Humans Live in a World Where Everything Tries to Make You Something Else Essay Example for Free

Humans Live in a World Where Everything Tries to Make You Something Else Essay Identity is now so hard to define. No longer as simple as whom am I? Identity is it solid or fixed? Neither is it constantly changing from birth till death. In addition to the problems faced with growing a developing an individual also faces problems from ideas surrounding personal problems. These can be examples from the environmental influence, such as arriving into a new school or even a new culture. These experiences can be both positive and negative though, negative as they may leave an individual disillusioned with their direction and place in life, yet positive in the way that an individual may feel reinvigorated and their perception of personal boundaries removed. Growing up in Australia is a short collection of stories from various artists that entails their stories of being different to others and the challenges that they faced in order to fit in when their identities are so different. Sticks and Stones and Such Like by Sunil Badima is a story about How being different, can isolate an individual and make it difficult for them to belong. The main difference in this story is the name Sunil, it singled him out and showed his different nature compared to everyone else. The way that people couldn’t pronounce it only served to exacerbate his push for a more ‘western’ name, Neil. This changing of an identity, from the Indian Sunil to the Aussie Neil, represents how people are willing to change and conform in order to fit in and be accepted by others, even going so far as to forego cultural preoccupations. How to be Japanese by Leanne Hall is a story that Discusses the stereotypes that exist, the racial prejudices that those from a culture deemed the minority are subject to. An individual cannot control how they look yet they’re judged about this. The cultural differences usually hinder an individual, whereby once cultural values sporting exploits as that of success another views success educationally as high marks, yet it is the minority group which is subjected to being stereotyped. This stereotyping is an action that removes an individual’s identity, placing an individual into a wider group whereby they lose their identity, given a set of predetermined characteristics, which is extremely common amongst the racial groups, e. g. the Japanese love hello Kitty. Reveals how a loss of identity can occur as an individual is adjudged to be something else before qifference, alienating them, difficult to conform. A personal identity is impossible without belonging to a family, society and culture. Without Belonging to a group somewhere an individual cannot hope to find their identity, the two are inextricably linked. Without a place in the world, an individual is lost and cannot hope to find their place. This is shown progressively throughout the film of Skin. Because Sandra is coloured and her parents and brother are white, she is constantly confused about her identity and who exactly she is. rBelonging is an innate predisposition that majority of the populous seek the feeling of acceptance and a place in the groups ranks offers. Once Sandra relises she cant find this within her family and the society she grew up in she looks to the Black people of South Africa to find a sense of belonging. Belonging to a group offers a sense of security and acceptance that people seek. It is through this environment that an individual will learn and their identity flourishes under the experiences of the group and that of their own, belonging to a group reaffirms our own identity. Whilst belonging to a group may culminate in the formation of an identity, this may not be the true potential of the individual. This influence may upon an individual’s identity may be detrimental, their identity a mere extension of the group’s prerogative. May also lead to an individual being stereotyped and/or alienating their past. Therefore those that cannot belong or alienate themselves from the rest of society struggle to find their place in the world, they are constantly drifting, the question of who am I, left unanswered. This is emphasised throughout the film Skin as Sandra is constantly changing her state as a white South African to a colored South African, so that she is able to find a sense of identity and belonging. People are put into groups, like family and school, and this is a struggle when it conflicts with identity. Whilst belonging to a group, the choice to conform is one that most people must make, we are all born into a group of some degree. Yet it is this place within a group, the arrangement of parameters that can lead to conflict surrounding an individual’s identity. When we are born, we are born into a family environment, born into a group already. Yet through this group, as individual’s we learn and model ourselves off the actions of those in the group, the decisions and perceptions of its members are reaffirmed onto our own. Yet this predetermined group can cause problems for our identity as individuals. This family whilst providing a base from which an identity can develop, also masks an individual’s identity, the individual may have of been raised in the interests of the group, unfulfilling their true potential. Moreover this placement of an individual occurs through other avenues of life as well. At school an individual may be labelled, stereotyped in a particular way based upon something as simple as they way in which they dress. This stereotyping and prejudice can breed only conflict within an individual as they struggle to determine who they truly are, are they the person they are perceived as? Or are they more? Furthermore in order to fit into a group, an individual’s conformity may be misaligned with the values and perceptions of this group, only giving birth to further conflict surrounding an individual’s identity. They struggle to find who the truly are, their true identity against the restraints that conformity offers them. There is conflict between identity and belonging. Where conflict is resolved it is good for the individual’s identity. The need to belong is an innate predisposition for most humans. As we are social creatures we seek a place in the world, a place where we can be accepted, a place of security. Yet in our willingness to conform, conflict can arise between an individual’s identity and that of the group. This discrepancy something that breeds only discontent as an individual discovers that the interest of the group may be misaligned to those of their own. Furthermore in a group the needs of the group are put before those of the individual, thereby stifling the true identity. Yet this creates further conflict as some of the decisions of the group, the choices that it makes may not be reflective of those of the individual. As the individual takes second wrung to the needs of the group, the individual may become discontent about where they are, questioning their own identity.

A Day in the Life of Deaf Culture Essay Example for Free

A Day in the Life of Deaf Culture Essay After watching the videos about how deaf people go along with their daily life, I realized there isn’t very much that is different than how someone who can hear lives there daily life. When watching all of the 5 people, I noticed that every single one of them used a video phone or cell phone, computers, and other gadgets. I didn’t know how much technology they actually used, and I was quite surprised, and interested in more, or other technology that is out there for the deaf community. Detoine, who was in the second video mentioned how he goes along with his day starting with school, followed by going to work, and then hanging out with his hearing friends. Even though he can’t hear, he still does everything that someone who can hear does. This goes for all of the others except Ashley, but only because she cannot see well. Ashley has a disease that has left her deaf and partially blind. It’s scary that the disease she has can still worsen and leave her completely blind. See more:  Capital budgeting essay Being blind and deaf combined would be terrifying and how someone could live with it; I don’t know. Even though she cant drive, she still does everything else a parent does. She takes care of her son and she even works. They may be deaf, but all of them live their lives and want to make something of themselves just like anyone else in this world does. Every one of them shares a common thing and that is that they like to communicate with the hearing weather it’s from signing or texting (technology) or writing notes. And they encourage us hearing people to try and communicate with them. Like they said they are just like anyone else that you’ll meet. Martha reminds me of my two younger sisters. All they do is go to school come home, do homework, play around, listen to music, write, and draw. And there is nothing wrong with that; what else can a kid do? She’s just like any kid out there. I think it is really cool that there are schools for the deaf. Not only are there deaf schools for kids like elementary through high school, there are also deaf colleges or normal collages that are mixed with deaf and hearing. Julian, who works at a camp as a counselor, seems very nice and he talks about how he loves sports. He is the only one in his family who is deaf. The only problem he has with being deaf is that he can’t hear people knocking at the door, and his parents have to let him know if there is someone at the door. He also talks about getting food at a fast food restaurant; he has to order inside, and not the through the drive through. I heard that problem a lot throughout this video. Julian talks about how he and the deaf community are different; they have their own culture, standard language (ASL) and history. During this video there was some that someone had said that really stuck out to me. â€Å"I am deaf, I am different. We are all different. † Julian said that, and I really agree with him. But even though everyone is different, I believe that the deaf and hearing communities are very much alike. Watching these videos made me appreciate this class more because there’s so much that I can learn from ASL, and the Deaf Community.

Use Of Standard And Non Standard English | Examples

Use Of Standard And Non Standard English | Examples Context: The speaker it talking about other musician Lilly Allens anti-file-sharing campaign. Analysis: The speaker uses the word innit which is a reduced form of Standard English isnt it but more widely used. It is used in this case as a general purpose tag meaning is that not the case?. The tendency to add a tag question is very common among Estuary speakers at the Cockney end of the spectrum. Short and snappy tags are particularly popular, just like innit?, right?, do I?. Tag questions do not expect an answer. They are only used to increase a dramatic effect or to check that the person being addressed is actually listening. In this case speaker is trying to increase a dramatic effect of his annoyance with the issue. Item 2 I am gutted to be injured. Speaker: Footballer Wayne Rooney Audience: Readers of Daily Mirror Date: Collected at 23/10/2010 Context: He is talking about that he will not be able to assist United on the pitch because he will spend the next three weeks recovering from an ankle injury. Analysis: Word gutted is a informal (slang) term commonly used all over the country by many speakers. It is also very widely used by footballers after a disappointment like in this case when speaker tells the audience that he is upset about his injury. As Online Slang Dictionary gives the definition as: 1. Upset, disappointed. British slang. (Adjective) Word gutted was added to the OED in its 1993 edition, with quotations going back only to 1984 (but, of course, it could be much older in speech). Their senses for it are: bitterly disappointed; devastated, shattered; utterly fed up. Speaker is using this word to express his disappointment. Item 3 Why, its what Im obliged to keep a little of in the house to put into the blessed infants Daffy, when they aint well, Mr. Bumble, replied Mrs. Mann as she opened a corner cupboard, and took down a bottle and glass. Speaker: Mrs. Mann, one of the characters of Charles Dickinsons novel Oliver Twist. Audience: Novel readers Date: Collected at 10/11/2010 Context: The speaker, Mrs. Mann is a woman who runs the orphanage where Oliver grows up and she is talking with other character Mr. Brumble about orphan children. Analysis: The character use word aint which is a colloquialism and contraction for am not, is not, are not, has not, and have not. Charles Dickens used aint form in the speech of many working- or middle-class characters in his works as a Cockney dialect. It is typically associated with working class citizens of London, who were called cockneys which as a word come from a Middle English cokenei, which means city dweller.This kind of dialect has many primary characteristics and one of them is using aint. Many of the traits of cockney speech suggest the lower classes to some observers and not perfect understanding of the English language. Item 4 I dont want no drink Speaker: Friend Audience: Me Date: Collected at 17/11/2010 Context: Spoken by my friend when I have offered to buy him a drink. Analysis: Speaker uses double negative which is use of more than one negative to make a negative statement. In Old English, the more negative particles thrown in the stronger the negative and I think this is what speaker was trying to achieve. Emphatic double negative has a long history in English. Although today it is used in informal language to intensify a negative meaning, its considered unacceptable in Standard English language. It is because of the construction of standard language. When we use double negatives they are canceling each other out, leaving a positive meaning, rather than intensifying a negative. Item 5 Hes my mate. Speaker: Friend Audience: Me Date: Collected at 10/11/2010 Context: Conversation between me and my friend on Facebook about his close friend. Analysis: Speaker used the word mate. It is a non-standard from and in Standard English we would use friend. Word mate is tend to use by Estuary English speakers. In this case speaker is using this form with intention to create a bond of solidarity with the person being addressed. Mate is a social class word and tends to be dropped by Estuary speakers as they progress up the social scale. Item 6 Still, You gotta admit Speaker: One of the characters in teenagers comic book Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Audience: Teenagers Date: Collected at 10/11/2010 Context: Dialog between two characters in comic book. Context: This word is used as a short for got to. It is form of non-standard English and is we change it to standard form it will say You got to admit. This form is used because teenagers are the audience, and it is mainly used by them as a slang word. So by using this form the author makes a piece easy to read and understand for young audience. Item 7 C U later. Speaker: My friend Audience: Me Date: Collected at 15/11/2010 Context: Text message received from my friend. Analysis: This message is written in nonstandard English. SMS language does not always obey or follow standard grammar. In Standard English this sentence should say I will see you later. SMS language is a term for the abbreviations and slang most commonly used due to the necessary brevity of mobile phone messaging. It can be likened to a rebus, which uses pictures and single letters or numbers to represent whole words. For words which have no common abbreviation, users most commonly remove the vowels from a word, and the reader is required to interpret a string of consonants by re-adding the vowels. This type of language is used because it saves more time in communicating between each other. Item 8 To move is to stir; and to be valiant is to stand: therefore, if thou art moved, thou runnst away. Speaker: Gregory, on of the characters of William Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet. Audience: Readers Date: Collected at 18/11/2010 Context: Dialog between two characters in a play. Analysis: Shakespeare uses word thou. The word thou (in most dialects) is a second person singular pronoun in English. It is now largely archaic and its been replaced in almost all contexts by you. It is now used today as a Standard English language but it is still used in parts of Northern England, some Scots dialects, and a handful of US towns. Item 9 The internet is often held up as the main reason for declining newspaper sales and dwindling revenues. Speaker: University of Oxford on University website. Audience: Readers of the website Date: Collected at 15/11/2010 Context: Article about The future of the international news industry. Analysis: It is Standard English Language. It is used because it is spoken by University of Oxford which use high level of spoken language and use correct grammar. Item 10 Every time you open your mouth to speak, there are infinite possibilities in terms of the words which you might choose and their potential combinations. Speaker: Teachers notes Audience: Students Date: Received month ago Context: Notes about language Analysis: Teacher used Standard Language because of the importance of notes, document for students which should be written in this form of language. Section 3 There is a big argument about if strong accents and dialects are dying out. It is important first to explain meaning of those two terms which are used very often interchangeable but in linguistic terms they refer to different aspects of language variation. Accent as a term is reserved for whole patterns of pronunciation typical of a particular region or social group. The term dialect covers more differences including pronunciation and distinctions in vocabulary and sentence structure. Based on many surveys, researchers declare that its a big misunderstanding that regional dialects and accents in English Language are disappearing. They try to prove that all languages are constantly changing and some words will disappear from common use only to be replaced by other. Those changes might be a result of political or social pressures, such immigration, colonisation or invasion. Language changes the most by people influencing each other. Through interactions with speakers of different age, gender and ethnicity, social and educational background and from different geographical places we encounter and integrate in our own speech new words, pronunciations and expressions. Work of Lesley Milroy shows how open social networks are important factors in language change. I her famous study in Belfast she investigated three poor working -class communities with a high incidence of unemployment: Ballymacarrell, Hammer and Clonard and she were introduced to them as a friend of a friend. She was able to maintain contact with these groups over a period of time during which she was able to investigate the connection between the integration of individuals in the community and the way they speak. She incorporated into her analysis a description of two types of social networks to which her speakers belonged: open in which the number of community ties in the network is low (not everyone knows everyone else) and closed in which each member of the network has several ties with other member s of network. Result of her study showed the importance of closed networks for dialect maintenance. Those networks tend to be conservative force on change in language in the community. They enable people to maintain non-standard dialects, rural or urban, despite pressure from standard language through education or media. Because people are tend to be more socially and geographically mobile these days we are more possible to live in opened networks and those present more favorable conditions for language change as such networks lack a linguistic norm of their own. There is another increasing evidence that Standard English dialects are coming under pressure by Estuary English, regional varieties spoken in and around London and as the originator of the term ,David Rosewarne, described it :a mixture of non-regional and local south-easter English pronunciation and intonation (Rosewarne,1994: 3).The broadcast media are playing the biggest role in these changes. Sociolinguists (Stuart-Smith et al., 2006) have observed that young working-class adolescents in Glasgow, who had no direct contact with Southern English but are keen viewers of network soap operas such as Eastenders, are capable of reproducing Media Cockney forms in spontaneous interaction with each other. This shows how broadcast media are opening up a repertoire of different speaking styles (including accents) especially for younger speakers and how they influence them. Through many years, some English dialects have been treated more positively than others. People always have been making assumptions based on the way how we speak by judging some dialects or accents as being too posh, aggressive, unfriendly, harsh, unintelligent or common. For example speakers of prestige accent, known as Received Pronunciation (RP) are rated more highly than regionally accented speakers in terms of general competence (e.g. ambition, intelligence, self-confidence, determination and industriousness. This accent was spoken by merchant classes of London in the fourteen century and was familiar to students attending the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the Middle Ages and today it is a preferred pronunciation for reading BBC news bulletins and for teaching English as a second language. This is how use of RP by members of middle and upper classes was a sign of prestige and status when more regionally marked accents were treated opposite. In conclusion : the higher u p the social scale, the more likely is to find the single accent-RP, the lower down the social scale, the more likely is to find regional variation. This is how Birmingham accent is often disliked in terms of its nasal whine, because of its association with a large industrial conurbation. Much more positive reaction will be registered for the Southern Irish accent which will be praised for sounding soft and warm. Same as other accents with similar ethnic rural associations such as Welsh, Scottish and West Country accents will evoke positive judgments. Many people suffer because of this irrational prejudice. Im polish and I speak with a different accent and most of the time people are making deductions from it about my person, my job, character and my status. But I believe that the fact that we judge some of the dialects and accents as more posh or intelligent than others is based more on social, rather than linguistic criteria. I think dialects and accents should be a source of pride and a reflection of cultural identity but in the same time I think that language change should not be perceived as a negative thing. Most of the contemporary linguistic commentators accept those changes in language like changes in society which are unavoidable. English language has always been changing and will continue to do so, but I think we need to think about this as a positive process, process occasionally regrettable but mostly the one which is renewing and refreshing English language making it flexible and very modern but still showing huge li nks to its past. Section 4 Use of standard and non-standard English may cause many difficulties in many educational situations. To explain this I would like to concentrate first on what standard and non-standard language is. Standard language is the type of language which is thought as a correct in schools, using correct grammar and avoiding slang words and expressions and mostly used in formal situations. This type of language is written in a correct form of spelling and it is spoken in a standard accent such as English Received Pronunciation. Non-standard language is mostly used in informal situations and its using grammars and words and accents which are special to a particular place. It often contains expressions which are regarded as incorrect in standard language. Children first identify themselves with language of their parents and they construct language system which accords well with those around them. As they increasingly interact with siblings and other relatives, they learn the language of interaction with peers or language of the neighborhood (the local dialect).In school they meet different form of language, Standard English. Therefore they start to learn that they have different identities which they share with their families, friends and community and that they have a linguistic loyalty to them. Children usually cope well with this mismatch: they learn there is a school language and how to switch from that language to language they speak at home. This process is called code switching. But it also cause lots of difficulties and teachers are trying to help children to become more aware of the grammatical differences between the formal Standard English and the informal home language. These way children learn how to select appropriate la nguage to use in the given context. As a part of a government pilot programme, banning British children from speaking patois in school, student at one of the schools at South London were taught that speaking non-standard language is only appropriate in certain circumstances and that they need to use Standard English. Inspectors found that children were using very often in their work local speech, colloquial phrases and Creole. Bill Cosby, one of the most famous American comedians was backing up this campaign. He was mainly concerned about constant use of street slang contributing to educational failure of black pupils, particularly boys from Afro-Caribbean backgrounds. This playground patois has become the only way of communication for some children very badly affecting their educational achievements. Emma Thompson, famous British actress also commented about the necessity of speaking two different types of English. Her comments were based on recent studies which have shown that hal f of teenenagers cant see the difference between Standard English grammar and colloquial language. This is all happening because of use of social networking websites and the popularity of mobile phone text messaging which is undermining childrens literacy skills. Also TV programmes which use a great deal of slang are an issue. Some parents and teachers have complained in the past that children are picking up slang and catchphrases from watching TV programs, and the hearing poor English on television can affect the way kids write and speak. Even some of the MPs were worried about the use of slang and non-standard English on children shows. They were worried that children would pick up bad habits and they will start using some of the phrases like aint and you was. I think teachers should have a biggest impact on children in using the right form of language by showing children that all equivalent forms of language are correct when they are used appropriately. Instead of regarding that Standard English is correct in all cases and outlawing all dialect forms we need to explain to students that both, their Standard English and local dialects are good to use but in the different context for which they are appropriate. Secondly teachers should encourage students to use spoken Standard English in the classroom, not by correcting them but by giving them experience of speaking in many different kinds of public roles such as judges, newsreaders or interviewers. They could take part in oral presentations presented to several classes or even had a chance to ask questions some of the visitors to the school like of policemen or firemen. Children should be able to see difference between standard language and colloquial language and should be able to know when to use it. I believe not being able to do so could hugely affect their future. Children who are only fluent in non-standard language are more likely to have problems in academic field. Those who only speak nonstandard form of English have often difficulty reading and writing with proficiency in Standard English. This leads to situation that children are uneducated and in a future they are less likely to advance their careers. Using proper language overall leads to higher pay jobs, bigger social mobility and a great social success. It creates powerful impression when we speak Standard English. Other people see us as intelligent and well informed when we use correct grammar and when we show high level of vocabulary. It opens up opportunities that are closed for those who use any form of non-standard language. Bibliography Class notes Assorted information for Access English Language Level 3 Coggle, P. (1993). Do you speak Estuary? Bloomsbury Milroy, J. Milroy, L. (1999). Authority in Language: Investigating Standard English. 3rd edn. London and New York: Routledge. Milroy, L. (1980). Language and social networks. 3rd edn. Oxford. Milroy, L. (1987). Observing and Analysing Natural Language: A Critical Account of Sociolinguistic Method. London: Basil Blackwell. Montgomery, M. 1995. An introduction to language and society. 3rd edn. London. http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/latest/2009/09/27/musician-slams-file-sharing-rant-115875-21705142/ http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/latest/2010/10/23/rooney-determined-to-regain-form-115875-22652926/ http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/olivertwist/3/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/buffy/ecomics/baddog/02.shtml http://shakespeare.mit.edu/romeo_juliet/romeo_juliet.1.1.html http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2010/101122.html

Baby Boomers Essay -- History, Generation X, Generation Y

I believe that all four of the generations in the work place can work together without having any conflicts. Many professional facilities and companies have people of different age groups working together in the same field. There are many articles written by different people who say that studies show that there are many conflicts between the generations, while working together. The four different types of generations are the veterans, the baby boomers, the generation X, and the generation Y. I will talk of all their important characteristics and compare and contrast their qualities based on work ethics, education, and multi-tasking. First of all, â€Å"the oldest generation in the work place is the veterans†. (Tanner, 2011) They were born between the years of 1922 and 1943. They are also known by different names, some of these are: â€Å"greatest generation, loyalists, and the traditionalists†. (Tanner, 2011) People that were born in this generation lived through the great depression and even World War II. â€Å"As a result, this generation values sacrifice, hard work, conformity to rules, and respect for authority†. (Tanner, 2011) The veterans are also very loyal to their employers. The veterans are very big believers in the fact that whatever you do, is what you get out of life. They also believe that â€Å"rewards, status, respect, and authority must be earned†. (Tanner, 2011) Studies have shown that to work most efficient with veterans, make sure that you show them that you admire their experience and respect their thoughts and â€Å"norms of courteous behavior†. ( Tanner, 2011) â€Å"The second oldest generation in the work place is the baby boomers†. (Tanner, 2011) This generation was born between the years of 1943 and 1960. The baby boome... ...r people say that the older generations just want plain obedience. In reality â€Å"everyone wants to be heard, have input and be respect.† (Mueller, 2011) Some older generations complain of Millenials. They say that they just expect to be praised or rewarded just for showing up at work. It is absolutely important to remember that â€Å"generational differences don’t replace individual differences† (Mueller, 2011). It is important for every manager to conduct an interview before hiring any worker. There, the manager can explain to the employee what he is expected to do on the job and also the employee can have the opportunity to ask any questions he may have on the position he is assuming. I really believe that every one of these four generations can work together effectively with just a little patience, respect, and open-mindedness. How many generations do you work with?

Comparing Social Commentary in Dover Beach, Second Coming, and Church Going :: compare and contrast essay examples

Comparing Social Commentary in Dover Beach, Second Coming, and Church Going Human society has always struggled with the conflict of faith versus technology. Faith has always been a symbol of order, and increasing technology has always been the scapegoat for "mere anarchy." When faith ebbs, technology or new scientific concepts are blamed. Technology is a convenient target because when people lose faith in the church, science is a hard-based, factual thing in which to believe. The increasing chaos in society can be blamed on the decreasing faith in religion that has been shifted to technology. After the fall of the Roman Empire, European society was in chaos. Since no other civilizing force in which to believe was in existence, when the Roman Catholic Church made itself a organizing power, it set up a precedent that attached itself to the mind set for the next few centuries. Religious beliefs are synonymous with the "calm" and the peace that relieve life's turmoil. For a long period of time, there was no other steadying force, so "the Sea of Faith" was the sole source for easing "the turbid ebb and flow of human misery." Tradition has kept this view of religion popular. Still, religion itself cannot hold the attention of human society forever. Eventually, as displayed in "Dover Beach," faith in religion and its structure will fade in the light of new ideas and new human inventions. Society's faith cannot always be "full" because as civilizations grow individuals become more independent. They begin to think for themselves, which causes life to become more subjective. With less imposed structure, individuals will determine that they do not subscribe to all of what their predecessors believed, and they are left "wondering what to look for." Technology often replaces religion because it is far more tangible than the concepts of organized religion that require blind faith. It is easier to believe in something touchable. In "Church Going," this attitude is examined. A wistfulness for a time when faith came easier is apparent, but there is also "an awkward reverence" for the ways of religion even if they are no longer believed. Once people place their faith in technology rather that something spiritual, they will find that while technology is concrete, it does not provide guidance for social behavior or the human spirit as most religions do. In "The Second Coming" the world is spinning out of control.

Comparing US and French Cultures :: essays research papers

Looking back at my experiences in France, I realize just how different our two cultures are. Furthermore, I found it very interesting how, after reading the text, both my parents, one being from France and the other from the United States, reflect the cultural values of their country to a tee. For example, my father has always been the authoritarian parent and my mother the authoritative. French fathers were described in the text as being an "in-control" type parent and using "direct-punishment". He was the strict parent, and my mother, who practiced the typical parenting style used in the United States (authoritative), used a more balanced approach. I would have to say that having both styles of parenting during my childhood had positive as well as negative aspects to it. As described in the text, I did indeed experience more anxiety and withdrawal perhaps due to my fathers authoritarian parenting. However, the positive aspects were that I did well in school and had the utmost respect for my father. I was taught to respect and even if it was out of fear, it worked. As far as socialization agents and their influences are concerned, I have had plenty of experiences in France where the institutions proved to be very different than those in the United States. The schools were extremely strict. For example, when my sister and I were in the school cafeteria all the students were told to put their hands behind their heads and be silent. When my sister made a noise she was sent outside in the pouring rain (with a cast on, which could not get wet). They tied her shoes together so she couldn't run away. Because my sister kept crying, they decided that the only way to get her to stop would be to throw ice cold water in her face. My parents were less than pleased about the occurrence and immediately took us out of the school. Furthermore, when I was in third grade, I remember the teacher spanked us with a wooden board because we went to the bathroom without asking. These experiences probably influenced my behavior in school for the rest of my life. I have always been extremely obedient in school and respected my authority. Another difference I have found between France and the United States is that in France, personal space is much smaller than in the United States.

Power To change An Event In History Essay

Cold War precipitated fifty years of propaganda by two super powers, on-field battles while balancing barrels on others’ shoulders and huge amount of capital investment to manufacture weapons. An even in history that could have easily averted the Cold War was Stalin’s opportunistic rise to power on death of Lenin in 1924. Undoubtedly, a single event that I could change would be the ability to delay the death of Lenin.   Noted historians and Russian policy experts admit that Stalin was not Lenin’s choice. Lenin was aware that rude negotiation and ruthless intention were the qualities of Stalin’s personality. He would have definitely blocked Stalin’s rise to power. However, Stalin went on take advantage of the situation that arose from Lenin’s death. He easily sidelined Trotsky and other senior members of the communist party. In first few years of his rule, Stalin systematically got his adversaries assassinated. Through the policy of â€Å"collectivization† of farms, Stalin inflicted deep scars of famine on the Russian people. Medium and large farms were forcibly acquired by the state in order form huge collective farms this led to steep drop in agricultural output. Since, the ideals of Soviet Union prevented from any import or export, millions of people died because of starvation. Within few years of coming to power, Stalin acquired the status of a totalitarian. In 1945, George Orwell crafted a wonderful satire that depicted the greed and corruption as the driving motives behind a dictatorial regime. (Orwell, George, 1945) USA and other allies of World War 2 soon realized that Stalin has built a fear of his personality to control and intimidate other members of the Soviet Union. Perhaps the most gruesome of his policies were to imprison millions of Russians and use them in labor camps for construction of roads and dams. Because of his policies, USSR and USA got embroiled into issues like Korea War and Vietnam War. Even though Stalin died in 1956, his policies continued to haunt the world for decades. Had Lenin survived a few hours and passed the command to a more humane leader, the world would have been considerably more prosperous and secure for the next fifty years. Bibliography Orwell, George. â€Å"Animal Farm† London. 1945