.† â€Å"I know.† Jon had dragged himself to the common hall to sup with his friends, and the failure of the rangers’ search had been all the men had been talking of. â€Å"You know,† Mormont grumbled. â€Å"How is it that everyone knows everything around here?† He did not seem to expect an answer. â€Å"It would seem there were only the two of . . . of those creatures, whatever they were, I will not call them men. And thank the gods for that. Any more and . . . well, that doesn’t bear thinking of. There will be more, though. I can feel it in these old bones of mine, and Maester Aemon agrees. The cold winds are rising. Summer is at an end, and a winter is coming such as this world has never seen.† Winter is coming. The Stark words had never sounded so grim or ominous to Jon as they did now. â€Å"My lord,† he asked hesitantly, â€Å"it’s said there was a bird last night . . . â€Å" â€Å"There was. What of it?† â€Å"I had hoped for some word of my father.† â€Å"Father,† taunted the old raven, bobbing its head as it walked across Mormont’s shoulders. â€Å"Father.† The Lord Commander reached up to pinch its beak shut, but the raven hopped up on his head, fluttered its wings, and flew across the chamber to light above a window. â€Å"Grief and noise,† Mormont grumbled. â€Å"That’s all they’re good for, ravens. Why I put up with that pestilential bird . . . if there was news of Lord Eddard, don’t you think I would have sent for you? Bastard or no, you’re still his blood. The message concerned Ser Barristan Selmy. It seems he’s been removed from the Kingsguard. They gave his place to that black dog Clegane, and now Selmy’s wanted for treason. The fools sent some watchmen to seize him, but he slew two of them and escaped.† Mormont snorted, leaving no doubt of his view of men who’d send gold cloaks against a knight as renowed as Barristan the Bold. â€Å"We have white shadows in the woods and unquiet dead stalking our halls, and a boy sits the Iron Throne,† he said in disgust. The raven laughed shrilly. â€Å"Boy, boy, boy, boy.† Ser Barristan had been the Old Bear’s best hope, Jon remembered; if he had fallen, what chance was there that Mormont’s letter would be heeded? He curled his hand into a fist. Pain shot through his burned fingers. â€Å"What of my sisters?† â€Å"The message made no mention of Lord Eddard or the girls.† He gave an irritated shrug. â€Å"Perhaps they never got my letter. Aemon sent two copies, with his best birds, but who can say? More like, Pycelle did not deign to reply. It would not be the first time, nor the last. I fear we count for less than nothing in King’s Landing. They tell us what they want us to know, and that’s little enough.† And you tell me what you want me to know, and that’s less, Jon thought resentfully. His brother Robb had called the banners and ridden south to war, yet no word of that had been breathed to him . . . save by Samwell Tarly, who’d read the letter to Maester Aemon and whispered its contents to Jon that night in secret, all the time saying how he shouldn’t. Doubtless they thought his brother’s war was none of his concern. It troubled him more than he could say. Robb was marching and he was not. No matter how often Jon told himself that his place was here now, with his new brothers on the Wall, he still felt craven. â€Å"Corn,† the raven was crying. â€Å"Corn, corn.† â€Å"Oh, be quiet,† the Old Bear told it. â€Å"Snow, how soon does Maester Aemon say you’ll have use of that hand back?† â€Å"Soon,† Jon replied. â€Å"Good.† On the table between them, Lord Mormont laid a large sword in a black metal scabbard banded with silver. â€Å"Here. You’ll be ready for this, then.† The raven flapped down and landed on the table, strutting toward the sword, head cocked curiously. Jon hesitated. He had no inkling what this meant. â€Å"My lord?† â€Å"The fire melted the silver off the pommel and burnt the crossguard and grip. You read "A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty" in category "Essay examples" Well, dry leather and old wood, what could you expect? The blade, now . . . you’d need a fire a hundred times as hot to harm the blade.† Mormont shoved the scabbard across the rough oak planks. â€Å"I had the rest made anew. Take it.† â€Å"Take it,† echoed his raven, preening. â€Å"Take it, take it.† Awkwardly, Jon took the sword in hand. His left hand; his bandaged right was still too raw and clumsy. Carefully he pulled it from its scabbard and raised it level with his eyes. The pommel was a hunk of pale stone weighted with lead to balance the long blade. It had been carved into the likeness of a snarling wolf’s head, with chips of garnet set into the eyes. The grip was virgin leather, soft and black, as yet unstained by sweat or blood. The blade itself was a good half foot longer than those Jon was used to, tapered to thrust as well as slash, with three fullers deeply incised in the metal. Where Ice was a true two-handed greatsword, this was a hand-and-a-halfer, sometimes named a â€Å"bastard sword.† Yet the wolf sword actually seemed lighter than the blades he had wielded before. When Jon turned it sideways, he could see the ripples in the dark steel where the metal had been folded back on itself again and again. â€Å"This is Valyrian steel, my lord,† he said wonderingly. His father had let him handle Ice often enough; he knew the look, the feel. â€Å"It is,† the Old Bear told him. â€Å"It was my father’s sword, and his father’s before him. The Mormonts have carried it for five centuries. I wielded it in my day and passed it on to my son when I took the black.† He is giving me his son’s sword. Jon could scarcely believe it. The blade was exquisitely balanced. The edges glimmered faintly as they kissed the light. â€Å"Your son—† â€Å"My son brought dishonor to House Mormont, but at least he had the grace to leave the sword behind when he fled. My sister returned it to my keeping, but the very sight of it reminded me of Jorah’s shame, so I put it aside and thought no more of it until we found it in the ashes of my bedchamber. The original pommel was a bear’s head, silver, yet so worn its features were all but indistinguishable. For you, I thought a white wolf more apt. One of our builders is a fair stonecarver.† When Jon had been Bran’s age, he had dreamed of doing great deeds, as boys always did. The details of his feats changed with every dreaming, but quite often he imagined saving his father’s life. Afterward Lord Eddard would declare that Jon had proved himself a true Stark, and place Ice in his hand. Even then he had known it was only a child’s folly; no bastard could ever hope to wield a father’s sword. Even the memory shamed him. What kind of man stole his own brother’s birthright? I have no right to this, he thought, no more than to Ice. He twitched his burned fingers, feeling a throb of pain deep under the skin. â€Å"My lord, you honor me, but—† â€Å"Spare me your but’s, boy,† Lord Mormont interrupted. â€Å"I would not be sitting here were it not for you and that beast of yours. You fought bravely . . . and more to the point, you thought quickly. Fire! Yes, damn it. We ought to have known. We ought to have remembered. The Long Night has come before. Oh, eight thousand years is a good while, to be sure . . . yet if the Night’s Watch does not remember, who will?† â€Å"Who will,† chimed the talkative raven. â€Å"Who will.† Truly, the gods had heard Jon’s prayer that night; the fire had caught in the dead man’s clothing and consumed him as if his flesh were candle wax and his bones old dry wood. Jon had only to close his eyes to see the thing staggering across the solar, crashing against the furniture and flailing at the flames. It was the face that haunted him most; surrounded by a nimbus of fire, hair blazing like straw, the dead flesh melting away and sloughing off its skull to reveal the gleam of bone beneath. Whatever demonic force moved Othor had been driven out by the flames; the twisted thing they had found in the ashes had been no more than cooked meat and charred bone. Yet in his nightmare he faced it again . . . and this time the burning corpse wore Lord Eddard’s features. It was his father’s skin that burst and blackened, his father’s eyes that ran liquid down his cheeks like jellied tears. Jon did not understand why that should be or what it might mean, but it frightened him more than he could say. â€Å"A sword’s small payment for a life,† Mormont concluded. â€Å"Take it, I’ll hear no more of it, is that understood?† â€Å"Yes, my lord.† The soft leather gave beneath Jon’s fingers, as if the sword were molding itself to his grip already. He knew he should be honored, and he was, and yet . . . He is not my father. The thought leapt unbidden to Jon’s mind. Lord Eddard Stark is my father. I will not forget him, no matter how many swords they give me. Yet he could scarcely tell Lord Mormont that it was another man’s sword he dreamt of . . . â€Å"I want no courtesies either,† Mormont said, â€Å"so thank me no thanks. Honor the steel with deeds, not words.† Jon nodded. â€Å"Does it have a name, my lord?† â€Å"It did, once. Longclaw, it was called.† â€Å"Claw,† the raven cried. â€Å"Claw.† â€Å"Longclaw is an apt name.† Jon tried a practice cut. He was clumsy and uncomfortable with his left hand, yet even so the steel seemed to flow through the air, as if it had a will of its own. â€Å"Wolves have claws, as much as bears.† The Old Bear seemed pleased by that. â€Å"I suppose they do. You’ll want to wear that over the shoulder, I imagine. It’s too long for the hip, at least until you’ve put on a few inches. And you’ll need to work at your two-handed strikes as well. Ser Endrew can show you some moves, when your burns have healed.† â€Å"Ser Endrew?† Jon did not know the name. â€Å"Ser Endrew Tarth, a good man. He’s on his way from the ShadowTower to assume the duties of master-at-arms. Ser Alliser Thorne left yestermorn for Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.† Jon lowered the sword. â€Å"Why?† he said, stupidly. Mormont snorted. â€Å"Because I sent him, why do you think? He’s bringing the hand your Ghost tore off the end of Jafer Flowers’s wrist. I have commanded him to take ship to King’s Landing and lay it before this boy king. That should get young Joffrey’s attention, I’d think . . . and Ser Alliser’s a knight, highborn, anointed, with old friends at court, altogether harder to ignore than a glorified crow.† â€Å"Crow.† Jon thought the raven sounded faintly indignant. â€Å"As well,† the Lord Commander continued, ignoring the bird’s protest, â€Å"it puts a thousand leagues twixt him and you without it seeming a rebuke.† He jabbed a finger up at Jon’s face. â€Å"And don’t think this means I approve of that nonsense in the common hall. Valor makes up for a fair amount of folly, but you’re not a boy anymore, however many years you’ve seen. That’s a man’s sword you have there, and it will take a man to wield her. I’ll expect you to act the part, henceforth.† â€Å"Yes, my lord.† Jon slid the sword back into the silver-banded scabbard. If not the blade he would have chosen, it was nonetheless a noble gift, and freeing him from Alliser Thorne’s malignance was nobler still. The Old Bear scratched at his chin. â€Å"I had forgotten how much a new beard itches,† he said. â€Å"Well, no help for that. Is that hand of yours healed enough to resume your duties?† â€Å"Yes, my lord.† â€Å"Good. The night will be cold, I’ll want hot spice wine. Find me a flagon of red, not too sour, and don’t skimp on the spices. And tell Hobb that if he sends me boiled mutton again I’m like to boil him. That last haunch was grey. Even the bird wouldn’t touch it.† He stroked the raven’s head with his thumb, and the bird made a contented quorking sound. â€Å"Away with you. I’ve work to do.† The guards smiled at him from their niches as he wound his way down the turret stair, carrying the sword in his good hand. â€Å"Sweet steel,† one man said. â€Å"You earned that, Snow,† another told him. Jon made himself smile back at them, but his heart was not in it. He knew he should be pleased, yet he did not feel it. His hand ached, and the taste of anger was in his mouth, though he could not have said who he was angry with or why. A half dozen of his friends were lurking outside when he left the King’s Tower, where Lord Commander Mormont now made his residence. They’d hung a target on the granary doors, so they could seem to be honing their skills as archers, but he knew lurkers when he saw them. No sooner did he emerge than Pyp called out, â€Å"Well, come about, let’s have a look.† â€Å"At what?† Jon said. Toad sidled close. â€Å"Your rosy butt cheeks, what else?† â€Å"The sword,† Grenn stated. â€Å"We want to see the sword.† Jon raked them with an accusing look. â€Å"You knew.† Pyp grinned. â€Å"We’re not all as dumb as Grenn.† â€Å"You are so,† insisted Grenn. â€Å"You’re dumber.† Halder gave an apologetic shrug. â€Å"I helped Pate carve the stone for the pommel,† the builder said, â€Å"and your friend Sam bought the garnets in Mole’s Town.† â€Å"We knew even before that, though,† Grenn said. â€Å"Rudge has been helping Donal Noye in the forge. He was there when the Old Bear brought him the burnt blade.† â€Å"The sword!† Matt insisted. The others took up the chant. â€Å"The sword, the sword, the sword.† Jon unsheathed Longclaw and showed it to them, turning it this way and that so they could admire it. The bastard blade glittered in the pale sunlight, dark and deadly. â€Å"Valyrian steel,† he declared solemnly, trying to sound as pleased and proud as he ought to have felt. â€Å"I heard of a man who had a razor made of Valyrian steel,† declared Toad. â€Å"He cut his head off trying to shave.† Pyp grinned. â€Å"The Night’s Watch is thousands of years old,† he said, â€Å"but I’ll wager Lord Snow’s the first brother ever honored for burning down the Lord Commander’s Tower.† The others laughed, and even Jon had to smile. The fire he’d started had not, in truth, burned down that formidable stone tower, but it had done a fair job of gutting the interior of the top two floors, where the Old Bear had his chambers. No one seemed to mind that very much, since it had also destroyed Othor’s murderous corpse. The other wight, the one-handed thing that had once been a ranger named Jafer Flowers, had also been destroyed, cut near to pieces by a dozen swords . . . but not before it had slain Ser Jaremy Rykker and four other men. Ser Jaremy had finished the job of hacking its head off, yet had died all the same when the headless corpse pulled his own dagger from its sheath and buried it in his bowels. Strength and courage did not avail much against foemen who would not fall because they were already dead; even arms and armor offered small protection. That grim thought soured Jon’s fragile mood. â€Å"I need to see Hobb about the Old Bear’s supper,† he announced brusquely, sliding Longclaw back into its scabbard. His friends meant well, but they did not understand. It was not their fault, truly; they had not had to face Othor, they had not seen the pale glow of those dead blue eyes, had not felt the cold of those dead black fingers. Nor did they know of the fighting in the riverlands. How could they hope to comprehend? He turned away from them abruptly and strode off, sullen. Pyp called after him, but Jon paid him no mind. They had moved him back to his old cell in tumbledown Hardin’s Tower after the fire, and it was there he returned. Ghost was curled up asleep beside the door, but he lifted his head at the sound of Jon’s boots. The direwolf’s red eyes were darker than garnets and wiser than men. Jon knelt, scratched his ear, and showed him the pommel of the sword. â€Å"Look. It’s you.† Ghost sniffed at his carved stone likeness and tried a lick. Jon smiled. â€Å"You’re the one deserves an honor,† he told the wolf . . . and suddenly he found himself remembering how he’d found him, that day in the late summer snow. They had been riding off with the other pups, but Jon had heard a noise and turned back, and there he was, white fur almost invisible against the drifts. He was all alone, he thought, apart from the others in the litter. He was different, so they drove him out. â€Å"Jon?† He looked up. Samwell Tarly stood rocking nervously on his heels. His cheeks were red, and he was wrapped in a heavy fur cloak that made him look ready for hibernation. â€Å"Sam.† Jon stood. â€Å"What is it? Do you want to see the sword?† If the others had known, no doubt Sam did too. The fat boy shook his head. â€Å"I was heir to my father’s blade once,† he said mournfully. â€Å"Heartsbane. Lord Randyll let me hold it a few times, but it always scared me. It was Valyrian steel, beautiful but so sharp I was afraid I’d hurt one of my sisters. Dickon will have it now.† He wiped sweaty hands on his cloak. â€Å"I ah . . . Maester Aemon wants to see you.† It was not time for his bandages to be changed. Jon frowned suspiciously. â€Å"Why?† he demanded. Sam looked miserable. That was answer enough. â€Å"You told him, didn’t you?† Jon said angrily. â€Å"You told him that you told me.† â€Å"I . . . he . . . Jon, I didn’t want to . . . he asked . . . I mean I think he knew, he sees things no one else sees . . . â€Å" â€Å"He’s blind,† Jon pointed out forcefully, disgusted. â€Å"I can find the way myself.† He left Sam standing there, openmouthed and quivering. He found Maester Aemon up in the rookery, feeding the ravens. Clydas was with him, carrying a bucket of chopped meat as they shuffled from cage to cage. â€Å"Sam said you wanted me?† The maester nodded. â€Å"I did indeed. Clydas, give Jon the bucket. Perhaps he will be kind enough to assist me.† The hunched, pink-eyed brother handed Jon the bucket and scurried down the ladder. â€Å"Toss the meat into the cages,† Aemon instructed him. â€Å"The birds will do the rest. â€Å" Jon shifted the bucket to his right hand and thrust his left down into the bloody bits. The ravens began to scream noisily and fly at the bars, beating at the metal with night-black wings. The meat had been chopped into pieces no larger than a finger joint. He filled his fist and tossed the raw red morsels into the cage, and the squawking and squabbling grew hotter. Feathers flew as two of the larger birds fought over a choice piece. Quickly Jon grabbed a second handful and threw it in after the first. â€Å"Lord Mormont’s raven likes fruit and corn.† â€Å"He is a rare bird,† the maester said. â€Å"Most ravens will eat grain, but they prefer flesh. It makes them strong, and I fear they relish the taste of blood. In that they are like men . . . and like men, not all ravens are alike.† Jon had nothing to say to that. He threw meat, wondering why he’d been summoned. No doubt the old man would tell him, in his own good time. Maester Aemon was not a man to be hurried. â€Å"Doves and pigeons can also be trained to carry messages,† the maester went on, â€Å"though the raven is a stronger flyer, larger, bolder, far more clever, better able to defend itself against hawks . . . yet ravens are black, and they eat the dead, so some godly men abhor them. Baelor the Blessed tried to replace all the ravens with doves, did you know?† The maester turned his white eyes on Jon, smiling. â€Å"The Night’s Watch prefers ravens.† Jon’s fingers were in the bucket, blood up to the wrist. â€Å"Dywen says the wildlings call us crows,† he said uncertainty. â€Å"The crow is the raven’s poor cousin. They are both beggars in black, hated and misunderstood.† Jon wished he understood what they were talking about, and why. What did he care about ravens and doves? If the old man had something to say to him, why couldn’t he just say it? â€Å"Jon, did you ever wonder why the men of the Night’s Watch take no wives and father no children?† Maester Aemon asked. Jon shrugged. â€Å"No.† He scattered more meat. The fingers of his left hand were slimy with blood, and his right throbbed from the weight of the bucket. â€Å"So they will not love,† the old man answered, â€Å"for love is the bane of honor, the death of duty.† That did not sound right to Jon, yet he said nothing. The maester was a hundred years old, and a high officer of the Night’s Watch; it was not his place to contradict him. The old man seemed to sense his doubts. â€Å"Tell me, Jon, if the day should ever come when your lord father must needs choose between honor on the one hand and those he loves on the other, what would he do?† Jon hesitated. He wanted to say that Lord Eddard would never dishonor himself, not even for love, yet inside a small sly voice whispered, He fathered a bastard, where was the honor in that? And your mother, what of his duty to her, he will not even say her name. â€Å"He would do whatever was right,† he said . . . ringingly, to make up for his hesitation. â€Å"No matter what.† â€Å"Then Lord Eddard is a man in ten thousand. Most of us are not so strong. What is honor compared to a woman’s love? What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms . . . or the memory of a brother’s smile? Wind and words. Wind and words. We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy. â€Å"The men who formed the Night’s Watch knew that only their courage shielded the realm from the darkness to the north. They knew they must have no pided loyalties to weaken their resolve. So they vowed they would have no wives nor children. â€Å"Yet brothers they had, and sisters. Mothers who gave them birth, fathers who gave them names. They came from a hundred quarrelsome kingdoms, and they knew times may change, but men do not. So they pledged as well that the Night’s Watch would take no part in the battles of the realms it guarded. â€Å"They kept their pledge. When Aegon slew Black Harren and claimed his kingdom, Harren’s brother was Lord Commander on the Wall, with ten thousand swords to hand. He did not march. In the days when the Seven Kingdoms were seven kingdoms, not a generation passed that three or four of them were not at war. The Watch took no part. When the Andals crossed the narrow sea and swept away the kingdoms of the First Men, the sons of the fallen kings held true to their vows and remained at their posts. So it has always been, for years beyond counting. Such is the price of honor. â€Å"A craven can be as brave as any man, when there is nothing to fear. And we all do our duty, when there is no cost to it. How easy it seems then, to walk the path of honor. Yet soon or late in every man’s life comes a day when it is not easy, a day when he must choose.† Some of the ravens were still eating, long stringy bits of meat dangling from their beaks. The rest seemed to be watching him. Jon could feel the weight of all those tiny black eyes. â€Å"And this is my day . . . is that what you’re saying?† Maester Aemon turned his head and looked at him with those dead white eyes. It was as if he were seeing right into his heart. Jon felt naked and exposed. He took the bucket in both hands and flung the rest of the slops through the bars. Strings of meat and blood flew everywhere, scattering the ravens. They took to the air, shrieking wildly. The quicker birds snatched morsels on the wing and gulped them down greedily. Jon let the empty bucket clang to the floor. The old man laid a withered, spotted hand on his shoulder. â€Å"It hurts, boy,† he said softly. â€Å"Oh, yes. Choosing . . . it has always hurt. And always will. I know.† â€Å"You don’t know,† Jon said bitterly. â€Å"No one knows. Even if I am his bastard, he’s still my father . . . â€Å" Maester Aemon sighed. â€Å"Have you heard nothing I’ve told you, Jon? Do you think you are the first?† He shook his ancient head, a gesture weary beyond words. â€Å"Three times the gods saw fit to test my vows. Once when I was a boy, once in the fullness of my manhood, and once when I had grown old. By then my strength was fled, my eyes grown dim, yet that last choice was as cruel as the first. My ravens would bring the news from the south, words darker than their wings, the ruin of my House, the death of my kin, disgrace and desolation. What could I have done, old, blind, frail? I was helpless as a suckling babe, yet still it grieved me to sit forgotten as they cut down my brother’s poor grandson, and his son, and even the little children . . . â€Å" Jon was shocked to see the shine of tears in the old man’s eyes. â€Å"Who are you?† he asked quietly, almost in dread. A toothless smile quivered on the ancient lips. â€Å"Only a maester of the Citadel, bound in service to Castle Black and the Night’s Watch. In my order, we put aside our house names when we take our vows and don the collar.† The old man touched the maester’s chain that hung loosely around his thin, fleshless neck. â€Å"My father was Maekar, the First of his Name, and my brother Aegon reigned after him in my stead. My grandfather named me for Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, who was his uncle, or his father, depending on which tale you believe. Aemon, he called me . . . â€Å" â€Å"Aemon . . . Targaryen?† Jon could scarcely believe it. â€Å"Once,† the old man said. â€Å"Once. So you see, Jon, I do know . . . and knowing, I will not tell you stay or go. You must make that choice yourself, and live with it all the rest of your days. As I have.† His voice fell to a whisper. â€Å"As I have . . . â€Å" How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty, Essay examples

Effective Business Communication Process

Question: Discuss about the Effective Business Communication Process. Answer: Introduction: The diagnostic tools are used for the purpose of understanding the personal capability regarding the effectiveness of the communication process (Rosenberg and Chopra 2015). A set of five diagnostic tools have been used to analyze my personal communication style and detect my short comings as far as communication process is concerned. The five tools used in this process are- Johari Window, Assertive Questionnaire, Communication Style Questionnaire, Listening Test and Non-Verbal test. I have identified the two communication issues based on my analysis- Moderate level of patience and passive aggressive behavior. The assertive questionnaire as well as communication style behavior shows that I display passive assertive behavior. My primary behavior type is passive. I put the wants, views as well as needs of another person before mine. There are instances when I cannot defend myself. There are also instances when I ignore my own needs completely. I go with the views of others or often feel too ashamed to place my own views. I often feel that I have no alternative and hence I feel awkward to put my own point. This often decreases my quality level and there is increase in the stress levels. This happened as I am often unable to place my own point before others. This often gives rise to less contribution in a group. People often presume that I am not able to contribute to a discussion or particular topic. There are also instances when others feel that I am not adding any value to the workplace. There are times when I seem to be confident as well as relaxed, but however, there are instances when I feel that I should speak up. I do not raise any matter when I feel something is wrong as it would cause me discomfort. I am passive and this makes me to praise others and not say good things about myself. I also display aggressive behavior at times which is embedded in the passive aggressive behavior. I sometimes have the feeling that I am right in my approach and this prevents me from understanding the viewpoints of others. I often disrupt people when they are talking and I start to assume things on my own. I am over critical at times which often prevent me from communicating my feelings with others. In extreme cases, I often say sarcastic things, which acts as a barrier in the communication process. This is because other people may feel offended in the conversation and stop communicating with me. There are instances when people feel that I am disrespecting others as I display passive aggressive behavior. I display submissive behavior in my approach to others. There are instances when I put myself down and this is done by praising others. I often indirectly ensure that the wants, needs and preferences are conveyed to others and often underline the fact that these are more important t han others. I display moderate level of patience when dealing with others or dealing with particular situations. Patience is important in every sphere of life, be it personal or professional (Rosenberg and Chopra 2015). The active listening skills test displays that I possess average level of patience which is not good especially in professional environment. This is also not desirable when communicating with others. When I am communicating with others, there are instances when the conversation is not so interesting or the speaker is unable to draw my attention. During these times, I become impatient and lose my attention. In such cases, I am unable to sit quietly and wait for the conversation to become more exciting. If the other person is unable to arouse my interest or make some grammatical errors in their speech, then I am unable to focus on the discussion. I have certain degree of impatient behavior which also affects the personal as well as professional relationships. In personal life, I of ten act as impatient which makes me unable to communicate with others. Since I lose interest on the topic or the discussion, I prefer not to communicate with the concerned person. The lack of patient behavior causes a loss in the attention level, which acts as an obstacle in the communication process. There are instances when this can disrupt the communication flow. This often causes lack of harmony in the interpersonal relationships. This often happens when the people in the environment are not sure to fulfill our expectations. There have been two professional instances when I have actually felt that I possess the above communication challenges. I attended national level conference during my professional tenure when I felt that I am becoming impatient when the speaker is unable to create interest me. The topic was good; however, the speaker didnt have the ability to influence others and have a strong speech. This made me inattentive during the speech and I lose my interest in the topic. My mind started to wander around unnecessary subject and the reason behind this activity was my impatient behavior. In another instant, I participated in group discussion when I displayed my aggressive behavior. I was not able to prove my point and though I gave my view, it was not clear and the others were more dominant. I was unable to defend myself in the conversation and this prevented me from displaying my opinions clearly to others. These two incidents make it more prominent that I have certain issues when communicating with others and need to develop the communication issues inherent in me. During the first instance, my communication issues caused inattentive behavior in me. I have moderate level of patience, which prevented me from getting the correct meaning of the speakers lecture. I also did not allow the speaker to express his ideas clearly. The speaker might make some important points when I became inattentive. This disrupted my capability to gather knowledge and hence this issue needs to be solved. In the second instance, I was unable to fare well in the group discussion due to my inadequate behavior. I was unable to present myself well which directly impacted my performance in the discussion. Literature Review The patience is one of the key attributes that need to be displayed by the individuals (Dumas and Sanchez-Burks 2015). It can be defined as the state of endurance in which the individuals are able to maintain their calm even during stressful situations. The patience factor deals with persevering when faced with any form of provocation. The patience of an individual helps an individual to act rationally even when there are times of distress (Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi 2014). The level of endurance which can be observed before negativity is termed as patience. The scientific perspectives of the cognitive neuroscience focus on the decision-making problem involving the choice of small reward or benefits for longer term (Santos and Rosati 2015). The individuals are said to favor short term rewards and give less importance to the long-term rewards. There are instances in which the individuals tend to display impatient behavior (Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi 2014). It is important to con sider incorporating patience in the workplace. The patience is considered as important elements of success especially in professional environment (Tschannen-Moran 2014). The level of patience acts as a difference between the insufficient employees and proficient employee. This factor is important consideration for the supervisors who have to allocate tasks based on the patience level of his team members. The psycho physiological study of patience relies on the parameters of patience which includes the effects and the nature of the same (Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi 2014). The psychologists consider patience as a character trait which gives interesting findings regarding the behavior of the human beings and their actions in an organizational scenario. As opined by (Wang 2016), there is difference between the level of patience and the various delay of impulse control, gratification. Patience is also considered to be synonymous with the open mindedness, self-regulation and persistence (Crawford Hofmeyr and Price 2015). The passive aggressive behavior is concerned with the indirect expression of hostility, which can be displayed by various modes (Weingart et al. 2015). There can be various expression modes such as stubbornness, procrastination and any form of sullen behavior. This may be defined as the pervasive pattern of any kind of negative attitudes as well as passive resistance (Einarsen Aasland and Skogstad 2016). This type of behavior often induces malicious compliance and this affects the productivity of the employee. This kind of behavior often induces the fact that an individual is afraid to perform specific tasks in the fear that an unwanted outcome would be achieved (Weingart et al. 2015). This kind of behavior is said to be damaging the unity of the team and decrease the level of productivity. It is important to deal with the negative traits concerning the passive aggressive behavior and moderate levels of patience (Leigh 2015). There are several behavioral skills that should be utilized to improve the interpersonal relationships. There are certain competencies I need to acquire some competencies which I need to develop in order to solve the communication issues. A positive behavior is important for emphasizing good behavior in the individuals. The power of positive influence is helpful in coping up with the negative communication issues (Leigh 2015). It is also advisable to to remain calm and try to refrain myself from making sarcastic comments. The behavior should be concentrated on making me clear in front of others. It is important to identify the characteristics of passive aggressive behavior such as overly critical, sarcasm, intentional inefficiency, problem escalation through inaction and others (Einarsen Aasland and Skogstad 2016). There may be other manifestations of such behavior such as deliberate actions for doing actions concerning with taking revenge, injustice, silent treatment and deriving satisfaction from the resulting anguish (Leigh 2015). It should make it sure that I am not over reacting. The act of intruding into the private spaces of others should be stopped. It is important to take note of the feelings of the other person. It is important to adopt a calm attitude and positive behavior towards life. It is important to increase the patience level of the individuals. One should practice doing deep breaths and meditation is helpful for maintaining focus and concentration (Einarsen Aasland and Skogstad 2016). This would slow down the heart rate and would try to relax the body. The act of impatience may cause involuntary tension of the muscles (George 2014). Hence, it is important to manage the emotions. I personally have a choice to control my emotions. It is also important to practice active listening. This would make an individual attentive while attending lectures (Einarsen Aasland and Skogstad 2016). The act of empathetic listening also helps the individual to keep engaged while making conversations (Floyd 2014). It is important to understand that being impatient increases the uneasiness of the individuals, which increases their stress levels. The level of impatience may happen sometimes as some individuals are perfectionists and they like everything to be perfect. Action Plan The identification of the communication issues help in the preparation of action plan which would help in the rectification of the same. It would help in increasing the knowledge, skills and expertise of the individuals. The following action plan should be followed for making an attempt to address the communication issues- Maintaining personal journals which would record the instances of my impatient behavior and passive aggressive behavior. Enrollment in short courses which would help to improve my interpersonal relationships Practicing deep breathing and meditation Enroll in professional behavioral courses which would address my communication challenges. Extensive study of online journal and recent development in the field of communication Practice assertive communication when communicating with others Seek professional help from either expert counsellor or HR personnel Reinforcement of good behavior Practice concentration exercise which decrease the instances of impatient behavior. Ignoring the distractions and concentrate on the topic Jot down personal undesirable traits Record the aggressive or impatient behavior and analyze the disturbing trends PLAN 1st month 2nd month 3rd month 4th month 5th month 6th month Maintaining personal journals Enrollment in short courses Practicing deep breathing Enroll in professional behavioral courses Study of online journal Practice assertive communication Seek professional help Reinforcement of good behavior Practice concentration exercise Ignoring the distractions Jot down personal undesirable traits Record the aggressive/impatient behavior Fig: Timelines for implementing action plan Source: Created by author The successful completion of the action plan should be measured against various attributes. A thorough self-evaluation must be done which shows the actual progress. The communication tools which was used to analyze the behaviors such as Johari Window, Assertiveness test and others should be repeated. The re-taking of the tests would help me to analyze the actual self-development. The feedback of others should be obtained which would help them to give me crucial insights regarding my communication process. The gradual effect of the meditation should be analyzed. It is important to analyze the before behavior and the after behavior of the individuals. I should also check the collaboration level with my fellow co-workers. This would help me to understand my behavior with the rest of the people. It is important to take feedback from my seniors regarding the improvement in the communication style. It is also advisable to take part in specific activities in which I displayed negative communication styles in the past. This would give me an actual idea of my communication improvement especially in terms of patience and passive aggressive behavior. References Crawford, V., Hofmeyr, K. and Price, G., 2015. The relationship between personality and the capacity to think strategically.South African Journal of Labour Relations,39(1), pp.131-154. Dumas, T.L. and Sanchez-Burks, J., 2015. The professional, the personal, and the ideal worker: Pressures and objectives shaping the boundary between life domains.The Academy of Management Annals,9(1), pp.803-843. Einarsen, S., Aasland, M.S. and Skogstad, A., 2016. the nature and outcomes of destructive leadership behavior in Organizations.Risky Business: Psychological, Physical and Financial Costs of High Risk Behavior in Organizations, p.323. Floyd, K., 2014. Empathic listening as an expression of interpersonal affection.International Journal of Listening,28(1), pp.1-12. George, M., 2014.You Can Relax and Overcome Stress: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life. Watkins Media Limited. Leigh, H., 2015. The Patients Personality, Personality Types, Traits, and Disorders in the CL Setting. InHandbook of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry(pp. 345-366). Springer International Publishing. Rosenberg, M. and Chopra, D., 2015.Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships. PuddleDancer Press. Santos, L.R. and Rosati, A.G., 2015. The evolutionary roots of human decision making.Annual review of psychology,66, pp.321-347. Seligman, M.E. and Csikszentmihalyi, M., 2014.Positive psychology: An introduction(pp. 279-298). Springer Netherlands. Tschannen-Moran, M., 2014.Trust matters: Leadership for successful schools. John Wiley Sons. Wang, A., 2016. Patience Moderates the Class Cleavage in Demand for Redistribution. Weingart, L.R., Behfar, K.J., Bendersky, C., Todorova, G. and Jehn, K.A., 2015. The directness and oppositional intensity of conflict expression.Academy of Management Review,40(2), pp.235-262.