Language and Learning (English) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Language and Learning (English) - Essay Example Multiculturalism is a concept which has in recent years, been embraced by the Australian government. However, a policy of allowing a diverse melting-pot of cultures within our borders has its dangers which are often overlooked as discussions on the topic are considered to be politically incorrect. This essay argues that the Australian governments stance on multiculturalism has lead to national disunity and that our national identity is damaged as a result. The current policies and social issues relating to the subject will be examined in support of this argument as well as public opinions on the issue of multiculturalism. Furthermore the failed policies of multiculturalism in other countries will be examined. Since the Whitlam government implemented radical changes to the policy of multiculturalism in the early 1970's, successive governments have all demonstrated a commitment to perpetuating the policy. However, criticism of this sensitive issue is often overlooked or discarded offhand by many academics as politically incorrect. Politicians tend to advocate multiculturalism based on its positive aspects and yet are quick to turn a blind eye on its undesirable outcomes. After three decades, the policy of multiculturalism has in fact caused deeper divisions in the community, and though originally implemented with good intentions. Through multicultural policies foreign cultures are sustained and encouraged creating bases of foreign culture within Australia, to the direct detriment of the Australian identity. The policy is divisive as it encourages people to identify with their "ethnicity" rather than to adapt to an Australian way of life. Multiculturalism has lead to the creation ethnic enclaves; migrants living within these 'micro-nations' are presented with a situation where they have little incentive to learn English and become socially and economically integrated with those outside their group. Multiculturalism, with its emphasis on community languages and ethnic media, promotes the development of these ethnic identities and impedes the development of a strong Australian national identity. Multicultural policies are also responsible for accepting and promoting all cultural traditions. Many traditional ethnic customs are considered unacceptable by mainstream Australian society, and some do not accord with the rule of law. Deep seeded ethnic hatreds that immigrants may harbour are divisive, these hatreds then have a haven in which to sustain themselves in the ethnic enclaves discussed earlier, and have the potential to be passed onto successive generations. These hatreds, coupled with a sense of cultural identification with ones country of descent rather than with Australia can then lead to the establishment of ethnic gangs, which have grown in many major population centers. The divisiveness that these impacts have on Australia's cultural identity is exemplified by the Cronulla riots in December 2005. Public opinion over the years on the topic of multiculturalism has seen a constant division on attitudes. According to a 1987 survey approximately 42 percent of the respondents believed that immigration should be halted altogether. Two polls, in 1995 and 2003, both found "over 70% support for the view that it is better for society if groups adapt and

Ethics Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics Critique - Essay Example If the drivers are well understood, it is possible to justify the moral judgment using psychological research. However, some people will make moral judgment without being driven by anything but out of other factors such as influence. Sometimes, it may be impossible to differentiate if the decision was made for given motives or out of influence. In such cases, it becomes impossible to use psychological research to justify the moral judgment. This essay argues that the capability of psychological research to justify moral judgment depends on whether the motives and factors leading the judgment are understood. Psychological research which explains how human beings make moral judgments can be used to justify a given judgment or action. Although there is no clear reason, why people make certain choices and not others, people will tend to justify their actions depending on the circumstances. In Greene’s (363) opinion, humans wish to make judgments based on reasoning. However, most o f them end up making their decisions based on emotions. Therefore, if the emotions are well understood, it is possible to understand how humans will justify their actions, or the possible reasons that they will give for their actions. In Greene opinion, (364) â€Å"People tend to have emotional responses to personal moral violations, responses that incline them to judge against performing those actions.† However, it sometimes becomes hard to justify actions since some people make decisions without even thinking. It is only after making a decision that humans try to reason as they seek to justify their action or decide if it was right or wrong. Since it is well understood that people tend to make decisions depending on their intuitions, it only requires the researcher to understand the intuitions of the person making the decision to be able to tell the way they will justify their actions. Since there are no reasons for doing certain actions, it is possible to predict the way p eople will justify their moral judgment. It is possible to justify moral judgment using psychological research since people will justify actions as wrong or right depending on how the society views certain actions. Aristotle (173-174) claims that if a certain action is perceived to be wrong and a person commits it, it is obvious that he or she will try to find any reasons that will make the action appear right. Therefore, it only requires one to understand perceptions of the society regarding certain actions to be able to predict or tell how the doer of any action will justify it. Another reason why psychological research can be used to justify a given judgment is that some actions are performed out of obedience and not reason. It thus requires the researcher to know the motivation behind certain action. If an action of political aggression is performed, the doer will obviously justify the action by giving political reasons. For example, a dictator is likely to justify their dictato rial actions by demonstrating why humans require to be forced to act in a certain way. A person doing charity work will justify their actions by finding reasons on how their actions are helpful to others. Additionally, Milgram (184) posits that some actions are performed out of rebellion. If the researcher understands the nature of person performing a given action, then it is possible to justify the action without understanding the reason behind it. It only requires one to understand the nature of the person doing the action to be able to pre