The interaction of cultural myths Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The interaction of cultural myths - Essay Example The myth of the melting pot refers to the aspect of people originally from minority races being influenced to abandon their cultures in order for them to become ‘American’ instead of fusing their culture with the American culture. The myth of individual opportunity is also illustrated by Eric Liu in which everyone in America is given the opportunity to achieve the desired American dream through any way possible. For the Chinese, they created Chinatown in Manhattan, New York, which is significant for the Chinese because they were able to retain a bit of Chinese culture through trade as much as they were in pursuit of the American dream. With this, this essay will discuss how each of these myths coincides with Eric Liu’s essay ways in which the myths reinforce, contradict or challenge each other and the expression of the same in the text. America is not a melting pot, but rather it is a compartmentalized society with truer whites being in the biggest compartment while the other ethnic minorities fit in the smaller compartments. Essentially, the melting pot is the assimilation aspect for a person from a minority culture in the dominant culture in the hope of obtaining economic improvement, which is usually at the expense of their own culture (Chandler and Ledru 115). Eric argues that Asians in America have replaced the Jews to become the model minority based on the aspect of assimilation. Essentially, this becomes a myth because as much as the minorities claim to have undergone assimilation, they still experience first hand racism making them not to be part of the white culture that they perceive to be part of. However, in the essay Liu writes: â€Å" My parents, who traded Chinese formality for the more laissez-faire stance of this country. Who made their way by hard work and quiet adaptation† (Liu 664). Accor ding to this statement from the essay, Liu’s parents had to assimilate the American

About FedEx and UPS and who has better financial health Essay

About FedEx and UPS and who has better financial health - Essay Example Both companies have negligible difference in paying off their creditors in AP turnover. Liquidity is the ability of the company to cover its operation and its obligations. In this aspect UPS fared better in the previous two years compared to FedEx (1.70 to 1.60, 1.96 to 1.70) indicating the financial stability of the company. It is supported by a better financial position with a cash ratio that higher than its liability compared to FedEx (.62 to .39, .57 to .48). This better financial position reflects in UPS higher oeperatoing cash flow ratio compared to FedEx (1.09 to .83 in 2011) indicating its ability to cover its operation and short term debts with its available cash. Ultimately, a company will be valued by its shareholder by its profitability or ability to give returns to its investors. In this aspect, UPS clearly dominated FedEx in all aspects of profitability that includes ROA (Return on Asset), Return on Equity (ROE) and Margin before interest and tax. Of the two companies, UPS is conclusively in a better financial position than FedEx. It is only in the efficiency aspect that FedEx came near UPS in terms of its financial position. With regard to financial vitality and profitability as indicated by liquidity and profitablity ratios, UPS was clearly ahead of FedEx. Its ratio on profitability which is many times over FedEx indicates the company’s ability to profit and give return to its shareholders and is the ultimate indication that it is a better company compared to FedEx . Moreover, UPS profitability is grounded on solid fiscal discipline indicated by its liquidity that it can cover its obligations and supported by its operational efficiency to generate sales with a very competitive (comparable to FedEx) use of its resources thus making it a better company in terms of its financial