Sunday, December 29, 2019

Gender And Sexual Identity Within Funhome - 1536 Words

Gender and Sexual Identity within â€Å"Funhome† In the novel â€Å"Fun Home†, the main character and author, Alison Bechdel, struggles to identify her sexual orientation while discovering that her father is a closet homosexual pedophile. The theme of sexual and gender identity is very apparent throughout the novel mainly due to the fact that Alison is struggling to identify that she is a lesbian and the fact that her dad is also gay.Alison and her dad struggled to assume the â€Å"proper† gender roles because they all yearned for something more, but in the end they both came to terms with their true identities and accepted their sexual orientation. Alison’s father, Bruce Bechdel, struggled with sexual orientation his whole life. He turned to little boys and decorating his house in order to satisfy his needsâ€Å"He appeared to be an ideal husband and father, for example†¦.. But would an ideal father and husband have sex with teenage boys†. Bruce seemed as though he was the perfect family man due t o his outer persona Sometimes, when things were going well, I think my father actually enjoyed having a family. Or at least, the air of authenticity we leant to his exhibit. A sort of still life with children. He kept the house spotless and perfect, revived pieces of art, and took on projects,and worked on the family business to distract himself. Behind closed doors, He was never very affectionate with the family and was also very verbally abusive his family . The only time that Bruce

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Man s Understanding Of The World - 915 Words

Man’s understanding of the world around him has changed over time. It has been this change which has caused man to doubt the presence of absolutes in the world. This scepticism has created two philosophies, Pragmatism and Existentialism, which rely on man to find his own truth and values in the world. While this has caused these philosophies to move away from the truth, they have been able to reflect some of the truths found in Scripture. Pragmatism believes that a man’s experiences can broaden his perspective of the world around him. The Christian agrees that man’s understanding and view the universe is constantly changing. God has not created this universe to be dynamic so that man’s experiences shape the universe around him. However, the Christian lives in a universe which God allows him to explore, and as the Christian explores it he gains a better appreciation for his God. For example, through the use of cellular biology the Christian has gained a better understanding of life’s complexity. He should be in even more awe of God’s power than he was before the discovery of these intricacies. The technology around the Christian is also changing and this can affect his perception of the world. For example the internet has allowed believers to better understand the-persecution facing their brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. This understanding allows them to better know h ow to pray for those believers. Pragmatism is correct that men s experiences can broaden theShow MoreRelatedTheodicy and Ethics Within Islam905 Words   |  4 PagesIslam Critically analyzing and reflecting upon the concept of Theodicy and Ethics, one may interpret these two concepts to have great influence upon the significance of Islam. The functions of these two concepts are to further broaden one s understanding of Islam. Both concepts are essential to learning about the Islamic way of life. Moreover, in Islam theodicy and ethics serve as the basis of the problem of evil, right and wrong, the principle of taklif, practicing forgiveness, and many otherRead MoreTime As A Dominant Mode1544 Words   |  7 PagesTime emerges as a dominant mode in man s experience of modernity. Modernity has shattered the sense of continuity and fixedness on which man s identity was built. Many modern dramatists, who attempt to articulate man s Being-in-the world and his experience in the modern world, explore different representations of the concept of time, because time is capable of endowing human experience with a feeling of continuity and discontinuity. Since modernity has ripped man out of a sense of time consistentRead MoreHow Morals Were Shaped Through The Creation Stories1290 Words   |  6 Pagesuniverse just abiding as the physical laws† (Martin Luther King Jr.). Everyone around the world, regardless of gender, race, religion, and political views are defined by their own moral compass. The decisions that people make are heavily influenced by their own unique moral compass that was shaped through the culture and societal norms exposed around them. In particular, the book Genesis describes the creation of man and through their creation, brings forth the ideal morality and justice that still carriesRead MoreMein Kampf And The Standover Man Essay1508 Words   |  7 PagesStandover Man.’ Liesels understanding of words begins to develop as she is learning to read and write and she begins to witness how words can be used negatively. She understands how powerful Hitler’s words are, with Hitler using them as weapons. I n addition, that Hitler s words are responsible for the destruction of her life as well as millions of others. Mein Kampf is a key symbol of the power of Hitler s words, becoming a tool to brainwash and alter the way individuals view the world. IronicallyRead MoreModern Man In Search Of A Soul Essay1695 Words   |  7 Pages In his book, Modern Man In Search Of A Soul, C.G. Jung gives a layman knowledge into his thoughts on dream investigation. Jung s essential goal in this book is to instruct the peruser in the matter of what a psychoanalyst does while breaking down a patient s fantasies. The vital message in the book focused on dream investigation is that fantasies ought to never remain solitary. Dreams are inane in a vacuum, however then again when set against a strict arrangement of guidelines, they are generallyRead MoreThe Labor Of Slave Women1512 Words   |  7 Pagesspecifically of African American women. Even though forced grunt work was the bases of slavery, very few have the knowledge of the labor of slave women had to do from the perspective of slave women themselves. The author presents and clarifies the understandings the impact labor-meanings has on women in a moral value perspective. According to Joan Martin, â€Å"moral agency† for slaves meant autonomy from their masters, but ob edience to God. â€Å"Martin moves beyond issues of sorrow and oppression to shed newRead MoreAnalysis Of The Road By Cormac Mccarthy1448 Words   |  6 Pageswhere is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where the date and location is unnamed. The author of the novel Cormac McCarthy doesn t describe why or how the disaster has demolish the earth. But after reading the novel, I can sense that the author wanted to present a case of mystery and fear to the unknown to the reader. By the author s exclusion I think that the story gains a better understanding of what the author wanted to express to the reader. An expression of a man and his son surviving in a post-apocalypticRead MoreThe Social And Historical Context Of A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man And My Son1436 Words   |  6 Pagescontext of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and My Son the Fanatic and how they enhance our understanding of the texts and then compare the two in their respective contexts. Religious extremism is a social ideology that is heavily implemented into both A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and My Son the Fanatic. With Steven Dedalus being subjected to his traditional family views of Catholicism as was the author of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce. Throughout the text StephenRead MoreImportance Of Leonardo s Notebooks By Samuel Rose1272 Words   |  6 Pages Leonardo’s Notebooks By: Samuel Rose The Importance of Leonardo s notebook His insights in science might give now a day doctors and studiers of the human body a strong base to create their own knowledge. Some of the drawings include a fetus in the womb, circulation of blood in the body and a dissection of a man. Other drawings of nature were a bird in flight and the Vitruvian man which both described anatomy and the way mechanics work in nature. Continued†¦ Also, Leonardo made leaps and boundsRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1147 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstand and share the feelings of another is a skill that Harper Lee explores in her novel ’To Kill A mockingbird’. She has written many compassionate and understanding characters into her novel, such as Atticus, Jem, Scout and Tom Robinson. Primarily Atticus shows empathy all throughout the novel along with Tom robinson who demonstrates an understanding of thin on a smaller scale. Although Scout and Jem do not manifest this attribute to begin with, they learn the ability to empathise through the course

Friday, December 13, 2019

Liberalism and Nationalism Free Essays

In the late 18th and 19th centuries there where two ideologies that was fueling the revolutions during this time. These two ideologies are liberalism and nationalism. Liberalism is a belief in gradual social progress by changing laws, rather than by revolution. We will write a custom essay sample on Liberalism and Nationalism or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is also sated to be the belief that people should have a lot of political and individual freedom. Nationalism is the desire for political independence of people who feel they are historically or culturally a separate group within a country. It is often associated with the belief that a particular nation is better than any other nation, and in this case is often used showing disapproval. Liberalism first became a powerful force in the Age of Enlightenment. In the 19th century liberal governments was established in many nations across Europe, Latin America, and North America. Liberal power increased further in the 20th century, when liberal democracies â€Å"triumphed† in two world wars and survived major ideological challenges from fascism and communism. The term nationalism was coined by Johann Gottfried Herder (nationalismus) during the late 1770s. Where Nationalism emerged from is difficult to determine, but its development is closely related to that of the modern state and the push for popular sovereignty that came to a head with the French Revolution and the American Revolution in the late 18th century. Since that time, nationalism has become one of the most significant political and social forces in history. Other forms of nationalism are revolutionary, calling for the establishment of an independent state as a homeland for an ethnic underclass. How to cite Liberalism and Nationalism, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Effects of interracial marriages free essay sample

There definitely exist pros and cons about interracial dating and or marriage. One of the major pros is that any person has the opportunity to choose any other person ill-relevant to their race. They have the opportunity to fall in love with and ultimately marry, then start a family with someone regardless of their race. This is the one and only consideration that I consider people should use when thinking of interracial relationships. We are all equal under Gods eyes, and we should have the same freedom of choice when considering our significant other. Sometimes friends or family can be against such decisions and be less than supportive. Often the rejection of close relatives happens due to the numerous stereotypes that still exist today. They can start looking for specific reasons or clues that motivated two people to become a couple or to get married. Families might disapprove because they want pure bred babies by being in an  OB 2 interracial relationship could destroy thousands of year old bloodlines. We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of interracial marriages or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Their inner circle may look down at them because they themselves may have discrimination or fear of other races Generations and age seem to affect the openness towards the interracial relations. Studies have shown that generational factors and influences are strong. When we are young we seem to be more open in our choices. The younger generations of people are more favorable to mixtures between the races. However, parents who are older often express disapproval of their own children marrying someone of another race. The study conducted by the Cornell University led to the conclusion that â€Å"although more young adults are dating and cohabiting with someone of a different race, the study found that interracial relationships are  considerably less likely than same-race relationships to lead to marriage, though this trend has weakened in recent years. Interracial couples also face some barriers that most other married people do not because they come from the same race or culture. There are external factors that create friction and annoyances in the relationships. Difference in cultures endures diverse ethnical, moral and value foundations that effect the perceptions of family, society and individual lifestyles. When such foundations are operating together with the foundations of different cultural roots, disagreements and problems can sometimes occur. Interracial relationships are often not intercultural ones because in the US people of various races are OB 3 sharing the same cultural background. Prejudice against interracial marriage is more obvious in some parts of the country than others. For members of interracial couples, this bias can be difficult to ignore. Interracial couples report feeling as though their family, friends, and society at large are more disapproving of their relationships than do same-race couples. Research indicates that couples who experience such a lack of social approval and acceptance for their relationships typically do not fare well. The more disapproval individuals perceive with respect to their relationships, the more likely they are to break-up in the future. Interracial couples who live in unsupportive environments often find it more challenging to stay together. America and the white race have come a long way since the first time they had brought slaves to this country. Now, African-American are guaranteed to same rights as everyone else and are treated the same. Society needs to consider the feelings of interracial couples. A person may not agree with interracial relationships, but they do not need to discriminate against them. Even today in the year 2013, society has its problems with interracial relationships. Through education and the way couples raise their children, the problem or problems facing interracial couples will diminish. Interracial marriages have become more and more popular as the years go on. However, our country is still very racially distinguished. The rate of interracial marriage has risen dramatically OB 4 in recent years, but support for these relationships still has a way to go. As attitudes become more favorable, interracial relationships are likely to strengthen and continue to increase in number.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

A Silent Childhood Essays - Feral Children, American Children

A Silent Childhood A Silent Childhood Childhood is such a precious, yet trenchant part of life. We all have memories of our days as children along with stories of lessons learned. Childhood is reflected by most as being a time of bliss and enlightenment. As I recall my childhood an avalanche of mixed feelings suffocates me. Would I be able to interpret these feelings if I had not learned language? More importantly, is it possible to teach language after the critical period has been extinguished? This is the prominent question that arose in my mind as I read A Silent Childhood. The researchers' goal was to establish if Genie was capable of language after eleven years of isolation. Also, how much of language, if any is innate, and how much is learned? Genie? First of all, that name bothers me. Why in the world would someone name the child Genie? Granted, it was during the seventies when these events occurred, however, that is the best name they could conjure up? Webster's dictionary defines a genie as a supernatural spirit that often takes human form. Were the researchers inferring that they did not view this poor child as human? Why not name her something ladylike and promising like Hope or Heaven. With a child like Genie who was deprived of any sort of nurturing and positive reinforcement, I would think the name would be the first place to start in reconciling the child with a positive outlook upon herself and the world. A name like Genie gives me the impression that it is going to take magic to repair all the damage that has been done. The article later stated that Genie liked when she was described as pretty. Wouldn't it have been great if her name made her feel pretty? Since a name is something one hears hundreds time a day, the repetition of a beautiful name would redirect the negative thoughts that were pounded in her head for so many years. Speaking of years, Genie was thirteen when her mother stumbled into the social welfare office. Scientists don't agree how language is acquired, but they do agree that the first years of life a critical for language. Some scientists even believe that language is almost impossible to learn after the age of seven, six years before Genie was brought in for help. Behaviorists like B.F. Skinner believed language is learned through imitation, association of sights and sounds of words, and reinforcement. Genie was not exposed to any of this. Linguist Noam Chomsky believes that when a child is given the adequate nurture, language just happens to the child. Genie was not given the adequate nurture either. Because of this and the terrible condition she was in, I would have taken care of her emotional and physical needs first. Putting her in the hospital was the right idea, but that particular hospital was not the best place. Even though the hospital was well known, it was perhaps too well known . There was a tremendous amount of commotion and this is exactly what Genie didn't need. I would have put her hospital that was smaller and less well known. The fact that competition for access to Genie was fierce by the researchers was something that should not have taken place. It appeared that many people were more concerned with their personal gains rather that the well being of the child. Anyone concerned about Genie's well being would have tired to get her out the hospital as soon as possible into a stable family. Visits from her mother was a great idea, but Irene was incapable of taking care of a child with so many needs; even after Irene's therapy (which did not accomplish that much). I would have let Genie stay in the hospital only long enough to find her a nurturing, stable home. She didn't need to get attached to a place where she would leave in a short while. She did get attached to the cooks and the handy man at the Rehabilitation Center. Being moved from Jean Butler's, back to the Rehabilitation center, to the Ringler's, to her mother's, and to foster homes was detrimental to any progress that was made. I would

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Julius Casar Symbols essays

Julius Casar Symbols essays Symbols are used constantly in all kinds of literature. At times there can be an enormous number of symbols to be interpreted in just one story. A symbol is an object, character, figure, or color used to represent abstract ideas or concept. A great example of the usage of symbols is in Shakespeares play, Julius Caesar. There are numerous symbols and signs that are to be interpreted throughout the play. During the play, omens and symbols reveal themselves constantly. On the night of the conspiracy, several omens and sign are apparent. For example, there was a very violent storm on the night the conspirators met, which is a universal omen for doom or death. Until Caesars death, each time an omen or nightmare is revealed, the audience is reminded of Caesars fate. The audience of course understands that these portents simply announce what is destined to occur, or what could happen if characters choose not to change their behavior. Characters throughout the play repeatedly fail to interpret the omens correctly. This is a plain example of how the characters in the play seem to have no power to change their fate, or recognize the symbols that we do. There are several instances in the play where events or statements predict a very accurate future. Yet, the characters almost entirely ignore these warnings despite their significance. One of the most prevalent examples of omens in the play is the Soothsayer. The Soothsayer first appears to give Julius Caesar the famous warning, beware the ides of March. The Soothsayer appears two more times in the play in order to remind the audience that Caesar is indeed destined to die. The vagueness of the Soothsayer's warnings seems to provide Caesar with an excuse to ignore them. This shows the audience how Caesar had been blinded by his great power, and thought of himself as invincible. Calphurnias vivid dream of Caesars inevitable fate was just another omen...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Marketing Strategy for new Cereal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing Strategy for new Cereal - Essay Example Also, having regard to the virtual dominance of the breakfast cereals market by five major companies, attention is focussed on special characteristics of the product which could ensure some market penetration. New Product 3 Manufacture and Marketing of a New Breakfast Cereal in Australia Introduction The product is a new breakfast cereal called â€Å"GoodHealth†, and it differs from those already on the market in two important respects: its ability to remain crisp for longer when milk is added, and its lower salt content (Oakenfull, 2009). The product will be manufactured to complement the existing range of food products already produced by â€Å"PolyFoods†, a small company founded in 2001 and located in the outskirts of Canberra. The first intention is to market GoodHealth throughout Australia, and then to expand into the global marketplace. In order to achieve this aim attention will be given to exploiting modern marketing theories as they apply to the appropriate mac ro-environment outside the organisation. The application of marketing theory The aim of marketing is to sell the product and over the years a number of theories have been developed to identify the factors which are necessary for the construction and implementation of an effective marketing strategy. ... y of Marketing† that the central feature is the ‘Transaction of buying and selling’ based on the perceived ‘value’ of the product by the buyer. This perception, which is underpinned by ‘brand image’ is subject to such fluctuations as needs, financial situation, experience and taste. Linn (2010) offers a dual model of the process ‘Price Asked < Perceived Value’ and states that â€Å"The condition for the transaction being performed is, in principle, that the buyer values the product to equal or New Product 4 more than the price asked† (Linn, 2010). It is now appropriate to consider the six main macro-environments which will affect the target market for the product and consequently hte company’s product strategy. Analysis of the macro-environment Demographic In the late 1990s 49% of Americans ate cereals at breakfast – almost 20% more than any other product or combination (Topher, 1997). Statistics gathered in Australia at about the same time (AUSSTATS, 1999) found that over 65% of the population ate cereals daily, although there was no clear breakdown into easily identifiable products. However, the figures showed that children in the age range 2-15 years consumed more breakfast cereals – as did adults over 45 years – than the age group 16-44 years. These trends indicated some marketing target areas. Firstly the adolescent group, and the over 65s who generally preferred ‘something warming’ such as porridge. For the former it is essential to stress that breakfast cereals are not just nourishing but ‘cool’ and for the latter it is important to stress that the added vitamins and nutritional properties of breakfast cereals, and â€Å"GoodHealth† in particular can contribute to wellbeing and delay the onset of various diseases such as cancer of

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Effects of Violence Video Games on Children Behavior Essay

The Effects of Violence Video Games on Children Behavior - Essay Example The increased involvement of the people in the playing of video games has portrayed the negative effects that they can lead to. This is particularly true of violent video games as there has been a strong association between the playing of violent video games and increase in crime amongst youths. It has been analyzed that the playing of violent video games has resulted in many criminal acts which include robberies as well as murders. This paper will serve to explain the history of these violent video games and their strong association with acts of crime that have taken place owing to the negative impact of these violent video games. There has been a great rise in the popularity of video games and the number of people playing these games has widely increased. It is believed that children of the age group from 8 to 18 years in the United States have an exposure of 40 hours out of seven days to different forms of media. There has been a sharp increase in the exposure to video games by th e children and the teenagers. It has been analyzed that children even as young as two years play video games on an average of one hour every day. In the age group of 8 to 13 year old boys, it has been seen that they tend to play video games for more than approximately 7.5 hours in a single week. Another very important aspect that has been highlighted is that a research among teenagers explained the fact that the games that they purchased were not reviewed and analyzed by their parents and hence there is no check on the nature of the video games that are played by these children (Anderson et al 2001). It has been found out that 75 percent of the teenagers actually purchase and play video games that are meant for adults and these games have very high content of violence and negativities portrayed in them (Adams, 2010). The extent of the violence exposure has been explained by the statistics in a study which shows that in the United States, the young generation is exposed to 40,000 kil lings by some form of media by the time they acquire the age of 18 years (Anderson 2005). The history of video games dates to the years following 1970. But the video game that became a matter of debate was the game which was named "Death Race 2000". This game was based upon a car which was to be driven over bodies that were made of sticks. The game did not have good graphics but still the violent theme of the game sparked many debates. The last decade of the twentieth century came with many new games which were far more violent than the Death Race. These games included Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Wolfenstein 3D and Night Trap. All these games were based on violent themes. The Mortal Kombat was particularly a game which received much attention and became the favorite of young children. It was based solely on killing the opponents. This led to major controversies and the matter became a national issue. The matter also reached the Senate and a prominent member from the Senate Joe Li eberman presented the idea that restrictions should be imposed on video games. Night Trap was removed voluntarily by the shop owners following these issues and the video game industry also became aware that such games could result in blows to their industry. Thus, the video game industry formed a body which is termed as Entertainment Software Rating Board in the year 1994 to check on the violent and sexual material of the

Monday, November 18, 2019

Pearl harbor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pearl harbor - Essay Example In 1940, the United States of America stopped the export of all aviation fuel, scrap iron, and other military imperative supplies to Japan. This was an effort to stop Japan’s interference in Southwest Asia without war. In fact, the United States never intended to declare war at all, and was looking for more peaceful solutions. Japan, however, refused to back down. In the summer of 1941, the United States, Netherlands, and Britain joined in a combined effort to freeze Japan’s assets. This was done in order to prevent the purchase of oil. The United States also moved their Pearl Harbor base to Hawaii, from San Diego. Feeling pressured by the demands of the United States, Japan’s military force felt that the movement of Pearl Harbor from San Diego to Hawaii was a threat to their expansion throughout Asia and the Pacific. With no settlements made on either side, the decision was made by Japan to attack the base in Pearl Harbor. Two centuries of tension between two countries, and a lack of communication, were the main reasons why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Neither side had the communication technology that we have today, and so telegrams and messages were understandably delayed. The result was a catastrophic attack that Japan felt was in their right. To this day there are still numerous other theories as to why the attack on Pearl Harbor took place, and hundreds of years from now there will likely still be

Friday, November 15, 2019

Disadvantages of Physical Education

Disadvantages of Physical Education Mandatory physical education for students in elementary through high school is designed with the best intentions like promoting a healthier lifestyle, and aiding students in uncovering their potential talent. But as good as these intentions may seem they all fall short of its goals due to restricting students freedom of choice, a mounting budget deficit, and constant bullying. All these countless shortfalls cause a string of unforeseen problems such as impairing academic success, vast emotional damage, immense psychological harm, and painful physical damage. Although many parents consider physical education as an important part of the public education system, children should not have to participate in physical education if they do not want to. Physical Education should not be mandatory in public education for students in elementary through high school since it impairs learning, emotional, and physical harm to students causing immense damage that are not beneficial to students. I am troubled about mandatory physical education for students in elementary through high school. Physical education went through a long journey to become what it is today. It all started in 776 B.C. where Greeks held the first Olympiad. Later on in 1814 Demark establishes the Bill of 1814 the first ever compulsory physical education bill. In 1825 Charles Beck becomes the first teacher to teach physical education. In 1866, California passed the physical education legislation, becoming the first state to ever do so. Afterwards in 1896 Athens, Greece held the first modern Olympic game (Zeigler). Throughout all these years, physical education maintained its core values, fostering an environment for students to improve their comprehension, skill sets, capacities, and principles (Kelso). Problem starts when physical education becomes mandatory especially in schools where all these values begin to shift for the worst part. Students lose their freedom of choice, being forced into a highly co mpetitive world of sports where injuries, psychological drama, and fear of losing become a predominant possibility (FLEMING). Whether physical education should be made mandatory in public education for students in elementary through high school is a highly controversial topic since physical education comes with a heavy price by stripping students of their freedom of choice, and a enhanced education due to lack of funding. Making physical education mandatory in public education for students in elementary through high school intensifies an ongoing budget crisis. In just the state of California alone there is already an 11.2 billion dollar deficit. Across the United States, state tax revenues are down because of the worldwide economic slump. Each year schools receive only limited amounts of state and federal funding, funds depend on population and student academic performance (BBC). According to the Los Angeles Times many schools are already struggling with increased furloughs, and widespread teacher layoffs(Mehta). If physical education were to become mandatory then funds would be stretched even more sparsely. For example making physical education compulsory in elementary and high schools nationwide would be establishing an entirely new department just for physical education, and building new gyms and football fields. All these so called innovations take away scarce resources which could have been bette r used on vital academic lessons. Our students deserve a better future and making physical education mandatory is not the answer. Ms. Weissman, the current head of physical education at Tenafly High School argues that physical education helps students uncover their hidden talent, and helps them use it to their full potential (Weissman). I cannot argue the fact that physical education allows students to try out diverse sports and experience a variety of sports. Nevertheless students can uncover their talents outside of school sidestepping the bullying and physiological damage that usually occurs with physical education. According to a nationwide poll in 2004 done by Southwest Wisconsin Youth Survey 19% of all teens responded to some or quite a bit when asked how much do you worry about being picked on or physically hurt by another teen? (SWYS). Also, 19% is an enormous number that means that two out of every ten students are being bullied. Besides 19% is an understatement since most students that are bulled are too ashamed, scared, or hurt to admit it. There are countless more students that are being bullied but are not documented. Students have a hard time learning when they are constantly being bullied and put down by fellow classmates. Being successful in sports only occurs when both talent and interest are mixed in. Physical education in school only impairs on student academic success it should not be made mandatory. Cristina S. Barroso the current assistant professor of health promotion and behavioral science at University of Texas Health Science Center argues that physical education should be mandatory since the government is concerned about the well being of its citizens by promoting physical activity in students through mandatory physical education assists students in fighting obesity, and maintaining long-term habits of working out (Barroso). While I cannot argue the fact that physical activities promote good health my point is that students should at least be allowed a choice. They should be able to do what they want with their body. They are young sensible adults on the verge of adulthood and deserve to be able to make their own decisions and learn from their own mistakes, it is all part of life and growing up. An essay appeared in Journal of Law and Education, a journal published by the University of South Carolina Law Center. In School Liability: The Danger of Mandatory Physical Educatio n Classes, Heather Sanders the Health argues that forcing students to do what they may not want to do can lead to dire consequences. Consequences like depression, injuries, and anxiety are just a few of the many consequences that occur when physical education becomes mandatory (Sanders). It is also outrageous to say that physical education can actually make a real world difference to students health. Physical education is highly inefficient; there are countless more efficient ways of ensuring a healthy population than forcing students to run a lap once a week, a simple change in their diet to healthier foods and walking instead of driving to school would do just fine (NCCDPH).Taking away freedom of choice for students is a big mistake since having freedom is essential to being an America, physical education should not be compulsory in public education for students in elementary through high school. No one can argue the fact that exercise is highly beneficial for people of all ages but making physical education mandatory for students in elementary through high school is not the answer. The goal of physical education is to encourage a healthier lifestyle, promoting students to become well rounded individuals, and assisting students in finding their potential talent, but in reality all these benefits fall short once physical education becomes mandatory. Once students lose their freedom of choice, have budget cuts kick in, and are constantly being bullied a series of unforeseen problems arises such as underperforming academically, vast emotional damage, immense mental suffering, and constant physical abuse. Disadvantages Of Physical Education Disadvantages Of Physical Education Mandatory physical education for students in elementary through high school is designed with the best intentions like promoting a healthier lifestyle, and aiding students in uncovering their potential talent. But as good as these intentions may seem they all fall short of its goals due to restricting students freedom of choice, a mounting budget deficit, and constant bullying. All these countless shortfalls cause a string of unforeseen problems such as impairing academic success, vast emotional damage, immense psychological harm, and painful physical damage. Although many parents consider physical education as an important part of the public education system, children should not have to participate in physical education if they do not want to. Physical Education should not be mandatory in public education for students in elementary through high school since it impairs learning, emotional, and physical harm to students causing immense damage that are not beneficial to students. I am troubled about mandatory physical education for students in elementary through high school. Physical education went through a long journey to become what it is today. It all started in 776 B.C. where Greeks held the first Olympiad. Later on in 1814 Demark establishes the Bill of 1814 the first ever compulsory physical education bill. In 1825 Charles Beck becomes the first teacher to teach physical education. In 1866, California passed the physical education legislation, becoming the first state to ever do so. Afterwards in 1896 Athens, Greece held the first modern Olympic game (Zeigler). Throughout all these years, physical education maintained its core values, fostering an environment for students to improve their comprehension, skill sets, capacities, and principles (Kelso). Problem starts when physical education becomes mandatory especially in schools where all these values begin to shift for the worst part. Students lose their freedom of choice, being forced into a highly co mpetitive world of sports where injuries, psychological drama, and fear of losing become a predominant possibility (FLEMING). Whether physical education should be made mandatory in public education for students in elementary through high school is a highly controversial topic since physical education comes with a heavy price by stripping students of their freedom of choice, and a enhanced education due to lack of funding. Making physical education mandatory in public education for students in elementary through high school intensifies an ongoing budget crisis. In just the state of California alone there is already an 11.2 billion dollar deficit. Across the United States, state tax revenues are down because of the worldwide economic slump. Each year schools receive only limited amounts of state and federal funding, funds depend on population and student academic performance (BBC). According to the Los Angeles Times many schools are already struggling with increased furloughs, and widespread teacher layoffs(Mehta). If physical education were to become mandatory then funds would be stretched even more sparsely. For example making physical education compulsory in elementary and high schools nationwide would be establishing an entirely new department just for physical education, and building new gyms and football fields. All these so called innovations take away scarce resources which could have been bette r used on vital academic lessons. Our students deserve a better future and making physical education mandatory is not the answer. Ms. Weissman, the current head of physical education at Tenafly High School argues that physical education helps students uncover their hidden talent, and helps them use it to their full potential (Weissman). I cannot argue the fact that physical education allows students to try out diverse sports and experience a variety of sports. Nevertheless students can uncover their talents outside of school sidestepping the bullying and physiological damage that usually occurs with physical education. According to a nationwide poll in 2004 done by Southwest Wisconsin Youth Survey 19% of all teens responded to some or quite a bit when asked how much do you worry about being picked on or physically hurt by another teen? (SWYS). Also, 19% is an enormous number that means that two out of every ten students are being bullied. Besides 19% is an understatement since most students that are bulled are too ashamed, scared, or hurt to admit it. There are countless more students that are being bullied but are not documented. Students have a hard time learning when they are constantly being bullied and put down by fellow classmates. Being successful in sports only occurs when both talent and interest are mixed in. Physical education in school only impairs on student academic success it should not be made mandatory. Cristina S. Barroso the current assistant professor of health promotion and behavioral science at University of Texas Health Science Center argues that physical education should be mandatory since the government is concerned about the well being of its citizens by promoting physical activity in students through mandatory physical education assists students in fighting obesity, and maintaining long-term habits of working out (Barroso). While I cannot argue the fact that physical activities promote good health my point is that students should at least be allowed a choice. They should be able to do what they want with their body. They are young sensible adults on the verge of adulthood and deserve to be able to make their own decisions and learn from their own mistakes, it is all part of life and growing up. An essay appeared in Journal of Law and Education, a journal published by the University of South Carolina Law Center. In School Liability: The Danger of Mandatory Physical Educatio n Classes, Heather Sanders the Health argues that forcing students to do what they may not want to do can lead to dire consequences. Consequences like depression, injuries, and anxiety are just a few of the many consequences that occur when physical education becomes mandatory (Sanders). It is also outrageous to say that physical education can actually make a real world difference to students health. Physical education is highly inefficient; there are countless more efficient ways of ensuring a healthy population than forcing students to run a lap once a week, a simple change in their diet to healthier foods and walking instead of driving to school would do just fine (NCCDPH).Taking away freedom of choice for students is a big mistake since having freedom is essential to being an America, physical education should not be compulsory in public education for students in elementary through high school. No one can argue the fact that exercise is highly beneficial for people of all ages but making physical education mandatory for students in elementary through high school is not the answer. The goal of physical education is to encourage a healthier lifestyle, promoting students to become well rounded individuals, and assisting students in finding their potential talent, but in reality all these benefits fall short once physical education becomes mandatory. Once students lose their freedom of choice, have budget cuts kick in, and are constantly being bullied a series of unforeseen problems arises such as underperforming academically, vast emotional damage, immense mental suffering, and constant physical abuse.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

From Innocence to Adulthood in The Catcher in the Rye Essay -- Catcher

From Innocence to Adulthood in The Catcher in the Rye      Ã‚   Adolescence is a time of existence in two worlds. One world having the desire to be in the adult world, which is filled with all the unknown wonders of the world. The other world is the world of childhood which is comfortable and protected from all the impurities in the world.   This sort of tug of war between the two worlds is not only mentally imposed on a being, but physically, socially, and morally as well.   With all the mentioned above, often times an adult will discourage an action of an adolescent by saying they are too old to a act a certain way, and then will turn around and say they are too young to do something, like go out late or go on dates.   These contradictions can lead an adolescent to complete uncertainty of their actions.   J.B. Salingers book, The Catcher in the Rye, aptly describes the immense confusion of the in between stages of being a boy and a man.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the whole story, the narrator, Holden tries to act both the boy and thw man but cannot.   He tries in vain to get a grip on the adult world, but never is quite successful.   Holden's first attempt at adulthood is exemplified when he leaves his school without permission from his parents or the school.   This act in itself sets the stage for his trial and error attitude about adulthood in the sense he failed out of school, which was a childish act.   He tries to rectify his failing out of school by leaving, which he views as an adult act. Holden's leaving school represents his need for independence and he achieves this by leaving.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another of Holden's failed attempts at ... ... In The Rye". English Journal. 77.7 (1988): 72-75. Kaplan, Robert B. Cliff's Notes: Catcher In The Rye. Lincoln: Cliff's Notes, Inc., 1999. Marsden, Malcolm M. If You Really Want To Know: A Catcher Casebook. Chicago: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1963. Miller Jr., James E. "American Literature". World Book Encyclopedia. Volume 1. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1983. Pinsker, Sanford. The Catcher In The Rye: Innocence Under Pressure. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993. Roemer, Danielle M. "The Personal Narrative and Salinger's Catcher in the Rye". Western Folklore 51 (1992): 5-10. Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1951. Wildermuth, April. "Nonconformism in the Works of J.D. Salinger." 1997 Brighton High School. 24 November 1999.   

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Comparing Dada to Pop Art

In this essay I will compare the Dada and Pop Art movements by depicting the characteristics of each art period, their style and social conditions that may have influenced the creation of each movement. The essay will describe the relationship between the Dada and Pop Art movements. The essay will show their similarities, differences, and the reason why Pop Art did not continue with the Dada tradition although Pop Art also utilized everyday objects as subjects to create art just like the Dada. Lastly, the essay will show how Pop Art is still very much part of today’s art world.Dada or Daism was an informal international art movement, with artists and followers in Europe and North America. The beginnings of this movement coincided with the outbreak of World War I. This artistic and literary movement started in 1916 and ended around 1923. Dada was born out of negative reaction to the World War I and as a way to protest against the conventional middle-class which the artists beli eved were the cause of the war. Dada excluded reason and logic, valuing nonsense, irrationality, irony and humor. The movement primarily involved visual arts, literature, poetry, manifestoes, art theory, theatre and graphic design. Art in the traditional sense was all about aesthetics, Dada represented the opposite. Dada’s intention was to offend and shock common sense. (â€Å"Pop art/dada†, 2013)Dada artists developed the collage, photomontage, assemblage and readymade techniques. The collage, which imitated the techniques used during cubism through the pasting of cut pieces of paper items to include items such as transportation tickets, maps, plastic wrappers in order to represent features of life instead of still life. Photomontage – this technique used scissors and glue rather than paintbrushes and paints to express views of modern life from images represented by the media.The assemblage technique – is a three-dimensional variations of a collage; whic h again used everyday objects to produce meaningful or meaningless (relating to the war) pieces of work. Lastly, the â€Å"readymades† – these were everyday objects found or  purchased and declared art by an artist. These objects would sometimes have titles and/or the artist’s signature to provoke deeper thinking on the viewer. During this period there was no predominant medium to Dadaist art. (â€Å"Dada†, 2013)Pop Art (short for Popular Art) emerged in England in the early 1950s and late 1950s in the United States lasting through the early 1970s. Pop Art origins developed for different reasons in Great Britain and the United States. In the United States, it was a response to impersonal, mundane reality, irony and parody. In Britain, the origin of post-World War II also included irony and parody but its main focus was on the images of American popular culture.Pop art was also a form of rebellion against abstract expressionism whose audience was a greed y middle class, according to the artists. Pop Art understood popular culture or so called material culture which was focused on the post-World War II generation who rebelled against the mysterious undertone of the abstract art. Pop artists wanted to express their hopefulness after so much poverty had been experienced during the World War II. (â€Å"Pop art-†, 2013)Pop Art was rooted in urban environment – London and New York. Pop Art used pieces of familiar images like advertising, labels, comic books, ordinary cultural objects, film, and television, to express conceptual formal relationships. In addition, the artist also duplicated common mass production images such as beer bottles, soup cans, comic strips, road sign paintings, collages and sculptures either by incorporating these objects into their paintings, collages and sculptures. Artists usually used very bright colors, and flat images. Pop art is symbolic and realistic. Lastly, Pop Art’s subjects are non- traditional which involves the viewer on the subject unlike the traditional still life motif which engaged the viewer on the formal qualities of the painting ignoring the subject. (â€Å"Pop art-†, 2013)Dada and Pop Art developed in part to oppose the status quo, standing up in opposition to the established elite art of their respective times. Pop Art and the Dadaist thought that the traditional artist was a prop of the elite and the powerful; hence, both movements created art that was anti aesthetic. Pop Art and Dadaism both used everyday objects to create art that was symbolic, realistic, and descriptive. Both movements used what was considered non-traditional motifs. Dadaism and Pop Art used their movement as a means of criticism for their respective times in which they lived. Lastly, Dada and Pop Art movements – to some degree – were influenced by a war. (â€Å"Pop art-† 2013)Pop Art was somewhat an extension of Dadaism. Pop Art also delved into some of the same subjects as Dadaism; however, Pop Art substituted the harsh, sarcastic, and radical impulses of the Dada movement with an appreciation to popular culture. Pop Art artists wanted to express their optimism to a culture born during post-War World II who sought to acquire consumer goods in response to mass media advertising. Pop Art did not critique the consumerists it simply recognized it as a natural fact of the times. (â€Å"Pop art/dada†, 2013)Marcel Duchamp’s, Fountain, 1917 is considered a ‘readymade’ artwork from the Dada movement. The sculpture has become one of the most recognized modernist works from the Dada movement. With the Fountain, Duchamp took an everyday object of life, and changed its useful significance by calling it something else. By giving it a new title and point of view, Duchamp created a new thought for the urinal. Duchamp’s insight that art can be about ideas instead of things, a notion that would ring true with la ter generations of artists. (Pop art/dada, 2013) Andy Warhol’s, Campbell’s Soup Cans, 1962, consisting of 32 canvases each being a painting of a can of soup flavor being offered at the time.There is no clear explanation as to why Warhol  chose to paint the soup cans, his usual reply to interviews as to why he painted the cans – he had soup every day. One of the traits of Pop Art is creating art from popular recognizable object that most everyone could relate to. Just like the Fountain, the concept was more important than the image. The fact that he chose to ‘create’ art by painting the cans correlates to Duchamp’s Fountain by which both artists style was more anti-art; utilizing common objects as subject matter, evoking interest from the viewer on the concept rather than the object. (â€Å"Campbell’s soup cans†, 2013)Pop Art is a direct descendant of Dadaism because it mocks the art world by using everyday motifs as subjects t o create art. The Dadaist originated an irrational way of images to provoke reaction from the public on their work. Pop artists adopted the same visual method but concentrated their interest on popular culture. The Pop Art movement replaced the negative, satirical and radical elements of the Dada movement. The Dadaist concentrated on anti-war politics, rejecting the prevailing standards in art by creating anti-art cultural works. (â€Å"Pop art†, 2013)The dawn of the Pop Art movement in the 50†²s not only impressed the wealthy, it changed the culture. So iconic and profound were the motivations behind this movement that its art is still featured, studied and produced today. It is clear that Pop Art was much more than just a fad, it is still very popular and it is continued to be called a success. It is hard to not identify traits of Pop Art as some of its peculiarities like the dotted image, strong and multiple colors, series of images on one print, famous people faces, and everyday objects continue to be used today. Pop Art can be found in print design on birthday cards, T-shirts, calendars, canvases, poster, and contemporary graphic design. (â€Å"The influence of†, 2010)

Friday, November 8, 2019

Free Essays on Welfare Mothers

In the article â€Å"Incarcerated Mothers† a lot of valid points and strong arguments are made. We learn in the beginning of the article that majority of the women in prison are mothers, and their needs are often neglected. Women’s healthcare needs and services are often ignored compared to male inmates. Majority of women mothers take care of themselves and abide by the rules simply to get out of prison as soon as possible so that they can see their children. Would it be a different case if we were discussing fatherhood? Yes, I think it would. For instance, incarcerated males receive many of the necessary services, such as, medical, dental, recreational, vocational, and educational services. However, does the male population of inmates deserve to have these benefits? I think that the men take advantage of these benefits. I do not think the main thing on their mind is getting out of prison to see their children. Many of them may not even know they have kids, they may be in jail for sexual abuse and therefore not care about their offspring. For instance, on page 262 the given quote is saying that men get in trouble for more harsh things, they try to escape, they don’t wear the proper clothes that they are supposed to, they get in fights with one another, and are rowdy compared to the women who abide by the rules and are quite so that they can go home and see their families. Clearly, if men are acting in such a manner then they are not concerned about acting properly in prison so that they can get out and get back to their families. Fathers in prison don’t necessarily have to prove themselves worthy of fatherhood, they don’t have to prove competency. Where as mothers have to prove this without expecting support for their mothering role. It is terrible to see that men don’t have to work as hard to get out to see their children. Both genders should have to equally prove themselves worthy of being a parent rather than t... Free Essays on Welfare Mothers Free Essays on Welfare Mothers In the article â€Å"Incarcerated Mothers† a lot of valid points and strong arguments are made. We learn in the beginning of the article that majority of the women in prison are mothers, and their needs are often neglected. Women’s healthcare needs and services are often ignored compared to male inmates. Majority of women mothers take care of themselves and abide by the rules simply to get out of prison as soon as possible so that they can see their children. Would it be a different case if we were discussing fatherhood? Yes, I think it would. For instance, incarcerated males receive many of the necessary services, such as, medical, dental, recreational, vocational, and educational services. However, does the male population of inmates deserve to have these benefits? I think that the men take advantage of these benefits. I do not think the main thing on their mind is getting out of prison to see their children. Many of them may not even know they have kids, they may be in jail for sexual abuse and therefore not care about their offspring. For instance, on page 262 the given quote is saying that men get in trouble for more harsh things, they try to escape, they don’t wear the proper clothes that they are supposed to, they get in fights with one another, and are rowdy compared to the women who abide by the rules and are quite so that they can go home and see their families. Clearly, if men are acting in such a manner then they are not concerned about acting properly in prison so that they can get out and get back to their families. Fathers in prison don’t necessarily have to prove themselves worthy of fatherhood, they don’t have to prove competency. Where as mothers have to prove this without expecting support for their mothering role. It is terrible to see that men don’t have to work as hard to get out to see their children. Both genders should have to equally prove themselves worthy of being a parent rather than t...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Song of Solomon by Tony Morrison essays

Song of Solomon by Tony Morrison essays Toni Morrisons Song of Solomon is considered to be by critics and readers alike one of the most significant novels of the African American literature. It is the creative result of one of the most acclaimed writers of the American cultural scene. The author draws her inspiration and writing motivation from a deep cultural heritage which is quite obvious throughout the novel. In doing so, she makes use of different literary techniques and details which enable her to perfectly express her intensions by drawing up individual and well defined characters and at the same time present her all around perspective on life. In order to best capture the profound meanings of the novel in its entirety, it is important to analyze specific elements of the literary construction. The major theme of the writing can be identified in the desire to fly. It can be said that indeed this is the axis mundi of the novel. The symbolist approach of the flight as means of escaping is used in two parallel constructions, thus creating a repetition at the level of two different generations. The major character in this repetition is Solomon, who is also the one known for his escape from slavery. Solomon was the first black person to escape slavery. The story was that he flew back to Africa. However, his escape has more significance for the structure of the novel. He is seen as a hero by the local community and this perspective also justifies the name of the novel. O Solomon dont leave me here, Cotton balls to choke me. O Solomon dont leave me here, Buckras arms to yoke me. Solomon done fly, Solomon done gone. Solomon cut ac ross the sky, Solomon gone home (Morrison, 1987). It represents mans desire for freedom, from constrains of the society and of the injustice and hardships of life. The same idea is repeated when Robert Smith decides to fly from the roof of the Mercy Hospital. However he fails to achieve his goal...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Customer Satisfaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Customer Satisfaction - Essay Example Therefore, being a general manager of the company, a significant role is to handle the complaint of the customer. After analyzing the required case, the manager recognized that the customer did not provide detail information for manufacturing the part of the product and an employee of customer service was at fault as well. In this context, the complaint can be handled by the below discussed procedures. At first, the customer is required to be handled effectively by responding to the queries of the customers and subsequently the general manager needs to recognize an individual within the company who will be accountable to provide correct information. The entire complaints from other customers along with the specific customer as well as the complaint trends of organization have to be examined properly with due concentration. Finally, after evaluation of the entire trends of complaints in the company, it has to be determined regarding what process is to be followed in order to prevent s uch occurrences from happening in future. In case of the customer complaint regarding the missing part, it can be identified that as the work was performed as a ‘rush job’, there was a lack of communication among the required departments of the organization.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Imagery of darkness in Macbeth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Imagery of darkness in Macbeth - Essay Example Because of this, King Duncan made Macbeth the Thane of Cawdor (the former Thane is to be killed because he’s a traitor). This makes Macbeth think that what the witches said were true. He was inspired by the idea that he will be King and briefly considered â€Å"murder† but felt guilty and he says â€Å"My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function is smotherd in surmise, and nothing is But what is not..† (Act, 1 Scene 1). But when King Duncan announces that Malcolm, his son, would be heir to the throne, Macbeth began to consider murder again. This he told his wife, the Lady Macbeth, who made a plan on how to kill Duncan. Because the King is about to visit them in their castle, Lady Macbeth thought it would be best to kill him there. Macbeth hesitates on this idea but his wife persuades him anyway, telling him to â€Å"act like a man†. That night, when everybody is asleep, Macbeth saw an image of a dagger pointing to the King’s room. When he was done with the deed, he heard strange noises and voices. His wife told him to stop thinking about it and move on, and she smeared blood on the guards’ faces to frame them up. The next morning, everyone discovers the dead King’s body and Macbeth killed the guards. Upon hearing the news, Malcolm and Donalbain, the King’s sons, escaped Scotland to flee the murders. This is when Macbeth was named king. However, Macbeth gets reminded that Banquo was going to be the father of Kings, so he tells a servant to go and kill Banquo and his son. Banquo got killed but his son escapes. At a feast, he saw Banquo’s ghost on his dinner table and started raving fearfully. This alarmed the guests, who were mostly composed of nobles. Because of this, Macbeth decided to visit the witches again for prophesies. There, the witches told him to 1) be wary of Macduff (he opposed Macbeth’s succession to the throne), 2) "None of woman born shall

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

SAM 340 UNIT 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SAM 340 UNIT 5 - Essay Example The sports industry in the United States is developing at a high rate owing to use of improved technology and massive support from the government and sporting fraternities. Professional Sports. Professional sports entail athletes competing as a team or as individuals, and the reward system is based solely on performance. A professional sport is a major international recreational activity that contributes billions of dollars to the economy every year. North America has been able to develop many international players, and this has made the region lead in the world of sports. The use of improved technology and increased demand for sports programming have also made North American sports a hit in markets abroad. North America holds five major international leagues namely, the National Hockey League, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the Major League Baseball and the Major League Soccer (Rosner and Kenneth, 496). There are other international leagues that are played in Africa, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia and they include: American football, baseball, soccer, rugby, cricket, basketball, hockey and volleyball. There are also other professional sporting events that involve individual sportsmen and women, and these include action sports like tennis, track events like relays, and field games like javelin. The NASCAR, Nextel and Professional Golfers Association, organize these events and act as the key management of the sport industry. Sport Agency. Representation of athletes in competition by individuals led to the emergence of sports agency. The sports agency evolved and developed due to high competition as sports agency tried to market their clients in the world of sports. International Marketing Group was the first sports agency to represent athletes in competitions back in 1960 when it first represented Arnold Palmer. There are over 4,300

Monday, October 28, 2019

Thoreau, Henry D, Walden Essay Example for Free

Thoreau, Henry D, Walden Essay Henry David Thoreau, who deals with nature, remains to this day something of a mystery. He was an American essayist, poet, and sensible philosopher, best known for his autobiographical story of life in the woods, WALDEN (1854). Thoreau became one of the leading personalities in New England Transcendentalism. Thoreaus primary genre was essay, and his fascination with his natural surroundings is reflected in many of his writings dealing with totally different subjects. Natural History of Massachusetts includes poetry, describes the Merrimack River, and discusses the best technique for spear fishing. Although he has had more interpreters than any of our other writers on nature, his complex personality has eluded an ever-gathering host of sentimental disciples, whom he would have been the first to spurn , and nearly all his ingenious critics from Lowell and Stevenson to those of his centenary in 1917. He has been regarded as an American Diogenes and a rural Barnum; as a narrow Puritan, as a rebel against Puritanism, as a German-Puritan romanticist; as a sentimentalist; as a poet-naturalist; as a hermit worshiping Nature; as an anarchistic dreamer; as a loafer, Where, amid these bewildering and often equally plausible interpretations, are we to find what he himself called his true centre, if indeed he has one? Obviously, the answer should lie within the twenty volumes of his collected writings; in part, however, it should be revealed by an examination of the influences that were most important in making him what he was. John Thoreau-one of Carlyles sincere, silent fathers of genius, who, in his manufacture of pencils and plumbago, was more intent on excellence than on pecuniary gain-and of Cynthia Dunbar, handsome and spirited, one of the most unceasing talkers ever seen in Concord, whom her staid community was inclined not altogether to approve. His love of nature seems to have been adumbrated in his mother; certainly it was evoked very early, since he tells of the keen impression produced on his imagination, when he was only four or five years old, by the sight of Waldens fair waters and woods, which, he says, for a long time made the drapery of my dreams. Early, too, came the tendency to reverie and the love of solitude, although for some years he lived, like Wordsworth, mainly the life of glad animal movements, wandering over the countryside, to woods, lakes, and rivers-hunting, fishing, berry-picking, boating, swimming. Thoreau was associating with men on other grounds than the raptures of youth in contact with nature; and this habit grew until, at Harvard College, he paid little heed to the curriculum, and He embarked upon a long voyage of unchartered reading that profoundly influenced his outlook on nature and on human life . For the field observations of a student of nature Thoreau was admirably endowed. There was a wonderful fitness, said Emerson, of body and mind. He had in high degree a species of dexterity not uncommon in the Yankee. He understood the relation between sensuous vigour and subtlety and the life of a naturalist: The true man of science, he wrote in the Journal, will know nature better by his finer organization; he will smell, taste, see, hear, feel, better than other men. Accurate perception in the metaphysical as well as the physical sphere he believed to be dependent on a fit body. The whole duty of man is to make to oneself a perfect body, a fit companion for the soul, since the bodily senses are channels through which we may receive ineffable messages-subservient still to moral purposes, auxiliar to divine. This relation between body and soul he was almost incessantly conscious of; certainly he never cultivated body for the sake of body, and, being a good New Englander, had no erotic strain. Nothing was more foreign to his nature than the sensuality of a certain type of vigorous masculinity to be found in all ages, notably in the Renaissance, when poet and painter, as well as philosopher, had ground for saying that not all the snows of Caucasus could avail to allay the fires within me. Driven to choose between body and soul, Thoreau would have had no hesitation: I must confess there is nothing so strange to me as my own body, he wrote in his Journal. I love any other piece of nature, almost, better. That is his view of body as body, but body as minister of the divine he could not value too highly, and, if not of the Renaissance, he was equally not of the Middle Ages. He was indeed all- sentient. Other poets of nature have not been so fortunate. Thoreaus Taking nature as his province, Thoreau studied her faithfully, acquainting himself with her multitudinous facts, her exact rules and laws, her endless diversity and loveliness of form and movement, till he was prone to forget that knowledge of the part was but a means to knowledge of the whole. Yet inwardly he knew and remembered that to attain the true end, to penetrate to the reality beneath the show, he must stir the deeper currents of his own being, rouse himself out of that somnambulism which, according to Carlyle, is what we please to call life. How could he hope to read rightly the holy book of nature if he brought to it nothing better than the unreal light of the dream world in which the ordinary man lives without knowing it-that ordinary man of whom Plato says, dreaming and slumbering in this life, before he will awake here he arrives at the world below, and has his final quietus . Thoreaus subtle and ambiguous synthesis is founded on a fiction. His account of his tax resistance in the essay revises his tax resistance in the world, in his community of Concord. Thoreau tells us he finds in himself an instinct toward the higher, or spiritual, life, and another toward a primitive and savage one. He reverences them both: ‘I love the wild no less than the good. ’ For wildness and goodness must ever be separate. Thoreau repudiates the physical life with the astounding statement— in Walden of all books—‘Nature is hard to be overcome but she must be overcome. ’ In this new context it appears that Nature is abruptly aligned with the feminine, the carnivorous, and the carnal; though a mans spiritual life is ‘startlingly moral’ one is nonetheless susceptible to temptations from the merely physical, or feminine; urges to indulge in a ‘slimy beastly life’ of eating, drinking, and undifferentiated sensuality. Thoreau speaks as a man to other men, in the hectoring tone of a Puritan preacher, warning his readers not against damnation (in which he cannot believe-he is too canny, too Yankee) but against succumbing to their own lower natures: ‘We are conscious of an animal in us, which awakens in proportion as our higher nature slumbers. ’ Sensuality takes many forms but it is all one-one vice. All purity is one. Though sexuality of any kind is foreign to Walden, chastity is evoked as a value, and a chapter which began with an extravagant paean to wildness concludes with a denunciation of the unnamed sexual instincts. ‘I hesitate to say these things, but it is not because of the subject, I care not how obscene my words are, but because I cannot speak of them without betraying my impurity Thoreaus extensive accounts of his house in Walden demonstrate a lively appreciation of issues in current architectural thought. Pinning down his intellectual sources, however, often proves difficult, and it is uncertain whether or not he knew the villa books firsthand. There is some evidence that he was familiar with Downing, albeit at a later date than the Walden experiment. He mentions Downings A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening (1841) and The Fruits and Fruit Trees of North America (1845) in a brief enumeration of books on a friends shelf in 1857, and in a journal entry of 1852, he critiques the notion that one should take up a handful of the earth at your feet paint your house that colour, a conceit that had appeared in Downings writings in 1846 and 1850. Joseph J.  Moldenhauer argues, however, that Thoreaus source was instead William Wordsworths Guide to the Lakes (1810), a copy of which Thoreau owned (the fifth edition, of 1835, is an American compilation), in which the handful of the earth conceit is attributed to Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) in conversation. Moldenhauer stresses that Thoreaus knowledge of Downing is circumstantial rather than documentary; nonetheless, the circumstantial evidence seems strong, given that Downing was at the height of his popularity and influence at the very moment of Thoreaus 1852 remarks . Elsewhere Thoreaus Nature is unsentimental, existentialist. In ‘Brute Neighbours,’ for instance, Thoreau observes an ant war of nearly Homeric proportions and examines two maimed soldier ants under a microscope; the analogue with the human world is too obvious to be emphasized . Although Thoreau introduces the irreconcilability of man and Nature in Walden, in The Maine Woods (1864) he gives the inscrutability of Nature its fullest treatment. In each of Thoreaus three quests into the forest of Maine he foregrounds an epistemological crisis which ultimately reveals the inscrutability of Nature, and the inability of man, as Melville might suggest, to pierce through the pasteboard mask of Nature. In Ktaadn, Thoreau introduces the epistemological themes that he will develop further in Chesuncook and Allegash and East Branch. Each of these three excursions is an extravagant wandering from civilization out into the wild interior of Maine, and then back to civilization (although it must be noted that none of the three excursions is completely circular: in the first and third journeys. Thoreau and his companions leave from Boston, but only return as far as Bangor; in the second journey Thoreau leaves from Boston and returns to Oldtown, just a bit past Bangor). The central opposition at work in all three excursions is the contrast between civilization and Nature, the tamed and the primitive. The hallmarks of civilization are money, property, politics, and machines, such as the railroad and steamboat; the wilderness features wild animals, tangled plants, bugs, mountains, rivers, and Mount Ktaadn. Ktaadn, the first excursion, takes place in 1846. The themes of Ktaadn are grounded in the relationship between civilized man and primitive Nature. Thoreau sets out from Boston into the wilderness of Maine in order to ascend Mount Ktaadn in an effort to re-establish an original relation with Nature, to push beyond boundaries into the realm of the Indian storm-bird Pomolawho, according to Penobscot legend, lives on Mount Ktaadn-where man and Nature unite and ultimate truths are revealed. He never reaches the summit of Mount Ktaadn, however, and Thoreau makes it clear that Nature remains ultimately inscrutable. Speaking of Ktaadn, Thoreau writes: It was vast, Titanic, and such as man never inhabits. Some part of the beholder, even some vital part, seems to escape through the loose grating of his ribs as he ascends. He is more alone than you can imagine. There is less of substantial thought and fair understanding in him than in the plains where men inhabit. His reason is dispersed and shadowy, more thin and subtle, like the air. Vast, Titanic, inhuman. Nature has got him at disadvantage, caught him alone and pilfers him of some of his divine faculty. She does not smile on him as in the plains. She seems to say sternly, Why came here before your time. This ground is not prepared for you. Thoreau writes: Talk of mysteries! Think of our life in nature, daily to be shown matter, to come in contact with it, rocks, trees, wind on our cheeks. Having sought the unification of man and Nature, and failed. But, just as Thoreau fails to reach the top of Ktaadn, none have gone high enough up the mountain to find the origin of the spring. Thoreaus second journey into the wilderness of Maine occurs in 1853. Thoreau more fully develops a series of oppositions introduced in Ktaadn. In Chesuncook Thoreau explores the contrast between civilization and wilderness, the civilized and the primitive, the present and the past, lower uses of Nature and higher laws, the indiscriminate hunter and the poet, and commodity and discipline. In his excursion, Thoreau wishes to recapture the past-to relive what the Jesuit missionaries experienced when travelling through the primitive wilderness untouched by civilized man-but he is unable to: he is tainted by the corrosive effect of civilization. Thoreau makes this clear central crisis: the destruction of the moose by Thoreaus band of indiscriminate hunters. Framed by suggestive allusions to Mount Ktaadn, Thoreaus participation in the killing of the moose provokes the wrath of Nature against Thoreau, thereby cutting off any chance. Thoreau may have had of succeeding where he failed in Ktaadn: to establish an original relation with Nature, to go beyond boundaries and express truth . In Chesuncook Thoreau laments his only half-willed participation in the destruction of Nature; in A Minor Bird the narrator tries to understand what there is within man that would cause him to silence any song of Nature, whether that song be in-or-out of key. The suggestion in A Minor Bird is that there is some mysterious separation between man and Nature, a disharmony. Thoreau reflects on the relentless, inevitable advance of civilization, and the destruction of Nature, which this advance brings with it. This poses a serious problem, for the Poet, notes Thoreau, and draws power and inspiration from contact with primitive Nature. In the end Thoreau suggests that perhaps man can preserve some of the raw wilderness left in America (through some form of park system or similar venture). This solution is Thoreaus problematic attempt at a mediating compromise between the relentless progress of civilization and the need of the Poet to tap into the inscrutable power within Nature, the Poets muse. In the past, Nature was untouched and available to the Poet; in the present, Nature is quickly receding. Thoreau introduces the idea of Nature as Muse in Chesuncook. Thoreau is doubly-damned: the mythological tablets that only the poet can read are being destroyed by civilization, and the poet himself has been so corrupted by civilization that even he can no longer read the few glowing wood chips that remain. The poet yearns for communication with Nature, but he cannot bridge the gulf, which separates them. In the end, Thoreau symbolically resigns himself to his fate: when hop and Indian Joe pass by Ktaadn on their way back home, they do not even attempt to climb. Thoreau complains testily in his Journal (1852). One needs distance to be able to focus his vision. One needs space and freedom of movement to refocus his vision, keep it unconstrained by familiarity, habit and custom. In Thoreaus view, lack of originality and morning freshness amounts to near blindness. What makes nature nonhuman, but, for that very reason, also a perfect conversationalist is that nature is ever original, lacking intention and memory. Both, in Thoreaus eyes, are socially conditioned and therefore suspect, the first associated with private interest, the second, with the bonds of tradition. Natural existence, on the other hand, is superior to petty concerns and designs, it unfolds spontaneously moment-by-moment, offering itself to man as a pure tonic. Vista and novelty are what Thoreau treasures most in relationships and communication, and these natures would provide amply . Until recently, Thoreaus scientific interests and pursuits were dismissed by critics as amateur and sloppy science coupled with a declined prose style. Only recently, with the 1993 publication of Faith in a Seed—a collection of not just his late natural history essays but also including the first publicat ion of his unfinished manuscripts—has it become apparent that Thoreau had accomplished something important. In Faith, he demonstrated by observation, experimentation and analysis, how 99 percent of forest seeds are dispersed; and how forests change over time, and regenerate after fire or human destruction. Thoreau worked at his familys pencil factory in 1837-38, 1844, and 1849-50. He had a natural gift for mechanics. According to Henry Petroski, Thoreau discovered how to make a good pencil out of inferior graphite by using clay as the binder; this invention improved upon graphite found in New Hampshire in 1821 by Charles Dunbar. Later, Thoreau converted the factory to producing plumbago, used to ink typesetting machines. Frequent contact with minute particles of graphite may have weakened his lungs. He travelled to Quebec once, Cape Cod twice, and Maine three times; these landscapes inspired his excursion essays, A Yankee in Canada, Cape Cod, and The Maine Woods, in which travel intineraries frame his thoughts about geography, history and philosophy. Thoreau was not without his critics. Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson judged Thoreaus endorsement of living alone in natural simplicity, apart from modern society to be a mark of effeminacy: Thoreaus content and ecstasy in living was, we may say, like a plant that he had watered and tended with womanish solicitude; for there is apt to be something unmanly, something almost dastardly, in a life that does not move with dash and freedom, and that fears the bracing contact of the world. In one word, Thoreau was a skulker. He did not wish virtue to go out of him among his fellow-men, but slunk into a corner to hoard it for himself. He left all for the sake of certain virtuous self-indulgences. Stevenson was sickly much of his life, bed-ridden and cared for by his mother and wife, but craved a life of adventure and travel. However, English novelist George Eliot, writing in the Westminster Review, characterized such critics as uninspired and narrow-minded: People—very wise in their own eyes—who would have every mans life ordered according to a particular pattern, and who are intolerant of every existence the utility of which is not palpable to them, may discourage Mr. Thoreau and this episode in his history, as unpractical and dreamy. Throughout the 19th century, Thoreau was dismissed as a cranky provincial, hostile to material progress. In a later era, his devotion to the causes of abolition, Native Americans, and wilderness preservation have marked him as a visionary.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Interest Groups :: essays research papers

Interest Groups Help More Than Hurt   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Voter turnout has declined since 1960 but participation in interest groups has been growing. Participating in interest groups allows people to take action on issues that are most important to them. Unlike some linkage institutions, interest groups have a very close connection to government. Interest groups are an essential part of the democratic system because they allow the public to enter the political system, bring up specific issues in government, and help congress in various ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interest groups specialize in policies where as interest groups are policy generalists. Statistics show that most Americans are neither radically conservative or liberal but in between or moderate. Both parties have lately tried to conform to the moderate view, but this makes it hard for voters to commit to one party. Many people are split-ticket voters. Both candidates and parties are hard to agree with totally because there are so many different issues. Interest groups give people the chance to support specifically what they care about most. These groups are significant to the democratic system because they allow the public to get involved and in their political system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Political parties (policy generalists) have a great amount of issues on their agenda to be concerned with while interest groups get to concentrate on a single issue. Interest groups can call attention to an issue that could be ignored otherwise. Since groups know more about specific issues than the government, they can make sure that an issue is not overlooked. Interest groups bring attention to the issues that government should focus on. Thus, the government can determine which issues have priority.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Through interacting with congress, interest groups motivate the House and Senate to concentrate on their issue. The relationship between congress and interest groups is one where both benefit. Groups interact with congress with lobbying, electioneering and litigation. Groups help congress by giving them information, doing research, providing money, helping with political strategy, helping with campaign strategy, or other chores that congressmen do not have time for. Congress, in turn, helps interest groups by supporting their issues in congress.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Legality of Suicide and Assisted Suicide :: essays research papers

Suicide has become a big part of American society, year after year more people are taking their own lives for many different reasons. A lot of philosophers have broken down all the reasons of suicides into two different categories, rational suicide and irrational suicide. A rational suicide has been given five basic criteria that usually must be met for the person's act to be considered rational. The five criteria which a person must show for their suicide to be considered rational are, "the ability to reason, realistic world view, adequacy of information, avoidance of harm, and accordance with fundamental interests."(Battin 132) Another opinion of rationality of suicide is, "it is the best thing for him from the point of view of his own welfare-or whether it is the best thing for someone being advised, from the point of view of that person's welfare"(Brandt 118). People have to characterize suicides because a lot of times they don't understand what that person is going through so by grouping them and placing criteria on them it allows them to accept it in an easier manner. A lot of suicides are grouped in the rational category because they are committed so the person can be saved from the pain they may be experiencing from a terminal disease. This seems to be just about the only true rational and morally correct reason why a person should commit suicide. Yet a lot of times these patients are "heavily sedated, so that it is impossible for the mental processes of decision leading to action to occur."(Brandt 123) In other words these patients have a rational reason to commit suicide, yet their mind is not capable of making that decision. So if terminally ill patients are the only ones who have a good rational reason to commit suicide, then where does that leave everyone else? Well just about everyone else commits suicide because of a little thing that enters everyone's life at some time and that thing is called depression. Depression can come from several different things, such as a loss of something like a job, a loved one, a limb such as an arm or leg, or anything else that might be held dear to that person. Other things could be rejection at home or in the work place, abuse, and sometimes even the thought of getting old and not wanting to know what tomorrow holds in store.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

DBQ for AP World History

he printing press was transformed by Johann Gutenberg, a German goldsmith, and more than 8 million books were printed in Western Europe between 1456 and 1500. This invention had an effect with the Protestant Reformation. It not only furthered the knowledge of geography, but it also expanded knowledge throughout the countries and whether you were wealthy or poor, printing made books available to the general public.By 1560, many people were either Catholic, Protestant, or mixed (Doc. 5). Non-Catholic Western European Christians were the followers of Luther. Luther’s goal was to stir debate around the issue of indulgences. He believed that is was wrong how the churches would encourage indulgences onto the people. Written in one of the 95 Theses, if people bought indulgences, then they would be â€Å"eternally damned† and because of the printing press, the 95 Theses were known throughout Europe (Doc. 3). Luther would compare criminals to the Popes to get his point across. I n document 4, Luther used the word â€Å"robbers†.Robbers steal and he used this word against the popes. The popes were taking money from the people in exchange of an indulgence. Lucas Cranach, a close friend of Luther, made a woodcut to demonstrate not only the comparison between a pope and Jesus, but also how money was a key factor (Doc. 4). Having a point of view from a Catholic German pope in 1521 could give details and evidence of how indulgences were for the better of the people and not for the pope himself.In 1471, the printing press was not known widely. About thirty years later, the invention spread and along with it was a letter (Doc. 2). Christopher Columbus wrote about his experience of inhabited islands he found in the letter and because of the printing press, his letter spread throughout Western Europe (Doc. 6). He wrote this to keep the king of Spain updated and to let the public know his findings. Columbus was a skilled voyager. He wanted to find new routes an d to bring back goods. In 1489, Martellus, a German, was able to create a world map and Columbus was able to improve the map accurately with his travels.Then almost a hundred years later, Abraham Ortelius, a German, was able to create an accurate world map (Doc. 7). In document 6, it is noted that Columbus was believed to have written most of the letter coming back from America. Having a statement from an eyewitness  boarding Christopher’s vessel between 1492 and 1493 could provide a detailed or accurate description on when he wrote the letter.At first, a scribe would be writing a book by hand from the dictation of a scholar. Then in the mid-1500s, print shops would be built (Doc. 1). Just like the evolving of printing and books, knowledge was expanded and it evolved as well. Isaac Newton was able to use previous knowledge of other scholars to become a mathematician himself. He was able to make the world more understanding by expanding on other philosophers like Galileo (Do c. 10).And other scientific individuals were able to do that as well. For example, Johannes Kepler described how lenses work and was able to create an astronomical telescope. After him, Robert Hooke was able to use a microscope to further his observations (Doc. 10). Everything was wrote down and because of the printing press, things got to be published. Publishers were able to print books in different languages and this expanded the ancient ideas even more (Doc. 8). When the books were open to the general public, the ideas spread quickly on a grand scale (Doc. 9).The printing press helped people understand better. It helped Luther spread his opinions throughout Europe and it resulted in Protestant Reformation. Printing furthered geography and it evolved and expanded knowledge. The printing press was able to write things down permanently for all to see and read; now and then.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Research Paper on Feminism

Research Paper on Feminism Introduction A feminism critique of science and technology springs out from the Foucauldian insights of the intimate relations between knowledge and power. Knowing the world is, through naming it, a way to control it, and it has real effects of oppression and control. Representations work on the represented, and thus, epistemology not only to an extent determines ontology, but by the same token it is a tool to change a world of inequalities. A feminist critique seeks both to unveil actual structures of inequality, such as underrepresentation of women in important and world-shaping  discourses of science and technology, and to criticise the culture of it, or the ideology, that invests it with meaning and hides power relationships. It is a project of criticising both the underrepresentation of women in science and technology, and the more or less dubious rationalisations and naturalisations of science and of womens place in it (see Kember 1996). Science and technology are extremely central areas for the production and use of contemporary knowledge. Both being matters of knowledge, they are social, cultural and historical entities, and not neutral or separate spheres from the rest of society. Feminist critics have called for a new and better successor science (Stanley Wise 1990), to replace what is seen as an essentially old, masculine, logo- and phallocentric one, and they have tried to say something about what this science should be. However, traps of essentialising the feminine have been lurking, in effect continuing the older preconceptions of essential qualities of woman. Alternative and non-essentialistic conceptualisations of the relations across boundaries of machine and body, human and animal were in the beginning not very sophisticatedly explored by feminists of the 70s and 80s. Via an increasing awareness to unpack problematic categories of `women and `technology, a more recent (80s and 90s ) direction of a postmodern bending of boundaries and shifting subject positions was explored by radical, post-modern scientists or feminists. Theorists such as Donna Haraway and Rosi Braidotti have tried to open up for a nomadic and embodied localised and contextualised definition of women and female experience, nevertheless keeping a political agenda for social change. I will reflect on their contributions to feminist criticism of science and technology after an outline of some criticisms that preceeded them. Feminism critique of science and technology Women have been underrepresented in what is criticised as being an masculine endavour, a dominating and totalising science. Western epistemology and its oppositions between mind / body, rational thought / emotion, culture / nature, man / woman, modern / traditional are hierarchically structured to evaluate the terms to the left as superior and there to control the ones on the right. Judy Wajcman (1991) delineates a history of feminist critiques of science and technology, and notes that since science, technology and medicine provide us with our icons of progress, we revere the rational over the emotional and judge scientific and technological development as an index of societys advancement. However, this century has ruptured our securities as to whether science endowes society with solutions or is itself the reason for destruction and crisis. A concern about gender, science and technology continues the scepticism, but is fairly recent. Early critique from the 60s and 70s questioned the meagre access of women to scientific institutions and revealed structural barriers that hindered their participation. They also turned their attention to questions of how science had been abused by men to suppress women, for instance by providing scientific support for biological sex roles. In this view, science produced knowledge consistently smothered in male bias, but could quite possibly be put to better uses in the right hands. In these case, the motive was getting more women into science and the unfulfilment were seen to lie in women themselves and how their motivations were wrongfully shaped by expectations to feminine `natural interests. Science itself was not the problem. A similar essentially value-free science was seen as a possibility for radicals in the 60s and 70s, but continuing Marxist analysis revealed how the neutral ideal of science was itself a piece of ideology shaped by history and power, being as much a figment of ideology as were the essentialisms that placed women as `unfit to do sober, scientific work. In the 80s, seeing science as patriarchal rose from problematisations of science within feminism itself. Whether science and technology was inherently masculine, or essentially neutral but male biased, it resulted in an inherent patriarchality and made feminists ask the question of how a science apparetly so deeply involved in distinctively masculine projects can possibly be used for emancipatory ends (Harding, ref. in Wajcman 1991:5). In each case, what followed were attempts to find out what a better science would be either an entirely new and feminist one or one cleansed of its male bias. In order not to just put more biological women into a masculine, power-driven and authoritiative science, science itself had got to be changed. Re-examining the scientific revolution and arguing that the emerging science wsa fundamentally based on the masculine projects of reason and objectivity, the dichotomies between culture and nature, mind and body, objectivity and subjectivity and public and private were seen as hierarchically evaluated and gendered in that the latter part were systematically associated with the feminine. (Wajcman 1991:5) Feminists have argued for a feminisation of science, for a new successor science to replace the old masculinist one. The problem comes when one argues against dominating, oppressive and exclusive ideologies of women-not-in-technology, and at the same time tries to ground a new and bett er science on perceived `feminist values, as opposed to the `bad masculine ones. The pitfalls of a continuation of dichotomies and essentialism are still there. Eco-feminists celebrated conventional qualities of the feminine of holism, care, empathy and being in tune with nature, and a psychoanalytically informed critique would posit that childhood separation put in men essential cognitive characteristics of establishing masculine power and identity through rigid control and separation between self and other thus shaping science into an objectifying power game. Haraways critique of feminism against origin stories Donna Haraway (1991) criticises feminism for continuing a just as totalising project of taxonomy of its own history and of women, as the ones conventionally conducted by Western science. She identifies traditions of `Western science and politics as being the tradition of racist, male-dominant capitalism; the tradition of progress; the tradition of the appropriation of nature as resource for the productions of culture, and writes that her Cyborg Manifesto is an effort to contribute to socialist-feminist culture and theory in a postmodernist, non-naturalist mode [] imagining a world without gender. (1991:150) She is deconstructive and radical in her criticisms of Western capitalism as well as of certain versions of feminism put forward by some feminists. They are both caught up in a dualistic world-view, where one either is or isnt, for instance, `woman, `black, or `human, and she points out that feminists have constituted themselves as totalities; how else could the `Western author incorporate its others? (160) A polyvocality, of feminisms and of women, disappeared into attempts to establish genealogies of essences. All such quests for essence are articuations of West ern humanisms inclination to origin myths, where an original state of balance, fullness and unity was disrupted. A project of changing the world would in this vein be to search to reestablish the unity and posit essential shared but subject to evolution or disruption features between people. Haraway blames both Marxism and psychoanalysis of positing such stories of initial bliss and following rupture. We can draw the parallel further to colonial and anthropological divisions between the West and the Rest, or modern and traditional society, where the project was ordering a messy world of the First Encounter through representation of the other. Walter Benjamins concerns with mimesis, alterity and modernity is, writes Michael Taussig, fully congruent with [] the (Euroamerican) culture of modernity as a sudden rejuxtaposition of the very old with the very new. (Taussig 1993:20). A dualistic world-view, where `traditional society sometimes seen as a lost Arcadia, sometimes as a savage earlier stage of evolution is in opposition to modernity, as staticness is opposed to change.Destroying the other simultaneously with conquering them is the colonialist legacy and goes together with the anthropologys world of a withering mosaic of tribes. Whether one sees modernity and Western science and technology as disrupting the world as breach of a unity between nature and humans or as the pinnacle of knowledge and the appliance of rational thought to lift the world from savagery and magic into Enlightenment and well-being for all what is common is a dualistic world view positing origin stories and which through hierarchy, control and difference subjugates nature and other Others. Feminist criticism have deconstructed the museums of scientific knowledge and the veils of naturalisations of womens subordination.The structures of what meaning is given to `feminine and `masculine change through time, history and discourse, and science and technology cannot be seen to be in any way set apart from sociological power structures and semiotic meaning processes. It is not so that power or economic structures determine meaning processes they influence one another, yet frequently cooperate to create ideology and underwrite hegemony. Getting out of ideology, of dichotomies that have shaped knowledge of the world and thus the world itself, doesnt happen quickly or painlessly. Difficulties with getting away from essentialising a feminine identity, thus continuing connotations real and symbolic to subjugation, illustrates this general point. However, there is still a feminist project. Defining femininity based on hierarchy or one shared experience of being `woman spurring a pan-global identity is out of place, but further unwrapping of the concepts of `man, `woman and `technology entails a beginning and a need for relativisation and localisation of definition and experience. The next step, reconstruction of a common feminine identity on which to base political struggle, have often stranded. Because in these attempts to recasts epistemology, they are out of touch with an ontological reality of different experiences, of a multiplicity of subjects who as a rule dont subscribe to just one identity and one identity fully. As Wajcman concludes (with Harding) there is no `woman to whose social experience the feminist empiricist and standpoint approaches can appeal; there are instead the `fractured identities of women' (1991:11). The fractured identities come from social experience of gender as well as of class, race and culture. That the Western / humanist / Enlightenment ways of viewing, dividing and ruling the world now should be well out of place, is illustrated in a delineation of the ontology of our contemporary world system, what Donna Haraway terms the informatics of domination (1991:161). A movement from an organic, industrial society or the White Capitalist Patriarchy to a polymorphous information system entails fundamental changes. Boundary-keeping absolute dualisms have been replaced by boundary-transgressing, relative positions in information systems. Science and technology lie behind blurrings of boundaries; biology and evolutionary theory questions the rigid division between human and animal. Information processing and reproductive technologies brings organism and machine, the physical and non-physical closer. These are deadly machines, because they are about the simulation of consciuosness. A crucial feature of biologics and communications sciences in the informatics of domination is their t ranslation of the world into a problem of coding (164), parallel to the general trends of world economic systems who depend on uninterrupted circulation of information. This radical rearrangement in world-wide social relations tied to science and technology entails that if it ever was possible to define the world and gain knowledge about it in dualistic and positive terms before, it certainly isnt now. In this system, connections and affinity takes over the roles of belonging and identity, and are both necessary and possible; The consequences of the informatics of domination on the home, workplace, market, public arena, the body itself dispersing and interfaced in myriad ways makes potent oppositional movements difficult to imagine and essential for survival (163) As a fresh, clean slate unmarred by culture and history is not available, how can existing cultural signifiers of femininity, of technology be put to use, not essentialising, but still focus on womens subjectivity and feminist politics? For Haraway, the figure of the cyborg provides a fiction to illustrate and put to strategic use in this process of survival. Cyborgs are wary of holism b ut needy for connection (151). An ironic political myth Donna Haraways cyborg, the figuration set up in A Cyborg Manifesto is first of all ontologically grounded: By the late twentieth century, our time, a mythic time, we are all chimeras, theorized and fabricated hybrids of machine and organism; in short, we are cyborgs. (150) A cyborg being a cybernetic organism, an interface of machine and organism, and we cannot separate ourselves from technology or science that produces it. Moreover, our ontological cyborg-ness gives us our politics. The cyborg is a fiction, an image, of humanness in a world where boundaries are broken, and the metaphor for a world of non-bounded entities, where shifting identities rise from positions in the matrices of economies, biologies and epistemologies. It is a fiction which is both imaginary and materially real. The informatics of domination is the life-world of the cyborg, and this world system is frighteningly feminising (making extremely vulnerable) work and people. Haraway sees the cybernetic system of informatics of domination as a massive intensificaion of social and cultural insecurity and impoverishment (172), without positing Marxist dualisms of base and superstructure. She thereby escapes a rigid understanding of domination and false consciuosness and can go on to look for subtler connections, emerging pleasures and experiences. The dualistic world-view mentioned before, incorporating Enlightenment science as well as Marxism, focus on modernity as loss or break from an earlier s tage of harmony, or savagery. It has serious problems saying anything about postmodernist experience other as further fragmentation, and is not the theoretical framework to articulate emerging meanings of contemporary practices. Haraway spots the lack of sufficiently subtle connections for collectively building effective theories of experience (173), but still sees hope if we are able to learn from our fusions and boundary-transgressions instead of just being made vulnerable by them. Western capitalism, science and technology have produced an illigitemate offspring, the cyborg. Being the typical entity of the informatics of domination, it embodies difference and transgressions and inhabits a possibility f or strategic, political use. Communications technologies and biotechnologies are crucial tools defining our bodies (164) and they hover somewhere between tools to embody new social relations for women and as myths enforcing essentialised meanings. Haraway, being a scientist hersel f, does not see science in itself as inherently or essentially masculine. The boundaries are permeable, the knowledge is constructed and technology are really social relations, and therein lies the possibility to navigate structures of knowledge to seize the tools that marked women as other (175). Bricolage seizing the tools Cyborgs were created in a complex scientific-technological industry of military and medical science, serving as interfaces to enhance control, vision and violence. Seizing these tools, using the image of cyborgs, means working against the science that conceives itself of making objective tools to work on the world to create disembodied knowledge and instrumental technology. Structures and idioms of oppression and dominance have produced the elements of cyborg imagery, but they can be put to alternative use. I would like to parallel this with the opposition between Claude Levi-Strauss ideal types Ingenieur and the Bricoleur. Levi-Strauss (1972) treated science and bricolage as being two different but parallel modes of acquiring knowledge, that is, epistemologies. The ingenieur is the one who makes new knowledge out of `nothing. His tools and concepts are transparent means to an end, removed from the concrete world, and they are not bound up in previous practice or attached with meaning. Of course, contrary to what western science would like to think of itself, the bricoleur can be spotted as well. He builds on old meanings and of structures of power he is creating knowledge out of fragments of meaning already found in the world. Bricolage was identified with magic and myth, and the bricoleur is adept in a large number of diverse tasks, even though the repertoire of tools is limited to whatever is at hand. They are finite and heterogenous and bears no relation to the current project. In discussing Haraways cyborg, it should be clear that meanings are given to gender, work and difference through the praxis of the social relations of technology in the informatics of domination. Mythical thought is a kind of intellectual `bricolage, writes Levi- Strauss, and Haraways cyborg is a myth about identity and boundaries made up of the remnants of industrial society and the continued capitalism of the informatics of domination. Levi-Strauss pinned the difference down to being compliant with literate societies versus pre-literate ones. The literate, scientific Western side is reflected in Haraways discussion of the writing and the name as being masculine and phallocentric. (175) Origin stories are phallocentric, but the cyborg writing is different. In a world where the boundary between the `primitive and the `civilized no longer holds, cyborg writing is not about searching for the perfect name of the singular work. To seize the tools that marked women as other to gain back a power to survival is the basis for cyborg writing, not original innocence. (175) Western science has been based on the ideology of the rational ingenieur who creates anew, while overlooking the continuities, the guesswork, the axioms of mathematical rules and discriminatory gender differences, overlooking the bricoleur in it who thrives on connotation, ideology and culture. Feminism critique of science and technology has helped revealing and debunking these structures, because they are dubious in their foundation and have excluded women from production of knowledge and technology. Assessing western science as cultural bricolage has been deconstructing its knowledge, in feminist and other critiques. However, stating that bricolage takes place, is not necessary to call for an abandonment of science altogether on the reason that it fails to live up to its objectivist claims. A bricolage does not result in pure relativism or subjectivity from lack of being objective, it is objective in its being intersubjective. In using the cyborg imagery in order to construct a n ew feminist science, we are not trying to search out a new monistically objective science, but using `whatever is at hand politically, ironically and pragmatically to create a new epistemology that values different experiences. If science has produced disembodied knowledge, or at least certainly told the story of objectivity and neutrality to itself, a new and feminist science is still possible according to Haraway. This is, as I have tried to show, grounded in old tools as well as contemporary experiences of fluid identities and contingencies. The cyborg is ironic and produces no monistic truth. Because it is a hybrid, it embodies difference, and the notion of partial perspectives provides a new basis of scientific objectivity, and this objectivity is enhanced, not weakened, by multiple standpoints and partial views. Sarah Kember (1996) points out that embodied knowledge incorporates experience, desires and politics of the self, and therefore cannot make universalist truth claims. It can tell of others standpoints as well as ones own, and recognise a multiplicity of equally valid feminist standpoints . They are put to the task of undermining existing epistemological structures and scientific hierarchical separations. Experiences of whom are named as `black, `lesbians, `old are embodied and can be told. Even though we try to avoid essentialising categories and names for peoples identities or differences it is quite possible to take these categories and names (`black, `woman) as a starting point, with the connotations they already have. They will include their own transgressions and contestations around labelling, escaping, meaning, identity and lack of identity, and become stories others can hear and share, and accept as some of many possible and equally valid feminisms and femininities. There i s no drive in cyborgs to produce total theory (181) but experience of boundaries, their construction and deconstruction. Donna Haraway argues against origin myths, dreams of original wholeness and future oneness. Cyborg politics is about revelling in boundary stories and transgressions, thus reversing and displacing the hierarchical dualisms of naturalised identities. Haraway stresses the cyborg subject position as partial, ironic and faithful to blasphemy. Cyborgs are always on the move, always embodying difference differently, and the only thing it takes for granted is irony. Irony mocks power and the dualisms in which we have explained our bodies and our tools to ourselves. (1991:181) Science and technology have pushed their projects to the limits, revealing the blurred boundaries of mind and machine. She takes inspiration from the anthropologist Mary Douglas, who explores the connections between bodily boundaries and social boundaries. Body imagery provides idioms for a world view, and is thus a political language and a narration of society itself. She is Durkheimian in that the rituals and boundary-myths are all, really, about society and its perpetuation and wholeness. Bodily inscribed notions of pollution, purity and danger is at stake in the maintenance of social boundaries, and in primitive society as well as in our own, bodily functions are socially treated; women are separated in menstrual huts, or they are being subjected to controlled choices surrounding conception and childbirth. The cyborg embraces the possibilities inherent in the breakdown of clean distinctions between organism and machine, and finds pleasure in these potent and taboo fusions. Science and technology needs to be positively recast not written off and the boundary-transgression involves being (in) the machine in opposition to what earth mothers and technophobic feminists think; machines can be prosthetic devices, intimate components, friendly selves. We dont need organic holism (Haraway 1991:178). The imagery of implants and oneness with the machine is motivated by a political need to reconcile women with science. Science is not going to go away, and it is useful in that it still can provide objective views of the world they give accounts of the world that can check arbitrary power (Penley Ross 1991:2). About longing for enchantment and unity Why introduce the image of the cyborg? As Judith Squires (1996) has pointed out, Haraways feminist critique is really sufficient without it; one can reject the homogenising strategies of grand narratvies and challenge the universal pretensions of modernist thought [] one can explore the possibilities of flexible, transitory identities without ever making recourse to cyborg imagery. (Squires 1996:206) She identifies the lure of the cyborg image as feeding the old will to transcend the bodily nature of the female and exist purely in the cerebral realm of individual autonomy. If Haraway herself never lost sight of the nitty-gritty of lived social relations (Squires 1996:207), her ungendered unconsciuos-less cyborg may be, as a myth and an image, too ephemeral to separate itself from an interpretation of a bodyless mind. The cyborgian transgression of boundaries entails both both pleasure and responsibility in their constructions, but it may seem that the construction that takes place n ext to deconstruction, and the political responsibility following affinities by choice could be overlooked. Separating good and bad cyborgs is essential to Haraways political project; cyborgs that mock and check power are good, and the military-medical ones are bad. But these boundaries are, ironically, themselves blurred. The cyborg as it is found in medicine and military technology and in popular culture (e.g personalities of science fiction such as Terminator, Robocop and the like) are quite different from Haraways ideals, and give rise to speculation. One is the fetishistic use of body- or vision-enhancing technology, reinforcing a hierarchical relationship between self and other (Kember 1996:240), and intensifying the old opposition between mind and matter. For cyberpunks, it is a matter of getting out of the meat, the complete opposite to embodiment of female experience. The breakdown of boundaries is at issue here as well, but results in a pleasurable reinforcement of them instead of transgressing them to redefine difference. That [the simultaneity of] the breakdown of clean distinc tions between organism and machine and similar distinctions structure in the Western self [] cracks the matrices of domination and opens geometric possibilities (Haraway 1991:174), that is somewhat inherent contradictions and paradoxes in the informatics of domination, give rise to speculations of a feminine revenge of technology on human patriarchy. Associations of the female to the technological matrix (which is the word for the webs of interconnected pieces of information technology as well as having the etymologies of `mother and `womb (Springer 1991:306)) and a natural force is known from ecofeminism as well as industrialisms linking of women to machines capable of vast, uncontrollable destruction (Springer 1991). `Old, industrial age paradoxes of fear and love for technology are analogue to the paradoxical status of the image of the cyborg in the information age, and the object of the thrill and the fears has shifted from huge, thrusting machines to sleek microchips and the th rill of control over information [and] the thrill of escape from the confines of the body. As such, cyborg imagery serves to reinforce patriarchy, and as Claudia Springer goes on to note in an essay critical of the masculinist phantasies and the pleasure of the interface, uncertainty is a central characteristic of postmodernism and the essence of the cyborg. But [] patriarchy continues to uphold gender difference. (Springer 1991:310) Haraways political myth is apparently still waiting to become reality. There is a danger in the production of myths and ideals, navigating in popular and scientific culture to put existing signifiers in new relations. That problem is of course that the project fails, in that old meanings that structures old social relations persist. The evoking of an elusive concept, urging it to be employed without giving any strict recipies is of course a great asset, and provides goods to think with. Being a Manifesto, Haraways article throws out new idea(l)s, and avoiding gendering her cyborg, or providing it with an unconscious, she escapes a couple of essentialisms of `women and identity. The paradoxical nature of the cyborg is, as Constance Penley puts it a suggestive and productive one, but she and Andrew Ross, in an interview with Donna Haraway (1991) wonder how a philosophy of partialism can become beat mainstream sciences promise for completion and become popular for people who want to resolve a sense of loss or absence in their lives. Popular culture seems t o be more about looking for identity and wholeness than what vanguard theorists see as contingencies. Haraway still rejects holisms as denying mortality and a deadly fantasy (PenleyRoss 1991:16), but considers the question perhaps to be related to ones of psychoanalysis which she in her Manifesto excluded from the image of the cyborg. However, in retrospective, she reconsiders the limitations of both the ungenderedness and the absence of an unconscious from her cyborg. She admits that a resistance towards psychoanalysis perhaps made the unconscious disappear when it was really the Oedipal stories about split subjects she wanted to avoid. An unconscious may account for a lived subjectivity and would add to the genderless cyborg a differentiation on the basis of sexuality, which could add a bit more `meat, as it were, on the ideal cyborg. As Jaqueline Rose points out, the feminine unconscious is not a given original harmonious state then ruptured and split it is a constant `failure endlessly repeated and relived moment by moment throughout our individual histories. Coupling feminism and psychoanalysis, she holds that feminisms affinity with psychoanalysis rests above all with this recognition that there is a resistance to identity at the very heart of psychic life (Rose 1986:91). While Haraway resists the Oedipal stories because their persuasive power and their stories are all to familiar and the narratives of the unconscious much too conservative, muych too heterosexual, much to familial, much too exclusive (PenleyRoss 1991:9), she would be open for more localised and alternative Oedipal stories. Braidotti the nomad Rosi Braidotti takes inspiration from Haraways cyborg in developing her own `nomadic subject as another feminist figuration, but in contrast to Haraways cyborg, the nomad is equipped with gender and an unconscious. Her nomadic consciousness is one feminists should cultivate, and it develops the notion of a corporeal materiality by emphasizing the embodied and therefore sexually differentiated structure of the speaking subject. (Braidotti 1994:3) Braidotti thus adds body and sexuality to the cyborg, and in stressing that the nomadic project allows for internal contradicyiton and attempts to negotiate between unconscious structures of desire and consciuos political choices, she equips it with a psychoanalytic unconsious, which consequently lets the nomadic thinking take in consideration of the pain involved in processes of change and transformation (1994:31). Change is desired, and to slowly transform representations, her method is to repeat them, to mime them. She evokes Levi-Strauss bricolage as an ideal method, also providing a way to transdisciplinarity crossing the borders of phallocentric, monistic sciences. Her bricolage steals notions and concepts lying around from earlier contexts, and deliberately uses them outside those contexts. The mimesis involved in the reworking of established representation will expose them and consume them from within. The mimesis is a praxis of as if, based on the subversive potential of repetitions. Michael Taussig evokes the mimesis as a kind of sympathetic magic defined in the late 19th century by James Frazer in his huge ethnological synthesis The Golden Bough and captured in the notion that In some way or another one can protect oneself from the spirits by portraying them (Taussig 1993:1). A need to set up a discontinuity, grab and hold, and then to scrutinise and reactivate a strange culture in ones own terms is the anthropological Western mimetic project. As explained by Michael Taussig, mimesis is a double process of reification-and-fetishization (Taussig 1993:13), of copying a unique existence and bring it in contact with ones own body, and [t]he ability to mime, and mime well [] is the capacity to Other (1993:19). For Braidotti, the project is to Other back because the copy is not just a copy, but reveals and displays connections and details never seen before, as in the photograph, it is a power tool. It is also a project of positive mimesis, of recreation and new co nstruction of positive feminist nomadic figurations. The knowledge / power relation is still at work in Braidottis mimetic ventures; in the chapter Mothers, Monsters and Machines (1994), she states her nomadic style is best suited to make adequate representations of female experience. To mime representations without regard for disciplinary boundaries, she conjures up a history of intersecting historic conceptualisations of women, and treats them as discourses, not definite objects. The normative and controlling association of female difference with negative, monstrous, deviant distance is analysed, and Braidotti thus uncovers ideologies of essentialism, the ascriptions of womens monstrosity out of lack, displacement; as sign of the in between areas, of the indefinite, the ambiguous (1994:83). Evoking machines, Braidotti shows that the conceptualisations of negative female otherness were embedded in scientific, political and discursive field of technology, and adding biotechnology, t odays links between the mother, the monster and the machine becomes obvious. Thus, she has traced historical roots to contemporary manipulation of life and mechanizing of the matenal function and images of the feminine in relation to reproductive and bio-technology. Conclusion Feminist critiques of science and technology have struggled with old essentialist concepts of womanhood. References to nature and sexuality are never unproblematic as they are always embedded and made by social relations of power and work. The task has been shown to be to go to work on epistemology, through deconstructing ideologies of gender and technology. Hopes for a feminist successor science have been problematic, in that science itself has been held by many to embody patriarchial ideas of power and monolithic knowledge. Even though a common experience of woman has not been defined, a common sense of marginalisation and of not being happy about the ascribed categories of identity lies behind any attempt to reconstruct feminism and science. Haraways cyborg is a good tool to think with, in that it stresses radical irony and faithlessness in established scientific projects that can be seen to threaten the survival of humans (as well as animals). It is grounded on a hope for a bette r science, not one that produces more knowledge, more data, but one which uncovers power structures awaiting a genderless society. As such, it is problematic and Utopian. Genderless cyborgs are not real cyborgs, but ideals. Braidottis additions of sexuality and the unconscious can in addition to writing similar revealing stories as the cyborg ones, account for lived experiences of subjectivity, of sexuality, of bodies and of the double desire and fear of change. Both represent blueprints for more stories situated, `thick, speculative, ethnographic or autobiographic accounts that ironically and non-essentially can rework representations of women. The figurations of cyborgs and nomadic subjects are often vague and cannot be discovered without a context of cultural discourse of technology and womanhood. Some, such as Haraway and Braidotti excel on mapping them out, but finding concrete embodiments of a sort of ideal cyborg is rather hard. The issue is not about making perfect heroes, but illuminating aspects of subjective experience of being a woman (or something differently gendered or othered) in a technological society. Social relations of science and technology form knowledge about the world and they also provide metaphors and reference points for drawing out a postmodern map of categories, sex and difference. Laurie Anderson is mentioned both by Kember as a nomad who is perhaps as close to being a cyborg as anyone[243] and by Braidotti as a great example of effective parodic nomadic style, in the as-if mode. Her incorporation of high technology into subjective stories about attempts to gain control and backfiring, being a humorous prankster reversing situations and people as well as telling stories of loss, her deceptively simple performances and texts embodies one way of telling cyborg stories.