A Definition of the Nguni Word Ubuntu

A Definition of the Nguni Word Ubuntu Ubuntu is a complex word from the Nguni language with several definitions, all of them difficult to translate into English. At the heart of each definition, though, is the connectedness that exists or should exist between people. Ubuntu is best known outside of Africa as a humanist philosophy associated with Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Curiosity about the name may also come from it being used for the open source operating system called Ubuntu. Meanings of Ubuntu One meaning of Ubuntu is correct behavior, but correct in this sense is defined by a persons relations with other people. Ubuntu refers to behaving well towards others or acting in ways that benefit the community. Such acts could be as simple as helping a stranger in need, or much more complex ways of relating with others. A person who behaves in these ways has ubuntu. He or she is a full person. For some, Ubuntu is something akin to a soul force - an actual metaphysical connection shared between people and which helps us connect to each other. Ubuntu will push one toward selfless acts. There are related words in many sub-Saharan African cultures and languages, and the word Ubuntu is now widely known and used outside of South Africa. Philosophy of Ubuntu During the era of decolonization, ubuntu was increasingly described as an African, humanist philosophy,  Ubuntu in this sense is a way of thinking about what it means to be human, and how we, as humans, should behave towards others. Archbishop Desmond Tutu famously described ubuntu as meaning My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in what is yours.1 In the 1960s and early 70s, several intellectuals and nationalists referred to ubuntu when they argued that an Africanization of politics and society would mean a greater sense of communalism and socialism. Ubuntu and the End of Apartheid In the 1990s, people began to describe Ubuntu increasingly in terms of the Nguni proverb translated as a person is a person through other persons.2 Christian Gade has speculated that the sense of connectedness appealed to South Africans as they turned away from the separation of Apartheid. Ubuntu also referred to the need for forgiveness and reconciliation rather than vengeance. It was an underlying concept in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the writings of Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu raised awareness of the term outside of Africa. President Barack Obama included mention of Ubuntu in his memorial to Nelson Mandela, saying it was a concept that Mandela embodied and taught to millions. Endnotes 1 Desmond Tutu: A Personal Overview of South Africas Truth and Reconciliation Commission No Future Without Forgiveness,  Ã‚ © 2000.2 Christian B.N. Gade, What is Ubuntu? Different Interpretations among South Africans of African Descent. South African Journal Of Philosophy 31, no. 3 (August 2012), 487. Sources Metz, Thaddeus, and Joseph B. R. Gaie. The African ethic of Ubuntu/Botho: implications for research on morality. Journal Of Moral Education 39, no. 3 (September 2010): 273-290. This article expands upon the definition of Ubuntu published by Alistair Boddy-Evans

Boy A is a British drama produced by Lynn Horsford and directed by John Crowley Essay Example

Boy A is a British drama produced by Lynn Horsford and directed by John Crowley Essay Example Boy A is a British drama produced by Lynn Horsford and directed by John Crowley Essay Boy A is a British drama produced by Lynn Horsford and directed by John Crowley Essay Boy A is a British drama produced by Lynn Horsford and directed by John Crowley. It is a film adaptation of Jonathan Trigells novel which is also called Boy A. It was distributed by channel 4 and film 4. Boy A stars a British actor called Andrew Garfield, who plays a hefty role in the drama. He won the 2008 best actor BAFTA TV Award for his performance. The film is about a reformed child murderer named Eric who later in the film changes his name to Jack because he wants a fresh start to his second life and a new identity. He tries to escape the darkness of his sinful years. The drama draws harsh similarities with the well-known James Bulger case. The drama suggests significant messages and morals throughout and has remarkable acting. Boy A was a great drama to study in class; I have many reasons for this point of view. The drama is constantly going backwards and forwards in the life of Eric/Jack, we’re shown this by flashbacks of Eric (young) then shown him present in the life of Jack. We are shown two lives of him, which makes it seem us if he is reliving his live after his unpleasant past. There is a hint in the title of the drama, ‘Boy A’ symbolises to me that there is a clone of a boy, and therefore being labelled as Boy A. This makes the drama seem very interesting to the audience because it doesn’t expose much, as a result making us wanting to know more. There are some terrific scenes in the drama which really appeal to me and make me like the film. A scene which I truly enjoyed and sticks in my mind is when Jack saves a little girl from a car crash, this is because we are shown another side to him, which makes us distinguish whether Jack is still the nasty murderer he was when he was little. Also the scene suggests that he’s completed some sort of redemption and that Jack has paid for what he did and learnt from his mistakes and his time in prison. A scene which I wasn’t keen on was the dream sequence. This scene was the ending of the film and it was the ending of Jack’s life, which ties in perfectly. However, the dream sequence wasn’t the ending I was hoping, it rather disappointed me because it wasn’t realistic and didn’t suit the genre drama. It showed Jack dreaming of Michelle saying goodbye to him which didn’t suit the genre drama, this is because the genre drama is meant to be a matter-of-fact and leave a big emotional impression. Boy A’s ending wasn’t realistic, however left us with a big affecting feeling as the last bit we saw was Jack committing suicide by jumping into the sea. The ending of Boy A was very touching. A big emotional ending is a requirement of a drama. The use of the technique is essential and builds up so much tension and leaves the audience feeling moved and affected. Another technique used in Boy A is the use of extreme close ups, this technique was used a lot during the drama because they wanted to show Jack’s feelings and facial expressions. It allows the audience to feel what Jack is feeling, and gives a sense of realism. It also allows the audience to bond with Jack and decide whether they like him as a character. Additionally, the use of sound is used vividly in high impacted scenes. The use of dramatic and sad music makes the scene feel more emotional and real. It also touches the audience’s hearts, and brings them closer to the drama. Overall, I think Boy A is a good film because it’s real and not a fantasy. The realism in the drama is brilliant, a story of a boy who killed a little girl, then at the age of 24 decides to be identified as someone else to change his status, and this is cleverly done and is done with total intelligence. I also liked Andrew Garfield’s acting, he is a spectacular actor. His character in the drama struggles with his emotions that Andrew can portray to the viewers. His glances, nervousness and sneaky attempt to secure his characters past is amazing. The performance of Andrew is influential and is what made this drama win so many awards. I always watch dramas on channel 4 and Boy A is something I would have watched because it appeals to my age group because it is about a young boy and is something some people at my age could relate too. A drama which I watch every year called Misfits is also shown on Channel 4 and is also targeted towards teenagers, in comparison to Boy A, it is slightly similar because they both deal with subjects which the audience can relate to. However, Misfits is a sci-fiction comedy drama so it tends to be unrealistic sometimes. Both Boy A and Misfits deal with crime, in Misfits a group of young offenders are forced to work in a community service programme and after learn from their mistakes. After the punishment their past still creeps up behind them, similar to Boy A, Jack learns from his mistakes but his past is never forgotten. I live in an area where there is unemployment, crime and poverty, therefore in comparison to Boy A’s environment it is very similar. The drama represents a boy as a criminal, and in this generation people seem to think every youth is dangerous, as a result there is a use of a stereotype in the drama. It has to be said, the ending was shameful and didn’t live up to the hopes I was hoping it would. Some could say the drama was offensive because they believe that you can run away from your past, but your past can’t run away from you. Although I also believe in the quote, I think that people deserve a second chance. People would argue that people who commit a bad crime don’t, but what if they have learnt from there mistakes, from the punishment they’ve received.

Cross-cultural management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cross-cultural management - Assignment Example Others have also become economically successful after venturing into business activities. Most of the earlier Lebanese immigrants who came to Australia were Christians though this has changed in recent years with more Muslims immigrating to the country (Mansour, 2010). According to reports, the 2006 Australian census revealed that the number of Lebanese Australians living in the country stood at 125, 564 people. Out of this number, 52.5% of the population were comprised of males whereas the remaining 47.5% were comprised of females. These people are mostly found in the states of Victoria (20%) or New South Wales (75%) (Chapman, 2007). Results, Findings and Discussion There are various concepts that may help in understanding the relationships that exist within the Lebanese groups living within Australia. A few Lebanese Australians stick to the concepts of individualism which imply that they either act on their own or decide on their choices alone (Jamal & Chandab, 2005). According to previous reports, these Lebanese Australians also interact with other members of their community as though they were individuals (Mansour, 2010). On the other hand, the majority of the Lebanese Australians follow the notions of collectivism. They usually stand by the values and principles upheld by the groups they interact with and leave their individual values out of these groups (Aslan, 2009). The concepts of collectivism that are followed by most Lebanese immigrants have many disadvantages for this CALD (Culturally and linguistically diverse) community (Hage, 2002). These concepts do not allow a Lebanese individual to pursue his own desires and they also destroy the group’s ability of making proper ethical judgments. The issues of collectivism among the Lebanese have also been discouraged since they encourage vices like racism among their workers who may be working in culturally diverse organizations. This is mainly because they do not mix with people from other cultures a s they work (Mansour, 2010). The Lebanese Australians, following the concepts of collectivism, think as groups and do not have time to socialize and appreciate the diverse values and beliefs that other cultures have (Hage, 2002). This tendency may eventually reduce the productivity and efficiency of their workers thereby reducing a company’s profitability (Jamal & Chandab, 2005). In Australia, there are many linguistically and culturally diverse communities that work within their organizations. These communities have different values, attitudes and beliefs, which therefore implies that they have many differences among them (Mansour, 2010). The formation of groups by the Lebanese Australians prevents them from socializing with other communities and the lack of communication eventually tends to create animosities between these workers. This is mainly because none of them seems to understand or appreciate the differences that exist in their different cultures or backgrounds (Hag e, 2002). According to previous studies, most of the current crop of Lebanese Australians are very well educated and have professional jobs (Jamal and Chandab, 2005). However, there are other native communities that live within Australia and are not as well educated as they are. In order for the