Friday, September 6, 2019
Stagnant Democracy Essay Example for Free
Stagnant Democracy Essay Democracy, whether in its early or current state, needs constant improvement even if it is a government system that is highly respectful of its constituents.            Henry David Thoreau lived at a time when democracy was finally being recognized as oppressive in itself because the governing system was becoming stagnant. The laws that citizens had to abide to were being criticized because of the injustice its system was already imposing on other races like Mexicans and Negroes. Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson have simply seen that the legal system has become inefficient if not a means for oppression because of its taxes and treatment of others.            Society needs persons like Thoreau and Emerson because they are people who are able to see and declare the evils of society. Only when declarations such as those made by them are given attention can any government or system improve. It is upon reflection of their ideas when true great men can enact changes that would be able to improve an always imperfect society.            Both Thoreau and Emerson, even if they can be deemed as rebellious, do represent the traditional Western or American values because what they espoused in their writings were still democratic.            Thoreau, although he hints on individualism and disadvantages of the political system in his suggestions for civil disobedience, is merely applying his very rational beliefs and principles. He is merely promoting a different concept that will be actually for the good of his community. His suggestion for a non-violent revolution is democratic in itself because it is peaceful. Thoreau believes that every man has the power to enact change in his society even if he is not part of a majority. He says that a vote may be an act of one to show his agreement or dissent on certain issues but this is not enough to really change what is wrong in society. He sees the exercise of voting as not enough. To be true to one’s self would be to express fully what one is against to†¦ such as the way he has been stubborn (and consequently punished) in his non-payment of certain taxes. He believes in the government because it can organize communities peacefully but insists that a political body can only be truly successful if it respects the individual. In this way, he is actually espousing the very basic principle of democracy.            He may seem rebellious when he attacks the government for imposing the taxes for Christianity but the basic formulations of his principles are very Christian. He believes that he is able to give back his spiritual obligations in other ways which are more useful to society. His writings are testimony of his own contribution to the community he belongs to. He insists that taxes are merely oppressive when people blindly pay it while they can share their skills and talents in other forms that will serve the community just as well.            Emerson is also representative of the liberal American or Western values because he is able to find the freedom of speech to attack the problems of the society. The theme of self-reliance is not selfish but civic because it upholds the dignity of an individual which in turn can contribute better to society. He believes that the society during his time is already in need of a wake up call because of its reliance on conformity and consistency. He saw that men were becoming cowards to express what is fair and just because of the need to adapt to the opinions of other who are simply obeying the laws blindly. He sees that most people are already trapped into making very wrong decisions because of the fear that people will attack their views and actions because of what they had done in the past. According to Emerson, people who are not able to rely on their instincts with regard to what is right and wrong because they are always concerned on how society will react to them become prisoners of their cowardice.            Emerson may seem like a heretic when he attacks the hypocritical expression of faith many Church leaders were making but his views are basically Christ-centered. His idea that the Church has become overbearing because of its strict adherence to religious laws is true. Morality, for Emerson, is to look inside one’s self and find the truth and what is ultimately good for the individual and the others who surround him. He believes that God provided each and every one of us with the instinct to know what is correct or wrong and that too much reliance on Church teachings can lead one to further mistakes simply for the sake of conformity.            Thomas and Emerson are highly for democracy and God but the way they have expressed themselves can seem rebellious to those who insist in following unjust laws. As Martin Luther King Jr. has expressed in his own writings, laws that disregard the higher morals it supposedly adheres to are ineffective and disobedience to these is simply necessary. In fact, King is correct in establishing that disobedience is actually democratic and spiritual.            Democracy may have established laws that protect the security of many but it is still imperfect. Individuals like Thoreau and Emerson are truly important to help this political system improve and correct itself.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
1984 George Orwell Dramatic performance analysis Essay Example for Free
1984 George Orwell Dramatic performance analysis Essay â€Å"No one is free, even the birds are chained in the sky.†– Bob Dylan A spotlight moves through the audience, searching, staring deep into the minds of the victims as they sit unknowing of their fate. Democracy has fallen and there is no hope. The lights fade and there is silence. The stage is empty. Big Brother is watching. George Orwell’s novel 1984 springs to life with this stage adaptation presented by the highly entertaining theatre company Shake and Stir. In the totalitarian society of 1984, lies, myths and false information dictate the population and this is portrayed beautifully in the theatrical presentation of the novel. 1984 tells the story of Winston, a man with no hope, the party controls his life, his not his mind. He believes that the party is spreading false truths to retain power over the people, and to rebel, he commits ‘thought crime’ by thinking and writing about taking down the party and destroying the power that they possess. Little does he know, the party is onto him. Orwell uses this as a comparison to the real world. It is his view that the If communist governments take over the world there will be no escape from their supreme rule. He instead believes in democratic socialism where there are still free elections. Socialism stops privatization by establishing collective ownership of major factors of production. And if there is no privatization the theory is there will be no corruption. Well executed dramatic elements of role, mood and symbol, as well as the set and costumes of 1984 are what make it an outstanding piece of theatre and one that is effectively designed, not only through live presentation but with the aid of audio and visual pre-recordings. Like Shake and Stir’s previous Orwell reboot, Animal Farm, 1984 is presented through elements of realism as well as minimalism through the miming of objects and the use of imaginary sets. The roles in the performance are uniquely developed and different for each performer. Winston is not just the lead character, but also a twisted representation of humanity, the real life population, and what we would do in that situation. His convincing portrayal surpassed any expectation. The audience watches Winston throughout the play develop as a person as his hate for The Party develops. In the beginning of the play Winston is going through his everyday routine, which involves falsely proclaiming love for the party, which helps him survive. As the play continues Winston loses all hope and his he begins to not care about getting caught. This character development is captivating for the audience who identify Winston as the person they should emotionally connect with. The minor roles of Tom Parsons and Syme create an interesting feel to the play. Once they are killed off or ‘evaporated’, they appear in a number of different roles such as guards in the Ministry of Love or policemen arresting Winston and Julia. This double use of cast members creates a simplistic feel that stops the play from becoming overcrowded and complicated. Julia’s role in the performance plays a significant part, as she is the only female present throughout the play. Her personality screams hope for a better life in contrast to the other actors’ characteristics of doom, dismay or love for The Party. Julia’s development through the play is subtle but well executed. She begins as just another resident in Oceania but transforms into the only symbol of confidence and hope presented in the show. This helps to further develop Winston’s character by Julia’s influence rubbing off on him. O’Brien’s character is the final observable role in 1984. OBrien is an inner party member and the only one the audience physically witnesses. For all we know, he could run the whole operation, as he seems to be very powerful when Winston is in the Ministry of Love by even showing mind reading powers. OBrien is different to the other characters not only in his physical stature and age (being distinguishably older) but also in his appearance. He wears a suit but in the same uniformed ‘overall’ fashion as the rest of the cast. This part of the role represents his power (the suit) while still being controlled by ‘Big Brother’ (the work overalls). The significance of the hierarchy is fundamental to Orwell’s idea that Winston has no power and even inner party members are not fully in control. The mood in 1984 explodes in the audiences face from the first second. Despair, heartbreak, torture and tyranny were feelings that the audience was expected to feel during the performance. The dark set aided the mood in its endeavor to achieve these feelings. The tension was evident as soon as Julia and Winston started their romance with hovered movements and purposefully dropped lines playing a pivotal role. Not only was there sexual tension between the couple but tension created by the held suspense for the pair to inevitably get caught. The audience was mesmerized by the fact that the pair could have their secret love affair and not be found out. Every time they practiced â€Å"thought crime,†the audience would think; this is it, they are going to be captured. But only when audience members feel as if maybe they will get away with it do they violently get captured. This suspense is what gives the play its spine tingling mood. Not only was the mood set to entice and intrigue audience members, 1984 also made people think with its deep and meaningful symbolism. The sash that Julia wore was meant to be for the ‘Anti Sex League’, but it had so much more meaning than this. It was a distinguishing factor between her and the men that surrounded her. It was also a reason for Winston to look at her and therefore fall in love with her. But the major symbolism behind the sash was her defiance against Big Brother. When she wore it she seemed different and interesting, she stood out from the bland background from which she dwelled and that was why it was significant. From the very start of the show, symbolism was flowing through each individual’s mind subconsciously. The spot light at the start of the show, symbolized Big Brother’s watch over the people and in this case, the audience. It may not have seemed significant, but it was making an impression in the audience’s heads before the y even knew what the play was about. Props were also used symbolically. The notebook that Winston wrote in was a symbolic way to spew his thoughts onto paper and for the audience to audibly hear what Winston was thinking. This was imperative for the narrative to add extra meaning and depth. The last section of symbolism in 1984 was the room that Winston rented out. It was an oasis, an escape from the torture that was life. The room was lit brighter than the rest of the set and felt warm and comforting; it was a last look at a previous life, one without Big Brother. The authenticity of the room gave it contrast from the rest of the set made it stand out that little bit more, but it was inevitably the downfall of Winston and Julia’s relationship. This irony was well mastered and presented by the cast. Not all creative prowess was based on the characters in 1984. The set was outstanding in creating an environment that really did feel post apocalyptic. Not only did it have the rotating part to open up into a different room but also it proved multi-purposeful. It served as a jail, a lonely street, the comforting home and a torture cell as well as the woods, all without changing the background. This was possible because of the creative genius that was the television screens. They completely revolutionized the feel of the play and created a strong atmospheric impression upon the audience. Not only did they serve as a look into Winston’s mind but they also painted a beautiful picture of his dreams. As well as being a depiction of Winston, they portrayed security cameras and television screens to enhance the story even further. This technological addition to the performance made the already insightful story even more profound. Shake and Stir have done an inestimable justice to Orwell’s 1984. With the role of characters structurally thought-out down to the finest points, the mood was set and designed to divide the minds of audiences and make them question reality at the present. They created symbolism that was insightful and thought provoking while still being detectable. Stunningly raw sets merged with large screens that created a post apocalyptic world in front of the eyes of viewers. Audience members leave the theatre wondering†¦ â€Å"Is Big Brother watching?â€
Ethical Issues In Photojournalism Media Essay
Ethical Issues In Photojournalism Media Essay Photojournalism is an easily neglected aspect of journalism. It is a particular form of journalism, which includes the gathering, editing, and presenting of news material for publication, in order to tell a news story. We have to ask ourselves, what does a news photograph indicate to its audience and how is it interpreted by the news audience? It was once stated by Hall (1981) that photographs are often seen as literal visual-transcriptions of the real world. Although, it can be argued that photographs can reveal the journalists bias and are sometimes not always seen to be ideologically neutral. However, this does not mean that photographs, are additionally mediated compared to other components of news discourse. News photography can raise certain ethical issues, such as taste and decency, intrusion, etc. According to Bersak (2006) With great power comes great responsibility. Responsible photo journalism means adherence to a standard of ethics. Additionaly to this, photographs are said to have close links to claims of objectivity, which I will later go onto examine in more detail. I am going to study how World Press journalists, best strike a balance between good taste and the need to convey the realities of violent conflict and the ethical issues within this. I have taken the photographs from the first, second and third place of World Press Photo gallery for the year 2010, in the category of general news. I thought that taking the photographs from this website was appropriate as they focus on delivering a narrative to the viewer. The company is also worldwide and captures pictures from all over the world, which I think is interesting as this broadens the possibility of narrative. I focused on the year 2010, as this obviously contains the most up to date photographs of violent conflict. The first photograph I have chosen to look at was awarded 1st prize singles award by Kent Klich, Sweden. The photo is taken from the Gaza photo album and shows light entering a hole in the roof of a room. The blurb next to the photo explains that the hole was caused by a tank shell in Tuffah, northern Gaza. The family that lived in the house fled during operation Cast Lead, the Israeli attack on Gaza that began at the end of December 2008. Mohammed Shuhada Ali Ahmed, 39, had gone back to fetch clothes for his children and was killed when the shell struck. The second photograph I have chosen was awarded 2nd prize singles award and was by Carlos Villalon, Chile, Redux pictures. The photo features a youth lying dead in a pool of his own blood. The blurb next to the photo explains how it was taken in Madellin, Colombia on 27th September 2009. President Alvaro Uribe has moved successfully against drug cartels in recent years, but as international traffickers left Medellin, their place has been taken by gangs fighting for control of the local drug trade. Violent deaths in the city doubled in 2009, often related to clashes between drug gangs, but sometimes involving innocent bystanders. The third photograph I have chosen was awarded 3rd prize singles award by Rino Castelnuovo, Israel, for the New York Times. The photo features a Jewish man throwing wine at a Palestinian woman. The blurb next to the photo explains how the attack was before a Purim parade in the West bank city of Hebron on 10th March 2009. Purim is an annual Jewish festival with celebrations that include feasting and drinking. Hebron is divided into two zones. In one, under Israeli security control, several hundred Jewish residents live among tens of thousands of Palestinians. Tension between the communities is expressed in acts of harassment and provocation from both sides. All three of the photographs briefly discussed above have been published whether it in a book or a newspaper, for the public eye to consume. The pictures convey an urgent global issue such as violent conflict, which is a true reflection of the world we live in today for some. It would be safe to suggest that the photos discussed, use modern photography, in a very powerful way to portray three different narratives. All of these photographs are used by their publications as a shock tactic, to make the public aware of the realities of violent conflict, whether the photos hold good taste or bad. A main concern is, although, the photographs are the realities of violent conflict for some, the photographs do raise huge ethical issues.This is due to the dissemination of controversial images, and along with this comes many unanswered questions. According to Franklin (2005) When news reporting, it is a journalists professional obligation to be ethical. Meaning basically it is a journalists own commitment to be ethical. Most journalists in Britain today are ethical STUDY 88888 Journalists follow ethical guidelines due to a number of reasons such as to cover themselves ethically, in order to avoid being sued by an organisation or person/s, not to cause damage to their reputation as journalist etc. In Britain, journalists generally tend to follow the National Union of Journalists ethical guidelines, and the first point on it states A journalist has a duty to maintain the highest professional and ethical standards. According to Bersak (2006) The ethical framework a photograph holds has evolved over time, influenced by such things as community values and it is continually developing today. Although, we do have to take into account that not all countries follow this guideline and they can vary. An example of where the journalist may not have been ethical is in the second photograph, of the youth lying dead. Is this right or wrong to show this picture, just to try and accomplish a sensational news story, and thus boosting the circulation of sales of the publication? We have to take into consideration that this youth is a son to someone, how would they feel about this photo? The fact that is has been widely published by Redux pictures (an independent commercial and editorial photo agency, used by publications) would his family have wanted that? Would the youths family have allowed the photograph to be published, to convey to the world the realities of violent conflict? Can World Press Photo justify this journalist taking this photograph? Is it in the public interest to show this photo, or could it be subjected to invasion of privacy? According to Franklin (2005) public interest is the need for information to be published to benefit society. The youth is dead, should he not be allowed privacy at this time and die without being photographed, surely the need to convey the realities of violent conflict cannot be that great. Sometimes in photo journalism, ethical guidelines are broken to represent the true horror of a subject. However, the photograph could offend others and could be the subject of bad taste. It was said by Emery and Smythe (1995) Violence and tragedy are staples of journalism. If it bleeds, it leads, is a popular, unspoken sentiment in many newsrooms. The reason for this obvious incongruity is that a majority of viewers want to see violent pictures, but through gaps in the fingers in front of their face. In an overview of this, journalists should ensure that photographs that display gruesome images (like the photograph of the youth) are really vital, in order to inform the news reader. Journalists, frequently refer to the explanation for using such gruesome photographs as a way to inform the public of the risk, which in this case would be the realities of violent conflict. Personally, I think it is in the public interest to let the public know the realities of violent conflict, however, I do not think this photo is appropriate. If the parents gave Redux permission to go ahead and publish it, I think I would be more accepting of the photo. I think the fact, he is only a youth as well has a part to play, it highlights the fact that he was more vulnerable and thus, maybe why he was attacked. Whose interest is it in to see this poor youth dead and what benefit does this bring to the public, no ones. I think there are other photographs that could have been used to convey the realities of violent conflict, which could have the same affect on the news reader. I do not believe the journalist has tried his/her best to strike a balance between good taste and the need to convey the realities of violent conflict at all. Another interesting point to make is that, although, the photographs convey the realities of violent conflict for some, the photographs hold no objectivity. This is a recurring issue that is often questioned in todays society, should the journalist hold neutrality? Quill (1996) who supports this view states I believe that the journalist should have objectivity, when reporting, they should give all sides a fair hearing. An example, whereby the photograph holds no objectivity, is the third photograph of the Jewish man throwing wine over the Palestinian women, as this is not showing a neutral point of view at all, and in fact conveys that the Jews were the ones in the wrong, the aggressors in this violent conflict, which may/may not have been the case. According to Emery and Smythe (1995) Media critics and viewers question the use of gruesome images and visual messages that perpetuate negative stereotypes of individuals from various multicultural groups. Although, Vistens (1992) argues with this and states journalists do not take sides just pictures, supporting the view that the picture does not need objectivity as it shows the true realities of violent conflict. Reporting the realities of violent conflict encapsulates many journalistic dilemmas. For me this is the most shocking photo, I think it may be because I have never seen a photograph like this before where the man is abusing a woman by throwing wine over her. I do not know whether, it has more of an affect, as it is a man throwing it over a woman. I feel a lot of the time, I am desensitised to photographs of dead people, through seeing them so often in news coverage and this is maybe why I found this image more shocking. It was quoted by Lester (1999) The media have been criticized for showing so many gruesome images that the public has hardened toward violent injustices. The concept of journalistic objectivity is problematic, and has been described as one of journalisms thorniest dilemmas, from both a conceptual and practical point of view. It nevertheless remains at the forefront of societal debate about journalisms role and in journalists own legitimisation of their profession (taken from handout). Although a post modern approach to objectivity supports the view that it is impossible and/ or irrelevant in this day and age, to show objectivity when news reporting, whether it be in photography or writing. I think it is safe to say that the journalist, who took this picture, does give a best strike a balance between good taste and the need to convey the realities of violent conflict. As although, the picture is offensive to some, I do not think it can be subjected to bad taste. The picture does not make the audience look away in horror, as the picture does of the bloody youth. It shows the approach of some Jews, towards the Palestinians. It provokes the emotions of anger and sadness in the news reader and conveys the realities of violent conflict in a powerful way without being distasteful. We have to consider that, the majority of texts concerning ethics in photo journalism concentrate on the subject matter of what could be coined as the photographic reality. In other words, whether a certain picture accurately conveys the topic or whether it misleads the news reader viewer. A journalist is said to give a faithful and comprehensive depiction of the subject at hand in his/her work according to The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA Code of Ethics). However, we have to think about what happens when the journalist is not faithful and comprehensive as it were. The matter of the fact is a journalist can set up a staged news photo and s/he could change it in the darkroom if s/he sought to, in order to enhance the photos impact. New technological equipment is so advanced in society today, that it easily allows journalists to manipulate photographs (for this instance) to convey the realities of violent conflict, which would not be ethically correct. To illustrate this point, if we take photograph one, the picture features a hole in the middle of an empty room of someones house, with a massive hole in the roof. I would like to think this photo had not been altered. Although, it could be possible that the journalist took the photo of the room, without a hole present and added it later on for affect, and the news reader would be none the wiser. Lester (1999) agrees with this viewpoint and states A camera is only as truthful as the hands that guide it. The risk to manipulating photographs, is the public starts to doubt the truthfulness of the news photographs in general, and therefore this could cause the publics view of the journalist profession to suffer, as it has done before in the past. I do not think that the photograph has been manipulated to convey the realities of violent war and conflict. Nor do I think the photograph is distasteful, when viewing the photograph at first, it was actually quite unclear to what the photograph was meant to be conveying. I think that the photograph definitely has a shock tactic, as it shows a hole was caused by a Tank shell, which is incongruous to most of us, as news readers. I think the photograph conveys the realities of war and conflict, with striking a balance between good taste. Although, the photograph is shocking and could offend some, it like photograph three, does not make you look away in horror. This photo, especially does not make me question the ethics of whether the photo should have been published or not, maybe this is because no person is actually featured in the photograph. It was said by Bersak (2006) Each publication has a set of rules, sometimes written, sometimes unwritten, that governs what that publication co nsiders to be a truthful and faithful representation of images to the public. It can be argued, that the difference among ethics and taste is continually up for discussion, particularly, with regards to violence. It was once mentioned to me that, if you would not show the photo to a child then its suitability, taste and decency was too bad and the photo should not get published. There are many models that a journalist can follow, in order to decide whether their story should be published or not, such as Wards (2009) model, who believes there is four stages a journalist can follow for ethical reasoning. STUDY 8888888888 Despite the fact, that a number of us view violence as a matter of taste, others embrace this as ethics. Furthermore, photo journalism ethics may include the decision a journalist photographer makes. For instance, if we take photograph two of the youth lying there, should the journalist have put down his camera, in order to help the bloody youth, is this not intrusion on the youths life, is there really a need to convey the realities of violent conflict that badly? Secondly if a person requests the journalist not to take his/her photo or not to publish the photo, is it ethically correct to go ahead and take/publish the photograph regardless of what the person requested? For example, if we take photograph three of the Jewish man throwing wine over the lady, yes this is a perfect picture of conveying the realities of violence and conflict, that holds a balance between good taste and the need to show the effects, but is it fair to publish the photo say for instance if the Palestinian woman asked for it not to be? Again the journalist is being very intrusive to the Palestinian woman. All of these factors come very close between journalistic photography ethics and a photo journalists professionalism. I would hope that World Press photo has an ethical policy that, journalists have to adhere to.
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
College Candy Making Success That Much Sweeter Essay -- Drugs
As the saying goes, â€Å"Desperate times call for desperate measures.†American college students of the 21st century have been forcefully subjected to highly competitive environments due to a multitude of external factors. As of late, the prescription drug, Adderall has become the drug of choice for ambitious college students, and has earned the title of being today’s college candy and academic steroid. First introduced and approved by the U.S. FDA, Adderall became the common treatment for those suffering from ADHD and narcolepsy. The drug is considered a schedule II stimulant, falling in the same category as cocaine and codeine due to its addictive nature (Tran). Nicknamed â€Å"addy†by college students, Adderall and its effects have been proven to be advantageous to many seeking to maximize work productivity; the drug keeps students energized and engaged in their studies for hours on end (N.S.). As reported by the U.S. Department of Human Health and Human Se rvices, â€Å"among persons aged 18 to 22, full-time college students were twice as likely to use Adderall non-medically in the past year as those who had not been in college at all or were only part-time students†(U.S.). What essentially persuades a college student to take Adderall non-medically? A student’s competitive environment may be an influential factor. The issue of Adderall abuse among college campuses is concerning due to the dangerous short and long term effects in which many of its users are unaware of. An analysis of Adderall usage among college students will be performed in order to determine what can be done to prevent Adderall abuse in college students. Upon examination, it was found that the competitive nature of college campuses in California is resultant of both ec... ...Health and Human Services, 7 Apr. 2009. Print. 02 Dec. 2011. Anonymous. â€Å"Adderall Abuse on College Campuses.†Personal Interview. 22 Nov. 2011. Tranh, Pharmacist Lam. â€Å"Adderall Abuse on College Campuses.†E-mail Interview. 19 Nov. 2011. Mai, Cassandra. "Adderall Abuse on College Campuses." Personal interview. 19 Nov. 2011. Moore, Elaine A. The Amphetamine Debate: the Use of Adderall, Ritalin, and Related Drugs for Behavior Modification, Neuroenhancement, and Anti-aging Purposes. Jefferson, NC: McFarland &, 2011. Print. N.S. "Prescription Stimulants Are Big on Campus." Science News.169.21 (2006): 334. JSTOR. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. Rampell, Catherine. "Many With New College Degree Find the Job Market Humbling." New York Times [New York] 18 May 2011. Print. "U.S. Approval for Adderall XR to Treat Adults†- MedNews. 18 Aug. 2011. JSTOR. Web. 01 Dec. 2011.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Online Pornography as a Threat of Violence Essay -- Pornography Essays
Online Pornography as a Threat of Violence In 1994, a male University of Michigan student posted a sexually explicit short story to alt.sex.stories, a widely-read USENET newsgroup. (While USENET hosts are technically neither a subset nor a superset of the Internet, it, like the Internet, is a decentralized computer network, and the vast majority of its traffic passes over the Internet.) It is unclear whether anything would have happened to Jake Baker, who posted the story, had he not used the name and physical description of a female student who attended a class with him and either lived in the same dorm or nearby. The government tried to prosecute him on the basis that he had made a threat of violence against her, but eventually failed to achieve any remedy in the courts. An activist named Catharine MacKinnon contributed an amicus curiae brief to the proceedings, and has since stated that the government neglected to raise all the relevant issues in the case. She has also campaigned for laws to stop pornography. MacKinnon claims, in general, that pornography is violence. In this particular case, she argued to the court that the Baker pornography was the threat of violence. To back up her argument about his intentions, she used excerpts from his E-mail correspondence with a like-minded young man in Canada. E-mail is normally personal communication, and so it is harder to classify as a "threat" in the traditional sense of something communicated to the target, but her own argument is that the story itself was a threat and an instance of violence. (The appeals court dismissed the case on technical grounds mostly relating to the specificity of the threat.) It is clear that this story and others that Mr. Baker had been composin... ...d by someone who was probably just following scripts that had been taken from pornography, either directly or through the medium of society as a whole. Unlike this case, there are numerous instances where men actually use pornography as a means of control over women, or gain control over women by involving them in the production of pornography. Such social cost is high. The fact that U. S. citizens spend between eight and ten billion dollars on pornography each year(4) should be the final straw compelling us to be more careful individually and take appropriate measures collectively to stop this deadly plague. Notes: 1. 48 Hours, 18 Nov 1992 2. Ibid. 3. Legal brief by MacKinnon. www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/Porn/Baker/sc.html, 26 Jul 2001 4. Thomas S. Monson. Liahona, Nov 2001, p.4. Salt Lake City: La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Dà as.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Themes Of Frankenstein Essay -- essays research papers fc
Themes of Frankenstein      There are many different themes expressed in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. They vary with each reader but basically never change. These themes deal with the education that each character posses, the relationships formed or not formed in the novel, and the responsibility for ones own actions. This novel even with the age still has ideas that can be reasoned with even today.      Each character has their own educational background, which in turn has a large effect to the way they react and deal with the issues that face them. One example of this is Victor Frankenstein; he took his education into his own hands. When he went to the University of Inglostaldt he intoxicated himself with the sciences so deeply that he never imagined the morality of what he was doing. He stayed so involved and focused on his experiments that he did not take into mind what could happen because of the size of the creature. Victor said: Although I possessed the capacity of bestowing animation, yet to prepare a frame for the reception of it, with all its intricacies of fibres, muscles and veins, still remained a work of inconceivable difficulty… As the minuteness of the parts formed a great hindrance to my speed, I resolved, contrary to my first intention, to make the being of a gigantic stature; that is to say about eight feet in height, and proportionately large. (52) But when he finished the science that brought him there has also scared him away. On page 56 Victor tells about the creation and what it meant to him and what happened when life filled the body: I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. (56) Victor's education has leaded him to be able to create a monster but not let him fully think out the havoc that might be unleashed. His education only let him create a monster but never taught him how to care for it; this ends up resulting in the loss of innocent lives.      This theme is also present when looking at the creation's education. He received most of his education hands on, by hi... ...inking how his discoveries can help mankind but not how the monster could be a burden to society. When the creature talks to Victor, he starts to see the responsibility that he owes the creature. Victor agrees to start a companion for the creature but finally thinks about what could happen with the two creations together. He tears up the second creation. This shows that he is taking some of the responsibility to the society: …For the first time, the wickedness of my promise burst upon me; I shuddered to think that the future ages might curse me as their pest, whose selfishness had not hesitated to bury its own peace at the price, perhaps, of the existence of the whole human race. (159) Victor realizes he is truly responsible towards society and by tearing up the second creation upholds that responsibility.      The novel points out to the reader that education, relationships, and responsibility are important traits to posses, even to the people in the 1800's to present day. Frankenstein is a classic novel that will live on for centuries to come as well as the message deep inside. Bibliography Shelly, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Penguin, 1983.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Laurie Halse Anderson Essay
As Cayla Mills once said, â€Å"You never know strong you are†¦ until being strong is the only choice you have.†People in books, movies, and even in real-life don’t know their true strength until being strong is the only option they have. People will even become stronger and will demonstrate their strength by facing tough decisions and by dealing with their problems. Characters in books frequently demonstrate their true strength by overcoming obstacles in life. Throughout the books Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, characters demonstrate their strength by facing their problems. It is when they learn to speak up for themselves that they find their true strength and become even stronger than they were before. In the story Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda discovers her true strength through her problems with bullying. During the party over the summer, Melinda was raped and had not been able to speak up for herself. After the rape, she called the cops on the guy who had raped her. People had not treated her fairly because they thought she was strange for calling the cops at the party. She had not been able to tell anybody about what had really happened. Throughout the story, Melinda suffers to speak to other people. Since the story is told in first-person, the reader can understand the situations Melinda has suffered through. They feel her pain when Rachel walks up to her during the first day and says to her, â€Å"I hate you.†They also understand her difficulties with speaking up for herself. During the beginning, there are often conversations involving Melinda without her saying a word. When she decides to speak up for herself in the spring, she discovers her true strength and is able to tell Rachel, her ex-best friend, about the rape. Also, because Laurie Halse Anderson used symbolism ef fectively throughout the novel, the reader is able to understand Melinda in relation to a tree. Similar to a tree, Melinda hibernates in the winter and goes dormant, but gains the strength the speak up for herself in the spring. Another example from the story Speak is when Melinda has to protect herself from Andy Evans. When she is attacked once again by Andy Evans in the janitor’s closet toward the end of the book, she is given two options: to let Andy Evans gain control of her and possibly rape her a second time, or to defend herself against Andy Evans, despite her fear. She chooses to stand up against Andy Evans and gains the courage to say â€Å"no†to him, which is what she wasn’t able to say during the rape at the party. When he assaults her further, she grabs a piece of the broken mirror and uses it to harm Andy Evans, disabling his speaking ability. During the entire first marking period, she tried to hide from mirrors so that she can’t look at herself. When she used the broken mirror to defend herself, it showed that she had the strength to face herself and to see that the rape had not been her fault. Through this decision she has demonstrated her true strength, and shows that she finally has the strength to protect herself from Andy Evans. Throughout the book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Arnold must face both his problems at home and his problems at school in Reardan. At the beginning of the book, Arnold is treated poorly by the Indians on the rez for being bold enough to leave the rez and to go to Reardan. Arnold is also treated unfairly by the white people at Reardan for being the only Indian at the school. Toward the end of the book, however, Arnold gains the strength to start making new friends at Reardan. Even when his grandmother is, ironically, hit by a drunk driver and killed, he is able to demonstrate the strength he has gained from these new friends and from the hard choices he has made. At the beginning of the book, Arnold is faced with two options: to either stay on the rez and face his drunken father along with the rest of the drunken Indians, or leave the rez to go to Reardan. It would have been easier to stay on the rez, knowing that he would not be treated the same by the Indians after leaving, but he chose to go to Reardan. Arnold was bold enough to leave the rez to go to Reardan, where he had decided that he would be able to get a better education. Arnold is certainly not treated the same by the Indians after leaving, nor is he treated fairly by the students at Reardan. On the rez, he is frequently called an â€Å"apple,†meaning that he is white on the inside on red on the outside. By facing his problems head on, he is able to demonstrate true strength and is ultimately able to gain the trust of many students at Reardan. Cayla Mills once said, â€Å"You never know how strong you are†¦ until being strong is the only choice you have.†The quote describes how you never know how strong you really are, until the times in life that you must be strong. By facing one’s problems, it is possible to demonstrate true strength. In many real life situations and in books, the strongest characters find their true strength through suffering and often don’t know how strong they are until faced with difficult decisions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)