Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Identify the Claim 99.9% of Proper Grammar is Obsolete - CS2 Case Study

Identify the Claim 99.9% of Proper Grammar is Obsolete - CS2 - Case Study Example bject-verb agreement, capital letters, etc is still being followed by main stream publications but it is not the case outside of such environments where correct use of grammar has already started decaying. Sentences structured carefully are disappearing on the internet. As users are getting acquainted of each other’s vocabulary, proper grammar is deteriorating. He recognizes that there is a tendency of feeding customized â€Å"Internet Speak† that is developing among those on the internet. The grammar on formal websites still follows the traditional laid out rules, emails are starting to see a condensed version and instant messaging is even worse. The reason for this is rooted in the belief that expertise is not a necessity and is a waste of money and time. He cites the example of existence of many civilizations for centuries. Also proper use of grammar does not solve any problem as many cannot read at a collegiate level. The author then goes on to sarcastically criticize such form of writing as saying that he wonders how such messages are legible (Wertheimer, 2002). He says that on examining any message, even be it from a CEO, many grammatical errors can be found. He points out the reason why such messages have been working. In the last few years as the use of internet has increased, users have not only tolerated such abuse of grammar but encouraged such styles in order reply to messages as soon as they receive it. Need for speed is the reason behind this development. Punctuating and capitalizing is just a loss of time. Hence the need to be fast has lead to this condensing of sentencing and in turn grammar. One of the examples that author gives is the use of â€Å"g2g† which means â€Å"got to go†. The author goes on to explain that languages demand perfectionism by being grammatically correct but this is not the case on the internet. A communication’s effectiveness is dependent on the speed of the communication. Longer the sentence is slower the process and

Monday, October 28, 2019

The House of Mirth Essay Example for Free

The House of Mirth Essay Lily Bart is simultaneously a product and a victim of the society she was born into. She cannot choose between two possible ways of living: to hunt for wealth or long for love and understanding. She was taught that her goal of life was to find a wealthy man and become his wife. She can choose only among those who either have no social status (Rosedale), are married (Trenor), are boring and not interesting for her (Gryce), or have no money (Selden). 2. As the story progresses we understand that money is not everything in this upper class of society the main character belongs to. One must behave a certain way, be friends with certain people and have a free admission to certain houses. Everybody watches each other and then discusses the details with the rest of elite. This is the society where everybody will struggle to death, step over others, use and abuse others but to get what one wants. We see how Lily’s friends treat her and this is not the way how friends treat each other. It is not allowed to meet with a man unless you have a chaperone. If a women is married, she has to be discreet, besides women must be more precise in their appearance than men. 3. One social group I know (my parents belong to it) has ist â€Å"unwritten rules†, too. Among these are: not to stare people and not to point to people; not to ask for favor; to drive an expensive car; not to be late. There are also rules about dressing up like: not to wear jeans if its not casual day to work and not to ask womans age. 4. While reading the book I felt really sorry for people who lived at that time when they could not be free but had to live the way the society has determined for them. I felt quite happy for the present and for myself that modern rules are not that terrible, although some of them are worse that in the past. I also felt sorry for the girl herself: being all alone among people who just use and abuse you, knowing that your only fate is to try to please a wealthy man whom you do not necessarily like but whom you need in order to live a normal life. Bibliography: 1. Wharton, Edith. The House of Mirth. New American Library; Reprint edition (February 1, 2000).

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Jonothan Edwards Essay -- Edwards Puritan Calvinist Christianity Essay

Jonothan Edwards Works Cited Not Included He was considered a genius, quoted as a man of formidable intellect and master of puritan revival. During his time, he was an uncompromising Calvinist and he had the power of single-handedly keeping the Puritan faith strong and alive for almost sixty years by using a sort of influential scare tactic to provoke his audience. His name was Jonathan Edwards and his use of imagery was exquisite. In one of his great sermons "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," Edwards used phrases and parallelism that could simply move his listener or reader. Edwards described his view of a vengeful God and the consequences of sin with such strong emotion and vividness that it was sure too shaken up most, if not all of those who had the privilege of hearing or reading it. Edwards clearly portray an image of a fearful and powerful God in relation to a simple and weak man. Edward's dialect was very mighty and yet handled with class and ease. Edward's words were potent and astonishing and he was sure to shaken anyone who came across them. First, many of the beginning and following entries of "Sinners in the hands of an Angry God," by Jonathan Edwards, create many word pictures. Edwards begins by describing man, who was nothing other than insignificant and evil, and his relationship with God, who was angry and very much in authority. Edwards states, "There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men's hands cannot be strong when God rises up..." (Edwards,290). Edward's view of man is not only poor, but also small. Edward's view of God is very much almighty. Edward's follows up his views by stating, "He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but He can most ... ...od." Edward's use of pronouns and parallelism made his overall imagery just fabulous. Edward's phrases were fierce, strong, and stated with such ease and smoothness that his audiences could easily feel his words weather heard or read. Edwards is undoubtedly due all praises and recognition as being a intellectual genius. The sermon "Sinners of an Angry God" alone, clearly proves Edward's ability to control and imitate one's views of a very strong and angry God that must be respected. It is no wonder that Edwards had the ability to keep the Calvinistic views of his time very dominate and alive. Edwards knew very well how to use words as a means of pure command, influence, and forcefulness. Edwards is amongst the top in deifying the highest levels of clever and prestigious dialect. In other words, Jonathon Edwards was a master at simply portraying the power of words.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Influence of Constructivism

Determining the Influences of Soviet Propaganda on Contemporary Advertising and Promotion The purpose of this study is to look at the representation of political ideology on Soviet posters and the ways in which this style continues to influence today’s advertising and popular culture. Though there are many forms of propaganda the forms of propaganda I intend to discuss in this essay are visual. The areas I aim to further my understanding of are the representation of political ideologies on today’s contemporary popular culture.I intend to investigate the idea that the Constructivists created the blueprint for modern consumerism and methods of advertising. I will investigate semiotics and Marxism in context with my study. In today’s society of consumerist culture I think the topic of propaganda is interesting as I feel propaganda goes hand in hand with advertising. In today’s society we are relentlessly saturated with loaded words and images, for this reason I wanted to investigate the origins of consumerism and today’s advertising.The purpose of Soviet propaganda was to create a new type of world; Lenin wanted to remodel the world under Socialist Realism and visual propaganda played an important part in this. Using propaganda to influence people’s thoughts and actions by making them act on feelings rather than rational thought. I am going to investigate the idea that soviet Marxist ideology continues to influence To illustrate my idea I am going to discuss the semiotics of a Soviet poster designed by Alexander Rodchenko for Gosizdat (fig. ) in 1924 the poster is a typical example of the stark, distinct and timeless design of the era. The poster features Lilia brick, a muse of Vladimir Mayakovsky and later Alexander Rodchenko. The poster was designed as mass spread agitprop intended to spread the ideals of Socialist Realism with its vision of a widespread literate society. The simplified bold graphic is typical of the wor k produced during the Constructivist movement; the lack of decoration or of representational depiction of objects ties in with the movement’s aims to keep the production purely informative and functional. Art that fails to become part of life will be catalogued in the museum of archaeological antiquities† (Rodchenko The poster features a woman, Lilia Brick, wearing a kerchief; clothes of the proletarian workers. This design and its message was calculated so that the proletarian of Russia would relate and engage with the message the image conveys. The woman is shouting â€Å"Books† inside a trapezoid shape, as most of the population were illiterate it was necessary for the image to be understood visually. Pictures indeed could be more potent than writing because they ‘impose meaning at one stroke’ but semiotic communication could extend beyond both the verbal and the visual† (Visual Culture, Richard Howels, 2003, page 100) Personally, I think th is is a timeless image but I don’t think it is very understandable without the text. It is an example of the constructivist’s novel experiments with juxtaposition and photography. Contemporary posters and graphics are testament to the strength of design this age produced.To further illustrate my idea I am going to discuss the semiotics of three advertising images and compare them with the Gosizdat (fig. 1) 1924 Lilia Brick poster from the Soviet era, which they are derivative of. The images I will discuss come from a broad spectrum in popular culture. I will look at an image from a political campaign, a mobile phone advert and a popular indie band. In order to sell and appeal, it is my opinion that these products and ideologies have borrowed the connotations of power and directness that these Soviet posters command.A humorous take on poster from the Barak Obama campaign featuring a dog in the place of Lilia Brick became a hit on the Internet. This suggests the poster h as widespread appeal on masse. The poster was not affiliated with the campaign. An example of the Gosizdat posters influential use in advertising can be viewed in a Greek advert for Vodaphone mobiles (fig. 2), here the semiotics are not entirely saying the same thing as in the poster designed for Gosizdat (fig. ), in this version it is depoliticised. The poster itself comes with an extra subtext thanks to its history; the viewer can take meaning from this as well as the intended message to advertise Vodaphone. â€Å"The art of the past no longer exists as it once did. Its authority is lost. In its place there is a language of images. What matters now is who uses that language for what purpose. † (Berger, 1972, p. 33) The anonymous woman in the poster is supposed to be shouting some sort of offer or Vodaphone; the anonymous woman in the poster is in black and white creating an interesting juxtaposition against the bright colour scheme. The image of the woman seems slightly mor e ‘cut-out and pasted in’ than the other example images. I feel this could be derivative of the Constructivists experimentation with photomontage. It is in a sense ironic that these posters are now being used to promote capitalism given that the political ideology at the time was to do with Communism.A statement made by art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon backs this up; he says in BBC4 programme The Art of Russia: Smashing the Mould â€Å"this was totally new to use words like this and that is one of the paradoxes that Rodchenko and Mayakovsky give to the West – the visual language of Capitalism†¦because they are inventing advertising† (M2 PRESSWIRE-10 November 2009-BBC: The Art Of Russia on BBC Four(C) 1994-2009 M2 COMMUNICATIONS RDATE:09112009) The second example of the influence of the poster for Gosizdat (fig. ) is in the album artwork for Franz Ferdinand’s 2005 album You Could Have It So Much Better (fig. 3). The semiotics suggests the same as with the last two reworks. The band reworked two other Constructivist posters for two more of their singles artwork; This Fire 2004 (fig 4) is derivative of the El Lissitzky poster Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge 1919 and Take Me Out 2004 (fig. 5) is a rework of Aleksandr Rodchenko’s One-Sixth Part the World Poster 1923 (fig 6).The illustrator and graphic designer Shepard Fairey who created the affiliated Obama campaign posters deliberately took inspiration from Soviet posters when creating the Obama Hope (fig. 7) poster. The work of Neville Brody further backs up the ideology behind the movement and that today’s designers draw much inspiration from Constructivism. Bold design and typography classic are time enduring. The semiotics of these images have connotations of empowerment. What matters is that design is a way of reflecting social undercurrents. The Futurists supported Mussolini, whereas Rodchenko was a socialist revolutionary. I draw a sense of dynamism and optimism with no intention of a political connotation. If you look at some of Rodchenko’s paintings, you’ll see he anticipated abstract expressionism by a good 50 or 60 years. It’s so abstract, it’s completely apolitical. Rodchenko was more about humanism and humanitarianism than communism. †- Neville Brody.Another direct example of a Soviet posters influence on recent popular culture is the occurrence of Red Wedge in the 80’s, this collective of musicians wanted to inspire young people to connect with the politics of the Labour government and inspire them to take charge of their political opinions. A lithographic poster inspired the name for this movement: Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge 1919 (fig. 8); a poster designed by Constructivist artist El Lissitzky. The Red Wedge’ logo was also inspired by the poster and designed by graphic designer Neville Brody.In the 1980s there was a revival of politically fuelled art, Neville Brody re worked the typography of the Soviet era in popular magazine The Face (fig. 9). Jenny Holzier’s Protect Me from What I Want, 1998 (fig. 10) is sending out a political message in a very simplified way just as the Constructivists did. â€Å"Holzer writes messages which are not in â€Å"her† voice but in styles that mimic the anonymous voices of authority† government, education and advertising† (Toby Clark, Art and Propaganda, 1997, page 155) The film created in the time of Soviet Russia was also influential.It has had an affect on the film production and movie editing of today. The film Battleship Potemkin, a silent film directed in 1925 by Eisenstein is one of the first examples of evocative film editing and of propaganda in film, it served as a warning against rebellion toward the government, such was the influence of this film, people at the time of its release who viewed it believed these were real events. The films this influence is apparent in are The U ntouchables and Brazil.In my opinion the imagery of the Soviet era is incredibly iconic and it is not surprising that it has been borrowed time and time again. It seems evident from the examples in the text that everything from companies and politicians and popular culture will continue to borrow some of the imagery and iconography that the Constructivists strived to create, it is interesting that the artistic movements at the time of the Soviet era are not known as well as some. I have come to the conclusion that Soviet idealism has influenced much of today’s culture though the message is obviously not the same.I think the much of the advertising inspired by The Constructivists is clever as it can tap into what makes an image iconic. Companies that use the Russia propaganda style of imagery are looking to give their product cult status and iconography. With reworking of the Soviet and Constructivist style the designers are borrowing some of that power. In a world where we ar e saturate by advertisements the ones inspired by Constructivism are most successful in my opinion.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Lifespan Perspective Paper

Lifespan Perspective Paper Introduction This paper will discuss lifespan development and the theories associated with the study. Humans develop according to phases throughout their lives and this paper will address these phases and what to expect and when. People learn from mistakes made in the past and apply these lessons in order to improve their quality of life. The psychodynamic and evolutionary theories will be examined in detail. Also, the significant role of nature and nurture will be addressed.Lifespan Perspective of Development Lifespan development describes the growth that happens from the time an organism is conceived to the time of its death. A human undergoes a variety of changes throughout their lifetime: psychologically, physiologically, spiritually, and socially changes all occur. A mere fetus develops heart beat at around six weeks and from that point on, develops quickly over the remainder of the pregnancy. Each step in life people develop, little by little.Lifespan development provides us with the information necessary to understand the different phases of human life and with this information we are able to better understand what to expect from each phase (Berk, 2012). For example, children often fear the dark and require a night light to sleep, but overtime, this insignificant fear becomes less and less of a concern and eventually most children are able to sleep just fine without a night light. When a child realizes there is nothing to be afraid of, like there are not any monsters under the bed, he or she is able to sleep without the security of a night light.Understanding lifespan development is crucial and allows us to grasp the phases of life. And also, understand children and their needs for security and comfort. Young children often relay on the comfort of a pacifier or a blanket to calm them down or make them feel safe. Parents are able to understand their children and their needs with the help of lifespan development studies and thus, parents feel like they are able to be better mothers and fathers. There are four recognized phases of human lifespan. One, childhood and adolescence; two, early adulthood; three, middle adulthood; four, late adulthood.Natural progressions are expected to occur as a person ages. The study of lifespan development is important because it explains how and why people develop and what reasonable expectations should apply during this process (Berger, 2008). Lifespan Development at Work The study of lifespan development is significant factor in understanding the subject and provides people with many answers and has the ability of preventing people from repeating past mistakes. Over the years humans have monitored history and have used their research to prevent making similar decisions of the past that did not work out like they were intended to (Carson, 2000).For example, sunscreen is used to protect our skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays and ultimately, decrease the possibilities of skin cancer. Before the importance and knowledge of sunscreen was available people did not know the true dangers the sun presented and mostly did not protect their skin accordingly. As a result, many people who spent a lot of time outdoors in the 1970’s and 1980’s had a significantly increased rate of skin cancer. Many of these skin cancer victims did not know the dangers the sun presented and how wearing sunscreen could have decreased their risk.If this knowledge was readily available at the time it is almost guaranteed that a large percentage of these people who have worn sunscreen and possibly eliminate their chances of skin cancer all together. Now the threats of sun damage are widely known and discussed and there are a variety of sunscreen-type products on the market for consumers (Berk, 2012). People have learned from past mistakes that the sun does present dangers and can be harmful to our skin so it is important to wear sunscreen and take other appropriate precautio ns.Lifespan development is purposed partially on extending the life of man and as a part of that jaunting task, survival is required. Humans learn from mistakes that have been made in the past, as a part of their challenge to survive. Skin cancer kills some of its victims and therefore, the knowledge that skin cancer presents is crucial and allows people to take the appropriate measures to cut down their risks. This is one simple example of how people learn from history and use inventive ways to improve the future with the information acquired (Carson, 2000).Theories of Lifespan Development: Psychodynamic Behavioral, cognitive, contextual, evolutionary, humanistic, and psychodynamic are the six widely accepted theories pertaining to lifespan development psychology (Berger, 2008). Both Eric Erickson and Sigmund Freud did expansive studies on the psychodynamic theory. In Freud’s studies he focused on the inner being of a person and the unconscious forces that create personality and behavioral traits. His beliefs are that events, like memories and feelings that occur inside of us help motivate our personality and the way in which we behave.Memories are usually positive or negative and conflicts arise from negative memories and thus, creating a feeling that something should not be repeated in order to avoid a negative outcome. The psychodynamic theory focuses on three aspects of human personality: ego, superego, and id. Along with personality, this theory focuses on psychosexual development as well (Carson, 2000). Theories of Lifespan Development: Evolutionary The Evolutionary Theory of lifespan development is another interesting take on the study originally theorized by Charles Darwin and Konrad Lorenz.This theory focuses on evolution and how it specifically relates to human lifespan development. Over the years, a process of natural selection takes place and as a result humans adapt to their environments. Traits are acquired and sometimes altered by specie s in order to thrive. Darwin and Lorenz focus on how heredity influences development and how behavior is a result of our genetic inheritance. Studies that are connected with this theory show a relationship between family members and certain diseases and illnesses (Berk, 2012). For example, mental illness often runs in family histories and can be tracked through heredity.Heredity and the Environment Nurture versus nature is a discussion commonly associated with lifespan development. Environmental factors play a role in how a person develops, but heredity is passed down through a process of inheritance. A child may be born into a poverty-stricken home and raised to live in fear. A socioeconomic situation like this can lead to a life of crime in order to make ends meet. This environment has significant affects on the development of a person, but environments can be changed, if a person is willing to take the necessary steps.Now if a child is born into a family with a history of mental illness the child has a chance of developing a related illness (Berger, 2008). For example, if the child’s mother has schizophrenia and the child demonstrates symptoms of the disease at an early age and eventually is diagnosed with the disease, this is an act of nature. It is possible to earn a degree, get a better job, and move up to a middle class area, but it is not possible to undo heredity and no longer be schizophrenic. Nature and nurture both play a significant role in lifespan development and have equal importance in the lives of people (Carson, 2000).Conclusion In conclusion, lifespan development describes the growth that happens from the time an organism is conceived to the time of its death. Throughout these years, people develop in phases that can be observed as a result of the study of lifespan development (Berger, 2008). Human beings have learned about the different phases of development and have discovered new ways to do things to guarantee a higher quality of life. Watching history and mistakes that were made in the past are one of the ways the human species thrives and is able to withstand the test of time (Carson, 2000).The psychodynamic and evolutionary theories explain specific thoughts associated with lifespan development (Berk, 2012). Nature versus nurture is controversial debate that can be seen all throughout the study of psychology and many characteristics humans develop References: Berger, K. S. (2008). The developing person through the life span (7th ed. ). New York, NY: Worth  Ã‚   Publishers. Berk, L. E. (2012). Infants and children: Prenatal through middle childhood (7 ed. ). Allyn & Bacon. Carson, R. C. (2000). Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life. Retrieved June 25, 2012, from,http://www. abacon. com, p85.