Friday, November 29, 2019
Advertising and Body Satisfaction in Women
Advertising and Body Satisfaction in Women Introduction The role of women in advertising has remained a contentious issue in the contemporary society. For many years, advertisers have used women as advertising objects thus triggering debates and research interest to unravel the unknown truth behind women and advertising. With most adverts carrying the image of women, it is clear that they usually have an impact on viewers in terms of perception towards self-image.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Advertising and Body Satisfaction in Women specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Needless to mention, all media channels like television, magazines and even the internet are full of adverts carrying the image of a woman (Ohio State University, 2011). Even though this is never a concern to advertisers and marketers, it has been found that women usually get affected by such media images and influence their perception towards self-esteem. In this regard, this paper e xplores the relationship between advertising and body image satisfaction. Literature review The concept of body image and how women are portrayed in the media has continuously drawn the attention of people from all walks of life, including authors, scholars and researchers. In understanding this concept, they have dedicated their time and resources in documenting their findings in form of books, journals and internet articles for future reference and academic edification. This segment synthesizes findings from an array of reputable authors who have broadly covered the topic of advertising and body image satisfaction in women. What is body image? From a psychological point of view, body image refers to ones attitude towards own body with regard to sexual attractiveness and aesthetics. (Festinger, 1957). The phrase was first coined in 1935 by a neurologist from Australia in an article which he described the image and appearance of the human body and how it is viewed by the society. Al though the society has always placed a lot of emphasis on beauty, individualââ¬â¢s perception over their bodies may not necessarily match the standards of the society.Advertising Looking for research paper on advertising? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Body image is therefore thought to be a product of several aspects, which define human identity (Clay, Vignoles Dittmar, 2005). These aspects include but not limited to personalities, individual experiences and other forces, which could either be cultural or social. As a result, the sense of physical appearance usually can transform body image in relation to other people or the ideal image recognized by the society (Manasia, 2011). It therefore follows that an individualââ¬â¢s perception may not necessarily reflect other peopleââ¬â¢s point of view. The ultimate impact of this scenario is either a case of satisfaction or dissatisfaction depending on an indivi dualââ¬â¢s body rating. Due to high value attached to body image and sexualization of women, there has been increasing anxiety related to body image around the world. As a sensitive issue that revolves around gender, women are considered more vulnerable to body image anxiety as compared to their male counterparts. This high concern among women is dangerous since it may result into personality disorders and other health-related issues (Manasia, 2011). For instance, people who view themselves negatively are likely to engage several options like cosmetics and special dieting with an aim of achieving the desired image. Since no guarantee is given for the efficacy of such options, it is worth noting that this approach may lead to severe cases like scorched skin, eating disorders and overall low esteem. As mentioned above, matters of self-image mainly affect women in the society hence leading to altered self-esteem. In general, body image cannot be delinked from self-image. Negative bo dy image always makes a woman to lose her inner self-worth. This means that a person would become less valuable in her own eyes based on judgmental assumptions made from their perceptions. Self-esteem is an essential necessity for both men and women (Maddox, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Advertising and Body Satisfaction in Women specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, when women view themselves negatively based on body image, the pride within themselves gets eroded to extreme levels that may cause one to lose friends before disconnecting from the social world. This mainly occurs due to body image dissatisfaction. People with a higher self-esteem usually enjoy life to the fullest, make friends easily, manage their feelings and behavior and develop an overall acceptance of who they are (Ohio State University, 2011). Being an important aspect of human life, it is imperative for the society to focus on developing a positive sense of being and encourage women to have a positive self image regardless of what may be considered as a perfect image. It augments body satisfaction and behavior personality as individuals are able to interact freely without putting a lot of concern on how they appear physically (Muscat, 2011). While these efforts are on, it is essential to point out the role of media in influencing personality image and ability of a person to accept who they are and develop an inner positive drive. Body image and media For a very long time, media has portrayed the image of women negatively or different from what the society considers as a standard image. This is common in advertising where most adverts carry images of women that end up affecting the overall body satisfaction among women. According to Manasia 2011, mass media affects the image of women in a wide range of ways. This occurs through the use of common technologies, which are applied in advertising, and they range from billboards, television, magazines and the internet. In a 2011 research explaining the impact of mass media on body image, Manasia wonders whether mass media has become the beholder of beauty in the contemporary society.Advertising Looking for research paper on advertising? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The research affirms that there is substantive evidence indicating that physical appearance of women is quite important in dictating the behavior of women and their average self-image (Manasia, 2011). In this study, it is undoubtedly clear that media has strong influence in enhancing body satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Many research findings support the hypothesis of this research arguing that most women around the world find image to be influential in their lives as it determines the manner in which they interact with others, perceive themselves and find satisfaction or dissatisfaction within (Kacey, n.d.). It filters down to the level of social acceptability as they feel recognized in terns of their body image. Unlike body satisfaction which most women find satisfaction, dissatisfaction can lead to serious withdrawal problems among women. In analyzing this issue, it is equally important to consider several aspects of beauty as portrayed by the media and advertising companies. Sm all sized-women are usually favored compared to average or bigger sizes. In such a case, women who find themselves within the favored category derive significant satisfaction in themselves as they are considered perfect (Media Awareness Network, 2010). On the other hand, women who may have a different body size tend to draw backwards with the fear of rejection due to perceived deviation from what is considered to be perfect in the society. This implies that adverts, which put a lot of emphasis on body size leave the viewer with a distorted mind concerning acceptable standards of beauty and perfection. However, satisfaction or dissatisfaction depends on the level of personal investment towards physical image (Kilbourne, 2011). In other words, this argument emphasizes the fact that the impact of body image in advertising affects women differently depending on an individualââ¬â¢s focus and concern over personal image. Other researches done further indicated that most women prefer tu rning to magazines, billboards and television adverts, which promote thinness as the ideal body figure to be recognized (Markey, Markey Birch, 2004). This seems to be personal-induced torture since some women get obsessed and lured to such images even when they fall outside the ideal bracket of beauty being emphasized by advertisers and other media companies. When women are exposed to images and video ads, which depict a particular attribute of beauty, they usually get angrier and depressed than before they interacted with the material. With these images dominating fashion magazines around the world, one wonders why women still purchase them, since they cause some level of body dissatisfaction (Biagi, 2011). According to Muscatell 2011, TV and magazines are filled with images that depict beauty and perfection among women. However, the main question revolves around the way beauty is represented. These images display ultra-thin women and other celebrities appearing with flawless body images. With regards to billboard adverts, Muscatell argues that it is possible for one to be left with body images in the mind while driving down city streets as billboards dominate all forms of ads on major roads and highways. In a 2011 article, Muscatell is concerned with the direction which advertising companies have taken and the way they define beauty. His main concern is the most probable way of adopting in order to correct the trend which continues to affect women psychologically as some of the sizes and figures, which are considered ideal seem to be unrealistic and unhealthy (Muscat, 2011). As further noted by authors, most women get dissatisfied when exposed to adverts in magazines, which support ultra-thin images. This may cause a feeling of lowliness as people imagine being unfit in the society and irrelevant in the societal context of beauty. Importantly, issues of satisfaction and dissatisfaction adversely affect women below the age of nineteen years as compared to ad ults and mature women (Kirsh, 2009). This is because young women are more concerned with body image and may suffer severely in an attempt to attain the size being perceived as acceptable by the media. For young women who may have this size, they also derive a lot of body image satisfaction as they may feel more acceptable, beautiful and recognizable in the society. On the contrary, those that do not meet perceived standards end up frustrated and may resort to unhealthy and dangerous means of attaining perceived duty. As a result, many develop eating disorders like bulimia and nervosa (Cortese, 2008). While many women get affected by adverts, which depict the body image, it is sometimes impossible to avoid the impact of adverts. How common are adverts of this nature? Regardless of the nature of products being marketed, women are commonly represented in ads (Grogan, 2008). Commercials ranging from foodstuffs to electronics carry the image of women with emphasis on particular attribute s of beauty like color and size. Additionally, our exposure to the media makes it impossible to avoid these adverts. How often do women visit the internet, watch TV or even drive on the streets? It is clear that the current environment is under significant influence of media that women who may choose to avoid fashion magazines may still suffer the impact of media adverts and get affected emotionally (Ussher, 2000). Theories Social construction theory The broadness of this theory covers a wide range of issues from economic to a personââ¬â¢s eating behavior at home. According to this theory, our lives are shaped depending on daily experiences which emanate from effects of numerous social agreements, shared social actions and several institutional practices. As a result, many things which are ignored and taken for granted are always results of human inter-subjectivity. On this basis, a social construct denotes anything in existence as a result of social interactions and not objectiv e reality. However, these components do exists as integral elements of our social life. Other social constructionists describe social constructs as epistemologically objective since they are objects which have meaning in our social lives. Additionally, social reality is rooted in human behavior, institutional practices, culture and different languages. From research carried out by different experts and psychologists around the world, it is evident that women get more affected by adverts than men. This could be explained from different perspectives including the way the society defines women as well as what they are expected to become in life. Through social construction of reality and construction theories, societies have developed norms and standards from a wide range of choices. In other words, whatever that is represented through adverts is not the inherent approach in describing body image but rather an adopted approach that has been adopted through countless choices (Berger Lu ckmann, 1991). In this understanding, social constructionists oppose essentialism, which basically emphasizes the need to observe natural rules as opposed to the creation of perceived social reality that seeks to justify why certain things have to be done in a different way from what is considered as a norm (Berger Luckmann, 1991). In relating this theory to women representation in adverts and satisfaction level, it suffices to mention that the contemporary society has realized the existence of several options and variables that could be used in measure beauty besides accepted ones. This makes it frustrating for women who do not meet the perceived standards since many get obsessed to conforming to the patterns of the world as compared to appreciating what they are. Body image satisfaction in women as influenced by adverts can also be explained using the cultivation theory which expounds on the long-term effects of watching television. Sociologists posit that television is a form of mass media, which has the capacity of binding societies and groups of people together through common behavior, ethics and stances (Berger Luckmann, 1991). Through cumulative impact of exposure to TV, victims like children accept certain trends, which begin shaping their lives with time. The same case applies to adverts and body image satisfaction in women. For a very long time, ultra-slim bodies in women with small tummies have been considered as core attributes of beauty in the society. In other words, these elements are widely acceptable and most people work towards attaining these cultivated features. When these images are carried in adverts on billboards, the internet and other advertising channels, they become widely acceptable and influential. As a result women suffer from body image dissatisfaction if they are not favored or derive a lot of satisfaction. Framing From a social science perspective, framing theory suggests that the exact manner in which something is presented to the public usually has significant influence on the choices made by affected people. It is viewed as an important approach as opposed to rational choice theory which describes how people strive to make rational choices in life regardless of the nature of the data given for analysis. It is important to note that communication plays a major role in framing theory because it evokes conceptual and moral frames through language. Additionally, frames form vital systems in the community which have to be built for a long period of time. As an art, framing can be essential when coupled with cognitive linguistics. Framing is closely related to agenda-setting although it focuses on the immediate issues at hand rather than an entire topic of research. According to framing theorists, the media usually places certain events within some space which has meaning as a way of drawing the public attention. As a result, the media is able to control the manner in which audience analyzes issues and mak es choices. Framing therefore revolves around how certain information is covered by the media and the way in which people choose to digest it. Frames influence peopleââ¬â¢s attitudes towards a given item being featured in the media. Framing theorists argue that systems are usually developed after some time. This is common in explaining the effects of media to the society. It follows that systems formed through framing and get accepted and assimilated as true and recommended standards (Scheufele, 1999). Additionally, this theory emphasizes the manner in which different items are presented. This presentation usually has impact on people or individuals interacting with it. In seeking social reality, women get influenced by representation of body image through adverts. As an acceptable system, many strive to mimic these standards while others get discouraged and dissatisfied with their body images as they may not measure up to the acceptable standards of beauty. Dealing with dissatis faction It is clear that representation of women through adverts has a profound impact on their perception towards their bodies and causes them to get flooded with negative mood and low self-esteem (Poveromo Hofstra University, 2007). As seen in the above segments of analysis, this may lead to social withdrawal and disconnection, emotional disability and poor eating habits among other adverse effects. Consequently, there is every need to help women to develop and nurture their self-worthiness regardless of how body images are represented through commercial ads. Through psychological efforts, suggestions have been put forth do deal with dissatisfaction among women emanating from negative media representation. One of these ways is cognitive dissonance. By definition, it refers to holding conflicting positions simultaneously (Festinger, 1957). This is common when a person believes that physical exercising is important but fails to make any efforts to get to the gym. In this approach, people are usually advised to alleviate their psychological discomfort by making sober and sound decisions. For the cited scenario, it would be recommendable for the person to go to the gym in order to stay physically fit or ignore and assume that exercising was not that important. Besides being supported by advertising companies, women ought to be informed that being heavy is healthier than struggling to become ultra-slim (Wykes Gunter, 2005). In so doing, victims are likely to have a different attitude towards their bodies and maintain a positive self-image. Future research questions In addressing future interests, researches should focus on answering the following research issues: How to prevent dissatisfaction caused by negative body representation of women in adverts. Why men are rarely affected by adverts with regard to body dissatisfaction. Conclusion and recommendations It is more evident than not that media has an array of effects on the society. Even though some people argue that the impact of media cannot be quantified, its influence has far-reaching effects. Of significance is the manner in which our behaviors get transformed by emulating celebs and other prominent people dominating the media. This is usually a perceived assumption that media personalities are perfect in character (Cohen, 2006). The same argument is used by advertising companies to woo customers. By making adverts associated with certain individuals, psychologists have proven that people get easily swayed in decision-making, a concept that marketers take capitalize. However, common representation of women body image in ads has negative effects. Women get satisfied or dissatisfied depending on whether the image portrayed favors them or not. Dissatisfaction results into other unhealthy and fatal cases like personality disorders and change of behavior. On the other hand, satisfaction may influence the society to believe that a certain trend is acceptable and worth nurturing (Tiggem ann Slater, 2003). This research has supported the hypothesis that advertising has a significant impact on body image satisfaction in women. References Berger, P., Luckmann, T. (1991). The social construction of reality: a treatise in the sociology of knowledge. City of Westminster, London: Penguin Books. Biagi, S. (2011). Media Impact: An Introduction to Mass Media. Stamford, Connecticut, U.S: Cengage Learning. Clay, D., Vignoles, V., Dittmar, H. (2005). Body Image and Self-Esteem among Adolescent Girls: Testing the Influence of Socio-cultural Factors. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 15(4), 451ââ¬â477. Cohen, S. (2006). Media Exposure and the Subsequent Effects on Body Dissatisfaction, Disordered Eating, and Drive for Thinness: A Review of the Current Research. The Wesleyan Journal of Psychology, 1, 57-71. Cortese, J. (2008). Provocateur: images of women and minorities in advertising. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman Littlefield. Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive diss onance. London: Stanford University Press. Grogan, S. (2008). Body image: understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women, and children. United Kingdom: Taylor Francis. Kacey, D. (n.d.). Greening: The Objectification and Dismemberment of Women in the Media. Capital University. Retrieved from kon.org/urc/v5/greening.html Kilbourne, J. (2011). Beautyand the Beast of Advertising. Center for media Literacy. Retrieved from medialit.org/reading-room/beautyand-beast-advertising Kirsh, S. (2009). Media and youth: a developmental perspective. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. Maddox, R. (2005). Cognitive responses to idealized media Images of women: the relationship of Social comparison and critical Processing to body image disturbance in college women. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24(8), 1114-1138. Manasia, T. (2011). Effects of Media on Body Image. Vanderbilt University. Retrieved from http://healthpsych.psy.vanderbilt.edu/media_and_body_image.htm Markey, C., Markey , P., Birch, L. (2004). Understanding Womenââ¬â¢s Body Satisfaction. Sex Roles, 51(4), 209ââ¬â216. Media Awareness Network. (2010). Beauty and Body Image in the Media. Media Awareness Network. Retrieved from media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm Muscat, K. (2011). Canââ¬â¢t Get No (Body) Satisfaction: Media Effects on Body Image. Psychology in Action. Retrieved from psychologyinaction.org/2011/09/19/can%E2%80%99t-get-no-body-satisfaction-media-effects-on-body-image/ Ohio State University. (2011). Medias focus on ideal body shape can boost womens body satisfaction, for a while. Science Daily. Retrieved from sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110411121557.htm Poveromo, J., Hofstra University. (2007). Magazine influence and body dissatisfaction in women: An examination of initial body dissatisfaction, social comparison, and internalization of the thin ideal. Michigan: ProQuest. Scheufele, D. (1999). Framing as a theory of media effec ts. Journal of Communication, 103-122. Tiggemann, M., Slater, A. (2003). Thin Ideals in Music Television: A Source of Social Comparison and Body Dissatisfaction. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 35, 48ââ¬â58. Ussher, J. (2000). Womens health: contemporary international perspectives. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. Wykes, M. Gunter, B. (2005). The media and body image: if looks could kill. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Dunkleosteus - Facts and Figures
Dunkleosteus - Facts and Figures Name: Dunkleosteus (Greek for Dunkles bone); pronounced dun-kul-OSS-tee-us Habitat: Shallow seas worldwide Historical Period: Late Devonian (380-360 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 30 feet long and 3-4 tons Diet: Marine animals Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; lack of teeth; thick armor plating About Dunkleosteus The marine animals of the Devonian periodover 100 million years before the first dinosaurstended to be small and meek, but Dunkleosteus was the exception that proved the rule. This huge (about 30 feet long and three or four tons), armor-covered prehistoric fish was probably the largest vertebrate of its day, and almost certainly the largest fish of the Devonian seas. Reconstructions can be a bit fanciful, but Dunkleosteus likely resembled a large, underwater tank, with a thick body, bulging head, and massive, toothless jaws. Dunkleosteus wouldnt have had to be a particularly good swimmer, since its bony armor would have been sufficient defense against the smaller, predatory sharks and fish of its briny habitat, such as Cladoselache. Because so many fossils of Dunkleosteus have been discovered, paleontologists know a good deal about the behavior and physiology of this prehistoric fish. For example, theres some evidence that individuals of this genus occasionally cannibalized each other when prey fish ran low, and an analysis of Dunkleosteus jawbones has demonstrated that this vertebrate could bite with a force of about 8,000 pounds per square inch, putting it in a league with both the much later Tyrannosaurus Rex and the much later giant shark Megalodon. (By the way, if the name Dunkleosteus sounds funny, thats because it was named in 1958 after David Dunkle, a curator at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.) Dunkleosteus is known by about 10 species, which have been excavated in North America, western Europe, and northern Africa. The type species, D. terrelli, has been discovered in various U.S. states, including Texas, California, Pennsylvania and Ohio. D. belgicus hails from Belgium, D. marsaisi from Morocco (though this species may one day be synonymized with another genus of armored fish, Eastmanosteus), and D. amblyodoratus was discovered in Canada; other, smaller species were native to states as far afield as New York and Missouri. (As you might have guessed, we can attribute the profusion of Dunkleosteus remains to the fact that heavily armored skin tends to persist unusually well in the fossil record!) Given the near-worldwide success of Dunklesteus 360 million years ago, the obvious question presents itself: why did this armored fish go extinct by the start of the Carboniferous period, along with its placoderm cousins? The most likely explanation is that these vertebrates succumbed to changes in ocean conditions during the so-called Hangenberg Event, which caused marine oxygen levels to plungean event that definitely would not have favored multi-ton fish like Dunkleosteus. Secondarily, Dunkleosteus and its fellow placoderms may have been out-competed by smaller, sleeker bony fish and sharks, which went on to dominate the worlds oceans for tens of millions of years thereafter, until the advent of the marine reptiles of the Mesozoic Era.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
History of Anthropological Thought - Functionalism and Marxist Anthrop Essay
History of Anthropological Thought - Functionalism and Marxist Anthropology - Essay Example The word 'mangu' means 'witchcraft' and to some extent witchcraft and sorcery are alike. Both have general purposes, but their practices are different. Witchcraft was said to be a 'psychic power which often inherited, it can be activated if the owner became angry or jealous, and this power is normally unconscious as well as limited to those with the substance in their body. Sorcery is skill, which can be learnt by anyone and can be passed on through study. This skill also knows as "black magnetic" which can be defined as the evil use of medicines' (Evans-Pritchard, 1937, p.42). Both are used for destructive private ends against the lives and possessions of law-abiding people. The centre of this book is the three oracles of the Azande in Sudan. These being in the order of decreasing significance: the poison oracle, the termite oracle, and the rubbing board oracle. Amongst the Azande, witchcraft is viewed as the main hazard. They are sure that witchcraft can be inherited and that a person can be a mage, making others harm, without understanding her or his impact. Anthropologists have had the long disagreement concerning the nature and importance of beliefs in witchcraft and magic and, in particular, concerning the rationality of the witchcraft beliefs. Evans-Prichard underlines that they are rational since they are very utilitarian an, they are the mighty mechanism of the social top of a hierarchy. Evans-Pritchard provides a sociological model of such beliefs, he proves that they are what the chief needs to maintain submission and keep people in constant fear. That is the importance of such beliefs for the whole community; without them, the structure if the community itself will be destroyed, and a community would parish to the extent of values and culture. In addition, beliefs are important since they explain to them many things and give the image of the person who is 'omnipotent' and who can help in any trouble as well as make a great harm.Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Use of Communication Skills to Facilitate Therapeutic Relationships Essay
Use of Communication Skills to Facilitate Therapeutic Relationships - Essay Example In psychiatric setup, the nurse aims at helping the Client to become independent and establishing confidence. Williams& Irurita (2004), states that disclosure is the cornerstone for this relationship to be effective and also for the achievement of self-disclosure. There is need for trust, intimacy, effective relational communication and the assurance of confidentiality (Popoola et al 2012). According to Cull (2012), the Nurse uses their communication skills to understand human behaviors and personal growth so as to ensure Clientââ¬â¢s growth. Communication enhanced through an emotional supportive enquiry. The nurse aims to familiarize themselves with the Client and their situation. This can be done through listening, taking notes, clarifying and checking perceptions. It is important to confirm that one has understood what the Client needs. This can be achieved through reflective conversation, reflecting feelings and silence. Thereafter, the Nurse should lead the conversation. Focus should be on the Clientââ¬â¢s ideas, expression and feelings and the nurse should be friendly but not a friend to the client. This line needs to be clearly drawn by the nurse. It is important that the Client should be safe, confidential, reliable and consistent with the existing boundaries. For these to happen, the nurse should be genuine, empathetic and positively regard all Clients re gardless of their mental state. Genuineness in this case is the self awareness of the Clientââ¬â¢s feelings as they arise in the relationship and the ability to communicate them when necessary. This works to build trust and further prompt the client to open up. The Nurse should be capable of empathy.
Monday, November 18, 2019
What effect does the financial crisis have on the luxury fashion Essay
What effect does the financial crisis have on the luxury fashion market - Essay Example A luxury good is a good for which the demand of the consumer increases as the income level increases. Luxury goods have always been a symbol of prosperity and wealth for ages, for the spendthrifts, who desire and enjoy buying. Owning and wanting to be the owner of luxury items such as the latest designer clothes, jewelry, watches, is a pleasure on its own. Items that comes with a heavy price tag than ordinary items and have a known brand name is identified as luxury item. In economics, luxury goods have said to have high elasticity of demand, which means that when buyers become wealthier they would like to spend more and more cash on the luxury items. It also means that when there is a turn down in income level there will be a decrease in demand. Both income and demand are directly proportional to each other, if one increases the other rises as well and vice versa. Income elasticity of demand is not constant with respect to income, and the demand may changes at different income level s. That is to say, a luxury good becomes a normal or an inferior good at a higher income, if we take an example of a rich person who would stop buying increasing numbers of luxury cars for his automobile collection to start collecting airplanes as his purchasing power increases. Some manufactured products, got the status of luxury item due to their quality, design and better performance as compared to the products, which are said to be the subsitute of the item. More importantly, due to an increased competition in the market, consumers are less brand loyal and would switch to another brand easily. To retain customers, it becomes essential that the luxury item should maintain and improve the functionality, features and style, with increased durability and performance. Luxury goods tend to play a vital role of status symbol as these goods identified the purchasing power of people who own them. These goods are not necessarily
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Chinese Nationalism In The 19th And 20th Centuries History Essay
Chinese Nationalism In The 19th And 20th Centuries History Essay Chinese nationalism in the 19th and 20th centuries followed a very different suit than Japans Shà µwa evolution. Similar to Perrys significance in Edo in 1894, the First Anglo-Chinese War (1839-1842) was a significant introduction of Western moral realism and imperialist influence in China. To a larger extent than Japan, Chinas nationalisms were largely born of domestic adversity from influential Chinese figures. Sun Yat-sen once declared: In order to restore our national independence, we must first restore the Chinese nation. In order to restore the Chinese nation, we must drive the barbarian Manchus back to the Changbai Mountains. In order to get rid of the barbarians, we must first overthrow the present tyrannical, dictatorial, ugly, and corrupt Qing government. Fellow countrymen, a revolution is the only means to overthrow the Qing government! Known often as The Father of Nationalism, Sun played a huge part in securing Chinese national identity and overthrowing the reactionary cultural grip of the Quing dynasty. Co-founder of the KMT, Sun set the tone for Maos adoption of Chinese Marxism and the progression to Maoism. The main concern for the Kuomintang, were that its policies and figures inside the party were too varying; that unanimous decisions were a rarity. After the 1911 revolution, the official definition of Chinese was expanded to include non-Han ethnicities as part of a united Chinese nation although Michael Lynch seems to suggest this was due mainly to the realisation that a far too narrow definition of China and being Chinese would result in a loss of important Eastern territory, and that the Manchus were too immersed to be considered an outside group. By the end of the nineteenth century, dichotomies were already proliferating to explain how Chinese orthodoxy could be maintained while importing knowledge from abroad, such as Self sufficiency as essence, promote sincerity as function, defence as essence, war as function, rely on industry for essence, rely on commerce for function, and metaphysicsà [1]à for essence, economics for functionà [2]à . The best-known example of this is found in Zhang Zhidong (1837-1909), the late Qing dynasty self-strengthening governor general of Hubei and Hunan, who advocated achieving state power through the construction of railroads, heavy industry and a foreign policy based on the balancing principle of use barbarians to control barbarians. His Exhortation to Study, written in 1898, is commonly identified with the ti-yong call to appropriate Western functional knowledge to preserve Chinese essence . As such language demonstrates, the discussion by the self-strengtheners of the Qing dynasty of local military, political and economic issues in terms of world order was already typical of what sociologists would call a globalistic mentalityà [3]à . It is this mentality that made it possible for Kang Youweis fellow reformer, Liang Qichao, to import the Chinese term for nationalism from Japan, in articles he wrote between 1899 and 1901.à [4]à After the fall of the Qing, the claim to be able to use Western functional knowledge to preserve Chinese essence remained at the centre of the claim to legitimacy made by nationalist and communist elites. When president Yuan Shikai tried to make himself emperor during the early years of the Chinese Republic, he did so by reviving Confucianism as the state ideology. Sun Yatsen, the National Father, maintained a strong aversion to cosmopolitanism and a belief in the revival of Chinese tradition throughout his life. Chiang Kaishek continued this when he combined propagation of Suns nationalist orthodoxy of the Three Principles of the People with the Confucian morality of the New Life movement after the 1927 Northern Expedition left much of the former empire under Nationalist control. This ideological strategy even survived under the KMT in Taiwan, until the islands democratisation in the 1980s made it unsustainable. The state-centric nature of the fluid international situation described by the three worlds was developed further by the revival of the formula of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, namely: respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty; mutual non-aggression; mutual non-interference in internal affairs; equality and mutual benefit; and peaceful coexistence. This has a certain resonance in domestic politics because the Five Priniciples formula is attributed to Zhou Enlai, reinforcing continuity with the popular face of the CCPs past and making a ready counterpart to Zhous Four Modernisations. When Deng revived the slogan of seeking truth from facts during the leadership struggle in September 1978à [5]à he presented Maos theory of the three worlds as useful in domestic politics for distinguishing the correct attitude of maintaining the international conditions that enable the importation of foreign capital, technology and know-how, as opposed to the incorrect branding of economic relations with other countries as a kind of national betrayalà [6]à . Over the years that followed, references to both proletarian internationalism and the three worlds were to be eclipsed by the Five Principles, which came to encapsulate the sovereignty-centred nature of PRC foreign policy. The Communists, too, had to reconcile their Chinese identity with the promise of modernity offered by socialist internationalism. Mao Zedong is said to have achieved the sinification of Marxism. When he claimed leadership of the United Front in the conflict with Japan, he presented the CCP as the true inheritor of what he considered to be the essence of a splendid old culture that was created during the long period of Chinese history and which could be used selectively to develop the new national culture.à [7]à Not only did Mao advocate learning from socialist cultures, but also from capitalist countries in the Age of Enlightenment. Yet, at the same time, he warned, We should not gulp any of this foreign material down uncritically, but must treat it as we do our food-first chewing it, then submitting it to the working of the stomach and intestines with their juices and secretions, and separating it into nutriment to be absorbed and waste matter to be discarded-before it can nouri sh usà [8]à The dilemma of balancing the preservation of political orthodoxy with learning from abroad is even clearer under reform and opening. Chinas leaders since Mao have always been careful to balance the importation of investment and know-how from abroad with a call to build socialism with Chinese characteristics and socialist spiritual civilization, and to insist that the nation combats the tendency of worshipping things foreign, or fawning on foreigners.à [9]à To search for logical consistency in this discourse, however, is to overlook how such actors are not concerned with talking to philosophical circles. The issues they address are essentially political, in the sense that there is no possibility of a logical solution, only the hope of achieving some kind of social compromise. As Zhang Zhidong realised at the end of the Qing dynasty, it is humiliation at the hands of foreigners that provides the conditions under which the apparently incommensurable positions of dogmatic conservatives and radical reformers can be reconciled. Zhang did this by reducing Confucianism to a symbol of loyalty rather than a practical guide for living. In the same way, Chinas leaders under reform and opening have reduced socialism to a symbol of patriotic loyalty, while the technological and market orthodoxies of globalisation have been introduced as the guide for policy. The condition for achieving this, however, is to portray the nation as threatened and humili ated by a coalition of enemies within and abroad, from which only the CCP can promise deliverance. It is thus that the legacy of the impact of colonialism and civil war has made possible the discourse on nationalism and globalisation that is so central to Chinese politics at the start of the new millennium. As for upholding Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong thought, this does not refer to the ideas of the man who had engineered the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution and internationalism. It meant remembering the leader who had allowed the Chinese people to stand up in 1949, the statesman who had formulated the strategy of differentiating the three worlds and personally ushered in a new stage in Sino-American and Sino-Japanese relations. These elements of Maos heritage were further elaborated when the orthodox version of the past appeared in the form of the Resolution on CCP History (1949-81), two years later. In this document, the essence of Mao Zedong thought was presented as the principles to seek truth from facts, the mass line, and independence. The first of these had already become a safer formula than thought emancipation, because it could be presented to mean that the answers to Chinas problems have to be found in Chinese experience and not in foreign teaching. The mass li ne, which had traditionally meant that the Party should canvass the opinions of the general population when developing its policies, was now presented as proof that the Party exists and fights for the interests of the people. Independence was taken to represent Maos belief that China must find its own path to modernity, rejecting any kind of interference in national sovereignty
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Essay --
Qualities of A Successful Nurse In this modern day and age, registered nursing has rapidly sky-rocketed up the ideal career charts, and is becoming a very prominent career. Far too often it becomes easy to just focus on the potential salary you will make. However, it is important to remember that to be a successful nurse you need to have physical endurance, great communication skills, and be adaptive to change. First, nursing is no where close to being the average everyday desk job. A nurse is basically a doctors "Right Hand Man", because they are responsible for following all of the doctor's orders and instructions. Being physically fit is an important quality to have in a successful nurse. There is a possibility that a nurse will have a patient larger than them, and they may have to lift the patient without any help. Also, there is a chance that a patient will fall or is falling around you, and the nurse is responsible for catching them. It is vital to always be prompt in nursing, because everyday is different, and it is good to always be prepared. The typical shift for a nurse is anywhere from ten to twelve hours a day. It is always beneficial to wear proper fitting clothes and most definitely comfortable shoes, because a nurse is on their feet for long periods of time. Although a nurse receives a set schedule, it is important to realize you may have to work longer than originally plann ed. Some of the most obvious reasons for changes in the schedule is a short staff, being scheduled to stay on-call, or if you are assisting in surgery. Most importantly, having great communication skills is key in order to be a great nurse. Strong communication skills are a basic foundation for any career, but for a nurse it is one of the mo... ...finitely not the average job with a set in stone eight to twelve hour shift. Nurses have to understand that even though they may be scheduled for a ten hour shift, there is almost always a possibility that they will have to work longer. To conclude, to be a successful nurse there are a lot of special qualities needed to provide complete care to a patient. This essay discussed three common qualities that can be seen in modern day nurses. Physical endurance is a good quality for nurses to have, because their job involves a lot of standing and physical activity. Great communication skills are especially important, because it enables you to provide the best complete care of a patient, and their family. Being adaptive to change is the last quality discussed in this essay. It is a good quality to have, because it provides the flexibility needed to be a successful nurse.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Communication Essay
Companies often organize their departments into teams that support each other to complete tasks or projects. When working in groups, communication is vital to the success of the team. Teams must work well individually as well as a members of a team. Communication on an individual level differs from communication within a group. Individually, you must actively listen and insure accurate understanding, offer to help solve problems, and focus on not being distracted by your own emotions. You cannot allow your emotions to distract you or cause you to miss the key points or misinterpret information. As an individual you must attend all group meetings, provide feedback and input to the discussions, and be respectful to others input and views. It is important that everyone in the group understand their role and responsibilities to the group. Everyone must contribute to discussions and meetings, and there should not be any silent members. To promote group discussion, you can start by going around the group and allowing each person to speak. This will allow each person a chance to be involved in the discussion and will spark topics of discussion. When working in a group, conflicts usually arise and should be dealt with immediately and directly. Ignoring conflict or disagreements will cause the team to be lose focus, become less productive. Most conflicts result from poor communication and misinterpretations. To resolve conflicts, it is important to locate where the break-down in communication happened. By talking through the conflict with the members of the group, and redefining tasks and objectives, the team can resolve these types of issues. To foster good communication within a group every member must listen to each other, work collaboratively to make decisions, adapt to changes and communication styles, assign specific tasks, set clear deadlines and expectations, and conduct follow-up meetings to review.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
The 5 Worst Ways to Hunt for a Job
The 5 Worst Ways to Hunt for a Job Doing everything right and still not getting the gig? Make sure youââ¬â¢re not breaking any of these five hard-and-fast rules before despairing. The problem could be your strategy! 1. Getting stuck in search enginesFor every online application you submit, try to find an ââ¬Ëinââ¬â¢ somewhere instead. Troll your LinkedIn for personal connections. Reach out. Use your network. That direct introduction could be the difference between an online application and an actual interview. Instead of doing keyword job searches, sign up to get Job Matches based on your entire profile.2. Applying to everythingYouââ¬â¢re amazing and youââ¬â¢re versatile, but youââ¬â¢re not qualified for everything. Make sure youââ¬â¢re not applying blind to absolutely every job, no matter whether you are qualified. Or, if you donââ¬â¢t look right on paper but can make a case for yourself, try and reach out directly to the hiring manager. If youââ¬â¢re not matching up to job requirements, co nsider taking a class or honing a new skill for the next round of applications.3. Expecting a breakSure, youââ¬â¢re a fast learner. But sometimes a company wants to hire someone who can jump right in the ring. Being a ââ¬Å"fast learnerâ⬠is great, but donââ¬â¢t expect that that will always get you through the door. Focus your energy instead on convincing your interviewer why youââ¬â¢d actually be perfect for the job, rather than claiming you can catch up as you go along.4. Being too aggressiveOkay, we get it. Youââ¬â¢re looking for work. But networking is networking. Allow time to build a relationship before sticking your resume in a new connectionââ¬â¢s face. Try and build a real relationship before you start asking for favors- or a job!5. Calling too muchIf you havenââ¬â¢t heard anything, play it cool. A simple, respectful follow-up email checking on their decision-making timeline will do fine. Thereââ¬â¢s a difference between proactivity and desperatio n. Make sure youââ¬â¢re on the good side.If youââ¬â¢re guilty of any of these five faux pas, consider trying a new strategy. These common sense guidelines should be a productive start.5 Job Search Tactics You Should Stop Immediately
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Temperature Definition in Science
Temperature Definition in Science Temperature is an objective measurement of how hot or cold an object is. It can be measured with a thermometer or a calorimeter. It is a means of determining the internal energy contained within a given system. Because humans easily perceive the amount of heat and cold within an area, it is understandable that temperature is a feature of reality that we have a fairly intuitive grasp on. Consider that many of us have our first interaction with a thermometer in the context of medicine, when a doctor (or our parent) uses one to discern our temperature, as part of diagnosing an illness. Indeed, temperature is a critical concept in a wide variety of scientific disciplines, not just medicine. Heat Versus Temperature Temperature is different from heat, although the two concepts are linked. Temperature is a measure of the internal energy of a system, while heat is a measure of how energy is transferred from one system (or body) to another, or, how temperatures in one system are raised or lowered by interaction with another. This is roughly described by the kinetic theory, at least for gases and fluids. The kinetic theory explains that the greater the amount of heat is absorbed into a material, the more rapidly the atoms within that material begin to move, and, the faster atoms move, the more the temperature increases. As atoms begin to slow down their movement, the material becomes cooler. Things get a little more complicated for solids, of course, but thats the basic idea. Temperature Scales Several temperature scales exist. In the United States, the Fahrenheit temperature is most commonly used, though the International System of Units (SI unit) Centigrade (or Celsius) is used in most of the rest of the world. The Kelvin scale is used often in physics and is adjusted so that 0 degrees Kelvin is equal to absolute zero, which is, in theory, the coldest possible temperature and at which point all kinetic motion ceases. Measuring Temperature A traditional thermometer measures temperature by containing a fluid that expands at a known rate as it gets hotter and contracts as it gets cooler. As the temperature changes, the liquid within a contained tube moves along a scale on the device. As with much of modern science, we can look back to the ancients for the origins of the ideas about how to measure temperature back to the ancients. In the first century CE, the Greek philosopher and mathematician Hero (or Heron) of Alexandria (10ââ¬â70 CE) wrote in his work Pneumatics about the relationship between temperature and the expansion of air. After the Gutenberg Press was invented, Heros book was published in Europe in 1575, its wider availability inspiring the creation of the earliest thermometers throughout the following century. Inventing the Thermometer The Italian astronomer Galileoà (1564ââ¬â1642) was one of the first scientists recorded to have actually used a device that measured temperature, though it is unclear whether he actually built it himself or acquired the idea from someone else. He used a device called a thermoscope to measure the amount of heat and cold, at least as early as 1603. Throughout the 1600s, various scientists tried to create thermometers that measured temperature by a change of pressure within a contained measurement device. English physician Robert Fludd (1574ââ¬â1637) built a thermoscope in 1638 that had a temperature scale built into the physical structure of the device, resulting in the first thermometer. Without any centralized system of measurement, each of these scientists developed their own measurement scales, and none of them really caught on until Dutch-German-Polish physicist and inventorà Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686ââ¬â1736) built his in the early 1700s. He built a thermometer with alcohol in 1709, but it was really his mercury-based thermometer of 1714 that became the gold standard of temperature measurement. Edited by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Monday, November 4, 2019
(history 24) summerize Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
(history 24) summerize - Essay Example Such incidences have been responsible the creation of security agencies like Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) which were mandated to infringe into the liberty of the citizens at the discretion of the president. The strongest part of the highlighted chapters under study in this book gives evidence of much power for the executive to warrant uncensored arrests and prosecution of people. The Vietnam War attracted discontent among many citizens as far as the taxpayerââ¬â¢s money wastage is concerned. In a bid to stay on course, the government resorted to police to consistently suppress the dissidents. It can be noted that United States under the leadership of president bush continued to hide behind terrorism to violate the rights of innocent citizens of Muslim faith (Kolin 43-66). It is equally evident that despite its global campaign for democracy, United States even under the administration of Obama has significantly violated foreign po licies by attack in other countries for vested interested like was the case of Iraq and the alleged measures against terrorist entities. The highlighted reading from pages 124-147 expresses the increasing conduct of United States to become a police state. The threat of terrorism attack and other socio-economic vulnerability perceived to be eminent from external aggression by the United States is responsible for its increased surveillance of internal territories and foreign lands. Their evident disregard of the judicial system as far human rights is concerned (McCoy 135-151). Taking the case of terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, several Muslims were deported and arrests carried out in full glare of various civil rights institutions under the supervision of the government (Kolin 126-9). The foreign policy of United States is a tool that is left for the executive to manipulate to their
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Argument for God using the Design argument Essay
Argument for God using the Design argument - Essay Example The world was created in a way that human beings have no control or clue of the occurrence or existence of different phenomena. This essay is going to explore and affirm that God exists through the argument for design. Thesis Statement: The coordination and the intricate way in which human beings live by purpose suggest the existence of an intelligent designer. Overview Our lives in the world are inspired by the events and activities that we, human beings, undertake. However, in the process we have questions on our existence and, most importantly, on whether God exists. An argument by design explains the existence of God through the use of facts, theories and examples of how God created life. The world is meant for human inhabitation because there is a pattern in which life occurs and exists. It is true to argue that the world and life were designed by someone or a spirit that is unexplainable due to the following facts: Teleological orders: This is used to explain how order in the w orld occurs since everything in the world seems to follow a certain pattern. Teleological order can exist as spatial and temporal order whereby spatial order explains the co-presence while the latter explains succession. It is easy to look at the world and wonder at the facts of co-presence and succession. For instance, the human body is made up of millions of parts which interact with one another to come up with a complex living creature. William Paley who was an advocate of natural teleology argued that as a watch is a timepiece that is made up of millions of parts, then also the world and human life is designed that way. Another advocate of the teleological argument was Thomas Aquinas who argued that we see the world as being made up of many things some of which lack knowledge. He elucidates that these beings act for an end and this is evident by the small animals of living things (Sweet 95). As a result, a thing that does not have knowledge cannot move towards and end but only i f it is directed by an intelligent being. Apart from humans who possess knowledge, natural things cannot move towards an end and therefore, what drives their move towards end is an intelligent being who in this sense is God. Paleyââ¬â¢s argument is that the world is created in a perfect manner different from a watch due to several reasons. For instance, in his natural teleological argument he says that ââ¬Å"as a watch is perfectly crafted and a well oiled machine,â⬠then the world is also perfect. For instance, in the world there is enough oxygen for everybody. It is not less because it would not support life and again, it is not a lot because it could lead to easy combustion. Apart from William Paleyââ¬â¢s theory, other scientists have supported the analogy of design through the positioning of the earth. For instance, if we look at the way earth is positioned, it not so close to the sun because it would cause problems to people and life would not be supported. Furtherm ore, if the sun was in a far position from the earth, then life would not be supported in the world (Sweet 102). The look of the universe from this view presents us with conclusion that God was involved in the creation of the world. This is summed by Isaac Newton who said that the most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets can only proceed through the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being. Criticisms: The William Paley analogy created a lot of criticism from a lot of quarters, especially from David Hume. The first
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)