That is a question each and every parent asks every time their kids go to school, or do they. The gun related incidents in several US schools and elsewhere around the world, have prompted legislation that makes gun ownership a bit tad harder but there are always loopholes as the incidents themselves have shown. Guns have been in the blood of all Americans since the Constitution includes a phrase that states, each and every American had the right to bear arms and it was interpreted literally as is. Gun control which has been in place ever since crooks started to tote guns and so law enforcers had to catch up and started to carry their own (for protection). Does the world need guns? Ask yourself, and you’ll say no but get involved or have somebody you know involved in gun related incidents and you’ll suddenly have a change of heart (most probably).
All of us have been exposed to a society that has been made and shaped by weapons of all shapes and sizes and all of them were invented for self-preservation from other humans. Guns is a way of saying don’t mess with me or I’ll mess with you and it’s not a very comforting idea to see one in public for it always raises your blood pressure at mere sight. The US has had a long and hard history of gun related violence and so has the rest of the world but the basic and main idea of bearing arms has been lost in translation so to speak in all the violence and crime that has been related to and blamed on these weapons of choice. They are small, deadly and easy to carry so what else could you ask for in a personal protection measure, others carrying the same weapons! Paranoia is the game and if society cannot deal with the problem, then should we allow society to take care of itself by allowing everybody to carry guns? You be the Judge!

Education is the key and this applies not only to the US, but for all people around the world who are only now beginning to get a taste of how good democracy and freedom is. China’s older generation is void of such concepts but the events of the past five or six years where the government has accepted more liberal ideas allowing free trade fueling it’s breakneck economic boom placing it before the laws that are widely accepted around the world. Many see China as the biggest market on the earth which has credence for they have 1.3 Billion citizens and it is just about opening up to the world of trade and products from the country is beginning to flood world markets. Here too, the rapid economic growth of the several economic regions in China has spurred unlikely problems like their habit of cutting corners in order to increase profits to the use of sub-standard materials in the manufacture of products for export abroad. Recalls of various products which have been found to contain dangerous amounts of poisonous chemicals contained within paints and other finishing products (even toothpaste that is laced with trace amounts of anti-freeze chemicals) have led to many arrests and rapid changes to the government’s governance regarding products standards. These manufacturers are simply not used to following rules and do whatever it takes to deliver finished products which have resulted in deaths and health problems mainly in children who have used such products.

China faces many hurdles to become a more open and transparent state but being a socialist state may be one of it’s main obstacles. The government hopes to increase profits in terms of economic growth but another aspect of that society that has ruled the country which is human rights has repeatedly failed world standards. The education system of China has also been forced to adopt more open curricula such as the teaching of democracy which is a word banned from the verbal repertoire of many generations of Chinese in times past. The population might be finding it hard to adopt a more open world but this might be the only way for China to continue its growth and evolution into one of the world’s greatest economic powers. The next ten years will be the determining period if the growth in its economy will continue or the drive will simply crumble and fail into oblivion.

In my last post I asked the question: WHY DO YOU GIVE?

As I mulled about the issue it became clearer that no one who gives does it purely for unselfish reasons. Now, I hope I am not being jaded about this but coming across Tovia Smith’s article “Selfish Giving: Does it count if you get in return?”, I found myself agreeing with most of her observations.

Tovia points out how nowadays businesses give to charity because they “have to”. It’s an image thing. But so what? They’re businesses after all and we do expect them to think about their bottom line. However, Tovia also points out that its pretty much the same with “high school kids signing up for their community service trip — the summer before their college applications are due. It’s simply what they have to do to be competitive.”

It sounds awful but if you really think about it these people are not the only “selfish” givers. Even those who do it because of their belief, as I pointed out in my last post, give for future rewards: in Buddhism and Hinduism its for good karma, for Christians it’s for God’s Blessing and whatever their reward awaits them in heaven, for Muslims the “Zakat” purifies their wealth and is done in obedience it Allah. While it is true that their primary reason for giving may not primarily be material rewards, and may not even be in this lifetime, they still do it for a reason other than giving.

So does anyone really give for the pure joy of giving? Maybe. Maybe not.

In my opinion this is not the point though. The point is that giving is “good” and as Rory Morton, dean of students at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge said, “…once they go do it [give/do community service], they get into it. And that’s good enough for me.”

The answers to WHYs are important but sometimes we have to stop asking and just be thankful that we can do something noble and good as giving and in top of that get something in return, whether that be material, spiritual, or emotional.

Giving is a concept that can be found in most religions – if not all.

It is espoused by both the Bible and the Qur’an. In fact if you look at the following verses you’ll be struck by the similarity of what the two religions tell their believers to do.

Giving shows the believers’ love for their God:

“And they feed, for the love of Allah, the poor, the orphan, and the captive.” (Qur’an 76:8)

“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3: 17-18)

Giving in secret:

“If you give alms openly, it is well, and if you hide it and give it to the poor, it is better for you” (Qur’an 2:271)

“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:3-43)

There are other similarities such as the concept of “tithing” wherein a portion of a person’s earning should be given back to the church.

Generosity is also encouraged in Buddhism and Hinduism. In Buddhism they have what they call dāna, which when translated means generosity. However, it means more than just the word but actually refers to the practice of cultivating generosity. To Buddhists the more they give selflessly in this life the better off they will be in the next life. A belief that even Christians whose “treasures are stored up in heaven” and Muslims also believe.

The question now though is this: With all the teachings of different religions telling us to give are you practicing what you say you believe in? Do you give? In what way? How much? And more importantly, WHY?

You can find more info on giving to HAITI at Google’s Haiti Crisis Response Page.

During the time of Martin Luther King Jr., we can recall how rowdy most of us were as far as colored presidents were concerned. King was certainly disliked and even lead to his assassination in April 4, 1968. He was standing at the second floor balcony of the Lorraine Motel when he was shot.

It is no secret that majority of the people back then had a thing for the blacks. But today, we find ourselves on the verge of having another black President in the person of Barrack Obama.

But unlike before, we do not see rowdy people cursing and threatening Obama. That is excluding John McCain, his opponent of course who has used advertising mediums to get some leverage as far as their race is concerned. Apparently we see that it is all for naught as Obama is still leading thus far and officially.

Anyway, with all the discriminations left in the past, we are in a new era where political philosophy seems to be entirely better. It is more about what the person can provide rather than what he looks like. It has been a philosophy that we normally believe in even in real life. So if a black president can lead us to better tomorrows then why not?

So as long as we are in the era of being more rational and livid, let us keep it that way. We need all the help we can get and it does not matter if you are black or white!

From the eyes of an ordinary consumer, the financial bailout is bound to point to only one thing, save the debt-ridden country from collapsing and nothing else. If only that were the case in doing business then perhaps we would have seen a lot of businesses surviving and economies rising. Sadly, the philosophy of it all is that business is done more than plain business.

There are more business components to consider. One of which is business policies that are sure to be varied, depending on the philosophy of the management team tasked to establish the business venture and create a profit overall. If something goes wrong along the way, you are sure to note that it is not plainly a matter of infusing cash and paying off debt. For how can a business go on surviving if such debts will just accrue over time?

Also, as far as the recourse provided by the government is concerned, it is more than just paying off debt. In exchange, various arrangements such as a stake in the company in the event they fail to settle their financial bailout loan is pegged as one of the key highlights in exchange for a loan. Is that feasible?

As far as companies are concerned, it may be the last hurrah for them. Rather than filing for bankruptcy, they are left with little choices. So in the event they still falter, then the company may give way to political power. If that would be the case, at least they tried and now pass the problem to the government powers. In the end, it is similar to applying a loan using your business as collateral.

Makes you think of the government has a dirty hand in it all. But if that is the philosophy they are applying then they just have to honor it, especially if they sign on the dotted line.

If the US government can easily decide and fight for providing aid to the business sector, expect a lot of issues to come up. For one, any business for that matter can simply declare financial instability and seek financial assistance from the US. That is as simple as that and the value of truly engaging in business may yet lose its luster. A Bush Blunder? Perhaps. The intention was good but that fact is that if you lack the business knowledge to understand the mechanics of proper business operation ethics, chances are you have made a decision out of impulse.

President Bush cannot be entirely blamed. He is simply looking out for the welfare of his country. But while that is obvious, it is also a move which many foresee as lacking in deliberation and analysis. You can pass on the bill to Congress for approval. But wait a minute. Who are the people in congress? Political figures too right?

So if common sense were to be inserted, who in his right mind would not vote for the bill? They are part of the whole mess and if they are not careful, they may be placing themselves close to recession and economic turmoil. And if you are in that concerned country, where would you get the liberal mind to vote against it?

The world is watching and surely many sectors are keeping quiet. It is a move many are criticizing. Only time will tell on whether their own personal philosophies will indeed be ratified as far as doing business is concerned.

As far as the elections are concerned, it is not purely about making promises. It is about which philosophy that either McCain or Obama believe in to which people will surely believe as well. There are patterns. For sure, each political platform follows a specific agenda. There are exceptions though. Some of them may even focus on the issues at hand, the latest of which is that of the business debacle hitting and affecting the whole world to date.

It is easy to declare a business philosophy based on their promises. But the real problem lies on seeing it happen. Once placed into office, there is no guarantee that their claims will truly materialize. For one, politics is a matter of priorities meaning that not all claims and itineraries that were declared can push through.

You don’t have to figure out who will win or who will stick by their word. Either way, these political aspirants cannot give you a 100% guarantee. It has been proven anywhere that not all political shenanigans are indeed done. Especially considering that business needs are one of the most delicate topics that no one dares touch at the moment, it remains that people just have to figure out how to go about it independently.

Sadly, politicians are not included in the mix. They can lead but leading in all factors needed to be addressed is something that has to be questioned.

If any of you have a new business philosophy to adapt these days then I am sure that many people will want to hear it. Traditional business philosophies are surely no longer in play as we see most companies groping for form, baffled by the turn of events that has gone as far as victimizing the big companies, finance and investing companies at that, to which the call for new philosophy in business is a dire need.

But while many of these companies are trying to hold back their fears and current crop of business strategies, a new business philosophy is bound to ensue. Sure, this current state we find ourselves in is only temporary but it is also something that many find more than challenging. One wrong move and you may find your company filing for Chapter 11 or better known as “Bankruptcy”.

This is the last thing you would want and for sure, stable companies do not have this in mind. The needs to employ new business strategies through proper observation of the market and consumer behavior is a need to which new philosophies will surely come up.

Some may point to them as useless and even senseless. But at the rate that things are holding up these days, new blood from new ideas is a dire need. Some may not want to admit it but rather than hear that their company is closing shop, new business philosophies are the best recourse today.

Observe the two candidates today, John McCain and Barrack Obama, and you will find contradicting philosophies. In fact, you may be surprised at the fact that they do not agree at all on a lot of aspects such as global warming and the oil supply issue. If you were a voter, one of these two things would be important to you. So if you were in the position of McCain or Obama, which would you target?

Well before anything else, it also depends on what you believe in. Both have used them as part of their agenda whenever they come out and speak in front of the territories to where they are campaigning. In debates and their advertising mediums, you will find that they emphasize on these points, hoping that they will click and become heroes in the eyes of voters, if and when they win the elections.

The philosophy of one is different from another. A lot of factors such as cultural, social and technology factors come into play as far as concluding a philosophical summary of what things people would care about.

In politics, the philosophy of the overall leader will be closely monitored. For one, it will be a measure of his competency and how well he can drive a nation. These are pretty big shoes to fill and if you think about it, one minor error could lead to disaster as far as voter confidence is concerned.

In philosophy, do what you believe in and not what others want you to do for them. Doing so may put you in a position where you may eventually regret trying to be who you are not.