Othello Tragic Hero

According to Aristotle, a tragic hero is a character of noble status and greatness. He is a man who is not entirely good or entirely evil, rather, he is a man who on the whole is good, but also contributes to his own destruction by some moral weaknesses, known as the fatal flaw. Aristotle further explains that the protagonist must be dominated by a ‘hamartia’ or tragic flaw which leads to his downfall. All tragedies have a hero with a flaw, and in the play Othello, the hero becomes transformed by his tragic flaws of jealousy and gullibility. Othello is the general in the army of Venice and is in love with Desdemona. He is a Moor of African descent, who has risen through the ranks of the Venetian army through hard work and success in battle. Othello is a cultural and racial outsider, often described as a ‘black ram’ or ‘moor’, and his relationship with Desdemona was not accepted by the society at the time, thus resulting in their actions to elope and get married. Othello is an admirable figure and despite of the colour of his skin, was respected by many people in the society. In the play, Othello’s central flaw is jealousy, bringing about death and misunderstanding for many of the characters. His flaw of jealousy was exploited by Iago and manipulated through many incidental events. Othello is a very trusting and noble character and is regarded as Shakespeare’s most romantic character. Othello’s boundless love for Desdemona makes it unbearable for him to think of another man looking at her. Othello’s fatal flaw of jealousy is shown, as due to his suspicious and jealous nature, he believes everything Iago tells him about Cassio and Desdemona. Iago uses Othello’s great love through extreme manipulation to get Othello more and more jealous, this can be seen when Othello is slowly starting to believe Iago, â€Å"Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her! Come, go with me apart; I will withdraw, To furnish me with some swift means of death For the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant. † Othello later accuses Desdemona of lying to him, â€Å"O, devil, devil! If that the Earth could teem with woman's tears, Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile. Out of my sight! † this proves as a surprise for Desdemona as although she is being faithful to her husband, he does not believe a word she is saying due to his flaw of jealousy. Othello’s flaw of jealousy takes him through a series of predicaments, led by Iago, where he makes the decisions to believe Iago’s accusations on Desdemona and Cassio. It is then his jealousy that causes him to suspect Desdemona, and piece together irrelevant information that gives him the wrong information about his wife’s infidelity. Iago cleverly brings up Othello’s flaw in Act 3 Scene 3, warning him to beware of jealousy, as he deceives him about Cassio and Desdemona’s affair, while attempting to play with his mind, â€Å"O beware, my lord, or jealousy: It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on. At the beginning of the play, when Shakespeare introduces Othello as a high-status, noble man, who is in love with his wife Desdemona, the villain is immediately brought out, uncovering the protagonists fatal flaw of naivety. Iago takes Othello’s flaw to his advantage, deceiving him into believing that his wife and his lie utenant are having an affair. To Iago’s luck, Othello regards Iago as an honest man who he trusts very much, showing dramatic irony in the lines, â€Å"Iago is most honest† and â€Å"A man he is of honesty and trust†. Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony creates a connection between the characters in the play and the audience. Othello’s naive and trusting nature allows him to believe anything and everything Iago tells him, despite of his lack of physical evidence, which proved to be a deadly mistake. Othello’s gullibility also results in the change in his marriage. As Othello starts to believe Iago’s lies, the relationship between Othello and Desdemona changed from respectful and caring to bitter and condescending. Othello soon loses all respect for Desdemona and even refers to her as a whore, for having an affair with Cassio while she is married. Othello’s flaws of gullibility and jealousy combined resulted in his downfall. Another fatal flaw Othello possessed was trusting people easily. Othello trusted Iago very easily soon after they met. Although Iago cannot be blamed for Othello’s flaws, he was still responsible for planting the seeds in Othello’s mind. Othello also made a mistake of allowing Iago to mess with his mind, planting many accusations of his Desdemona and Cassio. Othello love Desdemona, and she always loved him. But because of his jealousy and gullibility his speech is juxtaposed and his love killed. After Othello murdered Desdemona for betraying his love, he realises his false accusations of Desdemona and Cassio and finally realises the true villain to be Iago and kills himself. In Othello’s last speech in the play, he speaks of the betrayal, remorse and of his lost love. Othello can be seen as a tragic hero, as his flaws are the cause of his death. His fatal flaws of gullibility, jealousy and easily trusting people can be seen as the cause of his death and others around him. He recognises his flaws in the end; however it is too late to bring back his wife, whom he had earlier killed. Iago takes Othello’s flaws to his advantage, playing with Othello’s mind, planting lies and accusations about Desdemona and Cassio. Iago can be seen as the villain as he does not care about the lives of anyone else he has ruined, instead only caring to achieve his own ends, by doing whatever necessary. Aristotles definition of a tragic hero can be compared with the life of Othello, thus making him a truly tragic hero.

Contribution Of Health To Economic Growth Economics Essay

The linkage between wellness status and economic activity has been debated several times in the yesteryear, and this issue became even more of import in the last few old ages. This relationship is instead complex. It has been already recognized that increased national wealth is linked with betterment of wellness at single and social degree. Furthermore, it is clear that improved wellness status has an consequence on economic activity and extent of economic growing. Several surveies in high- , middle- , and low-income states examined this linkage. These show that a important displacement in paradigm is discernible. Harmonizing to the new paradigm wellness was non considered as a pure byproduct of economic development, but as a cardinal factor and basic status for economic growing. This manner puting in wellness became a nucleus portion in many states ‘ development schemes and policies. At European degree the purpose of a competitory and dynamic cognition based community was set, enabling sustainable economic growing, invention and a stronger social coherence. The issue of part of human capital to economic growing was the footing for several treatments and analyses. Until now instruction was considered as the chief constituent of human capital. In the context of the neo-classical theory, economic growing is dependent on the undermentioned factors: stock of capital, stock of labour and productiveness. Productivity was considered in the first clip as a factor affected by outside forces. Subsequently on this point of position changed by looking at the investing into human capital as a possible beginning for heightening productiveness and invention. A research of Becker ( 1964 ) was based on the human capital formation. Harmonizing to him an addition in human capital raises the person ‘s productiveness. It is reached through investing into instruction, developing and wellness. The function of wellness as another of import constituent of human capital next to instruction was introduced by Grossman ( 1972 ) . Grossman constructed a theoretical account where the demand for wellness was applied in human capital theory. Grossman differentiated wellness as a ingestion good and as a capital good. In the instance of the ingestion good people practically enjoy their well-being and good wellness status. When looking at wellness as a capital good it reduces the figure of yearss spent badly. This manner it enhances the figure of productive on the job yearss and yearss spent for leisure activities. In this context wellness is non merely consumed ( enjoyed by persons ) , but produced at the same clip as good. Persons can put into wellness to keep and better it over clip. The theoretical account of Grossman received critics as good, but remained a cardinal theoretical account of analyzing the demand for wellness. Figure 1: Factors act uponing wellness and results Beginning: hypertext transfer protocol: //europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_determinants/healthdeterminants_en.htm Figure 1 represents factors finding the wellness position at single and at society degree, and different channels through which wellness contributes to economic activity. On the left side factors are presented impacting wellness of persons: genetic sciences ( inherited ) life style, instruction, wellness attention and other socioeconomic and environmental factors. Many exogenic factors impacting the wellness position can be influenced by public policies. On the right side different ways are presented through which wellness exerts a direct consequence on economic results. When analyzing the linkage between wellness and economic growing the feedback of income on wellness should be taken into consideration excessively. Marmot ( 2002 ) provinces there are two ways of through which income influences wellness status. On one manus higher income can hold a direct affect on stuff conditions holding a positive impact on biological endurance. On the other manus higher income positively influences societal engagement. Therefore, persons have better conditions to pull off life fortunes and heighten the feeling of security. Based on Figure 1 there are four chief channels or mechanisms where the consequence of wellness on the economic system is explained. Labor productiveness Peoples with a good wellness position can bring forth more within a defined clip interval. Higher productiveness is arising from better physical and mental wellness. Furthermore, persons with improved physical and mental position can utilize engineering more efficient and they are expected to be more flexible excessively. Labor supply The direct consequence of wellness on the labour supply is non obvious in some instances. Good wellness status reduces the figure of ill yearss spent, therefore increasing the figure of productive on the job yearss. In this sense it influences determinations on labour supply every bit good, because of its impact on rewards and expected life-time. In the instance when rewards are connected to productivity a healthier worker can bring forth more, therefore heightening rewards and this manner the labour supply. On the other manus a better wellness position enables higher lifetime net incomes increasing the hazard of earlier backdown from working. The decision can be drawn that these effects are based on single penchants. Based on this wellness can impact the economic system in a similar manner as wellness affect single penchants. Education Based on the theory of human capital more educated people can make higher criterions in footings of productiveness and net incomes. With a good wellness persons can accomplish higher educational making lending significantly to future productiveness. Capital Formation The cardinal point here is, whether the effects of wellness at the micro degree are successfully applicable at macro or state degree, in footings of GDP and growing rate. The mentioned theoretical theoretical accounts already assumed that there should be a positive relationship. Now analyzing several empirical surveies the necessary grounds can be collected to do more accurate judgement sing this relationship. In first line, historical surveies contributed significantly to the research of this issue. Robert Fogel was considered as the innovator of the historical survey attack. These surveies examined the part of wellness to economic growing over a longer clip period ( 1-2 centuries ) . Fogel ( 1994 ) found that the development in wellness and nutriment resulted a 30 % addition in income and 1.15 % per capita in the instance of the UK, within two centuries. Researchers paid less attending to the part of wellness to economic growing in the instance of high-income states. Just a few surveies were made finding the impact of wellness on growing specifically. Some of them found even a negative relation between wellness and economic betterment, but this was chiefly due to the usage of imperfect wellness indexs and the institutional policy model for these states. Despite the few negative consequences wellness still remained as a robust determiner for economic growing. The most normally used placeholders for wellness are life anticipation and grownup mortality. Knowles and Owen ( 1997 ) made a research on 22 high-income states utilizing life anticipation as a placeholder for wellness and found an undistinguished relationship between wellness and economic growing. The consequences were adjusted by Tompa ( 2002 ) , where he stated that the undistinguished result of the survey was due to limited variableness of life anticipation within the chosen sample of states. More important consequences were achieved by Beraldo et Al. ( 2005 ) . He found that investings in wellness consequence a 16-27 % addition in growing rates. The work by Suhrcke and Urban ( 2005 ) followed a somewhat different manner by utilizing other indexs. They used non-communicable diseases as a footing to analyze the impact of wellness on growing in high-income states in a better manner. More specifically, cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) was used as a placeholder for wellness. 26 high income states were taken as a sample in the clip period of 40 old ages. Consequences showed that CVD is a robust index in the instance of high-income states. A decrease of 10 % in CVD resulted an addition in the growing rate of per capita GDP by 1 per centum point. The consequences of empirical surveies show that merely appropriate factors enable the accurate scrutiny of the relationship between wellness and economic growing. The best indexs are life anticipation and mortality rate, but in add-on CVD is good every bit good, because it shows more variableness among high-income states than life anticipation does. Furthermore, mental illness and other morbidity indexs for rich states are suggested by Tompa ( 2002 ) .

Write about a contemporary song about small-town life and talk about Essay

Write about a contemporary song about small-town life and talk about it and relate it to Our town by Thornton Wilder - Essay Example In his song, Mellencamp brought forward a message that someone does not necessarily need to live in a city for him or her to experience a full life. According to him, living in the countryside was something of value that anyone should appreciate because that is where the family and close friends live (Mellencamp, 43-45). According to Franklin (254-255), the play ‘Our Town’ by Thornton Wilder is about the fictional American small town of Grocer’s Corner. The play explores the kind of lives for the people in small towns, where the normal life revolves around birth, marriage, and death. The theme in the play is quite similar to the lyrics of the song by Mellencamp as they both depict the graceful lives of people in the countryside. I agree with their views of small town life because it is our duty to maintain our originality and appreciate the simple and peaceful life in the countryside. It is something that those from the city should envy, as there is no anonymity in the countryside. Just as you know everyone, everyone knows you in the small town life. People should appreciate others and the little things they do as they are actually among the most important ones. The ‘Small Town’ song by Mellencamp, rhyme in terms of the subject matter with the play ‘Our Town’ by Thornton, as they both tell of the life experience in a small town setup. The play and the song give a positive outlook of a unique and admirable

Synthesis of Educational Theory Domain Research Paper

Synthesis of Educational Theory Domain - Research Paper Example ivity existing in the private sector so as to develop the schools in America, enabling them produce quality graduates to propel the economy of the nation. This will also help the graduates adapt well to the constant changing technological environment. The 21st century labor force should not have to work with an educational system of the 20th century if the nation is to achieve economic prosperity. Although, transforming the education system to be in line with the changing environment, needs an elementary shift in the education system starting with pre-K up to the higher education level. Up to now, people have lacked the audacity and flexibility to implement the necessary changes in the education sector. People need to re-evaluate themselves, and ask themselves if this is the time to bring the necessary change that is going to transform the education sector for the benefit of the future generation. This is irrespective of the uneasiness people may feel now. To address these changes, the following are essential factors to consider (Bushaw & Lopez, 2012). Redesigning the way the school system is formulated is essential. This will enable students use less time in pursuing their dreams and at the same time be successful. The old system might not be easily altered or adopted in today’s high-tech environment, and the grading system (diplomas and grade level) seems to limit success. For instance, let’s visualize a system where students do not have to be categorized according to the level of grade reached but on the basis of their skills and knowledge levels. This system might be efficient in rewarding talent and hard work. However, implementation of such measures will necessitate the handling of very difficult questions. If football clubs can enroll stars directly from high school, why can not ICT corporations like IBM do the same? Also, it is necessary to identify the future implications of embracing technology in the education system. This seems not to be a

Human Subjects Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Subjects - Research Paper Example elinek works in however has never experienced any labour unrests for over thirty years, due to relatively higher payment and better or favorable working conditions. In the surge and increase of the internet, the industry and market as a whole has borne the brunt of change as most of the competitors lost their cutting edge and business or market share to the internet. This is to imply that customers value the retail services that they get from the internet as compared to physical or manual retail stores and shops. On the contrary, the Costco Company has continued to increase and grow in terms of stock price and sales (www.bloomberg.com). In the conventional and simple sense, it is as if the Costco Company has defied business and marketing conventions to realize an increase in its portfolio despite the fact that business and market as a whole is experiencing difficult times in the conventional sense and aspect. According to Craig Jelenik, the company gives better pay and more comfortable working environment where the welfare of the workers is ensured. For instance, Craig Jelenik mentions that people ought to have wages with health benefits ensure s that more money rotates back to the society which in turn would create a healthier nation. He also went ahead to write and advise the congress to increase the minimum wage to $9 an increase from the past level. The main reason as to why he fronts an increase in the minimum wage is so as to ensure that the employee productivity is increased, their loyalty and commitment is unwavering and the turnover of employees is high. Under the prevailing circumstance of labour unrest and demands in pay rise, the Costco Company has continued to give its employees a higher minimum wage as compared to what the government stipulates for minimum pay per hour. For instance, it pays its employees $20.89 an hour as compared to the stipulated wage rate of $9-which other retail stores pays their customers. The researchers demanded and inquired

Pablo Picasso The Artistic Genius of an Avant-garde Painter Research Paper

Pablo Picasso The Artistic Genius of an Avant-garde Painter - Research Paper Example The paper "Pablo Picasso The Artistic Genius of an Avant-garde Painter" investigates the avant-garde and the role of Pablo Picasso in it. The rejection of society of his work has never discouraged him. Quite the opposite, it has encouraged him. Yet, in the recent decades, the circumstances have changed. It is hard by now to recall how painful the struggle was. The works of art of those who opposed the existing order is currently displayed in sites of tribute and the word ‘radical’ is starting to lose its previous significance. The brilliance and creativity of the founders remains obvious but it is easy to overlook their boldness and the defiance they raised to core issues of art and the bond between life and artistry. The recognized ideas of cultured tastes, beauty, and consistency which in 1881 were valued as measures by which the people may securely make its opinions have been challenged. Beauty itself is currently doubtful of its meaning. Yet, the drained and dishonor ed ideas of the past have not been ruined by academics but by the imaginative effort of artists who have discovered new ways of expression and introduced us to new varieties of artistic styles. A development of such impact can merely take place when a path is provided to it by talented individuals. The past eight decades have actually been made dramatically vivid by the canvasses of artists who have enriched the development of modern painting; yet, no single individual has influenced this radical transformation more deeply than Pablo Picasso.

Information system Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Information system Master - Essay Example We will focus on how information system works in a dynamic and turbulent environment and how it helps in the development of strategic, tactical and operation system of organizations. Moreover, we will give a glimpse of different information systems that are used like executive information systems, management information systems, risk management systems etc. In modern organizations it is very important that technology works according to the needs of the people and it works on continuous basis ensuring reliability and effectiveness. Information systems collaborate with the managers and play an important role in implementing proper technology in the organizations (Ralf, 2009). Information systems help in every aspect like creating a business plan, generation of formal reports, maintaining databases, preparing accounts etc. Decision making is the utmost task of every manager and the information system helps a lot in developing a proper and a formal decision making process (Alter, 2002). Usually the information flow from top to bottom or from bottom to top and in most of the organizations the information is managed by information management systems. Since, the decision making process is an important practice in every organization and information system provides with the decision makers with information in the form of reports, researches and huge amounts of data is compressed into shorter forms and this helps the mangers to take decisions. System generated reports are widely used by all departments and it makes the work easier for managers. The flow of information is used by managers for the decision making process and the information systems mentors the information and make sure that it will flow smoothly and will not affect the decision making process. Managers on the other hand higher professionals that can manage the flow of information and they must know that how the information in flowing in the organization. Usually the information flows from the top management to the down line workers, but in certain organization the flow of information is from down line workers to the top management and actually the flow of information varies from organization to organization. Managers of information system and the computers plan research and coordinate the computer related activities of the organization. They coordinate with each other and determine technical and organizational goals. Although this requires a proper and strong understanding of the computer systems and the technology but formal reports and detailed information can be stored and developed and can easily be presented to the top management for the purpose of decision making. Information systems are also related to the hardware and the networking side but the core purpose is related to the management side only. The needs of the organization are identified at all levels and utmost importance is given to operational and strategic perspective. Competition is also kept in mind and that's why information systems are equipped with the state of the art technology to ensure that the organization won't lag behind its competitors. An information system

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 117

Case Study Example The facility had always kept daily production records, but from what Helen could tell, no one ever consulted them or did anything with them other than to put them in file cabinets at the end of each reporting period. She thought that in principle she should be able to monitor production rates for the types of machines, identify any machines that seemed to be in need of adjustment, and characterize the amount of downtime to be expected. Accordingly, she extracted one days production records for 116 presses at her facility. The machines were scheduled for a shift of 7.75 hours each day. The operators recorded the hours of operation manually on clipboards kept near each machine. The actual quantities of parts produced were determined from automatic counters on the machines. The data on the next two pages (and in file PROD) were derived from these logs. Based on the statistics above, we can advise Jane for a machine type to be considered as being effective, it must be able to produce parts that are between 5084 and 320242 in number. The machine type must also be able to operate a minimum of 0.58 hours and a maximum of 7.75 hrs. From the statistics of central tendency, machine type 2 is the best for producing parts and also uses minimum time. When the press was down, machine type 2 is the best since it has the minimum standard

Democracy in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Democracy in America - Essay Example If the headlines and pundits are to be believed, the American government is a wreck. The reality of the situation is the American government is alive, well and working much the way it was designed by the gentlemen that crafted it over two hundred years ago. The system of checks and balances keeps any one branch of the government from bullying the other, personal liberties are vigorously defended each day and an amazing amount of services, from safe food to national defense, are provided ceaselessly to the American people. Considering the often touted inefficiencies of our democratic government and the wonderful things that are actually accomplished and achieved each day, it is clear that there are certain aspects of the constitution that could be changed or updated. This is clear when one looks at many of the social issues that face the nation at this time. The changes do not need to be profound, but as in any system, when you make a change to one part of the system, you may see nega tive effects in other parts. As we examine the parts of the out governmental structure, it becomes apparent that our modern society requires some changes to how people are elected to government, how the departments of government works, the relationship of the executive to the other branches of government and even some of the personal liberties enjoyed in the Bill of rights. ... I would increase the length of term for a member of the House of Representatives to four years. As it stands now, most of the House of Representatives spend their time running for re-election and not running the country. Elections every two years are a huge distraction to these members of congress. Running an election is more complicated and expensive than it was when the constitution was established. For this reason, members of the house should have longer terms. The House of Representatives should have 25% of its members being elected each year. This means that some of the members will always be running for office, but it also ensures that there will be constant turnover if people are not pleased with the way the House of Representatives is running the nation. These changes will result in more focused legislators and a more responsive House. The second change that should be made concerns the role of money in the electoral process. The entire process of getting elected now focuses o n having enough money to get your message out, hire staff and run negative advertisements against your opponents. The only donors that can give enough money to really influence a national campaign are the ultra-wealthy and large corporations. The Supreme Court has recently ruled that corporations can make unlimited, anonymous contributions to political parties and individuals though Political Action Committees (Liptak, 2010). This ruling is very dangerous for our democratic process. The Court reasoned that money is the same as speech, as protected in the Bill of Rights. The justices ruled that if the government curtailed the spending of money in the political process, then it would be the same a curtailing

Shang Dynasty Essay Example for Free

Shang Dynasty Essay The Shang Dynasty ruled a region of China in the Yellow River valley, an area of land that is now commonly referred to as the cradle of Chinese civilization?. The Shang Dynasty ruled their empire from around 1500-1050 B. C. E. and existed during the time of China’s Bronze Age. The Shang is the first Chinese Dynasty to leave behind sufficient evidence of its culture. This evidence has come in the form of written documents, several bronze works, and the Shang oracle bones. As a result of discovering these ancient artifacts and translating them, much is known of the Shang Dynasty and how it was run. Government was ran in the style of a monarchy and there was a class system in place as well. Over the course of the nearly 600 years that the dynasty ruled, there were about 30 kings in total that were served by officials who often held specialized positions of authority?. The Shang created a social pyramid not much unlike many other ancient cultures â€Å"with the king at the top, followed by the military nobility, priests, merchants, and farmers†?. The most distinguishable aspect of the culture between the upper classes and lower classes recognizable today is the burial process. It was not uncommon for the upper class to be buried in extremely extravagant tombs that often contained sacrifices and other gifts. It was also not common for the lesser class to be simply buried in pits that varied in size, while the lowest classes of people were occasionally thrown down wells when dead4. This organized government and society was one of the Shang dynasty’s many contributions to Chinese civilization. The Shang also made a few additional historical contributions to Chinese civilization that include the invention of writing in China, advances in bronze technology, and the use of the chariot and bronze weaponry in war. Most of the writings found from the Shang dynasty today are found in the form of the Shang oracle bones. This is most likely due to the fact that other forms of writing during the time was done on bamboo and silk, which have since decomposed, or on bronze where the writing was usually short5. Bronze in the Shang dynasty was used in very specific ways. This is known because â€Å"it is clear that only those with any degree of power in the kingdom had access to using bronze objects†6. These bronze objects ranged from food and wine vessels to military weapons, such as spears and bows. The Shang mastered the art of molding these bronze objects and weapons that helped them to be very religious and, even more importantly, extremely effective in maintaining its military supremecy7. This military supremacy along with the invention of writing and an organized government allowed the Shang dynasty to rule for many centuries and also make it one of the most historically significant times in Chinese history. A. Legalism Legalism is a philosophy in which power is concentrated with the ruler, there are strict laws, and severe repercussions for breaking the laws. Legalism was created by putting together ideas from Confucianism, Daoism, and Han Fei himself. Consequently, the largest advocate of this philosophy was Han Fei himself. He lived from around 280-233 B. C. E. and is said to have studied under a Confucian master named Xunzi. He also served as a minister during the Qin Dynasty which tried to put legalism in place. The whole idea behind legalism is that humans are born evil and selfish in nature and will only act in their own self-interest. For this reason, legalism demands a very strict agenda. Once set in place, â€Å"law must be enforced without any favoritism or exceptions, there must be no consideration of extenuating circumstances, and the law takes on a life of its own and its integrity takes precedence over any individual (except the ruler†¦)†8. Everyone in the society was required to do exactly as the law says and no less. Han Fei also believed that for such a law to be uniformly effective it had inflexible so that everyone could understand it. To this end, he also believed that that best rewards were the ones that were predictable. Legalism and Han Fei also called for severe and inescapable punishments for minor offenses in the hopes that fear would drive anyone away from committing major offenses that would call for unimaginable consequences9. This idea is extremely contradictory to Confucianism ideals, where rulers and their people should rely on morality. Han Fei didn’t believe people could ever change from their selfish state and for this reason didn’t believe Confucianism could be effective. Legalism may conceivably work, but it is not possible to create a set of laws that cover all possibilities and it holds flaws that over time tend to create separation in society that is detrimental to the state10. A. Indus Valley Civilization. The Indus Valley Civilization, more commonly known today as the Harappan Civilization, was the earliest society is South Asia that began at around 3000 B. C. E. and lasted until 2000 B. C. E.. The Harappan Civilization was based in the Indus River Valley where its two largest cities were located. Nevertheless, by about 2500 B. C. E. a uniform culture had â€Å"spread across nearly 500,000 square miles, including parts of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Baluchistan, Sind and the Makran coast†11. During the time this civilization was in existence it was extremely stable. The cities were well engineered and contained well designed infrastructures that were host to strong building built from brick and streets that were laid at the correct angles and lined with elaborate systems of covered drains12. The civilization had also grown to domesticate animals such as camels, goats, and water buffalo and cultivate crops such as wheat barley and peas13. In addition to domestication and cultivation, the Harappan people were also avid traders. This is known by the many seals discovered. There have been so many uncovered that it suggests each merchant or mercantile family had its own seal14. The civilization was extremely successful for an extended period of time, but at around 1700 B. C. E. it began to decline. By 1500 B. C. E. the Harappan people and their civilization seemed to disappear. There are many questions as to why this happened and also many theories. Some include ecological changes that forced them to move out of the region. An example could have been flooding along the Indus River. Another theory involves other groups of people, that could involve the Aryans or other barbaric tribes of the region, forcing the Harappan people out. A. Hellenism After Alexander died in 323 B. C. E. his generals divided the land amongst themselves and by around 275 B. C. E it was divided into three powerful Hellenistic monarchies. Hellenistic is defined as relating to Greek culture, language and history. These three monarchies were defined as such because although they lied separately from the former Greek empire, they all still embraced the Greek language and culture while sharing no political uniformity at all. The Hellenism allowed people from any monarchy to travel, speak the native language, and relate to the citizens, creating some uniformity between the three regions. These new states were ruled absolutely by kings, compared to classic Greek states where the people ruled. These kings were extremely interested in amassing large sums of riches and purchased items from all around the world ranging from India, Syria, Spain, and Cornwall15. Once these riches were obtained they were put on display for all to see. The kings made huge donations to zoo and libraries16. An example is the Library of Alexandria. The people of these states were not as satisfied. Not long ago they were involved in the workings of a democratic state and now they were a part of an impersonal empire that sought only wealth17. Many philosophers criticized this saying that money is not what brings happiness. The Hellenistic age did not last long and ended in 36 B. C. E. when the last of the Hellenistic people fell to the Romans. B. 1. The Origin of Death The story of the origin of death created by the Kono people of West Africa tells a story of an old man and a god. The last lines in the story read: In keeping with his promise, Alatangana had no choice but to let his children go and answer Sa, whenever he called. Thus even today, Alatangana’s children still answer to the call of Sa. All because Alatangana didn’t pay a dowry when he marries Sa’s daughter. The story arrives at this point only after a series of events play out between the old man, Sa, and the god, Alatangana. The first event is Alatangana creating a more habitable world for Sa, his wife and his daughter. Alatangana then begins to fall in love with Sa’s daughter and asks Sa for his permission to marry her. Despite being told no by Sa, Alatangana does so anyway. Alatangana and the daughter have fourteen children together, seven of which are male and seven which are female. Every one of them is a different race and every one of them speaks a different language. This is Sa’s doing and he also sends Alatangana’s children to every corner of the world. When his children ask to be taken of out the darkness Alatangana asks Sa for help. He sends birds back to Sa that will sing and bring forth the light of day. However, in return for this gift Sa tells Alatangana that he may now take a child of his whenever he so pleases. Alatangana must agree to this and the deal is done. In this story death is portrayed by Sa, who many now take any of god’s children whenever he sees fit. The last lines of the story demonstrate how the Kono relate such an ancient tale to today by stating that â€Å"†¦Alatangana’s children still answer to the call of Sa†. In addition, the fact that the dowry is once again highly stressed in the final line show the importance of that aspect in their culture at the time. This interpretation of how life and death came to be are historically relevant because it illustrates how earlier civilizations made sense of the world they found themselves in. It also shows us that the Kono believed that death was an equally, if not more significant, part of life compared to gods and other aspects. The story also shows that the Kono believed everyone was a child of god and that death did not choose a certain class to focus death upon, or deny a class death because of something such a wealth or power. The story suggests equality between all people with regards to god and death. B. 3. Purusha The myth of Purusha is one on how the world is created and is from the Rigveda. The Rigveda is the oldest Aryan scripture, being transmitted orally from around 1500-1000 B. C. E. before being written down in Sanskrit at around 800-500 B. C. E. The story of Purusha tell how that world is created but in a very symbolic way. Each part of Purusha’s body is used to make what becomes each of the social classes and gods of old. According to the myth â€Å"The Brahmin was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rajanya made. His thighs became the Vaisya, from his feet the Sudra was produced†. Each body part became a specific class for a specific reason. The Brahmin came from the mouth because they devoted their lives to memorizing all the Veda’s. They were the only ones who knew the Veda’s and therefore were called upon to recite a Veda when someone needed guidance. The Rajanya, or warrior class, was made from the arms because fighting required heavily upon your arms and strength. The Vaisya, or merchant and artisan class, were made from the thighs because they represented hard work and were the pillars on which the civilization ran. The Sudra, or laborer class, was made from the feet because they were the lowest of all the people created and could metaphorically be stepped on by higher classes. In the myth the two higher classes are also described together in the first sentence together, emphasizing the line between the two upper classes and the two lower ones. Along these lines, this myth is to show were these classes lie in society and give the people in the classes a reason to why they are there. This way, the people in power now have a reason to stay in power and give the people in lower classes a reason to stay there. Therefore, the story is used as a validation for the caste system of the time as a whole. It suggests that any other form of social structure would be wrong because it would not be divine. This small exert from the myth of Purusha on how humans were made played an important role on how the caste system was working at the time and gave people a reason not to question it. 3. 6. Analects The Analects is a text that contains hundreds of sayings of Confucius written down by his students after his death and completely out of context. Confucianism was based on the idea that all people had the ability to become good and that society should be run on morality. This is in contrast with other ideals such as Legalism which was based on the idea that everyone was born evil and selfish, could never change, and required to be severely punished for minor offenses. Confucius did not believe that this was an effective way to rule people and his reasoning is shown in the Analects. It is written in Book II, III. 1. â€Å"The master said, ‘If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame’†. By stating this Confucius believes that if a ruler is trying to obtain uniformity to obey a law by punishment people will simply try and avoid the punishment without conforming and will have learned nothing. In the second part of the passage he states â€Å"If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . With this he simply states that upon learning a moral philosophy that people will uniformly want to become good. With this in mind, Confucius also believed that the government should play a small role in the lives of the people and always hold the people in its best interest. The following saying recorded in the Analects go on to state how people should be treated when alive, while being buried, and how they should be sacrificed. All of these things should be dependent on how well you conformed to the acceptable standards of morality that should be set in place. These passages all sum up some of the main points of Confucianism such that morality should play a key role in how one’s life is lived and how ruling should take place. B. 7. The Apology In The Apology written by Plato, Socrates is being put on trial by the city of Athens and is giving his defense. He is on trial for corrupting the youth and being impious, although it is certain he has done neither of these formally accused things. During Socrates defense he states that Athens and other cities need people like him. Someone who would go around and ask questions in order to make people think. Socrates believed that people didn’t truly think about what they were doing and to do so needed to ask more questions. Socrates also believed he was wiser than any other man in that he knew that knew nothing. In fact, his defense against the charge of being impious was that he firmly believed he was carrying out the will of Apollo and was told by the oracle of the god that he was the wisest man. If he believed such things then there is no way he could possibly not be pious. With this that charge was somewhat thrown away. He tried to explain that he was only trying to promote productive thought throughout the city and its people. He felt that he was necessary for the city to be attached to just as a gadfly to a horse. Just as the city was unwilling to think without a being questioned, the horse was too lazy to move without a sting. He ended his defense by stating that instead of killing him they should reward him. With his argument that they needed him more than they knew it and somewhat sarcastic punishment suggestion, he was sentenced to death. This is only an interpretation by Pluto and states that it is beneficial for someone to be asking questions and trying to enlighten others. It also represents the philosophical style which Plato learned from Socrates and advocated during his lifetimes as well. A style that effected Athenian life by making the city more conscious and aware of the actions it partook on a day to day basis when put into practice. C. 1. Paleolithic to Neolithic The Neolithic Revolution marked the beginning of the Stone Age and set up a new form of lifestyle for early humans. The Neolithic Revolution was proceeded by the Paleolithic era. The people that were alive at this time are the oldest know people in existence. These people were hunters and gatherers, relying on the food they could find in the forest or the animals they could kill to eat. They were also nomadic people, never staying in one concrete place but rather moving to wherever the climate and was suitable for their style of life. When the Neolithic Revolution took place people began to work more on their stone working abilities. Thus, the Neolithic revolution coincides with the beginning of the Stone Age. The Neolithic revolution also marked several other large changes in the way people live. People began to farm and produce their own food along with domesticate animals. It is now known that the Neolithic people planted and grew primitive forms of wheat and barley. This crop could have been very useful because it could be stored and used at a later date18. For example, during a drought or dry season one could use their stored crop to help feed their animals. In this way agriculture grew alongside the domestication of animals. This time called for planning that involved picking the most productive grain to plant the next growing season and which of your most powerful animals you should have mate19. This newfound knowledge and ability to stay in one place allowed the human population to grow in concentrated areas. This was a very change from Paleolithic times where groups typically ranged from 20-30 people. During the Neolithic age it was not uncommon for there to be large farming towns and cities with thousands of residents. Almost every of life was changed during the Neolithic revolution and the way of life it brought was effective. Until recently, in the past couple centuries, Neolithic culture had survived in many parts of the world. C. 4. Polis The term polis in Greek means city-state, and its existence during the Archaic age and at the time of Alexander the Great had a large effect on Greek culture. The Archaic age burst from the dark ages in Greece and lasted from around 800-500 B. C. E. and with it brought a revitalized trade, agricultural and urbanization elements. At the height of the Greek colonization there were about 1,500 city-states that occupied a very large Greek speaking cultural zone. These city-states were often run in one of three way that included a democracy, and oligarchy, or a tyranny. The democracy is the one which the power is held in the people’s hands. In this system everyone may have equal power with accordance to the law but it was often recognized that the wealthy still retained more power. The system where the few wealthy and powerful did run the government was called and oligarchy. One in which only one person rules is a tyranny. The city-states at the time had no standing armies, were religiously centered, and also focused on the arts. By the time the Classical age came to be along with the great ruler Alexander the Great Greece was very powerful and rich with culture. This was due impart to the city-states that allowed the Greek culture to spread to all corners of the empire while retaining a stable social and political structure within themselves and therefore the entire empire. Notes 1. Selena Lai and Waka Takahashi Brown, â€Å"The Shang Dynasty, 1600 to 1050 BCE. † FSI Stanford Spice Digests, (2006): Accessed September 29, 2013, http://iis-db. stanford. edu/docs/117/ShangDynasty. pdf. 2. Ibid. , 1. 3. ushistory, 9b. Shang Dynasty — Chinas First Recorded History. Accessed September 29, 2013. http://www. ushistory. org/civ/9b. asp. 4. Ibid. , 1. 5. Lai and Brown, â€Å"The Shang Dynasty, 1600 to 1050 BCE,† 1. 6. Ibid. , 1. 7. Ibid. , 1. 8. Gregory Smits. â€Å"Legalism,† in the web-based book Topics in Premodern Chinese History. (accessed September 29, 2013). http://www. personal. psu. edu/faculty/g/j/gjs4/textbooks/PM-China/ch5. htm. 9. Ibid. , 1. 10. Ibid. , 1. 11. Tripod, The Indus Valley Civilisation. Accessed September 29, 2013. http://sympweb. tripod. com/IndusValleyhistory. htm. 12. Ibid. , 1. 13. Ibid. , 1. 14. Ibid. , 1. 15. The History Channel, Hellenistic Greece. Accessed September 29, 2013. http://www. history. com/topics/hellenistic-greece. 16. Ibid. , 1. 17. Ibid. , 1. 18. Edrene S. McKay, â€Å"Paleolithic Neolithic Societies,† in World Civilizations from Prehistory to 1500. Accessed September 30, 2013. www. Online-History. org. 2 19. Ibid. , 2. Bibliography McKay, Edrene S. , â€Å"Paleolithic Neolithic Societies,† in World Civilizations from Prehistory to 1500. 1. Accessed September 30, 2013. www. Online-History. org. 2 Lai, Selea and Waka Takahashi Brown, â€Å"The Shang Dynasty, 1600 to 1050 BCE. † FSI Stanford Spice Digests, (2006): 1. Accessed September 29, 2013. http://iis-db. stanford. edu/docs/117/ShangDynasty. pdf Smits, Gregory. â€Å"Legalism,† in the web-based book Topics in Premodern Chinese History. 1. Accessed September 29, 2013. http://www. personal. psu. edu/faculty/g/j/gjs4/textbooks/PM-China/ch5. htm). The History Channel, Hellenistic Greece. Accessed September 29, 2013. http://www. history. com/topics/hellenistic-greece Tripod, The Indus Valley Civilisation. Accessed September 29, 2013. http://sympweb. tripod. com/IndusValleyhistory. htm. ushistory, 9b. Shang Dynasty — Chinas First Recorded History. Accessed September 29, 2013. http://www. ushistory. org/civ/9b. asp.

Understanding The Term Of Agenda Setting Media Essay

Understanding The Term Of Agenda Setting Media Essay Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw first coined the term agenda-setting in their article The Agenda Setting Function of the Mass Media (McCombs and Shaw, 1972). However the McCombs credits Walter Lippmann as the intellectual father of agenda setting (McCombs, 2004: 3). Walter Lippmanns thesis Public Opinion  [1]  described the concept of a pseudo- environment; an imagined reality of the world constructed from the media we consume. Lippmann suggested that man lives in a fictitious world, hence whatever we believe to be true picture, we treat as if it were the environment itself (Lippmann, 2007: 7-10). Walter Lippmann speculation that the Mass Media played an important role in the publics understanding of the world they inhabited. The influence that he implied suggested the mass media agenda played an important role in influencing/shaping the public opinion or public agenda. Hansen writing 88 years later reaffirmed this relationship theorised by Lippmann, suggesting the media play a role in educating the public: While the roles of formal education in acquainting us with the public word and image vocabulary of the environment should not be overlooked, much, maybe most, of what we learn and know about the environment we know from the media. Hansen utilises the Habermasian concept of a public sphere, suggesting that the mass media provide a public arena for national and transnational debate of environmental issues: Since the emergence and rise of the modern environmental movement in the 1960s, the mass media have been a central public arena for publicising environmental issues and for contesting claims, arguments and opinions about our use and/or protection of the environment. (Hansen, 2010:6) The issues discussed within this public arena, can be described as the media agenda. However as much as the mass media provides a forum for discussion, it is not all inclusive. Environmental issues have to compete against each other for widespread coverage. As the environmental agenda, isnt always at the forefront of the public agenda, often multiple environmental issues are fighting for limited coverage from the press: While many issues compete for public attention, only a few are successful in doing so, and news media exert significant influence on our perceptions of what are the most important issues of the day. (McCombs, 2004:2) McCombs, Lippmann and Hansen all suggest that the media dictate to some level, what are the most important issues of the day. The conundrum becomes; how do the cultural gatekeepers decide which issue is the most important on the media agenda, and thus deserves media coverage? What influences the Media on environmental issues? To understand these questions it is necessary to address the fundamental obstacle for environmental issues to overcome to become newsworthy. Visual media utilises imagery as a source of legitimacy. However as environmental problems develop over a long period of time they often appear invisible: a large proportion of the processes associated with the most difficult environmental problems tend to be inaccessible to the senses, invisible until they materialise as symptoms (Adam, 1998:12; Hansen, 2000: 56). Hence although some environmental issues may be more serious in the long-term, they are not always deemed newsworthy as they have no iconography attached to their cause. Pressure groups utilize the issue of invisibility by creating spectacles and press stunts in order to make the invisible issues visible. Greenpeace in particular are hugely successful at utilizing iconography  [2]  . Iconic images of icebergs, crashing into the sea or Fathers for Justice scaling the Houses of Parliament can define an issue, and penetrate public consciousness, much easier than text based media. However Hansen argues that the effects of visual spectacles are short term; they only allow the issue to gain visibility as a trigger to create wider media interest for the issue: The newsworthiness of environmental pressure groups would soon wear off it had to rely solely on their creation of spectacular protest performances[they] are of course eminently newsworthy and visually striking, but they are not sufficient for remaining on the media agenda or for maintaining media visibility in the long term. (Hansen, 2010: 53) Hansen argues that successful pressure groups are able to maintain visibility of the issue in the media by targeting issues that are already being discussed in the forums which the media regularly report on (i.e. Political forums, e.g. Parliament) (Hansen, 2010:53). This would suggest that the media agenda is directly and indirectly influenced by policy agenda, suggesting a symbiotic relationship as the media influence the public agenda, which in turn influences the policy agenda by terms of voting. James Dearing and Everett Rogers (Dearing and Rogers: 1996, Rogers and Dearing: 1988) visualised this concept [see figure 1] suggesting that all three agendas are interlinked: exposure through the mass media allows a social problem to be transformed into a public issue (Dearing and Rogers, 1996:4). When something becomes a public issue it is propelled into policy agenda through the government; who represent the majoritys best interests. However the mass media commentate on the policy agenda so pressure groups are able to exploit this cycle, by elevating topics they deem to be of most importance higher on the media agenda and in turn policy agenda via public pressure: The agenda-setting process is an ongoing competition among the proponents of a set of issues to gain the attention of media professionals, the public, and policy elites (Dearing and Rogers, 1996:6). Figure However the relationship between the three agendas is not without its flaws; For environmental issues to be addressed by the press, they must propel themselves as the most important issue on the agenda to the media. However this does not correspond to levels of importance or seriousness to the public: The relative prominence of a social issue is not in any way a simple reflection of levels of public concern; it is heavily influenced by the activities of issue sponsors such as politicians, or successful interest or pressure groups (Anderson, 1997:30). The notion that issues that appear in the media agenda are not necessarily the most important suggests other actors play a role in setting the agenda. So whilst we rely on the news to dictate what picture of the world we consume, the news agenda can be influenced by amongst other factors, celebrity endorsements. Dan Brockington (2008) suggests industrial society has only a fleeting interest in the environment: their rare glimpse of the environment is often through highly romanticized representations of the environment rather than their own experiences. Hence celebrity endorsements of environmentalism help to replace the lack of experience in society: celebrity support for conservation fulfils a modern social need. The alienation from nature that characterizes capitalist urban living drives the demand for celebrity involvement in conservation (Brockington, 2008:558). Criticisms of the agenda setting model Agenda setting theory is based on long term effects. In order for an issue to become central in terms of public opinion, McCombs argued that the frequency or prominence of a given issue in the mass media, placed significant influence on how important the issues was perceived by the public: Those issues emphasized in the news come to be regarded over time as important by the public (McCombs, 2004:4-5). However McCombs analysis of the prominence of a given issue doesnt take into consideration how the issue is framed within the mass media: Social movements have increasingly focused on the media since it plays such an influential role in assigning importance to issues facing the public. But gaining attention alone is not what a social movement wants; the real battle is over whose interpretation, whose framing of reality, gets the floor. (Ryan, 1991:53) Issues are at the mercy of the press, when they are pushed into the media forum. Different papers frame the issues within their ideological constraints. What becomes essential for claimsmakers and pressure groups, is the ability to manipulate the mass media, so the issue at hand remains at the focus within the different ideological representations. The quantitative approach also only looks how many times an article was published, not how many times the article was read. Obviously circulation figures are a rough guide that an article is being read by a high percentage of that readership. However this is no guarantee that the article is digested. This becomes a bigger problem when considering new mediums such as the internet, is that the quantity of articles on environmental issues is so vast that it would be inconceivable to assume that prominence related to prevalence to the public. Robert Burnett and P. David Marshall suggested that the problem readers have is filtering the vast amounts of information they have access to, to find the right news stories (Burnett and Marshall, 2003: 153). Since then digital news has grown significantly in popularity; the problem thus becomes how can the media influence public opinion when the public have become their own filters, so can solely digest stories based on their interests rather than only being able to choose from a limited set of stories in a newspaper based on an editors choices. Another criticism of the quantitative analysis model favoured by McCombs is that it doesnt take into consideration how something gets adopted by the media. Anderson argued that agenda-setting theorists such as McCombs do not look at the initial triggers that cause issues to be included into the media agenda: Agenda-setting studies have tended to ignore the whole process through which social issues are taken up by the media (Anderson, 1997:25). Within Dearing and Rogers Model, the public are not deemed to be pivotal for the agenda setting process. However when considering the trigger that propels an issue into the media and policy forums (specifically on environmental issues) it can sometimes be attributed to a small group of public individuals who insight direct action, to spark wider interest. Brian Doherty et al. describe direct action as: Protest action where protesters engage in forms of action designed not only or necessarily to change government policy or to shift the climate of public opinion through the media, but to change environmental actions around them directly. (Doherty, Paterson and Seel, 2000:1) The term public is contestable itself; how do differentiate between ordinary members of environmental non-governmental organisations and members of a concerned community? Within different contexts we can all be described as the public. Protesters can be seen as belonging to the public, so the direct action that often provides the trigger for the uptake of issues into the media agenda could be described as coming from a small proportion of the public. The key component of agenda setting research should then be considered minority influence. The minority groups or opinion leaders disseminate their concerns on certain issues by influencing others by empowering their causes by form of protests, publicity stunts and media performances. Environmental Agenda Setting Looking specifically at the Kingsnorth Six case study and applying the Agenda Setting theory to it, we can expose the complexities involved in the agenda setting process and how they may or may not be relevant when looking at it through the perspective of a non-governmental organisation, deciphering whether they are successful in utilising the media to fulfil their aims. The Kingsnorth Six direct action protest involved the David Pepper claims that environmentalism is less a coherent movement and more of a turn in late-twentieth-century thought arguing that in its simplest definition an environmentalist; is one who is concerned with the environment. Thus the majority of the West can be described as environmentalists (Pepper, 2000:445-6). Whilst openly sharing oppositional views is widely acknowledged as a social taboo, the amount of active environmentalists are less popular. Hence by gathering attention to the Kingsnorth case, Greenpeace could turn a minority cause and propel it to the masses, thus gaining the issue serious political significance by bringing it to the environmental sympathisers domain; as nobody wants to be seen as actively damaging the environment, for fear of commercial and political repercussions from the sympathizing majority. Hutchins and Lester argue that journalists have an environmentalist bias as it is in their readers interest: Journalists acknowledge the saliency of environmental issues to readers and audiences because of the threats posed to natural environments and peoples wellbeing by degradation and the unchecked activities of capital. (Hutchins and Lester, 2006:434) Environmental issues have been of particular relevance since global warming was posed as a theory, ever since it has been at the forefront of media and science agenda, seeing with it the rise in popularity of political parties such as the Green Party in the United Kingdom yet also a rise in green policies. Environmental concerns transcend all classes so are useful for the media in targeting large concerned audiences. This scaremongering tactic validates the work of pressure groups and non-governmental organisations and disguises the profit motives of the media reporting it. However Hutchins and Lester ignore two key oppositional concepts: the influence of corporations as advertisers and journalistic objectivity. The first point can be dismissed as only one corporation is being targeted the money lost from attacking E.ON can be easily filled by other businesses from other sectors. The second point journalistic objectivity, allows a platform for debate, whereby environmental sceptics are allowed an equal platform to discuss their opinions. This creates a dilemma similar to the religion versus science debate; influential sceptics are allowed to pollute the influence of pressure groups with little grounding in scientific fact or common sense. The media is more than a site for environmental action; it plays a significant role in shaping debate and influencing outcomes. It is here that representations are determined, images softened or distorted, and power granted or denied. (Hutchins and Lester, 2006: 438) Hutchins and Lester bring up a fundamental point of the nature of the media in influencing outcomes of protests. Whereas the media validated Greenpeaces protests, specifically broadsheets such as The Guardian, projecting the Kingsnorth Six onto hero status; even premiering the Nick Broomfields short documentary A Time Comes: The Story of the Kingsnorth Six (Broomfield, 2009). This presented the Kingsnorth Six as ordinary members of the public with no activist history, whom simply wanted to right a wrong. Dieter Rucht describes how in some rare instances the mass media can potentially be considered an ally for the social movements such as The Guardian in this case. However he warns that social movements would be wrong to rely on this as the mass media carry their own agenda different from the aims of the social movement (Rucht, 2004: 55). The protest/publicity stunt clearly intended to insight media interest. Nick Broomfields short documentary (Broomfield, 2009) highlights the directness of Greenpeaces tactics to achieve press coverage. The activists assumptions of the media reaction were highlighted by a quote from Ben Stewart one of the Kingsnorth Six: because my parents live near there (Kingsnorth Power Station), I gave them a ring and said you might see on the news that I am on top of this power station (Stewart in Broomfield, 2009). This arrogance becomes justified when noting the previous newsworthiness of Greenpeace protests in gaining media attention (Carroll and Hackett, 2006:87). Stewart then goes on to state Greenpeaces exact intentions, emphasizing the performance aspect of the protest by having what is implied as press conferences on top of the chimney: I got up and did the interviews with the media and tried to justify it (the protest) to the public when we were up there, and of cause this thing is always a bit controversial (Stewart in Broomfield, 2009). Then implying that it would disseminate the issue into public discourse/forums: you get lots of public ringing into the talk radio stations saying were nothing (Stewart in Broomfield, 2009). The whole direct action performance comes across as merely being a platform to receive media coverage to then disseminate their issue into the agenda. However Greenpeaces performance tactics resonate well with the medias agenda as they provide the media with pre-packaged news stories: Greenpeace has always been inherently fascinating and newsworthy as far as the media are concerned. It presented them with totally pre-packaged, simplistic but very powerful images of confrontation that were very new and exciting (Gallie cited in Anderson, 1997:35) The Kingsnorth Six protest certainly did this; providing photographs, videos and interviews to the various interested media. Allowing Greenpeace to remain in control of how their imagery was framed and represented. On an interview with ITV Meridian Tonight Stewart justified their actions by highlighting Greenpeaces agenda on E.ONs proposed plans: Gordon Brown wants to build a new one of those carbon dinosaurs and thats why were up here, were trying to stop that happening (Stewart in Broomfield, 2009). The telephone interview from the top of the tower to new stations emphasises the link between performance and agenda setting. Whereas the protest may give the guise of trying to shut down the Kingsnorth plant in order to stop the polluting power station, the primary objective of the press stunt prevails: securing communication with the media, thus allowing Greenpeace to dictate the news agenda. However their story only reached local level on television news coverage, receiving coverage from ITV Meridian Tonight and BBC South-East Today. Contrary to the regionalised coverage of the initial protest the subsequent trial received national attention on the respective channels. This would imply that the Kingsnorth Six protest functioned as a trigger to greater media coverage rather than gaining the substantial media coverage needed for an issue to become adopted into the national media and public agenda. It would be easy to assume that Greenpeace had expected more coverage than they received initially. However the issue was already in the political forum, with the Governmental body The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform due to release a white paper on the carbon capture and storage regulations. This reflects Hansens sentiments (mentioned earlier), suggesting it is a deliberate tactic to target issues already in political forums (Hansen, 2010:53). Critiques of Greenpeace reaffirm Hansens observations. Chris Ross writing for Greenpeace highlighted some of myths surrounding the Brent Spar case study; that Greenpeace had the potential to act on issues that they themselves stood to gain positive framing, in other words easy battles: Greenpeace had given little though to the issue it was going to tackle, or its consequences. In short, the Brent Spar was a good photo opportunity for an organisation faced (in some countries) with a decline of its membership and visibility. (Ross, 1998:40) This could be said of the Kingsnorth Case, Greenpeace knew that the proposed plans were controversial within the economical and political climate, so had predicted an easy win which would create a good photo opportunity. This is not to say that Greenpeace was not interested in the issue beforehand, but simply chose a strategic target out of the many environmental criminals in the world. Greenpeace should not be solely attributed with pushing the Kingsnorth case into the media, public and policy agenda after all other non-governmental organisations were also active such as Climate Camp and Friends of the Earth. This poses the dilemma; did Greenpeace activate this protest network by projecting the struggle into the agenda? However it is evident from the polaric media representation of the protests that the Greenpeace protest yielded a greater media influence (than the Climate Camp protests) due to its previous validation within the media because of previous successes in gaining media attention (Carroll and Hackett, 2006:87). Whereas Climate Camp was undermined by their history of negative encounters with the police. The Kingsnorth Six Coverage/ Analysis On October 8th 2007 six Greenpeace representatives climbed the 200 metre high smokestack at the Kingsnorth power station in Medway, Kent, attempting to paint the words Gordon bin it on it. Whilst another 20 activists chained themselves to the stations conveyor belt, immobilising it from burning coal. The Kingsnorth Six as the media labelled them (see fig.2 ), successfully managed to draw significant media attention from October 2007 till September 2008 when the activists were acquitted of the charges of causing  £30,000 of criminal damage to the smokestack on the defence that they were acting to prevent climate change, a landmark case in legal history  [3]  . Figure : 5 members of the Kingsnorth 6 Greenpeace activists. Greenpeace aspired to highlight the plans of the government and the German energy corporation E.ONs proposed plans to build a new coal powered power station at Kingsnorth which was proposed to be operational by 2012; the first of its kind in Britain since 1986. Greenpeace claimed itself that the ensuing direct action led to the postponement of E.ONs plans. Much like the Brent Spar case in 1995, as Hansen described: Greenpeace succeeded in stiring up sufficient media, political and public interest (Hansen, 2000:57) to force E.ON to reconsider its position. The question is how much responsibility can Greenpeace claim? Did the subsequent media coverage really have the effect that Greenpeace claimed? Hansen (Hansen, 2010) repeatedly coins the term claims-maker in reference to pressure groups suggesting that groups such as Greenpeace take a conservative option in their choice of issues to propel into the spotlight. He suggests that claims-makers choose topics which are already involved in policy agenda or Legislator: Most of the issues on which successful pressure groups campaign and successfully gain media coverage are issues which already have an institutional forum rather than completely new issues which have not been problematised in some form or other before. (Hansen, 2010:53) This would suggest that Policy Agenda influences the pressure groups choice in agenda: as they are more likely to have success in influencing the three agenda setting processes if they are able to frame and elaborate existing issues that are already in the public domain (Hansen, 2010:54). Hansen suggests that Greenpeaces spectacular protest performances are great at creating a visual spectacle; however they are not sufficient at maintaining media visibility in the long term (Hansen, 2010:53). In other words apart from the newsworthiness of the Kingsnorth-Six stunt, the more important factor in agenda setting, was the subsequent trial that kept the Kingsnorth issue visible. Hansen suggests that it is not as simple as just setting the agenda as McCombs suggested, the quantity is not of coverage is irrelevant if the coverage is framed in the wrong way: While an environmental pressure group such as Greenpeace has the ability to secure media coverage for its claims its capacity to influence or control the way its claims are framed and inflected by individual newspapers is more questionable. (Hansen, 2000:71) Hansen looked at a selection of the three traditional types of newspapers from the British press: Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph and Daily Mirror and their respective Sunday editions (Hansen, 2000: 58). Analysing each newspapers output over the period following the Brent Spar protests to determine how the coverage was framed; looking specifically at the gulf between commanding attention for an issue and securing legitimacy (Hansen, 2000:56). He found that individual media exert ideological work upon their differential accessing of sources and their differential choice and promotion of particular lexical terms (e.g. Greenpeace as terrorists, a nuisance, undemocratic) (Hansen, 2010: 57). Hansen implied that Greenpeace media coverage was at the mercy and scrutiny of each outlets ideological allegiance. Although the initial protest is the most visible in terms of photos and iconic moments, in its initial aftermath the majority of press coverage was localised. A search of the Nexis newspaper database shows none of the national newspapers covered the protest in the week following the incident, with the majority of coverage remaing on local television broadcasts and regional newspapers. Between October 15th 2007 and September 10th 2008 there were 42 articles containing the keywords Kingsnorth and Greenpeace. Of these 19 were from The Guardian and The Observer and 10 were from The Independent (both of which could be described as having an environmental bias), hence only 13 were from other UK national newspapers. Applying McCombs quantitative methodology of agenda setting stating that the most prominent public issues are synonymous with the most important public issues (McCombs, 2004:5) One could conclude that Greenpeaces publicity stunt had failed to garner notable national coverage of the Kingsnorth plight compared to its previous successes of gaining the presss attention (e.g. Brent Spa). However out of the mediocre coverage 76% was from UK national newspapers with a history of environmental concern; echoing once again Ruchts notion that the media can potential act as an ally for social movements (Rucht, 2004:55). The Observer notably, exclusively broadcasted Nick Broomfields documentary, which utilised, among others David Gilmour on the soundtrack. Whereas there was a total of 21 national newspaper articles covering the Kingsnorth-Six trial verdict between the 11th and 15th of September 2008; suggesting the mainstream coverage was more interested in the verdict of the court on the Kingsnorth Six; as the result could set a precedent for future environmental policy agenda. Therefore in this case the Kingsnorth-Six stunt was more successful in becoming part of the media agenda in its aftermath. In Hansens Claims-Making in the Brent Star Controversy (2000) He suggests that the Telegraph utilised a negative overlexicalisation of descriptors to describe Greenpeaces actions (Hansen, 2000:62). Throughout the Kingsnorth coverage The Daily Mail, The Mirror and The Express conformed to this convention, often sensationalising the news with doom-mongering extrapolations. The Daily Mail framed the verdict of the case with a negative sensationalist set of descriptors, being highly critical of the ramifications that the case may have for the future of civil order. Whilst being highly critical of Greenpeaces actions the focus was shifted from the agenda of climate change, towards the unlawful nature by which the activists disseminated their message; framing the Greenpeace activists as potential threatening to the public: Green Light to Anarchy; Greenpeace Verdict will Encourage Lawbreakers, Warns Widdecombe (Sears, 2008:12). Hansen observed a similar instance/tactic in the Brent Spar case whilst analysing the framing of civil protest suggesting that The article served a functionlinking together and interpreting a series of vaguely related events or activities as symptoms of a deeper problem or social malaise (Hansen, 2000:61) Emily Highmore: What Greenpeace did was hugely irresponsible (Cited in Sears, 2008:12) So is it OK Now to Kill Gary Glitter? (Littlejohn, 2008:17). So next time some self righteous vegan in cycling shorts is caught smashing up a Range Rover in the name of the polar bears, dont be surprised when they try to use this not guilty verdict as their Get Out Of Jail Free card (Littlejohn, 2008:17). The Mirror NOT LAWFUL.. JUST AWFUL. (Routledge, 2008:29) This is judicial lunacy. It opens the way to all sorts of violence by flat-Earth nutters bent on halting the construction of vital new generating capacity. (Routledge, 2008:29) The Express Judge is an Ass for this Ruling. (Hamilton, 2008:31). The judges direction clearly encourages politically motivated acts of mayhem and is a threat to public order (Hamilton, 2008:31). In all of the above examples the verdict is framed as being giving anarchic powers to Green protesters, sensationalising the potential ramifications. The Greenpeace activists are seen as the Villains disturbing the peace and creating disharmony in the legal system. The Judge and Jury are thus portrayed as the Anti-Heroes being too easily swayed by the glamour of the environmental celebrities paraded by Greenpeace in defence. The Independent For the jury that acquitted the six activists may have done more to frustrate the Governments plans to build coal-fired powered stations than the pressure group has achieved in years. (Lean, 2008:54) The People are Ahead of the Game on Climate Change. (Lean, 2008:54) The Daily Telegraph severe embarrassment to the Government (Clover, 2008:33). So the Greens are Right About Coal (Clover, 2008:33). The Guardian Climb Every Chimney . . .: The Kingsnorth Six Admitted Causing  £30,000 Worth of Damage to a Coal-Fired Power Station Yet a Jury Still Refused to Find Them Guilty. The Verdict Has Left the Governments Energy Plans in the Balance, Says John Vidal, and Given a Huge Boost to Climate Change Protesters. (Vidal, 2008:4). The Maidstone verdict has changed all that and could prove a turning point both for the protest movement and industrial policy (Vidal, 2008:4). If I was E.ON or Owned an Airport, Id be Very, Very Worried: Activists from Other Groups Hail the Kingsnorth Victory. (Van Der Zee, 2008:7) Mel Evans a Climate Camp activist: When you take the arguments to a jury, then they respond in this way because they can see what the reality is. (cited in Van Der Zee, 2008:7) Goldsmith accused the government of a profound lack of imagination when it came to examining alternative energy solutions (Henley, 2008: 6) Beyond all Reasonable Doubt: How Four Witnesses Put the Government in the Dock. (Henley, 2008: 6) The above examples utilise the David versus Goliath analogy or as Vladimir Propp would suggest the Hero character type, suggesting that the case stood as a shift in the

Hackers :: Technology Hacking Essays

Hackers We are people who live among a society where obeying the laws is apart of our culture. Of course there will be people trying to break the rules and disrupt society for whatever reason. Crime is always a possibility just like in an online community or anywhere on the Internet in general. These criminals are known as Hackers because of their capabilities to steal or damage information on the Internet that can be very valuable like bank accounts or even top-secret government files. Capabilities like these must come from in-depth knowledge of the computer and Internet. Which leads to the myth that anyone with computer intelligence or being a "computer nerd," is a hacker. In the movie entitled Hackers, this stereotype is greatly promoted. Throughout the film, it seemed like almost every single person who used a computer was some sort of hacker. There were so many hackers portrayed, you even had good hackers, bad hackers, and really weird hackers. Yet out of all the people I've known in my life that know a lot about computers have never hacked anything before. The majority were youths which leads to another myth about hackers, they are considered outsiders and live troubled lives which causes them to "screw with society." The reality is most hacking is a lot like in this movie, purely to mess around in a way. Since being in a virtual world that has no physical contact, there is no immediate punishment and no cops there to chase you down with a baton. In the film it also seemed like some sort of "cat and mouse," game between the hackers and feds, but in reality being hunted down by the FBI and sent to prison is not a light matter. It is also true that being hacker must have a sufficient amount of computer knowledge but even a "Software God," like Bill Gates is not a hacker. So just because someone practically built a computer or knows everything about the Internet doesn't mean they are stealing off of it also. That's like saying an auto-mechanic is going to commit Grand Theft Auto since that person knows a car like the back of their hand. In contrast, the same computer knowledge that is used to get around the Internet can also be used to protect it. Being fearful of hackers on the Internet is like being fearful of thieves in the real world.

Media Portrayal of Environmental Risk Essay -- essays research papers

Media Portrayal of Environmental Risk: Dissemination or Delusion? Transmission of ideas and information through media avenues like television and the press are the predominant means by which much of contemporary culture and the developed world obtain vital information. The media has an enormous impact on the public’s conceptualization of ideals: societal perceptions are shaped by the information made available to us through the different venues of media. Examining how the transmittal of information regarding environmental risk is disseminated by the media and accepted by society exposes an evident quandary. The media repeatedly broadcasts data that instead of informing people with beneficial news adversely invokes situations of tumult and unnecessary fear. Ramifications of the fictitious diffusion of information about environmental risks, or non-risks, to society include more than just the proliferation of misinformation. Circulation of wrongful environmental risk data has detrimental effects on businesses, industry and economy. Misinforming people about environmental risk undermines policies and government actions that are based on media hype or contentious scientific information. Abating the problematic and detrimental tendency of media misconstruing information about environmental risks will require a multifaceted collaboration between the media, the public, government and the scientific community. A problem complicating environmental policy and risk reporting is largely attributable to media players, politicians and scientists overstepping their boundaries into realms they are not qualified to operate in. Scientists must avoid getting involved in the environmental policy debate. Conversely, politicians must not attempt to reason on scientifically sensitive issues as if they are scientists. Risk is defined as the severity of the consequences of an accident or a hazard like a toxin multiplied by the probability of its occurrence. Risks will exist indefinitely however we attempt to reduce risk by either reducing the probability or severity of the hazard. (Bahr, 1997) People must learn, including the media, to â€Å"balance the risks and thus steer a safe course through the potential minefield known as life†. The process by which people perceive risk is dependent on what knowledge they attain and what information is made available. (Neely, 1994) Thus th... ...sic Science of Poisons (pp. 75-88). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Friedman, S. (1996). The Media, Risk Assessment and Numbers: They don’t Add Up. RISK: Health, Safety & Environment, Franklin Pierce Law Center. Retrieved March 20, 2005 from http://www.piercelaw.edu/risk/vol5/summer/friedman.htm Gough, M. â€Å"Which Environmental Risks Are Worth Addressing?† Resource Development Council for Alaska, Inc. [Speech]. Cato Institute. 22 November, (1996). Retrieved April 18, 2005 from http://www.cato.org/speeches/sp-mg112296.html Neely, W. B., (1994). Introduction to Chemical Exposure and Risk Assessment. Boca Raton: CRC Press LLC Rosenbaum, W. (2005). Environmental Politics and Policy. Washington DC: CQ Press Salvato, J. A., (1992). Environmental Engineering and Sanitation (Environmental   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Science and Technology). Canada: John Wiley & Sons Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. (1996) Retrieved April 12, 2005, from http://www.spj.org/ethics_code.asp Time’s Schneider Resigns; Will Be Michigan Land Use Advocate. (1995, May) Environment Writer, 7 (2) Retrieved on April 19, 2005, from http://www.nsc.org/ehc/ew/issues/ew95may.htm#schneider

Articulating and Communicating Essay

1. How effective was Ko in defining and framing a vision for Motorola Penang? In what ways were her efforts similar to and different from the example of Charles Schwab citied earlier? * How did Ko resolve the dilemma of where visions come from? Where did she find her vision? Ko wants to her team both defining and framing a vision, because that will embrace visions best and see with their own eyes. Ko struggled with the most effective way of making her vision a reality. She engaged many of her top team in discussions about the challenges of the future of the facility. She had many specific and concrete ideas but didn’t want to seem to be imposing them on the group. She wanted to get most involvement possible to ensure all relevant information was considered that would be tasked with making the vision a reality. Ko’s philosophy reflects a positive, familial, celebrate every accomplishment kind of work environment. Ko treated her people with respect. No yelling, no shouting, no finger pointing. Always gave visible rewards for achievers. She shared every success story. She preached the importance of the knowledge, and advances in technology. Charles Chwab started his own company built on what was a unique and quite unconventional idea. He anticipated a need in the middle class. His concern for the middle class was genuine, not just a business gimmick. His vision led him to a unique path. When market conditions change, he adjusts its business model and tactics. He made his vision reality. * We cited doorman and jigsaw puzzle metaphors when describing how different leaders see themselves. Do either of these metaphors seem relevant to Ko? Yes, she wants to involve the other top managers first then converted into jigsaw puzzle role. She encouraged her man to work in team, to teach each other. She loved to share her vision and thought to the others. She wanted her top team have future vision. She was not only share her vision, she wanted hear from the others first. She had good relation with press and a responsible corporate citizen in the community. She always looked for positive qualities of a person. She actually made this place for new university graduates. 2. Evaluate the content dimensions of Ko’s vision work at Motorola Penang. How did she do with: * Making the Case for Change * Identifying an Ideal Goal * Addressing the People dimension Ko struggled with the most effective way of making that vision a reality. She engaged many of her top team in discussions about the challenges of the future of the facility, but they still looked to her as the leader and wanted to hear her vision of the future. She took a very hard-nosed approach to Motorola business model. She saw technology as a two-sided coin that would eliminate low-skill jobs at the same time that it brought new opportunities. She knew that other countries had lower labor costs. Yet she was committed to rapidly move Motorola to produce more complex systems products, creating an increased demand for technicians and engineers. First Ko asked her managers’ envision, and then chose to focus on five major activities to help build capability of Motorola Penang and its employees to achieve this very ambitious vision. The five major activities are: External relationships: Involving corporate in her new vision. Management development: Groom manager for new roles in the vision Maintaining state of the art manufacturing: Keeping up with technology to help achieve her vision Participative management process: Getting keep leadership involved in achieving the vision Technical skill development: Ko knew didn’t want to layoff underskilled workers so she established a Masters of Mechanical Engineering degree program with classes on Motorola’s grounds. 3. With respect to the Articulating and Communicating the Vision, how effectively did Ko address the three different levels of: * Strategic—â€Å"HEAD† * Tactical—â€Å"HANDS† * Personal—â€Å"HEART† Strategic- â€Å"HEAD†: External relationships- Motorola Penang had built up a very good reputation for all that it had accomplished thus far. She had to maintain and expand those relationships. Tactical- â€Å"HANDS†: Management development- Ko had to groom managers for the new roles that the future facility would require. Maintaining state of the art manufacturing and administrative technologies- Ko had to nudge the evolution to keep Motorola Penang competitive against the lowest cost producers in the world. Participative management process- Ko did everything possible to make  Motorola Penang a high involvement work place. Personal-â€Å"HEART†: Technical skills development- Ko was successful in establishing a program with the university with classes held right on the Motorola Penang ground.

Importance of Religious Freedom Essay

â€Å"Religious freedom is the notion that people of religion can freely partake in the practices of their religion without opposition†. To me religious freedom is being able to have our opinions and speak our mind about our beliefs. Religion in general means a clear set of beliefs about a life that surpasses our current human experience. We also have religious freedom; it plays a very important part in our lives. Religious freedom is actually deeper, broader, and more important than most people realize. Religious freedom is the human right to think and act upon. Also, to express what one deeply believes in. Religious freedom allows us to speak our mind about our beliefs and practice what we believe in. I am a catholic and very proud of it. Catholic to me means to practice the New Commandment and it means to follow in Jesus’ footstep as well as his holy ways. I myself: have three theological virtues: faith, hope, and love. Being Catholic above all means to love God completely. I have received Baptism, Reconciliation, Communion, and Confirmation. After receiving every one of these sacraments I felt even closer to God then before. I feel so empowered and happy to be a part of my Catholic community. The importance of religious freedom is very important and helps us to be able to learn about our beliefs. Religions are society made and the group of followers called religious people. To achieve spiritual growth you don’t need any religion and to understand the spirituality and to grow yourself truly. You should look into all religion with an open mind that will help you understand about your religious freedom and its importance. People have an inherent right to think and believe what they choose to believe in. Religious freedom and importance is part of our human rights and what we are allowed to do and will do. Religious freedom is a fundamental human right. Religious freedom benefits everyone- it creates conditions for peace, democratization, development, and other human rights. A lack of religious freedom reduces citizens’ ability to come together and become agents for peaceful change. We always say â€Å"In God We Trust†; we should mean it when we say it. Our religious freedom is amazing to have. The importance of religious freedom is affair as possible to all people, and to be able to fulfill their special customs. These things don’t come without limitations though, as if any component of said religion violates the public good, then it can still be held as a crime regardless of the individual’s religion. The bases for religious freedom all coverage on one point: the human person. Religious freedom underlies the concept of individual freedom. Religious freedom is founded on the notion of the individual as a person being respected simply because they are. Religious freedom says, â€Å"This person is important, even though I don’t agree with them, even though I think they are destined to an eternity separated from God.† Religious freedom values the person in spite of disagreement, something the communal mindset can’t even imagine much less act on. This to me is why religious freedom is so important. We should cherish our freedom and never take anything for granted.

The Simple Gift

Why is belonging significant to each and every one of us? What benefits does belonging impart for the individual? The real question is what is belonging? Belonging is a sense of acceptance felt when an individual gains an understanding of themselves in relation to others and the wider world. Sense of acceptance can be experience through time and different types of relationships or connections with their family, friends, and community, which may enhance the ability to belong or feel as though they belong.Good morning teachers and my fellow students, today, I am going to discuss with you my interpretation of acceptance in the environment of the individual and how it has been represented through the two significant texts including, free verse book The Simple Gift by Steven Herrick and wordless picture book The Arrival by Shaun Tan. Each one of these texts’ discusses and portrays the idea of being accepted or not being accepted in the environment through different circumstances bu t in a similar way.The first text is The Simple Gift by Steven Herrick which examines the life of a 16-years-old boy called Billy Luckett, who ran away from home because of the sense of isolation which shapes his identity and value. In ‘longlands road’ the imagery of the dilapidated house portray the sense of denial that Billy has experienced in past. The disconnect relationship between the place and his father, led Billy to move away from his environment to gain the sense of connection he never experienced.The isolation caused by an abusive father is seen in quote ‘‘gave me one hard backhander across the face, so hard I fell down†¦ and slammed the door on my sporting childhood. † pg. 15-16’. The technique that is used here is a metaphor explaining how Billy stopped playing sport. Billy journey of alienation ends when he moves and meets an old alcoholic man called Bill and a rich caring 17-year-old girl called Caitlin. Billy felt a physical and emotional sense of belonging to his new environment in the way its more welcoming and friendly then his hometown.Even though Billy does not belong physically, he feels he belongs emotionally because he’s away from his dad’s merciless treatment and he feels safe. The sense of acceptance of Bendarat can be seen in the quote â€Å"Bendarat is the perfect town† and this portrays that even though it’s not a perfect town but Billy sees it as a faultless town due to the connection that this town his provide Billy though old Billy and Caitlin. When Old Billy gives the key to house and Billy are not homeless boy that is not accepted but a boy that has a family and is secure.At the end of the book Belonging reaches beyond boundaries ‘and I looked up into the sky, the deep blue sky that Old Bill and I shared. ’(p. 205). This quote demonstrates the technique of symbolism the start of new journey of acceptance that comes from the connections that the individual gains through their relation with place, family or time. The second text that I have selected to portray ideas understanding and importance of belonging is The Arrival by Shaun Tan. Similar to the Simple Gift the migrant character in The Arrival leaves sense of isolation to look for and environment that would accept him.The story is told as a series of wordless images that might seem to come from a long forgotten time. Nameless man leaves his wife and child in an impoverished town that was destroyed because of the war. The man travels to an unknown country seeking better prospects for him and his family. This is seen when the visual techniques represent the family coming together. The most significant technique used on every single page of the book that lets the responder not only be in the characters shoes, but also contemplate what it would be like to be in a migrants situation, is the lack of words.This lack of words helps the responder contemplate the alienation felt by not only the character but by all migrants entering a foreign land and culture with a completely different language. Other than the responders’ contemplation of the alienation felt by the character and migrants, it also forces the responder to interpret the visual without the guidance that only words can provide finally the joy shown by the protagonist s daughter in the final chapter of the book shows the safety that has been resulted.The Simple Gift and the Arrival are similar in the way both of the main characters left their homes to look for a place that will provide them the acceptance and the belongings they need. Both of the characters environments did not provide these individual with the sense of fellowship. In The Arrival the man travels and leaves his wife and daughter to look for a better life for them in a new town.He was not force to leave but chose to leave to search for a better life for him and his family, even though he was accepted in that place but the circumstances of the war led to his movement. Much like the Simple Gift, Billy left his town for a better life away from his abusive and unaccepted father again he was not forced to leave but chose to look for a place that acknowledged him. Billy did not associate with his family or town but in The Arrival the man belonged but chose to leave for a better existence. Both characters went to search for a better and acceptance life.When Billy left he did not care about his father because he was the reason Billy left to find acceptance in the new experience where as the character in The Arrival was accepted in the town but chose to leave because of what the trouble and obstacles that the war produced. Family was a big part of the character life in the arrival where as in the simple gift Billy’s real family had no part in his life. In both texts the characters did belong in their first towns but in the simple Gift Billy chose not to belong where as in the arrival the character chos e to belong.This shows that the barrier to belonging is linked to the action of the individual interacting to the community and place to gain the feeling of acceptance. Lastly status had played a role in the movement of the both character, this is seen when the nameless man and Billy left because the poor conditions they lived in. Both books have similar technique in the way they both portray the symbolism of new journey of acceptance. In conclusion belonging is a lifelong requirement for the individual.Although how and where we experience a sense of kinship can change, but it remains a key contributor to our wellbeing and participation throughout our lives. Our sense of association can emerge from the connections we make with people, places, culture and groups. The Simple Gift and the arrival portray a clear understand of the importance and significance of belonging. Each character wants to feel belonged and they go and look for belonging. This shows that belonging is imperative in each and every one of us for our wellbeing.