The Iliad Essays (961 words) - Trojans, Achilles, Mythological Kings

The Iliad THE ILIAD By Aubrie Campbell The Iliad tells the story of the Trojan War, which lasted 10 years. The Grecians eventually won the war, but the outcome could have very easily shifted due to a quarrel between King Agamemnon and Achilles. Pride and anger is what the two men were fighting about. This story is a very good example of how those two simple emotions can lead to tragedy. Agamemnon was King of Argos. He was also the chief king among the Grecians. He was angry because his brother, King Menelaus of Sparta, had his wife, Helen, stolen by Paris of Troy. He called all the Kings of Greece and Isles of Greece to come together and make war upon the Trojans and bring Helen back. Among the many was Achilles. Achilles was the son of Thetis, a sea nymph. He was the man who Troy feared the most because he was called the world's greatest warrior. It was said that his only weakness was his heel. If he were to be hurt there, he would surely die. The quarrel began when the Grecian warriors returned from sacking Thebes. Each warrior was dealt out shares of the loot and a woman. The woman King Agamemnon was awarded was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo. Chryses came to the tents of the Grecians bringing a great ransom and asked for his daughter, Chrysies, back. Agamemnon ignored his pleas and sent him away. Chryses left and went down to the ocean and prayed to Apollo to avenge his tears. Apollo heard his prayer and, furious, came down from Mt. Olympus. He sat upon a hill and started to attack the Grecians with his arrows. This went on for nine days straight. On the tenth day Achilles called all the Kings and Princes into assembly. He asked if any of them had done anything to offend the god Apollo. The only one that spoke was Calchas, a man who knew of the past, present, and future. He said that King Agamemnon had dishonored Apollo's priest. He also told them that Apollo would not stop until Agamemnon restored the girl without ransom to her father. King Agamemnon angrily stated that he did not want to give up his prize, for then he would be the only Grecians without one. Yet, because he would rather his people live, he would return the girl if she was replaced with another. Achilles told him that all the prizes had been awarded. But if Agamemnon was to return the girl, the gods would be in their favor and they would win the war. When they won they would replace Chrysies three or four times. Agamemnon would not hear of this. His pride would not allow for himself to have less then the next man. He said that he would send the girl back, but she would have to be replaced or he would come after Achilles' or Ajax's or Ulysses'. This angered Achilles, and thus began the quarrel that almost cost the Grecians the war. You are steeped in insolence and lust of gain, said Achilles. He also called him a wine bibber and with the face of a dog and heart of a hind. He spat out that he never receives such a large share or as good a prize of that of Agamemnon, even though he is the one doing most of the fighting. We have followed you, Sir Insolence, for your pleasure not ours, he stated, and now you threaten to take my prize which I have been awarded! Then he went on to say that he should return home for he would not stay here to be dishonored by an insolent fool. Agamemnon was furious that Achilles would speak to him in this way. He told Ulysses to take Chrysies back to her father. Then, in retaliation, he told Achilles that he would send someone that night to come and take Achilles' woman. Achilles shouted that he would not stand for this. He would never again raise a sword to help King Agamemnon. After the girl was taken from his tent, Achilles went to the ocean and wept. His mother heard his cries and came to sit with him. He told

CEDAW and Saudi Arabia Essay Example

CEDAW and Saudi Arabia Essay Example CEDAW and Saudi Arabia Essay CEDAW and Saudi Arabia Essay Name: Tutor: Course: Date: CEDAW and Saudi Arabia Introduction The convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination (CEDAW) is a treaty adopted by the United Nations (UN) general assembly in 1979. It has a preamble and thirty articles, which define the meaning of discrimination against women and details the means of ending such discrimination. States and governments, which accept the gathering, have to commit themselves towards ensuring that they end any form of discrimination towards women. This includes trafficking and any exploitation of women. Governments must ensue that women have equal chances of representation in employment and political matters. They must ensure that women receive the right of education and healthcare. To enhance accountability, countries have to prepare and submit reports detailing the measures they have taken towards realizing the objectives of the treaty after every four years (UN).[1] CEDAW is the only international treaty that focuses on prejudice not in favor of women. By November 2010, 186 countries ha d ratified or acceded to the gathering. Countries not party to the gathering include Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Tonga, Nauru and Palau.[2] Some of the countries, such as Saudi Arabia, which have ratified the convention, continue to face varying levels of discrimination towards women. This makes many people question the advantage of signing such a treaty. Since its inception, the gathering has laid out different measures that help towards fulfilling its objectives. Supporters of the gathering claim that it has helped to bring some level of equality for the women, and it has helped many governments to set up agendas and establish laws that will help in enhancing women’s rights. However, those who oppose ratifying the gathering site different reasons such as interfering with a country’s sovereignty, and the inability of the gathering to make any significant changes regarding women’s issues. Saudi Arabia ratified CEDAW in the year 2000. However, Saudi Arabia had some reservations when it ratified the gathering. The kingdom â€Å"does not consider itself bound by paragraph 2 of article 9 of the gathering and paragraph 1 of article 29 of the gathering.† Paragraph 2 of article 9 states, â€Å"States parties shall grant women equal rights with men respect to the nationality of their children (UN).† Paragraph 1 of article 29 states, â€Å"any dispute between two or more states parties concerning the interpretation of application of the present gathering which is not settled by negotiation shall, at the request of one of them, be submitted to arbitration. If within six months of arbitration the parties are unable to agree on the organization of the arbitration, any one of those parties may refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice (UN)†.[3]Another reservation is that the kingdom is not under any obligation to observe any terms of the gatherin g, which are contrary to Islamic law. Analysis Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country bound by Islamic laws, culture, traditions, beliefs and practices. Saudi Arabia operates under the sharia law, and this law hinders it from engaging with other countries at an international level. Many Islamic countries do not sign or ratify international treaties if they consider them contrary to sharia law.[4] Several questions arise regarding the kingdom’s commitment towards fulfilling its obligations because of the decisions made to make the reservations. The kingdom refuses to recognize women’s full and equal rights to men because of its refusal to observe paragraph two of article nine of the gathering. Since the country places its laws above international treaties, it continues to observe the restrictive Islamic sharia laws, most of which are prohibitive. In addition, many Islamic governments do not agree on the interpretation of different sharia laws. Some of these governments tend to be more liberal regarding women’s iss ues, while some are conservative and restrictive. For instance, women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive or vote.[5] People’s attitudes regarding women’s freedom and equality depend on their attitude and perception. Thus, although some prohibitive practices are not contained in the country’s laws, people continue practicing them because of what they believe. Despite the reservations, the kingdom had managed to identify mechanisms, which had helped in addressing violence towards women by 2008. Furthermore, the kingdom had established laws that would recognize women’s rights. It had amended several laws, in recognition of the rules and policies of the gathering.[6] Many Islamic states are patriarchy states, and Saudi Arabia is no exception. Discriminatory policies in Saudi Arabia are protected by the law. Thus, women will have second priority in matters, family, social, political, education, and civic life. Saudi Arabia enforces sexual segregation, and this makes it an excuse for women to lack jobs, receive an inferior education, and miss an opportunity to participate in political affairs. Although the convention does not discourage sex segregation in education, it requires that both men and women receive the same quality of education. However, women in the kingdom continue to receive inferior education and they have unequal opportunities.[7] For instance, women are not allowed to enroll in certain courses such as engineering, geology, and politics because they will interact with men and the government does not encourage this because it supports sex segregation in all sectors of life.[8] Saudi Arabian women lack a voice in many issues. They have few chances of getting meaningful employment, even after going through university education. They do not get a chance to participate in public affairs because they do not engage in political and civic life. Sex segregation made it impossible for women to vote. Socially, women are not allowed to drive cars or go to some places when unaccompanied by their guardians, who include husbands, fathers, and brothers.[9] The requirement that countries submit reports towards showing the measures they have established to safeguard women’s rights, does not help matters, in Saudi Arabia, as the government does not give satisfactory results and it avoids responding to sensitive issues regarding women’s rights.[10] The reports are supposed to pressurize the government towards ensuring that it recognizes the rights of women. The reports are also a way for various groups in the country to check on the level of the government†™s commitment. Different NGOs in the country submit a shadow report to CEDAW. The report contains additional information on the government’s performance, other than that submitted formally by the government.[11] Different UN agencies help the NGOs in producing the reports. Over the years, the role of these organizations has become more important. The NGOs are allowed to sit through meetings in the conference room, although they are passive participants in the proceedings.[12] Producing shadow reports in Saudi Arabia is challenging because there are no NGOs in the country. However, different individuals, under the group Saudi Women for Reform, worked together to produce a shadow report in December 2007. The report asserted that women continue facing discrimination, and there is no end in sight for this discrimination to end. Further, the report noted different forms of discrimination that women face daily.[13] The report observes how women face different forms of sexual abuse under me. Women know very little concerning their rights and they do not know about CEDAW. Some Saudi Arabian nationals oppose the idea of women’s rights and equalities because they consider it a western issue. Women in Saudi are considered holders of tradition, and they are important in ensuring that the western way of thinking does not permeate the society.[14] Allowing them to have some level of liberty regarding certain issues is tantamount to giving them the freedom to abandon their culture. Reports on women discrimination in the kingdom are further confirmed by amnesty international. The organization observes how women continue to face discrimination in law and in practice.[15] More reports by Human Rights Watch confirm different forms of discrimination. The organization notes how the authorities have failed to protect women, and how injustice continues to reign in the country in form of unfair trials. Such cases of discrimination are demonstrated in women’s lives. For instance, women receive education, some up to the highest level possible, but they are not allowed to practice their profession.[16] The BBC reported the case of a woman who had to struggle to become a surgeon. Her father only allowed her to study on the condition that her family would receive and use her salary. Further, she was not allowed to marry the man of her choice. The woman was punished every time she dared to speak out against the injustice she suffered. Her story represents many women in the country, who have to go through many obstacles to secure simple life necessities.[17] Negative Aspects of the Convention Those who oppose the gathering cite some factors such as the limiting issues in Saudi Arabia. The gathering has failed to achieve greater equality for the women in the kingdom. There is greater scrutiny of women issues in the kingdom. Different international organizations have raised issue of the detail that women in the kingdom continue facing high levels of discrimination. Since the country ratified the treaty, it has not done much to advance the standing of women in the nation. The gathering does not have sufficient powers to ensure that the nations that have confirmed the treaty do not make reservations, and that they observe gender equality. Therefore, countries can ratify the treaty but they can in turn make as many reservations as they want. The reservations made are contrary to the intention of the gathering. Some of the countries, other than Saudi Arabia, which have ratified, the treaty, continue to deny women their rights, and to exercise different forms of abuse. Women con tinue to suffer varying forms of discrimination in different countries around the world. They continue to lack economic, political, and education opportunities. Saudi men continue oppressing women and they get away with it because the judicial system encourages different forms of abuse. A Saudi woman can be beaten by her husband, her father, or even her brother. Saudi men control women’s lives, including any movement they make through the male guardian system. Women need men permission or accompaniment to register in school, get jobs, and go to the hospital for treatment.[18] Some governments do not take any other effort of ensuring that they have solved women’s problems and issues, since they rely on the gathering as the only source of such information. Such governments end up denying women their right of equality. This is the case in Saudi Arabia. The government has not taken any other measure to ensure that it has established laws that will protect women. It continues depending on the gathering, despite the measures it has taken to make the reservations.[19] The gathering cannot work alone, since it needs the input of other gatherings and treaties, as this will ensure maximum benefits for women.[20] Some of the principles contained in the gathering are not as strong, and they do not cover the necessities to ensure a realization of women’s rights. For instance, the gathering takes a general approach regarding women’s issues, and it does not recognize the need of mentioning the importance of maintaining racial equality.[21] Some coun tries fail to submit their reports or they submit them long after they are due. This could be a reflection of failure in those countries in failing to meet their objectives. Change in perception regarding the importance of recognizing women’s rights directly relates to people’s mindsets regarding women. Irrespective of how many policies the gathering committee recommends, countries will only be able to recognize the equality of women if they manage to change people’s mindset and attitude. Some people continue to hold different stereotypes regarding women’s issues, and for such people, they will not want to recognize women’s rights and equality. The gathering does not have the power to do anything. It cannot impose any fines or penalties to the countries that fail to submit its reports or follow the recommendations set by the gathering. The conference can only name and shame the countries that have failed to meet their objectives.[22] Shaming countries is not enough to ensure that it develops any measures to recognize women’s rights. Some critics have claimed that the gathering is a form of inequality because of i ts central focus towards women. It does not recognize the complexities of gender and race, and it continues to advocate for women’s rights.[23] Other critics claim that to appreciate and recognize women’s rights fully, people have to go beyond observing gender issues to identifying other dissimilarities amid men and women, such as physical strength and reproductive issues.[24] Positive Aspects of the Convention Those who support the gathering cite the benefit of the gathering in raising awareness on women’s issues. Many governments have been able to recognize the need to consider women for various appointments because of the gathering.[25] Some governments have gone as far as incorporating the laws and policies of the gathering in their legal framework. They have been able to change the domestic laws, which were not in agreement with the laws set by the gathering, and this has enabled them to improve the affairs of the women in their country.[26] The introduction of the gathering in many countries helped in redefining the role of women, and in strengthening women activists and individuals in many countries. Over the years, there has been a general perception that women’s role within a society involves bearing children and looking after the home. For a long time, many women, especially in the developing regions, held on to this perception. Thus, they never did anything differen t to build their lives. However, the introduction of the gathering in many state laws has ensured that women have greater opportunities. Despite the obvious limitations, Saudi Arabia has made some changes that favor women, or minimize the level of discrimination leveled towards them by the men. The kingdom has introduced new laws that will allow women to work as lawyers. [27] The kingdom has made changes by allowing women to take governing positions. The king has granted women thirty seats on the top advisory council. This is the first time that woman are holding such a position. Women will run for political office as they seek to be elected in the municipal elections in the year 2015.[28] This is a great stride for the women since they were previously not allowed to vote. The king has gradually introduced reforms in the country, although they are all conditional since they have to comply with the strict religious laws. The government has given permission for women to participate in sports. This is on condition that they do it under the supervision of the female teachers, since men cannot see the women wearing trouser s.[29] Women are now allowed to ride bikes and motorcycles, though they can only do so when wearing the full Muslims attire, and in the company of male guardians. Women recognize that they can do more with their lives, apart from engaging in family duties. The gathering has enabled many women to engage in different economic activities in addition to contribute in the running of the country. This would not have been possible without the introduction of the caucus, along with the willingness of many governments to participate in ensuring that the gathering becomes practical. The gathering has helped in ensuring that women receive equal shares in wealth, especially through inheritance, and that they have an equal share in marriage and divorce agreements. The gathering has given many women the chance to have their voice heard. It has given women a platform to raise various concerns, and they have been able to raise awareness on the violence they face, and on any other forms of abuse. This has ensured that governments and other organizations are more active towards ensuring an end to different forms of gender and sexual based abuse. The gathering receives reports from other agencies, which enables it to determine the extent of discrimination against women. For instance, Food and (FAO) has established gender inequalities in land distribution and ownership among women in rural community. Through the policies set by CEDAW, the agency has been able to determine some of the appropriate measures it can take to ensure that rural women are able to cultivate their land and benefit from it.[30] The gathering has increased awareness of women’s issues, as element of human civil liberties. It has fuelled interest among other organizations, and these organizations use the awareness raised by the gathering to influence other national policies and agendas.[31] Because of this, nations have addressed other issues of concerns including race and disability issues. Countries are able to learn from each other, as they identify the measures that each of them is taking towards realizing the fulfillment of the intentions of the gathering. Countries of a more similar cultural background will identify with each other, and they will learn better from each other. Such countries may decide to formulate different recommendations from those offered by the committee. Those who support the gathering agree that it has several limitations, which render it ineffective. The success and the effectiveness of the gathering depend upon the willingness of the respective governments. If the governments are not willing to recognize women’s rights, then they will establish several reservations, such as the case in Saudi Arabia. These reservations will reduce any chance that the country has of ensuring that women have equal representation in all sectors of life. Some countries continue to be tied to their traditional, cultural, and religious practices. They place their practices above the laws of any international treaties and gatherings. This has limited their willingness towards ensuring that they abide by the recommendations and rules of the gathering. In many countries, culture is a major hindrance towards realizing women’s equality.[32] People are set in their cultural ways, and they do not want to deviate from them. This is especially the c ase regarding family and marriage issues. The gathering recognizes that cultural values are different, but it does not expect people to abuse basic human rights as an excuse of observing their culture. Religion plays a major part in determining whether people will recognize women’s rights. However, this is mostly in Islamic countries, where religion tends to define not only the law, but also cultural beliefs and practices. Conclusion CEDAW has a noble and great idea of humanizing the position of women around the world. It has managed to raise awareness concerning many issues affecting women globally. This has made many governments to recognize the importance of upholding women’s issues. Some governments have integrated the policies and recommendations set by the gathering within their domestic laws and by doing so, they have ensured that women’s rights are guaranteed in their country. The gathering has managed to attract many countries to ratify it since it was first established. More than one hundred and eighty countries have ratified the gathering. However, some of these countries have made several reservations, some of which have exempted them from observing the fulfillment of the objectives. Saudi Arabia ratified the gathering, but its decision to place the Islamic laws above any other treaty or law seems to have defeated the principle of the gathering. The gathering does not have enough power t o enforce countries to follow its policies. In addition, many women around the world continue facing discrimination, even though their countries have ratified the treaty. Bibliography Institutional Documents Amnesty International. Annual Report 2012: Saudi Arabia. Last modified 2012, amnesty.org/en/region/saudi-arabia/report-2012#section-31-6 FAO. The Role of FAO: FAO and the Technical Cooperation Programme. Last modified 2007 Retrieved from fao.org/docrep/008/y5951e/y5951e04.htm UN. Gathering on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. Last modified 2009. un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm#article9 United Nations Department of Public Information. Short History of CEDAW Convention. un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/history.htm Books Abiad Nisrine. Sharia, Muslim States and International Human Rights Treaty Obligations: A Comparative Study. London: BIICL, 2008 Blanchfield Luisa. U.N. Gathering on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Issues in the U.S. Ratification Debate. Darby: DIANE Publishing Goonesekere Savitri. Violence, Law and Women’s Rights in South Asia. Thousand Oaks: SAGE, 2004 Krivenko Y. Ekaterina. Women, Islam, and International Law: Within the Context of the Gathering on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Leiden: BRILL, 2009. Merry, E. Sally. Human Rights and Gender Violence: Translating International Law into Local Justice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009 Opeskin, Brian, Perruchoud Richard and Jillyanne R. Cross. Foundations of International Migration Law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012 Seznec Jean-Francois and Mimi Kirk. Industrialization in the Gulf: A Socioeconomic Revolution. Oxford: Taylor Francis, 2010 Waters P. Christopher. British and Canadian Perspectives on International Law. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2006 Periodicals Rosenblaum, Darren. â€Å"Unsex Cedaw, or what’s wrong with Women’s Rights.† Columbia Journal of Gender and Law20 (2011) Warren, S. Christie. â€Å"Lifting the Veil: Women and Islamic Law.† Cardozo Journal of Law Gender15, (2008): 33-64 Zwingel, Susanne. â€Å"From intergovernmental negotiations to (sub)national change: A transnational perspective on the impact of cedaw.† International Feminist Journal of Politics7, no. 3 (2005) Newspapers and Broadcasts Alyami, Ali. â€Å"What Saudi Veils cannot Conceal.† Sharnoff’s Global Views, May 7, 2013. sharnoffsglobalviews.com/saudi-veils-044/ Associated Press. â€Å"Saudi King Allows Women on Top Advisory Council.† The Guardian, January 11, 2013. guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/11/saudi-king-allows-women-advisory-council Associated Press. â€Å"Saudi Arabia to Allow Girls to Play Sport at Private Schools.† The Guardian, May 5, 2013. guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/05/saudi-arabia-allows-women-sport Lee, Dave. â€Å"Saudi Arabian Women challenges male guardianship laws. BBC, June 29, 2011. bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13932287 Paddison, Laura. Can Law Firms with Offices in Saudi Arabia take Women’s Rights Seriously? The Guardian, October 23, 2012 Unpublished materials Human Rights Watch. Perpetual Minors: human Rights Abuses Stemming from Male Guardianship and Sex Segregation in Saudi Arabia. Last modified 2008. hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/saudiarabia0408webwcover.pdf Human Rights Watch. World Report 2013: Saudi Arabia. Last modified 2013. hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/saudi-arabia Saudi Women for Reform. The Shadow Report for CEDAW Prepared by ‘Saudi Women for Reform’ Saudi Arabia. Last modified December 2007. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/ngos/womenreform40.pdf [1] United Nations Department of Public Information. Short History of CEDAW Convention. un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/history.htm

AUTOETHNOGRAPHY AS A METHOD FOR REFLEXIVE RESEARCH Essay

AUTOETHNOGRAPHY AS A METHOD FOR REFLEXIVE RESEARCH - Essay Example lentlessly attempted to overcome the divide between academic knowledge (so called cultivated knowledge) and popular knowledge (so called uncultivated knowledge). In the poststructuralist paradigm, different streams have emerged such as rhetoric analysis, discursive analysis, ethnomethodology, content analysis and so on in order to comprehend the phenomena under consideration from unconventional planes and levels. Autoethnography too is a poststructuralist approach, which is used mainly for dealing with issues related to self and identity. It is a genre in the making in both academic as well as real life practices. Autoethnography is at present an established approach in a number social science fields such as anthropology, sociology and cultural studies (Anderson, 2006; Etherington, 2004; Roth, 2005). In essence, narrative analysis is what constitutes autoethnography as an independent social science approach. Moreover, autoethnography is broadly multidisciplinary as it synthesises many theoretical tolls from a number of paradigms. According to autoethnographic approach, one could cultivate knowledge or open up a new level of discourse or inve nt a new plane of theoretical activity through the medium of a personalised style of writing. Here, the personalised style of writing would essentially be linked to or based on established scientific theory. Being part of the postmodern tradition of knowledge-making, autoethnography rejects the prevalent scienticism in almost all the branches of human knowledge (Wall, 2006). On the other hand, theorists of various hues still see autoethnography as deprived of scientific rigour, methodological validity and epistemological legitimacy. Countering this, the proponents of autoethnography assert that critical practices which are established in social science for validating knowledge could also be replicated to autoethnography in order to check its legitimacy and accuracy. In reality, the difference of opinion on the matter of

XTRA(2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words - 1

XTRA(2) - Essay Example lysis of the logical requirements, design as well as implementation and these would be discussed under different categories of tasks related to the Xtra case study. A close analysis of the case study of Xtra shows that it is a small company specializing in Hollywood memorabilia and its founding principles were based on the notion of business being conducted via the post from the central offices based in the city center. However, due to global economic recession, the company has seen a significant decline in sales and the need to generate more sales has seen the company underscoring on the need to develop an eBusiness system that would help in collecting of marketing data as well as to provide a more personal customer service. E-Business is basically a general term that encompasses e-commerce but also includes the use of the internet for other business tasks such as teamwork, communication and new business services Post & Anderson 2003). E-business is increasingly regarded as a valuable tool for more traditional firms and has a large role to play in the future of many organisations through offering convenient online services to the customers. The basic eBusiness systems requirement for Xtra is the use of a system that is able to collect data automatically especially at the point of sale. This would increase efficiency in gathering data about the clients and is more efficient compared to the traditional method of using hard files to store data about their products. This involves the identification of problems with the current system and making choices. This stage would also involve the aspect of persuading the others to accept the decision and subsequently implement the ultimate solution that would have been agreed upon. Apparently, this method can handle large volumes of data and process information about any transaction swiftly. Traditionally, Xtra has been conducting its business using postal services to do all the transactions. However, because of the

Annotated Bibliography Essay Example for Free

Annotated Bibliography Essay An Annotated Bibliography: Stereotypes in Advertising August, Eugene R. Real Men Dont: Anti-Male Bias in the English Language. The University of Dayton Review Spring (1986): 336-347. Web. In Real Men Dont: Anti-Male Bias in the English Language, Eugene August states that men have been victims of negative bias equally if not more than women through gender restrictive language, which limits the roles men have, gender exclusive language, which excludes men from any type of consideration, and negative male stereotypes. Throughout the article August gives examples of ways in which males ave been forced to fit a certain role and if deviated from, they would be criticized and ultimately excluded from that party they were formerly attached to as an example of gender restrictive language. I agree with August in his arguments, but I would be a little more generous when finding victims on this subject. Women have been made victims Just as long, if not longer than men have. I feel as if the male community is lashing out against the women, almost I a way on giving then a taste of their own medicine. Yet in reality I shouldnt be structured as a war of the sexes, but ather an attempt on the part of all sexes, to acknowledge and condemn gender stereotypes. Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. 1972. London, Penguin, 1990. In the book, Ways of Seeing Ch. 7, John Berger tells us that the role of publicity has evolved from oil paintings. Publicity images draw on the visual language of oil paintings, but their purpose is to manufacture glamour. This is due to the fact that the spectator-buyer is always changing, publicity aims to sell us something, and in order to do this it must make the spectator-buyer appear incomplete to his or herself. It must make us think we are in need of something more. The more, is a dream that is created from the spectator-buyer, using the mystique and lure from what publicity has given them of how they can become more derisible, by imposing a false standard of what and what is not desirable. I have a similar opinion to that of Berger. I feel that publicity is not natural, but the product of a culture that defines an individual by what they possess. This idea of identity has been prostituted to a culture that tells an individual that they are no one if they do not buy the life publicized. The interesting point that Berger makes is that publicity never paints the full picture for the consumer. It only provides the tools and a canvas for which to paint. Publicity allows the spectator-buyer, to paint for his or herself of what he or she could be. It is not obscence to suggest that this has become the lifeblood of our publicity promise of transformation. Fowles, Jib. Advertisings 15 Basic Appeals. Mass Advertising as Social Forecast. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 1976. (16-27). Print. In the article, advertisings 15 Basic Appeals written by Jib Fowles, we learn that dvertisements make an attempt to reach out to one or more of our 15 basic emotions as outlined by Fowles. These are the fifteen basic emotional appeals that we as humans need, and if crafted correctly, might result in us engaging in the advertised product. As we learn of these essential needs, we learn that advertisements are not so thoughtless as we may have previously assumed. We learn that it is an art. The emotional appeals made in these advertisements act as the thin end on a wedge, when driven in to our conscious it then allows for the true message o flow in without almost any defense, thus accomplishing its purpose. I completely agree with the claim that Fowles made in his article. Advertisers seek to highlight and ultimately tap into our emotions to use them to persuade us into using the given product. One such emotion that is highlighted is the need for affiliation. Despite the fact that recent statistics have shown that people are doing things on their own more than ever before, the majority of advertisements are linked to this basic and fundamental emotion. This is because, Just as we as a people have an inner desire to chieve things on our own, we also need Just as much if not more than our independence, people to share in our achievements. Fowles does a great Job in highlighting this fact as well as many others in his article based on our 15 basic emotions. Kilbourne, Jean. Bath Tissue Is Like Marriage: The Corruption of Relationships. Cant Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel. New York: Touchstone, 1999. (76-94). Print. In the article, Bath Tissue Is Like Marriage: The Corruption of Relationships, Jean Kilbourne speaks out about how advertisements sink into our deepest needs for love and nurturing, and transfer them onto any given product. In order to accomplish this, advertisers must be able to capture our attention with something that the consumer yearns for, and then make the underlying message about how their product will achieve this goal. We learn that the roles of an advertiser not to care about the potential buyer, but to make the consumer feel as if they are loved. When an advertisement is able to lull us into a false sense of security, then it has ccomplished its Job. Kilbourne concludes with exposing that advertising has come to the point of promising that a product can deliver that which can only be given given by Kilbourne. In her article she sates that that advertisements exist to exploit or very real and inner human desires. As we look at advertisement in any medium, we find out that until we have associated ourselves with a certain product or brand, we are not enough. Whether it be ads replacing human relationships, men dominating women, or even that one cell phone is superior to another, all tug at the need to be n top, and without these products we are found wanting. But the hang up with the promise of accomplishment from a product is that it only last as long as the ads. Every time we turn on the television or the radio, we are exposed to hundreds of ads that dissect everything that is human about us and assigns a product to it. We shall ever be found wanting in the eyes in the world, the only escape is for us to search for what truly matters and stick to it. Wall, David. It Is And It Isnt: Stereotypes, Advertising And Narrative. Journal Of Popular Culture 41. (2008): 1033-1050. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Sept. 2013. In the article, It Is And It Isnt: Stereotypes, Advertising And Narrative. by David Wall, is claimed that stereotypes in advertising are still being used because they are still a viable way for advertisers to move a product because of familiarity. A point that Wall makes is that consumers see through the stereotype and the false climas made by advertisers, and the advertisers know this. So what the advertiser does is then play on manipulation of the mixed emotions of desire and anxiety. The product then ecomes, by the consumers own doing, the essence of happiness, freedom, and the channel to an altered paradisiacal reality. I agree with the claims made in this article. Interestingly enough Wall makes the accusation stereotypes will tell us much more about those doing the representing than those being represented(1037). This is interesting because in the rest of the article Wall discusses the fact of stereotyping and the reasons behind it, political, historical, cultural, and so on. But he never really comes back to his very strong comment. I would go a step further with this remark nd say that not only do stereotypes in advertisements reflect what the presenters think about different situation, but what the presenter believes the viewer-consumer believes about different situations. For the viewer not to be overly effected by the stereotypes they are exposed to, they need to learn, what Wall calls the language of analysis. Which is to allow those whom are targeted to see beyond smoke and mirrors of it all and understand stereotype as a form of cultural advertisement for the self that is inseparable from the wider cultural narratives that create it(1049).

Marlow’s Narrative Voice as a Rejection of the African People Essay

In â€Å"An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness†, Chinua Achebe says that â€Å"it is the desire ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€one might indeed say the need—in Western psychology to set Africa up as a foil to Europe† (337). Indeed it is wise for Achebe to make this claim while discussing Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, a short novel that presents the relationship between Europe and Africa as an entirely one-sided narrative which denies the African people their right to personage. For a majority of the novel, Marlow’s narration of a story goes so above and beyond telling one narrative, that it works toward preventing the African people from developing a voice of their own. Edward Said, in Culture and Imperialism, provides perhaps the most efficient explanation as to how the narrative that Marlow tells in the novel works against the African people: As one critic has suggested, nations themselves are narrations. The power to narrate, or to block other narratives from forming and emerging, is very important to culture and imperialism, and constitutes one of the main connections between them. (xiii) Marlow possesses the power to narrate, and therefore the power to block the African people from possessing their own voice. Achebe is right in saying that Marlow’s depiction of Africa â€Å"projects the image of Africa as ‘the other world,’ the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization† (338). However, beyond preventing a narrative from happen through the telling his own, Marlow performs a narrative that works toward creating a separation between â€Å"us†, the Europeans, and â€Å"them†, the Africans (xiii). His narrative, for the benefit of European identity, denies the African people any voice at all in the affairs between the two continents. Therefore, Marl... ...tz has been aligned with by his confrontation of the darkness, the same savagery that ultimately consumes him, finds it’s only voice in his last words: â€Å"The horror! The horror!†, but regardless, Marlow cannot allow them to become a part of the final narrative. He knows better than to allow the voice of a savage, which Kurtz became through becoming so engulfed in the darkness, have a voice in his narrative. Once again, the narrative denies the Africans, even in the voice of a European man, ever from having a voice in a narrative that primarily takes place on their territory. Marlow, as a man of Europe, appears to make the decision as to whether or not tell the intended Kurtz last words, but he knows that he could not since they would be a voice of the Congo. In conclusion, Marlow’s narrative is the narrative of the European city which exploits the African colony.

Nrs-437v | Introduction to the Study of Ethics

My Moral Compass The personal values that help contribute to my worldview and philosophy of nursing that is most important, is my religion. I am a Christian and this means that I am to be Christ like in my every day life and work. I am taught to treat others as I would want to be treated and care for them as I would do for myself. I am to help the sick, wounded, poor and widowed. Nursing in its roots are very much the same thing. Helping the ones who are unable to help themself. The underlying rule for nurses is to do no harm. My spiritual vales shape who I am, what I am and what I do.If I do all things as if I were doing them to the glory of God, then I know all things would turn out right. When obeying God and his commands, my spiritual values teach me that all things work to the good of God and according to his purpose. Values are defined as the criteria to which actions, people and states of affairs are judged ( Encyclopedic Dictionary of Psychology 2006). Merriam-Webster defines morals as, of, or relating to principles of right and wrong behavior (Merriam-Webster). Ethics are the science of morality and also known as moral philosophy.It is defined as it seeks to discover a consistent principle by which human actions and character can be judged ( The Macmillan Encyclopedia, 2003a). The values, moral, and ethics that may effect my obligation to nursing practice are ones that are from the American Nurses Association’s code of conduct. It is my duty to follow a specific set of nursing code of ethics, which states the nurse shall in all professional relationships, practice with respect and dignity, worth and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by factors of socioeconomic class, personal attributes or the nature of the health problem.The primary commitment is to the patient, family, group and or community; protecting the health, safety, and the rights of the patient (American Nurses Association, Inc, 2001). My personal views, values, philosophy a nd world-view has been at times difficult in my nursing career. A couple of times we had to terminally wean patients from the ventilator support they were on, being a Christian and nurse you are to do no harm and this really plagued my values early on in my career.I was after a while to rationalize that because these patients had no quality of life and were clinically brain dead, we were not causing any harm. Then we had a patient with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This patient was on ventilator support, unable to move his extremities, he was able to talk and make his needs known, and was able to eat. Then one day the doctors advised the patient related to the fact he was silently aspirating he was no longer going to be able to eat, and would require a feeding tube.The patient refused a feeding tube and then terminally weaned himself off the vent. It was my duty to take care of this patient on the day of the terminal wean, which was difficult for me, because I felt as though he was committing suicide and we were assisting his efforts. For me this was no different than the hospital being a Dr. Kevorkian. I do not believe in suicide and it was very difficult to maintain and preserve his wishes even though they were totally against my beliefs and values.I had to take care of him no matter what his decision was, whether right or wrong his values led him to remove his life support. During my years as working as a floor nurse I have now developed my own sense of what I feel is ethical and humane. I believe that if a patient has already been placed on ventilator support, instead of withdrawing life support, you place them on a do not resuscitate, do not treat, palliative measures only. Person’s whom are on long-term ventilator support, in most cases will develop some sort of infection, such as pneumonia or urinary tract infection.If you do not treat the infection and just let nature takes it’s course whether it is to have the body heal itself or if the body is overtaken in death, they can then die peacefully by letting nature take its course. Some personal thoughts on how my values, morals and ethics effect my nursing are that no matter what my beliefs and values are, when entrusted with the care of a patient, I may disagree with their values, beliefs, or ethics, however I am to treat them no different than I would someone with whom I do share the same values, beliefs or ethics with.My job is to treat everyone with the same type of respect, kindness and attention I would anyone else. I used to get a little unnerved at times when the hospital would have very important person (VIP) in the hospital and that particular patient would get preferential treatment, such as a 1:1 nurse. My education and beliefs are that no one in particular is a VIP, that all patients should be treated as if they were the president of the United States or the Queen of England. References values. (2006). In Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Psychology. Retr ieved from http://library. gcu. du:2048/login? qurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. credoreference. com/entry/hodderdpsyc/values Merriam-Webster. (n. d. ). Merriam-webster dictionary. Retrieved from http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/moral ethics. (2003). In The Macmillan Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://library. gcu. edu:2048/login? qurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. credoreference. com/entry/move/ethics American Nurses Association, Ince. (2001). Code of ethics with interpretive statements. Retrieved from http://www. nursingworld. org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics. pdf