Love In Todays Society Essay -- essays research papers

Love In Today's Society A key to understanding Sociology and the Social Sciences in general is to evaluate subjects through time and compare and contrast characteristics that have changed and those that have remained the same. For this assignment I have elected to access three sources dealing with love; in three distinct time periods in the modern era. First we will survey one of the first popular mediums for the expression of love; that of poetry. I have chosen a poem by W.H. Auden to represent the early portion of this century- specifically the 1930s and 1940s. I knew I had to include a song from my idol Jim Morrison. Not only is he the perfect voice of the volatile sex revolution of the 1960s and 1970s; his work captures the profile of a rock star who undoubtedly acquired his domineering attitude from the endless worship of submissive women. Lastly we enter the modern era with a article from my favorite magazine Men's Health on the mistakes a man must avoid in order to please his lover. As we shall see, the increased freedom is very interesting in our first representation to the last. My goal is to show how love has changed. I hope to show what is accepted in our society today, compared with only several decades ago. Application My sources run the gamut of ideas in the subject of love. I think Auden's poem is the best representation of what has been termed â€Å"courtly love.† This seems logical, since this Romantic Era type of love was a pre-cursor to what we know as modern love. The author takes the troubadour role in his crooning style of praising his love's qualities. He idealizes his mate and is satisfied just being in the same room as she. There are not any ulterior motives evident. Auden would be categorized as a â€Å"heavenly lover,† in that his love is more lofty and sacred. There is definite contrast to this idealism though. In his last lines the author, without reservation tells of his sorrow at his loss of her to another. Morrison's Love Her Madly could almost be interpreted as a form of limerance. He has this extreme fondness for his subject: â€Å"Don't ya love her madly?† Anyone who knows the story of Jim Morrison knows that the topic of love and all that comes with it was an integral facet of his being. He is a good example of love in the context of a super-star entertainer. Morrison's songs, and most others found... ...an work their difficulties out before they explode. Conclusion It is definitely true that attitudes on love have changed in the last decade. Social structures and norms have fluctuated and have influenced people's decisions in their own lives as well as their perceptions of others. Many people would rather return to the innocent times of Auden where love seemingly was true and carried no strings. There does seem to be a problem with the increased fragmentation of society in regards to finding love today. Gone are the days when you married your high school sweet-heart and lived happily ever after. Increased mobility and the ease of travel has left love more available and open. People need more help today from outside services like dating hotlines and the help of marriage counselors and physchologists to sort out their troubles. It follows though that society is more complex and therefore better. Women have more rights and more say in society. There is no doubt that females were exploited more in the past than today. While society's attitudes have changed over the years and will continue to change, one thing remains the same: love is a driving force in our lives.

The Importance of Culture Essay -- Sociology

What is culture? The definition of culture as explained by the English Anthropologist Edward B. Taylor in his work Primitive Culture: â€Å"Culture or civilization†¦is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs, and other capabilities acquired by man as a member of society.† (Atafori). In addition, culture is the habits of people and is an important part of any society. Culture ties people of a community together, gives an individual a unique identity, and serves as the founding principles of one’s life. First, culture unites people together in a society. Further, culture gives common interests to one another in their society. For instance, Deepa Kartha emphasizes, â€Å"Culture is essential for the existence of a society, because it binds people together† (Kartha). Therefore, this common bond is what ties the people together in a group or region. In addition, Goodman’s essay implies, â€Å"It provides a powerful bond for personal loyalties and loyalties between peoples† (Goodman). Consequently, people that do not live in the regions where their culture exist will seek out others of the same traditions for camaraderie. Additionally, this bond explains why such regions in the world have communities made up of certain culture; for instance, China Town is a small region in the city of Melbourne, Australia that has all Chinese beliefs, morals, customs, and food. What’s more, the people that work and live in China Town are of Chinese culture. In addition, the culture of a community gives a person his or her own individuality. Communities will have different language, foods, customs, and traditions, which differentiates one group of people from another. Yutun Li points out that their family’s custom is to make d... ...Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 4 March 2010 . Atafori, Ayuure Kapini. "Culture-A Source of Prehudice and Ethnocentrism." 30 September 2006. The Statesman. 4 March 2009 . Brott, Armin A. "Not All Men Are Sly Foxes." Kennedy, X.J., Kennedy, Dorothy M., Aaron, Jane E. The Brief Bedford Reader. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. 285-287. Goodman, Donald P. III. "What is Culture." 14 June 2009. Goretti Publications. March 3 2010 . Kartha, Deepa. "What is Culture." 2 June 2009. Buzzle.com. 3 March 2010 . Li, Yiyun. "Orange Crush." Kennedy, X.J., Kennedy, Dorothy M., Aaron, Jane E. The Brief Bedford Reader. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. 144-146.

Judaism Reflection Paper

There are many different ways of practicing Judaism that are amongst us today, and many different types of people that practice them. The aspects that I find to be significant and interesting in Judaism are Hanukkah, a Bar Mitzvah, and The Kashrut. There are many more aspects of Judaism that amuse me, and there are many that I might question if I thought about converting; however, these are the aspects that I believe to be some of the most widely known traditions throughout the world. My favorite part of Judaism that I would have no problem indulging in would have to be a young man’s Bar Mitzvah.A Bar Mitzvah is a rite of passage for a 13 year old boy to become a man. Why is this something to look forward to? Because for a young boys Bar Mitzvah the boy usually gets a large amount of money. Now this money doesn’t come in ones and fives; however, it is known to come in six to seven figures all together. This may be frowned upon if you have an older sister; however, she w ill get a little bit of reward once she becomes a â€Å"woman. † Another part of Judaism that really fascinated me had to have been the Laws of Kashrut. Also read: Martial Law Reflection PaperMost commonly known for not being able to mix dairy with meat, but there are other ways to make food Kosher as well. Such as pork and shellfish, these are forbidden foods in the Judaism community. Along with those, all blood must be drained before cooking and eating, for blood is sacred to God. It is amazing that even some even keep separate fridges, sinks, tables, and utensils to avoid the mixing of their meat and dairy products. Even though these ways of life may seem strict and harsh, not all Jews practice them. Most American Jews actually perform The Kashrut in small ways.For example, they may buy pre-maid kosher food to substitute for going full on Kosher. Most major brands even put marking on their products to let us know if the item is kosher or not. The last major part of Judaism that caught my eye had to be the practice of â€Å"Holy Days† in Judaism. Jewish people practice many holy days such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot , Hanukkah, Purim, and Pesach (Passover). The most widely recognized holy days in Judaism are Hanukkah and Pesach. Hanukkah has to be the one that amuses me the most due to the fact that it s an eight night event. Hanukkah is a spread over eight-day event made to commemorate the rededication of the  Holy Temple in Jerusalem. An added tradition is that over the eight days of Hanukkah the children get a gift each night of the holiday. Although there are many important and fascinating aspects of Judaism that I left out, and many that I may not agree with. I still find Judaism to be a very interesting religion, and will have to put it on my bucket list to go a Jewish Temple in the future. As they say in Hebrew â€Å"Leheim! †

Abigail Adams by Janet Whitney

Throughout our lives we have heard how women throughout history strived to become the best. We have heard stories about women going against society to gain equal rights and we have read about woman with extraordinary character that pursued the history of this world. One of these women is Abigail Adams, the only woman so far to be both wife and mother of a president. Sadly, however, â€Å"Abigail Adams† by Janet Whitney is far from being a biography of her life. Janet Whitney arranges her material in chronological presentation. She starts from how Abigail Adams and John Adams fell in love and got married. She continues on with the biography describing how John Adams came to presidency as Abigail Adams gave birth to his kids one by one. The author chose wisely to arrange her material in chronological order; it helped better understand that time period. Janet Whitney didn’t make any assumptions about the knowledge of the reader, therefore carefully describing each and every event during the life of Abigail and John Adams. The events were detailed and included many direct quotes from the diary of John Adams. Therefore, it was easier to visualize the majority of the important events during the American Revolution. In society (the modern world especially) more and more females are looking to research on historical female figures that had an impact on the world. Janet Whitney intended to write this book for the female population but failed to interest them in the midst of the biography. The title of the biography is enough to attract and spark an interest in the reader, but as the reader continues reading, he/she will be filled with nothing but questions and disappointment. Up until the middle of the biography, Abigail Adams is mentioned only when she becomes pregnant with John Adam’s babies. The rest of the first half of the biography is an in-depth illustration of John Adam’s accomplishments. Abigail Adams is mentioned as merely a sidekick to John Adam’s success and a great companion. She is described as the most intellectual woman John Adam’s has ever met. Throughout the book the author describes in great depth and detail about the history that took place during the time of John and Abigail Adams. She seems to have great knowledge on the American Revolution and describes many detailed descriptions about John Adams life. Although the author does describe the events leading up to the American Revolution, the author fails to depict the role of Abigail Adams in the lives of her husband and others. I believe that the author thinks of Abigail Adams as an unflattering topic, which is ironic because the author decided to write a biography about her. The author wrote the biography in a way that seems like John Adams is the highlight of the life of Abigail Adams and that Abigail Adams was a small influence in the road to presidency for John Adams. The opinions of the author are not directly states in the biography. But there are certain parts of the book that shows an indirect opinion of Abigail Adams. As quoted in the biography, the author writes, â€Å"She freely expresses her longing to see him†¦she freely expresses her reliability on him†¦and the extent to how much she needs him in her life. † (Whitney page 113). The author believes that Abigail Adams felt like she needed John Adams in her life because she relied on him so much. Nowhere in biography does the author cite specific evidence as to why and where Abigail would say this. This also highlights the statement I said previously, the author believes Abigail to be an unflattering topic. The quote above describes Abigail as a needy, un-intellectual woman. The majority of the information the author used were from letters and diaries and biographies of other important historical figures such as John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and Thomas Hutchinson. Most of the biography was filled with quotes from first hand sources as the diary of Thomas Jefferson and letters written by John Adams. The quotes mostly described the setting of the time period rather than the important details. For example, it described the physical appearances of Abigail and John Adams and described the major and minor details of the houses and towns they lived in. The author did an excellent job at giving the reader a window into the time in which Abigail Adams lived. The historical documents used as a reference for the writing of this biography were constantly quotes to give us a visual as to what events were taking place. The author wrote pages describing a single certain event. Janet Whitney would not only quote from her first- hand sources, but she would describe and explain the quote as well to prevent any confusion. For example, Janet Whitney quotes in the biography, â€Å"The flame is kindled and like lightning it catches from soul to soul. Although the mind is shocked at the thought of shedding human blood, more especially the blood of our countrymen and a civil war is of all wars the most dreadful†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This creates a visual picture inside the reader’s head of how gory and gruesome the battles and fights were. Overall, I did not enjoy reading this biography. I was looking forward to learning about Abigail Adams and her influence on American history but as I read I was constantly disappointed. I didn’t realize that the whole book would be based on John Adam’s and how much of an effect he had on Abigail Adam’s life rather than how much of an effect Abigail Adam’s had in America. The biography was also written in an un-interesting way. It felt as if the author was just throwing information inside the text without putting effort into making it sound interesting. While reading the biography I would read over numerous mentioning of dates, times, cities, towns and names of random village men who are irrelevant to the life of Abigail Adam’s. This biography was a complete disappoint to its feminist audience. Throughout our lives we have always heard about how much of an extraordinary person Abigail Adam’s was but none of that is depicted in this biography. I look forward to reading an actual biography of Abigail Adam’s: a biography that doesn’t portray Abigail Adam’s as someone who’s constantly reliant on her husband.

Population and Economic Growth Essay

The debate between positive and negative sides of population growth is ongoing. Population growth enlarges labour force and, therefore, increases economic growth. A large population also provides a large domestic market for the economy. Moreover, population growth encourages competition, which induces technological advancements and innovations. Nevertheless, a large population growth is not only associated with food problem but also imposes constraints on the development of savings, foreign exchange and human resources. Generally, there is no consensus whether population growth is beneficial or detrimental to economic growth in developing economies. Moreover, empirical evidence on the matter for developing economies is relatively limited (Savas, 2008). According to Population ‘revisionist’ economists, population growth acts as an indispensable constituent for stimulating economic development because a sizeable population provides the required consumer demand to generate favorable economies of scale in production, lower production costs, and provide a sufficient and low-cost labor supply to achieve higher output levels (Todaro 1995, p. 03). Johnson (1999) pointed out that a high rate of economic growth is associated with high population growth and low economic growth is associated with low population growth. The issue of population and economic growth is as old as the discipline ofeconomics itself. The debate on the relationship between population andeconomic growth could be traced back to 1798 when Thomas Malthus published the book An Essay on the Principle of Population. Malthus claimed that there is a tendency for the population growth rate to surpass the production growth rate because population increases at a geometrical rate while production increases at an arithmetic rate. Thus, the unfettered population growth in a country could plunge it into acute poverty. However, the pessimist view has proven unfounded for developed economies in that they managed to achieve a high level of economic growth and thus, both population and the real gross domestic product (GDP)per capita were able to increase (Savas, 2008). Similarly, many of the empirical studies that claimedthat a rapid population growth impeded economicdevelopment could not be considered reliable. This isbecause the statistical correlation between populationexpansion and economic growth has not addressed thecausal relationship between the two (Repetto, 1985). The nature, direction and pattern of the causal relationship between population growth and economic growth has been the subject of very old debate among economists, demographers, policy-makers and researchers which is an open issue in development economics. Even though the nexus between population development and economic development has received extensive attention in the earlier period, it seems a stylized reality that it is hard to obtain a robust effect of population on economic development today. Despite the fact that there are abundant research studies on the relationship between population and economic development, there is no universal consensus as to whether population expansion is beneficial or detrimental to economic growth. (SarbapriyaandIshita, 2012). Population and Economic Growth  The debate on the relationship between population and economic growth could be traced back to Malthus. According to Malthus, population tends to grow geometrically, whereas food supplies grow only arithmetically. According to the Malthusian model, the causation goes in both directions. Higher economic growth increases population by stimulating earlier marriages and higher birth rates, and by cutting down mortality from malnutrition and other factors. On the other hand, higher population also depresses economic growth through diminishing returns. This dynamic interaction between population and economic growth is the centre of the Malthusian model, which implies a stationary population in the long-run equilibrium. Malthus’s concern created quite a stir in the early nineteenth century England, leading to widespread calls for restraints on population growth. Still, the English population expanded quite rapidly throughout the nineteenth century, but by most evidence real income rose and the spectre of mass starvation declined(Sarbapriya and Ishita, 2012). One of the stylized facts about population in all contemporary developed nations is that over the past couple of centuries it has passed through three stages (i. e. , demographic transition). The first stage is characterized by high birth rates and high death rates, resulting in a slow population growth. In thesecond stage there was a decrease in death rates, however the birth rates remained high as a consequence of increases in population. Finally, in the third stage, fertility rates fell and combined with low mortality rates resulted in very low or no population growth. The usual explanations for the time evolution of population relies generally on the idea that the improvement of economic conditions – which includes massive improvements in public health – led first to a reduction in the mortality rates, and finally to a decrease in the birth rates. As income per capita is a good proxy for economic conditions because it reflects, among other things, the impact of technology, education and health, the usual explanations therefore suggest that there is a strong link between per capita income and population. Indeed, the main theories put forward by economists to explain the evolution of population relates it to per capita income not aggregate output. This implies that there is a direct relation between per capita income and population size, an increase in income per capita leads to an increase in the size of population ((Sarbapriya and Ishita, 2012) The relationship between population and economicgrowth is complex and the empirical evidence is ambiguous, particularly concerning the causes and impacts3. It can be demonstrated in a theoretical model that a large population growth could have both negative and positive impacts on productivity4. A large population may reduce productivity because of diminishing returns to more intensive use of land and other natural resources. Conversely, a large population could encourage greater specialization, and a large market increases returns to human capital and knowledge. Thus, the net relationship between greater population and economic growth depends on whether the inducements to human capital and expansion of knowledge are stronger than diminishing returns to natural resources. Therefore, it is important to examine the population and economic growth nexus (Savas, 2008).

The Difference Between a Figurative and a Literal Analogy

Literal Analogy makes a direct comparison between objects, people or events. On the other hand, Figurative analogy compares the relationship between objects, people or events. An example of Literal Analogy: A self-defense course made me able to defend myself; it will make you able to defend yourself. The meaning of the sentence is that self-protection training has helped me to protect myself, in the same way it will help you in protecting yourself against any danger. The sentence mentions the importance of a self-defense course for the two individuals. The Literal Analogy is re-written as a Figurative Analogy: As a coat of sharp spine help a Porcupine to defend it against predators, similarly a self-defense course will help you as it has helped me in defending yourself against any danger. The two types of analogies are Literal Analogy and Figurative analogy. Whereas, Literal Analogy compares two objects similar in nature, Figurative analogy shows the relationship between two objects that are of different kind. For example, Literal Analogy uses precedence as a warrant for a particular action. The meaning is that an earlier case is quoted in order to justify a current action and it works because the earlier and current cases are essentially alike: ‘Sarah listens to music at high speed, so why can I? ’ Here it is implied that Sarah and I are more or less the same so we should have the same privilege. Figurative Analogy however does not directly compare two objects, rather shows the relationship that is contained in the theme and the phoros. The theme is what we want to convey and phoros is the thing which is used to shed light on the theme: As the tiger needs claws for its internal needs, so does America need defense to meet domestic concerns. Here, ‘America needs its defense to meet its domestic concerns’ is the theme and ‘As the Tiger needs its claws for its internal use’ is the phoros. Figurative analogy effectively employs persuasion and Literal Analogy is logical. We should remember that Figurative Analogy do not have the same force as a Literal Analogy as a Literal Analogy compare objects that posses similar characteristics. On the other hand, Figurative Analogy is a story and sometimes a metaphor created to compare dissimilar characteristics. This analogy helps to explain complex concepts by comparing them to familiar things. Figurative analogy provides a week form of evidence than Literal Analogy as the objects compared are inherently different. Nevertheless, figurative analogies give vivid pictures and makes teaching easy. Also, figurative analogies help to make your speech emotionally appealing. The superiority of one analogy against another can only be judged on the basis of the purpose behind the two analogies. Figurative Analogy does not give sound conclusion but the reasoning of Literal Analogy has its merit. Figurative Analogy that compares unlike things has the power to explain and the power to arouse emotions but it is not logical in nature. Literal Analogy which compares two like things, have the power of logic behind it. If the purpose is to give logical reasoning and sound conclusion, Literal Analogy is better. However, if the purpose is to clarify any complex concept and evoke emotions, Figurative Analogy is better.

SHORT LISTENING ASSIGNMENT FORMAT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

SHORT LISTENING ASSIGNMENT FORMAT - Essay Example The saxophone and the trumpet both provided smooth and consistent ride patterns for most parts in the song (www.youtube.com/watch). Cool jazz is evident because this song smoothed out a combination of swing and bop tones. Furthermore, dynamics and harmonic elements were softened in this song. The classic jazz style is also evident because the musical instruments that have been used e.g. the saxophone, drums and double bass, show the classical style of jazz music. The musical arrangement incorporates many solos, which substantially embellished the rhythm and melody with ornaments that improvise jazz music. Both the saxophone and the trumpet provided smooth swings at some points within the song. The jazz group technique that I can hear in this song is the riffs, and trading in some parts within the song. The drum in the song was significantly effectively because beat can not be filled without the rhythm of the drum. In some parts of the song where there was some silence, the drum added beats which kept the band with a better feeling. The stylish integration of the double bass and the drums also provide a consistent ride pattern all through the song (ccnmtl.columbia.edu). The song was introduced by the trumpet and saxophone which brought a pleasant feeling to the whole song. Syncopation was provided by both the piano and the drum at some points within the song. I choose to the drum because its effects were the most noticeable throughout the song. Its effects were highly noticeable all through the song, and towards the end of the song, the drum brought a conclusive touch and feel into the song. It was remarkably successful because it served all its purposes in the song effectively. I loved how the drum effects were integrated in the song.  The song is pleasing to me. I appreciate the manner in which it was delivered. The thing that I liked was the way in which the instrumentalists played their roles. One