Vikings Essays (1069 words) - Vikings, Viking Age, Viking, Thrall

Vikings Vikings Who were the Vikings? The definition of a Viking is "one belonging to the pirate crews from among the Northmen, who plundered the coasts of Europe in the eight, ninth, and tenth centuries." Some historical accounts have presented an image of the Vikings as brutal, savage, unfeeling warriors who pillaged and burned with reckless abandon. This is not the whole story. While the Vikings were great warriors, they did not kill for sport or burn and pillage without a motive. They were cunning warriors who sought to make, and ultimately did make, great changes in the lands they conquered. The period known as the Viking Age started in the 9th century and lasted until the 11th century. During this time, Viking ships sailed from Scandinavia, at the center of the Viking World, out across the Northern Hemisphere. They went out on voyages of piracy and invasion, and journeys of exploration, commerce, and settlement. (The Vikings-Donovan. Pg. 15). The Vikings expanded their empire over a great distance. To the east, they traveled as far as the Black Sea and to the west they sailed at least as far as the coast of North America. No one knows exactly why the Vikings decided to expand. Some believe their quest for expansion was due to the overpopulation of their homeland, while others believe that climatic conditions and crop failure forced their migration. (From Viking to Crusader. Rizzoli) Before the year A.D. 1100 the Vikings were polytheistic. They believed that the leader of the gods was Odin, who was the god of battle, poetry, and death. He was also the father of all of the other gods. He presided over Valhalla ("the Hall of the Chosen"), the Viking heaven. It was believed that when a Viking died in battle, a warrior maiden called a Valkyrie escorted him to Valhalla. Once the warrior arrived at Valhalla, he began a new life where he fought all-day and feasted all night. This belief in the conditions of the Viking afterlife shows us that the Vikings held fighting and feasting in very high regard. The Vikings had several other very important gods as well. The most popular god was Thor. He was the ruler of thunder and the sky. Thor was so popular that many Vikings wore lucky charms shaped like the hammer Thor supposedly swung to make thunder. Another very important god was Freya, who was the goddess of love and the"provider" of large families. (The Vikings...Living History). To honor their gods, the Vikings offered sacrifices. A chieftain-priest called a gothi conducted these sacrifices. They were held either inside a temple or at sacred location outside. Vikings could offer anything of value to be sacrificed. Precious metals, clothes, and other inanimate items were buried or thrown in a bog. Sacrificial animals were eaten. The greatest sacrifice of all was to give up a son. This happened on a number of occasions but one in particular stands out. When a war between Earl Hakon (ruler of Norway from 965-995) and a neighboring band of Vikings was going badly, Earl promised to sacrifice his son. The battle changed immediately and Earl's Vikings defeated the neighboring Vikings with minimal losses. Earl gave his son to a servant to be put to death. After the Vikings converted to Christianity sometime between 1050-1100 AD the practice of making sacrifices ended. (The Vikings...Living History) In Viking society there were three classes of people. They were the Bondis, Jarls, and Thralls. The Jarls were military leaders and sometimes priests. The Bondis were farmers or merchants, and the Thralls were slaves who were either born into slavery or captured in battle. A Jarl would own a farmstead and around 30 Thralls. He could also hire poorer freemen to work for pay. The Thralls had to cut their hair short and wear white coats. The Thralls did most of the heavy labor on the farm. Thralls lived very hard lives. A Jarl was allowed to beat his Thralls to death as long as he publicly announced what he'd done on the same day. (The Viking World...Campbell) Although the Vikings shared many customs (way of life, treatment of women, respect for elders), a common religion, and a language called Old Norse, they were not a unified nation. They did, however, have very definite codes of behavior. Their first loyalty was to their clan (family) and secondly they were loyal to their local community. Each year, these communities held meetings called "Things". The purpose of these meetings was to allow freemen to vote on their leaders and laws. Before the year 800 A.D. the Vikings were many

Benito Juarez vs. Abraham Linc essays

Benito Juarez vs. Abraham Linc essays It is nearly undisputed that Abraham Lincoln was the United States greatest president, and because of this other historians have described the greatest leaders of other nations as Lincolns. Clemenceau is noticed as the Lincoln of France, but amidst his passionate politics, a scandal arose with his Panama financial accounts, tarnishing his record forever. Churchill is considered the Lincoln of England whom was an implacable foe of Nazism, but still managed to hold huge prejudices exemplified in his description of Mahandas Gandhi-a half-naked fakir. In a way, yes. Both leaders presided over their nations in time of war and both showed the steadfastness and courage to survive periods of crisis and early defeat. But there the resemblance ends. Clemenceau, a fiery journalist-politician known as "the Tiger," passionately defended Dreyfus but at the same time broke strikes and was tainted by the Panama financial scandal. Churchill, implacable foe of Nazism, was still sufficiently imbued with prejudices of race and class that he could call Mohandas Gandhi a "half-naked fakir." There is but one other man who can be classified as a true Lincoln, that man is Benito Jaurez, President of Mexico. Skin deep the two men seem quite different, Juarez was short and stocky-a full blooded Indian; while Lincoln was tall, angular and of the old American stock. Beneath the skin, we find two men who could very well be the same. Lincoln lived between 1809 and 1865, while Juarez was born three years earlier and lived seven years later. Both men were born and raised poor, supporting themselves in any manner possible, its not suprising then, that both men valued political power over riches. Both felt schooling was important and felt a study in law was the best preparation for political careers. Neither Lincoln nor Juarez could rely on their looks to get them anywhere, so they compensated for their lack of godliness ...

Anti-terror laws in India

Anti-terror laws in India History of anti-terror laws in India Terrorism has immensely affected India. The reasons for terrorism in India may vary vastly from religious to geographical to caste to history. The Indian Supreme Court took a note of it in Kartar Singh v. State of Punjab[1], where it observed that the country has been in the firm grip of spiraling terrorist violence and is caught between deadly pangs of disruptive activities. Apart from many skirmishes in various parts of the country, there were countless serious and horrendous events engulfing many cities with blood-bath, firing, looting, mad killing even without sparing women and children and reducing those areas into a graveyard, which brutal atrocities have rocked and shocked the whole nation Deplorably, determined youths lured by hard-core criminals and underground extremists and attracted by the ideology of terrorism are indulging in committing serious crimes against the humanity. Anti-terrorism laws in India have always been a subject of m uch controversy. One of the arguments is that these laws stand in the way of fundamental rights of citizens guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution. The anti-terrorist laws have been enacted before by the legislature and upheld by the judiciary though not without reluctance. The intention was to enact these statutes and bring them in force till the situation improves. The intention was not to make these drastic measures a permanent feature of law of the land. But because of continuing terrorist activities, the statutes have been reintroduced with requisite modifications. At present, the legislations in force to check terrorism in India are the National Security Act, 1980 and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. There have been other anti-terrorism laws in force in this country a different points in time. The first law made in independent India to deal with terrorism and terrorist activities that came into force on 30 Dec 1967 was The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Ac t 1967. After the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the world’s outlook towards the terrorist and terrorist organization has changed the laws have become much more stringent to curb such activities. The Indian outlook also changed specially after the 13 December attack on the Indian parliament which is seen as a symbol of our democracy then it became necessary to enforce a law which would be more stringent so that the terrorist cannot go Scot free because after the lapse of TADA in 1995 following the wide spread complaint that it was being abused there was no law which could be used as a weapon against the rising terrorist activities in India. Prevention Of Terrorist Activities Act, 2002 In 2002 March session of the Indian parliament the Prevention Of Terrorist Activities (POTA) Act was introduced and it had widespread opposition not even in the Indian parliament but throughout India especially with the human rights organization because they thought that the act violate d most of the fundamental rights provided in the Indian constitution. The protagonists of the Act have, however, hailed the legislation on the ground that it has been effective in ensuring the speedy trial of those accused of indulging in or abetting terrorism. POTA is useful in stemming â€Å"state-sponsored cross-border terrorism†, as envisaged by the Home Minister L.K. Advani. The Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 (POTA), was seen as a controversial piece of legislation ever since it was conceived as a weapon against terrorism. Human rights groups as well as opposition parties have expressed strong reservations against the move, which they say violates citizens’ fundamental rights.

Sexuality is said to be both sacred and ordinary. Would there be any Essay

Sexuality is said to be both sacred and ordinary. Would there be any problems with persons understanding sex only as sacred, or - Essay Example This can be estimated from the fact that in our society, 4 per cent to 5 per cent of the juvenile girls are raped by their fathers, 33 per cent to 50 per cent of the women become the victims of completed or attempted rape and 1 in every 4 girls and 1 in every 9 boys experiences sexual abuse once in the childhood. Thus, criminals are using sex as a major means of violence in the society. A vast majority of women that become the victims of rape tend not to disclose the offence to their relatives or police with the fear of embarrassment and shame. They think that if they do file a case against the offender, it would highlight their sexual identity. Sexual abuse leaves the victim with scars in the mind for the whole life and is one of the major causes of depression among people in America. Much of the widespread sex-based violence can be attributed to the consideration of sex as a very sacred topic that can not be discussed openly. Such an understanding of sex is providing the criminals with innumerable opportunities of creating violence. Besides, consideration of sex only as ordinary and non-sacred topic is no less harmful for the society. This is so because consideration of sex as an ordinary matter is just not consistent with the level of secrecy and personalization ingrained in it. Sex essentially brings two people extremely close to each other physically. If sex is considered ordinary, people would be encouraged to doing sex in public which is against all standards of religion, ethics and humanity. Animals do sex in open. It is the superiority of mankind that makes human sex in public a very heinous idea.

Australia Water shortage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Australia Water shortage - Essay Example Australian water system is running low gradually. The water decline is due to human activities such as mining of ground water at a faster rate than the ecosystem of Australia can restore it. There has been massive land clearance, and water intensive production of food for Australian exportation since 2013. The rampant pollution has led to land degradation and consequent destruction of rivers and their sources (Philosophy Matters, 2013). Australians have been forced to restrict on how they utilize water on daily basis Nwc.gov.au (2014). The restriction effort has been boosted by the desalination systems put in place to use ocean water for human consumption. Water price has skyrocketed in urban centers. Australian government has been tasked with a transparent water management process. The government through Australian National Water Initiative program has a responsibility to implement mechanisms of combating water shortage. The mechanisms should be implemented without affecting subsistence and commercial production that depend on water. Nwc.gov.au,. (2014). National Water Commission - Water 2013 and beyond - sustaining the momentum. Retrieved 15 May 2014, from

Factors for Going Public Through an Ipo Essay Example for Free

Factors for Going Public Through an Ipo Essay When an organization is private they have decisions to make. Going public through an initial public offering, or IPO is one decision they can choose. When going through an IPO there is going to be increased capital. A public offering will allow a company to raise capital to use for various corporate purposes such as working capital, acquisitions, research and development, marketing, and expanding plant and equipment (FindLaw, 2013). Other advantages of choosing an IPO would be liquidity, increased prestige, valuation, and increased wealth. Weaknesses Even though going public has some advantages, it can also have some disadvantages too. The time and expense is probably one of the biggest disadvantages with this choice. It can take over a year and much money for fees to even start the process of an IPO. Other disadvantages to going public through an IPO would be disclosure, decisions based on stock price, regulatory review, falling stock price, and vulnerability. Disclosure is another part that can be costly when starting an IPO. That means that the organization has to make all financial records available to the public. Opportunities Going public is a way to increase public awareness of the company. The company will have more exposure of its product line. This awareness will increase sales because the product will be introduced to a new group of potential clients. An opportunity to increase clients will have an increase in market share. Investors will have a positive reaction to the company as it increases its market share. Threats As a public company, there will be accounting practices that will need to be met. The SEC requires public companies to comply with the regulations. The cost to comply with SEC regulations can be expensive in addition to the regulations the SOX Act will require an external accounting firm to audit the company adding additional cost. Since Lafleur will now be operating as a public company, they will have the pressure to perform for the market. â€Å"The actions of the companys management also become increasingly scrutinized as investors constantly look for rising profits. This may lead management to perform somewhat questionable practices in order to boost earnings† (K. Balasubramaniam, 2009). Factors for acquiring another organization in the same industry Strengths An organization can also acquire another organization in the same industry. A major strength with acquiring another organization is that Lafleur Trading Company would be the owner of both organizations and would hold the power of both at the same time. The new organization loses its power and sometimes even loses the name. Acquiring another organization might be done to save the original smaller company while boosting sales for the larger company. If Lafleur would choose to keep the client list of the new organization it would be strength for them and those clients. The clients would still be able to receive the same products, but under new owners. With the new organization being in the same industry Lafleur would not have to buy any additional equipment for the new product. They could just bring the product over to their buildings. Weaknesses Acquiring another organization has its weaknesses too. Customers can become upset over this because they want to be loyal to the previous owners over the newer ones. Lafleur would have to pay a premium to the affiliate of the organization to keep the customers happy (if they can) and without upsetting cash flow. Opportunities There is opportunity in a company’s strengths. Lafleur can take advantage of the successes the acquired company has accomplished in the areas of product, marketing, research and development, and staffing. They can also avoid mistakes that have been made in the past. Using a synergy strategy in this process of acquisition will require Lafleur to be knowledgeable in the operations of the new company. Threats The threat of acquiring another company in the same industry is in its customer base and product line. Lafleur may not be gaining new clients or offering new or improved products. The sales team may be making the same sales calls to the same customers the other company. In this scenario, Lafleur will be gaining the company’s debt without the benefit of expanding resources for future growth. Merging with another organization Strengths Mergers are different than acquiring a new organization because when two companies merge they work together instead of taking full control of the weaker company. Mergers can help both organizations while also benefiting the public. The new firm will have increased market share, which reduces competition (Economics Help, n.d.). The merger will help financially because the company will get a better interest rate for the size. Efficiency is strength for mergers because the companies can bring the more experienced employees from both organizations together. An important strength of a merger is having diversity between the two original organizations. Other strengths would be research and development, avoiding duplication, and regulation of monopoly. Weaknesses Mergers have weaknesses just like any other choice to expand the organization. Mergers mean higher prices for products because competition is cut when two organizations become one. A merger also means fewer choices of products for customers. One of the biggest weaknesses for a merger would be fewer jobs in each organization. This means that Lafleur would have to let go of some of their employees while the organization it mergers with would have to also let go of some. The employees that are left might experience diseconomies of scale. This means that the employees will feel like they are part of a big corporation and their motivation will start to go away. Opportunities Opportunity lies in a merger with a larger well known company. Lafleur will gain the experience of growth from a larger company. There is also the opportunity of better benefits, salaries, increased revenue, and the expansion of offices in other markets. There must be research to be done to choose a company that will aid in future growth. This company will need to be a worthy partner and not a company that needs a lifeline to survive. Threats If a company does not have a growth opportunity on its own, it will not have growth opportunity when it merges with another company. The threat of Lafleur not benefitting from shared resources can result in failure for both companies. Another threat to a merger is mis-management. If the other company is poorly managed, Lafleur will suffer with unrealistic strategic goals, poor communication, and uncertain future success. It is because of these reasons that most companies do not experience more than one merger in their lifetime, they usually fail. Balasubramaniam, K. (2009). Advantages and Disadvantages for a Company Going Public. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/06/ipoadvantagedisadvantage.asp

Why the Whitechapel Murders Attracted so Much Attention Essay -- Papers

Why the Whitechapel Murders Attracted so Much Attention In this question I will be studying the various reasons why the Whitechapel murders attracted so much attention in 1888. This will focus on the Ripper victims and their own personal backgrounds, the murders and the similarities including the fact that they became more increasingly violent, the extensive press coverage due to the brutal murders as well as the increased press coverage on anti-Semitism and finally I will write about the actions of the mile end vigilance committee. My focus will turn to the 5 main ripper victims Mary Ann Nicholls (Polly), Annie Chapman, Elizabeth stride, Catherine Eddows and mary Kelly. There are many similarities between these five victims which link them to be the most believable ripper victims. The most initial similarity between all 5 women was that they were all prostitutes working in the same area all of the prostitutes were all of the same age of around 45 apart from one named Mary Kelly as she was aged around 25.the serial killers spree began on august 31st 1888 with the murder of a middle aged prostitute named Mary Ann Nicholls called Polly by some. As with all the victims she was a very heavy drinker. Polly had five children and had separated from her husband Mary Ann at the time was living in a house at 13 millers' court. The ripper's second victim was again an (47 year old) prostitute named Annie Chapman. Also a mother and like all the prostitutes she was a heavy drinker, she again was separated from her husand.she prostituted in order to pay for her drinking habit, Annie's appearance was not the best for a 47 year old as she had a... ...y was received on the 17th September 1888 stating that giving a reward would do more harm then good and rejected his offer. Having examined the evidence there was several factors which linked together attracted nation wide attention to the white chapel murders such the brutality of the murders themselves also due to the similarities and differences off all the prostitutes. But I think the real factors which the attracted the nation wide attention was of the three letter which were printed in the newspapers as they contained plisit information about the murders themselves and the startling letter which contained a piece of human kidney, which was said in the letter that that excrement's were fried and eaten. So in conclusion I think that the sickness of the mind of jack the ripper grabbed the world wide attention.

Macro and Micro Economics

Micro Economics:- Microeconomics is a branch of economics that analyzes the market behavior of individual consumers and firms in an attempt to understand the decision-making process of firms and households. It is concerned with the interaction between individual buyers and sellers and the factors that influence the choices made by buyers and sellers. In particular, microeconomics focuses on patterns of supply and demand and the determination of price and output in individual markets (e. g. coffee industry). Areas microeconomics covers: Supply and demand ?Competition ?Monopolies ?Profit and loss ?Opportunity cost Elasticity †¢Rigid laws:- Businesses may be doomed to be non starters due to restrictive business environment which may take the form of rigid government laws ( no polluting industry can ever be located in around 50 Km radius of the Taj) , state of competition ( Car manufacturing capacity presently in the country is far in excess of demand) etc. †¢Environment impact :- The present and future viability of an enterprise is impacted by the environment For eg no TV manufacturer can be expected to survive by making only B&W television sets when consumer preference has clearly shifted to color television sets. Key Inputs:- The availability of all key inputs like skilled labor , trained managers, raw materials, electricity, transportation, fuel etc are a factor of the business environment. †¢Public awareness:- Increasing public awareness of the negative aspects of certain industries like hand woven carpets (use of child labor ) , pesticides (damage to environment in the form of chemical residues in groundwater), plastic bags (choking of sewer lines) have resulted in the slow decline of some industries. †¢The Market:- Organizations closely monitor their customer markets in order to adjust to changing tastes and preferences. A market is people or organizations with wants to satisfy, money to spend, and the willingness to spend it. Each target market has distinct needs, which need to be monitored. It is imperative for an organization to know their customers, how to reach them and when customers' needs change in order to adjust its marketing efforts accordingly. The market is the focal point for all marketing decisions in an organization. †¢Marketing Intermediaries:- Physical distribution firms help the organization to stock and move products from their points of origin to their destinations. Warehouses store and protect the goods before they move to the next destination. Marketing service agencies help the organization target and promote its products and include marketing research firms, advertising agencies, and media firms. Financial intermediaries help finance transactions and insure against risks and include banks, credit unions, and insurance companies. Macro Economics:- Macroeconomics is a branch of economics dealing with the performance, structure, behavior, and decision-making of the entire economy. This includes a national, regional, or global economy. Macroeconomists study aggregated indicators such as GDP, unemployment rates, and price indices to understand how the whole economy functions. In Macroeconomics there are two areas of research that are emblematic of the discipline: the attempt to understand the causes and consequences of short-run fluctuations in national income (the business cycle), and the attempt to understand the determinants of long-run economic growth (increases in national income). Areas of macroeconomics covers: ?Money supply ?Interest rates ?Fiscal and monetary policy ?Unemployment ?Growth ?Inflation ?Inflation:- In recent years, a confluence of macroeconomic and industry-specific factors has led to record-high prices and unprecedented volatility in the global agricultural commodity markets. Specifically, simultaneous increases in demand and production costs along with intensifying supply-side pressures have led many experts to forecast extended periods of higher-than-average prices for many commodities. Farm-based commodities have recently experienced unprecedented growth in demand from both traditional and non-traditional sources. Traditional demand has increased primarily via worldwide population growth. The world’s population currently exceeds 6. 5 billion, is projected to reach nearly 9. 5 billion by 2050. Increases in demand have also been driven by global industrialization’s positive effect on disposable income in emerging economies like China and India. As a result, citizens of these countries have begun to shift away from the grain-centric diet of developing countries to the protein-rich diet common to countries with higher per capita GDP. Because, on average, one pound of protein requires nearly seven pounds of grain to produce, the increase in demand for meat has a large multiplier effect on the demand for grain. Moreover, increased globalization, free trade, and currency exchange considerations have increased agriculture-based exports from producing countries like the U. S. Canada, and Australia, as well as Europe and South America, which has increased competition and intensified demand on a global scale. In addition to traditional food-related demand, coarse grains such as corn, sorghum, barley, oats, and rye and edible oils and edible oil products have experienced exponential demand growth due to the rapidly expanding biofuels initiative in the United States, Brazil, and the European Union. The World Bank estimated that nearly all of the increase in global corn production between 2004-2007 was used for biofuels production in the United States. Moreover, as evidenced by Congress’s recent mandate to increase domestic ethanol production nearly five-fold by 2022, the biofuels component of agricultural commodity demand is not likely to decline in the near, or even intermediate, future. Most agricultural commodities are also experiencing significant supply-side pressure from a variety of sources. Recently, the global supply of agricultural commodities has been severely affected by unfavorable weather conditions (e. g. , droughts, flooding, and freezes) in several regions, including the U. S. , Europe, Canada, Argentina, Ukraine, and Russia. As a result, global stockpiles of agricultural commodities have fallen to their lowest levels in many years. At the same time, increased competition for productive crop land and the reconfiguration of planting decisions to maximize returns from biofuels-related plantings (e. g. , corn and soybeans) have drastically affected the supplies of most agriculture commodities. Significant increases in production costs, led by record oil and fertilizer prices, and increasing scarcity of productive farmland and sufficient and accessible water supplies have further contributed to limits on worldwide production capacity. Finally, political unrest in producing countries has slowed or stopped production on otherwise physically productive land, further tightening supplies. Unlike many other commodities, agricultural commodities are crucial to the survival of nations. In a recent study, researchers concluded that nearly 60 percent of all global conflicts over the past two decades have been primarily driven by disputes related to food, land, or water. Recent spikes in food prices have lead to food smuggling in some countries and riots in others. Because of the universal necessity for food and the irreplaceable role that agricultural commodities have in worldwide food production, market analysts, including the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) predict that â€Å"when commodity supplies eventually recover and prices moderate from current high levels, the new equilibrium prices will be significantly higher than has traditionally been observed during periods of market balance. † As summarized in the table below, even when the volatility is removed from short-term prices, long-run ommodity price projections forecast equilibrium prices for most major crops that are 19 to 110 percent higher than their recent five-year average. The preceding analysis suggests agribusiness and agricultural-related firms may present interesting investment opportunities. Companies with operations and/or substantial investments in one or more key grain producing nations, such as the U. S. , Canada, Europe, Russia, Brazil, an d China, may be favorable over countries operating primarily in resource poor nations. Companies with significant command over their supply chain are likely to display significant operating advantages, but because of the capital-intensive nature of the industry, especially for companies with significant supply chain investment, firms with low debt, good credit rating, and/or relatively easy access to credit markets are preferred in light of current global economic conditions. Moreover, any company with significant supply chain investment should be providing logistical synergies and optimizing efficient operation of all its assets. In particular, companies that invest in technology to produce more robust, more efficient farmland and crops may provide unique opportunities for investment in the short- and intermediate-term. In summary, although current prices and volatility may not be sustainable in the long term, the long-term factors affecting agricultural commodities will most likely result in an extended period of high, although not necessarily record, prices. As a result, investments in agriculturally-oriented firms appear to be promising over intermediate- and long-term horizons.

Analysis of a Cityscape: Blade Runner

‘Analyse the design of a cityscape in one film or television episode. ’ Nightmare visions of futuristic societies, or dystopias, are a major theme of the sci-fi genre and most post-1970s Hollywood films portraying these worlds embody a ‘crisis in US ideology’ at that time. These sci-fi films usually illustrate issues regarding: ‘environmental pollution, over-population, violent crimes, bureaucratic administration and economic exploitation’. They also represent the unrepresentable, showing us things that we can only otherwise imagine.In this essay I will attempt to explore the labyrinthian landscape of Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi blockbuster Blade Runner, and consider the ways in which it mirrors the social, economic, and political context of the time in which it was made, as well as the socio-ecological consequences of contemporary problems such as war and pollution. I will also further explain how the film’s soundscape is essential to the meaning behind its narrative. The design of sci-fi frequently contains alien planets, foreign bodies, and space-age cityscapes, giving these spectacular fictional worlds an overall glossy, futuristic feel.Blade Runner is a scintillating world with a high-rise landscape, but closer examination reveals that structured within this milieu are metaphors of a dystopian society. Across the top of the skyscrapers are immense neon advertisements and television screens that project messages down for the people to see, showing that this is a world of complete industrialisation. These features provide primarily the main source of light throughout the city. The overall mise-en-scene is obscure and brooding, much like a late 40s and 50s film noir, and the contrast between light and dark here depicts repressed social fears of totalitarian control.The divide in society is evident when we look at the difference between the replicants and the humans. The replicants feel safer on the decayed s treets and adopt working-class lifestyles, for example, Leon works in a run-down hotel, while Zhora works as a stripper in Chinatown. Deckard, in contrast, lives high above the crowded streets, protected by high-tech security devices. Police crafts also hover above, beaming down their probing lights and surveilling the people below. The Cold War period consisted mostly of spying and tense international relations between the US and the Soviet Union.It is almost like Orson Welles’ Big Brother, where no one is free and everyone is constantly being watched by a ruling intellectual force. The theme of paranoia therefore comes into play here; the omnipresence of the police force is a visual motif of corporate power. The superstructures that we see dwarf the smaller, decrepit buildings and crumbling architecture; this binary opposition thus creates a high/low spatial allegory for the lower class- the workers who live below in the post-apocalyptic streets, depressed and dehumanized; and the elite- those who live in high-rise apartments above the rest of the city, benefiting from the labourers.Like in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927), the difference between the elite and the masses is virtually dramatised by this spatial opposition and the concept of the upper class is literalised. The vertical architecture serves as metaphor for a hierarchy of evil power and is a symbol of economic inequality and corruption, intrinsic with a society that is out of kilter. Fears revolving around race, space, and social class are therefore structured within these thematic elements.Figure 1 (page 6) shows the pyramid of the capitalist system of the early 20th century. People of America believed that anyone could become wealthy and enjoy good lives by working hard – this was the American Dream. Sadly, capitalism reared its ugly head and citizens soon discovered that this economic system benefits only those at the top of that pyramid- ‘the winners gain at the expen se of the mass of losers’. It reflects the philosophy of Orthodox Marxism, where economic base determines cultural and political structure. Who then controls this vast city?As stated in Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony, a culturally diverse society can be dominated by one social class, by manipulating the social culture (beliefs, perceptions, values) so that its ruling-class worldview is imposed as the societal norm, which is then perceived as a universally valid ideology beneficial to all of society, but in fact benefits only the ruling class. The biggest and most dominating of structures within this cityscape are in fact two pyramids, home to none other than Eldon Tyrell, head of the Tyrell Corporation.Pyramids are archetypal Egyptian symbols of power and immortality. Rising high up within this city, they denote a future of affluence and progress, and technological triumph. Tyrell’s office is laden with rich items, golden statues and intricately c arved pillars. Yet it is the cinematography techniques here that are key to representing this majestic interior. The warm, golden hues are a stark contrast to the rest of the city that we have been exposed to. The fact that Tyrell’s office is located so high up is an indication that people who live in the highest, most prestigious places are clearly elites.They are at the top of the hierarchical â€Å"pyramids† of economic or political structures- they are the ruling force of society. Since the dropping of the atomic bomb in 1945, science fiction has portrayed dystopias to show the massively destructive capacity of certain scientific developments. These nightmare visions are society’s fears over these developments. Science fiction explores a darker side of science, articulating real fears about advances in areas such as nuclear power or genetic modification.More recently, the Cold War had reached its peak in the 1980s, and the corporate evil seen in Blade Runner echoes a ‘growing weariness of the cold war and anti-communist attitudes that had been festering since the wars in Korea, Vietnam, and later’. The tone of this period of history was incredibly pessimistic, with the continuous danger of nuclear war looming over the world. This cynicism about the future of mankind and of the planet is clearly seen in Blade Runner. ‘The information age was a time where computers and electronics replaced the heavy industry of the modernist period, and political control was applied through mass media.Information became a commodity, and films that portray these spectacles show them as developments that pose challenges to society. They also correspond to contemporary crises developing in the US throughout the 1980s, for example, use of the media to portray political messages’. Anxiety over scientific and technological advancements is central to most science fiction films and is a very apparent theme when examining the cityscape o f Blade Runner; from vast television screens, to vertical strata, to the Voight-Kampff machine.They serve as a warning to society over the compulsion to force science and technology to create what is hoped to be a utopia for all, but in fact ends up dominating everything and everyone to the point where people are no longer free. The final aspect of the design in Blade Runner regards the soundscape of the film. Produced by Greek composer Vangelis, the film’s score owes a lot to the meaning behind its narrative. The film’s genre is part cyber-punk, part film noir, and through orchestral instruments and unique electronic sounds, he creates a sense of eeriness or alienation.Most of the music heard is quite ambient, but rather static with no real drive or pinnacle. However, within this ambient structure is a diverse range of musical styles, for example, Jazz is heard frequently- an old-fashioned film noir effect, stereotypically associated with subjugated urban settings, bu t also more commonly linked to intimate moments, such as the growing love between Deckard and Rachael. However, it is also somewhat melancholic at times and works as a sign of doom, insinuating that things will not end well.A recurring musical symbol is the sound of bells; church bells connote religion, and this is often heard on the top floor of the pyramidal Tyrell building, implying that Tyrell is a powerful, god-like figure. In terms of the film overall, there are very few moments when there is complete silence; even when there is music missing from a scene, sound effects emanating from the environment are usually present, for instance, it constantly rains throughout the film, so rain is heard repeatedly, indicative of the depressed and forlorn atmosphere.The reputable vertical intensity of Los Angeles’ landscape depicts the power relations intrinsic within the cityscape of Blade Runner. It provides us with a picture of decay and abandonment associated with a dystopian wo rld. It is more nightmare than vision, more anxiety than hope, expressing social fears of racial, political, and economic crisis, as well as the perils of advanced technology, whether it be through genetic engineering or a Voight-Kampff invasion of humanity. In the end, it is the verticality of the cityscape which ultimately defines the purpose of Ridley Scott’s arbitrary dystopia. Bibliography Bullock, A. , and Trombley, S. (eds), The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought (Third Edition), Harper Collins, Canada, 1999 Carper, S. , â€Å"Subverting the Disaffected City: Cityscape in Blade Runner† in Retrofitting Blade Runner: Issues in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Judith B. Kerman (ed) Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1991 David Desser, ‘Race, Space, and Class: The Politics of Cityscapes’, in Alien Zone II, p. 82 Heldreth, L. G. and Kerman, J. B. (ed), â₠¬ËœThe Cutting Edges of Blade Runner’ in Retrofitting Blade Runner: Issues in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and Philip K.Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Bowling Green University Popular Press, Bowling Green, Ohio, 1991 40-52 Kellner, D. , Leibowitz, F. , and Ryan, M. , ‘Blade Runner: A diagnostic critique’, in Jump Cut: A Review of Contemporary Media, no. 29, February 1984 King, G. , and Krzywinska, T. ,Science Fiction Cinema, London: Wallflower Press, 2000 Prince, S. ,Visions of Empire: Political Imagery in Contemporary American Film, Greenwood Publishing Group, New York, 1992 Sammon, Paul M. â€Å"The Making of Blade Runner. † Cinefantastique 12 (1982): 20-47 Stiller, A. and Kerman, J. B. ed) â€Å"The Music in Blade Runner† in Retrofitting Blade Runner: Issues in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? University of Wisconsin Press, Wisconsin, 1997. Pages 196-200 Websites Kurt Bullock, Vertical Apocalypse: Altered Noir Cityscape within Blade Runner’s Dystopia: http://soma. sbcc. edu/users/DaVega/FILMST_101/FILMST_101_FILMS/Bladerunner/Vertical%20Apocalypse_Bullock. pdf Fig. 1 taken from http://www. aaronblake. co. uk/blog/2010/03/08/the-pyramid-of-the-capitalist-system/) ‘Paranoia and cynicism in Blade Runner’ in American Cinema: 1960-Present: http://amcinema1960present. ordpress. com/category/second-student-post/page/11/ (Fig. 1) ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Douglas Kellner, Flo Leibowitz, and Michael Ryan, ‘Blade Runner: A diagnostic critique’ from Jump Cut, pp. 6-8 [ 2 ]. Geoff King and Tanya Krzywinska, Science Fiction Cinema, p. 64 [ 3 ]. Ibid, p. 73 [ 4 ]. Sammon, Paul M. â€Å"The Making of Blade Runner†, Cinefantastique: 20-47 [ 5 ]. Kurt Bullock, Vertical Apocalypse: Altered Noir Cityscape within Blade Runner’s Dystopia, p. 1 [ 6 ]. ibid [ 7 ]. David Desser, ‘Race, Space, and Class: The Politics of Cityscapes’, in Alien Zone II, p. 82 [ 8 ].The Pyramid of the Capitalist System- http://www. aaronblake. co. uk/blog/2010/03/08/the-pyramid-of-the-capitalist-system [ 9 ]. Alan Bullock and Stephen Trombley (eds), The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought, pp. 387–88. [ 10 ]. Geoff King and Tanya Krzywinska, Science Fiction Cinema, p. 17 [ 11 ]. ‘Paranoia and cynicism in Blade Runner’ in American Cinema: 1960-Present-http://amcinema1960present. wordpress. com/category/second-student-post/page/11/ [ 12 ]. Stephen Prince, Visions of Empire: Political Imagery in Contemporary American Film, p. 167 [ 13 ]. Leonard Heldreth, ‘The Cutting Edges of Blade Runner’, pp. 40-52

Free Essays on Kafka Vs. Camus

Ethical issues in the Stranger vs. those in the Trial Preface: I am a big fan of Kafka and his writings, and as I read through the Stranger I was struck at how the two were very similar. The following attempts to explain these similarities. The Stranger, written by Albert Camus, and The Trial, written by Franz Kafka, are two books that have been critically acclaimed since the time that they were published. There are critics that claim that The Stranger is a dull book, and is not even a read-worthy book. Other people claim that it shows us how society actually acts upon people who do not want to be like the rest of society. The Trial falls under the same kind of criticism; but both books, although written by different writers in a different à ©poque, fall under the same kind of genre: Imprisoned Lives. In both The Stranger and The Trial there are many people who influence the protagonists in a positive and in a negative way, but none of those characters are as important as the priest. The priest, being of the same profession in both books and trying to accomplish the same kind of tasks, have a totally different effect on the two protagonists. In The Stranger the priest changes the whole attitude that Meursault has to life, whereas in The Trial the priest tells Joseph K. how his life actually is. "Why do you refuse to see me?" This question was asked by the priest and was meant for Meursault. Normally, if a person is convicted to death, he will see a priest before the sentence is executed. Meursault did not do that. He profusely refused to see the priest and why should he? He "did not believe in god." Meursault did not care, as he did not care if his mother died, or if someone proposed marriage to him. This of course went totally against the rules and ethics of society, which cannot permit such kind of behavior. But why does Camà ºs characterize Meursault like that? Why did he create such an outsider to society? Camà ºs created such an... Free Essays on Kafka Vs. Camus Free Essays on Kafka Vs. Camus Ethical issues in the Stranger vs. those in the Trial Preface: I am a big fan of Kafka and his writings, and as I read through the Stranger I was struck at how the two were very similar. The following attempts to explain these similarities. The Stranger, written by Albert Camus, and The Trial, written by Franz Kafka, are two books that have been critically acclaimed since the time that they were published. There are critics that claim that The Stranger is a dull book, and is not even a read-worthy book. Other people claim that it shows us how society actually acts upon people who do not want to be like the rest of society. The Trial falls under the same kind of criticism; but both books, although written by different writers in a different à ©poque, fall under the same kind of genre: Imprisoned Lives. In both The Stranger and The Trial there are many people who influence the protagonists in a positive and in a negative way, but none of those characters are as important as the priest. The priest, being of the same profession in both books and trying to accomplish the same kind of tasks, have a totally different effect on the two protagonists. In The Stranger the priest changes the whole attitude that Meursault has to life, whereas in The Trial the priest tells Joseph K. how his life actually is. "Why do you refuse to see me?" This question was asked by the priest and was meant for Meursault. Normally, if a person is convicted to death, he will see a priest before the sentence is executed. Meursault did not do that. He profusely refused to see the priest and why should he? He "did not believe in god." Meursault did not care, as he did not care if his mother died, or if someone proposed marriage to him. This of course went totally against the rules and ethics of society, which cannot permit such kind of behavior. But why does Camà ºs characterize Meursault like that? Why did he create such an outsider to society? Camà ºs created such an...

Locus of Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Locus of Control - Essay Example Each subject's perseverance level was rated after the task using a score range from 1 to 5. On average, subjects had a higher perseverance level on the Non-Frustration task than on the Frustration task. In this study, GESS and the ICI cannot be used to predict the degree of perseverance exhibited during a Frustration task. The concept of Locus of Control, which was originally developed by Julian B. Rotter in the early 1950's and is considered to be one of the most significant aspects of an individual's personality. It seeks to analyze the perception of an individual regarding the causes behind the happening or non-happening of certain events in his or her life (Rotter, 1966). The concept of Locus of Control is helpful in discerning the level of control that a person feels they possess in life. The study of Locus of Control would offer valuable contributions and theories that would further help in understanding and analyzing academic persistence as well as motivation. According to Strain (1993), the concept of Locus of Control has not yet been applied to the study of college students and their ability to persist at school. Individuals with internal Locus of Control are believed to be mentally more aware, able better equipped for learning, and highly motivated as compared to those with external Locus of Control (Stone and Jackson, 1975). ... And that a higher level of pessimism will correlate with a greater external Locus of Control. An optimist will perceive that many aspects of life are controllable and will therefore make efforts and take risks which will promote this belief, thus turning their Locus of Control internal. Whereas pessimists perceive that they are helpless to affect the events happening around them, so they will avoid taking steps to change things and thereby change their Locus of Control to external. According to Aspinwall and Brunhart (1996), optimists are more likely to be aware of their health risks and more informed about id as opposed to pessimists. This fact is further supported by the studies of Peterson, Seligman, and Vaillant (1988), whereby it was observed that people with pessimistic behaviour were in worse physical health on older age than their more optimistic counterparts. They also suggest a manner in which this "learned helplessness" which is a major cause of depression could be transformed into optimistic behaviour through cognitive therapy (Seligman and Martin, 1991). According to Gibson (2004), a large difference exists in the behaviour of gamblers where it was observed that optimists have high expectations of winning and so are likely to lose more than pessimists who rarely expect to win and bet lesser amounts after each consecutive loss. The concepts of optimism as well as pessimism, when studied in the light of cultural perspectives - in terms of dealing wit h international patients versus Hindu patients, Desai (1982) observes that reactions of people towards a given situation differs largely owing to their cultural backgrounds. While Armor and Taylor (1998) advocate the theory of "situated optimism" where people behave in an optimistic

Platonic and Knowledge-Definition Claims Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Platonic and Knowledge-Definition Claims - Essay Example I do not agree with the knowledge-definition claim because I think it is possible to recognize a concept (like a book) and have no clue about the elements of a Socratic definition of that concept. I am very comfortable with the Platonic claim because it relies upon observation and classification. It defines a concept in terms of its characteristics, and eliminates those things which do not exhibit the same elements. In my example of the table, it is very easy to observe the primary elements of tables. A table will have a flat surface upon which something can be placed. It will have some sort of a support structure, whether legs or a post, which elevates the flat surface. It is therefore easy to apply the Platonic claim in seeking to define a table; if an object has a flat surface and a support system, it is a table. Armed with the knowledge of these intrinsic features, even though there are only two in my simplified example, I can confidently identify tables and distinguish them from non-tables. If an object, say a broom, is presented to me, I can immediately define it in terms of its "table-ness" by looking to the object's characteristics and applying the Platonic claim. A broom does not have a flat surface supported by a stable structure. It may have a flat surface, e.g., the sides of the bristles or the top of the platform that holds the bristles. It certainly has a structure; the handle and bristle binding. But it is not a table because there is not a flat surface where something can be placed while being supported by the structure. Articulated in Platonic terms, there is the concept of a table (T) that has two features; a flat surface able to accommodate the placement of other things (F1) and a support structure that elevates the surface to a useful height (F2). Therefore, T=F1+F2. For any object under analysis, that particular object cannot be a T if it lacks F1 and F2. T may have diversity within its features, like a surface that is round or rectangular, as long as the primary element of F1 is met. T can have different examples of a support structure, like three or more legs, a central post with feet, etc., as long as the essential characteristics of F2 are met. The object may even have other features, like drawers or decorative elements, which fall outside of the primary definition given here; but as long as the elements of an object exhibit both F1 and F2, it is a table. The broom, lacking these features is then readily identified as something other than a table. I do not agree with the knowledge-definition claim. This claim asserts that if a person knows what a thing is, they know a Socratic definition of that thing. While I understand the method, and believe that it might have useful applicability in limited scenarios, I think it is possible to recognize an object without knowing what that object truly is. To illustrate the distinction I am making, I will use another simple object; a book. It is certainly possible to recognize a book without understanding what it is. An individual may know that an object with a cover and pages of text is a book. They do not even have to be literate to recognize the object as a book, as they