Argument for The Abolishment of Capital Punishment GCSE

Do two wrongs make a right? That is the question you should ask yourself. How can one life be worth more than another?s? Would you like to have your dignity, and even your basic human rights to stripped away from you at the flick of a switch or the pull of a trigger? What is the point in Capital punishment when it doesnt even deter crime? A study into the effect of Capital Punishment said, the presence of the death penalty in law and practice has no discernible effect as a deterrent to murder. How does this serve as a deterrent to crime? It offers the convict an easy way out with no reflection on what theyve done. They dont learn from their mistakes and although there is obviously no risk of re-offence, the criminal cannot give†¦show more content†¦Can one death blot out the other? And what of the families? The victim?s family is grieving, so how can the sorrow of another family help them? I believe it to be a barbaric practice that does not have a place in modern society. Many people state public safety as the reason for their support of Capital Punishment. Obviously those executed are unable to re-offend, but what of deterring others? It has been proven that in states with capital punishment crime can be at an equal or even significantly higher rate than states without it. I believe imprisonment to be a greater deterrent than execution. Execution offer an easy way out for the criminal in terms of that they don?t have to feel sorry for what they?ve done. Whereas imprisonment lets them think it over for a long time, which I believe would be better for public safety, as very few would wish to be re-incarcerated after serving a life sentence. As I said, execution cannot possibly be classed as humane. Some would argue that being incarcerated isn?t as humane as execution. Was Allan Lee Davies? execution humane, in any way? I seriously doubt it. Ask a prisoner if he would rather suffer horrifically or serve a sentence in a prison. The answer you would get is rather obvious. The emotional pain inflicted on the criminal may be as great as the physical suffering, for example, those due to be electrocuted are shaved and

Fitful and Changing Femininity in Virgils Aeneid

As a child, I was fascinated by Greek mythology and history, and I made it my business in elementary school to read as much as possible about the subject, including the outstanding stories and the pantheon of gods presented. I thought of them as fantastic, supernatural tales with fitful gods and brave heroes, and I never stopped to consider that the mythologies could be representative of the cultural views and habits of the Greeks, specifically regarding gender roles. One such representaton is Virgils epic Aeneid, which contains depictions of women in positions of power, and also characterizes these women as irrational, emotional to the point of hysteria, and consequently, unfit rulers. Historically, much information about the role of†¦show more content†¦Once Aeneas is rather harshly reminded of his duty, he apparently snaps back into his role as a founder of cities rather than a role of a tame husband (in Mercurys words), and he successfully fights down his emotions and ma kes a clean break from Dido with no long lasting ill effects on his psyche. Dido, on the other hand, is first enraged and incredibly bitter, then desperate, and finally, crazed by passion to the point of suicide. She finds herself unable to function any longer as a successful builder of Carthage, and her honor has been tainted by her affair with Aeneas to the point where she cannot see a future for herself as a ruler. She can no longer command any respect from her people or other neighboring rulers, and in her pain, she sets up a funeral pyre for herself out of Aeneas possessions. Here again we find the emotions of women bringing them to extreme lows as Didos lost passion consumes her, not only spiritually, but physically in her suicidal bonfire. However, this negative portrayal of women also extends to the immortal women in the Aeneid, specifically, the goddess Juno. As the wife and sister of Jove, she wields a great deal of power and influence, especially in the life of Aeneas, wh o she attempts to foil at every turn. She feels protective of Carthage, and she holds a deep seated grudge against him as the fated eventual founder of Rome, which is also fated to destroy Carthage. As a goddess, we can imply that

Secret Life of Bees Book Report Free Essays

Some girls grow up without a mother, but they don’t know how lucky they are that they don’t have to live with the feeling of guilt and remorse that Lilly Owens has to live with everyday. Everyday, since the age of four, Lilly has to deal with the regret of killing her own mother, Deborah. On December 3, 1954, in the small town outside of Sylvan, South Carolina, a normal day turned tragic. We will write a custom essay sample on Secret Life of Bees Book Report or any similar topic only for you Order Now Deborah Owens was trying to escape from home with Lilly in her hands, hoping to abandon her abusive husband, T. Ray. [pic] The situation turned physical when T. Ray tried stopping Deborah from leaving. Lilly saw that her beloved mother was in need of help. In an effort to aid her, she retrieved the gun. Lilly picked it up and BANG! The noise exploded, and ended Deborah’s life. The whole town found out about how Deborah Owens died and looked at Lilly a different way. She was neglected by her father, and teased by several schoolmates. Her father continuously told her how her mother was leaving Lilly that devastating night. Although she refused to believe T. Ray’s accusation, Lilly felt unloved by everyone: her father, her friends, and even, at times, her deceased mother. Her only friend was her black maid, Rosaleen. After getting into trouble, she and Rosaleen, ran away. Lilly tried to find the true story of what happened that night her mother died. R. I. P. Deborah Owens, December 3, 1954. Mother of Lilly Owens, wife of Terrence (T. Ray) Owens. In 1964, the Civil Rights Movement allowed for African Americans to speak up against injustices and demand equality. Although this movement allowed for African Americans to vote, they had a lot of trouble doing so. [pic] In The Secret Life of Bees, Rosaleen, Lilly’s black maid, decided to vote for the first time. Two white southerners stopped Rosaleen in her path, and began taunting her. After spitting â€Å"snuff† on their shoes, Rosaleen was beaten up and demanded to apologize. Rosaleen refused to apologize, landing her in jail with stitches and several injuries from the white men. Although the Civil rights acts tried to give equality to African Americans, many white’s refused to acknowledge these new laws. The South was known for outbursts from white people, who tried to hinder African American’s search for equality. The 1960s was a time for change, whether our nation was ready or not. How to cite Secret Life of Bees Book Report, Essays

Examples of Whistleblowing in Business †Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Examples of Whistleblowing in Business System. Answer: Introduction In the course of undertaking our daily activities, we are bound to abide by some guidelines, work according to set rules and relate based on some laws(El). Inasmuch as these rules, guidelines, conditions and/or laws may be clear, defiance is society is inevitable; illegal activities, fraud, mismanagement of funds, or general wrong doing still exists in our work environment; a state that gives birth to whistleblowers(GAP). A whistleblower is a person who gives information to law enforcement body or an agency that regulates operation of a certain industry or group of people or even a person concerning an illegal activity; exposing an offender.(GAP). The word itself is not new, since time immemorial we have been having whistleblowers. For examples include Edward Snowden, who openly admitted to have leaked the information to National Security Agency; where he works. Others include Frank Serpico, Jeffrey Wigand and Coleen Rowley(Fastenberg, 2013). Why whistleblowers? Whistleblowers mainly exists to give intelligence information, especially to the government. Governments agencies all over the world rely on the intelligence information to track wrongdoing and prevent occurrence of risks such as terrorism activities(Public Accounts Committee, 2014). The absence of whistleblowers can make the intelligence departments of businesses and governments unproductive. Margaret Hodge, one of the members of parliament had this to say about whistleblowing, Whistleblowing is a crucial source of intelligence to help government identify wrongdoing and risks to public service delivery.(Public Accounts Committee, 2014) Thus in brevity, whistleblowing should exist to track down the evil and harmful activities that are continually skyrocketing in our environment; especially in the terrorism activities. Should they be protected from retaliation? Due to the sensitivity and risky nature of whistleblowing profession, the government and concerned agencies should ensure protection of the whistleblowers. Should not only involve safety and security but also welfare because the whistleblowers welfare should be looked into; most of the time, whistleblowers have to separate themselves from their beloved ones to seek asylum(Public Accounts Committee, 2014). Margaret Hodge notes, Departments must ensure that whistleblowers are protected, supported and have their welfare monitored. There should be timely reporting back to whistleblowers on how their concerns have been addressed. Compromise agreements should not be used to buy silence from whistleblowers and instead should be subject to approval by the Cabinet Office. The government of Australia has recognized the need for whistleblower protection. Australian Securities and Investment Commission has defined and classified who a whistleblower is and sworn to protect any person who lies under the classification giving information to them(ASIC). Conclusion The concept of whistleblowing is important to our contemporary society. However, besides the myriads of benefits, whistleblowers are continuously being exposed to danger making those willing to blow the whistle to back off. Thus it is important for stakeholders to come up with right modalities to strengthen and reinvigorate the activities of whistleblowers. References ASIC. (n.d.). Guidance for whistleblowers. Retrieved from Australian Security and Investment Commission: https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/asic-investigations-and-enforcement/whistleblowing/guidance-for-whistleblowers/ El, B. (n.d.). Examples of Whistleblowing in Business. Retrieved from Chron: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-whistleblowing-business-2651.html Fastenberg, D. (2013, June 12). 9 Famous Whistle-Blowers: Where Are They Now? Retrieved from Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/9-famous-whistle-blowers-2013-6?IR=T GAP. (n.d.). What is a Whistleblower? Retrieved from Government Accountability Project: https://www.whistleblower.org/what-whistleblower Public Accounts Committee. (2014, August 1). Whistleblowing is important source of intelligence. Retrieved from Parliament of UK: https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/news/report-whistleblowing-policy/

Advertizing and Globalization

Presenting a Research Question and Outline of a Research Thesis The process of globalization has spread over many spheres of human activities and advertizing is one of those. The development of new media, technological advancement, the rise of multinational enterprises, and, finally, rapid expansion of integration processes to the economy through trading relationships is a result of universal promotion of products.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Advertizing and Globalization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The research question under consideration puts forward an argument that globalization has become the key issues for the creation of new standards and requirements for the development of advertising. In particular, globalization make the advertizing marketing develop new concepts with regard to cultural diversity and, at the same time, present a shift in producing more universal products. This presents a contr oversy that needs to be resolved and tackled in cultural, social, and economic terms. Presenting a Summary of Scholarly Sources According to Lee and Johnson (30), global perspective of advertising is directly related to cultural and social development influencing the course that should be taken to attract global consumers and to promote a product to the international market. In particular, the researchers state that â€Å"the advertiser who wants to communicate with foreign consumer must consider the environments that influence people’s tastes, attitudes, and the way they think† (Lee and Johnson 30). Interpreting this statement, the integration process, informative and political expansion should construct culturally competitive advertising campaigns that would take national and social demands in the deepest consideration. Like globalization influences the principles of advertising, the advertising industry plays a tangible role in the development of economic and cultur al change. In particular, advertising agencies has been subjected to transnationalization through foreign direct investment, which has led to the construction of a global advertising approach (Leslie 403). Advertising is now closely intertwined with global concepts, global research studies, and global standardized campaigns. Advertizing and globalization, thus, have become mutually dependent because they are both based on the consideration of cultural, spatial, and economic characteristics of social organization.Advertising Looking for essay on advertising? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The arguments developed in the above-presented sources provide consistent explanations and argument correlating with the above research question because they provide a consistent chain of connections between advertizing, globalization, and social and cultural organization. Providing Supporting Arguments While discussing the role of culture in launching a global advertizing approach, one argues the necessity to address national cultures, which sometimes contradict the universal tendencies of global markets (Batra 152). On the one hand, due to the rise of globalization and integration, national and cultural boundaries are fading away, thus, eliminating any opportunities for introducing cultural identity and originality (Szeman 212). On the other hand, although global advertising makes feeble attempts at introducing cultural aspect, there is still a threat of the introduction of the so-called contemporary neo-liberalism (Szeman 213). In response to the creation of global concepts and universal approach to advertising, there is still a necessity to introduce diverse communicative schemes in a global marketplace where the priority should given to particular tastes, attitudes, and habits of a particular community (Lee and Johnson 23). So, if the message is culturally irrelevant, the entire advertising campaign is doomed to be a failure. The increase of consumers’ mobility and company’s global activities is also the result of political and economic integration where advertising plays the role of catalyst. The research conducted by Hansen and Christensen (121) has proved that cultural issues have gradually become of secondary importance. More importantly, the companies that were not globally active before use their political and economic domination in the world as an effective means for promoting their culture (Hansen and Christensen120). By introducing the corporate branding, leading companies and giant producers provide a great impact on globalization making it more objective and irresistible to other cultural concerns. Such an unequal approach to cultural diversity leads to uneven global trends in advertising where less represented cultures are ignored by dominant cultures (Pieterse 32). According to Pieterse, â€Å"†¦contemporary globalization refers to the exclusion of the majorit y of humanity – the majority in large parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America who are excluded from life in the last lane, from the ‘interlinked economies’ of the ‘Triad zone’†(32). In other world, global tendencies in advertising can have diverse effects for cultural and ethnical minorities, specifically in the developing cultures.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Advertizing and Globalization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Considering the reverse side of our research question, there is a growing tendency in using global technologies for advertising specific product, thereby, promoting national culture (Schumann and Thorson 308). Hence, being a brainchild of globalization, the Internet has become a platform for the companies to advertise their specific products. In such a way, the advertising use global approaches for promoting local product. Such trends in marketing hav e made globalization as one of profitable tools for business development. Hence, the marketers and advertisers do not underestimate the necessity for advertising localization on the World Wide Wed. The point is that the global nature of the Internet can promote local trends for advertising and present a solid platform for sustaining national culture and providing them with global status. Works Cited Batra, Advertising Management. UK: Pearson Education India, 2006. Print. Hansen, Flemming, and Christensen, Lars Bech. Branding and Advertising. Denmark: Copenhagen Business School Press DK, 2003. Lee, Monle, and Johnson, Carla. Principles of Advertising: a Global Perspective. NJ:Routledge, 2005. Print. Leslie, David. A. Global Scan: The Globalization of Advertising Agencies, Concepts, and Campaigns. Economic Geography. 71.4 (1995): 402-426. Print. Pieterse, Jan Nederveen. Globalization and culture: global mà ©lange. US: Rowman Littlefield, 2009.Advertising Looking for essay on advertising? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Schumann, David W., and Thorson, Esther. Internet Marketing: Theory and Research. NJ: Routledge, 2007. Print. Szeman, Imre. The Rhetoric of Culture: Some Notes on Magazines, Canadian Culture and Globalization. Journal of Canadian Studies 35.3 (2000): 212 This essay on Advertizing and Globalization was written and submitted by user Tanner H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Hate Crimes essay

Hate Crimes essay Hate Crimes essay Hate Crimes essayThe terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have led to the considerable increase in the rate of hate crimes against Muslims in the United States. In the first year after the September 11 attacks, the percentage of anti-Islamic hate crimes in the United States rose up to 1,000%. The statistical data on hate crimes against Muslims living in the United States helps to reveal real causes of these practices in order to â€Å"allow law enforcement to accurately prosecute hate crimes on behalf of the community† (American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, 2012). Post-9/11 anti-Muslim and anti-Arab backlash and discrimination affected local and global communities to a great extent. For example, employment discrimination, bullying in schools, insults and other forms of backlash make Arab Americans feel unprotected in the United States (Korgen Furst, 2012). According to recent report, â€Å"the effect on Arab Americans has been so dramatic, that a recent study shows that discrimination and prejudice against Arab-Americans leads to measurable psychological distress and reduced levels of self-esteem and environmental mastery† (American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, 2012). At the same time, hate crimes relate to fear, frustration and/or ignorance because many Americans have negative views toward Arab Americans, and foster stereotyping and prejudice. Some individuals and groups believe that violence directed at Muslims, as a form of revenge, is acceptable more than a decade after 9/11 because of continuous hate toward terrorists. The creation of the anti-Muslim movement is based on two key tactics, which influence the lives of Arab Americans. First, many people consider that the actions of the most radical Muslims are focused on interpreting the Koran, while peaceful Muslims do not follow this way. Second, many people believe that individuals and organizations who promote the representation of â€Å"moderate Islam† in the U.S. a re secret agents operatives in the Muslim plan aimed at destroying the West (Steinback, 2011). Thus, the issue about hate crimes should be addressed in a proper way. Effective solutions should be found to prevent social harm inflicted by hate crimes.

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economics - Essay Example It is a type of RAM that retains its data only if it is continuously accessed by a refresher circuit, in the absence of which it loses its contents. All personal computers use DRAM, as against SRAM (static random access memory), because they are much cheaper and occupy much less space (PC Guide, 2001). Online technology news publication Network World reported on January 4, 2011, that towards the end of 2010 until the date of writing, there had been an oversupply of DRAM which sent prices to its lowest price in one year (Jennings, 2011). The situation was blamed on post-holiday oversupply, also sending prices for personal computers lower. 3.0 Analysis 3.1 Supply and Demand Demand is â€Å"a desire for a good, backed by ability and willingness to pay.† Market demand is the cumulative demand of all buyers (Dwivedi, 2005, p. 34). The law of demand is â€Å"all things being equal, the amount demanded increases with a fall in price and diminishes with a rise in price† (Marsha ll, quoted in Dwivedi, 2005, p. 35). In the article, it was mentioned that earlier in 2010 there had been a forecast of shortage for the DRAM. The forecast was based on a Goldman Sachs PC unit growth forecast made in March 17, 2010 (Telecoms Korea, 2010). Because DRAMs are major components of PCs, there was a projected increase in demand for DRAMs to service the higher demand for PC manufactures. As the market unfolded for the rest of the year, however, it became apparent that the forecasted demand was overestimated. Supply is â€Å"the quantity of a commodity which its producers or sellers offer for sale at a given price, per unit of time.† Market supply is the sum of supplies of commodity by all individual firms (Dwivedi, 2005, p. 47). The law of supply is â€Å"all things being equal, the quantity supplied increases with the increase in price, and decreases with the decrease in price† (Dwivedi, 2005, p. 47). In the article, it was mentioned that beginning December, as the holiday shopping season lost momentum, major semiconductor manufacturers continued to output DRAMs in large volume, purported to stay competitive. This was due to the earlier forecast of a DRAM shortage, for which companies increased factory capacity, that in turn required higher production outputs to even out the additional overhead and maintain a lower per unit cost. Figure 1 following is a graph of the superimposed supply and demand curves. It is evident that increasing price leads to an increase in quantity supplied and decrease in quantity demanded. The point at which the two curves intersect is the equilibrium point, representing the price at which the quantity demanded is equal to the quantity supplied, and transactions take place. It is at this point where the market is made. There are shaded portions of the graph where surplus and shortages are represented. The interest of this paper is the area above the equilibrium point, where surplusage, or oversupply, occurs. At these prices, the quantity supplied exceeds the quantity demanded, forcing the suppliers to lower their prices. Figure 1: Law of Supply and Demand 3.2 Oversupply (Surplus) Oversupply occurs when the quantity supplied exceeds quantity demanded. This would tend to drive prices down, because suppliers would tend to outbid each other in a price war

The Baroque Period Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Baroque Period - Essay Example The Baroque Era of Music is traditionally considered the period of time between 1580 and 1760. As with other art forms of the period, the Baroque Era of music is noted for its ornate qualities. One of the most notable music forms coming out of this period was the Opera. Although there were variations of the Opera throughout Europe, including Italy, Germany, England and France, during the Baroque Period, they all contained several interlocking threads: the ornate set designs, beautiful melodies and professional presentation. The opera was originally designed as a form of entertainment for the court and as such usually spared no expense in their set design and elaborate costumes. Operas of this time period used â€Å"different approaches to singing and embellishment (even bowing) and freer attitudes toward improvisation.One of the main focuses in Baroque style music was the expressiveness of the era itself was expressed so beautiful in the music of this time period – bold, arti culate and free flowing. â€Å"There are people -- actors, preachers, and public speakers, singers -- called upon to use their voices in public spaces with bigger or smaller voices. And these Baroque composers, Handel for example, understood the human voice probably like nobody before or after.† (Giles, 1999, 43). By far the Baroque Era can be summed up musically, as with the era itself, grand. It was larger that life. The elaborate spectacles were designed to entrain while vocalizing with flare and flash the grandeur of the period. Thought provoking always; it was reaching out and questioning with a style and grandeur that can only be termed is Baroque. This style of music and its very nature, like the development of counterpoint itself during this era was a period of exploration and growth with heavy influences of the church the music was almost a release from any societal conceived limitations. It was freedom of expression beautiful performed with the flourish and bold vis ual impact, intricate musical embellishment and theatrical dramatization. This age of conceptualizing and wondering had respect for the past but also an eye on the future. This was expressed also through the literary works focusing on one of the artistic masters of the time period, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Using the inquisitive, questions style typified by many of the writers of the Baroque period Pino Di Silvestro, the author, beautifully rediscovers the literary flair of the time period. Like the renewed emergence of the importance of the church as an entity during this time period literature and art marked "a similar subversion of the status quo is to be found in those of

Theoires Of International Political Economy Essay

Theoires Of International Political Economy - Essay Example This essay discusses that Karl Marx, who was a staunch communist and opponent of capitalism, developed the Marxism theory. He highlighted that capitalism introduced a system governed by money. This aspect divided the society into two classes. Those who had money as well as a means of production qualified as the capitalists, which he referred to as the bourgeoisie and the laborers whom he called the proletariat. The laborers did not have the capital and were hence unable to access a means of production. The purpose of the capitalists was to ensure that their systems registered the highest profits but minimal costs. This means that they were only willing to pay little wages to the laborers. On the other hand, the laborers purposed to get the highest possible wage while doing the least work possible. Evidently, the needs for both classes were contrary to each other a factor that introduced class conflicts as Marx highlighted. As described above, different historians and economists descr ibed the three economic theories. Their relevance in the modern day cannot receive any form of underestimation. Different historians have highlighted that Mercantilism is of significance because it highlights the specific roles that a strong state should play if it is to promote the economic stability and the reinforcement of liberal rules across the globe. On the other hand, there is evidence that Marxism answers the increasing questions on why there is under development in third world countries.

Complexity of the Concept of the Sacred

Complexity of the Concept of the Sacred Understanding the concept of the Sacred is a complex phenomenon. Assess keeping in mind over 4000 years of the sacred. Since the beginning of Humanity, Man has been trying to make sense of the world around itself, trying to fill in the pieces to questions it does not know the answer to. The human journey can be seen as a quest a search for knowledge, comfort and ultimately for understanding. Perhaps the greatest of humanities question have involved faith and the notion of a divine god/being. Beliefs about god have traveled a long road to todays understanding of the notion of God, the divine and sacred. God as a work in progress began first with the many gods of the polytheistic faith systems, with each god having limited domain of power and responsibility. For early human beings, such gods felt familiar and relatable. They didnt see a big gulf between the divine and the real, this is what made it so approachable, understandable and ultimately follow able. The concept of sacred was simply something that was beyond normal (Armstrong, 1993). According to Stormonth Phelp (1896) the word Sacred is derived from the Latin origin word Sacer, which means dedicated or consecrated to the higher beings i.e. gods or anything divine. The word is often used interchangeably with Holy; however there are minor differences with the concept of holiness in that it is primarily used in relation to relationships and persons, while sacred is used in relation to happenings, places or objects (McCann, 2008). This need for completion has led to various mythos to have formed over the years, culminating in the concepts of the Sacred/Profane dichotomy aptly explained by French Sociologist Emile Durkheim. The sacred is the boundless spirit of the religious and divine experience. Religions throughout their history have included very mixed beliefs and manifestations of those beliefs, but they all have something quite universal and explicit, regardless of their nature, through which the religious experience is differentiated from all others and that is that the sacred is something above and beyond the believers. Therefore, the sacred is highly subjective in its nature and Bastide concisely put it: if I were to give a definition of the sacred, it would cross my subjectivity, my own experience of the sacred and not a general definition (Desroche Bastide, 1974). To begin understanding the concept of the Sacred, it is best to understand what is considered Sacred and what is considered Profane. In Durkheims theory of Religion, both these concepts are the central tenant. The Sacred, according to Durkheim is an ideal, something that transcends everyday existence and is both awe-inspiring as well as fear inducing, and something potentially dangerous as well as extra-ordinary. Sacred in his view refers to things that have been set apart by man as requiring special religious treatment and veneration. One key point to note is that Sacred can be anything, from the earth to the moon, a bird, an animal, a rock, a tree to a god. The sacredness comes from a community marking them as such and once they have been established as a sacred, they are embodied in religious practices, sentiments and beliefs. The profane, on the other hand is anything that is simply ordinary, it embraces practices, persons and ideas that are in the end seen with everyday mundane attitudes of familiarity, utility and commonness. Both the sacred and profane are highly interrelated due to the extreme levels of emotions they invoke in the people that believe in them and according the Durkheim, the concept of Sacred and the profane varies amongst society to society (Durkheim, 1974). Durkheim expanded upon his notions and expressed religion as a management of the sacred, the means by which a system is generated to warrant the execution of the sacred in the community. Various sociological theories suggest that at the centre of any religion is the sacred and religion is nothing but a social phenomenon in its origin, content and purpose (Desroche Bastide, 1974). Sosis Alcorta (2003) are major proponents of the adaptive value theory of religion, having somewhat similar views as Durkheim, stating that religion evolved to enhance cohesion and cooperation between groups. Membership in a group setting allowed for a greater chance of survival and reproduction as well as advancement as a group. They also suggested that the costly-signaling theory suggested why rituals were such a major part of religious practice, stating that it was to ward of those trying to cheat the system i.e. be part of the group without offering anything of value. The reason why understanding the Sacred is such a complex phenomenon, is that the Sacred is highly subjective in its nature, malleable to suit the purpose of its time and context. Whenever a natural disaster occurred, such as an earthquake, flood, drought, the older civilizations took it to god/s being angry and their primitive understanding of nature took to slaughter being a worthy sacrifice to please the deities, resulting in the ending of their suffering. As our technologies advance, so does our understanding of nature and with it a steady decline in the extreme acts humans once used to do. However, humans, being the product of an evolutionary engine, are still quite prone to carrying out irrational behavior so as long as they believe and have faith in the sacred (Shermer, 1997). Armstrong (1993) was also quite clear in her works, stating that after having looked at over 4000 years of recorded human history that the notion of god was never unchanging, with what people considered god, going from polytheistic to monotheistic to atheistic, depended upon a multitude of factors. Today there are 12 classical world religions, those included in most religious definitions namely; BahaI, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism and Zoroastrinism, however if one was to delve further in, they would note that these twelve within themselves include numerous sects and factions with their adherents considering different things as sacred i.e. what might be sacred for a Shia Muslim, might not be for a Sunni Muslim etc. In todays information age of the 21st century where knowledge is expanding at an explosive rate, the words used to define ones understanding of the sacred is ever expanding, with countless expansion in our understanding of human consciousness and with religions ever changing due to the changing socio-political landscape, there is very little doubt that the notion of what is sacred is and always will remain a complex phenomenon. References: Desroche, H. (1975). Religion (Sociologie de la). La grande encyclopedie, 16th vol.. Paris: Libr. Larousse. Durkheim, E. (1974). Regulile metodei sociologice. BucureÃ…Å ¸ti: Ed. Ã…Å ¾tiinÃ…Â £ifică. Armstrong, K. (1993). A History of God. Ballatine Books Stormonth, J Phelp, P.H (1895). A Dictionary of the English Language, Blackwood sons. Retrieved March 19th, 2017 from https://books.google.com.pk/books/about/A_Dictionary_of_the_English_Language.html?id=NmogAQAAMAAJredir_esc=y McCann, C. (2008). New Paths Toward the Sacred Thus, Paulist Press Shermer, M. (1997). Why people believe weird things: Pseudoscience, superstition, and other confusions of our time. New York: W.H. Freeman. Sosis, R.; Alcorta, C. (2003). Signaling, solidarity, and the sacred: the evolution of religious behavior. Evolutionary Anthropology

Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

By the end of World War I, many America authors were ready to change their ways and views on writing. Authors were tired of tradition and limitations. One of these writers was F. Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was a participant in the wild parties with bootleg liquor, but he was also a critic of this time. His book, The Great Gatsby is an excellent example of modernist literature, through its use of implied themes and fragmented storyline.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Great Gatsby is a book about Jay Gatsby’s quest for Daisy Buchanan. During the book, Jay tries numerous times at his best to grasp his dream of being with Daisy. The narrator of the book Nick Carraway finds himself in a pool of corruption and material wealth. Near the end, Nick finally realizes that what he is involved in isn’t the lifestyle that he thought it was previously, and he tries to correct his mistake.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The theme of illusion versus reality is implied throughout the book. Fitzgerald once wrote, â€Å"That’s the whole burden of this novel – the loss of those illusions that give such color to the world so that you don’t care whether things are true or false as long as they partake of the magical glory.†(xv) For instance, Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy masks the harsh reality that it was never going to happen. Gatsby even realizes that his illusion is greater than reality when he kisses her, and â€Å"forever wed[s] his unutterable visions to her perishable breath.†(117) Gatsby seems to know that his idea and pursuit of Daisy is more rewarding than the actual attainment of her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another theme that is used is the American dream. Gatsby himself is a believer in the American dream of self-made success. During the book, we learn that he had created himself out of nothing, that his whole life is merely fiction. Gatsby remained fully committed to his dream of being socially accepted to the end. Therefore he never comprehends that his strive for success and social acceptance led him to his deathbed. That is why Gatsby is a prime example of the American dream.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Similarly, the theme of faulty vision is prevalent in the book. Wealth, material possessions, and power are the core values of the American dream. Gatsby did achieve the American dream but his idealistic faiths in money and life’s possibilities twisted his dreams and life into worthless existence based on falsehoods.