The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) Summary and Analysis

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) Summary and Analysis The Motorcycle Diaries, directed by Walter Salles traces an 8000-mile journey of two close friends, Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, who would become the iconic Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara and his friend, Alberto Granado. As they travel from Argentina to Peru by motorcycle, truck, raft and foot looking for adventure, they gain a new perspective of the world that they never expected to garner. As Ernesto and Alberto cross of thousands of miles across Latin America, from one country to another, the borders between each country vanish and the continent itself surfaces as a whole, one entity united. Ernesto, toward the end of the movie, poignantly makes his birthday speech before a toast, â€Å"This journey has only confirmed this belief, that the division of America into unstable and illusory nations is a complete fiction. We are one single mestizo race from Mexico to the Magellan Straits.† The extensive landscape scenes show an immense geographical diversity, from dense forests to snowy mountains to arid deserts to thick jungle, from the wild to the rural to the urban. Yet in each place, the two Argentinians feel connected to the people, to the land, and its history. On the journey, Che and Granado see poverty and oppression constantly haunting all across Latin America and lend a helping hand to the oppressed. They realise that the injustices and suffering of poor and powerless Latin Americans are not confined by frontiers but that they almost characterise the continent as a whole. The young men who were initially looking forward to a trip full of adventure and romance find lines of indigenous people on the mountain roads, homeless in their own land. They meet a peasant couple who has been forced onto the road and lost many friends because of their communist beliefs. Che enrages at a copper mining companys maltreatment of the workers who must beg for work in the brutal mines. During their visit to the ruins of the once splendid Inca city of Machu Picchu, the two comrades dolefully compare it to the vast slums of Lima in Peru established by the conquerors. While Granado dreams of a peaceful return to the glories of the past, Che muses on the power of guns and on how a civilisation of such magnificence and beauty could have been destroyed by the creators of such a polluted, decayed city of Lima and blurts out, â€Å"A revolution without guns? It will never work.† As the journey continues, Ernestos connection to people in need grows more and more tangible throughout the film. In Peru where Che and Granado volunteer for three weeks at the San Pablo leper colony, refuses to wear rubber gloves during his visit choosing instead to shake bare hands with startled leper inmates. There, Guevara sees both physically and metaphorically the division of society the staff live on the north side of a river, separated from the lepers living on the south. At the end of the journey and after his stay at the leper colony, Ches egalitarian, anti-authority beliefs grow in him and, at his birthday toast, puts much emphasis on a united Latin American identity that transcends the narrow-minded provincialism and the limited boundaries of nation and race. That night, Che makes his symbolic final journey when despite his asthma, he swims across the river that splits the two societies of the leper colony, spends the night in a leper shack, instead of in the cabins of t he doctors. It symbolises his adamant and fierce desire to bring justice and equality to the oppressed, to the society and to Latin America. These encounters with social injustice transform the way Guevara sees the world and allegedly motivates his later political activities as a revolutionary. And there is an urgent question posing itself before Che: on which side of the river is he going to spend all his life? Which side of the tracks? Che is challenged by all that he has seen. By the end of the journey, Che has undergone a conversion. â€Å"I think of things in different ways, something has changed in me.† The testimonies of the many downtrodden South Americans that he has encountered have inspired Che to begin his search for this solution.

Bric

The emerging economics, the so-called BRICs: Brazil, Russia, India, and China are predicated to be global players in next few decades. In being the world’s top global players these countries must realize that in order to become a true global power they will have to take on greater social responsibilities that will deal with ethical concerns. An increasing number of companies are moving production to the BRICs in order to take advantage of generous tax incentives, high productivity rates, and cheap labor. For example, Wal-Mart and Bharti Enterprises, a leading Indian cell phone operator, plan to open hundreds of Wal-Mart superstores across India by 2010 (International Business Environments and Operations, Applegate, Austin, and Soule 2009 pp. 219). However, with the BRICs emerging as economic powerhouses and the increasing number of foreign counties increasing to do business with them ethical rules must integrate into their business practices for the BRICs to have an impact on the whole world. Brazil has been an aspiring contender in the up and coming emerging counties but it has been struggling for decades because it has struggled to achieve expectations due to problems in income equality, productivity, and education. In order to obtain the status as one of the world’s leaders these social responsibilities must be addressed and corrected. The emergence of the BRICswill challenge the well-being and sustainability of the global environment. China is one of the pillars of the global economy, but controversies surround China’s future growth because of the controversy surrounding Chinese labor practices or tainted imports traced back to Chinese suppliers. In addition to the surrounding labor and tainted imports our Western-centric view of the world and current media restrictions in China the world’s largest country remains mysterious in many ways. Because of this, the development of a greater focus on corporate social responsibility in China has gone somewhat unnoticed. Chinese government has acted with some hesitancy in years past to fully embrace a more updated idea of corporate social responsibility because of fears such as added costs to exporting goods; however the situation has now changed. Not only are there new proposed regulations that foreign companies must submit their own sustainability reports within China, but various sectors within the Chinese economy have embraced both domestic and international standards to help propel Chinese businesses to greater heights around the world. ttp://www. chinacsr. com/en/2009/02/23/4572-how-far-can-chinese-companies-take-corporate-social-responsibility/. Russia is faced with incurring concerns with ethical issues that is attributed to their uncertain weak and corrupt government and the emergence of widespread market activity in Russia. Bribery has become a way of business in Russia. According to several recent surveys and interviews with dozens of ordinary Russians, it has surged in scale and scope in recent years under the presidency of Vladimir Putin. The prevalence of corruption and crime in business affairs has been generally recognized as a major cause of concern. Speculation about whether the movement toward a legitimate market economy can be sustained without a foundation of supportive institutions has been justifiably raised. The development of a system of ethical business practices in Russia process is needed to create a civil society along with becoming a global world leader. India is well aware of their involvement in corporate social responsibility to gain a position as one of the world’s strongest leaders. In terms of government rules and regulations, Jagdish Sheth, executive director of the India, China and America Institute and a professor of marketing at Emory University said that in India, â€Å"the government acts as a gatekeeper rather than an enabler, with slow approval, a complex bureaucracy and corruption. Enforcement is also lax† (Sheth, 2007). India has enacted several laws pertaining to child labor laws, environmental, and right to information and corruption laws however there are low levels of government capacity for law enforcement and implementation in India, causing relatively high levels of corruption, but other laws were enacted to give the general public right to government information which was meant to promote transparency and responsibility in the work of all governmental institutions. There is a strong belief in corporate social responsibility in India,† Sheth said. He also noted how Indian management style differs from that in the West: Decisions are made by the person at the top, not in a participatory way. And there is what he called a caste system by education. http://www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/business/conference/2007/presentations/sheth. html

Learning Styles and Personality Types in a Group Dynamic

Learning Styles and Personality Types in a Group Dynamic When working in a group environment, one will encounter different people who think, learn and act in different ways. In order to succeed, we must understand these differences and how to use them to our advantage while working with others. Multiple Intelligences When Gardner developed his Multiple Intelligence theory, it gave people a new insight to the way we learn. This breakthrough also helped us to work more effectively with one another as well as how to better communicate with each other. Verbal-Linguistic Someone who is Verbal-Linguistic is very simply good with language. A Verbal-Linguistic person will excel with writing, talking or listening. Therefore, to better work with this type of an individual, one should either write notes or have a face-to-face conversation. This way the Verbal-Linguistic person can best understand and contribute to the group. Intrapersonal Intrapersonal individuals excel at being alone and their own thoughts and feelings. They may at first seem to be a detriment to a group because of their tendency to want to be quiet and observe. This behavior may be seen by others as someone who does not want to work together or contribute, which can lead to conflict. To work with someone who is intrapersonal, one should be aware that they might not express their ideas openly. Any tasks that need to be done that don’t involve the group as a whole could be delegated to this individual. Visual-Spatial Artwork, design and formatting are all things Visual-Spatial people do best. When working with someone who is Visual-Spatial, it will help to not give long speeches. Visual-Spatial learners best learn and contribute through the use of pictures, maps and diagrams. To effectively make use of these individuals, any tasks that relate to this would be best. Personality Types According to the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, there are four types of personalities: thinker, organizer, giver and adventurer. When working in a group, it is beneficial and essential to understand what types of personalities lie within your group. Organizer If someone is an organizer, they tend to be focused on details. This is good for a group because they will be very thorough in each task making sure everything is complete and accurate. To best work with organizers, make sure each requirement is clear and defined and everything is understood and laid out in a clear manner. Adventurer Adventurers seek to do things in a non-conventional way. They may want to take a more active approach to the project as opposed to standard discussions and writing. In some groups this may be seen as a waste of time or unwillingness to complete the task up to the group standard. Allowing adventurers to take a different approach, even if it is not used in the final product, will not only allow them to understand the material better, but it could also add different elements into the group project that might not have been thought of that could raise the quality of the project as a whole. Thinker When working with thinkers, it is important to understand the need to work alone. Like individuals who are intrapersonal, thinkers work best by themselves. To help make them feel more at ease in a group environment, allow them to complete tasks that do not require the entire group. While working with the group at large, thinkers will be useful to solve problems the group may be facing during a task. Conclusion Assessing the learning styles and personality types of the members in your group is essential to the group’s ultimate success. Failure to use member’s strengths could result in conflicts and not achieving the goals the group has set. When each member is utilized in a way that they are strong in and in a way they are comfortable in, they will not only be productive and active within a group, but also achieve a higher quality of work which will only help the whole group succeed.

Biography Of Martin Luther King Jr. - 893 Words

â€Å"In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.† ~ Albert Schweitzer Mr. Schweitzer s beautiful words echo my own thoughts and embody my dream to impact those around me in a positive manner. Many inspiring leaders have influenced and changed the atmosphere of their communities, families, and friends by their words and by their examples. From the motivational speeches of Martin Luther King Jr., to the chance remark of a friend, words can become seeds planted or pivotal moments changing the very course of our lives. Honorable words soothe and bring grace; harmful ones can create prisoners of self doubt and hamper the growth of the human spirit. For many years of my life, I allowed negative words to create my self-worth. Then, I surrendered my life to God via the 700 club and allowed His view of me to become my guiding light. As I look back to where I came from and where I would like to go; I am thankful to God for sowing seeds and using people to catalyze change along my journey. Not only do people and events impact our lives; our own actions and atti tudes can propel us forward or hold us back. Paul understood this concept when he wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, â€Å"For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline (CJB).† The epitome of the short, scrawny girl bulliedShow MoreRelatedBiography of Martin Luther King, Jr745 Words   |  3 PagesMartin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) was born on in his mothers parents large house on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the second child, and was first named Michael, after his father. Both changed their names to Martin when the boy was still young. King JR was born into a financially secure family middle class with that, They received better education in respect to most people of their race. King Jr, noticed this and this influenced him to live a life of social protestRead MoreA Short Biography of Martin Luther King Jr.1479 Words   |  6 Pagesspeeches ever delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. He helped to pave the way for civil right in America. His actions inspired a courageous movement that lives on, even today. Alberta Williams and Martin Luther King, Sr., are the parents of Martin Luther King, Jr.; he was born on the 15th of January in 1929, in the city of Atlanta, Georgia.King was the great-grandson, grandson, and son of Baptist ministers, which was why he also became a Baptist minister. At a young age, King became aware of the unequalRead MoreEssay about Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.4067 Words   |  17 PagesBiography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968 Nationality: American Occupation: civil rights leader Occupation: minister (religion) Michael King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in the Atlanta home of his maternal grandfather, Adam Daniel Williams (1863 — 1931). He was the second child and the first son of Michael King Sr. (1897 — 1984) and Alberta Christine Williams King (1903 — 1974). Michael Jr. had an older sister, Willie Christine (b. 1927), and a youngerRead MoreA Biography of Martin Luther King Jr. Essay1366 Words   |  6 PagesA Biography of Martin Luther King Jr. I have a dreamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are the famous words stated by Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28th, 1963 in civil rights movement speech (King). 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King shared his dreams and goals for the African American community through the worksRead MoreInspirational People: Biography of Dr Martin Luther King Jr661 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is often viewed as a symbol of value that the society need to embrace as he led an honest and just life. He inspired individuals by his sermons, speeches and marches to lead a truthful life. This is because he followed his heart to achieve his dream of making the world a better place regardless of ones race. He went to a local public school that was segregated with a keen dedication to learning and achieve his best. He attended Morehouse collegeRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr. and Susan B. Anthony’s Effects on The Brunswick Community1035 Words   |  5 Pagesways that affects everyone today. Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King Jr. are both amazing leaders of the suffrage and civil rights movements. Anthony with Women’s rights, and King with African American’s rights took Civil Rights as a whole a few great leaps forward; brought forth an era where the Civil Rights Movement is something almost everyone believes in, that equal rights should be something everyone has. In these great leaps forward, King and Anthony have used their influential abilities toRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr.867 Words   |  4 Pagespeople, one of them is Martin Luther King Jr. He made the world a better place for black citizens by doing non-violence movements and marched the way to freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta Georgia as Michael King Jr., but changed his name to Martin Luther King Jr. in honor of Protestant Martin Luther. Through his activism, King played a pivotal role in ending the legal discrimination of African American citizens. During his childhood, Martin Jr.’s father strongly