Hong Kong Society and Social Stratification

Hong Kong Society and Social Stratification The Concept of Social Stratification Stratification is the geological concept of strata rock layers in natural processes. While in sociology, the concept of stratification turns to refer to the different strata of social groups and their arrangements. Social stratification is a particular form of social inequality which involves power, prestige and wealth. We can find in our lives that one group may own and enjoy more economic resources than another, or it may be held in high esteem, or it may be in a position to order other groups around. The study of social stratification is to explore how is the hierarchy formed within the society, how are social resources unequally distributed and how these different groups relate to one another. Obviously, the arrangement of different social groups within a society is not really like the arrangements of rock in the earths crust as there are frequent and various interactions between the higher and lower social groups. Moreover, contrary to solid rock layers, rises and falls take place both by group and by individuals in social system. One group may rise in power and status while another group may fall. Individuals also move up and down to change their group belongings. So when we study social stratification, we should pay attention to its characteristic of interaction and mobility. Any neglect would lead to a false conclusion. Theories of Social Stratification Social stratification is not a new born concept. Long ago in ancient China, Li was considered a special subject on institutions and manners which gave a strict division and rules of social classes. In Han Shu-Monograph on Food and Currency , people were stratified in a descending order of scholars, peasants, workers and businessmen. In the west, the earliest discussion on social stratification can be dated back to ancient Greece. Plato illustrated an ideal state in Republic with three stable classes of freemen-Rulers or Philosopher Kings, Warriors or Guardians, and Workers, while Aristotle argued with an idea of the rich, the poor and the middle. When talking about social stratification, we can always find these two names: Karl Marx and Max Weber. The classic statements on both social class and stratification provide the foundation from which we can fully appreciate current social dynamics and new directions in the study of social inequality. The Marxist Perspective Karl Marx was born in the aftermath of the European Revolution. By witnessing the end of the old era and the emergence of a new age, he found a similarity in all societies-the ever existence of two social classes. He inherited Hegels account of the conflict between master and slave, then took the idea of two opposed forces to analyze the form of the conflict. Marx was the first to develop a systematic theory on social class. A class is a social group whose members share the same relationship to the means of production. Individuals in a class not only act in much the same way but also tend to think in much the same way. There are two major social groups in all societies, a ruling one and a subject one. The relationship between the two major classes is conflict-exploiter and exploited, oppressor and oppressed. Marx conceived the society as a system of production based on the existence of these two opposite social classes. The ruling class (the bourgeoisie) own the means of production (land, capital, labour power, buildings and machinery) while subject class (the proletariat) has no choice but to work for the capitalists. Wage labourers produce goods and services but get only subsisted rewards. Employers take the products away to sell them at a value greater than their cost of production. By accumulating this surplus value, capitalists get m ore wealth and means of production to sustain the system. Capital is a social power. Political power comes from economic power, from the control of means of production. The ruling class build up the superstructure of society-the major institutions, values and belief systems, according to the common interests of the group. They seek protection for their ownership of means of production through laws and mechanisms which are favorable to them. In addition, a distorted picture of reality (ideology) was invented to justify and legitimate the domination of the ruling class and to inculcate the mass oppressed working class a false consciousness of the nature of relationship between social classes. Marx pointed out that there is a polarization of the classes through which the society would more and more split into the two great hostile camps. Although he did not deny the individual mobility between the social groups, the possibility is little because each group is relatively closed. Individual movement up and down does nothing to change the system. Only by thorough revolutions can social orders be reconstructed, can means of production be used by everyone and can social equality be achieved. Despite the great contribution to the study of social stratification, people raised problems in Marxist approach as listed below: Not all societies are class societies Class may not be the most basic social division The rise of the middle class and the fragmentary class structure Working class consciousness and intellectual wishful thinking To solve these problems, Neo Marxist scholars have made many efforts. Succeeding Marxs basic view of social stratification, the primary concern of modern Marxian theorists has been to apply this Marxian view of society to industrial societies that have experienced change since Marxs time, while also using new methods of social science research to validate some of the principal Marxian concepts. For instance, Gramsci accused dehumanizing aspects of modern capitalism and advocated more education on working class to develop intellectuals among them. Poulantzas thought the fragmentation of class structure was a defining characteristic of late capitalism, so any analysis must tackle the new constellation of interests and power. Structural Marxist, Wright, did some empirical research on social stratification. Inspired by others works, he borrowed the concept of skills and defined class in relation to the productive system: Capitalists, managers, workers and the petty bourgeoisie. The Weberian Alternative Max Weber contributed the most to development of stratification theory since Marx. He was said to have had a dialogue with Marx but got different conclusions. Marx saw classes in economic terms, while man does not strive for power only in order to enrich himself economically. He expanded Marxs standard of class division to a multidimensional view. People forming the same class roughly share common life chances which are reflected into class situation. In Webers point of view, ownership of property will directly give an individual more life chances in market, however, the skills and education the individual has had is also playing an important role in defining social classes. Under this assumption, Weber was able to explain the emergence of middle class while Marxism failed to do so. He identified as social class according to the economic rewards in labour market- the working class as a whole, the petty bourgeoisie, technicians, specialists and lower-level management and the classes privileged through property and education. Moreover, social stratification is not only decided by class(economic rewards), status is another significant perspective. Whereas class refers to the unequal distribution of economic rewards, status refers to the unequal distribution of social honor, which refers to how a person or a group is regarded by others. Individuals from a similar status group are likely to share similar status situation including lifestyle, sense of belonging and restriction on interaction with outsiders etc. This dimension managed to solve the doubt about the role of gender, ethnicity and religion in stratification theory. The last dimension in Webers three-component theory of stratification is party or power. To achieve whatever goals, people form organizations in rational orders to influence and dominate others. The most typical organizations of this kind are political parties and bureaucratic institutions. Where is one stand and how is one placed within the organization decide ones position in this dimension of stratification. Weber concluded that the three dimensions of hierarchies lead to the ranking of individual and group in human society. Nevertheless, the importance of each dimension differs in different societies. Webers theory of social stratification has relativity and mobility, which enlightened his successors like Anthony Giddens, Frank Parkin and John Goldthorpe, etc., to continue promoting the development of multidimensional theory of stratification. The Former Study on Hong Kong s Social Stratification Boggs, C. (1984). The two revolutions : Antonio Gramsci and the dilemmas of western Marxism (1st ed.). Boston, MA: South End Press. Crompton, R. (1993). Class and stratification : an introduction to current debates. Cambridge, UK ; Cambridge, MA, USA: Polity Press. Haralambos, M., Holborn, M. (2008). Sociology : themes and perspectives (7 ed.). London: HarperCollins Publishers. Hess, A. (2001). Concepts of social stratification : European and American models. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; New York: Palgrave. Kerbo, H. R. (1996). Social stratification and inequality : class conflict in historical and comparative perspective (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Levine, R. F. (1998). Social class and stratification : classic statements and theoretical debates. Lanham: Rowman Littlefield Publishers. Li, P. (2004). Social stratification in Chinas today(Zhongguo she hui fen ceng) (1 ed.). Beijing: She hui ke xue wen xian chu ban she. Li, X. (2008). Dream and reality : stratification and social mobility in Hong Kong(Meng Xiang Yu Xian SHI: Xiang Gang De She Hui Fen Ceng Yu She Hui Liu Dong) ( 1 ed.). Beijing: Publisher of Peking University. Marx, K., Engels, F. (1888). Manifesto of the Communist party ([5th ed.). London,: W. Reeves. Poulantzas, N. A. (1982). Political power and social classes. London: Verso. Saunders, P. (1990). Social class and stratification. London: Routledge. Weber, M., Gerth, H. H., Mills, C. W. (2009). From Max Weber : essays in sociology. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York: Routledge. Wright, E. O. (1997). Class counts : comparative studies in class analysis. Cambridge ; New York Paris: Cambridge University Press ;Maison des sciences de lhomme.

Good vs Evil Essay

Going back to as far as we can remember there has always been a battle between good and evil or right vs. wrong. At the end of the day we are all faced with a moment where we must make a decision. A series of made decisions will, as a result, mold our character to somehow define ourselves as either good people or bad people. It is no surprise that this very own reality is the focus on our entertainment as well. We lose ourselves in an action packed film about a superhero saving the world from a villain to spending an evening watching soap operas where Mr. Perfect goes through an injustice as Mr. Wrong in Every Sense takes his woman away from him. But before all of this technology took over, this scenery was given to us in a more witty and creative way. We will discuss these mentioned roles in two superb stories that until this day simply cannot be replaced by special effects and/or exaggerated and unnecessary stunts. Let’s begin by discussing this subject along with one of O’Connor’s masterpieces â€Å" A Good Man is Hard to find†. This is a story without restraint on going straight to the point. We may describe O’Connor’s style of writing as a no apologies type of writing. The story begins by portraying an almost ordinary family. There is a grandmother, who plays the main role, along with her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. This family discusses the possibilities of taking a road trip to Florida whereas the grandmother tries her best to persuade them into not following along with the plans. Being the paranoid elder we read about, she brings up the recent release of a killer and saying how â€Å"I couldn’t answer to my conscience† (449) if her family came across him. Moving on to spoiling the finale, the story ends with every member of the family being shot and killed. Although brutal, it is tied completely to the title as the family comes across a cold hearted, merciless killer who did not care for the pleading of poor old grandma. As previously discussed, this is a classic case of the innocent (good) sadly falling under the mercy of a criminal (evil). O’Connor was an author that wrote with a purpose and meaning behind every story. Even though some may argue about this being simple a story for entertainment, we are able to take a look around and notice that scenarios like the one in the story happen around us sadly. Therefore, the reader can relate and surely sympathize for the family and what they went through. One of O’Connor’s greatest attempt in revealing the mindset behind a character like The Misfit is through one of his final words after killing the grandmother by saying â€Å"She would have been a good woman†¦if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life† (459). Moving along to Boyle’s â€Å"Carnal Knowledge† we will find a variation of the Right vs. Wrong scenario. In this story we will read about the common scenario of a man, Jim, doing whatever it takes with the purpose of pursuing love in the arms of a very selfish and egotistical Alena. Like many, Jim works hard and enjoys eating meat, as he would love nothing more than to have â€Å"Beef, mutton, pork, venison, dripping burgers, and greasy ribs† (569). But his whole world is turned upside down when he meets Alena, as he was laying on the beach feeling lonesome. In contrast to him, Alena is an animal rights fanatic. Regardless, cupid’s arrow had struck Jim from the moment he laid eyes on her. He tried changing everything about himself to try and win her heart. Jim lost his job, became a vegan, and became part of animal rights protests to impress her. The sad part of the story was not love striking Jim. Instead, Alena being as self involved as she was, did not reciprocate the feelings he had for her. She did not reciprocate anything at all for that matter. After all his effort and attempts, Alena ends up with Rolfe and leaving with him to Wyoming, Along with this devastating heart break for Jim, during their whole friendship he was mistreated and being unfairly dealt by the woman who stole his heart. This is another relatable topic as we see this happen all the time around us or to us in our daily life. We find a relationship where there is and abuser and an abused. There is a relationship where there is right vs. wrong. Good vs. evil and right vs. wrong. We learn about this endless battle through stories, poems, movies, etc. Most importantly, we must treasure the brilliant work from authors like Boyle and O’Connor, which show us some of these scenarios through some of their writing. The same way we recognize the faults and the attributes in these characters, we can learn a thing or two and avoid making the same mistakes or catching ourselves while we still can before we hurt someone or even ourselves. We can all agree that right is most important after all.

Silver Facts (Atomic Number 47 and Element Symbol Ag)

Silver is a transition metal with element symbol Ag and atomic number 47. The element is found in jewelry and currency for its beauty and value and in electronics for its high conductivity and malleability. Silver  Basic Facts Atomic Number: 47 Symbol: Ag Atomic Weight: 107.8682 Discovery: Known since prehistoric time. Man learned to separate silver from lead as early as 3000 B.C. Electron Configuration: [Kr]5s14d10 Word Origin: Anglo-Saxon Seolfor or siolfur; meaning silver, and Latin argentum meaning silver Properties: The melting point of silver is 961.93 °C, boiling point is 2212 °C, specific gravity is 10.50 (20 °C), with a valence of 1 or 2. Pure silver has a brilliant white metallic luster. Silver is slightly harder than gold. It is very ductile and malleable, exceeded in these properties by gold and palladium. Pure silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of all metals. Silver possesses the lowest contact resistance of all metals. Silver is stable in pure air and water, although it tarnishes upon exposure to ozone, hydrogen sulfide, or air containing sulfur. Uses: The alloys of silver have many commercial uses. Sterling silver (92.5% silver, with copper or other metals) is used for silverware and jewelry. Silver is used in photography, dental compounds, solder, brazing, electrical contacts, batteries, mirrors, and printed circuits. Freshly deposited silver is is the best known reflector of visible light, but it rapidly tarnishes and loses its reflectance. Silver fulminate (Ag2C2N2O2) is a powerful explosive. Silver iodide is used in cloud seeding to produce rain. Silver chloride can be made transparent and is also used as a cement for glass. Silver nitrate, or lunar caustic, is used extensively in photography. Although silver itself is not considered toxic, most of its salts are poisonous, due to the anions involved. Exposure to silver (metal and soluble compounds) should not exceed 0.01 mg/M3 (8 hour time-weighted average for a 40 hour week). Silver compounds can be absorbed into the circulatory system, with deposition of reduced silver in body tissues. This may result in argyria, which is characterized by a greyish pigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes. Silver is germicidal and may be used to kill many lower organisms without harm to higher organisms. Silver is used as coinage in many countries. Sources: Silver occurs native and in ores incuding argentite (Ag2S) and horn silver (AgCl). Lead, lead-zinc, copper, copper-nickel, and gold ores are other prinicipal sources of silver. Commercial fine silver is at least 99.9% pure. Commercial purities of 99.999% are available. Element Classification: Transition Metal Silver Physical Data Density (g/cc): 10.5 Appearance: silvery, ductile, malleable metal Isotopes: There are 38 known isotopes of silver ranging from Ag-93 to Ag-130. Silver has two stable isotopes: Ag-107 (51.84% abundance) and Ag-109 (48.16% abundance). Atomic Radius (pm): 144 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 10.3 Covalent Radius (pm): 134 Ionic Radius: 89 (2e) 126 (1e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.237 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 11.95 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 254.1 Debye Temperature (K): 215.00 Pauling Negativity Number: 1.93 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 730.5 Thermal Conductivity: 429 W/m ·K 300 K Oxidation States: 1 (most common), 2 (less common), 3 (less common) Lattice Structure: Face-Centered Cubic Lattice Constant (Ã…): 4.090 CAS Registry Number: 7440-22-4 Silver Trivia: Silvers element symbol Ag, is from the Latin word argentum meaning silver.In many cultures, and some alchemical texts, silver was associated with the Moon while gold was associated with the Sun.Silver has the highest electrical conductivity of all metals.Silver has the highest thermal conductivity of all metals.Silver halide crystals darken when exposed to light. This process was vital to photography.Silver is considered one of the noble metals.Silver is slightly harder (less malleable) than gold.Silver ions and silver compounds are toxic to many types of bacteria, algae and fungi. Silver coins used to be stored in containers of water and wine to prevent spoiling.Silver nitrate has been used to prevent infection in burns and other wounds. More Silver Facts Sources Emsley, John (2011). Natures building blocks: An A-Z Guide to the Elements. Oxford University Press. pp. 492–98. ISBN 978-0-19-960563-7.Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-08-037941-8.Hammond, C. R. (2004). The Elements, in Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (81st ed.). CRC press. ISBN 978-0-8493-0485-9.Weast, Robert (1984). CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp. E110. ISBN 0-8493-0464-4.

Math Analysis On The Classroom - 1448 Words

It was eight fifty-five when I entered the lobby of Drexel Plaza to go to my class: Introduction to Math Analysis 101. I walked to classroom fifteen not expecting anything. I never expect anything anyway in an easy math class required for all nursing students. It may have also been because I am a confirmed nerd. In the school setting, people are divided into groups or categories. Students are characterized by a specific characteristic that defines them into a subgroup of school identity and status. There is the nerd group, the geek squad, the jocks, the dramatics, the clown, the teacher’s pet and the list goes on. Throughout school, I tried my best to not fall into any category. I was well-rounded and did not focus on one specific activity. I just wanted to be a boring, random student that was invisible. Little did I know, however, that I would be placed into a group with one single event. When I was in fifth grade, I watched a Disney Channel show, Wizards of Waverly Place. 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