North by Northwest is an Oedipal Wish Fulfillment Fantasy

Even though that during the course of recent decades, the conceptual soundness of the Psychoanalytical Theory by Sigmund Freud has been increasingly criticized, on account of its presumed ‘unscientificalness’, there can only be a few doubts that it continues to denote a high practical value.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on North by Northwest is an Oedipal Wish Fulfillment Fantasy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More After all, even today it represents a thoroughly legitimate practice, on the part of movie critics, to refer to this specific theory, while striving to expose the innate reasons of why a particular character in the film tends to act in one way or another. In this paper, I will explore the validity of the above-statement at length, in regards to the films North by Northwest and Vertigo by Alfred Hitchcock, while promoting the idea that the manner in which main characters in both movies address life-challenges, reflect what happened to be the deep-seated Oedipal anxieties of the individuals in question. The actual mechanics of how men develop Oedipal anxieties have been revealed by Sigmund Freud in the rather straightforward manner, â€Å"The little man (a boy) wants to have his mother all to himself, that he feels the presence of his father as a nuisance, that he is resentful if his father indulges in any signs of affection towards his mother and that he shows satisfaction when his father has gone on a journey or is absent† (1977, p. 332). Because, during the course of their childhood men are rarely capable of opposing their fathers effectively, as they grow, they tend to extrapolate their unconscious frustration, in this respect, in the way they tackle life-challenges – especially while remaining in the relationship with women. As Pommier noted, â€Å"The repressed does not merely return, it acts out under a new identity. So-called adulthood is nothing ot her than this disowned childhood, indefinitely disowned through acts and thoughts. Adulthood is nothing but childhood, which materializes itself in this disavowal† (1997, p. 13). Hence, the currently adopted definition of the Oedipal complex, as the specific state of one’s mind, which is being concerned with the person’s tendency to project its consciously suppressed psychosexual anxieties, which are rooted in the memories of his childhood years, onto the surrounding social reality. There are sharply defined Oedipal overtones to the very plot of North by Northwest, as it is being concerned with exposing viewers to the consequential phases of the film main character’s (Roger Thornhill) quest to discover the elusive identity of George Kaplan.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Throughout the course of this quest, Roger undergoes a specific psychological transfor mation from being a rather indecisive/easily intimidated individual into nothing short of a ‘macho-man’, capable of opposing his violently minded adversaries on their terms. There is, of course, can be very little doubt that the earlier mentioned scenario is contextually consistent with what Freud used to refer to as the psychosexual stages of one’s development, as an individual. The reason for this is quite apparent. In full accordance with how Freud used to perceive the process of one’s psychosexual maturation, the process of Roger continuing to seek what he believed to account for his identity, resulted in the character realizing the fact that the visually observable indications of the person’s existence do not necessarily prove that such a person exists in reality. There are undeniable parallels between the discursive implications of Roger’s enlightenment, in this respect, and Freud’s assumption that it is only natural for intellec tually developing people to grow ever more aware of the illusionary subtleties of their sense of super-ego. There is a memorable scene in the film, where Roger tries out Kaplan’s clothes (to figure whether they would match his size), only to realize that these clothes were meant to be worn by a much shorter/smaller man. This scene can be well interpreted, as such that signifies that the socially constructed framework for one’s sense of self-identity to able to attain ‘individuation’, cannot possibly contain the concerned individual’s subliminal and therefore valid identity-defining anxieties.  Nevertheless, it is only when we begin to deconstruct the discursive meaning of the film’s actual themes and motifs in details that it becomes evident for us that North by Northwest is indeed a strongly ‘Oedipal’ movie. The first thing that comes insight, in this respect, is that it accentuates the ‘Oedipal’ aspects of the re lationship between Roger Thornhill and his mother, Clara. As it appears from the movie, this relationship can be best described as having been unnaturally strong – it is not only that Roger calls his mother multiple times a day, but also he takes close to heart her advice, as to how he should be positioning himself in life. This, of course, implies that the film’s main character never ceased being emotionally attached to Clara, while trying to appease her in just about every way possible, and that this constituted one of his significant life-priorities. However, we can also deduce that, even though he did treat his mother with affection, Roger continued to experience the unconscious sense of shame/guilt, due to his self-presumed inability to prove himself a ‘real man’ in her eyes. This could not be otherwise, because there are a plenty of scenes in the movie, which imply that it was a commonplace practice for Mrs. Thornhill to stress out her son’s c ognitive infantilism in front of others, which in turn used to traumatize the film’s main character emotionally.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on North by Northwest is an Oedipal Wish Fulfillment Fantasy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, there is another memorable scene in North by Northwest, where Clara is continuing to give his son disapproving looks, while the latter tries to convince people around that he has indeed been kidnapped. This scene alone suggests that deep in her mind; she regarded Roger nothing short of a ‘little boy’, who cannot help remaining utterly defenseless while facing reality (00.24.08). Consequently, this was causing Roger to grow increasingly doubtful of whether his rationale-driven identity of a responsible adult-male was perceptually adequate – hence, adding to the sheer intensity of the ensuing anxiety, on Roger’s part. The reason for thi s is that, just as Freud used to suggest, while unconsciously addressing their subliminal desire to have sex with their mothers, men do strive to affiliate themselves with masculine values, as if this would qualify them as their fathers’ legitimate replacements. Thus, Clara’s tendency to humiliate Roger in front of others, which quite obviously lasted for several years, could not result in anything else but in having her son’ feminized’ to an extent. This explains why, for the duration of the film’s first half an hour, Roger does not appear to be capable of assessing the possible implications of him having been kidnapped adequately. There is another motif in North by Northwest, which can be referred to as clearly Oedipal. It is being concerned with the physical appearance of Eva Marie Saint and the qualitative aspects of the relationship between her and Roger. First, this particular character is being represented in the movie as a ‘classic bl ond’, with her facial features radiating the spirit of nobleness. We can well deduce that the reason why Roger became attracted to her, in the first place, is that he unconsciously perceived Eva as the physical embodiment of his mother’s existential virtues – even the character’s last name invokes the notion of purity. After all, as psychologists are being aware of, men do tend to idealize their mothers to the extent of believing that they are in fact, asexual. However, the men’s earlier mentioned tendency has nothing to do with the workings of their unconscious id, while being, in essence, the part of the psychological defense mechanism, deployed by men in situations when they face cognitive dissonance.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hence, the symbolic significance of Eva’s presence in Hitchcock’s film, as an extrapolation of Roger’s deep-seated anxiety to copulate with his mother – although he had this anxiety consciously suppressed, Roger was nevertheless driven by it, while pursuing the relationship with Eva. In essence, he regarded Eva as his mother’s ‘surrogate’. At the same time, however, Roger could not help experiencing the sensation of emotional discomfort, because of that, as the relationship in question never ceased being evocative of the notion of ‘sin’. In its turn, this explains why the character of Eva can be well discussed in terms of a femme fatale – without wanting it, she nevertheless almost caused Roger to die, after having ‘scheduled’ him to meet imaginary George Kaplan in the middle of an open field. Thus, just as it happened to be the case in noir films, the character of femme fatale Eva serves in North by No rthwest the function of intensifying the plot’s dramatics, as it does prompt male-viewers to get in close touch with their unconscious fears of incest. What has been said earlier, provides us with the discursive framework to elaborate upon what can be considered the Oedipal significance of the character of Vandamme in the movie. After all, there can be only a few doubts as to the fact that, as opposed to what it happened to be the case with Roger Thornhill, Vandamme is being represented as a violently minded, cynical and yet wickedly witty individual. Therefore, we can well speculate that, while competing to win the same woman (Eva) with Vandamm, which happened to emanate the ‘saintly’ virtues of nobleness and wisdom, the film’s main character was in all probability regarding his adversary in terms of an oppressive father. This explains why, up until the film’s very end, Roger appeared having been incapable of opposing Vandamm effectively – q uite contrary to the fact that, just as his main nemeses, he could be described as an intelligent and physically strong man. The reason for this is that psychologically speaking, Roger did not only thought of Vandamme if terms of a male-competitor, but also in terms of a fatherly figure. Apparently, Vandamme’s very presence used to prove utterly intimidating for the main character, as the latter tended to think that challenging Vandamme to a fair ‘duel’ would violate an absolute taboo, within the context of how sons are supposed to refer to their fathers. According to Freud, one of the foremost Oedipal anxieties, on the part of men, which develops when they are aged 3-5 years old, is the fear of uncleanliness – while toilet-trained, the boys never cease being afraid of the prospect of failing to act like adults, in this respect. Therefore, it is fully explainable why being an ‘Oedipal’ movie, North by Northwest features some scenes in which Ro ger’s clothes become ever more soiled – hence, causing the main character to continue being submerged ever deeper in his Oedipal anxieties. The most memorable of these scenes is the one where Roger ends up being crop-dusted while hiding from an overflying plane in the open cornfield (01.14.09). As Morris noted, â€Å"In the crop-dusting sequence, Thornhill is driven into the ground and covered with a chemical agent, as if the quest for ‘grounds’ in North by Northwest resulted only in the further vulnerability and degradation of human identity† (1997, p. 50). Consequently, Roger’s suit becomes somewhat unrecognizable. In its turn, this explains why, after having met Eva for the second time, Roger does not talk to her angrily – despite the fact that Eva did set him up in the somewhat conniving manner. From the psychoanalytical point of view, this was because, after having been crop-dusted, Roger became endowed with the complex of sublimi nal guilt, due to his earlier first-hand encounter with ‘filthiness’. This, of course, substantially undermined the character’s sense of self-worth – hence, causing him to end up being out of words while facing his femme fatale.  One of the reasons why many grown individuals continue to be endowed with the Oedipal complex is that throughout their adult lives, they never had a chance to rationalize their sex-related unconscious anxieties. In its turn, this is the consequence of these people’s continual exposure to the oppressiveness of the currently dominant socio-cultural discourse, which deems even the mentioning of these anxieties’ shameful’. The validity of this statement can be illustrated in relation to another famous scene in North by Northwest, which symbolizes the society’s unwillingness to allow its members to go about exploring their existential identities, in the way they consider the most appropriate. We refer to t he scene that features Roger and Eva climbing down the ‘faces’ of the Founding Fathers, carved into the Rushmore Mountain (02.12.00). The close analysis of this particular scene reveals that it was not included in the film for emphasizing the grotesque subtleties of Roger and Eva’s escape alone, but also to promote the idea that the socially upheld provisions of a conventional morality/ethics do prevent many people from being able to address their psychosexual anxieties. After all, the director made a deliberate point in having the film’s emotionally charged climax unraveling in the foreground of absolutely unemotional stone-faces. Apparently, this was done to accentuate the central aspect of modern living – the fact that people’s psychosexual drives, which in the end define the essence of the relationship between the representatives of opposite sexes and consequently – the society’s very fabric, remain unacknowledged by morali stically minded policy-makers. Given the fact that, as it was pointed out earlier, Roger’s romantic involvement with Eva appears to be mainly ‘Oedipal’, it will only be appropriate, on our part, to think of the above mentioned scene as yet another indication that, when filming North by Northwest, Hitchcock remained thoroughly aware of the Psychoanalytical theory’s main postulates. Another notable aspect of how men extrapolate their Oedipal anxieties is that, while pursuing the relationship with women, they strive to ensure the complete ‘ownership’ of the latter. The origins of such men’s tendency can be traced to the time when they were young boys, who would try to do just about anything, in order to win their mothers’ uncompromised attention – even at the expense of putting their fathers in particular ‘attentional’ disadvantage. Therefore, grown-up ‘Oedipal’ men are dialectically predetermined to exhibit the signs that their unconscious psychosexual agenda is being concerned with objectualizing women in terms of a commodity – even when they do not quite realize it consciously. Hence, the discursive significance of the scene, in which Roger extends his hand to Eva, grabs her wrist, and says, â€Å"Come along Mrs. Thornhill† (02.15.58) – apparently, by having uttered these words, he attempted to do nothing less than taking an effective care of one of his major Oedipal anxieties, once and for all. This anxiety had to do with the fact that, during the course of his childhood, Roger convinced himself that it is specifically a man that successfully addresses the responsibilities of a hunter-gatherer (husband), which is being in a position to have sexual relations with his mother. Consequently, Roger associated the notion of ‘husband’ with the notion of ‘being in charge’, and the notion of ‘being in charge’ with the menâ €™s presumed ability to keep their women subservient. Thus, it is indeed entirely appropriate referring to North by Northwest, as a film where the plot’s Oedipal themes and motifs accentuate the true significance of the on-screen action. The 1958 film Vertigo represents another example of how Hitchcock used to go about appealing to the audience’s deep-seated Oedipal anxieties. Its plot is concerned with the story about the former police detective (John â€Å"Scottie† Ferguson) striving to uncover the mystery of his friend wife’s (Madeleine Elster) periodical transfigurations from a cheerful and intelligent contemporary into presumably a long-dead woman from the 19th century, obsessed with the thoughts of suicide. At the movie’s end, it is being revealed that the ‘mystery’ is question has in fact been staged and that ‘Madeleine’ was Judy Barton – a woman that agreed to act as an accomplice in the murder of real M adeleine Elster.  One of the film’s central Oedipal motifs is the main character’s condition of acrophobia (the fear of heights), which he developed in the aftermath of his partner’s deadly fall from the roof, during the course of a police chase. The rationale behind this suggestion is quite apparent – because his newly acquired mental condition caused Scotty to feel existentially incapacitated and therefore ‘effeminate’ to an extent, we can well deduce that Scotty’s unconsciousness regarded the earlier mentioned incident in terms of the act of ‘castration’. Therefore, there is nothing too odd about the fact that, throughout the film’s initial scene, Scotty is shown trying to regain his lost masculinity by the mean of attempting to climb up the steps of a stool, in order to prove his condition being manageable. This, however, turns out quite impossible for him. Eventually, Scotty’s deep-seated realization o f its own inadequateness resulted in the film’s main character deciding to follow Madeleine, just as his friend asks him to, in order to figure out what caused her to behave strangely. It is quite clear that, on an unconscious level, Scotty thought of such his decision as having potentially capable to help him to restore his former vision of himself, as a fully functional male. Nevertheless, it is specifically after we get to see the character of Madeleine for the first time, that the film’s Oedipal undertones become quite apparent. After all, just as it was the case with the role of Eva in North by Northwest, Madeleine radiates the unmistakable aura of ‘sainthood’ around her. The gray-blond color of Madeleine’s hair adds to this impression rather substantially. The reason why Hitchcock decided to make Madeleine a blonde-haired person is no different from what used to be the rationale for Renaissance artists to represent the figures of female-saint s in their paintings in the similar manner. Apparently, men are naturally driven to associate the color of white with the notion of purity, which they in turn associate with the notion of motherhood. What makes the Madeleine’s appearance even more Oedipal, is that there is a certain unnaturalness to her ‘blondness’ – as if it came as a result of this character having dyed her hair with hydrogen peroxide. This provides us with an additional reason to believe that it were specifically the main character’s Oedipal anxieties, which caused him to become instantly attracted to her. While being exposed to the sight of this particular femme fatale, Scotty could not help experiencing the sensation of getting in close touch with what used to define his personality back in the past. In other words, it was not Scotty’s attraction with Madeleine, as an individual, which initially prompted him to follow her, but his unconscious awareness of the fact that, despite having not seen Madeline, prior to their first encounter in the film, he nevertheless knew just about everything about her. We can only agree with Hinton, who suggested that, â€Å"While Scottie is looking at Madeleine, or who he believes to be ‘Madeleine,’ he is looking for a ghost, or the truth about ghosts: that ‘Madeleine’s’ possession is all in her head, that she lacks a ‘head,’ rationally speaking† (1994, p. 4). Without realizing it consciously, Scotty considered Madeleine as the embodiment of his mother’s womanly virtues. In its turn, this reveals the symbolical significance of the fact that, just as it can be seen in the film, while following Madeleine, Scotty was deriving a particular sensual pleasure out of this essentially voyeuristic process. Such Scotty’s tendency can be well discussed as having been reflective of his childhood memories. As Freud used to point out, even though they know perfectly well that their mothers will never choose them as sexual partners, young boys nevertheless cannot help experiencing a strong sensual attraction towards them. As a result, young boys never skip an opportunity to watch the process of their mothers being undressed, for example – even when it requires them to remain hidden in the room or to peek through the door’s keyhole. Thus, there can be only a few doubts, as to the Oedipal roots of men’s tendency to indulge in voyeurism. What is means is that, as he proceeded to follow Madeleine in his car, Scotty was gradually beginning to think of this particular activity, on his part, as such that constituted the value of a ‘thing in itself’. The validity of this suggestion can be illustrated, in regards to one of the film’s memorable scenes, in which Scotty expresses its displeasure with Midge Wood’s (his female friend) attempt to win his romantic attention, by the mean of having herself depicted wearing the same old-fashioned dress, like the one that used to be worn by Madeleine’s grandmother Carlotta (01.01.46). Apparently, it never occurred to Midge that the reason why Scotty used to take an interest in listening to the stories about Madeleine’s grandmother had nothing to do with his mental fixation on the particulars of this woman’s physical appearance. Instead, it had to do with the main character’s subtle understanding that, while finding out more about Madeleine/her grandmother, he was regaining the long-lost part of his self-identity. The above-statement also helps to explain the persistence, with which Scotty went about dressing up Judy (who acted as ‘Madeleine’, before the person’s presumed death, due to having fallen off the monastery’s tower). Because of how he worked, in this respect, we can well assume that the relationship between Scotty and Madeleine was in fact ‘unidirectional’. That is, i t was not Madeleine in flesh in blood, who Scotty believed to be in love with, but rather this woman’s fetishized image, which in turn was nothing but the visually observable sublimation of the main character’s Oedipal longings. The assumption that in the Hitchcock’s film Scotty acts as an individual endowed with the Oedipal complex also sheds light on the discursive significance of the scene in which he fails to prevent ‘Madeleine’ from committing suicide, by the mean of jumping of the monastery’s tower (00.52.28). This is because, according to the Freudian conceptualization of the concerned anxiety’s effects, Oedipal individuals experience two diametrically opposite desires – the desire to achieve a sexual satisfaction with the object of their psychosexual fixation, on the one hand, and the desire not to have information about this revealed to the morally oppressive society, on the other. In its turn, this can be explained by the fact that, while addressing life-challenges, people are being forced to observe the conventional code of behavioral ethics, adopted within the society – hence, allowing their super-ego to define the qualitative aspects of how they position themselves in life. However, as a result, people often develop some life-impending ‘secondary’ anxieties, such as the fear of committing a ‘sin’ and allowing the society to find out about it. Because the workings of people’s ‘archetypical unconsciousness’ inevitably cause them to believe that the sin’s ultimate consequence is death, they cannot help acting in the manner that their super-ego prescribes them to – hence, the phenomenon of people’s endowment with what Freud used to refer to as the ‘instinct of death’. What it means is that, on an unconscious level, Scotty was aware that his relationship with Madeleine was bound to end up in tragedy. This is the reason why, even though there were strongly ominous overtones to how Madeleine asked him to forget her in the scene where she was about to jump off the tower, Scotty did not move a finger to prevent Madeleine from realizing her suicidal intention before it was too late. This is even though he did not hesitate even for a second jumping in the water after Madeleine when she tried to kill herself the first time. Apparently, at this particular moment in the film, Scotty’s ‘instinct of death’, enforced upon him by his realization of the ‘sinful’ nature of his relationship with Madeleine, prevailed. After the incident, Scotty is shown dealing with acute depression. The sensation of depression, on his part, was so intense that the film’s main character ended up undergoing psychiatric treatment in the clinic. In its turn, Scotty’s depression was triggered by his sense of guilt, on account of his failure to save Madeleine. This once again confir ms the appropriateness of the suggestion that, throughout Vertigo, Scotty acts as an ‘Oedipal’ individual, in the classical sense of this word. After all, as we are well aware of, when trying to maintain the posture of the society’s productive members, people have no other option but to suppress their Oedipal anxieties consciously, which cannot result in anything else but in creating prerequisites for these people’s mental states to grow increasingly deteriorated. The process’s ultimate consequence is depression. In Scotty’s case, his depression appears to have been brought about by not as much the sensation of loss, on his part, but rather by his unconscious realization that, even while adult, he proved himself inadequate in the relationship with his ‘subliminal mother’ – Madeleine. As it was implied earlier, it is in the very nature of Oedipal men to idealize their mothers as ‘saintly’ figures. Such their te ndency can be discussed in terms of a psychological defense mechanism – while suspecting that it is precisely their unworthiness, as thoroughly dependent individuals, which prevents them from being able to have a sexual intercourse with their mothers, young boys natural tend to refer to the objects of their latent sexual desires, as being somewhat ‘unapproachable’. The reason for this is that it helps boys to reduce the strength of the anxiety of worthlessness, on their part. At the same time, however, it causes boys to think of women, in general, as something that they are not really in reality, which in turn is being capable of incapacitating these boys cognitively, by the time they reach adulthood. This helps us to explain the significance of the scene, in which Scotty drags ‘Madeleine’/Judy to the top of the tower, as if his condition of acrophobia did no longer have any effect on him (02.07.04). Once, he realized the illusionary essence of his s elf-constructed image of Madeleine, as a ‘saintly’ figure, Scotty’s acrophobia evaporated into thin air, because it occurred to him that there was in fact nothing ‘sinful’ about his attraction to this woman, in the first place. Therefore, by dragging Judy up the staircase, Scotty wanted to confirm to himself once again that it is namely men’s possession of a penis, which defines the manner in which they pursue relationships with women – in Scotty’s eyes, the monastery’s tower became nothing short of a phallic symbol. In its turn, this allowed Scotty’s id to escape the oppressive boundaries of his super-ego, which empowered the film’s main character to an extent that he instantaneously forgot about his fear of heights. In other words, the concerned scene subtly suggests that it is only when men become aware of the fact that they themselves contribute to the sensation of having been ‘castrated’, in the allegorical sense of this word, by the mean of adopting a rather uncritical view of women, that they may cease being ‘Oedipal’. In this respect, the earlier mentioned message, read between the scene’s ‘lines’, appears entirely consistent with how the Theory of Psychoanalysis addresses the issue of people’s endowment with the Oedipal complex. After all, according to this theory, the pathways towards the reestablishment of emotional equilibrium, inside the ‘Oedipal’ individual’s mind, cannot be discussed outside of the concerned person’s willingness to recognize the counter-beneficiary effects of how his super-ego assess the surrounding psychosexual reality. I believe that the earlier deployed line of argumentation, in defense of the suggestion that there are indeed some clearly Oedipal overtones in the films North by Northwest and Vertigo, is entirely consistent with the paper’s initial thesis. It is under stood, of course, that many insights, contained in this paper, are somewhat speculative. This, however, does not undermine these insights’ overall legitimacy, because even today it remains a commonplace practice, among psychoanalysts, to go about identifying the suspected psychopathology in a person, by the mean of exposing the objectiveness of his or her subliminal anxieties. In this respect, we did not act any differently. Thus, it will only be appropriate, on our part, to conclude this paper by reinstating once again that the films North by Northwest and Vertigo by Alfred Hitchcock do contain clues as to both: what causes people to become ‘Oedipal’ and what they can do, in order to have the acuteness of their Oedipal anxieties substantially reduced. References Freud, Z 1977, Introductory lectures on Psychoanalysis, New York, Norton. Hinton, L 1994, ‘A â€Å"woman’s† view: the Vertigo frame-up’, Film Criticism, vol. 19. no. 2, pp. 2-2 2. Morris, C 1997, ‘The direction of â€Å"North by Northwest†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, Cinema Journal, vol. 36. no. 4, pp. 43-56 North by Northwest, 1959. Film. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. USA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Pommier, G 1997, ‘The psychoanalytic concept of childhood’, Critical Quarterly, vol. 39. No. 3, pp. 8-15. Vertigo, 1958. Film. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. USA: Paramount Pictures. This essay on North by Northwest is an Oedipal Wish Fulfillment Fantasy was written and submitted by user Allan Powers to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Significance Of Semiotic Texts In Gang Culture

Significance Of Semiotic Texts In Gang Culture Introduction Gangs use various signs and symbols to communicate different messages. Gang sub-culture has taken root in many urban areas across the world. Gang members have unique signs and symbols which they use to distinguish themselves from members of other gangs. This paper will discuss various signs and symbols commonly used in gangs and how they impact on the way gang members interact.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Significance Of Semiotic Texts In Gang Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hand Signs Gang members use hand signs to pass across different messages to their peers. These messages are only understood by gang members. Gang members use these signs to pass across instructions to their fellow members to do particular actions. These hand signs are done through symbols of letters or gestures to convey certain meanings. In many urban societies, gang culture has become one of the most common methods of self-expression. Hand signs make it possible for gang members to interact and exchange specific information related to their own dealings (Carlie, 2002). These signs help to convey different types of messages which a gang member is supposed to carry out as expected of him. Hand signs are normally accompanied by other gestures to convey visual messages to targeted recipients. Walking styles and other forms of body language help to communicate different ideas between gang members. Sometimes, they serve as warnings of imminent arrests from law enforcement officers. Hand signs can also be used to warn a gang member of a possible violent attack by members of an opposing gang. Gang affiliation is a sub-culture which has gained popularity among many young people. Hand signals are used to communicate anger, feelings of disrespect or other desires between two or more gang members (Carlie, 2002). Therefore, gang members use these signs to show their loyalty and the pride they have in being me mbers of their gang. Tattoos Tattoos are some of the most common signs used to identify gang members. Gang members use tattoos to show the respect they command within their gangs. These tattoos serve as symbols of activities which an individual gang member has done to show his loyalty. Gang members who are willing to endure pain and torture without revealing secret criminal dealings of their gangs are highly respected. Therefore, tattoos are used to show how valuable they are to their gangs and the roles they play as members of their respective gangs (Schneider, 1999, p. 67). Gang members who have gone to prison for one offence or another are also highly regarded and this is shown through tattoos they have on their bodies. Some tattoos are used to show the number of people a gang member has killed or the activity which he has done to earn the respect of his fellow gang members.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first pap er with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, tattoos are some of the most common symbols used in gang sub-cultures for different reasons. They can also be used to show respect for fellow gang members killed by other rival gangs. In many instances, gang members use tattoos to show their masculinity and bravado so as to intimidate other people. Tattoos are symbols of rebellion to the rule of law and order, which is one of the most common values gangs are known for. Some gang members also believe in various myths which they believe have strong relevance to their gangs (Schatzberg, p. 59). They etch tattoos on their bodies to signify that they revere these mythologies because of the value attached to them by their gangs. They are socialized by their leaders to attach a lot of value to these myths to enable them perform their roles effectively. Graffiti and other Symbols Other symbols which are commonly used by gangs include graffiti, clothing, accessories, colors and language. Graffiti is used to mark out territories in urban areas where gangs obtain illegal revenue from. These visual displays serve to warn other rival gangs not to do any ‘business’ in those locations failure to which they will face violent repercussions. Graffiti is also used to threaten members of particular gangs with violence if they continue doing a particular activity in a certain area (Klein, 2006, p. 79). Clothes, accessories and different colors are used to identify members of a gang and their attachment to its values. Sagging pants was a common form of gang expression used in the 1990’s to communicate various messages on male sexuality. Some gangs have their own language which members use to communicate to stop their secrets from leaking out to law enforcement officers. All these signs help to convey particular messages about gangs and their sub-cultures. Gang members are socialized to appreciate these signs because they strengthen their loyalty to their gang s. Signs and symbols help to make members aware on activities which they are supposed to do and how they are supposed to do them. These symbols are also pronouncements of deeds which have occurred or have not yet taken place. Signs and symbols help to convey various values and attitudes which gang members in various urban locations have a lot of pride in. References Carlie, M. (2002). Graffiti and other gang identifiers. Into the abyss:A personal journey into the world of street gangs. Retrieved from http://people.missouristate.edu/MichaelCarlie/what_i_learned_about/gangs/graffiti_and_other_identifiers.htmAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Significance Of Semiotic Texts In Gang Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Klein, M.W. (2006). Street gang patterns and policies. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Schatzberg, R. (1993). Black organized crime in Harlem: 1920-1930. New York, NY: Garland Publishing. Schneide r, E.C. (1999). Vampires-dragons-and Egyptian kings: Youth gangs in postwar New York. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1999.

A Comparative Analysis O F The Education System In China And The USA

A Comparative Analysis O F The Education System In China And The USA Primary education is the foundation in educational systems no matter in USA or China. Basic language skills, mathematical skills and scientific concepts are introduced to children at ages 4-7. Children continue to build on these concepts through to the age of 12 or 13 until they finish primary education and receive higher education. Still, similarities and differences can be found between the two countries of primary education. Primary education in China includes preschool and elementary education. Preschool can last up to three years, with children entering as early as age 3, until age 6, when they typically enter elementary school. To compare with primary education in the United States typically refers to the first six years of formal education in most jurisdictions. Primary education may also be referred to as elementary education and most schools offering these programs are referred to as elementary schools. But for USA the preschool programs are less formal and usually not mandated by law, are generally not considered part of primary education. The first year of primary education is commonly referred to as kindergarten and begins at age 5. Subsequent years are usually numbered being referred to as first grade, second grade, and so forth. The United States of America primary school usually offers a basic core subjects which are language, mathematics, science, social, sports and health, music and art education. Apart from sports, music, arts and crafts needing to the fixed site or the classroom, which can be discharged outside of class, the other sections are taught in a class by a teacher. Most schools also have no fixed schedule, only by the teacher’s master and arrangement. Unlike â€Å"learning† is the crucial factor of USA primary education, in China â€Å"teaching† is the crucial factor. We also have the courses of language, mathematics, science, social, sports and health, music and art education, but primary school must use the same textbook, teachers have no power to change it. And teaching quality is judged by other teachers. In this aspect, teacher would choose what they consider to be â€Å"useful† to teach their students. But it turns out that is not useful in their real life, bu t only in the exam. There are dig differences between USA and China in terms of primary education. The primary education in USA place emphasis on diversity and free learning atmosphere, and the life principle is that -play, learn, grow and together, which is what we lack and need to modestly study. While there is no strict core system in the content of the curriculum, happy growth reduce to follow one’s own inclination. In conclusion, each has its own merits. All we need to do is learn from each other, take the essence and discard the dregs, and grow together.

Extreme measures movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Extreme measures movie - Essay Example While he is curious, his superiors at the hospital tell him to drop the matter. When he does not stop asking questions, his life starts to unravel around him. His house is ransacked and when the police arrive they discover cocaine in his bedroom which Luthan claims was not his. He is charged and convicted which leads him to lose his medical license and he becomes friendless as he is thought to be a drug user. Desperate for answers that can get him his life back, he manages to talk to some homeless people who lead him to an organization governed by Dr. Myrick (Gene Hackman) who is performing dangerous experiments on homeless people without their consent. Further, Luthan finds out that all of the subjects of these experiments have died. Luthan himself experiences the pain and misery of those who suffer from paralysis when he is led to believe that an injury to his spinal column has left him paralyzed from the neck down. However, he discovers that to be untrue and regains use of his limbs. He manages to find out where the experiments are being conducted through the help of the ‘moles’ who have an uneasy co-existence with the homeless people and finally confronts Dr. Myrick. Dr. Myrick tries to bring Luthan into the organisaiton and wants him to join his team of doctors. However, Luthan refuses since he does not believe that taking the life of an individual, no matter how worthless that life is, is the right thing to do. The confrontation ends with an FBI Agent accidentally shooting Dr. Myrick and the whole scheme is laid bare. Some time on in the future, the wife of Dr. Myrick meets with Dr. Luthan who is practicing medicine again and she hands him a package containing the tapes and the documents Dr. Myrick was working on. It is unclear if Dr. Luthan would use the research done by Dr. Myrick but he certainly seemed interested in it. The message contained within the film is simply, truth triumphs over evil and

Business Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Business Project Management - Essay Example The multibillion-dollar contract for sealing the border is called Secure Border Initiative Net (SBInet). In a nutshell this project will be centered on the Nogales, Texas to monitor and control about 6000 miles stretch of the border with Canada and Mexico. Boeing Company will be awarded this contract. It has a history in military contracts and weapon systems. Boeings Integrated Defense Systems Unit will be the main dealing unit. The reason for choosing Boeing is their experience in listening devices, motion sensors, cameras, monitoring tower and overall security system. The major constraint is the sheer stretch of the border. It is a common idea that the interdependent time related activities must be performed and completed within the given time limits (Gutjahr, Strauss & Wagner, 2000). It is not a small project in terms of cost, time and manpower required to properly seal and monitor the border. The biggest constraint is to get the approval of the Senate and the public to fund a multibillion dollar project. Narrative building is mandatory. The government needs to convince and win the sympathies of the people and the politicians to get the taxpayers’ money to fund such a project. The alternative analysis reveals that the situation on the border can be improved through indirect means. The Mexican border is notorious for providing sneaky passage for illegal immigrants. If the economic and security situation in Mexico improves, people would not be risking their lives to cross into the United States. But from the perspective of the U.S. this is almost impossible to achieve. The United States does not dictate the Mexican Government. The U.S. can only suggest improvements. The only option is to secure the border. Either the U.S. can build up fences and seal it shut or it can deploy so much manpower that they stop any illegal immigrant or drug smuggler that tries to sneak into the US soil. They

The Study Skills Handbook Essay Example for Free

The Study Skills Handbook Essay In order to overcome the weaknesses of both the cross-sectional and longitudinal approach most developmental psychologists use a combination of the two in a single study as illustrated by Schaie (1965). He conducted a study of dependency behaviour in two, five and eight year olds. The first part of the study, which was cross-sectional, required data to be collected at all three age points. The longitudinal approach was then used following an interim of three years, when the two year olds reached the age of five and the five year olds reached the age of eight. If this study was simply longitudinal it would have taken six years before data collection was complete, therefore the combination of both approaches represents a fifty percent saving in time. It also allows for a check to be carried out on a possible cohort effect. Both data collection methods, the longitudinal and cross-sectional approach, can produce different findings on the same study. Weschslers cross-sectional study showed a decline in intelligence from the age of twenty. In contrast Schaie and Willis longitudinal study of intelligence showed an increase in intelligence up until the age of fifty. The reasons for the different findings is firstly the cohort effect, different past histories, connected to the cross-sectional approach and secondly participant attrition, that is to say participant drop out, associated with the longitudinal approach. In conclusion the longitudinal design is not the preferred approach for developmental psychologists because of the costs, time involved and participant attrition. On the other hand the cross-sectional design is very popular and is the preferred method as data covering a wide range of age points can be collected in a very short period of time. It is also cost effective and developmental questions can be answered quickly and efficiently. References Davey, G., (Ed) (2004) Complete Psychology. Oxon: Hodder Stroughton. Gleitman, H, Fridlund, A. J. F. Reisberg, D. (2004) Psychology (6th Ed.). New York: W.W.Norton. Cottrell, S., (2003) The Study Skills Handbook. (2nd Ed). Palgrave Macmillan. Millar, W.S. (2004) Methods used by Developmental Psychologists. Transcript PY 102C Developmental Psychology. Student No: 03037041

How does Miller create dramatic tension between Marco and Eddie at the

How does Miller create dramatic tension between Marco and Eddie at the end of Act One? So far in the play Marco and Rodolfo have illegally immigrated to America, seeking shelter with their cousin Beatrice and her husband Eddie. Living with them is Catherine, their niece, who falls head over heels in love with Rodolfo. Eddie is not happy, as he is incredibly overprotective of Catherine. This overprotectiveness turns to jealousy, which turns into an obsession. At the end of Act One all five characters are in the living room, sharing a cosy after dinner chat. At this point of â€Å"A View From The Bridge† Eddie is feeling intensely jealous of Rodolfo and he doesn’t really understand why. He talks to Alfieri about it, yet Alfieri seems to immediately understand what is going on and just before this scene hints at the bloody outcome of this tale. Marco, too, recognizes Eddie’s feelings for Catherine, though he appears to be the only one in the family who sees it. The premonition in Alfieri’s soliloquy make the audience think. It makes them ask question like who’s going to die? How are they going to die? Why are they going to die? The audience want to know the answers to all of these questions right at the beginning of the play and will start to guess what will happen, yet they have to pay attention to understand what is going on and make predictions. The personalities of the characters greatly affect the tension of this part of the play. For example, if Marco were not so silent and still, his threat would not be so obvious. When he â€Å"takes a chair, places it in front of Eddie, and looks down at it† it is a contrast to his natural behaviour. Eddie, however, still does not get it, as he believes that the worl... ...gland, for example, where the sense of community is much less, the dramatic tension would not exist. In fact the situation would probably not have arisen at all. Catherine would have had more freedom, Eddie and Beatrice would have attended marriage counselling and most likely Marco and Rodolfo could have immigrated legally. The play would be quite boring. In conclusion, many things contribute to the tension at the end of Act One. It would be nearly impossible to have the same sort of tension if just one aspect of the play was changed. The tension would probably remain but it would be utterly different. It could be more or less effective than the way it is now, but I feel it would be more likely that a master playwright like Arthur Miller would understand what he was doing, and would try and make the play as dramatic as he could, to get his point across.

African Americans: Fighting for Their Rights Essay

There has always been a lot of discussion about the perception of African Americans in the media and how it affects their self-identity. It is easy to find examples of bias in portraying African Americans in the media. So what exactly is it that the media does to bring out these stereotypes, biases, and images that tend to stick with a lot of African Americans? The goal of this paper is to explore the different perceptions African Americans have gone through, how it has given them a sense of double consciousness on life, where the media image of African Americans that has stuck with them for so long can, and will go from here. According to the United States Census Bureau (2001), 12. 3% of all people reporting as one race reported they were â€Å"Black or African American†. This ethnic identity is now the second biggest minority group in the United States. It also refers to a group of people that has been in the United States for as long as it has existed. However, through the persecution of slavery, the austerity of segregation, and the continuing underlying prejudice, African Americans are still searching for their true identity. Just as children that were adopted tend to long for a true identity most of their lives, so are the circumstances of the African American. Stolen from their homeland and forced into slavery in a new country, African Americans were basically victims of identity theft. Although a lot of progress has been made in the way of an American identity for African Americans, a true identity has not yet been found. According to W. E. B DuBois (1903) â€Å"The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife—this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self† (p.68). Many African Americans feel the same as W. E. B. Du Bois when he says, â€Å"After the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world – a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. † He also states, â€Å"One ever feels his twoness – an American, a Negro, two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled arrives; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. † A quick look at American history makes it easy to understand where this split identity stems from because Du Bois claims that African Americans were always forced to see things through â€Å"white† eyes only and not have a vision of their own. In an effort to rephrase Du Bois’ comment above, the terminology of â€Å"twoness† is really him trying to define double consciousness as a few different things: 1 the power that white stereotypes have on African American’s lives and also having that internal conflict between labeling themselves as African and American simultaneously. 2 it is a sense of awareness of one’s self along with the awareness of how others may perceive one. This in turn leads to conforming based on level of power, which is basically what occurred. PBS’ African American World Timeline (2004) says that there is a large history of not granting African Americans an identity. Before 1787, of course, African Americans were slaves and only thought of as property. In 1787 the U. S. Constitution was approved. It allowed for the continuation of the slave trade for another 20 years and claimed that a slave counted as three-fifths of a man for representation by the government. In 1865 some progress was gained when the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, outlawing slavery and creating a Freedmen’s Bureau to help out former slaves. Also in 1865 Union General, William Sherman issued a field order setting up 40-acre plots of land in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida for African Americans to settle. But, in 1866, some all-white legislatures in the former Confederate states passed what were known as, â€Å"Black Codes† harshly cutting the freedom of African Americans and practically re-enslaving them. Since that time there has been some progression and also some difficulty for African Americans. Based on the history of the United States’ treatment of African Americans, it is easy to understand how they could struggle for their true identity. James Jones (1991) might say it best when he states, â€Å"Black personality is in part an adaptation to the political contours of racism. The conflict between the freedoms and rights of United States citizens is connected to the denial of freedom and rights that is the history of the African American presence in this country. If we view personality as the resultant of coping pattern and socialization directives, then black personality is, in part, the cumulative representation of the effects of racism over four centuries. It reflects over time, the effects of the form and structure racism takes, and comes to signal the nature of race relations at any point in time (p. 305). † This would lead to accepting of the fact that African Americans do, of course, have an identity, but a lot of the time it is dependent on the identity of White race at that time. Alain Locke (1925) explains the upward moving and upbeat side of African American identity: â€Å"In the last decade something beyond the watch and guard of statistics has happened in the life of the American Negro and the three norms who have traditionally presided over the Negro problem have a changeling in their laps. The Sociologist, The Philanthropist, the Race-leader are not unaware of the New Negro but they are at a loss to account for him. He simply cannot be swathed in their formulae. For the younger generation is vibrant with a new psychology; the new spirit is awake in the masses, and under the very eyes of the professional observers is transforming what has been a perennial problem into the progressive phases of contemporary Negro life. Could such a metamorphosis have taken place as suddenly as it has appeared to? The answer is no, not because the New Negro is not here, but because the Old Negro had long become more of a myth than a man. The Old Negro, we must remember, was a creature of moral debate and historical controversy. His has been a stock figure perpetuated as a historical fiction partly in innocent sentimentalism, partly in deliberate reactions. The Negro himself has contributed his share to this through a sort of protective social mimicry forced upon him by the adverse circumstances of dependence. So for generations in the mind of America, the Negro has been more of a formula than a human being –a something to be argued about, condemned or defended, to be â€Å"kept down,† or â€Å"in his place,† or â€Å"helped up,† to be worried with or worried over, harassed or patronized, a social bogey or a social burden. The thinking Negro even has been induced to share this same general attitude, to focus his attention on controversial issues, to see himself, in the distorted perspective of a social problem. His shadow, so to speak, has been more real to him than his personality. Through having had to appeal from the unjust stereotypes of his oppressors and Traducers to those of his liberators, friends and benefactors he has subscribed to the traditional positions from which his case has been viewed. Little true social or self-understanding has or could come from such a situation†¦ †¦Until recently, lacking self-understanding, we have been almost as much of a problem to ourselves as we still are to others. But the decade that found us with a problem has left us with only a task. The multitude perhaps feels as yet only a strange relief and a new vague urge, but the thinking few know that in the reaction the vital inner grip of prejudice has been broken. It does not follow that if the Negro were better known he would be better liked or better treated. But mutual understanding is basic for any subsequent cooperation and adjustment. The effort toward this will at least have the effect of remedying in large part what has been the most unsatisfactory feature of our present stage of race relationships in America, namely the fact that the more intelligent and representative elements of the two race groups have at so many points got quite out of vital touch with one another (p. 631). † Even in the premier times of African American identity there were still questions to be answered. Now those questions lead to progressive thinking like Locke’s, â€Å"middle of the road† thinking and â€Å"extremist† thinking. An example of the term â€Å"middle-of-the-road† thinking can be seen in a post by Malcolm Frierson (2004) to a discussion board using the topic of what label to give African Americans. He says: â€Å"It is the right of the individual to be self-defining. Black is a color, not a term for a race of people in this millennium. The word was made beautiful and strong in the 60s and beyond for obvious reasons. That effort was admirable and effective, but now fairly done. It is time to move forward. † The term African American linguistically puts the race on more comfortable ground. It doesn’t seem right or fair to look at four men and call one Italian, one Native American, one Chinese, and the other â€Å"black. † â€Å"Whites† don’t seem to have this concern obviously because they sit at the top of this name issue. The whole system was constructed to glorify the â€Å"whites† (the imperialists) and belittle the â€Å"blacks (the subjects). † Also, many â€Å"whites† and â€Å"blacks† together, beg for an end to this issue because they claim, â€Å"we’re all Americans. † But if we are actually honest with each other, nobody while in contemporary American society, when asked for their race or ethnicity, will never be able to simply label them self as simply â€Å"American. † There will always have to be a distinguishing label put upon everyone. Why is it that â€Å"blacks† have to go through this labeling issue more than any other American subgroup? Asian Americans, Italian Americans, and Filipino Americans often become Asians, Italians, and simply Filipino without ridicule or persecution (Asians further become Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, and others). A possible answer to this would be that we all identify with our most dominant ancestral line or native country – German, Spanish, Portuguese, Jamaican, what have you. It should come before the understood â€Å"American† part. But again, we should respect an individual’s rights to be self-defining. One â€Å"black† problem could be that a lot of people really haven’t been to Africa and are in a sense kind of ashamed about or tend to disregard that fact possibly feeling a sense of ignorance in that area. The term African should be proudly used along with the term American just as other foreign groups use their places of origin along with their American status. Unfortunately this viewpoint is just a common middle-ground between the two poles. The other pole is a belief best supported by the All African People’s Revolutionary Party. They say, â€Å"African People born and living in over 113 countries around the world are [one group of] people, with one identity, one history, one culture, one nation and one destiny. We have one common enemy. We suffer from disunity, disorganization and ideological confusion. And we have only one scientific and correct solution, Pan-Africanism: the total liberation and unification of Africa under scientific socialism. † They feel that African people that have been born or are living outside of Africa are intentionally kept from the knowledge of Africa and her achievements through European capitalism. They also feel that people inside of Africa are tricked into living in separate countries because of the â€Å"divide and rule† tactic used by Europeans which basically means it forces large concentrations of power (people) into smaller units of power to constrain them from gaining more power as the larger unit. It is this pole that receives the most voice in the media and also probably this pole which leads to the bias media outlets against African Americans. Perhaps the earliest example of media bias against African Americans, whether intentional or not, came from 19th Century naturalists that divided mankind into Caucasians, Mongolians, Malayans, Ethiopians and (native) American races. The Caucasians were defined as wise, the Mongolians crafty, and the Ethiopians/negro unintelligent. This bias is blunt and disrespectful, but possibly not hateful in intent back in the day. Today our media comes from less than ten gigantic media conglomerates in the United States. Salim Muwakkil (1999) mentions that, â€Å"Virtually all of our information, our cultural narratives, and our global images derive from institutions whose major goal is to pay handsome dividends to stockholders (p. 2). † Which in other words the media doesn’t really care what they say even if it sounds hateful. If it sells and gets publicity, it’s a hit. He also points out that black-owned media operations are becoming increasingly rare as much larger corporations continue to buy out more places and more property. Muwakkil’s fear is that the mainstream will continue to alter the image of African Americans without challenge to the point that their â€Å"anti-black† tendencies will be encouraged and sustained. Muwakkil makes a very strong point when he states the Kerner Commission’s findings: â€Å"The Kerner Commission (formally known as the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders), which was charged with finding the reasons for the long-hot-summer rebellions, had concluded that the United States was headed dangerously toward ‘two societies, one black, and one white, separate and unequal. ’ It blamed the urban unrest on persistent racial discrimination and a historical legacy of disadvantage, but it also singled out the nation’s news media for censure. The media treated African Americans as invisible, the commission concluded, and failed to communicate to white audiences â€Å"a feeling for the difficulties and frustrations of being a Negro in the United States (p. 1). † In the book, The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America, Robert Entman and Andrew Rojecki (2000) point out some surprising statistics from studies done on American television. While Black actors are now more frequently appearing in films, it’s a debatable question as to how well they’re being represented. In the top movies of 1996 representation of African American Females and Caucasian females was drastically different where statistics from differences in using profanity, to physical violence were very often a difference of 70% or more between the 2 races with African Americans being in the higher percentage of the two for those certain areas. Television ads now show, hidden patterns of differentiation and distance pertaining to African Americans. Not surprisingly, for instance, Blacks do not touch Whites in the majority of television ads, but as opposed to Whites, they rarely even touch each other, expressing a slight message assuming that Black skin would be taboo. A ranking of racial preference is implanted within the casting of commercials. Network news also tends to place a â€Å"ghetto† label or more urban image on African Americans. Increasingly, African Americans appear mostly in crime, sports and entertainment stories. Rarely are Blacks shown making an important contribution to the serious business of the nation. The exception of blacks rarely being shown in a positive fashion contributing to the nation would be President Obama, which will hopefully turn the stage for this image stereotype. Unfortunately however, that negative image is not the only blunt indication of a media stereotype. It is noticed by a lot of different people that African American athletes tend to receive a bad representation by the media, pointing out that when they get into any level of trouble, it is reported significantly more and also perceived in a much different way than when White athletes behave in the same manner or worse. It also is sometimes apparent that sportscasters tend to point out solely the athletic abilities of African American athletes in contrast to their tendency to point out the intelligence and savvy of White athletes. It is a known stereotype for quarterbacks on football teams for example, people perceive this position to demand a much more mental capacity and take a much more conscious effort as opposed to other positions on the team. Therefore the stereotype has often been viewed as teams primarily consisting of white quarterbacks. This tends to lead people to believe that black athletes achieve greatness by some coincidence or by simply their natural physical makeup instead of just assuming they are talented and hard working. There are several more examples of media bias against African Americans and there are far too many to speak on individually. Ultimately the point that is trying to be made is that there is a high level of publicity and strong case for media bias against African Americans. Any actor or famous person for that matter will almost always tell you that no publicity means bad publicity. It is logical then, to see the media (whether its biased or not) as a great tool for providing a voice to the African American community. It is also logical to say that a more biased media representation gives African Americans more publicity as Americans simply love bad press because â€Å"dirt† on other people sells, and the media has never cared about ones feelings if it means for them to make money. Ultimately, where I see this issue going from here has everything to do with President Obama. With the world-wide publicity he received for his changing of history for our country, I really feel this will open up many doors into the media for African Americans to have their voice, and create and defend a sense of identity that is much more positive than any other that has been labeled upon them. Obama is the best thing that has happened to African American media and just them as humans because he is what America needs to not only fix the economic and other issues in this country but most importantly bring the people of different colors together even closer than ever before to becoming one country where everyone is separate in color, but equal in representation and voice. Works Cited Du Bois, W. E. B. The Souls of Black Folk. Chicago: A. C. McClurg & Co. ; [Cambridge]:University Press John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U. S. A., 1903; Bartleby. com,1999. P. 68. Entman, R. M. and Andrew R.. (2000). The Black Image in the White Mind: Media andRace in America. University of Chicago Press. Frierson, M. (2004) Black, black, or African American? Feedback Poynter OnlineRetrieved May 10, 2009 from http://www. poynter. org/article_feedback/article_feedback_list. asp? id=51320 Fudjud, D. (2003) Black, black, or African American? Feedback Poynter OnlineRetrieved May 11, 2009 fromhttp://www. poynter. org/article_feedback/article_feedback_list. asp? id=51320 Jones, J. (1991). â€Å"The Politics of Personality: Being Black in America. † In ReginaldJones (ed. ) Black Psychology 3rd Edition, 305-318. Locke, A. (1925) Enter the New Negro. A hypermedia edition of the March 1925 SurveyGraphic Harlem Number Retrieved May 12, 2009 fromhttp://etext. lib. virginia. edu/harlem/LocEnteF. html Muwakkil, S. (1999). Corporate Media, Alternative Press, and African Americans Media Alliance, Retrieved May 11, 2009 fromhttp://mediaalliance2. live. radicaldesigns. org/article. php? id=535 PBS. (2002) African American World Timeline. Retrieved May 11, 2009 fromhttp://www. pbs. org/wnet/aaworld/timeline/early_01. html U. S. Census Bureau (2001) Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin. Census 2000Website Retrieved May 11, 2009 from http://factfinder. census. gov/servlet/ThematicMapFramesetServlet? _bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-tm_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_M00628&-ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_&-_MapEvent=displayBy&-_dBy=040. Woods, K. M. (1995) An Essay on a Wickedly Powerful Word Poynter Online RetrievedMay 11, 2009 from http://www. poynter. org/content/content_view. asp? id=5603.

Affection And Love Essay

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand. Let us more and more insist on raising funds of love, of kindness, of understanding, of peace. Money will come if we seek first the Kingdom of God – the rest will be given. Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go. If a particular religion, or culture, or scale of values, if one form of activity rather than another, brings self- fulfillment to a man, releases the prince within him unknown to himself, then that scale of values, that culture, that form of activity constitutes his truth. There must be a reason why some people can afford to live well. They must have worked for it. I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things that we could use. We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence†¦ We need silence to be able to touch souls. We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. Ideal teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross, then having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own. Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired Jains believe that life exists in various forms in different parts of the universe including earth. Jainism has extensive classification of various living organisms including micro-organisms that live in mud, air and water. All living organisms have soul and therefore need to be interacted without causing much harm. There is nothing like a mothers love The women who cares the most More than the strength of a diamond More than the height of the sky More than the weight of the earth Nothing will ruin mother’s love A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. God sees us through our Mothers’ eyes and rewards us for our virtues.

Ethics In Management Essays - Walmart, Business Ethics, Junk Fax

Ethics In Management Essays - Walmart, Business Ethics, Junk Fax Ethics in Management What is the status of ethics in management? This is a very hard question to address in a two to three page paper because there is no definite answer. As with many society-wide concerns, ethics runs the entire spectrum of behaviors; from Wal-Mart being very customer oriented and a friend of charity to those fly-by- night repair scams that tend to prey on the elderly. When does a business cross the line from making a profit to stealing a profit? That is a hard line to gauge. Laws are designed to make that line a little clearer but laws can't out think the mind of man. If a way can be thought of to make money it already has been or is being thought of. It's where people are taken advantage of that we need to worry. There are many business in place that simply prey on the people who don't know any better. Whether its the feature on Prime-Time that shows elderly people tricked into phony home repairs or the local business that offered a friend of mine a computer at an inflated price with an outrageous financing plan, some business practices are unethical. What I will focus on today is not the clearly right or the clearly wrong but that vast amount of items that are in the middle. Looking at more of a gray area, Wal-Mart is generally viewed as an ethically company but even they have a reputation for unfair competition. Wal-Mart has a marketing plan that targets smaller cities with large- volume discount stores. While this may not appear to be unfair on its face, many people have felt it's negative effect. When Wal-Mart moves into a market, many of it's smaller competitors go out of business. Small business in small towns can't compete with the prices, availability, or selection of a huge conglomerate like Wal-Mart. People in the towns don't have much of a choice. Pay more for less or pay less for more? Not are hard decision. But the ultimate effect is that many small business can't survive the competition. Is that ethically wrong? That is a very hard call to make. I recently had an experience of buying a new car. I shopped around Altus and also in Florida while on a recent trip. I was in the market to buy a Ford Explorer. The prices seemed to be about the same in these two markets. My wife and I decided to drive to Oklahoma City to look further. When we got there, the first dealership that we saw had over thirty Explorers on the front lot with a recent shipment of more in the back. Compared to the Altus dealership which had two. Immediately, I noticed that the price at that dealership was $1,300 less than the same model with the same package in Altus. Both stickers said the price quoted was the manufacturers suggested retail price. Already over $1,000 to the good, we decided to look further. We found four Explorers that had an additional mark down of $2,000. This was because of an engine style in the process of being phased out that had an additional rebate. Looking at the two different model from Oklahoma City and Altus, we! would save $3,300 by buying here. We decided to look no further. We selected the color and bought our car. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience but what about the people who buy from the Altus dealership and spend over $3,000 more? Are they being unethically taken advantage of? That's a hard call to make. I teach an equal opportunity class on base and during that class someone inevitably brings up car prices in Altus as being unfair. Are these prices unfair or is it just the law of supply and demand? Two thousand dollars that I saved in Oklahoma City were because that model car wasn't available to the dealership in Altus. That difference can be easily excusable. The other $1,300, I have a harder time with. I took detailed notes and both stickers were basically identical with the exception of price. Each indicated a different manufacturers suggested retail price. Ethically, I think the line has been crossed. There can't be

Geographic Expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Geographic Expansion - Essay Example This is also true of Islam. The close associates of Muhammad were the chief missionaries that caused the geographic boundaries of Islam to spread after the prophet’s death. The spatial realities of this spread where very different, however. Christianity was planted, largely in urban areas by the disciples of Jesus following his death. The urban areas of the Roman world were places of trade, some of them being extremely cosmopolitan. Christianity spread from person to person, with core groups of believers growing up in these urban areas. They were neither the majority nor were they important economically or politically for any centuries after the foundation of Christianity by Jesus. In a geographical sense, the first several centuries after the foundation of Christianity saw pockets of Christians establish themselves in urban areas throughout the Roman Empire. Islam’s geographic spread was much more dramatic and much more rapid. The foundation of Islam is born in conflict and conquest. Muhammad’s followers invitation to flee to Medina and their subsequent triumphant return to Mecca sets an example of conversion through conquest that was perpetuated for the next decades by the Rightly Guided Caliphs who followed Muhammad. Actually, Muhammad himself oversaw much more of the geographic expansion of Islam than Jesus personally orchestrated the expansion of Christianity. But what is so striking about the geographic spread of Islam is the fact that very large chunks of the earth’s surface became peopled with Muslims in a very brief amount of time. This can be attributed to the fact that conquest was the primary means of spreading Islam in the early years. Islamic warriors, not missionaries spread the new religion to lands they conquered militarily and politically. As a result, entire kingdoms where converted to Islam while Christianity’s early

The Legal Implication of Job Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Legal Implication of Job Analysis - Essay Example Task-oriented approach of job analysis states that the approach is concerned with the performance of the employees with regard to respective tasks assigned to them in order to measure their efficiency and accuracy for improvement (Siddique, 2004). Discuss the legal implication of job analysis The legal laws pertaining to employment in the United States are identified as title VII of the Civil Right Act, i.e. Equal Employment Opportunity Act (1972), Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978) and American with Disabilities Act (1990). Civil Right Act states that the companies should frame its selection process in such a manner, so that there should not be any kind of cultural diversification and all the employees should enjoy equal rights and opportunities in a company. Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978) reveals that the company should have a proper design and guidelines for their selection process so that every cultured individual can apply for the job available. American with Disabilities Act (1990) relates to the actuality that every company should reserve a certain number of vacancies or seats for the disabled individuals (Oregon State University, 2003). The case Wards Cove Packing Co. vs. Atonio, 490 U.S. 642 (1989), states that a few of the cannery workers belonging to the nonwhite community had filed a law suit in the District Court under Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964 against Wards Cove Packing Co for its ‘discriminatory hiring practices’. Furthermore, the court asked the company to â€Å"provide legitimate justification† for continuing the business process further. With regard to the referred case, it can be stated in relation to Johnson that the enterprise should not engage any form of favoritism in their recruiting process because such prejudices could lead to the collapse of the company (Scanlan, 2004). Discuss Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978) and its impli cations on acceptable selection procedures According to the US legal law, Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978) state certain principles which include the need for uniformity, purpose of guidelines and relation to prior guidelines. Furthermore, need for uniformity can be stated as the Federal government’s desire which is related to the unvarying principles considered in the selection procedure such as questions used in the tests and other selection criteria among others. The other principle, that is the purpose of the guidelines state that these principles have been formulated in order to serve every employer with the same principles. Moreover, the guidelines ensure that the principles are considered as a single set for assisting the employer, labour organisations and employment agencies along with certification boards to abide by the regulations laid down by the Federal government. Additionally, this principle helps to prohibit the practice of inequity i n the selection process such as race, religion, national origin and sex along with colour. Lastly, the aspect of relation to proper guidelines states that the guidelines of the selection procedure pertaining to the employees are based upon certain guiding principles (U.S. Government Printing Office, 1999).