Responsible Members Of Society Research Articles

Concepts of ‘Individual’ and ‘Self’ in Twentieth-Century Vietnam

‘Individual’ (cá nhân) came to the Vietnamese language in the first decades of the twentieth century, along with a host of other evocative neologisms, such as ‘society’ (xã hôi), ‘ethnic group/nation’ (dân tôc), ‘ideology’ (chu' nghĩa), ‘democracy’ (dân chu' chu' nghĩa), ‘science’ (khoa hoc), and ‘progress’ (tiêń hóa). Initially, ‘individual’ was very much the poor relation among these new concepts—merely an irreducible human unit belonging to something else more significant. Thus, each individual was urged to be a loyal citizen of the nation, an eager participant in some new political organization, or a responsible member of society. Individuals were often compared with cells in the body, each one having a legitimate role in sustaining and enhancing the vitality of the organism, but meaningless and incapable of surviving on their own. On the other hand, the danger also existed of individuals acting in a selfish, short-sighted manner, which could jeopardize the larger order of things. Such persons were said to be witting or unwitting perpetrators of ‘individualism’ (cá nhân chu' nghĩa).

A new concept of business

In today's globalized world, business sees itself as a responsible member of society and a stakeholder in the well‐being of the world community. An opportunity exists to create a more positive role for business through cooperation and dialogue, not Seattle‐style confrontation.

Using the Environment

This paper discusses the inter-related aim of education which is to foster both the development of the autonomous individual and the responsible member of society. The writer places great emphasis on the need of the learner to experience first-hand environmental stimuli which develop capacities for direct observation, independent enquiry analysis and reporting.

Igede Funeral Masquerades

T he Igede1 of Nigeria's Benue State are located both culturally and geographically in the shatter zone north of the middle Cross River bordering on the tropical forest. Most of the population of approximately 180,0002 are farmers who live in scattered villages. Although they speak a distinct language and have different origins, the Igede have been identified since colonial times with their neighbors to the northwest, the Idoma. Administratively they have accepted the latter designation to the extent that the current Och' Idoma, the paramount chief of Idoma, is from Igede. Several traditional associations, like the Achuku secret society and the Anjenu possession cult, are common to both groups.3 In addition, the Igede and Idoma have cultural ties to other groups in the area southeast of the Niger-Benue confluence. For example, the New Yam Festival, warrior societies, and the funeral as the dominant rite of passage also exist among the Iyala, Igala, and Ibo. Consequently, elements relating to Igede funeral ritual discussed here may also be applicable to nearby peoples. The Igede funeral, as the most significant of the life-cycle rituals, is the most elaborately celebrated. Indeed, it is only in this context that full-size masks appear, as part of the performance complex of the village music associations.4 In commemorating the passage of a community member's spirit into the ancestral realm, a funeral renews the relationship between the world of the living and the world of the spirits and reaffirms traditional values and perceptions. As a receptacle for supernatural forces, the mask invests the ceremony with ancestral authority Its presence confirms that the deceased was a responsible member of society and belonged to an association of political, religious, and social importance, and it projects this status into the afterlife.

Moral Sensitivity

Most contemporary philosophers accept Kant's view1 that the central question of morality is what ought I to do. This gives choice a pivotal role, for choice is what one faces when the question has to be answered. Since what is chosen is an action, this view of morality—I shall call it the current view—is action-orientated. And since actions are directed towards people, the current view stresses altruism and universalizability. Morality is thus supposed to be activist and social. It is a sensible, public-spirited enterprise in which responsible members of society will participate because they realize that reason requires it. Kantians, Utilitarians, Contractarians, and Marxists disagree, of course, about the nature of the relation between reason and morality. But they agree that choice intending to lead to action contributing to the welfare of others is the central concern of morality.

General Education for Art Students

The years since the ending of World War II have seen a notable expansion by most art schools of their educational responsibilities, to include some recognition of the general educational needs of art students. Many factors are accountable for this. The most noble, perhaps, reflect a growing awareness of the artist as a citizen and a responsible member of society. The least noble spring from the urgencies of school accreditation and the pressures toward academic conformity. However motivated, the trend has been, in general, a good thing. But it has raised a number of problems which, for many schools, are new.

General Education for Art Students

The years since the ending of World War II have seen a notable expansion by most art schools of their educational responsibilities, to include some recognition of the general educational needs of art students. Many factors are accountable for this. The most noble, perhaps, reflect a growing awareness of the artist as a citizen and a responsible member of society. The least noble spring from the urgencies of school accreditation and the pressures toward academic conformity. However motivated, the trend has been, in general, a good thing. But it has raised a number of problems which, for many schools, are new.

Business Education of Tomorrow

Abstract The general day school of the future will not only contain and emphasiae, but it will also drill year after year on how to become a governmentally, economically, and financially responsible member of society. This the only basis on which civilization can survive. Most of the courses on the secondary level will be reorganiaed to provide a real utility value.