Friday, November 29, 2019

Wrestling with Ethics

Nowadays marketers play a significant role in the development of people society, since these are marketers who â€Å"search for unmet needs, encourage the development of products and services addressing these needs†, and due to their efforts we now have so comfortable, helpful, beautiful and delicious goods (Kotler, 2004, p.35).Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Wrestling with Ethics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More But sometimes people in their chase for comfort or pleasure want things that can be extremely harmful for others and even themselves, so here a dilemma for marketers emerges: should they or they should not develop and promote goods, which can constitute a threat for consumers or the society on the whole. To my mind, it is highly important to make goods work for people, but not make harm to them. It is clear that the major aim of the companies is gaining profit and one of the main ways to reach this goal is to satisfy consumers’ needs, and at present even to foresee these needs and provide consumers with what they want even before they want it (Gorchels, 2006, p. 5). But, I believe, that successful firms can and should choose among customers’ need and develop only those goods and services which are really needed for society development and can never be harmful. And big companies already understand that and try to develop new safe goods. For instance, PepsiCo has made a decision â€Å"to shift its flagship brand to Diet Pepsi, rather than regular Pepsi† (Gorchels, 2006, p.17). This became a result of growing problem of obesity and â€Å"aging Baby Boomers† which â€Å"have impacted sales† (Gorchels, 2006, p.17). Of course, this only reduces negative impact of Pepsi, and makes it a bit healthier, but it is not enough. In my opinion, they should continue researching to find the way to maintain the taste, for this is what consumers l ike, and replace the harmful ingredients with healthy ones or, ideally, with useful ingredients which will contribute into human body development. Moreover, our technology can make all this come true. But more immediate results can bring the method of â€Å"increasing â€Å"sin† taxes† (Kotler, 2004, p.33). And this can be very effective, since, first of all, people will have to pay more for their doubtful pleasure, so they will think more whether they need to harm their health (and social programs make people aware of all that harm) and pay even more, and, finally they can come to a conclusion to get involved into sports and healthy hobbies. The second outcome of this method is that the government gets more money that can be used for social programs to prevent people from using such harmful goods, or for development of medicine and promotion of healthy way of life. But I’d like to add that, though Kotler mentions charity donations of big companies, for example McDonalds, (2004, p. 32), it is obvious that it is not the way out.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is impossible and really cynic to believe that such big company’s mischief will vanish after its giving some money to a hospital or orphanage. But instead Kotler (2004) gives the possible way out even for McDonalds suggesting them to provide more healthy food and very its menu, enriching it with different salads, etc. (p. 32). Thus, it is necessary to promote social responsibilities within big or even international enterprises with the help of government and consumers’ education. But, to my mind, it is necessary to pay more attention to education even from the kindergarten to grow responsible people who will understand the importance of providing necessary and socially friendly goods. Reference Gorchels, L. (2006). The Product manager’s handb ook. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. Kotler, Philip. (2004). Marketers Wrestle With Ethical Questions: Is Marketing Ethics an Oxymoron?. Marketing Management. 13(6), 30-35. This critical writing on Wrestling with Ethics was written and submitted by user Graysen K. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Hollywood produced more Westerns

For over forty years, from 1926 to 1967, Hollywood produced more Westerns than it did any other kind of film (American Cinema American Culture). During these years, roughly one-quarter of all Hollywood films were Westerns. Throughout its history, the Western has played a crucial role in dramatizing and recreating for successive generations of Americans the original experience of the Frontier, which shaped American character. High Noon (1952), a Western directed by Fred Zinnemann, is just one example of the characteristics, conventions, and innovations of the Western genre. Westerns portray one man up against another, usually ending in violence without any help from others. This characteristic is evident in High Noon. Will Kane, played by Gary Cooper, is at a personal war with Frank Miller, whom he sent to prison years earlier. he has no help from others since every citizen in the town of Hadleyburg finds reason to turn their backs on him. The Western hero is forged amidst the conflicting forces that characterize the formation of the Frontier (American Cinema American Culture). Will Kane struggles for survival, even losing his wife as she sides with the town. The cowboy hero, villain, and innocent wife are all evident in High Noon and in the Western genre. Westerns are both typical and innovative. High Noon follows the typical western genre with its cowboy hero, mentioned above. Other examples of typical westerns include saloon brawls, war paint, and beautiful landscapes. At times, studios used actual American landmarks for the background of pictures, instead of man-made. High Noon is also a pure of example of innovation. Director Fred Zinnemann shot the film in real time, so that its eighty-five minutes length corresponds to the storys actual time frame. Meanwhile, the clocks ticks off the minutes to ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Majority Rule and Minority Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Majority Rule and Minority Rights - Essay Example Majority rule means a system of government in which the will of the majority if given full force and effect within the laws and regulations of the country. Minority rights are those liberties and privileges that naturally accrue toward those who do not necessarily agree with the will of the majority. The latter rights have been associated with the concepts of natural law and human rights, whereby those in the minority deserve to be treated with a certain minimum level of dignity and respect simply because they are humans and citizens of the country that acknowledges and respects those natural rights. In many ways, the United States Constitution does not really set up a majority rule system. A close evaluation of the various branches of government reveals that the only body that is designed to be truly responsive to the will of the majority is the House of Representatives, established under Article 1.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project - Essay Example Antibiotics use in United States meats is prevalent and this has raised serious health concerns (WGBH Educational Foundation para 1). There is a prevalent about the way the country’s meat is raised today, particularly in regard to the frequent use of antibiotics to keep livestock disease-free in feedlots. Also, antibiotics use in United States meats is used to help livestock grow faster. In order to understand this issue, this paper will investigate the issue and provide analysis of the situation. A federal study by the Federal and Drug Administration in February, 2013 found out that over half of samples of pork chops, ground beef, and ground turkey tested positive for anti-biotic-resistant bacteria strains and therefore adding to the fears that heavy use of antibiotics in livestock is leading to superbugs. The FDA tested 480 samples of these products all collected from United States supermarkets in 2011. These findings confirmed the recent discoveries about antibiotic use in livestock (Valentine para 3). The meat industry in the United States consumes about 80 percent of antibiotics used in the country. This amount is over four times of the amount of antibiotics used by sick Americans. ... The use of antibiotics in livestock is getting out of hands as more and more antibiotics is used in poultry and meat production. It is estimated that about 30 million pounds of antibiotics were sold for poultry and meat production in 2011, compared to about 8 million pounds sold for human use. The National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) reported in the Retail Meat Annual Report that antibiotic-resistance bacteria were found in some 39% of chicken, 55% of ground beef, and 69% of pork chops (Christensen para 2). It has also been found out that antibiotics are fed to sick animals and this is completely appropriate. However, antibiotics are put in their feed and water in order to help them compensate for unhygienic conditions and to grow faster (Christensen para 7). This situation is of great health concern because the non-judicious use for feed efficiency and growth promotion poses great public health risks. Antibiotics use in livestock is critically important for tr eatment, control, and prevention of diseases in livestock and not for other purposes. As such, medically important microbial drugs should only be restricted to situations necessary for ensuring animal health and should only be used under supervision of veterinary professionals. It is clear that available and credible data that antibiotic use in the meat industry is on the increase and has hugely overtaken the usage by humans for medical purposes. While it is important to keep livestock healthy, it is more important to ensure humans are healthy. However, it is of grave concern that the meat industry is churning out meat products that are

Monday, November 18, 2019

Business patents report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business patents report - Essay Example Following suit, other companies in the software segment are beginning to analyze their innovative intellectual properties for opportunities to exploit their unique technology developments and thus gain market share. Seeking patent protection on this business’ new software will restrict market entry from other software companies looking for B2B information technology solutions market potential. The main issue with attaining a patent is the litigation risk of not performing an adequate patent clearance search to identify software in our market already holding patent protections. The recent course case involving Apple and Samsung has set a business precedent for the high financial costs of accidentally duplicating various icons or display features in the development process. However, this business can offset these risks by assigning a patent clearance team to conduct appropriate external research to ensure development does not infringe on intellectual property protections. Patent protectionism will provide for licensing in the event that the business is unable to secure high volume of market interest post-launch. It is more likely that this business will be able to attain venture capitalist interest in financial investment, which will offset development and patent clearance costs, by minimizing litigation risks or competitor replication of the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Theoretical Perspectives Of Multiculturalism And Multiracialism Politics Essay

Theoretical Perspectives Of Multiculturalism And Multiracialism Politics Essay Within any multicultural society lie numerous complexities. From the States definition to the implementation, limitations within the multicultural theory and other contributing factors can however complicate its compatibility to academic, political rhetoric and social reality. For Australia and Singapore, geography, history and political culture set these countries apart in the definition and employment of multiculturalism. Australia is a country with a diverse ethnic and cultural makeup; Singapore on the other hand has a longstanding adherence to the four founding ethnic groups. But within respective cases, discrepancies emerge within the context of academic and public interpretation, making the multicultural affair both a loved and loathed subject. By juxtaposing multicultural Australia with multiracial Singapore, this chapter will introduce a broad overview of the multicultural/ multiracial debate that has challenged the reality of these contemporary nation-states. It will begin with the discussion of Benedict Andersons theories of imagined political belonging. This will be followed by a close analysis of the measures that have been sought to reconcile the nation-state framework within Australia and Singapore. The chapter will then explore the theoretical debates that exist within the State administration before concluding with an overview of these approaches by drawing upon their similarities, divergences and their impacts on their respective societies. Globalisation and cultural homogeneity The conventional notions of citizenship and national identity have been synonymous to the ideology where national belonging is limited to a single nation. More recently however, the processes that drive migration, the influx and settlement of transnational workers and global economic development have resulted in increasingly heterogeneous communities within nation-states (Castles and Davidson 2000; Soutphommasane 2005). Faced with such dramatic challenges to the imaginations of homogeneity, the traditional idea of citizenship is increasingly undermined as states find it difficult to manage their internal framework based on a presumption of ethnic and cultural homogeneity. The core vision of nationalism is the idea that it consists of individual citizens that share a distinct and autonomous national culture. Benedict Andersons whose works influence us on the way we think about nation-states, observes that a nation is a makeup of a political community that is imagined as essentially sovereign and limited through the stimulation of deep emotional attachment: Nationality, or so, as one might prefer to put it in view of that words multiple significations, nation-ness, as well as nationalism, are cultural artefacts of a particular kind. [These artefacts] once created à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ became modular, capable of being transplanted, with varying degrees of self-consciousness, to a great variety of social terrains, to merge and be merged with a correspondingly wide variety of political and ideological constellations (1991: 4). At the heart of Andersons argument is the idea that nationalism is built on what is almost purely an emotional connection that binds communities together. The imagined nets of kinship between persons and the State allows diverse communities to connect with each other without actual knowledge of their fellow members, and these invisible ties that motivate them to risk their lives for the nation-state in times of warfare under the perceived imagining of their nationhood (7). Such imaginings which are based on the ideological construct is at the core of nationalism. When they are absent or otherwise eclipsed by difference, these imaginings are imposed or buttressed by the State. In another influential discourse, Ernest Renan (as cited in Eley and Suny 1996: 42) suggests that national identity cannot exist without first submerging difference, including cultural and ethnic distinctiveness that could prove divisive.  [1]  The existence of national identity is dependent on the States ability to organise a universal set of values and cultures for its society, or as Castles and Davidson indicate, One has to be made into a national before he or she can become a citizen (2000: 27). Without these national imaginings, the legitimacy of the State probably would not have prevailed. Under the pressures of globalisation and the changing character of migration towards the end of the twentieth century, the traditional notion of citizenship where political belonging is limited to one nation began to evolve. As mass international migration leads to the proliferation of cultural and ethnic diversity within national communities, it consequently became increasingly untenable for nation-states to maintain the ideology of a homogenous national culture (Soutphommasane 2005: 401). Such shifts in migration patterns have undermined even the strongest argument about homogeneity. Japan for instance, where the State has long made claims about the homogeneity of its population, is now forced to recognise the reality of ethnic minority workforces that have become increasingly prominent in Japanese society (Castles and Davidson 2000: 157)  [2]  . Scholars and political elites have also begun to recognise that new measures were necessary to recognise such social changes, especially the need to accommodate cultural pluralism brought about by the movement of people across national boundaries. In relation to this, scholars have critically studied the multifaceted processes of migration and have produced a vast number of works in this field, including new and plural systems of identification and belonging (Lawson 2000), transnational communities and hybridisation (Bailey and Smith 2004), and new patterns of belonging and citizenship (Castles 2002; Joppke 1999; Law 2002). The multicultural debate: the case of Australia Affected by the processes of globalisation, a number of countries have begun to expand the traditional notion of universal citizenship in legislation and public rhetoric to include every individual, especially minorities, into a re-badged national culture under the new form of multicultural citizenship. Multicultural citizenship acknowledges the practise of culture and formation of identities in a variety of social and cultural contexts, departing from the antecedent understanding of monoculture and homogeneity (Soutphommasane 2005: 403). It also recognises minorities, ostensibly furnishing such communities with stronger voices in decision-making at the local, national and international level (Moodod 2007). The shifting nature of State-society relations in Australia, under the broader ambit of multiculturalism, provides us with one of the most obvious examples in the development of multicultural institutions and policies. Up until the mid-twentieth century, Australian society had been relatively homogenous, with over 90 percent of the ethnic dynamic identified as British during the post-war period in 1947 (Dunn and Forrest 2006: 210). And for most of Australian culture and institutions, the Anglo identity poses as a dominant influence. However in the beginning of the 1970s, the demise of the White Australia policy and the nations demand for skilled labour attracted an influx of non-white groups into the Australian society (Anderson and Taylor 2005: 470). It gradually became difficult for the State to sustain the myth of its national identity on the basis of Anglo-Celtic origins. The dominant community had to accept realities of ethnic diversity and a cosmopolitan identity, although resistance towards this continues at all levels of Australian society to this day. Incidentally, multicultural citizenship is a subject of controversy in the political and academic lexicon. The idea of multiculturalism, which was introduced in Australia as a public policy to manage cultural differences, was condemned in some quarters as being oppressive, undermining the quintessential Anglo-Celtic heritage of the nation (Bulbeck 2004; Johnson 2002), as well as being a threat to national security (Noble and Poynting 2008). The issues of immigration and social cohesion have become widely familiar to the Australian media and public. Today, multiculturalism continues to be a recurring subject of contest as recent events in Australia, such as the Cronulla Riots in 2005 and the assaults on Indian students in Melbourne in 2009 have shown. In each instance, the friction caused by deeply entrenched and unmanageable differences have brought the issue of cultural divides back into the public sphere.  [3]   The interpretation of multicultural citizenship in Australian political administration has a long tail, and has assumed diverse meanings under various political leaders. When the Whitlam government first unveiled multicultural programs in the 1950s, the purpose of the policy was to direct welfare services and forms of assistance to disadvantaged groups, namely migrants from non English-speaking backgrounds and those with little political and social representation. However when the Fraser government came into power in 1975, this political understanding of multiculturalism changed. Instead of simply being about the provision of welfare services, multiculturalism became a bipartisan policy that underscored the significance of cultural preservation for various ethnic groups, with a pragmatic approach to foster minorities voices within the society (Castles and Davidson 2000: 170). It was during this period that multiculturalism functioned as a policy directive, in hope that it would facil itate access for minorities and marginalised groups to fully participate and benefit from social, economic and political aspects. This continued to the 1980s until multiculturalism began to encompass a wider definition than the mere representations of cultural and ethnic entities. By then, it also (controversially) began to push into a new national ideology where it represented the buttress of national culture and identity in Australia (Galligan and Roberts 2003). From a policy that had been specifically associated with migrant resettlement services since its emergence, multiculturalism in the 1980s progressed to the advocacy of accepting and celebrating cultural diversity within Australian society. [Multiculturalism is] a model to be worked towards-a vision for the futureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Multiculturalism should not just mean majority group assistance for minority cultural groups, but rather should be a way of perceiving Australian society as a whole Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, 1982 (as cited from Galligan and Roberts 2003). The Keating government was keen on creating a new national identity based on the diverse nature of cultural groups within its society, its independence from the British monarch, its propinquity to Asia and its necessity to flourish in an increasingly globalised economy (Johnson 2002: 175). In a radical departure from traditional notions of Australian national identity, Keating wanted a national identity to acknowledge the British and Irish heritage in Australias history, judiciary system and culture, but yet was also distinct from core political values that privileged British identity (176). The new Australian identity, according to him, would illustrate his hope of Anglo-Celtic Australians embracing multiculturalism for the future social and economic benefits of the nation. Keatings policies were unpopular, garnering backlashes from politicians, scholars and public. This largely relates to the notion of multiculturalism displacing the legacy of Anglo privilege with a more cosmopolitan and inclusive national identity. There were concerns that broader conceptions of Australian identity could overhaul distinctive values and qualities that make up the uniqueness of Australian culture and subsequently disregard mainstream Australians for the interests of non-Anglo ethnic groups (Johnson 2002: 177). Hence, fear and tension began to heighten as the dominant group felt progressively pressured to surrender their privileged position under the escalating diversity of ethnic groups. Within the political framework, Keatings vision for new Australia reached an important juncture in 1996 when two public figures publicly opposed to his policies Pauline Hanson and John Howard. Following this marked a drastic decline in the significance of multiculturalism as the usage of the term became eschewed in Australian politics (Castles and Davidson 2000: 165). Beyond what could be described as reflexive ripostes to threats at cultural power, criticism surrounding the idea of multiculturalism have also much to do with its indistinct and constantly-evolving definition. (Ellie Vasta: 212) In some cases, it was deemed to have been introduced almost accidentally by political elites to accommodate the fluctuating diversity of the society. A term that is developed on-the-spot, the understanding of multiculturalism is therefore inconsistent. On one level, it is assumed as an appropriate designation for welfare policies and on another, it merely becomes a term that describes the multiple cultures that exists within Australian society. Hence multicultural critics such as Zubrzycki 1995) blame multiculturalism for being a presupposed concept with its principles couched in jargon, and the extent of its effectiveness is not largely known. Another polemic of multicultural citizenship reveals further dilemmas in the accommodation of cultural differences within a common civic culture. According to the National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia (1989), multiculturalism must be expressed with an overriding and unifying commitment to Australia, to its interests and future first and foremost. Nonetheless Soutphommasane (2005: 408) argues that while it is important for a national culture and a sense of shared belonging to anchor a multicultural society, multicultural citizenship cannot be observed under a civic culture that is impervious to change. If so, this could undermine the political representation of minority cultures at the institutional level, contradicting multiculturalisms pledge to include citizens from diverse cultural backgrounds and provide them equal voices as the majority. Built-in cultural biases within Australian political institutions which have witnessed the entrenchment of traditions first established by the Anglo-Celtic elites would continue to pose a problem for multicultural citizenship unless it provides the basis for a more inclusive form of political identity for multicultural citizens (Soutphommasane 2005; Castles and Davidson 2000). In essence, it is never possible to classify multiculturalism as something that is either good or bad in a society. A recent survey conducted by The Age indicates that most Australians continue to support immigration despite the political kerfuffle that coloured its history (Edwards 2009). This partly points to the fact that peoples perception and experiences of migrants are often fluid and contextual (Wise 2005: 183) and as a result, they may display versatile responses between positive and negative assessments of their migrant neighbours. Drawing experiences from an ethnography fieldwork conducted within a culturally-diverse suburb of Sydney, Wise also concludes that no clear division can sit between the merits or deficits of multiculturalism even though multiculturalism continues to stand as one of the prominent topics of debate in Australias political history. One People, One Nation: the multiracial framework in Singapore Unlike Australia, ethnic pluralism has always been a distinctive and defining feature of Singapore society since its founding as a colony. Long before Singapore established itself as an independent nation-state, its society was already made up of diverse ethnic groups originating from different parts of the Malay Archipelago, Asia, the Middle East and Europe due to trading links between these countries, international migration and settlement (Lai 2004: 1). For Singapore, ethnic pluralism has also been the central challenge to societal cohesion and nation-building. In the colonial era, ethnic communities were deliberately kept apart from one another as a matter of public policy. However in the years leading to the nations independence, as events of internal unrest and racial riots plagued Singapores social order, the ruling regime the Peoples Action Party (PAP) recognised that a cohesive nation was imperative to state survival (Lai 2004: 5). Hence upon independence in 1965, Singapore immediately included the idea of multiracialism in its Constitution, and the notion served as a foundation for other policies (Chua 2003: 60). However, Singapores approach in managing its multiethnic population remains strikingly different when compared to Australia. Multiracialism in Singapore represents an aspiration of the political elites to unite ethnic and cultural differences together, emphasising on bridging social divisions and advocating a shared sense of national culture. While multiculturalism in Australia which is essentially a public policy to manage diversity as well as to police racial discrimination and racism among diverse ethnic societies (Castles and Davidson 2000l; Chua 2005; Moodod 2007), multiracialism in Singapore can be thought of as being the States chief instrument of control in social life; it is developed as a tool of necessity due to Singapores heterogeneity and represents the States opportunity to recognise cultural differences. The policy of multiracialism allows the State to suppress potential tensions among ethnic groups, pre-empting public dissent and disallowing the issue of race to threa ten the States legitimacy of rule (Barr 2006; Chua 2003). On the face of affairs, the Singapore State has been quite successful in maintaining social order and stability with this pragmatic ideology, and has managed to avoid public race-related conflicts since the start of the 1970s. Within the context of Singapore, it is firstly important to distinguish the differences among ethnicity, race and culture because these terms are often used interchangeably in public and official discourse. While ethnicity and culture are forms of social construct where communities or groups seek identification and develop relationship with each other based on differences and day-to-day interactions (Lai 2004: 2), race on the other hand is identification based on the physical attributes of a person, namely the colour of a persons skin (Franklin 2003: 470). Due to colonial history, multiracialism remains as the official term within the political administration of Singapore instead of multiculturalism. Similarly, the State employs the term race instead of ethnicity and multiracialism instead of multiculturalism. Multiracialism expresses the States intention to create social order in the face of potentially divisive issues such as race, religion, ethnic origin and culture (Trocki 2006). The CMIO model of multiracialism is an essential component of the States ideology of pragmatism. Developed as an intentional decision of nationhood, CMIO multiracialism scheme a convenient political tool for the State to homogenise cultural differences within a racial group by attributing race to essentially one culture, language and to a lesser extent, religion (Lai 1995: 179). Prior to Singapores independence in 1965, the ethnic population in colonial Singapore was diverse with many languages and cultures practised within a single race. The Chinese race for instance, constituted of the Hokkiens, Teochews, Cantonese (Chua 2005: 5) as well as other linguistic communities who shared different culture and traditions (Trocki 2006: 139). Under the CMIO framework however, these differences were streamlined and orga nised around the elements of colonial history, language and geography. The heterogeneous population was categorised into four major race groups Chinese, Malay Indian and Others. Each race is attributed to one culture and one language the Chinese race is associated with Mandarin which is the official race-language; the Malay race with the Malay language; and Indian race with the Tamil language. Within the States interpretation, the CMIO model is looked upon to be the most effective approach for managing its society. In contrast to assimilation where the minority races are overridden by the dominant, CMIO model gives fair treatment by recognising all racial groups as equal in policy. It ensures that the interests of minorities and their interests are protected so they are not disadvantaged in the society, as well as providing equal opportunity for them to advance. Most importantly, the CMIO model illustrates the States efforts for encouraging race consciousness and the divisions within the society, advocating tolerance for such differences, and the desire for individuals to mutually accept each other for the benefit of the nation (Chua 2003: 17). However while the CMIO framework allows for the simplification of racial interpretation in both private and public lives, scholars have observed that it is in fact problematic. In recent years, multiracialism classification of CMIO surfaced once again in the light of academic debate as the nation steers itself towards integration of the world economy under the processes of globalisation. The Singapore states desire to attract what it calls foreign talent has opened the door to a high density of transnational relations as economic policies have resulted in a large influx of migrant workers (Yeoh and Chang 2001; Yeoh 2004): It is precisely for our childrens sake that we must take this open, cosmopolitan approachà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ However talented we may be, it is impossible for us to produce in our next generation the same constellation of talent, the same richness and diversity of backgrounds and abilities, just from the children of three million Singaporeans. -The Straits Times, 25 August 1997. Scholars have expressed concerns that the presence of transnational workers could invite a population that is increasingly too heterogeneous to be defined within the parameters of the CMIO classification. As Yeoh (2004) points out, a cosmopolitan Singapore shifts away from the older stance of multiracialism and the nations quest to build a cohesive society based on the four founding races (2442). For the government, it has long since been its ambition to assume individuals to have a fixed and unequivocal ethnic identity under the CMIO model; cosmopolitanism on the other hand invites fluid and complex forms of identification that can no longer be homogenously recognised. Increasingly, individuals of heterogeneous backgrounds would feel suppressed by the state-imposed CMIO model which limits them to negotiate and choose their own identity, leading to consequences where individuals feel unrecognised and separated from their ethnic classification (Lai 2005: 11). Under such circumstances, there would be Chinese and Indian migrant workers that do not subscribe to the CMIO-defined Chinese category, as well as those who feel that CMIO-defined Others is an insufficient representation of their race. Meanwhile the local community is also aware of the paradigms weaknesses: What [does] the CMIO classification in Singapore for? Are you against or for that? I do think its ridiculous that children of mixed heritage have to be forced to take their fathers races as theirs. I think the CMIO classification is merely for the govt to carry out their plans, such as HDB racial policy and so on. However I find it totally unnecessary. Sgforums.com, 27 February 2005. The indication of forced in the writers assertion explains her belief that social reality is actually more complex than the States simplified view with the CMIO multiracialism model. Instead the writer views the model as a coercive method for nation-building policies, as well as overwriting individualism for the societal good. Another contributor expresses her views on the limitations of the CMIO multiracialism model, and how it critically de-emphasises the importance of dialects that exist within the Chinese language other than the official race-language, Mandarin: An abundance of knowledge of Chinese traditions, values and history is contained in the oral and written embodiments of these southern Chinese languages, such as surviving literature, operas and stories. Sadly, the chain of passing down this heritage is being lost rapidly in Singapore. -Sgforums.com, 7 March 2009. Deng is exasperated that the governments move to suppress the use of dialects with the Mandarin language has a cost to bear. While the present Chinese community are mostly bilingual in English and Mandarin something that the government hopes to achieve, dialects also quickly become a language unknown to them. Chua (2003) describes this phenomenon as one of the consequences of the state-imposed CMIO multiracialism model where the understanding of racial harmony is minimalist and lacks substantial cultural exchange, deep understanding and even less cultural crossing of boundaries (75). This reinforcement is built on the tolerance of differences, as well as the governments aspiration to prioritise a shared sense of commonality and national identity before ethnic identities. The CMIO classification model also has internal contradictions if one approaches the idea of cultural difference within anthropological paradigms. As Franklin (2003) indicates, culture is in essence a complex notion which is malleable, flexible and also contestable (477). Rather than being fixed, it carries a mobile meaning which overtime can be moulded, lost, changed under the conditions of everyday life. Likewise, ethnic identity is a makeup of longstanding history, culture and tradition that equip members with an exclusive shared sense of belonging and membership (Lai 2005: 10). Hence it is not possible for identities, under the circumstances imposed by the State, to be effectively curtailed to a homogenous identity shared by a particular race group and subsequently, a homogenous identity shared by the national community. In reality, identities from cultural context can never be completely displaced by national identities (Bader 1997). The States ambition of protecting minority interests with the CMIO multicultural model also promises more optimism in rhetoric than in reality. Multiracialism in practice does not translate into equality for all races; accounts of marginalisation, especially among minorities, continue to pose a significant problem for Singapores ethnic-relations.The introduction of the Speak Mandarin program towards the end of 1970s which was intended to serve as cultural ballast for the non-English educated Chinese is suggested to reveal biases in its implementation that would in turn disadvantage non-Chinese race groups (Trocki 2006: 153). The program which is seen as an effort by the government to align Singapore with Chinas emerging affluence and to create Chinese cultural elites became less significant when it comes to other second languages. Despite the fact that the Malay and Tamil languages are the nations official languages, there was lesser push from high status institutions to promote thei r usage (Gopinathan, Ho and Vanithamani 2004: 236). Similarly, Michael Barr noted significant levels of cultural bias within the education system which often put non-Chinese children at a disadvantage (Barr 2006). He argues that the disparate portrayal of uplifting Chinese and the boisterous non-Chinese in the school textbooks, along with racial stereotype, depictions of prejudice and racial consciousness, would detrimentally deprive minorities of inspiring role models, undermining the States meritocracy ideal and its emphasis on equality as a method for encouraging harmony and understanding among all race groups. Australia and Singapore compared This chapter has illustrated the differences between the management of multiethnic population in Australia and Singapore. While multiracialism in Singapore has been inscribed in the Constitution since the beginning of its sovereignty and has been incorporated in many of its public policies since, multiculturalism only emerged in Australia during the 1970s as a policy to control differences. Secondly, for reasons of colonial history, Singapore uses the word race in replacement of ethnicity and uses multiracialism instead of multiculturalism as the official term within the political administration. And thirdly, Singapore functions on a political culture disparate from Australia. Being a one-party state, the Singapore government rules in a politically-hegemonic position with little risk of being displaced by alternative sections of parliamentary power, therefore establishing a form of governance that is deviated from the Western understanding of an open and liberal democracy. And unlike Australia, the Singapore government predominantly uses multiracialism as an instrument of social control. And such elements can be illustrated in the CMIO model where the government streamlines cultural differences to simplified classification, as well as controlling and advocating languages deemed as beneficial for the national interest. For Australia, the definition of multiculturalism evolves overtime in political administration as a consequence of responding to realities. However even when both countries have a different inherent understanding of multiculturalism, they present weaknesses and dilemmas that contradict respective political intentions of managing a multiethnic society where minorities risk domination of the majority at the socio-political level, and are subsequently put to a disadvantage. And in both countries, both governments emphasise greatly on national culture and language by placing individuals allegiance to the nation before their own ethnic and cultural values. But in the process of doing so, scholars in both contexts noted the costs of doing so. In the case of Australia, minorities risk being displaced by the dominant Anglo-Celtic group as well as underrepresentation at the political level especially if local institutions remain unreceptive to change. And in the case of Singapore, the importance of dialects and its values that are increasingly displaced by the State-imposed CMIO model, resulting in a minimalist understanding of r acial harmony where race groups do not engage, interact and have a deep understanding of each others cultures.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Social Status and Feminism in The Great Gatsby Essay -- Feminism Femin

F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby may appear to be a simple tragic romance; however, within the text, Fitzgerald identifies and defines social gaps and importance of wealth. He also presents women within a very separate space as the men. The Great Gatsby allows the reader to enter into the world of wealth and experience the joys and tragedies of being within this certain class as well as allowing the reader to interpret the position of gender inside the class. "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,' he [my father] told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had" (Gatsby 1). This quote was possibly the backbone of the narrator's actions and character. Through out the novel, the characters that he came into contact with were immediately associated with their money and their association with their given level of wealth. The irony of this opening line is that the poor, or less wealthy, were never really even seen by the narrator. The only people that the narrator saw, according to the reader, are the more wealthy and upper class that were associated with Gatsby's parties. What is even more ironic than the overall absence of the lower classes within the novel is where this neglected level of wealth actually did become part of the novel. Ironically, the only character that lower wealth was associated with was Gatsby. In his past, he was of lower class, but in the actual time when the novel was written, Gatsby was not only representative of wealth, but he seemed to have had the most wealth of all the characters. He was the most prestigious when compared to all of the other characters, yet was the only to have the absence of money in his past. The quote in the p... ...lar practices and thoughts, or he completely redefined them. By doing so, the novel takes on a new identity separate from its tragic romantic cover. Social status and feminism tower over the lost and found love that encompasses this novel.    Works Cited and Consulted: Bewley, Marius. â€Å"Scott Fitzgerald’s Criticism of America.† In Modern Critical Interpretations: The Great Gatsby. edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1986. 11-27. Fetterley, Judith. The Resisting Reader: A Feminist Approach to American Fiction. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1978. Fryer, Sarah Beebe. Fitzgerald's New Women: Harbingers of Change. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Research P, 1988. McAdams, Tony. â€Å"Ethics in Gatsby: An Examination of American Values.† In Readings on The Great Gatsby. edited by Katie de Koster. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press. 1998. 111-120. Social Status and Feminism in The Great Gatsby Essay -- Feminism Femin F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby may appear to be a simple tragic romance; however, within the text, Fitzgerald identifies and defines social gaps and importance of wealth. He also presents women within a very separate space as the men. The Great Gatsby allows the reader to enter into the world of wealth and experience the joys and tragedies of being within this certain class as well as allowing the reader to interpret the position of gender inside the class. "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,' he [my father] told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had" (Gatsby 1). This quote was possibly the backbone of the narrator's actions and character. Through out the novel, the characters that he came into contact with were immediately associated with their money and their association with their given level of wealth. The irony of this opening line is that the poor, or less wealthy, were never really even seen by the narrator. The only people that the narrator saw, according to the reader, are the more wealthy and upper class that were associated with Gatsby's parties. What is even more ironic than the overall absence of the lower classes within the novel is where this neglected level of wealth actually did become part of the novel. Ironically, the only character that lower wealth was associated with was Gatsby. In his past, he was of lower class, but in the actual time when the novel was written, Gatsby was not only representative of wealth, but he seemed to have had the most wealth of all the characters. He was the most prestigious when compared to all of the other characters, yet was the only to have the absence of money in his past. The quote in the p... ...lar practices and thoughts, or he completely redefined them. By doing so, the novel takes on a new identity separate from its tragic romantic cover. Social status and feminism tower over the lost and found love that encompasses this novel.    Works Cited and Consulted: Bewley, Marius. â€Å"Scott Fitzgerald’s Criticism of America.† In Modern Critical Interpretations: The Great Gatsby. edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1986. 11-27. Fetterley, Judith. The Resisting Reader: A Feminist Approach to American Fiction. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1978. Fryer, Sarah Beebe. Fitzgerald's New Women: Harbingers of Change. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Research P, 1988. McAdams, Tony. â€Å"Ethics in Gatsby: An Examination of American Values.† In Readings on The Great Gatsby. edited by Katie de Koster. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press. 1998. 111-120.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Warren Pryor

Poem Essay Warren Pryor From Farm to City Feeling like the grass is greener on the other side of the fence is a common feeling. In the poem, Warren Pryor, the protagonist’s parents sacrifice everything â€Å"to free him from the stony fields, the meagre acreage that bore them down. † Warren’s parents only want what they think is best for him — and that isn’t life on a farm. â€Å"They blushed with pride when, at his graduation, they watched him picking up the slender scroll, his passport from the years of brutal toil and lonely patience in a barren hole. † But Warren’s parents are pushing him to pursue a career he doesn’t want.They see a new life in the city as more desirable than working the stony fields — the grass really is greener on the other side. In the poem, Alden Nowlan suggests that the parents’ wish to ensure Warren escapes the farm is stronger than their son’s desire to choose his own path in lif e. Warren doesn’t fight his parent’s decision to send him away to school and off the acreage. â€Å"He was saved from their thistle-strewn farm and its red dirt,† they believe. â€Å"And he said nothing. † There are two views of the farm in this poem. His parents think of the acreage as a desolate wasteland and Warren sees it as home.While Warren is lucky to have parents who are willing to sacrifice to provide him a better life, it’s a sacrifice he doesn’t want. He should have told his parents how he felt. In his job at the bank, Warren feels powerless and angry, â€Å"like a young bear inside his teller’s cage. † He feels conflicted because he doesn’t want to betray his parents’ choices, but he’s unhappy with his life. His â€Å"axe-hewn hands† are wasted, just as a bear’s strength would be if it was caged. Warren feels caged by his city life and he has developed his own desire to escape. War ren Pryor shows how influential parents can be — in both positive and egative respects. If the poem were to be told from the parents’ point of view it would tell a completely different story. There is also a hint of irony in this poem because Warren’s parents are suffering to push him into a life that creates even more suffering. The poem tells us we must try to live our lives in our own way, and not allow others to choose our path. Warren struggles to cope with city life and his parents deal with the hardships of farm life. They both want to escape to a better place. But everyone has their own dreams of where that better place is. For some, that may mean working on a farm.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Controlled Variable Definition

Controlled Variable Definition A controlled variable is one which the researcher holds constant (controls) during an experiment. It is also known as a constant variable or simply as a control. The control variable is not part of an experiment (not the independent or dependent variable), but it is important because it can have an effect on the results. It is not the same thing as a control group. Any given experiment has numerous control variables. Its important for a scientist to try to hold all variables constant except for the independent variable. If a control variable changes during an experiment, it may invalidate the correlation between the dependent and independent variable. When possible, control variables should be identified, measured, and recorded. Examples of Controlled Variables Temperature is a common  type of  controlled variable. If a temperature is held constant during an experiment it is controlled. Other examples of controlled variables could be the  amount of light, always using the same type of glassware, constant humidity, or duration of an experiment. Common Mis-Spelling: controlled variable Importance of the Control Variables Although control variables may not be measured (although they are often recorded), they can have a significant effect on the outcome of an experiment. Lack of awareness of control variables can lead to faulty results or what are called confounding variables. Noting control variables makes it easier to reproduce an experiment and to establish the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. For example, say you are trying to determine whether a particular fertilizer has an effect on plant growth. The independent variable is the presence or absence of the fertilizer, while the dependent variable is the height of the plant or rate of growth. If you dont control the amount of light (e.g., you perform part of the experiment in the summer and part during the winter), you may skew your results.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Designing Computer Based Training

Designing Computer Based Training Free Online Research Papers Recent popularity and consumer interest for individualized multimedia computer based programs within technical education training industries has created a demand for high quality software products. This demand has stimulated corporate training departments and educational institutions to invest large capitol resources for software and hardware to satisfy customer needs. Some training managers have chosen to outsource the responsibilities of the computer software development to expert programmers, experienced in this technology. But, many of the programmers developing the software do not have a background in curriculum development and instruction. Other managers have responded by hiring full time educators with computer skills and related professional technical experience to create or supervise the development of these computer based training programs. To aid these educators, software developers have created various levels of authoring and multimedia programs for those companies who prefer to write their own customized programs. Goals The primary goal of this paper is to provide a condensed review of the basic design principles necessary to create a quality computer based programs for technical training applications. This paper can then be used by industry as a resource or a supplemental guide for professional educators in other technical training programs at industrial organizations, associations, and schools. It will identify educational design principles for text and graphics within the software programs. Additionally, this paper will reference relevant research to support important concepts and learning theories as they apply to the learner. This paper will confirm my understanding regarding the use of instructional computer based training programs to teach technical information by reinforcing key principles. Core Instructional Events The core instructional events should be identified to be sure they are included during the development of the multimedia authoring software package. The beginning of the program should gain attention to the learner to make them interested and motivate to continue. The learning objectives should be stated to identify specifically what new knowledge the learner will acquire. The learning should be guided with clear directions and instructions of what steps and processes the student will be expected to take during the program. There should be a link to prior knowledge, if possible. In other words the program should build upon previously learned information. For example, a electronics course would build upon basic electrical ohm’s law theory. The software program should provide new and useful information for the learner. Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to continue using the program. There should be a required response on the screen, forcing learning involvement. This may be just a simple prompt to go to the next screen, or it could be a mini-quiz. By giving a quiz occasionally during the program, you are require continued response from the user. This will provide feedback to them that they are actually learning something. The quiz will enhance retention and learner interest. After the instructional materials are produced, the process of formative evaluation begins. The purpose of formative evaluation is to improve the materials through an organized system of field tests. Once the program is complete, a summative evaluation procedure should be developed to provide information and feedback on the final effectiveness of the materials. Components of Good Graphic Screens Keep the graphic simple as possible. Distilling the message to its barest essentials is important. Create an outline that you will be followed during the computer program with sub-components that clarify complex ideas. Follow your original outline throughout the program. The message on the computer program should sequence the outline while bringing materials together to provide the opportunity for understanding. Keep the graphic organized while creating a path for the eye to follow consistently across every screen. Remember that students from western cultures have learned to read from left to right. This means that when designing the program, the text and graphics will be read from the left side of the page first. Recognize that if a graphic is divided into quadrants, most readers read the upper left quadrant first, and the lower right last. Thus, do not place essential information in the lower right quadrant. Make some component of the graphic dominant. Use color and highlighting so that main ideas stand out. Use clip art graphics as cues to students, so they do not waste time trying to figure out the message. Divide the space in an interesting way. Students are easily turned off by graphics that consistently present information the same way on each screen. Use the different quadrants of the screen to make the student think cognitively of the topic. But, remember that the graphic must lead the eye to the written text, not distract from the message. Frame Protocol and Functionality Zones There are three typical types of instructional computer frames , they are: * Instructional * Practice-Question * Transitional. Instructional frames provide instructional content to the student. Practice and Question frames provide interactive opportunities for the students to practice what they have learned at whatever level is appropriate such as recall, recognition, or application. The Transitional Frames bridge lesson information between major parts of the program. Frame protocol is the consistent designation swof various zones as applied to each frame. These include the: * Header Zone * Information Zone * Directions Zone. The header zone or headline lets the student know where they are in the program. A headline is used here to draw the student’s attention to the topic of the particular screen. A headline mentally prepares the student for what follows and serves to reinforce the main idea. Present one idea per graphic is also critical. This principle helps to focus the reader and to avoid any distraction. Begin with a large font at first to capture the attention and help students concentrate on the subject. The information zone provides the instructional materials either through text, illustrations, or both. Graphic types within in this zone can be static (still) pictures, graphs, charts, or dynamic video clips The directions zone presents directions to the learner of what actions are required or available. This zone is normally found on the bottom or on the side of the screen. It provides the student with directional options such as forward, backward, or to the beginning. Graphics to Enhance the Learning Environment The graphic can be used to clarify the subject material while emphasizing a point by highlighting a particular piece of information. The graphic becomes another method of simplifying a complex topic. Adding variety to the computerized lesson is an effective way to keep students interested. Sustaining interest is difficult when all the student sees or hears is words. The use of good graphics can also help students to change focus, particularly helpful if the material being presented is complex or difficult to follow. Furthermore, good graphics help students to mentally record and remember main points during complex material. Graphics should only be used when appropriate. They should match the learner, content, and learning tasks. They should not distract, but they should serve their function. There are four types of graphics found within computer based training programs, they are: * Cosmetic * Motivational * Attention-getting * Presentation Graphics. Cosmetic graphics do not carry instructional value, but helps make the materials more attractive to the learner. However, these graphics should be designed with a true motivational impact to keep the learners interested in the program while giving a finished, polished, and commercial image. They should be planned early and not added to give length or quantity. They can be used to provide useful backgrounds and transitional screens. Motivational graphics provide meaningful context for learning while increasing the innate motivation of the learner. They should avoid distraction while increasing interest. Photographs and video can be included into these screens to trigger emotion and affective responses from the learner. Attention-getting graphics are designed to catch the eye of the learner and pull them back to the instruction of a particular task. The opposite or enemy to attention-getting graphics are boring repetitive and monotonous screens. Contrasting screen elements, such as animated dancing penguins or flashing bullets can also attract attention to a particular subject. Presentation graphics should be harmonious and relevant to the text. This graphic may be used as the primary vehicle of the lesson content. It may be used to supplement the verbal information via text or audio. When the text alone produces educational competency, graphics may not be necessary. A well constructed verbal message or text can sufficiently cue a learner to internally form the appropriate message intended by the designer. Additionally, reliance on external visual graphics may decrease with the age of the learner. Therefore, using pictures and other graphics may not be as important with adults as with children. The designer can use a framing device to distinguish a line of text or a illustration on the presentation graphic. This technique emphasizes text, while providing a visual graphic. Avoid Distracting the Learners Irrelevant clip art and pictures that detract from the message of the training program. Don’t use outdated pictures that won’t help reinforce current subject materials. Avoid illustrations that causes students to concentrate on the illustration and not the message. Don’t use poor quality illustrations. If illustration does not supplement, explain, or clarify the concept-don’t use it. Use visuals that fit the audience, especially the age or technical level. A graphic for entry level technicians may disinterest high level experienced personnel. Conversely, a sophisticated graph or chart may loose the attention and interest of the beginner technician because they cannot figure out why the graphic is used. The Impact of Color in Program Design Color is effective for attracting and focusing attention. However, the more color is used, the less effective it will be, because attention is not always drawn to disturbing colors. The attention-getting effect of color can and should be used to focus on important information. Color should function as a redundant cue, not as an essential part of the instructional program. Some colors, especially yellow and green, are easier to perceive than other. Red and blue are the most difficult colors to perceive. Also, be aware that color blind students cannot perceive either green or red. The use of color should be consistent with common usage’s in our society. Green signifies growth and movement and is often used by business personnel on illustrations when discussing fiscal growth. Blue conveys calm and peaceful. It is extremely useful when students attention span is limited or when introducing difficult to understand concepts. Red, although snappy and peppy, can over emphasize and indicate danger, especially when used with a green background. Yellow serves to highlight and is best used to get students to pay attention to a particular concept. The Role of Color in Documents Color have many roles in documents, especially in computer based training programs which instructional designers can use to improve comprehension. There are five important general functions that color can have in documents. They are: Directing attention Delimiting shapes and areas Clarifying complex ideas Facilitating identification Creating affect The first two, directing attention and delimiting shapes are considered preattentive processes. These processes operate rapidly, automatically, in parallel, and with little demand on cognitive processes. Clarifying complex ideas is a mixture of preattentive and controlled processing. Facilitating identification and creating effect are considered attentive processes. Attentive processes are under cognitive control, which means they operate in response to what we already know, to what are needs and interests are. Direction Attention-draws attention to the display that stands in contrast to other features on the screen. This effect is optimal when two colors are used, and attentuated when more colors are used or when features differ in color and at the same time shape and size. Shapes and Areas-applies various color to whole pages or text. Color can also be used to emphasize differences among blocks of text. Clarity-color cueing has the effect of clarifying the structure of a document as used with cartographers during the creation of a map to differentiate the various objects and figures. The same principle can be used to clarify the organization of text, with common features printed in black, and unusual features printed in red. Facilitating identification-color is a critical characteristic to identify many type of illustrations. For example, the St. Louis Cardinal baseball team use the red bird, the cardinal, as their team identifier. All of their marketing and merchandising products have the red bird on their products. Without this color, the team would not be recognized to a team like the Baltimore Orioles who use a orange bird as their team emblem. Many companies will use this color identification to enhance and develop product recognition by their customers. These same principles can be used with the computer based program by corporate logos or background colors. Creating effect-the color of text, backgrounds, graphics, and pictures influence the affective reactions we have to certain images. Thus, people tend to like colored materials more than black and white graphics. However, younger people react more to color but adults tend to react to the content of the material rather than the color. Text Appearance and Its Message The appearance of text has a message of its own, depending upon font size, color, and style. Fleming and Levie wrote that â€Å"text, like pictures, diagrams or charts, communicates a great deal of information by its appearance on the screen that is independent from the information conveyed in it words.† The look of text impacts on learning as much as the message. Therefore, the text format on the screen is critical to its effectiveness. The message should be distilled to its absolute core. Research Papers on Designing Computer Based TrainingOpen Architechture a white paperThe Project Managment Office SystemBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalStandardized TestingInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseEffects of Television Violence on Children

Monday, November 4, 2019

Abortion in America States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Abortion in America States - Research Paper Example There are various reasons why women in America have abortion. These reasons range from a variety of factors including economic status, age, social and marital status. This paper holds the view that abortion should be legalized and women should be allowed to have abortions as long as they choose to, rather than being forced to keep unplanned pregnancies. Therefore, the decision to continue or to end a pregnancy should be personal (Webmd.com, 1). According to religious views, abortion is a bad thing, which is punishable before God and hence should not be allowed. It is morally bad and contrary to the will of God to take a life – killing of the fetus. According to the Biblical context, life begins at conception, and therefore the conceived fetus becomes a living thing with the right to life like any other human being. Moreover, over the years, abortion has been considered an immoral act and against many cultural beliefs and values. Therefore, when one is suspected to have done abortion, she is at a high risk of facing rejection in the community. Abortion is also considered immoral because it affects the health of the woman leading to serious mental problems. Women who have previously had abortion have been associated with post abortion syndrome where she becomes traumatized and stressed while others experience serious psychological disturbance (Lee, 19-20). Lee further points out that, feelings of shame, anger and guilt against the doctor and people who suggested abortion are said to accompany women after abortion. Other problems like grief, weeping, depression, self-pity, withdraw from others, sleeplessness, nightmares, and eating problems have been associated with women after abortion. Other women end up into drug abuse as a relief for stress. Drug abuse may however lead to other problems like loss of job, divorce or separation and accidents. All these problems interfere with the health and welfare of the woman (Lee, 20-21). Abortion leads to physical complications. Uterine perforations, pain, bleeding, serious infection, hemorrhage, incomplete abortions and cervical lacerations and injury are some of the reported physical complications with the risk of the complications being dependent on the abortion procedure undertaken. Breast cancer, premature delivery, sterility and placenta previa complications in the future pregnancies are th e long-term physical consequences of abortion leading to prenatal death, low birth weight and maternal morbidity. In addition, many cases of deaths resulting from abortion have been reported in America. This was a study done between 1973, when abortion was made legal nationwide to 2004 (Gaul, 1). Despite the above arguments against abortion, I strongly believe that it is helpful and of great value, and that the law should legalize it. This is because it helps to save a woman’s life in case of complicated pregnancies, for instance, when a woman becomes pregnant with more than one fetus, which mostly happens due to the use of fertility drugs or fertility procedure like IVF. Because of this, a woman may end up becoming pregnant with even as many fetuses as six or more. This increases the risk of both the woman’s life as well as that of the fetuses as it can lead to premature birth or expose the mother to many other health-associated problems. When such a condition occurs, both the woman and the physicians are presented into a dilemma because they want to preserve the life of the woman and at the same time, want to take good care of the

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Analyzing the Cinematic Element of Suture in the Dick Van Dyke Show Essay

Analyzing the Cinematic Element of Suture in the Dick Van Dyke Show Episode of the Bank Book - Essay Example In support of this concept, Silverman also discusses that for suture to have success, there are three tools that must accompany its use. These tools are shot relationships, narrative progressions and the sexual difference portrayed through the shots taken. By comparing the aspects of sexual difference with the often desexualized nature of the characters in the Dick Van Dyke show, the purpose of this essay is to determine how sexual difference or lack thereof affected the suture used in the episode entitled â€Å"Bank Book #6565696.† In order to complete this analysis, this essay will first establish the principles of sexual difference within suture, give a background on the Dick Van Dyke show as well as an episode summary and then analyze how these cinematic organization tools are seen throughout the chosen episode itself. Upon the completion of these steps, this essay strives to demonstrate how suture and sexual difference influences a viewer’s impression of the Dick V an Dyke Show episode of the Bank Book. Defining Suture As mentioned in the essay’s introduction, Silverman defines the concept of suture as a cinematic technique that when used properly helps viewers forget that the camera is the source of what they are seeing (Silverman). In addition to the overall definition of suture, Silverman also discusses the three supporting tools that can bolster the efforts of this film tool. The first of these tools is the notion of shot relationship. This aspect of suture is comprised of the shot/reverse formation. The basis of shot/reverse formation includes two or more shots that are edited together to simulate what happens when a character looks around or when multiple characters exchange glances (Silverman). The second tool is narrative progression which Silverman defines as a film technique that leads the audience through the story by providing them film shots which literally tell the story. Because of this notion, narrative progression essen tially follows its name as the story line is told through the way the film shots are compiled. The final tool to be used with suture is that of sexual difference. The main crux of the concept of sexual difference is that the footage is based on either the excess of the female body in film footage or the lack thereof (Silverman). By determining the level of female involvement is featured in filming, one can decipher the intent of how the suture is being used. In regard to the Dick Van Dyke Show episode of the â€Å"Bank Book,† the tool of sexual difference is the most appropriate to use to develop the argument of how the filming of the characters of Rob and Laura demonstrates the major variations of presence on film between the male and female characters. Evidence Background As the basis for this essay’s argument, the evidence for this analysis is an episode of the Dick Van Dyke Show. Before discussing the episode in detail and how it can be linked to the sexual differe nce aspect of suture, it is essential to first provide some background information on the show itself. According to the Museum of Broadcast Communications, the immensely popular and iconic Dick Van Dyke Show ran from 1961 to 1966 on CBS. During its five year tenure, the Dick Van Dyke Show helped to bridge the gap between the more vaudeville-style television shows of the 1950’s to the socially-driven comedies of the 1970’