The 4th Dimension

The journey into the 4th Dimension 4/19/12 Nature of Math The world we live in today is a world of 3-dimensions filled with objects that are zero, one and two dimensions. We all walk around in our 3-dimensional world thinking there could be no other dimensions. But would you believe me if I were to tell you that there is a 4th dimension that lies past our daily experience? The truth is that there is a 4th dimension and it’s not that far away, the crazy thing is that there could be an infinite number of other dimensions out there as well that we will never see and that our minds cannot even begin to fathom.In order for you to fully understand the possibility of a 4th and possibly other dimensions I first need to explain the three prior and how they work. Let’s start with 0 –dimensions. When we classify an object’s dimensions we classify it according to the number of degrees of freedom it has. Therefore a 0-dimensional object would have zero degrees of freed om and would be represented as a point. With 0-dimensions you do not need any information to locate a point within that dimension. This is true because any 0-dimensional object has no length width or height.Now think about taking that point and simply sweeping it to the left like you are drawing a line with the point. By sweeping the point in a line you have just taken a zero dimensional point and created a 1-dimensional line. All of 1-dimensional space is a line. Within a line there is only one degree of freedom, or one direction in which the line is capable of moving. It may seem like a line should be classified as a 2-dimensional object because it can move left and right but really it is based on how many different directions the line travels, which is one left and right. Now think about a line as your street.Your specific house would only be one point on that street and in order to find it you would only need to tell one number in order for it to be found. Now if we take the 1 d imensional object and try and make it into a 2-dimensional object all we have to do is repeat the same process as before, take the line and find a new direction it can move. In the case of the second dimension we are going to take the line and move it vertically (perpendicular to the original line) in a sweeping motion, thus creating a plane. Along with creating a plane you have also just created the 2-dimension.Inside of this world of 2-dimensions you now have the freedom to go left and right and up and down. 2-dimensional objects are all around us, squares, triangles, circles. A 2 dimensional world would be one where everything is flat, people would not be able to see depth or width we could only see what is in front of us in our flat world. Crazy huh? You may have noticed the trend by now on how we move into new dimensions by simply sweeping the current dimension in a new direction. So when we take our 2-dimensional plane and sweep it up and down it will form a cube. This creates the move from 2nd to 3rd dimension.The 3rd dimension is one in which I am assuming you are fairly familiar with considering we live in a 3-dimensional world. Anything in our world that is tangible would be something 3-dimensional, so for example your cat, your favorite pants, a cube. Three dimensional object now have the ability not only to move left and right or up and down on a plane but can also incorporate depth and width into the picture You may now be asking â€Å"well if we live in the 3rd dimension where is the 4th dimension and what is it? † Great Question! We would make the 4th dimension the same way as we have made all of the others.Simply take the third dimension (for our sake lets say a cube) and slide it into a new direction perpendicular to all three previous directions. This may seem tough because we do not know any other directions aside from the three we are confined to in our world. But supposing we drag our 3-d cube in this new direction, then the 3-d cub e now becomes 4-dimensional. We know this is true because in order to locate a point on this new figure we would need four different directions. This shows that there very well could be a 4th dimension out there somewhere.Some people believe that time could be the 4th dimension, but it is still not determined. Also it could mean that there are hundreds of millions of other possibilities for dimensions as well. And while we can’t see the fourth dimension or wrap our minds around it we can now depict it to others. I chose this topic for my presentation because dimensions were my favorite topic of the class this year. They intrigued me, and made me question a lot about the world I perceive and live in. Also dimensions made me want to further pursue math and see how it relates to me in other ways that I didn’t realize.

Outline the Ways in Which Rubbish Can Be Said to Have Value in a Consumer Society Essay

Shopping is an important part of the modern consumer lifestyle. It is enjoyed as a social activity and is about identity and expression as much as the usefulness of the purchase. People define themselves not only by their jobs, but also by their possessions and the things they own. Rubbish is only considered rubbish because people disvalue it. People want it to be invisible; once the rubbish goes out for collection, it can be forgotten. However, consumer society does value rubbish as value is personal and is never fixed. It can change over time and become re-valued again whether economically or aesthetically or both. This essay will look at the ways in which rubbish is valued in a consumer society by outlining consumption and the increase in rubbish, Bauman’s theory of the seduced and the repressed; Environmental & Economic value and Thompson’s Rubbish Theory. Rubbish per household has increased over the years. Between 1957- 2006, household rubbish had risen by 28%. (Brown, 2009, p.107) This could be attributed to a rise in affluence and the availability of credit, which enables more people to participate in consumer society. Disposable income increases the likelihood of people spending on luxury goods rather than just the essentials. Other possible factors are the increase in mass consumption during that period; shops offer lower prices and more choice. People also eat more; use more services; and buy more clothes and white goods. 9% of total expenditure was spent on services in 1957, compared to 25% in 2006 (which includes personal goods; household and leisure services) (Brown, 2009, p.110) and data collected by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) (Hetherington, 2009, p.23) shows that the average household spends more on recreation and culture (luxuries) than non-alcohol and food (essentials). Although the data cannot take every circumstance into account, it does suggest that as people became more affluent over the years, the amount of money spent on luxuries increased and with affluence and choice people tend to dispose of items more readily then they would have 50 years ago. Consumers can feel pressured to keep up with the latest trends. The constant changes in fashion and technology encourage people to upgrade their goods before the lifespan of the existing item has expired. It gives them a sense of worth in society, as it helps them to fit into a certain lifestyle. The data supports Bauman’s theory (Hetherington, 2009, p.26) that being a part of consumer society helps people to establish identity and self expression. It also reflects a lifestyle that others might aspire to. He calls these people the seduced, as they have the means and the desire to consume effectively and are therefore valued in society. In contrast, the repressed, who may not be able to consume as effectively due to a lack of income, age or disability for example; can feel excluded from the consumer society. However, these categories are interchangeable and people can move between the two categories. The result of consumption is waste, and increased consumption equals an increase in rubbish. It could be argued that the seduced, being the more active consumers, are more likely to create the most rubbish, due to their greater consumer habits. Regardless of this, eventually all of the items, food and appliances that we consume end up as rubbish and it needs to be dealt with. Despite rubbish generally being viewed as negative, some people view it positively. There are people whose business is rubbish and therefore, it is of value to them economically, such as, restoration and re-sale or a large company profiting from its disposal. Rubbish collecting can also be a resourceful hobby. A discarded item from a skip or the dump can be salvaged or restored and made into an item of value again, whether it’s use value, aesthetic value or both. Environmentalists also value rubbish by pursuing a ‘greener’ lifestyle. Recently, the Government has put more emphasis on environmental issues and it has made people more aware of the impact they are having on the planet. Although reducing consumption would be the obvious answer; in the meantime, reuse & recycling schemes and fortnightly rubbish collections have encouraged people to consider the value of rubbish and the environment. The UK is still a poor performer when compared with other European countries and although there is still a long way to go, recycling has increased. Information provided by Defra, 2007 (Brown, 2009, p.117) shows that the percentage of total rubbish recycled has steadily increased. In 1983/4 the rate of rubbish recycled was 1% compared to 31% in 2006/7. Although the total amount of rubbish also increased during earlier years, as of 2003/4, the amount of rubbish began to decrease as the rate of recycling increased. Due to the increase in environmental awareness, rubbish has become valued by people who want to contribute to a greener, more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Being environmentally friendly has also become about identity and image, and it has become a positive social attribute. However, it is not just environmental issues that give rubbish value. The downturn in the economy has prompted people to re-use and re-sell their unwanted items instead of throwing them away. Mobile phones can be recycled for money and various unwanted items can be sold on with the aid of local newspapers and internet auction sites. While one person is disposing of their rubbish for profit, someone else is gaining something that they value. In Thompson’s ‘Rubbish Theory’ (Brown, 2009, p.122) he explains how some items considered as rubbish can evolve and gain value again. He suggests that some items can move from the transient category (items produced for use) via rubbish (items that become of little or zero value) into the durable category (where value increases over time) and be valued again. When an object moves from transient to durable its value first drops before it begins to rise again. Thompson’s example of this would be Stevengraphs (Brown, 2009, p.124). Thomas Stevens made a profitable business by selling his silkworks in the 1800’s, but by the mid twentieth century, they had become almost valueless. Over time the items became collector’s pieces and their value began to rise. This example shows that value is not fixed; an item can lose or gain value over time. Thompson suggests that one of the reasons for this rise and fall is because of supply and demand (Brown, 2009, p.126). From a collectors perspective, buying a Stevengraph when the supply was plentiful compared to the demand, meant that it could be purchased relatively cheaply. As the supply diminished over the years, the remaining pieces became rare and therefore more valuable to the collectors. When the demand outweighs the supply, it results in an increase in price and value. To conclude, it can be said that rubbish has value in a consumer society. Although generally viewed negatively, it does have value to a number of different people. Rubbish is valuable to people who work in the waste industry and gain profit or wages from it. Environmentalists’ value rubbish as it helps them to contribute to an environmentally friendly lifestyle by reusing and recycling. And people suffering in the economic downturn have found a new way to value rubbish, by selling it on and buying items second hand in order to save money, which consequently, saves on waste. Finally, Thompson suggests that rubbish can be re-valued as items move from the transient category via rubbish, into the durable category where its value rises again.

Andrew Carnegie Essays - Andrew Carnegie, The Gospel Of Wealth

Andrew Carnegie A man of Scotland, a distinguished citizen of the United States, and a philanthropist devoted to the betterment of the world around him, Andrew Carnegie became famous at the turn of the twentieth century and became a real life rags to riches story. Born in Dunfermline, Scotland, on November 25, 1835, Andrew Carnegie entered the world in poverty. The son of a hand weaver, Carnegie received his only formal education during the short time between his birth and his move to the United States. When steam machinery for weaving came into use, Carnegie?s father sold his looms and household goods, sailing to America with his wife and two sons. At this time, Andrew was twelve, and his brother, Thomas, was five. Arriving into New York on August 14, 1848, aboard the Wiscasset from Glasgow, the Carnegies wasted little time settling in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where relatives already existed and were there to provide help. Allegheny City provided Carnegie?s first job, as a bobbin boy in a cotton factory, working for $1.20 a week. His father also worked there while his mother bound shoes at home, making a miniscule amount of money. Although the Carnegies lacked in money, they abounded in ideals and training for the ir children. At age 15, Carnegie became a telegraph messenger boy in Pittsburgh. He learned to send and decipher telegraphic messages and became a telegraph operator at the age of 17. Carnegie?s next job was as a railroad clerk, working for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He worked his way up the ladder, through his dedication and honest desire to succeed, to become train dispatcher and then division manager. At this time, young Carnegie, age 24, had already made some small investments that laid the foundations of his what would be tremendous fortune. One of these investments was the purchase of stock in the Woodruff Sleeping Car Company. In 1864, Carnegie entered the iron business, but did not begin to make steel until years later. In 1873, he built the Edgar Thomson works in Braddock, Pennsylvania, to make Bessemer steel. He established many other steel plants, and in 1892, he merged all of his interests into the Carnegie Steel Company. This act from Carnegie is fitting with one of his most famous quotations, ?Put all of your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket.? This firm became one of the greatest industrial enterprises in America. Carnegie later sold it to J.P. Morgan?s United States Steel Corporation in 1901 for $400 million, which would be a little over $4 billion today! After retiring, Carnegie?s fortune was estimated to be as large as half a billion dollars. From that time on, with the philosophy that the rich have a moral obligation to give away their money, he devoted himself to philanthropy. Although ironic, this man of great fortune strongly believed in the merits of poverty for the development of character and work ethic, and determined that wealthy men should not leave their fortunes to their children, but should give it away, claiming ?The man who dies thus rich, dies disgraced.? The picture of community service, Carnegie is quoted as saying, ?Pittsburgh entered the core of my heart when I was a boy, and cannot be torn out. I can never be one hair?s breadth less loyal to her, or less anxious to help her in any way, than I have been since I could help anything. My treasure is still with you, and how best to serve Pittsburgh is the question which occurs to me almost every day of my life." Colonel James Anderson, who Carnegie believes to be his childhood benefactor, established a public library in his hometown of Allegheny City. This library was the first opportunity for Carnegie to take advantage of free information, and he developed a vast interest for knowledge, checking out at least one book a week, and developing himself as a young boy. With Colonel Anderson?s generous contribution to his society molding Carnegie?s childhood, and his beliefs on how large fortunes can be used for the betterment of society, it becomes obvious that Carnegie would focus particularly on promoting education, establishing 2,811 free libraries in all. Of these, 1,946 were located in

Six Months plan for Turkish and Armenian Students Essay

Six Months plan for Turkish and Armenian Students - Essay Example The evaluation time for the steps that I will introduce to the university will be six months (Saxena, 2009). Step One: I will advise the two student organizations to concentrate on their activities and not to meddle in each othersactivity as their two different organizations representing students with different interest and coming from different background. I will ensure that the two organizations exist in cohesion and that the different speakers appointed by each organization respect the identity, religion and culture of the organizations present within the University (Lederach, 1999). Step Two: I will advise the two student organizations within the university to know their purpose within the institution and that they share a common interest which is education and not ethnicity or religion. I will make them to understand that no organization is superior to the other and that the resources available within the institution are meant for their use, therefore they should strive to avoid rivalry due to the use of resources or space within the university(Lederach, 1999). Step Three: I will advise the two student organizations to have positive thoughts about each other and ignore their religious interest since the Turks are Muslims and Armenians are Christians. They put human rights values into action and treat each other like a brother for cohesion and peace to exist within the university. ... I will recommend and interfaith dialogue to be used by the Turkish and Armenian student organization within the university. Step One: I will involve both the student organization in an interfaith dialogue to help them realize that in both religions, God is the source of peace and justice. This will bring them to an understanding that they should exercise the concept of peace as both their religion advocates for the existence of peace and they will be able to coexist peacefully with one another while conducting their different activities for the students they represent. Step Two: Interfaith dialogue will be inspiring to the students’ organizations as they will realize that their teachings and traditions are a source of inspiration to all. By communicating, they will learn that it is of great significance to work together for the purpose of peace and justice as times have changed and their living in world that upholds peace with esteem. Step Three: the interfaith will enlighten the two students’ organization to know that it is only God who forgives and both Muslims and Christians were called by God to offer forgiveness. The students’ organizations will immensely benefit by learning the importance of forgiveness as they will forgive each other for their past differences and effect justice in throughout their studies and stay within the university (Smock, 2002). Step Four: The two students’ organization will learn through interfaith dialogue that despite disagreeing on certain points in the doctrines, they should only offer their critics to one another when they feel that either of the organizations has violated the integrity of God. This will work towards helping them to respect

Answer all of them i short paragraph ( around 20 sentences) Essay

Answer all of them i short paragraph ( around 20 sentences) - Essay Example Procrastination is also there when one wants everything perfect and distractions to perform certain tasks also cause procrastination. For overcoming procrastination, one should acknowledge about the presence of a problem. Another way of overcoming the issue of procrastination is by following the Nike’s slogan, â€Å"Just do it†. The work should be started without worrying about how, when, where or etc. The issue of procrastination can be overcome by setting the preferences and following realistic goals. Guided imagery can be effective theoretically on a neurological level because through nerve cells, the message is chemically sent to various parts of the body, so the feelings, emotions and images sent chemically can bring about physiological changes in the body by guided imagery. According to the cognitive theory, change in negative thought patterns or interpretation of happenings slows down the nervous system provocation and reduces the stress feelings making guided imagery effective. Then, there is a theoretical perspective about cognitive distraction according to which, as a result of brain’s filtering of signals, there are competitive stimuli due to which, attention is diverted towards guided imagery making it effective. Burnout can be defined as a condition when a person undergoes subtle and continuous stress resulting in depletion of energy and motivation to do any action. There are three recognizable features of burnout, which are ‘exhaustion’, ‘pessimism and cynicism’, and ‘feelings of failure’. Exhaustion can be described as ending of all energy and sleep resulting in inaction and one’s consideration why should one do anything. Pessimism and cynicism can be explained as having a lot of negativities with everything accompanied with lack of energy and motivation resulting in frustration and depression. Feelings of failure can be understood as having no

The Effect of Tsunamis on Marine Life Research Paper

The Effect of Tsunamis on Marine Life - Research Paper Example The most common cause of tsunami is the undersea earthquake. Such earthquakes may be too small to trigger a tsunami, but they may help in landslides, which may trigger Tsunami. On 26th December, 2005, early morning, northwest of Sumatra saw a huge tsunami. The earthquake generated a tsunami that was among the deadliest disasters in modern history, killing well over 200,000 people. The most surprising fact about this disaster is that the tsunami was not generated in Pacific Ocean, but in Indian Ocean. The earthquake originated in the Indian Ocean just north of Simeulue Island, off the western coast of northern Sumatra, Indonasia. The resulting tsunami devastated the shores of Indonasia, Srilanka, South India, Thailand and other countries with waves up to 30m . The following picture shows the blow of tsunami to one of the sandy beaches in Srilanka. Caption: A devastated Sandy beach in Sri Lanka after the Tsunami in 2006. The tsunami of 2005 was just one example of this devastating natu ral disaster. There have been a number of incidences of tsunami across the world, that have produced enormous destructions in the affected nations. (Bryant pp. 3-7; Commonwealth Veterinary Association p. 1) General Impact of Tsunami on Marinelife The coastal ecosystem gets damaged due to tsunami. The mangroves, estuarine, sea grasses, mudflats and coral reefs are usually among the most affected ones. Most of these physical structures are damaged by the huge force, which the waves produce as shown in the following picture. Caption: Damages to the Physical structures in coastal region by the Tsunami in Chennai Physical removal of flora and fauna and increased sediment load kill sediment sensitive corals and sea grasses by smothering. The extent of this damage considerably varies on the basis of local topography and hydrology of the surrounding environment. Some of the general impacts of tsunami can be as follows: Saltwater intrusion is a chemical change that occurs in the Pacific Ocea n, which is now also being happening in the Indian Ocean. All these occur due to heavy run off from the sewage, even the decomposition formed by the flora as well as the fauna of that place. These also include un-recovered bodies as well. Exotic species which are used for aquaculture escape badly. The structure of the ecosystem biologically gets disrupted. Since the structure of the ecosystem alters due to tsunami, the whole ecosystem gets affected Since coral reefs are considered as the natural defense of the ecosystem and it is generally seen that the ecosystems of these areas are largely intact even after the hit by tsunamis. For example, the Surin Island, chain off Thailand’s west coast, may have survived better than areas where the coast has been modified by urban development, aquaculture and to the new formed ecosystem during the tsunami of 2005. Mangroves are generally considered to be very significant natural barricade as well as a source of high quality profitable ti mber. Tsunamis produce significant adverse effects on mangroves. For example, in the Tsunami of 2005 that hit the coasts of India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, etc., areas with highly dense mangroves areas suffered fewer human casualties and relatively less harm to physical properties compared to those areas that did not covered with mangroves. Tsunamis

CARBON EMISSIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CARBON EMISSIONS - Essay Example The tool has been used to generate the figures that are used to justify this report. The results of the simulation using the tool will form evidence for the justification of the intended plan. This report explores the strengths and weaknesses of the values obtained from the tool. The tool was used with an aim simulating values that can achieve the desired 80% carbon emission. The analysis of the results obtained from the 2050 calculator will form a basis for the development of plan to achieve the 80% carbon emission. The URL used to generate this report is: http://2050-calculator-tool.decc.gov.uk/pathways/31134443324444441444414113322121332311213213111411121/primary_energy_chart. Below is a screenshot of the findings obtained from the tool. The procedure used to achieve the 80% carbon emission considers factors that affect carbon emissions. The factors include lifestyle and behavioural changes that occur due to changes with time. The desired lifestyle and behavioural changes include reductions in the average room temperatures during winter and reductions in energy demand. Lifestyles such as reducing food wastage can reduce emissions. Shifting from private transportation to public transportation can reduce the amount of emissions due to high usage of petroleum products. Another factor considered in the generation the results and explanation of this report is the changes in technology. Technology is dynamic in nature and has been changing gradually. The emergence of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) has contributed a lot to reduction in energy usage. These are less carbon intensive technologies that reduce the emission of carbon (Carbon emissions, 2008). The availability of different fuel and technological choices makes the development of our plan for reducing carbon emissions by 80% easier. Different options of lighting and heating appliances gives power consumers varied options to minimize their energy consumption. For example, current heating appliances

Does International Law Matter in Relation between States Essay

Does International Law Matter in Relation between States - Essay Example International law, is the body of law that 'regulates the activities of entities possessing international personality'. Traditionally, that meant the conduct and relationships of states. However, it is now well established that International Law also concerns the structure and conduct of international organizations, and, to a degree, that of multinational corporations and individuals" (Wikipedia). International law, as it exists today, makes one question as to whether it has any real influence in impacting issues between states, related to war/peace, human rights, trade and even crime. This is because the interpretation and application of international law makes it so fluid, that it can be molded by any nation to suit its stand. The stronger the nation, the easier it gets to mold the so-called law. Damrosch et al state that international law "governs relations between independent states" (68). But if it is so slippery, how can it ever achieve this objective It must be noted, that customary international law is based on what states consistently practice out of a sense of legal obligation. So, customary international law keeps changing based on acceptance or rejection of specific acts practiced by states. The weakness inherent in international law is further examined from a legal perspective. International law as a law appears to be a paradox. As noted by Glennon: "when a given question can be argued either way, a state is presumed to be free to act. Indeed, it could hardly be otherwise in any legal system. It is, as Kelsen wrote, a 'fundamental principle that what is not legally forbidden to the subjects of the law is legally permitted to them.'84"(63). There is so much uncertainty surrounding international law that the arguments in a court are not so much about whether the actions were permissible or impermissible under international law, but about what international law really specifies. ... ance consider the environment protection law on banning tuna caught in the nets that kill dolphins, if accepted, then it has a discriminatory effect on trade. So "international law, as interpreted by the WTO, becomes the friend of business and bugaboo of environmentalists" (Ratner). If the interpretation of international law is going to increase conflicts, how can it ever ensure global stability Overall, international law has too many gaps or overlaps, which only increase tensions between states. It has seen limited success for example in the extradition of Abu Salem Qayyum Ansari to India from Portugal and in the banning of landmines. Question of War and Peace It is an accepted premise that war is waged either in retaliation or in self-defense to an aggressor's move. This has also been an accepted stance in the international framework. US, too supported this stance and normally argued that nations need to work within the international framework so that the world order does not break down. However, it was quick to exempt itself from this rationale, when it planned the Iraq invasion. Bush administration argued on the basis of the pre-emptive principle claiming that Iraq was a potential threat. US rejected traditional international law, claiming that it was not suited to manage the contemporary situation. Arend notes: Traditional international law required there to be an "imminent danger of attack" before preemption would be permissible, the [Bush] administration argues in its 2002 National Security Strategy (NSS) that the United States "must adapt the concept of imminent threat to the capabilities and objectives of today's adversaries." It contends that "[t]he greater the threat, the greater is the risk of inaction - and the more compelling the case for taking

Waste Elimination Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Waste Elimination - Coursework Example In the several groups identified by economist, Taiichi Ohno, there is the imperative need of identifying some of them and breaking them down in an effort to acquire greater understanding of their effects and subsequent characteristics. These waste groups include, damage caused by the waste to the environment, the waste in production and the waste brought about in motion. Baltimore Green Construction is a company based in Maryland that has made tremendous efforts in resolving the various waste issues experienced today. Focusing on the first category identified, there are very many effects caused by waste products to the environment and the affected are not only people, but also other organisms in the environment. One of the major problems that waste products have on the environment is pollution. Pollution is a problem that has affected many countries in the 21st century and the amount of waste products that bring about this is in a very large amount. Characterization of pollution is i nto three groups, one of the vast types is air pollution, the other type of pollution identified is water pollution, and then there is the less but still epidemic soil pollution. Focusing on air pollution, the major factor to identify with this is global warming. Many companies in the contemporary world manufacture and produce goods using industries and factories that do not have proper waste disposal systems. However, one of the ways through which Baltimore Green Construction has

Persian carpets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Persian carpets - Essay Example The increased urbanism and industrial expansion in Iran in the contemporary age has in no way, weakened the Iranians’ association with carpets. Carpets have always been and continue to be the most particular and fantabulous characteristic feature of the Iranian culture and heritage. Iranians’ deep-rooted associated with this insignia of their national heritage brings life to the ambiance of every Iranian home. The history of Persian carpets encompasses a complete account of the way one of the greatest civilizations of the world has evolved and ruled over the world of arts and crafts through something as simple as a carpet. â€Å"From being simply articles of need, as pure and simple floor entrance covering to protect the nomadic tribesmen from the cold and damp, the increasing beauty of the carpets found them new owners - kings and nobleman, those who looked for signs of wealth or adornment for fine buildings† (â€Å"The Persian Carpet Gallery†). Ctesiphon was conquered by the Arabs in 637. The Spring Time of Khosroe was amongst the carpets they retrieved from Iran. This has conventionally been recognized as the most distinct piece of art of its time. The 90 feet square carpet has been described by the Arab historians in these words â€Å"The border was a magnificent flower bed of blue, red, white, yellow and green stones; in the background the colour of the earth was imitated with gold; clear stones like crystals gave the illusion of water; the plants were in silk and the fruits were formed by colour stones† (Kianush). In the 13th century, the Mongols found Persian carpets after their invasion into the country. This changed the artistic life of Iran for the following 200 years. As a result of the devastation caused by the Mongols, the carpet weaving trend saw a decline. However, the conqueror Tamerlane spared the Iranian artisans and led them to Turkistan from where, the Persian carpet art started to flourish again. Tamerlane ’s son Shah Rokh encouraged the carpet weavers and facilitated them with resources to help them increase the production. The Persian carpet art saw a climax when the lavish royal support provided the weavers with the finest materials for carpet making. In 1499, Shah Ismail took measures to establish a national industry in Iran to help the weavers optimize on their skills. Shah Abbas of the Safavid dynasty helped the industry spread. Persian carpets were brought from the nomads’ tents to the towns and industrialized cities. Establishment of a royal carpet factory in Isfahan and recruitment of artisans to provide the craftsmen with professional designs were some steps that led the Persian carpet art to its apogee. One of the hand-woven Persian carpets from the 5th century B.C. is in the Pazyryk valley. Over the centuries, this carpet has become a little bedraggled, though a thick sheet of ice was originally used to preserve it that kept protecting this carpet for more th an 2500 years. It was in 1929 when Rudenko and Griaznov led a Russian ethnographic mission to excavate the five tumuli. They discovered a magnificent carpet while excavating the fifth tumulus. Experts attribute its origin to Persia because of its obvious resemblance with the antique Persian art. The outer of the two principal border bands is decorated with a line of horsemen: seven on each side, twenty-eight in number -- a figure which corresponds to the number of males

Preschool Music Education Essay Example for Free

Preschool Music Education Essay Introduction Teaching music to preschoolers contributes to brain development.   â€Å"The musician is constantly adjusting decisions on tempo, tone, style, rhythm, phrasing, and feeling—training the brain to become incredibly good at organizing and conducting numerous activities at once. Dedicated practice of this orchestration can have a great payoff for lifelong attention skills, intelligence, and an ability for self-knowledge and expression† (Ratey, 2001).   A group of researchers at the University of California (Irvine) conducted a study that showed that after eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers showed a 46% boost in their spatial reasoning (Rauscher, Shaw, Levine, Ky and Wright, 2001). Music Education Module   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The curriculum for teaching preschool music education should contain three parts: 1) Singing; 2) Active listening; and 3) Movement.   All three of these subsections should work together and build off of the skills learned during the other subsections.   The music education curriculum must be fun and engaging for the preschool children, otherwise the children will not give the music activities their full attention and will not retain the cognitive abilities that can be taught through music education.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The preschool music education curriculum needs to be focused around teaching the children songs, preferably nursery rhymes and other educational songs, which will teach the children a skill.   Incorporating movement and hand motions into each song that is taught will enhance the skills learned.   Learning to sing songs will improve the development of language acquisition, listening skills, and fine motor skills.    Songs that tell a story with hand motions such as â€Å"I’m Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee† will improve language skills as well as fine motor skills and self expression.   Songs that specifically address a certain skill such as counting songs (1,2 Buckle My Shoe) and spelling songs (B-I-N-G-O) should be incorporated into the music curriculum as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The preschool music education curriculum must also include active listening to music.   Listening to music, particularly classical music, will improve listening skills, auditory discrimination, abstract reasoning, and spatial intelligence.   After the children have listened to a musical piece, the experience needs to be reinforced by a series of questions and answers.   Asking the children what kind of instruments they heard and what emotions they felt during the song will improve the abstract reasoning skills and teach the children how to evaluate and comprehend what they have heard.   Clapping through a rhythm that was in the song they just heard will teach the children about tempo and improve counting and mathematical skills. Conclusion The preschool music education curriculum needs to include all three of the subsections discussed.   If the curriculum neglects one of the subsections, important skills will be neglected.   Singing and dancing teaches preschool children language skills, fine motor skills, and self expression.   Actively listening to music, particularly classical music, improves listening skills, abstract reasoning skills, and spatial intelligence. When developing a preschool music education curriculum, the most important thing is to ensure that the curriculum is fun and engaging for the preschool children.   If the curriculum is rigid and boring, the children will lose interest and the teacher will not have their full attention.   In order for the preschool children to acquire the skills taught during music education, the children must be engaged in the curriculum.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚      References Musically Yours, Inc.   (2007, November) Music Preludes.   Retrieved January 23, 2008 from http://www.musicpreludes.com/index.html Ratey John J., MD. A User’s Guide to the Brain. New York: Pantheon Books, 2001. Rauscher, Shaw, Levine, Ky and Wright, â€Å"Music and Spatial Task Performance: A Causal Relationship,† University of California, Irvine, 1994

Butterflies, by Ian McEwan

Butterflies, by Ian McEwan In their short stories Butterflies, Lamb to the slaughter, The Whole Towns Sleeping and The Pedestrian, Ian McEwan, Roald Dahl and Ray Bradbury create strong feelings of fear and suspense which ultimately lead to death in each story. Discuss these featured in the short stories we have studied. The story Butterflies by Ian McEwan is about an individual is devoid of all emotion, who is also isolated person (maybe because of his look: his chin and his neck are the same thing and he himself thinks he looks grotesque) he takes a walk. A little girl follows him. It was for him a strange thing because he did not have any friends to talk to. He desperately needed affection and in order to keep her close he buys her a doll and ice cream. He lies her saying that at the canal there are boats and butterflies. So the title butterflies is the lure used to take the little girl at the canal. There he abuses her and then he drowns her. I was particularly attracted to this story because of the unusual yet quite sinister way suspense is built up throughout the text. McEwan achieves this by the use of short descriptive sentences; these slow us down and make us feel as if we are an omnipresent being viewing the story as it unfolds. The action takes place in England on Thursday and Sunday. The next text Lamb To The Slaughter utilises descriptive writing right from the opening to massage our senses to the extent we feel we are woven into the story, our minds eye sees everything that needs to be seen, this helps to clearly portray the obvious use of black humour the image of a merry house wife suddenly smashing a frozen leg of lamb meant for dinner over her husbands head is comical in a sinister way. While in Butterflies the opposite is true. The name of the text, suggests something to do with a lamb being slaughtered with is common practice in farms however the phrase can also mean, unaware of any impending catastrophe which when we read on we find out Mr Maloney wasnt aware of himself being in harms way the same is also true for Miss Maloney wasnt aware she would be committing murder she was said to be in shock, Helped bring her out of shock (141). Roald Dahl almost rewards the reader half way through the story with the meaning of the title which we find out is befitti ng after all. The whole towns sleeping employs the use of subtle irony right from the start the title suggests to us that the town is sleeping which they are, its night time but the lonely one is out and the town is oblivious to this fact, Situational irony is also used the reader would become lead to believe that she might come to harm in the woods and when she gets home she will be safe however this is not the case The final text The Pedestrian, the title isnt very exciting it sounds run of the mill, doing this lures us into a false sense of security we dont expect much however out breath is taken by the beautiful way Ray Bradbury starts the piece and our attention is captured. Like Butterflies the writer wants us to savour each sentence and hang of every word so they slow us down therefore building suspense in The Pedestrian this is done with the use of commas. In all of these stories someone is in danger and in two of the stories someone is killed, the stories have a similar of building tempo and setting the pace, also all stories play to our primal emotions weather its humour in lamb to the slaughter or sadness and confusion in butterflies or fear in the whole towns sleeping. Suspense is something that is built up in all stories, in Lamb to the slaughter suspense is built up in an unusual way first the title invites questions such as, who is being killed and is the story based on a farm doing this feeds out curiosity which in itself starts to build suspense and tension. The text starts off quite unusual fashion for a story of this genre, we would expect a dark, dingy and quite frightening place for a murder to take place in this story quite the opposite is true. The opening paragraph starts of quite poetic, The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight. Dahl also uses descriptive writing to give us vivid picture of a warm homely setting The room was warm and clean. (137) Everything seems above board until we get to the third sentence, the empty chair (137) the use of the word empty suggests that something is missing and in turn that begs the question why is it empty, The Pedestrian uses this also along with the metaphor empty riverbed, The car moved down the empty riverbed streets and off away, leaving the empty streets with the empty sidewalks, and no sound and no motion all the rest of the chill November night. This feeds out curiosity and adds to the suspense. The metaphor helps put across how bare the riverbed was so we have a clear image in our minds. The unusual thing about Lamb to the Slaughter is that the murder happens at the middle there is no time to wonder how the murder will be committed since we dont suspect anything. The reader is taken by surprise much as Patrick and Mary Maloney. The small table over turning helped bring her out of the shock. (141) Mary Maloney and the reader are in shock until we find out she killed him, she didnt mean to kill him it was done out of rage therefore she says So Ive killed him. (141) After the murder scene the reader follows Mrs Maloney around in her meticulous steps to cover her crime. One can wonder how such a sentimental and docile woman can turn out to be so calculating and cool-headed. When the police arrive, we wait for the moment Mrs Maloney gets caught this time never arrives There is an unfulfilled expectation. Butterflies short, snappy sentences to set the tempo which enables the reader to race ahead so we feel their heart is beating in time with the action, Towards midday I decided on a walk. I stood outside the house, hesitating (61). This is in direct contrast with The Pedestrian which opens with a long sentence which slows things down. To enter out into that silence that was the city at eight oclock of a misty evening in November, to put your feet upon that buckling concrete walk, to step over grassy seams and make your way, hands in pockets, through the silences, that was what Mr Leonard Mead most dearly loved to do. This sets a slow tempo so we can really absorb what we are being told and actually feel we are with Mr Mead. Do The whole towns sleeping utilizes the use of conversation to move the story along as well as short and long sentences to set the tempo and pace, we are drawn to the story because of the simple conversations we can empathize with. The theme of fear is something that is rampant in most of the stories, butterflies starts of quite disturbingly, I saw my first corpse on Thursday. This doesnt seem to frighten or upset the boy; he seems to be detached from his emotions unlike Lavinia Nebbs who is so overwhelmed with fear of the unknown she doesnt have the will power to turn round. Dont turn, dont look if you see him, youll not be able to move! Youll be frightened, youll freeze! Just run, run,run! In Lamb to the slaughter instead of being fearful Mary seems to be relishing the moment, she it literally getting away with murder, Mary Maloney began to giggle. While in The Pedestrian and the whole towns sleeping, everyone is fearful in the towns expect the people in actual danger. The way relationships are portrayed differs from story to story Mary Maloney was in what she thought was a loving relationship she loved her husband dearly, Now and again she would glance up at the clock, but without anxiety, merely to please herself with the thought that each minute gone by made it nearer the time when he would come. (137) Mary and her husband had what seemed to be the perfect relationship everything seemed above board, however when she got the news she lost her rationally this could be due to the fact she was pregnant and hormonal for this was her sixth month with child. (137) the strange thing considering it seemed to be done in rage she didnt show any remorse or sorrow, All right, she told herself. So Ive killed him. (141) that could possibly beg the question did she know beforehand did she contemplate the killing before hand, was she acting, does she have split personalities, we know she is calculated and calm under pressure and good at acting when talking to th e shopkeeper after killing her husband she states Patricks decided hes tired and doesnt want to eat out, you know, and now hes caught me without vegetables in the house. When she already knows hes dead and she is the murderer. However know the main character in Butterflies we know is a recluse, who found his mother grotesque he also believes because his chin and neck are close together people see him as untrustworthy he doesnt seem to trust anyone. My chin and me neck are the same thing and it breeds distrust My mother was like that too, only after I had left home did I find her grotesque. She died last year. His mother was also seen as a recluse, he says, Each year she went to Littlehampton and sat on a deckchair by herself, facing out to sea. We get the feeling he wasnt brought up in a loving household and that he didnt have much of a relationship with his mother, which could have lead him to become unsociable and lonely. Although we know he yearns to have some companions when walking in the street a football kicked by a group of boys came his way he stopped the ball with his foot and kicked it back, such a simple gesture caused him to because overwhelmed and giddy I could feel the thumping of my pulse in my temples. Such opportunities are rare for me. I do not meet many people.Also at the start of the text when a simple conversation arose with him and Charlie he fumbled this furthermore stresses the point he was not used to talking to people. When he and Jane converse he immediately realizes he wants her as a friend as she shows genuine interest and curiosity in him, I felt pleased that she was genuinely curious about me, and I was attracted to her. I wanted her to be my friend. The reader isnt alarmed by this as we think he is being friendly but little do we know the wheels have been set in motion for what happens next. After deceiving the girl under the false pretence of seeing butterflies, the disturbed individual wets his finger and wipes the ice cream off from around her mouth and puts the finger back into his mouth and tastes it. While doing this we find out, he has never touched another persons lips and he is excited and seems to be in orgasmic state, I had never touched another persons lips before nor had I experienced this kind of pleasure. It rose painfully from my groin to my chest.'(70) While doing this I believe he was engulfed with pleasure and didnt realize he was pressing so hard on Janes face she tells hi m, You pressed to hard. (70). All throughout the text I is used allot this suggests loneliness. Lavina Nebbs is seen as a father figure she is confident on the surface when around friends they look up to her she doesnt want to show weakness she has a strong relationship with her friends however when alone and going through the ravine she turns into a nervous shell of her former self, Oh god! God, please, please let me get up the hill! (55) Where as Mr Mead from The Pedestrian is calm when he is confronted and even protests his arrest. The whole towns sleeping starts off with the use of descriptive writing to set the scene, It was a warm summers night in the middle of Illinois (37) this gives us an image of brightness cosiness even. Which is the same way Roald Dahl starts Lamb to the slaughter, The room was warm and clean. (137) both authors use this to good effect so the reader is the ability to more clearly visualize what is being described. This subtle use of this type of writing shows itself again throughout The whole towns sleeping in the form of metaphors, Lavina felt the warm breath of the summer night shimmering off the oven-baked sidewalk. We really get a sense that it was a hot day this plays with our senses in the same way in The Pedestrian plays with our sense of smell It smelled of riveted steel (2) and in butterflies a simile is used to the same effect. Like a whippet. (63) The Whole Towns Sleeping. Ray Bradbury uses recreation to create interest to the story In the downtown drugstore, fans whispered in the high ceiling air He also uses metaphors and similes such as There were two moons: a clock moon with four faces The main character in Butterflies isnt really creative we only get one reference to some sort of inner life. Where he makes reference to an artist prominent in the 1920s, she was beautiful in a strange almost sinister way, like a girl in a Modigliani painting. (65) His flat narrative description exactly matches the flatness of his personality, I crossed over and looked at the cars engine, although it meant nothing to me. Another interesting thing about this character is that he never dwells on the fact of death he bounces between subjects. I believe his life experience had an impact on the development of his personality. Like Me Mead in The Pedestrian he is a loner and they both go on walks also the main character in Butterflies has a skewed view on the world whereas in the pedestrian the world is distorted it isnt just in Mr Meads imagination. In all stories there is only really one main character. Mary Maloney is a happy, contented woman who feels secure confident and fulfilled with her life. Roald Dahl describes, There was a slow smiling air about her, and about everything she did. (137) she is loving and the perfect house something that was normal in the time short story was written in 1953. She is a very organised individual she has a routine she does daily, she takes solace in it she believes that if that routine exists, all must be well. She also is calm, collected and rational she methodically gets rid of the evidence, Mary ultimately uses the same means of control over the investigating officers that she had used with Patrick: food, drink, and the illusion of uncomprehending innocence. That being said after all she didnt mean to kill her husband when she realizes what she has done, Mary is willing to accept the consequences, but, she worries about the child: As the wife of a detective, she knew quite well what the penalty would be. That was fine. It made no difference to her. In fact, it would be a relief. On the other hand, what about the child? At the start of the whole towns sleeping Lavina Nebbs is much like Mary Maloney secure and confident she is adamant that fear will not dictate her life, she starts the evening rational and fearless but is reduced to panic on the walk home when she admits her fear. Much like Jane from butterflies she is fearless and outgoing until confronted with fear. Jane who is the girl that was killed in lamb to the slaughter, is a friendly trusting child her parents might have been carefree and unaware that such crimes get committed, most children of that era were told dont talk to strangers or dont walk with strangers however Jane is fearless she is innocent. Jane could be seen as the butterfly a small delicate creature that is gently pushed down the river in the same way a butterfly would fly off into the distance, the word butterflies for a title is very befitting. Lamb to the slaughter is written in the third person in the same way as the whole towns sleeping, the tone of Lamb to the slaughter seems pretty calm it starts of quote poetic each line leading on seamlessly to the next then the tone changes the reader is sped up as Mary Malone executes her plan to get rid of the evidence. The text butterflies is written in the first person the main character is the narrator throughout the story there is a dense and atmospheric tone. Its often left to the reader to give moral significance to events that occur what I found interesting that the story was organized through flashback and the story isnt in chorological order, the story starts of, I saw my first corpse on Thursday (1) when that was the last thing that happened yet mentioned at the start. The narrator also switches from present to past tense. The strength in Butterflies is the writers versatility to be able to move through past and presence tense and to be able to move through different times during the day and to move from subject to subject. However by the end I get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach a horrendous crime has been committed and it seems as if the killer will get away, this leaves us wanting and yearning for justice and because unlike Lamb to the slaughter it was a little girl that was abused and killed we feel more hate towards the young man. Lamb to the slaughter the readers get a tale so grotesque, so darkly comic, and so hilarious in some of its incidental details that seem to be something out of a Benny hill show. We feel sympathy towards Mary because her husband broke their wedding vows her act of murder was callus yet unintentional, so we dont yearn for justice although I know a crime has been committed I feel happy to sit back and watch Mary hatch this farfetched comical plan. There could ha ve been emphasis on causing more suspense the detectives could have been more suspicious, however it is a well laid out and quite humorous story and begs the question did the detectives suspect anything after the incident it leaves us with unanswered questions. Roald is also effective at using dialogue to move the story along. Lamb to the slaughter is good at building the tension throughout the story then while Nebbs is in the ravine the excitement builds, when she reaches her house the tempo slows and almost grinds to a halt until she finds out someone is in her house we are left in awe. Ray Bradbury is good at controlling the tempo however at the end of the story I am left feeling unfulfilled I want to know the ending however this may just bring excitement for the sequel and play right into Bradburys hands. In this essay I have discussed the theme of fear and suspense and now different writers portray this and stylistic features used I found the similarity between stories interesting considering there from different authors my favorite story is butterflies I love the simple complexity of it the way the narrator moves from time and place seamlessly. And how all of the stories title have significance to the story and almost give us hints to the plot.

Freuds Consideration Of Masochism English Literature Essay

Freuds Consideration Of Masochism English Literature Essay Freuds first detailed consideration of masochism appears in his discussion of sexual perversions in Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality. At this early date, Freud writes that sadism and masochism are inverse forms of a single sexual perversion centring on pain as an avenue to pleasure.  [1]  Sadism and masochism, at this point in Freuds theoretical understanding are inextricably bound the former being the active, externally directed version of the perversion; the latter being its passive, internally focused form. In fact, it is passivity that defines masochism, not a desire for pain, humiliation or punishment. The term masochism comprises any passive attitude towards sexual life and the sexual object, the extreme instance of which appears to be that in which satisfaction is conditional upon suffering physical or mental pain at the hands of the sexual object.  [2]   Freud considers sadism and masochism to be the most common and most significant of all perversions.  [3]  Although he fails to elaborate the reasons for choosing the second adjective, the choice of the first is most likely related to an understanding of sadism as an exaggeration of the normal aggressive sexual instinct in men.  [4]  Because there is, on Freuds understanding, an intimate connection between cruelty and the sexual instinctà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ an active or violent attitude toward the sexual object is to be expected; it is only where sexual satisfaction is entirely conditional on the humiliation and maltreatment of the object that the term sadism, as a signifier of perversion of the sexual aim, is entirely appropriate.  [5]  While Freud opines that masochism is further removed from the normal sexual aim than its counterpart, the logic of the transformation of a single sexual instinct into an active and passive form means that masochism shares sadisms purported natu ralness. Even if sadism, then, is represented as an extension or exaggeration of normal impulses and desires most likely because it is more comfortably aligned with a culturally normative understanding of masculinity as active and aggressive it is important to note that masochism, which is an intrinsic part of this pain-related perversion, inevitably shares in the normality afforded sadistic impulses, given the terms of the analysis. The other feature of masochism from this early exposition that merits attention is Freuds description of the transformation from sadism to masochism. According to Freud, masochism is [often] nothing more than an extension of sadism turned round upon the subjects own self, whichà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ takes the place of the sexual object.  [6]  Although Freud identifies the castration complex and the subjects sense of guilt as part of the mechanism that effects this transformation from sadism to masochism, masochism is at least partially motivated by some form of libidinal interest in ones own self as a sexual object, i.e., masochism is linked in some way with narcissism. In Instincts and Their Vicissitudes, written a decade after the first edition of Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, Freud explicitly describes the mechanism of transformation from sadism to masochism as being fuelled by narcissistic investment in ones own self.  [7]  Freud retains his understanding that sadism and masochism are inextricably bound and turn upon a single axis: he continues to describe sadism as cruelty directed toward an other for the purpose of sexual satisfaction and masochism as the desire for cruelty directed toward oneself as a means of sexual satisfaction.  [8]  The presence of masochistic desire in sadistic practice complicates the picture of how the instincts mutate and transform. A sadistic child takes no account of whether or not he inflicts pains nor does he intend to do so. But when once the transformation into masochism has taken place, the pains are very well fitted to provide a passive masochistic aim; for we have every reason to believe that sensations of pain, like other unpleasuable sensations, trench upon sexual excitation and produce a pleasurable condition, for the sake of which the subject will even willingly experience the unpleasure of pain. When once feeling pains has become a masochistic aim, the sadistic aim of causing pains can arise also, retrogressively; for while these pains are being inflicted on other people, they are enjoyed masochistically by the subject through his identification of himself with the suffering objectà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The enjoyment of pain would thus be an aim which was originally masochistic, but which can only become an instinctual aim in someone who was originally sadistic.  [9]   Although Freud will abandon some of these ideas, his notion that sadistic and masochistic desire hides other forms of desire will continue to develop. In his essay A Child is Being Beaten: A Contribution to the Study of the Origin of Sexual Perversions, Freud attempts to clarify how masochistic fantasy and practice differ by gender by considering what he characterises as the very common fantasy, both for those in analysis and those who are not, of a child is being beaten.'  [10]  This short phrase is the only description of the fantasy Freud provides; as he observes, those who indulge in the fantasy are often quite uncertain as to the identity and number of the victims or perpetrators of the beating, their own relationship to the victims and perpetrators, their location in the fantasy or even whether the pleasure derived from the fantasy is best described as sadistic or masochistic.  [11]  Freud reports that his male patients in both fantasy and performance always select a woman to perform the role of chastiser.  [12]  In addition, in both performance and fantasy, the male masochists invariably transfer themselves into the part of the woman; that is to say, their masochistic attitude coincides with a feminine one.  [13]  While the figure of woman appears to play an important role in male masochistic fantasy, it is the father who is central. Freud contends that the fantasy of a woman chastiser is a translation of a prior, now unconscious fantasy of being beaten by the father. This unconscious, now repressed, fantasy recovered by and accessible only to the analyst-author Freud works a further disavowal of an even earlier longing to be loved by the father. In the male phantasyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the being beaten also stands for being loved (in a genital sense), though this has been debased to a lower level owing to regression. So the original form of the unconscious male phantasy was not the provisional one that we have hitherto given: I am being beaten by my father, but rather: I am loved by my father. The phantasy has been transformed by the processes with which we are now familiar into the conscious phantasy: I am being beaten by my mother. The boys beating is therefore passive from the very beginning, and is derived from a feminine attitude towards his fatherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The beating-phantasy has its origin in an incestuous attachment to the father.  [14]   Freud fails to elaborate on the character of the transfer to the feminine or the features of the attitude that mark it so. Given the distinction he has drawn between an active sadism and a passive masochism, it may be the passive status of the male masochist alone that renders his fantasy/performance feminine. The meaning of passivity is troubled, however, if we remember that the male masochist conjures the fantasy or seeks the sexual encounter. While passivity has come to mean a willingness or desire to be penetrated in certain male homosexual cultural codes, it is unclear whether the transfer to the womans role is meant to imply this, given that the chastiser in the masochistic fantasy is always a woman. The incestuous desire for the father links the boys and girls beating fantasies. One way to read this common desire is to understand it as a longing to be daddys little girl whether one has a penis or a vagina. On the other hand, this commonality, while marking the boy as feminine, secures the fathers role as the only legitimate object of libidinal connection, even in masochistic fantasies. In other words, even in fantasy structure where it appears the male child is assigning some form of value or surrendering some bit of power to the mother/woman, Freud explains that the fantasy, ultimately, when unravelled, is all about the significance and desirability of the father and that this feature of the fantasy is the only one shared across gender. Although the masochistic fantasy necessarily entails an adoption of a feminine attitude and identity on the part of the male child, this attitude and identity work to reinforce the primacy of the paternal position. Echoing his understanding of the fetish, Freud explains that the conscious masochistic fantasy the translation from love to violence, from father to mother enables the male child to evade homosexuality. In the case of the girl what was originally a masochistic (passive) situation is transformed into a sadistic one by means of repression, and its sexual quality is almost effaced. In the case of the boy the situation remains masochistic, and shows a greater resemblance to the original phantasy with its genital significance, since there is a difference of sex between the person beating and the person being beaten. The boy evades his homosexuality by repressing and remodelling his unconscious phantasy: and the remarkable thing about his later conscious phantasy is that it has for its content a feminine attitude with a homosexual object-choice.  [15]   Like the complicated relationship between fetishistic and homoerotic desire, masochistic fantasy and performance has an uncertain and unstable relationship to heterosexual identity. To state it somewhat differently and more pointedly, this supposed evasion is a retention. Moreover, this homoerotically focused retention, despite its instantiation of the boy in a position of femininity and passivity, creates a bond between the boy and the father and makes men, the masculine ideal, the paternal signifier and male-to-male relationships the primary figures of desire and desirability. According to Butler, Freuds constant conjoining of the evasion of homosexuality with an admission of the homoerotic character of heterosexual male identity forecloses the possibility of masculine homoerotic desire. According to Butlers reading of Freud, desire is always represented as heterosexual, where it appears homosexual, the gender of the desiring subject is refigured so that the heterosexual dynamic ca n be preserved.  [16]  This re-signification, on Butlers view, depends less on the character of the desire in question than on cultural prohibitions of homoeroticism. Finally, in The Economic Problem of Masochism, Freud seeks to understand how to square masochistic desire with his understanding of the pleasure principle a basic instinctual impulse. In this essay, Freud distinguishes three types of masochism: feminine, erotogenic and moral.  [17]  Feminine masochism, the most easily observable form, is found in male patients, who, like those considered in A Child is Being Beaten,' conjure fantasies or seek sexual activity in which they are gagged, bound, painfully beaten, whipped, in some way maltreated, forced into unconditional obedience, dirtied and debased.  [18]  These masochistic fantasies generally signify, according to Freud, being castrated, or copulated with, or giving birth to a baby.  [19]  Erotogenic masochism, which underlies and supports the other forms, is characterised by a libidinal pleasure in pain.  [20]  In Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, Freud had rejected the notion that the extreme and exceptional st imuli of painful experiences could carry a sufficient libidinal charge to explain the origin of masochism. In this later essay, Freud turns to the death instinct to find the origin of what he now concedes is a primary masochism, one that does not depend on the transformation of a prior sadistic instinct. According to Freud, one task of the libido is to meet the death instinct and render it innocuous: It fulfils the task by diverting that instinct to a great extent outwardsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ towards objects in the external world.  [21]  When this will to power is sexualised, it becomes sadism proper.  [22]   Part of this instinct, however, remains inside the organismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [and] becomes libidinally bound there. It is in this portion that we have to recognise the original, erotogenic masochism.  [23]  Freud admits that analysis can explain neither the precise nature of the interaction between sexual and death instincts nor the precise reasons why the death instinct b ecomes externalised or internalised. The internalisation of a libidinised death instinct, however, manifests in a desire to be beaten, a fascination with castration and a focus on the buttocks and anus as erotogenic zones.  [24]   Moral masochism, the third form that Freud considers, is chiefly remarkable for having loosened its connection with what we recognise as sexuality.  [25]   All other masochistic sufferings carry with them the condition that they shall emanate from the loved person and shall be endured at his command. This restriction has been dropped in moral masochism. The suffering itself is what matters; whether it is decreed by someone who is loved or by someone who is indifferent is of no importance. It may even be caused by impersonal powers or by circumstances; the true masochist always turns his cheek, whenever he has a chance at receiving a blow.  [26]   As Freuds discussion reveals, however, this desexualisation and depersonalisation is only apparent. Moral masochism is characterised by anxiety stemming from unconscious guilt or severe limitation in light of moral sensibilities.  [27]  According to Freud, the super-ego, the agency that serves as the conscience, comes into being through the introjections into the ego of the first objects ofà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ libidinal impulses namely, the two parents.  [28]  The punishing force whose attention the masochistic ego seeks, therefore, has a personal identity. As Freud notes elsewhere, the father is the primary figure behind the super-ego. Along with the retention of a personal identity behind the masochistic relationship to the super-ego, the connection between the masochistic ego and the paternal super-ego also retains a sexual charge. We now know that the wish, which so frequently appears in phantasies, to be beaten by the father stands very close to the other wish, to have a passive (feminine) sexual relation to himà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. If we insert this explanation into the content of moral masochism, its hidden meaning becomes clear to us. Conscience and morality have arisen through the overcoming, the desexualisation, of the Oedipus complex; but through moral masochism morality becomes sexualised once moreà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Masochism creates a temptation to perform sinful action, which must then be expiated by the reproaches of the sadistic conscienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ or by chastisement from the great parental power of Destiny.  [29]   In a manner similar to the analysis of the beating fantasy of feminine masochism, this description of the mechanics of moral masochism, while representing masochism as both contrary to the interests and perhaps even threatening to the existence of the subject, functions to aggrandise the site of paternal authority and mark the father as the focus of desire.  [30]  Moral masochism, the form among the three that seems most impersonal and non-erotic, turns out, upon analysis, to (also) be about sexual desire for the father. In addition, similar to the way in which the discussion of the beating fantasy introduces homoerotic desire as a feature of heterosexual identity, this description of the homosexualised substratum of conscience and morality complicates the notion of the masochists sexual identity. More interestingly, perhaps, insofar as moral masochism is only an exaggerated form of the normal course of development of the id, the conscience generally. This account of the critical potential of masochistic fantasy depends on the ability of such fantasies to emphasise the conditions of lack that are part of male subjectivity, the ability of such fantasies to challenge the dominant fiction that links the penis to the phallus thus rendering the actual father and by implication all men equivalent to the symbolic father. Although Freuds description of the male masochists fantasy and practice emphasises the feminine position that the fantasist adopts (toward the father) within the fantasy and even draws attention to the male masochists fascination with castration, his account also creates a closed circuit of male-to-male desire that underlines the desirability of both the father and the paternal position and strongly intersects the male child who longs to acquire the phallus with the paternal figure who is understood to possess it. Feminine conduct within this fantasy castration, copulation, parturition while putatively inscribing lac k on the male subject also functions to displace the woman from the fantasy space. While undergoing an imaginary experience of castration may be the price of admission to the masochistic scene, in this arena the son becomes the object of the fathers desire, the source of his sexual satisfaction and the bearer of his children. Far from emphasising universal conditions of lack and loss facing all subjects, the masochistic fantasy has as much potential to render female subjects irrelevant, reducing the world to fathers and sons by circumscribing desire to male homoerotic negotiations and aggrandising male subjects by marking the father as the ultimate object of virtually all desire.

Symbols and Symbolism in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart Dar

Symbols and Symbolism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Symbolism has long been a tool of the storyteller, finding its origins in the folklore of our earliest civilizations. In more recent years, however, symbolism has taken on a new role, forming the skeleton upon which the storyteller builds the tales of his or hers thoughts and adventures. Knowing the power of this element, Joseph Conrad uses symbols to help the reader explore dark interiors of men. The symbols become a vehicle that carry the audience from stop to stop, the ride becoming an evaluation of the darkness contained inside the hearts of mankind. Through the use of Dark Africa as an overpowering symbol, Conrad's Heart of Darkness tells a story that evaluates man's tendencies to fall back on barbaric methods when not protected by civilization.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As Marlow proceeded through the jungle towards the uncivilized world of Kurtz, he said, of the men they passed , "They passed me within six inches, without a glance, with that complete, deathlike indifference of unhappy savages"(Conrad, 80).   Marlow's advancements into the jungle, acted parallel with my discovery: In our deepest nature, all men are savages. Marlow connects with the very backbone in which constitutes Conrad's theme "The shade of the original Kurtz frequented the beside of the hollow sham, whose fate it was buried presently in the mold of primeval earth.   But both diabolic love and the unearthly hate of the mysteries it had penetrated fought for the possession of that soul satisfied with primitive emotions, avid of lying fame, of sham distinction, of all the appearances of success and power"(... ...his goals have not been met; he died and so did his society.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marlow and Kurtz could be considered as two conditions of human existence, Kurtz representing what Man could become if left to his own intrinsic devices outside protective society. Marlow, then, representing a pure untainted civilized soul who has not been drawn to savagery by a dark, alienated jungle. According to Conrad, the will to give into the uncivilized man does not just reside in Kurtz alone. Every man has inside himself a heart of darkness. This heart is drowned in a bath of light shed by the advent of civilization. No man is an island, and no man can live on an island without becoming a brutal savage. Inside his heart lies the raw evil of untamed lifestyles. Work Cited Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness, New York: Dover, 1990.

The Influence of British/Celtic Myths and Figures in Haydn Middletons Lie of the Land :: Middleton Lie of the Land Essays

The Influence of British/Celtic Myths and Figures in Haydn Middleton's Lie of the Land The following is a list of explications pointing towards British and Celtic myths and figures. While pursuing the Celtic influences of Middleton's novel, I found myself searching for the meaning of other present mysteries. This author's twist of two cultures creates a spectrum for possible explication. It seems that the Celtic material melds into British society throughout this novel. In search of specific markers I found myself concentrating mostly on Haydn Middleton's use of names. Textual Explications: 1. First of all it is necessary to work with the cover pictures inside of the novel which exhibit Blake's "Dance of Albion" or "Glad Day." This art work is important because Blake, in his literary work, "personified Albion as a giant." Following the physical descriptions of David Nennius in the book, one grasps a mental picture of a large and giant like man. An early description of him found on page 15 connects him to the image of Albion. (15) "I'm large aren't I?" he said as he came to rest. "Six eight and a half in my stockinged feet." ( http://www.ealaghol.demon.co.uk/celtenc/celt_a1.htm) 2. Next of course is the reference to Albion itself. Albion is visible through Blake but also through David's story. On page 99, Emrys tells Nennius a story which confirms the name of Britain. Albion is described as "the primal archetype of the Celtic world." This name is a symbol for "all that flowed into creation of the unique and magnificent wonder known as the Celtic spirit. - The Otherworld (Albion) did not have historical foundation, but the historical world (the Britons of old called their island Alba) had an Otherworldly foundation." ( http://www.ealaghol.demon.co.uk/celtenc/celt_a1.htm) 3. Another important "mention" is Brutus. Nennius speaks of Brutus' conquests to Quinn on page 41. Brutus is said to have "founded a second Troy- Troia Nova (Trinovantum) on the banks of the Thames" where he "defeated an army of giants and chained their leaders, Gog and Magog, to be his porters." Basically Brutus is the crude Abraham or Moses of the Britons as far as ancestry is concerned. It is also important to quote that Brutus is the "great-grandson of Aeneas," who killed his dear father. 4. As long as I am examining names I must make a note on "Nennius." On page 77 of the book, Mary Machin (David's mother) buys a wedding ring and renames herself Mary Nennius after reading about Historia Brittonum. The Influence of British/Celtic Myths and Figures in Haydn Middleton's Lie of the Land :: Middleton Lie of the Land Essays The Influence of British/Celtic Myths and Figures in Haydn Middleton's Lie of the Land The following is a list of explications pointing towards British and Celtic myths and figures. While pursuing the Celtic influences of Middleton's novel, I found myself searching for the meaning of other present mysteries. This author's twist of two cultures creates a spectrum for possible explication. It seems that the Celtic material melds into British society throughout this novel. In search of specific markers I found myself concentrating mostly on Haydn Middleton's use of names. Textual Explications: 1. First of all it is necessary to work with the cover pictures inside of the novel which exhibit Blake's "Dance of Albion" or "Glad Day." This art work is important because Blake, in his literary work, "personified Albion as a giant." Following the physical descriptions of David Nennius in the book, one grasps a mental picture of a large and giant like man. An early description of him found on page 15 connects him to the image of Albion. (15) "I'm large aren't I?" he said as he came to rest. "Six eight and a half in my stockinged feet." ( http://www.ealaghol.demon.co.uk/celtenc/celt_a1.htm) 2. Next of course is the reference to Albion itself. Albion is visible through Blake but also through David's story. On page 99, Emrys tells Nennius a story which confirms the name of Britain. Albion is described as "the primal archetype of the Celtic world." This name is a symbol for "all that flowed into creation of the unique and magnificent wonder known as the Celtic spirit. - The Otherworld (Albion) did not have historical foundation, but the historical world (the Britons of old called their island Alba) had an Otherworldly foundation." ( http://www.ealaghol.demon.co.uk/celtenc/celt_a1.htm) 3. Another important "mention" is Brutus. Nennius speaks of Brutus' conquests to Quinn on page 41. Brutus is said to have "founded a second Troy- Troia Nova (Trinovantum) on the banks of the Thames" where he "defeated an army of giants and chained their leaders, Gog and Magog, to be his porters." Basically Brutus is the crude Abraham or Moses of the Britons as far as ancestry is concerned. It is also important to quote that Brutus is the "great-grandson of Aeneas," who killed his dear father. 4. As long as I am examining names I must make a note on "Nennius." On page 77 of the book, Mary Machin (David's mother) buys a wedding ring and renames herself Mary Nennius after reading about Historia Brittonum.

Mother Teresas Unconditional Love Essay -- Mother Tesera Biography Ch

Mother Teresa’s Unconditional Love The book, One Heart Full of Love, is a combination of speeches and interviews featuring Mother Teresa given during the 1970’s and early 1980’s. It’s very obvious to me that Mother Teresa was a very simple woman. Each of the chapters in the book covers virtually the same information. The stories discussed in her speeches were all very similar. She seemed to use the same stories but add a little different twist depending on the crowd she was addressing. I really don’t know if the â€Å"twist† was to keep the stories fresh in her mind or to appease a given congregation. Nevertheless, the information she was putting out was basic, to the point, and spoken in a manner that is easily understood. Mother Teresa touched a lot of peoples lives in her time and I think this simple and basic approach helped her to accomplish this. Simple and basic is the life she chose and to help persons in need is the life commitment she made. One of the stories that Mother Teresa spoke of in her speeches touched me a little closer than others. She speaks of going out into the streets and gathering the poor, the diseased and the drunks and of bringing them in and providing food, shelter and an opportunity to get clean. Many of these people would die when they were in the care of the sisters. One individual who was brought in stated â€Å"I have lived like an animal in the streets. I am gong to die like an angel, surrounded by love and care† (Mother Teresa, 28). This is w...

In the lake of the woods Essay

In his novel In the Lake of the Woods Tim O’Brien paints a vivid image of the horrors of the Vietnam War, particular the savagery of the Thuan Yen massacre. While prior to reading the novel readers instinctively blame the soldiers themselves for their immoral actions, as the novel progresses, O’Brien shows that while the soldiers may have physically committed the brutal acts of murder, blame cannot solely be placed on them. O’Brien depicts the Vietnam landscape as one that, due its elusive and chaotic nature, was partially responsible for the horrors that the men committed. Furthermore, the very nature of man and our innate capacity for evil suggests that while the soldiers themselves committed the physical acts of terror, our capability to commit such atrocities when placed within the scenario of war means that any individual would have been taken over by the insanity of the conflict. Ultimately, O’Brien demonstrates that while the horrors of My Lai are unforgivable, there are extenuating circumstances which suggest that blame cannot solely be placed on the soldiers who themselves were at times victims to the nature of war. While O’Brien depicts the nature of war as chaotic, he never denies the individual responsibly that each soldiers had for the evils they committed while at war. Sorcerer comments that â€Å"this was not madness, this was sin. † By differentiating between â€Å"sin† and â€Å"madness† O’Brien shows the immorality of the soldier’s actions, rather than simply blaming the evils they committed on the Vietnam landscape. While â€Å"madness† suggests a lack of control and that the soldiers were unable to make moral decisions, â€Å"sin† is associated with a conscious decision to commit evils and thus an understanding of one’s immoral actions. The fact that in between the savage killing and sexual perversion of the Thuan Yen massacre solders were able to take smoke breaks suggests that the soldiers knew of the â€Å"pure wrongness† of their actions and yet never made the moral decision to stop the killings. If soldiers did in fact understand their actions, O’Brien asks whether they can ever be forgiven. â€Å"Justifications are futile† states O’Brien – the total disregard for the mores of our society means that we cannot justify nor excuse the ultimate acts of savagery that were exhibited in Thuan Yen. Such evils committed by men are unforgivable and thus, the soldiers who partook in the massacre must accept responsibility for their actions, at least to some extent. However, within a landscape as chaotic as that of the Vietnam War, O’Brien asks whether any individuals could have retained his sanity. If not, O’Brien suggests that some blame can be placed on the insanity of the environment of war that warped the moral codes of those who fought in there. Vietnam is depicted as a â€Å"the spirit world†¦ dark and unyielding†; a hellish environment in which the line between good and evil, moral and immoral and right and wrong had been blurred to such an extent that soldiers who had to endure the war landscape were sucked in by the chaos and the amorality. The question of whether any individual, let alone any soldier, would have been able to make moral decisions during war is one that is ever-present in O’Brien’s text. As readers witness the total disregard for human life that was the Thuan Yen massacre, it is hard to believe that any person, no matter how sane and morally upright one may have been before the war, could have retained their sanity within an environment that appears to reach into the soul of every soldiers and dislodge the part that enables us to make moral decisions. Varnado Simpson, a member of the Charlie Company states that â€Å"we simply lost control†¦ we killed all that we could kill. † In his court trial, Simpson defines the very nature of war, with its aimless shooting, elusive enemy and constant paranoia, as a scenario in which any individual would have been taken over by the hysteria that war created. Ultimately, O’Brien graphic depictions of the war landscape allow readers to sympathise with the soldiers and thus allow the blame to shifted, however not excused, from the soldiers themselves. In light of the very nature of war, O’Brien suggests that despite the atrocities of their actions, the inability to make moral and ethical decisions within the world of â€Å"ghosts and graveyards† means that the evils committed by the soldiers must be, at times, viewed with sympathy as well as the scorn that readers naturally thrust upon them. Furthermore, O’Brien demonstrates that it is the very nature of man and our innate capacity for both undying love and unbelievable destruction that ensures that, while their actions are unforgivable, soldiers can be viewed with sympathy. The â€Å"impossible combinations† of the war depicted by O’Brien reflect the ability of man to express both the dichotomies of love and destruction equally and at the same time – a seemingly â€Å"impossible combination† of its own. However, the very fact that these two traits are not mutually exclusive suggests that it is in our very nature to commit acts of evil when placed within a landscape such as that of war. John Wade did not go to war to kill or brutalise or even to â€Å"be a good citizen. † O’Brien ensures through repetition of the statement that â€Å"it was in the nature of love† that Wade went to war. How then, O’Brien asks, can Wade be solely blamed for his actions when his intentions in going to war were pure? While we cannot simply forgive Wade for the massacre in which he partook, O’Brien leads readers to view Wade not â€Å"as a monster, but a man. † Despite the horrors that he committed while at war, it appears as if John Wade was a victim not only of the war landscape, but of ultimately of human nature. In the concluding pages of the novel, as Wade slowly loses himself within the tangle of his own deceit, O’Brien asks if Wade was â€Å"innocent of everything but his own life. † The more poignant question, however, is whether Wade and the rest of the Vietnam veterans are innocent of everything but human nature and our innate ability to commit acts of evil. It is thus that O’Brien suggests that while the actions of the soldiers at Thuan Yen cannot be excused completely, the soldiers themselves cannot solely be blamed. â€Å"Can we believe that he was not a monster, but a man? † It is with this open ended question that Tim O’Brien draws to a conclusion the enigmatic story of Vietnam veteran John Wade. Despite the horrors that he committed throughout his life, most notably the Thuan Yen massacre, O’Brien asks whether humanity can view Wade as a man who was a victim to the chaos of war, to the capacity of human nature to commit evil and ultimately, to his own reality. The actions of soldiers at war cannot be justified – it is with this sentiment that O’Brien writes this antiwar protests – however there are undeniably extenuating circumstances which lead soldiers to commit acts of evil. While culpability should not be lifted from the soldiers completely and their actions should not be excused, O’Brien ensures that we sympathize with the soldiers as many of them were simply swept away in the amorality of the landscape. Ultimately, O’Brien explores human nature and the capacity that man had for destruction. It is this weakness, rather than that of any individual soldiers, that is ultimately responsible for the evils of war.

Prince Henry the Navigator and Zheng He

Prince Henry and Zheng He Comparison Throughout history, many people strived for glory by exploring new lands. They hoped to leave an impact while gaining money and success. Zheng He of China and Prince Henry of Portugal, both set out on maritime expeditions. Prince Henry is widely known and remembered while Zheng He is recognized for being a eunuch. Both used maritime travel to gain economic influence, power and success for their rulers, and to successfully gain economic dominance over the new, conquered lands. However, the two voyagers differed greatly in their reasons for exploration. Henry wanted to spread his religion and focused on gaining allies while Zheng He strived to gain knowledge, trade, and force people to acknowledge Chinese power. In addition, Zheng He actually led these voyages while Henry just funded them. Finally, Portugal largely supported Prince Henry’s expeditions while Zheng He was granted little to no support in China. The structures and values of Portugal and Spain differed greatly. This contributed to how each explorer is remembered. The Portuguese, relied heavily on foreign supplies. Portugal’s capitalist economy allowed many people to conduct and go on explorations. This made Henry’s voyages heavily supported and made expansion possible. Unlike Portugal, China did not have a high demand for foreign supplies. It was a largely self-reliant empire and many citizens believed it was higher than all others. Therefore they did not believe that exploration was necessary. In addition, Confucian scholars believed it was â€Å"demeaning† to rely on any other nations. Consequently, Zheng He’s voyages were barely supported, and he was considered to be a â€Å"servant† of the emperor with little to no independence. Moreover, China relied heavily on their land army while Portugal relied on their navy. Soon, China burnt Zheng He’s works and banned the creation of ships. Throughout Portugal, Prince Henry was highly renowned while in China Zheng He was unacknowledged. Some parts of Prince Henry and Zheng He’s voyages and accomplishments differed greatly. Economically, Zheng He was focused on trading while Henry used the newfound nations to obtain more wealth and allies for Portugal. Zheng He stressed China’s rule and strived to obtain knowledge. However, Prince Henry was more focused on gaining allies. Henry’s several attempts to gain allies can be linked with his desire to gain strength to fight the Muslims on the Iberian Peninsula. When Henry came into contact with other cultures, it was his Christian duty to spread his faith. Zheng He had no desire to spread his religion during his voyages, but he was quite tolerant of other religions. Prince Henry simply guided and controlled the voyages and expansion while Zheng He traveled and led the Chinese on explorations around the world. Though both men traded with the new lands, Zheng He traded rare goods while Prince Henry acquired humans. Zheng He and Prince Henry clearly differed in their reasons for exploration. Prince Henry and Zheng He’s ways of expanding shared several similarities. Both men set out to expand power for their rulers. China and Portugal were extremely advanced in maritime knowledge, which was uncommon, but it allowed for expansion. In addition, both wanted to help their rulers achieve the goal of global dominance, proving that the people of each society highly regarded their rulers. To achieve this goal, both developed boats and relied on their navy. Henry and Zheng He were polite and respectful to the locals, though the Chinese were less forceful than the Portuguese. They also both wanted to impose economic dominance by their homelands over each new land but neither used force. Overall, both Zheng He and Henry successfully expanded their nation’s influence while also accomplishing their exploration goals. Though the voyages of Prince Henry differed with those of Zheng He, the two still maintained many similarities. With such similar achievements, it is surprising that Prince Henry is celebrated and well known while Zheng He is forgotten and disregarded. However, their homelands differed greatly in the way they viewed travel and foreign connections. Portugal’s relied heavily on outside goods allowing for Prince Henry to be regarded as one of the first people to participate in maritime voyages during the age of exploration. However, China was strongly against interacting with the outside world so proof of Zheng He’s achievements were burned and disregarded. Over time, many historians have begun to recognize Zheng He’s expeditions and refer to him as an important voyager during the age of exploration. Without Prince Henry, Zheng He, and other explorers, people believe that the world would not have turned into what it is today.

Immigration Outline Research Essay

Abstract Throughout this paper, there will be the highly debatable discussion between legalizing medical marijuana and regular marijuana. Both sides of the argument have their pros and cons and there is an in depth description of both sides of the argument. At the end of the day though, the paper thoroughly supports the legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana in general. Medical marijuana less harmful than most other legal tobacco products and has the ability to reduce the pain within ailing people. Cannabis also can be a curable and more natural drug to help people in pain. Marijuana also has the potential to raise the U.S. out of their tough economic struggle as well as lower crime rate and create more jobs for many more people. On the other hand researchers believe that medical marijuana is still bad for people’s health and the government does not know how to regulate the production and sell of marijuana. Both sides have valid arguments, but the pros outweigh the cons by a s ignificant amount. This paper has opinions of lots of credible sources, doctors and researchers explaining their side of the story. But read on to create your own personal opinion. Introduction Marijuana should be legalized for medical use across the country. Marijuana has a negative stigma attached by the government and public, but is actually a natural and effective medicine. The argument about medical marijuana is starting to spread across the country like wildfire, and the topic should be addressed. This paper will go into depth explanation and reasoning on why medical marijuana should be legalized as soon as possible. History of Marijuana Medical marijuana and marijuana have had a long, lengthy history of repeated use in the United States. First, from 1900 to 1940, marijuana, including opium and cocaine were considered part of everyday drugs. As time went on, the U.S. cracked down on crack and opium, eventually outlawing them, but continued to be very â€Å"loose† with the use of marijuana. Eventually, as time continued to roll on, the use of marijuana became â€Å"frowned upon.† Marijuana was illegal and the U.S. government became very strict with the cannabis laws. This began around the 80’s and then started to become increasingly worse. Then, around the late 90’s and early 2000’s, scientific studies started to produce jaw-dropping results. Scientists started to discover that marijuana can significantly help people that have become ill. Medical Marijuana has been tested to help people with cataracts, cancer and severe depression, just to name a few (Zeese 1999). With this new world wide discovery, the argument about medical marijuana ignited. States wanted to only make medical marijuana legal so it may help sick people, but the government did not want any form of marijuana legal. The law that was known throughout the United States was any form of marijuana was illegal. But now with this new discovery, doctors in states across the country wanted the legalization of medical marijuana. But states can overrule the laws of the government, because states are given the decision to decide on some of their major laws. Thus came the beginning of the legalization of medical marijuana. The first state to allow the use of medical marijuana was California in 1996 (Zeese 1999). The only distribution of medical marijuana though is through the recommendation of a certified doctor. Other states began to follow in the footsteps of California such as Arizona and Colorado. One thing led to the next, and now there is up to fourteen states that have legalized the distribution of marijuana medically, with many more to come. These states allowed the use of medical marijuana to help people with anxiety, certain types of cancer and cataracts. But the U.S. federal government has tried to prevent patients from obtaining cannabis and threatened physicians who prescribe it with criminal prosecution or loss of their license to practice. But yet, the growing support for medical marijuana has grown massively in numbers over the past 20 years. And before people realized it, the United States government now has to ask themselves: Is marijuana actually not as bad as drug as people thought? And should the United States just simply legalize all forms of marijuana? U.S. View of Medical Marijuana As discussed in the history of marijuana, the American view on marijuana is very pessimistic. The government already feels they are bending backwards by allowing medical marijuana, but they still disagree with everything about it. The government even created the movie called â€Å"Reefer Madness† which is a 1936 movie that wanted to make people believe that when people smoke marijuana then they would become crazy. Starting from a hit and run accident, to manslaughter, suicide, attempted rape, and descent into madness. At the tail end of the eighties, the use of marijuana and other drugs started to reach a new height. At first, lots of people started using the drug because the party scene started to grow increasingly. But by the end of the eighties, society started to abuse cannabis. Along with the abuse of marijuana, drug gangs started selling marijuana along with other drugs, creating more crime throughout the United States. Thus this creates the negative impact on the view of marijuana. The government labeled the use of â€Å"marijuana† as being part of a gang or being a criminal. Then soon after, research in the early eighties showed some negative effects of smoking marijuana. The view of marijuana would retain the title of a â€Å"bad drug† until the recent 2000†™s. These are multiple reasons why marijuana got the â€Å"bad image† by the U.S. government. World View of Medical Marijuana Throughout the world there is a wide variety of rules and laws that pertain to medical marijuana and marijuana in general. Other countries around the world have much less stricter laws when it comes to the matter of medical marijuana and marijuana. In countries such as the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia, they actually encourage the use of medical marijuana and give exemption of pursuing criminal charges to distributers. Then there is the country of Holland, which allows full legalization of every form of marijuana. Holland encourages lots of small business owners to encourage smoking and eating of marijuana. Another way marijuana can be consumed is by baking the cannabis in different types of food, which then allows a different type of high. The high supposedly is more of a body high, which is different from smoking marijuana or taking a pill. But Holland encourages local bake shops to â€Å"cook† marijuana within the their foods. By doing this, small local businesses attra ct more and bigger crowds to come try their new food that has a kick. Holland’s tourism rates have increased slightly since the legalization of marijuana or hash (more pure type of marijuana). It may not have a drastic change in their economy, but it sure does have a small impact. Finally, there is Portugal, which has no laws against any drug of any kind. All drugs from marijuana to cocaine, to heroine are legal. Portugal decided that the people that want to do drugs, then they would. Prison costs drastically changed and statistics show that the crime rate went down, including fewer arrests. Law enforcement now does not have to worry about minor issues like drug related crimes. It allows the law enforcement to put their main focus and priority towards catching more serious criminals such as murders, rapists and theft. The most important aspect is the use of marijuana decreased. Showing that making something illegal, gives the user the thrill of breaking the law and by going t hrough with using the drug. But when marijuana is legal, the thrill is gone, and less people will want to try it. Pros Medical marijuana is never acknowledged for its benefits and use of good in the world. Lots of people simply just write off marijuana as just a bad drug. Compared to modern pharmaceuticals, cannabis is viewed as a radical medicine because it is natural and contains unique chemical compounds. Compounds such as a stimulant within the cannabis that acts as a hunger enhancer. This means, that by smoking or taking a pill version of marijuana, it then makes people get hungry, known as the munchies. So people with diabetes and anorexia can smoke marijuana to create hunger. The direct result is eating more and making those sick individuals better. But if the legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana occurs then there is an extraordinary amount of goodness to come. Also there is numerous medical cases where cannabis has helped sick and people in pain. Certain people that have cancer, have to go through chemotherapy which can be extremely painful. So doctors prescribe medical marijuana f or these people so it helps dull the pain. I know off personal experience with the correlation with cancer, chemotherapy and the use of medical marijuana. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago and had to go through chemotherapy to kill the cancer. She was in pain most days, feeling extreme agony from what the chemotherapy was doing. The chemo is a chemical that is designed to kill something; like cancer for instance, and the side effects is that it hurts the body also. My mom was prescribed medical marijuana after a couple weeks of the chemo because the pain became too much for her. After she started smoking the marijuana the pain was much less intense and helped her significantly overcome her fight with cancer. Next, there is strong scientific evidence that shows that tobacco products such as cigarettes, chewing tobacco, etc. are far worse than the use of marijuana. Cigarettes not only have tobacco that hurts the lungs and mouths but all tobacco products contain nic otine in them. Nicotine is extremely addictive which causes people to smoke or chew more. But yet these tobacco products are legal and are even allowed to sell to individuals of the age of eighteen, so technically still teenagers. To add on, thousands of people are being thrown into jail for possession and distribution of marijuana. So in sense, innocent people are being thrown in federal prisons and jails for possessing or selling a less harmful drug than others. This simply does not add up, and raises another reason to why marijuana should just simply be legalized. These will be the main points in favor for legalizing medical marijuana throughout this paper. Medical Marijuana is not as unhealthy as the media and government says it is. Medical Marijuana could have the potential to raise enough money to help the United States to get out of the recession that we are currently in. The government could make more money for the United States economy by legalizing marijuana. By simply applying higher tax rates on the sell of marijuana and then sell the high taxed herb to the public. The government already uses this method with tobacco products. Officials inflate the tax on tobacco products by incredible amounts so the country receives some of the profits off the tobacco products. To make a cigarette costs two cents to produce, twenty cigarettes in a pack, so that should be around forty cents for a pack of cigarettes. But in reality a pack of cigaret tes costs about 5-7 dollars depending on what part of the country one is located. If the government goes through this same process with marijuana then that would create many more opportunities to make money for the United States. But how would they package and sell marijuana? The best way the government could package and sell marijuana would be in a smaller version of cigarette packs. The government should have a package that can only hold about 10 rolled up marijuana joints or blunts. Then the government should tax the living daylights out of the pack and then the government would have a major inflation in the economy. The government believes that the public will not buy the marijuana because of the negative view on cannabis. But numbers keep increasing year after year as to the percentage of people that believe marijuana should just be legalized. If the government simply just legalizes marijuana and then raise the taxes on it, people will buy the drug. The other point that goes ha nd in hand with the legalization of marijuana is that it will lower criminal activity. Right now the people of the United States pay about 8% of tax dollars to keep prisoners in custody (Mikos, 2009). But some of these so called â€Å"prisoners† are only in there because they broke the law of selling marijuana. These prisoners are in jail because of a petty crime of selling or in possession of this harmless drug. If marijuana were to become legal, then lots of this â€Å"prisoners† would be released and would in the end result save the United States millions of dollars. Cons Even though many activists that want marijuana legal believe that marijuana have no negative aspects, but multiple different test results believe otherwise. First off, the active ingredient in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. THC acts on cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and then influences the activity of those cells. The cannabinoid receptors are part of the brain that influences pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory, time perception and coordinated movement (Buddy, 2011). Marijuana causes health risks in the heart and lungs. Within the first few minutes of smoking marijuana, the heart begins to beat up to 20 to 50 beats faster a minute. This causes the blood pressure to drop and creating a higher heart rate (Buddy, 2011). Researchers have discovered that marijuana smoker’s risk of a heart attack is four times higher within the first hour after smoking marijuana. The lungs also experience burning and stinging in the mouth and lungs when marijuana is s moked. Scientists have found that, â€Å"regular marijuana smokers can experience the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute chest illnesses, increased risk of lung infections, and obstructed airways† (Buddy, 2011). One of the major reasons that the government will now allow marijuana to be legal is the government cannot set rules and regulations with the growing of cannabis. If the government legalizes marijuana then anyone in America can grow and smoke cannabis. The government fears that when they legalize marijuana then everyone will simply just grow their own. If the government were to legalize marijuana then they would want to sell and tax the living daylights out of it. But cannabis is not a hard plant to grow. Marijuana is not like beer or liquor where it is hard to produce; it is extremely easy to grow. Beer and liquor must be made in factories where as marijuana can be grown almost anywhere. So since they cannot stop people from growing it, then it would make it hard for the government to tax cannabis. Then more legal questions arise throughout the country. Do officials arrest people growing marijuana? How can they arrest a person for growing something that is completely legal? The answer is that the government cannot do this, and if they do, they Congress would have to pass new laws that could result in multiple different loop holes. Medical benefits The principal constituent of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and is effective in treating nausea, vomiting, appetite loss and acute and chronic pain. With this information doctors have begun to use and diagnose the use of medical marijuana. Marijuana may prevent Alzheimer’s disease, relieves chronic pain, and fights the effects of cancer (Pope, 1996). Also, recent research has shown that marijuana can fight the effects of fibromyalgia, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, and Lou Gehrig’s disease (Pope, 1996). These are serious illness and diseases that cannabis has already been known to help cure. All of this knowledge has been discovered in the last 20 years also! Just imagine what more time, and more support of this drug can do. If marijuana got legalized then, many more medical mysteries could be solved and could potentially save many more people from pain and dying. Conclusion This information is up to the reader to dictate and decide for their own, but I hope my opinion with credible facts and research has helped inform and give people a better understanding on this topic. And overall, persuade them to agree that medical marijuana and marijuana in general should be legalized. Marijuana is not a bad drug, because it has helped countless people get better and survive. With all these pros and few cons, it is inevitable that the legalization of marijuana should commence immediately. I also ask people to voice their opinions and take action, so the legalization of this drug can occur so it can help and continue to help sick people.