Centre for Disease Control (CDC) communication plan

Centre for Disease Control (CDC) communication plan A communication plan is a tool used to reach certain audiences by means of information channeling and dissemination. A good communication plan guides an organization in its endeavor to reach its target audience. It must give in detail the methods and timelines to be used so as to accomplish its objectives.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Centre for Disease Control (CDC) communication plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It gives an organization an effective platform in which to exchange messages, ideas and information, both within and without the organization therefore, enabling it to align its strategies with its mission and objectives (Bell Smith, 1999, p. 146).The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is charged with ensuring safety of the citizens in terms of health. It deals with diseases ranging from viral, bacterial and even nuclear related diseases. Therefore, it must have an effective tool in which informa tion is disseminated to the employees and target consumers. This paper is going to discuss the issues that affect CDC, its communication channels and ways to improve its communication. Introduction After the September 9th terrorist attack in New York, the American citizens became more afraid about their security. The Centre for Disease control (CDC) is at the heart of medical field in the United States, it’s mandate among others include, keeping track of existing communicable diseases, vaccination against certain diseases like flu, tracking and preventing bio-terrorism and containing outbreaks of diseases, in extreme cases, quarantine the affected population. Therefore, it is of importance for CDC to have a proper communication plan that will enable them to disseminate information to its audience, in this case, the general public, the hospitals under its mandate, the medical practitioners and other government agencies (Bell Smith, 1999, p. 156). The events that followed afte r the attack can only be described as life changing, since governments all over the world begun implementing strategies to counter such attacks. This communication plan is going to be affected by various factors (Bell Smith, 1999, p. 254). Some of these factors are controllable and some are not. The controllable factors include but not limited to, method of information dissemination; either through the print, electronic or social media. The method one chooses to disseminate information is at one’s peril, one has to choose a method and medium that will ensure maximum reach for maximum impact (Paul Jonathan, 2004, p.32). Other factors include the kind of information to be disseminated.Advertising Looking for term paper on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More You want to give your audience only the relevant information and information that is going to generate positive responses in terms of p reparedness (Baldoni, 2003, p.61). As CDC, our work is in sensitive areas of health, some situations are life and death types, therefore, we only have to give information that is going to make the audience aware of a threat, but not enough to make them more afraid. For government agencies and other related institutions. We need to provide them with as much information because they are a source of help and can lend a much needed hand. Factors that are not at our control include the media reaction, public reaction and the processes of other institutions and agencies. We disseminate information with all the good intent, but we cannot control how the media will react after they get such information. We live in a free world, where the media has the freedom to choose how to air it’s views, therefore, all the CDC can do is give the required information and prepare for damage control in case of a backlash. This is only in extreme situations. In order to do proper damage control, the CDC has to equip its experts with the right information to defend its actions. This applies to the public reaction and opinion too. It is upon, us as an agency to elaborate where possible and give more information where needed. In terms of other agencies’ processes, the CDC has no control over, therefore, we can only serve to provide guidance and it’s upon the agency to use its resources to execute the plan. However, as the agency responsible for preventing, controlling phenomena and treating diseases, we have to develop an effective mechanism for communication that will ensure that no misinterpretation on miscommunication occurs. Communications Plan for the CDC The Purpose of the Plan The objective of this communication plan is to provide support to CDC’s strategic objectives and provide effective action plan for the organizational communication of the Centre for Disease Control for the next one year.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Centre for Disease Control (CDC) communication plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It serves as a guiding document for all the communication that the CDC will undertake both within and without the organization’s structure in an effort to reach the American citizens, our health facilities, the security agencies, drug manufacturers and related agencies around the world (Janel, 1998, p.12). This framework will ensure that CDC will be able to contain all the threats that America faces either nuclear related, bioterrorism or the day to day outbreaks of diseases. This will also ensure that we do not lose track of other issues that we are currently dealing with such as researching on new medicines and methods of controlling disease spread (Baldoni, 2003, p.67). Targeted audiences and partners The target population or audience of the CDC in this program include the following; American population: the general population is always at risk and are the direct sufferers of an incident. Federal and State governments: The federal government is in charge of CDC and is advised in health issues by the CDC, therefore the CDC should be ready to give the federal government information so that it can rally its agencies to take action. Health practitioners: These are the people responsible for providing health care to the population. National security agencies including but not limited to the FBI, CIA, Homeland Security and Department of Defence: These are national agencies responsible for keeping external and internal threats at bay. Specific groups of stakeholder Federal and state Governments As stated above, the CDC gets its mandate from the federal government. They play an advisory role and also coordinate action on the ground. The CDC will inform the Department of Health and Human Services of the foregoing through the use of external memos, phone calls and fax. The Department of Health and Human Services requires all the i nformation from the ground, the circumstances leading to the event and what the CDC is doing to tackle the foregoing. Since it is an agency-agency communication, the head of operations on the ground will contact the head of CDC then the head of CDC will contact the person/department responsible for receiving information of such nature in the Department of Health and Human Services. This communication will be done through the use of telephone call for conveying immediate information, and then followed by a fax detailing action and casualties. Later, an inter-agency memo is going to accompany the full report of the occurrence.Advertising Looking for term paper on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The CDC will also use it’s centres across the country to inform the state governments on what action they need to take in order to prevent a similar occurrence or how to advice its residence. This will be done through telephone calls, fax and/or reports detailing contingency measures. American population The Centre for Disease Control’s mandate is to, as quoted from its mission statement: â€Å"Collaborating to create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health – through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and preparedness for new health threats† (CDC, 2011). This mission statement mentions communities and people. As an American agency, the community here is the general public. Therefore, this is our target group. This group needs information on how to behave in case an emergency occurs. The CDC wants to keep people as far away from the incident site as possible. In this case, if a bio-terrorist attack occurs in a subway station in New York the direct sufferers will be the subway users. The media, both electronic and print will be used, to disseminate information. CDC officials will appear in programs on television organized in a manner to ensure that there are audience to discuss issues, answer questions from the public and from the moderator. The print media will be used to feature the CDC and the information it wants to disseminate. The CDC will use this medium knowing that the American public are watching as illustrated by Nielsen’s Three Screen Report- Q1 09 A2/M2: Overall Usage Number of Users 2+ (in 000’s)- Monthly Reach 1Q09 4Q08 1Q08 % Difference Year to Year Watching TV in the House 284,574 285,313 281,106 1.2% Watching Time shifted TV 79,533 73,934 57,934 37.3% Using the Internet 163,110 161,525 158,002 3.2% Watching Video on Internet 131,102 123,195 115,970 13.0% Using Mobile Phone 230,436 228,920 219,619 4.9% M obile Subscribers Watching Video on a Mobile Phone 13,419 11,198 8,817 52.2% Source: The Nielsen Company, 2009. Secondly social media will also be used to reach the youth and the connected generation. Presentations to groups, brochures, flyers, and special events programs at town halls will also be used as follow up methods to ensure that all the population is reached. Health practitioners As stated in roman number two above, the CDC is mandated to protect the citizens from any harm that may result from health complications caused by either pathogens or poisonous substances disseminated either accidentally or otherwise. The health practitioners are responsible for providing medical remedies to infected or affected citizens. In case a nuclear disaster occurs, the CDC is mandated to advise the health centres on what medicine to give to people. Normally, the CDC publishes and distributes information on new medical discoveries, but in cases of emergencies, it will use its centres to spread the information. Alternatively, in cases where there are no centres, it will use fax and telephone calls. National security agencies including but not limited to the FBI, CIA, Homeland Security and Department of Defence These are the security apparatus responsible for ensuring the physical safety of American population. The CDC deals with issues touching on national security; therefore, it has a prerogative to disseminate relevant information to the national security organs. In this communication, the CDC will use its communications department to disseminate information to this apparatus. The use of telephone calls, fax, memos, and reports will be affected in such communications (Fearn-Banks, 2007, p. 170). Telephone calls will be used to address urgent matters such as imminent attack, reporting an incident or enquiry. Fax, memos, and reports will be used as follow ups and explaining events further. Evaluation Success of this plan will depend upon the employees of the CDC. Th e employees are the cornerstone of these communications, since they are the ones who will be responsible for executing all the actions, either information collection, entering data or even posting the materials. We will conduct an evaluation of the whole process. These are some of the parameters we will use to measure success: Media airtime allocated to CDC programs: The more time allocated, the more likely we will reach many audiences. The tone of the coverage: Did the media convey the message in a positive light or it was critical The location of the media outlet: This matters because it shows which audiences we reached and the literacy rates of the population. The more populated the location and coverage area, the more people we will reach. How many fliers were given out and how many people attended events? How many phone calls, emails, or letters did you receive after the campaign ended? All these parameters will help in measuring our reach and the impact of our campaign. Back up plan Just like any other plan, there are setbacks that can cause the whole process to collapse. As noticed, the whole plan uses conventional means of conveying information. We will initiate another round of campaigns to follow up on the previous plans. This will largely focus on the media both print and electronic in the form of features. References Baldoni, J. (2003). Great communication secrets of great leaders. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. Bell, A., Smith, D. (1999). Management Communication. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Inc. CDC. (2011). Vision, Mission, Core Values, and Pledge. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/about/organization/mission.htm Fearn-Banks, K. (2007).Crisis Communications: A Casebook Approach. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Janel, R. (1998). Strategic Communications for Non-profit Organization: Seven  Steps to Creating a Successful Plan. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. The Nielsen Company. (2009). Television, Internet and Mobile Usage in the U.S.  A2/M2 Three Screen Report. 4th Quarter 2008. Web.

French Angelfish Facts

French Angelfish Facts French angelfish are part of class Osteichthyes and live in coral reefs in the Western Atlantic, from the Bahamas to Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico. Their scientific name, Pomacanthus paru, comes from the Greek words for cover (poma) and spine (akantha) due to their protruding spines. French angelfish are very curious, territorial, and often travel in pairs. Fast Facts Scientific Name: Pomacanthus paruCommon Names: French angelfish, french angel, angelfishOrder: PerciformesBasic Animal Group: FishDistinguishing Characteristics: Black scales with yellow rims in adults and black scales with yellow vertical bands in juvenilesSize: 10 to 16 inchesWeight: UnknownLife Span: Up to 10 yearsDiet: Sponges, algae, soft corals, ectoparasitesHabitat: Coral reefs in tropical coastal watersPopulation: StableConservation Status: Least ConcernFun Fact: Young French angelfish form symbiotic relationships with bigger fish. They remove parasites from other fish species and receive protection in return. Description French angelfish have thin bodies with protruding lower jaws, small mouths, and comb-like teeth. They have black scales with a bright yellow rim, and their eyes have yellow at the outer portion of the iris. Juveniles have a dark brown or black body with vertical yellow bands. As they mature, the scales begin to develop yellow rims, while the rest of the body remains black. French Angelfish, Pomacanthus paru, in Chichiriviche de la Costa, Venezuela, Caribbean Sea. Humberto Ramirez / Getty Images These fish commonly swim at depths of 15 feet, traveling in pairs in coral reefs near sponges. They are strongly territorial and will fight with neighboring pairs over areas. Due to their small bodies, French angelfish are able to swim into narrow cracks between corals to hunt and hide from predators. They swim by rowing their pectoral fins, and their long tail fins allow them to turn quickly. Habitat and Distribution French angelfish occur in coral reefs, rocky bottoms, grassy flats, and other places that provide coverage in tropical coastal waters. They have been found in the Atlantic Ocean off the coasts of Florida down to Brazil. They also appear in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and occasionally off the coast of New York. French angelfish can survive a wide variety of environments due to their salinity tolerance. Diet and Behavior Juvenile French Angelfish cleaning the tail of a Bar Jack underwater off the Yucatan peninsula. Alphotographic / Getty Images Adult angelfish’s diet mostly consists of sponges and algae. Many sponges have a V-shaped pattern due to French angelfish bites. They also eat cnidarians including zoantharians and gorgonians, as well as other aquatic invertebrate animals such as bryozoans and tunicates. Young angelfish eat algae, detritus, and ectoparasites cleaned off other fish. In reef ecosystems, young French angelfish set up â€Å"cleaning stations† for a variety of fish clients as a way for them to control parasites. They do so by touching the body of fish clients with their pelvic fins to remove parasites. This specialized function rivals other cleaners like gobies and shrimp. Client fish include jacks, morays, surgeonfish, and snappers, among many others. Adults form pairs, staying with their mate for life. These pairs search the corals for food during the day and hide from predators at night in cracks in the reefs. Despite being very territorial, adult French angelfish have been known to be very curious towards divers. Reproduction and Offspring French angelfish reach sexual maturity when they are around 3 years of age and about 10 inches long. Spawning occurs from April to September. They are nest non-guarders and reproduce in pairs via external fertilization. Unlike other fish that spawn in the open, French angelfish mate exclusively with their partner. The male and female will travel to the surface where they release both eggs and sperm into the water. The eggs are only 0.04 inches in diameter and hatch 15 to 20 hours after fertilization. These eggs develop in plankton beds until they can travel down to the coral reef. A hawksbill sea turtle feeds on a sponge while two french angelfish look on. Shot at the dive site Tormentos in Cozumel, Mexico. Brent Durand / Getty Images Conservation Status French angelfish are designated as Least Concern as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The organization found the population of French angelfish to be stable because the current collection for aquarium trade does not impact the global population. French Angelfish and Humans French angelfish are economically important because juveniles are collected using nets to sell to aquariums and are reared in captivity. Due to their high tolerance to environmental changes, disease resistance, and their curious personalities, French angelfish make ideal aquarium fish. Additionally, they are fished for food locally in some countries like Singapore and Thailand, although there have been reports of ciguatera poisoning. This type of poisoning is caused by eating fish that contain ciguatera toxins. Sources French Angelfish. Oceana, https://oceana.org/marine-life/ocean-fishes/french-angelfish.French Angelfish Facts And Information. Seaworld, https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/bony-fish/french-angelfish/.French Angelfishes. Marinebio, https://marinebio.org/species/french-angelfishes/pomacanthus-paru/.Kilarski, Stacey. Pomacanthus Paru (French Angelfish). Animal Diversity Web, 2014, https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pomacanthus_paru/.Pomacanthus Paru. Florida Museum, 2017, https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/pomacanthus-paru/.Pyle, R., Myers, R., Rocha, L.A. Craig, M.T. 2010. â€Å"Pomacanthus paru.† The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2010, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165898/6160204.

Reading Response # 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Response # 4 - Essay Example nd other media, from where the Arab countries came from in terms of access to information, the popularity of satellite TV can already be considered as a positive development as it gives them greater freedom in terms of content of the medium. In a study made by Sakr among the Arab youth, the study reported that most Arab youths spent at least three a hours a day on TV (81). While this may be a spike in terms of the number of hours of exposure to TV among the youth in the Middle East, the figure is not unusual comparing to other youths in the rest of the world. Just like any other kid from the rest of the world, Arab youths also love to watch TV. Perhaps this concern of increased number of hours of watching satellite TV among the Arab youth came from the perspective that there was no such popularity of TV watching before as the state used to control the content of TV. Satellite beaming changed the media landscape for it rendered authoritarian governments powerless in controlling the content of this media. In turn, its audience, particularly the youth, found a greater sense of freedom in terms of content, hence the extended number of hours watching it. Freedom may be a given and an overlooked concept in the western world but it is a big deal in Middle East. In a study done again by Sakr (83), the findings showed that the main reason why educated Arabs left and wanting to leave their respective home countries is because of the lack of freedom. Television may have a powerful influence in a society but it has to be taken in its proper context. TV is just a platform of information and entertainment, and to a certain extent, a medium of public discourse. Compared to a state controlled content, satellite beaming of TV networks such as Dubai-based Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) Lebanese-based Future TV in 1995, Qatar-based al-Jazeera, Lebanese LBCI, Syrian-owned, London-based ANN etch is way better because there is a degree of freedom over the content

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 2

Business law - Essay Example In this context, the case of Foss v Harbottle1 will be relevant, since it allows for the protection of minority shareholders within a Company and allows them to file suit against unfair conduct and a compromising of their interests. For example, in the case of Burland v Earle2 the issue under consideration was the allegation of the minority shareholders that fraud was being perpetrated on them, and those responsible for the fraud were the ones in control of the company. While Higbert may not be able to contest the manner in which he is being marginalized on the basis of fraud, he can certainly bring suit against the other Directors who are in control of the Company for conduct that is unfair to his interests as a shareholder and Director of the Company. In his position as a minority shareholder, Higbert can consider bringing a suit against the other three Directors under Section 459 of the Companies Act of 1985, requesting the Court to pass an order decreeing that the affairs of the Company â€Å"are being conducted or have been conducted in a manner which is unfairly prejudicial to its members generally or of some part of its members.†2 Higbert also satisfies the conditions necessary for a person to file under Section 459, i.e, (a) he is one of the shareholders affected by the prejudicial conduct and (b) action under Section 459 can also be taken for proposed unfair conduct. Re R.A. Noble and Sons (Clothing Ltd)3 – in this case, the Company was founded as a quasi partnership, along similar lines as Hippos Ltd where the partners were also shareholders. One shareholder sued and won under Section 459, because he was excluded from the management. In effect, maginalizing Higbert also amounts to partial exclusion from the management of the Company and therefore this case may be successfully applied in Higbert’s case.. Other

Conflict Is an Ever-Present and Ongoing Aspect of Peoples Lives Essay Example for Free

Conflict Is an Ever-Present and Ongoing Aspect of Peoples Lives Essay Conflict is an ever-present and ongoing aspect of peoples lives Conflict is a omnipresent part of life regardless of time and place. It has been in our lives ever since the start of our ancestry, where they fight for survival against the wild. Conflict can be as simple as the internal conflict of choosing what we want to have for lunch, It can also be at a large scale like a global war. Without the hardship we and experience we gain from it as an individual, life would be undoubtedly boring and plain. Individuals wouldnt be able to learn right from wrong, neither would they experience different situations and learn how to overcome it. Conflict is a fundamental factor of life, it is in books, at work, at school, online and even on the news. Every day we are faced with at least one type of conflict, or at least witness one. Therefore conflict is unavoidable and always present in our paths as we grow from a fetus to the day we pass away. Protagonists from our favourite novels encounter different hardships as their journey is spilled out onto the pages for us to read and picture their life. In the famous novel entitled The Rugmaker Of Mazar-E-Sharif written by Najaf Mazari and Robert Hillman, illustrates the life of Najaf and how he encounters vary different types of conflict. The moving event of the loss of his father to war, forever traumatises Najaf. We as children are first introduced to our mothers and fathers, causing them to be the closest people we would have in our lives when we are first sent to kindergarten we cry and cry due to the missing warmth and loving grasp of our mothers and fathers. Now this is only for a day, imagine not seeing one of the people you love most for the rest of your life. That is the pain and horror Najaf goes through as he loses his father. That doesnt stop Najaf from staying on his feet to look after his family. until he faces the internal battle to decide if he should flee to Australia or stay back. Demonstrating that we face hardship one after another. Creating an endless cycle. All the pre-mentioned events was caused by one of the worlds greatest battle of different beliefs, war. The ongoing war has caused all the devastation for Najaf, forcing him to flee his homeland. This enhances the factor of conflict being omnipresent and the ongoing fundamental part of any individuals life. Devastating events can occur at any time of our lives. An example of this is the Victorian bushfires. Where you could be out with your family enjoying the hot weather, and all of a sudden a giant blaze of fire is picked up by the wind and surrounds you in matters of seconds. You are trapped and while blinded by the smoke you hear your family screaming and whelping under the loud crackling of bark and the defining blaze. Soon you too are consumed by the giant blaze of fire. It was unavoidable, you were unaware of the event. Creating grief and pain within others. Proving that one hardship leads to another. Making conflict a endless cycle within our lives. The families who have lost members to the terrifying Victorian bushfires has suffered an unbearable and unimaginable loss. The loss of a loved one, Like Najaf and many other individuals in our society. The one event will continue to haunt the grieving individuals and families. They will remember the ones they lost, they will keep replaying the memories with them and cherish what they have left behind. This is what conflict sometimes does to us. And it will continue to prance around our lives just like the famous line Justin Timberlake uses in one of his famous songs. what comes around, goes around which brings me to the next point. In continuum, Internal conflict is one of the main aspects of hardship we face as humans. Our different believes smothered with the other beliefs from the people we sometimes call bullies. From a young age we can be exposed to bullying. May it be outside on the oval, the playground or even indoors. it is still something we face. t can range from name calling to physically hurting someone. As humans we like to have power but some of them take it to a whole new level. where they will insult and hurt the people smaller or weaker just for their satisfaction of power. This then causes depressing thoughts within individuals, or even the attempt of suicide. Depressing thoughts are caused by bullying or an devastating event which ultimately lead to the judgement of one self. When someone thinks I am not good enough or everyone hates me yes it was probably caused by bullying but it had continued to haunt them to create internal conflict. This is an extreme extent of internal conflict. Another pre-mentioned example of internal conflict is as simple as choosing what we want for lunch. Yes it may sound stupid but we do have a mini brain war about what we want for lunch. ultimately showing that hardships are forever in our lives and will continue to stay in our lives. As individuals we face conflict where ever we go. It is in books, at work, at school, online and even on the news. Ultimately meaning it is a omnipresent and a fundamental part of any individuals life. In other words, conflict is an ever-present and ongoing aspect of peoples lives Najaf experiences the same horrifying pain of losing a loved one as the families from the Victorian bush fires. At the same time they all face internal conflict just like a individual that has experienced bullying, or a teenager thinking of what to buy for lunch from the school canteen but to a greater level. Conflict is unavoidable. It is forever in our lives and will continue to shape us as individuals until we pass away.

Analysis of To His Coy Mistress Essay -- To His Coy Mistress, Andrew M

To his coy mistress is about sexual feelings and infatuation, based on the Italian tradition of courtly love - it is filled with compliments and references to sexual activity and deviancy but is generally a one sided love, the whole poem is about the man wooing the woman and persuading her that she should have sex with him. Throughout the first stanza the poet writes how he would love the woman, had they had all the time in the world. The love is much exaggerated. "I would love you ten years before the flood" This is clearly an exaggerated statement because the flood happened before Christ, before the poet or the woman even existed. This portrays that he would love her forever. "My vegetable love would grow vasterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and more slow" The poet is talking about time, about his love growing slowly but surely over time. The reference to a vegetable the natural fruit of the earth symbolises how the love for the woman will grow over years, from a seed getting bigger over time- its natural and deep rooted love. The end of the poem becomes more persuasive and hasted. The poet gets more desperate for the woman to accept his offer and to agree to sleep with him. A clear indication of a change in tone is shown in stanza twoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ "BUTà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ times winged chariot hurrying near" Where the word But is placed at the start of the sentence usually indicates that the statement before the but is about to be contradicted with a sentence of the opposite meaning (he was good BUT he is being bad) the use of personification verbs add to the tone of the poem; making time seem as a winged chariot emphasises the rush that the poet is in, .. ...time "Seemed night at noon day" Though in the poem the reader is not given a sense of 'hurrying' and anticipation but a sense of confusion portraying the emotional distress the poet is going through. As the poem progresses into the third and last stanza the poet writes of his rejection and his pain cause by the subject he had so hopelessly fallen in love with. "Is love's bed always snow?" this is a rhetorical question, comparing the of love which is thought to be warm and loving with passionate heat and comfort (positive) to snow; cold harsh snow, with no colour, which is bleak and which brings death to all living things (negative) - again the poet is using contrasting aspects in one sentence to show confusion too. The poet has been made to feel that love is a horrible, harsh and bitter feeling.

Dante and Machiavelli

Dante and Machiavelli define opposite sides of the Renaissance in several ways. Certainly the former believes that God will reveal all and call people to account for their behavior, while the latter gives every sign of believing in no God and supposing that scrupulous behavior only makes one a target for ruthless exploitation. This difference in the two could be expressed in terms of religious faith—but they could also be said to have differing views of human nature. Try to get to the heart of the distinction. Why is Machiavelli’s sense of right and wrong so opposed to Dante’s? Written two hundred years apart, The Inferno by Dante and The Prince by Machiavelli both contain examples of society during the late middle ages and also the beginning of the Renaissance. While not contemporaries, both men held similar cynical views towards human nature, but opposing views on social structure. Dante believed that those with power were all destined to become corrupt while Machiavelli wrote that authority is necessary in order to maintain structure within the population. The Inferno, written as the first of three movements of The Divine Comedy, tells of one man’s journey into Hell with the help of Roman poet Virgil. As the two men journey through the nine circles of hell, Dante, or the Pilgrim, sees the souls of men and women and either feels pity or hatred, but most of all feels a sense of vengeance. In Dante’s hell, the punishment fits the crime. The lustful are forced to walk naked beside those of the opposite sex, the slothful are forced to reside at the bottom of the river Styx, and the soothsayers are forced to perpetually look back by having their necks twisted around. The Inferno is essentially a social commentary, exposing society’s true evils. In the eighth circle, simple fraud, were the simonists; those priests, popes, and bishops who, instead of revealing the glory of God, used their power to gain monetary wealth and fame. Their punishment is being buried head first, the soles of their feet on fire. The Pilgrim sees Pope Nicholas III who asks him if he is Boniface, â€Å"Is that you here already upright? † By including these popes in hell, Dante made clear his views on the leadership of the church and believed that the church had no control or right to control secular and civil matters. Dante also shows which sins he sees as the worst of sins, putting betrayers in the lowest circle of hell. Dante mploys some common sense while discussing hell, putting obvious sinners in the lower circles and prone to harsher punishments, but he also puts the not-so obvious sinners in hell. Even though one may think he is doing the right thing, all motives are evaluated upon judgment and even a trace of selfishness or greed may threaten one’s chance in heaven. This is why Dante’s hell is rife with politicians and leaders. Although they may have the community’s best interests at heart, politicians become obsessed with fame and glory, often forgetting that they are representatives of the people. In The Prince, Machiavelli explains what a good and successful prince should be like. He advocates a strong, cutthroat authority figure and encourages the winning of power by any means necessary. The main theme in The Prince is that mob rule is dangerous, for people know only what is good for themselves and not what is good for the whole. The common people, in Machiavelli’s view, â€Å"are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you treat them well, they are yours†. He believes that these commoners should be ruled absolutely, yet compassionately, in order to suppress any challenge to ruling power. The only founded political dissent should come from the nobles and even then, all should be done so as not to fester thoughts of revolution. While it seems as though Machiavelli was a power-hungry despot, The Prince was merely a reaction to what he saw as a necessary evil. Machiavelli was actually a strong supporter of the republic in which the people, the very people he describes as being uneducated and self-centered in his book, ruled over themselves. In The Prince, he does give the common people credit, saying that, if a prince upsets them, they can take severe and dangerous action. â€Å"[The] best fortress that exists is to avoid being hated by the people† (XX, 70). Machiavelli understood that no matter how much power a prince may have, he is always at the risk of losing it whether it be at the hands of the people or the hands of another prince. Also, because he was first a supporter of republic, he understood the need for certain â€Å"checks† to be put in place to safeguard against revolution and lack of popular support. Machiavelli argues that, unless a prince’s subjects hate him, they will love him and follow him through any trouble that may beset the principality. In general, Machiavelli believes that a leader should be a true leader and rally the people behind his cause, even if that means killing off dissenters for the good of the whole. Although, upon first reading, The Prince seems to tell the tale of dictatorship and totalitarianism, it is much closer to modern democracy than some would like to believe and still is applicable to modern governments. Representing two different ages and two (supposedly) different world views, The Inferno and The Prince are quite similar in that both see humanity as somewhat of an evil and ungrateful status. They differ, however, by their view of what should be done about the human condition. Dante believed that what is done in this life will be punished accordingly in the next life, and there is little to be done, for even the unbelievers are subject to God’s will by being trapped in limbo. Machiavelli, on the other hand, didn’t believe in the afterlife and so thought that life should be lived here on earth and sin will be forgiven at death. This way, men can be free to strive for and obtain that which makes them happy, for the pious are buried just like the unbelievers. Ironically, The Prince is more optimistic than The Inferno, for Machiavelli stresses that, despite actions done on earth, all will be forgotten, for sin dies with the body.