Why We Are Responsible For Being Born

In our societies, persons identify themselves with individual and group identities. Every person is considered to be related to a certain race, religion, and other social aspects of life (Appiah, 2005). Identity refers to the unique characteristics that an individual or a group possesses.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why We Are Responsible For Being Born specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The characteristics of a certain group influence whether an individual will remain or leave the group. Each group has unique social, political, and economic characteristics that are depicted in the behavior of each member. Cultural studies indicate that every person has unique identifiers such as nationality, race, ethnicity, history, religious beliefs, and language. In developed countries such as the United States of America, UK, and France, group identity is based on the social values and practices (Appiah, 2005). In this art icle, the events that led to the acquittal of George Zimmerman are analyzed with the aim of illustrating how tension between individual identity and group identity arises and how it can be resolved. The killing of Trayvon Martin by Zimmerman has never been documented with certainty. However, it is apparent that the two persons were from two different races (Yancy, 2013). Martin was an African-American, while Zimmerman is white American. The racial identity of Martin must have been the main cause that led to his killing. Therefore, it can be argued that Martin’s group identity and not his individual identity played a huge role in his demise. In the US, racial conflicts between the whites and blacks have existed for a long time. However, in some few scenarios murder cases between members of same races have been reported (Yancy, 2013). On 26 February 2012, the fateful day that Martin was murdered, Zimmerman was watching over the neighborhood in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman was th en a community security guard and had a gun. Coincidentally, Martin had moved to stay temporarily in the Sanford neighborhood.Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is reported that when Zimmerman spotted Martin walking around the neighborhood, he immediately informed the police. The police advised him not to confront the minor, but he ignored their orders and proceeded to confront the minor. What Zimmerman feared most was burglary related crimes. According to the context of the murder, it is clear that he believed that the blacks engage in burglary crimes. Because Martin was an African American, Zimmerman must have thought that the minor was up to something bad in the neighborhood. As such, Zimmerman intentions were prejudiced by the minor’s group identity. When Zimmerman confronted Martin, the two broke into a fight where he injured his nose. During the fight, Zimmerman shot Martin killing him on the spot. He later argued that he shot Martin while defending himself. It is apparent that Zimmerman did not take time to consider the individual identity of Martin, but instead judged him based on his group identity. Similarly, it is clear that Zimmerman did not interrogate the identity of Martin and the reason why he was walking around the neighborhood. If he had waited for the police to arrive and investigate Martin’s actions, he could not have killed him. Through this, he would have discovered that Martin was living temporarily in the neighborhood. Equally, he could have discovered that Martin was not a criminal despite being an African American. In addition, he would have realized that Martin was a minor. Therefore, the above conflicts are blamed on the tension between individual identity and group identity. Based on the above illustrations, it is apparent that Martin was a victim of group identity. For a very long time, African Americans have been associated with criminal acts such as burglary by the majority whites. Through this, some African individuals have been persecuted and even jailed for being black despite the fact that there were lawful individuals (Yancy, 2013).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why We Are Responsible For Being Born specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the case study, Martin was an innocent person and not a criminal as supposed by his attacker (Yancy, 2013). Based on Beller‘s arguments that we should be responsible for the actions of our groups, Martin bore the responsibility of being born into a black race. In his case, the group identity is stronger than the individual identity and it is the sole reason for his murder After the killings, Zimmerman was not arrested for the offense because he argued that he was defending himself and there were no evidence to prove otherwise. However, it is clear that he was not apprehen ded immediately because of his racial background. If Zimmerman came from African American background and Martin came from Caucasian origin, Zimmerman would have been apprehended by the police after the offense for further questioning. The above illustrations confirms Beller‘s arguments that group identity and individual identity have led to conflicts in our societies. The murder of Martin and acquaintance of Zimmerman demonstrated a degree of negligence on racial killing acts in the US (Pietruszynski, 2008). The group identity in most cases conflicts with the individual identity. In fact, Americans perceive the group identity to be more significant. As such, they base most of their judgment on group identity. The murder case of Martin attracted public attention and led to series of protests condemning the act. Most importantly, the public and other government agencies were furious because the murderer had not been arrested (Pietruszynski, 2008). Because Zimmerman was acquitted , I believe that the conflict in the American society concerning the group identity and individual identity has never been solved (Yancy, 2013). Therefore, as Beller argues Americans will still be accountable for dealing with injustices that result from their group identity regardless of whether they are responsible for the situations (Pietruszynski, 2008).Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Although conflicts exist between individual identity and group identity, it is unfair for individuals to be responsible for the actions they encounter in their lives. Despite the existence of the shared social characteristics, group judgment should not be used to discriminate against individuals. It is also true that the group action do not predict the behavior of an individual. Based on the above illustration, it is apparent that tensions between individual identity and group identity usually arise in our society. The circumstances determine why a person would choose to engage or not to engage more as a group member. The characteristics of a certain group influence whether an individual will remain or leave the group. The characteristics are dependent on the values and social facts of a particular group such as social, political, and economic factors that the group upholds. Depending on the context, individual identity at certain times conflict with the group identity. When there i s no clear boundary between the individual and group identity, then tension arises, hence the Beller’s conclusion on why we are responsible for being born holds. References Appiah, A. (2005). The ethics of identity. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Pietruszynski, J. (2008). Race, gender, and human identity in a diverse society: an anthology (9th ed.). Acton, Mass.: Tapestry Press. Yancy, G. (2013). Pursuing Trayvon Martin: historical contexts and contemporary manifestations of racial dynamics. Lanham: Lexington Boos. This essay on Why We Are Responsible For Being Born was written and submitted by user Archer Wiley 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.

History of Chinese Calligraphy essays

History of Chinese Calligraphy essays Chinese calligraphy, over the long ages of evolution, has developed various styles and schools, constituting an important part of the heritage of national culture. To obtain a better understanding of Chinese calligraphy, it is imperative to understand the history of Chinese writing and how it evolved over time. The oldest known written language discovered was Jia Gu Wen(also known as Oracle Bone). Characters were carved onto Jia Gu which meant tortoise shell and bone. Characters at the period of time closely relate to the appearances of the objects. For example, the character for man consisted of a curved line representing the head, body and leg of a person with another line joined to it which represented the arms. It was the main written language used in Shang dynasty (1600B.C. 1046 B.C.) but it was possibly still used up to West Zhou dynasty (1046B.C-771B.C.). Da Zhuan characters were used from late Shang dynasty to Zhou Dynasty. They were complicated and contained a fair amount of detail. The characters often contained a little story within them which led to the complexity. There were no standard scripts and the same character may be written differently by calligraphers from different locations. An example was the character for fish, one version had three fins and the other had four fi ns, however their general appearances were similar. In 221 B.C., Qin Shi Huang united the old China. Da Zhuan was simplified and stardardised to form Xiao Zhuan which was the official form of writing used in Qin dynasty. Some characters were similar to modern day writing, including the character for car which was essentially the same as the modern version. Li Shu was also very popular at this period of time because it was much more flowing and better adapted to writing with brushes. Li Shu characters resemble most modern characters with differences usually in angle of strokes. During common ...

Twelve questions in Management Information System Assignment

Twelve questions in Management Information System - Assignment Example In the â€Å"conversations† that introduce the textbook chapters thus far, Lucas Massey, the IT Director, tends to get a lot of pressure from his colleagues at GearUP. He has suggested approaches that do not align with the company’s strategy, and several times, when he has attempted to explain his perspective, he and his co-workers get frustrated. Using the skills gained in this course it will be easy for me to manage a situation like this in my job experience. In simple terms, I will just employ quality communication and teamwork skills to ensure that we as a team speak one a language. In addition, to ensure that the targeted MIS ends up a successful project, I will involve most of the key company stakeholders (both I.T professionals and other workers or targeted users of the system) in the development and implementation of the MIS. Lastly but certainly not the least, I will work closely with all the team members to ensure that the MIS goes hand in hand with the business strategies of the company (Oz

What you learned in speech course Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What you learned in speech course - Essay Example Previously I was very shy about talking out in public and standing up in front of a crowd. However, this speech course has helped me tremendously in boosting up my confidence level. Now not only am I able to present myself much more properly but I believe I am even more calm and composed as I deliver speeches. Before all this started I recall how much I used to shiver with the mere thought of getting on the stage to deliver a speech. But as I moved on with this course I discovered that having speaking related anxiety is as completely natural as anything else. I discovered that I was not the only person in the room who felt he couldn’t deliver, and there were a lot of other similar souls. There is a lot that I have learned from this speech course and time would run out if I start mentioning everything here. I believe this course has helped me a great deal in overcoming my fears to start off with. I always thought presenting to a crowd is a great deal and not everyone’s c apable of it. However, the day I stepped onto the podium my thinking changed and I left all my fears behind. It must be mentioned here that my instructor helped me a great deal with my speech and pointed out mistakes where I was wrong. This course, I believe has taught me to look inside my self and share my feelings with the audience. I learned that while delivering a speech you have to adjust your tone and message according to the audience’s feedback. I remember how I was rushing through my speech on automotive engines until I looked into the eyes of a couple of students in the audience. Their eyes zoomed me in like I was saying something alien to them. It was then that I realized that there’s something wrong with my presentation and adjusted I slowed down. This speech course this helped me figure out that speech delivery is all about adjustment to your audience’s feedback. It taught me you have to step into your audience’s shoes and figure out if you wo uld have understood the same had you been in their place. This speech course has also helped me a great deal in being able to speak clearly yet concisely and confidently. It made me realize the importance of proper speech delivery and the impact it can make on the life millions of people around you. I realized that developing upon your speech is not only essential in getting a good grade in this course but it helps you a lot in speaking out in tons of other important situations as well. I also learned that proper speech and presentations do not only help us to present ourselves effectively in front of others but help us get control of and master our lives. I also realized that it is our speech that makes us unique from thousands of people around the world. They say everyone’s equal and that fact is true but having command over proper speech is what distinguishes a learned person from an ill literate one and makes you stand out in front of a crowd. I would like to sum it all u p by saying this speech course has ideally changed the course of my life and how I used to see things. Now I believe if you can communicate properly and make yourself heard then you can overcome any obstacle in

Me, My Country and IR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Me, My Country and IR - Essay Example According to the Morales (2), the conflict between the United States of America and Cuba has been there for a very long time. However, the conflict reached its peak when Cuba’s dictators took over power in 1959. The regime repressed political opponents, restricted fundamental freedoms, and violated human rights. The ensuing conflict made my grandfather to migrate from Cuba to the United States with several other disgruntled Cubans. De La Torre (34) found out that the Cuban-Americans are the third dominant Hispanic group in the U.S. certain areas have large populations of immigrant Cubans. Based on the 2010 census, there were 1,785,540 Cuban-Americans (both native and foreign born). South Florida alone has over 856,000 Cuban-Americans due to its proximity to Cuba (De La Torre, 45). The region stands out as the largest Cuban-American community. Furthermore, in 2013, a report by the American Community Survey found out that the number of Cuban-Americans has increased to 2,013,150 (Kami, 187-188). My grandfather migrated in the United States in the 19th century both as a labor immigrant as well as due to the authoritarian Cuban regime. Most of the immigrants considered the U.S. as a favored destination. Upon arrival, he told me he experienced various problems including inability to find stable work and language barrier which forced him to take English language classes. I have read in various articles that these problems are still experienced by immigrants. In 1960, the U.S. imposed an embargo on Cuba and later broke diplomatic relations with the nation in 1961. The dispute was as a result of the expropriation of American properties by the Cuban government combined with its decision to adopt a one-party communist way of governance. The U.S. blockaded Cuba in the process. Today, Cuba is the only blockaded nation globally. However, there is still debate on the U.S.

Problems Faced By Chinese Students

Problems Faced By Chinese Students This current research is titled as Problems faced by Chinese students in learning English language: A case study of S.M. Pei Yuan KAMPAR. This chapter consists of nine sections which is background of the study, statement of problem, purpose of study, significance of study, research question, scope of study, methodology, limitation and definition of key words. Background of the study Learning English language as second language (L2) is a big challenge for second language learners. Students still have problems with grammatical functions most of the time, although they have 11 years of English language exposure. Hence, this study focuses on the first language (L1) grammatical functions that interfere with Chinese learners of English as a second language. In Malaysia, there are numerous learners who have Chinese language as their L1. Most of them have problems in learning English language especially the English grammar. Learners are more or less likely to be influenced either positively or negatively by their first language. According to Hassan (2002), learners L1 background knowledge will affect them in learning English language especially in speaking and writing. As a result, the interference of L1 has become the major problem for Chinese ESL learners in the process of learning English especially in writing. Chinese ESL learners will get interference from their L1 when they write. It is because they will get influence by their L1 grammatical structure. Besides, the differences of syntactic between L1 and L2 also will affect them in writing. A few studies have reported that Chinese ESL learners will use their mother tongue to plan an outline before writing (Cumming, 1989; Jones Tetroe, 1987), transfer the writing context to English language by using their mother tongue (Edelsky, 1982; Friedlander, 1990; Lay, 1982). Second language learners will use their mother tongue in such circumstances and the interferences from L1 to L2 can either be positive or negative. Learners L1 will influence In this study, researcher will examines mother tongue influence on Chinese learners 1.2 Statement of Problem To learn English as second language, learners at least have to master four basic skills which are listening, reading, speaking and writing. However, seldom Chinese ESL learners can fully master the skills especially in writing. It is because the L1 interferes of English Language causes grammatical errors in the writing process. According to Nik Safiah (1978), this kind of grammatical error can be obviously found in Chinse ESL learners essay writing. The differences between L1 and L2 grammatical funtions intefere on students English essay writing process. As we know that mastering English Language is not an easy task especially for learners who study in Chinese independent schools. It is because they mostly will get inteferenced from their L1 and affect the way they learn English. As a result, Chinese learners will face difficulty in learning English grammatical functions such as tenses, subject-verb agreement or countable and uncountable nouns. Although Chinese learners have exposed to English language since primary one, the errors still occur. Chinese ESL learner make this kind of grammatical errors because they do not fully utilize the language even though they are able to use it. As the saying goes, practise makes perfect if the learners do not polish their English language even with years of exposure to the language, it will make no different. 1.3 Purpose of Study The purpose of this study is to find out if L1 interference have a significant effect on Chinese ESL learners English essay writing. Besides, this study is also to identify types of errors that Chinese ESL learners commonly make with English grammatical functions in the English essay writing. 1.4 Significance of Study Although learners learn English since the first day enter they school. However, most of them cannot fully master English as their second language. This study can help teachers to understand the problems that learners face when they are learning English. Besides, teachers can identify the influence of learners L1 in learning English and among the errors, they help to correct the grammar. This can help to reduce the inteference of L1 from happening to students learning English. 1.5 Research Questions Based on the problems and purpose mentioned in the earlier sections, this study will focus on two research questions which are: Does L1 interference have a significant effect on Chinese Learners English essay writing? What types of errors do Chinese ESL learners commonly make with English grammatical functions in the English essay writing? 1.6 Scope of Study The aims of this study is to identify the inteference of learners L1 in learning English language. Learner who study in S.M. PEI YUAN (P) KPR would be chosen as participate in the writing test. This study is using purposive sampling because only one class of Chinese ESL learners will be selected as participants. 1.7 Methodology This study will utilize a test to find out why Chinese ESL learners have problems in learning grammar. The learners will be asked to write a short essay. The topic of the essay is My family and learners have to write around 100-120 words each. This test will be distributed to the learners during their classes. Thus, they will take the test seriously and the results of the data collected will be more precise. 1.8 Limitation This study is designed for those whose first language is not English language and have L1 background knowledge. The survey will only be conducted with one class of learners who study in S.M. PEI YUAN (P) KPR. Thus, the result do not represented all Chinese ESL learners. 1.9 Definition of key words Inteference learners make an error in ther L2 which influnced by their L1 (Lott,1983:256).

The Criminalization of the Mentally Ill Essays -- Prison for Individua

Problem Analysis: The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world and of that over sixty percent of jail inmates reported having a mental health issue and 316,000 of them are severely mentally ill (Raphael & Stoll, 2013). Correctional facilities in the United States have become the primary mental health institutions today (Adams & Ferrandino, 2008). This imprisonment of the mentally ill in the United States has increased the incarceration rate and has left those individuals medically untreated and emotionally unstable while in jail and after being released. Better housing facilities, medical treatment and psychiatric counseling can be helpful in alleviating their illness as well as upon their release. This paper will explore the increasing incarceration rate of the mentally ill in the jails and prisons of the United States, the lack of medical services available to the mentally ill, the roles of the police, the correctional officers and the community and the revolving door phenom enon (Soderstrom, 2007). It will also review some of the existing and present policies that have been ineffective and present new policies that can be effective with the proper resources and training. The main objective of this paper is to illustrate that the criminalization of the mentally ill has become a public health problem and that our policy should focus more on rehabilitation rather than punishment. A huge factor in the prevalence of mental health problems in United States prison and jail inmates is believed to be due to the policy of deinstitutionalization. Many of the mentally ill were treated in publicly funded hospitals up until the 1960’s. Due to budget cuts and underfunding of community mental health services we ... ...aluating mental health courts as an ideal mental health intervention. Best Practices in Mental Health, 21-37. Lamb, H. R. (2004). Mentally ill persons in the criminal justice system: Some perspectives. Psychiatric Quarterly, 108-126. Markowitz, F. E. (2011). Mental illness, crime, and violence: Risk, context, and social control. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 36-44. Raphael, S. &. (2013). Assessing the Contribution of the Deinstitutionalization of the Mentally Ill to Growth in the U.S. Incarceration Rate. The Journal of Legal Studies, 187-220. Rock, M. (2001). Emerging issues with mentally ill offenders: Casues and social consequences. Administration and Policy in Mental Health., 165-180. Soderstrom, I. R. (2007). Mental illness in offender populations: Prevalance, duty, and implications. Mental health issues in the criminal justice system., 1-17. The Criminalization of the Mentally Ill Essays -- Prison for Individua Problem Analysis: The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world and of that over sixty percent of jail inmates reported having a mental health issue and 316,000 of them are severely mentally ill (Raphael & Stoll, 2013). Correctional facilities in the United States have become the primary mental health institutions today (Adams & Ferrandino, 2008). This imprisonment of the mentally ill in the United States has increased the incarceration rate and has left those individuals medically untreated and emotionally unstable while in jail and after being released. Better housing facilities, medical treatment and psychiatric counseling can be helpful in alleviating their illness as well as upon their release. This paper will explore the increasing incarceration rate of the mentally ill in the jails and prisons of the United States, the lack of medical services available to the mentally ill, the roles of the police, the correctional officers and the community and the revolving door phenom enon (Soderstrom, 2007). It will also review some of the existing and present policies that have been ineffective and present new policies that can be effective with the proper resources and training. The main objective of this paper is to illustrate that the criminalization of the mentally ill has become a public health problem and that our policy should focus more on rehabilitation rather than punishment. A huge factor in the prevalence of mental health problems in United States prison and jail inmates is believed to be due to the policy of deinstitutionalization. Many of the mentally ill were treated in publicly funded hospitals up until the 1960’s. Due to budget cuts and underfunding of community mental health services we ... ...aluating mental health courts as an ideal mental health intervention. Best Practices in Mental Health, 21-37. Lamb, H. R. (2004). Mentally ill persons in the criminal justice system: Some perspectives. Psychiatric Quarterly, 108-126. Markowitz, F. E. (2011). Mental illness, crime, and violence: Risk, context, and social control. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 36-44. Raphael, S. &. (2013). Assessing the Contribution of the Deinstitutionalization of the Mentally Ill to Growth in the U.S. Incarceration Rate. The Journal of Legal Studies, 187-220. Rock, M. (2001). Emerging issues with mentally ill offenders: Casues and social consequences. Administration and Policy in Mental Health., 165-180. Soderstrom, I. R. (2007). Mental illness in offender populations: Prevalance, duty, and implications. Mental health issues in the criminal justice system., 1-17.

Postmodernity and Hyper-Reality in Architecture

IntroductionThis essay will turn to architecture’s place in a consumer society. Consumer society can be described as the result of modernism where devouring stuff goods is the overriding characteristic of its balance and values. It is the consequence of the escalation in fabrication and rapid industrial developments. It is besides the result of the huge gait of variegation and growing of civilization, creativeness, engineering and urbanism as a manner of life. I will utilize the constructs of semiotic philosopher Jean Baudrillard’s as a footing in understanding the deductions of this civilization on the built environment, urban design and engineering. I will besides analyze the desire for phantasy kingdoms that mirror world by analyzing Baudrillard’s three orders of simulacra and the â€Å"hyperreal† . To understand the look of this phenomenon in our consumerist civilization I have chosen to analyze its manifestation in the urban context of Montecasiono an d besides practical environment of Second Life. My purpose is to better understand the architects’ place in this current civilization and what it could intend for the hereafter of architecture.Postmodernity and Hyper-realityThe postmodern status does non merely replace modernness but it instead opens up a new and complex bed of significance of the modern by stressing its self-contradictory facets. Modernity has become profoundly rooted in modern-day societies and therefore it is about impossible to happen a status where it has had no influence. Post-modernity by default can non be separated from modernness as emancipation and release are built-in to the modern. In the post-modern epoch the electronic image is the prevailing force specifying its nonliteral character. It is saturated with images in the grade which was non observed in history. ( Asanowicz, 2014 ) To understand some of the complexnesss of our image goaded civilization I will foremost be researching the Hagiograph as of Jean Baudrillard. Harmonizing to â€Å"Simulacra and Simulation† ( Baudrillard, 1994 ) in our post-modern society, â€Å"It is no longer a inquiry of imitation, nor duplicate, nor even lampoon. It is a inquiry of replacing the marks of the existent for the real† . Baudrillard suggests that postmodern civilization is non simply unreal, because the impression of artificiality still involves some sense of world against which to place it. What he conveys is that we can non acknowledge the differentiation between ruse and nature. Baudrillard so argues that there are three â€Å" orders of simulacra † . Simulacra ( Simulacres in Gallic agencies: stereotype, a pseudo-thing, an empty signifier, a clean signifier ) is one of the cardinal constructs of postmodern aesthetics. ( Asanowicz, 2014 ) . The first order of simulacra is related to the pre-modern period where the image is a clear imitation of the existent. Baudrillard associates the 2nd order of simulacra with the industrial revoluti on of the 19th century where mass production and the addition of transcripts break down the differences between the representation and the image. The 3rd order of simulacra is specifically associated with the postmodern age. It suggests that the representation precedes and determines the existent. The differentiation between world and its representation is has disappeared and there is merely the simulacrum. Baudrillard defined this deformation of the lines between the original and its transcript as the ‘hyperreal’ ( Baudrillard, 1994 ) . Not merely does the simulacrum imitate the original but the simulacrum of truth is truer than true and therefore the hyperreal is realer than existent. ( Horrocks & A ; Jevtic, 1999 ) This sort of fake image is all around us, nature militias are constructed to mask the absence the natural environment in urban countries. Reallity Television plans are edited to romanticise the mundane. Baudrillard uses the illustration of Disneyland, â€Å"Disneyland is presented as fanciful in order to do us believe that the remainder is existent, whereas all of Los Angeles and the America that surrounds it are no longer existent, but belong to the hyperreal order and to the order of simulation. It is no longer a inquiry of a false representation of world ( political orientation ) but of hiding the fact that the existent is no longer existent, and therefore of salvaging the world principle.† ( Baudrillard, 1994 ) . To associate this theory to a South African context I will utilize the illustration of Montesasino. While the fake environment is obviously false, invitees at Montecasino buy into the â€Å"reality† of phantasy because society will continually absorb simula cra and its penchant for it over world. Offering a excess of services and amusement options in a Tuscan themed environment, Montecasino disorientates and mesmerises its invitees in a universe of phantasy where disbursement money enhances engagement in, and enjoyment of the retail and leisure experience. Baudrillard remarks on the bleary differentiations between civilization, consumerism and individuality: â€Å"Work, leisure, nature and civilization, all antecedently dispersed, separate, and all more or less irreducible activities that produced anxiousness and complexness in our existent life, and in our ‘anarchic and archaic’ metropoliss, have eventually become assorted, massaged, clime controlled and domesticated into the simple activity of ageless shopping. All these activities have eventually become desexed into a individual hermaphroditic atmosphere of style† ( Baudrillard, 2001 ) . Another illustration of hyperreality is that of Multiaˆ?User Virtual Environments. This has fascinated me since I engaged my first multi-player role-playing computing machine game and recognized the habit-forming qualities it stirred. Today these practical environments are much more sophisticated with practical universes like World of Warcraft and Second Life imitating non merely of our physical universe but besides of our societal, political and economic status. Second Life has an active socialist party, an opposing Marxist party and even an nihilist group. Prostitution, chancing and consumerism are cardinal to the simulation. Users of these environments create embodiments which they define as the most accurate contemplation of theirrealself. Aside from hyperreality, many of the constructs Baudrillard postulates in Simulacra and Simulation are present. It is a semiological perfect universe, where the users are deprived of the ability to travel, eat and drink. The embodiments hav e nil else to devour but â€Å"signs† of the existent. Embodiments can lease cocottes to hold sex which is devoid of human contact or experience accordingly devouring the â€Å"sign† of holding sex. The embodiments buy expensive practical apparels to show the differentiation against the embodiments have oning free apparels. No existent apparels have changed custodies, but people spend existent that they have really earned to devour â€Å"signs† of goods. From a modernist this would look irrational but Baudrillards states that, â€Å"Nothing resembles itself, and holographic reproduction, like all phantasies of the exact synthesis or Resurrection of the existent ( this besides goes for scientific experimentation ) , is already no longer existent, is already hyperreal† ( Baudrillard, 1994 ) , therefore it could be argued that there is no difference in devouring something â€Å"real† or a â€Å"sign of the real† . The newest stage of consumer society is consequently concerned with the consequence of digital ingestion. This is intensified by globalization, new information engineerings and real-time communicating. In the following subdivision I will discourse the deductions of society’s preoccupation with ingestion and hyperreality on Architecture.Post-Modern Architecture in a consumer societyFrederic Jameson suggests that Postmodernism replicates or reproduces and reinforces the logic of consumer capitalist economy. Therefore when we study a consumer society we should concentrate on the seductive and tempting as this is inherit to the consumer life style. In architecture footings such as image, atmosphere and captivation of visual aspect are more of import than modern impressions of individuality, rationalism, naturalism and functionalism ( Jameson, 2002 ) . Few modern-day designers have consciously thought of their plants with consideration to our image goaded civilization. In â€Å"Visions’ Unfolding: Architecture in the Age of Electronical Media† , Peter Eisenman postulates that by utilizing computing machine plans which randomly fold surfaces and link the edifice and landscape into one uninterrupted whole, the architecture does non give up to any peculiar account, but continuously disrupts what is defined as architecture ( Eisenman, 1999 ) . This does turn to the thought of surface being the most of import facet of design but the job is that the plants is perchance non seductive plenty, instead the work is simply absorbing. On the other manus the work of Jean Nouvel is shrouded in the captivation of visual aspect. In Jean Nouvel in Conversation: Tomorrow Can Take Care of Itself, he says that â€Å"image is the affair of architecture and therefore the hereafter of architecture is non architectural in the tectonic senseâ€Å" . Nouvel emphasises that his architecture is non composed of infinite but of communicative surfaces, which he calls interfaces. He is non interested in inside informations but merely in images. Koolhaas and Tschumi are two other designers that have based their plants on a witting survey of atmosphere instead than maps or significances in architecture. Last one can non bury to advert Bernard Tshumi. After the perpendicular, modern, in La Villette we have the horizontal, minimum, conceptual and postmodern hyperrealism. The â€Å"cinematic† versions in the architecture enable â€Å"events† and are said to supply new freedom for the visitant when taking paths and point of views. Last the celebrated â€Å"congestion† in Koolhaas’ plants can be recognised as an atmospheric consequence created by â€Å"programming† . Koolhaas tries to make architecture congested with the multitudes in diverse actions. These actions have typically non been assigned a specific topographic point. Rational individuality must be abandoned when construing mass society.DecisionIn its most recent signifiers, architecture is already going transparent, Mobile, flexible and synergistic. It about tries to vanish in order to allow a conjectural mass creativeness show through. It replaces the immaterial with drifting regulations of the game, a screen of deconstruction which leaves the topics rather free to contrive their ain game regulations. Besides, architecture is non the lone thing to give manner to this synergistic Utopia of exchange and playful diversion: all art, political relations and practical engineering is traveling in this way. These inclinations manifest themselves in modern-day architecture in the new possibilities for pluralism, â€Å"open† architecture, the flexible interrelatedness between manufacturers and consumers, interactivity, and â€Å"the advanced consumers† . Moralism against consumer society and commercial architecture does non work because it is characteristic of consumer society itself that it spreads moralities refering how people should populate and which sort of edifices they should hold. These moralities refering consumers are disguised in the signifier of â€Å"choices† . Neither edifice without designers nor pragmatist architecture can do the place of designers better in society, because these phenomena are already included in the mythologies of consumer society. As concerns the relevancy of Baudrillard’s theory in architecture, it has become evident through my theoretical work that this makes impossible such traditional architectural constructs in general as creativeness, the fulfilling of demands and functionality. Architects can merely rush up or decelerate down interpersonal socio-economic procedures and in this manner increase societal reciprocality and coherence. Harmonizing to Baudrillard’s analysis of the present socio-economic forms in society, it has become about impossible to do genuinely seductive and mutual architecture. Baudrillard’s theory does non go forth really much for designers to tilt on, up to the inquiry of inquiring whether architecture can at all be designed under Baudrillard’s footings, nevertheless credible he is in indicating out the important problematics of civilization in consumer society. Beginning List HILDE HEYNEN, 2000, Architecture and Modernity: A Critique, Massachusetts, MIT Press, 8-24 JEAN BAUDRILLARD, 1994. The precession of simulacra, Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press, 1-42. JEAN BAUDRILLARD, 1982, Modernite , † in La modernite ou l’esprit du temps, Biennale de Paris, Section Architecture, Paris, L’Equerre, 27-28. PETER EISENMAN, 1994, Visions’ Unfolding: Architecture in the Age of Electronical Media, Michigan, A+U Publishers, 2-5. REM KOOLHAAS & A ; SANFORD KWINTER, 1996, Conversations with Students, New York, Princeton Architect ural Press, p 5-6. 1

Getting the Most out of WritingForums.com

Getting the Most out of WritingForums.com If you are a writer looking for answers to your questions about writing, editing and publishing, WritingForums.com is a valuable resource. Privately owned and community managed, this website provides information on every aspect of writing, including fiction and non-fiction, poetry, the editing process, traditional publishing, and self-publishing. The website is forum-based, with over 20,000 members, 75,000+ threads, and over a million posts. WritingForums.com aims to offer a safe, friendly, and welcoming space where writers of all abilities can connect and learn from each others experiences. There are opportunities to ask questions, exchange tips, engage in discussions, and share resources.How it worksThis website is run for by members, for members, with many active staff and volunteers involved in making sure everything runs smoothly. Community members act as administrators, supervisors, mentors, and moderators, and theres a light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek page explaining what everyb ody does and how things run.Once youve signed up for a free member account you can start browsing the forums, asking questions and responding to others posts. You may want to start with the Introduce Yourself thread, where you can share as much or as little information about you and your writing as youd like to. When you click on a forum name, the top few posts will often be pinned posts laying out some basic rules and guidelines for posting in that particular forum. Next, you will see the posts that have had the most recent activity. Many forums are very active with a lot of discussions going on throughout the day. You can search each forum using the search tab on the top right of the page.The site offers both free accounts and paid subscriptions, and free members can upgrade to a paid subscription at any time. It takes a few minutes to make a basic, free account. In order to guard against spammers, new members will have certain features restricted until they have posted in the for ums at least 10 times. They cannot, for example, post any promotional content, or share their work to the creative boards in order to get feedback on their writing.The subscription service gives you immediate access to extra site features. Paid members can access hidden forums and a writers chat room. They can also share their writing and ask for feedback from other members. A one-month subscription currently costs just $3 (USD) and a yearly subscription is $25. Subscribers who offer relevant services (such as publishing or editing) may also promote themselves in the Outside Resources section and other areas, allowing them to connect with writers who may need their services.Navigating the siteMany of us have become accustomed to searching through Facebook groups and other social media threads to find the information we want. Compared to that, this type of forum-based site feels like a breath of fresh air. It is well organized, easily searchable, and simple to navigate. The forums ar e organized into broad categories, such as Community, Publishing and Verse, with clear titles, and one line descriptions, for each forum. Inside the forums, each thread has a title and a note of which member started the thread and when. You can quickly see how many replies there are and how recently each thread has been active.At the top of the homepage you can access various pages such as new posts, rules and FAQs. Theres also a page called Just Chill where you can go for off-topic discussions or to play some word games when youre on a writing break (or procrastinating). The whole site is searchable from a handy search bar at the top of every page.WritingThe Writing forums cover a range of topics including:General Writing DiscussionResearchPromptsChallengesWriting CompetitionsSPAG (spelling, punctuation and grammar)HATs (hints and tips)While there is a general writing related forum, there are also forums covering verse, prose (fiction and scripts), and non-fiction prose.PublishingT he forums within the publishing category are extensive and varied, offering information on a wide range of issues that writers and authors might encounter. They include:A general publishing discussionBeta readingEditingTraditional publishingSelf-publishingMarketingCalls for submissionsWriters with a range of experiences weigh in within the publishing forums, and it is possible to ask very specific questions. You can ask, for example, which cover design people prefer, or if other members have worked with a specific agent or publisher.Beyond the forumThis is a specific category allowing members to reach out to each other elsewhere, and share resources. It also facilitates supporting each others blogs and books, following each other on social media, and creating real-life writing groups. Topics include:Author InterviewsPodcastsReviews and recommendationsOutside resourcesThe blogrollNaNoWriMo supportOnce again, you will have to prove you are a genuine member (by posting 10+ times or buy ing a subscription) before you have access to many of these features.FeedbackOnce you have proved you are a genuine community member, the site gives you a few different ways to get the all-important feedback you need to grow and improve as a writer. You can share your short stories, novel excerpts and poetry in relevant threads, and ask for feedback from fellow members. The site provides some useful advice on presenting your story for online critique that you should read first. There is also an opportunity to ask direct questions of the Writers Forum mentors. The mentor directory lists experienced writers who are prepared to reach out and help new writers. You can view their area of interest and bio, and there is a link to message them directly with any questions you may have.CompetitionsMonthly competitions and challenges are run for both fiction and non-fiction. Non-fiction challenges include essays, journalistic articles, opinion pieces, memoirs and travelogues. Fiction competiti ons will focus on a theme, and community members are welcome to suggest one. There are strict rules regarding word count and how entries are to be submitted, which can all be found in the Challenges, Contests and Prompts category. Winners are given an award and a months free subscription, but just as valuable for many writers is the judges score and review, which is effectively free feedback and advice on your story or non-fiction piece.A few things to keep in mindForum-based websites like this are incredibly useful, but they are also very prone to spammers looking for writers to sell their products and services to. It is with this in mind that the site insists on the 10 post rule before unlocking aspects of the site that could be open to abuse. You can always get around the rule with a paid subscription, which is very reasonable, but if you dont want a paid subscription, you will have to be patient and build up your posts, by making meaningful comments on others threads. Short, mea ningless comments posted purely to meet the post count may be deleted. Do not be tempted to get self-promotional too early. You may well be marked as a spammer if you do. Sharing a link to your blog or book will be possible, once you have hit the 10-post mark, but even then make sure it is done in an appropriate way and within a relevant thread.Be aware that any writing you share on the creative boards will then be visible to other members and may be accessed by the general public. You always own the copyright to everything you have created, so this is not a problem, but do keep in mind how sharing your work here might affect future plans for publication or submission. Some publications will want work to be unpublished, and while posting in a forum for the purpose of feedback is not generally considered publishing, it is possible that some publications might not like the fact your work is freely available on the web. If you are sharing writing that is part of a novel, it is advisabl e to publish excerpts only. It is common practice to publish novel excerpts online or in print media in order to promote the work, but, with a few exceptions, it is not advisable to have your entire book available on a public forum. However, the site offers Workshops for members, which are not visible to the public or to search engines. This protects their future publishing rights.The site is carefully moderated and posts that are abusive or offensive should be reported to the moderators. There is a strong commitment to making these forums a welcoming, safe, and helpful place for writers of all different abilities and experience levels. There is a list of rules that are designed to make sure all members are respected and comfortable. Remember if you post a piece of writing for critique you may well get negative as well as positive feedback, but it should all be constructive and respectfully offered. Taking on board what people dont like about your writing, as well as what they do, i s part of how we all grow as writers. Both new and experienced writers have much to gain from a responsive and supportive platform like WritingForums.com.

Reading Response to Ode to a Nightingale Essays

Reading Response to Ode to a Nightingale Essays Reading Response to Ode to a Nightingale Essay Reading Response to Ode to a Nightingale Essay In Ode to a Nightingale Keats introduces the reader to his discontent with the void of feeling he is experiencing. In the first line Keats says how his, â€Å"heart aches† which the reader would interpret as pain; however the second half of the first line he describes, â€Å"A drowsy numbness†. This tells me that Keats is uncomfortable with the â€Å"numbness† he experiences. In the second line Keats says, â€Å"as though of hemlock I had drunk†. Norton foot notes tell us that hemlock is a poison that acts as a tranquilizer in mild doses. Sedatives cause a euphoria that could be described as â€Å"drowsy numbness†. In the first line Keats repeats the A sound with â€Å"aches, and a drowsy numbness pains†. In the second line Keats repeats the H sound with â€Å"Hemlock I had drunk†. This alliteration and assonance creates a sort of euphoric musical quality, further emphasizing Keats’ chemically induced lack of feeling described. Continuing with the idea of drug induced emptiness in the third line Keats speaks of â€Å"some dull opiate to the drains†. Also continuing the use of assonance Keats repeats the D sound with â€Å"emptied some dull opiate to the drains†. Again the feeling produced by this repetition mimics the numb sway of a high. However this line is still more obvious than the first two because Keats mentions â€Å"opiate† which is a much more well-known drug that produces a numb sort of euphoria. The fourth line of the poem introduces a new dynamic to the first stanza. Keats says, â€Å"Lethe-wards had sunk:† Norton tells us that Lethe is a mythological river in Hades that causes forgetfulness. With this line Keats’ intention in the first stanza can be expanded from a euphoric void of feeling to one that causes him to forget. Because of this and Keats’ later references to intoxication (see stanza 2) as well as references to death (see stanza 3) the reader could infer that Keats’ desired the forgetful, euphoric, lack of feeling. Though Keats opens the poem in line one with â€Å"My heart aches† one could debate just how much his heart really aches.

The Importance of Mentorships for Career Advancement Essay

The Importance of Mentorships for Career Advancement - Essay Example A positively-framed gender bias is that women cannot be managers because they are also homemakers, which means that they cannot provide the needed time and dedication to demanding management work (Foster). These biases are serious issues because they can become sources of gender/sex discrimination that will impede women’s potential for promotion and professional development. Two problems with lack of mentoring are non-promotion and poor social networks, both of which can be important in promotion decisions and individual professional development. Many executives are still men, so they have accumulated crucial knowledge and skills in doing their jobs. They are essential mentors to women who aspire to reach their positions someday. If these male executives do not want to mentor young women, they are denying the latter the chance to be groomed for executive positions, thereby contributing to gender discrimination and gender wage gap. In addition, male executives already have professional and non-professional social networks that may directly or indirectly contribute to the professional development and promotion of subordinates. Women who do not have access to male mentorship may lose access to these networks too, which can be essential in the politics of promotion and processes of individual professional development. Hence, male executives should not have biases against mentoring young women, in order to prevent gender discrimination and to increase women’s number in their ranks. "Despite the increasing participation of women in advanced education and managerial and professional ranks, they are still under-represented at the top levels of management and in expatriate assignments".   Why do you believe this is the case?   Please explain.

Making a Chocolate Cake Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Making a Chocolate Cake - Essay Example A birthday or any anniversary is not complete without a perfect chocolate cake. It is the best when it comes to surprises and celebrations. IClosed once can be surprised most by a self made chocolate cake rather than any shop baked cake. The ingredients needed for baking a chocolate cake are all easily available at any nearby store. The first and the foremost ingredients needed is butter, partially sweet chocolate chips divided, all purpose flour, vanilla exact, eggs and sugar. Apart from this crushed sugar, baking soda, salt and water are required in the process. Measurement is very important. For the measuring spoon, measuring cup, a mixing bowl and a baking pan will be needed. The process usually begins with two cups of semi sweet chocolate chips, three fourth cup or one and a half stick of butter, one and a half cup of refined sugar, three eggs, two tablespoons of pure vanilla extract, two and half cups of all purpose flour, one teaspoon of baking soda, half teaspoon salt and one and a half cups of water. When the baking part is done, the cake is now ready to get served but since it is a chocolate cake, decorating it with chocolate is important. Decoration plays a great role to make the cake look eye-catching. How somebody wants to decorate a cake depends on his/her personal preference. Icing or can simple decoration can be done with the melted chocolate which can serve the purpose of icing.... Flour and water are added to make the batter smooth. Stirring is continued at this stage. The longer the stirring process is, the better is the mixture and the next stage is more convenient. In order to bake the chocolate cake, the baking pan is prepared by spraying the vegetable pan stray. This is usually the most significant part. This spray makes sure that the batter or mixture does not stick with the baking pan spoiling the cake. Next the oven is preheated at three fifty degree Fahrenheit. The mixture prepared is poured now on the baking pan from the electric mixture bowl. Normally forty to forty five minutes bake serves the purpose. Personal observation regarding the baking is highly recommended. The cake is baked until it becomes puffy and tasty. A chocolate cake is not always bad for health. In fact it is supposed to be good for human heart and such cakes are mostly preferred by women and children. When chocolate cake is made for children it is better to use less fillings and chocos and to keep it simple. However for special occasions one can experiment with high amounts of chocolates and sweet items to adorn the cake. Pregnant women often prefer the fudge type cakes. A fudge cake is fast to bake in fact. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula in the baking process is helpful. It can be made at home and stored in the fridge. Now when the baking part is done, the cake is now ready to get served but since it is a chocolate cake, decorating it with chocolate is important. Decoration plays a great role to make the cake look eye-catching. How somebody wants to decorate a cake depends on his/her personal preference. Icing or can simple decoration can be done with the melted chocolate which can serve the purpose of icing. Icing