The New Religion Pop Culture - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1464 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Culture Essay Tags: Pop Culture Essay Did you like this example? The New Religion: Pop Culture Aims and Objectives Summary The dissertation will explore and demonstrate the transformation and recreation of pop culture, with emphasis on current pop music and pop video. The way of life of society has transformed in time as a result of new beliefs, new ideas and new symbols. Any à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"religionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ stopped expanding and even existing as a direct consequence of its inability to recreate itself and give new meaning to old symbols and signs for the continually à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"convertingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ society. The pop culture, by ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s nature, recreates popular archetypes that are deep inoculated in the psychology of humanity as sex, religion, death, war, politics, etc. Through ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s continual transformation and recreation of style the pop culture is becoming the perfect manipulative and dominating way of life. Is the pop culture transforming in an always present, contemporary way of life, the new religion that recreates ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s artistic expression in order to expand and grow? This is the research question around which this research is based. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The New Religion Pop Culture" essay for you Create order The main aim of this dissertation is to identify and explain the recreation of symbols and themes in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s pop music and pop video and to show the influence of this transition from à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"occasional believerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"fanaticà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s society. In order to accomplish this aim the following objectives need to be analysed and discussed: Analysis of old and new symbols in pop music and pop videos (signs and symbols take place of reality à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" hyper reality ) The birth of pop culture and ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s evolution The continuous recreation of style in pop culture (sexuality without gender, religious representations as show, death as artistic expression of freedom) The impact of pop culture on society as the perfect religion Artists (expression creators) in pop music culture : Madonna, Lady Gaga (the use of symbols as strategic components in the Fame experiment; symbols with no meaning as surface style) The analysis of these objectives will also demonstrate that reinventions of universal archetypal subjects are essential for the consumerism mass-media. Pop music is an important part of mass-media which has a huge impact on population. Pop culture creates the future society; a society that religiously consume media just for ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s own personal satisfaction. Culture is a way of life and culture exists everywhere because is created by our choices. The pop culture is defined by mass-production, mass-consumerism, choice manipulation and reinforcement and recreation of symbols in order to grow and expand. This dissertation will also demonstrate how pop music, pop videos and popular performances are influencing our choices by repeatedly representing popular brands and by touching on the most primal subjects we all can relate to. Brief Example and Review of two relevant texts Living to tell: Madonnaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Resurrection of the Fleshly is the name of Chapter 7 from Susan McClaryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s book Feminine Endings: Music, Gender and Sexuality. This Chapter analyse and debates the influence of pop artist Madonna to pop music as well as her artistic expression, main themes and symbols. For example themes as survival, pleasure, sexual transformation, resistance to closure, etc. are deeply analyzed. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The central dichotomy she inevitably invokes is that of the virgin and the whore. Her name, her apparently casual flaunting of crucifixes and rosaries as accessories, and her overtly erotic dress and behaviour have consistently thrown into confusion the terms of that standard binary opposition; but what precisely she means by this play of signs has never been obvious. Indeed, many critics have taken her use of religious imagery to be a prime example of what Frederic Jameson calls à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“blank pasticheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?: the symbols are seen as detached from their traditional contexts and thus as ceasing to signify.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Feminine Endings, pg 163) The aforestated passage is very important in achieving the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Artists in pop music cultureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Analysis of old and new symbols in pop music and pop videosà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"The continuous recreation of style in pop cultureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ objectives as is not limited to analyzing the symbols and signs but also, based on this symbols transformation, supports the idea of symbols with no meaning as surface style and religious representations as show. Another relevant text is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s like feminism, but you donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have to burn your braà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢: Girl power and the Spice Girlsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ breakthrough 1996-1997 which is Chapter 10 in Andrew Blakeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s book Living Through Pop. This Chapter presents, analyse and debates the evolution and transformations in pop music culture, as well the themes and symbols used by pop music group Spice Girls. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“We decided we wanted to be more than a band. We wanted the whole philosophy of the Spice Girls to be like a cult à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Girl Power. We havenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t invented it à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve just tapped into how girls are feeling. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s like feminism, but you donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have to burn your bra. And the message is: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢You can do what you want à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" look the way you want à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" as long as you believe in yourself.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Living through pop, pg 163) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Madonna is constructed as a fetishistic icon serving by contrast to point up the notion that the Spice Girls are basically ordinary and therefore can be emulated. Although Madonna, like the Spice Girls articulates a form of sexual empowerment for women, in many ways Madonnaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s pop persona works very differently. Both Spice Girls and Madonna play with the dichotomy between one-dimensional images of femininity and the sense of a producing presence behind them, but with different resultsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Living through pop, pg 166) These passages are serving as relevant data evidence for most of the dissertation objectives. Research Strategy The research question is a practicable question which can be answered during the dissertation allocated time-scale by using the research resources and academic knowledge of my course. The research will largely use the qualitative research approach. This research approach constructs and supports the dissertation that explores and analyse the transformation of style in popular culture. The main benefit of this research approach is ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s depth of exploration and understanding of the phenomena. For this research several types of qualitative research are needed: Antipositivism à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" The research concentrates on pop cultural  transformation,  values,  symbols and social processes viewed from a  subjective perspective (non-scientific) Critical Analysis à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" The research will critically analyse the pop culture transformations and their media social impact Interpretivism The main purpose of interpretivism is that the whole subject needs to be examined in order to understand the phenomena. The dissertation will examine the evolution of pop culture from ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s birth to present times focusing on representations (signs, symbols, artistic performances and expression) Research methodology The data needed for the dissertation will be collected using the following methods: Historical gathering Is defined as a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Systematic collection and objective evaluation of data related to past occurrences in order to test hypotheses concerning causes, effects, or trends of these events that may help to explain present events and anticipate future events.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Gay, 1996) This research method is fundamental for my dissertation because ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the primary way of collecting data for several dissertation objectives (The birth of pop culture and ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s evolution; Analysis of old and new symbols in pop music and pop videos). Case Study It is based on an in-depth investigation and analysis of a single entity by collecting  data, analyzing  information, and reporting the results. The research needs the simultaneously use of both case study types- descriptive and explanatory. The following pop music-videos case studies focusing on style, themes and symbols will support the achievement of the research objectives: Madonna à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Music/American Life; Lady Gaga à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Telephone; Madonna à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Vogue/Like a Prayer and Lady Gaga à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Alejandro. Media ethnography This research method is needed in order to define how pop music has influenced behaviour and society. A relevant media ethnographic research has been conducted by Paul Willis Symbolism and Practice: A Theory for the Social Meaning of Pop Music where he investigates the relationship between media and audiences and how pop music influenced young people in Britain. Validity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Validity is concerned with whether the findings are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"reallyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ about what they appear to be about (Robson, 2002:93)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? The issue of validity is addressed in this research using triangulation. Triangulation involves the use of multiple sources to enhance the rigour of the research (Robson, 2002:174). This research also uses data triangulation, the use of more than one method of data collection. Ethical Research The research will follow the Professional ethical guideline and strive to protect the rights, privacy, dignity of those that are referred in this research, personal information will be treated confidentially and any information will be ethically used. Robson (2002:203) highlights the political issues involved with any research, for example, whose interests the research is serving. The sole purpose of this research is the completion of an Undergraduate level dissertation and is not being undertaken to serve any other interests.

Fat Man Little Boy - 3852 Words

â€Å"Fat Man and Little Boy† starring Paul Newman By: Lara Brown Misty Corbett Joanne W. Hix Markette Plummer Stacee Sloan Management 5120 Organizational Design and Change Professor Warren Watson 10/25/09 1. Draw the organizational design for how Groves and Oppenheimer set up the Project. Describe how would you redesign or modify their organization to be more effective. Show this in a drawing. Be sure to describe how your modification is different from the original organization. Also, describe the basic design characteristics (key business processes, key supporting processes, deliberations, integration mechanisms, and interdependencies) in the atom bomb project, as it existed in the film, and any changes in these factors in†¦show more content†¦Once the appropriate organizational structure was established, the culture, morals, values and ethics evolved. However, Groves and Oppenheimer did, some additional things in terms of organizational design that aided in integration, specifically to handle conflict resolution and re-focusing in a crisis situation. Roles were defined for both Groves and Oppenheimer, such as when Oppenheimer requested from Groves to allow him to manage inside the lab and Groves can manage outside of the lab. This role division allows for differentiation of management styles to meet the functional needs. Authority and control were also well established by the great minds that came to play in meeting each rigorous deadline. For instance when Groves communicated to Oppenheimer that open discussion at the cantina was not acceptable, Oppenheimer defended this approach and used his authority and control to negotiate a compromise with Groves. The final initiative made by Groves and Oppenheimer to integrate the diverse organizational types was to develop functional teams. The function of each team was to meet their goal, within a 19-month deadline. The teams were comprised of intelligent men who pride themselves on progress and creativity. These teams not only served the purpose to meet the goal of their â€Å"function† but also to stimulate each other and challenge each other. Each member was competing against theShow MoreRelatedWhat Are the Positive and Negative Aspects of the Aromic Bomb?1520 Words   |  7 Pagesoperation known as The Manhattan Project achieved its goal - to create the first atomic bomb. Since its inception in 1939, scientist had struggled to find a way to harness the power of fission. Through the combined efforts of many, a test bomb known as Fat Boy was finally created. On July 16, 1945 in a desert in New Mexico the worlds first nuclear test, codenamed Trinity, was conducted and usher ed in the Atomic Age. Long Term Implications Of The Manhattan Project The initial explosion of an atomicRead MoreNuclear Warfare Is The Use Of Nuclear Weapons As A Military1204 Words   |  5 Pagesweeks later â€Å"Little boy† and† Fat Man† were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, destroying a large part of the cities. On August 5, 1945, the U.S. dropped â€Å"Little Boy† on the city of Hiroshima, officially making it the first atomic weapon used in war. It’s estimated that about 99,000 to 166,000 people died from the bomb and its effect in a four-month period after the explosion. And five years later an estimated 200,000 or more people died due to the results of the bombing. â€Å"Little Boy† was a uraniumRead MoreThe Bombing Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki1474 Words   |  6 Pagesdebated of these was the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan in the summer of 1945. There were two bombs used, one for each city. 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All the components of Little Boy were made at 3 different plantsRead MoreThe Atomic Bomb Was Built During Ww21066 Words   |  5 Pagesnamed robert j oppenheimer was the man who was put in charge of the manhattan project it was said he helped with the manhattan project extremely he was know asâ€Å"father of the atomic bomb†(History). The two atomic bombs made were called little boy and fat man these two bombs were dropped on nagasaki and hiroshima. One bomb was a plutonium bomb the other was a uranium bomb to see the difference in the bomb s blast radius. The first bomb dropped was codenamed â€Å"little boy† and this bomb was a uranium bombRead MoreA Scientific Breakthrough That Changed The Face Of International And Domestic Warfare Forever1614 Words   |  7 Pagescreation of the atomic bomb Little Boy. This was a gun-type fission weapon. It would shoot the critical masses of radioactive uranium-235 into each other until the fission took place and the release of nuclear energy took place. 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Angels Demons Chapter 66-69 Free Essays

string(33) " now close enough to see it all\." 66 Chinita Macri was mad. She sat in the passenger’s seat of the BBC van as it idled at a corner on Via Tomacelli. Gunther Glick was checking his map of Rome, apparently lost. We will write a custom essay sample on Angels Demons Chapter 66-69 or any similar topic only for you Order Now As she had feared, his mystery caller had phoned back, this time with information. â€Å"Piazza del Popolo,† Glick insisted. â€Å"That’s what we’re looking for. There’s a church there. And inside is proof.† â€Å"Proof.† Chinita stopped polishing the lens in her hand and turned to him. â€Å"Proof that a cardinal has been murdered?† â€Å"That’s what he said.† â€Å"You believe everything you hear?† Chinita wished, as she often did, that she was the one in charge. Videographers, however, were at the whim of the crazy reporters for whom they shot footage. If Gunther Glick wanted to follow a feeble phone tip, Macri was his dog on a leash. She looked at him, sitting there in the driver’s seat, his jaw set intently. The man’s parents, she decided, must have been frustrated comedians to have given him a name like Gunther Glick. No wonder the guy felt like he had something to prove. Nonetheless, despite his unfortunate appellative and annoying eagerness to make a mark, Glick was sweet†¦ charming in a pasty, Briddish, unstrung sort of way. Like Hugh Grant on lithium. â€Å"Shouldn’t we be back at St. Peter’s?† Macri said as patiently as possible. â€Å"We can check this mystery church out later. Conclave started an hour ago. What if the cardinals come to a decision while we’re gone?† Glick did not seem to hear. â€Å"I think we go to the right, here.† He tilted the map and studied it again. â€Å"Yes, if I take a right†¦ and then an immediate left.† He began to pull out onto the narrow street before them. â€Å"Look out!† Macri yelled. She was a video technician, and her eyes were sharp. Fortunately, Glick was pretty fast too. He slammed on the brakes and avoided entering the intersection just as a line of four Alpha Romeos appeared out of nowhere and tore by in a blur. Once past, the cars skidded, decelerating, and cut sharply left one block ahead, taking the exact route Glick had intended to take. â€Å"Maniacs!† Macri shouted. Glick looked shaken. â€Å"Did you see that?† â€Å"Yeah, I saw that! They almost killed us!† â€Å"No, I mean the cars,† Glick said, his voice suddenly excited. â€Å"They were all the same.† â€Å"So they were maniacs with no imagination.† â€Å"The cars were also full.† â€Å"So what?† â€Å"Four identical cars, all with four passengers?† â€Å"You ever heard of carpooling?† â€Å"In Italy?† Glick checked the intersection. â€Å"They haven’t even heard of unleaded gas.† He hit the accelerator and peeled out after the cars. Macri was thrown back in her seat. â€Å"What the hell are you doing?† Glick accelerated down the street and hung a left after the Alpha Romeos. â€Å"Something tells me you and I are not the only ones going to church right now.† 67 The descent was slow. Langdon dropped rung by rung down the creaking ladder†¦ deeper and deeper beneath the floor of the Chigi Chapel. Into the Demon’s hole, he thought. He was facing the side wall, his back to the chamber, and he wondered how many more dark, cramped spaces one day could provide. The ladder groaned with every step, and the pungent smell of rotting flesh and dampness was almost asphyxiating. Langdon wondered where the hell Olivetti was. Vittoria’s outline was still visible above, holding the blowtorch inside the hole, lighting Langdon’s way. As he lowered himself deeper into the darkness, the bluish glow from above got fainter. The only thing that got stronger was the stench. Twelve rungs down, it happened. Langdon’s foot hit a spot that was slippery with decay, and he faltered. Lunging forward, he caught the ladder with his forearms to avoid plummeting to the bottom. Cursing the bruises now throbbing on his arms, he dragged his body back onto the ladder and began his descent again. Three rungs deeper, he almost fell again, but this time it was not a rung that caused the mishap. It was a bolt of fear. He had descended past a hollowed niche in the wall before him and suddenly found himself face to face with a collection of skulls. As he caught his breath and looked around him, he realized the wall at this level was honeycombed with shelflike openings – burial niches – all filled with skeletons. In the phosphorescent light, it made for an eerie collage of empty sockets and decaying rib cages flickering around him. Skeletons by firelight, he grimaced wryly, realizing he had quite coincidentally endured a similar evening just last month. An evening of bones and flames. The New York Museum of Archeology’s candlelight benefit dinner – salmon flambe in the shadow of a brontosaurus skeleton. He had attended at the invitation of Rebecca Strauss – one-time fashion model now art critic from the Times, a whirlwind of black velvet, cigarettes, and not-so-subtly enhanced breasts. She’d called him twice since. Langdon had not returned her calls. Most ungentlemanly, he chided, wondering how long Rebecca Strauss would last in a stink-pit like this. Langdon was relieved to feel the final rung give way to the spongy earth at the bottom. The ground beneath his shoes felt damp. Assuring himself the walls were not going to close in on him, he turned into the crypt. It was circular, about twenty feet across. Breathing through his sleeve again, Langdon turned his eyes to the body. In the gloom, the image was hazy. A white, fleshy outline. Facing the other direction. Motionless. Silent. Advancing through the murkiness of the crypt, Langdon tried to make sense of what he was looking at. The man had his back to Langdon, and Langdon could not see his face, but he did indeed seem to be standing. â€Å"Hello?† Langdon choked through his sleeve. Nothing. As he drew nearer, he realized the man was very short. Too short†¦ â€Å"What’s happening?† Vittoria called from above, shifting the light. Langdon did not answer. He was now close enough to see it all. You read "Angels Demons Chapter 66-69" in category "Essay examples" With a tremor of repulsion, he understood. The chamber seemed to contract around him. Emerging like a demon from the earthen floor was an old man†¦ or at least half of him. He was buried up to his waist in the earth. Standing upright with half of him below ground. Stripped naked. His hands tied behind his back with a red cardinal’s sash. He was propped limply upward, spine arched backward like some sort of hideous punching bag. The man’s head lay backward, eyes toward the heavens as if pleading for help from God himself. â€Å"Is he dead?† Vittoria called. Langdon moved toward the body. I hope so, for his sake. As he drew to within a few feet, he looked down at the upturned eyes. They bulged outward, blue and bloodshot. Langdon leaned down to listen for breath but immediately recoiled. â€Å"For Christ’s sake!† â€Å"What!† Langdon almost gagged. â€Å"He’s dead all right. I just saw the cause of death.† The sight was gruesome. The man’s mouth had been jammed open and packed solid with dirt. â€Å"Somebody stuffed a fistful of dirt down his throat. He suffocated.† â€Å"Dirt?† Vittoria said. â€Å"As in†¦ earth?† Langdon did a double take. Earth. He had almost forgotten. The brands. Earth, Air, Fire, Water. The killer had threatened to brand each victim with one of the ancient elements of science. The first element was Earth. From Santi’s earthly tomb. Dizzy from the fumes, Langdon circled to the front of the body. As he did, the symbologist within him loudly reasserted the artistic challenge of creating the mythical ambigram. Earth? How? And yet, an instant later, it was before him. Centuries of Illuminati legend whirled in his mind. The marking on the cardinal’s chest was charred and oozing. The flesh was seared black. La lingua pura†¦ Langdon stared at the brand as the room began to spin. Angels Demons â€Å"Earth,† he whispered, tilting his head to see the symbol upside down. â€Å"Earth.† Then, in a wave of horror, he had one final cognition. There are three more. 68 Despite the soft glow of candlelight in the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Mortati was on edge. Conclave had officially begun. And it had begun in a most inauspicious fashion. Half an hour ago, at the appointed hour, Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca had entered the chapel. He walked to the front altar and gave opening prayer. Then, he unfolded his hands and spoke to them in a tone as direct as anything Mortati had ever heard from the altar of the Sistine. â€Å"You are well aware,† the camerlegno said, â€Å"that our four preferiti are not present in conclave at this moment. I ask, in the name of his late Holiness, that you proceed as you must†¦ with faith and purpose. May you have only God before your eyes.† Then he turned to go. â€Å"But,† one cardinal blurted out, â€Å"where are they?† The camerlegno paused. â€Å"That I cannot honestly say.† â€Å"When will they return?† â€Å"That I cannot honestly say.† â€Å"Are they okay?† â€Å"That I cannot honestly say.† â€Å"Will they return?† There was a long pause. â€Å"Have faith,† the camerlegno said. Then he walked out of the room. The doors to the Sistine Chapel had been sealed, as was the custom, with two heavy chains on the outside. Four Swiss Guards stood watch in the hallway beyond. Mortati knew the only way the doors could be opened now, prior to electing a Pope, was if someone inside fell deathly ill, or if the preferiti arrived. Mortati prayed it would be the latter, although from the knot in his stomach he was not so sure. Proceed as we must, Mortati decided, taking his lead from the resolve in the camerlegno’s voice. So he had called for a vote. What else could he do? It had taken thirty minutes to complete the preparatory rituals leading up to this first vote. Mortati had waited patiently at the main altar as each cardinal, in order of seniority, had approached and performed the specific balloting procedure. Now, at last, the final cardinal had arrived at the altar and was kneeling before him. â€Å"I call as my witness,† the cardinal declared, exactly as those before him, â€Å"Christ the Lord, who will be my judge that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected.† The cardinal stood up. He held his ballot high over his head for everyone to see. Then he lowered the ballot to the altar, where a plate sat atop a large chalice. He placed the ballot on the plate. Next he picked up the plate and used it to drop the ballot into the chalice. Use of the plate was to ensure no one secretly dropped multiple ballots. After he had submitted his ballot, he replaced the plate over the chalice, bowed to the cross, and returned to his seat. The final ballot had been cast. Now it was time for Mortati to go to work. Leaving the plate on top of the chalice, Mortati shook the ballots to mix them. Then he removed the plate and extracted a ballot at random. He unfolded it. The ballot was exactly two inches wide. He read aloud for everyone to hear. â€Å"Eligo in summum pontificem†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he declared, reading the text that was embossed at the top of every ballot. I elect as Supreme Pontiff†¦ Then he announced the nominee’s name that had been written beneath it. After he read the name, he raised a threaded needle and pierced the ballot through the word Eligo, carefully sliding the ballot onto the thread. Then he made note of the vote in a logbook. Next, he repeated the entire procedure. He chose a ballot from the chalice, read it aloud, threaded it onto the line, and made note in his log. Almost immediately, Mortati sensed this first vote would be failed. No consensus. After only seven ballots, already seven different cardinals had been named. As was normal, the handwriting on each ballot was disguised by block printing or flamboyant script. The concealment was ironic in this case because the cardinals were obviously submitting votes for themselves. This apparent conceit, Mortati knew, had nothing to do with self-centered ambition. It was a holding pattern. A defensive maneuver. A stall tactic to ensure no cardinal received enough votes to win†¦ and another vote would be forced. The cardinals were waiting for their preferiti†¦ When the last of the ballots had been tallied, Mortati declared the vote â€Å"failed.† He took the thread carrying all the ballots and tied the ends together to create a ring. Then he lay the ring of ballots on a silver tray. He added the proper chemicals and carried the tray to a small chimney behind him. Here he lit the ballots. As the ballots burned, the chemicals he’d added created black smoke. The smoke flowed up a pipe to a hole in the roof where it rose above the chapel for all to see. Cardinal Mortati had just sent his first communication to the outside world. One balloting. No Pope. 69 Nearly asphyxiated by fumes, Langdon struggled up the ladder toward the light at the top of the pit. Above him he heard voices, but nothing was making sense. His head was spinning with images of the branded cardinal. Earth†¦ Earth†¦ As he pushed upward, his vision narrowed and he feared consciousness would slip away. Two rungs from the top, his balance faltered. He lunged upward trying to find the lip, but it was too far. He lost his grip on the ladder and almost tumbled backward into the dark. There was a sharp pain under his arms, and suddenly Langdon was airborne, legs swinging wildly out over the chasm. The strong hands of two Swiss Guards hooked him under the armpits and dragged him skyward. A moment later Langdon’s head emerged from the Demon’s hole, choking and gasping for air. The guards dragged him over the lip of the opening, across the floor, and lay him down, back against the cold marble floor. For a moment, Langdon was unsure where he was. Overhead he saw stars†¦ orbiting planets. Hazy figures raced past him. People were shouting. He tried to sit up. He was lying at the base of a stone pyramid. The familiar bite of an angry tongue echoed inside the chapel, and then Langdon knew. Olivetti was screaming at Vittoria. â€Å"Why the hell didn’t you figure that out in the first place!† Vittoria was trying to explain the situation. Olivetti cut her off midsentence and turned to bark orders to his men. â€Å"Get that body out of there! Search the rest of the building!† Langdon tried to sit up. The Chigi Chapel was packed with Swiss Guards. The plastic curtain over the chapel opening had been torn off the entryway, and fresh air filled Langdon’s lungs. As his senses slowly returned, Langdon saw Vittoria coming toward him. She knelt down, her face like an angel. â€Å"You okay?† Vittoria took his arm and felt his pulse. Her hands were tender on his skin. â€Å"Thanks.† Langdon sat up fully. â€Å"Olivetti’s mad.† Vittoria nodded. â€Å"He has a right to be. We blew it.† â€Å"You mean I blew it.† â€Å"So redeem yourself. Get him next time.† Next time? Langdon thought it was a cruel comment. There is no next time! We missed our shot! Vittoria checked Langdon’s watch. â€Å"Mickey says we’ve got forty minutes. Get your head together and help me find the next marker.† â€Å"I told you, Vittoria, the sculptures are gone. The Path of Illumination is – † Langdon halted. Vittoria smiled softly. Suddenly Langdon was staggering to his feet. He turned dizzying circles, staring at the artwork around him. Pyramids, stars, planets, ellipses. Suddenly everything came back. This is the first altar of science! Not the Pantheon! It dawned on him now how perfectly Illuminati the chapel was, far more subtle and selective than the world famous Pantheon. The Chigi was an out of the way alcove, a literal hole-in-the-wall, a tribute to a great patron of science, decorated with earthly symbology. Perfect. Langdon steadied himself against the wall and gazed up at the enormous pyramid sculptures. Vittoria was dead right. If this chapel was the first altar of science, it might still contain the Illuminati sculpture that served as the first marker. Langdon felt an electrifying rush of hope to realize there was still a chance. If the marker were indeed here, and they could follow it to the next altar of science, they might have another chance to catch the killer. Vittoria moved closer. â€Å"I found out who the unknown Illuminati sculptor was.† Langdon’s head whipped around. â€Å"You what?† â€Å"Now we just need to figure out which sculpture in here is the – â€Å" â€Å"Wait a minute! You know who the Illuminati sculptor was?† He had spent years trying to find that information. Vittoria smiled. â€Å"It was Bernini.† She paused. â€Å"The Bernini.† Langdon immediately knew she was mistaken. Bernini was an impossibility. Gianlorenzo Bernini was the second most famous sculptor of all time, his fame eclipsed only by Michelangelo himself. During the 1600s Bernini created more sculptures than any other artist. Unfortunately, the man they were looking for was supposedly an unknown, a nobody. Vittoria frowned. â€Å"You don’t look excited.† â€Å"Bernini is impossible.† â€Å"Why? Bernini was a contemporary of Galileo. He was a brilliant sculptor.† â€Å"He was a very famous man and a Catholic.† â€Å"Yes,† Vittoria said. â€Å"Exactly like Galileo.† â€Å"No,† Langdon argued. â€Å"Nothing like Galileo. Galileo was a thorn in the Vatican’s side. Bernini was the Vatican’s wonder boy. The church loved Bernini. He was elected the Vatican’s overall artistic authority. He practically lived inside Vatican City his entire life!† â€Å"A perfect cover. Illuminati infiltration.† Langdon felt flustered. â€Å"Vittoria, the Illuminati members referred to their secret artist as il maestro ignoto – the unknown master.† â€Å"Yes, unknown to them. Think of the secrecy of the Masons – only the upper-echelon members knew the whole truth. Galileo could have kept Bernini’s true identity secret from most members†¦ for Bernini’s own safety. That way, the Vatican would never find out.† Langdon was unconvinced but had to admit Vittoria’s logic made strange sense. The Illuminati were famous for keeping secret information compartmentalized, only revealing the truth to upper-level members. It was the cornerstone of their ability to stay secret†¦ very few knew the whole story. â€Å"And Bernini’s affiliation with the Illuminati,† Vittoria added with a smile, â€Å"explains why he designed those two pyramids.† Langdon turned to the huge sculpted pyramids and shook his head. â€Å"Bernini was a religious sculptor. There’s no way he carved those pyramids.† Vittoria shrugged. â€Å"Tell that to the sign behind you.† Langdon turned to the plaque: ART OF THE CHIGI CHAPEL While the architecture is Raphael’s, all interior adornments are those of Gianlorenzo Bernini. Langdon read the plaque twice, and still he was not convinced. Gianlorenzo Bernini was celebrated for his intricate, holy sculptures of the Virgin Mary, angels, prophets, Popes. What was he doing carving pyramids? Langdon looked up at the towering monuments and felt totally disoriented. Two pyramids, each with a shining, elliptical medallion. They were about as un-Christian as sculpture could get. The pyramids, the stars above, the signs of the Zodiac. All interior adornments are those of Gianlorenzo Bernini. If that were true, Langdon realized, it meant Vittoria had to be right. By default, Bernini was the Illuminati’s unknown master; nobody else had contributed artwork to this chapel! The implications came almost too fast for Langdon to process. Bernini was an Illuminatus. Bernini designed the Illuminati ambigrams. Bernini laid out the path of Illumination. Langdon could barely speak. Could it be that here in this tiny Chigi Chapel, the world-renowned Bernini had placed a sculpture that pointed across Rome toward the next altar of science? â€Å"Bernini,† he said. â€Å"I never would have guessed.† â€Å"Who other than a famous Vatican artist would have had the clout to put his artwork in specific Catholic chapels around Rome and create the Path of Illumination? Certainly not an unknown.† Langdon considered it. He looked at the pyramids, wondering if one of them could somehow be the marker. Maybe both of them? â€Å"The pyramids face opposite directions,† Langdon said, not sure what to make of them. â€Å"They are also identical, so I don’t know which†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I don’t think the pyramids are what we’re looking for.† â€Å"But they’re the only sculptures here.† Vittoria cut him off by pointing toward Olivetti and some of his guards who were gathered near the demon’s hole. Langdon followed the line of her hand to the far wall. At first he saw nothing. Then someone moved and he caught a glimpse. White marble. An arm. A torso. And then a sculpted face. Partially hidden in its niche. Two life-size human figures intertwined. Langdon’s pulse accelerated. He had been so taken with the pyramids and demon’s hole, he had not even seen this sculpture. He moved across the room, through the crowd. As he drew near, Langdon recognized the work was pure Bernini – the intensity of the artistic composition, the intricate faces and flowing clothing, all from the purest white marble Vatican money could buy. It was not until he was almost directly in front of it that Langdon recognized the sculpture itself. He stared up at the two faces and gasped. â€Å"Who are they?† Vittoria urged, arriving behind him. Langdon stood astonished. â€Å"Habakkuk and the Angel,† he said, his voice almost inaudible. The piece was a fairly well-known Bernini work that was included in some art history texts. Langdon had forgotten it was here. â€Å"Habakkuk?† â€Å"Yes. The prophet who predicted the annihilation of the earth.† Vittoria looked uneasy. â€Å"You think this is the marker?† Langdon nodded in amazement. Never in his life had he been so sure of anything. This was the first Illuminati marker. No doubt. Although Langdon had fully expected the sculpture to somehow â€Å"point† to the next altar of science, he did not expect it to be literal. Both the angel and Habakkuk had their arms outstretched and were pointing into the distance. Langdon found himself suddenly smiling. â€Å"Not too subtle, is it?† Vittoria looked excited but confused. â€Å"I see them pointing, but they are contradicting each other. The angel is pointing one way, and the prophet the other.† Langdon chuckled. It was true. Although both figures were pointing into the distance, they were pointing in totally opposite directions. Langdon, however, had already solved that problem. With a burst of energy he headed for the door. â€Å"Where are you going?† Vittoria called. â€Å"Outside the building!† Langdon’s legs felt light again as he ran toward the door. â€Å"I need to see what direction that sculpture is pointing!† â€Å"Wait! How do you know which finger to follow?† â€Å"The poem,† he called over his shoulder. â€Å"The last line!† † ‘Let angels guide you on your lofty quest?’ † She gazed upward at the outstretched finger of the angel. Her eyes misted unexpectedly. â€Å"Well I’ll be damned!† How to cite Angels Demons Chapter 66-69, Essay examples

Historical Geology Essay Example For Students

Historical Geology Essay Historical Geology Essay of The Permian Basin One of the largest oil producing areas of the world is located in West Texas. This area is known as the Permian Basin. Most of the oil is being produced from rocks formed in the Permian Period. The largest amounts of these rocks are located in the Permian Basin and southeastern New Mexico.That is why this area is known as the Permian Basin. The main features of the Permian Basin was formed in the early part of the Paleozoic area but it wasnt until the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian Periods that the folding occurred in which formed the outlines of the basin as it is presented to us today. (Intro to Petroleum Geology of the Permian Basin) Our basic composition of the Permian Basin is made up of sand, distance, and mountain regions. We also have the desert region in which tons of Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic rocks can be found. There are also a lot of crusted plates, and violent volcanoes that are located in our region. In our Big Bend and Fort Davis areas, when traveling down the highway you may find many sedimentary deep filled basins and uplifted landscapes where you can tell erosion played a huge part in their current forms. The earth as we know it can be divided from the center outward into three concentric shells. These shells are known as the Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, and the atmosphere. Basically these are the general features of the Earth and I am going to give you a description in which you may be able to define the uses of these in our every day The Lithosphere: (rock sphere) is the solid sphere in which we live, farm and build our buildings of our cities. It is 8,000 miles in diametere and 26,000 miles in circumference. The outer few miles of lithosphere is made up of rock called crust. Hydrosphere: This is where the water sphere is located. It is made up of everything that contains water: Oceans, Rivers , Lakes, as well as the groundwater. The main purpose we use this for is to drill wells into so that we may obtain the water that Atmosphere: This is the outer shell and it is made up of the air. It extends outward at least 200 miles from the surface of the crust, but half of its mass is within 12 miles of sea level. The atmosphere is important to all living things because it gives us oxygen which is the important factor to process life. (Intro to Petroleum The feature that makes up our lovely West Texas region A.K.A. the Permian Basin, is three rock types. These are found exclusively in the Big Bend, and Marathon regions. These rock types are Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic. These are found throughout most of the Permian Basin area. Here are some brief definitions in which you may define these rock types. These definitions come from the book(Intro to Petroleum Igneous Rocks: formed by the cooling and solidfication of molten material called Sedimentary Rocks: formed from particles that were deposited by water, air, or ice. Metamorphic Rocks: formed from sedimentary and igneous rocks, but altered by heat, pressure, and fluids to a different form and mineral composition. Erosion as mentioned earlier has played a huge role in defining and shaping our scenic view and landscapes of West Texas. When looking up at one of these magnificent ancient volcanoes, you can estimate pretty much exactly how much rock has been weathered, eroded and removed from this part of the country. Another example of erosion is pretty much given at the bottom of every mountain found in West Texas. You can see it in the talus piles and even in the dry climate of this part of the state. (Roadside .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb , .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb .postImageUrl , .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb , .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb:hover , .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb:visited , .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb:active { border:0!important; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb:active , .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uccac239a0c3fcf629134bf62fe7a60eb:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Services Of A Quantity Surveyor Construction EssayBibliography: .

When I, Like Most People, First Read This Poem, I Saw The Theme As An Essay Example For Students

When I, Like Most People, First Read This Poem, I Saw The Theme As An Essay arbitrary death of a young boy that could have been easily avoided. One critic wrote that, the theme is the uncertainty and unpredictability of life A boy who is already doing a mans work and gives every promise of having a useful life ahead of him is suddenly wiped out. (Laurence Perrine, Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry). While this analysis fits quite well superficially, I believe it to be inadequate and lacking in sufficient depth. Robert Frost describes his writing while being interviewed, and said, These poems are written in parable, so that the wrong people wont understand, and so will be saved.? After all this is a criticism on a man who, like the poem, appears to be simple, but actually alludes to an underlying complexity. After taking this into account, and reevaluating my criticism on this poem, this boys life wasnt taken, but given by the boy himself. Perhaps this was not a purposeful act, but instead a Freudian slip, He must have given the hand. We will write a custom essay on When I, Like Most People, First Read This Poem, I Saw The Theme As An specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Robert Frost personifies this buzz-saw almost as a kind of animal or beast from the very first line of the poem, The buzz-saw snarled and rattled in the yard. Then goes on to paint a beautiful picture of Five mountain ranges one behind the other / Under the sunset far into Vermont. and then reiterates the beastly snarling and rattling of the buzz saw. This seems to clearly separate the boy, and the buzz saw from nature. While the buzz saw is personified with animal characteristics, it is easy to see the ?big boy? as a human machine that mindlessly feeds wood to it all day. The sunset continues and this boy and all but those that lifted their eyes continue their work with a mechanical indifference to the signs that day was all but done. I feel that this seems to be the focal point of the story. Why was this boy being worked all day? In fact Frost seems to plead with them, Call it a day, I wish they might have said. Here Frost is pointing out the perversion of working a boy all day lo ng, and then not even giving him the half hour / That a boy counts so much when saved from work. In a sense this boy is a slave to productivity and monetary progress. This boys life is in a prison whos walls are productivity and industry, a good life for him is seen as a productive life, ?No more to build on there. And they, since they / were not the one dead, turned to their affairs.? This idea of juvenile oppression also appears as the boys sister. She has no doubt spent all day in the kitchen cooking, when, His sister stood beside them in her apron / To tell them Supper. Then after the accident, he does not appeal to his mother or father, but to his sister to save his hand from the doctor. I believe that he feels he has a bond to his sister, because she knows what he has been going through. When she came and told him that it was supper time, most people would think that this is a good thing, but to this boy while it may signify food, it also signals that his day is over, and that what free time he may have been hoping for was now gone, ?the saw, As if to prove saws knew what supper meant,Leaped out at the boys hand, or seemed to leap He must have given the hand. However it was,Neither refused the meeting. But the hand!The boys first outcry was a rueful laugh,. .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 , .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 .postImageUrl , .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 , .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000:hover , .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000:visited , .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000:active { border:0!important; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000:active , .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000 .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6244b8cb514bac7d1fa032198d2b6000:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Essay On Client Threaten A Lawyer If He Lose The Case There are many clues to show why the boy gave his hand, but did not intend to kill himself. When Frost writes ?Neither refused the meeting this is an obvious clue. The icing on the cake though is the boys reaction to his shaking hands with the buzz saw. It isnt a surprised scream, or a whimper, or even a swear word, but a ?rueful laugh,? which makes clear the boys true intentions. I dont believe that the boy consciously gave his hand to the beast, but instead it was subconscious. Anyone who has worked for an entire day with a snarling beast, with no mental relief must have wondered what would happen if I accidentally sl ipped and? and the attention that would be given when they all saw what had happened, and the remorse they would all feel for having him work all day. This poem ties into Frosts own life, when talking about his ?favorite daughters death (from fever after giving birth), ?I wish I hadnt this woeful suspicion that toward the end she came to resent something in the life I had given her.? And the title of this poem is taken from Shakespeares Macbeth, after Macbeth learns of his wifes death. Out, out, brief candle! Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.?I think that the sound and fury in this poem is the buzz saw that sets a constant and belligerent tone, snarling and rattling, and seeming to signify nothing. And the title of this poem, ?Out, Out-? is in itself a clue to the tragedy here. Frost chooses to leave out the ?brief candle? because this was just a boy, and had not yet experienced life and its fruits. The candle hadnt even been lit yet. This is a truly deep poem, that while on the surface looks rather simple, is in fact quite prophetic and deep. Not only does it deal with the meaninglessness of death, but it also deals with the meaninglessness of child labor, and mental oppression in the name of productivity and industry. This poem could be read as a warning to society. Or as a solution to building a good life.

Consumerism -- Definition and Discussion

Consumerism Definition and Discussion While  consumption is an act that people engage in, sociologists understand consumerism to be a characteristic of society and a powerful ideology that frames our worldview, values, relationships, identities, and behavior. Consumerism drives us to consume and to seek happiness and fulfillment through consumption, serving as a necessary counterpart to a capitalist society that prioritizes mass production and unending growth in sales. Consumerism According to Sociology British sociologist Colin Campbell, in the book  Elusive Consumption,  defined consumerism as a social condition that occurs when consumption is â€Å"especially important if not actually central† to most people’s lives  and even â€Å"the very purpose of existence.† When this occurs, we are bound together in society by how we channel our wants, needs, desires, longings, and pursuit of emotional fulfillment into the consumption of goods and services. Similarly, American sociologist Robert G. Dunn, in Identifying Consumption: Subject and Objects in Consumer Society, described  consumerism as â€Å"an ideology that seductively binds people to [the] system† of mass production. He argues that this ideology turns consumption â€Å"from a means to an end,† so that acquiring goods becomes the basis of our identity and sense of self. As such, â€Å"[a]t its extreme, consumerism reduces consumption to a therapeutic program of compensation for life’s ills, even a road to personal salvation.† However, it is Polish sociologist Zygmunt Bauman who offers the most insight on this phenomenon. In his book, Consuming Life, Bauman wrote, We may say that ‘consumerism’ is a type of social arrangement that results from recycling mundane, permanent and so to speak ‘regime-neutral’ human wants, desires and longings into the principal propelling force of society, a force that coordinates systemic reproduction, social integration, social stratification and the formation of human individuals, as well as playing a major role in the processes of individual and group self-policies. What Bauman means is that consumerism exists when our wants, desires, and longings for consumer goods drive what happens in society, and when they are primarily responsible for shaping the entire social system in which we exist. They channeled through consumption, are inspired by and reproduce the dominant worldview, values, and culture of society. Under consumerism, our consumption habits define how we understand ourselves, how we affiliate with others, and overall, the extent to which we fit in with and are valued by society at large. Because our social and economic value is largely defined by our consumer practices, consumerism as an ideology becomes the lens through which we see and understand the world, what is possible for us, and how we might go about achieving what we want. According to Bauman, consumerism â€Å"manipulat[es] the probabilities of individual choices and conduct.† Echoing  Marx’s theory of the alienation of workers within a capitalist system, Bauman argues that individual desire and longing becomes  a social force separate from us  that operates on its own. It then becomes the force that propels and reproduces norms, social relations, and the overall social structure of society. Consumerism shapes our wants, desires, and longings in such a way that we want not simply to acquire goods because they are useful, but more so, because of what they say about us. We want the newest and the best in order to fit in with, and even outshine, other consumers. Because of this, Bauman wrote that we experience an â€Å"ever-increasing volume and intensity of desire.† In a society of consumers, consumerism is fueled by planned obsolescence and premised not only on the acquisition of goods but also on their disposal. Consumerism both functions upon and reproduces an insatiability of desires and needs. The cruel trick is that a society of consumers thrives on the inability of the system of mass production and consumption to meet our desires and needs. While the system promises to deliver, it does so only for brief periods of time. Rather than cultivating happiness, consumerism is fueled by and cultivates fear fear of not fitting in, of not having the right stuff, of not being the right kind of person. Consumerism is defined by perpetual non-satisfaction.

Flinty Individualism That Makes Sympathy Look Like Weaknesses Essay

Flinty Individualism That Makes Sympathy Look Like Weaknesses - Essay Example One of the most important things that I believe people should not forget about when watching a reality show is that there is nothing â€Å"real† about their reality. It is made to look line a documentary of real life but there is nothing real about it. The events depicted in these shows are still scripted and story boarded for a whole season. The producers, writers, directors, and cast members know before hand what story will play out and how. The problem with this scenario is that people are not privy to the fact that they are watching a new age soap opera and thus, take everything depicted within the show to be a reality of life that should be emulated and promoted as a part of civilized society. These â€Å"reality† shows truly promote, as Francine Prose explains it, â€Å"a culture of flinty individualism† as the characters on the show continuously promote bullying and demeaning of one another as a fact of life. Self interest and winning the game is all that matters for these people and they bring themselves to the bottom most rung of civilized society in order to stay ahead and win the game. Sadly, because people think that this is the way people should be acting in real life, â€Å"reality† shows have enhanced the social problem of bullying, selfishness, and lack of respect for one another in real life situations.   As Jeff Williams succinctly explained, television has a way of making people unaware of the information being fed to them. There is no way the viewers can tell fact from fiction in these instances thus.

Dynamic Macroeconomics. Discretionary monetary policy and Essay

Dynamic Macroeconomics. Discretionary monetary policy and inflation-targeting regime - Essay Example Due to that the policy has evolved toward an inflation targeting regime. This monetary policy was utilized for the first time within the year 1990 by New Zealand (Hammond, 2011, pp45-97). Since that period numerous countries developed and emerging have adopted this current regime as a result of the problems with the strategies based on the monetary aggregates or exchange rate targets. The major characteristics of the current monetary regime mainly focus on the attainment of inflation targets (Roger, 2010, pp46-49). Inflation targeting is normally monetary policy strategy mainly encompasses five major elements namely the underlying public proclamation of medium term numerical targets for inflation, an institutional commitment to price stability as the primary objective of monetary policy which other supplementary objectives are subordinated, an information inclusive strategy that numerous variables and not only monetary aggregates or the corresponding exchange rate are utilized for decisive the prevailing setting of policy instruments, escalated transparency of the monetary policy strategy via communiquà © with the public and the markets concerning the plans, aims and decisions pertaining to the monetary authorities and escalated answerability of the central bank for obtaining its inflation goals (Fischer, 1993, pp485-512). ... ant in emerging market states since numerous countries routinely reported numerical inflation targets as a part of the government’s economic plan (Hammond, 2011, pp45-97) . The benefits that are normally associated with characteristics of the current monetary regime and target regime strategy are greater transparency and better comprehension of monetary policy execution, advancement of accounts by the underlying monetary authority, education of inflation and inflation volatility that consolidates the price stability (Hammond, 2011, pp45-97) . The countries also benefits decreased impact on the inflation from the shocks produced by other economic variables, anchoring of inflation expectations around the inflation target and lowering of the costs related within the disinflation process. Inflation targeting demands that a decision to be made on the underlying price stability (Roger, 2010, pp46-49). Discuss whether discretion is a better way to run monetary policy than following a rule because a policy of discretion gives the central bank the ability to react to news about the economy. Discretion is a better way to run monetary policy than following the underlying rule since a policy of discretion grants the central bank the capability to react to news concerning the economy. Monetary policy ought to be made through rule. Nevertheless, discretionary monetary policy leads to two problems that is it does not limit the underlying incompetence and abuse of power. For instance, central banker might select to develop governmental business succession to assist a candidate. It also leads to a bigger quantity of inflation than the corresponding desirable results. Policymakers frequently range on the underlying action that they promise. In case individuals do not believe that the

Balanced Scorecard Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Balanced Scorecard - Essay Example Although organizations measured their performance even before emergence of the balanced scorecard, they did not know how to implement new strategies. The balanced scorecard has evolved in its functionality to embrace translation of company strategies into action. The balance scorecard seeks to operationalize organizational strategy towards achieve desired outcomes. In this case, the balance scorecard ensures that the organization realizes its vision and mission through mobilization of resources and utilizing them in line with corporate objectives and goals, both short term and long term. Through the balanced scorecard, an organization can assess the current performance situation, as well as any feedback available from previous performance, and updating corporate strategies in such a manner that it effectively eliminates any bottlenecks available. This paper will discuss the adoption of Balanced Scorecard by contemporary organizations, and more specifically, the role of Balanced Scorecard in translating strategies to action as well as its role as a strategic management accounting technique. Translating Strategy into Action The Balanced Scorecard helps translate an organizations strategy and vision into a comprehensive set of measures and metrics to performance. This functionality puts into practice four perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard that include customer knowledge, financial measures, learning and growth, and internal organizational processes. This functionality particularly offers a balance between the company’s desired outcomes and their performance drivers, long term and short-term objectives, alongside objective outcomes. In addition, the balance scorecard has been used by managers as a revolutionary tool that enables them to mobilize their resources and strongholds to achieve the mission of the organization. The Balanced Scorecard appears as a management system that is applicable in channeling abilities, energies, advanced knowledge among its employees towards company objectives and long-term goals. The balanced score card is basically applicable in translating strategies put in pl ace by companies into performance measures that are comprehensive to the targets and achievement needs of the organization as a whole with respects to the complex environments in which they operate (Kaplan &Norton, 1996, p.2). Use of Balanced Scorecard for Strategy translation application to action has been evident among senior executives in banking, insurance, retailing, and oil industries to streamline current performance and target their future performance needs. Strategy translation focuses on effective and efficient use of a company’s intangible assets to spearhead the long-term financial success and value creation of the company through financial and non-financial perspectives. Growth and learning regards individual employees and the entire organizational human resource alongside cross-departmental initiatives to identify efficient new processes that would enable the organizations to meet customer needs and objectives of shareholders (Holl & Bohm, 2005, p.15). The Balan ced Scorecard is applicable as a learning system that is robust for testing the current situation, accessing situational feedback and updating ideal strategies fit for shortcomings of previous organizations functionality. However, strategy translation to action using the Balanced Scorecard is not completely ignorant of the steps that organizational managers use to build a tailored balanced scorecard.

Issues of Adverse and Moral Selection

Issues of Adverse and Moral Selection MUKHTAR MUHAMMAD AHMAD DISTINGUISH BETWEEN ADVERSE AND MORAL SELECTION, AND HOW A FIRM MIGHT OVERCOME EACH PROBLEM Adverse selection can be said as the process that occurs when seller valued goods more highly than the buyer does, because the seller has the full information and understanding about the good. Due to this information known by the seller, the seller is unwilling to part with the goods for any price lower than the value the seller knowns it has. On the other hand, the buyer who has no any information about how good the product is, is unwilling to pay more than expected of the good, which take into account the possibility of getting a bad piece. It is the Asymmetry information prior to the transaction that prevent the transaction from happening. If both the seller and the buyer were not sure of the quality, they would be willing to trade based on its actual value. Moral hazard, is usually seen as services such as insurance and warranties. In this case, when the deal is done, one of the party involved in the deal (in this case, the person purchasing the insurance) may be less careful because he/she has the insurance, thus is not expected to the full cost the losses insured. Example, a person with an insurance against theft may not border about closing all what is necessary when leaving the house, here, it is not the prior information that either party has ,but due to lack of information that the insurance company has in providing and controlling the risk taking behavior that can leads to the market failure. Lets look into adverse selection in details especially in the case of insurance. Adverse selection; can also be said as the selection originally used in insurance. Its describe a situation where in an individuals demand for insurance (The propensity to insurance and quantity purchased) is possibly the individuals risk of loss (higher risk buy more insurance), and the insurer is unable to allow for this correlation in the price of insurance. This may be because of an information known only to the individuals. (Information Asymmetry), or because of regulation or social Norms which prevent the insurer from using certain categories of known information to set price (For example, gender, genetic, test or pre existing medical conditions. The last of which amount to a 100% risk of losses associated with the treatment of the condition).The letter scenario is sometimes referred to as regulatory adverse selection. The potential adverse nature of the phenomenon can be described as the link between the smoking status and mortality of those not smoking, on the average, are more likely to live longer, while smokers on average are more likely to die younger. If the insurer did not distinguish the prices for life insurance according to the smoking status, life insurance would be better buy for smokers than does not smoking. In this case, the smokers may be more willingly to buy insurance or may tent to buy larger amount of the insurance than the does not smoking, there by raising the average mortality of the combined policy holder group above that of the general population. From the insurers view point, the higher mortality of the group which select to buy insurance is adverse. The insurer raises the prices the insurance accordingly and as a consequences, does not smoking may be less likely to buy insurance (Or may buy smaller amounts) than they would buy at a lower prices reflectively to their lowe r risk. The reduction in the insurance purchases by does not smoking is also adverse from the insurers view point, and may be also from public policy view points. Furthermore, if there is a range of increasing risk categories in the population, the raise in the insurance prices because of adverse selection may leads to the lowest remaining risk to cancel or not renew their insurance. This promote a further raise in price, and so on. Eventually this adverse selection death spiral might in theory leads to the collapse of the insurance market. SOLUTION TO ADVERSE SELECTION PROBLEM Alternative solution to the effects of adverse selection to the insurers (to the extent that law permit) ask a randomely question requesting medical or other reports on individual who apply to buy insurance so that the price quoted can be varied accordingly, and any unreasonable highly or unpredictable risk rejected. This risk selection method is known underwriting in many nations, insurance law incorperate as utmost good faith doctorine. Which requires potential customers to answer any underwriting question asked by the insurer fully and honesty; if they fail to do so, the insurance may refused to pay the claim. While adverse selection in theory seems a clear and inevitable consequences of economic incentives, empirical is mixed. Several studies investigating correlations between risk and insurance purchased has fail to show the predicted possible correlation of life insurance. On the other hand, positive test result in adverse selection have been reported in health, long term care and annuity market. These possible result tent to be based on demonstrating more subtle relationship between risk and purchasing behavior (such as between mortality and whether the customer chooses a life annuity which is fixed or inflation linked), rather than simple correlations of risk and quantity purchased. MORAL HAZARD Moral Hazard is a situation in which a party is more likely risk because the cost that could be result which not be borne by the party taking the risk. In other words, it is a tendency to be more willing to take the risk, knowing that the potential borden of taking such risk will be born in whole or in potentially by others, A moral Hazard may occur where the actions of one party may changes to Sthe detriment of another after the financial transaction has taken place. Moral Hazard arises because an individual or institution does not take the full consequences and responsibility of its actions, and therefore, has a tendency to act less careful than its otherwise would leaving another party to hold some responsibility for the consequences of those action. Economists explain Moral hazard as a special case of information asymmetry, a situation in which one party has a wider information than the other in particular moral hazard may occur if the one that is been cheated from the risk has more information about the action and intention than the one paying for the negative consequences of the risk, more broadly, moral hazard occurs when the one with more knowledge about its action or intention has a tendency or incentive to behave inappropriately from the perspective of the one with less information. Moral Hazard is also arises in a principal Agents problem, where one party, called an agent acts on behave of another individual called principal. Usually have the knowledge about his action than the principal agents does due to the principal. Usually can not completely monitor the agents. The agents may have incentive to act inappropriate way. (From the view point of the principal) if the interest of the agents are the principal are not alligned. SOLUTION TO MORAL HAZARD Alternative way a firm can solve a problem of Moral hazard is the major aspect of the insurance deals with the effect of the availability of insurance on the level of care exercised by the insured to reduced the probability of loss. When an insured policy is not available like in the case of theft, an economic agent could devoted time to watch his property. At the extreemed, he could insure that the probability of losses was zero, but the cost of such strategy would likely be prohibitive. For example, the optimal action is to be expand on effect less than that require to reduce. The probability of theft to zero and hence, to bear the some risk. If we assumed the economic agents are risk averse, they would be willing to pay for transferred of risk to another Agents thereby enhancing their welfare. This transferred of risk is obtained through the purchase of an insurance policy. In conclusion, Adverse selection is the selection before the deal or transaction is done in which the person with the product or selling, valued and worth the good than the buyer in the sense, the seller has the better understanding and knowledge about the good and buyer who with less information about the good, would just purchase it based on his own assumption of the quality of the goods. and here, to counter such problem, the seller would have to emphasize more of his products and try to study the consumer behavior before getting into any transaction. while Moral hazard on the other hand, is the situation that occurs when the transaction is done that is, when the deal is done. One of the party in the transaction. here, the person taking the risk is more likely to be the one with the full information in the transaction and acted less carefully knowing that he would not bear the full losses alone thereby, affecting the one with less information about the transaction without his cons ents. To solve such problem, the insurer has to have an agreement on the facts that, the one that acted carelessly would likely be the one to bear more losses. That would make the one with more information to be more serious in the deal and avoiding any lapses that would occur after the deal is done.

Essay --

The number of children who enter foster care is rapidly growing; however, there are not enough foster parents for these children. Children are placed into foster care because of neglect, abuse and many other reasons. Foster parents are single individuals or married couples who become licensed to serve as caretakers for foster children. Foster parents are very important because they help the child grow and by providing love and affection, and even stability while they are away from birth parents. The purpose of this review is to increase the awareness about foster parenting and finding ways to recruit parents to create successful foster placements. A research study shows that twenty-two licensed foster parents at a parent training session with the Louisiana Department of Social Services was compare to the role perceptions of White and African American foster parents, (Nabusti, York, & Sandell, 2004). This study found that there are some differences and similarities in White and African American foster parents. They collected data from 128 African Americans and 65 White foster parents. This study proved that African American parents are likely to take care of children who are related to them; nonetheless, they isolate themselves from child welfare agencies, (Nabusti et al., 2004). In this study, foster parents revealed they were responsible for creating a relationship between the foster child and birth parents, assisting the child with social and emotional development, helping the foster agency operate easier, providing the child with traditional parental roles, and establishing spiritual relationships with the child (Nabus ti et al, 2004). This study proved that African American foster parent think it is extremely important t... ...t that we understand the foster care system and its process as well. Finding ways to recruit foster parents is very important. All of the studies discussed above have found ways to recruit foster parents, give advice to foster parents to make foster placement successful, and even compared the African American and White foster family perceptions on foster care. The foster care system is very serious and proper foster placements are very much needed. While researching recruiting foster parents, I noticed that church or organizations have not hosted a foster recruitment day to increase interested families awareness on how to become a foster parent. Hosting an educational seminar on the importance of foster families and explaining to the audience on how to become foster parents would be an effective way to increase the awareness of interested foster families.