The Mass Media

Bizhigitov Dauletbek CSSE-122K TECHNOLOGY MAKES COMMUNICATION EASIER IN TODAY'S WORLD In this day and age, no one can deny that technology make human’s communication easier. However, many people are of the opinion that spending on computer screens rather than face-to-face contact has dangers for society. Therefore, this essay will examine the dangers that probably impact on society at present day. Firstly, it is true that when people select to work at home by doing their job on computer, their inter action with their collegues in socity will decline in importance.This change results in becoming shallow and isolated feeling among these individuals because greeting conversations by typing on screen can not convey emotions, feelings, touchings to another side while face-to-face meeting can. A case that illustrates this is if you want to confide in your best friend in serious cases, you can not share or feel in with her by posting messeges via computer. Thus, they better take indi rect way conversation.Furthermore, the most important threat for society by lacking participation in communication is the lack of creativitys in humanity. It is inevitable that humanity is a social animal, so people have to socialise with others surrounding them. Clearly, the communication skills pay important roles in our race. If humans detract this communication skills which should continuously been developed, those could rarely progress in art, science, technology, innovation and so on.I believe this is likely the result from the fact that those innovations rely much on team work combining variety of skills among people. On the other hand, working on screen alone at home destroys all chance to construct these developments in society. All in all, I personally agree that obsession in spending time on greeting people on computer screen is dangerous for society in two perspectives, namely being shallow and lonely in individuals, and lacking of continuous development of communication skills which play a significant role in creativity of humanity.

Is Corruption-Free Society: A Distant Dream?

Once chanakya had said that honey would be kept on your tongue and you would not be allowed to taste; it is impossible. Corruption is the misuse of public power for private profit. It involves those behaviours on the part of government officials, whether politicians or civil servants, where they improperly and unlawfully enrich themselves or those close to them, by the misuse of the public power entrusted to them. Corruption in any where is threat to every here as the saying one rotten apple spoils the barrel. Harshad Mehta, Sukhram, Tehelaka, Telgi cases are the great example of corruption in India.Literacy and corruption are interlinked. Most literates are more corrupted in most of the cases and the most illiterate are the victims of corruption. As in India most of the people are illiterate so they are becoming the easy victims of corruption. Every patriotic Indian realizes that if there is one factor that is keeping India under the spell of perpetual poverty and which makes the li fe of the common citizen miserable, it is corruption. A citizen faces corruption practically at every level and every sector of life.It could be the local rationing department, police, municipal authorities or educational institutions like schools and colleges. In the industry inspector-raj has become a code word for regular bribes collected by the public servants at the cutting edge of administration of the various departments of Central and State governments. Corruption is anti-national, anti-economic development and anti-poor. Nevertheless we have perhaps come to take corruption as a fact and a way of life. This may be partly due to sociological reasons and partly due to a sense of helplessness and defeatism.Corruption is harmful in three different ways: Rajiv Gandhi once observed that out of every rupee meant for the anti- poverty programmes, only 15 paise reached the beneficiary. Out of the 85 paise may be 40 paise can be accounted for as administrative overheads. The leakage o f the remaining 45 paise is definitely due to corruption. Corruption is, therefore, anti-poor. Corruption is also anti-economic development. Political interference, reduced attractiveness of service and declining morale has all combined to whittle away officials’ will to remain honest. The biggest cost is political.Petty corruption is especially endemic at the lower, clerical levels of administration — precisely the point at which the ordinary citizen comes into daily contact with officialdom. People are forced to pay bribes for securing virtually any service connected with the government, even that which is theirs by right and law. People naturally tend to judge the entire structure of government on the basis of direct experiences with the agents of government. It would be difficult to exaggerate the revulsion felt by ordinary Indians toward the ubiquitous and institutionalized venality of public life. Evil social practices also promote corruption.One major social cau se that promotes corruption is the dowry system. Every public servant wants to see that his daughter is married off well and there’s continuous pressure for having a substantial level of dowry. This may be one of the reasons why one comes across cases where even public servants who have otherwise led a clean life become vulnerable to corruption towards the end of their career. Dowry system is definitely one of the social roots of corruption in our country. Equally important is the social pressure in a competitive society for ensuring that children get the best possible education.Right from kindergarten in every educational institution, there is pressure of competition, and education has become commercialised. This has been further accentuated by government policies about affirmative action resulting in a great incentive for self-financing colleges who charge a lot of donation fee and most of it is collected in black. Education pressure and corruption in the education sector i s another social factor contributing to corruption in our system. One of the social roots of corruption in India can be traced to our Indian culture of tolerance. Equally important is another psychological factor.Power is never demonstrated in a society unless it is misused. In certain communities, being as corrupt as possible and amassing as much wealth as possible is seen as a macho demonstration of â€Å"competence†. If this is the attitude, those sectors of society that did not have an opportunity to share the power cake in the past may also rationalize that they must emulate those who had earlier enjoyed misuse of their power and amassed wealth by rampant corruption. Thus, a vicious cycle of corruption is launched where a society tolerates amassing of wealth and does not question how that wealth is accumulated.Is eliminating corruption a myth or reality? If we believe corruption can be eliminated, it can be; if not, it will remain a reality. So is it a distant dream or c an this dream be fulfilled is a billion dollar question. In conclusion, corruption in India exists because of the unsatisfied basic needs of the general population. Corruption in India cannot be eradicated by questioning ethical standards of its population. Removal of corruption can only be achieved by right macro-economic policies and by reducing government control. Honest political leadership is a must as a first step.Opening the economy for the investors around the world can provide the needed capital. Fresh ideas and entrepreneurial spirit has to replace the bureaucratic government control for a wealthier society. Supply of basic commodities has to be higher than the demand for general population not to bribe any government officials. Only skilled entrepreneurs hired by public shareholders can bring the money losing monster public sector to profitability. An efficient tax collection mechanism supported by computerised revenue reporting systems of individual businesses would be a step in the right direction.Qualified political leadership is required to understand and implement such policies. Most importantly, political will of the leaders will be required to take such actions. In Japan and South Korea, former prime ministers and children of presidents have been jailed for corruption. In India, not one senior politician of the many who have been implicated in scandals – and they are numerous – has so far been convicted. The labyrinthine legal system is used to frustrate the course of justice. Three-points can be suggested to check corruption. The first is simplification of rules and procedures.Corruption is like malaria, handled by giving medicine to those affected and simultaneously preventing the breeding of mosquitoes. Many of our rules and procedures breed corruption. Orders have, therefore, to be issued to check and simplify procedures. One example is a ban on post-tender negotiations in government purchases, except with the lowest bidder. Such negotiations are a flexible source of corruption. The second step is empowering the public and bringing in greater transparency. Every office should have a board stating, ‘Don’t pay bribes.If anybody asks for a bribe, you can complain to the CVO, CVC. ’ This way we can educate the public who come to every small office of the GOI and other organisations like banks and public sector undertakings that there is a way out if they do not want to pay bribes. The third step is strong punishment to those who are involves in corruption. Corruption is the greatest hindrance in the development of ever-developing nation. If we want to replace the â€Å"developing† tag from our beloved country by â€Å"developed†, we have to take stringent measures and stand against the parasite of corruption together

Policy and Strategy in Global Competition Essay

Discussion Question 11.1: Why is it important for an organization to have alignment between its strategy and organizational structure? The relationship between an organization’s strategy and structure are extremely important because it â€Å"directly impacts a firm’s performance† (Rothaermel, 2013, p. 309). Also, as an organization grows, it should reevaluate the current strategy and structure to ensure that it remains the optimal choice for the organization (Rothaermel, 2013). The four types of organizational structures, listed in order of least to most complex according to Rothaermel (2013), are: (1) simple, (2) functional, (3) multidivisional, and (4) matrix. The simple structure is for small firms or organizations that are just starting out (Rothaermel, 2013). The decision-making structure is quite flat, as â€Å"the founders tend to make all the important strategic decisions† (Rothaermel, 2013, p. 309). Growth will often cause the higher-ups to feel o verwhelmed under this type of structure, requiring the organization to adopt a different, more complex structure (Rothaermel, 2013). A functional structure groups employees into teams, allowing for increased decision-making at lower levels of the managerial chain (Rothaermel, 2013). The opportunity for specialization allows for the functional structure to be employed with each of the business-level strategies: cost leadership, differentiation, or integration (Rothaermel, 2013). One of the hurdles to overcome would be the likely increase in difficulties which arise from departmentalization of the varying teams (Rothaermel, 2013). The best way to overcome such a hurdle is through cross-functional teams (Rothaermel, 2013). Whenever the organization seeks greater diversification, into varying product lines and service offerings, it will likely look into utilizing a multidivisional structure (Rothaermel, 2013). Under this structure, the organization is further compartmentalized  into strategic business units (â€Å"SBUs†) which are governed by their own profit-and-loss (â€Å"P&L†) responsibilities (Rothaermel, 2013). At this level, each of the SBUs is viewed as its own independent entity, pursuing its own profit-creating goals (Rothaermel, 2013). While organizations with a corporate-level strategy with a single or dominant business would be best served by a functional structure, organizations seeking related or unrelated diversification would be wise to utilize a multidivisional structure (Rothaermel, 2013). Lastly, the matrix structure is a combination of the functional and multidivisional structures (Rothaermel, 2013). It is most appropriate when an organization needs a structure which allows for both centralized and decentralized decision-making, and can be organized by geographic areas and product divisions (Rothaermel, 2013). While a global strategy does not automatically lend to a matrix structure, a transnational strategy which has the requirements above is better served through a matrix structure (Rothaermel, 2013). Discussion Question 11.3(a): What commonalities across the products would likely be enhanced by flexible cross-functional teams? Gore has product lines which include consumer products like guitar strings and vacuum filters, cables and cable assemblies, electronic and electrochemical materials, fabrics, fibers, filtration products, medical products, pharmaceutical processing, sealants, and venting products (Gore, 2015). Its product lines are used in industries ranging from aerospace and automotive to military and textiles (Gore, 2015). Gore utilizes cross-functional teams to help develop its many products within varying lines (Rothaermel, 2013). Cross-functional teams allow for individuals from differing functional areas within an organization to temporarily come together and work on a particular project (Rothaermel, 2013). These teams would allow for the differing products, though developed for a particular function, to be developed for use in more than one of the organization’s products (Rothaermel, 2013). As an example, the cables developed for aeronautics can likely be used in other electronic or automotive applications if developed by members from the appropriate cross-functional teams. Discussion Question 11.3(b): What would be your expectations of the type of norms found at W. L. Gore? Organizational norms â€Å"define appropriate employee attitudes and behaviors† (Rothaermel, 2013, p. 318). The norms which exist at Gore likely arise from founder imprinting,  which means that Bill Gore, the founder of W. L. Gore & Associates, has helped to establish and define the company’s culture (Rothaermel, 2013). The organization’s four core values, stated succinctly, are: (1) fairness, (2) freedom, (3) individual commitment, and (4) consultation and collaboration (Rothaermel, 2013). These values, coupled with the open nature of the organization’s structure, result in organizational norms which encourage the free exchange of ideas and collaboration up and down the organizational ladder (Rothaermel, 2013). Employees, associates as they are called at Gore, likely show great respect to one another and to the customers for whom their products are developed (Rothaermel, 2013). Chapter 12 Discussion Question 12.1: How can a firm lower the chances that key managers will pursue their own self-interest at the expense of the stockholders? At the expense of the employees? Corporate governance tools are utilized to help align the interests of principals and agents, or organizations and employees (Rothaermel, 2013). A board of directors is one such tool which helps to prevent key managers to avoid pursuing their own self-interest at the expense of the stockholders (Rothaermel, 2013). A board of directors is independent, made up of both inside and outside directors, and answers directly to the shareholders (Rothaermel, 2013). Another tool is executive compensation which links compensation to the performance of the company (Rothaermel, 2013). This means that the CEO would receive certain stock options in lieu of pay (Rothaermel, 2013). If the company’s stocks are doing well, likely showing that the company is successfully operating, then the CEO receives greater value in the stock options (Rothaermel, 2013). The concept of the market as a corporate control has the potential to protect both stockholders’ and employees’ interests through a key manager’s fear of being replaced if the company performs poorly (Rothaermel, 2013). If a company is not performing well, then the stock prices will begin to plummet, increasing the opportunity for an entity to purchase enough shares to exert significant control over the company (Rothaermel, 2013). Such control would likely result in the removal of current management, and possibly the dismantling of the organization (Rothaermel, 2013). This clearly injures the management, employees, and shareholders of the failing organization. As  such, managers are motivated by the external market to perform well, thereby protecting the interests of stockholders and employees alike (Rothaermel, 2013). Discussion Question 12.2: Why are these two roles typically separated? Is it a positive development for so many firms to have a combined CEO and board chair? The two roles of management and ownership are typically separated to ensure that the board of directors maintains its necessary independence (Rothaermel, 2013). Where a board of directors is   The decline stage differs from those above, as it introduces four strategic options for firms to pursue: (1) exit, (2) harvest, (3) maintain, and (4) consolidate (Rothaermel, 2013). The exit strategy is precisely as it says: it involves the firm choosing to leave the market to pursue other endeavors (Rothaermel, 2013). The harvest strategy means that the firm will still sell the product or service, but will reduce the level of investment in its maintenance and development (Rothaermel, 2013). The maintain strategy is also exactly what it sounds like: the firm continues offering the product or service at the same level as it has been, despite the declining demand (Rothaermel, 2013). The consolidate strategy involves the purchasing of rivals in an effort to shrink the industry, which provides firms employing this strategy to reach near-monopolistic status (Rothaermel, 2013). References Rothaermel, F. T. (2013). Strategic Management. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Walmart. Our story. Retrieved on January 25, 2015, from http://corporate.walmart.com/our-story/

INTERNET Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

INTERNET - Research Paper Example There are almost 100 countries that use internet for variety of purposes. The main purpose is yet the demand of information. Business on the internet is growing at a much faster pace. EBay and other such internet based corporations used internet to provide a customer an ease to shop online with going anywhere. Similarly some organizations use the internet to hire persons from all over the world. Electronic marketing or such marketing strategy which involve internet for the marketing purposes is widely utilized now a day to promote the products. The concepts of E-learning, E-banking, E-health, E-commerce and E- governance which were a dream of the past now became the reality. Some institutes provide internet based learning, where one can participate in the lecture with going anywhere. Internet based banking provided us an ease to check our account and transfer funds from anywhere in the world. Internet is a term, which is used to refer a global network of computers or other networks. The word is derived from a term ‘internetwork’. The global network of internet involves an infrastructure to support the communication through the internet. Internet service providers (ISPs) are engaged to enjoy the services on the internet (Castells, 2001). The most common services that are provided by the internet are World Wide Web (WWW) and electronic mail (E-mail). Internet holds a lot of information which is pre-stored in main frame computers at different locations. When user requests particular information, the request is sent to the mainframe computer, the mainframe computer then completes the requested information. The whole process involves different networks that support the internet. To support and serve millions and billions of users in the whole world, internet uses the standard internet protocol suite which in computer derived as TCP/IP, where TCP is transmission control protocol and IP is internet protocol. The networking hardware is associated with the internet protocol (Moschovitis, et. al, 1999). Internet protocol is important, as it provides an identification of a user. Internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) and internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) are two internet protocols. The whole communication system works in a well organized manner and updated according to the technology. The wireless technologies in the internet communication system has revolutionized the utilization of internet and provided an ease for the users to use the services. Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) or wireless local area network (WLAN) is the common type of wireless network that is capable of providing wireless internet. Internet banking is now a common service that almost every international bank is providing (Moschovitis, et. al, 1999). Internet has a major impact on the society and country. Internet has a powerful impact on the social setup of country, as it describes social freedom. It is a powerful medium of communication and the numbers of internet users are increasing day by day (Castells, 1996). The sites like orkut, facebook , MySpace and other similar networking sites are playing an important role in increasing the social network of users. Some countries make internet available to the residents but in a restricted manner (Moschovitis, et. al, 1999). The restriction restricts some of the internet content from viewing. Iran, Saudi Arabia, People’

What are 3 reasons why ''college'' is important to you What are your Essay

What are 3 reasons why ''college'' is important to you What are your expectations Give details and examples - Essay Example If one is ambitious and wants to fulfill their increasing needs and better living throughout their life, they need to get equipped with college education. College education provides not only higher income but also imparts more opportunity to go up the ladder in hierarchy. Higher post in an organization imparts better recognition in the society and status. The person gets better sense of achievement and satisfaction in the life. Currently, the world has become a global village where in a lot of exchange of goods and services take place. International trade has reached to the level of $1600 billion from a small sum in pre World War II era. Currently, the US does not manufacture several consumer goods for the simple reason that they can be procured at much lesser cost from the other countries such as Mexico, China, Korea and other countries. It is the comparative advantage that drives the global production system. This has caused the displacement of workers in the US in the traditional industries such as apparel, textile, leather, steel, fabrication and many such kinds. The US has an edge in high-tech industries and new emerging technologies because it leads the world in innovation and new researches. That is why college education is all the same more important and essential for anyone in the US, if one has to protect themselves from the risk of getting jobless. The statistics reveal that unemployment rate de creases as the education level goes up as presented in the following graphics. It is true that education helps earn more and protects one’s employability but that is not all. If one decides to start own small business, college education helps in taking many business decisions where one has to weigh pros and cons of the various actions and their outcomes. A business person needs proficiency in math where in they need to find true cost of the product or services so that neither they are in loss nor they are out priced by competition. While

One future change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

One future change - Essay Example In this regard, a ‘many-to-many’ model of communication has replaced the latter, requiring organizations to implement multiple online communication strategies that can counter any challenges in the event of a crisis. In the words of Gonzalez & Smith (2010); â€Å"the new internet environment demands that organizations be cognizant of facts that; there is instant access to information by their audiences, stakeholders are today more scattered given the diversity of media available online, people with issues against organizations can with the help of the internet, quickly mobilize to protect their interests and the traditional role of mass media as a gatekeeper and disseminator of information does not exist anymore†. For these reasons, organizations have evolved in their communication to audiences by being more proactive online. Pro-activity in this context require them to engage their audience on all platforms and respond to their concerns so that in the event of a crisis, the mechanisms are already in place and good relationship with the online audience created. Even with many organizations having implemented online crisis management strategies, the next few years will see an acute improvement in how some of these organizations shape their existing frameworks. In this regard, the following can be picked out as the critical issues from Gonzalez & Smith’s (2010) article that will possible be expanded in the short term: Correctly understanding an organization’s audience: As explained by Gonzalez & Smith (2010), an organization in the building materials’ manufacturing industry does not have a savvy audience as a gaming software company. These two entities cannot, therefore, employ the same crisis management strategy in the online world. Most organizations engage in business- to- business and business- to- individual levels, and this calls for a proper understanding of the audience segments so that commensurate communication models are

Tupac Shakur case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tupac Shakur case study - Essay Example His works advocated social, economic and racial equality, confrontation with the law and drug and alcohol abuse. Shakur’s debut album titled 2Pacalypse Now gained critical recognition, but at the same time earned a negative backlash for its controversial lyrics. He became the target of many legal hassles of which one notable conviction was of sexually assaulting a woman in 1993 for which he vehemently denied the claim. He had to serve a 11 month sentence and finally his appeal was financed by the CEO of â€Å"Death Row Records† for whom he later did three records. Tupac Shakur was born in East Harlem in Manhattan in New York City. His name â€Å"Shakur comes from the Arabic word â€Å"thankful to God. He was named after Tupac Amaru ll an Incan who was sentenced to death for leading an uprising against Spain. Crime and violence surrounded Shakur from an early age. His mother Afeni Shakur was one of the leading members of the â€Å"Black Panthers† In New York and just a month before Tupac was born she was acquitted of over 100 charges of â€Å"Conspiracy against the United States government and New York Landmarks. His step father was on the FBI’s top ten â€Å"Most Wanted Fugitives†. At the age of 12, Shakur enrolled himself in Harlem’s 127th Street Ensemble and his first major acting role was in a play called â€Å"A Raisin in the sun†. He studied acting, Jazz and poetry at the Baltimore School for the Arts and was known as the best rapper in his school. When his family moved to California, he joined the â€Å"Ensemble Theatre Company† to pursue his acting career. Due to his mother’s crack addiction he was forced to move to Leila Steinberg’s place who became a sort of a mentor to him. His Acting Career: In 1992 he starred in â€Å"Juice† as Bishop as a trigger happy teen for which he got acclaim by Peter Travers of â€Å"The Rolling Stones† as â€Å"the film’s most magnetic figure†. He also featured in â€Å"Poetic Justice† with Janet Jackson. Three of

Summary of a book chapter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Summary of a book chapter - Assignment Example A strong economic and military power are critical to the formation of such a liberal global market economy. According to the hegemonic theory, the absence of a dominant economic and military power can make it difficult to enforce liberal rules. Thus, the international markets cannot operate without the existence of a liberal dominant power. Chances of a global market economy falling are high when there is no integration of such a hegemon. In addition, the risk of deteriorating economic relations into self-interested, nationalistic and protectionist competition can be profound. The debate presents that the dominant power manipulates a global market in attempts to foster a world economy grounded in a free trade. The free trade benefits all the nations that participate in such a global market. For instance, the US military in Western Europe helped in neutralizing Soviet threat. Marxism initiated a debate regarding the development and underdevelopment in nations that are still developing. The Marxists reacted to the economic liberal concept. Thus, this debate begins from a liberal perspective of problems related to development. It is apparent from this debate that asking of pertinent questions regarding development was never possible before 1950s. In some cases, individuals could ask questions that concerned the colonial development since a number of developing nations had European states controlling them. Development of colonies was not strictly a global concern, but an imperial issue. The beginning of decolonization by 1950s marked the introduction of agendum on researching about development on a global scale. Such developments led to new states including Africa and Asia becoming part of the UN and was able to raise their concerns regarding development. Mainstream perspective appears to be a dominant discourse that defines all, which appertains to develop ment. Economic liberals raised several debates on varied issues. In this

Discussion 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Discussion 2 - Essay Example Such claims are useful in the development of evaluation and management services. A second section of the website is the evaluation and management services guide. It contains updated information as per the date of December 2010. This part provides educational information appertaining the processes of evaluation and management. The section is resourceful in the sense that it provides specific information regarding such processes as medical record documentation, coding considerations, guidelines for management services as contained in the details of 1997, and specific details on billing. The information is also important in the manner in which it provides specific updates as occurred in the year 1995 and 2010. The use of this information on the website can enrich the service offered in time of patient encounter through systematic and procedural methodologies. The site also features tutorial materials for the clients with information on signing into some of the products offered. Deciding on the correct form of E&M code is a task that is dependent on matching the features and the needs. The websites provides a range of services that are tailored to specific tasks. It helps in decision making through the clarification and simplification of information in an orderly and systematic

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

Strategic Management - Essay Example A combination of competitive advantage and the various activities in Porter’s value chain enables the firm to attain an above average performance in the market. Cost leadership involves offering the goods and services to the consumers at a lower price as compared to the competition. The major goal of cost leadership is to provide consumers with the product at low prices and specific quality level. This approach ensures that, and the firm’s products are availed to the consumers at a price which is lower than that of the competition. Cost leadership is effective in the basic commodity industry such as pulp, tissue paper, food color and other basic products. Differentiation, on the other hand, emphasizes on quality which is the opposite of cost leadership. Differentiation aims at providing quality products to consumers at appropriate prices hence increasing the profits. Cost leadership and differentiation strategies can be achieved by organizing the five activities of Porter’s value chain model effectively. The two main ways in which cost leadership can be achieved through Porter’s value chain model include, the firm may choose to lower the cost of the various activities in Porter’s value chain model or reconfigure the activities in the model to minimize cost. An analysis of the cost of the various value chain activities is done by allocating cost to each of the activities in Porter’s Value Chain. The lowest cost obtained on each of the value chain used in the production process ensuring low-product cost. Cost advantage can also be achieved by reconfiguring the activities in Porter’s Value Chain model. This involves implementing structural changes such as the production process, new procurement and distribution process and adopting a new sales approach. The process of reconfiguring the value chain model activities is done to ensure low cost of production, marketing, distribution and purchasing from the

Amygdala and Hippocampus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Amygdala and Hippocampus - Essay Example The second experiment was made to record effects of lesions of different brain parts, which were amygdala, dorsal hippocampus, and cortex dorsal to the hippocampus. It was revealed that animals with amygdala lesions showed a significant difference in both pre-CS and CS during the experiment. Animals with lesions on hippocampus showed no significant change in time of freezing during the CS on any day but did show a significantly reduced freezing time during pre-CS condition. Lesions of the neocortex above the hippocampus had no obvious change on freezing to neither CS nor pre-CS compared with unoperated control group (Phillips R. G. and LeDoux, 1992, p.276).This study indicates that amygdala is an essential component in fear conditioning, regardless of the type of stimulus input serving as the CS. Amygdala is involved in the formation of associations between the aversive US and of any of a variety of types of CSS, ranging from the simplest to the most complex. Hippocampus, although no t necessary for conditioning with an explicit CS, is necessary for the conditioning of fear responses to contextual stimuli. Also, the study indicates the contextual conditioning may not be a necessary aspect of fear conditioning. I agree with, it because when intensities of the US are low, conditioning only developed to the explicit CS. When intensities increases, freezing time increases in the both explicit CS and the context, but contextual conditioning required a greater number of exposures to the US.

Multicultural backgrounds Essay Example for Free

Multicultural backgrounds Essay Both of these poets John Agard and Sujata Bhatt write poems about their multicultural backgrounds. In John Agards poem half-caste he starts off with Standard English. But as he goes on through out the poem he uses Caribbean dialect. His poem is about his feelings towards being multicultural. He feels angry, sad and is questioning his audience. In Sujata Bhatts poem search for my tongue she has many feelings about her mother tongue and how she doesnt want to lose her first language. She is feeling sad because she thinks she is loosing her mother tongue but it comes back in her dream and she feels happy again. John Agard was born in Guyana but moved to England in 1977 so he has lived in England for 30 years. John Agard finds the term half-caste insulting and wants people to know how he feels about being mixed raced. Sujata Bhatt is like John Agard because she was born in India but moved when she was young. Sujata Bhatt moved to the United States. This is where she learned her English. She married a person from Germany, where she later then moved to. She wrote this poem search for my tongue because she was afraid of loosing her mother tongue Gujarati. In half-caste John Agard demonstrates a lot of emotions. He is angry in his poem he says ah rass this is a term of discust. John Agard is being ironic when he says I offer you half a hand you would expect him to offer you a whole hand. How can you offer half a hand? John Agard is also trying to be humours, when he refers to things as half. Like the English weather yu mean when light on shadow mix in de sky is a half-case weather John Agard is trying to put across that the English sky is never one colour its a mixture of colours like blue, white, grey. This links in with his multicoloured background because they are different colours just like he is. Sujata Bhatt also uses a lot of emotions in her poem. Sujata Bhatt feels sad when she says If you had two tongues in your mouth, and lost the first one, the mother tongue she feels like she didnt get to know her mother tongue and feels sad that she dont know her first language. Sujata Bhatt thinks that her mother tongue would not come back to her in the first part of the poem. So the first two stanzas of her poem are about her sadness. However when she realises her mother tongue is back she feels happy it grows back, a stomp of a shoot she is feeling pleased that she can remember Gujarati again. Sujata Bhatt felt that she had lost her mother tongue forever but when she realised that it came back she was relieved that she still knows Gujarati. No one would want to there mother tongue. The tone in John Agards poem half-caste is said in an angry tone. John Agard is warning those people who call him half-caste, as John Agard finds the word half-caste offensive. John Agard says explain yuself wha yu mean its as if someone as called John Agard half-caste and he wants to know the reason why they have called him half-caste. John Agard is thinking that being half-caste doesnt mean he should be called something different. Through out the poem John Agards tone does change. He starts being perplexed. He has given the audience reasons in which being half-caste is such a beautiful thing. Like Picassos paintings when yu say half-caste yu mean Picasso Picassos paintings are colourful and bright. In Sujata Bhatts poem search for my tongue her tone is sad. As he thinks her mother tongue has gone. Through a long period of time her tone is sadness. However after the Gujarati Sujata Bhatts tone changes. Her tone becomes happier as her mother tongue comes back to life the bud opens, the bud opens in my mouth her tone becomes a happier. This style of tone carries on. Sujata Bhatts tone changes just like John Agards tone. They both start off in a sad way but as the poem progresses the tone changes to a more happier tone.

Governments Influence On Public Opinion Media Essay

Governments Influence On Public Opinion Media Essay In the last 50 years the media influence has grown exponentially with the high tech technology, in the early years there was only telegraph, radio and magazines but now a days we have got the number of media channels, internet We live in a society that depends heavily on the information and communication to be at right path, to do the right things and to take right decisions. What we need to be aware is that the most of our decisions, belief and values are based on what we know for a fact, our assumptions, our own experience and studies, however we rely heavily on the media to get current news and facts about what should be done and what should not be? The purpose of this discussion is that our lives rely heavily on the media to know the information and take the right decisions. Coming to our topic of discussion that how government influences the public opinion. As consumers rely heavily on the media organizations for information, governments too rely on media organizations to influence the public opinion whether its through advertisement, public service message or any other way to achieve their primary and secondary objectives too. Thats why we have divided our topic of discussion into three parts The media plays a very important role in shaping and controlling the political opinions. Media is extremely powerful in the sense that without the adequate functioning of the media it is very much impossible for any social structure like government to exist so all of the social structures exists on the medias ability to socialize. The U.S. government generally will exploit the media, often times manipulating the enormous power of the printed word. Ultimately empowering the U.S. government, strengthening it with the ability to determine and control the popular perception of reality. One way in which government achieves this objective, is by its ability to misuse the medias ability to set the agenda. Contrary to popular belief, media is in fact an enormous hegemony. In fact, separate independent news organizations relatively do not exist. Rather than creating an independent structured agenda of there own, generally lesser smaller news organizations adapt to a prepared agenda, previously constructed by a higher medium. Based upon this information alone, it is quite apparent that media functions in adherence to the characteristics of a hierarchy. This simply means that media is structured in a way that it operates functioning from top to bottom. This is also identical to the hierarchical nature of the human body, in that from the commands of the brain transferred through the central nervous system, the body responds accordingly. In order for the U.S. government to control and determine the publics popular perception of reality, the government must shape and oversee the information that the media reports to the existing populous. This particular process of democracy is known and ref erred to by political scientists as cognitive socialization However, many of us, who do not stick to the cushioning of political correctness, refer to it as the propaganda machine. Numerous political scientists consider cognitive socialization to be the most effective form of political socialization. According to theory, cognitive socialization is doctored up information, which is strategically fragmented in such a manipulative manner, that the probability of its rationalization is highly predictable. The manipulative properties of cognitive socialization are so diabolical and tricky in nature, that I consider it to be the ultimate perversion of the democratic process. In all seriousness, numerous intellectuals, and gentleman held in good stature agree, that cognitive socialization is the product of an evil genius. Senator William Fulbright observed in Senate hearings on government and the media in 1966, that so many of our prominent newspapers have become almost agents or adjuncts of the government; that they do not contest or even raise questions about government policy(Refrence) The Professor Noam Chomsky on a book of his entitled Manufacturing Consent, democracy and the media. Mr. Chomsky comments on the unholy alliance between government and media. Indoctrination is the essence of democracy Now the question is that when it is impossible to control the people via force, it is very much possible to control the people what they think. Thats why media is used as an additive applied to a free democratic society to preserver the interest of power elite. (the relationship between government and media) Media and Public Relationship Mass media heavily influences our daily life, with providing of information so we will discuss that: How Mass Media Works Influence Young People Influence Of Violence Image On Kids Shaping Up the Public Opinion. How Mass Media Influence Works Of all the media distribution channels the most influential has been the television, we are constantly exposed to thousands of images and a moving picture is more than 100,000. These words are in the form of images the images of violence, advertising, sex, celebrities and much more. All these are helpful in shaping up the minds of the people, actually they are not shaping up the minds but they are shaping up the public opinion in terms of giving the consumers new values, new psyche and new way of thinking and providing them with new directions. The question is that who are shaping up this public opinion these are those five big companies which owns most of the media channels, cinemas and other sources. Time Warner VIACOM Vivendi Universal Walt Disney News Corp They also own integrated telecommunications, wireless phones, video games softwares, electronic media, the music industry and more. For example if we just try to peep into past it shows that UK ex President Tony Blair won the elections due to the contract with the Murdoch News Corporation to portray the image of Tony Blair. This shows that the media has very great and long lasting influence on the peoples as this example shows that Murdoch Corporation was quite successful in shaping up the public opinion. On the other hand the thing which is quite noticeable that Mr. Tony blair contracted a company which has a wide area of coverage, which shows that the wide area of coverage helped him to shape large number peoples mind. Years ago there was more diversity in companies, but they have merged so now they are just a few and they have been successful in shaping up the opinion and beliefs of us and our kids. It has become very much important for any parent to have a look on what their kids are watching and the material is not going to conflict with norms and values. For example if we just have a look on the Pakistani kids now a days they have just been very much addicted to Indian culture that they dont any more remember the Pakistani culture they dont have the knowledge that in Islam marriage is based on Nikkah but I have seen some of the kids asking their parents that when the couple is going to take rounds around the fire. India media has been very much successful in shaping the norms, values and most important the minds of our kids. How Does Mass Media Influence Young People As we all know that the mass medias heavy reliance is on the advertisements, media organizations earn billion of dollars. This advertisement is shaping the minds of the people regarding their buying behaviors. All the people exposed to these advertisements try to buy the same thing that was in the advertisement. As there are some positive and negative influences of the media so they try to influence the young minds these young minds can may have positive influence or may have the negative one but in both cases the media is influencing the young mind, if young mind is doing a lot of exercise just seeing someone his/her favorite sportsman doing that then its a positive influence but if he/she starts smoking then its a negative image. In both the cases media is trying to project something onto the young mind whether its a good or bad but the question is that why young minds accept all these things dont they have to do something else. The answer is that every young one has got some of the peer pressure so whenever they are trying to do something its just of peer pressure to get accepted between his friends, no matter how this will impact the health of a person but the young people just wants to be accepted in their friends. This thing shows that media is playing two way game projecting both the positive and negative image in order to achieve their objectives. Media is quite capable to project a bad image a positive one and positive one to negative but in both the cases they are influencing the young minds. Another negative influence in teenagers that has grown over the last years is anorexia and obesity. There are millions of adolescents fighting obesity, but at the same time they are exposed to thousands of advertisements of junk food, while the ideas image of a successful person is told to be thin and wealthy. Also more women are obsessive with losing weight even when they are not obese; there are many thin women that want to look like the super models and thin celebrities so they engage in eating disorders which lead to severe health issues and even death. (Hubpages) How media influence public opinion As we have discussed above and continue to discuss that media has got a great impact on the society for shaping up the public opinion whether thats a political campaign, an advertisement to make you fat, broadcasting successful characters or a terrorist attack in every situation media is trying to influence. Wilton Sekzer in a movie states: I was travelling in a subway there comes a point where the wheels of the subway screech loudly, there the towers of the World Trade Centre were in perfect symmetry so I didnt know that which one is my sons building, I was thinking that cannot be my sons building because everyone inside that building gonna die, watching TV every 5 minutes they gonna show the falling towers. I am watching your news cast. How many times you gonna show got damn towers falling down, dont you have any respect for those, who have got family and friends inside there. (Why we fight, 2005) Now if we have just have a look on the above discussed example that after 9/11 the US media was trying to shape up the public opinion in a way of creating hater in the minds of populous for the Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. This shaped up the public opinion for war against terrorism and the same public opinion helped the US government for the war against Iraq. This shows that media has great power which has changed the public opinion of 80% of the Americans. Advertisements for Political Parties by Media If we just have a look on the advertisements of Pakistani political parties during the political campaigns, all of the parties whether that was in rule or in opposition both will be trying to influence the public opinion in a way that people cast their votes to the ruling party or the one in the opposition, for this purpose they try their level best to count of their best works during their ruling time. On the other hand they try to show in their advertisements that what plans they have got for the next five years. Conclusively they always try to influence the public opinion in a way that change peoples mind to cast their vote to the relative parties. There are number of other ways to influence the public opinion which includes polls and trends especially in political campaigns. The candidates that can pay more for TV and media exposure have more influence on public opinion and thus can receive more votes. This suite up the same example we discussed above about the Tony Blairs contract with Murdoch Corporation to win the elections GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE ON PUBLIC OPINION The influencing works on the agenda setting program which says that the government has to rely on the media organization for influencing the public opinion. The same is the case discussed by the Agenda setting. Agenda Setting The agenda setting theory states that the mass media has got a heavy influence on the audiences by their choices of what to report, how to report and how much worth and space should be for the issue. The salient feature is the ability of mass media to transfer issues of importance from mass media agenda to public agenda. (Brooks, Brian S., et al., 2003) Functions of Agenda Setting The agenda-setting function has multiple components: Media agenda are issues discussed in the media, such as newspapers, television, and radio. Public agenda are issues discussed and personally about members of the public. Policy agenda are issues that policy makers consider important, such as legislators. Corporate agenda are issues that big business and corporations consider important, including corporations. These four agendas are interrelated. The two basic assumptions underlie most research on agenda-setting are that the press and the media do not reflect reality, they filter and shape it, and the media concentration on a few issues and subjects leads the public to perceive those issues as more important than other issues. (Brooks, Brian S., et al., 2003) Now coming back to our topic of discussion that how governments can influence the public opinion according to the agenda setting theory discussed above there are a two ways for any government to influence the public opinion the one is direct influence and other is indirect influence. Direct Influence Direct influence is a kind of influence in which the government tries to influence through their speeches and press conferences. Speeches: If we just have a look on any of the speeches of the prime ministers, presidents or even the ministers they are actually trying to influence the public opinion that they are trying to influence the people that they are doing good and taking the right decisions they are actually shaping the public opinion but a single statement can set up agenda for the media. Press conferences: Press conference is another important source of influencing the public like we every day see that somebody is conducting a press conference in which the government or non government officials try to tell to the people via media organizations about the ground realities but in some cases to portray the issue favorably they try to use different methods which includes Secrecy: an important tool that governments use to influence or avoid media coverage. Governments release information as part of a general media strategy to influence the media agenda and frame issues favorably (McCloskey, 1990, p. 119). Governments  often attempt to conceal information from other governments and the public. These  state secrets  can include  weapon  designs, military plans,  diplomatic  negotiation  tactics, and secrets obtained illicitly from others (intelligence). Most nations have some form of  Official Secrets Act  (the  Espionage Act  in the  U.S.) and classify material according to the level of protection needed (hence the term classified information). An individual needs a  security clearance  for access and other protection methods, such as keeping documents in a  safe, are stipulated. Few people dispute the desirability of keeping  Critical Nuclear Weapon Design Information  secret, but many believe government secrecy to be excessive and too often employed for political purposes. Many countries have laws that attempt to limit government secrecy, such as the U.S.  Freedom of Information Act  and  sunshine laws. Government officials sometimes  leaking formation they are supposed to keep secret. Secrecy in elections is a growing issue, particularly secrecy of vote counts on computerized vote counting machines. While voting, citizens are acting in a unique sovereign or owner capacity (instead of being a subject of the laws, as is true outside of elections) in selecting their government servants. It is argued that secrecy is impermissible as against the public in the area of elections where the government gets all of its power and taxing authority. In any event, permissible secrecy varies significantly with the context involved. (Bok, 1989) Disinformation Disinformation is the false information that is spread deliberately. It sometimes called Black Propaganda. It can include the distribution or spreading of malicious rumors and fabricated intelligence. In the military agencies there is an extensive use of this technique to hide ones course of action. Disinformation is also helpful in the cases where the government needs to hide some of the details in order to keep the emotions high or to portray the issues favorably. This can be done by manipulation of the audience at the rational level by either discrediting, conflicting or supporting false conclusions. Another technique of concealing facts, or censorship, is also used if the group can affect such control. When channels of information cannot be completely closed, they can be rendered useless by filling them with disinformation, effectively lowering their signal-to-noise ratio and discrediting the opposition by association with a lot of easily-disproved false claims. To further understand the concept of disinformation can be clarified by the example that America has faced very high life losses in war against terrorism so government to avoid any opposition of war, the government officials will tell there is a high rate of death rate for enemy and no or very less soldiers have lost their lives. This is actually providing the people with emotional support that America is quite successful in war against terrorism and people will not oppose the war. In 1957 the  CIA  knew about the  Mayak accident  but the information was not released publicly because of the reluctance of the CIA to highlight a nuclear accident in the USSR, that could cause concern among people living near nuclear facilities in the USA. (Makhijani, 2008) Now this shows that governments provide sometimes wrong information to the media so that media cannot shape the issue as they want and create a distrust in the minds of the people but they try to shape up the content as they want, this is another way of influencing the people via shaping up the content in a way as government wants. Denial of access of information: Its an important technique to manage media coverage. Officials release only that information they want to be released. For instance, in 1983 when the Reagan Administration ordered troops to the Caribbean island of Grenada, the Pentagon refused to take reporters along (Purvis, 2001, p. 243). Similarly, the Bush administration and the Pentagon restricted and carefully controlled information and media access during the 1991 Gulf war, in sharp contrast to the freedom allowed the press and the coverage of Vietnam War. Woodward (1996) revealed that the restriction list was two-pages long and included a number of restrictions on information and travel (p. 174). Now adding up to the above discussion that the media shapes up the public opinion but sometimes Governments also have to use different strategies to shape up the matter as they want rather than allowing the media to shape up the matter according to themselves. Thats why governmental officials have got media handling strategies. Indirect influence Now coming towards the indirect influence as this is conducted through the media organizations actually the government sets up the agenda for the media organizations to discuss, to broadcast and to influence the public opinion. There are two ways of indirect influence which includes: Advertisements Talk shows Advertisements: Advertising is a form of communication intended to persuade its viewers, readers or listeners to take some action. It usually includes the name of a product or service and how that product or service could benefit the consumer, to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume that particular brand. Modern advertising developed with the rise of mass production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Commercial advertisers often seek to generate increased consumption of their products or services through branding, which involves the repetition of an image or product name in an effort to associate related qualities with the brand in the minds of consumers. Different types of media can be used to deliver these messages, including traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, billboards or direct mail. Advertising may be placed by an advertising agency on behalf of a company or other organization. Organizations that spend money on advertising promoting items other than a consumer product or service include political parties, interest groups, religious organizations and governmental agencies. Non-profit organizations may rely on free modes of persuasion, such as a public service announcement. (Oxford Journals) Public Service announcements: An advertisement broadcast on radio or television, for the public interest. They are to modify public attitudes by raising awareness about specific issues. The most common topics of PSAs are health, safety. Such advertising is generally produced and distributed on a cooperative basis by governmental agencies or nonprofit organizations acting in concert with private advertising and mass media companies. In most cases, the nonprofit provides the programming that is to be advertised, while the participating advertising agency and media companies provide creative services, media planning, and dissemination services on a pro bono basis. Some television shows featuring very special episodes made PSAs after the episodes. For example, Conrad Bain of Different Strokes spoke two PSAs after the episodes dealing with child sexual abuse and hitchhiking Now days we every day watch tv and read newspaper there are lot of advertisements from government or government institutions side which give us a message or information regarding some of the issues. For example child sexual abuse is very much high in Pakistan so there is a repetitive message via different media organizations that Dont let your child to be alone with a A very much common ad we use to see in the newspaper or TV that is from the FBR (federal board of revenue) which says that Tax is your liability you have to pay it All these kinds of ads and public service announcements are for the purpose of making the people get aware and shaping up the public opinion in a way that people starts doing the things that what government says. Talk Show A talk show is a television or radio program where one person (or group of people) will discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host. Sometimes, talk shows feature a panel of guests, usually consisting of a group of people who are learned or who have great experience in relation to whatever issue is being discussed on the show for that episode. Other times, a single guest discusses their work or area of expertise with a host or co-hosts. A call-in show takes live phone calls from callers listening at home, in their cars, etc. (wikipedia, 2009). Now to understand that how we indirectly get influence through talk shows. As we have discussed above the speeches or the press conferences as a direct source of influencing the people. Now just for a minute if we think that there is a statement by any of the government official that Pakistan is giving access to Black Water to nuclear weapon. This opens up the agenda for public and the media. Now media organizations start inviting the government officials to the talk shows and discuss the circumstances that Why Pakistan is giving access. What will they do with Pakistans nuclear weapons and lot of questions will be raised. The answers of these questions will be actually to influence the public opinion that whatever Pakistan is doing is in the large interest of the public and so on. This is how the government official indirectly influences the public opinion. In the same way the agenda can be raised up by the public or media. Again the government officials have to influence the public opinion in order to continue the government. Statements That Changed Up the Public Opinion Jan 17, 1961 President Dwight Eisenhowers stated: My fellow Americans this evening I come to you with a message of leave taking and to share few final thoughts with you my country men, we have been compelled to create a permanent arm industry of vast proportion. Three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in defense establishment. The total influence economic, political and even spiritual is felt in every city, every state house and every office of the follower government. We have recognized the imperative need for this development, yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications in councils of government we must guard against the acquisition of unwanted influence whether sort or unsort by the military industrial complex the potential for the disastrous rise of misplace power exists and will persists . (Jarecki, 2005) Iraq is a supporter of terrorist groups, inc Liberation Front, and Hamas (Why we fight) Iraq is paying $25, 000 per suicide bombing (Why we fight) CONCLUSION Now the governments heavily influence the public which has been demonstrated by different statements which shows that America brought Saddam Hussain to conquer Kuwait and after that they have used different statements against Saddam Hussain and his country and media developed an agenda upon those statements which changed the public opinion and America has to attack on Iraq. The concept is that government is the supreme power of the country and can shape up the incident as they want whether in the positive way or a negative one. We have also seen that governments keep some of the issues hidden from the public but all of these issues are intentionally kept hidden to avoid the opposition of the decision. All the above study has crystallized the topic Government Influence on Public Opinion that its true that governments do influences sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly.

The Power Of Positive Thinking

The Power Of Positive Thinking Discovering happiness is like discovering yourself. You do not find happiness, you create it. Happiness is a conscious choice. Self actualization is the method used to discover who you are, who you want to be, and what happiness is to you. Ultimately, attaining genuine happiness is the method of doing what brings you the most pleasure and contentment for the duration of your life. The texts The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and Siddhartha written by Hermann Hesse, elucidate the actuality that happiness is a pathless journey. It is a journey of self creation and varies depending on the individual. Happiness is obtained through internal possessions opposed to external possessions. Within both novels happiness is said to be attained through positive personal thoughts and perceptions, and through the trials and errors of self actualization and enlightenment. However, happiness is not pursuable through money and materialistic objects. This discovery is structured arou nd the realization that true happiness lays within ones self. Searching for contentment and pleasure in the outside world will inevitably only lead to disappointment due to the detail that these forms of happiness do not have a lasting effect; their result is short term. Within the text The Power of Positive Thinking happiness is believed to be attained through positive personal thoughts and perceptions. Although it is not easy to find true happiness in ones self, it is not feasible to find it elsewhere. With the realization that happiness is something that lies within ones self, the search for it in the outside world can be disregarded. Within the text The Power of Positive Thinking, Peale discusses the concept that through thinking the kind of thoughts that lead you to a fuller and satisfying success, opposed to thoughts that will only bring an acquisitive success. Norman gives explanation of this by saying, You can think your way to failure and unhappiness, but you can also think your way to success and happiness. The world in which you live is not primarily determined by outward conditions and circumstances but by thoughts that habitually occupy your mind (Peale, pg 166). This quote illustrates how thoughts can influence ones disposition and life. Thoughts are far more than a process the mind uses to consider something, they are dictators of happiness. Thoughts are things, which essentially posses forceful power. The mind generates infinite amounts of thoughts each day. Thoughts are what consume, influence, and ultimately give morality and principals to people; they are essential guidelines to life. So the belief that if one thinks positively positivity will be generated around, and inevitably create happiness, is basically correct. Peale illustrates this concept by saying, It has been said that thoughts are things, that they actually posses dynamic power. Judged by the power they exercise one can readily accept such an appraisal. You can actually think yourself into or out of situations. You can make yourself ill with your thoughts and by the same token you can make yourself well by the use of a different and healing type of thought. Think one way and you attract the conditions which that type of thinking indicates. Think another way and you can create an entirely different set of conditions. Conditions are created by thoughts far more powerfully then conditions create thoughts (Peale, pg 166). This quote exemplifies how thoughts can generate negative or positive facets. Ultimately generating positive thoughts brings happiness, and affirming results. Thinking positively will create an atmosphere crucial to producing inner happiness. Within the text Siddhartha, the suggestion that happiness is attained through positive and optimistic thoughts is epitomized. Within the text, the protagonist Siddhartha embarks on an expedition of self enlightenment. This consists of listening to ones inner self to generate happiness opposed to the disarray of the outside world. Siddhartha was raised by his father in a small town located in India. He was educated on the subject of the ancient Hindu religions. However, Siddhartha becomes pessimistic about the teachings, and decides to set out into the world to observe and learn alternative answers to his questions regarding life and happiness. Siddharthas Hindu teachings did not fulfill sufficient explanations about the world. Unsurprisingly, Siddhartha ventures beyond his small village with his childhood friend Govinda, who wishes to reside within Siddharthas shadow, in hopes that he will become profitable with knowledge and wealth. After three years of regularly practiced meditatio n and fasting Siddhartha desires to achieve the enlightenment that the Buddha has achieved through listening to his inner thoughts and perceptions opposed to the madness of the outside world. In relevance to the text, The Power of Positive Thinking, the concept of obtaining a meaningful life is exemplified through listening to ones conscious; rather than following other individuals teachings. Ultimately, happiness is a self established thing. Hesse illustrates this concept by saying, I, also, would like to look and smile, sit and walk like that, so free, so worthy, so restrained, so candid, so childlike and mysterious. A man only looks and walks like that when he has conquered his Self. I also will conquer my SelfNo other teachings will attract me, since this mans teachings have not done so (Hesse, pg 29). This specific quote exhibits Siddharthas desire to amalgamate with his sense of self. He is certain in his belief that if he unites with his inner self, he will ultimately find happiness and be enlightened. He begins to concentrate his thoughts, and focus on being positive. He comes to the realization that happiness is derived from spiritual wealth opposed to material wealth. So ultimately he believes that generating positive thoughts and perceptions will lead him on his pursuit of happiness. He believes that there is a profound and powerful influence of ones thought. Hesse demonstrates this by exclaiming, Siddhartha spoke with ecstasy; deeply, this enlightenment had enlightened him. Oh, was not all suffering time, as soon as time would have been put out of existence by ones thoughts? In ecstatic delight, he had spoken, but Vasudeva smiled at him brightly and nodded in confirmation; silently he nodded, brushed his hands over Siddharthas shoulder, turned back to his work (Hesse, pg 50). This quotation from the text Siddhartha illustrates the idea that ones thoughts whether they are negative or positive have a significant impact on achieving happiness. Siddhartha refers to this by saying, All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him (pg 67). This quotation is basically elucidating the notion that if you think negatively, negative effects will occur in your life. However, if you have a positive frame of mind, positive effects will occur within your life, and follow you throughout your existence. Ultimately, Siddhartha is on a journey to attain his self created inner peace. Both texts, The Power of Positive Thinking and Siddhartha illustrates the profound impact of thinking positively and how it can help obtain happiness. Throughout the text The Power of Positive Thinking happiness is considered to be attainable through the trials and errors of self actualization and enlightenment. Within the text, Peale exclaims that the only individual who decides ones happiness is that specific individual. On this journey of self actualization that Peale discussions throughout his text, there are key elements that facilitate the discovery of ones self. An individuals self is made up of numerous amounts of experiences. Some of these being positive, some negative. These experiences, all have one similar fixation; they all have a particular emotion attached to them. Some of these experiences are guilt, anger, sadness, excitement, love, hate, resentment, and of course happiness. These experiences are the trials and errors to achieving ones self. Unfortunately, people require the negative, to achieve the positive. If there were only positive experiences and emotions in the world, people would not be able to identify tru e happiness. This concept demonstrates how societies need trials and errors to finding ones self, in order to achieve true happiness. Peale expands on this idea by saying, As you read these words you may say, there is nothing new. Indeed, there is something new in every experience, good or bad, especially if you have never tried it. When you start to take practice in the method of finding positive within the negative, you will find the newest, freshest, most astonishing method of happy and successful living principals of all your life if you have never made use of them. Such inefficiency in living is tragic. For a man to have lived in poverty when all the time right on his doorstep is gold indicates an unintelligence approach to life. This simple philosophy is the way to life (Peale, pg 64). This particular quote exemplifies the notion that one cannot achieve happiness without knowing despair. However, to live a life of misery, completely oblivious to the reality that happiness is right in front of you is ultimately living an unfortunate life. However, some people choose to become ignorant to attainable happiness because they have found comfort in their unconstructive life. Ultimately, this is the life of an individual who has become trapped in the trial and error process of finding their own sense of self. Peale comments on this concept by saying, In saying this I certainly do not ignore or minimize the hardships and tragedies of the world, but neither do I allow them to dominate. You can permit obstacles to control your mind to the point where they are uttermost and thus become the dominating factors in your thought pattern. By learning how to cast them from the mind, and refusing to become mentally subservient to them, and by challenging spiritual power through your thoughts you can rise above obstacles which ordinarily might defeat you. You need be defeated only if you are willing to be. You can embark on the inner journey of self discovery, through trials and errors, but ultimately if you are persistent in your efforts you will be able to rise above, and obtain an inner happiness (Peale, pg 5). This exemplifies the notion that eventually, if persistent in ones efforts to discover their inner self, unwilling to allow the trials and errors of such a task to defeat them, happiness is bound to emerge into the individuals life. The inevitable enlightenment of such an experience will alter the thought pattern of the individual ensuring a true and lasting inner happiness. Within the text Siddhartha, is the journey into the inner psyche to ultimately achieve a sense of self actualization and enlightenment. Siddhartha is open to undergo any experience for the chance to have insight into his self. He believes that through achieving self actualization he will inevitable become enlightened causing continuous happiness. Siddhartha compares this strength of mind to a stone being dropped into the water. He says, It is the same when Siddhartha has an aim, a goal. Siddhartha does nothing; he waits, he thinks, he fasts, but he goes through the affairs of the world like the stone through the water, without doing anything, without bestirring himself; he is drawn and lets himself fall. He is drawn by his goal, for he does not allow anything to enter his mind which opposes his goal (Hesse, pg 24). Siddhartha is determined to attain his self actualization and he is certain it will lead him to inner happiness. He does not let anything distract him from this pursuit of self; ultimately becoming consumed by his journey. This directly relates to the text The Power of Positive Thinking, when Norman Peale discusses the concern of an individual becoming overly devoted to this pursuit of self, and becoming disillusioned; ultimately becoming trapped within the trial and error process of self actualization. Furthermore, within the texts, The Power of Positive Thinking, and Siddhartha, happiness is believed to be attainable through the trials and errors of self actualization. Within the text The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale eludes the actuality that happiness is not pursuable through money and materialistic objects. There is an evolving obsession in society with money and materialistic happiness. It seems that the recognizable quote money cannot buy happiness is irrelevant to todays society. However, repeatedly comprehending this quote has not had a significant effect on societys analysis of what true happiness is. To Norman Vincent Peale, happiness does not lie within the riches of society. True happiness is defined by ones acceptance and contentment with their inner self. Peale elucidates this concept by saying, By working on the practical suggestion of not focusing on the false versions of happiness; outwardly concepts, you will have the experience that produces a true quality of happiness. I know this is so, because many of those to whom I have referred and shall refer in later chapters got their vital new life in the same way. Then, having been changed inwardly, you will begin to create out of yourself not unhappiness, but a happiness of such a quality and character that you will wonder if you are living the same world. As a matter of fact it wont be the same world because you are not the same, and what you are determines the world in which you live, so as you change, your world changes also (Peale, pg 67). Ultimately Peale is stating that if individuals seeking true happiness focus solely on the outwardly world to supply them with fulfillment, they will never achieve a definite form of happiness. Peale believes in a genuine happiness that does not exist in money, cars, houses, and materialistic objects, but inside each individual. He is convinced that happiness is something that is obtained inwardly opposed to outwardly. Peale describes how happiness is truly achieved by stating, The way to happiness is not through the riches of the outward world, but by keeping your heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, expect little, and give much. Fill your life with love. Scatter sunshine. Forget self, think of others. Do as you would be done by. Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate; the inward you. So practice happy thinking every day. Cultivate the merry heart, develop the happiness habit, and life will become a continual feast (Peale, pg 73). This quotation exemplifies the idea that lasting happiness is not attainable through money and materialistic objects; rather by a simpler approach. True and everlasting happiness is attained inwardly by each individual. Within the novel Siddhartha, happiness is not obtained through the outward world, or by means of teachings. Happiness is a self established thing. True happiness to Siddhartha is only attainable through the inward path to enlightenment. Such enlightenment can be achieved through meditation, which takes ones soul on a spiritual journey to assist in the self actualization process. Siddhartha illustrates this by saying, He who ponderingly, of a purified spirit, loses himself in the meditation of Atman, inexpressible by words is his blissfulness of his heart (Hesse, pg 17). This quote can be scrutinized and translated into saying that anyone has the possibility of achieving peace and happiness within their soul if they are uncontaminated in their meditations. Although this particular quote directly relates to Buddhism in Siddharthas time era, we can compare it to todays journey for happiness. If individuals in pursuit of happiness attempt to empty their minds of negativities and frustrations through mediation, it is possible to attain satisfaction in a world with no materialistic objects and things that hold people back from achieving true happiness. To Siddhartha, the goal here is to let go. Also, within the text Siddhartha, the achievement of happiness can only occur when one replaces all of the negative and false ideas of happiness; these being money and materialistic possessions, with positive and genuine ideas. This concept is elucidated by Siddhartha when he states, To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to ones family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control ones own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him. (Hesse, pg 62). Essentially this quote illuminates the idea that true happiness is not created upon the foundation of money and materialistic possessions, but is rather achieved through the redirection of ones mind into a positive and simpler mindset. True happiness is not something that can be discovered; essentially it can only be created. Throughout the texts The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and Siddhartha written by Herman Hesse, is the expression that happiness is a pathless journey; it is a journey of self creation and varies depending on the individual. Within Siddhartha, happiness is in essence, the path to nirvana. Additionally, happiness is a self established thing, which is derived directly from experience. If you undergo this experience within life, when you return, you will be much more fulfilled and find it effortless to achieve true happiness. Appearing within the text The Power of Positive Thinking, is the concept that happiness can be attained through a simple formula of redirecting the mindset in a positive direction. Within both novels happiness is said to be attained through positive personal thoughts and perceptions, and through the trials and errors of self actualization and enlightenmen t. However, happiness is not pursuable through money and materialistic objects. This detection is prearranged around the comprehension that true happiness lays within you. Additionally individuals who are convinced that happiness is defined by riches and outer wealths will never achieve a definite happiness. Furthermore to believe that one can find happiness in money and materialistic objects is having the belief in an illusion, and ultimately a faà §ade.

No Universal Definition of Human Rights Essay -- Argumentative Persuas

In the minds of many people human rights are defined as a set of governmental Do’s and Don’ts that protect people from their governments in terms of the freedom of speech, assembly, etc. without infringement. Of course, most people would agree that these are fundamental rights and deserve to be upheld, however many feel that there are a set of universal human rights that can be used to secure the freedom of all people around the world. One such document, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights written by the United Nations, claims to be the â€Å"common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations†. While I agree with most of the points made in the declaration, I simply do not believe that the human race is homogenous enough for a single piece of paper to encompass human rights issues for all cultures and types of people, and I find this very assumption to be problematic. I believe that human rights are relative to every culture and/or nation, and should be left to the people to decide. I think that on the issue of human rights, people will not go wrong if they are allowed a fair forum for voicing their opinions and an equal manner in making decisions. Cruel and unusual punishment from a Western point-of-view may be an African tribe using neck braces to elongate the necks of women, whereas others may think the same of the death penalty in use in the United States. My personal experience of moving from Iran to the United States and witnessing many different atrocities in both cultures has led me to this view. For instance, in Iran there is no freedom of speech or assembly and any resistance to the government is smashed by imprisonment or oftentimes death. This is clearly a violation of human rights by most people, and if... ...ny the ownership of private land, and many people in those countries are happy with that. Many of these people believe that private ownership is the basis for inequality in a society. They would not consider lack of private property a human rights violation. Again, the Universal Declaration is attempting to umbrella all nations and people while in reality contradicting itself. Overall, from my own experiences I have come to the personal conclusion that it is impossible to create a doctrine that addresses human rights for every culture and nation in the world. In my opinion, human rights are a set of rights determined by people of individual nations or cultures for the purpose of living best in society. These rights cannot be pre-determined nor can they be forced upon people in the form of a list, such as is attempted by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Twelve Angry Men :: Essays Papers

Twelve Angry Men In the story "Twelve Angry Men", Reginald Rose shows how making one's own decisions is one very important aspect in life. He also showed that one's decisions should not be impeded by stereotypes. I believe that the jury reached the right verdict because the witnesses were disproven along with all of the evidence. The first reason is that the witnesses were proven to be wrong. For example, there was an el train passing by the old man's window at the time of the murder. He couldn't have been able to hear the murder taking place. The old man was not as much of a reliable source as he was originally thought to be. In addition, the woman that lived across the street from the boy did not wear her glasses to bed the night of the murder. She couldn't have been able to know for a fact that the boy was the real murderer. The woman's testimony is not strong enough to condemn the boy to death. With the two key witnesses having been discredited, the case against the boy was very weak. The other reason is that the evidence was proven to be not as significant as it was once thought to be. For example, Juror Eight bought a knife exactly like the one used in the murder. The original knife was not as special or unique as it was portrayed to be in the trial. Any person could have bought a knife just like the original one and used it to murder the father. Furthermore, Juror Two said that he thought that the stab wound was too high up for the boy to have inflicted. Someone taller than the boy must have committed the murder. With the new ideas that are being brought up by the jurors, the boy seems to become a less likely suspect.

Good Morning, Vietnam

Good Morning, Vietnam follows disc jockey Adrian Cronauer as he is reassigned to the Armed Forces Radio Saigon airwaves in Saigon, Vietnam in 1965. Throughout the film Cronauer experiences the bombing of a G. I. bar, and attempts to start a relationship with a Vietnamese woman. However, he runs into trouble as he finds the Vietnamese culture to be very different from his own. He experiences first hand the civilian attacks as buildings are blown up without warning or reason, and the tactics behind guerilla warfare as he befriends Vietnamese citizens who he doesn’t know are actually Vietcong. His radio shows provide comic relief to all the soldiers, but infuriates his superiors as he wants to report actual news about the war to the soldiers and not just what is approved to be aired (Good Morning, Vietnam). This movie is set during the Vietnam war so, it is crucial to understand the war in order to understand this movie. In 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson took office and had to make a crucial decision on America’s limited military involvement in the Vietnam conflict. This was because of the naval incident in the Gulf of Tonkin. North Vietnamese gunboats supposedly shot at U. S. warships in the Gulf of Tonkin allowing Johnson to persuade Congress that this was an act of aggression. Thus, Johnson received a blank check to take â€Å"all necessary measures† needed to aid the United States in Vietnam (Newman). Communist leader Ho Chi Minh led the Vietcong guerillas in the North. He developed an elaborate 9,940 mile network of roads built from the North to the South to aid North Vietnam troops and the Vietcong. This network of roads was referred to as the Ho Chi Minh Trail and was the target of numerous American air strikes (Ho Chi Minh Trail). However, the creation the Ho Chi Minh trail crossed the demilitarized zone, which had been established at the 17th parallel as a combat-free zone during the Potsdam Conference (DMZ Vietnam). With tensions increasing, especially after a car bomb detonates outside the U. S. embassy in Saigon wounding two-hundred and killing two Americans and twenty Vietnamese (Vietnam War Timeline: 1965). Johnson approved the deployment of an additional 18,000 to 20,000 men and, a few months later, increased the number of U. S. troops in Vietnam to 125,000 men (Vietnam War Timeline: 1965). In protest, Buddhist monks set themselves on fire and the Vietcong used guerilla warfare tactics (Newman). In February 1965, the United States mobilized Operation Rolling Thunder, an air war against North Vietnam in an effort to stop their movement South (Vietnam War 1965-1968). Air strikes were coupled with napalm, sticky fuel-gel fire bombs which severely burn their targets, and plastic explosives, a chemical bomb which produces an explosion that is impossible to outrun (Napalm, C-4 Plastic Explosives). By the end of 1965, U. S. roop levels approached 184,300 men, while South Vietnam soldiers abandoned the cause as the North infiltrated and captured Saigon in February of 1968 in the Tet Offensive (Vietnam War Timeline: 1965). This was a surprise attack on many of the South Vietnamese capitals and American bases. The chaos and destruction seen on television on the home front caused much controversy over the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War (Newman). The United States at this time was not just at war abroad, but also faced conflict on the home front. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as leading demonstrations against racial discrimination, especially at the polls (Newman). Anti-war movements also gained momentum in 1965 and peaked in 1968. The first march to Washington took place in 1967 and 1968 and were the largest anti-war movements of the time. This led to extreme pacifists following the Buddhist monk’s public burnings, as well as the public burning of draft cards, an act punishable by law (Vietnam Protest Movement). President Johnson faced dramatic opposition to the war on the home front, which only increased as the war progressed. Some argued that this was due to the relative freedom of television reporters to broadcast whatever they wanted about the war; thus, not only showing the positives, but also the downfalls in the war (Vietnam Protest Movement). Good Morning, Vietnam is entirely focused on the war as seen by those experiencing it first hand in Saigon. Therefore, the film does not greatly reflect any of these home front issues. It does however, contradict the idea of little censorship of war facts. Although on the home front journalists may have been able to report whatever they felt they wanted to share, this was not true on military airwaves (Newman). The film depicts Cronauer constantly fighting to get the true events of the war out for his listeners to hear; however, heavy censorship by the Armed Forces Radio Saigon prevent this from occurring. This creates a source of great conflict especially after a Vietcong bombing. The movie, therefore, reflects the element of surprise which was employed by the Vietcong through their guerilla warfare tactics (Good Morning, Vietnam). Before viewing this film, I knew that unusual war tactics were utilized and that people had strong opposition to the war. Yet, I felt that it was much like every other war the that the United States was involved in. This film reinforced my views as it showed the true devastation which the guerilla tactics cause through the killings of innocent civilians. When the bomb went off at Jimmy Wah’s G. I. bar, Cronauer was lucky to have been tricked into leaving by his new Vietnamese friend (Good Morning, Vietnam). All the innocent people inside, both American and Vietnamese were just unfortunate bystanders in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not only did it reinforce my view but it also altered my perceptions. This film added to my views just how much was being kept from the soldiers. This was illustrated through the identical twins who had to officially announce and approve all news which came in to the radio station before it could be read on air by Cronauer (Good Morning, Vietnam). Also, just the complete Americanization that was forced upon many of the Vietnamese was shocking to me. Although they may have been taking English classes from the American troops by themselves, just the presence of so many foreigners in their country and potentially clashing with their culture amazed me. There was no better way to feature this than with Cronauer’s love for Trinh, a Vietnamese girl. The first date with her entire family is something that would never happen in America, yet there it was totally normal (Good Morning, Vietnam). Overall, I did enjoy watching this film. It was a refreshing, yet eye opening view of the Vietnam conflict as it used humor to get the events of the war across, but also highlighted the intensity and chaos of war. It was an unusual way to see war portrayed and I found it very enjoyable. It helped me to feel the anxieties and frustration surrounding the war without focusing on just combat alone. Good Morning, Vietnam showcased the more social component to the Vietnam War which provided a fresh angle.

Music Is a Form of Media Essay

Thesis sentence: music is a form of media that can influence and define your life. Listening to music can be a good way to feel better about yourself and those around you. Music, as media, has a huge effect on how a person behaves. The type of music a person listen to can either relax them or put them on edge. The difference is how the music is accepted. Music also has a powerful way of bringing back memories and emotions, such as a song played at a wedding that shows love and passion. Sometimes music will remind you of hard times and bad memories of a break up from a spouse or sufficient other or maybe the death of a love one. Most people do not know the impact music has on one’s life. Music can be used to charm humans and animals alike. The studies has shown that humans and animals can be influenced by the sound and pattern found in music. An example is the King cobra being charmed by a snake charmer using music to put him into a trance. Upon hearing the music the cobra goes into a trance tamed as can be. In summary it is not hard to see how much influence music has. As a form of media, music has the ability to influence an individual as well as those around him. We all share a common connection through music both humans and animals alike are bound to the power and influence of music.

Phenomenology in Peter Zumthor’s architecture

Phenomenology is not a new invention, although it became synonymous with modernistic art in the early 1900’s. In fact the idea of phenomenology and the meaning of life and its numerous connections became not only an existential question, but also a study of reactivity between human beings in the hope that we might understand why things happen and why we behave in the way we do. In the social sciences, sociologists such as Max Weber wanted to understand this relationship between humans and in art this relationship culminated in the relationship between the artists and the subject and the inherent ties that are visible between the two. Peter Zumthor has become a paragon of his art and his architecture is something of a phenomenological artefact and in this case we examine his architectural pieces at Vals in Switzerland and Cologne in Germany. We look specifically at his spa complex (Therme Vals Spa) and his art museum (Kolumba). We also look at the meaning and the theory of phenomenology as a discipline in the attempt to understand the connection between Zumthor’s personal standpoint and the ideology as a whole. We look first at phenomenology as a discipline and its forefathers while also looking at the very first revelations of phenomenology in the arts. What is phenomenology? How did it come into being and why is it such a powerful tool for the arts? Phenomenology is described as the â€Å"study of structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view. †(Smith, 2008). What is central to the idea is the intention of the subject, for instance, what does the individual intend to do with the experience? The direction of an experience is geared towards the object with pertinence to the meaning of the relationship (Smith, 2008). It was used in the social sciences by masters such as Heidegger, Husserl and Sartre and encompasses four major aspects of the philosophy of social science: epistemology, ontology, ethics and logic (Smith, 2008). Naturally, these aspects of humanity cannot be explained by scientific inquiry alone, as the human brain consists of unseen reactions as well as the physiological and observable. This posed a problem for social sciences in the sense that something could not be proven unless it could be observed. What we are able to observe, clearly, is interaction, action and reaction. What we are not able to observe is the ‘why’. Smith (2008) explains that where conscious experience is concerned the major affect is that we are able to live through them and perform them. We are able to relate a past experience only from our own standpoint, based on how we felt at the time and therefore we interpret it as it affects us personally (Smith, 2008). Hermeneutic phenomenology is a branch of the discipline that stems from the interpretive which means that we are only ever able to interpret experiences and relationships thereupon and never able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that it is true or not (Marcelle, 2005). At present, the nature of phenomenology is changing with the advent of new communication methods such as the internet (Marcelle, 2005). Indeed, artistically speaking, architecture also remains a means of communicating via its ability to relate a feeling or atmosphere that is pertinent to the emotion it wishes to convey. For example, an art museum wants to convey a different experience to that of a spa. After we have interpreted experiences, we then have to analyze them and remove notable aspects for further observation. Thereafter, phenomenology tries to expand upon different ways of thinking and understand what type of thinking allows that particular experience to be interpreted in that way. Empirical experiments attempt to determine the commonality of that experience and whether it can be proved (Smith, 2008). Some forms of phenomenology try to explain these experiences with the added benefit of neurological knowledge which is of course, empirically and scientifically proven (Smith, 2008). ` Now we know what phenomenology is but what we need to do it examine where is it began in terms of representational art and architecture. Upon viewing something it immediately invokes some sort of emotional connection: whether you like it very much or hate it, there is a reason for this connection. When we view a flower in the open air, some of us may feel euphoric and happy amongst the beauty while others may not be greatly affected by it. The same is true when viewing a rubbish heap, but with the opposite emotion. How we view this experience depends very much on the frame of mind we are in at the time and the overall mental state or personality. This was used in early Surrealist art where those such as Salvador Dali attempted to relate the internal subconscious of the self to the viewer. Dali himself used architectural type hypercube structures to convey a certain transcendence of Christ in his famous Corpus Hypercubus (1954) (Fudjack & Dinkelaker, 1999). The purpose of using this 3 dimensional construction was to invoke the sense not only of transcendence but also omnipotence with the past, present and the future all being present in one picture (Barrette, 2007). Prior to Zumthor’s work and wedged in between Dali’s was Antonin Gaudi whose post-modernist art nouveau architecture can be seen as both garish and outrageous. Gaudi’s work was not only intended for a purpose, but was also employed to have specific affect on the viewer. Sagrada Familia was not completed before Gaudi’s death in 1926 (Schumacher, 1991). Gaudi used angularity, columns and vaults in true architectural classicism and combined it with modern eclecticism to produce a gorgeously outrageous modern gothic temple. In other works, he used mosaics and facades to produce candy-like buildings that both pleased the eye and served a purpose. So phenomenology is not a new idea in the arts and was used with great effect also by artists such as Rene Magritte and in writing by Roland Barthes. Marcel Duchamps created yet another dimension to modernistic phenomenology which included a form of cerebral art that made it necessary not simply to view the piece, but to think about it and to react to it. For him, it was not so important that you liked the work, but rather that you thought about it. Duchamps constructed the Three Standard Stoppages (1914-1915) which used found articles such as string and mirror in a wooden box. This piece therefore made use of mathematical questions that were of course, not answerable. The purpose of the work was in fact to create for Duchamps his own physical ‘oeuvre’ (Betancourt, 2003). Roland Barthes created the idea that what we see is not reality if it is reproduced. Barthes viewed a picture of his mother with the knowledge that although it was his mother in the picture, it was also not his mother. It was really only a representation of her (Barthes, 1980). The question is really, what is the individual experience of the photograph? The experience of the individual is very different depending on whether or not of course, you know the object depicted. We see that phenomenology has been used for many years in the arts and in writing, and now we look specifically at the work of Peter Zumthor. Peter Zumthor was born in Switzerland on the 26 April 1943. Zumthor was the son of a cabinet maker and learnt carpentry early in life. He studied at the Pratt Institute in New York and was awarded the Carlsberg Architecture Prize in 1998 (Spiritus Temporis, 2005). Peter Zumthor also wrote extensively about his philosophy for architecture saying that: â€Å"In order to design buildings with a sensuous connection to life, one must think in a way that goes far beyond form and construction. † (Zumthor in Arcspace, 2009). The phenomenological approach of Zumthor’s work is clear in this statement as it employs the purpose and necessity of thinking about the work more than merely accepting it as a piece in which we either reside or gather. For Zumthor, the building not only has to be facilitative, but also be emotionally or sensually charged. It is only in this manner that we are able to connect with it on a personal level. The building is itself, and does not have to be representational of anything. In other words, as the Chartres Cathedral is representational of a religious artefact, Zumthor’s work has an existence beyond its representation (Zumthor in Arcspace, 2009). The Kolumba Art Museum of the Archdiocese of Cologne is a culmination of old and new religious art which was meant initially to make one think about how the two worlds intercept (Carrington, 2008). It is described as a museum of reflection (Carrington, 2008). First founded in 1853 by the Society for Christian Art and is home to 2 000 years of religious art. The most important aspect of this art however, is that it has two parallel histories. The original building was almost completely destroyed during World War II and during the year of 1973, excavations revealed medieval, Roman and Gothic remains. All the ruins were used by Zumthor to collaborate the history into one astounding piece of work (Carrington, 2008). Zumthor essentially raised the walls on cement covered steel columns and embedded both sets of historical ruins into the new walls (Carrington, 2008). The result is an amalgamation of old and new that somehow allows the viewer to notice the old rather than the new while also providing us with the same vision Zumthor himself had. Upon viewing the structure it appears to be a patchwork that is carefully constructed to produce a time-frame continuum. Yet while the building is a thoughtful invocation of old and new, it is also environmentally considered. It is constructed with ‘filter walls’ that have a air and light permeable membrane which is separated between the chapel and the exhibition rooms (Architectural News, 2007). Zumthor collaborated the use of the old world material with brick, mortar, plaster and terrazzo as a backdrop for the artworks exhibited (Architectural News, 2007). Clearly, if Zumthor wanted to he could have created a modernistic and highly technological piece of architecture like the Sydney Opera House, but his sensitivity as an artist allowed him to produce a dignified and respectful piece of architectural history that is not seen before. Windows placed across the entire space of the wall allows light to enter at all directions and also provides changing lights spaces at different times of the day (Architectural News, 2007). There is not a great difference in colour between the old and the new parts of the building considering the different materials used at any time. The gothic vaults that appear along the side of the building are embedded onto plastered and textured walls. The texture however, does not appear directly behind the gothic facade, but rather some meters above it. This means that there is no detraction from the original facade (Figure 1). Kolumba Art Museum Figure 1 Markus Bachmann (Architectural News) 2007. The Therme Vals, Switzerland has a completely different countenance altogether. Zumthor appears to be a master at replacing older structures with refreshing new ones. The spa reopened in 1996 after it was reconstructed by Zumthor from the original 1960’s building (McLaughlin, 2006). Zumthor created a modern bathing complex out of 60 000 local quartzite slabs. The buildings itself appears to be truly new age and almost alien-like, with granite dotted around geometric and glass sliding doors. In a sense, Zumthor has attempted to internalise the mountain backdrop of the exterior of the building, by incorporating the natural light available through frosted and clarified glass (Baus, 2007: 9). Holes in the sky-lights of the slabs allow natural light into the rooms where the baths are situated. The floor plan reveals lights situated under the water in the baths that glow a magical blue in the evening and is a perfect place to reflect upon ones self (Baus, 2007: 14). This is of course, the point of a spa, that one is assisted in self exploration. The domes appear to resemble eyes placed upon a shield from which the light is radiated. The purpose of this architecture is therefore not only to accommodate and enhance well being, but also to accommodate the natural environment (Baus, 2007: 5). The building itself resembles the gentle ebb and flow of the stream that feeds the spa as well as the Alpine mountains that surround it. The interior glass is frosted with yin/yang shaped apertures that allow the light into the building as seen in figure two. One is quickly able to see how the light is utilised to produce an ethereal and magical area of meditation which is particularly important to the person who is attempting to find emotional help. It is not a palatial and sentimental piece as is seen in the art museum, but then the personality of the people visiting it is not likely to be the same either. Figure 2 Interior Vals Spa – www. flickr. com/photos/amirkorour/269995495/ Remove frame The loss of senses is a contributing factor to emotional disruption and the allowance of this building to connect with the beautiful environment facilitates the reconnection of the person with the senses whether they be beauty, love, peace or euphoria. Sensory deprivation is something we have come to tolerate as humans due in part to our fast paced lifestyles and our intense need for social airs and graces. In a space such as the Vals Spa, we are able to shed these nuances of life and expect to be move back towards what Zumthor had previously explained was a sensual connection with the environment. In an interview with Zumthor available online the Termae of Stone is explained by the man himself. Zumthor states that he wanted the visitors to be able to connect with the environment and to be able to find themselves within the architecture (Zumthor, 2007). Zumthor also wanted the architecture to be a part of the healing process rather than an abstract work of art on its own. For this reason it must facilitate the human experience rather than detract from it (Zumthor, 2007). The meaning behind the architecture is that is becomes almost a mythical and ritualistic appearance of cleansing in a very spiritual manner. The spiritual is inherent in the building by virtue of it meaningful change and by symbolism. Zumthor uses the ritual of removing ones clothing as a part of this stripping of extraneous material to reveal the purity of self and of the environment, essentially becoming one with it (Zumthor, 2007). Stone and skin are two of these important factors as well as the senses being able to experience different temperatures of the water and textural changes in the light and building material. Coupled with this is an acoustic effect that tantalises all the senses: touch, sound, sight and taste. There is a clear parallel between the building and its meaning which is the essence of phenomenology. This was also attempted by Frank Lloyd Wright many years before at Falling Waters. Zumthor states too that on a formal level everything is simple and un-intrusive, an important aspect of the purpose of a healing spa. Part water and part stone, the functionality of the material is elemental to the human body which is mainly water itself (Zumthor, 2007). There is a juxtaposition between the mobility of water and the solidity of stone similar to the opposites visible in the art museum which old and new are encapsulated together. Zumthor clearly also enjoys the opposing of various opposite sets as well as the sensuality that theses opposites grant the viewer. For most people healing entails the need for the senses to be reawakened and for experience to be reinvented. In a sense, we stop experiencing the world around us when we run out of time or are clinging to the need to survive rather than seeking time for the self and its needs. The idea of a spa is not only the range of treatments that it gives the person, but also a healing form within where the person is able to completely relax. The reflection of light against the monochromatic pool floors is the same example used in the Art Museum at Kolumba where the light allowed into the building illuminates the various pieces differently all the time. Only natural light can do this, not artificial. For Zumthor, thinking is also important to the individual, because thinking is what makes us different from one another. In the same way as we do not all think in the same way, light reflections are never the same at any given time. The result is purely interpretive and hermeneutic. The effect is as much psychological as it is physiological and the spa is as much naturalistic as it is modern which is largely thanks to the quartzite slabs Zumthor has used. Zumthor is quick to explain it is his own idea of the architecture that he wishes to convey and that he takes the liberty of interpreting the piece the way he sees it (Zumthor, 2007). The idea of the piece is always accompanied by a powerful image and the visualisation of the experience (Zumthor, 2007). For Zumthor it is never an abstract idea, it is very clear. The first images that Zumthor has upon undertaking an architectural piece are naive and child-like and gradually mature into something realistic (Zumthor, 2007). The process of building never loses the initial image even though it is built upon and matured. For him it is a self defining form of architecture and not an abstract, detached one (Zumthor, 2007). Interestingly this is opposite to the previously mentioned modernist architect Antonin Gaudi whose architecture was outrageously abstract and indulgent. Zumthor has clearly focussed on communication, opening the ‘mouth’ of the architecture to allow his image to proceed. Communication is key to the hermeneutic experience, predominantly because communication is the way we define ourselves and others. It is the way we are able to relate to one another and it the only observable practice there is to humanity. Zumthor is therefore also humanistic in his approach to art and architecture. Jacky Bowring describes how as Westerners we have become detached from our senses and uses the example of Anthony Giddens that globalisation, westernisation and modernisation are intertwined. This means that the global village is slowly but surely become a Western one where sensory deprivation causes the volcanic outburst of deviant behaviour (Bowring, 2005: 81). But Western culture is also dominated by the visual meaning that what is pleasing to the eye is considered pleasing to the soul. However, other cultures such as the Indian and the Oriental employ the use of all the senses and produce an holistic effect (Bowring, 2005: 81). For this purpose, Zumthor cleverly escapes the Westernized jail in which Western society had holed itself and employs the use of other sense that essentially make us humans rather than just non-rational animals (Bowring, 2005: 81). Bowring believes that our optical and visual culture has made us deprived of other senses, which is partially true. She states: â€Å"A counter to the one-eyed focus of ocularcentrism is the recognition of senses of place that is found in the philosophy of phenomenology. †(Bowring, 2005: 82). As a result of this deprivation we have become dislocated and not a whole and functional body, hence the need for multi-sensory architecture and connectivity with our environment (Bowring, 2005: 82). For Bowring the problem is that the Western obsession with appearance has caused landscape artists to produce masses of gardens and landscapes that are ‘pretty’ or ‘stunning’ but have no other sensory satisfactions (Bowring, 2005: 83). Sturich looks at the image as a poetic one, as a hermeneutic experience by which we create images that invoke certain feelings and for Zumthor the poetry is an ‘unexpected truth’ (Sturich, 2003: 4). The poetic strengthens our relationship between the world or ourselves, making us more able to experience that world for what it really is – a culmination of all senses and not merely a material setting (Sturich, 2003: 4). Memory is another aspect of the poetic that Zumthor uses as the senses are memory precursors. The senses and the poetic becomes narratives by which we build our current worlds, beliefs and experiences (Sturich, 2003: 6). For this reason, we associate things we do not like with things that have bad memories or experiences. We may not like thatched houses because one caught fire once as a child or we may enjoy the Palace of Versailles because of a sweet cake we indulged in when visiting it. The association of what we enjoy and do not enjoy is based on our experience of it. Zumthor’s idea of what a kitchen should be is based on his memory of his aunt’s house when he was a child, as evidently he has good memories of it (Sturich, 2003: 7). Poetry relates these memories through words, architects relate these memories through their works. Sturich explains that we use buildings as repositories for poetic images that increase our awareness of the world around us (Sturich, 2003: 10). So we have the memory and the poetic image as two aspects of the hermeneutic or phenomenological that facilitate creative and healing properties of the human being and the human mind. Davidovici explains yet another interesting aspect to the phenomenology of Zumthor and that is in the culture of modern Europe. Critically speaking, Zumthor did away with the cultural need for ‘art for art’s sake’ and replaced it with a moral concern for the environment (Davodovici, date unknown: 1). Herzog and de Meuron were two of Zumthor’s counterparts, but there idea of architecture was as an artistic vehicle with a motion towards emotive charging of all materials used in a single building (Davidovici, date unknown: 1). The morphology of the building therefore entertained the idea that humanistic approaches were too formal and there was thus a need for impersonal and neutral surroundings to be banished. Zumthor, in his Kolumba Art Museum gave way to the fact that our memories are embedded in our pasts and that patriotism is a necessary part of national spirit. We see that the use of two to three worlds entwined with the modern gives exactly the right amount of emotive past and sensory present. Zumthor was concerned with creating something that we could â€Å"know, understand and feel. †(Davidovici, date unknown: 4). Again, for Zumthor the idea of building and of dwelling is the same as Heidegger’s that dwelling is the personal and identifiable space where people reside as human beings (Sturich, 2003: 1). The importance of this is that our personal space is a reflection of the self in the same way that it is also impersonal in its creation. It is the way in which we adorn our personal space that allows the true self to become self-evident. The building itself is built by someone else and very rarely is indicative of the self, but in these cases, sometimes this works as a slate upon which one can paint their own image. We see without doubt that Zumthor has created in the Vals Thermal Spa, a place where the individual is able to connect with the self because the surroundings are impersonal. However, it is very clearly natural and down to earth. Compare this for instance to the Hilton Hotel’s dotted around the Unites States that are lavish but also impersonal but offer no real opportunity to connect with the personal. The same sort of comparison can be made between the Chartres Cathedral and the Kolumba Art Museum where both themes are the religious. In the Chartres Cathedral the purest place of the architecture as a product is itself. The Kolumba, by contrast is that it should show the character of the works contained within it rather than the building itself. Zumthor also shows a very important character reference too in that the main source of his inspiration was not to show himself as being a great architect, but to preserve the past. The gothic and Romanesque arches that Zumthor preserves are beautifully melded into the modern cement walls of Zumthor’s own interpretation. The interior is also clearly geared towards preserving the art within it rather than being a work of art in itself. The need to preserve the past is also related to the importance of memory and the personal relationship both a nation and an individual has. The Vals Thermal Spa on the other hand is created in an impersonal and natural way so as not to detract from the experience that one is supposed to have. Here begins the phenomenological application: the experience, the interpretation and the analysis. The first thing one is goaded into at the spa is to experience the multi-sensory application. You are required to feel the water, see the reflection, hear the sounds of the water and also taste it. This is important to the personal experience, as every one has different ones. Also important is the fact that within the water the quartzite is locally mined and is not an anachronism for the person viewing it. The purpose is to reawaken emotion and experience of the world around and you as well as be able to reconnect with the self. We see that phenomenology is concerned with action, reaction and interaction, which is also personally experienced rather than imposed upon the individual. The theory of Roland Barthes was also pertinent to the understanding that what we see visually is not always the realistic, it is often merely a representation. What the other senses do is to make that sight into a tangible reality. One can see a picture of a something and it excites the visual sense but when we are able to feel it, smell and taste it, it becomes a tangible reality. The baths of Thermal Spa able to be felt, seen, and heard and are therefore real things. Salvador Dali also attempted to make the representational into a reality, he tried to convert the two dimensional into the three dimensional causing the person to optically believe they are able to touch and fell the article or the object. One is able to analyse the feelings one has only from the personal standpoint and never from the third person, hence the personal nature of narratives and novels where the writer places themselves in the position of the character in order to create the person they wish to describe. This means that the poetic narrative is also an inversion in a sense, of the phenomenological even though it is not truly the personal experience: the personal experience being of the first person rather than an interpretation of the first person by the third person. The importance of the relationship between the personal and the interpersonal is evident again in the fact that although we cannot prove how we feel or how others feel, we are at least able to empathise with what we see and feel around us. Zumthor is clearly wanting us to reconnect with the surroundings, our sense and our selves. In conclusion Peter Zumthor has succeeded in creating an architectural world where there is a good relationship between the past and the present; the natural and the man-made; and the self and the world. It is not merely based on the visual but also on all the senses. He relates to the human need to embrace the sensual rather than living the life of prescribed society. While science offers us a very distinct set of truths about the world around us, such as that the earth is round and that the body needs water, what it does not do is tell us how we think or why we do what we do. In architecture such as Zumthor’s, the architect recognises that in human nature very little is formulaic and we are seldom able to predict human behaviour. Certainly this cerebral art is a departure from classical, also formulaic artistic pieces. The thinking architecture is one that is able to produce the self in the its architecture and is able to allow the person to reflect on the environment as well as themselves. The Art Museum is a place where the individual is able to reflect on the person’s national past while also allowing us to be able to see the changes over time in the art in question. The Thermal Spa allows the person to reflect on themselves as well as their surroundings, hereby facilitating healing.