Is Kate Minola tamed by the end of “Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare Essay

IntroductionThe Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeares most popular plays. Its wit and comedy revolves around Kate Minola, a strong-willed woman who is seen as a shrew due to her unwillingness to conform to the unwritten rules of lady-hood and Pertruchio who is convinced he was born to tame [Kate]. The most obvious and major question would then be, was Katherine tamed by the end of the play? To be tamed, one would have to be forcibly changed into submissive obedience. A tamed being would obey there master unquestionably in order to obtain a reward or avoid a punishment. I believe, although Kate has changed by the end of the play, she was not tamed but liberated. Although she acts just as Pertruchio demands, she is not submissive but in fact, has objectives of her own. BodyI would like to start by answering the questions as to why Kate is stark mad or wonderful forward to begin with. Kate has grown up being the loser in a competition with her sister in terms of suitors and the respect of there father. Baptista cherishes Bianca while not even defending Kate on the streets when people insulted, calling her too rough or fiend of hell. At the beginning of Act 2, it can be seen that Kate is jealous of Bianca. On top of that, Baptista automatically assumes that the fight was Kates fault and This combination of her frustration to the fact that that Bianca has an army of suitors while she seemingly will end up alone and the neglect, humiliation and lack of respect from her father can and did undoubtedly pushed her to become the angry person she is. Her isolation and anger is a cycle. Her strong-will and violence pushes people the people around her away, causing her to be more frustrated and angry which furthers her alienation. I believe Pertruchio was not successful in taming her but was successful freeing her of the cycle and showing her all the benefits of a better behavior. Her anger towards herself and others due to loneliness is broken by Pertruchios will to match Kates ferocity and compliment her. This has never happened to her before and I believe it gave her the attention she has always longer for. In the beginning the attention was quite obnoxious especially when it came to Pertruchio and his servants. He was angry and violent towards them much like the way Kate acted before and you can tell that she saw the horror of that behavior. Pertruchio did many things like keep her up and not feed her and after that, she most likely longed for a more peaceful environment and perhaps, if she conformed, she is able to receive better love, love that her father never gave her. I think Pertruchio also showed her that she no longer has to be mad at herself. She has a husband who loves her and therefore, the cycle is broken. Before Kate was focused on challenging the status quo and feeling sorry for herself. Petruccio took both those thoughts from her head and threw them out the window. He taught her that as long as she was happy, she shouldnt care what other people think of her. Like how he showed up at the wedding dressed like a fool. With that she is able to finally fit society show it off for all the people who had no faith in or time for her. Kates true identity is finally revealed and able to shine brightly with Pertruchio by her side. Before Pertruchio, Kate was able to get her way by being violent. However, Pertruchio strong-willed personality will not bend under her old weapon of emotional and physical lashing. I think she realizes this. The situation has already happened and cannot be reversed. She did not get tamed but learned to adapt and fight through other means. Switching up the technique and attacking from the inside. Perhaps, this is what Pertruchio wanted to show her. That by listening to him and being ACTING tamed, she can control the direction of her path. For example, by kiss him, they could stay at the party, by agreeing with the moon, she could go. In the beginning, Kate was refused a cap because she wasnt gentle and when she finally was, she was offered it. Listening to Pertruchio and sacrificing a little bit, she was able to gain a lot. By compromising, she would have the respect of Pertruchio who she could then use to obtain her desires, such as the nice gown and cap. With a strong husband, she could hold more power than she could even dream of under the title of the shrew. To a much larger extent, she can be happy. ConclusionIt is clear that by the end of the play, Kate has changed to a whole new person. But was Pertruchio successful in taming her? I believe he wasnt, however, he was able to show her the advantages of the other side. Pertruchios abusive techniques did not turn her to be submissive and obedient but liberated her of a false personality of unloveliness and violence spawned from her past. By compromising, Kate realized that she is not only able to achieve her materialistic goals like going to her fathers house or a nice gown and cap, but also respect, power and happiness way beyond what she was able to achieve before with anger. All these personal gains lead to conclude that Kate was not tamed but simply changed herself to achieve her own goals. Pertruchio opens her eyes to a life where she does not have to be mean and shrewish. He gave her the opportunity to be her true self without extinguishing her inner spirit and fire. Editors, SparkNotes. The Taming of the Shrew (No Fear Shakespeare) (No Fear Shakespeare). New York: SparkNotes, 2004. Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare, Signet Classic). New York: Signet Classics, 1998. â€Å"SparkNotes: The Taming of the Shrew. † SparkNotes: Most Popular Study Guides. 31 Mar. 2009 .

Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay Essay

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s theory of individualism is a stance that emphasizes the importance of self-reliance for personal success. One of the main tenets of the theory claims that a genius is someone who perseveres with one’s plans regardless of others’ opinions and that nothing is sacred other than the integrity of one’s own mind. This essay will further discuss this tenet to support Emerson’s Individualism. People should live their lives without being burdened by the opinions of others. Emerson, in reference to babes, writes â€Å"their mind being whole, their eye is as yet unconquered†¦ nfancy conforms to nobody; all conform to it. † All of the greatest inventions came about from someone who did not conform to society. Society ends up conforming to those who follow their own dreams, as adults conform to the ways a child acts. In today’s society, success is often measured by a person’s wealth, status and fame. However, no one should judge what success and failure is aside from the person it concerns. Very often society looks down on those who do not conform to its rigid structure. If a person does what everyone else is doing, who will innovate? Unsurprisingly, all those considered successful were those who broke out of the mold and followed their own vision. A genius is someone who perseveres with his or her plans regardless of the negativity around them. Thomas Edison’s teacher said that he was too stupid to learn anything. Although the number of attempts varies, there is a consensus that the lowest number of times Edison failed to create the light bulb was around 1,000. When asked how he felt about failing so much, Edison answered, â€Å"I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps. † Emerson writes â€Å"God will not have his work made manifest by cowards. † Whether or not a person is religious, the meaning holds true. No coward has ever been able to achieve anything great because cowards tend to give up easily. Another one of Edison’s famous quotes states, â€Å"genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. † This claim supports Emerson’s Individualism because it takes a genius to perspire and work through the numerous obstacles that stand between him or her and success. Everything can be broken and worked around other than what a person truly believes. Emerson’s theory argues that if a person were to betray his or her own belief, it could be damaging beyond repair. Emerson states, â€Å" if I’m the devil then I shall be the devil,† suggesting only a person’s mind can truly decide what is moral and what is immoral. Emerson also writes, â€Å"to believe your own thought, to believe what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men,-that is genius. This is how revolutions happen, when a large group of people decides that the laws are no longer right. No law, no life, is greater than a person’s own beliefs because Emerson states, â€Å"nothing is sacred other than the integrity of your own mind. † A successful person is often, if not always, fully dedicated to what they believe in because a person will never give up on something they believe to be truly right. Emerson’s theory of Individualism doesn’t encourage selfishness because that would be a moral judgment. The theory does not make any statements of morality. It claims that a person should rely only on himself or herself to make decisions and to define what they believe to be right and wrong. Outside forces should not be relied on or even considered when trying to achieve personal goals. If a person believes that failures are actually successes because they bring them one step closer to the final goal, failure does not exist. Success and happiness will come to a person as long as he or she relies on his or her own judgment, perseveres regardless of the negativity of external influences, and stays true to their minds without breaking their integrity.

Depend on the topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Depend on the topic - Essay Example Yet, it pains me a lot that I, and those who look like me, my brothers, scattered around the world, suffer the same prejudice because of the physical features we inherited from Esau; linked to hatred, revenge, and murder based on the September 11, 2001 suicide attack, not to mention a few others in different parts of this world we are living in. For so long, I never felt at ease with foreigners because they made me feel they have a certain sense of fear that I am posing a threat on them. Consequently, I keep my peace and always have a longing for my home whenever I have to perform my duties and responsibilities in school or in other places. Although I have always been a lover of outdoor sports and other activities, I now feel more comfortable and would rather stay inside the house than go out with friends. It all started when I was confronted by a white young man who has been frisking me with his eyes from head to foot. Unable to move out from the queue I have been standing for some precious minutes, waiting for my turn to pay my groceries, I nervously smiled at him hoping I would make the atmosphere better. However, my efforts turned out to have flamed the stranger even more, muttering things to himself. I simply ignored this, knowing that I was in a foreign land where my people are hated for matters that we do not have any knowledge about, and because of the thought that I do not like to stoop to such a level. Gathering all the anger and hatred that he probably had for my people, he hissed his accusations at me saying, â€Å"Don’t come living with us, murderer.† Luckily, the lady in front of me was already picking her groceries so I made myself busy with mine, pretending I did not hear a word from the man who was standing beside me. Trembling from anger, I headed home after paying my groceries, pondering about the event. The questions that haunted me for years came afresh that day. Why do we have to look different?

American Empire, Oil and Global domination (The American Empire Essay

American Empire, Oil and Global domination (The American Empire Project) - Essay Example However, every time America had a solid argument which it presented to the world and made it appear to everyone that America's involvement is imperative either for its own security and defense or for the betterment of this world as a whole, let alone the consideration for devastations it brings to the world and innocent people on whom the war either declared or undeclared is imposed. The question that is raised by the world is that is it necessary for America to harm others in order to maintain its peace and security, or behind such arguments US is nurturing and fostering the concept of maintaining the US power and dominance over the world by controlling the world oil reserves and influencing the major oil producing countries. This paper exposes the arguments presented by United States for its invasion in Iraq, highlights the concept of American Empire with a background to reasons behind the major wars it has participated in and finally envisions the real behind the scene reasons and causes for the Iraq invasion. According to Burbach, Roger and Jim Turbell "Concentrating on terrorism for electionprovided an opportunity to highlight Bush's War on Terror and the need for patriotic Americans to rally behind the flag to support their President.Unfortunately, Osama Bin Laden, the terrorist who had rained fear down on America on 9/11, could not be found. They needed to find a new terrorist to portray as evil incarnate. Saddam Hussein fitted the bill."1 Iraq war was not only about Saddam Hussein, it was much about oil and control over the Middle East region. Middle East is the heart of world oil production where exists huge oil and energy reserves that are imperative for United State's well-being. According to Kofi Annan the UN Secretary General, there were no justifications for the use of military action against the Iraq.2 Iraq was not at all a threat to the Unites State's national security. Infact, United States had plans to invade Iraq for oil reserves even several months before the attack of September 11. According to Sunday Herald, the United States promoted the use of military action against Iraq about five months before the September 11 attack in order to control its secured oil supply in future.3 United States had already realized its ever increasing demand and declining supply for oil and it had already planned to invade Iraq which was the second largest supplier of oil to the world, about which Everest said, "Overthrowing Saddam Hussein, creating a client state in Iraq, and opening up Iraq's economy are key components of a much larger, multi-faceted global agenda in which energy resources play a crucial role"4 The event provided United States a great chance to set its foot in countries having huge energy reserves that was the only way to control the world oil supply and reserve a continued secured supply of oil for itself all behind the mask of national security and self-defense. However, the United States has always denied that its invasion of Iraq was for the purpose of imperialism and global dominance by means of controlling Iraq's discovered and undiscovered precious oil reserves, yet it is evident to the world that the real agenda behind the Iraq invasion was Oil, not the issue of American national security. US PRETENCE FOR WAR ON IRAQ The US had many

Country Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Country Analysis - Essay Example Leaders who are charismatic are perceived to have a strong impact on their fan base or followers (Sotik et al 2002). Such leaders show dominance, self confidence and extraversion. They employ emotional appeals instead of authority (Yulk 2006) to elicit obedience from followers. Thinking of France, this form of leadership has been adapted very well. Despite the French being collective, they were not ready to be subjected to authority. Moreover, France tends to deject coercion into altering their ways. Such conditions are always needed from followers inspired by transformational leadership (Strang 2005). In contrary, French followers are likely to be influenced by a leader who is charismatic as they have a feeling of obedience to him. This appeals to the French as they believe in free will and the right to do whatever they want (laizzes faire). The similarity between the value of followers and vision in a charismatic leader and followers’ conception show why the style is effective in France. The style is relevant to charismatic leadership but direct approach in this style makes the difference. The literature implied transformational leadership made the followers loyal, trust and admire and have respect for the leaders while the followers had the motivation to extend beyond expectation. In other studies, there was a suggestion that transformational leadership changed and followers be induced by giving them instructions on criticality of objectives to attain. Therefore, the leaders made followers to be impelled to give up their aspirations for team’s or organization’s benefit. In his previous works, Yulk (2006) stated that contingencies in which transformational style was probable to spring was in an unstable and dynamic environment, a friendly and flexible one to innovation. Nevertheless, the French never considered innovation friendliness to be a

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act - Essay Example The specified Act entails the use of information concerning foreign intelligence surveillance. Federal officers and employees may disclose the first part of the section states that information acquired from electronic surveillance intended to be in accordance with the Act2. Such disclosure does not necessarily require the consent of the United States person, for instance, as long as it is within the minimization procedures that are required by this title. Otherwise, any other communication that is obtained in violation or not in accordance with the Act shall be viable. The implication behind this is that no other information that is acquired from electronic surveillance with respect to the same title shall be used or even disclosed by Federal officers except only for justified, lawful reasons. The second subsection of the same section asserts that the information acquired in pursuance of the first title shall only be disclosed if and only if a statement accompanies the disclosure that warrants the disclosure. Such a warrant should be assented by the Attorney General whose office acknowledges the information to be used for criminal proceedings in a court of law. With such an airtight system leaks of crucial information is withheld purely on a need to know basis ensuring that the well-being of the Country at large is maintained. In the event that the state desires to enter into evidence which might require an aggrieved person to disclose or withhold part of information as recorded through electronic surveillance, it will issue a notice directing so via a court of law or any other relevant regulatory body in that respect. The aggrieved person will also be notified with regards to the same disclosure of the specified information. Furthermore, this provision enforces the safety of information, barring the spread of propaganda that might otherwise be harmful to the wellbeing of the government or the country at large as such statements of

Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 Research Paper

Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 - Research Paper Example It will identify the military tactics used by both sides and comment on the outcome of the conflict. Finally it will analyze the consequences of the military conflict. Causes Italy had been a latecomer in the scramble for colonies as compared with other European powers. During the 1920s, it had signed a friendship treaty with Ethiopia which called for mutual respect and peace across the borders. However, the Mussolini regime sought to consolidate its power in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia was a natural target due to its huge size and resources (Gooch, 45). In addition, the Italians wanted to avenge their humiliating defeat at the Battle of Adowa in 1896 at the hands of the Ethiopian armies. The immediate cause for the conflict was a series of border disputes in Italian Somaliland. Italy had established a military garrison in the Welwel oasis which was considered to be Ethiopian territory. Subsequently in December 1934, a military clash broke out between Ethiopian and Italian forces in the â€Å"Wal Wal incident† (Gooch, 45). These border disputes were not handled in an efficient manner by the League of Nations. The UK and France remained passive in the wake of Italian provocations. This emboldened Italy to initiate a war against Ethiopia on October 1935. Military Tactics The Italians enjoyed complete military superiority over the poorly armed Ethiopians. The goal of the Italians was to use overwhelming force through the application of modern weapons like warplanes, artillery, tanks, and missiles. The Italians used combined arms operations that comprised of infantry which was supported by armor and airpower. This shocking power decimated entire Ethiopian armies (Mockler, 93). The Italians also used poison gas as a means of terrorizing and demoralizing the defenders. Civilians were killed and the natural environment was decimated through the use of poison gas. The Italian army was considered to be relatively inexperienced when compared with other Western ar mies. Its advance into Ethiopia was remarkably slow despite its inherent military superiority. The Ethiopians were able to stall the advance for six months before being overwhelmed by superior technology. Despite their inferior weapons, they were able to utilize the terrain and numerical strength to isolate and destroy Italian columns in several actions. The Ethiopians sought to drag the Italians into a bloody war of attrition. They sought to use guerillas in order to harass Italian military units behind their flanks and supply lines. Haile Selassie sought to use the Imperial Guard, the best trained armies, for driving a wedge between the main Italian armies. It was argued that the Ethiopians would avoid set piece battles and resort to guerilla warfare. Conventional war would be conducted only on favorable terms in order to neutralize the military superiority of Italy (Nicolle, 92). Casualties and Outcome It is estimated that over 10,000 Italians and 275,000 Ethiopians were killed i n the conflict. Over 44,000 Italians and 500,000 Ethiopians were wounded in the military conflict (Nicolle, 123). The Italians would win the war by defeating the Ethiopians after six months of battles. The occupation of Ethiopia would last until the liberation of the territory by the Allied forces. Ethiopian guerillas would continue to wage resistance against the occupying forces. Important Battles and Events Emperor Haile Selassie launched the â€Å"Christmas Offensive† as a counterattack against the advancing Italian forces.

Plant Exploration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Plant Exploration - Essay Example Forests, rich in plant life, are spread across Kenya. Some plants in Kenya are used to make refreshment drinks. Plants such as tea and coffee undergo manufacturing and the end product is used to prepare drinks that are often taken in the morning hours. About eighty percent of the Kenyan population wakes up to a cup of tea or coffee every morning. This is due to its cheapness and exudes health benefits. Tea and coffee consumers have grown exponentially for the past few years. Tea and coffee drinks preparation is easy and can be done at the comfort of your home. Fruit juices are also consumed in Kenya. Avocados, oranges, mangoes among others are squeezed to produce a very sweet juice. The tree tomato fruits are used in making salad. The types of juices and salads depend on the consumer taste and most of them are readily available. Some alcoholic drinks are made from plants. Fermentation of plant fruits yield a sweet and alcoholic drink that is consumed by the locals. Each tribe in Keny a has its own type of alcoholic drink. In coastal areas, for example, the locals use the coconut plant to make an alcoholic drink. (www.ktda.com) The building and construction industry in Kenya is aided by plants. Timber is common in the building industry. In rural areas they use trees to build their houses while in urban centres they are used as pillars or roofing materials. Trees are also used in construction of makeshift business premises. Hardwood trees are cut and shaped to manufacture beautiful sculptures by the locals. The baobab tree is used to make durable furniture. Kenya harbours various craftsmen who use plants to make beautiful items such as wall frames. In Kenya, however, deforestation is highly controlled by the government in order to protect plant life. Kenyans also use plants to construct transportation means. Carts and wheelbarrows are wooden and are convenient because they can carry all sorts of luggage. Some communities in Kenya use shrines as sacred places. Thes e shrines are built by placing leaves and trees in strategic positions where people go to communicate with their Deity. In a nutshell, the building and construction industry cannot survive in Kenya without plant life.( Daily Nation Newspaper) Plants are also used for medicinal purposes in Kenya. The idea of treating patients using herbal plants was coined from the forefathers. Herbalists exist in Kenya up to this day. Traditional medicine which comprised of specific plants is still considered in treating diseases. Aloe Vera is an example of a plant used for medicinal purpose. In Kenya, manufactured drugs are expensive depending on the ailment and people turn to plants for their recovery. Herbalists grind and crush different types of leaves from specific plants into a concoction. The concoction then is used in treating headaches, stomach aches, heartburn and other pains. Plants such as Khat are also believed to aid in dieting because they suppress hunger pangs. Leaves from specific p lants treat snake bites in the Kikuyu and Kamba community. Rural health planning in Kenya appreciates medicinal plants for they are readily available and cheap. (www.overlandingafrica.com/kenya/?) Kenyans use plants to relieve hunger pangs each and every day. There are common types of foods across the country although some of them originate from specific communities. Kikuyus enjoy a mixture

Victorian fashion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Victorian fashion - Essay Example (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corset) The most common use of corsets is to slim the body and make it conform to a fashionable silhouette. For women this most frequently emphasises a curvy figure, by reducing the waist, and thereby exaggerating the bust and hips. However, in some periods, corsets have been worn to achieve a tubular straight-up-and-down shape, which involves minimising the bust and hips. The corset fell from fashion in the 1920s in Europe and America, replaced by girdles and elastic brassieres, but survived as an article of costume. Originally an item of lingerie, the corset has become a popular item of outerwear in the fetish, BDSM and Goth subcultures. In the fetish and BDSM literature, there is often much emphasis on tightlacing. In this case, the corset may still be underwear rather than outerwear. Another angle is the wearing of a corset while having an enema; the theory is that the corset prevents the belly distending, enhancing the effects of the enema. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corset) There was a brief revival of the corset in the late 1940s and early 1950s, in the form of the waist cincher. This was used to give the hourglass figure dictated by Christian Dior's 'New Look'. However, use of the waist cincher was restricted to haute couture, and most women continued to use girdles. This revival was brief, as the New Look gave way to a less dramatically-shaped silhouette. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corset) Since the late 1980s, the corset has experienced periodic revivals, which have usually originated in haute couture and which have occasionally trickled through to mainstream fashion. These revivals focus on the corset as an item of outerwear rather than underwear. The strongest of these revivals was seen in the Autumn 2001 fashion collections and coincided with the release of the film Moulin Rouge, the costumes for which featured many corsets. The majority of garments sold as corsets during these recent revivals cannot really be counted as corsets at all. While they often feature lacing and boning, and generally mimic a historical style of corset, they have very little effect on the shape of the wearer's body. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corset) Chapter 1 The analysis of the physical appearance, function and relevance of the Victorian Corset As the nineteenth century unfolded, the corset and female sexuality became inextricably entwined, a process which reached its apogee in the 1890s with the emergence of a specific pornographic genre concerned with sadomasochistic tight lacing. The increased sexualisation of the occupant, the garment, and the erotic conflation of both object and woman, was a slow and irregular process that took decades to complete, but was successful none the less. By the 1880s the pubescent child, the maid, the young woman, the matron, the grandmother, the prostitute, and the subject of the pornographer alike were marked

Our Babies, Ourselves Essay Example for Free

Our Babies, Ourselves Essay Dependence during infancy is unique amongst hominids compared to other beings. However, different cultures in the world differ on how they cater to this dependency. For example, the American culture is influenced by individualism, therefore they tend to rear their children in such a way that they will grow up as an independent individual. On the other hand, Japanese are likely to be more affectionate in their child upbringing culture. And on both instances, infants who were reared up the American or Japanese way, their anticipated adult traits remain to be visible. As the article â€Å"Our Babies, Ourselves† suggests, the care given to an infant during his most dependent stage is reflected when the infant grows up and he develops his own sense of independence and survival skills. The rearing up process, whether an individual is being given over adequate attention or being least assisted during infancy is reflected by his developed reflexes and skills in his grown up stage. For the Gusii child-rearing practices, infants were held closer to their parents compared to other cultures. Here, infants develop a closer bond to their mothers, and later on towards other children to develop their interpersonal skills better. Moreover, apart from the physical and emotional aspects of development, neurological and genetic developments of infants are also being attributed to their rearing up practices. Thus, the uniqueness developed by an individual regarding his skills, competencies and survival instincts is defined by infant care that was rendered to him by his parents. However, the rearing up process is highly shaped and influenced by traditions within a culture, thus creating cross-cultural differences when it comes to child development across different nations and races.

Analysing Utilitarianism By John Stuart Mill Philosophy Essay

Analysing Utilitarianism By John Stuart Mill Philosophy Essay John Stuart Mill opens his essay, Utilitarianism, by mentioning that theres little progress being made toward a standard system that judges peoples actions as morally right or wrong. For over 2000 years, philosophers have tried to lay the foundation of morality, but have yet to come closer to an agreement of what the notions of right or wrong are based on. Mill argues that unlike science where particular truth precedes general theory, ethics needs general laws in order for morality to have legitimacy or significance. (944) In ethics and law, all actions exist to promote a particular end; thus an action can be deemed right or wrong depending on what ends are being pursued. If the ends are good, the action is therefore a good one; if the ends are bad, the action is therefore a bad one. Therefore, it is necessary to know by what standard human actions should be judged. It is important to note that Mill defines moralitys purpose as that of bringing about a particular state of the world. Mill continues and states that utilitarianism, or the greatest happiness principle as Bentham called it, is the cause in forming moral doctrines and keeping them stable and solid over the years. He explains that his essay will be an attempt to prove utilitarianism in ethics and demonstrate why this moral foundation is so central to our existence as human beings. In Chapter 2, Mill tries to present and respond to criticisms against utilitarianism. He notes that many people misunderstand the true definition of the principle. They define it in a restricted and colloquial sense in which utility is the opposition to pleasure. (946) When in reality, it has everything to do with pleasure and absence of pain. Utility or greatest happiness principle hold that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain and the privation of pleasure. (946) He continues and says that pleasure of freedom of pain are the only things desirable as ends. Thus, things are desirable only if they bring about pleasure and prevention of pain; actions are good when they lead to general happiness and bad when they fail to do so. Mill targets the critics that claim that he and other Epicureans reduce and degrade the meaning of life to pleasures like those of swine, and replies that human pleasures are superior to those of beasts. Human beings have faculties more elevated than the animal appetite. (947) Once we are aware of these higher faculties, we will never be happy until these faculties are gratified. When making moral judgment, utilitarianism takes account not just the quantity but also the quality of the pleasures resulting from it. Mill differentiates between high and lower pleasures. A pleasure is of higher quality if one chooses it above any other pleasure, even if its accompanied with discomfort. It is also something that wont be traded for any quantity of the other pleasures. Furthermore, according to Mill its an unquestionable fact that when given many pleasures one would choose that in which appeals to their higher faculties. Even if it means hell suffer more in life, he would never choose a lowe r existence, preferring instead to maintain his dignity. Few human creatures would consent to be changed into any of the lower animals, for a promise of the fullest allowance of a beasts pleasure; no intelligent human being would consent to be a fool, no instructed person would be an ignoramusà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (947) Mill continues and responds to those who say that happiness, in any form, cant be a rational purpose of human life and action because its unattainable. In addition, critics claim that people can exist without happiness; that all noble men have become virtuous by renouncing happiness. First, Mill replies its an exaggeration to state that people cannot be happy. If happiness is defined by a perpetual feeling of pleasure, then Mill admits that its impossible to obtain it. The state of pleasure is not long lasting; its temporary and intermittent. He contends that happiness are moments of rapture occurring in a life troubled by few pains and when defined as such is indeed possible to attain. It would be possible to all people, if level of education and social arrangement would allow it. Moreover, those who cant find happiness generally care for nobody but themselves and have failed to open their minds and exercise its faculties; they are selfish and have a lack of mental cultivation. Thus , if people are educated to learn and develop appropriate values, they have the capabilities to be happy. Next, Mill addresses the argument that state that people can do without happiness. He admits that its true that people have existed without happiness, but they were martyrs, doing so voluntarily. This is usually done to achieve an end greater than happiness, which is virtue. The sacrifice of giving up their happiness is done so, so others dont have to make a similar sacrifice. They increase the amount of happiness in the world. They would not commit such an action if it would produce no fruit for any of [their] fellow creatures. (951) However, Mill does say that these martyrs are proof of what men can do, but not an example of what they should do. Nevertheless, the willingness to sacrifice your happiness for that of others is the highest of virtue. Mill specifies that utilitarians only see sacrifices as good insofar it promotes and increases the state of happiness. If it fails t o do so, its considered a waste. He emphasizes that utilitarians judge an act as right if it affects the happiness of all people and not of the individual. The morality of an action depends on the goodness of its results only, and not the motives behind the actions. It is all about consequences. Mill, however, states that since many dont affect large numbers of people on a daily basis, they only need to consider his or her own actions in relation to every individual involved in the action. Its only those who have an impact on the public that should think about public utility on a regular basis. Another criticism against utilitarianism is that it underestimates human nature to find exception to rules. For example, someone will justify breaking the rules by simple stating that a given action increases utility. Mill argues that this is not only the case with utilitarianism; this happens in every moral system. There is no ethical creed which doesnt temper the rigidity of its laws. (956) He further says that having the application of the standard of utility is better than having none at all. A philosophy cannot be binding if it does not contain inherent consequences for those who break the rules. In chapter 3, Mill discusses what motivates us to act in ways approved of by the principle of utility. He explores all the possible sanctions utilitarianism might impose, upon those who do not abide by it. He writes that theres no reason utilitarianism cant have or wont impose all the sanctions that belong to other moral systems. These sanctions can be either external or internal. External sanctions include outer impacts on an individual, such as peer pressure or the fear of gods wrath. Internal sanctions come from within, from ones conscious. It is a feeling in our mindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦attendant on violation of duty. (957) Internal sanctions are more powerful than any external sanction, given that internal sanctions have more potential to influence ones actions. Thus, if internal sanctions provide the strongest influence over peoples actions, utilitarianism must appeal to peoples inner feelings in order to have a binding force on them. Mill believes that moral feelings are acquired and notes that they are no less natural because of it. Moral feelings may not be part of human nature, but they are a natural outgrowth from it. They are capable to spring up spontaneously, but at the same time, they can be cultivated and educated. However, bad moral principles can also be likely to come about due to external sanctions. Because these moral feelings are imposed and not naturally developed, theyre called artificial moral feelings. Mill notes that it is very easy to distinguish between the two. Artificial moral feelings eventually fade and crumble under scrutiny analysis, while naturally developed feelings do not. Since the principle of utility doesnt break down under analysis, we can assess theres a natural basis of sentiment for utilitarian morality. (959) In chapter 4, Mill discusses what is required of utilitarianism for it to be believed as valid, even if its impossible to prove the first principle by logic. If a person can actually see an object that means, that said object is visible. If a person hears something, that means there is sound. With that in mind, Mills argues that the proof of something being desirable is that people desire it. Hence, happiness is desirable since each person desires his own happiness. We can also say that each persons happiness is a good to that person and general happiness a good to all people. If something desirable is an end to an action and happiness is desirable, then its clear that happiness is one of the ends and one criterion of morality. However, in order to show that happiness is the only criterion for morality, its essential to show that people never desire anything but happiness. Mill claims that you could say that people desire things like virtue or the absence of vice which is generally s eparate from happiness. Then again, he argues that happiness is a whole idea with component parts. People desire virtue because its part of happiness and promotes the general happiness. Mill notes that theres a difference in desiring something as a means to happiness and desiring something because its part of happiness. Whether or not its true, can only be answered through self-reaction and observation of others. Mill says that throughout history one of the biggest obstacles to the acceptance of the principle of utility has been that fact that it doesnt allow for a theory of justice. In chapter 5, Mill defines justice and makes the connection between justice and utility. Mill takes on the meaning of justice. He lists things that are commonly associated with being just and unjust. First, it is considered unjust to deprive any one of his personal liberty, his property, or any other thing which belongs to him by law. (965) However, this concept has exceptions. For example, a person may have legal rights he should not have due to a bad law. While people vary whether bad laws can be justly disobeyed, all people agree that laws can be unjust. Therefore, law cannot be the ultimate standard of justice. Second, it is considered to be unjust when someone withholds from any person something he has a moral right to possess. Third, it is considered just when a person receives what he deserves (whether goo d or evil) and unjust when he receives a good or undergoes an evil in which he doesnt deserve. Mill explains that this, is the clearest and most emphatic form in which the idea of justice is conceived by the general mind. (966) People are thought to deserve good things if they have done right and evil things if they have done wrong. Fifth, its considered unjust to show favoritism and preference to one person over another, in inappropriate circumstances. This can be the case in a courtroom, when a judge sways the verdict based on his own fondness and not based on facts. But, when regarding the issue of friends and family one doesnt have to be impartial. Lastly, the idea of equality is seen by many to be part of justice. Mill further investigates the meaning of justice by looking at its etymology. In most languages, the words origin comes from either positive law or authoritative custom. Therefore, the most primitive element of justice is the idea of conformity to the law. Ultimately, Mill argues that the ideas of justice are united by the concepts of rights. In cases of justice, the person who has been wronged has had his or her moral right imposed upon and has the moral right to seek repayment. Mill then turns to argue that the sentiment of justice can be linked to the principle of utility. He says that there are two components to justice. The first is the desire to punish. The second is the knowledge that there is an individual whos a victim of wrongdoing. The desire to punish comes from the impulse of self-defense and the feeling of sympathy. Like all animals, humans have instincts of self-defense. Unlike animals, humans are capable of sympathizing not only with loved ones, but also with strangers, people they have no connection with at all. Justice then, reflects the natural feeling of retaliation and vengeance, expanded by the feelings of sympathy and intellect to apply to things that harm society. These feelings are not moral feelings but we can see the justices moral component can be seen in the way people are outraged by the injustices they see, not just on themselves, but also on everyone else. This demonstrated a moral concern. Mill also claims that the idea of a right is not a concept separate from justice. When we call anything a persons right we mean, he has the valid claim on society to protect him in the possession of it, either by the force of law, or by that of education and opinion. (970) The reason for this is utility. Mills then argues that if justice is indeed independent from utility than why is questions related to justice are often debatable. We are continually informed that Utility is an uncertain standard, which every different person interprets differently. (971) Hence, justice is grounded on utility and is the most important part of all morality; it concerns many of the most basic essentials of a humans well-being. Furthermore, the preservation of justice keeps the peace among the people. Therefore, there is a strong utility interest in preserving and enforcing what justice commands. Most of the applications of justice discussed earlier are ways to maintain the notion of moral rights. The Greatest happiness principle doesnt have meaning unless each persons happiness is valued exactly the same as somebody elses, which is basically the idea of impartiality and equality. In addition, people are seen to have an equal entitlement to happiness, and an equal entitlement to the means of happiness.

Terrorism and Personal Identity :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Terrorism and Personal Identity      Ã‚  Ã‚   Consider the personal comment of an ethnically foreign US citizen after September 11, 2001:    I became a United States citizen four years ago because of my long love affair with New York....I am a Bangladeshi woman and my last name is Rahman, a Muslim name...Before last week, I had thought of myself as a lawyer, a feminist, a wife, a sister, a friend, a woman on the street. Now I begin to see myself as a brown woman who bears a vague resemblance to the images of terrorists we see on television....As I become identified as someone outside the New York community, I feel myself losing the power to define myself... --Anika Rahman 1    In this poignant statement by a U.S citizen, ethnically Bangladeshi with Muslim linkage, the complex web of issues involved in immigrant identity is dramatically clear. Embedded in this statement are many of the issues that those of us concerned with categories of identification generally, and ethnic identification in particular, grapple with. Identification is typically a complex rather than simple construction, involving multiple aspects of oneself that may overlap or compete. Identification is a dynamic process, in which the meaning, the function, and even the basic labels can change from one point in time to another. Further, and most relevant now, identification is a socially constructed process in which the context and views of others have a significant role, shaping options and consequences for individual experience.    The events of September 11 have without question altered the context of identification for thousands of U.S. citizens and for those immigrants, legal and illegal, whose citizenship is still in flux. The current estimate of first generation Arab-American immigrants in the U.S. is 2,315,392. Current estimates of the number of Muslims in the U.S. are far less certain, varying from 2 to 6 million. (It should be noted that Arab-Americans and Muslims are far from overlapping sets. Many Arab-Americans are Christian; Muslims in turn come from a variety of ethnic groups in the U.S., including African American, Latino, and, as the highly-publicized case of John Walker Lindh illustrates, from Euro American backgrounds as well.)    Attitudes toward immigrants of any stripe have varied in the U. S. over the years. Prior to the restrictive immigration legislation of 1924, for example, opponents of immigration became increasingly strident, and the idealistic image of the "melting pot" offered by playwright Israel Zangwill in 1908 was challenged on both economic and racial grounds.

Essay --

Paul Jobs was raised in Germantown, Wisconsin and became a Coast Guard in World War II. He made a bet with his friends that he would be able to find a wife within two weeks. He met Clara Hagopian, who was born in New Jersey after her parents fled the Turks in Armenia, and the couple was engaged within ten days. Clara realized that she could not have children, so the married couple looked at adoption (Issacson 28-29). Joanna Schieble was a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin. She lived within a strict household where her father was extremely strict about dating. When Joanna met Abdulfattah Jandali, a Muslim teaching assistant from Syria, her father threatened to disown her. She went with Abdulfattah to Syria and two months later when they returned, found out she was pregnant. Keeping the baby and abortion were not options the couple considered. When Joanna found out the adoptive couple were Paul and Clara Jobs, she made them promise that they would keep a college fund fo r the baby. Steve Jobs was born on February 24th, 1955. After some reluctance, Joanna signed the adoption papers and gave Steve Jobs to his new parents (Issacson 30-31). Steve Jobs knew from a young age that he was adopted. Many of his close friends believe that the awareness that he was given up as a baby made him into the independent person he grew up to be (Issacson 32). Jobs has said that he knows people say that the reason why he has worked so hard was because he wanted his biological parents to want him back, but Steve said that is not true. (Issacson 33). Steve’s father is the person that introduced Steve to technology. Paul worked on cars often, and although Steve did not like to get his hands dirty, he loved doing whatever he could to help h... ...nd Swainey). The students at this school probably have no idea who Steve Jobs is, but he caused their school to be picked as one of the most advanced in technology because of Jobs. Amy Heimerl is a teachers that works at Park Avenue Elementary School in Auburn, Maine. She works in a school district that encompasses iPads in the classroom. Her class consists of 22 students. She formed an individual learning experience for each student by putting the same library of applications on each student’s iPad and then moved certain applications to each student’s folder. The students have easy access to learning materials that help them progress faster. The iPad stimulated students to think individually and they were more apt to share what they learned with others (â€Å"See Inspiration†). Steve Jobs has changed the way the world uses technology in everyday life.

Essentially, leadership is about people management

Mohandas Gandhi once admitted that â€Å"I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.† Essentially, leadership is about people management. As a leader, one has to realize that the value of leadership is determined by the ability of the leader to deal fairly with the people placed under him. Interestingly, we can say that all men are leaders. This is because in one way or the other, we all occupy a position where someone is under us. However, it is sad to note that not all men know what leadership is truly about thereby making a mess of their positions. Therefore, in order to have an efficient society, it becomes imperative to have a platform where leadership can be addressed and people can be taught the rudiments of leadership. I consider The Leadership Development Program (LPD) organized by The Venetian to be such a rare platform. As an undergraduate, my academic background was in English and literature. During my years in college, I was selected to be the volunteer interpreter in international conferences, conventions, and trade shows. While I was discharging my duties, I realized how much I like to communicate with people and the heart I have for helping them. It was an eye-opener to the fact that I am naturally configured to fit into the hospitality industry. As a result, I decided to start my career in hospitality industry since I really like interacting people who have different perspectives and cultural back ground. As an integral part of my career aspirations, I hope to work in a hotel someday as Human Resource Personnel or any aspect that involves management. Dreams don’t just come true and success requires extra effort. Apart from this, I have come to discover that in order to be a leader, one must first follow and learn. This has made me embark on the quest of personal career enhancement. In order to accomplishment my vision I know this require me to enroll for a credible program where I can learn how to improve my leadership and managerial skills so that I can be of help to the customers that will come my way daily. This is what informed my decision to enroll for The Leadership Development Program organized by The Venetian. After going through the several leadership development programs that I could lay my hands on, I felt the one organized by the Venetian is the best. However, after I have carefully gone through the site and the programs offered, I needed nobody to tell me that this was what I have been looking for. What caught my fancy was the level of organization of the company. I was attracted to the site itself and the idea of being taught by the â€Å"executives of one of the world’s most successful hospitality and entertainment companies† made my stomach rumble. I also find the program appealing because of the fact that I will be able to get world class jobs with the affiliates of the company after the program. On the whole, I believe that I will find the program memorable as this is the big break I have been looking for. I know one day I will look back and be grateful I made the decision to enroll for the Venetian Leadership Development Program!

Inter-temporal Production Possibilities and Trade Essay

Instead of trading one good for another at a point in time, we exchange goods today in return for some goods in the future. This kind of trade is known as inter-temporal trade. Even in the absence of international capital movements, any economy faces a trade-off between consumption now and consumption in the future. Economies usually do not consume all of their current output; some of their output takes the form of investment in machines, buildings, and other forms of productive capital. The more investment an economy undertakes now, the more it will be able to produce and consume in the future. To invest more, however, an economy must release resources by consuming less (unless there are unemployed resources, a possibility we temporarily disregard). Thus there is a trade-off between current and future consumption. The shape of the inter-temporal production possibility frontier will differ among countries. Some countries will have production possibilities that are biased toward present output, while others are biased toward future output. We will ask in a moment what real differences these biases correspond to, but first let’s simply suppose that there are two countries, Home and Foreign, with different inter-temporal production possibilities. Home’s possibilities are biased toward current consumption, while Foreign’s are biased toward future consumption. The inter-temporal relative supply curves for Home and Foreign reflect how Home’s production possibilities are biased toward present consumption whereas Foreign’s production possibilities are biased toward future consumption. In other words, Foreign’s relative supply for future consumption is shifted out relative to Home’s relative supply. At the equilibrium real interest rate, Home will export present consumption in return for imports of future consumption. That is, Home will lend to Foreign in the present and receive repayment in the future. Home’s inter-temporal production possibilities are biased toward present production. But what does this mean? The sources of inter-temporal comparative advantage are somewhat different from those that give rise to ordinary trade. A country that has a comparative advantage in future production of consumption goods is one that in the absence of international borrowing and lending would have a low relative price of future consumption, that is, a high real interest rate. This high real interest rate corresponds to a high return on investment, that is, a high return to diverting resources from current production of consumption goods to production of capital goods, construction, and other activities that enhance the economy’s future ability to produce. So countries that borrow in the international market will be those where highly productive investment opportunities are available relative to current productive capacity, while countries that lend will be those where such opportunities are not available domestically. Reference: http://classof1.com/homework-help/international-economics-homework-help View as multi-pages

Electronic Gadgets

Issues in Information Systems Volume 13, Issue 1, pp. 225-231, 2012 IS THE GROWING USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES BENEFICIAL TO ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE? RESULTS FROM ARCHIVAL DATA AND A SURVEY Taylor S. Drain, Washburn University, taylor. [email  protected] edu Lakeisha E. Grier, Washburn University, lakeisha. [email  protected] edu Wenying Sun, Washburn University, nan. [email  protected] edu ABSTRACT In this study, we investigate the relationship between academic performance and the use of computer technology.We test our hypothesis which proposes that the growing use of electronic deveices is academically beneficial to high school students' standardized test scores and GPA. Our method of data collection includes both a survey of high school students in the Midwest area and an analysis of national SAT scores in the years before computing and in years with computing. Analysis of SAT archival data shows a negative correlation between scores pre -computing and scores post-computing (with computing influences), meaning that as scores before computing were decreasing, scores with prevalent computer technology are increasing.Our survey data also displayed a positive correlation between time spent on electronic devices for school purpose and GPA. Keywords: Computer Technology, Academic Performance , SAT, GPA, Electronic Devices INTRODUCTION The availability and use of electronic devices continues to grow. Over 420 million smart phones were sold worldwide in 2011 [6]. Almost 400 million computers were sold during 2010 , and that figure is expected to increase to over 1 billion units which will incl ude computers and smart phones by 2014 [3]. With the development of Wi-Fi hotspots, it is now easier for people to stay connected with their portable devices.Since electronic devices continue to be adapted to be friendlier to the end users, we want to research how the increased use of computer based technologies both in the classroom and at home impacts the academic performan ce of students. The following research question is posed: â€Å"Is the increased use of computer based technology improving the academic performance of students? † In order for us to investigate this question, we have analyzed two sources of data. The first being SAT test scores over the last 30 years. The second source is from data we collected from a survey that we presented to high school students.This study is important because it shows that the increasing use of electronic technologies for schoolwork is improving students’ academic performance. Computer technology is everywhere in the society, and most of the high school students in the U. S. own or have access to computer technology on a daily basis. We hope to show appropriate use of these technologies will increase learning. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows. We provide a literature review on related research. We then discuss the data analysis and present the results. The last section provides discussions of the results along with the implications of this study.LITERATURE REVIEW Our literature review suggests there are contradictory conclusions from various studies regarding whether computer use improves academic performance. Some studies state that computer use improves academic performance. Others propose that academic performance has nothing to do with computer use. A few studies suggest that computer use is a distraction to school studies and negatively impacts academic performance. 225 Issues in Information Systems Volume 13, Issue 1, pp. 225-231, 2012 One study claims that there exists evidence that Internet-time is harming children’s academic performance.This study was done by economists at the University of Munich named Thomas Fuchs and Ludger Woessmann who surveyed students in 31 countries. They created a very thorough, detailed survey in order to eliminate other possible causes of the downward trend of academic performance . They state in their results th at the â€Å"sheer ubiquity of information technology is getting in the way of learning† [7]. Another study hoped to find correlation in Internet/ Gaming Use and its numerous effects on adolescents. They analyzed not just academic performance, but social skills, relationship s, sense of reality and violent behavior.Their conclusion regarding internet use and its impact on academic performance was â€Å" although playing specific computer games has immediate positive effects on specific spatial, iconic, and attentional skills used b y the game, we need more research to see if long term computer and Internet use (both game and nongame) can lead to long term improvements in cognitive skills and academic achievement† [8]. Another study investigated the relationship between academic achievement and computer use. The focus was students in the 10th grade. They did a survey of three high schools in Ohio.This study had the students keep a log of how much time they used the comp uter for several different categories of activities. The study did not focus on any testing scores. Everything was measured against the students GPA. It did not find computer use at home and GPA to have a significant relationship [5]. A final study analyzed the impact of owning a computer at home and not necessar ily using it to assist in the classroom. They concluded that â€Å"home computers are associated with a 6-8 percentage point higher probability of graduating from high school† [2].They also discussed that their statistics supported the idea that owning a perso nal computer or having access to one at home had a positive correlation with grades and a negative correlation with suspension. While many studies, experiments and discussions continue to dwell around this topic, we will specifically analyze the impact of computer technology on high school students’ standardized test scores and determine if we can further support the idea that computing benefits learning . RESEARCH METHODOLOGY We gathered data from two sources. One was external and compiled from publicly reported standardized test scores.The second was collected from a survey of high school students we conducted. Our first data source is compiled ACT and SAT scores from their respective institutions statistical data archives. [1,4] We have access to ACT scores from 1994 to 2011 and SAT scores from 19 78 – 2011. SAT scores were not separated by state until 1998. We choose one state from each of the following regions to represent the United States: Midwest (Kansas), New England (Massachusetts), Southwest (Texas), Pacific Coast (California), Southeast (Florida), Mid -Atlantic (New York).We chose Kansas to represent the Midwest, as we knew our survey data would be gathered from that state. As for selecting representative states for the other regions, we took into consideration that we wanted the most general, unbiased data. Therefore we selected states with the largest population s in hopes that those who took the standardized tests would be a more thorough and accurate sample of that state. Prior to 2005, the SAT did not contain a writing section to the standardized assessment. In order to make our data comparable, we only compared the verbal and math scores for all the years we analyzed .We took the mean of the SAT, per year, per region (state), to the mean of the GPA that is recorded that year. For the ACT, we compared the scores for each year, for each region, to the national mean of that year and observed the trends present. We determined ACT data to be unusable for our study due to the fact that the year s and breakdown of the scores was very limited. Our second source of data is the responses from a survey that were distributed to high school students in the Midwest area. We took several steps to conduct this survey. First, we designed the survey instrument.This included several rounds of determining more refined questions and formatting for the best presentation. Our survey questions were divided into two categories. One category was general demographic information including: gender, age, and 226 Issues in Information Systems Volume 13, Issue 1, pp. 225-231, 2012 grade level. After looking at common survey questions, we were able to word these basic demographic questions to be clear and concise. The other category included data that would directly relate to our theory: GPA, SAT score, ACT score, time spent on computer for entertainment, school, and other purposes.In order to eliminate potential human error problems or difficulty reading participants' answers, we provided answers with checkboxes for every question except for the computer usage question. Our survey questions were divided into two categories. One category was general demographic information including: gender, age, and grade level. After looking at common survey questions, we were able to word these basic demographic questions to be clear and concise. The other cat egory included data that would directly relate to our theory: GPA, SAT score, ACT score, time spent on computer for entertainment, school, and other purposes.In order to eliminate potential human error problems or difficulty reading participants' answ ers, we provided answers with checkboxes for every question except for the computer usage question. Next, in order to survey students, we had to have our research project approved by our university's Institutional Review Board. This process included an extensive application requiring a description of potential participants, reason for research, research plan, survey instrument, and how the participation of students would be used.Shortly after submission, our application was approved, allowing us to rea ch out to local schools and begin our surveying. Third, we conducted a trial run of the survey by asking seven high schools students to take the survey and report any suggestions for improvement or problems comprehending the questions. F ourth, we distributed copies of the surveys to high schools in the area. We contacted principals to get their permission and delivered them to the schools that were willing to participate.The following pieces of data were collected: hours spent using an electronic devices on school days and non schools (for educational, entertainment or other purposes), SAT score, ACT score, GPA, age, gender and opinion of the effect of technology on their personal learning on a 7 point Likert Scale. Before analyzing the survey data, we prepared the data for analysis. We converted non-numerical data into a comparable numerical format. We declared 1 as representing Male and 2 representing Female. We used 1 – 7 to represent strongly disagree to strongly agree on the Likert scale.We assigne d numbers to the ranges of ACT and SAT scores starting at 1 for the lowest range and ending at 13 for ACT and 14 for SAT. For GPA, we assigned numbers for the ranges, 1 for less than 2. 0, 2 for 2. 0 – 2. 49, 3 for 2. 5 – 2. 99, 4 for 3. 0 – 3. 49 and 5 for 3. 5 – 4. 0. We then used SPSS to determine correlation between both GPA and standardized test scores and computer usage and GPA. We analyzed our data using a T -test For Equality of the Means to compare each region to the significant region of the Midwest. We consider this region to be significant because it is where our survey data is collected.The analysis of our survey data and SAT and ACT collected data is discussed in the next section. 227 Issues in Information Systems Volume 13, Issue 1, pp. 225-231, 2012 Figure 1. Survey RESULTS Archival Data We used the years 1972 – 1987 to represent prior to popular computer use and the years 199 5 – 2010 to represent the emergence of computer technology and increased use of it for educational or other purposes. Using SPSS, we found significant negative relationships between these time periods with both Spearman’s and Pearson’s correla tion tests. The Spearman test between these two 15 year periods of scores was -. 59 and (p-value = 0. 01). The Pearson test between these time periods was -. 764 (p-value = 0. 01). We graphed the Combined Verbal and Math scores for both the pre-computing time period (1972 – 1987) and for the with-computing time period (1995 – 2010). Figure 1 below shows the National SAT score trend for a fifteen year period before computing was prevalent among high school st udents (1972 – 1987). The data illustrates a negative trend for this time period. Figure 2 below shows the National SAT score trend for the fifteen year period 228 Issues in Information Systems Volume 13, Issue 1, pp. 25-231, 2012 with computing among high school students (1995 – 2010). The data for this time period illustrates an initial upward trend for the first ten years. Figure 2. National SAT scores from 1972-1987 Figure 3. National SAT scores from 1995-2010 Survey Data 102 complete surveys were returned and the demographics of the respondents are shown in Table 1. The sample population had slightly more males (52%) than females (48%). The sample population had various ages including 12 years (1%), 14 years (14. 7%), 15 years (26. 5%), 16 years (20. 6%), 18 years (21. 6%), and 19 years (1%).We had students from four grades; 9th had 33 (32. 45), 10th had 29 (28. 4%), 11th had 10 (9. 8%), and 12th had 31 (30. 4%). Students spent an average of 5. 36 hours using computer technology on school days and 8. 45 hours on non -school days. 229 Issues in Information Systems Volume 13, Issue 1, pp. 225-231, 2012 Gender Female Male Grade 9th 10th 11th 12th Table 1. Demographics of the Respondents Age Avg Comp Use 49 (48%) 12 1 (1%) School Days 53 (52%) 14 15 (14. 7%) Std. Deviation 15 27 (26. 5%) 33 (32. 4%) 16 21 (20. 6%) Non-School Days 29 (28. 4%) 17 15 (14. 7%) Std. Deviation 10 (9. 8%) 8 22 (21. 6%) 31 (30. 4%) 19 1 (1%) 5. 36 hrs 3. 91 8. 45 hrs 4. 81 We analyzed our data with SPS S and ran tests against variables in order to note correlation among factors that were recorded in our survey data. Several significant relationships were evident in our survey data. All of the results listed below use Spearman’s correlation test between two variables. We had a . 223 positive correlation between reported GPA and Computer Use for School on School Days (p-value = . 05). There was a . 213 positive correlation between GPA and Computer Use for Other on School Days (p-value = . 05).No significant correlation was found between computer use for school on Non-School Days and GPA, due to the fact that the majority of our respondents reported that they did not spend any hours on schoolwork on Non-School Days. We found a . 663 positive correlation between GPA and ACT scores (p-value = . 01). We also found a positive correlation of . 224 between GPA and sex. Finally, we found a . 241 positive correlation between students that felt that computer use was beneficial to their personal academic performance and those that utilized technology for school purposes had a p-value of . 5. Table 2 summarizes these correlations and highlights the significant correlations. School Days Entertainment School Other Total Hours Non-School Days Entertainment School Other Total Hours GPA GPA -. 125 .223 .213 .107 -. 157 .099 .085 .003 1 Table 2. Correlations p-value ACT Score p-value .237 .084 .657 .034 -. 070 .714 .044 -. 055 .774 .304 .058 .761 .137 .352 .428 .977 -. 033 .027 -. 190 -. 129 .663 .863 .889 .314 .497 .000 Opinion .030 .241 -. 080 .068 p-value .778 .020 .447 .509 -. 055 .061 -. 050 .015 .010 .598 .561 .638 .887 .920CONCLUSION In this study, we aimed to answer the following research question, â€Å"Is the increased use of computer based technology improving the academic performance of students? † We analyzed standardized test scores, the SAT, in the years before prevalent computing (1972 – 1987) and in the years with prevalent and ever-increas ing computer use (1995 – 2010). We also surveyed local high school students asking for computer usage in hours, standardized test scores and GPA. The analysis of SAT scores reveals an evident negative correlation.This significant correlation illustrates that in the first time period, 1972 – 1987, SAT scores were decreasing, but that in the years with computing, 1995 – 2010, scores were increasing. It can be inferred, without regarding other external factors, that computing has benefite d student performance in standardized testing, specifically the SAT. A thorough comparative analysis of our survey data indicates several significant correlations. First, the positive relationship between the hours of computer use for school purposes and GPA demonstrates the idea that use of electronic devices for school urposes benefits academic performance. Second, those with high GPA's also had high standardized test scores, such that it can be inferred that appropriate use of electronic devices also benefits students 230 Issues in Information Systems Volume 13, Issue 1, pp. 225-231, 2012 in their standardized testing. Finally, students who had the opinion that use of electronic devices improved their personal academic performance utilized those tools, which are shown by the significant correlation between students who held this opinion and used electronic devices for schoolwork.These significant correlat ions imply, in our sample, that use of computing, or electronic devices for school work and the like, benefit students in both their GPAs and their standardized test scores. Our survey results and standardized test score analysis show an improvement in academic performance with increased computer usage. Specifically, our results show that students who spent more time using their electronic devices for school purposes did better in school than those who claimed they used their devices for other purposes.This result in our survey sample group illustrates o ur theory that â€Å"intelligent use† of electronic devices improves academic performance of students. LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH This study has a few limitations. First, in our analysis of standardized test scores, we decided against including the Writing section of the ACT as it made comparing scores between previous to 2005 and after 2005 inaccurate. This limited our ability to determine the improvement of devolvement of writing skills based upon increase in computer usage.Also, in our analysis of standardized test scores we did not include ACT scores in our results section because there was a very narrow amount of data available before prevalent computer use. Finally, we only surveyed students in local area high schools. In order to make a more accurate and generalized conclusion, we would need to have a further reaching and larger sur vey size. Further research must be conducted in order to determine if our results could be duplicated in another sample group and to rule out external factors. REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. . 231 ACT Incorporated. (2012). ACT national and state scores. Retrieved from http://www. act. org/newsroom/data/ Beltran, D. (2008). Home computers and educational outcomes: Evidence from the NLSY97 and CPS. Retrieved from Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Web site: http://www. federalreserve. gov/pubs/ifdp/2008/958/ifdp958. pdf Clark, N. (2011). Annual computer sale to pass 1 billion by 2014. Retrieved from The Independent Web site: http://www. independent. co. uk/news/business/news/annual -computer-sales-to-pass-1-billion-by-20142187923. tml Collegeboard. org Incorporated. (2012). Retrieved from http://professionals. collegeboard. com/data-reportsresearch/sat/archived Delgado-Hachey, Maria, et al. (2005). Adolescent computer use and academic achievement. Adolescence, 40(158), 307-318. Epstein, Z. (2011). IMS: Annual smartphone sales to reach 1 billion units by 2016; Apple, Samsung winners so far. Retrieved from BGR Web site: http://www. bgr. com/2011/07/27/ims-annual-smartphone-sales-to-reach-1billion-units-by-2016-apple-samsung-winners-so-far/ Ferguson, S. (2005). How computers

Benefits of video games Essay

Video games today are most commonly viewed as a way for students of high schools and colleges to slack off and procrastinate on homework and studies. What most people are not aware of though, is the social benefits that video gaming has on individuals. Video games can have positive effects on a gamers social life when it comes to teamwork, helping people, multitasking, and communicating efficiently. Educational Benefits for Students A recent study from the Education Development Center and the U.S. Congress-supported Ready To Learn (RTL) Initiative found that a curriculum that involved digital media such as video games could improve early literacy skills when coupled with strong parental and teacher involvement. Interestingly, the study focused on young children, and 4- and 5-year-olds who participated showed increases in letter recognition, sounds association with letters, and understanding basic concepts about stories and print. The key for this study was having high-quality educational titles, along with parents and teachers who were equally invested in the subject matter. That way kids could discuss and examine the concepts that they were exposed to in the games. Also interesting is the value that video games are proven to have even for very young players. A study by the Education Department Center further found that low-income children are â€Å"better prepared for success in kindergarten when their preschool teachers incorporate educational video and games from the Ready to Learn Initiative. † Older children such as teens and tweens can benefit from gameplay as well. Even traditional games teach kids basic everyday skills, according to Ian Bogost, associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and founder of software maker Persuasive Games. â€Å"Look at ‘World of Warcraft’: You’ve got 11-year-olds who are learning to delegate responsibility, promote teamwork and steer groups of people toward a common goal. † Games that are designed to help teach are having an impact on college-age pupils as well. Following a recent 3D virtual simulation of a US/Canadian border crossing, wherein students assumed the role of guards, Loyalist College in Ontario reported that the number of successful test scores increased from 56 percent to 95 percent. Improved Multitasking Other carefully-designed studies have also shown that action video games can improve several aspects of brain activity, including multitasking. According to studies by Daphne Bavelier, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, video gamers show real-world improvements on tests of attention, accuracy, vision and multitasking after playing certain titles. â€Å"If you think about it, the attentional and working memory demands of video games can be much greater than other tasks,† says Michael Stroud, a professor of psychology at Merrimack College. â€Å"Consider Pac-Man as an example. In Pac-Man, you must navigate your character through a spatial layout while monitoring the separate paths of four additional objects (the ghosts), while keeping the overall goal of clearing the small pellets in memory, as well as keeping track of the remaining large pellets. † â€Å"Think about how this may apply to skills such as driving,† he continues. â€Å"When you drive your car, you are faced with a constantly changing environment in the road, not to mention several other distractions that compete for attention that reside in the car. At the same time, you are attempting to navigate through the environment to reach a goal. † Social Benefits Games with broad appeal that are easy to grasp can additionally help many families play together, and better bridge the gap between generations. Consider a title like hip-wiggling simulation Just Dance, which can have young kids dancing alongside their grandparents. There are also many games that have positive social messages that encourage families to be a force for good. In a series of experiments published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers found that participants who had just played a â€Å"pro-social† game in which characters must work together to help each other out as compared to those who had just played a â€Å"neutral† game (e. g. Tetris) were more likely to engage in helpful behaviors. Examples included assisting in a situation involving an abusive boyfriend, picking up a box of pencils or even volunteering to participate in more research. So-called â€Å"serious games,† specifically designed to teach and inform, are also having an impact on the world. Titles like the United Nations’ Food Force teach kids about real-life issues, humanitarianism and the practical challenges facing governments and private organizations today. In the game, children must complete six different missions that reflect the real-life obstacles faced by the World Food Programme in its emergency responses. Other games, like Nourish Interactive’s online Chef Solus and the Food Pyramid Adventure, teach kids about the benefits of healthy eating habits, while still more highlight pressing geopolitical and social issues, e. g. the Global Conflicts series. Upsides can even extend into the physical world. Consider Facebook game Ecotopia. In summer 2011, players of the popular social game met a challenge from its creators and planted 25,000 trees in the game world in 25 days, leading the game’s developer to plant 25,000 trees in real life. Career Benefits Future career choices for today’s tots will no doubt be influenced by technology in a way that is difficult for many parents to imagine too. Skills learned and honed playing home console and video games, as well as mobile gaming apps, will undoubtedly be very valuable to students in the workforce of 2025. As mentioned earlier, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) has proclaimed that kids need more, not less, video game play. They argue that video games hold the potential to help address one of America’s most pressing problems – preparing students for an increasingly competitive global market. â€Å"The success of complex video games demonstrates that games can teach higher-order thinking skills such as strategic thinking, interpretative analysis, problem solving, plan formulation and execution, and adaptation to rapid change,† the Federation announced in a 2010 report. â€Å"These are the skills U. S. employers increasingly seek in workers and new workforce entrants. † Games are increasingly being used to educate and instruct workers around the globe by governments, trade bodies and the world’s largest corporations as well. From Cisco Systems’ The Cisco Mind Share Game, which facilitates network certification, to the US Department of Justice’s Incident Commander, in which emergency responders practice coordinating disaster relief efforts, the number of practical examples continues to grow. In fact, a recent study by the Entertainment Software Association found that 70 percent of major domestic employers have utilized interactive software and games for training purposes, and nearly eight out of 10 plan on doing so by 2013. Going forward, in addition to polishing your resume and interview skills, who knows? You may even want to brush up on your button-mashing abilities. Encouraging Cooperation and Teamwork Many games today also emphasize the cooperative aspects of game play, in which two or more players need to work together in order to reach a common goal. For instance, games like Lego Star Wars or Kirby’s Epic Yarn are enhanced by having players cooperate to solve in-game puzzles. Massively multiplayer games such as LEGO Universe and Lord of the Rings Online further offer added depth, atmosphere and enjoyment by allowing players to band together and work as a team in order to complete certain quests or defeat especially tricky opponents. Game industry analysts such as DFC Intelligence actually predict that video game revenue will reach nearly $70 billion by 2015, thanks in large part to these online, cooperative, subscription-based games that can be played together. Small wonder top titles like Star Wars: The Old Republic and Titan (the next MMO from Blizzard, the company that created World of Warcraft) continue to resonate so strongly with millions worldwide. Even the way that games are made can encourage teamwork. At Washburn University in Kansas, students study the game development process as a way to build teamwork and collaborative skills. â€Å"It taught me to work in a group,† said Washburn student Adam Bideau of the program in a recent interview with the Washburn Review. â€Å"Video games are not created by just one person and they require you to work well with others. You have to pool everyone’s talents together in order to produce the required product. † Promoting Exercise All parents know that kids need a healthy combination of physical and mental exercise. Happily, today’s motion-controlled games for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Kinect, Nintendo’s Wii and Wii U, and Sony’s PlayStation Move help kids get both kinds of workouts at the same time. Better yet, people of all ages are finding them a more approachable way to stay physically fit. While many shy away from exercise because they see it as an activity that isn’t enjoyable, organizations like the American Heart Association now cite, and even recommend, video games as a fun and entertaining way to enjoy physical activity. Upsides of active play are considerable too. A study reported in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine of 39 Boston middle-school children who played with six different interactive gaming systems found that the games â€Å"compared favorably with walking on a treadmill at three miles per hour, with four out of the six activities resulting in higher energy expenditure. † Organizations supporting individuals of all ages and interests are additionally using active games to help get people up and moving. Nursing homes, cruise ships and even after-school programs all now employ active video games in some form to help stimulate both the mind and body. The good news: People seem to be enjoying active play more than ever. Healthy diversions such as Wii Fit and Zumba Fitness continue to be some of the most popular and best-selling games year in and out.

The Dim Lighting Company Case Analysis

The Dim Lighting is facing a major decision. They are deciding whether or not to undertake a new project. This project is an extremely costly and time consuming one but on the other hand it may bring great benefits to the company. There are many considerations that are going into the big decision. Jim West is the general manager of the Dim Lighting Company and is thinking over all the ideas and alternatives. There are some problems that deal with the company as a whole. Does the company want to wait until they are â€Å"going down† to think of new innovations? The company knows that they can’t just sit without change. In an ever changing market, a company that wants to be successful must keep up with change. On the other hand, investing in a major project when the company isn’t in the best financial form may not be so beneficial as well. In theory the company may want to react to the situation but in practice they just don’t have the means. There are some problems micro problems with innovation as well. Firstly, it is possible that Spinks has a major influence on the decision because of his autocratic personality. The other managers know that Spinks is a vital member and losing him may really hurt the company. Their decision may be swayed to satisfy Spinks. Another issue on the micro scale is West’s needs for a profitable year. Jim West needs to see the company profitable after a year of slowed profit. This may cause his decision to be biased. There are a few causes that may lead to a change in the company. Firstly is the need for an additional source of income. The company needs to come up with new ways to bring in income and a new innovation look like a great way. Another cause may be the need for new innovation after the same product type has been sold for many years. The workers may be itching for a change and grab the first possible moment. Lastly, the cause for the change may be the overbearing personality of Mr. Spinks. A change like this one can really affect the entire sociotechnical system of a company. Obviously, the technical subsystem of the company would be changed to focus on outputting a new product. In addition, the company currently has a traditional structure if indeed the change does take place the structure will change. As far as the psychosocial subsystem, there are some behavioral problems displayed in the case that can really have a negative effect on the company. The stubbornness of Spinks is just one example of such a behavior. The goals and values of the company and parent company seem to be making income with no need for innovation. The parent company didn’t want to support this change. If the change is made the whole goal of the company will be changes. Lastly, the managerial subsystem will be affected as well. The way the management deals with things will be altered for good. (Brown, 2011) There are some alternative plans that West should consider. Firstly, West should consider a compromise with Spinks and his proposed plans. He can suggest that the project be spread over four years instead of two. He can also tell Spinks that he had to lower the budget a little to make the project feasible. Another option would be to find a private investor. There are people who will invest in new products in the hope of gaining from the profits. If there is a private investor, the company will not make as much profit but at the same time they will save millions on research and development. One last idea, the company can lay out the benefits and pluses of the new product and represent it to the parent company. Perhaps the company will decide to contribute to the funds. There are a few things that should be recommended to West. Firstly, he needs to be very cautious around Spinks. He needs Spinks in the company because of his many attributes. He needs to validate Spinks and be sure to work with him and not against him. Angering Spinks may lead to his resignation, which would be a big loss for the company. West also needs to be told that he needs to think long term. He needs to put aside a one year income improvement and look at the long term picture. I would recommend that West meet with an external practitioner to discuss the issues. The practitioner can talk to all the managers, hear them all out, and then help the company make the best decision possible. An external practitioner is one that comes from a different viewpoint and position of objectivity. ( Zainbooks. com) Lastly, I would suggest that West be sure to do some morale boosting activities during this time. It is a stressful time for all those in the company and West needs to make sure that it has no effect on the employees and managers. Conclusion: This case was a real eye opener for me. I have not been in the business world for long and never at a managerial level. This case showed me how real issues come up and people can be very influential. This case also showed me the importance of consulting a practitioner when issues that are large come up. I also saw the amount of time and consideration that goes into every step that a business takes. It was a great case to display the needs for organizational development in the business world. References: Brown, Donald R. (2011). An Experiential Approach to Organization Development. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. www. Zainbooks.com, The Organization Development Practitioner, http://www.zainbooks.com/books/management/organization-development_10_the-organization-development-practitioner.html, April 4, 2011

The Current Tools for Diplomacy and Peacekeeping Coursework

The Current Tools for Diplomacy and Peacekeeping - Coursework Example The focus has been on occasional operations involving peacemaking and humanitarian intervention instead of wars. In Africa, several peacekeeping bodies have been made such as African Union`s Peace and Security Council, working on conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy. Nearly half of the UN peacekeeping operations in Africa are in Sub-Saharan Africa, the objectives of which are to promote stability in several regions of Africa, to stop renewed violence in Congo and other such peacemaking objectives. The US presidential statement focused on dealing with the root causes of violence in Africa. It also focused on the importance of structural and operational strategies for peacemaking in the region. It has been observed that Africa has fully supported the efforts of the UN in the promotion of peace and stability in the country through these diplomatic tools. The dominant powers have co-operated by providing security in exchange for resource supplements. Several peacemaking missions have already been completed such as those in Somalia, Rwanda, Liberia etc and several others are in process. The  US has used mediation strategies such as those in Angola and Namibia agreements and other indirect mediation in Liberia etc. Equitable power balance has been promoted throughout Africa. Central state power has also been reduced to give more autonomy to political groups and parties. The Rwandan genocide was one of the most devastating massacres of the world. Nearly 800,000 people were killed without any reason. The killing of these 800,000 people went unchallenged by the global community as important decision makers ignored such a big massacre. The United Nations sent a group of peacemakers for what seemed to be a plain and straightforward mission.

Ethical Issues in Media Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Issues in Media - Research Paper Example So, in case it features some corruption in terms of Ethics, the impact that it has on the social environment will be quite destructive. In addition to that, media platforms are known to form public opinion; therefore, if they convey information that is not correct, a part of the society will develop a wrong perception of reality. This paper will analyze an example that appeared in the media and violated ethics of journalism, proving that this is not acceptable for a reliable source of news and have negative influence on the society in general. Thus, when NBC which is a well known network was covering the shooting of Trayvon Martin, it featured audio recording that portray the alleged killer in a biased way. For example, George Zimmerman is showing saying: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.† (â€Å"Trayvon Martin case†). However, this is not exactly what Zimmerman said. He did say that the person who he was watching was up to no good, but the phrase â€Å"he looks black† was a reply to the question: â€Å"OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?† (Wemple, 2012). So, in the first situation, people might think that Zimmerman was a racial profiler since he connected ethnicity of the boy and his activity; however, the objective picture shows that he simply answered the question that he was asked (Ross, 2014, 64). Therefore, one would make no mistake pointing out that NBC presented an incorrect depiction of Zimmerman, trying to make him appear a worse perso n than he actually was. The First Amendment should be engaged in the discussion of this situation. According to it, the law prohibits any infringing on the freedom of the press; however, the latter is required to convey objective data. In case it fails to do so, the law should punish it (Anastaplo, 2007, 222). If one takes a look at the ethical issue in question, one will be able to see that it compromises justice to a

How to improve the poor customer service rating Research Proposal

How to improve the poor customer service rating - Research Proposal Example This research will help readers take corrective action in relation to customer satisfaction and improve their customer service rating. The increased use of Interactive Voice Response Systems (IVRs) has hindered personal interaction between consumers and the service providers, leading to dissatisfaction and discontentment of consumers. Therefore, there is a need to rectify this problem and divert to more consumer interactive models of customer service. The goal of this investigate is to provide an interactive customer service model that will increase customer service and in turn increase customer satisfaction and service ratings. Case studies have shown that by eliminating the barrier between customers and service providers, the customers feel more appreciated and better served. It has also been proven that this increases customer retention rates. This will be done by adopting a face to face sale of company’s products to consumers, a process that will be very interactive through product sampling, answer query session and feedback about the product. The customer will be able to interact personally with the service provider and ask questions about the product i.e. how it works, what ingredients have been used to make it, what its limitations are, how long the product will serve the customer among other questions the customer might have. This solution will also enable the customer feel well served since his/her complains/concerns will be handled immediately without the hustle of having to follow up through phone calls. By eliminating barriers, more customer interactive model will be adopted that will hel p accomplish the first objectives of this research, i.e., to make customer service interactive and also the second objective by ensuring that customers are satisfied with services provided. Most customers are not satisfied with the service they

The Environment and Technology in Feed (responses) Assignment

The Environment and Technology in Feed (responses) - Assignment Example However, on the other, it is causes serious environmental problems such as the destruction of Jefferson Park. When more artificial elements are incorporated into life, the natural elements are apparently forced out. Therefore, Feed just like every other dystopian piece of literature shows how the future might end in apocalypse if necessary actions are not taken immediately. It shows how government uses technology to literally control the minds of people, thus, the story serves as a gentle reminder to make young readers see beyond the truth shown to them. The Teen Ink article as well as the Colson Article provide in depth information regarding the genre of YA dystopia and further exemplify how the genre has shifted throughout time. The latter furthermore identifies that it is the â€Å"courage and vision to begin anew† portrayed through stories of this genre that make it so popular among modern day teens (Colson 2012). Hope is identified as the â€Å"most powerful emotion† in YA dystopia, however, in Feed, Anderson does not seem to portray it too much, as in the end, the rebellious Violet dies and throughout the story her thoughts are always dismissed and no one listens to her (Teen Ink 2014). I completely agree with the plot and themes presented in the novel, however, I believe that Anderson could have inclined a bit more towards hope rather than truth so that his readers could end with a better note of â€Å"uplifting sense of triumph†