Comparison of the Chinese and American Cultures Essay

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, culture is defined as â€Å"the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. † Culture is an aspect all groups of humans have and even though it is an aspect our species shares, the supposed differences make it seem like we are of different species! Culture is something that both connects and separates us. Culture is something distinct enough to create barriers among us, such as: linguistic barriers and behavioral barriers. And this is especially seen between the American and Chinese cultures. River Town, by Peter Hessler, is a non-fiction novel that depicts Peter’s experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fuling, China. He was sent to Fuling (a poor town on the banks of the Yangtze River) in 1996 and taught English and American literature for two years at a teachers college. This novel, in reading, seems more of a journal and thus, his writing of China puts the people and his experiences on a more personal level. He describes, with immense detail, his observations of the social, political and cultural issues of China and his experience as a waiguoren (foreigner). At his arrival, the people of the teachers college showered him and his fellow Peace Corps volunteer with many gifts and did everything they could to make them feel comfortable and welcome. However, alternately, whenever Peter would walk outside the campus of the school, the people would stare and gawk at him and yell, â€Å"outsider! † and â€Å"hello† out of curiosity and their own amusement. This made him dedicate a large part of his day solely to learning Chinese. As he becomes more proficient in Chinese, he develops friendships and connections and begins to feel more accepted. He talks about the troubled history of China: the struggles of land reform, decades of misguided economic policies and especially the damaging effects of the Cultural Revolution. Peter spends a good deal discussing the, then, upcoming project of the Three Gorges Dam, which has an immense, detrimental impact on the people. The project will require millions of villagers to be displaced and will destroy centuries worth of meaningful history. The author gives a very vivid illustration of the beautiful landscape, history and the people he meets. He also portrays the, especially political, perspectives of the Chinese quite well through learning from his students and teachers. According to Francis Hsu, the two sets of contrasts are: individual-centered versus situation-centered and the prominence of emotions versus the underplay of all matters regarding the heart. He believed Americans are concerned only of themselves and act according to what would be beneficial to them, and that the Chinese acted according to the situation at hand. The Chinese avoid direct confrontation, open criticism and controversial topics to maintain harmony. â€Å"In America, he saw the blind, often excessive pursuit of self-reliance and the inherent, permanent instability of human relationships as the root cause of many intractable social ills, including crime, racial discord, and the sale of influence in government. In China, he saw the traditional narrow focus on kinship based relationships had rendered their society unable to effectively counter Western colonialism, widespread poverty and famine, and even the practice of foot binding of women. † (Tong 2001) One aspect of the book that really interested me was the education system and different cultural differences of how education is looked upon. In the book, the students all had the same thoughts on almost every issue and those opinions would be unwavering. However, â€Å"Perhaps by my standards they were politically brainwashed, but compared to the past they were remarkably free. † (Hessler 2001:23) They would also communicate indirectly to Hessler; often times via their journals. Not only is the learning environment in China highly competitive and demanding, but expectations are high of students, forcing them to simply learn to achieve the highest grade possible. Also, Chinese students do not have electives they can choose from, they are assigned classes that best correspond to their scores on tests. Whereas in America, individualism and self-expression if looked high upon. Thus, in America, the individual student’s abilities and skills determine where they go in the future, and in China, what society or their parents want determines where they go. This is exactly what Francis Hsu talked about. I believe Peter Hessler was relatively objective in his journaling. Whenever he brought up thoughts or opinions of his students or any of the Fuling people, he briefly gave the history and background of them so we can understand where they are coming from. However, there were a few times where you could sense his extreme bias, but this was never fully evident in his writing. The difference between American and Chinese homes reflects the contrasting patterns of behavior in the family. In the US, children are highly regarded, cared for and have privilege, so far as to have laws and regulations protecting them. In China, children are taken for granted and have little to no reason to expect protection. Pediatrics was not a branch of medicine in China until just recently. In America, what is important is what parents should do for their parents; in China, what is important is what the children should do for their parents. This is a major reason why Chinese students are so focused on getting the best grades, so they can get a good job and take care of their elders. This is the basis for Filial Piety (virtue of respect for one’s parents and ancestors). American students focus on what is best for them and will usually move out the house at age 18 with no regard to taking care of their elders. Another difference between the two cultures is social relationships. The Chinese have formal, hierarchal relationships in which they feel most comfortable knowing their position. Americans have informal, egalitarian relationships in which they feel most comfortable among their equals and social ranking is not important. Ironically however, the Chinese tend to have a few, very close friends to whom they feel obligated to when it comes to helping them; Americans tend to have numerous â€Å"friends† and acquaintances that changes over time and to whom they feel no obligations. Works Cited 2001 River Town: Two years on the Yangtze. HarperCollins Publishers. Aguilar, Leslie, and Linda Stokes 1996. Multicultural Customer Service: Providing Outstanding. Service Across Cultures. Chicago: Times Mirror Higher Education Group, Inc â€Å"CultureAbout Our Definitions: All Forms of a Word (noun, Verb, Etc. ) Are Now Displayed on One Page. † Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n. d. Web. 18 Apr. 2013 Li Qing 1995. â€Å"Face, Guanxi, Houmen(r) & Elastic Rules: Insight into the Chinese Culture. † Presentation at conference of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Tong, William K. â€Å"Excerpts from Americans & Chinese by Francis Hsu. † Excerpts from Americans & Chinese by Francis Hsu. Oakton Community College, 2001. Web. 22 Apr. 2013.   

Pecking Order Theory

Brigham Concise 4th Edition Chapter 1: An Overview of Financial Management 1. Which of the following are among the three main areas of finance? a. financial institutions b. investments c. financial management d. all of the above are correct e. none of the above are correct d. Correct. 2. The globalization of business and the increased use of information technology are the two key trends in financial management today. a. True b. False a. True 3. Which of the following could explain why a business might choose to organize as a corporation rather than as a sole proprietorship or a partnership? a. Corporations generally face fewer regulations. . Corporations generally face lower taxes. c. Corporations generally find it easier to raise capital. d. Corporations enjoy unlimited liability. e. All of the above statements are correct. c. Correct. 4. A partnership is subject to the same taxation as corporations. a. True b. False b. False 5. One main disadvantage of partnerships is the requireme nt of a charter and set of bylaws. a. True b. False b. False 6. One disadvantage of the sole proprietorship form of organization is that there is: a. unlimited liability. b. double taxation c. more regulations than for corporations d. easy transferability of ownership interest . all of the above are correct. a. Correct 7. A corporate charter should include which of the following: a. name of the proposed corporation b. type of activities it will pursue c. amount of capital stock d. number of directors e. names and addresses of directors f. all of the above f. Correct. 8. One reason that the value of most businesses is maximized if they are organized as a corporation is that: a. corporations face unlimited liability. b. it is easier to transfer ownership of a corporation (corporations are more liquid assets). c. corporations have a more difficult time raising capital than sole proprietorships. d.All of the above b. Correct 9. Which of the following represents a significant disadvantag e to the corporate form of organization? a. Difficulty in transferring ownership. b. Exposure to taxation of corporate earnings and stockholder dividend income. c. Degree of liability to which corporate owners and managers are exposed. d. Difficulty corporations face in obtaining large amounts of capital in financial markets. b. Correct 10. The chief financial officer (CFO) is usually the highest ranking officer in a corporation. a. True b. False b. False 11. The activities of the financial staff include: a. forecasting and planning. b. ajor investment and financing decisions. c. dealing with financial markets. d. risk management. e. all of the above. e. Correct. 12. The financial vice-president’s key subordinates are the president and the chief executive officer. a. True. b. False b. FAlse. 13. In most firms the treasurer has the responsibility for managing the firm’s cash and marketable securities, for planning its capital structure, for selling stocks and bonds to r aise capital, for overseeing the corporate pension plan, and for managing risk. a. True b. False a. True 14. The primary goal of a publicly-owned firm interested in serving its stockholders should be to: a.Maximize expected total corporate profit. b. Maximize expected EPS. c. Minimize the chances of losses. d. Maximize the stock price per share. e. Maximize expected net income. d. Correct 15. Managers that depart from the goal of shareholder wealth maximization run the risk of being removed from their jobs. a. True b. False a. True. 16. Most actions that help a firm increase the price of its stock also benefit society at large. a. True b. False a. True. 17. The primary contribution of finance to total social welfare is its: a. Function as a productive resource. b. Contribution to the efficient allocation and use of resources. c.Role as an exogenous variable. d. Positive impact on the externalities of â€Å"other variables. † e. Contribution to environmental protection. b. Cor rect 18. Most firms today have in place strong codes of ethical behavior, yet there are no obvious answers for many of the ethical questions facing many companies. a. True b. False a. True. 19. Socially responsible actions that increase costs may have to be put on a mandatory basis. a. True b. False a. True. 20. An agency relationship arises whenever one or more individuals hire another individual or organization to perform some service and delegate decision-making authority to that agent. . True b. False. a. True. 21. In financial management the primary agency relationships are those between: a. stockholders and managers b. managers and debtholders c. managers with similar levels of authority within the firm d. a and b e. a, b, and c d. Correct 22. Which of the following work to reduce agency conflicts between stockholders and bondholders? a. Including restrictive covenants in the company’s bond contract. b. Providing managers with a large number of stock options. c. The pas sage of laws that make it easier for companies to resist hostile takeovers. d.All of the statements above are correct. a. Correct 23. Which of the following actions are likely to reduce agency conflicts between stockholders and managers? a. Paying managers a large fixed salary. b. Increasing the threat of corporate takeover. c. Placing restrictive covenants in debt agreements. d. All of the statements above are correct. b. Correct 24. The managers should always undertake actions that result in a transfer of wealth from bondholders to stockholders. a. True b. False b. False. 25. Which of the following factors tend to encourage management to pursue stock price maximization as a goal? . Shareholders link management’s compensation to company performance. b. Managers’ reactions to the threat of firing and hostile takeovers. c. Statements a and b are both correct. c. Correct. 26. Mechanisms used to motivate managers to act in shareholders’ best interests include: a. m anagerial compensation b. direct intervention by shareholders c. the threat of firing d. the threat of takeovers e. all of the above e. Correct. 27. Creditors lend funds at rates that are based on: a. riskiness of the firm’s existing assets b. expectations concerning the riskiness of future asset additions c. he firm’s existing capital structure d. expectations concerning future capital structure decisions e. all of the above e. Correct. 28. The dividend policy decision is the way the firm is funded (e. g. , the mix of debt and equity used). a. True Incorrect. The dividend policy decision is the choice of how much of earnings to pay out as dividends and how much to retain to reinvest in the firm. b. False b. False. 29. Managerial actions are the only determinant of a firm’s stock value. a. True False. b. False. 30. If the firm maximizes EPS, it will maximize stockholder wealth. a. True b. False b. False.

Causes and Effect Essays - Walmart, Retailing, Criticism Of Walmart

auses and Effect 1. Lack cleanliness and tidiness -the store is always crowded and customers litter everywhere. -not enough labor hours to clean the big store -part time employees do not care about the stores cleanliness 2. Stores are not restocking shelves fast enough. - bad communication between front and back end of the store - some of the merchandise are not up to date - not enough labor hours to do routine stocking therefore shelves were left bare - Walmart has cut so many employees during recession that it no longer has enough workers to stock its shelves properly. - Walmart reduced the range of merchandise it carried to make stores less cluttered. Unfortunately, customers did not like the change, and Walmart added merchandise back but did not add enough employees back 3. Prices are not always as low as competitors. -there are stores who deal lower prices at similar sales -the production cost high that causes high prices. In oder to 4. Digital services need to be integrated with physical stores.( allowing online services) -the store is huge and hectic. -some customers do not like to waiting in line that caused by the slow worker. -parking place is far from the store. -fewer sales associates, less management, and longer lines at the check-out register.

Programmable logic controllers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Programmable logic controllers - Essay Example Commutative law can be represented using logic gates as follows: According to the Associative law of multiplication, when ANDing two or more variables, the order in which the variables are arranged makes no difference. This law can be illustrated using AND gates as shown below: According to this law, ORing two or more variables followed by ANDing the outcome with a single variable is equal to ANDing the single variable with each one of the two variables followed by ORing the products. This law also illustrates the process of factorization as shown below: DeMorgan proposed two theories that are useful part of Boolean algebra. In practice, DeMorgans theorems gives mathematical confirmation of the equivalence of NAND and the negative OR gates and the equivalence of the NOR and the negative AND gates. One of the DeMorgans theories is stated as follows: The complement of the product of any two variables is equivalent to the sum of the complements of the two variables. A four-variable Karnaugh map consists of sixteen cells, as shown in the figure below. The binary digits A and B are at the left side while the values C and D are across the top. The value of any given cell is binary values of A and B combined with the values of C and D. For instance, the cell in the upper

Capital Punishments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Capital Punishments - Essay Example In a wider context, capital punishment demeans human dignity. Violence cannot solve the rising cases of criminality. It should be stressed that toleration of execution as a means to solve criminality leaves an imprint on the citizenry’s mind that violence should be confronted with violence (Fridell 33). Capital punishment acts to legitimize violence within society. For this and other reasons to be discussed in this paper, capital punishment should be abolished since it is degrading to human life value. There are those in society who perceive capital punishments as beneficial to human society due to its ability to deter criminals from committing crimes. In addition, they believe that capital punishment ensures that violent criminals have no chance to dish violence on society (Melusky & Pesto 55). However, it is important to note that these arguments have no support in the form of scientific literature. There is no proof that a causal connection exists between criminals committi ng crimes and capital punishment. In addition, empirical research proves that many crimes committed in the US are crimes of passion or unplanned or un-premeditated crimes. Logically, when crimes are committed when a person is angry, the idea of capital punishment will not deter the prospective criminal at the time he is about to commit the crime (Melusky & Pesto 56). This is because he cannot rationally calculate the merits and demerits of his/her actions. Capital punishment can lead to wrongful execution and, therefore, must be done away with. For example, the case of Randall Adams in Texas had seen him sentenced to death for a crime he had not committed. According to Errol Morris, whose documentary led to his freeing, â€Å"Prosecutors sometimes push capital punishment cases to improve their CV† (Morris 1). Unfortunately, in other cases, the evidence that can prove the death row inmate’s innocence is only obtained following their execution. Therefore, because there i s the ever present chance of wrongful execution, capital punishment should be abolished. Capital punishment creates doubt in society that the justice system is unreliable when they really need it. It also emotionally hurts the families of people who have been executed wrongly because it is impossible to resurrect them. Because judges and juries are humans and can make wrong decisions with regards to those deserving acquittal or conviction, wrongful executions will always occur (Melusky & Pesto 57). For this reason, capital punishment, because of its irreversibility, must be abolished. Another detrimental effect of the death penalty has to do with the fact that it sends a message to society that their justice system acts as a revenge advocate, especially for those people who are victimized because of heinous crimes (Mandery 18). The death penalty sends a message to society that the reason the justice system exists is to aid the victims of heinous crimes and their families, rather tha n determine whether the suspects in the crime are guilty or innocent. Capital punishment can be interpreted in another way, which is that it does not give the offender any chance to realize their mistake and act to correct it. The American justice system, in this case, is made to look biased and partial when it uses capital punishmen

Barriers that must be overcome for Diversity to flourish in an Essay

Barriers that must be overcome for Diversity to flourish in an organization - Essay Example ?the mosaic of people who bring a variety of backgrounds, styles, perspectives, values, and beliefs as assets to the groups and organizations with which they interact.† For the Pillsbury Company, diversity is defined as â€Å"all the way in which we differ.† Kraft Foods Inc. spells out its commitment to diversity in metaphors with which people can identify: â€Å"A stellar meal requires contrasting and complementing textures and tastes. A winning sports team depends of the different talents of its members. A first class orchestra needs many variety of thought, energy, and insight to attain and maintain a competitive edge.† (pp. 25) Diversity, Simmons (2003), refers to variety of difference related to factors such as age, culture, disability, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, socio-economic level or thinking style. In business context diversity includes business background or function. Diversity is a process that corrects inequities and brings fairness and inclusion on all fronts and as broadly defined, carries an inherent benefit for every employee. As Simmons argued, only in this context it is realistic to expect a positive view and an active contribution from every employee. Organization alignment, Simmons continued, is the goal of every culture change process, including diversity. You wont achieve that alignment unless every person can benefit from it. In his book, Johnson (2003, 399-400) explained that in every relationship you decide how to manage the differences between the two of you. Diversity among your acquaintances, classmate, coworkers, neighbors, and friends is increasingly inevitable. Such diversity is an opportunity that can have positive or negative consequences, depending on your engaging in an eight-step program: The first step is to recognize that diversity exists and is a valuable resource. The second step is to build cooperative relationship with diverse individuals. Cooperation promotes a process of acceptance while competitive

Health problem of chicano Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health problem of chicano - Research Paper Example If those barriers that hinder people from accessing proper medical care are not eliminated, it can have numerous negative impacts on the community. It will lead to costly hospitalizations as well as more severe health issues. The future’s health care system will be faced with much larger numbers of Hispanic patients who are suffering from chronic conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes and from the consequences of these conditions as well (Josà © & Rubà ©n, 1). Chicano’s Health Problem is an issue that needs to matter to all citizens of the United States. Increase in health problems in the United States will lead to a decrease in the countrys ability to maintain as well as stimulate economic growth. This is due to the fact that the country will need to spend more of its finances in treating the sick people. There will also be a decline in the number of people who are able to work. The citizens of the United States should really care about this issue because if they don’t pay attention to it the problem will just keep increasing and so will the negative effects on the society. The Affordable Care Act has offered numerous health benefits to Chicano community. First, there is affordability because of expanded Medicaid coverage. According to Instituto Familiar De La Raza (2), because of the Care Act it is projected that over five million Latinos will be able to access health insurance. Given that the Chicanos encounter among the highest health discrepancy all over the country, the eradication of pre-existing conditions tackles a enormous barrier to access to healthcare. In the Affordable Care Act, there is also the extension of benefits for youngsters to stay under the coverage of their parents. For a community that puts a great importance on family unit, this benefit is very significant. It becomes even more important provided that unemployment levels continue to be high and youngsters encounter difficulties

Schizophrenia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Schizophrenia - Essay Example People fail to understand that the behavior displayed by people suffering from schizophrenia is not a result of ‘madness’ but is a result of the mental problems they have. The case of Andrea Yates is an example of what people suffering from schizophrenia are capable of doing if help and support is not extended to them at the right time and in a right way. Diagnosis And Symptoms People suffering from schizophrenia display maladjusted behavior and thinking pattern. According to DSM-IV-TR, the diagnosis of schizophrenia is done on the basis of symptoms that are visible in the behavior and the thinking pattern of people who suffer from it (First & Tasman, 2010, p.245). People suffering from schizophrenia have delusions, hallucinations, incoherent and disorganized speech, excessively catatonic behavior and rigid physical movements (First & Tasman, 2010, p.245). According to Barch (2003), the defining aspect of schizophrenia is the deficits in cognitive functions and the distu rbed thought process (Weiten, Lloyd, Dunn & Hammer, 2009, p.502). This deteriorates patient’s daily routine and relationships with people as he talks in chaotic and illogical manner and there is no sense in his talk (Weiten et al., 2009, p.502). Most of the times, people suffering from schizophrenia have auditory hallucinations where they hear voices from non-existent or absent people and act accordingly (Weiten et al., 2009, p.502). ... a Yates Andrea Yates, a 37 year old woman from Texas, drowned her five young children to death, under the influence of severe mental illness (Greene, Fortune, Heilbrun & Nietzel, 2007, p.215). Andrea had a long history of mental illness. Andrea’s mental illness was hereditary as her father, two brothers and a sister, suffered from depression and other mental illness in different degrees (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). Andrea was suffering from clinical depression and episodes of psychotic illness from years and was under treatment for the same (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). After the numerous psychotic episodes, she was hospitalized and was diagnosed with schizophrenia and postpartum depression (Greene et al., 2007, p.215). According to â€Å"The Andrea Yates Case† (2005), she was hospitalized just one month prior to the killings as it was evident that if she is left alone without supervision, she might get violent (Greene et al., 2007, p. 215). Moreover, after having her fourth baby, her psychiatrist had suggested her and her husband not to have another baby saying that she will go deeper in depression if more responsibility comes her way (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). However, according to Yardley (2001), her husband overlooked the warning and refused birth control saying that they â€Å"would like to have as many babies as nature will allow† (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). The overwhelming responsibility of raising kids and doing their home schooling took its toll on Andrea and she went into severe depression and psychotic episodes (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). On June 20, 2001, Andrea drowned each of her children one by one in a tub filled with water and later, laid them in bed and covered them with sheet (Greene et al., 2007, p.215). The eldest child was found floating

Establishing Legitimate Business in the UK Essay

Establishing Legitimate Business in the UK - Essay Example Table of Contents Content Page Title Page 1 Abstract 2 Table of Contents 3 1. Introduction 4 2. Establishing a Legitimate Business Enterprise in the UK 5 a. Considerations to Make 5 b. Requirements for Business Enterprise Establishments 6 c. Advantages of Establishing a Legitimate Business 8 d. Ascertaining Legitimacy of a Business Enterprise 10 3. Conclusions 10 References List 12 Establishing a Legitimate Business Enterprise in the UK 1. Introduction The United Kingdom has of late become a core trading destination and trading partner for quite a number of countries across the globe, as well as individual business entities. The economy of the United Kingdom is depicted to have evolved from a state of being a base of predominance manufacturing to one which is aligned to new developments as far as biosciences and technology are concerned (Luff 2011:24). The country has been in the forefront with a number of investors seeking business opportunities from within following these and many other reasons which are beneficial for business initiatives. ... This fact has also been attributed to a number of illegitimate businesses coming up in the country. This calls for establishment of systems to verify legitimacy of a business in the country before one chooses to associate any given business. This paper attempts to look into establishment of business enterprises in the United Kingdom with focus placed on legitimacy (Doornkamp 1995:76). The paper also seeks to look into factors and requirements that are attached to establishment of business enterprises in the United Kingdom, as well as implications for the same. 2. Establishing a Legitimate Business Enterprise in the UK When there is a company seeking for business with the United Kingdom, there are normally implications based on fiscal aspects. These are not complex or so cumbersome to engage. However, there are a number of practical provisions which investors need to know so as to ease their prospects for undertaking business establishments in the country (Syrett and North 2008:165). This follows the fact that there is need for verification whether a there is legitimacy as regards the so referred to business or not. a. Considerations to Make When one intends to start a business in the United Kingdom, there are a number of factors that s/he has to consider. One of the factors that need to be looked into is the fact that every business has to fill a need which has to be definite at the same time. This implies that if at all a business does not appear to demonstrate any form of service which would make people to pay for, then that means that there is lack of reasons for investing in the country (Morris 2011:139). This is due to the fact that a business which fails to have this in mind has

Skyscrapers in Chicago Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Skyscrapers in Chicago - Essay Example [2] According to Think Quest Library, a skyscraper is a "multi-storied building constructed on steel skeleton, combining extraordinary height with ordinary rooms such as would be found in low buildings, the term originated in the United States in the later 1880s after buildings in New York reached ten stories a skyscraper". These are very tall habitable building which stands out clearly above its surrounding built environment and significantly changes the overall skyline of this particular city. [2] Originally buildings were made with a broader base to support the entire building. As time progressed and technologies evolved higher and thinner buildings started to become more practical. The crucial developments for modern skyscrapers were steel, glass, reinforced concrete, water pumps, and elevators. Steel and reinforced concrete allowed higher buildings to be built on a small patch of land. The water pumps were essential to pump water up to higher levels for the use of constructions and as well as utility. Primitive elevators of various designs had been used for centuries, and starting in the mid 19th century, steam-operated elevators were used to move materials in factories, mines, and warehouses. But these elevators were not considered safe for people; if the cable broke, they would plummet to the bottom of the elevator shaft. Then in 1853, an American inventor named Elisha Graves Otis developed a safety device that kept elevators from falling if a cable should break. This ne w development had an enormous impact on public confidence. And later in the century, the switch to an electric motor made the elevator a practical solution to the problem of getting up and down tall buildings. [1] [5] The Great Fire - The Primary Reason The Great Fire of Chicago is named as one of the worst tragedies to hit the city and even more importantly it is remembered for the role it played in the rebuilding. The devastation occurred on October 8, 1871. The damage figures appalled the whole city. Nearly 300 persons had died while around 18,000 buildings were destroyed. This made about 100,000 people (one-third of the city) were homeless with a property valued at $200,000,000 (about a third of the valuation of the city) destroyed. The situation was looking very bleak. However histories telling the tales of dangers and grief shared and overcome gave heart to the people. And mysteriously in cases like these the worst of times can bring out the best in people anywhere. [1] [3] After the fire devastated Chicago in 1871 building regulations were changed to allow multistory structures. Reconstruction was started almost immediately. Development committees were formed and plans for rebuilding were made even before the fire was out. [1] [3] (Source: http://memory.loc.gov/ndlpcoop/ichicdn/n0084/n008404.jpg) By October 1872, new buildings worth nearly $50 million had been erected. Between 1872 and 1879 more than ten thousand construction permits were issued. Between 1871 and 1891 some $316,220,000 was poured into the construction of new buildings. Chicago, instead to recovering slowly from the tragedy, started to experience explosive growth, and it

Ernest Hemingway Essay Example for Free

Ernest Hemingway Essay Ernest Hemingway probably summed it up best when he said, All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn (source). We’re dealing with quite a book here. Published in 1885, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain’s follow-up to the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, carved new territory into the American literary landscape in several ways. As one of the first novels to use a specific region’s vernacular in its narration, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn set a precedent for many other distinctly American works to follow. Some readers didn’t exactly get this new colloquial style, however. Accustomed to the proper prose of Hawthorne, Thoreau, and Emerson, some readers didn’t know what to do with Huck’s particular way of storytelling. Aside from the novel’s new style of writing, Twain’s decision to use thirteen-year-old Huck as the narrator allowed him to include certain content that a more civilized narrator probably would have left out. At first, Twain’s novel was labeled crass by some readers. The book was even banned in schools for its use of the n-word which is ironic, given that the novel is up in arms over slavery. Even today, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn makes Banned Books lists. Twain’s novel jumped head first into one of the biggest issues of its day: racism. Although the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed over two decades before Huckleberry Finn’s original publication date, African-Americans everywhere were still victims of oppression and racism. They were technically free, but often by name only in Reconstruction-era America. Many southerners were bitter about the outcome of the Civil War. By guiding his characters through several states of the Confederacy, Twain was able to reveal the hypocrisy of many pre-war southern communities. As a southerner himself, Twain had first-hand experiences to draw on, and he was able to walk the fine line between realistic depiction and ironic farce. Not to mention, Twain created the now-iconic character of Jim, a runaway slave who convinces Huck that African-Americans are deserving of freedom, and that equality is a goal for which we all should be fighting. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is now considered to be one of the Great American Novels, mostly due to how it so heartily champions the American ideals of freedom, independence, and rugged individualism. Huck’s dedication to his own moral standards and his bold sense of adventure and self-sufficiency have earned him a place in the All-American Hall of Fame. In addition, Twain is a hilarious storyteller, and the plot of this novel is a roller-coaster ride of moral dilemmas – so trust us when we say that if you haven’t taken the ride yet, you probably should. Why Should I Care? Mark Twain wrote Adventures of Huckleberry Finn twenty years after the American Civil War. Slavery had been abolished, and the North and South were making up (albeit with some residual anger). So why publish a highly moralistic tale about a system that was no longer in place? Weren’t race issues a moot point once slavery was out of the picture? Hardly. Freedom didn’t mean equality by any means – not legally, socially, or practically. (See Shmoop Historys Jim Crow in America for more.) Actually, come to think of it, this isn’t an outdated notion at all. Rules and laws often don’t accurately reflect what’s really going on. From a legal standpoint today, we have equality of race; yet racism is still a problem. Men and women are equal, yet many still see a glass ceiling for women in the workplace, meaning they often have invisible boundaries to advancement. That doesn’t mean laws are useless. Laws may not immediately effect change, but we’ve seen that they do precede change. While laws can affect how people act, it takes more to change the way we think. We can’t rely on laws alone. That’s where The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn comes back into the picture. We need people like Mark Twain to remind us not to be self-congratulatory for starting a process in motion, but instead to realize that greater change is always necessary.

Perceptions of Reality in the Matrix Essay Example for Free

Perceptions of Reality in the Matrix Essay The question of ‘reality’ has always intrigued people throughout the world. It has been perceived as tangible and exact but at the same time intensely vulnerable. The frailties of ‘reality’ have been exposed by the many differing ways in which it can be perceived. These differences of perception can be attributed to factors such as age, sex, nationality, religion, and political views, all of which alter the way we process what is presented to us as ‘facts’ by our senses. It has been reasoned, that every living person, or person that has ever lived must have a unique sense of reality, a point of perception so tailored to his or her own identity that it could never be shared exactly with anyone else. Having considered this idea, one may arrive at a primary solution that there was no such thing as a shared reality. Furthermore, the word ‘reality’ should only be used tentatively and only accurately in relation to a specific individual’s view of a subject. However, having arrived at this conclusion one may become aware that allowing individual realities is not a solution, it merely raises more questions. The brain is a complex organ relying on naturally produced endorphins and chemicals such as serotonin to maintain a state of perceptive normality, if this chemical balance is altered then the individuals perceptions of reality are also subject to change. How is the reality of the individual affected if they are suffering from depression? Is it the bleak or the hopeful that forms the reality for that individual? How are we to view the differences that occur in the mind when intoxicated through drugs or alcohol? These are complex factors that would need addressing in order to solve the question of ‘reality’. The release of the Wachowski Brothers’ film The Matrix is one of the reasons more and more people began to question what ‘reality’ really is. This science fiction film presents the idea that the world around us is an illusion. What we perceive to be reality is in fact a computer simulation called ‘The Matrix’, which is inputted directly into our brains making us believe that we are livingnormal lives when in fact our inert bodies are providing heat to power the machines which, after years of human service became intelligent enough to have taken over the world. In addition to the basic questioning of reality within the story line, The Matrix explores the importance of other areas concerned with perceptions of reality such as dreams and fate. Coming as it did at the very end of the 20th century, The Matrix deals with the ultra-modern and an apocalyptic view of the world. At a time when it was thought by many that the end of an era was approaching, with ‘The Millennium’, subconscious fears arose. While advances in technology have left us less to fear than ever before in terms of injury and disease, technology itself fills the void. In this case, The Matrix deals with the common fear of an over dependence on machines. At a time when the world at large was concerned about the effects of ‘The Millennium Bug’ machines turning on humans was, to some, a valid concern. While not concentrating on the likelihood of machines taking over, the growing part they play in constructing and maintaining our realities is important to consider. Where do we draw the line between what we perceive as ‘reality’ and a computer generated representation that may be more ‘real’ than the original? In answering this question one may refer to the work of Aldous Huxley, specifically The Doors of Perception, in order to provide a view into the significance of enhanced hallucinogenic realities. Building on the idea of chemically enhanced reality one can examine, using the writings of Jean Baudrillard, the extent to which artificially created reality, in terms of media presentation, has affected our perceptions of reality. One may also refer to Baudrillard’s work on simulacra to explore the significance of duplication and reproduction on commonly held ideas of reality. With this in mind the idea of ‘reality’ may be explored as being distilled into a Matrix of binary code and if so, what does that tell us about our supposedly organic realities? It is these questions, along with numerous others that one hopes to answer when studying the different perceptions of reality in the film The Matrix. Some may also examine in detail how the human mind has adapted to the outside world, how ‘reality’ has been constructed to provide an acceptable platform on which to live, how that reality may be maintained and ultimately the significance of how it may be undermined. The importance of a solid base on which to construct the events of everyday life is apparent throughout literature. The first lines of The Bible read: â€Å"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void†. To have this statement at the very beginning of The Bible illustrates the human need to organize the world into a recognizable reality where the unknown can be explained. In early times the creation of the world was, from a scientific point of view, a mystery. In order to create a base on which to build their realities, mankind devised explanations for the creation of the world. Much as God moulded the shapeless earth into its current form, mankind fashioned a belief system as important to life as the world itself. Two thousand years later, the issues of reality are still unresolved and new questions are being raised. In biblical times, man was unique in his ability to reason and communicate thoughts and ideas. He was God’s chosen subject and the reason the world and all its ‘realities’ had been created. In this day and age, machines and computers form such a large part of our lives that mankind’s uniqueness is called into question. Computers now perform complex calculations millions of times faster than the human brain and are able to take actions based on those calculations with reaction times far in advance of human physiological attributes. In addition to areas where machines have been made superior to human capabilities, the distinction between man and machine has become blurred: â€Å"What is real? How do you define real? If you’re talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain. † Here the connection is made between the world of man and the world of machines. We are as dependent on electronic information as the computers and machines that we have created. More significantly, if external stimuli can be coded into electrical impulses that our brains decipher, can higher thought processes and emotions be similarly synthesised? It is here where we realize the similarities between the physiology and technology that the name ‘The Matrix’, ascribed in the film. As it is shown in the film, the virtual reality computer programme which was fed to the humans is extremely significant. The root of the word ‘matrix’ is the Latin word for ‘mater’ meaning mother, pluralized to ‘matris’ signifying at the basest level, a number of wombs or animals kept specifically for the purpose of breeding. Further definitions are listed as: 1) A mould in which a thing is cast or shaped. 2) An environment or substance in which a thing is developed, a womb. 3) In math it is a rectangular array of elements in rows and columns that is treated as a single element 4) In biology is it defined as the substance between cells or in which structures are embedded. 5) Computing a grid like array of interconnected circuit elements. It is interesting to note that the word can refer to both the organic nature of gestation and birth and also the electronic code used by a digital camera recording the process. Additionally, in its first definition, the word is used in relation to manufacture and duplication. The selection of the word ‘matrix’ for use in the film is therefore carefully chosen, and is accurate in describing the numerous functions that ‘The Matrix’ performs within the film aside from the main aspect of creating a living, ‘real’ world from electronic code. In suggesting a world that is entirely manufactured from a code, The Matrix questions that which we base our realities upon as well as the significance of the reality that is presented. The concept of one’s surroundings being constructed from computer code is difficult to grasp and according to the film, difficult to implement. According to Agent Smith, when the machines first enslaved humans, â€Å"The first Matrix was designed to be a perfect human world, where none suffered, where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program. Entire crops were lost. Some believed we lacked the programming language to describe your perfect world. But I believe that as a species, human beings define their reality through misery and suffering. The perfect world was a dream that your primitive cerebrum kept trying to wake up from. † Interestingly, this aspect of ‘The Matrix’ echoes The Bible in terms of The Garden of Eden. Just as Adam and Eve could not live in paradise, it is suggested that the human brain constructs its reality based upon curiosity, hierarchy and suffering. The human mind is inquisitive and the reward for success is advancement among one’s peers, the punishment for failure is suffering. In addition, this concept is also a base for the manner in which Buddhism constructs reality, the Four Noble Truths: 1) That existence is suffering. 2) That all suffering is caused by ignorance of the nature of reality and the greed that is created by ignorance. 3) That suffering can be overcome by mentally rejecting ignorance and attachment. 4 That overcoming suffering is achieved by following the eightfold path to enlightenment. The Buddhist view is also present in The Matrix. For Neo, existence is suffering. He is uneasy yet does not know why. Morpheus later tells him: â€Å"You don’t know what it is but it’s there, like a splinter in your mind. † Neo later discovers the true reality, first of the existence of The Matrix, then of his own power to change it and adapt the rules of the code. In the end he rejects what he believed to be the real world, repeating his mantra, â€Å"There is no spoon† in order to reject the ‘real’ world, to step away from his senses and concentrate on the code, the life blood of The Matrix. With these truths learnt he is enlightened and becomes ‘The One’ as Morpheus had predicted. In the film The Matrix the path to enlightenment is through the code that constructs reality. We must ask ourselves how similar is The Matrix code-based framework to our own organic reality? This is an issue that is tackled in modernist writing. With the rise of the importance of industry, many writers discussed the concept of ‘the new’, how to decipher the modern world and man’s place within it. In Soft City by Jonathan Raban, he discusses problems of individuality that occur in ‘the city’. He acknowledges the significance of the codes that shape an individual’s reality: â€Å"People often have to live by reading the signs and surfaces of their environment and interpreting them in terms of private, near magical codes. † Here Raban acknowledges a subconscious method of constructing reality. It is the ‘sign and surface’ of the environment that is perceived, the sheer quantity of information prohibiting anything more than a cursory examination. This basic image of reality is then encoded and compared to those codes that exist within our memory. In The Matrix this idea is applied literally. Neo becomes aware that when he is inside The Matrix his perceptions are purely a computer code, as are the objects around him. Through the course of the film he learns that through ‘freeing his mind’ from the code that interprets reality, reality itself can be altered. This bending of reality takes to an extreme the allegory of changing one’s point of view and seeing the world in a different way, a message found in myriad works from A Christmas Carol to Macbeth but the quantification of perception has frequently been questioned. Just as the establishment of Greenwich Mean Time contributed to the co modification of time, the modern mind, according to Simmel, â€Å"The modern mind has become more and more a calculating one. The calculating exactness of practical life which has resulted from a money economy corresponds to the ideal of natural science, namely that of transforming the world into an arithmetical problem and of fixing every one of its parts in a mathematical formula. † In a reality constructed around the importance of time and money, every aspect of that reality possesses an economic value. This quantification can also be seen as a code that makes up reality that man may decipher in purely numerical terms. In addition to these created codes of ethics and values it is important to consider factual, scientific codes that construct our world. A significant thinker in this field was the German mathematician and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz who, in 1714 in his book The Monadology, discussed the existence of countless conscious centres of spiritual force or energy which he names ‘monads’. Each monad represents a singular microcosm that reflects the universe in varying degrees of perfection and developing independently of all other monads. These inter-related microcosms that construct reality are, according to Leibniz the result of a divine plan that despite its disparate form makes up a harmonious reality. It is a failing of mankind that we cannot easily perceive factors such as disease and death as part of a universal harmony. Leibniz concludes that if our aversion to these evils can be overcome then harmony with the universe can exist and a reality can occur where: â€Å"Every body responds to all that happens in the universe, so that he who saw all could read in each one what is happening everywhere, and even what has happened and what will happen. † Here we find a further interpretation of reality that relates to The Matrix in terms of a unified system, not unlike a computer program, where all factors are not only comprised of the same code, but are all inter-related in a perfect harmony. However, this is where human reality and the reality of The Matrix diverge. As Leibniz points out, the necessity of death is an uncomfortable consideration within human construction of reality, which leads us to be out of touch with the rest of the universe. But it is the nature of death that also provides a key to another area where codes determine our realities, the code of DNA. DNA is the code that influences more than any other the conditions of our reality. It determines everything about us from height to lifespan. We are in a purely organic manner, programmed on how we will live. Of all the factors that DNA contains, it is lifespan that offers one of the most interesting possibilities. While humans can have some idea of their DNA in terms of skin colour and IQ, an aspect of the code that remains closed to us is that of our own lifespan. This aspect is explored in The Matrix where The Agents are created knowing that their purpose is to live within what they know to be a false world, eliminating those who threaten it. It becomes for them restrictive, as Agent Smith confesses: â€Å"I hate this place, this zoo, this prison, this reality; whatever you want to call it†¦I must get out of here. I must get free†. In the light of the concept of increasing knowledge and power through the study of the codes that construct reality we are presented with a quandary. Does absolute knowledge of the codes provide a more fulfilling life? Humans held within The Matrix are unaware of their fate. The Agents, although possessing complete knowledge of the code and its capabilities, enabling supreme strength, agility and knowledge, are the only ones aware that they are imprisoned. In this falsely constructed reality, only those with power are aware of the misery of their condition. While The Agents have supreme power over The Matrix code for most of the film, the crew of The Nebuchadnezzar, existing in the ‘real’, non computer generated world also are aware of the lack of comfort offered by their existence. They are able to define their existence through knowledge of The Matrix but also through their memory of life within The Matrix before they were ‘freed’. It is this condition of possessing memory, which forms a significant part of how we perceive reality. In the film, Cypher, the Judas figure that attempts to betray his colleagues asks for his reward to be completely ignorant of reality. He remembers life within The Matrix where pleasure was possible, not, â€Å"being cold, eating the same God-damn goop everyday†. He makes a deal with The Agents that he will be re-inserted into The Matrix where he will remember nothing of his past life apart from generated memories implanted in his brain by the machines. He sacrifices his unpleasant memories for a fool’s paradise. From this we can conclude that constructing reality in the present must involve an examination of the past. This idea is found in Freud’s belief that an individual’s psychological mechanism could be explained in relation to the individual’s past, childhood experiences and repressions leading to certain types of behaviour in adult life. This may help to explain the construction of our realities as individuals, but in order to follow the Leibniz model of harmonious reality that encompasses us all it is necessary to examine the writings of Carl Jung. While Freud believed that behaviour was based on the individual, Jung maintained that all humans share a collective unconscious, inherited feelings, thoughts and more significantly, memories, shared by the whole of mankind. Jung believed that this collective unconscious is made up of universally held images known as ‘archetypes’. These images, he believed, relate to experiences such as facing death, finding a lover, confronting a foe and so on. He states that the evidence for these binding archetypes are the common issues found in myths, legends, religions and folklore from around the globe. The realities considered in Leibniz’s theory have a definite mathematical and scientific base. He himself is described by McLuhan in the following terms: â€Å"Leibniz, that mathematical spirit, saw in the mystic elegance of the binary system that counts only the zero and the one, the very image of creation. The unity of the supreme being, operating by binary function in nothingness, would have sufficed to bring out of it all the beings. † Comparing this with the theory of archetypes, we realise that the Jungian view of reality construction is based much more in the world of art and literature and how these may be used to communicate ideas of reality. Myths, along with proverbs and fables are the encryption of archetypes. They are touchstones of reality, which can be applied to a multitude of situations, communicating a shared perception of reality. It is this communication of realities that exposes the limitations of a reality code. While the individual may use all manner of codes to decipher his surroundings, it is the communication of his findings and inspirations that cause problems. Communication primarily takes the form of language, but in this form the thought must be converted into a code of language that must then be interpreted by the listener. As Huxley says: â€Å"Every individual is at once the beneficiary and the victim of the linguistic tradition†¦the beneficiary inasmuch as language gives access to the accumulated records of other people’s experience, the victim in so far as it confirms him in the belief that reduced awareness is the only awareness and as it bedevils his sense of reality, so that he is all too apt to take his concepts for data, his words for actual things. † Many philosophers had various ideas and beliefs on the question of â€Å"reality†, one of the many philosophers who contributed to this question, was Plato. Despite his view that art can never achieve the accuracy of the thought in the artist’s mind, Plato failed too see the inadequacies of language which led mankind to use art as a method of communicating the individual’s perception of reality. John Berger discusses the significance of art in the development of human communication in detail in Ways of Seeing. Berger explains how art became a unique form of presentation and initially was used only for religious and spiritual purposes and was inseparable from the place and purpose for which it was created. At this stage, art was as far away from the code of communication as possible. Of course individuals could observe, and impose upon it their own reality defining codes, but art stood alone communicating as accurately as possible the realities of its creator. Later art was taken into the houses of the wealthy, partly to enhance the self image of the owner and also to confirm the role of ownership, owning the image of a thing translating to actual ownership. It is here that art entered the world of the code. It was used by the wealthy as a sign of their wealth part of their self-defined code by which they judged themselves and were perceived by others. Modern reproduction and distribution techniques have removed art from any preserve it once had. As Walter Benjamin, a Marxist philosopher-sociologist believed, when art is reproduced it loses its original ‘aura’ and enters a new role. It has become ubiquitous, part of the code and used with such regularity that we use it to define ourselves or present our ideas. It has been reduced to the level of the proverb in providing a template for our realities. We live our lives and form our realities based upon numerous codes. These may take the form of myths, religions and status symbols. Leibniz believed that the universe itself was an infinite code of interdependent microcosms and that that code, if completely comprehended could predict the future and know the past. The code can be liberating or restricting and how we perceive it goes a long way towards how we construct our realities. John Milton is right; â€Å"The mind can interpret the codes in many ways and form infinite conclusions. † The question is how accurate is the code that we receive? Everyday we are confronted with ‘the real’. In the film The Matrix the manner in which we construct our realities and the truths upon which we base the information that we are presented with is shown. The point that is raised in Morpheus saying â€Å"The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us, even now in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television†¦It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth† is that all that you take to be ‘real’ may not necessarily be so. Now, more than ever the amount of information that reaches us is so great that while not necessarily in a sinister sense, our lives are directly influenced by stimulating factors outside our control. The world of advertising for example, presents images, and projects thoughts. It convinces us that our lives would be richer if we purchased a certain item and while we know we are witnessing a sales pitch, we cannot help but be affected by it. Advertisements influence our decisions on what to eat and drink, where to go on holiday and how to live our lives. While it is true that we retain a choice over what we buy and where we go, but in order for that choice to be made it must have appeared within the initial stimulation. If a product is unknown it is unlikely to be bought. In Ways of Seeing, Berger suggests that advertising and publicity are processes of manufacturing glamour. Publicity creates an intangible element of desire, which is based on the human emotion of envy. The product is presented in a manner that promotes envy in the viewer, and by association will afford the purchaser the envy of others. It is in this way that glamour is sold. We are unconsciously informed of what it is we will envy in others and what it is about ourselves that others will envy. Berger concludes that this method succeeds because publicity does not speak to reality but to the fantasies of the individual. It could be reasoned that fantasies such as these enable mankind to maintain realities. This refers back to the idea in the film where the first ‘Matrix’ failed because everybody was created happy. Perhaps envy fulfils a vital role that presses us forward, that provides us with the will to live. But to look on envy as the only means of maintaining reality is rather simplistic. If we take this thought a step further and examine the message that is being projected rather than the emotions it creates it is possible to find a new method of maintaining reality. As John Jervis writes in Exploring the Modern: â€Å"The pleasure is in a vicarious sense of adventure, linked with a satisfaction gained through decoding, ‘reading’, the signs of the city. † He suggests we are to embrace the information we are presented with. To examine and appreciate its role in the reality in which we live; that ultimately pleasure lies in interpretation rather than direct experience, as Huxley put it: â€Å"The miracle, moment by moment, of naked existence. † But how, and to what extent, do ‘naked existence’ and the information we receive and analyse conform to reality? The evidence of reality that exists within our local environment we can interpret ourselves. In constructing our realities we create the codes in which realities communicate. Difficulties arise however, when in attempting to maintain our reality we are confronted with issues that we cannot directly perceive for ourselves. The most basic of images that we are unable to perceive directly is that of ourselves. â€Å"To see ourselves as others see us is a most salutary gift. Hardly less important is the capacity to see others as they see themselves. † It is here that we come across the importance of the mirror in maintaining reality. During the 1960s and 1970s Neo-Freudianism was a popular movement in France and with it the philosophies of Jacques Lacan became widely known. Among these was the ‘mirror-stage’. Lacan believed that: â€Å"The unified self posited by object relations theory is an illusion. The child begins as fragmented drives, precepts and attachments that eventually congeal into an imaginary identity at the ‘mirror stage’† It is at this stage, that the child perceives himself in the mirror and acknowledges himself as a single entity separate from his mother and surroundings. In a more abstract sense, this is the process that Neo himself goes through upon suspecting the existence of The Matrix. His suspicions and dissatisfaction with the world as it appears becomes apparent as he receives a reprimand from his employer, Mr Rheinheart: â€Å"You have a problem with authority, Mr Anderson. You believe that you are special, that somehow the rules do not apply to you. Obviously you are mistaken. This company is one of the top software companies in the world because every single employee understands that they are part of a whole. † As a function of The Matrix, Neo’s software company is attempting to restrict him. To place him in the ‘illusory’ world of object relations theory discussed by Lacan. At this point in the film, the office in which Neo is getting lectured by his boss is, at the same time, having its mirrored windows cleaned, perhaps echoing famous English poet, William Blake’s thought that: â€Å"If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. † This infinity described by Blake may be related to the infinite possibilities open to Neo if he rejects the restrictive world that contains him. Interestingly, the theme of mirrors as a symbol of release is common throughout the film. Indeed, Neo is released from The Matrix through a mirror, much like Alice going through the looking glass; a reference alluded to by Morpheus. Also, it seems that whenever Neo meets those who are entering The Matrix specifically to talk to him such as The Agents, Trinity and Morpheus, he is seen frequently as a mirror image, either in the rear view mirror of the motorcycle that Trinity is riding or in the mirrored sunglasses of Morpheus and The Agents. The mirror is used in this context as it presents an image of the world that appears accurate but is not. It presents a reversed and possibly distorted view of the world. Significantly in terms of the film, it also presents another world, similar to, but very different from, our own. As children, according to Lacan, we learn to identify ourselves in terms of the mirror. Our self-image, that with which we maintain our reality is based upon what we see there and yet the information we are receiving is inaccurate. Our self-image is in fact a reverse copy of the truth and an example of the flawed perceptions with which we maintain our realities. As technology has evolved, so too have our methods of maintaining reality. Television has provided us with intimate knowledge of the world outside our local environment. With television not only comes the persuasiveness of the advertisements shown but also the impact of the news reports upon which we depend for maintaining our realities. Nowadays, live communication in both sound and image is possible across the globe. Our horizons have been expanded to the maximum possible extent and we rely upon television to maintain those realities that we have never experienced for ourselves and it is here that we run into complex problems concerning reality. We assume that the images we are watching are an intrinsic part of the information being presented. This is not always the case as Jean Baudrillard explains in his book The Gulf War Did Not Take Place. In this book Baudrillard discusses how the media representation of the Gulf War was in no way an accurate description of the reality. In his introduction to the book, George S. Patton, a United States Army officer most famous for his leadership commanding corps and armies as general in World War II, and for his controversial outspokenness and strong opinions, comments that the first and most basic way in which the media can corrupt reality is in the confusion of past and present. He claims this was achieved unilaterally during the War, the present being portrayed as the past with the whole war as a John Wayne film complete with action-movie language. We also saw the past being represented as the present, video footage of a sea bird, covered in oil from the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989 where used to illustrate the ecological problems in the Gulf. The problems presented by an image of reality is summed up by Baudrillard: â€Å"The same illusion of progress occurred with the appearance of speech and then colour on screen: at each stage of this progress we moved further away from the imaginary intensity of the image. The closer we supposedly approach the real, or the truth, the further we draw away from them both, since neither one nor the other exists. The closer we approach the real time of the event, the more we fall into the illusion of the virtual. † Once war or any other event is converted from a directly perceived reality to information, it enters the realm of communication. It becomes open to interpretation. Our failing lies with the fact that our technology has succeeded in creating information so apparently accurate we mistake it for reality. In The Gulf War Did Not Take Place Baudrillard updates Benjamin’s theory on reproducibility negotiating the aura of experience. Much of Baudrillard’s writing has commented on ‘simulacra’, a scenario in which reality and a simulation have been combined and become unidentifiable from each other. This third order of reality is referred to as ‘Hyper reality’. Through the media, simulacra of the real have been created and we ourselves enter a hyper reality where the boundaries between what is real and what is a representation of the real become blurred. This is an area explored almost constantly in The Matrix. In the film, The Matrix is the ultimate hyper reality. Inside The Matrix, reality is coded into information so effectively that those to whom it is fed cannot even perceive the reality on which their world is based. Neo acts as a disciple of Baudrillard, attempting to separate the information from the real. In real life, this is harder than it seems. A condition of the hyper reality is that the two contributing realities are so interdependent that a manipulation in one of the realities causes a reaction in the other which will in turn manipulate the first. It is inside a hyper reality that Neo himself resides.

Generation Gaps in Culture

Generation Gaps in Culture Literature Review 2.1.Introduction This chapter deals with the main theme which is ‘the Generation Gap’ and also analyses the general notion of Generation Gap. It will discover the causes of Generation Gap as well as revealing the analysis of the causes and the effects on the society in general. 2.2The concept of Generation Gap ‘Generation Gap’ is a term generally used to define the differences in culture, thought and behaviour between younger generations and their elders. It can be also described as the changes taking place when older and younger people are unable to comprehend each other because of their different experiences, attitudes, lifestyles and activities. A generation is â€Å"a select group born during the same years that experienced momentous events during significant development cycles† (Kupperschmidt, 2000). â€Å"Generation gap† was heavily researched in the 1960s and 1970s (Smith, 2000). With the ongoing process of life, there will always be new generations. As society continues to progress and new technological innovations develop, a generation gap will continuously be predominant. The old are completely convinced that the ideas they have had throughout their lives are the ultimate and ideal. They disregard certain vital issues that are no longer valid in the case of modernity’’ (Neff, 2011). The changes that occur as society evolves will never allow for complete agreement between generations. The Generation Gap is one of the perhaps most debatable issues of the era (Aliampi, 1969). A generation is based on the range of birth years of a group of people. Generations may span several centuries from the time when people are individuals. Not all members of a generation demonstrate the same personalities. Generation differences were apparent in societal movements or changes (Brunswick, 1970). Generation gaps are unavoidable occurrences that take place in society. These changes in society arise because people become accustomed to an unstable environment. As our society progresses, people tends to change their likes and dislikes. These changes in society are important for development. 2.3History of the Generation Gap Even though there has been changes between the generations all the time, until the twentieth century the drastic transformations that the term implies were not greatly in evidence. Previously during that era, society was not considerably mobile. Normally, young people were living in extended families. They were either working on their personal farm or in a relative business. With the introduction of TV and shows, the youngsters were exposed to traditional impacts unfamiliar to their own relatives and values (Adcox, 2015). The 1920s presented the younger generation to jazz melody and disco galleries, consequently constructing a gap between them and their seniors. But the actual reason behind the widening of the generation gap lies in the 1950s (Baby Boomers) when the soldiers had just come back from wars and started having kin. The veteran was actually a little harsh in nature and disliked the young who were greatly influenced by the arrival of the rock way of life. The generation gap of the 1960s was because the older generation had severe values that the younger generation disagreed and they rebelled. Different diversions of pop culture were created, like Rock and Roll, Discos, and hippies. The following great gap was generated in 1980s that presented the MTV era (Pop, Rock, etc.) come from all parts covering the new generation completely different from their seniors. This gap begun widening enormously in the 1990s and now prolonged in leaps and bounds (The Generation Gap in India). 2.4Types of Generations 2.4.1Generation 1 (1900s – 1920s) The generation of the 1900s – 1920s had a life expectancy of 47 years. Families were outsized during that time and infant death was high. Around a fifth of women were losing their lives in childbirth. Delivery was done at home itself. They were doing teamwork, accepting the hierarchical chain of command and performing all the task without complaining (Codrington, 2008). Tradition and history guided their attitudes and beliefs. Individuals of this generation were â€Å"past oriented and history absorbed† (Zemke et al., 2000, p.39). This generation were loyal and patriotic (Smith, 2011). People of this generation were unlikely to make complaints regarding conditions in which they sense uncomfortable (Zemke et al., 2000). 2.4.2Silent Generation (1920s – 1945s) The Silent Generation valued family and patriotism. They had a parent remaining at home to look after the offspring, favoured dependability, and remained with one company over time (Allen, 2004). They were brought up in serious intervals when everybody were obliged to work. They were conventional and working hard as they hated getting into debts. They considered that by entire hard work, they could achieve success (Codrington, 2008). 2.4.3Baby Boomers (1946s – 1960s) Baby boomers have been identified as being good at relationships. They respected others rights and did not find mistakes on others (Rath, 1999 and Zemke et al., 2000). Baby Boomers â€Å"may not agree with stands and opinions of every part of the cohort group or exhibit the same behaviour in the same situations, but they do, in their hearts, understand one another† (Zemke et al., 2000, p.72). They are individuals who work to earn their living and willing to sacrifice to attain success (Kerstein, 2014). They like adventure and tend to take risks. They are the primary generation to realise lifetime unemployment no longer exist, so job security means nothing to them, but they consider job satisfaction. They are the first generation to divorce in a large extent and at a younger age than the prior generations (Soroptimist, 2010). 2.4.4Generation X (1960s – 1989s) The generation X raised up undergoing an era of crises. Generation x is often considered as the â€Å"lost or overlooked generation† (Ware et al., 2007, p.59). They were the first offspring in the olden times that mothers could take pills not to have. Throughout the turbulent era of the 1970s, majority of the generation X grew up (Smith, 2011). They work to have a life not live to work, they struggle to have balance in their lives. They are spiritual explorers who have faith in supernatural (Codrington, 2008). They are independent and are determined to be responsible and in control. They focus on their goals and solve problems (Soroptimist, 2010). 2.4.5Generation Y (1989s – 2000s) Generation Y are spoilt by computers and intense technological advances. One of the foremost features of this generation is their relaxation with technology and being good at it (Kersten, 2002 and Niemiec, 2000). They are the first generation to grow up with internet and they are dependent on technology (Soroptimist, 2010). They are born with a micro-chip in the mouth instead of a golden or silver spoon. This generation considers that because of technology, task can be done everywhere (Smith, 2011). They are self-confident and egotistical as well (Codrington, 2008). A majority of generation Y were familiar with â€Å"divorce, drugs, sex, AIDS, gangs and guns† (Zemke et. al., 2000, p.136). This generation committed to work in group for development and this has also been an indicative of their workplace conducts (Zemke et al., 2000). 2.5.The Notion of Generation Gap Generation gap has been considered as an unavoidable obstacle for the communications between the young and the old ones. These conflicts are normally arise as a result of urbanization, industrial development and family mobility (Bengtson and Achenbaum, 1993). The physical separation of the youngsters and the elders has led to a lack of consistent intergenerational connection and a rise in misperceptions and misunderstanding between the young and old generation (Newman, 1997). Becker (2000) stated that â€Å"distinct generations emerge as a result of the effects of discontinuous macro-social change on individual behaviour during the formative period of the life course. As soon as a new generation has developed, the development of its members before and after the formative period can be studied together with research on institutions related to the new generation† (p. 117). Mead (1970) stressed on the fact that, â€Å"Adults today know more about change than any previous generations. So we are set apart both from earlier generations and from the young who have rejected the past and all that their elders are making of the present† (p. 79). Gutman (1985) contended that in the modern society â€Å"the present younger generation had been socialized into believing that ‘young is beautiful, old is ugly’ in retaliation to if ‘the young knew and the old could’ (Jefferys 1997, p. 82). Chow (2001) pointed that youngsters care and give attention to their parents as well as accepting and obeying their preferences in the form of showing respect them. He also suggested that, â€Å"children nowadays are not as keen to consult their parents as in the past† in both side on marriage and job seeking. The social circumstance have evolved in such a way that they have often made the guidance of parents irrelevant and in appropriate (Chow, 2001). Children failed in fulfilling parents hopes on obedience when making their lifetime choices. Thus, this is one of the key issues in the reoccurrence of the ‘generation gap’. 2.6.The Causes of Generation Gap Generation gap has developed in society presently from numerous factors such as technological innovations, fashion, the evolution of the media, gifts, communication, attitudes, and sex. These aspects cause people to change in different ways that changes human opinion of what is right and generally acceptable, or to make a distinction between good and bad. These factors may cause discrepancies between generations, but they overall lead to positive development in society. 2.6.1Technological innovation At an early age, the younger generation starts making the use of technology and they never overwhelmed by it (Kelty, 2000). As the youth have grown up with technology and developed flexible skill, they are now considered as ‘digital natives’ (Courtois et al., 2009). The younger generation ‘know what to do’ with different updated technologies as they make the use of them more often with the pre-existing technology (Facer et al., 2001). Older generation find it difficult to learn how to use technology unlike the younger generation (Kelty, 2000). They have the feeling of sore when there are advancement in technology. Throughout the previous three eras, the degree and speed of technological advancement has brought new interest in generational differences (Clark. 2009 and Livingstone, 2003). 2.6.2.Television One of the most important creations that has influenced the younger generation is the Television. Nowadays, television is superb compared to the television that the older generation. The television that the older generation remembers is dissimilar, it contained fewer channels and were available mostly in black and white and it was much smaller (Neff, 2011). Because of these changes, a big generation gap has developed concerning entertainment and the ethics resulted from it. Televisions turned to be more predominant in children’s bedrooms (Jordan et al., 2010). Video game strategies are no more restricted to comforts that assign to televisions as it was long ago, however they are now accessible in the form of handheld devices as cellular phones (Vaterlaus, 2012). The multi-uses of television have widen the gap between the generations. The T.V remote control has become too complex for the old person who used to on/off button. The old may not necessarily be uneducated but they ar e not a tech-savvy as their children and grand-children. The same goes for the other gadgets such as video games, smart phones, iPad and iPhone. 2.6.3.Internet The Internet has had the major influence of widening the generation gap. It is the foremost persuasive technological innovation in the world nowadays with its multiple uses (Neff, 2011). The technology used to reach the internet has also advanced. The private desktop computer transformed into the laptops, and tablets. The internet can be currently reached on strategies as small as iPods and cell phones anytime and anywhere. Cell phones that permit internet access are referred to as â€Å"Smartphones† (Vaterlaus, 2012). A technology revolution has been produced by the internet in the younger generation. Internet is used by the younger generation every day and it also permit children to develop a sense of freedom. These changes in ethics have been prominent as main differences between generations (Neff, 2011). Consequently, these technological inventions lead to a rise in the width of the generation gap in the world nowadays. The internet is currently used â€Å"to play video games, view movies, watch television shows, and download music† (Jones, 2009). Juveniles who make use of the internet are no more restricted to view media, however they may communicate informally with others across the globe (Courtois, Mechant, De Marez and Verleye, 2009). Email, social-networking, chat rooms, and video chat permit communication to be immediate and even face-to-face (Jones, 2009). 2.6.4.Evolution of the Media Changes in media is another feature that causes generation gap to develop. Music, due to the increasing in technology is changing fast and new melodies are continuously released. The primary foremost apparent change among the two generations is the introduction of CD and MP3 player. Older generations grew up with records and record players. Music was not something that was freely accessible. Nowadays children have the facility of downloading songs and within minutes can listen to it in the earphones anywhere they want. This definitely ease causes the generation gap to widen. Not only have the types of melodies changed but the forms of genres also. For the older generation, the melodies of nowadays are basically noise for them, there are lack of beat and softer songs of the historical. People are obsessed on the tune of their early life, the tastes keep on varying and it is inevitable and cant be stopped. The two generations will certainly disagree on what is noble music. Because of t his, a generation gap is unavoidable. With the on-going changes in art and music, the gap will only continue to widen (Neff, 2011). 2.6.5.Fashion The way youngsters dress and appear are some of the most apparent, yet main factors in widening the generation gap. Appearances frequently reveal how one feels and their way of behaving. When the older generation was younger, they were more traditional, and it was revealed in their way of dressing. They dressed in a manner that was generally suitable at that time. The advancement of outfit displays a deliberate change from a traditional to liberal attitude. The film star heartened a movement into liberal dressing that certainly helps widening the existing generation gap. This particular change identifies a fashion choice that usually the young embrace and the old deprecate. This was the final step into varying the standards of dress. Womens evolution into freedom permitted for changes in the societal approval of this revealing show. As these values have transformed, the generation gap has only grown (Neff, 2011). 2.6.6.Attitudes The two generations adopted different attitudes. Most parents accept a straight forward expression and do not display their emotional state while interacting with their offspring. Moreover, they yell at their children more often or even give them physical punishment. These are due to the traditional practice. On the contrary, children dislike to obey their parents’ instructions as they consider that there are no reasons to support why parents’ opinions are correct. Furthermore, youngsters do not want their parents to treat them as little kids. They believe that they are grown-ups and they want to be free from parent’s control and refuse their guidelines. This helps them to achieve more self-esteem. Overall, both parents and their children do not perceive things from the same perspectives. As a result, misinterpretation is a great cause for the formation of generation gap (Kwok, 2010). 2.6.7.Communication The generation gap is considered to be one of the greatest communication failure (Aliampi, 1969). There is lack of time for communication. A majority of the parents spend less time to communicate with and listen to their children. Parents are unable to balance their time between work and family due to work overload. On the other hand, children are not sharing their day to day activities with their parents (Kwok. 2010). Social communication is moving with the fast paced nature of technological improvement (Vaterlaus, 2012). Communication channels offered by the internet are developing rapidly. Cell phone features comprise of speaking and texting which have convert into a consistent means of social communication for adolescents (Jones, 2009). Cell phone communication has become a family affair (Vaterlaus, 2012). There are less face to face conversation between parents and children, thus this causes the gap to widen. 2.6.8.Sex Sex has always been an issue on which the generations vary intensely. There are different conceptions of sex between the two generations. The way they think how to conceive are unlike. For the older generation, sex is a taboo. The young should not talk about sex and they cannot fall in love and have sex before marriage, punishment was very severe long ago. Marriage was being broken in the past because of virginity. On the contrary, for the younger generation sex is a normal activity. Sex before marriage is no more a sin for the young. This is shocking for the older generation. Teenage pregnancy was very rare before and now because of no sexual education, sex is reaching the youngsters. There is a big gap between the two generations. That gap has narrowed, but not all the time because younger generation have become more and more permissive (Smith, 2004). 2.6.9.Gifts Gifts play a key role in widening the gap between older and younger generation. The older generation were used to the custom of giving monetary gifts to the young (Nguyen, 2008). But today there is a big gap, gifts should be offered according to the demand of the young, they prefer gadgets. Younger generations of nowadays expect IPhone, IPad, mobile phones and laptops (Waterlow, 2012). When older generations are unable to accomplish the desires of the young, they have a sense of unfulfilment because the gift is not according to the social norm. The difference in utility value of a gift is enormous. The older generation’s concept of utility is quite opposed to the young. The older generation views utility of gift in terms of time associated to solidity and absolutism. The young has been brought up to consider gifts as something which are passing fads. 2.7.Summary This chapter has dealt with the idea of generation gap which is a universal phenomenon existing since time immemorial. Each period of human history has witness the causes of generation gap and tried to explain today we are perhaps most up to bring a clear explanation and have a better understanding about Generation Gap.

Freud and Jung Essay -- Psychology

Freud and Jung The psychological genre as it relates to sociological and medicinal matters has gained an increasing amount of scientific approval. Impartiality and the scientific method are both integral components to a psychologist’s mode of practice. However, even the most esteemed of psychologists can only speculate at what makes human beings act the way they do. Absolutes play no function in psychology. Everything is relative and open to conjecture. Theologians give us their visions or thoughts about life. In the field of psychology, there have been many different regions of interest and speculation. Psychoanalysis has been the pinnacle of arenas to examine within the vast field of psychology. Psychoanalysis has been an area that Carl Jung has explored, critiqued and perfected in his lifetime. Jung was not alone in his exploration of the psyche; there were many other psychoanalytic perspectives as well. Carl Jung was said to have been a magnetic individual who drew many others into his circle. Sigmund Freud was Carl Jung’s greatest influence. Although he came to part company with Freud in later years, Freud had a distinct and profound influence on Carl Jung’s psychoanalytic perspectives, as well as many others. Within the scope of analytic psychology, there exist two essential tenets. The first is the system in which sensations and feelings are analyzed and listed by type. The second has to do with a way to analyze the psyche that follows Jung’s concepts. It stresses a group unconscious and a mystical factor in the growth of the personal unconscious. It is unlike the system described by Sigmund Freud. Analytic psychology does not stress the importance of sexual factors on early mental growth. The best understanding of Carl Jung and his views regarding the collective unconscious are best understood in understanding the man and his influences. In keeping with the scope and related concepts of Carl Jung, unconscious is the sum total of those psychic activities that elude an individual’s direct knowledge of himself or herself. This term should not be confused either with a state of awareness, that is, a lack of self knowledge arising from an individual’s unwillingness to look into himself or herself (introspection), nor with the subconscious, which consists of marginal representations that can be rather easily brought to consciousness. Properly,... ...s. Freud's assumption that sex is the driving force behind everything could also be a product of his times. Sexual feelings were often repressed. The problem with paradigmatic assumptions is that each person grows up in a different culture and some theories don't apply to everyone. The problem with psychology remains that it is not an exact science. Though Jung’s ideals may have been molded by Freud and further critiqued and perfected, it may further be perfected in the future. And such is the arena of science, an ever-changing, dynamic field that undergoes much scrutiny and much refinement. Works Cited Carl Gustav Jung: BK. Rev. The Economist, Vol. 340 September 14, 1996 Coon, Dennis. Introduction to Psychology: Exploration and Application, 7th Edition. Minnesota: West Publishing Company, 1995. Ellenberger, Henri F. The Discovery of the Unconscious. The History and Evolution of Dynamic Psychiatry. New York: Basic Books, 1970. Freud, Sigmund. The Basic Writings of Sigmund Freud. Brill, A. A.: Dodd, Mead and Company, Inc., July 1979. Piaget, Jean, et al. The Psychology of The Child. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, Ltd., 1972.

Success of a Family: Aspirations & Motives of the Younger Family in Lo

Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun revolves around a short but difficult period in the lives of the Younger family. Each family member has dreams of a higher quality of life; free from the pressures of poverty and the literal confines of an outgrown and decrepit apartment. Ultimately, the ambitions of each Younger are inspired by dreams of a better life for the family as a whole. Though each Younger approaches this goal differently, they each desire to rise above their current position in the â€Å"rat trap† of society into a better, more respectable, life (964). Each Younger is chasing an ambiguous notion of success and believes that they will bring an end to the family’s hardships; consequentially leading to prosperity and, of chief importance to the Youngers, the rebirth of the families relationships and pride. Walter Lee Younger aspires to obtain wealth and fortune through entrepreneurism and business savvy. Walter’s belief that money is life drives his desire to become a powerful business person and fuels his belief that the family’s problems could all be solved with enough money (980). Unfortunately, Walter’s lack of experience, demonstrated by his belief that â€Å"don't nothing happen for you in this world ‘less you pay somebody off!†, continually hinders his success in life (957). Despite his shortcomings, Walter is persistent in his belief that he can succeed as a entrepreneur, eventually resulting in the loss of the family’s insurance money to Willie Harris. Walter’s belief that money is the solution results in him taking an unreasonable risk. Though these risks result in harm coming to his family they were undertaken in a desperate attempt to improve their lives. Walter’s actions are also significantly motivated by hi... ...ay own, as well as reasserting their pride as a family and establishing themselves in a higher socioeconomic bracket. Though the hardships will undoubtably continue, working together the Youngers will succeed. Works Cited Ardolino, Frank. "Hansberry's â€Å"A Raisin In The Sun†." Explicator 63.3 (2005): 181-183. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 23 Mar. 2012. Cooper, David D. "Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun." Explicator 52.1 (1993): 59-61. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. Hansberry, Lorraine. â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun.† The Norton Introduction to Literature Potable Tenth Edition. Ed. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York, NY: Norton, 2011. 950-1021. Print. Matthews, Kristin L. "The Politics Of 'Home' In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun." Modern Drama 51.4 (2008): 556-578. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 22 Mar. 2012.

mississippi burning trial Essay -- essays research papers

The Mississippi Burning Trial† was not for the cold-blooded murders of three young civil rights workers, but rather for the violation of their civil rights. The federal government wanted to break Mississippi’s â€Å"white supremacy† stronghold on the South. â€Å"The Mississippi Burning Trial† proved to be the opportunity to do so. The three branches of the federal government and their various departments were actively involved in bringing about this civil rights trial in Mississippi and these activities and personal views are well documented in court records, department records, and the press. The federal government’s Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman were working to register black voters in rural areas and small towns of Mississippi. Their deaths were brutal at the hands of local Klu Klux Klan members. Brutality, however, was the norm for dealing with â€Å"outsiders, niggers, and nigger lovers† who dared to try to force Mississippi to change. The violence and racist language that make our skin crawl today was not only accepted by the majority of white Mississippians, but was openly practiced. Being of like minds,the powers of Mississippi knew they could count on one another for support from the local to the national levels. The federal government had the manpower, communications network, and finances to break apart Mississippi’s white racist unity. If racial equality were to succeed in the South, it would have to come by way of the powerful federal government. In 1964 The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) organized a 600 volunteer campaign to go into Mississippi and register black voters. It would be highly dangerous for there was little to no protection offered by local and county officials against KKK violence. J. Res Brown, one of only four black lawyers in Mississippi warned, â€Å"You’re going to be classified into two groups in Mississippi: niggers and nigger-lovers, and they’re tougher on nigger lovers.† Michael Schwerner, a Jewish New Yorker, had already spent six months in Mississippi working for the Congress of Racial Equality. He knew how bad it was in Mississippi. He described Mississippi, â€Å"Is the decisive battleground for America. Nowhere in the world is the idea of white supremacy more firmly entrenched, or more cancerous, than in Missi... ...Sheriff Lawrence Rainey. Three defendants had no verdict. Judge Cox sentenced Bowers to ten years and Cecil Price to six. In defending his sentences Judge Cox was quoted as saying, â€Å"They killed one nigger, one Jew, and a white man. I gave them what I thought they deserved.† The South was shocked that even seven of the defendants were found guilty; the rest of the nation was relieved. The Imperial Wizard of Mississippi’s Klu Klux Klan was sentenced to prison. The arrogant Judge Cox had been humbled. "The Mississippi Burning Trial† was the first trial in Mississippi history where white jurors found white men guilty of crimes against â€Å"outsiders, niggers, and nigger lovers†. The controlling white supremacist mentality of Mississippi had been cracked. From the President of the United States and the US Supreme Court to the FBI field workers and Navy Sailors, the federal government had invested a great deal of man-hours and money into this civil rights trial. The federal government viewed this partial victory as a giant step towards civil rights equality not only in the state of Mississippi, but the rest of the South.