Hip-hop music Essay Example for Free

Hip-hop music Essay Hip-hop music, according to Joan Morgan, is a powerful force in popular culture. However, she also criticized how hip-hop â€Å"repeatedly reduced me to tits and ass and encourages pimping on the regular. † Emphasis is given on how machismo and sexism prevail in the lyrics of hip-hop music. As is seen in various examples highlighted in Morgan’s article, hip-hop music taught men to treat women without the respect and love that they deserve. They came to learn to treat women as objects to fulfill sexual desires, calling them â€Å"bitches† and â€Å"hos†. It is seen in hip-hop music how women use sex as a weapon to gain material wealth and protection, not because they want it, but because it is the only option they have. This only shows how women are, in modern times, still victims of gender inequality. Over and over again, these themes have been the topic of hip-hop music, along with â€Å"alcoholism, substance abuse and chemical dependency. † After all, hip-hop music has done much to encourage these acts unbecoming of decent people. However, Morgan also suggested it as a part of a more complex problem, stemming from the racism experienced by black people. All these talks about sex and drugs and crimes are reflections of the bitterness, the hurt that the black people feel, resulting to more damage. According to Morgan, crimes committed against black people, are more likely done by black people themselves. White people are long ago out of the question. Depictions of a violent and cruel world where everything can be bought by money and sleeping with a rapper will give you a record contract gives them self-satisfaction and a self-liberating feeling when they play master and the women their slaves. But deep inside they do not feel real happiness as they fail to face their problems and responsibilities in reality. In the end they continue to feel empty. Take for example the music video of the song â€Å"Gold Digger† by Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, which topped the charts at the time of its release and even won a couple of Grammy Awards. The video alternates with scenes of West and Foxx singing, women wearing skimpy lingerie making poses for men’s magazines, and women dancing all over the men. These depictions of women in the video did not give any love, let alone respect for women in general. They are merely seen as objects of desire that can be bought anytime of the day. There are also some scenes in the music video wherein the men are dragged into a dark room where all the women wearing lingerie are present. They are represented as nothing more than â€Å"bitches† and â€Å"hos† only after these men for their money. As it is, these women are depicted to give sex to those who can pay, and even trick some of the richer guys into marrying them. One scene in the video even spelled out the word â€Å"pre-nupt† as the men supposedly wanted pre-nuptial agreements before marrying these women so that they can’t touch a cent of the men’s money. Even the lyrics of the song, sung in the point of view of a rich husband, describes how his wife tricked him into marrying him by saying that she’s pregnant with his son, but after eighteen years, he found out that he was not the real father of this child. Now that he wants a divorce, half of his assets will go the cheating wife. Nevertheless, the â€Å"kid† in the video was white and not black, a direct allusion that it is not his child. His perpetrator was â€Å"white†. This not only shows how lowly they think of women but of how they are forced to do these things so that they can have financial and emotional security that they cannot in themselves achieve because they are prevented from doing so. Women themselves are deprived of the love and care they need as the men continually search for physical love and satisfy their egos in order to forget their own worries and problems. In a deeper context, â€Å"Gold Digger† tries to disguise the hurt of being fooled, of being cheated, by bragging that yes, she’s a gold digger, I’m rich and I can afford to buy any girl I want. The video did not objectify men and women. The difference in the treatment of men and women can be seen in the whole video. In a sense, the men are the customers, and the women, mere products they could buy and use at their whims. As Morgan puts it, it is not about calling women â€Å"bitches† or â€Å"hos†, but men’s incapability to show love. They treat women as some kind of objects because it is the only way that they can feel powerful. This incapability to love proves Morgan’s point that these men are hurt. The pain has taken something very special from them, and that is the ability to love and to care for others. The distrust for women shown in â€Å"Gold Digger† is there, in the first place, because these men are afraid, afraid to love and get hurt in the process. But because of this loss, women became victims of abusive treatment. One lesson that can be learned is that love per se is not synonymous with sex. According to Morgan, we all should learn to address our issues and better treat each other. We should eliminate all the barricades caused by the depiction of women in hip-hop music and eliminate the confusions. As mentioned earlier, hip-hop has a big influence on popular culture. What we hear, we incorporate in our minds and way of living. We can use this influence to create hip-hop music that loves, respects, and most importantly, hip-hop music that forgives.

Benefits Of Technology In Business

Benefits Of Technology In Business The term Technology is derived from the Greek word Technologia techne means craft and logia means the study of something. Technology is a very broad concept and is used to refer to several braches of science and study. Some examples are information technology, medical technology, biotechnology, etc. As the term technology branches into various fields of science and study, so do its benefits. Let us look at the benefits of technology in some major areas of day-to-day life: Benefits of Technology in Business: The days when the Chief Information Officer (CIO) took implementation decisions and passed the responsibility down the line are passà ©. Today, the CIO is an individual who possesses business as well as technical skills, understands the new IT issues facing a business, and drives the IT changes from the top down. This is a clear indicator of the benefits businesses are enjoying through the implementation of technology. Today technology is an integral part of any business right from the purchase of computers and software to the implementation of network and security tools. This helps businesses to: Remain up-to-date Drive business forward Sustain and survive competition In short, technology has become one of the significant factors that maximize an organizations ROI. Benefits of Technology in Communication: From hand-held computers to touch phones, technological advancements in the field of communication are endless. The means and the modes of communication are unlimited. Some of the benefits of technological advancements in the field of communication are: Speed time is no longer a constraint in communication Clarity With megapixel images and video, and high fidelity audio systems clarity in communication has become a never-before experience Proximity technological advancements have made the world a smaller place to live in Dissemination whether spreading information, broadcasting news, or sharing knowledge, technology has made it faster, easier, and smarter Benefits of Technology in Education: Technological advancements in the field of education are fast evolving. Today, e-learning is a familiar and popular term. Some of the benefits of technology in this field are: Personalized learning experience: Learners are able to take control and manage their own learning. They set their own goals, manage the process and content of learning, and communicate with peers. Immediate response: Most e-learning programs provide immediate feedbacks on learner assessments. Similarly there are features such as chat, discussion boards, e-libraries, etc that allow clarifications at a faster pace than in traditional classrooms. Self-paced: Learners can chart courses at their own pace. This ensures higher levels of motivation both in terms of completing the course as well as in performance. Greater access: Technological advancements have opened education to learners with learning disabilities and in remote locations. Benefits of Technology in Healthcare: The marriage between medicine and technology has reshaped healthcare and revolutionized the medical profession. Some of the major benefits are: Secure environment: Technology allows physicians and patients to interact in a secure and comfortable environment to discuss sensitive issues. Flexibility: Physicians can answer routine and less critical queries at a convenient time. Cost- and time-saving: Physicians can follow-up, provide advice, and re-direct patients to resources on the Internet. This saves cost and time by reducing office visits. Medical devices: Medical aids allow patients to continue recovery at home reducing their hospital stay. Vulnerable population: Technology aids the very young, elderly, and patients with complex birth defects, chronic illnesses, and disabled children by alleviating their problems so that they can continue living in their homes. Benefits of Technology in Society: Today technology pervades almost all aspects of our daily life from shopping, banking, making travel arrangements to university admissions. Some of the benefits are: Convenience: Provides a great deal of convenience in expediting personal and business transactions be it shopping, banking, or simply paying bills. Speed: From sending gifts to making payments everything gets a done with a few clicks. Communication: The world is a smaller place and technology allows everyone to keep in touch with their families and friends at a more affordable cost. Accuracy: Technology has reduced errors in mundane and monotonous chores, saving time and cost. Development: Technology has brought about development in many fields such as medicine, government, business, education, etc. Technology has evolved and transformed our lives and society. Overall, it has brought about tremendous growth and benefit to mankind. What Are the Benefits of Technology in Business? Whats This? Technological advances in the past few decades have greatly increased the competitive nature of the economic business world. Companies have used software, computers and the Internet to transform their businesses from local places of business to national and global market competitors. Many companies have responded to these changes by automating their business processes and capturing industry-related information and using it to their advantage. Technology has also forced businesses to remain flexible, adapting their operations to newer and better technological advances. Better Reporting Functions Companies that have multiple locations, whether nationally or globally, have used technology to implement better communication services and software modules that communicate to a home base via the Internet. This allows companies to penetrate new economic markets without sacrificing the needs of communication or financial and operational reporting. Additionally, companies can improve their management information system (MIS) to capture information for specific locations when making business decisions. Financial reporting has also benefited greatly from technology; rather than sending external auditors to multiple locations, it is possible to create a centralized accounting office to record and report financial transactions. This improves financial reporting and lessens the expense related to external audits. Increased Employee Productivity Computers and business software packages have exponentially increased employees productivity by allowing them to provide data entry functions or review automated reports. Companies have automated several traditional manufacturing processes; instead of using manpower to manually create and assemble goods, machines and/or robots now complete these functions. While these improvements may increase capital expenditures, they lessen the impact of consistent labor expenses related to productions. Fewer employees are needed to monitor the machines and ensure they are working properly. Other areas, such as customer service, accounting and administrative support, have also seen an increase in employee productivity. Employees now review and report electronically collected data to ensure they are accurate and timely, rather than manually gathering information. Improved Business Mobility Technology has also improved companies sales and service departments by allowing employees to use personal electronic devices to create sales displays and transmit orders and customer information to the home office. These electronic devices shorten the lead time companies spend on receiving and delivering goods or services, creating an instant competitive advantage in the industry. Companies can also send sales representatives to multiple markets at the same time, allowing them to penetrate multiple markets with few overhead costs. Companies may allow their internal employees to work from home using a company Internet connection, reducing the fixed overhead expenses from a large corporate office. Read more: What Are the Benefits of Technology in Business? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_5990693_benefits-technology-business_.html#ixzz0rNlSC9sC Effects of Technology on Business Businesses have been at the forefront of technology for ages. Whatever can speed production will draw in more business. As computers emerged in the 20th century, they promised a new age of information technology. But in order to reap the benefits, businesses needed to adapt and change their infrastructure. For example, American Airlines started using a computerized flight booking system, and Bank of America took on an automated check-processing system. Obviously, now, most business is conducted over personal computers or communication devices. Computers offer companies a way to organize dense databases, personal schedules and various other forms of essential information. As information travels faster and faster and more reliably, barriers of distance disappear, and businesses are realizing how easy it is to outsource jobs overseas. Outsourcing refers to the practice of hiring employees who work outside the company or remotely and even halfway across the world. Companies can outsource duties such as computer programming and telephone customer service. They can even outsource fast-food restuarant service dont be surprised if youre putting in your hamburger order with a fast-food employee working in a different country entirely. Outsourcing is a controversial practice, and many believe that U.S. companies who take part are hurting the job market in their own country. Nonetheless, from a business perspective, it seems like the wisest route, saving companies between 30 and 70 percent [source: Otterman]. Another technology thats starting to revolutionize business is actually not very new its just cheaper these days. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is infiltrating and changing business significantly in a few ways. Microchips that store information (such as a number equivalent of a barcode and even an up-to-date history of the chips travels) can be attached to product, and this helps companies keep track of their inventory. Some businesses have even begun to use RFID chip implants in humans to tighten security. An access control reader detects the chips signal and permits the employee access to the door. But many people are concerned about privacy issues if this were to become widespread practice. Handheld devices like BlackBerries have become wildly popular for businesses because they let users check and send email from anywhere, and browse the Internet. Internet Business: The Internet enables airlines to provide online flight booking, banks to offer online account management and bill pay and allows any company to sell any product online. In general, the Internet has proven to be an inexpensive way to reach more customers. Nowadays, if you cant find a business online, or if it has an outdated, ugly Web site, it looks downright unprofessional. Many businesses have succeeded in using the Internet as their primary, or sometimes only, medium. (Youre, of course, aware of this, given that youre reading a HowStuffWorks article. HowStuffWorks started as a hobby for college professor Marshall Brain, and it eventually grew into successful company.) Small businesses, too, have become easier to start up using the Internet. If youre a stay-at-home mom who makes a killer batch of cookies, you can easily sell them over the Internet and ship them to your customers. But, its not always as simple as it sounds. Any business conducted online must consider security, privacy or even copyright issues. Copyright issues would include making sure your business doesnt use someone elses original work (such as a logo, for instance) or even making sure no one else is profiting from your businesss creative work. One of the biggest ways the Internet has changed business is through targeted advertising. Using Google, companies can specify the keywords that will drive certain customers to their ad. For instance, if you were to plug the word baking into Google, you might click on a page from epicurious.com. That epicurious page will have Google ads from sponsors who sell baking-related products. A company that sells rolling pins can pay to have its ads show up for people who search for specific words, like baking, pies or dough. It makes good business sense people who search for baking on Google will be much more likely to click on a rolling pin ad than the average person. Despite what weve discussed in this article, we havent even scratched the surface of what new technology can do for business communications. The next page provides links to even more articles on information technology and products that have business implications.

Social Issues in The House on Mango Street Essay -- essays research pa

The House on Mango Street: More than a Story In today’s world there are countless social problems. People are often treated as an inferior or as if they are less important for many different reasons. In The House on Mango Street, the author Sandra Cisneros addresses these problems. Throughout the story Cisneros does a thorough job explaining and showing how these issues affect the public. This novel is written through the eyes of a young girl, Esperanza, growing up in a poor neighborhood where the lifestyles of the lower class are revealed. Cisneros points out that, in today’s society, the expectation of women and their treatment, discrimination based on poverty, and discrimination because of a person’s ethnicity are the major problems in society. Sandra Cisneros often shows us how women are treated as subordinates in a patriarchal society. In society the way women are supposed to better themselves is by marrying. Often women marry at a young age which Cisneros condemns in The House on Mango Street by stating that her friend, Sally, should not have gotten married by saying: Sally got married like we knew she would, young and not ready but married just the same. She met a marshmallow salesman at a school bazaar, and she married him in another state where it’s legal to get married before eighth grade. She has her husband and her house now, her pillowcases and her plates. She says she is in love, but I think she did it to escape. (101) This excerpt shows how Cisneros believes that she should not have gotten married at a young age when she says that Sally is â€Å"young and not ready†. The author also reinforces how women too often get married â€Å"to escape†. Esperanza tells us that after the women get married they are suppos... ...me to think when the cop car pulled in the alley going just as fast. (24) This quote shows that in their society people often did the wrong thing, but the people did everything with a good intention and that they are not just evil. Sandra Cisneros ends up conquering the social issues that had oppressed her. The role of a woman was rejected through her remaining independent. By her becoming successful and getting out of poverty the discrimination towards impoverished people is overcome. Lastly, she overcomes the racism by writing about it so that people everywhere can realize that it is wrong. Throughout The House on Mango Street women’s roles and the way they are treated, the judging based upon wealth, and racism are major issues that Esperanza has to work to overcome. Works Cited Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1991.

MHCC is just for Me Essay

When I graduated high school, I knew that if I wanted to get ahead in life I was going to have to get into college. Not knowing exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up, made me worry about spending money on a traditional four year university. I realized that there were several cheaper options for a higher education were around my area. Starting my education at a community college seemed like the right step for me once I understood that the credits would all transfer to a university that I could choose at a later date. This was my first sensible step towards furthering my education. The problem was trying to decide which college to go to. I had to choose from Portland community college (PCC), Clackamas (CCC) or Mount Hood (MHCC). After sorting through the pros and cons, some of which were proximity to home and work, class availability and, helpful resources, it became clear which college was right for me. MHCC was my choice because it convenient for me. When choosing which community college to attend, the first thought was the distance from both work and home. I knew that I needed a place that was close enough to where I work so that I could take as many classes as I needed and not have to worry that I am going to be late for work because of traffic or some other distraction. Another reason that I need a place that was close is to save gas, as I am currently paying my own tuition and saving money is essential for a financially deprived student. It turns out Mt. Hood is only five miles away from my house, and even more convenient was that it was right down the street from where I work. With MHCC being so close to my work and home and I am only late to class because of my oversleeping. I have also been able to fit in extra classes every semester because of the time I save to squeeze it in without having to ask for any additional time off from work. I am currently working part time job at Bi-Mart so flexibility with scheduling is necessity for my schooling. My current situation for school is that I get to decide which two days I am off, and with those two days I can create my school schedule. MHCC scheduling is so convenient because that the same class that I may need could be taught by several different instructors which all have different times and different days allowing me to shape a schedule that will fit. This has really allowed me to appreciate the classes that are held twice a week for that reason. My usually schedule for school can sometimes take me all day. It starts with a morning class around eight all the way through the day until an evening course till around eight. Without the classes held only two days a week I don’t know how long it would take for me to graduate. One of the resources that I keep constantly using at Mt. Hood is the Learning Center’s tutors up on the second floor of the main campus l ibrary. I know that I am not the only student in the class room, so when I cannot get a meeting with the teacher to go over class items that I do not understand clearly I go to the tutor center. When I am up there I can receive all the help that I need for any school work that I am behind in. I know this because I go to the math tutor all the time for help just to get help that I need. I also have gone to the writing tutor in the past to help with papers that I get stuck on. I know that I am not a very strong writer and not all the rules of grammar stick with me, so knowing that there is a person that can help me makes me a more confident student and it makes me feel like I can achieve more. The convenience of the tutoring center has allowed me to be a better student. To be honest without MHCC, I don’t know if I would have the drive to go to another school. When thinking about the future it makes me cringe sometimes. If anything I have learned from working at Bi-Mart, I know that working dead end jobs as a lifestyle is not going to be in my best interest if I want to achieve something in my life. For that I consider Mount Hood to be a great school to attend. I am glad that I could find a school that could fit into my life and my future goals. At MHCC I have learned so much, and have improved both my writing and math. I know that furthering myself with an education is only going to benefit me in the time ahead and with the education at Mt. Hood I know that when I am able to transfer to that four year university I know that I will have the tools to be able to succeed not only there but beyond the university as well.

How To Motivate Your Team To Write Great Content - CoSchedule Blog

How To Motivate Your Team To Write Great Content Blog Its not easy to write killer content over and over again, day after day. It is even more difficult when you arent the one writing, only guiding a team through the process. Step 1: Let your writers write! How do you motivate a team to produce better content? Or sometimes, how do you get them to produce any content at all? Bark, Beg, and Badger Usually, our first inclination is our worst. Hopefully we get better as we guide our team over time, but that doesnt stop us from badgering our writers a bit too much in the beginning.  We send reminder emails.  Sarcastic hints. Eye rolls. Yelling that tanks morale and friendships. These arent all that motivating, or successful. They rarely lead to long-term improvements. There is a better way. Ownership One of my go-to management theories for nearly everything has been the principal of ownership. When writers feel a sense of ownership on a project, they become more willing to do amazing things. They work late, they put in the extra time, and most importantly they take pride in what they do because they arent just doing it for you. They are doing it for themselves. Giving your writing team ownership in what they do gives their words power.This is powerful motivation, but it doesnt happen by accident. How do we motivate our teams? How do we give them a sense of ownership? 1. Let Them In Too many editors assume that their writers cannot be trusted. This is insulting, and makes grown adults feel like a child. Great editors move beyond this, and trust their writers first by letting them in on what we are doing. If they simply cant be trusted, then they probably shouldnt be on your team (and that is a different problem entirely).  This means that you should make them a part of your big decisions. Their opinion needs to count. It also means that your job is not to lord over them. Rather, your job is to delegate big goals, and then get out of the details and out of their way. 2. Let Them Be Them Most editors were writers first, and that makes it easy for them to meddle and place too much control over what their writers do and how they do it. Dont micro manage. Trust your writers, and let them develop their own spin, their own voice, and their own style. Of course, this doesnt mean that you withhold all restraints. Boundaries are good and necessary. Just dont be over zealous in your control, and recognize that your tendency is to go at least one step too far. 3. Create a Creative Environment When we over-extend ourselves as managers, we turn a creative process into a robotic one. We create   templates, guidelines, and standards that suck creativity out of the room. We believe that our limitations bring quality, but if they are over the top, they can do the exact opposite. Creativity is a powerful tool. We have to recognize  that our writers are creative people, and give them the opportunity to embrace it. This means that we need to be willing to let them try something new, let them explore, let them fail, and let them succeed all on their own.

Pride and Prejudice Essays

Pride and Prejudice Essays Pride and Prejudice Essay Pride and Prejudice Essay ‘Introduction to â€Å"Pride and Prejudice†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, (1996) London: Penguin). This lead to much confusion among critics as to exactly what Austen’s views regarding marriage and feminism were, and in many cases continues to do so today. In this essay I will attempt to clear up some of this ambiguity, while closely examining the idea of marriage itself, the nature of the ‘social contract’, and the social and historical background to the idea of marriage as a social contract In ‘The Sadeian Woman’, Angela Carter states that â€Å"The marriage bed is a particularly delusive refuge from the world, because all wives of necessity fuck by contract† (Carter, Angela, ‘The Sadeian Woman’, pg. 9, (1978) ). Unfortunately for Ms. Elizabeth Bennet, it cannot be denied that she is a â€Å"wife of necessity†. Effectively disinherited through the fine print of their father’s will, the Bennet girls and their neurotic mother are to become penniless on the death of Mr. Bennet, unless they can find themselves a rich husband. Elizabeth’s initial disapproval of Mr. Darcy and his pride seems to undergo a radical upheaval on her visit to Pemberley, Darcy’s ancestral estate, as she herself admits – when discussing with her sister the progress of her feeling’s for Mr. Darcy, she states â€Å"I believe it must date from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley† (p301). Certain critics have therefore claimed that Elizabeth Bennet is mercenary in her reasons for marriage to Mr. Darcy. This apparently gold-digging behaviour would suggest an attempt by Elizabeth not only to retain, but also to improve, her class status, and therefore to fall in line with rural traditionalism as laid out in Edmund Burke’s ‘Reflections on the Revolution in France’. As Elizabeth Bennet is Austen’s heroine, and therefore a character of whom she writes very favourably, it could be supposed that Austen’s attitude towards marriage, and the position of women in society, in writing this book was one of traditional rural conservatism. However, before we can accept this supposition, we must recall that Elizabeth has already turned down two well-off potential husbands – one of them being Mr. Darcy himself! – in an attempt to hold out for true love and personal happiness. Her disgust at the proposal of the unbelievably boring and rude Mr. Collins was surpassed only by her shock at discovering that her best friend, Charlotte Lucas, had consented to marry him instead. Unabashedly mercenary, Ms. Lucas declares that marriage is a woman’s â€Å"pleasantest preservative from want† but that it is â€Å"uncertain of giving happiness† (p. 03) (Jones, V. , etc). Elizabeth, on the other hand, claims to believe in marriage for love, and holds her own individual happiness as a personal goal. This portrayal of the heroine as a creature of emotion and feeling, as opposed to a rational, logical and slightly more masculine figure, would assume Austen to be in favour of the theories of such feminist thinkers of the time as Mary Wollstonecraft – a staunch opposer of the writings of Edmund Burke. What, then, is Austen’s stance towards marriage as seen in ‘Pride and Prejudice’? Is she a romantic feminist or a rural traditionalist? My personal belief is that Austen is neither – I would suggest that she, in fact, manages to reach a happy compromise between the two. Austen clearly applauds Elizabeth Bennet’s Wollstonecraftian behaviour in rushing across the countryside to Netherfield to take care of her sister Jane in her illness as she describes Elizabeth’s appearance afterwards in very favourable terms, and highlights how it contributes to Darcy’s growing attraction to her, mentioning â€Å"the brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion† (p. 0). However, it is also apparent that Austen is in support of the traditional Burkean notion of family and marriage, as the novel finishes with both Jane and Elizabeth happily and prosperously married to men who are their social betters. Both women marry above themselves and secure financial and social stability for both themselves and their families, thus falling in line wit h what would have been expected of well-brought up young rural ladies. Austen’s achievement in writing ‘Pride and Prejudice’ was, therefore, to show that Wollstonecraftian femininity could exist alongside and within the rural traditionalist ideals of Edmund Burke. Marriage in the time of Jane Austen was neither a religious sacrament (as the predominant English religion of the time, and Austen’s religion, Anglicanism, did not view marriage as a sacrament) nor a symbol of romantic love. In Enlightenment England, marriage was rather a necessity, the ultimate aim of all self-respecting young women. Women were, from birth, trained for their inevitable final position as a mother, wife, chef, and household head. Education was not about schooling in the ways and knowledge of the world, but rather the acquisition of a rich store of ‘accomplishments’ – painting, musical talent, singing, embroidery essentially the marketable skills of a desirable, and socially respectable, wife. Not only was marriage expected by men to be the desire of all women, but it was also, in fact, a means to an end. Women married to secure their status in society and often to improve their social standing, or ‘move up a rung’ in the all-pervading class hierarchy of the era. ‘Pride And Prejudice’ was no exception to this rule. Take the most obvious examples of Elizabeth and Jane Bennet. On a first glance, these women marry for love and for happiness – ‘Pride And Prejudice’ is clearly a classic romance novel. However, constantly bubbling away on the backburner is the undeniable reality of the Bennets’ impending impoverishment, should they fail to secure rich husbands. Effectively disinherited by the fine print of their father’s will, the future of their whole family is staked on their choice of suitors, now that they have reached marriageable age – as is reflected very effectively by Mrs. Bennet’s neuroticism! Aside from the personal difficulties of the Bennet family, there lies in the background of ‘Pride And Prejudice’ the grim historical reality of the time. 1790’s England was a time of â€Å"political crisis and social mobility† (Jones, V. etc), a time when the stability and power of the rural ruling class was threatened by the upwardly mobile ‘nouveau riche’ merchant class and the increasingly outspoken and demanding working class. Marriage, family – these were seen as social institutions, traditions essential for the preservation of the supremacy of the ruling gentry that the Darcys, the Bingleys, and to a lesser extent the Bennets. Marriage was, for the members of this clas s, a means of preserving their social position, protecting the integrity of the class structure, and upholding the rural traditions essential for their survival. When we say then that marriage in Jane Austen’s ‘Pride And Prejudice’ can be viewed as being a kind of social contract, we mean in so far as it enabled the women of the time to amass fortune and social respect, and allowed their men to protect the ruling culture which was threatened at this time by outside political influences. Marriage was a mutually beneficial agreement between the man and the woman – in exchange for the woman’s inheritance (if any), body, and the social respectability and support of the rural traditions that possession of an ‘accomplished’ wife offered, the man gave financial support and social status. This leads to charges of marriage being akin to â€Å"legal prostitution† (Wollstonecraft, Mary: A Vindication of The Rights of Woman) – women were seen by some as selling their bodies for societal betterment. Mr. Darcy is naturally the object of the mercenary desires of the women of Pemberley, as he is rumoured to be in receipt of a fortune of ten thousand pounds a year – it has been said by some commentators that Elizabeth Bennet merely falls prey to these mercenary desires, and engages in a marriage as a social contract, using romantic love as an excuse, not a reason, for unity with Darcy. I must disagree – I feel this argument has a critical flaw, in so far as Elizabeth not only turns down Darcy at his first proposal, while being fully aware of his riches (although perhaps not yet confronted with all the glory of Pemberley), but also refuses the advances of the well-off, yet exceedingly boring, Mr. Collins. If Elizabeth Bennet were purely mercenary in her designs, why then would she turn down two apparently suitable matches in an attempt to hold out for her goal of personal happiness? How then can we summarise the view of marriage as a social contract in ‘Pride And Prejudice’? Firstly, I think it is important to note that Austen did not set out to write a feminist text, denouncing the marital and romantic traditions of the ruling class. Her heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, does finally settle down with a man who would have been viewed in anybody’s eyes as being a most suitable and socially acceptable match for her. Darcy provides wealth, respect, security, and an elevated position in society – all of which were the most desirable attributes for a prospective husband of the era. However, the novel is not entirely traditionalist, praising as it does the actions of a heroine who defies her mother in order to please herself long-term, who engages in plenty of outdoor activity usually viewed as unbecoming to a young lady of status, and who openly speaks her mind regarding the behaviour of Mr. Darcy. As I stated earlier, Austen seems to come to a happy compromise between Wollstonecraftian feminism and the staunch traditionalism of such writers as Hannah More. Similarly, Austen appears to compromise between two marital viewpoints – that which would view marriage purely as a social contract, a means to an end, and that which would promote a more romantic version of marital unity. Marriage as a social contract is, then, rampant in ‘Pride And Prejudice’ – we can see it clearly in the marriage of Charlotte Lucas to Mr. Collins – and could be seen as being something of a necessity to young women, to preserve their social standing. However, it is clear that Austen does not neglect a romantic viewpoint, presenting as she does two beautiful young women who are both madly in love with their chosen husbands . References: Austen, Jane, ‘Pride And Prejudice’, (1813) Burke, Edmund, ‘Reflections on The Revolution in France’, (1790) Carter, Angela, ‘The Sadeian Woman’, (1978) Jones, V. , ‘Introduction to â€Å"Pride And Prejudice†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, (1996), London: Penguin Classics Wollstonecraft, Mary, ‘A Vindication of The Rights of Woman’, (1792)

Cloning Technologies and More essays

Cloning Technologies and More essays Science, in the past few years has made great strides in the field of mammal reproduction. Theyve worked for years to find out exactly what happens during a pregnancy, and also how it works. Weve come so far in these stages as to gain the knowledge needed to make oral contraceptives. However, I am not writing this report to enlighten you on these subjects, or to debate the ethical issues of them. This report is focusing on the creation of life, not the destruction of one. Up until a few years ago, weve only known one way to reproduce, but now, thanks to the research and endless hours of experiments by those dedicated to finding out if it really is possible another way, there is a new method of reproduction called cloning. Im not going to debate the moral issues of this subject, but rather tell you how its achieved. There are two methods of cloning. The first, called embryo cloning, has been achieved years before in frogs, other amphibians, mammals, and once it was tried with humans, however both attempts to do this with the humans failed. The second method of cloning is achieved by using an adult cell, not an embryo. To do this scientists remove an egg cell from a female, and remove the chromosomes, nucleus, etc, leaving no way for the mother interfere with the genetic part of the reproduction. However, the parts of the egg cell needed for cell growth and development are left intact. The cell from an adult mammal is then taken away from its owner. Being placed in a cure dish, the cell is starved of nutrients, but is still kept alive. The reason for this: the cell must stop dividing in order for cloning to take place. The nucleus from this cell is removed. The nucleus and the egg cell are placed next to each other, and electrical charges are emitted into them. These electrical charges m ake the two fuse, or combine together. After about 6 w ...