Ernest Gaines’s novel Essay

Education is widely defined as the act or process of imparting knowledge of skill. But the primary function of education is the eradication of ignorance. Ignorance is multi-layered. A social awareness can be a camouflage for spiritual ignorance. An erudite thinking can be used to mask philosophical ignorance. A teacher can learn hither to unknown aspects of his teaching through the very act of teaching. Because Ignorance is like the mythical beast who can grow ten heads for each head that is slain. Education is the sword that accomplishes the eradication of social, spiritual and philosophical ignorance – but only gradually and by continuous application to daily life. That precisely is a powerful underlying theme of Ernest Gaines’s novel â€Å"Lesson before Dying† Though looked at different perspectives by different characters of the novel, Education is the ultimate aim of most of them throughout the novel. Tante Lou looks at education as the necessary ability to die like a man, aware of his actions, his fate and the courage needed to face it head on – the education she wants her nephew Grant to impart to Jefferson, the convicted black. For Jefferson, who awaits the date for his execution, education is the ability to dispel the images of being non-human, the opinion which his lawyer fosters on him while using it as his defense. For Grant, education, as it reveals itself is to be able to relate to the needs and emotions of others, the ability to look beyond himself, and the ability to deal with his perennial running away from his past. For the black community of the Louisiana, the education that results from this incident is an increased awareness of their oppression, and the realization of a reality greater than their squalid living would allow them to contemplate – honor in the face of adversity. The setting for the quest of education is set in the initial chapters when the defense attorney uses the weirdest of arguments to plead the case of Jefferson. â€Å"This skull here holds no plans,† the defense attorney explains. â€Å"What you see here is a thing that acts on command. A thing to hold the handle of a plow, a thing to load your bales of cotton, a thing to dig your ditches, to chop your wood, to pull your corn. . . What justice would there be to take this life? Justice, gentlemen? Why, I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this. † This sort of defense has its impact on two people. Jefferson internalizes the argument and starts believing that he is in fact a fool, a hog. While his god mother Emma is determined to ensure that Jefferson does not die in a way to justify his description in court but with the dignity of a man. She enlists the support of Grant Wiggins’s aunt Tante Lou. They come to Wiggins’s place to convince him to educate Jefferson on human dignity before he is executed. Wiggins anticipates and deeply resents this task. Initially Grant is highly reluctant to perform what is required of him. He sees himself as symbolic of all black men who are constantly under the pressure of their folks to be heroic, to perform feats that defy their limitations of ability and social status. He sees Emma’s and Tante Lo’s expectations out of him and Jefferson as a perennial cross that burdens all black men. At the same time he is consumed by guilt – of his reluctant to help Jefferson, his desire to run away from the demands of his society. Vivian, his girl friend tells him that though he does not acknowledge it, he loves his folks and that is the reason he keeps returning to the same roots and past that he so deeply resents. He is at the same time angry and afraid. He is himself consumed by serious doubts about the purpose and the method of his living and now is bewildered how he can teach somebody how to die when he himself does not know how to live. Slowly, Grant begins to understand the enormity and the importance of his task. He is required to transform Jefferson’s execution as an educating experience for a lot of groups of people. To Jefferson himself, he needs to educate the concepts of human dignity. To the blacks of his neighborhood, Jefferson’s death needs to be a spiritual education of revolt against suppression. To the whites, the oppressors, Jefferson’s death needs to be an education in Christian concept of martyrdom. He, the reluctant teacher, who always wanted to follow the advice of his teacher Professor Antoine and leave Bayonne for good (chapter 13), starts realizing the immediacy of his duties. Grant starts to warm to the task at hand. More than Jefferson, this experience gives him lessons on living. His girlfriend Vivian is a case in point. She teaches him the virtue of hope. She is afraid that their affair might become public knowledge leading her to lose custody of her children from the previous marriage. At the same time she has the courage to be led by her heart. She visits Grant at his place, they make love under the sky in a field. She allows herself to be questioned by Grant’s aunt about her religious affiliations. All these instances provide Grant with a counter point to his own world view. His girlfriend has a lot of problems to deal with> But she never gives in to cynicism. She never gives up her religious beliefs but, when questioned, has the clarity of thought to say that she will give up her religious affiliation to be united with Grant. Throughout the novel she is a good sounding board to Grant’s rants of cynicism and is a constant source of an alternate point of view. This teaches Grant though very subtly, that his cynicism is a cloak to hide his fears. There builds an uneasy camaraderie at first between Grant and Jefferson. Gradually both men start feeling that the other is helping them deal with their predicament or their life in general. Grant gets Jefferson a radio and book to write his thoughts in. This book starts exerting all the pressure of being an educated and aware man in Jefferson. He confesses that he has never had to think so much in all his life. He had spent all his life doing hard menial labor, pandering to the whites and grinning. If it was meant to be different, he never knew it. This realization that he had the potential to become somebody else which he never actually had the opportunity of becoming makes Jefferson both sad and poignant at his life’s prospects. The change in the attitude of all his friends and the community as a whole is in itself an educating experience. This teaches Jefferson that though they might not have been overtly good to him before, his community identified itself with him and adored him as one of their own. His execution was not just an event of individual pain. His suffering was a point of reference for his family, his friends and his community. In regards to religion, Grant is an unbeliever. He loses faith when in college. But upon Reverend Ambrose’s insistence he does talk to Jefferson about religion. Grant is unable to accept a God who seems to accept and encourage the vast differences in man based entirely on his skin color. His overwhelming cynicism takes him away from religion for which Reverend Ambrose chastises him that he was â€Å"uneducated because he never learnt to care for others†. Though Grant does not regain his faith in organized religion, his mind starts looking for the mercy he wants out of a God who can correct the wrongs of his society. He so desperately wants to get his society to a better station, but feels so powerless to do anything. â€Å"I want you to show them the difference between what they think you are and what you can be. † This is Grant’s demand from Jefferson, and slowly Jefferson internalizes this demand and acquires a composure and dignity worthy of a highly educated man, somebody who is capable of viewing his life philosophically. By behaving with utmost dignity towards his white captors, the sheriff and people around him even the day prior to his execution, he provides valuable lessons in human decency to the bigoted community of whites. The night before his execution, Vivian comes to visit hm and her behavior towards the Jefferson is exemplary. She sets to rest Jefferson’s shame that he is ugly and unclean by kissing his face. This act of compassion helps boost the self-image of Jefferson and enables him to meet his destiny with great equanimity. â€Å"Good by mr wigin tell them im strong tell them im a man† – This entry in Jefferson’s notebook, with all its spelling mistakes is the ultimate grade given to Grant the teacher. He succeeds in making Jefferson an example of Christian charity and dignity. When Paul shaves Jefferson’s head, wrists and ankles before the execution, he calmly entrusts him with his book, his radio and presents him a marble. This act of compassion makes Jefferson the strongest man in the novel and makes Paul realize the gravity of education Grant could provide Jefferson in such a short while. That is the reason he feels proud to shake Grant’s hand in the last chapter of the novel. Martyrdom of an ignorant person which seems to light up the sense of hope of a large community is so replete with religious symbolism. At the same time it is a praiseful hymn to education, not as a system of teaching skills or imparting knowledge, but as a method of eradicating the darkness in its various forms from man’s heart – loss of hope, cynicism, self centeredness, bigotry. Education is also the method of erecting monuments for virtuous qualities in human heart after it has succeeded in eradicating the grossness of vilifying emotions- monuments of forgiveness, selflessness, sharing, and dignity in the face of death and danger. Lesson before Dying is about Lessons in Living. Works cited Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson Before Dying: A Novel. Vancouver: Vintage Books, 1994.

Developmental Psychology essay

Developmental Psychology essay Developmental Psychology essay Developmental Psychology essay1) Define and discuss the differences between self-esteem and self-concept, self-efficacy, and self-regulation.Self-esteem is referred to affective and emotional aspect of self and implies the self-evaluation of one’s self. Self-efficacy is the extent of one’s belief in one’s own ability to complete tasks and research goals. Self-concept is the idea of how one’s perceives oneself. The self-regulation is one’s ability to control one’s emotional condition (Banyard 105-106).2) Describe and discuss the different types of peer status.Types of peer status are: popular children, average children, neglected children (who are not disliked by peers); rejected children (who are disliked by children), controversial children (Banyard 141).3) Discuss bullying and its effects, and describe strategies to reduce bullying.Bullying is an abusive behavior of children in relation to their peers. Bullying may involve physical and ver bal abuse (Banyard 193). Effects of bullying are the exclusion of children, who are victimized by bullies; psychological problems in both victims and bullies; the development of violent behavioral patterns in bullies and their victims; negative psychological changes that may appear in the adulthood (Banyard 194). Strategies to reduce bullying are: recognition and response; creation of a dialogue; encouraging bystanders becoming upstanders; fostering safety and inclusion; educating community (Banyard 196).4) Discuss the functions of friendships.Friendships contribute to the development of closer social relations between individuals and ties them on the ground of mutual interests, interaction and values (Banyard 174).5) Compare and contrast the constructivist and direct-instruction approaches to education.Constructivist approach to education implies teachers to perform the role of facilitators, who helps students to learn that makes students active agents of the learning process (Bany ard 158). The direct instruction approach implies the delivery of instructions to students and learning of the instructions by students that makes students subjects to learning (161).

How to Unblock Your Tear Ducts

How to Unblock Your Tear Ducts If you are suffering from eye strain, dry eyes, or allergies, knowing how to unblock a tear duct at home may offer relief. Even if your tear ducts are not blocked, keeping your eyes properly lubricated helps stave off many minor eye ailments.   Nasolacrimal ducts, the medical term for tear ducts, are part of the bodys system for draining tears from the eyes. When tear ducts become blocked, it causes a backup of fluid in the lacrimal sac, which is highly prone to infection.   Symptoms   There are a few indications that you may be suffering from a blocked tear duct. If you have excessive tearing or there is a mucus or pus discharge from the eye, if the white part of your eye is red and swollen, or if your vision is blurred, a blocked tear duct may be the culprit. Recurring infections such as conjunctivitis  are also signs of tear duct problems.   While most blocked tear ducts do not require much more than the following simple home treatment, if you have these symptoms for a week or longer or if they continue to occur, consult your  medical professional. In some cases, a blocked tear duct is a symptom of a larger, more serious problem.   Who Is at Risk? Certain factors increase your risk of developing a blocked tear duct.  If you have chronic eye inflammation, especially from conjunctivitis or other infections, it is likely to affect your tear ducts. Older women tend to be at greater risk, as are those who have had eye or sinus surgeries. Some glaucoma medications can lead to blocked tear ducts as well.   How They Get Blocked Blocked tear ducts can result from a number of conditions. Some babies are born with tear duct abnormalities, most of which resolve themselves as they get older.   An injury to the eye or nose can disrupt the tear ducts function, and even something as small as dust stuck in the tear duct can cause problems. In rare cases, blocked tear ducts are caused by a tumor. Tear duct blockage also can be a side effect of chemotherapy treatments for cancer.   Unblocking Tear Ducts   To unblock your tear ducts at home, youll need some warm water and a clean washcloth or tea towel.   Pinch and rub your nose underneath the bridge.Place a warm, wet cloth over your eyes for 10 minutes.Repeat every 4 to 6 hours, if needed. If this treatment does not work and you are still having problems, it is a good idea to consult a medical professional. There are other ways to treat more serious cases of blocked tear ducts. Sometimes antibiotic drops or ointment may be sufficient, but if the problem persists, it may be necessary to irrigate the lacrimal sac, which can be done as an outpatient procedure in a doctors office. In cases where the blockage is severe and does not respond to other treatments, a surgery called dacryocystorhinostomy may be required to create a new tear drain between your nose and your eyes.

How to prepare and recover from a Hurricane Research Paper

How to prepare and recover from a Hurricane - Research Paper Example Besides the flying debris and flood coming in the wake of hurricanes are also quiet destructive. Hence, in the areas that are prone to hurricanes, it is certainly a good idea to prepare in advance. Such timely and prompt preparation could save many human lives and property and could well protect the people living in hurricane prone areas from the disaster and destruction caused by hurricanes and facilitates a better recovery after a hurricane (Wagner 6). Preparing for a Hurricane While making preparations for a hurricane it is imperative to select and identify a safe area where the families could weather the strong storms, tornadoes and rainfall accompanying a hurricane (Mitchell 7). This place could be a location within the home like some room located at the bottom floor or any other room in the house that has no windows. In case a home does not have a safe area than it is important that the family members in such homes do have access to at least two hurricane shelters located close to the home. In case a family member is suffering from some medical condition and will not be in a situation to shift on one’s own, than it is important to seek the help of the concerned professionals in advance (Burnett, Dyer & Pickins 10). While preparing for a hurricane it is also important to stock up the requisite quantities of water and food (Dickson 9). The families lying in the route of an imminent hurricane should have sufficient supplies of processed food and water in the stock that should last for a number of weeks (Dickson 9). In case the stock of food and water accrued by a family has gone old, it is important to replace this stock with the fresh supplies, well in time. Besides the preparations for a hurricane require stocking varied other emergency supplies like flashlights and extra batteries, strong and sturdy shoes, battery operated radios with extra batteries for them, cash, credit cards, first aid kits and manuals, important medicines, and non-electrical c an openers (Ready 1). It is also important to make arrangements for pets. Pets may not be accommodated in a hurricane shelter for cleanliness and hygiene reasons (Bevan 54). Thereby it is necessary to contact the nearby humane societies to cull out information on local pet shelters (Bevan 54). It is useful to get one’s home ready in case of an imminent hurricane. In case a house is already provided with hurricane shutters, it helps to look to it that one has extra screws and washers in one’s possession. In case a home does not have access to precut plywood to bolster the windows, it helps to look into the storeroom to locate anything that could serve the purpose. It really helps to hurricane proof the home well in advance. In the case of an approaching hurricane, it happens to be quiet pragmatic for the families to prepare family communication plans (McGinnis 60). The family members may get separated after or before the storms start. In such a case the family members s hould recognize an out of state contact as a contact point for all the family members. It should be assured that all the family members know about this contact and have its phone number with them. It is helpful to keep the vehicles gassed up during the hurricane season. It is also pragmatic to check one’s insurance coverage in advance because insurance companies stop extending coverage in case of an approa

Related events and developments that span the years 1865 to the Research Paper

Related events and developments that span the years 1865 to the present - Research Paper Example But because of industrialization, the agricultural economy was eventually surmounted by a market economy (Jackson, 1998). Hence, this paper argues that one of the major changes in the American labor market for the past century has been the drastic transition in women’s responsibilities, from mostly unpaid domestic roles to a mixture of traditional unpaid roles and paid jobs. The important events outlined in this paper reveal the increasing participation of women in the labor market and the continuous shrinking of the pay gap between female and male employees. With the spread of industrialization, a new state of affair emerged. The common belief during that period was that males were more able to cope with the tough, competitive environment of the workplace. On the other hand, females were believed to be incapable of dealing with the demands of the outside world. They were not allowed to vote, were prohibited from getting a job, and were kept out of the public and political are nas (Hermann, 2006). Their obligation to society was to care for, nurture, and indoctrinate children. But all of these changed with the ratification of the 19th Amendment and the Equal Pay Act. ... Feminists began to demand persistently for more comprehensive and liberal legislation. The 19th Amendment protects the right of women to vote. Since the 1800s, women protested, lobbied, and appealed to acquire suffrage rights, but it took many years before they achieved their goal. By 1916, most of the leading suffrage groups joined together to demand a constitutional amendment (Severn, 1967). The House of Representatives endorsed the amendment on the 21st of May 1919, and immediately afterward, the Senate complied. The ratification was declared by Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby on the 26th of August 1920, radically transforming the entire American voting public permanently (Monroe, 1998). Approval and endorsement of the 19th Amendment implied that U.S. citizens should be granted the right to vote, regardless of gender. It took roughly four decades until Congress passed the amendment for approval. The women’s suffrage movement was already present during the mid-19th centu ry, during the Reconstruction era. Throughout these years, leaders of women’s rights movement campaigned for enclosure of universal suffrage in the Reconstruction amendments (Monroe, 1998). In spite of their attempts, these amendments ignored the issue of women’s suffrage. The development of territorial constitutions, alongside persistent negotiation of the western frontier, facilitated the continuous state-wide deliberation of women’s suffrage (Schwarzenbach & Smith, 2013). Due to the committed, continuous efforts of supporters of voting rights, women’s suffrage was ratified in the new constitutions of Washington, Utah, and Wyoming. State governments started to take into consideration suffrage

State House Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

State House - Essay Example The path to Doric Hall from Beacon Hill is accessed through a staircase with the main doors remaining closed except on three occasions. This is probably representative of the â€Å"gate to the City†, which is informed by the only times these doors are opened. First, the US President opens the doors when a foreign head of state visits Boston, as well as a visit. The doors are also opened during the Governor’s last day in office as he exits for the final time. The Governor walks out on that day as a final act of re-joining the people, walking alone from his executive chamber through Doric Hall on the second floor.Governor William Weld who went, down the steps, to meet Lt. Governor Paul Cellucci, has flouted this. On the other hand, Cellucci, in turn, failed to do it because the front of the building was being renovated. Jane Swift, who was in an acting capacity, chose to take the walk with her family, while mitt Romney had to take it the day before his last day in office as Deval Patrick decided to take his oath and give his inaugural address on the staircase. Finally, on return from battle, the doors are opened when a regimental flag is returned to the state. However, because Washington D.C. now receives all the regimental flags, the last time that this was done was following the end of the Vietnam War.The legislature system has some obvious weaknesses and strengths. One of its key strengths is the ability of a bicameral legislature, as seen at the Boston State House, is that it is able to divide power. This keeps power from becoming too concentrated in the hands of one house, i.e., either the Senate or the House of Representatives (Todd 25). Essentially, the House of Representatives in the United States begins the appropriation of the bill. The Senate, on the other hand, confirms the appointment of the Governor or President, as well as approving decisions on state issues or foreign policy. Through this kind of spreading of power, there are checks affected on the entire system since it makes it very difficult to influence both houses, as compared to one house in the unicameral system. The bicameral legislature also balances between broad and focused issues (Todd 25). In most bicameral legislative systems, one house, in this case the Senate has fewer representatives, even though they are

Technology in Helping the Problem of Resource Scarcity

Technology in Helping the Problem of Resource Scarcity Nimra Hussain (11U0141) and Saeeda Malik Introduction A recurring theme in economics has been the economic growth fueled by an increasing consumption of finite resources that ultimately results in those very same resources unable to cope with its greater productive use. Resources here are any essential inputs to the economic process and are restricted to energy carriers, products of photosynthesis and other industrial raw material extracted from the natural environment. Such a practice is unsustainable and instigates the need for resource innovation so as to figure out how to generate growth with fewer resources. Much of economics runs around this one basic problem of resource scarcity and the aim of this paper is to emphasize on how human beings have created technologies or developed innovative methods to meet the challenges of limited resources available. More specifically this paper will review how technological innovation has made the problem of resource scarcity less onerous. The notion of scarcity as a constraint on economic growth goes all the way back to Malthus.(Malthus 1798, 1946).Only in recent decades has scarcity been seen as a driver of innovation and thus a driver of economic growth. There have been actual instances of resource scarcity and even exhaustion usually limited to a particular resource or country. However technological innovation in these instances have allowed for the resulting issues of scarcity to be rectified. For example natural fertilizer, guano and nitrate deposits from the West coast of South America were largely exhausted by the end of the 19th century. However superphosphate from bones and mineral apatites were a replacement for natural guano. Similarly, synthetic nitrogen-based fertilizers from coke-oven gas, calcium cyanamid and finally synthetic ammonia provided an alternative source of fixed nitrogen for agriculture (and military explosives). The search for alternatives to natural nitrates was deliberate and well-organiz ed. Germany led this scientific search, with the objective of breaking the British monopoly control over the Chilean sources of nitrates (Smil, 2001). Scarcities have not proven to be obstacles to economic growth. Far more often they have been stimulants to innovation that, in case after case, has led to new applications, new markets and accelerated growth rather than inhibiting it. An emerging scarcity is environmental assimilative capacity for wastes and pollutants. As it happens, most of the pollutants of concern, regionally and globally, are direct consequences of the use of fossil hydrocarbon fuels, especially coal. There is now a worldwide search for technological `fixes’ for the various environmental problems, from smog, acidification to global climate warming. But the most promising solutions involve reduced emissions, either by capture, treatment or storage of pollutants or by more efficient use of energy. Technical change is a dynamic process which includes the creation of new knowledge and technology, and the adoption of new technology by firms (Chavas et al, 1997). This technological change allows for increased production of outputs with the same amount of resources, or the use of fewer resources to produce the same amounts as before. In this way technological progress plays a vital role in the reduction of resource scarcity. It must be kept in mind that the improvements in technology do not augment the reserves of these resources, but rather augments the efficiency with which these resources are being used. A focal point in resource scarcity concerns the incentives for the discovery of reproducible technologies to substitute for finite natural resources that are being exhausted. According to Robson (1980) the date of innovation is random but can be brought forward through expenditures on research. However, according to Harris and Vickers (1995) the urgency to innovate increases as the stock of these already scarce resources dwindles. Looking at both statements intuitively it makes sense to think of technological innovation as being driven by the severity of its need as well as the expenditures needed to fuel its progress. Market responses to natural-resource scarcity automatically induce endogenous technological change that leads to resource conservation and substitution, and in turn, to the amelioration of scarcity (Barbier Homer-Dixon, 1999). Regardless of its source of provocation technological innovation plans cannot be set by countries in advance but will have to be done as they evolve with resource extraction. The idea of technical progress resolving the scarcity issue may seem simple but in reality the cost of acquiring any new knowledge and adapting it to local conditions, the adoption process of new technology may be slow. These lags between RD investment and its payoff can vary with each technology and each industry (Chavas et al, 1997) The most motivated to discover technologies are the importers of these scarce resources. Not only do they desire to overcome the problem of finite stocks but also according to Harris and Vickers (1995), to reduce their dependence upon resource producers, who often enjoy a considerable degree of monopoly power over them. The scarcer their stocks of natural resource the greater will be their RD efforts. It must also be kept in mind that innovation is exogenous and costly which explains why the possessors of large resource endowments are apprehensive towards its pursue*.Robson mentions that innovation and depletion should have opposing effects on growth as more efficient innovation leads to a slower rate of exploitation of the resource. Similarly, a larger output share for the depletable resource can lead to less innovation and a faster rate of exploitation. As mentioned earlier technological innovation is endogenous, and is determined by private and public sector decisions, rather than exogenously brought about into the economic system. If investment by these sectors is optimal then a constant growth rate of output and consumption can be maintained in the economy. Despite there being exponential population growth and scarce natural resources that are essential to production, technological innovations can allow for sustained growth and a long-run steady-state level of positive per capita consumption subject to certain conditions. These conditions as stated by Barbier and Homer-Dixon (1999) are that stable economic policies and social institutions should exist to facilitate endogenous innovations. There is a growing realization that solutions to ongoing and emerging threats to freshwater ecosystems and water resources require collaborative approaches that engage scientists, policy makers, the private sector, and other stakeholders (Chavas , 1997). Contributions by both sectors to technology have had a large and positive effect on productivity. For Chavas more specifically private RD has a strong short-term effect on productivity (after 5 to 10 years) and basically little longer term effect. In contrast, public RD has a small short-term impact on productivity, but a larger positive impact in the longer term (after 15to 22 years). Technology and research based knowledge trickles down or is transferred to and translated by policy makers and natural resource managers (Stelzer Kashian, 2014). models of knowledge transfer have been mentioned as participation, integration, learning, and negotiation. Such partnerships are essential to obtain sustainable outcomes. Once again looking at the link that overdependence on resource exploitation results in the economy remaining structurally tied to less innovative resource-based sectors, such as agriculture, minerals, oil, and other primary product sectors, and is unable to develop manufacturing and other value-added sectors that can produce learning-induced growth. In poor countries heavy resource dependent sectors have higher incidences of scarcity and conflicts over resource use. The severity of allocations can be enough to create social unrest and even violent conflict. In this way the little amount of stable institutional and policy environment needed to attract investments in innovation is disrupted coupled with the disruption of efficient and sustainable management that would have created the rents need to encourage long-term investment in innovation. Any resource crisis that does occur, its impact will be felt à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst and foremost by the poorest sectors of the population, for instance should a water crisis occur its impact would fall upon those that are dependent for their livelihoods on rain-fed or irrigated water in arid and semi-arid regions, where 52% of the world’s population lives (UNESCO-WWAP, 2006). Simply put poor countries such as our own will fail to achieve higher rates of growth because they fail to generate or use new technological ideas to reap greater economic opportunities. The possibility of technological innovation based solutions might not even be considered as increased scarcity often gives birth to competitive action by powerful elite groups and narrow social coalitions to defend their interests or to profit from the scarcity through rent-seeking behavior (Barbier Homer-Dixon, 1999). Robson on the other hand believes that if all the rent from the depletable resource is invested efficiently in innovation and capital, while no investment should occur, then consumption is constant. Truly technological innovation has played an important role. From Lopez-Gun and Llamas point of view thanks to virtual water, many water scarce countries have avoided a water crisis, particularly in politically unstable regions like North Africa and the Middle East. These revolutions of virtual water, groundwater and geographic information systems (GIS) are all created through scientific and technological innovation not in a vacuum but rather with the responsibility of states and other actors to carefully assess their full potential and limitations. Another instance is that of advances in technology, policy and management, such as improvements in pollution control measures (Dolan 1993) and fisheries regulations (Bruch 1999), that have benefited freshwater ecosystems. In China Hybrid corn is an example to demonstrate how innovation can help us overcome scarcity. Fish farming is another example. Intensive fish farming has increased China’s aquatic products supply by 10 times, fr eshwater aquatic products by 20 times over the last quarter of a century. This has greatly improved the food structure of Chinese people. Technological innovation is not without its flaws, as there is a cost of adjustment associated with such technologies such as those borne by workers that are displaced as a result (Stier, 1980). In conclusion innovation can indeed overcome resource scarcity as long as it is joined with government’s support for research, especially for those that of certain nature of public goods. There is also a requirement for qualified scientists and engineers, especially those who understand local needs. There needs to be team work by scientists and engineers coupled with an effective mechanism for knowledge diffusion so that invention and innovation can be used to increase productivity and create wealth. Recommendations Pakistan is another developing country where food in security and energy shortages are key indicators of resource scarcity and problems that are associated with it. In order to overcome this problem, technological innovations should be made use of which would help manage and consume these resources much more efficiently. Firstly, Pakistan should move towards more renewable sources of energy to reduce its dependence on other nations. Solar thermal energy is a cost effective resource in Pakistan (Mirza et al., 2003) and it’s consumption by the household sector can be encouraged by subsidizing solar panels. This would greatly reduce the demand for electricity from the government. The government should install small hydro power plants in areas where there is a natural flow of water to provide electricity to communities/villages that have no access to it or where it is not cost effect to install power lines. Secondly, the government needs to take large scale initiatives to not only develop but also promote the use of technology in large-scale sectors such as agriculture to ensure that producers are made aware of the scarcity of their product and also equip them with the information and ability to use technology to enhance their production capabilities and slow down the rampant process of scarcity, even if it is to a small extent. If such initiatives are streamlined by the government, it will go a long way in ensuring that resources are managed more efficiently and will also pave the way for a technological revolution in rural areas as people become accustomed to it. Thirdly, Allwood and Cullen (2012) argued that emphasis should be put on vehicles and buildings. According to them, vehicles consume a worryingly large amount of natural resources is gas and petroleum. Therefore, if manufacturers start producing lighter cars, that will significantly reduce energy use by almost 75 percent. The production of lighter cars entails not only the physical aspect but also other vehicular aspects such as a smaller engine and less horse power to ensure that the car burns less petrol. Toyota’s production and distribution of hybrid cars in Japan is a perfect example of such an initiative where hybrid cars can be seen just as frequently as normal cars, subsequently saving energy on a large scale. Furthermore, it is essential for governments all over the world to ensure that buildings are built using lesser amounts of steel and cement. Fourthly, industrial waste is a major contributor to scarcity of resources as a large amount of non-renewable resources is wasted during production. Allwood (2012) stated that one-quarter of steel produced goes to waste each year as it is not even used in the production of the final product. Ensuring that such high amounts of industrial waste are cut down will save already existing resources and make production more efficient and eco-friendly. Lastly, it is essential to improve water management and make sure that wat er is not wasted. This issue exists all over the world but is most apparent in countries like Pakistan where due to lack of water management systems, a lot of water is lost in transit and there are major issues of over-irrigation in some areas. This essentially means that some areas receive unnecessarily large amounts of water whereas some receive none at all. Ensuring a balances water management system will lead to better management of resources. This can be done by setting up a central regulatory framework that keeps a check on water distribution. Furthermore, this regulatory body should conduct research to evaluate which areas need what amount of water and subsequently make sure that the right amount reaches the right areas, in turn eliminating the concerns with water supply through proper management. References Harris, C. Vickers, J. (1995, Autumn). Innovation and Natural Resources: A Dynamic Game with Uncertainty. The RAND Journal of Economics, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 418-430. Lopez-Gunn, E. and Ramà ³n Llamas, M. (2008), Re-thinking water scarcity: Can science and technology solve the global water crisis?. Natural Resources Forum, 32: 228–238. UNESCO-WWAP. (2006). Water — a shared responsibility. UN World Water Development Report 2, New York: UN. Robson, A. J. (1980, February). Costly Innovation and Natural Resources. International Economic Review, Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 17-30. Stier J. C. (1980, December). Technological Adaptation to Resource Scarcity in the U.S. Lumber Industry. Western Journal of Agricultural Economics Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 165-175. Chavas, J. P. Aliber, M. Cox T. L.(1997, August). An Analysis of the Source and Nature of Technical Change: The Case of U.S. Agriculture. The Review of Economics and Statistics, Vol. 79, No. 3, pp. 482-492. Barbier, E. B. Homer-Dixon, T. F. 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