The Legalization Of Marijuana For Medicinal Purposes Health Essay

The Legalization Of Marijuana For Medicinal Purposes Health Essay The legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes has become an increasingly controversial topic, with many different issues on which people have many different opinions. There is opposition to the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes because it has the potential to be used incorrectly, however it is also considered that there is the potential for marijuana to be used in relieving the suffering of many seriously ill patients. Marijuana has been used by people for thousands of years to provide relief from many different serious medical problems. There are many doctors who currently support the effectiveness of using marijuana as treatment for various medical conditions. The many people who are suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, and AIDS have found that marijuana can be a very effective pain and symptom reliever. ÂÂ  The legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes is viewed by its opposers as one of the worst things that we could do. Their reasons are that they feel that marijuana should not be legalized for medical use because it is an illegal substance and until that is changed, prescribing it is against the law. Attorney General Janet Reno announced that physicians in any state who prescribe the drug could lose the privilege of writing prescriptions, be excluded from medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, and even be prosecuted for a federal crime (Kassier 1). Government officials such as Janet Reno are not the only ones to object to the legalization of marijuana. Many parents groups like Mothers Against Drunk Drivers object to the legalization of marijuana for medical uses. Their objections come from a reasonable concern that there has been an increase in the use of marijuana by youth. Their concern is expanded since the marijuana of today is much more potent than the marijuana of a few decades ago. The potential for these teens to obtain the drug would increase. Also, the Federal Health and Drug enforcement officials feel tha t by legalizing marijuana, they would be sending the wrong message to young people (Your Health 1). Strong evidence that shows that regular use of marijuana for long periods of time could cause severe lung damage (Your Health 3). If the use of marijuana could damage a patients lungs, then the risk could outweigh the benefit. Marijuana smoke can be twice as toxic as tobacco smoke to a human lung. The strongest point that many make opposing the legalization of marijuana is that there just is no clear evidence that smoking marijuana can help an individual who is ill (Marijuana for the Sick 2). Countless amounts of research has been done but both sides have countered each other with facts and studies. What are the benefits and what are the clear cut negatives? The concept of using marijuana for medical use is nothing new. Marijuana is one of the oldest drugs known to man, the use of it has been documented as far back as 2700 B.C. in a Chinese manuscript. The Chinese would injest or inhale the Marijuana and feel pain relief for headaches and small aches and pains (Marijuana 1). The Chinese spread the concept over time, and while it never began a popular drug in most other societies, it still existed and was a common pain reliever. In 1839, a respected member of the Royal Academy of Science, Dr. W. B. OShaugnessy, was one of the first in the medical profession, who presented positive facts dealing with marijuana and medicine (History in Brief 3). His work helped open up the medical world to marijunas medical usees. The drug itself was not used as a popular recreational drug at the time and for this reason few saw a problem with using it for medical purposes. From 1840 to 1900, more than one hundred articles by American and European medical j ournals were published that showed the therapeutic uses of marijuana (Bakalar 2). Marijuana was recommended to stimulate appetites, and relax muscles, so if marijuana was effective in treating those ailments during this time period. Its defenders point out that the drug was praised by the patients and doctors alike. In 1988, Judge Francis Young, an examiner on administrative issues for the Drug Enforcement Agency, recommended that marijuana be reclassified for medical use, because the current acceptance of marijuana is present if a respectable minority of doctors support it. (A Doctors Report 1). The same Journal of the American Medical Association article, pointed out that even though the medical history of marijuana is five thousand years old, it has almost all been forgotten. Marijuana has already been legalized for medical use by both California and Arizona. In order to be passed, these laws required a majority vote by the public and by Congress that favored the legalization of marijuana. In 1991, eighty percent of the San Francisco voters approved of legalizing marijuana, and seventy-seven percent of Santa Cruz voters also agreed (History of Medical Marijuana 1). Since these laws were passed, there is proof of support for the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes. California and Arizona may be the only states that have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, but they are not the only states that have considered the legalization of medicinal marijuana. Massachusetts, had previously passed laws that permitted their citizens to use marijuana for medical purposes under some circumstances (Reefer Madness 2). Many states have passed laws that lessen the prosecution of those doctors who prescribe marijuana (Federal Foolishness and Marijuana 2). There have also been many polls showing that the public favors the use of marijuana for medical purposes (Reefer Madness 2). With all of this support for legalizing marijuana, it is only a matter of time before the prosecution of doctors for prescribing marijuana and patients for using marijuana as medicine ceases. Another powerful supporting factor for the legalization of marijuana is the endorsement of physicians. During a random survey of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, one thousand thirty-five members responded with surprising results (A Doctors Report 1). Almost half of the doctors said that they would prescribe marijuana if it were legal, and forty-four percent of them said that they had already recommended it to a patient (A Doctors Report 1). If there are doctors who are recommending marijuana, even at the risk of prosecution, it is obvious that they strongly believe that it can be very useful in the treatment of their patients. In addition, almost two thirds of the doctors also agreed that marijuana was an effective anti-emetic (A Doctors Report 1). This is important because of the life-threatening dehydration that can accompany emesis, which is usually known as vomiting. Doctors are allowed to prescribe narcotics for pain relief, such as morphine a! nd meperdine, which have been known to cause death during overdose, yet they are not allowed to prescribe marijuana as a medicine, even though marijuana has never been known to kill anyone (Federal Foolishness 2). Scientists have discovered that the reason that marijuana is so effective in treating many of the symptoms of the terminally ill is because of a chemical called THC, which is the main active ingredient in marijuana. Even though science has found a way to make a synthetic THC, marketed as Marinol (Lost in the Weed 1), it is extremely expensive, and it does seem to cause higher levels of depression and anxiety (Lost in the Weed 1). Other side effects of the synthetic THC are extreme dizziness and unsteady gait (Your Health 3). These side effects alone may be difficult to deal with, but many of these patients are already dealing with harmful side effects from the medicines they are taking for the treatment of their illness. They should not have to take a pill that is supposed to relieve them of side effects that causes additional side effects. Another negative aspect of Marinol that is experienced by patients and documented by doctors is that the synthetic THC, and! the THC from marijuana react differently in the body. There is also a convincing body of research, some of it now two decades old, shows that smoked marijuana suppresses nausea better than Marinol pills and with fewer side effects. (Your Health 3). Also, many patients are combatting nausea and vomiting, and it can be difficult for them to keep the expensive Marinol pill down (Medical Marijuana Debate Moving Toward Closure 3). If terminally ill patients have tried many different treatments, which have not been successful, and find that smoking marijuana helps them with their symptoms, with fewer side effects, and less expensively, then the patients should legally be able to have the option to make that choice. Cancer patients have found marijuana to be very effective in treating the side effects of chemotherapy. In an article in Time, Marijuana: Where Theres Smoke, Theres Fire, cancer patient Jo Daly, has described her experience with chemotherapy as a nuclear implosion of nausea. She went on to discuss feeling a burning pain under the nails of her fingers and toes. After she had tried many different alternatives to relieve her pain, she tried marijuana which seemed to be the only drug effective in relieving her pain. Jo Daly is not the only one to find marijuana effective in relieving the discomforts of chemotherapy. During the late seventies, and mid-eighties, six states performed research on how well marijuana operated on combatting chemotherapy related nausea and vomiting (Medical use of Marijuana 2). Their studies concluded that marijuana an extremely effective way to deal with the side effects of chemotherapy (Medical use of Marijuana 2). Prevention and con! trol of nausea and vomiting is paramount in the treatment of cancer patients (Information for Physicians 1). The reason that nausea and vomiting needs to be controlled is that, These can result in serious metabolic derangements, nutritional depletion, deterioration of a patients physical and mental status, withdrawal from potentially useful and curative antineoplastic treatment, and degeneration of self-care and functional ability. (Information for Physicians 1). For cancer patients it is very important to control their nausea and vomiting and marijuana seems to be able to accomplish this. It seems reasonable to allow patients the option and make medical marijuana available for their use. Another disease that marijuana seems to be useful in pain relief is multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is a painful central nervous disease for which there is no known cure. The most common complaint of multiple sclerosis patients is the pain of powerful muscle spasms, vertigo, and double vision, all of which can make life nearly unbearable (A Daughters Pain 1). There are some patients who say that marijuana can help in relieving them of these symptoms (A Daughters Pain 1). Even though there are existing medications offered to treat multiple sclerosis, many choose marijuana to relieve them of their suffering (A Daughters Pain 1). The reason for this is that other medications often result in severe side effects, that marijuana does not seem to have (A Daughters Pain 1). There is no documentation of this because there have been no controlled clinical trials that have compared marijuana with existing legal drugs (Your Health 3). There is proof, however, in! the fact that many patients choose to purchase marijuana to relieve their pain at any cost. Some patients are even willing to go to jail to get their marijuana, because for them, it is the only thing that proves to be effective (Federal Foolishness and Marijuana 1). Marijuana has also been found useful for treating patients with AIDS. It seems that marijuana can positively help AIDS patients in several ways. Some ways that marijuana can help is by relieving stress and depression, eliminating nausea, reducing pain, and fighting the AIDS wasting syndrome by enhancing the appetite (Stop Using Patients as Pawns!!! 1). Even though there are many treatments, AIDS patients who are in the final stages of the disease still suffer greatly. The legal options for these AIDS patients are the human growth hormone, another type of hormone called Megace, and the synthetic THC pill, Marinol (Your Health 3). These are the only FDA approved drugs for treating AIDS wasting syndrome, but some patients say that these are not adequate substitutes for marijuana (Your Health 3). It was said by one patient on Marinol that, All it did was make me groggy without enhancing my appetite., but marijuana has been found to increase the appetites of AIDS p! atients. AIDS activists and the doctors who treat the disease report that marijuana is also useful for suppressing the nausea thats a side effect of several anti AIDS drugs (Your Health 3). Another vital concern when dealing with an AIDS patients is their immune system. However, when studying HIV-positive men who used marijuana, it was determined that the marijuana did not seem to accelerate the deterioration of their immune systems (Your Health 4). This is another important consideration in treating this deadly disease. There are many different viewpoints on the use of marijuana as a medicine. These different points of view result in many important issues regarding the use of an illegal drug for medicinal use. Even though there are many people who are against legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, there are just as many who feel that if used correctly, marijuana can be an essential part of treating serious diseases. For centuries marijuana has been used to help those who are in need of effective pain relief . There are many doctors and patients, who feel that the usefulness and effectiveness of marijuana is being overlooked. As a result, many doctors are recommending the use of marijuana, regardless of the possible legal issues. Many patients, who are suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, and AIDS, have discovered that marijuana is a drug that provides them with much needed relief and they are using marijuana regardless of the consequences. In basic terms Marijuana may hav! e long term adverse effects and its use may presage serious addictions, but neither long-term side effects nor addictions is a relevant issue in such patients (Federal Foolishness and Marijuana 1) While advocating the legalization of marijuana as a recreational drug would be detrimental to society, its effectiveness for medicinal uses is clear and needs to be seriously considered.

Fate decides how you are born Essay

As with all Shakespearean tragedies, King Lear, lays bare all the possible permutations and combinations in human relationships. It is not uncommon to hear modern writers to lament the fact that Shakespeare has not left untouched any aspect of human interaction. The sub plot of Gloucester and his two sons, the legitimate Edgar and the bastard son Edmund is a curious complement to Lear’s own follies of trusting the outwardly affectionate and as a consequence alienating the sincerely loving child. The lesson of human nature this sub plot provides is about knowing when the bitterness towards an accident beyond your control takes primacy of purpose in your life. Edmund let his illegitimate status drive him to indulge in all villainous acts only to further the depravity of his soul. You might not be able to help certain circumstances that stigmatize your existence but the best way out of it is to lead a life of virtue and not resorting to illegitimate acts to get back at the world and the society that condemns you for no fault of yours. The essential difference between Lear and Gloucester is the motivation of the usurpers of their kingdoms. In the case of Lear, they are just greed and ambition. It is not quite that simple with Gloucester. He does love his illegitimate son Edmund and acknowledges his status as the young man’s father openly and publicly. But, every kind word and every single attempt at showing Edmund that he is loved by his biological father translates into a sting aimed at the circumstances of his birth. His entire personality is defined by the antipathy that kindness evokes in him. Through Edmund’s characterization, Shakespeare shows the readers that the stigma that affects any person and changes his personality traits need not necessarily be external. The stigma attached to any person tends to color his judgment, his motivation and actions for all his life and he continues to see the world and its actions through the refracted light of his yearning for legitimacy. Though it might be known to Edmund that whatever he achieves, legitimacy is one thing he shall never achieve as his status is indelible for all future. This drives him to a state where he wants to snatch things from his half brother, usurp his father’s crown and also help others in similar quests. One thing he fails to cultivate in all his life is a relationship based on trust. He can trust nobody and become trustworthy to no body in return. Failure to accept one’s station in life can be a great factor that evaporates any kindness and nobility from the soul which is what happens in the case of Edmund. The paradox of a mind consumed with one single purpose – retribution- aimed at world at large is brought forward elegantly in the soliloquy of Edmund before he sets up on his decided path of deceit. He wonders why he is not worthy in the world’s eyes and laments the fact that he can never be accorded the tag of legitimacy. EDMUND â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Why brand they us With base? with baseness? bastardy? base, base? †(1. 2. 11-12) But he fails to recognize the veil he is allowing to grow in his soul as he proclaims â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Edmund the base Shall top the legitimate. I grow; I prosper: Now, gods, stand up for bastards! †(1. 2. 20-22) Such evil intentions are enough to provide proof to Edmund that his mind is playing games with him and making him the slave of his deep rooted stigma of irregular birth and his yearning for legitimacy. But he fails to see them or perhaps, he wants to fail to see them. In the same context, Shakespeare also tries to invoke the belief held by man that stars and celestial events have a bearing on the behavior and relationships of man. GLOUCESTER â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦yet nature finds itself scourged by the sequent effects: love cools, friendship falls off, brothers divide: in cities, mutinies; in countries, discord; in palaces, treason; and the bond cracked ‘twixt son and father. This villain of mine comes under the prediction;†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †(1. 2. 101-108) It is an attempt by a father to hang on to his last vestige of love for his son by claiming that un natural or non-regular celestial events like eclipses had something to do with his son turning against him. In private, Edmund completely rubbishes any such possibility and laughs at the weakness of his father for attributing his misfortunes to stars and nature. In support of his argument he says that his nature would have remained the same even if he had been fathered under the auspices of the luckiest celestial combination EDMUND â€Å"when we are sick in fortune,–often the surfeit of our own behavior,–we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and the stars:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ (1. 2. 118-120) â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Tut, I should have been that I am, had the maidenliest star in the firmament twinkled on my bastardizing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1. 2. 132-134) The treachery of Edmund and his subsequent blinding at the hands of Cornwall, alienation from his son Edgar all lead to a decidedly defeatist philosophical outlook in Gloucester and he tries to explain his misfortune by saying that Gods inflict pain and suffering on humans for fun and as a pastime. He laments GLOUCESTER â€Å"As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods. They kill us for their sport. † â€Å"(4. 1. 37-38) He then decides to take his and asks the mad man (his son Edgar in disguise) to lead him to a cliff and let him jump from the heights to give up his life. Edgar cleverly takes him to a flat bit of land and pretends that he has let him jump, then quickly changes the way he speaks to make Gloucester believe that he has survived a fall from a great cliff because he was led by some angel posing as the mad man. Though far younger in age and having endured infamy and difficulties galore, Edgar had wisdom beyond his years and whenever his father falls prey to despair, he helps him out of it by explaining the meaning of life’s journey. When Gloucester decides that he shall go no further and shall prefer rotting in the same place, Edgar tells him that man’s duty is to endure and the journey can not be cut short for despair. Ageing, losing one faculties, suffering reversals are all part of life and shall not impede the journey. The success of a life well lived lies in the times that one has fallen and in spite of his fall, has managed to stand, dust himself off and started moving forward again, with hope in his heart that good shall overcome evil. It is well captured in Edgar’s entreaty to his father EDGAR â€Å"What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure Their going hence, even as their coming hither; Ripeness is all: come on. † (5. 2. 9-11) After several trials and tribulations Edgar finally accosts his half brother Edmund when he is invited for a duel and vanquishes him without identifying himself. When there are questions all around about the accusations he hurled at Edmund – as the chief perpetrator of cruelty and brutality against his own father Gloucester – Edgar finally reveals that he is the originally noble blooded son of Gloucester and he explains the difficulties he had to endure and the compulsion of his to act like an almost naked mad man, the attempted suicide of his father Gloucester and how he managed to save him with most implausible of stories. In the midst of all this exchange one more facet of Edmund’s villainous treachery bears its evil fruit. EDMUND â€Å"Yet Edmund was beloved: The one the other poison’d for my sake, And after slew herself. † (5. 3. 272-274) Edmund managed to manipulate even the love of two married ladies for him and this ends in tragedy when Goneril poisons Albany and subsequently kills herself. Misery and tragedy is what results in every venture that Edmund starts out on because his heart is so corrupted with wanton revenge and retribution but it is directed not at any person but at the circumstances of his birth and his burning desire to camouflage it with a magnitude of achievements that border on fantasy. As he senses the end of his life, Edmund suffers a conscience attack and wants to do some good. He finally realizes that ambition coupled with treachery ca take one only thus far and no further. Nobility of soul and purpose always manages to carry the day and it is evident from the fall from grace and favor of Edmund all so suddenly in the last act of this tragic play. Just before he is challenged to a duel by his half brother Edgar, he issues an order to kill Cordelia and King Lear. He also plans to pass it off as an apparent suicide. When he finally sees the mayhem he has created and the result of his treachery leading to two sisters dying, one by poison and other by her own hand, his conscience beseeches him to do at least one good deed before he is dead. He entreats the gathering to send some one to stop King Lear and Cordelia being killed as per his orders. EDMUND â€Å"I pant for life: some good I mean to do, Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send, Be brief in it, to the castle; for my writ Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia: Nay, send in time. †(5. 3. 276-280) The sub plot of Gloucester launches the main villainy of Edmund on to the main stage of the play and holds his evil nature central to all misfortunes, well helped by the human infirmities of King Lear’s two daughters. But it also cleverly counters the numerous noble characters of the play – Albany, Kent, Edgar- and the like. Evil wins several battles but ultimately loses the War. Good suffers several trials by fire but manages to hold its own at the end. Two kings who let flattery and suspicion take over their better judgments suffer the moist implausible of consequences and in this, Shakespeare leaves a lot of lessons for all future generations. He almost seems to list out some commandments about human nature 1. Thou shalt not fall prey to flattery – King Lear 2. Thou shalt not allow suspicion to encroach your judgment but shall seek out complete facts – Gloucester 3. Thou shalt not let bitterness pervade your soul, in acting with bitterness you invite bitter ends – Edmund Apart from all these, Shakespeare seems to ask us to evaluate at every step if our intentions and actions have the desired effect on the people who are affected by it. If you love, let not the love patronize or smother the loved ones. And as one learned professor confessed to a student conversationally â€Å"When in doubt about how to go about life, read Shakespeare. You might very well find the answer you need†

Common French Phrases

To keep up a conversation in any foreign language, its important to familiarize yourself with common phrases and expressions. Odds are that theyll come up more often than not. In French, some of the most common phrases like pas de problà ¨me (no problem) are similar if not identical to their English equivalent. These expressions are usually taught in class and tend to be relatively easy for students to grasp and recall. Not all common French phrases are simple. A good example of a more confusing expression is revenons  Ãƒ   nos  moutons, which directly translates to lets get back to our sheep but actually means  lets get back to the subject at hand. Expressions like these are often used conversationally among native French speakers but are often neglected in classrooms. Whether youre planning your first trip to a French-speaking country or you just want to improve your speaking skills, here is a list of common phrases (both simple and more elaborate) that are essential to keeping the conversation going. Affirmatives and Agreements en effet:  indeed, thats rightpas de problà ¨me:  no problemtant mieux:  its just as well, even bettertout à  Ã‚  fait:  absolutely, exactlybien  entendu:  of course, obviouslybien  sà »r:  of courseà §a  marche:  that worksà §a  mest  Ãƒ ©gal:  its all the same to me   Courtesies and Salutations à   la  và ´tre!:  cheers!à  Ã‚  tes  souhaits:  bless youBon  anniversaire!:  Happy birthday!Bon  appà ©tit!:  Enjoy your meal!à §a va (?):  hows it going?, Im finede rien:  youre welcomegrà ¢ce à  :  thanks tosi ce nest pas indiscret:  if its not too personal a questionsi tu veux:  if you willtiens:  here you go, there you are Causality, Comparison, and Condition à   cause de:  because of, due toà   la fois:  at the same timeau fur et à   mesure:  as, whileau lieu de:  instead of, rather than​avoir lair (de):  to look (like)du coup:  as a resultà   la  limite:  at most, in a pinch  Ãƒ   la  rigueur:  or even, if need be  Ãƒ   peine:  hardlyau  cas  oà ¹:  just in caseau fait:  by the wayvis-à  -vis (de):  facing, in relation to Debate and Discussion à   mon avis:  in my opinionah bon (?):  oh really? I seeau contraire:  on the contrary  dailleurs:  moreover, might I adda priori:  at first glance, in principleen  fait:  in factentendre dire  que:  to hear (it said) thatentendre  parler  de:  to hear (someone talk) aboutpar  contre:  whereas, on the other handpar  exemple:  for  example, such as; oh my, well really!revenons  Ãƒ   nos  moutons:  lets get back to the subject at hand Duration and Time à   peu prà ¨s:  about, approximately, nearlydu jour  au  lendemain:  overnighten retard:  lateentre  chien  et loup:  at dusk, twilightfaire  le  pont:  to make it a long weekend  Ã‚  tout  Ãƒ  Ã‚  lheure:  in a moment, a moment agotout  Ãƒ   coup:  all of a suddentout de suite:  right away, immediately Exclamations and Expressions allons-y!:  lets go!à   la franà §aise:  in the French style or mannerà   la une:  front-page newsà §a alors:  how about that, my goodnesscest-à  -dire:  that is, i.e., I meancest  parti:  here we go, and were off  ce  nest  pas grave:  it doesnt matter, no problemdis  donc  / dites  donc:  wow, by the wayenfin:  well, I meanet  jen  passe:  and  thats not allet  patati  et  patata:  and  so on and so forthfais  gaffe:  watch out, be carefulfais  voir:  let me seefigure-toi:  guess what, get thisfin:  well, I mean  il y a  quelque  chose  qui  cloche:  somethings amissJarrive!:  Im on my way!je  taime:  I love youon  ne  sait  jamais:  you never know  Vive la  France!:  Long live France!plus à §a change...:  the more things change...mà ©tro,  boulot, dodo: the rat racetu  connais  la  musique:  you know the routinetu  mà ©tonnes:  tell me something I dont knowdu loup: speak of the devilvoilà  : there is, thats it Negatives and Disagreements à §a  ne  fait  rien:  never mind, it doesnt mattercest  pas  vrai!:  no way!  Jen  peux  plus:  I cant take (it)  anymore  Je  nen  reviens  pas:  I cant believe it  Je  ny  peux  rien:  Theres nothing I can do about it.  Je  ny  suis  pour  rien:  Its got nothing to do with menimporte  quoi:  whateveroh là   là  :  oh dear, oh nopas  du tout:  not at all  pas terrible:  not that great, nothing specialrien  Ãƒ  Ã‚  voir:  nothing to do withtant  pis:  oh well, too bad, tough  tu  connais  la  musique:  you know the routinetu  mà ©tonnes:  tell me something I dont know Quantity/Amount de trop:  too much/manydu  tout:  not/none  at all  il y a:  there is, there are Questions nest-ce  pas?:  right? isnt that so?On y  va?:  Shall we go? Ready?tu te  rends  compte?:  can you imagine?ah bon?:  oh really?à §a va?:  hows it going?

Indian Castes and Feudal Japanese Classes (Comparison)

Although they arose from very different sources, the Indian caste system and the feudal Japanese class system have many features in common. Yet the two social systems are dissimilar in important ways, as well. Are they more alike, or more different? The Essentials Both the Indian caste system and the Japanese feudal class system have four main categories of people, with others falling below the system entirely. In the Indian system, the four primary castes are: Brahmins:  Hindu priestsKshatriyas:  the kings and warriorsVaisyas:  farmers, traders, and skilled artisans  Shudras  tenant farmers and servants. Below the caste system there were the untouchables, who were considered so impure that they could contaminate people from the four castes just by touching them or even being too close to them. They did unclean jobs such as scavenging animal carcasses, tanning leather, etc. The untouchables are also known as dalits or harijans. Under the feudal Japanese system, the four classes are: Samurai, the warriors​FarmersArtisansMerchants. As with Indias untouchables, some Japanese people fell below the four-tier system. These were the burakumin and hinin. The burakumin served essentially the same purpose as untouchables in India; they did butchering, leather tanning, and other unclean jobs, but also prepared human burials. The hinin were actors, wandering musicians, and convicted criminals. Origins of the Two Systems Indias caste system arose out of the Hindu belief in reincarnation. A souls behavior in its previous life determined the status it would have in its next life. Castes were hereditary and fairly inflexible; the only way to escape a low caste was to be very virtuous in this life, and hope to be reborn in a higher station the next time. Japans four-tier social system came out of Confucian philosophy, rather than religion. According to Confucian principles, everyone in a well-ordered society knew their place  and paid respect to those stationed above them. Men were higher than women; elders were higher than young people. Farmers ranked just after the ruling samurai class  because they produced the food that everyone else depended upon. Thus, though the two systems seem quite similar, the beliefs from which they arose were rather different. Differences between Indian Castes and Japanese Classes In the feudal Japanese social system, the shogun and the imperial family were above the class system. Nobody was above the Indian caste system, though. In fact, kings and warriors were lumped together in the second caste - the Kshatriyas. Indias four castes were actually sub-divided into literally thousands of sub-castes, each with a very specific job description. The Japanese classes were not divided in this way, perhaps because Japans population was smaller and much less ethnically and religiously diverse. In Japans class system, Buddhist monks and nuns were outside of the social structure. They were not considered lowly or unclean, just detached from the social ladder. In the Indian caste system, in contrast, the Hindu priestly class were the highest caste - the Brahmins. According to Confucius, farmers were far more important than merchants, because they produced food for everyone in society. Merchants, on the other hand, did not make anything - they simply profited off of trade in other peoples products. Thus, farmers were in the second tier of Japans four-tier system, while merchants were at the bottom. In the Indian caste system, however, merchants and land-holding farmers were lumped together in the Vaisya caste, which was the third of the four varnas or primary castes. Similarities between the Two Systems In both the Japanese and Indian social structures, the warriors and rulers were one and the same. Obviously, both systems had four primary categories of people, and these categories determined the sort of work that people did. Both the Indian caste system and Japanese feudal social structure had unclean people who were below the lowest rung on the social ladder. In both cases, though their descendants have much brighter prospects today, there continues to be discrimination against people who are perceived as belonging to these outcast groups. Japanese samurai and Indian Brahmins were both considered to be well above the next group down. In other words, the space between the first and second rungs on the social ladder was much wider than that between the second and third rungs. Finally, both the Indian caste system and Japans four-tiered social structure served the same purpose: they imposed order and controlled the social interactions among people in two complex societies. The Two Social Systems Tier Japan India Above the System Emperor, Shogun Nobody 1 Samurai Warriors Brahmin Priests 2 Farmers Kings, Warriors 3 Artisans Merchants, Farmers, Artisans 4 Merchants Servants, Tenant Farmers Below the System Burakumin, Hinin Untouchables