Outline for Argument Paper

Reason: There exists a fundamental difference between the way an individual is brought up in Western Culture and in Eastern Culture.
Evidence: “In contrast (to the West), the traditional view, especially in Asia, has been that the individual is nothing until shaped and refined through interaction with others… The Hindu person is produced consciously and deliberately during a series of collective events.” (Finding Flow 79)

Reason: Individuals brought up in Eastern Cultures seek out unity and common values in relationships.
Evidence: East Asians perceive people as inseparable from other people, so that ‘the relationship, rather than the individual, may be a fundamental unit of consciousness”. (qtd. Placing the face in Context 367)

Reason: Individuals brought up in Eastern Cultures spend more time and are more concerned with the people and things outside of their own self.
Evidence: “East Asians have a more ‘holistic’ pattern of attention, perceiving people, objects, and events in terms of their relationships to other people, objects and events rather than in terms of their distinctive properties…People raised in the Western European tradition find it easy to isolate an object from its context; East Asians do not…East Asians are more alert than North Americans to relationships and context”. (Placing the face in Context 366)

Reason: Meaningful and long lasting relationships require two conditions: Compatibility between goals and willing to invest attention in the other person’s goals
Evidence: “A relationship that leads to order in consciousness instead of psychic entropy has to meet at least two conditions. The first is to find some compatibility between our goals and that of the other person or persons… The second condition for a successful interaction is that one be willing to invest attention in the other person’s goals…When these conditions are met, it is possible to get the most valuable result from being with other people-to experience the flow that comes from optimal interaction.” (Finding Flow 81)

Claim: Adopting Eastern ideology in social and family settings leads to more successful and meaningful relationships.


It’s tough to maintain long and meaningful relationships; the high divorce rate is a good example. The way our economy is organized through the merit and reward system trickles down into our culture and we find ourselves with bad relationship skills. If we adopt just in our social life Eastern values and ideals we will posses better habits and find these meaningful relationships we seek.

National Healthcare?

I was sitting at the doctor's office the other week with an inflamed lower left lung waiting for my name to be called. Across from me there was a mother sitting with her son. She had been there since I arrived. The lady at the front desk called her over with some problem involving the insurance company. I couldn't make out exactly what they were talking about but what it appeared to be was that the mother had a sick child and her insurance company would not cover the visit for this particular doctor. The mother inquired about the cost of the visit uninsured, the lady at the desk said, impassionately, $250. The mother left. As I sat there I felt a string of moral remorse for the sick child and concerned mother. Flash forwarding to the pharmacy. I was in Walgreens leaning against the corner of a wall sitting on a cushy chair waiting for the pharmacist to fill the medication the doctor had proscribed for my lung. An old man walked to the front of the pharmacist's counter. He was there to pick up a prescription that had been filled a week ago. The lady pulled the drug from a cabinet behind her and asked him if he knew that his health insurance company declined to pay for the medicine. He said in an innocent manner, "I guess so" and asked what the cost would be. She said "$100". The man stood back for a second and said "$100 bucks? For that little thing?". The lady asked, "Would you still like to pay for it?". The man said "No Thanks" and walked away.

I looked at the floor. I was experiencing a moral dilemma. You see I believe in capitalism, that its design, in all of Adam Smith's wisdom, is superior to any form of socialism or communism. But yet here I was watching two people denying themselves health care because its cost. I asked myself "Could National Healthcare be the solution?" .

A National Healthcare system would not deny anyone any coverage because of price, all individuals would be able to enjoy medicine, doctor visits, and treatment required to continue to live. The government would have the power then, to hold costs in check and would be able to experience giant economies of scale given the large client list of the American Public. But what would happen to the overall quality of healthcare? Doesn't the government, by restricting profits of the pharmaceutical industry and prices that doctors can charge, inhibit the game changing component that good old competition brings to the table? Would the level technology that has advanced over the years deteriorate because companies could no longer profit from their creation? These questions are tough and the answers so subjective. Do you guys have any idea as to which might be the better solution?

 

Blog Log

Powerade posted an interesting post on Love on Reality Shows and Online Dating Services. I thought online dating services were a pretty good idea. What do you think?

Heres the link....Love on TV

Blog Log

Audacious Mind posses a provocative belief on his blog "Who is the best basketball player of all time?"

P.S.,

He doesnt think its Michael Jordan.