Consumerism - 1100 Words

1.Whats consumerism ? Consumerism is defined by the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods . Good morning/afternoon fellow classmates , today I’ll be discussing how the powerful images conveyed in Bruce Dawe’s texts Americanized and Abandonment of Autos, and a cartoon by Clay Butler, raise issues and concerns about consumerism. | 2. To start off, Bruce dawe’s text Americanized effectively portrays negative views on consumerism. Dawe uses an extended metaphor which involves a mother and a child symbolizing America and less powerful countries. The significance of using a mother and a child effectively conveys how the less powerful countries constantly need guidance from America. | 3.Throughout the poem, it is†¦show more content†¦To start off, Bruce dawe’s text Americanized effectively portrays negative views on consumerism. Dawe uses an extended metaphor which involves a mother and a child symbolizing America and less powerful countries. The significance of using a mother and a child effectively conveys how the less powerful countries constantly need guidance from America. Throughout the poem, it is shown that the mother has power over the child which represents how America dominates them. This again shows us that the smaller countries cannot look after themselves and are heavily influenced by the American lifestyle. the quote â€Å" today, I’ll let you play with mummy’s things â€Å" portrays how the less powerful countries use American products and that the products are constantly seen as a necessity. Dawe effectively uses the idea that the countries will lose their culture and identity through consumerism. Another text by Bruce Dawe, ‘Abandonment of Autos’ suggests many ideas about consumerism. The poem is a response to the abandonment of a consumer item, a car. The quote â€Å" It is the urban arab’s farewell to his steed† is used by Dawe to represent a man abandoning his car. The car is personified as the man’s steed which shows that the man treats and values the car well. The significance of this is that it portrays how people value their possessions more than family and friends. Another quote showing this idea is ‘final affectionate pat’ which shows the man patting theShow MoreRelatedDisadvantages Of Consumerism1154 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"The study of consumerism in world history does not provide a definitive balance sheet on whether the long-term results are favorable or unfavorable. But it does provide perspective, allowing [a] greater understanding of what consumerism involves, and perspective...offers a greater capacity to choose...rather than being swept away by the latest enthusiasm† (Stearns, 159). Peter Stearns’ book â€Å"Consumerism In World History: The Global Transformation of Desire† offers an extensive perspective on theRead MoreConsumerism Essay1620 Words   |  7 PagesConsumerism – Bruce Dawe Poetry || 2009 Every society has mythology. 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Businesses have been perfecting commercials to be effective on the viewers, for years. AlthoughRead MoreConsumerism And Free Market Economy1509 Words   |  7 Pagescommercialism as essential in the enhancement of capitalism and free market economy. It can also lead to innovation competition of companies in meeting the needs of consumers. However, Commercialism can lead to an increase in wasteful consumption or consumerism. It can also lead to the depletion of natural resources in trying to meet the consumption needs of the people. Although commercialism have it draw backs, it is not all bad; commercialism promotes capitalism and free trade both of which are veryRead MoreHow Consumerism Changed The City London2342 Words   |  10 Pagesabriel and Lang (1995:3) define consumerism as a life â€Å"excessively preoccupied with consumption.† Individuals who are at the extreme end of the spectrum could be referred to as shopaholics. According to Bocock et al (1993) at the heart of consumerism is a belief that â€Å"goods and services specifically provide fun and enjoyment† for the consumer (Bocock et al, 1993, cited in Troy, 1995). It is a very important factor in our daily life as we are confronted with numerous products to choose from (Beer

Critical Argument Analysis free essay sample

One of the most hot topic issues of late is how the music industry influences our youth, and whether it is detrimental to our society. This hotbed of debate has been strongly reinforced by a thousand fold thanks to the presence of Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem. There are two essays that have polar opposite opinions as to whether Mathers is blight or a champion in the music industry. Lloyd Eby wrote, â€Å"Why Eminem is a Problem† for The World and I. Obviously, he is very concerned with the reach of influence that Mathers has. Honestly, in terms of citations and outside research to the subject, I do not think he did a very good job of informing his opinion. All Eby seemed to do was actually just mainly write up the history of rock music before even getting to mention Mathers. He spoke about Tipper Gore trying to head the advisory committee to rate music, and Charlton Heston being disgusted with Ice-T’s â€Å"Cop Killa† without really correlating why Eby himself thinks that Mathers is truly a problem. Eby says that children are copying Mathers in terms of language and attitude, but there was no mentioning of where he got this information. Eby is fond of saying how Bill O’Reilly â€Å"understands† this by citing O’Reilly comparing Mathers to Elvis Presley. At least O’Reilly actually attempts to give some sort of testimony as to how evidently Mathers is destroying the very delicate fabric of society by citing anecdotal evidence of two anonymous schoolteachers who have claimed to witness such behavior. It is thin, but at least there is an attempt. Eby really just cites his opinion as to why Mathers is a problem. Again, he goes in the whole history of the PMRC. It is a very thorough write up of the organization, but during this whole history lesson he does not mention whether he feels the organization was a good idea—and why. Eby just recounts it. Same with recounting Charlton Heston reciting the lyrics of â€Å"Cop Killer† to the shareholders of Time Warner. He does not commend, or condone, Heston of doing this act. He just recounts it, and does not transition all of this into the point he is making with his issues with the music of Marshall Mathers. It would not surprise me if he has only listened to a couple of soundbytes from certain songs that make him all concerned about the artist. In contrast, I can believe that Maury P. McCrillis did a lot of research in his opinion in â€Å"Why Eminem is Important†. McCrillis does give the same history censorship history lesson that Eby gives, but he takes the time to take Lynn Chaney, Tipper Gore, and etc., to task about their views with Mathers and the music industry in general. McCrillis does this by giving different interpretations of Mathers’ lyrics as well as explaining the history of Socrates and Plato; while enveloping his interpretations with their works to the topic of Mathers at hand. McCrillis does seem to be a bit unwieldy with his research, but at least he attempts to make a bridge between what he researched, and the topic that he is writing about. Whereas Eby seemed to give a history lesson, and then just went straight to saying Mathers is a problem. In terms of being unwieldy, this is what I mean: â€Å"Those who are concerned with the degeneration of cultural values seem to find supportin the Socratic/Platonic concern with the potentially corrupting influence of imitative art largely because of a dissatisfaction with the Aristotelian notion of catharsis. The notion that art helps to purge emotions which might otherwise manifest themselves in everyday life is interesting but not convincing enough to quell the anxieties of those who fear declining moral standards. Arguing that human beings by nature â€Å"learn or infer† through imitation, Aristotle moved to  rescue art from Socratic suspicions about its moral effects and instead claimed that â€Å"poetry is a higher thing than history because poetry tends to express the universal, history the particular. † This move was also an attempt to pay homage to Socrates’s theory of mimesis. That is, at its worst, art can still help an audience to purge itself of destructive tendencies. At its best, it can portray things as they â€Å"ought† to be; it can be morally instructive. To me, this just revisits the idea that art is good or bad with respect to the extent to which it is in accordance with facts. After all, art can protray things as they ought not to be as well. The notion of catharsis may give art enough integrity in such instances to protect it from being banned or maybe even censored, but ultimately such works become relegated to the dustbin of low art, where they are subjected to social and intellectual suspicion until they are forgotten. Only the art that can be deemed to provide the right moral instruction has the opportunity to be counted as high art, where it can receive serious intellectual consideration and perhaps real, lasting appreciation  and admiration. What McCrillis is saying here is that there are many different artists throughout the times that have been challenged with the accusations of vulgarity, and are now artists that are cited in today’s text. Is he saying that Mathers is going to be on that level? Maybe. He does concede that where he can think some of Mathers’ lyrics can be a bit too blue, but he does point out that Mathers writes what he thinks in terms of irony, and uses Aristotle as an example. A bit much, but that is more than Eby did with his essay.

Puerto Rico Essays (954 words) - Americas, Puerto Rico,

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico is an island. It's rectangular in shape. It's coasts measure approximately 580 kilometers. It is the smallest and most eastern island of the Greater Antilles. Puerto Rico has many Mountains; they cover 60% of the island. The territory also consists of a large amount of rain forests, deserts, beaches, caves, oceans and rivers. A few of the largest mountains in Puerto Rico are, the Cerro La Punta (4,389) Rosas (4,156), and Guilarte (3,952). Many of the rainforest that covered the island has vanished. The 28,00 acres that are left remain at El Yunque peak. Locations of mountains- This is the Carribean national Forrest. In this Forrest you can find many varieties of plant and animal life. Locations of rainforests- Also some very important caves of the west hemisphere are in Puerto Rico. For example the Rio Camuy. Within it are fine examples of stalactites, stalagmites, and plenty of bats. Due to the fact that Puerto Rico is a relatively short in whidth, it does not have any large bodies of water like rivers and lakes. However it is surrounded by water so that's not really a problem. There is also a very large amount of rainfall due to the rainforests. Puerto Rico's natural resources consist of some stone, fish, copper and nickel, and there is a potential for on and off-shore crude oil. The weather is regularly warm with an average temperature of 80 degrees F. The north coast gets twice as much rain as the south coast. The dry season is December to March. Puerto Rico is very exposed to the cyclones of the Caribbean. Not as bad however as Jamaica, Cuba, and other Lesser Antilles. Hurricanes frequently occur between August and October. The most destructive hurricane in Purto Rico's history was San Ciriaco. It occurred on August 8, 1899. History Puerto Rico's first inhabitants were the Taino Indians. They first called the island Boriken or Boriquen. The name means "the great land of the valiant and noble Lord". The island was first discovered by the Spanish in 1493. It went through many changes. The Indians were pushed aside and made slaves for the new settlers. Slaves were shipped in from Spain as well. Hundreds if Indians died from disease. Many Spanish men married Indian women. The island colony suffered for hundreds of years from hurricanes and plagues. After about 1850, the desire for greater freedom from Spain increased among the people of Puerto Rico. As a result of this a new form of government was set up in 1898. Puerto Rico was taken over by America. It became a part of the United States on December 10, 1898. Being a part of the U.S. helped the Puerto Rican society a lot. They built hospitals, dams, roads, and schools. In 1917 the second Organic Act gave Puerto Ricans the ability to become U.S. citizens. The U.S. Army's 65th Infantry Regiment won fame for their courage and daring. This regiment was made up of all Puerto Ricans. The government of Puerto Rico is run by the United States congress. Most federal laws apply to Puerto Rico. The Common wealth government is operated under its own constitution. The governer is chief executive officer and is pretty much in charge. Voters elect 2 senators and 1 representitive. The supreme Court is the highest court in Puerto Rico. It has 7 justices appointed by the govenor. They my serve as long as they want, as long as its not past retirement age. The 92 superior court judges are appointed to 12 year terms. Cases involving federal law are heard in the U.S. District Court of Puerto Rico. It has 7 judges appointed by the President of the United States. Culture Puerto Rico is a very crowded island it is populated by about 3,522,037 people. The capital is San Juan. San Juan is also the largest city. Other large cities of Puerto Rico are, Carolina, and Mayaguez. Puerto Rico is a great place to go and see spainish culture. The food is a lot like Spanish and Mexican food. But certain spices make some things more Puerto Rican. Puerto Rico has many different types of music, as well as the United States. But it is most know for its Salsa. Many think it as a sauce to dip chips in. However in Puerto Rico it is a very commonly listened to music. And with Salsa music comes "The Salsa". The salsa is a Latin dance where a man and woman partner up and swing there hips in

The Fight Against Terrorism essays

The Fight Against Terrorism essays On September 11, 2001, Americans realized the threat that terrorists pose in the world today. Over five thousand people died in the terrorist attack, and now Americans want revenge. They want terrorism to be stopped. In order to do that, several things must be done. Dealing with terrorists like Osama bin Laden is difficult because his group, like many others, is very large and the members of it are hard to recognize. The majority of terrorists are Muslim and come from Arab nations who hate the American culture. Osama bin Laden has terrorists in over 35 countries. Nevertheless, a group of that size is very difficult to terminate. Osama bin Laden is responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The U.S. military needs to make swift air strikes on terrorist camps to possibly eliminate the leader and destroy their defenses. After that, ground troops should be sent in to take over the camp. It is different with bin Ladens well-armed group because he is wealthy. The group is almost entirely funded by him. In this case, bin Laden should be the main target. A special forces team should covertly enter the camp and capture him. Even with these possible solutions, terrorism is still hard to stop especially when supporte d by a government known as the Taliban. In order to stop bin Laden, the Taliban must be stopped, too. The Taliban is the government of Afghanistan, which harbors bin Laden. Also, it supplies and aids him. The U.S. needs to cut all economic and social ties with Afghanistan in order to slow the economy as well as bin Ladens group. The Taliban is a fundamentalist group and control 95% of the country. Our military should attack the Taliban because they are withholding bin Ladens location and not turning him over to the United States. We should ally with the five percent of the country fighting the Taliban. Stopping the Taliban means the e ...

Trusts, Gifts and Estates term paper (ANY TOPIC) Essay

Trusts, Gifts and Estates term paper (ANY TOPIC) - Essay Example This results to the preservation of a harmonious familial relationship and the achievement of several financial benefits such as the creation of cash reserves and the after-tax income available. According to Brown and Myers (2008), it is important to underscore that the primary objective of all family estate planning is to provide psychological and financial security by obtaining â€Å"the maximum benefits of principal and income for the family and to pass on the family property intact (i.e. without losses)† (23). The last will and testament is an excellent example of estate planning and administration. There is also the case the revocable living trust. Both of these are popular choices for people seeking to manage and administer their assets and properties. This paper will explore why the revocable living trust can prove to be more beneficial for everyone than the last will and testament. Background The last will and testament or more generally known as the will is a legal do cument that provides the disposition of assets and properties. Simply put, in case of death, the ownership of a property is transferred according to the terms of the will of the deceased, the terms that document his desires particularly in the distribution of his estate and assets (Wardle and Nolan, 1042). Gau (2004) provided another definition, which states that it is â€Å"an expression of a person’s wishes for the disposition of property and the protection of loved ones at the time of the maker’s death† (7). The US legal framework considers the use of will as a developmental offshoot of basic estate planning, that one with the simple goal of planning for death (Wardle and Nolan, 1039-1043). It was further provided that the impetus for the development of wills was the need for federal estate tax planning for death and lifetime transfers (1039-1040). Baker wrote that the key is to keep it up to date because a clearly defined will could be the best piece of lega l work that one could have that can be used to honor one’s wishes and in defining the family’s futures (52). She also stressed that the will is a reliable backup to a trust in the estate planning process, in addition to several conditions, which she has listed such as: The fact that there are properties that are better left in a will; Money such as lottery winning can be distributed after death through a will and as a component of an estate plan; Parents with minor children. The will can name the guardian and the administrator of assets and properties before the children reach legal age; The appointment of an executor; and Disinheriting a person (Baker, 53-54). There are many other instances where the will is indispensable. It is important for people interested to draft their own wills to consult an estate planning professional or an estate planning team. The process may be simple, but there is a requirement to be thorough, clear and detailed so that the documented wou ld not be invalidated, contested and misinterpreted. It is also important to highlight that if assets are to be transferred through a will, the maker is necessarily deceased. The utility of the will as explained in this section does not mean that there are no other alternatives. There are several others that people prefer because it is more beneficial or that it is aligned with their own estate planning objectives. The Revocable Living Trust

Racism (Walleye Warrior) Reading and Questions Coursework

Racism (Walleye Warrior) Reading and Questions - Coursework Example It is evident from the article that people of color suffered significant discrimination from the impacts of unchallenged white privilege. Other ethnic groups that were lobbying for their social justice ended up creating and promoting new identities, including the white identities, which oppress people of color and those who reject white privileges (Lipsitz 119). A new idea evident, in the article, is that the white community strongly campaigned to end treaty rights signed between the federal government and the Native American communities with the notion that it gave them more access to the nation’s natural resources more than other communities. However, when treaty rights were abolished and a number of economic activities such as lumbering, mining and extensive fishing begun in north Wisconsin, the land become polluted and considerably polluted. The supply of the game and fish were also threatened by carbon emission from motor boats, poor management of natural resources, corporate pollution and lax government regulations (Lipsitz 115). Additionally, many whites began killing Native Americans and African Americans who rejected their privileges. These are just, but a few evidences that white supremacist were specifically not interested in conserving environment, but in discriminating against people of color and accessing their natural resources without any opposition. This is something that makes me feel uncomfortable with this article. Under the courtesy of this article, I come to learn that the success of Native Americans, in fighting for their asocial justice, also came from the support of other whites who came to realize that the future success of north Wisconsin was more possible with Indians than the White Supremacists (Lipsitz 116). In this case, I do not expect white supremacists who were earlier strong anti-treaty rights and

The Future is Personalized Medicine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Future is Personalized Medicine - Essay Example Pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics, which are expected to be at the core of PM, combine to offer several advantages over conventional clinical methods. For example, while pharmacogenomics is limited to identifyng 'inheritable response' to medication across the whole genome, pharmacogenetics studies the effects of medication at the level of individual genes (the chart below outlines how it operates). The former also tries to reveal important links between genomic patterns and clinical responses. Such links are crucial sources of medical knowledge, as they empower clinicians to choose a particular treatment option based on individual patient condition as opposed to adopting a formulaic trial-and-error approach. (Hood, 2003, p.582) The Human Genome Project (HGP), initiated and supported by former American President Bill Clinton was pivotal to subsequent breakthroughs in Personalized Medicine. With the help of advanced computing power, already more than 3 billion base pairs of DNA hav e been successfully mapped. With the completion of the HGP in 2003, new possibilities for PM have been opened up. Working expeditiously to make Personalized Medicine a reality in the near future are such organizations as the International HapMap Project, the NIH Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE), the Roadmap Epigenomics Program, etc. (Cox, et. al., 2007, p.112) In order to understand the scope and effectiveness of Personalized Medicine, let us take a hypothetical case. For instance, in the case of oncology treatment, where presently oral-intake medicines can cost hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars per year for the afflicted patient, understanding the intricate 'genetic pathways' (which is unique to each individual) is important in order to determine the probable efficacy of a particular therapy course. It is a sign of progress that in the United States today â€Å"there are 6 drugs for which FDA requires diagnostic genetic testing before prescription, about 30 for which a d iagnostic test is recommended, and another 200 with pharmacogenomic information on the labels.† (Hesselgrave, 2010, p.16) Moreover, traditional healthcare provision adopts an one-size-fits-all approach. Whereas, under Personalized Medicine, this practice will be dismantled and unique prognostic courses would be designed based on the patient's genetic make up. Powerful technologies that try to understand the working of the human body down to the cellular level will be part of future PM treatments. These technologies include genomics, proteomics (the study of proteins), and metabolomics (the study of metabolites) amongst others. Metabolomics is of special interest to physicians as it has the potential to provide key information about individual patients. While the purpose of proteomics research is to identify abnormal protein patterns in patients, the purpose of metabolomic research is to identify abnormal metabolite patterns. Scientists are of the view that human bodies contain more than 3,000 metabolites that play a crucial role in proper growth and development of various organs. Apart from these primary metabolites there are secondary metabolites which strenghthen the immune system and helps reduce mental and physical stress. Of particular interest to the medical community are low-molecular-weight metabolites