Influence Of Female Pop Singers

Influence Of Female Pop Singers Female American-based pop-singers have become more popular over the years in America. Women in this position can be powerful role-models for the adolescent female population. However, concern has been raised over whether these artists use this influence positively or if they have a negative influence. Although there are a few artists who clearly use their influence in a positive way, the majority seem to affect girls negatively. Firstly, the life-style of female American pop-singers and the ideas they convey through their song lyrics reinforce materialism in adolescent girls. Secondly, these artists have a negative influence on the body image of teenage girls. Thirdly female pop-singers from America display self-destructive behaviour and are bad role-models. Consequently, female American pop-singers have a negative influence on teenage girls. Due to the life-style choices female American pop-stars make and the ideas they express in their song lyrics, female pop-singers from America reinforce materialism in teenage girls. Many of these pop-singers clearly express materialistic ideas in their songs. In the song Material Girl, written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans, Madonna sings: Because the boy with the cold hard cash / Is always Mister Right, because we are/ Living in a material world and I am a material girl. The song has been covered by several pop-culture icons like Britney Spears and Hilary Duff, introducing the song to new generations each time. Another example is Nicki Minajs song 1234: And I call Saks Fifth Ave-y home. That is where a real bad Barbie roam. By Saks Fifth Ave she means the store Saks, located on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Saks is a store which sells only the most expensive designer clothing. Nicki Minaj declares with these lyrics that girls who want to be cool, who want to be like her, should sho p at this particular store. By expressing this, she encourages materialism. What might be even more influential than their song lyrics are the life-style choices female American pop-singers make. Jennifer Lopez wore a 15000 dollar dress to last years Grammy awards. In 2011, the birthday present Beyoncà © bought her husband was a Bugatti worth two million dollars. Most of the handbags these women carry with them do not have prices under 3000 dollars. Teenage girls who look up to these women will start thinking that being like their idols includes having the same expensive items they have. The combined pressure of what female American pop-singers express in their songs and the life-style choices they make reinforce materialism in teenagers. Female American pop-singers influence the body image of teenage girls in a negative way. Some female pop artists start their career with an average body, but often succumb to the general beauty ideal in the world of stardom. A fitting example is the story of Demi Lovato, a young woman who started her career by singing and acting for Disney. She was often referred to as the fat Disney girl. By now Demi has admitted she started suffering from Anorexia Nervosa because the pressure of having to be thin became too much for her. Other female American pop-stars who suffered from eating disorders are Alanis Morissette, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson and Mariah Carey, and there are many more. All started out with an average body but lost weight until they were more like other celebrities in their environment. Teenage girls idolize these pop-singers and see them as their role-models; they will do almost anything to achieve a similar look to their idols. In her M.A. thesis on feminism Jodie Sim ons wrote: This appeal to adolescent girls to conform to strict hegemonic norms of beauty is not simply embodied in the artists appearance but is also sung about in their songs. An example of such a song is Katy Perrys California Gurls. In the music video of this song Katy Perry is either naked or she is wearing a miniature bikini. She herself is the ultimate California girl. The appearance of American female pop artists, as well as the message about beauty they convey in their lyrics, is unrealistic and are a negative influence on adolescent women. Female American pop-singers often display self-destructive behaviour and are bad role models because of this. Since they are celebrities, their choices and behaviour are constantly watched by the media. Magazines and television channels rather show bad behaviour than good behaviour because it is more interesting to the public and thus brings in more money. The world of female pop artists is very competitive; there is always fresh talent. This competitiveness causes artists to try to stay in the spotlight at any cost. The artists also have more occasions on which they will be inclined to make bad decisions than young adults without these resources or circumstances. Yet, these artists are role-models and should act like they are. Rihanna, now 24, is a perfect example of a bad role model. Rihanna expresses very graphic sexual ideas in some of her songs, which are degrading to women. She also claims in her songs that women should invite men to have sex with them. Rihanna confessed she ha d a sex-addiction herself. There are several nude photos of her on the internet that are easy to find. In February 2009, Rihanna was brutally beaten by her partner, Chris Brown, a few weeks ago it became official that she is involved with Chris Brown once again. Rihanna gives her younger fans graphic ideas about sexuality, she degrades femininity and she indirectly claims it is forgivable when a woman is beaten by her partner. This year Rihanna was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time Magazine. Being so influential Rihanna is a bad role-model for the millions of adolescent girls who adore her. Another example is Miley Cyrus, a Disney child-star who wanted a more adult image and started dancing with a stripper pole, with barely any clothes on in one of her music videos. This left parents with teenage daughters horrified, since their childs idol had suddenly transformed into a bad role-model. There are certainly female pop artists in America who are decent or good role-models. However, they are overshadowed by a majority of bad role-models. Female pop artists in America are always role-models, but because of the self-destructive choices they make and the bad behaviour they display they become bad role-models. To conclude, the life-style of female pop artists from America and the suggestions in their song lyrics strengthen materialism in young girls. Secondly, female American pop-singers have a negative influence on teenage girls. Thirdly, these pop artists are bad role-models partly because of the self-destructive behaviour they exhibit. Although there are female pop artists in America who do not influence girls in such a way, the extent of their colleagues who do have this negative influence is much greater. In general, female American pop-singers have a negative influence on teenage girls.

Hitler & Stalin: the Roots of Evil

Hitler & Stalin: The Roots of Evil Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were two of the most ruthless and infamous dictators of the twentieth century. They each left a legacy of cruelty, terror, and death; managing to change the course of history to this day. Throughout their lives, both leaders surprisingly had many similarities. They both lived deprived childhoods, with violent fathers and adoring mothers. Both suffered from inferiority complexes and paranoia. Most importantly, they were both mass murderers.Joseph Stalin is responsible for the murders of more than 20 million lives, including those of his own people, political opponents, as well as innocent victims, whom he considered a threat. Born in the Georgian village of Gori on December 21, 1879, Stalin grew up with an abusive father who savagely beat both him and his mother. One time, Stalin was beaten so severely that he later found blood in his urine. This abuse had a lasting impression on him, leaving him with low self-esteem an d an inferiority complex throughout his life.Stalin’s mother hoped he may one day become a priest, and sent him to the church’s choir. At age 15, he entered the theological seminary. His intelligence, prestigious memory, and attention to details impressed his teachers, but they also witnessed a stubborn, violent side to his nature. He soon turned away from religion, and instead became attracted to anarchism, revolutionary terrorism, and Marxism. His violent, revolutionary activities lead to his expulsion from the seminary after just 5 years.As a child, Stalin was always quick to lose his temper and easily harbored grudges against people. His whole life consisted in struggle against those he put down in his mind as enemies. In 1927, after being examined by a famous neurologist, Stalin was diagnosed as paranoid. As a political leader, Stalin was aggressive and cruel. He eliminated the people he imagined as enemies, having them removed completely from all historical recor ds and pictures, thus erasing their memories from existence.His aggressive characteristics also dominated his family life. Like his own father, Stalin abused his wife, Nadia, and his sons, both psychologically and physically. His abuse caused one of his sons to become an alcoholic and the other to attempt committing suicide. On November 9, 1932, the morning after a violent argument took place between Nadia and Stalin at a party, Nadia was found dead in their apartment; shot in the heart. It is believed that Stalin either drove her to suicide, or killed her himself.After her death, Stalin never went to visit her grave at the cemetery. On March 5, 1953, he himself suffered a brain hemorrhage, and died suddenly. Thousands of mourners watched as he was later put to rest in the Mausoleum. Like Stalin, Adolf Hitler was responsible for millions of deaths in the Holocaust, including 6 million Jews, and hundreds of thousands of gypsies and homosexuals. Born in Braunau, Austria on April 20, 1 889, ten years after Stalin’s birth, Hitler also grew up with an abusive father.When he was 10, he tried to run away from home to escape the violence, but his father caught him and gave him such a beating that he was in a coma for days, his life hanging by a thread. That experience had a lasting impression on him, leading him to see much more evil in the world. As he grew older, Hitler became very compulsive, phobic, and paranoid, both in considering himself to be the object of persecution in attempts to kill him, and in believing he had a sacred mission to save Germany and the world from those he classified as â€Å"unworthy to live. When he was a boy, Hitler wanted to be a priest, and like Stalin, sang in the church choir. He had low self-esteem, and was unhappy with his looks, most importantly his plump nose, which he considered Jewish. Hitler was obsessed with the thought that his paternal grandfather could have been Jewish, leading him to believe that he was diseased; t hat nothing could remove this from him because it was in his blood. In school, Hitler was a poor student. Like Stalin, he was considered arrogant and forceful, demanding absolute subordination from the other pupils.After 5 years, Hitler dropped out of school, hoping to instead become an artist. He dreamed of entering the prestigious academy of fine arts, but was rejected two years in a row. He believed he had been rejected because several members of the admissions committee were Jewish, which added to his growing hatred towards them. After his rejection by the Academy and the death of his mother due to breast cancer, Hitler was miserable. Lonely and poor, lacking direction, Hitler enlisted in the army, where he finally felt like he belonged.With the ability to engage in killing as a soldier, he found an outlet, for the first time, to the murderous rage that had grown in him from treatment by his father. Because of his extreme closeness to his mother, together with his father’ s extreme brutality, Hitler grew up with an obsession with women and sex. He was dead set against marriage and children though, and never showed public affection towards any woman. After his mother, the most important woman in his life was his younger niece, Geli, who lived with him in his Munich apartment.Hitler worshipped her but treated her like he treated most people he knew, in an overbearing, controlling, authoritative way. While she lived with Hitler, Geli became pregnant by a Jewish man, whom she was in a relationship with. When Hitler found out, he and Geli had a terrible fight, after which Hitler drove out of town for work. The next morning, Geli was found dead in Hitler’s Munich flat, shot in the chest, similar to Stalin’s wife, Nadia. It is believed that Geli committed suicide.Hitler’s brutal dictatorship reflected his personal narcissism and paranoia. Like Stalin, he believed he was surrounded by enemies, waiting to betray him, and that he needed to strike first. Hitler grew up with the idea that it was necessary to kill if one did not want to be killed. He divided people into predators and victims, deciding to victimize the Jews. His secret plan was to liquidate all the Jews of Germany, Europe, and the Soviet Union under the cover of war. As the war went on, Hitler became increasingly dependent on amphetamines.He suffered from drug toxicity, which affected his judgment, and made him increasingly paranoid. Toward the end of the war, he began to show symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. When it became clear that he was losing the war, Hitler committed suicide. For his body, there was no monument; Not even a marker. Both Stalin and Hitler had a lot in common. They were deeply troubled as children, and the abuse they suffered then clouded their judgment of people around them in the future.They saw much more hate in the world than they possibly would have had they been treated better at that young age. It is hard to think that had it not been for their abusive fathers, both may have led normal lives. They could have been priests or artists, instead of the evil forces that they became later in life. Had they not been abused as children, history may have been much different today. Maybe such evil names would not have existed in history books, and the lives of millions upon millions of innocent people would have been spared.

The Other Boleyn Girl - 1843 Words

The Other Boleyn Girl It is said that we are doomed to repeat history if we do not learn from it. Let us hope that history does not repeat itself with the era of the Tudors. King Henry the VIII ruled according to his own wants and desires. He would favor people with great gifts or on a whim take their life. His rule was a time of tip toeing and avoiding displeasing him or The Church. Unfortunately, in order to learn from history, its stories and facts must retold truthfully and accurately. If our only retelling of the story of Mary and Anne Boleyn comes from The Other Boleyn Girl, I am afraid history will repeat itself. The film’s focus is primarily the lives of Anne and Mary Boleyn, two sisters who compete for the attention of King Henry VIII. (Robison and Parill Sue) It attempts to give an inside look of who they were, how they acted, the choices they made, the decisions they made, and their consequences. In the book, Tudors On Film And Television we are told that t he thesis of the film is that although they love each other they envy each other as well, but their love for each other persists through all their difficulties. (Robison and Parill Sue) There is debate about who was older- Mary or Anne? It is assumed that it was Mary since she married first. In reality, we are not entirely sure but it was true that Mary had married first. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/tudors/boleyn_mary) In the film, Mary was the younger â€Å"good girl† although she was married firstShow MoreRelatedThe Other Boleyn Girl1698 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 Plot Segmentatin†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4-7 Sequence Anylysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..7-8 Introduction „The Other Boleyn Girlâ€Å" is a historical drama based on the novel of Philippa Gregory and tells the tale of romance, intrigues and betrayal of a defining moment in English history. It is set in the 16th century when the two sisters, Anne and Mary Boleyn are driven by their father and uncle to advance the family’s power and status. They are expected to divert the King of EnglandRead MoreThe Other Boleyn Girl1812 Words   |  8 PagesThe Other Boleyn Girl The two adaptations after the controversial novel â€Å"The Other Boleyn Girl† by Philippa Gregory present a historical fictional story of the Boleyn sisters, Anne and Mary. This is a ravishing, emotionally intense story of love, loyalty and betrayal in the chase for power and social position, portraying the human desires and flaws in a beautifully described historical background at the English court. The private life of the historical figures from the XVIth century and the intriguesRead MoreThe Other Boleyn Girl By Anne Boleyn2145 Words   |  9 Pages The Other Boleyn Girl is a 2008 feature film based on the ambitious rise and fall of Anne Boleyn and her family. The two sisters Anne and Mary Boleyn fight for the heart and bed of King Henry VIII of England only to find heartache and betrayal in their path. Becoming with child as well as becoming Queen of England was the beginning of Anne’s descent. Having a miscarriage of a son and trying to convince her b rother George to have carnal relations with her to get her re-pregnant was highRead MoreThe Other Boleyn Girl Analysis1425 Words   |  6 PagesThe film, The Other Boleyn Girl, written by Peter Morgan, and produced by Alison Owen, is about the many relationships of King Henry the Eighth, who is the antagonist, his involvement with the Boleyn family, and his many children. This story is set in England in the early to mid- 1500’s. King Henry the eighth ascended the throne of England in 1509, succeeding his father, Henry the seventh. (There als the sixth, the fifth, the fourth, and so on. Clearly the Kings were all very original when it cameRead MoreThe Light Of The Labyrinth By Wendy Dunn1498 Words   |  6 Pagesparticular topic or subject in order to be a good rhetorician. I believe that Anne Boleyn is a prime example of someone who has a wide set of views about herself. Throughout this course we have been given different texts and films about Anne Boleyn, and they have all shown Anne from a different perspective. These different outlooks of Anne allow readers to form their own opinions and decide for themselves who Anne Boleyn really was. We’ve been able to see her character portrayed in the documentary HenryRead MoreAnne Boleyn950 Words   |  4 PagesAna Bolena – Anne Boleyn 1501(1507)-1536 Queen of England 1533-1536 Mother of Elizabeth I Information about the early years of Anne Boleyn is almost non-existence; her birth has been dated from 1501 to 1507. Although information about her parents is abundant. Her father, Sir Thomas Boleyn, was named Sir in 1503. He was fluent with the languages, which allowed him to travel through Europe under the King’s orders and be part of important meetings. He was one of the bodyguards that took theRead MoreHenry Viii And Henry Vi : Why Did Shakespeare Do This !?1510 Words   |  7 Pageshad a house party and Henry VIII was in a disguise but Cardinal Wolsey seen right through it. That is when Henry VIII met Anne Boleyn at that party. Then every body heard about the divorce of Henry VIII s first wife Katherine of Aragon, but Henry VIII demoted her to â€Å"Princess Dowager†, but while they were still in the divorce process, he secretly got married to Anne Boleyn. Then he asked Cardinal Wolsey if he was trying to take the throne from him. He said no, but Henry VIII had papers that he wasRead MoreCatherine of Aragon933 Words   |  4 Pagesinterests of her class) . In 1501, Catherine is sent to England to marry Henry VII’s son, Arthur. However, their marriage lasts briefly because Arthur dies, leaving Catherine a widow. After Arthur’s death, Catherine is promised to marry Henry’s other son Henry VIII, the Prince of Wales. However, due to financial problems with her dowry, King Henry VII refuses to allow the Prince of Wales to marry her. It is not until the King’s death in 1509 that Catherine and Henry VIII finally get married. Read MoreEssay on Queen Elizabeth841 Words   |  4 Pageswould have been heir to the throne, but that was stripped from her when Henry VII divorced her mother, Catherine of Aragon. Anne Boleyn, Elizabeths mother, failed to provide Henry VII with a male heir he desired. She suffered two miscarriages, and was suspected of having an affair. Anne Boleyn was arrested, and on May 19, 1536 she was beheaded. After the death of Anne Boleyn, Henry VII married Jane Seymour, and gave birth to Prince Edward. Jane Seymour died twelve days after the birth of her son.Read MoreQueen Mary and Queen Elizabeth of England1626 Words   |  7 Pagesmanaged a narrow escape from the disgraceful situation, while the other failed to do so. Mary grew to hate Anne Boleyn, mother of Elizabeth, because he took the position of her mother Catharine as Queen of England. Before Elizabeth came to the scene, Mary was loved and was the only child of King Henry VIII of England. Elizabeth assumed this position when Mary mother was executed (Doran, 1855). The two half-sisters disliked each other because of their incline to different religion. While Mary was

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair Fame for the Wrong Reason Essay

In the early 1900’s America begin to transform rapidly. Many immigrants started moving to the United States in the early 1900’s with the hopes of living the â€Å"American Dream.† However, that glittering and gleaming American lifestyle is merely a distant ideal for the immigrants living in Packingtown, the meatpacking district of Chicago. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle portrays life through the eyes of a poor workingman struggling to survive in this cruel, tumultuous environment, where the desire for profit among the capitalist meatpacking bosses and the criminals makes the lives of the working class a nearly unendurable struggle for survival. The novel The Jungle is a hybrid of history, literature, and propaganda. Sinclair, a muckraking†¦show more content†¦The Chicago stockyards, where the immigrants live and work, are described as a vile and nauseating place. The ditches in the stockyards and in the town were filled with a stinking green liquid. â€Å"Swarms of flies† hung over the stockyards and â€Å"blackened the air† (Mookerjee 79). â€Å"The strange, fetid odor, of all the dead things of the universe† was rampant in the stockyards (Mookerjee 79). Sinclair then goes on to explain that it isn’t just the conditions of the stockyards and the atmosphere of where the workers live and conduct business he describes what ghastly objects went into the meat that serve the American public. Sinclair effectively displays the grotesqueness and barbaric sanitation conditions by commencing the novel by explaining about the â€Å"rotten hams and rat adulterated sausage† (Bloodworth 59). Old sausage that had been deemed not able to be processed that contained significant traces of borax and glycerine that had been thrown on the floor and dumped into several different hoppers would be reprocessed and served to the American public as if it were new, fresh meat (Bloodworth 59). The reproces sing and fraudulent claims that the meat was pure were grotesque lies made by the meatpacking companies. One of the most fundamental claims that Sinclair makes to demonstrate the horrid conditions is that occasionally some of the workers would fall into the cooking vats, â€Å" and when they were fished out,

The Rebirth Of The Renaissance - 999 Words

This world has become a realm full of astonishing art ranging from the Stone Age, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek and Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic, Middle Ages, Early and High Renaissance, Venetian and Northern Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical†¦ to our modern art. Each age is either influenced by the previous one or artists explore whole new concepts and innovations to complete something that has never been done before. As new civilizations rise new concepts and techniques for art are formed with them, such as the iconography, compositions, and media used. Throughout all these ages art has been a huge part but none have prioritized art as much as the Renaissance, also known as the rebirth. The Renaissance was the time of the great revival of art, literature, and learning in Europe (started in Florence). The rebirth began in the 14th century and extended to the 17th century, some say that it was marking the transition from the medieval to the modern world. Artists d eveloped their own new innovations that are still used in contemporary art. The development of linear perspective and other techniques of achieving a natural and realistic painting were greatly used. Many great artworks where created throughout the Renaissance. Two great masterpieces done in this time period were Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper, and Raphael’s The School of Athens. These two pieces show the complexity of beliefs that were going on during the rebirth. Leonardo’s Last Supper, is one ofShow MoreRelatedRebirth Of The Renaissance1030 Words   |  5 Pagesfall of Constantinople. During this time, there were wars, famines, and diseases. The Renaissance was a time of rebirth of Greek and Roman classics and prosperity. The Renaissance people knew they were different, they learned new things, and succeeded in many different forms of art and science. The many unique advances made the Renaissance a distinct period from the Middle Ages. People living during the Renaissance rediscovered themselves and the Greek and Roman classics. They knew they were in aRead MoreThe Renaissance : The Age Of Rebirth1426 Words   |  6 PagesThe Renaissance was from the 1300’s to the 1500’s. It started towards the end of the middle ages and the dark ages. It began after the Crusades when the Crusaders came back. The Renaissance was the age of rebirth. The age that consisted of many wonderful things including trade, art, science, architecture, religion, learning, and inventions. The biggest thing though was the trade. Trade began after the crusaders came back from there journey for god bearing many new things from all over Europe. TheyRead MoreThe Renaissance: The Rebirth of Europe1245 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"The Renaissance represented a rebirth of the Aristotelian spirit. The results of that spirit are written across the next two centuries, which men describe, properly, as the Age of Reason and the Age of Enlightenment. The results include the rise of modern science; the rise of an individualist political philosophy (the work of John Locke and others); the consequent spread of freedom across the civilized world; and the birth of the freest country in history, the United States of America. TheRead MoreRecovery And Rebirth : The Age Of The Renaissance1414 Words   |  6 PagesChapter 12 Outline Recovery and Rebirth: The Age of the Renaissance Meaning and Characteristics of the Renaissance **Italian Renaissance primarily of the wealthy upper class of elite rather than mass movement** Urban Society Renaissance Italy a result of its commercial preeminence and political evolution, northern Italy (mid-14th century) was mostly a land of independent cities that dominated the country districts surrounding. the city-states were the centers of Italian political, economic, andRead MoreThe Renaissance : An Era Of Rebirth And Reformation1171 Words   |  5 PagesThe Renaissance was an era of rebirth and reformation, which brought about awareness of various cultures. It was a period of intellectual improvement because there was a new enthusiasm for learning. Also, there was an increasing focus in humanism, which emphasized the importance of individualization. Numerous improvements in literature, art, music, and philosophy led to developments that still influence today’s way of living. The exploration of the new world allowed the natural beauty of the worldRead MoreThe Renaissance And A Literal Translation Means Rebirth Essay1521 Words   |  7 PagesThe term Renaissance in a literal translation means rebirth. Fitting as the Renaissance was a cultural and academic movement emphasizing the rediscover of texts and philosophy from the ancient Greek and Roman empires. While no one date m arks the absolute beginning or end of the Renaissance, it is generally agreed to have been birthed by a gradual influx of ideas, pushed along with Johannes Guttenberg’s invention of the printing press in 1436. The 1400’s is characterized by a resurgence of knowledgeRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance : A Period Of Ethnic Rebirth1664 Words   |  7 PagesThe Harlem Renaissance was a period of ethnic rebirth in the streets of Harlem, New York that changed the way people viewed black culture and their art. During the Great Migration, hundreds of African Americans packed their bags and moved north in search of a better life. There, they were given the chance to express themselves through their music and literature. New artists, musicians, and writers emerged from the city. Musicians like Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday performed in clubs, showcasingRead MoreThe Renaissance : A Rebirth Of The Ideas Of Ancient Greece923 Words   |  4 PagesThe Renaissance was a rebirth of t he ideas of ancient Greece and Rome that began in the City States of Italy during the 14th century. The cultural resurgence began a new style of living in Europe after the horrors of the black death, and is seen as the beginning of the culture of the modern world. As Wassace K. Ferguson put in his book The Renaissance, the Italian artists grew tired of the darkness of Medieval Times and began to turn to the brighter times found in the classical ages (Doc 7). TheRead MoreThe Historical Development That Truly Define The Renaissance As Rebirth1441 Words   |  6 Pagesthree historical development that truly define the renaissance as rebirth . In Renaissance History and Religion, Renaissance rebirth. It assigns especially to the rebirth of learning that began in Italy in the fourteenth century, spread to the north, counting England, by the sixteenth century, and ended in the mid-seventeenth century. the Renaissance were more than a rebirth. First historical development that truly defin e the renaissance as rebirth is The compass. It’s important for navigation. PrintingRead MoreThe Renaissance Was A Time Of `` Rebirth `` And Changing Thoughts1226 Words   |  5 Pages The renaissance was a time of â€Å"rebirth† and changing thoughts. The time of the renaissance was between the 14th century and went to the 17th century.Prior to the renaissance, people of the dark age devoted their life towards god, the changing thoughts of the renaissance lead people to devote their life to learning. The people’s top priority was no longer pleasing God and doing good for God, instead they began to change their priorities. God was still a big part of people’s lives but there was

Philosophy Plato Personal Opinion Free Essays

Philosophy Providing Answers for Questions Questions for Answers Kristen Riso 5250378 PHIL 1F91 Professor: Dr. Lightbody TA: David Corman Word Count: 1941 The Apology written by Plato’s is an excellent piece of philosophical literature that can teach us many things. Most importantly this fine literature gives us the utmost insight into the philosophy of Socrates’. We will write a custom essay sample on Philosophy Plato Personal Opinion or any similar topic only for you Order Now As well it teaches us the idea of asking questions and probing for answers when we don’t understand so we can uncover the truth and learn rather than thinking we know and being ignorant. The intention here is to describe the philosophy of Socrates’ and use what I’ve learned from his ideas to present my own beliefs on what philosophy is and relate it to my personal life. The start of the essay will be devoted to deciphering the ethics and ideals of Socrates’ philosophy and describing the three key components being Socratic method, irony and ethos as well as how they are engrained with Socrates’ belief that, â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living. During the second portion of the essay I will discuss my belief that philosophy is the process of consistently asking questions to gain understanding and insight to life’s mysteries and challenges. Similar to Rauhut I would describe philosophy as open questions but I would conclude that definition to be incomplete. Philosophy needs constant discussion and revision, yes it does begin with a simple belief or question but the whole purpose is discussion and explanation to gain further c omprehension and understanding of the subject in question. In Plato’s The Apology Socrates’ uses the Socratic method as a way to prove his innocence and show the misconceptions of others. The Socratic method is a process of debate between individuals with contradictory beliefs. The debate is used to promote critical thinking and cause the individuals to consistently prove their hypothesis. In attempts to prove their beliefs they are in turn constantly trying to disprove and eliminate the ideas of anyone opposing them. To defend your opinion, questioning can be used to cause deep thought by the opposition about their beliefs and force them to provide supporting evidence to verify their perspective. Socrates’ constantly uses this technique by forcing people to explain what they think they know and by asking the right questions he is able to show the flaws in their ideas. These questions can lead a defendant to contradict himself therefore strengthening the ideas of the opposition. â€Å"And yet, I know that my plainness of speech makes them hate me, and what is their hatred but proof that I am speaking the truth? (Plato, 24a-24b). This method creates a much greater chance for a successful and applicable hypothesis and analyzes and dissects ideas to see how they fit or contradict with other beliefs. Socratic Irony is a tool used in the Socratic method in attempts to get the opposition to expose their deficiency of understanding or an error in their rationality. The process uses very specific questions in which the person who is questioning pretends that they lack knowledge on something that they actually know. This is displayed when Socrates’ questions Meletus and causes Meletus to bring up facts which contradict his accusations against Socrates’, â€Å"†¦ if a man with whom I have to live is corrupted by me, I am very likely to be harmed by him; and yet I corrupt him, and intentionally, too – so you say,† (Plato, 25e-26a). With this technique the person asking the question knows the answer all along and therefore when the opposition supplies an answer that is incorrect or flawed they are able to clearly illustrate the mistake that is made thus proving their point without any doubt or contradiction. But either I do not corrupt them, or I corrupt them unintentionally; and on either view of the case you lie. † (Plato, 25e-26a). This process is very effective due to the sole reason that you can make your opponent prove your point for you. The irony of this technique therefore lies in the simple fact that by pretending to display your own ignorance on a s ubject you con your opponents into openly presenting their own ignorance, therefore causing them to work against themselves to your advantage. Socrates’ displays the Socratic method and clearly illustrates the ffectiveness of Socratic irony when he defends himself and his ethos to the court and jurors. Ethos being the Greek word for character depicts the defining ethics, principles and views of the person or group in question. When discussing the philosophical beliefs of Socrates, â€Å"†¦ a man who is good for anything ought not to calculate the chance of living or dying; he ought only to consider whether in doing anything he is doing right or wrong – acting the part of a good man or of a bad. † (Plato, 28b-28c) it is evident that he is ethically, academically and politically opposed to the majority of the population of Athens during his life. Socrates’ does not fear death and therefore he would not change his opinions or who he is even when he is put on trial with a possible death sentence. He believes in honesty and cares about enriching the lives of others, â€Å"I did not go where I would do no good to you or to myself; but where I would do the greatest good privately to every one of you, thither I went, and sought to persuade every man among you that he must look to himself, and seek virtue and wisdom before he looks at his private interests. † (Plato, 36c-36d). Socrates’ is said to be very wise and yet he always claims to have no knowledge. I am better off than he is for he knows nothing, and thinks that he knows; I nether know nor think that I know. † (Plato, 21d-21e). This brings forth the idea of ignorance and how false overconfidence combined with some knowledge can lead to less wisdom than no knowledge at all. When Socrates interacts with the Artisans he finds that they have knowledge about life that he does not know and thought that they would be wiser than him. He later found that they overshadowed their wisdom with the idea that they knew more than they actually did. †¦ Therefore I asked myself on behalf of the oracle, whether I would like to be as I was, neither having their knowledge nor their ignorance, or like them in both; and I made answer to myself and to the oracle that I was better off as I was. † (Plato, 22d-22e). The idea presented by the oracle portrays the concept that men who are not overconfident and believe that they know nothing would therefore ask questions and be the most willing to learn thus giving them the advantage to become wiser and not miss out on opportunities that life presents. This implies that Socrates’ is not in fact the wisest man but that anyone who is open to new ideas and asks questions in attempts to understand is wiser than anyone who believes that they are more knowledgeable than the rest and are thus ignorant to knowledge. I would say that knowledge is a very broad term that encompasses a great deal of different skills that can be absorbed through either experience or education and can be either practically or theoretically applied. In philosophy the study of knowledge is known as epistemology. Philosophers in this area try to define knowledge and gain understanding of how it is obtained as well as connecting it to our own beliefs through explanation and rationalization. I would say that Rauhut’s claim that philosophy is the study of open questions does have some validity but it only convers part of what I would describe as philosophy. Philosophy needs to have verbal debate between many individuals to ensure that thought provoking questions are asked to probe at the brains of people causing them to really think and have to support their theories with valid evidence and reasoning. It is not just about answering what something is but also why and how it happens. I would say that everyone uses philosophy in their everyday life, whenever we analyze something and ask others and ourselves questions we are philosophizing by forcing ourselves to search for answers that are unknown to us. Philosophy thrives on logical rational thinking and being able to verbally justify and clarify your ideas while enlightening others. A personal experience in my life, which I would directly relate to philosophy, would be the time that my best friend and I watched Inception. The movie was extremely thought provoking and had a particularly interesting concept. After the movie was finished my friend and myself were immediately diving into a conversation about perception and reality. The idea of dreams is very philosophical in my own opinion, which is why the discussion that this movie instigated was perfect. Originally we conversed about the idea of whether or not he was still in the dream and to back up our ideas we provided evidence. Information such as the fact that at the end of the movie the spinning top started to wobble which never happened in the dream world would provide support to the idea that he had managed to escape from the dream world and make it back to his family. On the other hand looking at the fact that his children still looked the same and were in the backyard in the same position reinforced the idea that he was still in the dream world. By asking questions and seeking answers we were being philosophical and therefore gaining knowledge and understanding by asking how and why and providing rational reasoning for our explanations. This then lead us into a discussion about dreams and reality and how we can determine the truth. It made us ask questions such as, how do we know what is real? This brought up the possibility of us being in a dream world and the idea that maybe only one of us was real and the other person was a figment of imagination created by the mind of the real person to create questions and drive for deeper thinking and increasing intellect. I would conclude that discussion as being an enlightening and philosophical experience in my life due to the nature of its content as well as the thought provoking questions asked. In my mind that is philosophy and to put it elegantly, â€Å"I think therefore I am† (Rene Descartes, 1596-1650). Philosophy is all about thought; one must think to create idea and to make connections between anything. The mind must be constantly analyzing the world and asking question to obtain knowledge and understanding of the world around them. If you close your mind you give yourself up to ignorance and choose to live in a world and false beliefs and misconceptions unaware and the beautiful depth of philosophy. The idea that ignorance is bliss I would have to disagree with in a philosophical sense due to the fact that analyzing and questioning the aspects of our world to further your comprehension of anything that interests you has got to be one of the most important and enriching aspects of life, as we know it. If we did not ask questions and search for answers we would never grow and advance. Questioning is the key to understanding and that is a tremendous factor in expanding, developing and progressing the world as we know it. Philosophy is the study of open questions such as what, why and how as well as the process of gaining answers through rational thought, deliberation and verification. References The Apology by Plato How to cite Philosophy Plato Personal Opinion, Essay examples

Frankenstein Journal Entry free essay sample

When people read the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelly they sympathize with all of the characters, but they tend to sympathize more with the monster. I myself sympathized with the monster more despite his many evil deeds. It is possible that the reason for this sympathy towards the monster from us is because the monster reminds us of how we feel when we are lonely, abandoned, or angered by someone else and just the thought of those feelings being the only emotions we feel constantly for the rest of our existence is unbearable. Reading about this merciless and yet compassionate monster makes us think about the monster in us and how we would react in his situation. When I read this book it made me feel depressed and I felt everything the monster felt. â€Å"The fallen angel becomes the malignant devil. Yet even the enemy of God and man had friends and associates in his desolation; I am alone. † — Victor This is a quote by Victor after the monster has killed everything that was important to him, leaving him alone and in the same situation as the monster as opposed to the beginning of the book when Victor knew no evil and was as happy as one can be. It also describes his transition into total misery and loneliness from his former ambitious and adventurous self. The creature was born pure at heart and didn’t become a monster until Victor and society started being neglectful and cruel to him, but I think the biggest reason that he wasn’t able to find anybody to accept him was the time period in which he was created. People in the seventeenth century were closed minded and much of their beliefs were based in superstition and myth. I think that because of this people in his setting thought of him as a bringer of death and destruction and assumed him to be like the grim reaper in our time without putting much thought or logical reasoning behind their actions. In today’s society not all people are as ignorant and impulsive as those of Frankenstein’s time and i’m sure there would be many people willing to take the creature in under their wing and teach him about kindness and virtue. I myself would gladly take him as a friend if I saw that he needed elp and meant me no harm. There is a monster in all of us no matter the skin color no matter the ethnicity. If the creature had just gotten proper guidance from Victor in the first place he probably would have lived as a better person than any human who ever lived. Victor however neglected the creature and caused him pain and misery which brought out the monster in the creature. As revenge the creature brought out the monster in Victor by killing of f anything and everything he ever loved. I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend this quote by Victor, I believe is his acceptance that he is now just as bad as the creature he had created and that he will never be happy for the rest of his existence. Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source Mary Shelly uses this metaphor to suggest that life and death are ideal bounds. In this quote, Victor is contemplating creating a new species such as the monster he later creates. During his research and time spent making the creature he himself was turning into a monster. He couldn’t eat, he couldn’t sleep, and he had no social contact. Once he finally created the creature and was supposed to take responsibility for it he fled which was the beginning of the end for him. If he hadn’t fled maybe his life would have turned out even better than if he had never created the creature in the first place. In the book the creature didn’t show any intent to harm Victor so there is no logical reason for him fleeing. The only explanation that i can come up with for Victor abandoning his creation was that he was mentally unstable because of sickness, lack of human interaction, and fatigue. A fiendish rage animated him as he said this; his face was wrinkled into contortions too horrible for human eyes to behold; but presently he calmed himself and proceeded— This quote is used by Mary Shelly to set a mood of fear and monstrosity. My belief is that Victor was destined to become a miserable outcast. His traits and morals as a person point to the fact. Even as a child Victor never took responsibility for his actions and always shied away from confrontation. He only looked at his own best interest and didn’t take into account the consequences of his actions, Even when his favourite professor tried to show him how horrible it was what he was doing. As his experiments progressed he became dehumanized. Cutting up dead bodies and assembling a creature out of dead bodies that can overpower any human. â€Å"I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel Saying this the monster tells Victor that he just wants to be Victors beloved creation that he is proud of, but that the reality is that he is hated by Victor and all he wants is for the creature to be dead. This is not just a book about a man putting the spark of life into a monster, but a remarkable story of how we as humans act and change for better or for worse depending on the circumstances. This lesson that Mary Shelly conveys in her book helped me to realize that p eople can be cruel and it makes me want to be a better person.