Unbreakable Resolutions as an Effective Tactic for Self-Control: Lessons From Mahatma Gandhi and a 19th-Century Prussian Prince

Despite the relative consensus in the self-management literature that personal resolutions are not an effective stand-alone tactic for self-control, some individuals seem capable of using them to exert a remarkable level of control over their behavior. One such individual was Mahatma Gandhi, the famous Indian statesman. Gandhi often used personal resolutions—or “vows”—to commit himself to a range of challenging behaviors, such as extreme diets, sexual abstinence, and fasting. Similarly, Prince Pückler-Muskau, a celebrated 19th-Century adventurer, landscape designer and travel author, described using personal resolutions to unfailingly accomplish numerous tasks in his everyday life. In this article, we examine the historical writings of Gandhi and Pückler-Muskau concerning their use of resolutions. We describe three defining characteristics of their resolutions, which we will refer to as unbreakable resolutions, and outline Gandhi’s advice for making and keeping such resolutions. Our analysis suggests that the effectiveness of unbreakable resolutions may be primarily due to the temporally extended contingencies of reinforcement associated with their use, and can be usefully interpreted from the perspective of delay-discounting and say-do correspondence models of self-control. The implications of this examination for understanding the concept of willpower and for enhancing modern research into self-control training are also discussed. Based on this analysis, we additionally offer a tentative set of guidelines on how to make and keep unbreakable resolutions.

Chinese Charm and Personages in Malay Historiography

Historiographical works are an important source in tracing the early interactions between the Malays and Chinese, through the depiction of certain personages. Furthermore, the Malay society's knowledge about China is presented by the writers through charming descriptions of Chinese customary practices, traditions and arts. At the same time, an assessment of the relationship between the Malays and Chinese, as presented in historiographical works, reveal many mythical elements whose existence requires explanation. This raises many questions concerning the existence of Chinese personages and Chinese presence in Malay historical writings, and to what the extent these accounts are true. This article will discuss these issues by examining selected historiographical works in Malay literature and related historical records. The discussion is based on an intercultural approach to Malay literature and its relevance to the present time.

Unruly Memory and Historical Order

This paper explores the complex history of “undisciplined histories” by looking at the tension between political engagement and scientific detachment in revolutionary scholarship, a field perpetually torn between historicist methods and presentist purposes. From the controversies surrounding the 1889 Jubilee to the patriotic uses of history during the Great War, the historiography of the French Revolution continuously challenged the principles and methods of history as an academic discipline. This period’s omnipresence in nineteenth-century “memory wars” delayed its academization, which became effective only in the aftermath of the Centenary when newly implemented university chairs, scholarly journals, and historical societies established the history of the French Revolution as a central research topic. However, the advent of the First World War challenged the historians’ impartiality and detachment as they committed to defend their homeland in their historical writings while striving to preserve their intellectual autonomy.

Dehumanized gender identity: Critical reflection on neuroscience, power relationship and law

This article discusses the gender question which is directed towards power, whether it is family dynamics, scientific domain or another sociocultural arena. Gender was not discussed as prominently in various forums integrating neuroscience and law. The gender movement comprising feminist and queer group movement addressed various issues of prejudices in the legal domain including, the logic derived from the dominant male value system. This metatheory to critically address gender in various domains has an important role in the interdisciplinary social sciences. The context of the body in all forms were observed from the eye of the male observer rather than the eye of beholder of one’s body. The genesis of one’s existence in the context of gender was heavily theorized both in order to subjugate the matter of identity movement, ownership and self. Article discusses how the stereotypical view corresponding to the mythology and parasitic view prevalent in the history was made as fact through discourse construction, scientific appropriations, historical writings. Thus, identifying simplistic psychology of one’s agency, societal framing of the methods of socialization and institutionalizing the common sense of inferiority about one’s identity including the process of internalization along with the biological inferiority has maintained the gap in the gender equality

The State of Women and Women’s Education at the Beginning of Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1651)

This study attempted to draw a more critical analysis of women and their education at the beginning of the Tokugawa period. Tokugawa, or the Edo period in Japan, was a warrior society. It is one of the most studied fields for many scholars as it highlighted the feature of Japanese culture until today. In Japan, women’s studies began in the 1970s, which is considered late than Western. Recently, there is still limited research regarding women’s education activities being conducted under the Tokugawa shogunate. This study engaged historical methods, namely heuristics, criticism, interpretation, and historiography. At the beginning of the Tokugawa era, women’s education was varied based on social status and families’ occupation. The gap of education between men and women and noblewomen and commoners is a mystifying matter as some historical accounts address the contrary facts. Many historical writings indicate that women at the beginning of the Tokugawa period experienced great repression and hierarchical subjugation. However, several accounts addressing the role of women during Tokugawa were relatively better as women received fitted and suitable education during the period. Therefore, it is necessary to identify Tokugawa’s social and political context more closely than making the judgment based on how it used to be since many classical historiographies in the past solely focus on the ruling class. Finally, the time needed for education equality toward women in Japan indicating that education was important for the whole population that would need to be given to all.

Os reflexos da criação dos speds na sociedade e no mercado

A contabilidade é tão antiga quanto à própria história da civilização. Ela está ligada às primeiras manifestações humanas, bem como à necessidade social de proteção à posse e à perpetuação e interpretação dos fatos ocorridos. Há escritos históricos que os primeiros registros contábeis constituíam-se em fichas de barro, guardadas em receptáculos de barro, que eram utilizadas na contagem do patrimônio, registrando, dessa forma, o evento ocorrido e auxiliando o controle do patrimônio por parte do proprietário. Diante das transformações ocorridas na sociedade ao longo das décadas e as inúmeras mudanças econômicas, houve a necessidade de um controle mais efetivo e rigoroso no patrimônio das entidades, sejam elas pessoas físicas ou jurídicas. Do outro lado, os governos criaram mecanismos para aprimorar a fiscalização e, assim, aumentar sua arrecadação. Com o surgimento da informática, o avanço da tecnologia da informação e a revolução digital trouxeram também um novo formato para a administração fazendária tanto no controle e na qualidade quanto na veracidade das informações prestadas pelos contribuintes. Percebe-se que a internet é um importante instrumento de apoio aos administradores, aos gestores e aos profissionais da contabilidade, pois utiliza toda essa tecnologia para aprimorar sua gestão no âmbito da tomada de decisões como para atender as obrigações acessórias impostas pele legislação fiscal e tributária. Com o avanço da tecnologia e o grande volume de operações realizadas pelas grandes empresas, tanto as empresas quanto os órgãos fiscalizadores tiveram que acompanhar esse avanço. O presente artigo tem como objetivo ressaltar a importância da tecnologia da informação, ressaltando a finalidade dos SPEDs. A metodologia adotada foi pesquisa de campo e entrevista com um contador, estabelecido na cidade de Barra Mansa-RJ, atuando na área contábil aproximadamente trinta anos. Accounting is as old as the history of civilization itself. It is linked to the first human manifestations, as well as to the social need to protect the possession and perpetuation and interpretation of events. There are historical writings that the first accounting records consisted of clay tiles, stored in clay receptacles, which were used in the counting of the patrimony, recording, in this way, the event occurred and helping the control of the patrimony on the part of the owner. Faced with the changes that have taken place in society over the decades and the numerous economic changes, there has been a need for a more effective and rigorous control over the assets of entities, whether individuals or corporations. On the other hand, governments have created mechanisms to improve oversight and thus increase their collection. With the advent of information technology, the advancement of information technology and the digital revolution also brought a new format for the management of the economy, both in terms of control and quality, as well as the truthfulness of information provided by taxpayers. It is noticed that the internet is an important instrument of support to administrators, managers and accounting professionals, because it uses all this technology to improve its management in the scope of decision making as to meet the ancillary obligations imposed by the tax and tax laws . With the advancement of technology and the large volume of operations carried out by large companies, both companies and inspection bodies had to follow up this advance. This article aims to highlight the importance of information technology, highlighting the purpose of SPEDs. The methodology adopted was field research and interview with an accountant, established in the city of Barra Mansa-RJ, working in the accounting area for approximately thirty years.