What is the ACT Test Definition, History and Content

Popular Cultures Impact on the Religious Guidelines of...

Popular culture’s exponential progression has no room for the backwards thinking of any religion. Today’s society justifies what is ethical by its own observations and opinions, without always relying on religious doctrines to decide for them. Seeing this type of lifestyle pressures some people to lead double lives, one to please parents, and one to fit in with what society deems as popular. These double lives result in an identity crisis, in which religious values are obscured, and the line between right and wrong slowly starts to dissipate. Some will argue that the point of religion is having faith without proof, but science is constantly looking for finite answers; and although an explanation such as the Big Bang theory is in fact†¦show more content†¦Teenagers that grow up in devoutly religious homes experience culture shock when sent out into the real world. They have the basic instinct of â€Å"survival of the fittest†, and immediately believe that the only way that is possible is by fitting in with the popular crowd. Greatly influenced by popular culture, teenagers often face the dilemma of pleasing their parents by having the same fundamental values as them, or engaging in popular activities that are looked down upon by those very same religious beliefs. Thus, they begin to live double lives in which one part of them is still faithfully religious, while the other is attempting to keep up with the latest trends in society. As people continue to engage in popular activities, their double lives slowly grows apart, resulting in an identity crisis. Suddenly a person who used to read a chapter from the Bible every night, is now wondering why they should bother. They start to question their beliefs, and start wondering if blind faith is absolutely necessary in order to live an enriching life. They start to seek logical explanations for what they previously would have written off as a miracle. Slowly, the need to rely on religion for answers disappears, and is replaced by the logical explanations that science generously offers. As society turns away from religious guidelines that define what is right or wrong, the clear line between the two starts to blur. What one person may see as immoral or unreligious, anotherShow MoreRelatedThe Portrayal Of Heterosexual Love1669 Words   |  7 Pagesromantic fiction in pop culture has on society and it role it plays in sex. Next, the phenomenon that is known as, love at first sight will be dissected looking at why this type of storyline is so popular. Following, submission in relationships as portrayed in film will Leading into the cycle of repression based on Sedgwick’s model of repression. Research Questions: Why is romantic fiction so popular among women? How is pop culture so influential on society? Representation Theory FeministRead MoreHow Do Traditional Social Culture and Values Impact on Business Culture in Your Country? B. Evaluate the Strengths and Weaknesses of Your Own Company Culture Focusing on Leadership and Employee Behaviours, Organisation5531 Words   |  23 PagesTitle of Assignment: A. How do traditional social culture and values impact on business culture in your country? B. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your own company culture focusing on leadership and employee behaviours, organisation structure and hr systems. Then draw up an action plan for improvement in one area. Statement of Academic Honour Code This is to certify that this work is entirely and exclusively my own, except for those cited and noted. Student’s Signature:............Read MoreAn Analysis of Cross Cultural Differences Between India and the United States of America in Terms of Business-Implications for Managers4715 Words   |  19 PagesAvoidance 6.4.5 Long Term Orientation 6. Criticism of Hofstede’s Framework 7. Conclusion 8. References Executive Summary Globalization has reshaped our modes of thinking and ways of behaving and fostering cultural change in societies. The nature of our workplace has changed. We moved away from the monochromic make up of the offices to one that is now colored by team members from all over the world. Different cultures and cultural backgrounds between a highly diverse staff bringsRead MoreInfluence of Culture in Marketing7448 Words   |  30 PagesI. Culture I.1 How to define culture? Culture is a system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors and artifacts that the members of society use to interact with their world and with one another. It is a combination of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, values, and behavior pattern that are shared by racial, religious, ethnic or social group of people. Anthropologist James Spradley believes culture to be :†the acquired knowledge people use to interpret experience and generate behavior†Read MoreCultural Anthropology6441 Words   |  26 Pages * High art= in a museum * Low art= graffiti Who decides: What is Art? Emic/etic confusions regarding art * Emic: insider (member) view or members of culture * Etic: outsider (observer) view or anthropologist based on observation Modern Art? North America, Western Europe, Folk Art= woven bowl - as anthropologists what sort of meanings does this art have? Ethno-aesthetics- refers to local cultural definitions of what is art and what is good art. - (ex. Wood carving standards inRead MoreConsumer Behavior Study Notes7882 Words   |  32 Pagessenses) ∆I = the minimal change in intensity of the stimulus required to be just noticeable to the person (JND) I = the intensity of the stimulus before the change occurs * Retailers generally use a markdown rule of at least 20% to make an impact on shoppers Subliminal Perception * Another word for â€Å"threshold† is limen and stimuli that fall below the limen are called subliminal Subliminal perception: occurs when the stimulus is below the level of the consumer’s awareness SubliminalRead MoreReligion And Its Role Within Societies 600 B.c11006 Words   |  45 PagesReligion and its role in societies 600 B.C.E. - 600 C.E. Codifications and further developments of existing religious traditions provided a bond among the people and an ethical code to live by. Religion has been a dominant cultural, ethical, and political force throughout human history, both recent and ancient. Religion has been science and asylum for many generations of very many people, uniting them in their common faith. Temples were built for people to pray and perform sacrifice in, givingRead MoreNegotiation and Culture: Case Study24152 Words   |  97 Pagesto show that culture indeed does influence the behavior, negotiations and their outcome. It should also be kept in mind that (a) the negotiation is a universal process, and (b) there are a number of contextual factors that too have an impact on the cultures’ impact on the negotiation – e.g. the nature of the other party (member of an in-group or an out-group), and the individual difference, although a member of a collectivistic culture tends to suppress his personality and individuality in orderRead MoreIkea Case Study on Marketing22843 Words   |  92 Pagesunderstand the company’s conduct a broad. France is the next country, because of national approach to fashion issues, and also because of possessing in some sense values like taste, quality or beauty, which are deeper and more intensive among French society than in any other European country. The last market is the Chinese one. The authors were considering Asian customers’ preferences and thought that thanks to the complex values set conditioned by the historical aspects (dissimilar than in Europe forRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesCross Reference of Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Concepts to Text Topics Chapter 1 Modern Project Management Chapter 8 Scheduling resources and cost 1.2 Project defined 1.3 Project management defined 1.4 Projects and programs (.2) 2.1 The project life cycle (.2.3) App. G.1 The project manager App. G.7 Political and social environments F.1 Integration of project management processes [3.1] 6.5.2 Setting a schedule baseline [8.1.4] 6.5.3.1 Setting a resource schedule 6.5.2.4 Resource

Two Famous Indian Monuments Free Essays

The most outstanding monument built by Emperor Shahjahan is the Taj Mahal at Agra. It is on the bank of River Yamuna. This grand mausoleum was built in the memory of his beloved Queen Mumtaj Mahal. We will write a custom essay sample on Two Famous Indian Monuments or any similar topic only for you Order Now It has been described as â€Å"a dream in marble designed by fairies and completed by jewelers. † It is made of pure white marble. As a monument of love â€Å"it is unsurpassed in the world. † It stands on a platform of 8. 5 meters height. The mausoleum rises to a height of 32. 4 meters. It is surmounted by cupolas at each corner. The bulbous dome in the centre of the cupolas has the appearance of an inverted lotus. There are four smaller domes at the four corners of the building. Four minarets stand at each corner of the terrace. The outer walls and the interior walls are richly decorated with exquisite inlay work and calligraphy. The mausoleum is surrounded by beautiful gardens and fountains. It is an spectacular example of Mughal Architecture and one of the seven wonders of the world. QUTB MINAR The tall and ever attractive monument of Delhi which can be seen from most parts of the city is called the Qutab Minar. Every body has the same question when one sees the structure for the first time. The question that is often being put up is â€Å"Why the monument is that big? † or â€Å"Was there any specific reason to build such a tall building or it was just a wish of the person who built it? † Well, the exact reason is assumed to have something related to commemorating the victory. Mughals used to build victory towers to proclaim and celebrate victories. Some say the minaret was used to offer prayer but it is so tall that you can hear the person standing on the top. Also, the minaret is not joined on to Qutuddin’s mosque and the Iltutmish’s mosque. Qutab Minar is among the tallest and famous towers in the world. The minaret is 234 feet high and the highest individual tower in the world. Other towers in the world are the Great Pagoda in Pekin, China and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy but these towers are not as high as the Qutab Minar in Delhi. According to history books, the minar was started by Prithviraj or his uncle Vigraharaja who won Delhi from the Tomar Rajputs. However, it is assumed and historians believe that Qutubuddib and Iltutmish finished it though the minar may have been commenced by Prithviraj or Vigraharaja. The minar was completed in 1200 A. D and since then the tall structure has been there upright and ever beautiful keeping an eye to Delhi just like a sentry. When Alauddin returned from the wars in the Deccan, he had this thought in mind that he would build a victory tower somewhat similar to the Qutab Minar. The ruins of this very initiative can be seen adjacent to the Qutbuddin’s mosque because Alauddin died at the very start of the construction work and no one carried on to finish the initiative taken by Alauddin. Qutab Minar is another great masterpiece of Mughal architecture. It has a number of floors or storeys which has beautiful carvings like the one on the tomb of Iltutmish. There are inscriptions all round the tower and these inscriptions reveal that Iltutmish finised the tower. The structure of the wall is made as such that it widens from top to bottom, just to make the minar stronger. Moving upstairs inside the minar will give you a wonderful experience and counting the stairs is always a fun for visitors. It has 378 steps which takes good amount of energy to reach at the top. The top of the tower gives aninsight to Delhi because you get to see the bird’s eye view of the city. To point a few sight seeing from the top, you will find views of the Hauz Khaz on the left and the walls of the Jahanpanah and Siri on the right. It was this very top of Qutab Minar that was used by Khilji and Tughlaq kings to watch the wild Mongol hordes when they threatened Delhi. The top also served as the watch top for Tughlaq who watched Timur’s army camp on the Wellingdon Airport. Other important monuments that is visible from the top are the walls of Tughlaqabad,Humayun’s Tomb, Purana Qila, Firoz Shah Kotla and Jama Masjid. The minar did receive some damage because of earthquakes on more than a couple of occasions but was reinstated and renovated by the respective rulers. During the rule of Firoz Shah, the minar’s two top floors got damaged due to earthquake but were repaired by Firoz Shah. In the year 1505, earthquake again struck and it was repaired by Sikandar Lodi. Later on in the year 1794, the minar faced another earthquake and it was Major Smith, an engineer who repaired the affected parts of the minar. He replaced Firoz Shah’s pavilion with his own pavilion at the top. The pavilion was removed in the year 1848 by Lord Hardinge and now it can be seen between the Dak Bungalow and the Minar in the garden. The floors built by Firaz Shah can be distinguished easily as the pavilions was built of white marbles and are quite smooth as compared to other ones. The minar is not that erect as it used to be because of wears and tears over the past several years. Closely looking at the mina rives you an idea that it is somewhat tilled towards one side. The minar is very sincerely looked after by the authorities much like the same as other historic monuments in the country. How to cite Two Famous Indian Monuments, Papers

Agamemnon monologue from the play by Aeschylus Essay Example For Students

Agamemnon monologue from the play by Aeschylus Essay A monologue from the play by Aeschylus NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Dramas of Aeschylus. Trans. Anna Swanwick. London: George Bell and Sons, 1907. AEGISTHOS: Hail, joyous light of justice-bearing day! At length I can aver that God\s supernal, Judges of men, look down on earthly woes, Beholding, in the Erinyes\ woven robes, This man, thus prostrate, welcome sight to me, The wiles atoning compassed by his sire. For Atreus, Argos\ ruler, this man\s father, Did from the city and his home expel Thyestes, rival in the sovereignty, My father, to be plain, and his own brother. But coming back, a suppliant of the hearth, Wretched Thyestes found a lot secure, Not doomed his natal soil with blood to stain, Here in his home: but this man\s godless sire, Atreus, with zeal officious more than kind, Feigning a joyous banquet-day to hold, Served to my sire, for food, his children\s flesh. Their feet indeed, the members of their hands, Seated aloof, in higher places, he hides. Partaking of the undistinguished parts, In ignorance, Thyestes eats the food, Curse-laden, as thou seest, to the race. Discerning then the impious deed, he shrieked, And back recoiling the foul slaughter spewed. Spurning, with righteous curse, th\ insulted board Dread doom he vows to the Pelopidà ¦; So perish the whole race of Pleisthenes. Hence is it that ye see this man laid low; The righteous planner of his death am I. For me, the thirteenth child, in swathing clothes, He with my wretched sire, to exile drove. But, grown to manhood, Justice lead me back, And I, although aloof, have reached this man, The threads combining of the fatal plot. Now for myself \twere glorious to die, Seeing this man entrapped in Justice\ toils.

How to Create a Landing Page With Divi Builder and Hestia

There are many page builders in the market today that can be used to design landing pages without the use of code. In this article, we will be showing you one of such methods how to use Divi Builder the Hestia theme to create an effective landing page.In short, Divi Builder is the plugin edition of the main Divi framework and theme. As in, if you dont want the whole Divi theme, download the Divi Builder and keep your current theme.Whats great about Divi Builder is that it can be used with any theme, giving you a new layer of visual page building to make editing and designing even easier. You can find out more about Divi Builder here.For this tutorial, were going to use the FREE Hestia WordPress theme which you can download here. Hestia is our no.1 free material design WordPress theme that is packed with features allowing you to build the site you want. This theme offers many customizable options and is SEO-friendly and built for speed. Okay, heres how to build a landing page with D ivi Builder and Hestia.1. Install Divi BuilderDivi Builder installs just like any other WordPress plugin. To get started, complete your purchase of the Elegant Themes membership, and download the Divi Builder ZIP file.Then, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload and locate the ZIP file from your downloads folder or wherever you saved the ZIP file to. Once installed, you will need to activate it.You will then be prompted to validate your subscription, so enter your username and API key for Elegant Themes membership.2. Design your landing page with Divi BuilderDesigning in Divi can be done either by constructing a new layout from scratch or importing a pre-made layout.Building your landing page from scratch is surely an interesting perspective, and one that gives you more freedom, but its also more difficult. So until you get familiar with Divi Builder and learn how to use the interface, its best to stick with pre-built designs.But before we get into that, be sure to select th e page template, Page Builder Full Width (see below). This will allow the Hestia, header, menu, and footer settings to appear but have full control over the page design.(If you wanted to build a landing page with Divi Builder but with no navigation or other elements you would choose Page Builder Blank template in that instance.)Okay, to start adding a pre-made design, create a new page or select an existing one and click on Use Divi Builder.You will then see a blank block module layout appear.Lets choose the Load Layout option.When this option is selected, you will see the following layout grid appear:Lets choose the first one titled Restaurant, for example, but either one of them will work.When you choose a layout pack, you will be shown the different designs available.As we are building a landing page with Divi Builder, we will choose the one labeled landing page.Click on the green Use This Layout button.You will then see the layout appear in the Divi Builder interface.To view the page, right-click preview changes.You will see the landing page has populated with all the images, animations and text from the layout pack we chose.3. Change text contentTo replace any text content, simply click into the module or edit using the visual builder. To access the visual builder, select the purple enable visual builder button at the top of the page.Just be sure to save any edits you make here by selecting the purple center menu and clicking on Save. To exit the visual builder, select Exit Visual Builder in the top menu.In this demo, I also changed the call to action color from gold to pink. To do this, go into each module and change the color there. From the visual builder, you can change it via one button, then by right clicking, you can copy the style and paste to all the other buttons. This is a real time-saver.Another great thing about the builder, is you can adjust content for different devices.When in the visual builder, select the device image icon in the bottom left corner to see how the content renders on each device. Select phone, then choose settings for each module. You can then adjust the text size for desktop, tablet and smartphone to your liking.4. Resize your imagesAlways ensure you optimize your images prior to using them on your landing page. There are a number of tools you can use to do this. Weve even had a separate post comparing the most efficient ones.Be sure you only upload the image size that is needed, too. For example, a full width, full height hero image would usually need to be 1920px wide by 1280px, but doesnt need to be, say, 4000px.ConclusionEssentially, thats it when it comes to using Divi pre-made layouts when building your landing page with Divi Builder and Hestia.At the end of the day, this all comes down to adjusting whats already there in the template, and making it your own.As you build some confidence with Divi Builder, you can begin building new layouts from scratch to get a complete customized look.If you would like to use Divi Builder, you will need a membership plan from Elegant Themes. Plans start at $89 per year or $249 for a lifetime license. How to create a landing page with Divi Builder and Hestia #WordPress theme Written by Amanda Lucas and the ThemeIsle editorial team.

Migration of Women, Its Causes and Benefits

Migration of Women, Its Causes and Benefits Introduction Migration is the movement of people from one place to another place with an aim of establishing a permanent location where they can settle. It usually occurs where people move from one country to another. It can occur either voluntarily of may be involuntary. Migration dates backs to the early days of human life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Migration of Women, Its Causes and Benefits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are different scales under which human migration can occur. These include global level, country levels, and one which occurs within the country. It can also occur on the basis of the movement from the rural to urban areas. This happens, in most cases, when people move to urban centers in search for employment opportunities. In this research, we attempt to find out whether women have to lose or gain from the process of migration. In achieving this objective, the research tries to com pare the gains that women may get from migration to those of men. Besides, the research attempts to achieve the same objective based on the causes of migration, ease of women’s migration, their social and economic statuses. Migration, Causes and its effects on women There are many reasons that make people migrate. These reasons can be categorized into push and pull reasons. One of the major causes of migration is poverty. Men have control of property more than women. This is one crucial difference between women and men migration. Moving from one country to another may help in alleviating poverty, improving education levels and health status of the migrants. All these problems mostly affect women. This means that, women will benefit from migration if the movement will be accompanied by these gains. Shortage of food and existence war in the country of origin is the other causes of migration. People move from one place to another to look for food and also for safety. Natural cal amities like floods and earthquake make people migrate from one place to another. Search for favorable climatic or weather conditions, and secure food supply cause people to migrate. Migration of women is more difficult compared to that of men. A Man is more mobile than a woman because a woman mostly has to move with her children. Men easily move away from their homes, mostly to look for employment so that they can support their families. Women migration is complex because of the existence of children. Mostly they migrate with their children, and this increases the number of low income earners in the host country.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When Women migrate, they mostly join the low income earners group in the host country. In many instances, immigrants earn low income. Economically, women suffer most when they migrate from their home countries. This happens mos tly when women migrate to look for jobs or because of insecurity in their home countries. They may get exposed to sexual or criminal exploitation especially if they fail to get jobs in the host countries. Women end up engaging in illegal and immoral businesses so that they can earn a living. These businesses may include commercial sex activities or slavery. This is not the same case with men because they can engage in different income earning jobs that women cannot handle. However, women stand to benefit socially when they migrate to escape from exploitative marriages. They also run away from many gender-based problems like abusive and violent husbands, and gender inequality in their home countries. Conclusion In short, comparing men to women, men stand to gain more than women during migration. However, on one side, women stand to benefit socially by escaping from their disappointing marriages. On the other side, there are more dangers they get exposed to when they migrate. Some of these include sexual exploitation and exploitative domestic works. Men are economically and socially mobile, hence not exposed to such risks. This makes them benefit more from migration than men.

Obisity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Obisity - Essay Example 006) â€Å"†¦an estimated 8.1 million Filipinos — nearly 10 percent of the countrys 85 million people — were working and/or residing in close to 200 countries and territories.† This is one of the many examples of people who have started migrating from developing areas to wealthy nations so that they can improve their stature in life. In modern times, this form of movement is better known as immigration, Rowthorn explains why immigration is encouraged â€Å"†¦ developed nations consist more of the ageing population and they require these immigrants to stabilize the economy of the country... also ensure a cultural diversity in the developed nations.† There are pro’s and con’s of any issue, and by far, immigration has undoubtedly shed light for the oppressed ones of the society. Fleeing the native land does not mean, one is not a patriot, nor has an inclination for westerners. Immigration is solely a personal choice, it is subjective, therefore must not encounter criticism. Immigration can serve to be beneficial for the wealthy countries where the population ages ay by day. The widespread use of birth control measures contributes to the low population of the developed than in the undeveloped and developing nations. These factors result in lower number of manpower and hence require someone who can take the vacant posts. Immigrants can take over these positions; help to improve the economy by producing outputs from their work, paying taxes to the government of the host country just like a native citizen, and providing the cultural diversity as mentioned by Rowthorn. As immigration is increasing all over the worl, , P d it is seen that an understanding of different cultures and religions has also increased simultaneously. People are able to immerse and adjust themselves with the new culture thus, providing an opportunity to exchange cultural point of views. Immigrant tends to speak the tongue one way or the other; they can also teach their own language to

4RFUTURE Organization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

4RFUTURE Organization - Assignment Example   In order to make students between the ages of 18-25 more aware about their impacts on resource depletion and overpopulation, we are planning to incorporate Guerilla Marketing by traveling across the U.S. to a variety of universities to speak about their effects. Our goal is to increase the number of students’ knowledge of resource depletion and overpopulation 40% across the 10 largest colleges in the U.S. over three weeks. While our budget may be low, we are thankful to the World Health Organization, and the Forest Stewardship Council, supporters in both educating people about the issue of overpopulation, and using recyclable resources. Both organizations plan to fund our trip across the nation (which includes driving in hybrid vehicle), and the cost of our thousands of flyers.   Along with using Guerilla Marketing as part of our campaign, 4RFUTURE plans to hand out plantable informational flyers in order to spread the word about our campaign. These flyers contain wild f lower, herb, or vegetable seeds that can be replanted into the earth. Furthermore, we plan to promote a paid internship program for the following year, where interns will not only be able to put that experience on their resume, but they will travel across the nation to 10 different universities with hopes of further spreading the issue of overpopulation. ... The surveys will provide us with a basis of what our target market knew before and after our presentations; ultimately adding to our research about how we can further educate our target market, or the areas in our campaign that require change. Strengths: †¢ We act on our own campaign. We recycle, we replant our flyers, and teach others how to do it. †¢ Since we are passionate about teaching our target market about their impacts on resource depletion and overpopulation, we’re traveling across the nation with funds from reliable sources, and on a cost-efficient budget. †¢ Our trip across the nation will be driven in a hybrid car to show our dedication in decreasing carbon emissions and helping the environment. †¢ We are original. Rather than using media to convey our goals and objectives, we’re using a social marketing campaign in order to interact with our target market. †¢ Part of our social marketing campaign includes a paid internship program for students interested in partaking in the same trip the following year. Weaknesses †¢ Students that throw away our flyers, and disregard our message. †¢ Students who don’t support our message. †¢ Students who think other issues are more important, and counteract our objectives. †¢ Traveling on a low budget. †¢ Limit of universities that we’re presenting to. Opportunities: †¢ No other organization is doing a campaign like ours; targeting students with a main focus on overpopulation and resource depletion. †¢ No other organizations have incorporated an internship program that will enable students to participate in the same campaign. †¢ A large market to reach, because we’re traveling across the nation! †¢ We

Britney Spears snapping under fame Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Britney Spears snapping under fame - Essay Example The information aired to the populace about a certain issue, for example, a political issue, or that in relation to fame will affect people in their perception and transform their thinking on certain issues. The downfall of Britney is not an exception from media influence. The theory assumes the human mind to be feeble than the media created by it. This leaves room for psychological effects on the material availed by the media. The internet in the recent years caused a considerable effect on how people relate with the media (Bayles, 2001). Communication theory relates media information to the psychology of individuals. The pop celebrity, Britney spears experienced various challenges. She has undergone relationship issues leading her to file cases in court for divorce. She even once stayed in a rehabilitation facility for drug addicts due to her drug consuming habits. All these events were present in the media (Tisdell, 2007). From the internet, radio and television, one would find information about Spears relationship, divorce and drug scandals. All these issues about spears were in media thus created a different image about the celebrity. The media aim was to watch every move for Britney as it is the case with all celebrities. Her scandals and relationship issues were also in newspapers plus magazines. A stunning issue arose back in 2004 after a publication indicating engagement with Kevin Federline. Her several funs in the entire globe were in surprise (Bartolomeo, 2010). The publicity became a critical issue, as it was famous to funs. Britney and her fiancà © managed to theater a reality show on television characterizing the events culminating to their relationship. After marriage, Britney announced a break off from her career stating her interest in her family affairs (Bartolomeo, 2010). Britney’s shows were evident in the media including the show Dateline in which she expressed her views on the tabloid rumor about her. Britney encountered battles of

Impact of the Digital Environment on Copyright

Impact of the Digital Environment on Copyright Critically assess the blurring of the boundaries between the expression of an idea in a material form (which is protected by copyright) and an idea itself (which is not). In your response, you will need to examine the impact of the digital environment on copyright and initiatives like open access and Creative Commons. Discuss whether protecting original works is becoming obsolete, considering the effect of a copyright-free world on individual creators, producers and distributors. Be explicit about how you respond to and extend the examples presented in the topics podcast and town meeting. Copyright can be defined as the ownership of the expression of ideas, not the ideas themselves (Bourne 2008). The issue of copyright is perhaps facing its greatest challenge. The line between the expression of ideas in a material form (which is protected by copyright) and an idea itself (which is not) is being increasingly blurred due to the increasing prevalence and penetration of digital technologies in the national (Australian) and international (global) communication environment. With the proliferation of copyright violations as digital technologies offer file sharing capacities, the development of author favouring initiatives approximating to Open Access and Creative Commons eroding the corporate power of copyright corporations, the existence of legally protected copyright protections a creator craves, corporations pursue and governments protect, is under serious threat. Traditionally the free market economy has envisioned a hierarchy from producer to consumer in the development and dissemination of cultural information. Conventionally, the mode of production had envisioned a role for creator, manufacturer, distributor and consumer. This was a centralised system. Copyright pervaded and that which was protected by copyright was difficult if not impossible to illegally obtain without paying the royalties to the creator or copyright holder. Yochai Benkler believes there has been a decentralisation of the process due to the onset of the digital revolution, particularly with Internet technologies, while technology simultaneously sustains the centralisation of cultural information. I will suggest that we call the combination of these two trends the radical decentralization of intelligence in our communications network and the centrality of information, knowledge, culture, and ideas to advanced economic activity the networked information economy (Benkler 2003, p.1252). The strength of Benklers argument is that its a fresh idea that argues somewhat from a political economy perspective, the production process. The production process has been decentralised due to digital technologies and therefore individuals who previously held no part can create their own ideas by either mimicking, disseminating, copying, plagiarising without consequence. This networked information economy (or decentralisation of production) has led to a blurring of the lines between the expression of ideas in a material form (which is protected by copyright) and an idea itself (which is not) due to the increasing mobility and creativity individuals can utilise as a result of the onset of digital technologies. Benkler believes ubiquitously available cheap processors have radically reduced the necessary capital input costs. What can be done now with a desktop computer would once have required a professional studio (Benkler 2003, p.1254). According to Benkler, a primary contributor to cultural production is pre-existing information, a publicly accessible good while others include human creativity and the physical capital necessary to generate, fix, and communicate transmissible units of information and culture like a recording studio or a television network (Benkler 2003, p.1254). The Internet and digital technologies have to an extent decimated the dominance of the capital generators, those owners and proprietors of copyright such as the television networks and publishers, and allowed consumers to edit pre-existing copyrighted material, or create their own, to the detriment of copyright holders. This leaves individual human beings closer to the economic centre of our information production system than they have been for over a century and a half (Benkler 2003, p.1254). The failing of Benklers argument is that it views digital technologies as offering endless opportunities for individual production. While this may be true, usually the product produced is usually distributed for free and those who attempt to make economic gain are wiped out by the competition that produce free and higher quality software and programs. The impact of the digital environment has led to the proliferation of copyright violations and use of materials by consumers in their own productions and ideas without regard for the intended royalties. This has been seen no better than in the rising prevalence of file sharing software on the Internet, its popularity, dominance, and targeting by corporations for law suits. The most radically new and unfamiliar element in this category is commons-based peer production of information, knowledge, and culture, whose most visible instance has been free software (Benkler 2003, p.1254). An example of these peer network systems Benkler speaks of includes file sharing systems such as Limewire, BitTorent, eMule and Gnutella. Based on peer-to-peer technology (Fattah 2002; Oram 2001), so-called filesharing systems offer the possibility to exchange any sort of digital data for free and without restriction (Quiring 2008, p.435). Considerable losses in revenues have resulted in the film, gaming and particularly communications industries due to the illegal copying and sharing of their products. According to the communications industry, it misses out on considerable revenues each year due to the illegal exchange of communications data (Quiring, von Walter Atterer 2008, p.435). Similarly there has been propagation in the amount of quality free programmes on the Internet that supplant those supplied by corporations and have no copyright protections of their own. The networked information economy opens for radically decentralized collaborative production peer production† a process by which many individuals, whose actions are coordinated neither by managers nor by price signals, contribute to a joint effort that effectively produces a unit of information or culture (Benkler 2003, p.1254). Free software has become the quintessential instance of peer production in the past few years. Over 85 percent of emails are routed using the sendmail software that was produced and updated in this way (Benkler 2003, p.1254). Over 60% of Australians use msn, yahoo, Google or other free E-mail providers as their primary E-Mail account and the development of free virus scanning software such as AVG, free communications composing and artistic programs have gradually eroded communications corporations copyright power and grip on the consumer market. However here, within these filesharing and producing communities the lines between the expression of ideas in a material form and an idea itself are more deeply blurred as the providers of free programmes and those who illegally copy and distribute software, programmes and cultural files (such as communications), known as warez have developed their own codes of production and consumption. An academic of Southern California University, D. Thomas alludes to this in his article Innovation, Piracy and the Ethos of New Media identifies three key fundamentals in the warez ethos (Thomas 2002, p.87). Firstly, keeping information free and open in the face of corporate control, an act which they see as embodying the spirit of the Internet; communications or game lovers right to redistribute goods they have purchased providing they do not profit financially. Secondly the sense of an entitlement to digital content, as after buying a computer and internet access they see the content as already paid for (Thomas 2002, p.87). It can therefore be seen that the digital environment erodes copyright protection and the benefits copyright brings to its owners and distributors. Due to the erosion of copyright protections, debate has arisen as to whether the erosion of copyright is desirable. According to Spinello, while they are evermore protected by government legislation, property rights are often dismissed or disparaged in academic circles. Post-modern critics, for example, find it hard, to accept that creative works have a single author, so the assignment of a property right loses intelligibility (Spinello 2003, p.2). It has therefore been argued by many academics, including Lessig that innovation and creativity depend upon free, uncontrolled resources and more precisely, according to Lessig the Internet forms an innovation commons,† that is, a space where innovation and creative expression can flourish (Spinello 2003, p.3). In an effort to protect themselves from the increasing breaches of copyright brought about by these kind of principles and digital technologies that facilitate these breaches of copyright, copyright owners have lobbied governments to extend copyright protection to lifetime plus seventy years and are attempting to override exceptions granted to institutions such as universities and parliaments along with removing the copyright ownership from creators to themselves. This has facilitated the rise of movements against this trend known as Open Access and Creative Commons in order to protect creators and consumers. Open Access and Creative Commons are two organisations that espouse opposing, yet fundamentally similar goals to deal with the blurring of the boundaries between the expression of ideas in a material form and ideas themselves. On the one hand Creative Commons argues for the protection of creators through the benefits of minimal copyright protections known as moral rights by issuing their own legally recognised copyright licenses. The moral rights extend the rights of creators to the basic entitlements of attribution and integrity that have adopted in the developed world, including Europe and Australia (excluding USA). While attribution is the right of the creator to have his work recognised by attribution, integrity is the right of the creator not to have his work falsely portrayed or misused. Creative Commons aims to promote better identification, negotiation and reutilization of content for the purposes of creativity and innovation. It aims to make copyright content more active† by ensuring that content can be reutilized with a minimum of transactional effort (Fitzgerald Oi 2004, p.1). Alternately, Open Access seeks to minimize copyright in its entirety. Open Access† means access to the full text of a scientific publication on the internet, with no other limitations than possibly a requirement to register, for statistical or other purposes (Bjà ¶rk, Roos, Lauri 2008, p.1). The purpose of this initiative is to accredit creators with their copyright and offer access to materials at minimum or no cost so as not to stifle creativity due to excessive copyright protections under the law. However one must consider the implications of the erosion of copyright as discussed above and whether protecting old works is becoming obsolete. Some scholars and economists believe that copyright is crucial to the development of society and its advancement due to the protections of copyright and their benefits owners of copyright aspire to. A particular point raised in the town meeting was the relevance of copyright if individuals can merely download audio, visual and software files from file sharing programs on the Internet for no-charge. However a report commissioned by the Australian government in 1998 raised the interesting point that copyright is crucial to the capitalist system of innovation and development. These industries form a significant and, to date, growing part of the Australian economy in 1992-93, the net contribution of copyright based industries to the total economy was an estimated $11 billion in constant prices, or 2.9% of the total GDP and the report concluded Copyright is the glue in the various transactions between creators and investors the legal mechanism which ensures that the value of creative effort or investment is not undermined and devalued by others taking a free ride on that effort or investment (McDonald 1999, p.2). It can be affirmed then, that a system of copyright, limited even, is desirable, if not to protect creators, then to at least achieve a balance between the rights of creators and copyright producers and distributors for revenue and moral accreditation, while allowing access to the public for consumption. A system of limited intellectual property protection is justified both as an inducement for future creative activity and as a reward for the intellectual labor associated with that socially valuable activity (Spinello 2003, p.2). It has been argued by many academics that the complete erosion of copyright protections may dislodge the profitability of many industries such as the gaming, communications and film, to the detriment of future production as creators see no purpose in creation without economic gain (McDonald 1999; Lee 2005). For example Illegal file sharing on the internet leads to considerable financial losses for artists and copyright owners as well as producers and sellers of communications (Quiring, von Walter Atterer 2008, p.434). It can therefore be strongly stated that while at times, when applied without distinction, copyright can be an encumbrance if argued from n Open Access perspective. However one must consider copyright as the glue that McDonald describes it as when considering the incentive effect copyright has in relation to the development and dissemination of cultural information (McDonald 1999, p.2). In conclusion it can be seen that the blurring of the boundaries between the expression of ideas in a material form (which is protected by copyright) and an idea itself (which is not) has led to the development of what Benkler has named the networked information economy (Benkler 2003, p.1245). The networked information economy makes it possible for nonmarket and decentralized models of production to increase their presence alongside the more traditional models, causing some displacement, but increasing the diversity of ways of organizing production rather than replacing one with the other (Benkler 2003, p.1247). This has led to the decentralisation of the process of cultural production files (mp3s, film, communications, etc) and is what has ultimately led to the blurring between ideas in material form and ideas themselves as seen with the development of filesharing and peer-to-peer production networks against the backdrop of the digital environment. This has gradually led to the erosion of copyright and the strengthening of legislation in reponse, in turn leading to the development of movements such as Creative Commons and Open Access. The ensuing debate over whether copyright is desirable to retain in the digital environment has led me to conclude that while copyright can act as encumbrance to creativity and learning, by removing its protection the incentive it generates for innovation and cultural production, have necessitated the need for a balance of the two. References: Thomas, D. (2002) Innovation, Piracy and the Ethos of New Media, pp. 82-91 in D. Harries (ed.) The New Media Book. London: British Film Institute.

Reader Response to Memoirs of a Geisha Essay -- Memoirs of a Geisha Es

Reader Response to Memoirs of a Geisha Memoirs of a Geisha is Arthur Golden's debut novel, written exquisitely with great detail. It was initially written as a novel that would depict the son borne of a geisha and a Japanese businessman, but once he had learned the true nature of a geisha, he changed his topic. Golden discovered the intrigue of the geisha - the attributes that draw in the geisha's customers, that make them an irreplaceable part of Japanese history, that make them human as well as the ideal of what a woman should be. When these features were displayed through Sayuri's voice, the novel became an emotionally enrapturing story, which drew in the reader and captivated the heart. I, personally, was affected deeply by this novel. I have always been drawn in by Japanese culture, even as a child. When I learned of the geisha for the first time, I thought I even wanted to be one someday. While reading this novel, any fantasies I may have had of what a geisha was were completely reshaped. Thi s novel convinced me that the geisha truly were artists - they were trained and hired as musicians, dancers, conversationalists, jokesters, and "drinking buddies", so to speak. The geisha incorporate both the demure and the vulgar aspects of the human spirit, and created instead a playful and desirable companion for the stressed and lonely businessmen. When I learned of the "mizuage," the supposed Japanese term for the occasion upon which a young geisha's virginity is auctioned off to the highest bidder, I was absolutely shocked. Here was a culture that had prided... ...d my eyes to new styles of writing. While the writing was simple, it crossed the same barriers that were emotionally crossed throughout the novel. Initially I did not think it possible, but after reading the novel I found it to be true - it is possible for people to truly understand one another despite any boundaries. Whether they be due to gender, age, culture, politics, or any other reason, these boundaries can be overcome by simply learning about one another, about everyone's own personal histories, and trying to understand them as people rather than objects. Memoirs of a Geisha defied many boundaries and was able to create an intimate - and greatly appreciated - relationship between the reader and a fictional geisha from, essentially, another world. It was truly an incredible novel.