Free

Free Will vs. Determinism Essay Free will and determinism are two opposing beliefs as far as responsibility for outcomes or results is concerned. Free will signifies that as we make choices and decisions by ourselves, we become responsible for the results of our decisions and actions. Determinism, on the other hand, tells that humans have no influence on the future and its events and that human beings’ influence on their future is determined by present and past occurrences. In this writing, we present an analysis of the realities of these two philosophies. We will go through two stories: Daisy Miller, a novel by British author Henry James; and The Yellow Wallpaper, a short story by American writer Charlotte Gilman. Our goal is to find out the extent of free will and determinism. Is reality a mix of these two principles? DAISY MILLER The main characters in this novel are Daisy Miller, a beautiful American girl, and her suitor Winterbourne, also an American. In their encounters in Switzerland and Italy, they fall under the scrutiny of people in the society surrounding them. Daisy’s flirtatious attitude is frowned upon by Mrs. Walker, a fellow American who owns a parlor in Rome. Mrs. Costello, Winterbourne’s conservative aunt, strongly disapproves of Daisy’s because she agreed to date with him after only a half hour of being acquainted with each other. Their Free Will Prevails Over Other People’s Opinions. Daisy is not dissuaded by the disapproving eyes of the other Americans, neither is she affected by the ineffectual attitude of her own mother. Winterbourne, on his part, continues to court Daisy despite the disapproval of his conservative aunt; It is their free will that made them stand against the minds of these other people who could have otherwise, influenced their decisions. Winterbourne could have acceded to his aunt’s desire if he chose to but he followed his own will and pursued courting Daisy. Daisy could have chosen to change her ways to gain the approval of her compatriots considering that they are all in a foreign land but she stuck to her own will to act and behave as she really is, although they can consider her as some sort of an outcast; someone who is not accepted in the society where she moves. Determinism Can Be More Closely Associated with Daisy’s Death. The novel was set in the 19th century during which time, the â€Å"Roman fever† (malaria) was endemic to many Roman neighborhoods. Winterbourne warns Daisy about its dangers upon seeing her in the Colosseum. Daisy rushes home but still, she catches the fever and dies a few days later. She could have been more careful and avoided catching the illness but this could be considered as something that is more out of her own control. This can be compared with accidents which can occur no matter how much care is taken by a person. There are outside forces that can go beyond one’s control. THE YELLOW WALLPAPER This is the story of a wife who falls into complete insanity after being locked up in the upstairs bedroom of a mansion rented by her husband, a physician, so that she can ‘recuperate’ from a ‘temporary nervous depression’ during one summer vacation. Determ inism is Observed from the Outset of the Story. The woman, who narrates this story as a series of journal entries, is locked up inside the bedroom against her will. She could not go out nor see the outside world, nor see her baby. She is completely controlled by actions of her husband. Her Free Will, at the Same Time, Remains Strong Within. Although she has fallen into insanity, her desire for freedom is made manifest by the visions that she sees in the wallpaper, especially the figure of a woman who is trying to escape from the bars of the shadows. In her mind, she has to free the woman in the wallpaper, thus she strips the designs off the wall, later on believing that she is the woman who has escaped from inside the wallpaper. In the end of the story, thinking that she is ‘free at last’, she steps on the unmoving body of her husband, symbolizing that she has triumphed and that her will and desire for freedom has been achieved. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO WORKS Both â€Å"Daisy Miller† and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† are set in the 19th century. There were existing conditions at that time that interplayed in the plots of the stories: the Roman fever endemic that caused the death of Daisy Miller and androcentrism or male domination in human affairs that gave power to the physician to lock up his wife. In spite of these factors, the main female characters both carry in them strong wills. In â€Å"Daisy Miller†, the main characters live their lives in the outside world mingling with various personalities, as contrasted with the main character in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† who is locked up inside a barred room, dealing with herself all along. CONCLUSION From the above works, one may deduce that a person has a strong will and determination to do or to have what he wants without having to give to an outside factor neither any credit for a desired result nor any blame for a bad outcome. Factors beyond a person’s control, as strongly suggested in determinism, can truly cause the outcome in a situation but the interplay of free will always exists along with it. Works Cited Gilman, Charlotte. The Yellow Wallpaper. United States: New England Magazine. 1892. Print James, Henry. Daisy Miller. United Kingdom: Cornhill Magazine. 1878. Print

Exchange as a Basis of Social Life

Exchange as a Basis of Social Life Why, and how, have anthropologists argued that exchange is the basis of social life? Exchange is an act of giving something to somebody or doing something for somebody and receiving something in return.[1] According to the Encyclopaedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology, exchange is the transfer of things between social and actors.[2] Things can be human or animal, material or immaterial, words or things. The actors can be individuals, groups, or being such as gods and spirits.[3] In wide interpretation, trade and barter are examples of some kinds of exchange. In this essay, I assume that the gift-exchange is the basis of social life. From the 18th and 19th century, anthropologists became more interested in the topic of exchange. In the past century, there is a growing concern on the complex societies, i.e. the West. It leads to a more critical investigation for the anthropologists on exchange in West, when anthropologists such as Gregory discovered that exchange is linked to economy. By now, exchange is a universal activity. Moreover, anthropologists realized exchange is central to all peoples lives. Mauss stated that, exchange is a total social phenomenon.[4] In the following, I will discuss why anthropologists argued that exchange is the basis of social life. Exchange and Reciprocity The ideological pure gift is very rare in primitive societies. In most of the time, it is a moral to return the gift to the giver. Parry (1986) take the point that the gift is always am Indian gift, which means an equivalent term in return is required.[5] Parry took this point from his investigation on the gift contains some part of the spiritual essence of the donor. And this constrains the recipient to make a return.[6] Thus, we can see that the exchange is related to reciprocity. According to Mauss, gift are the primitive analogue if the social contract, then they clearly carry a social load which in centralized politics is assumed by the state.[7] This is the reason why anthropologists argue exchange is the basis of social life. Let us take the classic example of gift-exchange: the Maori hau. Logically, the hau explains why gifts are repaid. Mauss traces different forms of exchange in order to make out the relation between exchange and reciprocity with the social life. In this essay I will trace different form if In this essay, I will discuss about different types of gift-exchange in different types of society, ranging from tribal societies, i.e. the Trobrainders and Kabre, to the modern daily lives exchange, i.e. Christmas gift exchange and garage sale exchange. These rituals shows how anthropologist argue the statement with the observation or fieldwork The Trobrianders Kula During Malinowskis fieldwork in Trobriand, he clearly examined the essentials of the Kula for Trobrianders and other Melanesia islands in Papua New Guinea. The Kula is a form of intertribal exchange between the Melanesia Islands. It is different from the Oceanic form of exchange. The Kula is based primarily upon the circulation of two articles of high values, but of no real use. The gifts are carried in a circular route which covers miles away over many communities inhabiting a wide ring of islands. All the main transaction in the Kula is public and ceremonial, and it is carried out according to its definite rules. One of the major characteristics of the Kula exchange is that the two items are travelling in different directions: the necklaces (soulava) travel in the direction of clock hand; while the armshells (mwali) in opposite direction. According to Malinowski (1920), both articles never stop for any length of time in the hands of any owner; they constantly move, constantly meeti ng and being exchanged.[8] Kula is essential for the Melanesian because of its sociological function. Sociologically, Kula creates partnership for a lifelong relationship. It is based on a fixed and permanent partnership and relationship which binds people from different tribes into couple some thousands of individuals. As Malinowski observed, the partnership implies various mutual duties and privileges, and constitutes a type of inter-tribal relationship on an enormous scale.[9] Malinowski stated that two Kula partners have to Kula with one another and exchange other incidentally; they behave as friends, and have a number of mutual duties and obligations, which vary with the distance between their villages and with their reciprocal status.[10] He also mentioned that the Kula partnership is one of the special bonds which unite two men into one o the standing relations of mutual exchange of gifts and services so characteristics of these natives.[11] There is a network of relationships in the Kula ring which men know and exchange with each other. In some situation, they will meet in the inter-tribal meetings. Thus, Malinowski pointed out that men are bound together by one common passion for Kula exchange and also, many minor ties and interests. What keeps the relationship long-lasting is the reciprocity of gifts to the giver in the Kula ring. It is expected that the receiver will give back a fair and full value of gift to the giver. Similarly, a fine article must be replaced by the one with equivalent value, not by several minor ones. Gift economy in Kabre In Exchange (1999), Piot explore the understandings about persons, hierarchy and agency that operate in the exchange context in the Kabre society. Same as the Trobrianders, people in Kabre are expected receiver will have to return the gift to the giver. In society, especially in Piots situation he could not understand French when he first came to Kabre gift-giving is a kind of surrogate language. From his experience, Piot suggested that the gifts were attempts to communicate, to bridge the gap between us, to express relationship.[12] He realized that the gift-giving is a type of moral inquiry, which is an interrogation of the other.[13] Despite, there are various forms for exchange in the Kabre society, all forms of exchange are motivated by the practical need of one of the parties.[14] There is a desure to establish social relations behind the Kabre exchange. They are likely to begin ?kp?nt?r? with another person through exchange. Thus, all the exchange in Kabre society is to do with relationships as with utilities. Moreover, through further exchange of items with greater value or quantity, the relationship grows. It is a great sign of friendship. Sometimes, when the relationship of two families grows bigger, there will be an arrangement of marriage so that the relationship will not be broken. If this works, then there will be another marriage in the next generation and so on. As a result, the relationship between the two families will last forever. Economically, Piot argued that the Kabre gift exchange system generates the increased involvement in the wage and commodity sector. He pointed out that by allowing labours to participate more fully in the gift-giving by making money, social relations will then be expanded.[15] Piot take the point that persons use things to gain access to persons rather than that they use persons to gain access to thing.[16] Piot also claims that any gift given establishes a relationship between two persons, hence giving is always tied up with control, power and the appropriation of an other.[17] In the Kabre, exchange does not only form friendships. In the meantime, it forms another basis of social life the formation of marriage, kinship groups and affinity. Gifts Exchange in Christmas Now, let us look at how modern anthropologists argued the statement through their observation of peoples behaviour in the West, capitalist societies. The exchange of gifts is very popular in many parts of the world. In the following, I take in the account that exchange takes place with a generalized medium of exchange, i.e. money. Thus, in order to facilitate trade, barter give way away to selling (C-M), and then the money is then used to buy other commodities (M-C).[18] Carrier examined peoples mindset on exchanging Christmas gifts and he found that it does related to their social relations. The heightening sociality of Christmas highlights the importance of exchanging of gifts, and it reflected peoples Christmas shopping behaviour to the basis of social life. According to Caplow, parents and young children exchange gifts in an unequal value and quantity. In most of the time, the gifts from the parents to their young children have more in quantity and also in value. There is no expe ctation of equivalent return in this relationship. Whereas, for gift exchange between the spouses, there will be an active concern on the gifts are approximate equal in value.[19] Carrier (1993:58) suggested that it is more likely for people to show their affection to their family within a close kin by exchanging Christmas present. As the relationship become more distant, people are less likely to show their affectionate. Rather, it would be a more alienated giving and marks the relations which will be fairly impersonal utilitarian.[20] As mentioned above, apart from exchanging Christmas gifts in Christmas Eves feast, shopping for Christmas gifts is also a highlight for the exchange and it also maintain the basis of social life. Carrier (1993:63) takes the point that the range of social relations will be greater than normal when purchasing for the items. He suggested that this would be an annual ritual to convert commodities into gifts. This ritual allows us to celebrate and recreate personal relations with the anonymous objects available to us.[21] Moreover, Boxing Day allows merchants to celebrate the hierarchical relations outside their households. Seemingly, Christmas is just exchanging Christmas gifts between family and friends. In reality, through exchanging Christmas gifts, it celebrates relations with family, and also those who are distinct from relation in the outside world. Carrier (1993:69) take the point that Christmas is also a reunion of families sanctified and chastened by tender memories and associat ions; and let the social intercourse of friends, with pleasant reminiscence, renew the ties if affection and strengthen the bonds of kindly feeling.[22] Garage sales is American society Some anthropologists look at peoples daily life activities in the West to argue that exchange is the basis of social life. Similar to Christmas gifts exchange, most of the commodity exchange in the West belongs to the category sell-in-order-to-buy in peasant markets which money act as the generalize medium of exchange, i.e. C-M-C. Herrmann looked at the US garage sale exchange culture in order to investigate the social relationship built between the buyer and seller. Herrmann (1997:915) suggested that garage sale exchange allows the neighbours in the neighbourhood come to know each other, as the neighbors are attracted by informal open invitation to the public to stop by and look over the garage sale goods.[23] Moreover, Herrmann (1997:915) also take the point that some neighbourhood garage sale takes place in order to attract the neighbor out of their houses for social interaction. Furthermore, exchange in garage gift generates gift relations. According to Stone Age Economics by Sha lins (1974: 193-194; Gregory (1992:926)), exchange between family members or close kins usually belongs to generalized reciprocity. Thus, in garage sale exchange, the items are given to generalize others. By giving inexpensive garage as a gift, personal networks will then be solidified. In this case, social relations value more than profits. Aside from bringing social interaction and relationships, garage sale ethos also includes friendliness and social egalitarian. Garage sale provides the participants the sense of justice. Low price is the hallmark of garage sales exchange. Thus, a just price for an object is constructed through exchange.[24] Besides, Herrmann (1997:915) bring up the point that social inequalities are reproduced in the garage sales exchange, but it this social inequalities will be muted by the face-to-face egalitarian. This is because social markers such as gender, status, races could act as the factor affecting the transaction of garage sale exchange.[25] Thus, we can see that exchange shows the social basis of the society. Bibliography Carrier, James (1993): The Rituals of Christmas Giving, in Unwrapping Christmas by Miller, D. (ed), Oxford, United kingdom: Clarendon Press, pp.55-74 Carrier, James (1996): Exchange, in Encyclopaedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology by Barnard, Alan and Spencer, Jonathan (1996), USA and Canada: Routledge, pp. 218-221 Drucker, Philip: The Potlatch, in Tribal and Peasant Economies by Dalton, George (1967), Austin, USA: University of Texas Press, pp.481-493 Gregory, C.A.: Exchange and Reciprocity, in Comparison Encyclopaedia to Anthropology by Ingold, Tim (1994), London, United Kingdom: Routledge, pp. 911-939 Herrman, Gretchen M. (1997): Gift or Commodity: What Changes Hands in the U.S. Garage Sale?, American Ethnologist Vol. 24. No. 4 (Nov., 1997), Blackwell Publishing, pp.910-930 Hornby, A S (2000): Exchange, in Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary of Current English, New York, USA: Oxford University Press, pp. 433 Malinowski, Brownislaw (1920): Kula: The Circulating Exchange of Valuables in the Archipelagos of Eastern New Guinea, in Tribal and Peasant Economics by Dalton George (1967), Austin, USA: University of Texas Press, pp. 171-184 Malinowski, Brownislaw (1920): Tribal Economics in the Trobriands, in Tribal and Peasant Economies by Dalton George (1967), Austin, USA: University of Texas Press, pp.185-223 Malinowski, Brownislaw (1922): The essentials of the Kula, in Argonauts of the Western Pacific, London, United Kingfom: Routledge, pp. 81-104 Mauss, Marcel (1970) [1954]: The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic Societies, London, United Kingdom: Cohen West Parry, Jonathan (1986): The Gift. The Indian Gift and the Indian Gift', in Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 21. No. 3 (Sept., 1986), pp. 453-473 Piot, Charles (1999): Exchange, in Remotely global: village modernity in West Africa, Chicago, USA: University of Chicago Press, pp. 52-75 Shalins, Marshall (1974): The Spirit of the Gift, in Stone Age Economics, Chicago, USA: Aldine-Atherton, pp.149-183 Shalins, Marshall (1974): On the Sociology of Primitive Exchange, in Stone Age Economics, Chicago, USA: Aldine-Atherton, pp. 185-275 Weiner, Annette B. (1988): Introduction, in The Trobrainders of Papua New Guinea, New York, USA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publication, pp. 1-15 Weiner, Annette B. (1988): The Trobrainders: Past and Present, in The Trobrainders of Papua New Guinea, New York, USA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publication, pp. 17-31 Weiner, Annette B. (1988): Marriage and the Politics of Yams, in The Trobrainders of Papua New Guinea, New York, USA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publication, pp. 81-96 Weiner, Annette B. (1988): Men Working for Women, in The Trobrainders of Papua New Guinea, New York, USA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publication, pp. 111-123 Weiner, Annette B. (1988): Kula and the Search for Fame, in The Trobrainders of Papua New Guinea, New York, USA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publication, pp. 139-157 Hornby (2000:433) Carrier (1996:218) Carrier (1996:218) Gregory (1994:911) Parry (1986:454) Parry (1986:456) Parry (1986:467) Malinowski (1920) Malinowski (1922:85) Malinowski (1922:91) Malinowski (1922:91) Piot (1999:54) Piot (1999:54) Piot (1999:56) Piot (1999:73) Piot (1999:62) Piot (1999:70) Gregory (1992:912) It is one of the categories of production-of-exchange, i.e. commodity exchange Karl Marx developed. This type of commodity of exchange is identified as selling-in-order-to-buy in the peasant markets. Carrier (1993:55) Carrier(1993:58) Carrier (1993:63) Carrier (1993:96) Herrmann (1997:915) Herrmann (1997:916) Herrmann (1997:915)

Six History Shaping Beverages History Essay

Six History Shaping Beverages History Essay Tom Standage states in A History of the World in Six Glasses that the course of human history has been shaped by six beverages that are commonplace today. The roles of these beverages beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola are explained in roughly chronological in the book. Although all of these drinks have helped advance culture, some were more important than others in this respect. In order of importance, the arrangement of the drinks would be quite different. Beer, the most important, was discovered long before the emergence of civilization, when people lived as hunter-gatherers. The transition to farming was a major step towards civilization, and while the reason for it is still controversial, beer seems to have been a factor. One theory suggests that the popularity of beer necessitated a steady supply of grain, which was required to make beer, and brought about the cultivation of it. Because beer was drunk prehistorically while still fermenting and rich in protein and vitamins, it allowed farmers to consume less meat, thus assisting the switch to farming. Furthermore, the Ancient Mesopotamians and Egyptians regarded beer as a drink given by gods, which contributed to the conversion of storehouses for surplus food into temples where offerings were made to these gods. Beer was a crucial factor contributing to the conversion to farming, and as a result, the beginning of civilization; it was undoubtedly a major catalyst for advancing cultur e. Coca-Cola, often associated with commercialization and globalization, is the second most important catalyst, especially since globalization is viewed today as an indicator of a high degree of advancement. The beverage evolved from being a strictly American product to its now internationally famous status in just over a century. As its popularity spread throughout the world, it brought many American values, such as liberty, with it. In fact, Coca-Cola was the very embodiment of these values in World War II, during which the Axis countries of Japan and Germany used the drink to portray the United States and the Allies negatively, denouncing the concepts associated with it. Bottles of Coca-Cola contained more than a soft drink; they contained complex ideas that entire governments have been based upon. Next in importance in the line of beverages that influenced history is coffee. Coffee originated in the Arab world, but it had a much greater impact on Europe. More important than the drink, itself was the place that it was often served in: a coffeehouse. In coffeehouses throughout Europe, discussion and debate, as well as gossip, took place. Many people learned of current events in coffeehouses, and others made scientific advancements after academic discussions occurred there. Inevitably, political ideas were also spread in coffeehouses, as in the case of France, in which a revolutionary war for fair rights started at a cafà ©. Coffee, which sharpens the mind, promoted new ideas and discoveries through discussion, and even helped start a revolution. Though not as powerful as beer, Coca-Cola, or coffee were, tea assisted the development of culture. The Industrial Revolution in 18th-century England caused the introduction of numerous factories, and tea, served to the workers of these factories, kept them alert and prevented illness. It also increased the demand for crockery, fueling commerce even more. Tea had a large effect on Asia, specifically China and India. The Opium Wars, the result of the trade of opium because of the demand for tea, ended with China engaging in wider trade with other countries. In India, the cultivation of tea started by the East India Company created a new industry and eventually made India the largest producer of tea in the world. Tea contributed to the advancement of culture by furthering industrialization in several modern-day nations, as well as increasing international trade. In the Mediterranean basin, wine played a moderate role in shaping history, evident in its representation of sophistication in the area at the time. In Greek symposia, wine accompanied intellectual discussion in subjects like literature and philosophy. At some symposia, kottabos, a less academic drinking game, took place instead. Wine was associated with art as well as academics; the amphorae in which wine was stored contained motifs that are now symbols of Greek culture. Additionally, wine became widely drunk in Ancient Rome, where convivia, the Roman counterpart of symposia, took place. In both Greece and Rome, wine helped to differentiate classes higher classes consumed higher-quality wine. This widespread alcoholic drink took the place of beer, promoting intellectual thinking in casual assemblies and emphasizing differences between social classes. Spirits were the least significant beverage discussed by Standage, but nonetheless, they were indispensable drinks that aided the advancement of culture. For instance, grog protected British sailors against scurvy; this helped Britain establish its supremacy at sea. For the English colonies, rum lowered dependence on European imports, as it could be distilled from inexpensive leftover molasses. The Molasses Act of 1733, passed by England to stop the importation of molasses from the French into the colonies, produced negative feelings toward England, and was one of the factors leading to the American Revolution. On the other hand, rum was one of the main currencies involved in the slave trade from Africa, a step backwards in the development of culture. Spirits affected human history both positively and negatively, and while it assisted the advancement of culture, it also hindered it. Beer, Coca-Cola, coffee, tea, wine, and spirits have all had considerable effects on human history. These beverages, which are frequently consumed even now, can tell the story of the progress of civilization solely through their respective roles in it. Some have played a more important part than others in shaping world history, but they have all unquestionably served as catalysts for advancing culture.

Religion :: essays research papers

Religion "Religion" is a simple word that divides humanity in several groups. It is the claim of many influential Christian and Jewish theologians that the only genuine basis for morality is in religion(Nielsen 13). The morals and beliefs of children are greatly influenced by their home life. It is sad how children grow up, not able to research into their beliefs, but conform to the beliefs that have run in their families for generations. Not many children break away from the traditional religion in their family because it has been practiced and influenced for many years. If one should participate in breaking tradition, he could be challenged by the family to show reasoning behind the change(Kaplan 258). In doing this, society still will be diverse, but at least that is one more person trying to express an opinion. The Old Testament is an accurate and valid resource to use when trying to explain Christianity and faith. For example, it is amazing how one can justify his faith to a strong Catholic family whentrying to prove that salvation is a free gift and not a time card for "good works." There is much difference between the religion of Catholicism and non- denominational Christianity. Though both groups believe in one God, the same God, growing up in the midst of the bickering of the two groups can confuse a child and bring bitterness toward this God that Christians believe is all-loving. School is an area where temptations are thrown in people's faces each day. Many people are challenged each day in these situations; children may be challenged in their home or in school because of the issue of salvation and trying to maintain a strong-willed mind as a young Christian. Catholic children are taught their religion in CCD classes, and the result is the children learning to be good in order to go to heaven. Many of the the things they are taught come from the Old Testament. The Christian Bible includes the Old Testament unlike Judaism where their bible is the Old Testament. Children learn Christian virtues such as faith, obedience, piety, chastity, love, mercy, and humility(Garner 272). Catholic children are also taught that if they do sin, than they simply can go confess their sins to a priest and then they are forgiven. According to the Old Testament, salvation is free gift and forgiveness is given straight from God, not through some high standing official in the Church. Catholics are given a bad name, and their religion is considered to be hostile towards others and unethical at times(Hudnut 22).

Molecular Nanotechnology and Literature :: Cause Effect Science Technology Essays

Molecular Nanotechnology and Literature Imagine a world where you could have anything you wanted. Gold? Here it is. A new car? Presto. Diamonds? Oh, here, please have some of mine, there's more in the back. Of course, this is not our world at the present, but it might be the world of the future. Molecular nanotechnology will be able to provide whatever one needs or wants, for free or for a minuscule amount of payment. However, it will not only affect commercial and material goods. It will affect medicine, war and weaponry, law enforcement, espionage, entertainment, disposal of waste and garbage, and even literature. Literature will perhaps be affected in a greater way than one may think. But before I get to that, let me explain what, exactly, molecular nanotechnology is. In l 959, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman put forth an idea. His idea was that anything could be made from the ground up, out of individual atoms or molecules. This is nanotechnology: the working or manipulation of individual atoms or molecules, one at a time, and positioning and lining them up precisely and repeatedly, until enough accumulated to form a large-scale, usable entity. Feynman didn't name it and outline the science, however. This was done by K. Eric Drexler. In the 1970's, when he was a student at MIT, Drexler came up with an idea of nanotechnology, and outlined the possible uses of it. He thought that if one had the ability or technology to work with individual atoms and molecules, then one could make a box that would transform common materials into beef. It sounds strange, but that was the idea. The idea was that you could open the door, toss in some stuff, work the controls, and two hours or so later: out rolls some fresh beef. It sounds odd because we a re taught that beef comes from cattle, not from a box of grass clippings and old sneaker insoles. But it really does make sense. Cattle use only a few materials when making beef: grass, air, water, sunlight. When they are digesting that junk, they are merely rearranging the molecules to form characteristic patterns of beef. The only real difference between the methods of beef-production of cows and Drexler's box is that cows make beef using enzymes and liquids, where reactive agents randomly collide, and Drexler's box makes beef mechanically. Drexler states that the molecules and atoms would have to be manipulated by tiny, tiny robots, commonly referred to as "assemblers.

Raising a genderless baby: The Case of Storm Stocker Essay

Raising a family of three children is no easy feat to begin with, and the Stocker family of Toronto, Ontario has made one decision regarding their new baby that will hardly make it any easier. Mrs. Stocker gave birth to her third child on new years day of 2011, and accompanying the proud new parents e-mail to friends and families announcing the baby’s birth, was a rather controversial statement; â€Å"We’ve decided not to share Storm’s sex for now — a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation, a stand up to what the world could become in Storm’s lifetime (a more progressive place? †¦).† (CTV 1) Mr. & Mrs. Stocker had decided to raise their new baby boy or girl, with out the socially constructed pre-text of masculine or feminine gender traits, regardless of what the physical sex of the baby was. It is important to point this baby is neither a hermaphrodite nor born as a transsexual, but is completely anatomically healthy or â⠂¬Ëœnormal’ so to speak. The parents are simply keeping the sex of the baby secrete as to deprive society, and in the future its peers, teachers, coaches etc. of influencing it’s formation of gender and self. This highly controversial decision is however, fulfilling Freud’s notion of removing gender from the realm of biology, thus overcoming biological essentialism, and moving it into society, which he believed was the dominant force influencing how gender develops. In the modern era, however, the decision to keep baby Storms sex a secrete was met with significant controversy from American media, ABC news stating; â€Å"While child development experts applaud the family’s efforts to raise their child free of the constraints of gender stereotypes, they say the parents have embarked on a psychological experiment that could be potentially disastrous.† (ABC 1) while in Canada and internationally, especially in European countries such as Sweden and Finland where this is not unheard of, its been more readily accepted. Finnish people often choose specific diction to speak about themselves and others in a very neutral way which includes gender neutrality; â€Å"This rhetoric is based on a kind of moral code: it is highly valued to be seen and treated without particularities, without bodies, as a  person in your own right, without gender, without class, without ethnicity, without locality† (Lahelma 8) and in Sweden the government has actually updated the national Encyclopedia to account for the rising trend of parents raising their children genderless, adding the genderless pronoun â€Å"hen† to accompany the masculine â€Å"han† and feminine â€Å"hon†. And the trend isn’t just limited to linguistics. Recently â€Å"†¦the World Economic Forum declared Sweden the most gender-neutral country in the world, and gender neutrality is changing Swedish culture in profound ways. A children’s department store has dissolved its â€Å"girls† and â€Å"bo ys† sections†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tietal 36). Freud would, however, have to agree with ABC news’ declaration that the results could be â€Å"potentially disastrous† as he viewed gender intringently linked to self-identity as well as sexual orientation. It is safe to assume Dr. Freud would view this decision to shelter the child as a psychological experiment destined to end in failure, resulting in a man or women not properly assimilated into society and bound for a miserable existence. However, as Sandra Harding said â€Å"What you see, what you find important, and how you understand the world depends on your ‘standpoint’† and as more recent feminist research has uncovered Freud’s beliefs in a binary set of man or woman is not necessarily true. Feminist Epistemology of society and science exposes how the commonly accept binary couple of male/female or masculine/feminine influences our conception of knowledge and how we come to conclusions, and even in American media it is quite pronounced the male/female roles have began to blend or at least have come to have changed since Freud’s time; â€Å"The stereotypes of boys were that they were self-sufficient, non-empathic, tough and good at war, and Girls were trained to be empathic and caring and more nurturing, are all falling apart. You even see tough football players bawling nowadays† (ABC 1). It would not necessarily be harmful for the baby to grow up in-between or with-out th e masculine/feminine binary because it is socially constructed anyway and growing up with-out it, or perhaps better put, on the outside of it, simply creates a new paradigm for baby Storm. Because men have held such a dominant role influencing research and education it has skewed history and research to man’s own advantage, resulting in a unidimensional view of gender and power almost always at the women’s expense  (Luecke 138). As Kimmel said in our textbooks, the phenomenon of biasing knowledge is always more pronounced when one group homogeneously controls political and ideological systems, which have up until very recent times been controlled strictly by males, giving them the conceptual power over gender, sexual orientation and almost every other field of research known to man. Though in recent decades much progress has been made on this issue, there is still much bias on part of male dominated research resisting the inclusion of minorities and feminist epistemology which needs to change in order for better research methods and more accurate out comes, especially from a constructionists approach to gender. As Sharlene Hesse-Biber put it; â€Å"If present science is distorted by the predominance of male perspectives, would not science become more objective by the deliberate inclusion of views from women, minorities etc.† The Social Constructionist Approach diverges from Freud’s belief in masculine/feminine binaries in that it acknowledges the contextual importance of gender and sexuality. The time, place, power and culture all play a part in defining what is considered masculine and what is feminine, concluding that gender and sexuality are not constants, but variables in a perpetual flux, resulting from the ebb and flow of societal norms and what social groups are in power influencing those norms. Storms identity as he grows up will certainty be influenced by his interactions with media, society and his parents but that influence will be minimized because of his immunity to the power of gender and sex stereotypes, living in, presumably, blissful ambiguity. And in many ways this gives him a certain power over us, or at least a power to change or blur the gender norms as he grows up; â€Å"It is impossible to explain gender without adequately understanding power – not because power is the consequence of gender difference. But rather because power is what produces those gender differences in the first place† (Kimmel 116). The case of Storm Stocker, while highly controversial, cannot be declined the notion of fascinating and perhaps highly influential on this centuries gender and sexual norms – thus society itself. This case as analyzed through intersectionality is perfect to highlight the many ways in which race, class, gender and sexuality all come to act as social forces on us as we develop in our given environment (Kennedy & Hellen 36). As we watch Storm  mature into whatever Storm aspires to be, Storm will be simultaneously turning back millennia of stereotypes, biases, roles and assumptions that have been entrenched in our global society. The potential for real social change stems from the point where other individuals who have been raised and socialized similarly to storm, organize and create social movements to further awareness and understanding of neo-gendered individuals (Madison & Shaw 435). In this way Storm and their contemporaries will show us how the binary concepts of man/women have been one of the most pervasive forces locking us within a certain realm of action and understanding dictated strictly by the reproductive organs we were born with. Who we love, how we love are all subject to change as â€Å"Our identities are a fluid assemblage of the meanings and behaviors that we construct from values, images and prescriptions we find in the world around us† (Kimmel 112). Works Cited â€Å"Baby raised without ‘gender’ sets off debate | CTV News .† CTV News | Top Stories – Breaking News – Top News Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Baby Storm Raised Genderless, or Without a Gender, a Dangerous Experiment, Say Child Development Experts – ABC News.† ABCNews.com – Breaking News, Latest News & Top Video News – ABC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. . Biber, Sharlene Nagy. Handbook of feminist research: theory and praxis. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications, 2007. Print. Harding, Sandra. â€Å"Feminist Standpoints.† Handbook of feminist research: theory and praxis. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications, 2007. 46-64. Print. Kennedy, Natacha, and Mark Hellen. â€Å"Transgender children: more than a theoretical challenge.† Graduate Journal of Social Science 7 (2010): 25-42. Print. Kimmel, Michael S.. The gendered society. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print. Lahelma, Elina. â€Å"Female Paths To Adulthood In A Country Of ‘Genderless Gender’.† Gender & Education 24.1 (2012): 1-13. Academic Search Complete. Web. Luecke, Julie. â€Å"Working with Transgender Children and Their Classmates in Pre-Adolescence: Just Be Supportive.†Journal of LGBT Youth 8.2 (2011): 116-156. Print. Maddison, Sarah, and Frances Shaw. â€Å"Feminist Perspectives on Social Movement Research.† Handbook of feminist research: theory and praxis. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications, 2007. 434-454. Print. Teitel, Emma. â€Å"Neither He Nor She.† Maclean’s 125.16 (2012): 36. Academic Search Complete. Web.

Dove Evolution of brand Essay

In 2007, Unilever’s Dove was the world ‘s number-one â€Å"cleansing â€Å" brand in the health and beauty sector. Dove Competed in all categories like cleansing bars, body washes, hand washes, face care, hair care, deodorants, anti-perspirants, and body lotion.Their competitor are P&G (Procter and Gamble’s) ivory, KAO’s Jergens, Beiersdorf’s Nivea. The first Dove Product â€Å"Beauty Bar† was launched in 1957 with campaignâ€Å" Dove Soap doesn’t dry your skin because it’s one-quarter cleansing cream†. Dove positioning their product to functionality superiority product. It’s can no longer be accepted because functionality meant different things in different categories Dove was tapped to become master brand in 2000, Dove entries in all personal categories and Dove become masterbrand. To build masterbrand needed to do something different. Dove do a process of exploratory market research, consultation with experts, conversation with women, and message testing led to â€Å" The Campaign for Real Beauty†. Now Dove success become masterbrand under the title of The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. Dove success giving a single identity to the wide range health and beauty products. Dove also organizing for brand management to support this champaign. Read Also:  Ideas for an Exploratory Essay Question & Analysis 1. What is brand in the definition of Dove ? Answer : Based on Merriam-Webster, Dove is a. a small wild bird that is related to pigeons b. a gentle woman or child c. a person who does not want war and does want peace Dove is a symbol for peace, love and honesty. Dove Brand definition is a soap that give you real beauty because its more gentle than another soap so it would not dry out your skin the way soap did. So people does not worries about dry skin if used it because it was not technically soap at all. It is milder than soap-based bars. 2. What does Dove’s market positioning in the 1950s? What is its positioning in 2007? Answer : In 1950’s The first Dove product, called a beauty bar was launched in 1957. It was positioned upon its function as a superior product that doesn’t dry out the skin the way soap did. It was marketed through a mix of marketing communication tools like the Television, print media and bill boards. The advertising message was â€Å"Dove soap doesn’t dry your skin because its one-quarter cleansing cream† which was illustrated with photographs that showed cream being poured into a tablet. The advertising aspired to project honesty and authenticity, preferring to have natural looking women testifying to Dove’s benefits rather than stylized fashion models. In 2007 Dove become a Masterbrand, its name is used for all beauty bar category in Unilever, such as deodorants, hair care products, facial cleansers, body lotions, and hair styling products. The old positioning of Dove is focus on functional superiority and it can no longer be accepted because functionality meant different things in different categories. After a process of exploratory market research, consultation with experts, conversation with women, the positioning of Dove is â€Å"The campaign for Real Beauty†. The campaign begin with using ordinary people in supermodel contexts and for books of nudes featuring plain-looking models. The result was the so-called Tick-Box campaign. In this campaign, billboards were erected and viewers were asked to phone 1-888-342-DOVE to vote on whether a woman on the billboard was â€Å"outsized† or â€Å"outstanding.† The next campaign  were known internally as the Firming campaign because they promoted a cream that firmed the skin. They featured six â€Å"real† women cheerfully posing in plain white underwear. The company wanted the ads to â€Å"change the way society views beauty† and â€Å"provoke discussion and debate about real beauty.† The next step in the campaign was particularly controversial. At a Dove leadership team offsite meeting, an effort was made to engage executives in the idea behind The â€Å"Campaign for Real Beauty† by filming their own daughters discussing their self-esteem challenges. Stage four of the Real Beauty campaign involved not an advertisement, but a film. The resulting digital film was known as â€Å"Evolution†. Given its unusual length, television was not an option, and in October 2006 the film was posted to YouTube and within three months, it had been viewed three million times. 3. How did Unilever organize to do product category management and brand management in unilever before 2000? What was the corresponding structure after 2000? How was brand meaning controlled before 2000 and how is it controlled at the time of the case? Answer : Before 2000, within a product category the firm often offered multiple brands, each led by a brand manager. In effect, each brand operated as a separate business, competing with its siblings as well as the products of other firms. A staff of brand assistants executed the policies of the brand manager. Each brand manager was charged with the responsibilities of a general manager in relation to the brand, including design of strategy, delivery of profit targets, and power over many of day-to-day marketing decisions such as advertising and target promotions that were needed to achieve profitability. In 2000, Unilever began to split responsibilty for a brand between two groups, one charged with development of the brand and the other charged with building the brands in specific markets. Brand Development was centralized and global in scope. Brand Building was decentralized according to the major geographic regions in which Unilever operated. Before 2000, brand meaning controlled by Brand Manager, but at the time of case brand meaning idea is created by Brand Development but bringing to life by Brand Building. 4. Spend a little time searching blogs, using Google search, and any social media, to get a sense of what people saying about Dove today. What does this discussion contribute to the meaning of the brand? Facebook Dove Indonesia have 23.027.326 Fans Followers Dove Indonesia : 19.4K Yes, people is feel the real beauty of themselves by using Dove. Dove makes the Real Beauty. Recommendation In the Future dove must be have line extension product such as cosmetic product, to enlarge their category product, but must have same positioning with their campaign â€Å" For Real Beauty† The position must be stand for a point of view Dove can enlarge their business to retail shop (cosmetic shop) to sell all dove product and communicated their brand. To organize Brand Management, Dove under Unilever must maintain split responsibility between Brand Manager and Brand Development.