Friday, January 31, 2020
Religion, Media and Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Religion, Media and Ethics - Essay Example Media ethics as such is a complex subject, as it is formulated on the basis of the concurrent culture, economy and national policies. It has been observed by a number of researchers that the media symbolizes societal values. Slinger (1983) has mentioned a number of examples in which media comes up with advertisements which prompts the views to connect the product being advertised to societal values specific to the viewers. One important value that a person relates to is his personal beliefs and religious beliefs. Itââ¬â¢s generally considered that the popular programs in the secular media do not have religious intentions. Considering the recent development of secularizing of religious broadcasting sponsored by religious organizations, the identification of religiously persuading content becomes difficult. Programs and specifically labeled content dealt by religious media are the ones which are bracketed as of the ones which influence the public religiously. However, there are arguments that this is not the case. Mark Pinsky (2001, p.5) observes that he ââ¬Ëfound God, faith and spirituality in abundance on Th e Simpsonsââ¬â¢.Jana Reiss (2004, p.xii) claims that Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel ââ¬Ëare two of the most religious programs on network TVââ¬â¢. These arguments suggest that cartoon programs and other popular programs may also be considered as religious. I agree with this argument. The earlier argument that only religious media can contain religious content is based on the assumption that religion is associated with religious institutions and organizations. Schultze (1990) has argued that being religious does not mean belonging to a religion but itââ¬â¢s a way of life with its own world view. Anything which would influence this world view thus must be considered religious persuasion. Thus there is no wonder in Pinsky finding spirituality and god in the cartoon
Thursday, January 23, 2020
European Commissionââ¬â¢s Proposal on Software Patents :: Technology Computers Essays
European Commissionââ¬â¢s Proposal on Software Patents The European Commission should maintain and clarify its limitations on patents for software, to fight against American mega companies attempting to globally monopolize software, to avoid the mistakes the United States has made, and to potentially let Europe emerge as a software mecca, where software can continue to make significant advancements. This viewpoint can be supported with several ethical considerations, including Ethical Egoism, Utilitarianism, and Pluralism. General View on Software Patents Purpose of a Patent Patents have a dual role in our society. An invention or new creation should be shared with the public and peers to enrich the public body of technical knowledge. In return, society rewards inventors for their efforts by giving a monopolistic control over the invention. In general, patents cover a practical implementation of an idea, as in a product, and not the idea itself. The patent system is in place to promote innovation. Patents on Software Merriam-Webster defines software as, ââ¬Å"something used or associated with and usually contrasted with hardware: as: the entire set of programs, procedures, and related documentation associated with a system and especially a computer system; specifically : computer programs.â⬠[1] Britannica Encyclopedia defines software as, ââ¬Å"instructions that tell a computer what to do.â⬠[2] These definitions of software as a set of instructions, or an associated part with hardware, immediately differentiate it from your typical invented product. By itself you do not have a product, yet United States case law has contended that once you put that software on a disc, you do have a product. Patents have been crucial to distributing your typical technical innovation. Software has no such limitation. Software ideas and innovations have spread quickly through the public domain of information. Some reasons for software distributing so quickly is its relative immaturity as a science and engineering practice, extensive freely distribution from universities, and a near direct fiscal value in general acceptance and use of a software concept[3]. Software innovation has flourished under the general availability of software code, concepts, and tools. Additionally, software is developed incrementally, building quickly on existing concepts. In general, the patent system has been shown to slow the development of incrementally developing technologies such as software[4]. Some Good Software Patents Very carefully reviewed, and perhaps shorter duration software patents could benefit innovation. A software implementation that might otherwise be kept hidden behind trade secret in a company could be revealed to the public for an exchange of monopolistic control.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Advertisement Essay Essay
Anywhere a person looks; there will always be some form of advertisement. Billboards, posters, fliers, and other forms of media are visible almost everywhere. Advertising is a mass communication in the world today, and has been around since 1841. Whether people agree with it or not, itââ¬â¢s not going anywhere. Advertisements are essentially everywhere. No one can go anywhere without seeing at least one advertisement. Theyââ¬â¢re placed on radios, TVs, magazines and even billboards. Advertisers pay media companies to place their ads in such places and therefore the media companies make money off their ads. Advertiserââ¬â¢s main purpose is to influence the consumer to buy their product. They may lie about the product to make it sound better so more people would want to buy it. It can mislead the consumers to believe that any given product can make them popular, or beautiful. I donââ¬â¢t necessarily like advertisements, but I donââ¬â¢t like them either. Advertisements are everywhere, and itââ¬â¢s your choice to read and believe them or not read and not believe them. I agree, they are misleading but how else would people know about a new product or new improved or additions? Advertising exerts a large impact on us, bringing about good and bad consequences in peopleââ¬â¢s life. An example would be, if you were looking through the summer edition of a magazine and you see a Hollister advertisement on a page and the models are in bathing suits, in which they are all fairly skinny. If you were a little meatier than them you would probably think to yourself ââ¬Å"I wish I was that skinny.â⬠Or ââ¬Å"I wish I looked like that.â⬠Thatââ¬â¢s the bad consequence about advertising. Thereââ¬â¢s a huge impact on teens while looking through their favorite magazine or even watching TV. Another reason I feel advertising isnââ¬â¢t the best is, it can mislead the consumer into wasting money on something that either doesnâ⠬â¢t work or will end up breaking. The good side to advertising is it can let people know about free clinics, blood drives, and events coming up in the area. Of course, itââ¬â¢s not going to tell you everything about the event or clinic because an advertisement isà something brief about it, and theyââ¬â¢re trying to get you to be interested about it. Some companies sponsor charity events or sport events to advertise with blimps, airplane signs; on-screen ads and even t-shirts in exchange for free advertising. If you were to think about every ad youââ¬â¢ve read, there really isnââ¬â¢t a limit to it. They really donââ¬â¢t care how vulgar or misinterpreting it could be, theyââ¬â¢re getting paid for it so whatever they have to do to get your attention, they will. Advertisement should have a limit of what they can put on ads.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Biography of Huey Long Depression Era Politician
Huey Long was a populist politician from Louisiana. He rose to national fame in the early 1930s by mastering the new medium of radio and reaching an audience with his hopeful slogan Every Man a King. It was widely assumed that Long would challenge Franklin Roosevelt for the Democratic nomination in 1936 and pose a credible threat to Roosevelts run for a second term. However, Longs surge onto the national stage ended tragically when he was shot in the Louisiana capitol on September 8, 1935. He died 30 hours later. Fast Facts: Huey Long Nickname: The KingfishOccupation: U.S. senator, Louisiana governor, lawyerBorn: August 30, 1893 in Winnfield, LouisianaDied: September 10, 1935 in Baton Rouge, LouisianaEducation: University of Oklahoma, Tulane UniversityKnown For: Controversial state and national political career; founded influential Louisiana political machine; proposed Share Our Wealth income redistribution program; assassinated while serving as U.S. Senator Early Life Huey Pierce Long was born August 30, 1893 in Winnfield, Louisiana. His family owned a small farm, on which he worked as a child. Long was precocious and read as much as he could. As a young man, he found work as a typesetter and as a traveling salesman, and for a time he attended the University of Oklahoma. Next, Long studied law at Tulane University and was quickly admitted to the Louisiana bar. He set up a law practice in Winnfield and began to gravitate toward politics. Long was elected to the states railroad commission, where he began developing a reputation as the defender of the common man. In state government, he gained attention for attacking banks and utility companies, which he said were exploiting the poor citizens of Louisiana. "The Kingfish" Becomes Governor Huey Long exhibited keen political instincts and proved capable at navigating the often-corrupt political system of Louisiana. In 1928, he was elected governor at the age of 34. The political machine he had developed throughout the 1920s now took power in the state and began to ruthlessly suppress any opposition. A peculiar blend of advocating for the downtrodden while ruthlessly crushing any political opposition made Long into something of a benevolent dictator in Louisiana. In many ways, the Long political machine resembled traditional urban political machines like New Yorks Tammany Hall. Long solidified his power in Louisiana by promising to improve the standard of living for his constituents. He advocated for better education, and unlike traditional Louisiana Democrats at the time, he did not invoke the history of the Confederacy. Instead, Long steered away from the racially-charged politics found in politics in the South. Longs style of politics gained him a number of enemies, including wealthy executives of oil companies. A campaign to impeach him and drive him out of the governorship gained momentum. Long held onto his job, as the state legislature failed to convict him. It was often rumored that Long kept his job by passing out some carefully placed bribes. Followers of Long gave him the nickname The Kingfish, after a lawyer and conman character on the popular Amos and Andy radio show. Long took to the name and encouraged its use. U.S. Senate In 1930, Long decided to run for the United States Senate. He entered the primary, beat the incumbent, and won the general election. In an odd twist, Long refused to take his seat in the U.S. Capitol for nearly two years; for a time, he was both governor of Louisiana and the states senator-elect. Long finally took the oath as a U.S. Senator in 1932. However, he still essentially controlled Louisiana state politics through his existing political machine as well as the new governor, Oscar K. Allen. (Allen was Longs childhood friend and was widely considered a puppet governor for Long.) The Kingfish emerged as a colorful character in national politics. In April 1933, a headline in the New York Times referred to him as That Meteor of the South. Two months later, another Times article noted that [m]uch of the Senates time is taken by Huey Long of Louisiana, an indefatigable orator and controversialist who warns the Senators that they will have to come in here and listen to him. Senator Huey Long. Getty Imagesà In a 1933 interview with reporters in New York City, Long was reminded that many East Coast observers regarded him as a clown. Long responded by saying he might correct that by traveling the country, speaking directly to the people. He declared, Ill bring up my sound trucks and the people will come out and listen. Theyll always listen to Huey Long. Long may have gotten himself noticed in Washington, but he exerted little power in the Senate. He had initially been a supporter of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, though over time, he developed his own agenda. Roosevelt himself considered Long erratic, disloyal, and potentially dangerous. As a result, Roosevelt never put much trust in Long. "Every Man a King" Frustrated by his relative obscurity in the Senate, Long began to use his unique political gifts to appeal directly to voters. He announced a major income redistribution plan called Share Our Wealth. The plan proposed heavy taxations on the wealthy and guaranteed government stipends for the poor. Long launched the plan with a speech in which he rolled out a new slogan: Every Man a King. Longs idea, of course, was highly controversial. This was fine with Long, who often found himself embroiled in all sorts of controversies, from libel suits to feuds with other Senators to political machinations back in Louisiana. Long promoted his program whenever he could, including through speeches broadcast on the radio. He also formed an organization called the Share Our Wealth Society. The groups platform called for confiscating any yearly income above $1 million and the seizure of any wealth above $5 million. With these seizures of wealth, Long proposed that every family in America would receive a house and a car. They would also get a radioââ¬âLong always understood the value of communicating via radio. In addition, all Americans would be guaranteed a yearly income on which they could live. To the wealthy and powerful, Longs plan was an outrage. He was denounced as a dangerous radical. To other politicians, Long was regarded as a showman. One fellow Democrat in the Senate went so far as to say he wanted to move his seat, and would even sit with the Republicans, just so he would no longer have to look at Huey Long. Car proclaiming Huey Long for President in 1936. à Getty Images Yet to many average Americans in the depths of the Great Depression, the promises of The Kingfish were welcomed. The Share Our Wealth Society gained more than seven million members across the country. Huey Long was receiving more mail than any other politician, including the president. In 1935, Long enjoyed a wave of popularity, which included an appearance on the cover of TIME magazine. At the time, it seemed inevitable that he would challenge President Roosevelt for the Democratic nomination for president in the 1936 election. Assassination In the final year of his life, Huey Long faced a number of challenges to his control of Louisiana. He also claimed to be receiving of death threats, and he surrounded himself with bodyguards. On September 8, 1935, Long was in the Louisiana capitol building, overseeing efforts to remove a political enemyââ¬âJudge Benjamin Pavyââ¬âfrom office. After a bill was passed accomplishing Judge Pavys removal, Long was approached by Pavys son-in-law, Carl Weiss. Weiss lunged within a few feet of Long and fired a pistol into his abdomen. Longs bodyguards opened fire on Weiss, striking him with as many as 60 bullets. Long was taken to a hospital, where doctors attempted to save his life. He died 30 hours later, on the morning of September 10, 1935. Legacy Longs assassination, which was rooted in political feuds in Louisiana, marked the conclusion of a fascinating chapter in American politics. Some of the changes Huey Long sought for Louisiana, including an improved state university system, endured after his death. However, his national political program and the Share Our Wealth platform could not continue without him. Though Long never achieved his goal of reaching the White House, he did have an impact on American politics. Politicians learned from and emulated his use of slogans and broadcast media to reach voters. In addition, one of the great American political novels, Robert Penn Warrens All the Kings Men, was based on the career of Huey Long. Sources JEANSONNE, GLEN. Long, Huey P. Encyclopedia of the Great Depression, edited by Robert S. McElvaine, vol. 2, Macmillan Reference USA, 2004, pp. 588-591.Huey Pierce Long. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed., vol. 9, Gale, 2004, pp. 496-497.Huey Long Offers Cure For Our Ills. New York Times, 26 March 1933, p. 7.Doctor Shoots Huey Long In Louisiana State Capitol; Bodyguards Kill Assailant. New York Times, 9 September 1935, p. 1.
Monday, December 30, 2019
Environmental Ethics - 1905 Words
Environmental Ethics To keep our environment healthy, all these element need to work together. There are no global laws protecting the environment and that is why everyone should practice good ethics when it comes to the environment. Environmental ethics is the part of environment philosophy which considers extending the traditional boundaries of ethics from only including hum and to non-humans. There are many ethical decisions that human beings make with respect to the environment. Humans are been considered of rational agents because they have clear preference, models uncertainty via expected values, and always to perform the action with the optimal expected outcome of itself. The action of the rational agent performs depends on theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦It will influence the future generations to why we consider environment has been important, create opportunities for generation to come, a culture that can be passed on and sense of appreciation of such an experience (Singer, 2011). This point may not so readily apply to a wider consequentialist approach, which attributes intrinsic value not only to pleasure or satisfaction, but also to various objects and processes in the natural environment (Singer, 2011). John Rawls states that the principle of fairness is important as it applies to individuals the principle of fairness are a link between the two principles of social or political justice and individual obligations to comply with specific social practices (Pogge, 2007). By expanding the scope of what one considers to be an ââ¬Ëendââ¬â¢ to include both aspects of nature as well as future generations, one can transform the implications of Rawlsââ¬â¢ theory (Pogge, 2007). Rawls advances his theory of justice through what is called the Original Position which is a hypothetical situation in which all individuals are granted perfect equality and are asked to choose a principle of justice behind a veil of ignorance, which eliminates their biases (Pogge, 2007). The hypothetical persons in the Original Position, ignorant of who and what they will be in society and perfectly equal to one another, are able to truly come to a consensus as to what a just society would be (Pogge, 2007). Jus ticeShow MoreRelatedCreating an Environmental Ethic Essay1418 Words à |à 6 PagesCreating an Environmental Ethic Traditionally, Western views of environment ethics has been unclear and for the most part unnecessary. We used earthââ¬â¢s resources without thinking about consequence. This nonchalant use aided in the Westââ¬â¢s ability to influence the world through technological advances. In the past, limited travel and slow communication systems had limited our view to a local one. If pollution or to much urbanization occurred the solution was to move. Industrialization hasRead More History of the Origins of Environmental Ethics Essay1045 Words à |à 5 PagesHistory of the Origins of Environmental Ethics The inspiration for environmental ethics was the first Earth Day in 1970 when environmentalists started urging philosophers who were involved with environmental groups to do something about environmental ethics. An intellectual climate had developed in the last few years of the 1960s in large part because of the publication of two papers in Science: Lynn Whites The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis (March 1967) and Garett Hardins The TragedyRead MoreThe Ethics Of Environmental Ethics2361 Words à |à 10 PagesThe writings for the week covered different approaches to what environmental ethics is and how it is obtained. Different approaches in the value in environmental ethics are found due to the different approaches. In terms of value one must find what value means to them and how they measure it. Dobel and Frendel came to the approach that religion is a basis of environmental ethics. This is due to the fact that roots of both Christianity and Judaism discussing the need to care for the earth in someRead MoreThe Ethics Of Environmental Ethics936 Words à |à 4 PagesEnvironmental Ethics This research will be based on two types of theories. These theories will be the guiding approaches that will be used in order to come up with the real issue at hand and also be able to provide a solution for the same. The first of the two approaches will be deontological approach and the other will be utilitarianism approach. Therefore, to better understand how to use these two approaches, it is better to first discuss them briefly and have a better understanding of what theyRead MoreThe Central Dilemma Of Environmental Ethics866 Words à |à 4 PagesThe central dilemma in environmental ethics is determining the value of nature: what kind of value does it have, what aspects of the environment have value, and from what or whom does environmental value ultimately derive? Many philosophers have proposed answers to these inquiries, but every ethic is weak in one or more of these areas. Holmes Rolston III, an American philosopher, preacher, and naturalist, has proposed a deontological a rgument that addresses each of the key subjects in the debateRead MoreEnvironmental Ethics4554 Words à |à 19 PagesEnvironmental challenges as business opportunity I. 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The individualââ¬â¢s knowledge of the effects that technology, industry, economic expansion, and population growth were having on the environment began in the 1960s.Read More Environmental Ethics Essay2121 Words à |à 9 PagesNeed for Environmental Ethics ââ¬Å"Unless humanity is suicidal, it should want to preserve, at the minimum, the natural life-support systems and processes required to sustain its own existenceâ⬠(Daily p.365). I agree with scientist Gretchen Daily that drastic action is needed now to prevent environmental disaster. Immediate action and changes in attitude are not only necessary for survival but are also morally required. In this paper, I will approach the topic of environmental ethics from severalRead MoreEssay on Environmental Ethics2347 Words à |à 10 Pages Ethics is the study of what is right and wrong in human conduct. Environmental ethics studies the effects of humanââ¬â¢s moral relationships on the environment and everything within it (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2008). The ethical principles that govern those relations determine human duties, obligations, and responsibilities with regard to the Earthââ¬â¢s natural environment and all of the animals and plants that inhabit it ( Taylor, 1989). The purpose of this paper is to reveal environmentalRead MoreDevelopment Ethics And Environmental Injustices Essay2730 Words à |à 11 PagesResearch Proposal Kazi A S M Nurul Huda Assistant Professor Department of Philosophy University of Dhaka Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh Title ââ¬Å"Development Ethics and Environmental Injustices in Bangladeshâ⬠Research Problem Critiques of understanding development as regards the processes of economic growth, industrialization, and modernization are common on the grounds that it raises as many problems as it solves. As a reaction, some scholars propose a normative understanding of development as the point of
Sunday, December 22, 2019
The Movie The Help - 2141 Words
The film, The Help was a great movie but it was definitely an eye opener for me because as we research different eras we find that circumstances for Black women were always at the hands of someone else. Black women were referred to as Negros in this era and sometimes were called more derogatory names, that we need not mention. Blacks were not allowed to drink cokes, and were punished if they were caught drinking it. Unfortunately, Black women were mothers to their own children and they had to be mothers to the white children that they cared for. Black women had to leave their children with someone else while they cared for the white children. The mothers of those children were so busy doing book clubs, town meeting etc. that they didnââ¬â¢t have time to take care of their own children. When the children were in need of attention, most times it was the maid that coddled the children and make sure that they were taken care of. In the movie the white children depended on the maid more than their own parents. The parents only picked the children up once a day to spend time with them or to even talk to them. Even the fathers didnââ¬â¢t have time for the children and only saw them in passing as they were walking out the door. Black women potty trained the children that they cared for while the mothers carried on with their daily tasks. Even though Black women were treated unfairly, the white women often looked up to them and may have even asked for help with theirShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Movie The Help 1019 Words à |à 5 PagesOne of the best-selling books and the film ââ¬ËThe Helpââ¬â¢ is very closely relevant to the untold stories of African-American women and their experience in service to the white women ââ¬â part of the narrative of civil rights and segregation in America. The Help is less about the undermined black servants than it is about the white sympathizers, extremely close to missing the point entirely. The civil rights movement was vast and complicated and included African-Americans and white people as heroes, If theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Help 1132 Words à |à 5 PagesAccording to the movie The help, I understand that the African American in the past where being abused from white people and where insulted and treated as animals. They used men as cookers and farmers. And women where used as nannies. Also they splurge the nannies between each other. However, white people doesnââ¬â¢t treat African American in a good way. When they was treated from white people one of the friend of the white people tried to solve this dilemma which is to make justice between white andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Help832 Words à |à 4 Pages I watched the movie award winning move The Help. This movie tak es place in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960ââ¬â¢s. This was a time period of lots of racial discrimination and gender discrimination right in the middle of the civil rights movement. The story line of The Help is about a young women named Skeeter, who aspires to be big New York City writer. She get a job at a local news paper and on the side decided to secretly interview the black maids (The Help) about their different stories, experiencesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Help 1550 Words à |à 7 Pages Walt Disney Studioââ¬â¢s 2011 film, ââ¬Å"The Helpâ⬠is an adaption of Kathryn Stockettââ¬â¢s 2009 novel of the same name. The Help is an American drama film, and stars a powerhouse cast, with the leading roles played by Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, and Allison Janney. The film was both written and directed by Kathryn Stockettââ¬â¢s friend Tate Taylor, who was given the rights to the film before her book was even published. In 1960ââ¬â¢s Jackson, Mississippi during the civil rights movementRead MoreMovie Review: The Help2313 Words à |à 9 Pagesï » ¿The Help- The Movie A Critical Analysis The Help has been one of the most eminent movies released in 2011. Its been an exceptional piece of work if analyzed in the spectrum of complete entertainment. From storytelling to genre, the movie has performed reasonably in many areas. Although there have been various criticisms on the movie when it comes to basic plot, however overall the movie manages to reveal its actual meaning yet being an entertaining at the same time. The movie was nominatedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Help 1187 Words à |à 5 PagesThe Help is a drama set in Jackson, Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960ââ¬â¢s. The film focuses on the development of Eugenia Skeeter Phelan, a young, aspiring Anglo American author trying to find her way in the world of writing. After becoming closer acquainted with Aibileen, an African-American maid employed by her peer Elizabeth Leefolt, Skeeter becomes more aware of the racist attitudes that white Americans in her community have towards ââ¬Ë blackââ¬â¢ Americans. After successfullyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Help Essay2249 Words à |à 9 PagesThe film ââ¬Å"The Helpâ⬠(2011), is a story based on the daily lives of prominent white women and the relationships with their African-American housemaids in Jackson, Mississippi, during the 1960s Civil Rights movement in America. A well-to-do white woman and central character in this film, Eugenia ââ¬Å"Skeeterâ⬠Phelan, aspires to be a journalist and decides to write and publish an exposà © of the stories of the housemaids in Jackson to achieve this goal, however, only two maids, Aibileen Clark and Minny JacksonRead MoreMovie Review: the Help Essay643 Words à |à 3 Pagesââ¬Å"The Helpâ⬠An emotionally stirring movie taking place in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s, ââ¬Å"The Helpâ⬠stars Emma Stone, Viola Davis, and Octavia Spencer as three women who share a common motive. This racially tense setting creates the perfect foundation for a drama film such as this. The charactersââ¬â¢ personalities in combination with the emotion of the plot develop a socially accurate depiction of the struggles faced by the people of the time. While the racial aspect of the movie is dominantRead MoreMovie Analysis : Film Analysis Of The Movie The Help796 Words à |à 4 Pagesââ¬Å"The Helpâ⬠Analysis Paper During the 1960ââ¬â¢s , americans underwent an era of critical issues in the United States. Throughout this time, the United States was in a stage of racial issues where racism was still openly accepted of society. The struggle by African-Americans to achieve rights equal to those that white people received was also known as the Civil Rights Movement. That included having an opportunity in employment, voting rights, having access to public facilities, education andRead MoreSlavery in the Movie The Help Essay946 Words à |à 4 PagesThe term ââ¬Å"The Helpâ⬠according to dictionary.com means the action of helping someone to do something. Which refers to the duty of a person that helps keep a household clean and organized. Back when racism was still openly accepted by society, black women were the only candidates available for this type of job, because it was very difficult for them to find jobs. The job of being ââ¬Å"The Helpâ⬠in the house for rich white folks includes taking care of the kids, the house, and worry about preparing 3
Friday, December 13, 2019
Bad Boys and Why They Are Not Naughty by Nature but by Culture Free Essays
Samantha Latting Charise Albritton Sociology 3255 4 April 2013 Bad Boys And Why They Are Not Naughty By Nature But By Culture ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t Believe the Hype. â⬠I believe the title of the very first chapter perfectly introduces and summarizes Bad Boys: Public Schools in the Making of Black Masculinity. These young boys are adultified and are tied to these two controlling images of the criminal and the endangered species. We will write a custom essay sample on Bad Boys and Why They Are Not Naughty by Nature but by Culture or any similar topic only for you Order Now The way these young boys are treated in school is a parallel to how they will be treated in juvenile detentions centers and in a lot of cases the penal system when they reach adulthood. Due to the adultification and controlling images black male youth develop different coping mechanisms to deal with these negative assumptions they know are made about them. This includes they way they act out in their classrooms. The way in which these young boys are behaving is not because they are ââ¬Å"naughty by nature,â⬠it is an act, or a defense mechanism that is brought upon by how they are treated by educators and other authority figures. [Black boys] are not seen as childlike but adultified; as black males, they are denied the masculine dispensation constituting white males as being ââ¬Ënaturally naughtyââ¬â¢ and are discerned as willfully bad (80). â⬠School is supposed to be a place where children learn, develop and grow. However, when a child is adultified this cannot really occur. This means that adults they interact with believe that their future is pre-determined. A common phrase used without the book is ââ¬Å"that kid has a jail cell with his name o n it. When educators have this kind of mentality where they believe they are not going to be able to change this student they do not attempt toââ¬âin their head they are as developed, as they will ever be, just as an adult would be. The two controlling images that are tied to adultification are the criminal and the endangered species (83). Criminalization was touched on a bit when the bit about teachers believing the child would end up in jail was mentioned. Young black males and their actions and transgressions ââ¬Å"are made to take on a sinister, intentional, fully conscious tone that is stripped of any element of childish naivete (83). The second controlling image, the endangered species, is a mirror image of the criminal. By calling the young black male an endangered species weââ¬â¢re saying they are in an obsolete stage of social evolution. When looking at the boys in either light, as a criminal or as an endangered species ââ¬Å"contemporary imagery proclaims black ma les to be responsible for their own fate. The discourse of individual choice and responsibility elides the social and economic context and locates predation as coming from within (82). This means that although it may be said that the black male is in control of his own actions the discourses in which we view them actually says the opposite; that people believe that they are, once again, naughty by nature. Black male youth have too frequent relationships with the penal system, which could be, in part, because of this naughty by nature belief. Due to profiling and stereotyping their chances of entering the juvenile detention system is high and there is an even higher chance of being jailed as an adult (233). We see the criminality and demonization of black male youth that was present in their school experiences in the penal system as well. This process is repeated through ââ¬Å"surveillance, policing, charges, and penalties (233). â⬠Black male youth perform masculinity using three strategies. These strategies are gendered acts, classroom performance, and fighting. Gendered acts means the boys act as aggressors and treat the females as victims. These strategies often get the boys in trouble, however it is a way for him to make a place for himself as a ââ¬Ëreal boy. These gendered acts are not just imitation; they are a ââ¬Å"highly strategic attachment to a social category that has political effects (171). â⬠Performance in the classroom is also a tactic used to perform masculinity. It is ââ¬Å"fundamental to the masculine performance is engagement with power. â⬠In the book there are several instances of black male youth causing classroom disruptions. This could inc lude laughing, constantly talking, interrupting, being loud, being sassy, demanding otherââ¬â¢s attention, etc. The kids see most of these acts as humorous and times of self-expression (175). Some kids are stars at these performances. The performances are rituals that involve their own script, roles, and timing. ââ¬Å"These dramatic moments are sites for the presentations of a potent masculine presence in the classroom (176). â⬠The ââ¬Ëgood bad boyââ¬â¢ engages power, makes the class laugh, takes risks and makes the teacher smile (176). The final tactic used to perform masculinity is fighting. In the book, fighting is the most common offense in which students are sent to the Punishing Room and the vast majority of the offenders are African American males (180). Students are told that fighting is not the answer; if someone tries to start a fight with you then you should tell a teacher and allow them to intervene. However, this goes against the code of masculinity. Letting an adult intervene is a sign of weakness. Another reason children donââ¬â¢t want teachers to intervene is because they donââ¬â¢t believe an adult can really change the relationship between kids. The only thing she can really do is instruct them to stop (180). Black male youth develop coping mechanisms in response to the reception they receive in public. Included in these mechanisms are ââ¬Å"processes of identification, the formation of self at the conjecture of how one is seen an how one sees oneself. (125). â⬠On one level the boys brush off the fear and surveillance as flattering and a sign of their ability to attract attention and be noticed (125). This can be a temporarily rewarding reaction. However, on another level ââ¬Å"identities are constituted in relationship to the perceptions and expectations of other people (125). â⬠The act the boys are putting on becomes a realityââ¬âthey reinforce the idea of this stereotype of behavior. We can look at Horace to personify these examples. Horace is prepared to fight both physically and verbally. He has learned that in public he needs to challenge authority. His fighting has earned him respect and authority among his peers. This is easily tied in to how classroom performance plays a role in masculinity, which was briefly touched upon before. For African American boys this performance in the classroom of being a ââ¬Ëclass clownââ¬â¢ or causing other disruptions ââ¬Å"invokes cultural conventions of speech performance that draws on a black repertoire (178). This performance in the classroom is a way for African American boys to establish their desired reputation and to make a name for themselves, as well as achieve status at school. Donââ¬â¢t simply believe the hype and stereotypes surrounding black male youth. They are not ââ¬Å"naughty by nature,â⬠but by the culture in which they live and learn in. These boys are adultified and seen as a criminals and/ or an endangered species. Many times this ââ¬Ëbadââ¬â¢ behavior is simply an act to achieve masculinity and status among peers and over time becomes reality. This is one of the coping mechanisms that these boys develop to deal with the way they are treated and perceived by the adults in their lives. They way these authority figures at school treat them is very similar to how they will be treated in juvenile detentions centers (which they are likely to encounter) and by people in the penal system in which they very well may be subjected to as adults. The behavior of these young boys is due to a cause and effect relationship between how they are treated by their educators and other adults in positions of authority. How to cite Bad Boys and Why They Are Not Naughty by Nature but by Culture, Papers
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