The Myth of Americanism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Myth of Americanism - Essay Example American values are a direct product of its body of creation stories encompassed by the culture. Americans believe in individuality, self-sufficiency (the idea of "rags to riches" or being a "self-made man") and the inherently optimistic (and perhaps unrealistic) "American Dream". Americans believe that anything is possible. Children grow up being told that they can have or achieve anything if they work hard enough. They are told that anyone can grow up to be president, and that that is part of what makes America great. This is perhaps the biggest mythological trope in American society-that in the "land of opportunity" anyone can get ahead if they are willing to work for it, and that all members of society begin on an even playing field. These three ideas, individuality, self-sufficiency, and the "American dream" or "Land of Opportunity" where anything is possible are closely linked, and stem from beliefs about the creation of America itself that directly mirror other creation storie s from around the world. Furthermore, these deeply held beliefs permeate the American psyche, coloring our perceptions of success and failure. The theme of individuality is especially present in the Gospel of John. This myth is very pertinent to modern American society as it is a version of creation with which most citizens will be familiar; many Americans actively believe in this creation myth, and thus it shapes American society closely. The Fourth Gospel of John is seen in Christian mythology to enhance the creation story of Genesis, inserting an explanation for the presence of Jesus Christ. The Creator has gone from a relatively impersonal, genderless, plural God (elohim is the Hebrew plural for "God") to a personified Jesus Christ. Jesus is a God, but he is also a man. This version of creation places him present at the very moment the world was made: "3. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men." (qtd in Leeming 35) Furthermore, the gospel states "6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a wit ness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe." (qtd in Leeming 35) The inclusion of a mortal, John, in this revised version of creation further humanizes the myth. The impact this has had on modern Americans is most clear among Christians, for obvious reasons: the popular phrase "Jesus is my personal savior" emphasizes this individual, personal connection to divinity which is a hallmark not just of American Christians, but of the American tendency to personalize religion which is seen among everyone from modern Pagans who choose which deities to worship, to acculturated members of other faiths such as Judaism or Hinduism who participate in religious practice on a selective basis. Religion, like the rest of American life, is seen as a matter of individualized, personal choice. Self-sufficiency is central in the Hopi myth of the Sun and the Spider Woman. In this myth, the two collaborate to create the world, dividing themselves into various aspects of the divine to perform specific tasks. Upon creating people, Spider Woman says: "The woman of the clan shall build the house, and the family name shall descend through her. She shall be house builder and homemaker. She shall mold

Business Formation Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Formation - Coursework Example The entrepreneurs are required to make judgments based on their knowledge, understanding and size of the business. A small business with less capital may be established as a sole proprietor rather than a partnership or a company. Similarly, a company with high capital requirements and extended future expected growth may be established as a company/corporation. The advantages and disadvantages related to each of these business forms should be given appropriate consideration before making a decision. These advantages and disadvantages are discussed below to aid your judgment in the decision making process regarding the types of business formation structures available. Sole Proprietorship Sole Proprietorship is a form of business which is usually preferred by single owners to manage their small-sized businesses. Sole proprietorship is a form whereby the whole authority of managing the daily activities of the business, its management and decision making is limited to the owner of the bus iness. The owners, under sole proprietorship, are the sole holders of any gains or losses generated by the business. They are solely and entirely accountable for the liabilities and rightful holders of the assets that business owns. The legal phenomenon is that business and the owner are equal or the same when it comes to any charge against or for the business. The business’s liability may be termed as the liability of the owners. There are a number of benefits that sole proprietorship brings for the business and the owners. These advantages distinguish this form from other legal forms of businesses. The first and foremost advantage of this kind of a business is the least complex structure of the business. The simplicity of the structure keeps the costs of starting the business and managing it to the minimal. Hence, it may be termed as a cheaper way of establishing a business. Since sole proprietors are the owners of the business with full authority to make decisions and chan ges in the business, this form provides an autonomous position to the owners. They have the authority to change suppliers, the way activities are performed and even the proportion of income which is to be reinvested and so on without any external opposition or conflict. In simple words, we can say that this form brings an independent authority to the proprietors for strategic and managerial decision making without any disagreement from any other party. Moreover, the advantage of enjoying the business profits alone is yet another charm for the proprietors to go for this option (Boone & Kurtz 2008). They are free to reinvest the whole profit that business generates or withdraw it wholly without any need to justify their decisions. In addition to all these benefits, sole proprietorship is also beneficial when the business is required to be dissolved. The simple structure helps in uncomplicated closure of the business. Regardless of the benefits this form of business brings, the disadva ntages must be kept in view when making a decision regarding the expansion of your business. The autonomy that sole proprietorship brings is accompanied with the risk of losing all business and personal assets in case of any liability against the business.