Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Summary Of The American Dream - 1682 Words

Thomas Lee Professor Elena Savelieva-Thompson PACS 01-25 4 December 2016 The American Dream The American Dream has historically been defined as upward social mobility through hard work and determination regardless of circumstances at birth. However, it seems that this dream has died. Those in the lower and middle class find themselves working multiple jobs just to survive. They live paycheck to paycheck and are unable to save money to allow them to buy a house and escape from their economic perils. I believe the American dream is dead because people are no longer capable of upward social mobility without getting lucky at birth due to wage inequality, rising housing costs, and retirement insecurity. Pay inequality prevents upwards social mobility which is by definition against the American Dream which indicates the dream is dying. This inequality started in the 1970s when both middle class pay and college graduation rates began to flat line while executive pay skyrocketed. According to Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton, in 1978 the typical male worker made $48,302 a year while the typical 1% executive made $393,682. This was not inherently a problem, but in 2010 the male worker’s pay had actually decreased to $33,751 a year while the executive pay had increased to $1,101,089. The 2007 financial crash is very similar to that of the Great Crash of 1928. The top 1% at each of these times were taking over 23% of wealth of the nation. These crashesShow MoreRelatedSummary Of The American Dream 1216 Words   |  5 Pageslepsig English IV 31 March 2015 The American dream Its a beautiful warm sunday morning and Im sitting in the porch of my house everything is quiet, my wife and my three kids still sleeping, every thing around peaceful because the house is in the middle of 5 acres of land. Thats what i think of when i hear the term the â€Å"American dream† and for most americans thats what their goal is â€Å"a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunityRead MoreDeath of a Salesman Summary + American Dream5929 Words   |  24 Pagesthe loft where they sleep.   The two grown men discuss their past failures.   Biff says that he cant  find a job  that both pays well and is satisfying, while Happy similarly admits that he doesnt like his  job as a  business clerk.   Both brothers day-dream for a time about going out west and making a living together on a cattle ranch.   Men built like we are should be working out in the open, Biff asserts. Happy too, but Biff especially, feels guilty that hes not lived up to his fathersexpectationsRead MoreWomen’s Income Inequality and The American Dream Essay1358 Words   |  6 Pagesabout, the American dream. The American dream that everyone is equal and has equal opportunities. Although a big part of what goes on in the Untied States that just doesn’t fit the American dream; women are unequal in the work place. They are put under what is known as the â€Å"Glass Ceiling†. Women do not get promoted in the work place and aren’t getting equal pay as men. This also leads to wag gap between the men and women. Both create income inequality for women and affect their American Dream. ThereRead MoreLangston Hughes Poetry649 Words   |  3 PagesHughes, the most memorable figure of the Harlem Renaissance, wrote everything from plays, short stories, novels, and most importantly poetry. Hughes’ writing is based on his personal views on frustration that he had towards the plight of African Americans. Langston has no fear with anything he is involved in and stood up for his people. Unfortunately, his people responded negatively towards his actions, for they thought he was creating more racial tensions. Nevertheless, this was not Hughes’ intentionsRead MoreThe American Dream996 Words   |  4 PagesMy definition of American Dream If we ask most Americans what is the American Dream? the common answers are to become successful, rich, owning houses, cars and etc. In other countries, many people see America as a land of opportunities for a better life and that is the reason why they come here. Every individual who come to America have their goals or dreams that they want to fulfill in life that they can not fulfill in their own country. In another word, their American dream are to have betterRead MoreWhat Is American By Hector St. John De Crevecoeur1250 Words   |  5 Pages*Summary: â€Å"What Is American† â€Å"What is American† by Hector St. John de Crevecoeur was an advertisement for America. America is explained as a beautiful and structured place that came to be after work was done to a wild woody place. The text stated â€Å" he beholds air cities, substantial villages, extensive fields, an immense country filled with decent houses, good roads, orchards, meadows, and bridges, where an hundred years ago all was wild , woody and uncultivated!† Another point that was made thatRead MoreSummary Of Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?854 Words   |  4 PagesSummary: According to Barstow, Connie represents American innocence and powerlessness. Connie has a hard time defending herself against Arnold Friend because of her lack of knowledge and the impact of American culture. The mother-daughter relationship plays a significant role in the story because had Connie and her mother communicated better, Connie, who is still a child, would have be protected from the evil of the world. Barstow also points out that the modern American is unable to distinguishRead MoreThe Great Gatsby647 Words   |  3 Pagespresented depending on the author. In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the American Dream was the theme that was presented, and according to the story it is unachievable and just an infant fantasy that America portrays. While reading the story, the characters’ views on how their interpretation of the American Dream, is well established in the middle of the story. There were spectacular views and dark views on what the American Dream is; according to Nick Carraway, the novel’s narrator, Jay Gatsby’s viewRead MoreHarper Lee’s â€Å"to Kill a Mockingbird Seeks to Focus Upon the Hypocrisy of the ‘American Dream’. Discuss.729 Words   |  3 Pagesthe ‘American Dream’. Discuss. The American dream can be defined as a national ethos which encourages freedom for all individuals regardless of their race, religion, colour or socioeconomic status. Through the theory of American Exceptionalism and the Declaration of Independence, â€Å"all men are created equal†, the American Dream presents itself as a system of equal opportunity and prosperity for all citizens. Author, Harper Lee, effectively draws attention to the hypocrisy of the American Dream in herRead MoreThe Grapes Of Wrath And Huckleberry Finn Analysis819 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream is a dream in which life is fuller, better, happier and free. In the two books Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck,   each book shows the American Dream in a different way. In The Grapes of Wrath, the American Dream is shown as in illusion. That being because America is going through the Great Depression and it’s very difficult to make a living or even have food on a plate. However, in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the American

Monday, December 23, 2019

Essay on Sight and Blindness in Oedipus Rex - 1311 Words

In the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, the themes of sight and blindness are developed in a way to communicate to the reader that it is not eyesight itself, but insight that holds the key to truth and, without it, no amount of knowledge can help uncover that truth. Some may define insight as the ability to intuitively know what is going to happen, or simply as the capacity to understand the true nature of a situation. Both definitions hold a significant role in the play, not only for more obvious characters such as Oedipus and Teiresias, but also for Iocaste, whose true character is rather questionable considering her reactions to the events of the play, however, one can only speculate. With these themes in mind, one can see how Sophocles†¦show more content†¦Teiresias, however, with no eyes to see with, sees most clearly and knows the truth about Oedipus past, supporting the idea that sight, in the literal sense, holds little significance in the genre of greek tragedy, and c annot, alone and without insight and the open-mindedness to truly consider the many possibilities, understand the truth. There are also certain perculiarities in the process in which Iocaste and Oedipus uncover Oedipus past. Why is it that both Iocaste and oedipus initially fail to recognize the similarities between the prophect given to Laios and that which was given to Oedipus himself? Also, why is it that Oedipus does not recall the marks on his ankles after hearing Iocaste describe how she had her childs ankles bound before he was left to die on Kathairon? Though these questions cannot be answered definitively given the text, I interpreted their failure to make these connections as a representaion of their desperation and denial of the truth. It seems as if they both had unconsciously chosen not to recognize these clues and use them to make the connections to the facts to discover the truth. In doing so they blinded themselves, putting covers in front of their eyes to further de lay Oedipus fate. This sort of delay can also be seen in Iocastes reaction when the messenger from Corinth reveals more about Oedipus past. She reacts saying: For Gods love, letShow MoreRelatedEssay about Sight and Blindness in Oedipus Rex730 Words   |  3 PagesSight and Blindness in Oedipus Rex Oedipus Rex is a play about the way we blind ourselves to painful truths that we can’t bear to see. Physical sight and blindness are used throughout the play, often ironically, as a metaphor for mental sight and blindness. The play ends with the hero Oedipus literally blinding himself to avoid seeing the result of his terrible fate. But as the play demonstrates, Oedipus, the man who killed his father and impregnated his mother, has been blind all alongRead MoreOedipus Rex: Imagery of Blindness and Sight as a Medium to the Themes1218 Words   |  5 PagesIn the play, Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles, an honourable and admirable Greek king named Oedipus rules the town of Thebes. He is left in mental turmoil and decay as his unknown, corrupt and immoral past is slowly revealed during his quest to find the culprit who murdered King Laius. The newly exposed past suddenly transforms his glory and respect into shame and humiliation. After he learns about his wicked past he stab s his eyes, which lead to his blindness. During the course of the play, referencesRead More Blindness and Sight - Sight Versus Insight in Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex)1357 Words   |  6 PagesSight Versus Insight in Oedipus the King      Ã‚  Ã‚   Anyone who has common sense will remember that the bewilderments of the eye are of two kinds, and arise from two causes, either from coming out of the light or from going into the light,which is true of the minds eye, quite as much as the bodily eye; and he who remembers this when he sees anyone whose vision is perplexed and weak, will not be too ready to laugh; he will ask whether that soul of man has come out of the brighter life, and is unableRead MoreThroughout most famous Greek literature, a great hero usually saves the day. In the story of900 Words   |  4 Pagesusually saves the day. In the story of Oedipus though, the good man with one minor flaw goes through great pain. This pain in the play Oedipus Rex is the focal point for the whole play. Almost every aspect of the play builds up and foreshadows Oedipus’ fall from power, and entry into pain. Sophocles in his tragedy Oedipus Rex creates a mood of dramatic irony using the dualities of sight and bli ndness, and light and darkness. This dramatic irony highlights Oedipus’ hamartia and in doing so SophoclesRead MoreOedipus Rex Is A Greek Tragedy Written By Sophocles1177 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus Rex is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles. Sophocles, through writing this work along with Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus, became a legendary tragedian, and went off to produce several other works. This classic tragedy held great influence over Aristotle’s six components in his work, the Poetics, more specifically, over the component of plot and character. The birth of Oedipus Rex since spurred countless famous interpretations, including ones by the father of psychoanalysis himself, SigmundRead More The Role of Teiresias in Sophocles Oedipus Rex Essay1410 Words   |  6 PagesSophoclesOedipus Rex (the King) Teiresias uses his psychic abilities to foreshadow the anguish and destruction that Oedipus will encounter after he learns the truths of his life. Teiresias is also responsible for further developing the theme of blindness by using his own physical blindness to reveal to Oedipus his mental blindness. Lastly, Teiresias is ultimately responsible for imposing dramatic irony because of his great knowledge of the truth of Oedipus. In the play, Oedipus Rex, by SophoclesRead MoreHuman Will and the Power of the Gods: Oedipus Rex by Sophocles1363 Words   |  6 Pagesaccomplished only by some. Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is considered today as one of the greatest tragedies produced by an author during this time. Carefully crafted motifs, character-developing monologues, and poignant irony all combine to create a tragedy that leaves readers stunned and grieving for poor Oedipus. Throughout Oedipus Rex, the motif of blindness and sight emphasizes the struggle between the power of free wi ll and the power of the gods made evident in Oedipus’ interactions with Tiresias, Jokasta’sRead MoreThe True Vision of Blindness in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles Essay959 Words   |  4 Pagesthey are blind to it. In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles it is easy to see how blindness affects the transition of the story. It is said that blind people see â€Å"in a different manner† because they sense the world in a totally diferent way, such as Teiresias in the play. Oedipus Rex is a tragedy due to the content the Sophocles, the playwright, decided to include, first, murdering his father, king Laius, then marrying his mother, Jocasta, and ending by blinding himself. Oedipus has been blinded to the truthRead MoreThe Value Of Leadership In Oedipus Rex By Sophocles1326 Words   |  6 PagesBased on evidence, Athenians valued bravery, confidence and heroic strength in their leaders. For example, the entire reason Oedipus from Oedipus Rex by Sophocles became king of Thebes is beca use he defeated the Sphinx that was guarding the city, saving the citizens (info from the backstory). On page 11, a senator makes the comment, â€Å"if his bosom holds a grain of fear, curses like yours he never will abide.† The reader can assume the Athenians valued bravery because the senator makes a comment againstRead MoreOedipus the King and The Tragedy of King Lear Essay1272 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles’ Oedipus Rex and William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of King Lear One of the key themes in both Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of King Lear and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is the importance of having a good understanding of our condition as human beings – knowing ourselves, the world that surrounds us and our place in it. At the same time, however, both authors recognize the fact that blindness to this knowledge of the human condition is a basic mortal trait. Thus, before we can have an

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Review of Operations Management Free Essays

Introduction and Organizational Background Methodology Limitations of Research Literature Review Motivation and Culture Employee Reward Conclusion Recommendations References Need for Strategic Human Resource Procedures for Effectiveness Operation Management in Lead Way Business Group International. This report Is an evaluation of Lead Way Business Group International (ALIBI) a general business multinational servicing firms, human resource practices to see if it effective and follows best international best practices, in relation to its rewarding employees performance and what system sand strategies it uses to engage its staff towards achieving Its goals and objectives as a business. The challenges that ALIBI face is that of its operation management in its call centre department. We will write a custom essay sample on Review of Operations Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now Recent changes in its management structure of the centre has led to a decline In profits. It needs to adopt a strategic Human Resource strategy to be able to maintain its customer base and ultimately its profits. To achieve get a holistic view of its Human resource policies and practices a robust examinations was undertaking o identify the level of motivation and the attitudinal disposition of the staff of the at different level from the Executive team to the newest recruit to the company . As with most companies in its industry Lead Way aim and drive for doing business 1 org that its clientele demand and also the in order to fulfill its obligation as a whole Lead Way has a relatively highly motivated team of employees this may be as a result of its qualities of leaders and managers in the Human Capital division however some variances occur in the level of enthusiasm in all the other parts of the company this s due to an ongoing reposition and change management process being implanted in the company. On paper it strategy to encourage performance is effective as it uses regular appraisal tools to assess the performance of its staff to meet the need its business targets This submission of the evaluation of Lead Ways has highlighted minored for the company to meet is business target and save cost and deliver on quality it most lay emphasis on its staff training and human capital development and change the over culture to one that it becomes a learning organization which is considers employee involvement and engagement is paramount to ensure improvement in service delivery. Managing the Operations at Lead Way employee is the role of the managers who have the task of doing it effectively by making it a fundamental part of its operations by emphasis development and progression in career and also recognition for outstanding performance. In order to achieve its Organizational goals and business targets its Operations management policies must work hand in hand with its human resource objectives too. 1. Introduction and Organizational Background Lead Way Business Group International is in a highly competitive service based industry that demand innovation , creativity , service delivery excellence which are all dependent upon the performance of employees in its organization. As a result it need to have start performing at optimal level in the next ray in line with is change management agenda to transform the firm to expand and begin to expand to other international territories . Arrives to its client from Office supplies, Sales Outsourcing, International Freight services to business management Consultancy it employees over 100 employees in 3 different cities and seeks to expand to it forth in Africa The heart of the business is error in its slogan called â€Å"Servicing Your Business Needs Efficiently’. It business target is to be a leader in providing business services of Medium and Large cooperation’s in the areas it is situated also providing global business insight s due to its international presence. Efficiency being at the heart of Lead Ways business ethos demands that performance of its staff is at optimal level all the time in-order to also meet its business targets. Lead Way Business Service is a new generation sustainable social enterprise whose profits are reinvested in it, how its aim is to serve small start- p entrepreneurs and medium scale business to grow them to foster economic development. So its business with a heart as a result. Its main objective is not profit making but rather have to do with more socio political Issues which are influenced but changing technology, environmental and legal issues and also governmental policy changes (Slack et al,1995) As Lead Way is an international group and runs diverse services, to underpin its success it has a very elaborate human resource system that caters for the need of its employees. It is very effective and supports the rest of the organization in reaching TTS business objectives through various human capital development plans and procedure and people management strategies. Peculiar to its multicultural and multi-location set up it has HER challenges always arising from miscommunication and due to language barriers and personal relation problems, employee motivation staff welfare and attendance takes a lot of its productive time. There need to be a shift from such elementary but important issues to much more strategic and pro- growth and developmental issues that HER can contribute too , to ensure that the company tests its growth and service objectives In order to have a clear picture of the company’s performance and how the employee engagement and motivation contribute to it, an in-depth look at its performance management practices is essential. There are a range of services provided by Lead Way delivered by both skilled and unskilled staff and there are key performance indices that are used to asses performance. Everyone employed manual staff, volunteers, part time and full time start are all appraised and the Performance Management Framework is the basis of this report. Terms of Reference This report aims to establish and asses the following The Management of Operations in the call centre of ALIBI The effect and influence of HER polices and procedures on Operations in LABS! The Strategies for employee motivation and engagement within the company 1. In order to get a god understanding of the organizational culture in relations to performance of the Operations management framework a simple research was undertake of different types of employees ranging from the skilled to the unskilled managers to the new entry staff and they were asked to give their own view of the HER raciest and how it impacted them from different point of views Things that were sought after where the level of staff motivation and their attitude toward their work and how it affected communication, relationships and the cult ure of and within the organizations. It is essential to find out the relationship that exist if any of staff attitude/motivation, Strategic Human resource management and the overall Performance management Strategy for the organization and to achieve this both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. 1. 2 Limitations of Research Some of the limitations face during this research had to do with the different actions of the staff as some were office based and others where site based so the working culture couldn’t be duly ascertained holistically Also the samples size of the employees form various levels was limited. And due to the fact that the CEO of the organization was not physically present during the research and it was not commissioned by the organization. They were reluctant in provide all the support to reach a more conclusive and deductive results, Limited time and space was giving. Sam Lewis Thrill (2007) view of methods of data collection formed t the basis of nagging valuable insight that involve data collection and triangulation will assist in seeing if the figures and data match up with the perception and reality of the employees. 2. Literature Review – Operations Management According to Joseph G . Monks (2004. ) Operations Management is governed by polices that are stipulated by the management of an organizations It governs the predefined flow of resources in a systematic manner in a controlled environment to create a valuable service or product that meets the consumers’ needs and the organizations objectives Source http://www. Mandarin. Com/operation/ 27370849x_IPPP . PDF Two things are paramount which are the resources and systems. Resources which may include but are not limited to human I. E. He use of intellectual knowledge in planning and coordination of the process, capital I. E. Cash , stocks , store values etc. And material I. E. Physical inventories, supplies, plants etc. That are injection in the production process. Systems relate to components of management for the achievement of the objectives of the organization as a whole. For there to be efficiency there has to be a systematic approa ch to everything from problem solving o achieving goals Operations management refers to the administration of business practices to create the highest level of efficiency possible within an organization. Operations management is concerned with converting materials and labor into goods and services as efficiently as possible to maximize the profit of an organization. Performance is important, and the optimization of the performance of employees and seeks to address, for there to be a harmonies operation of system and people a comprehensive Human Resource policy and procedure my in place to oil the wheels of efficiency. Pawpaw (2005) research looks at effect of HARM on Performance management and the focus should not be on policy creation to drive performance alone but also in addition to that their implementation. In relations to other internal and external environmental factors. The question now is how do you measure performance? Performance Management is as Newly (1998) is about evaluation the of past action because past action is always a good determinate of present performance. It also involves picking, defining and applying of key bench marks for performances, factors which are used to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the process. Fine Sender (1999). Len any organization the main objective are quality, flexibility, dependability, cost and Speed . And a good reflection of if the company of meeting this objectives will be measured in its financial performance Self-Assessment Model of Performance Measurement Jackson, Zaire Whammy (1998) describe the self-assessment model as a tool that is foundational to effectiveness of any company business or organizations, because it gives full and clear view of activities and it also facilitates constant improvements. This is because it links organization performance with customer satisfaction, financial reference sphere headed by strategic planning. For there to be strategic planning a concrete HARM strategy must be employed The management must be cognizance of these factors and as a result create systems in the operation management process that would engage employees and keep them motivated to undertake the work at hand. So what is good Human Resource management in relation to operation management? Janssen and Stewart (2008) see human resource management as a set of social and cultural practices in every organization in to effectively manage the human capital taking into consideration the level and skill of employees, motivation , etc. They also say that it is easy to assume that employee and employers are working together toward a specified goal but in reality this must be subjected it the individual Interpretation and engagement with the HARM practices and how it motivates, engages or disengages them. Best HARM practice where explored by Thereof, Programs and Catalogue (2007). And it was discover that knowledge management and organizational learning are important contributors, they also suggest that HARM best practice leads to the effective running of and organization and that in turn performance of operations management. So there is a link between best HARM practices and peak performing Operation Management Systems in organizations. However these HARM policies and procedures must be continually monitored and buttressed to ensure they meet their specified objectives. Strategic HARM should always compliment Strategic Operations Management which aims at playing an active role working towards constant improvement to move to the next level of service delivery and empowering other sectors of the company play an active role in the overall strategy There are three main types of strategy employed Corporate, business ND functional level strategy. Slack Lewis (2001) see strategic operation as decision objectives taking into consideration it resources and its ability to meet ever growing market. Demands The Hayes and Wheelwright Model (1998) can be used to identify how effective the organization is as a whole and how operations affect this from a strategic stand point It has 4 stages I-Internal neutrality (being unable to contribute to effectiveness) 2-External neutrality (comparisons with external companies) 3- Internally supportive (employing best practices for credible effective operations) 4- Externally supportive (looking how operation can be a driver of cooperate strategy). For the purpose of this study we are going to be looking at the operation management of the office supply department of Lead Way Business service and in particular we would be looking at how it effective the operation are managed in its customer service department of its office supplies division In recent time there have been a lot of complaints from customers about the poor level of service delivery of the customer service team and this intern has affected the performance of the company as people are now taking their business somewhere else Last year in an attempt to save cost company outsource it s customer service operation to India and were able to save a lot off money . In the initial stage the initial stage the Indian company Tolerance India which they part own having substantial amount of shares in seem to be dependable and delivered on quality and it seemed their business approach was quite innovative compared to their competitors at the moment as they were also offering online chat support service for customers who order their services online. But in recent time there has been a drop in the quality of service. They had a new management team come in and changed most of the way he company operates and has also cut down lots off staff as a they have lost the advantage of flexibility and they are unable to meet the growing demand in calls and the online response time has slowed down drastically and the average call waiting time is minutes instead of the 4 minutes last year and 2 minutes average when it was based in the ask. Customers have been posting negative reviews and feedback on the internet and this has drastically affected their office supplies business services There is also the issue of language barrier that man Britons and English people say hey have difficulty understanding the ascents of the Indian employees and in some recent cases their English is very bad and as a result communication is gravely impaired. Discussion and Analysis of the HER strategies for Effect operations management in ALIBI This report would be assessing how the operations quality of service can be improved The major problem not uncommon to LABS managers is staffing level. A times demand falls and they need lest staff and a times it rises and they need more staff How can they maintain cost and quality and also be flexible in the staffing need to meet their consumers expectations dependably. They need to be able do an efficient long-tern forecast of demand for services to be able to avoid problems so they would have a good number of agents at all times. This must be done several week and even months in ahead and in conjunction with HER department to be able to operation management process. These are the inputs into the system and selection of adequately trained staff with the necessary skill is essential for the running of an internal call centre and how do y Characteristic of call centers is high turnover rate and also seasonal workers. How do you balance cost of training staff that would eventually leave the company and the emend for service from the customers. How to cite Review of Operations Management, Essays

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Of innovations essay example Example For Students

Of innovations essay example As the births of living creatures, at first are ill-shapen so are all innovations, which are the births of time. Yet notwithstanding, as those that first bring honor into their family, are commonly more worthy than most that succeed, so the first precedent if it be good is seldom attained by imitation. For ill, to mans nature, as it stands perverted, hath a natural motion, strongest in continuance; but good, as a forced motion, strongest at first. Surely every medicine is an innovation; and he that will not apply new remedies, must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator; and if time of course alter things to the worse, and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, what shall be the end? It is true, that what is settled by custom, though it be not good, yet at least it is fit; and those things which have long gone together, are, as it were, confederate within themselves; whereas new things piece not so well; but though they help by their utility, yet they trouble by their inconformity. Besides, they are like strangers; more admired, and less favored. All this is true, if time stood still; which contrariwise moveth so round, that a froward retention of custom, is as turbulent a thing as an innovation; and they that reverence too much old times, are but a scorn to the new. It were good, therefore, that men in their innovations would follow the example of time itself; which indeed innovateth greatly, but quietly, by degrees scarce to be perceived. For otherwise, whatsoever is new is unlooked for; and ever it mends some, and pairs others; and he that holpen, takes it for a fortune, and thanks the time; and he that is hurt, for a wrong, and imputeth it to the author. It is good also, not to try experiments in states, except the necessity be urgent, or the utility evident; and well to beware, that it be the reformation, that draweth on the change, and not the desire of change, that pretendeth the reformation. And lastly, that the novelty, though it be not rejected, yet be held for a suspect; and, as the Scripture saith, that we make a stand upon the ancient way, and then look about us, and discover what is the straight and right way, and so to walk in it.