New York City as a Cultural Environment Assignment

New York City as a Cultural Environment - Assignment Example This assignment discusses art as a very valuable part of life, that brings beauty to ther environment and provides instances for rational and emotional reflection. However, the few people who do not appreciate it view it as unnecessary and perky. Art has been very important in New York City having given the city its impressive nature. Art is usually taken as the key illustration of something with essential value rather than just instrumental. The permanent collections found in the museums are all created for the public good and they are all representation of art which depict different ideas. There has been great movement in the history of art and this has seen New York grow to what it is today in the world of entertainment and tourist attraction. However, the commercialization of art has been a big challenge although it has made it possible for us to realize the value of art according to Fenner. Music, acting, literature, architecture, sculptures and museums are all forms of art whic h express a lot about life hence proving the importance and value of art in our daily life. To those who have the talent in art, it is a highly valuable activity which can earn them a living. It helps them to grow in their thinking and exposes them to many opportunities. The researcher then concluds that aeveloping interest in the works of art requires one to develop a deep understanding of the environment be able to comprehend things happening in daily life and this was a very challenging part of his life.

The culture high Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The culture high - Movie Review Example Although the position supported in a film is arguable, its creators did a good work to make â€Å"The Culture High† informative and engaging to watch. The plot of the film is centered on the discussion of the current status of marijuana in the United States with its creators openly arguing for marijuana legalization. A significant part the film is dedicated to explaining the side of proponents of legalization, who state that marijuana is not more dangerous or harmful than alcohol, but its prohibition allows underground business and cartels to prosper and conduct more violence. As it is argued, â€Å"marijuana does not cause lung cancer while more than 5 millions annually die from tobacco worldwide.† (The Culture High) Further, it is exposed that criminalization of marijuana can be linked to the government and other private organizations making profit from it by massively incarcerating the population. However, at this time, other sectors of the economy are in need of funds. Since President Richard Nixon declared the â€Å"War on Drugs†, millions were imprisoned on minor marijuana charges. (The Culture High) As a resul t, rose the need for private prisons, which according to Howard Bloom, â€Å"make it profitable to incarcerate people† (The Culture High) Subsequently, it is suggested that marijuana prohibition is needless, but is still maintained not for the sake of keeping order in the society and protecting a common citizen, but for continuing militarization of the police forces and gaining profit while denying Americans their rights, manipulating and misleading them. Although â€Å"The Culture High† mostly operates with popular arguments, it is quite informative for a person who is not an adept at the issue being raised. From one side, the film contains much information that has been actively and often discussed in the media, leaving little space for a kind of a discovery to be made.

The Stepping Stones of Labor in America Essay Example for Free

The Stepping Stones of Labor in America Essay Throughout time, in all places, there is an upper class and a lower class. During the 16th to 19th century in America people came from all over Europe. People from Europe found America as an escape from their life; a new start. Some could not afford to take a boat ride across the Atlantic with their whole family. Because of this, some people became indentured servants. Later on, the South revolutionized America by bringing in black slaves and getting rid of indentured servitude. Slaves generated the economy for the South, but was also the main cause of the civil war. Both slaves and indentured servants were treated badly, however, black slaves were much more expensive and had to work for life, whereas indentured servants worked for a reward. Both the indentured servants and black slaves did very similar agricultural work. They were treated dreadfully and were not able to change their employer. They didnt get to choose what labor they did and they were not able to own the product from their labor. Black slaves were captured in Africa and brought on boats to come to America. A lot of black slaves didnt make it to America because of sickness and diseases on the boat. Indentured servants were often forced to go with their owner or were kidnapped and put on ships, where the boats were unsanitary. During this time in America there was too much land for the amount of people so when they servants and slaves were brought over they had to sustain the crops and the fields. They worked long hours in the cold winters and in the brutal summer days in the fields. Both the indentured servants and black slaves were scarred mentally for being taken from their families and coming to a new land. They were physically beaten if they tried to escape or didnt do their work well. Sometimes they were beaten without a reason. Both groups were treated badly and couldnt do anything about it. Indentured servants had a certain amount of time they had to work to get a reward so they had more motivation for becoming free and had hope during tough times whereas black slaves were forced into labor for their whole life and didnt have any hope to escape. After the indentured servants had did their time depending how long their contract was, they were given money, land and often a sustainable job. Black slaves were permanently slaves and didnt have as much hope as indentured servants because they had no family and they knew that they were stuck living their life the way it was forever. Also, indentured servants often had learned some economically valuable skills, so when their contract was up, they were more prepared for the outside world, while black slaves were not usually and were not let out. Indentured servants were slaves and dehumanized during their time of their contract, but often had a better life because of what they learned from being a servant and their reward. While both slaves and servants typically did similar work, slaves were bought and put into work whereas indentured servants signed a contract and the owner didnt give up any money value until the end of contract. During this time the cost of a black slave was about 130,000 dollars. This was a lot higher because this is when there was no more indentured servitude and the Souths economy relied on black slaves for cotton. Paying 130,000 dollars for a slave seems like a bad investment, but they got the slaves for life and the slaves could reproduce and have more slaves in the future. The biggest reason why black slaves were a better investment was that they were permanent and were with the owner forever or could be sold whereas white servants were short term and had to give up land and money in the land. Indentured servants were like a loans; youd get them and at the end you would have to give up some money. Black slaves were worth so much more at the time then indenture servants and because of this indentured servants no longer existed. The ultimate purpose of slaves and indentured servants are identical, however, the conditions on which they worked was completely different. Slaves had no hope for any freedom unless they risked the danger of escaping while indentured servants would one day be free from their masters, once they fulfilled there contracts which stated how long they would work for. Slaves were worth a lot more money and helped generate the economy for the South. Eventually indentured servitude disappeared and slavery had become one of the biggest forms of labor in America. While indentured servitude had little impact in the making of America, slavery become one of the most controversial issues of the 1800s, and the issues over racial discrimination which had started in America in the 1600s, would continue on into the mid-twentieth century.

Fordism and Post-Fordism: Concepts of Capitalism

Fordism and Post-Fordism: Concepts of Capitalism Understanding Dawn Dusk:  The Evolution of Capitalism from the Perspectives of Fordism and Post-Fordism. The pursuit of profit was not a science born perfect. Instead, as one technological or organizational invention after another led to ever increasing rates of incremental improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of the enterprise. These improvements either reduced the cost structure, increased the market demand or both. It was just such an ‘incremental’ improvement in the early twentieth century that led Henry Ford and his Model T to begin an era of ‘namesake’ capitalism that dominated until the 1980’s and persists even today. The methods that began the period of capitalism known as Fordism was not so much just the additional of an assembly line but rather a line that moved to the worker rather that the other way around. This technology of this method was not new, having been utilized in Chicago slaughterhouses since at least the 1890’s but it was the first time that it have been used on such a scale to consumer goods with the end effect of making the automobile affordable. Perhaps even more importantly, the application of this method to automobile production, enabled the use of additional organizational technologies to be deployed. For example, bottlenecks and other production issues could be readily identified and solved and it became possible for a smaller number of managers to ‘control’ the output of a larger group of workers (Grint, 1991, p. 294-295; Clarke, 1992, p. 17). Because of the organizational paradigm shift, these methods were quickly and successfully adopted at other companies in a many different industries. Together, changes introduced in technology and management paved the way to broader sociological changes. At the heart of these was the rise of â€Å"management† as controlling influence upon workers. While Taylorism implemented strict measures of control and efficiency to the workers, the organizational impact of Fordism harnessed individual productivity back into the firm. In some ways, practices at the Ford Motor Company were quite progressive such as his â€Å"Five Dollar Day† policy by which workers were paid for their time. While significant from a labor perspective, it also merits commented on based on the fact that this was compensation. Not just â€Å"pay† but rather compensation for becoming a cog in a wheel and a so-called ‘factor of production’ under somewhat harsh conditions. While some might consider Ford to be generous to pay his employees so a sum, others might not that it could also be viewed as a particularly shrewd means to decrease absenteeism, work interruptions, poor quality and perhaps most importantly, as a means to fend off interest in trade unionization by workers. In fact, once instituted, the results were dramatic as the following were observed, â€Å"absenteeism fell from 10% to less than 0.5% turnover fell from nearly 400% to less than 15%. productivity rose so dramatically that despite the doubling of wages and shortening of the workday production costs fell† (Clarke, 1992, pp. 20-21). With regards to organization and sociological implication, in the past, the dominant method of work was the â€Å"craftsman† who was a skilled worker and spent [his] time on creating specialized and unique projects and the family was, in a sense the primary economic unit of production (Pietrykowski, 1999, p. 191). Ford needed relatively few craftsmen but rather he needed many comparatively unskilled workers that were willing to submit to Tayloristic-type management in exchange for â€Å"†¦regularly rising wages†¦ as well as general guarantees of employment security† (Freidman 2000, p. 60). The widespread employment of an emerging American middle class by a growing number of large, vertically integrated oligopolistic firms bred the beginning of mass production. With ever increasing levels of productivity as a result of newer technologies and greater organizational control, more goods were produced at even lower cost levels. Not surprisingly, in return, this bro ught about new levels of mass consumption of mass-produced products by the burgeoning ranks of the working class (Friedman, 2000, pp. 59-60). This produced a cycle that was both self-reinforcing and self-entrenching. As the system of Fordism perpetuated itself, it began to create a bit of a monster. Almost by definition, Fordism is epitomized and stereotyped by very large corporations. For example, General Motors, employing the same tactics as Ford (General Motorism does not have quite the ring to it of Fordism), became the largest corporation in world in the 1950’s to the extent that this one firm had a macroeconomic impact on the US gross national product (think of Wal-Mart today with over $250,000,000,000 in annual sales). These companies that made their profits on economies of scale on the consumption of goods that were mass-produced and mass-consumed until they hit a bit of a ‘speed bump’ in the 1970’s. These speed bumps took on the form of a number of historical events as well as growing trends. For example, the oil crisis of the 1970’s, a wheat shortage and unrest among organized labor groups in addition to a â€Å"saturation of the market in consumer dur ables† let to the beginning of the end of what had came to be known as the Fordism era. The economy-wide, these changes were greatest for the types of companies that profited most from the technological and organizational developments that created them. Thus, the changes for ‘big’ corporate America came about through the combined phenomena of changes in markets and changes in labor, ironic but fitting as the very things that made them were undoing them, or, at least, causing them to learn to re-make themselves as conditions changed (Pietrykowski, 1999, p. 181). As America consumers had consumed about all they could, firms began to logically seek out new markets such as Latin America, Asia or European regions that had yet to be hardly touched with regards to US produced consumer goods. This globalization of business introduced a number of ‘new’ concepts to US firms. Perhaps most importantly, that simply selling the same widget may not be a path to profit. Interestingly enough, the corporate giant General Motors, in the now ubiquitous tale, was one of the first to discover this lesson as management noticed very disappointing sales for the Chevrolet Nova automobile south of the US border. Only later did they learn that â€Å"No va† exactly translates to â€Å"no go†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ a hard but valuable lesson as America goes global. Within the borders of the US, it was not that consumers no longer wanted to make purchases, rather, they wanted new products. Listening to the market was not a strength of the Fordist system. As Henry Ford himself said in regards to the Model T, â€Å"†¦ any color you want, as long as its black†, mass production was not noted for being flexible. The idea of flexibility became central to the emergence of what has come to be known as the post-Fordism era. â€Å"Flexibility† is reflected in post-Fordism in a number of ways. In regards to employment, in an effort to cope with changes in demand, corporations began to turn to the notion of flexible employment arrangements in order to avoid the high fixed costs of maintaining a large workforce in times of low demand. This was reflected by a small, core workforce that was supplemented by subcontractors and part-time workers and, temporary workers, if needed (Pietrykowski, 1999, p. 183). This is much in contrast to the masses of employees who, either through the employer or the Union, operated on the premise of life-time employment. Another means by which post-Fordism employed the concept of flexibity in employment was the introduction of ideas such as ‘cross-training’. Rather than having a one person – one specific job mantra, the new era of productivity espoused employees who were trained to do any number of tasks. This flexible functionality in production employees was adopted by companies with the idea of being able to adapt faster to changing demand and by employees in order to enrich jobs and to gain increased employment security (Pietrykowski, 1999, p. 187); Grint, 1991, pp. 296-297). In addition, firms began to outsource non-core functions such as cleaning or security in order to achieve lower costs and reduce the size of bureaucracies often accompanying large companies (Friedman 2000, p. 71). Overall, the change in markets and market pressures as well as the shifts in labor strategies that began to be noticeable in the 1970’s, marked the transition of the dominance of a few oligopolistic firms from a half century reign of mass-production to the current period of ‘mass customization’. Seemingly at odds with one another, the terms â€Å"mass customization† reveal an dynamic tension that is as evident on the factory floor and is in the market place. As technologies emerged that made it possible to store and analyze large amounts of data collided with the ability to precisely control manufacturing processes, the reality of being able to cost effectively introduced customer-requested variances in the processes of production heralded the birth of mass customization. In stark contrast to a ‘one-option’ Model T, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler (the ‘Big 3’) offered a plethora of models and options ranging from color, upholstery and interior appointments, engines, transmissions and more all for largely the same cost as one ‘off the rack’. This flexibility is easily reflected by a conversation with any US person over age 25 when asked what ordering anything but a ‘stock cheeseburger’ was like in the eighties. Now, the experience is much different with Burger King even going to far as to adopt the slogan, â€Å"We do it your way.† While mass customization continues to grow and flourish, mass production is not dead by any means but continues to be redefined in ways that â€Å"modify traditional [Fordism] relationships between capital and labor† (Pietrykowski 1999, p. 194). At the heart of Fordism is the congruence between large, vertically integrated firms competing in oligopolistic markets by striving for cost efficiencies through mass production principles. In contrast, post-Fordism is a combined economy / method that makes great use of the ability to deliver relatively customized goods on a large scale by using multi-skilled workers in firm that is strives to be market-sensitive so as to be able match demand (Friedman 2000, pp. 59-60). Though in many ways Fordism and post-Fordism could be viewed as being antagonistic to one another, by understanding the progression of early management styles and the accomplishments in productivity achieved, the idea that one is the necessary precursor to the other can not be overlooked. And so, in seeking greater understand of these concepts as periods of time during which there is a changing of dominant paradigms, the analogy of â€Å"night and day† is not so appropriate as perhaps â€Å"dawn and dusk† in that they are two perspectives on the same entity of the path to profitability. Works Consulted Clarke, S. (1992). â€Å"What in the F‘s Name is Fordism†. Fordism and Flexibility. (Gilbert, N., Burrows, R., Pollert, A., eds.). St. Martins Press: New York, New York. Friedman, A. (2000). â€Å"Microregulation and Post-Fordism: Critique and Development of Regulation Theory†. New Political Economy, (5), 1, pp. 59-76. Grint, K. (1991). The Sociology of Work. Polity Press: Cambridge, UK. Pietrykowski, B. (1999, June). â€Å"Beyond the Fordist/Post-Fordist Dichotomy: Working Through The Second Industrial Divide†. Review of Social Economy, (LVII), 2, pp. 177-198.

Human Cloning Essay -- essays papers

Human Cloning There are many opinions on the topic of cloning, particularly on the controversy of human cloning. Lots of people have many fears over if we should continue this form of study, whereas others think that this technology should be pushed forward with high hopes. However, no side should rule out the other, but instead, should compliment one another. Both arguments should be heard and acknowledged before any decision is made towards this new area of study. For example, many people think that their fears are unanswerable and should cause the absolute ban on cloning. Although many scientists are in the field of cloning, many other people have scientific reasons why this shouldn’t happen. One reason is that if a human clone were ever successfully made, it wouldn’t be an exact clone anyway; Einstein wasn’t smart solely because of his genes, but the environment that he was surrounded by. However, a positive side to this is that since another exact copy wouldn’t be made, another Hitler could also not be created, as many may fear. In fact, twins are closer to one another that any clone that could be made because of a seemingly special bond created during pregnancy. New techniques are also feared, such as with Dolly. Another group of reasons concern Dolly. Originally an attempt at creating a sheep that produced a special quality of milk, Dolly was created from a group led by Dr. Ian Wilmut at the Roslin Institute in Scotland on July 5, 1996. They used a different method for mammals than used previously by starving the pre-cloned cells into hibernation, and then using nuclear transfer (copying the nucleus of the cell). Some say that if we continue with cloning, it would be extremely risky, because it is known that it took 277 tries to create Dolly. However, bans have been made to prohibit public uses of cloning. It is also known that Dolly was born with short telomeres. Telomeres power the successful reproduction and division of cells, and are found in the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of genes found in chromosomes. When she was tested, it was discovered that her telomeres were shorter than other non-cloned sheep her age. However, scientists say that this mistake could be useful for treatment of cancer. By giving cancer cells in the body short telomeres and putting them back into the body, other cancer cells would be infected, and would die qui... ...ning should not happen if it endangers any living being or if it causes loss of respect for the lives of humans and animals. This new technology has the power to do some very serious damage to mankind. On the other hand, the positive possibilities are staggering, and with the correct precautions, cloning will become a very powerful force in the scientific world as you know it. Bibliography: â€Å"Cloned Baby of Dead son in the Works.† The Province 18 Feb. 2001: A p.37. â€Å"Cloned DNA a Cure for Rare Immune.† The Vancouver Sun 23 Dec. 1998: B p.6. Cloning. (Online). Available http://members.tripod.com/~cloning/intro.htm, March 15, 2001. History of Cloning. (Online). Available http://vparker.home.texas.net/Thinkquest/Manipulating/Experimentation/Cloning/longdoc.htm, March 15, 2001. Hyde, Margaret O., and Lawrence E. Hyde. Cloning and the new Genetics. U.S.: Enslow, 1984. Jeffens, David. Cloning: Frontiers of Genetic Engineering. Ontario: Megatech, 1999. â€Å"Monkeys Cloned in Oregon.† The Province 3 Mar. 1997: A p.13. â€Å"More ORE. Cloned Monkeys on Way.† The Province 4 Mar. 1997: A p.18. Pollack, Robert. â€Å"Beyond Cloning.† The New York Times 17 Nov. 1993: A p.27.

Comparison of the North American and Japanese Educational Systems Essay

Comparison of the North American and Japanese Educational Systems The comparison between Japanese and North American educational systems is often used. The Japanese system, along with other Asian cultures, places importance on the group and the interdependence of its members (Cole & Cole, 2001, p. 541). The North American model, in contrast, focuses on the ideals of individuality and independence (Cole & Cole, 2001, p.541). This contrast is due to a conflicting cultural/social structure and outlook of the world. Japanese look at the development of self as doubled sided: the inner self and the social or public self (Hoffman, 2000, p.307). Within the Japanese education system, the teacher's goal is to develop and cultivate both layers. Opposing this concept can be found in the North American style, which does not distinguish the two, but instead stresses the importance of the one true self (Hoffman, 2000, p.307). It is interesting to compare my personal experiences as an educator in both Japan and Canada. Both educational systems aims towards the sam e outcome: the development of the child toward their future role in adult society. However, the difference can be seen in the differences in the educator's desire for the children’s development, and their role in adult society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Japanese educational system emphasizes the importance of the group (Hoffman, 2000, 301). The national, cultural image reflects its stress on group interconnectedness (Hoffman, 2000, p.301). Within a classroom’s daily life, large group activities are encouraged. Japanese students spend less time seated and more time participating in whole or small group activities (Hoffman, 2000, p.302). On a regular basis, as a teacher in elementary schools in Japan, I prepared group or whole class interactive activities. As children learn, the attention is given to the children' development in terms of a collective effort as a class (Hoffman, 2000, p.302). In Japan, the greatest task of the children's education is considered to be their socialization into group life (Hoffman, 2000, p.302). In the middle childhood years, there is a large increase of formalization and rituals in schools. Every part if life is a routine. The school code of dress, attitude, and daily routi ne, all are oriented to encourage proper observance of form (Hoffman, 2000, p.305). The role of the teacher is not authorita... ...The culture as a whole, reflects the need to be a member of a group. There are many cultural, sports and social adult groups. Within groups, Japanese adults are some of the most unique people, but without it, you wonder where their identity lies: what the group is or what they are as people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both of these educational systems are reflective of the culture. The Japanese educational system aims to socialize the children to rely on groups and stresses the importance of relations within those groups. In contrast, the North American educational system aims to socialize the children to be independent and individualistic. Each system aims to socialize their children in a way they see as important for the culture they live in. Japanese culture is very dependent on the group concept, whereas the North American culture stresses the notion of independence. References: Cole, Michael, & Sheila R. Cole, (2001) The Development if Children. (4th ed.). New   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  York, New York: Worth Publishers. Hoffman D, (2000). Individualism and Individuality in American and Japanese Early   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Education: A Review and Critique. American Journal of Education 108 (Aug.,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2000): 300-317.

Othello speech

Appearance verses reality is a philosophical question. We all know that what we perceive may not always be reality. Good Morning Yr 11 Students, I understand that you have been closely studying Othello, both Shakespeare and Davies' version. In your studies, you would have discovered many links between the two, through evident themes and values, displayed by many different characters.A theme I have discovered and would like to present to you today, is that of appearance verses reality and how it is altered due to the changing contexts of Shakespearean original Othello and Davies' screenplay Othello. This is evident through the use of the protagonist, Desman, in the way she carries and portrays herself. Within Shakespearean play, Othello, the theme of appearance verses reality, proves to us, through Desman, that what appears may not always be. This is due to Othello outlook on his wife.The character of Desman is seen to be quite the role model of a woman, in the 17th century England. W omen in that day and age were seen to obey the most dominant male in their lives, if they were married, it be their husbands, if they were not, it be their fathers. If a woman were to disobey her husband and/or be dishonest with him, it would seem out of character, as they were seen to be innocent, and naive. In that case, women sleeping with anyone other than her husband was morally wrong, and not expected.In Adhesion's case, she appeared to be innocent and naive when she is asked ‘Are you not a strumpet? And replies with ‘No, as I am a Christian'. She is also shown as not knowing what Othello had been accusing her of, and had remained true to her husband, therefore she is wronged and is what she appears to be. Whereas in Davies' screenplay version having being set three centuries later, a lot was different in the way the theme was portrayed.Women in the 20th century London, had more equal rights than woman previously did, so it was common for them to have their own fre edom. Due to this new found equality, it meant it was not a surprise if they slept around. Therefore Desman seems less innocent in this version, as it was a more common thing, to sleep around. Desman is portrayed as secretive, giving the signs she may have done wrong and is not what she appears to be. The fact that she has interest in Cassia in this version, also plants a seed of doubt in our minds about who she might be.Ago is also very persuasive in what he says to Othello about Desman sleeping around in her younger years, painting her out to be different to what we initially think. The context of this film does not suggest it is uncommon for people to sleep around, leading us and Othello to believe that Deities is dishonest. In this version, Deities being shown as secretive, is portrayed through a close up shot of Deities, revealing her mischievous facial expression, when Othello suggests the idea of Deities sleeping tit Cassia, she immediately pushes it away and attempts to dist ract him through flirting.In comparison to Shakespearean play, Deities is not seen to be as pure and innocent and thus in this screenplay version we, as an audience, are unsure of whether Deities is what she seems. From both these versions of Othello, we draw the conclusion that the theme of appearance verses reality, has been changed to manipulate the audience's perception of certain characters. I have presented this to you today, through the character Desman. We now see that what appears to be, may or may not be in reality.