12 Angry Men Leadership Essay - 1711 Words

12 Angry Men is a film originally produced in 1957 by Henry Fonda and Reginald Rose. It is about the journey 12 jurors go on to determine if a defendant is innocent or guilty. 12 Angry Men is a classic movie that is great for people learning different leadership styles, verbal and nonverbal cues, constructive/destructive conflict, and how ‘sidebar’ conversations impact a group’s ability to achieve their goal. The goal of the 12 jurors is to make a unanimous decision the defendant is either innocent or guilty. The jurors must make this decision based on whether the prosecutor’s evidence proved the defendant’s innocence beyond a reasonable doubt. Leadership played a large role in achieving this goal. Some of these three leadership forms were†¦show more content†¦Engleberg and Wynn (2012) state people who speak early and often in group settings tend to become leaders within the group. He does this in an autocratic way by having a strong position and not being open to hear and value other people’s opinions. This can hinder the group goals if an autocratic leader is allowed to become too destructive. Autocratic leaders can also positively impact the group as they eliminate groupthink and challenge individuals within the group to speak up, this is not always done though. Throughout the film viewers watch as Juror 3 becomes increasingly frustrated when people have different opinions as he believes his own opinion is the only option. Unlike Juror 3 Juror 8 is open and even welcomes others’ opinions. He was the only one to vote not guilty at the beginning of 12 Angry Men. He was not an appointed leader and throughout the course of this film he develops into an emergent leader. Juror 8 uses democratic leadership as he focuses on serving the needs of someone else and pointing out the severity of the issue they are deciding on and that a life is at stake. A democratic leader â€Å"understand(s) that these challenges are being made to present all sides of the issue and arrive at a better answer† (Kraemer, 2011). Juror 8 wants people to talk it through and make sure they have properly evaluated every side of the reason for being guilty or innocent and a just decision is made. He usedShow MoreRelated12 Angry Men: Leadership Essay1923 Words   |  8 PagesLeadership: In the movie 12 Angry Men there were two primary examples of leadership. The first was in the beginning of the movie, when the foreman gets everyone together in the room and has them sit down, assigning them each a number. He then proceeds to go over the process and rules they will proceed with, and sets up the initial voting. After the initial voting, he has them go around in a circle one by one to discuss the reasons why they voted the way they did. As the film progresses, the leadershipRead MoreEssay about The Power of Leadership in 12 Angry Men1477 Words   |  6 Pagesto grow with the strength and speed of the most powerful pathogens – possessing equal communicability as they spread to proximal centers of consciousness. How can this characteristic of ideas be utilized to benefit society? In the film Twelve Angry Men, we see a situation where Juror Eight – equipped with all the autonomy and wisdom of an ideal leader – appeals to logos in an attempt to prom ote the consideration of an idea, which he has planted in the minds of an otherwise unanimous jury; thisRead More12 Angry Men: an Illustration of Concepts of Organisational Behaviour2175 Words   |  9 Pages12 Angry Men: An Illustration of Concepts of Organisational Behaviour Introduction In 1957 Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men was published (Lumet, 1957). Now, 55 years later, the movie’s teachings still hold most of their truths. The events shown in the movie can be scientifically explained using concepts of organisational behaviour. Although some of these concepts did not even exist by the time the movie was made, the movie still is an excellent case to study and illustrate them. The reason for thisRead MoreComparison Between 12 Angry Men And Dead Poets Society1875 Words   |  8 Pages12 Angry Men and Dead Poets Society Deconstruction In the movies 12 Angry Men and Dead Poets Society, there were many leadership traits that became evident as each movie progressed. . Both movies provide similar, yet different, examples of contingency, transformational, and authentic leadership; as well as Aristotle’s Rhetoric related to persuasion. As a leader you will need to know what kind of leadership trait to employ when dealing with a diverse group of people because if you cannot, you willRead MoreEssay about The Problem of Groupthink in 12 Angry Men934 Words   |  4 Pagesgroup, lack of norms and central leadership, in addition social background of group members. The third, situational context includes the circumstances of the groups meeting, social roles and expected behavior. This notion is exemplified during the movie, 12 Angry Men. The purpose of this essay is to examine the movie content to display the groupthink symptoms in place. Groupthink consists of eight major factors that occur during the films scenes, a s the twelve men debate a premeditated murder courtRead MoreDuring the Time of Samuel, Why Did the People of Israel Desire a King?1027 Words   |  5 PagesEssay 2 During the time of the judges, the land was full of corruption and sin. There was no king or legal authority in Israel and the people acted on what they thought was right and wrong. â€Å"In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes† (Judges 21:25). Samuel was Israel’s spiritual leader (priest), a prophet, and the last and most effective of the judges. God used Samuel to assist in the change of Israel’s government from a system of judges toRead More Affirmative Action and Racial Tension Essay1691 Words   |  7 Pageseveryone ¹s thoughts. Or so Barbara Ehrenreich believes when she writes of a quiet, subliminal prejudice that is caused by statistics that prove the fewer numbers of blacks in high profile jobs. When we see ninety percent of leadership roles in the corporate world held by white men, we begin to doubt other ¹s competence in that field. With so many minorities in menial roles, people begin to be lieve the white man is best for the top jobs; he knows them well(114). But with positive affirmative action policiesRead MorePigs Gain Power with Propaganda in George Orwells Animal Farm1747 Words   |  7 Pagesfeelings and motivates specific actions (Stults). In George Orwells’ Animal Farm, the animals of the farm plan on living in peaceful equality after overthrowing their human leaders, but the intelligent, cunning pigs seize the farm’s defenseless leadership. Orwell wrote Animal Farm as an allegorical â€Å"fairy story† (â€Å"Preface† 6) resembling the Russian Revolt during the 1900’s. An important similarity between Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution is the propaganda techniques the leaders used to acquireRead MoreOutline Janis Concept Of Goupthink 2069 Words   |  9 Pagesevaluation of alternatives†. †¢ Shown by Janis’ enhanced model (1983) – 2 different presidential decisions (bay of pigs and cuban missile crisis) only one condition changed within these 2 different decisions was the president’s leadership style. ESSAY Outline Janis’ concept of ‘groupthink’. Why, and in what circumstances, is it such a problem for organizations? â€Å"Organizations†¨ are internally structured groups that are located in complex networks of intergroup relationsRead MoreThe Leadership Style of King David3177 Words   |  13 PagesLeadership 1 Essay 1 Take one leader in the Bible, other than Jesus, and evaluate his or her leadership style from using the framework of modern thinking on leadership and your own theological reflection. Introduction In her book Leadership Can Be Taught, Sharon Parks (2005, p.3.) suggests that the study of leadership is important for the common good in todays complex changing world. The term complex changing world could easily be used to describe the time covered by the early years

The Era Of The Industrial Revolution - 1369 Words

When the Industrial Revolution started, it resulted in the world changing at a high pace. So, the people started to desire a simpler, and a more stable time. That’s when the revival of ancient architecture started to form. Each type of revival style was associated with a specific architect, for instance, A.W.N. Pugin was England’s leading Gothic revivalist. The revivals of the ancient architecture influenced the architectural designs of many architects of the time. Two of the most noted architects in the nineteenth century who were influenced by the architectural revivals were: Richard Morris Hunt, the leading architect to the Beaux Art style; and Henry Hobson Richardson, the father of the Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. The†¦show more content†¦Its style combined classical ideas from the ancient Greek, Roman, and Romanesque architecture and deployed their ideas into its architecture (Carven, 7/27/2016). The Beaux’s Art style influenced architectu re between 1880 and 1920, but its popularity ended with economic hardships from the great depression. Beaux Arts style emphasized the classical forms and features by showing elaborate details while having heavy masonry, and massive plans. The Beaux Arts displayed elaborate details by integrating sculpture that was influenced by the Baroque and Rococo styles. It also had classical details such as pilasters, balustrades, and garlands. It was highly ornamented to the point that an elaborately decorated surface with little areas left unornamented became the hallmark for the Beaux Arts style (Architectural style of America, n.d.). Also, the Beaux Arts style is symmetrical because it was influenced by the ancient Greek revival. Columns, arches, vaults, and domes were all elements of the Beaux Arts. They used all of these elements and characteristics to try and imitate the European Aristocracy houses. Beaux Arts main clients were the â€Å"would be American aristocrats† who have ac cumulated a massive amount of wealth throughout one or two generations. His main clients had to be the super wealthy people of the time because the Beaux Arts style of architecture had massive plans and heavy masonry, which means that his clients should beShow MoreRelatedThe Era Of Industrial Revolution1474 Words   |  6 Pagesages and eras that brought considerable changes and advancements to the human society. For instance, the age of exploration led explorers such as Columbus and Dias to discover unknown continents and routes. The age of enlightenment caused a burst of knowledge and ideas based on reason from people such as John Locke and Voltaire. The most important era, however, that brought substantial and visible change to the way of living is the era of Industrial Revolution. The period of the Industrial revolutionRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution Of The Victorian Era2569 Words   |  11 Pages The Industrial Revolution of the Victorian Era was a time of development and underdevelopment. While the technology was improving, the social class structure and treatment of the underprivileged stayed the same. Social injustices at the time were often overlooked, but there were many Victorian writers, including Charles Dickens that wrote social commentaries regarding to these issues. Dickens sympathizes with society’s underprivileged because he had experienced similar injustices as a child. HisRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution: The Beginnings of the Modern Era Essay1948 Words   |  8 Pagesthe beginning of the â€Å"modern era,† but no development continues to impact and shape the contemporary world like the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution affected nations everywhere and ultimately created the world as we know it today. As Peter Stearns said, â€Å"Industrialization was the most fundamental force in world history in both the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, and it continues to powerfully shape the twenty-first† (1). The Industrial Revolution marked a major turning pointRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution : The Era Of The Internal Combustion Engine2673 Words   |  11 Pagesnineteenth century, the industrial revolution played an important role to bring a major change in energy resources with the utilization of coal and developed to use for steam engines. As a result, there were increasing power plants. In the beginning of the 20th century, human relied on coal for mainly energy source however there was a gradual change towards oil and gas which could give higher energy content. Secondly, there was the launch of oil-powered vessels which is â€Å"the era of the internal combustionRead MoreIndustrial Revolution : A New Era Of Consumption And Self Satisfaction1484 Words   |  6 Pages This was the start of the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. When the world was entering the industrial age, the manufacturing industry has become a conceptual design that has been widely used in the machine, to accelerate the production, then the factories appeared. All this development resulted in entering a new era of consumption and self-satisfaction. To enter the scene,there are more new products in the markets and stores , it first seems new and strange for citizens, butRead MoreThe World Has Changed Since The Era Of The Industrial Revolution Essay1572 Words   |  7 Pages as they are the â€Å"ones who created the theory†. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, people must understand that there is still a problem regardless of whether they choose to see it or not. The world has changed since the era of the industrial revolution; where everything was made fast in order to grow as a nation faster than others nations. Now, we have been immers ed into this technologically driven world that is controlled by the next big thing that is going to come out; no one is worryingRead MoreThe Effects And Effects Of The Industrial Revolution During The Victorian Era1465 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Victorian years, some of the main characteristics we think of the industrial revolution and the effects during the Victorian period. In this assignment I’m going to explain the impact that the industrial revolution had on people in There are three main characteristics of the industrial revolution which most people would think of first which are urbanization, suburb slums and agricultural revolution. Urbanization is when people move from small towns and the countryside to live in cities for moreRead Moreâ€Å"the Horrifying Effects of Child Labor During the Industrial Revolution Era†2220 Words   |  9 PagesThe world has had many great accomplishments but what people often fail to think about are the consequences of these great accomplishments. When the Industrial Revolution came to Britain, there was a high demand for labor to work in the various mills and mines because of the demand for production. Chimneysweepers also became common during this time. Because of this, families fled from their rural farms to industrialized cities in search of work. Children were often the workers of choice becauseRead MoreThe Consequences of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain (the Standard of Living Debate) and the Free Trade Era in Europe.1542 Words   |  7 PagesLecture 11: The Consequences of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain (The Standard of Living Debate) and the Free Trade Era in Europe. I. The Consequences of the Industrial Revolution: The Standard of Living Debate. What happened to living standards during the Industrial Revolution? From today’s perspective, over 200 years later, most people would say that industrialization has raised living standards dramatically from those that prevailed in the 1700s. In fact, there is general agreementRead MoreWhy did the Industrial Revolution begin in England, and What are the Inventions from this Era?788 Words   |  4 PagesThe Industrial Revolution refers to the greatly increased output of machine-made goods that began in England in the middle 1700s. Before the Industrial Revolution, people made items by hand. Soon machines did the jobs that people didn’t want to do. This was a more efficient way of making goods. During the industrial revolution, Political, economical, and social forces led to a period of upheaval for the French during the eighteenth century. What political, economical, and social forces le d to a period

Violence in Music free essay sample

Teens In todays culture people are influenced by more than Just their friends and family. The problem being discussed is that music videos send a message that It Is k to live as a thug and hustler through the use of appeals by showing these thugs In music videos as living glamorous lives. Peoples personalities are Influenced by what they see and hear, whether It Is through television, radio, or video games.The television Is by far the most effective tool for influencing people. The invention of the TV gave advertisers and television networks the ability to advertise products and broadcast elevation shows to their audiences. Companies focused on marketing strategies to make the consumer feel as if they have the best product. Today, television advertising is a multi-billion dollar a year business with companies shelling out millions per commercial to sell their product.There is no debate that the television is our main source for receiving information but what if this Information was influencing people, children specifically, in a negative way? Todays economy has forced parents to work more and more, which Limits the amount of time they can spend and talk to their children. According to the A. C. Nielsen Co the average child spends less than 3. 5 minutes a week having a meaningful conversation with their parents and over 1,680 minutes watching television. Which has a bigger Influence on children, TV or parents?Music videos can send negative influences through Walsh 2 advertisements, lyrics, and the actions taking place in the videos TV has all sorts of shows that influence children in negative ways, but there is one form of television that has the most appeal and influence to younger generations. Music videos provide its viewers with images and sounds simultaneously to convey a message and a meaning. Some of the most famous musicians that have the most popular videos are people like 50 cent, Jay Z and P Daddy.All three of these artists have been arrested for numerous crimes, drug possession, assault and battery, possession of an illegal firearm, and the list goes on. The music videos that these artists put out are filled with everything that they themselves have been Involved In; drugs, sex, violence, and hatred for the police. The views and opinions of these rappers are not discouraged; they are considered a way of life, what the rap and hip-hop community calls the hug life. The thug life is a glorified way of living, where people shoot first and ask questions later; where image is key.The use of advertisements is seen in almost all music videos displaying the most exciting images to the viewers. These videos almost exclusively show the same images over and over again; expensive cars, promiscuous women and running from the police. Studies have shown that violent videos do in fact cause violent behavior. As read in the article, violent rap lyrics can encourage violent behavior; students were found to experience an Increase in aggressive Houghton after listening to songs with violent lyrics (Woodward). For people to say that rap music videos do not have a negative Influence on youth is arrogant and dangerous. More than 1,000 studies since 1955 have linked media violence and aggressive behavior Lapping). Surveys conclude that music videos are watched by a majority of teenagers. Take the MAT network, for example. Designed for Walsh 3 of boys and 78 percent of girls in this age group for an average of 6. 6 and 6. 2 hours each week, (Crime). Why is it that MAT and BET continue showing these music videos, knowing the harm it does to society? It is because sex, violence, and hatred are todays biggest sellers.On February 2003, 50 Cent released his commercial debut album, Get Rich or Die Trying, which sold 872,000 copies in the first four days of its release. The song and music video In dad club was the albums big hit, and was number one on the music charts for weeks. In the video 50 Cent raps about getting shot, selling drugs, having expensive cars and sleeping with multiple women. I see Exhibit in the Cut that n**** roll that weed up If you watch how I move youll mistake me for a playa or pimp Been hit wit a few shells but I dont walk wit a limp.I got the X if you into taking drugs Im into having sex, I anti into making love. These are Just a few of the lyrics in 50 Cents In dad club. In the video the viewer sees 50 Cent and his crew practicing shooting guns at targets, aiming for headsets, and other violent and inappropriate images. To think that millions of children and teens listened and watched this video countless times is scary. When children are exposed to as much TV as they are it is scary to think that these kinds of videos are the most popular. These are the kinds of artists that kids and young adults see as role models.False images can be seen in the way 50 Cent presents himself. He is funny, persuasive and even comes across as a Walsh 4 nice guy. 50 Cent does not care, or even think about what his music is doing to its viewer because he feels like he is Just expressing himself and making a lot of money. The music industry gets away with putting these videos and songs out there by labeling them as forms of art. The only problem with this is that the music industry is usually the only one who views it this way. What is most important is how the viewers see the videos. Younger viewers see In dad club as ways to model their own behavior.They strive to be like 50 Cent and desire his lifestyle. His gangs attitude is appealing to younger and older audiences alike, and his music is created by some of the most talented producers in the world. The talent behind 50 Cent makes his songs so successful and allows 50 to package his negative themes in catchy well- produced songs. It is hard for a kid not to listen to something that is well made and sounds good. The combination of music and images is more potent than either alone, Rich points out. Music lulls and disinherits, making it easy to suspend reality.The barrage of brief scenes allows images of violence and sex to be mixed in far more insidious ways than in a narrative drama, such as the soaps or sitcoms (Crime). Dry. Deer makes 50 Cents beats; he is arguably the best rap producer of all time. If a rap song has a good beat and a nice flow people will listen to it. The lyrics within the song are only a small percentage of the songs appeal and not understood after Just listening once. Combining negative lyrics and images with a great sounding beat is usually rap producers recipe for a hit album. Jay Z, famous multi- ultimatum rapper, released a song called 99 Problems in 2003. 99 Problems was a song aimed at police, and Jay Gs belief that the police are out to get him. Jay Z was, community. His opinion influences many people and what he says is often times taken as a truth in the urban culture. A music video like 99 Problems is very dangerous for young adults to see. The video is convincing and makes the viewer feel bad for Jay Z. He is portrayed as the victim of many problems, his biggest problem being the police. When children grow up without a role model they look to others for advice and someone they can strive to be.Jay Z encourages youth to do whatever necessary to obtain wealth regardless if what you do breaks the law. Young minds arent always capable of separating fiction and reality, Rich comments. They may see violence as an easy way to settle conflict or relieve stress. The media doesnt show the consequences, and they dont think about them(Crime). In one scene in the music video Jay Z raps about getting pulled over by the police for no reason, as the camera pans around the car while Jay Z is rapping you see the trunk filled with brief cases full of drug money.He disrespects the cops and out wits them by saying hat they need a search warrant to search his car, and that he is so rich that he can higher a lawyer if they decide to do anything. Jay Z is considered a smart guy so people listen to what he has to say. This is where advertisement comes into play, these words are convincing and could easily be seen as truth. When watching the music video for 99 Problems the viewer really starts to think that cops are bad guys out to get them. In the following lines Jay Z says that he was given a high bail Just because he was black.D. A. Tried to give the n**** shaft again Half-a-mil for bail cause Im African All because this fool was Harris them Walsh 6 Trying to play the boy like Hess saccharin. To suggest that the police and Judges will someone a high bail because you are African is a little far-fetched and gives authority a bad stereotype. In his John Woodward says, many writers and thinkers see a kind of informed political engagement, even a revolutionary potential, in rap and hip-hop. They couldnt be more wrong.By enforcing the stereotypes that long hindered blacks, and by teaching young blacks that a thuggish adversarial stance is the properly authentic response to a presumptively racist society, rap retards black success. If kids start to believe that this is how the government is and that respect for authority is useless there will be an overwhelming amount of disorder between youth and the law. After hearing this kind of message over and over again people will start to believe artists like Jay Z and his depiction of the police as bad guys.A good example of a song and music video that promotes every kind of negative image for kids and young adults is the song titled Bad Boys for Life, by Sean Combs, also known as P Daddy. The name of the song in its self gives the audience an idea about what to expect to hear in the lyrics. In the beginning of the video there is a nice quite neighborhood. As the camera angle changes a bunch of black cars pull up to a house. When the cars stop, the music starts, and a group of girls wearing close to nothing start walking out of the bus with P Daddy behind them.The videos main theme is to show how P Daddy and his crew completely turned a nice neighborhood upside down by having crazy parties and racing through the quiet streets in low riders. They rap about drugs, violence important in their lyrics. The very first line mentions that the rapper P Daddy is waists involved in drugs and that he has a hit list. Im the definition of, half man, half drugs Ask the clubs, Bad Boy thats hasps After bucks, crush cruise after us No gaze, we anti laughing much Nothing but big things, check the hotlist This video sends a bad image because it is the definition of a negative rap video. Bad Boys for Life has all the harmful components found in most rap videos grouped into one. Having fun and going crazy is the real message in this video. P Ditsy disturbance of a neighborhood is seen as funny when in reality should be seen as seriously bad. This kind of video promotes insane behavior and a disregard for the people around the viewer. Our findings raise concern for the effect of violent portrayals in music videos on adolescents expectations about their own safety and the way they view people of another gender or race.Their approaches to interracial interactions and male-female relationships, and their strategies for conflict resolution are vulnerable to the effects of these portrayals. (Crime) When a child sees this video they will start to think of violent and disturbing behavior as being fun and acceptable, especially when behavior like this is unacceptable; for example in a quiet neighborhood. These three videos are Just a few of hundreds of USIA videos that contain harmful images that are seen by millions of children every day.For some reason the rap and hip hop community is responsible for the vast majority of the most violent, sexist, and racist videos. Something needs to be done in regards to monitoring what children and even teens can see on TV. These video are not meant to be seen as fictional, they are meant to Walsh 8 be seen as real life depictions of the rappers glorified thug life. When images of money and success are combined with images of violence, complete disregard for the law, sex, drugs and parties, only harm can come.People, especially kids, start associating all these images and start to form completely wrong views of what life is really all about. The videos seen today are so dangerous to society as a whole because todays society is more fueled by media than it has ever been. Because of this fact people need to make sure that they are not feeding our youth things that will destroy lives later on down the road. Instead of promoting negative images artists need to step it up, and realize that they can make a difference by using their status to influence children in a positive way, rather than in a negative way.

McJournalism in the UAE

Introduction The media has emerged as one of the most powerful forces in modern day due to the huge influence it has over the society. It is able to affect people since the reports it provides inform individuals and help them to gain new perceptions on issues going on around them.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on McJournalism in the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A person’s opinion on various issues is coloured by the media since it provides the â€Å"backdrop against which we make sense of new conditions and information† (Gentz Kramer 2006, p.32). Journalists, who are the professionals charged with collecting information and reporting it to the public, are an integral part of the media. They act as societal â€Å"watchdogs†; always looking for newsworthy material and publicly critiquing any action that runs contrary to the ideals of the society. By doing this, they are able to accurate ly reflect the mood of the society and promote worthy causes for the betterment of the society. However, the last 2 decades have witnessed a significant shift in the manner in which journalists carry out their work. Over this period, journalism has become market driven with reports tending to be structured in such a manner as to appeal to the public often at the expense of the integrity that characterised traditional journalism. Franklin (2005) refers to this trend as McJournalism which is the emergence of a â€Å"highly standardised, packaged journalism† (p.2). In the United Arab Emirates, the government has a tight leash on the media which means that journalists cannot report as liberally as their western counterparts. This paper will set out to argue that while McJournalism in the UAE is still low, it is taking hold and might be expected to rise significantly in the near future. The paper will review the reasons behind the low level of McJournalism at present and provide a n analysis of how McJournalism is taking a hold in the UAE with relevant examples to reinforce this.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reasons for Low Levels of McJournalism As it currently stands, journalists in the UAE are discouraged from reporting on matters that may be too controversial. The media law which was promulgated by the National Media Council contains sections which impose fines on journalists who disseminated information that can be deemed to â€Å"disingenuous† on the country’s’ economy or any information that could tarnish the image of the UAE (Ibrahim Al-Abed et al. 2006). Journalists stand at the risk of being fined up to AED 500,000 for violating this clause and an even more outrageous penalty of 5 million is to be imposed on journalists who report on matters that are reproachful to a royal family member of officials of the UAE gover nment. Under such stringent conditions, journalists are unlikely to resort to the sensational reporting that characterises McJournalism. An important dimension to McDonalization is control which involves being in command of both workers and the consumers in the industry. Franklin (2005) states that control has led to the isolation of journalism making them individuals rather than team workers and they therefore have to produce news that the market will want to read or else face cuts since they have reduced bargaining power. Journalists in the UAE are not as exposed to this form of control due to government influence on media houses. The government’s media law requires media houses to make hefty security deposits which are to be used as collateral in case of any fine imposed if a journalist for the particular media house contravenes the law.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on McJournalism in the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rugh (2004) declares that such security deposits acts as clear indications that the government has the media under its control and journalists have to operate in a restricted manner. Kadragic (2010) reveals that while articles are not censored by the government prior to publication, â€Å"everyone working from the editor-in-chief on down has a clear idea of what stories cannot be printed† (p.249). This self censorship arises from the fact that most of the English speaking journalists are expatriates who are in the UAE for economic reasons. Kadragic (2010) reveals that for this expatriates, publishing material that is critical of the government will lead to deportation which would be undesirable. The journalists therefore have to engage in self-censorship and ensure that their work is acceptable by the government. Mcjournalism has led to the media being obsessed with rating and circulation numbers which are indicators of commercial success. This trend h as been encouraged by the dimension of calculability where the ability to quantify news is emphasised on. McJournalism therefore promotes the aggressive following of stories that are likely to increase revenue for the media house. However, journalists in the UAE do not have the incentive to follow up on popular stories. For example, there was a tape which alleged torture carried out by a royal family member against an Afghan businessman. The tape which was aired by ABC News had a wide viewership on the international market.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While the story also sparked interest within the local population, there was little attempt by the UAE media houses to report on the issue since it involved a nephew of a Dubai ruler. Ginges and Pintak (2009) observe that only one daily newspaper based in Dubai, the National, ran the story and even then, the incident was fuzzy with little account of what really happened. The follow up report on the issue was even more blurred with mentions of an investigation being underway made and no indication of what was being investigated being given. The reason for this underreporting of a news story that would have appealed to the public was because of the repercussions that would have followed for any journalist who followed the story too closely (Ginges Pintak 2009). Finances play a major role in the operations of media houses. High efficiency is aimed at increasing production while reducing cost. Pure commercial considerations therefore guide the operations of most media houses in the wor ld which results in an adoption of the most effective formats of reporting and taking up sensational news that are bound to increase readership or readership. Some of UAE media is shielded from these financial considerations since they are either owned by the government or by rich individuals whose major motivation is not excessive profits from their media operations. Kadragic (2010) states that the Abu Dhabi government owns most of the important news installations in the region. Public service media workers are less inclined to engage in the kind of journalism that engenders McJournalism. They are unlikely to report on scandals that affect the government or members of the Royal Family. Evidence of McJournalism in the UAE One of the evident marks of McJournalism in the UAE is the introduction of â€Å"7 Days† which is a freely distributed newspaper that is characterised by short articles and eye-catching headlines. The paper is structured in a manner similar to the British Me tro which demonstrates the concept of standardisation based on the principles of efficiency and predictability since the British Metro newspaper has been a huge success especially in gathering advertisement revenues for its owners. The CEO of the paper, Mark Rix, confesses that the paper mimics the British Metro in that it provides entertaining material for the readers (The National, 2012). This newspaper is structured in such a manner that it attracts the readers â€Å"but not so appealing that (it) diverts readers away from the advertising content of the paper (Franklin 2005, p.5). This is significant considering the fact that 7 Days has as much advertisement as it has articles in any issue. An aspect of McJournalism is making news readily accessible to readers by offering it in â€Å"nuggets† which the consumer can easily consume. Accessibility has meant making use of big headlines with short words and making use of humour and big pictures (Aggarwal Gupta 2001). This asp ect is evident with the Gulfnews newspaper which issues news in a form that is accessible to its readers. In a report on unsafe transformers in Sharjah, the reporter puts the heading as â€Å"Shock in Sharjah over 11,000 volts† (Masudi, 2012). This clever word play is accompanied by a big picture of an exposed transformer. The story is not lengthy which means that the reader does not have to spend a lot of time to get the necessary information. McJournalism has also resulted in the â€Å"dumbing down† of news agenda due to a number of reasons. McNair (2009) reveals that quality news production is an expensive endeavour and in some instances it takes significant amounts of times to develop stories. Even then, there is no guarantee that the stories will be published or if they will be of interest to consumers. In contrast to this, human interest, consumer, and lifestyle coverage are not only cheap to come up with but they also guarantee readability. For this reason, medi a houses in the UAE like the Gulfnews are giving more space to such news as opposed to quality news. Franklin (2005) asserts that such a trend is in line with McJournalism were human interest story which translate to greater sales or views are given prevalence to other important stories which may not attract a wide readership or viewership. The second reason is increased competition in the market. Franklin (1999) states that the media agenda has been dictated by the increasingly competitive market under which journalists are obliged to operate. Editorial priorities therefore have to change with the need to entertain audiences and readers taking precedence over the need to inform them. Discussion In the current age, the ideal media, which reports news and stories that are of value to the public in an unbiased manner and without any vested interest, is non-existent. Instead, the media industry is driven by a number of factors most prominent of which are economics and politics. The UAE presents a unique environment for journalism since the media has to abide by strict government restrictions. Unlike in Western nations where statutory press regulations do not exist, the UAE has laws which not only limit what the press can report on but also forbids any defamation of the royal family and government officials. This heavy regulation has meant that media in the UAE cannot engage in McJournalism fully. However, the government is relaxing its hold on the media as a result of international pressure and criticism by the Non Governmental Organizations operating in the region. In an attempt to demonstrate its openness and dynamic nature, the government has relaxed some of its holds on the media. A decree in 2007 by Sheikh Mohammed who is a ruler in Dubai stated that no journalist could be jailed for performing their job. Ibrahim Al-Abed et al. (2006) observe that freedom from arbitrary incarceration greatly empowers journalists to take part in reports that are of interest t o the public in a list inhibited manner. It can be forecasted that in the near future, UAE readers and viewers will be subjected to a more uniform and predictable diet of news as journalism in the region becomes more McDolnadized. Conclusion This paper is set out to argue that while McJournalism in the UAE is currently low, it can be expected to rise in the near future as government regulations on media eases. The paper began by reviewing why McJournalism is not as prevalent in UAE as it is in many Western Nations. It then highlighted how this concept is taking root in UAE media and how some aspects of McJournalism are already evident in the UAE media. As government restrictions ease up and the media is allowed to report freely on topics of public interest, it can be projected that the UAE media will adopt a McJournalism culture which will be characterised by sensational reporting and issuing people with news material in a user-friendly manner with the hope of increasing viewership and readership. References Aggarwal, B Gupta, V 2001, Handbook of journalism and mass communication, Concept Publishing Company, New York. Franklin, B 1999, Social Policy, the Media and Misrepresentation, Routledge, Boston. Franklin, B 2005, â€Å"McJournalism: the local press and the McDonaldisation thesis† in S. Allan Journalism: Critical Issues, Open University Press, New York. Gentz, N Kramer, S 2006, Globalization, Cultural Identities, and Media Representations, SUNY Press, Canberra. Ginges, J Pintak, L 2009, â€Å"Inside the Arab Newsroom†, Journalism Studies, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 157-177. Ibrahim Al-Abed, et al., 2006, Chronicle of progress in mass communication journalism, Trident Press Ltd, Abu Dhabi. Kadragic, A 2010, Commentary: Media in the UAE: The Abu Dhabi powerhouse, Asia Pacific Media Educator, vol.20, no.1, pp. 247-252. Masudi, F 2012, 11,000-volt transformers left in open, unsecured in Sharjah. Web. McNair, B 2009, News and Journalism in the UK, Ta ylor Francis, London. Rugh, W 2004, Arab mass media: newspapers, radio, and television in Arab politics. Westport, Praeger Publishers, CT. The National 2012, 7DAYS plans websites catering to markets outside the UAE, https://www.thenational.ae/business/7days-plans-websites-catering-to-markets-outside-the-uae-1.364104. This essay on McJournalism in the UAE was written and submitted by user Keira Reid to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Rise And Decline Of Persia, Greece (era Of The Polis), And Republican Rome

History is often a story that always turns out to be cyclical in nature. With every changing and sometimes the decline of civilizations we must consider important factors or otherwise known as matrix factors. With the onset of the empire we must first look to the Persians (625 BCE- 486 BCE). This empire was vast and expanded from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indus River. Thus the actual geography ranged from coastal to arid dessert which was rich in semi precious stones, gold, silver and copper which would prove very useful when Darius decides to mint his own gold coins for currency. Compared to the Greek Polis city states (800 BCE- 300 BCE) which was predominately coastal had a rocky terrain. Farmers and Sheppard were seen as the backbone of society even though the merchants kept the city wealthy. The influx of trade and commerce was vital to the Polis, without it Greece would surely starve, as Greece was already in a constant state of overpopulation. The Greeks of the polis were im planted in the land that they cultivated and owned, it was a way of life. Unlike the Persian Empire that sought out to merely dominant and conquers as much land and people as possible the Greek polis was not a place but a group of people that identified with one another. Persians had an empire of a various array of peoples, they had horseback messengers on roads that they built (that would later be used by the Romans), a centralized government that was a kingship, and subjects that were allowed to continue native customs –such as the Jews. The every strong feelings of appealing to the general populace was also very evident in the roman empire with Tiberius, trying to limit land ownership. Greeks had a different view, if you were not of the polis you were nothing to society and could be killed at will. The Roman republic (27 BCE- 500 CE) has distinct similarities with the Persian Empire, even though the Persian Empire was long gone before the Romans wer... Free Essays on Rise And Decline Of Persia, Greece (era Of The Polis), And Republican Rome Free Essays on Rise And Decline Of Persia, Greece (era Of The Polis), And Republican Rome History is often a story that always turns out to be cyclical in nature. With every changing and sometimes the decline of civilizations we must consider important factors or otherwise known as matrix factors. With the onset of the empire we must first look to the Persians (625 BCE- 486 BCE). This empire was vast and expanded from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indus River. Thus the actual geography ranged from coastal to arid dessert which was rich in semi precious stones, gold, silver and copper which would prove very useful when Darius decides to mint his own gold coins for currency. Compared to the Greek Polis city states (800 BCE- 300 BCE) which was predominately coastal had a rocky terrain. Farmers and Sheppard were seen as the backbone of society even though the merchants kept the city wealthy. The influx of trade and commerce was vital to the Polis, without it Greece would surely starve, as Greece was already in a constant state of overpopulation. The Greeks of the polis were im planted in the land that they cultivated and owned, it was a way of life. Unlike the Persian Empire that sought out to merely dominant and conquers as much land and people as possible the Greek polis was not a place but a group of people that identified with one another. Persians had an empire of a various array of peoples, they had horseback messengers on roads that they built (that would later be used by the Romans), a centralized government that was a kingship, and subjects that were allowed to continue native customs –such as the Jews. The every strong feelings of appealing to the general populace was also very evident in the roman empire with Tiberius, trying to limit land ownership. Greeks had a different view, if you were not of the polis you were nothing to society and could be killed at will. The Roman republic (27 BCE- 500 CE) has distinct similarities with the Persian Empire, even though the Persian Empire was long gone before the Romans wer...

Symbolic Model of Leadership Essays

Symbolic Model of Leadership Essays Symbolic Model of Leadership Essay Symbolic Model of Leadership Essay Am I too old/young? , Will the locals chase me out? Are there sharks swimming around out there? , and Do you think I will really be able to stand up? . The laidback cultural lifestyle of surfers helps put any stress at ease. XXSS instructors explain how the lessons are conduc ed t , discuss any possible but unlikely dangers, and reassure guests that they will have the time of their life experiencing a culture that is sometimes misunderstood. The instructors all look the part bikinis and board shorts and have such a great enthusiasm for their Job because they get to share an important part of their lifestyle ith others. They have a style of language that they use with the guests that often bring humor to the experience. Using slang terms such as Hangloose, Knarly Ride, Rad Wave, and giving the Shaka are all part of the show and guests love it. They repeat these sayings and flash the Shaka back (or if they are Japanese its usually the Peace sign). While out in the line up, the instructors explain about some of the misconceptions of the surf culture and the proper etiquette to use out in the line-up. By educating the guests of the surf etiquette, it opens up a whole new vision to the culture and tereotypes associated with surfing. Something as simple as knowing which surfer has the right of way when dropping in on a wave can make a huge difference in whether they may experience localism (or being yelled at) in the water. However, most of the surf breaks in Waikiki are known as beginner areas and the locals out there will respect that, unless your being a kook, or someone who has no respect for others and their safety in the water. The backdrop of the stage is the beautiful, clear, blue Pacific Ocean. While waiting for a set to roll in, guests are enamored by the scenery that you can only ppreciate from the perspective you get being out on the ocean. From the skyline of Waikiki, to the beautiful mountains, to the peak of Diamondhead Crater, they get to immerse themselves right in the middle of the culture of the Islands of Hawaii as well. The instructors can tell some of the stories and legends of how the volcano was formed, point out the surf break the famous Duke surfed at, and if the guests are lucky, they can meet Moku the resident Green Sea Turtle who frequents the area. instructors are knowledgeable about the formations of the reef and how that effects when and how the waves break. They are taught certain aspects of the surf culture not only so that it may be appreciated and better understood, but also so it may invite newcomers to love and respect the sport. Some have even gone as far as changing their own lifestyle so they can embrace the surf lifestyle as their own. Unfortunately, this isnt always feasible for everyone, but at least with XXSS, they offer visitors a chance to at least bring some of the culture home with them. Inside the shop, Swag or surf apparel with the XXSS logo can be purchased such as t-shirts or hats and young kids can get temporary tattoos (which they love to stick ll over their bodies). Exclusive to XXSS, guests have the option to take home some sick photos or a totally rad DVD of their experience. Each lesson that goes out is photographed and filmed by XXSSs partner editing company, which customizes photos and DVDs to take home with them. Each video showcases the entire experience from the land lesson to their first ride to the high five from the instructor at the end. The personal mini documentary encompasses shots of the island and some sea creatures and captures every exciting moment of the guests experience. It is burned to a play list of music from the surf culture and can include songs such as, Wipeout by the Surfaris, Surf Song by Jack Johnson, and Sweet Honey by Slightly Stoopid XXSSs visitors enjoy taking home a keepsake ot their adventure and will show the DVD to friends and family and many of their photos are displayed on media sites such as blogs and Facebook. Not only do the guests get to take home and share the surf school culture with others, it help stimulate more business for XXSS and aid in its success. Embracing culture is very important for XXSS to be successful. Someone who is seeking out surfing lessons would not want to walk into an office building and find their instructor behind a cubicle waiting for them. They would not want someone who is sitting behind a desk most of the day to change out of their suit and tie and take them on a business ride. Parents come to XXSS to find safe, knowledgeable surfers to take their kids out; women come to find that hot surf boy-next-door to paddle them out; and guys want cute chics in bikinis carrying surfboards around. It is all part of the lifestyle and culture surrounding most surf schools. But the ones who are successful, are the ones who are fun, safe, have enthusiasm, and Spirit which is the essence of high performance (Boleman Deal, 2008, pg. 290). Symbolic perspectives may question traditional views on how to build a team, but finding the right people and combining the symbols of play, teamwork, ritual, stories, and myth will certainly enhance it (Boleman Deal, 2008, pg. 290). XXSS prides most of its success with the high praise and reviews the organization receives from the guests and from people stopping by because they read the reviews or say that XXSS as recommended to them. Most importantly, the visitors who return to Hawaii year after year and come surf with XXSS year after year are the most valuable because those are the ones who make it all worthwhile. They are the ones who really fell in love with surfing and they are the ones to embrace and share in its beautiful and special cultural style. XXSS has a team of instructors (owner included) who form a community, share culture, find meaning in their work and most importantly, they have Soul. Peak performance will emerge as a team discovers it Soul (Boleman Deal, 2008, pg. 291). Surfers around the world have the Spirit and the Soul to do what they do. Combine that with people who love to teach and share those things, then you will have a fun, exciting place to learn about the world of surfing Just like youd find at XXSS. In the words of the Surfer Dude on catching a great ride: Its Just like Dude, you get the best barrels ever, dude. Its Just like, you pull in and you Just get spitted outem. You Just drop in, smack the lip Waapah! Just drop drown Swoopah! And then after that you Just drop in, ride the barrel and get pitted, sooo pitted.

Elasticity of Demand Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Elasticity of Demand - Assignment Example Coffee, tea, and cocoa are substitute products under the beverages category, which causes cross price elasticity to be positive. This means a rise in the price of coffee causes the demand for tea to rise (Nicholson and Snyder, 2014). A coffee processor will always record increased total income after it lowers the price of its coffee products because of cross elasticity. Cross elasticity occurs mostly because of two opposing forces on overall sales returns when coffee products decrease in price. The first force originates from the processing company imposing a reduced price on every unit on sale (Nicholson and Snyder, 2014). The first force lowers total income. Nevertheless, the law of demand compels the amount of products customers are ready to buy to increase after a reduction in price. This law comes to play in the cross elasticity of demand for coffee. The other force of a reduction in coffee price is inclined to raise income since the amount of units sold rise too (Nicholson and Snyder,

The positive changes in the economy of the United States during Bill Research Paper

The positive changes in the economy of the United States during Bill Clinton's term as President of the United States of America - Research Paper Example Clinton also ratified a large deficit reduction plan. One of the main reasons why Clinton was so successful was because he had skilled financial advisers who encouraged him to create practical policy decisions. Clinton’s economic policies would strengthen the American middle class thus assisting low-income families to capitalize on opportunities to lift themselves from the state of disenfranchisement. Clinton’s economic policies also made it possible for grants to be supplied to the science, educational, and infrastructure sectors, while tackling bridging fiscal gap. These policies essentially made it possible for the United States to benefit from the economic success that it would experience in the 1990s. A robust middle class is necessary for any nation to become developed. A weak middle class group can cause the national economy to stagnate. To strengthen the American middle class, Clinton created policies which would help families to be able to rebound from temporary financial stresses. Clinton was lucky in this respect because his actions were supported by congress; which is something that few presidents are lucky enough to experience. Some of these policies included: The Family and Medical Leave Act - This regulation made it possible for parents to be able to benefit from up to 84 days of unpaid leave when they needed to care for sick relatives or their infant children. Business organizations could not dismiss workers who made the decision to take advantage of this act. Increased minimum wages - Congress, in 1996, agreed to a 20 percent increase for workers who subsisted on minimum wage. This meant that those who formerly earned $4.25 per hour would then start earning $5.15 per hour. This increase would positively affect approximately 10 million full-time workers (Wood, 72). This incentive would not impact negatively on American employers. The child tax credit - President

Cyber education Essay Example for Free

Cyber education Essay Examinations are a means of measuring the students’ learning in school and their capacity for further education. In this regard, the manner of teaching and the students’ learning methods are important. A student, while in primary and secondary schools, greatly relies on the teachers for knowledge, except for a few who do personal researches to further their understanding. More often than not, a student accepts what the teachers offer in school. With this set up, a student has to be abreast and attentive with classroom discussion. He should take down notes and submit in a timely manner the projects and assignments given in school. Participation in classroom discussion and school activities must be encouraged. Interest in school must be inculcated in the mind of every student to support the knowledge and understanding obtained from the classroom. This is to enable the student to have a more enjoyable stay in school. The more enjoyable the learning process is, the more retention of knowledge there. Cyber education is not at all detestable. Students’ learning is more enhanced if the mode of teaching is something which interests him. Cyber education is one that interests me and I think, is equally true with others. Where there is not much interaction with the teachers, the concept that it is more enjoyable makes the information stick into our minds. However, the concern of many that this might lead to no interaction at all with teachers, thus prevents the control of teachers on the students disregarding their personal differences and characteristics, should not be disregarded. Their concern is equally important. Thus, it is humbly proposed that learning be not limited to the traditional type of teaching, but must be combined with cyber school on some selected subjects suitable to it. A student must be exposed to both the traditional type of teaching and cyber school. It is of utmost importance that he is able to retain the information and apply what have been learned in school.

Individualism Essay -- essays papers

Individualism 1) An individualist is considered to be someone with personality and character, someone who is not easily intimidated by social pressure or customs, someone with a personal opinion and a singular view of the world. Because modern society finds it important that people think independently, decide autonomously and take personal initiatives, the concept of individualism has acquired a positive connotation. However, individualism is also linked with the tendency to withdraw from social life and turn in towards oneself. 2) Which drives people to withdraw into a small, enclosed world consisting of their family and a few select friends, leaving the rest of society to its own devices. 3) Courageous individualism refers to the dedication shown by people who have independently chosen for something or someone and work energetically for its sake in spite of opposition from family or society; indifferent individualism refers to people who have either lost all hope in their fellow human beings or are no longer interested in initiatives of a social nature, with the result that they are prepared to withdraw from society at all costs. 4) people who have received less education and who find themselves in a precarious economic situation are more quickly inclined to believe that it is 'everyone for himself' in our society: on this view, politicians pay no attention to the needs of the people, society develops in a chaotic and unpredictable manner, the welfare we once enjoyed belongs definitively to the past, life has little meaning, and there are no longer any people or associations to which one can make an appeal. 5)On the other hand, whoever considers work not only as one's own achievement but also as an opportunity provided by the community, and whoever sees it as one's duty as a citizen to ensure opportunities for fellow citizens by contributing to unemployment benefits, medical care, child care, public libraries, education, etc., will also continue to favor the solidarity model and argue for the fairness of high taxes. 6)No one is better placed to speak about the process of individualism than Robert Bellah. Even before the rise of the debate between liberals and communitarians, Bellah and his colleagues had pointed to the problem by asking whether a society whose members believe that they are responsible only to themselves can see any nee... ...whole above our own concerns. A people who will not sacrifice for the common good cannot expect to have any common good. 16) There are fewer and fewer things that get people out of their houses to deal with other people outside of their work context. There are fewer communities that give them support. 17) Have we become merely a collection of individuals rather then a community? 18) The tendency of people to withdraw into their own small circle of life, leaving at large to itself. 19) Americans don't realize because they value their individuality so much, that the ind. they treasure, their dignity, their autonomy, their sense of the ability to make moral choices to train their children in what's right, depends profoundly on the health and the effective functioning of the institutions that shape them. 20) Individualism in this sense becomes something closer to isolationism, the desire to be entirely self-sufficient as a country and ignore events elsewhere in the world. 21) The answer is to work on making our institutions better. 22) Religion is integral comprehensive vision of ourselves in relation to what we recognize as the basic conditions of our existence.

A Positive Life Changing Experience

A positive life changing Experience I had my life set. At the age of 15 1 had no fears, no fears about life. My day-to-day routine comprised of going to school, coming home, resting for d while, waking up, and going out with friends, coming back home, sleeping, and then repeating the same thing the next day. I didn't care about my schoolwork or even glasswork for that matter. Why? My dad, he was the shelter to my ‘whatever-who-cares' way to elite.He provided me testimonial clothing, wristwatches and accessories more luxurious than many of my peer's whole attire. An extremely relaxed and stylish ride to go to school with- I had everything. To my 15 year old mind It was all that mattered, and my 15 year old brain knew that even if it never planned, the person whose it was, could enjoy a lavish fun life anyways. But then, life happened as I woke from the dream. My dad's Industry suffered a loss to such a massive extent that I dropped dreadfully trot being a leader to well- being a regular person.At that time I was angry, furious. I had little understanding of what was really going on, all knew was that I wasn't going to have the things that I was used to been able to live the life that once did. This whole condition took me for a major hit in my young adult fife, in my mind I was going to be Just like everybody else, which was not what I ‘ Off must say this could have been the best thing that happened to me, when I look back on my life, because I had become a materialistic Jerk.Now that I am much mature I grasped that, that's not a good way to go through life because surprising events happen, without anyone's control and I had been whipped into a habit of needing these things to make me feel whole as a person, which ways not needed ,but my day spoiled me to no extreme. I have learned to appreciate the things I have life and not over do it because a name doesn't make you who you are.

Better Off Alone Essay

In the bible God’s greatest servant is Job; â€Å"This man was innocent, upright, and God-fearing, and kept himself apart from evil† (66). Job did everything God requested, and yet Job was maliciously tested by his creator. Throughout the story of Job there were several accounts of Job expressing his misery that resulted from God’s cruel tests of faith. Reading the story of Job I came up with the question of, would Job be happier without the weight of God’s continuous misperception and unannounced tests? Yaweh strikes Job with a â€Å"test† and murders his sons, daughters, and animals to see if Job will still love him. Perhaps God didn’t have faith in Job instead of visa versa. Yaweh causes Job to be miserable and want to kill himself; in no way is this enjoyable, or worth proceeding to worship a deity. If God were to tell Job he is the one who permitted all of these deeds, Job would no longer follow this deity. God is lying to get what he wants from Job, I don’t believe Job would still appreciate a God that goes against what he orates. It’s as if a wife had gone behind her devoted partners back and had a secret accomplice to pursue her other in a â€Å"test† of fidelity; If she were to tell him â€Å"I tested you, and had another female pursue you to see if you would stay loyal to me†, He would be mad and most likely leave her for lack of trust. Just as Job should leave his â€Å"creator† in the dark as nothing and move on to be happy, instead of constantly trying to please a God that is never satisfied. Job is â€Å"innocent† and â€Å"kept himself apart from evil† (66) and he was also tested with God’s sinful acts of murder and pain. Job was more than true to God, he showed this by even filling his own son’s faithful void; â€Å"Job would send to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer whole burnt offerings, one for each† (66). First off Job was this great of a servant so therefor Job should have been treated better and shouldn’t have been tested. This didn’t happen; but if Job was questioned because he is known as God’s ultimate servant and he had to live up to high standards then feasibly, Job wouldn’t have to deal with an untrusting God if he never submitted. Yaweh speaks with the Accuser and even points out himself that Job is â€Å"like no one on earth†; â€Å"Have you taken note of my servant Job, for there is no one like him on earth: Innocent, upright, and God-fearing and kept himself apart from evil† (66). This is a repetitive sentence through the first section of the story; making a statement that Job has all of these reliable qualities for his God. Job is pious; even Yaweh speaks of this, right before he causes Job an enormous amount of pain. When Yaweh and the Accuser speak of challenging Job’s allegiance, Yaweh tells the Accuser â€Å"Everything he has is in your power, but do not harm his person† (67). Emotions are a part in one’s brain, and one’s brain is a part of the â€Å"person†. By killing his family and animals, this is creating the feeling of agony (harm) to his person. One can then notice God either doesn’t know what harm is or he is just so unpleasant he doesn’t care if he causes Job discomfort, he just wants to see the outcomes of such mischievous acts with Job’s irrevocable loyalty. This isn’t fair to Job, to be harmed for entertainment, what an unhappy life to live. In result of God’s first test of faith, Job unchanged, remains faithful. God figures, well that’s not enough, he then changes his statement to the Accuser and says â€Å"He is in your power, but see that you preserve his life† (67). Yaweh goes back on his words and then physically harms Job’s â€Å"person† and â€Å"smote(s) Job with sickening eruptions from the souls of his feet to the crown of his head† (67-68). Job wouldn’t need to prove devotion to God through anguish if he just had escaped from this unfortunate cruel God. The only reason Job is being chosen to be tested is because he is God’s ultimate servant. If he didn’t believe in God then he wouldn’t have been chosen because God would have already known he was not faithful. Nothing would happen to him if he said good bye to God because all of Job’s friends told him not to keep following God, and nothing cruel happened to them. Job would be happy not constantly being subjected by God’s insecurities. Just how miserable was Job? Job was enormously depressed which shows in this quote; â€Å"blot out the day when I was born† He wishes to not remember the day he was born, or wish it never happened. With his words of self-loathing it creates to the reader feelings of suicide and hate. It makes the reader feel almost apathetic towards Job, for not listening to his friends and also continuing to follow a horrendous god.

French and Indian War - Campaigns of 1756-1757

French and Indian War - Campaigns of 1756-1757 Previous: French Indian War - Causes | French Indian War/Seven Years War: Overview | Next: 1758-1759: The Tide Turns Changes in Command In the wake of Major General Edward Braddocks death at the Battle of Monongahela in July 1755, command of British forces in North America passed to Governor William Shirley of Massachusetts. Unable to come to an accord with his commanders, he was replaced in January 1756, when the Duke of Newcastle, heading the British government, appointed Lord Loudoun to the post with Major General James Abercrombie as his second in command. Changes were also afoot to the north where Major General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, Marquis de Saint-Veran arrived in May with a small contingent of reinforcements and orders to assume overall command of French forces. This appointment angered the Marquis de Vaudreuil, governor of New France (Canada), as he had designs on the post. In the winter of 1756, prior to Montcalms arrival, Vaudreuil ordered a series of successful raids against the British supply lines leading to Fort Oswego. These destroyed large quantities of supplies and hampered British plans for campaigning on Lake Ontario later that year. Arriving in Albany, NY in July, Abercrombie proved a highly cautious commander and refused to take action without Loudouns approval. This was countered by Montcalm who proved highly aggressive. Moving to Fort Carillon on Lake Champlain he feinted an advance south before shifting west to conduct an attack on Fort Oswego. Moving against the fort in mid-August, he compelled its surrender and effectively eliminated the British presence on Lake Ontario. Shifting Alliances While fighting raged in the colonies, Newcastle sought to avoid a general conflict in Europe. Due to changing national interests on the Continent, the systems of alliances that had been in place for decades began to decay as each country sought to safeguard their interests. While Newcastle wished fight a decisive colonial war against the French, he was hampered by the need to protect the Electorate of Hanover which had ties to the British royal family. In seeking a new ally to guarantee the safety of Hanover, he found a willing partner in Prussia. A former British adversary, Prussia wished to retain the lands (namely Silesia) it had gained during the War of the Austrian Succession. Concerned about the possibility of a large alliance against his nation, King Frederick II (the Great) began making overtures to London in May 1755. Subsequent negotiations led to the Convention of Westminster which was signed on January 15, 1756. Defensive in nature, this agreement called for Prussia to pr otect Hanover from the French in exchange for the British withholding aid from Austria in any conflict over Silesia. A long-time ally of Britain, Austria was angered by the Convention and stepped up talks with France. Though reluctant to join with Austria, Louis XV agreed to a defensive alliance in the wake of increasing hostilities with Britain. Signed on May 1, 1756, the Treaty of Versailles saw the two nations agree to provide aid and troops should one be attacked by a third party. In addition, Austria agreed not to aid Britain in any colonial conflicts. Operating on the fringe of these talks was Russia which was eager to contain Prussian expansionism while also improving their position in Poland. While not a signatory of the treaty, Empress Elizabeths government was sympathetic to the French and Austrians. War is Declared While Newcastle worked to limit the conflict, the French moved to expand it. Forming a large force at Toulon, the French fleet began an attack on British-held Minorca in April 1756. In an effort to relieve the garrison, the Royal Navy dispatched a force to the area under the command of Admiral John Byng. Beset by delays and with ships in ill-repair, Byng reached Minorca and clashed with a French fleet of equal size on May 20. Though the action was inconclusive, Byngs ships took substantial damage and in a resulting council of war his officers agreed that the fleet should return to Gibraltar. Under increasing pressure, the British garrison on Minorca surrendered on May 28. In a tragic turn of events, Byng was charged with not doing his utmost to relieve the island and after a court-martial was executed. In response to the attack on Minorca, Britain officially declared war on May 17, nearly two years after the first shots in North America. Frederick Moves As war between Britain and France was formalized, Frederick became increasingly concerned about France, Austria, and Russian moving against Prussia. Alerted that Austria and Russia were mobilizing, he did likewise. In a preemptive move, Fredericks highly disciplined forces began an invasion of Saxony on August 29 which was aligned with his enemies. Catching the Saxons by surprise, he cornered their small army at Pirna. Moving to aid the Saxons, an Austrian army under Marshal Maximilian von Browne marched towards the border. Advancing to meet the enemy, Frederick attacked Browne at the Battle of Lobositz on October 1. In heavy fighting, the Prussians were able to compel the Austrians to retreat (Map). Though the Austrians continued attempts to relieve the Saxons they were in vain and the forces at Pirna surrendered two weeks later. Though Frederick had intended the invasion of Saxony to serve as a warning to his adversaries, it only worked to further unite them. The military events of 1756 effectively eliminated the hope that a large-scale war could be avoided. Accepting this inevitability, both sides began re-working their defensive alliances into ones that were more offensive in nature. Though already allied in spirit, Russia officially joined with France and Austria on January 11, 1757, when it became the third signatory of the Treaty of Versailles. Previous: French Indian War - Causes | French Indian War/Seven Years War: Overview | Next: 1758-1759: The Tide Turns Previous: French Indian War - Causes | French Indian War/Seven Years War: Overview | Next: 1758-1759: The Tide Turns British Setbacks in North America Largely inactive in 1756, Lord Loudoun remained inert through the opening months of 1757. In April he received orders to mount an expedition against the French fortress city of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island. An important base for the French navy, the city also guarded the approaches to the Saint Lawrence River and the heartland of New France. Stripping troops from the New York frontier, he was able to assemble a strike force at Halifax by early July. While waiting for a Royal Navy squadron, Loudoun received intelligence that the French had massed 22 ships of the line and around 7,000 men at Louisbourg. Feeling that he lacked the numbers to defeat such a force, Loudoun abandoned the expedition and began returning his men to New York. While Loudoun was shifting men up and down the coast, the industrious Montcalm had moved to the offensive. Gathering around 8,000 regulars, militia, and Native American warriors, he pushed south across Lake George with the goal of taking Fort William Henry. Held by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Munro and 2,200 men, the fort possessed 17 guns. By August 3, Montcalm had surrounded the fort and laid siege. Though Munro requested aid from Fort Edward to the south it was not forthcoming as the commander there believed the French had around 12,000 men. Under heavy pressure, Munro was forced to surrender on August 9. Though Munros garrison was paroled and guaranteed safe conduct to Fort Edward, they were attacked by Montcalms Native Americans as they departed with over 100 men, women, and children killed. The defeat eliminated the British presence on Lake George. Defeat in Hanover With Fredericks incursion into Saxony the Treaty of Versailles was activated and the French began making preparations to strike Hanover and western Prussia. Informing the British of French intentions, Frederick estimated that the enemy would attack with around 50,000 men. Facing recruitment issues and war aims that called for a colonies-first approach, London did not wish to deploy large numbers of men to the Continent. As a result, Frederick suggested that the Hanoverian and Hessian forces that had been summoned to Britain earlier in the conflict be returned and augmented by Prussian and other German troops. This plan for an Army of Observation was agreed to and effectively saw the British pay for an army to defend Hanover that included no British soldiers. On March 30, 1757, the Duke of Cumberland, son of King George II, was assigned to lead the allied army. Opposing Cumberland were around 100,000 men under the direction of the Duc dEstrà ©es. In early April the French crossed the Rhine and pushed towards Wesel. As the dEstrà ©es moved, the French, Austrians, and Russians formalized the Second Treaty of Versailles which was an offensive agreement designed to crush Prussia. Outnumbered, Cumberland continued to fall back until early June when he attempted a stand at Brackwede. Flanked out of this position, the Army of Observation was compelled to retreat. Turning, Cumberland next assumed a strong defensive position at Hastenbeck. On July 26, the French attacked and after an intense, confused battle both sides withdrew. Having ceded most of Hanover in the course of the campaign, Cumberland felt compelled to enter into the Convention of Klosterzeven which de-mobilized his army and withdrew Hanover from the war (Map). This agreement proved highly unpopular with Frederick as it greatly weakened his western frontier. The defeat and convention effectively ended Cumberlands military career. In an effort to draw French troops away from the front, the Royal Navy planned attacks on the French coast. Assembling troops on the Isle of Wight, an attempt was made to raid Rochefort in September. While the Isle dAix was captured, word of French reinforcements in Rochefort led to the attack being abandoned. Frederick in Bohemia Having won a victory in Saxony the year before, Frederick looked to invade Bohemia in 1757 with the goal of crushing the Austrian army. Crossing the border with 116,000 men divided into four forces, Frederick drove on Prague where he met the Austrians who were commanded by Browne and Prince Charles of Lorraine. In a hard fought engagement, the Prussians drove the Austrians from the field and forced many to flee into the city. Having won in the field, Frederick laid siege to the city on May 29. In an effort to recover the situation, a new Austrian 30,000-man force led by Marshal Leopold von Daun was assembled to the east. Dispatching the Duke of Bevern to deal with Daun, Frederick soon followed with additional men. Meeting near Kolin on June 18, Daun defeated Frederick forcing the Prussians to abandon the siege of Prague and depart Bohemia (Map). Previous: French Indian War - Causes | French Indian War/Seven Years War: Overview | Next: 1758-1759: The Tide Turns Previous: French Indian War - Causes | French Indian War/Seven Years War: Overview | Next: 1758-1759: The Tide Turns Prussia Under Pressure Later that summer, Russian forces began to enter the fray. Receiving permission from the King of Poland, who was also the Elector of Saxony, the Russians were able to march across Poland to strike at the province of East Prussia. Advancing on a broad front, Field Marshal Stephen F. Apraksins 55,000-man army drove back Field Marshal Hans von Lehwaldt smaller 32,000-man force. As the Russian moved against the provincial capital of Kà ¶nigsberg, Lehwaldt launched an attack intended to strike the enemy on the march. In the resulting Battle of Gross-Jgersdorf on August 30, the Prussians were defeated and forced to retreat west into Pomerania. Despite occupying East Prussia, the Russians withdrew to Poland in October, a move which led to Apraksins removal. Having been ousted from Bohemia, Frederick was next required to meet a French threat from the west. Advancing with 42,000 men, Charles, Prince of Soubise, attacked into Brandenburg with a mixed French and German army. Leaving 30,000 men to protect Silesia, Frederick raced west with 22,000 men. On November 5, the two armies met at the Battle of Rossbach which saw Frederick win a decisive victory. In the fighting, the allied army lost around 10,000 men, while Prussian losses totaled 548 (Map). While Frederick was dealing with Soubise, Austrian forces began invading Silesia and defeated a Prussian army near Breslau. Utilizing interior lines, Frederick shifted 30,000 men east to confront the Austrians under Charles at Leuthen on December 5. Though outnumbered 2-to-1, Frederick was able to move around the Austrian right flank and, using a tactic known as oblique order, shattered the Austrian army. The Battle of Leuthen is generally considered Fredericks masterpiece and saw his army inflict losses totaling around 22,000 while only sustaining approximately 6,400. Having dealt with the major threats facing Prussia, Frederick returned north and defeated an incursion by the Swedes. In the process, Prussian troops occupied most of Swedish Pomerania. While the initiative rested with Frederick, the years battles had badly bled his armies and he needed to rest and refit. Faraway Fighting While fighting raged in Europe and North America it also spilled over to the more faraway outposts of the British and French Empires making the conflict the worlds first global war. In India, the two nations trading interests were represented by the French and English East India Companies. In asserting their power, both organizations built their own military forces and recruited additional sepoy units. In 1756, fighting began in Bengal after both sides began reinforcing their trading stations. This angered the local Nawab, Siraj-ud-Duala, who ordered military preparations to cease. The British refused and in a short time the Nawabs forces had seized the English East India Companys stations, including Calcutta. After taking Fort William in Calcutta, a large number of British prisoners were herded into a tiny prison. Dubbed the Black Hole of Calcutta, many died from heat exhaustion and being smothered. The English East India Company moved quickly to regain its position in Bengal and dispatched forces under Robert Clive from Madras. Carried by four ships of line commanded by Vice Admiral Charles Watson, Clives force re-took Calcutta and attacked Hooghly. After a brief battle with the Nawabs army on February 4, Clive was able to conclude a treaty which saw all British property returned. Concerned about growing British power in Bengal, the Nawab began corresponding with the French. At this same time, the badly outnumbered Clive began making deals with the Nawabs officers to overthrow him. On June 23, Clive moved to attack the Nawabs army which was now backed by French artillery. Meeting at the Battle of Plassey, Clive won a stunning victory when the conspirators forces remained out of the battle. The victory eliminated French influence in Bengal and the fighting shifted south. Previous: French Indian War - Causes | French Indian War/Seven Years War: Overview | Next: 1758-1759: The Tide Turns

Come Participate in the DWT Poetry Competition

Come Participate in the DWT Poetry Competition Come Participate in the DWT Poetry Competition Come Participate in the DWT Poetry Competition By Daniel Scocco I am pretty sure we have many poets and wanna-be poets among our readers (not to mention the ones who just like to read poetry), so it was about time to run a DWT Poetry Competition. First of all here are some good reasons for you to participate: The winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card. The three runners-up will receive a free license for the Fanurio billing software. Youll get people reading and giving feedback on your poems. Are you in? Good, now just read the rules: The deadline for the submission is the 1st of March 2010 (midnight GMT). Submissions must be made via email to daniel@dailywritingtips.com (Send your poem either in the body of the email, or as a .doc attachment) The poem must be in English, original, and must not have been published in the past. By taking part on the competition you allow us to publish your poem online (it will stay on the blog even after the competition). But you retain all the publishing rights over the material. From March 2nd onward well publish a batch of poems every Tuesday, and our readers will be able to vote on their favorite poems, until we elect the winner. It is time to reveal the Robert Frost or the Emily Dickinson you have inside! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Competitions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using "a" and "an" Before WordsLatin Words and Expressions: All You Need to Know5 Tips to Understand Hyphenated Words

Changes in Roles of African Women Triggered by Colonial Rule Essay

Changes in Roles of African Women Triggered by Colonial Rule - Essay Example The period of colonization initiated discomfort and trust issues between the British and Agikuyu(Finke, par 2). Even though the regions of Kenya were unknown to the British, they immediately chose regions of Kenya that had contents of resources that were of great value to the economy. By this, the British ensured that there would be less cost in running administrative affairs of a colony. The Agikuyutribe was spread in central Kenya, and the area was densely fertile. The new colonists took benefit of the fertile land by farming on a large basis. They farmed extensively because there were scarce resources (Finke, par 7). Due to this act of the colonists, the Agikuyu had to leave some of their lands. The domestic and other roles of women such as cooking, bearing children, mat weaving, transportation of goods and going to the marketplace had changed due to the effect of the colonists. The locals had lost their lands due to compulsion from the colonists. These events changed the perspect ive of the women in several ways (Turner, par. 16).Introduction of Christianity:The first and foremost that the colonists brought about in women were change in beliefs. The locals had believed in traditional beliefs but as per changer, they converted to Christianity. This change of faith was spread through the colonies (Afrikan Eye, par. 8). Another change in the Kikuyu women was a change of roles. The women previously were labors but after the colonial rule they lost control of their products and were paid for their work.

Compare and contrast the attitudes of the Scientific School of Essay

Compare and contrast the attitudes of the Scientific School of Management thought (Taylor et al) with those of the Human Relations Movement (Mayo et al) with regard to people at work - Essay Example uding the determination of the most effective way to coordinate tasks, careful selection of employees for different positions, proper training and development of the workforce, and the introduction of economic incentives in order to motivate employees. Taylor’s scientific management theory is widely used today and underlies many management techniques from work study to standard costing. In scientific management theory, Taylor believed that management’s objective should be to secure maximum prosperity for both employers and employees in both the short and long term. He was able to arrive at this principle by studying the causes of hostility and inefficiency in the workplace. In his investigation, Taylor believed that left to their own devices, workers toiled inefficiently, basing their work practices on custom and habit rather than on scientific principles. In addition, he attributed hostility to the belief among workers that increases in output would naturally result in unemployment and that the traditional practice created inefficient methods of work and that workers restricted their outputs in order to protect their interests. (Cascarion and Esch, p. 106) Taylor called this as workers’ engagement in â€Å"soldiering.† He outlined two types of soldiering: Systematic soldiering, on the other hand, is the concerted restriction of output and the more problematic of the two. This attitude was rooted in management’s failure to develop appropriate authority and legitimation for standard work. (Collins 1998, p. 11) Taylor addressed this challenge by studying each job in order to discover the best way in doing it. He was able to identify the best means of control. He developed four approaches to management designed to be able to recruit and maintain workers – whose needs and attitudes towards work are met: Through the previous principles Taylor was able to design a set of standards in regard to control and workers’ wages in terms of scientifically

Mangroves and sea grasses in Florida Research Paper

Mangroves and sea grasses in Florida - Research Paper Example They usually form mangrove forest that is often inundated by tidal salt twice a day. Sea grasses are grass-like flowering plants that are totally submerged in estuarine and marine waters. These habitats occur throughout the coastal areas of Florida, however, most are found in Florida Bay, and the region between Tarpon Springs northward to Apalachee Bay. Types of Mangroves in Florida There are three species of Mangroves found along the coastal region of Florida: black mangrove, white mangrove, and red mangrove. Black mangroves survive in slightly higher elevations than red mangroves, while white mangrove grows upland more than black and red mangroves. Red mangrove grows along the water edge (Saenger 289). Red mangrove is identified by its branching and arching drop roots from branches, prop roots from trunk. Black mangrove is identified by its pencil-like roots that grow up through the soil. The white mangrove is identified by its more rounded leaves than the leaves of black and red m angrove (Saenger 289). Importance of Mangrove in the Ecosystem Mangrove ecosystems are essential habitat for fish production. They provide breeding and feeding grounds for shell fishes and many fishes. Besides fish, it also supports a variety of wildlife such as crocodile, snakes, birds, deer, insects and fishing cats (Saenger 289). The mangrove forests also protect the coast from floods, fury of cyclone, coastal erosion, UV-B radiation, wave actions and sea level rise. Mangroves act as sinks for nutrients, and traps for sediments (Saenger 289). How do Mangroves Reproduce? Mangroves are flowering and seed-producing plants. Their seeds are larger as compared to other seeds produced by other trees and plants, and they usually begin germinating while still attached to the main plant. When the seeds drop from the tree, they float on water for a short period, and then they sink to the bottom (Gleason 21). They float for a short period while being dispersed to areas where they can grow: t hey can only grow in tidal water. The rate of growth depends on mineral availability and climate. Health of Ecosystem Occupied by Mangrove These ecosystems are free from the deleterious impacts of UV-radiation. Mangrove trees produce flavonoids, which serve as UV-screen compounds. Shores and coastlines with mangrove forest are protected from cyclones with tremendous speed that severely disturbs and destroys coastal ecosystem. This makes it a potent nursery and breeding ground for many fishes and other wildlife (Gleason 21). The mangrove roots prevent erosion of the coast, and attract suspended sediments making these regions fertile grounds for cultivation. They also support the growth of planktons, which is a source of fish food (Gleason 22). How Mangrove deals with Salt in the Water Mangroves eliminate salt at the root level, and mangrove trees can tolerate high salt levels in their tissues more than normal plants. Most of the salts are eliminated at the root level through Ultra fi ltration process. Any salt that passes through the roots is stored in old and dry leaves, which are later shed (Gleason 42). A few mangroves can tolerate high salt levels in their tissues, and the excess salt is eliminated through specialized cells in their leaves. For example, Avecennia is the only tree that survives in hot and salty regions. Florida Laws that Protect Mangroves The Florida Legislature passed the Mangrove Trimming and Prevention Act to protect mangrove forests. The act

The Value of Doubt through O’Brien’s “On the Rainy River” Essay Example for Free

The Value of Doubt through O’Brien’s â€Å"On the Rainy River† Essay People value being certain as it gives them a sense of stability, self-reliance and control. Being certain gives one the power to be able to confidently assert beliefs or claims and act upon them. Descartes says as seen in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2005), â€Å"As my certainty increases, my doubt decreases, conversely, as my doubt increases, my certainty decreases. † Doubting threatens the stability and assurance one initially possesses, which is why it is less frequently valued or appreciated. However there is value in doubt, because through doubt, a person undergoes contemplation that may influence a decision or disposition, eventually evaluating the certainty of something. As a consequence the actions of the person toward this certainty may be compromised. This is exemplified in Tim O’Brien’s short story entitled â€Å"On the Rainy River†. The short story â€Å"On the Rainy River† chronicles the events of O’Brien’s life after he has successfully finished his studies at Macalaster College. During his stay in school, he was an achiever. It was the time of the Vietnam War and he then learns that he was being requested to go to battle. Undecided as to whether he should fight or not, he chose to stay and work in a factory but eventually realized that he could not find a way out of fighting. Unable to handle his situation anymore he fled to the Canadian boundary. There he met and spent time with the fishing resort owner Elroy Berdahl. O’Brien contemplated on the events of his life, especially during the fishing trip where he was faced with the option of going to Canada or going off to war. In the end, O’Brien chose to go return to his hometown and eventually decided to fight in the Vietnam War (Sparknotes, 2006). From the summary above, it can be seen that O’Brien doubted joining the war. This doubt that O’Brien felt was a huge contrast to the certainty he had when he was in Macalaster College. In the institution he was an honors student and represented the student body, making him strong and secure about himself, his ideas and his values. One example of this is his stand against war (Sparknotes, 2006). Once he received news of going to war, his initial reaction was to stand by his conviction. However, the notice fueled his thoughts about going to war. He started to contemplate and think about whether he is fit to be a combatant. People making him feel that he had to go to war further aggravated his hesitation. He also realized that it would be hard for him to find an excuse or a way out of combat. Doubting showed his struggle of letting go of what he was certain about, which was not to go to war. Because of internal and external influences that fed his doubt, his certainty on denouncing war diminished and he was unable to handle the burden and decided to run away. However, by leaving and meeting Elroy, he was also able to reflect upon the consequences of going and not going to war. He finally decides that he could not bear the thought of disappointing people he knew, especially his family. This shows the value of doubt because had he not questioned his stand, he would have not considered weighing what was more important to him at that point in his life. As he looked back, whether he was ashamed of his decision or not is not the main point. What is to be stressed is that his doubt was able to question his certainty and it made him act towards this as seen by his decision in the end to join the army. In conclusion, the value of doubt can be seen in the text as it shows how O’Brien’s outlook on participating in the war was affected. First, doubting allowed him to contemplate and reflect on something that he used to be certain about. Second, doubt contributed to changing his conviction, as after much contemplation, he could not bear the embarrassment of not going to war that led him to fight. Doubt is valuable because it has the power to challenge something that one considers as certain, and allows that person to take action. References Sparknotes. (2006). The things they carried study guide: â€Å"On the rainy river†. Retrieved October 24, 2007 from: http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/thingscarried/section4. rhtml Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2005). Descartes’ epistemology. Retrieved October 24, 2007 from: http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/descartes-epistemology/