“Bring It Home” description covers organic produce and raises questions that explore why organic produce is more expensive than its conventional, non-organic counterparts, which seems counterintuitive since organic uses less chemicals and does not travel as far as conventional produce. In this discussion, your task is to:
Think of or find some other good that acts in this counterintuitive way,
Explain why the market for your good works in this counterintuitive way.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Counterintuitive Pricing in Ethically-Sourced Fashion
Introduction
In today’s society, consumers are increasingly conscious of the ethical and environmental impact of their purchasing decisions. As a result, there has been a growing demand for ethically-sourced fashion that promotes fair trade, sustainable practices, and worker rights. However, it is counterintuitive that ethically-produced clothing often comes with a higher price tag compared to conventional counterparts. This essay will explore this counterintuitive pricing phenomenon and explain why the market for ethically-sourced fashion works in this way.
Counterintuitive Pricing in Ethically-Sourced Fashion
Ethically-sourced fashion refers to clothing items that are produced under fair labor conditions, using sustainable materials, and promoting social responsibility. Despite the positive attributes associated with this type of fashion, it is often priced higher than conventional clothing. The following reasons can explain why the market for ethically-sourced fashion works in this counterintuitive way:
Higher Production Costs: Ethically-sourced fashion prioritizes fair wages, safe working conditions, and environmentally sustainable practices. These factors lead to higher production costs compared to conventional clothing, which may rely on exploitative labor practices or inexpensive synthetic materials. Paying fair wages and implementing sustainable practices adds to the overall cost of production, resulting in higher prices for ethically-sourced fashion.
Limited Economies of Scale: Conventional clothing brands often benefit from economies of scale due to mass production and global supply chains. They can produce large quantities of clothing, reducing individual item costs. In contrast, ethically-sourced fashion tends to be produced on a smaller scale, with limited access to global supply chains. This lack of scale limits the cost-saving benefits and contributes to higher prices.
Sustainable Material Costs: Ethically-sourced fashion places a strong emphasis on using sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled fabrics, or plant-based dyes. While these materials have less environmental impact, they often come with a higher price tag compared to conventional alternatives. Limited availability and higher production costs associated with sustainable materials contribute to the overall cost of ethically-sourced fashion.
Fair Labor Practices: Ethically-sourced fashion ensures fair wages and safe working conditions for workers involved in the production process. This commitment to fair labor practices means that workers are paid a living wage, receive proper benefits, and work in safe environments. These additional costs associated with fair labor practices increase the overall price of ethically-sourced fashion.
Transparency and Certification: Brands that produce ethically-sourced fashion often invest in transparency measures and certifications to assure consumers of their ethical practices. These certifications require extensive auditing and verification processes, adding to the costs borne by the brand. These extra expenses are reflected in the higher prices of ethically-sourced fashion.
Conclusion
The counterintuitive pricing of ethically-sourced fashion can be attributed to various factors such as higher production costs, limited economies of scale, sustainable material costs, fair labor practices, and transparency measures. While it may seem paradoxical that ethically-produced clothing is more expensive than its conventional counterparts, it is important to recognize the additional expenses incurred in ensuring fair labor practices, sustainable materials, and transparent supply chains. As consumer demand for ethically-sourced fashion continues to grow, it is crucial to strike a balance between affordability and sustainability to make these ethical choices more accessible to a wider audience.
