Allow me..

"...I want to love you with all I can and have.

Please give me strength and allow me to do so.

I know I am important to you,

but allow me to be more than that.

Allow me to be the only thing

that is stuck in your mind,

Allow me to be selfish

and be the only thing

you see..."

冷たい、冷たい

You're are so cold...

冷たい、冷たい。。。

What happened to the warmth before?

Why did you take it back without a warning?

It was so nice...

Did you find a replacement?

Why don't you just tell me?

I can't do anything as if I froze...冷たい、冷たい。。。

Just tell me, so I can find my way again...

Back to chasing the warmth,

until I am melted and vaporises.

Who Am I? Ethical Re-re-REMIX!!

Before answering this question again, I had gone back to read about the me before the course and the me throughout the course. One thing that bothered me immensely is my usage of commas in the earlier posts. I apologize for all the bad punctuation and spelling, will improve on that. (though later posts did show signs of improvement.)

After this course, I feel like a different but still the same person. I am still who I am, yet perhaps more tapped into some unconscious pasts of myself, society, and the cosmos as a whole. In fact this course has shed more light unto who I am. It has pried open more layers of me buried deep within by my unconscious self-protection efforts. I have come in contact with my shadow side, and a side of me that is struggling against some of my biggest fears, which were hard for me to explain, but is now a little clearer and has stepped into the conscious.

I have gone through a journey opening many doors in psychology, religions, philosophy, and how each is connect to my inner core. This semester has been definitely a spiritual deepening experience, as more things are opened for more understanding and exploration. It is hard to put into words the things I have learned and the experienced gone through except a joyous feeling of excitement and achievement.

Many thanks to my wonderful GSI and classmates going through the wonderful journey with me. It has been great sharing thoughts and opinions with all of you, and has made me realize many different points of view that I have never thought about. I hope to continue to be in touch as we continue on our lives to further explore and connect to the cosmos and our essence! XD

Business Ethics

"How could firms derive the full advantage of low cost labor and the benefits of flexile contractor relationships, while also respecting the rights of workers in developing countries" (pg 316).
"How can we pull together as a team to make this merger work if some of our key players have to run home every time their kid has a cold" (pg. 290)?

I think companies should rethink the definition of "taking full advantage of low cost labors" by factoring the bottom rule that respecting the rights of workers IS part of "low cost labors." I believe out sourcing jobs to developing countries is already cutting the cost down compared to hiring workers in the states. However, because of he competitive market, companiess are lured into cutting the cost even lower by fringing upon human rights. Yet, similar to Levi, from "Ethics in the Trenches," the company can be also competitive with a positive value for the right of their workers. After reading about Levi's creative response to underage workers, I felt a responsibility as a consumer to support that. Though Levi jeans are more expensive than other companies, yet it's qualities are also better than most. I also believe that companies such as Levi can also put pressure on other companies for their unjust ethics and inform the public of their choices and power in consumerism. Similar to Nike's turn around, I think it is possible to affect the overall ethical awareness if in the long run, the benefits will out weigh the sacrifices taken in the initial stages. (reminds me of the three malaises...)

As for McNeil's case, it seems to me that the problem started right at the beginning, at the interview. I thought McNeil was absolutely clear about her responsibility as a parent and what her priorities are. It was unfair that during the interview Walters and Foyd did not tell her the truth, perhaps lied, to her about the working environment and that they are practically looking for a single and young person {similar to Walter} for the job. Thus right at the begining, they are already trying to force a round peg into a square hole.

That aside,every employee will need to attend to their family members once in a while, it is inevitable. However having a fellow co-worker to help back up the work or holding a conference call from home can help ease the situation greatly. Today, many people work at home and do not even set foot in the office because technologies allow us to communicate with each other through the internet, and even monitor or exchange work loads. In McNeil's case, she could be virtually at the meeting through the internet or on the phone, though not ideal, yet perhaps will help the situation.

SGI Buddhism

After reading about Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity, I felt I was most connected with Islam outside of my own religion. That may mainly because that I am a Catholic, hence the Islamic values seem more of something I felt akin to. However, I have not yet the chance to read Judaism, which I think will also offer a more interesting variety of religion to choose, since it is also embedded in similar beliefs. Naturally, I want to visit a Islamic service, however only to find out that I missed it just by a couple hrs after a phone call to a Muslim friend. In need of a religious service to attend (originally, I thought about Jewish services, yet since I didn't read the chapter, I may not understand it enough to appreciate the service from a different perspective.) I attended a Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Buddhism service.

One of my room mate is a member of the SGI group and invited me to go to one of their youth events. Though she was unable to go, I was accompanied by a really nice member of the group. The religion follows Buddhist Shakyamuni's teachings as if was taught by the Buddhist Reformer, Nichiren Daishonin, in Japan.

At first, I always thought Buddhism is something contrasting to Christianity. My understanding of Buddhism, through the text and personal experiences, is that the religion calls for a self-fostering and self-challenging. It calls for achieving spirituality through the individual work and meditation, not so much community orientated. While, Christianity is much more community oriented religion, where everyone is encouraged to help each other and obtain spirituality together. However this visit to the SGI changed my whole conception. Buddhism can be very community oriented too, especially at SGI.

The event was in preparation for a convention coming in the summer, where distinguish youth leaders are chosen to participate. What shock me the most in the visit, was how diverse the members are and how everyone cheered each other one, with a strong community atmosphere. The members were quick to react to the person leading the event, performing, or giving speech. Going to the service made realize that Buddhism can also foster a strong community, not necessarily only focusing on the individual.

What Would Aristotle Say?

Scenario: Teacher has to present grade for high school senior on boarder line between failing and passing.

Fist of all, Aristotle made many arguments that all people seek happiness, of which can be obtain through intelligence, pleasure, honor, and"every excellence." Though these components aren't necessarily the ingredients to obtain happiness, they will aid people greatly in their search for happiness. He stated that people needs to live well, be "self-sufficient," (for others and self) be part of a society (not in isolation) to obtain happiness. In other words, happiness is the combination of these individual parts that is then greater than merely the sum.

Hence for this scenario, I believe that Aristotle will first examine the subject in which the student is failing, and weight its importance against if the student should enter the next stage without the intelligence. If he believes that the knowledge is crucial in the next steps, and thinks that by staying behind another year, the student is much more prepared than learning the hard way, then he shall remain. Yet, if the knowledge makes no difference in the journey that awaits the student, then might as well let him go. Since all is based off of how well intelligence can function as a tool to live well and seek happiness, the subject of the failing course will also go through the same examination. Furthermore, I believe Aristotle will also take into consideration that if the student will learn faster in the painful experience outside of school than staying "sheltered" for another year, then this may be a whole other logical algorithm that is follows the importance of the subject.

March 4th!!

I have always wanted to participate in the public education strikes on campus, however, I believe I do not know enough to take a stand, hence both in light of this class and for my knowledge, I decided to go out there and talk to people who are participating. At the end of the day, it was an amazing experience, and most people I have come in contact with supports the right to free speech, no matter which side they stand. I also really appreciated when I told people that I do not know the situation enough to take a stance, they usually were happy to talk about the situation or just share their opinions, no one tried to convince me to see the "right" side.

I stared the day at 7:30 (too early for 7) at the West Gate, and talked to an old gentlemen who works in the University Botanical Garden. He said that he is a Berkeley Alum and majored in Art Practice. (which was really exciting!) He told me that he was mainly there because he is part of the worker's union, however, he also strongly believe that the university is turning into a corporation where money is put in a higher priority than the students and workers, and is no longer a non-beneficial public institution as it should be. I also talked to another old lady who worked int he gardens too. She is a Berkeley local resident, and was here in the 60's and 70's participating in the civil strikes and marches. We talked for a long time about experience in her job, where she believes that her boss doesn't see her a valuable worker who takes care of the garden. She said she said her job title was garden laborer, which changed to horticulturists, though the environment remained the same, like in a office building, not for the love of the gardens.

I then talked to some students who were getting ready to board the bus to Sacramento. The majority of the students were from an history of art class, where the professor encourage people to participate and the department office even offered articles to help students understand the situation. (Which I thought was wonderful!) As I made my way to the Sather Gate and the North Gate, I met more students participating, even students not of our campus. Most surprisingly, I met a group of Japanese students, who flew out here for 8 days, just to participate in solidarity and will promptly return after the srtike is over. (Amazing!) They were mostly from the Hosei University, where 118 students were arrested for passing out fliers. I also came across a public observer, who was from an organization of lawyers to protect the participating citizens, in case something happened, they can defend them in court.

At the end, I found it really amazing how the community came together to protect each other, and voice their opinion on how the public education should change and is the jewel for our children's future.