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Sunday, May 17, 2020

Change in American Social Values in Thomas Mertons Rain...

A query from Thomas Merton: â€Å"Can’t I just be in the woods without any special reason?† (TMSM, 391). The question returns with each reading of Merton’s earlier works. And, the commonplace response of the newly introduced student to Merton comes not from the Trappist Monk, but from Dorothee Soelle in her book Theology for Skeptics: Reflections on God: â€Å"But must we really speak in this way?† (Sölle, 15). No doubt the gifted theologian realizes the truth in this hypothetical Socratic dialogue; even the most humdrum reader, too, should find the words contradictory but necessary. Indeed, Merton asked his rhetorical question in â€Å"Rain and the Rhinoceros,† an essay written in response to the changing of American (and International) social values,†¦show more content†¦He sought to focus upon the individual as a precursor of change, rather than the institution, or the Church, as the sole mechanism to accomplish informed action. Prec isely. Merton challenged convention. My thesis stands thus: Merton existed allotropically in his early years, focused on a monastic and contemplative life while at the same time promoting social change. Yet, his writing style strongly reflects the modernist thinkers he studied while at Columbia. The paper shall focus on the essays â€Å"Rain and the Rhinoceros† and â€Å"Fire Watch, July 4, 1952,† and present passages from his journals. It will also draw attention from other sources other than Merton’s own. Finally, it will conclude with the ideas of the author. ‘It will talk as long as it wants, this rain.’ â€Å"But they must know that there is wetness abroad† (TMSM, 391). A Thoreauvian statement. A Thoreauvian note as well in the laconic Mertonian reason: â€Å"Perhaps they even feel it. I cannot say† (TMSM, 391). An essay populated by surreptitious tendencies, â€Å"Rain and the Rhinoceros† depicts the culmination of a man leaving the modern world on his own accord. The aspect of the essay is about the attempt, by the hermit, to break away from the herd of everyday civilization and bask in the rain, a gift from the heavens that for the time Merton can simply enjoy, away from â€Å"a womb of collective illusion† (TMSM, 393). It’s an essay of prodigious strength concerning a

Saturday, May 16, 2020

The Death Penalty Essay - 1262 Words

The death penalty is currently used by 34 states and is used by the federal government for punishing federal crimes. And in most cases the death penalty is used when the criminal has been convicted of murder. However, two people have been sentenced to death for the rape of a minor. The definition of the death penalty is: execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense. This begs the question does the government have the right to take away someone’s life? And if so is it ethical and moral? Overall the goal of the Criminal Justice system is to give the right sentence and protect the people. Even though the death penalty does this, there are better more efficient ways to accomplish that†¦show more content†¦This is also known as an eye for an eye punishment. Although I agree that the criminal deserves rash punishment morale and ethical values come into play. Another great saying is two wrongs don’t make a right. The idea of punishing violence with violence essentially condones the use of violence. This has not yet been definitively determined but the fact that the government utilizes violence in a sense condones the use of it. At the very least, it may make it seem that vigilante justice is acceptable. So this doesn’t necessarily mean society is safer because it is not yet definitely decided that the punishment deters crime. Furthermore, the money that the punishment wastes could be used to make the community safer. As a result, the penalty has an adverse effect on public safety. A good example is the south has the most executions by far, and they also have the highest murder rate. So maybe if the government spent more money on making school systems better and making sure kids stay on the right track and don’t get involved in crime they would have to worry less about giving the death penalty. And therefore getting rid of the death penalty would be an easy decision. Along with the Moral and Ethical problems the death penalty has monetary problems too. The cost of housing inmates on death row and the extra cost of appeals results in a total extra cost of 65 million dollars a year. All of that money is being wasted on a criminal who isn’t even worth the time to kill him. IfShow MoreRelatedThe Death Penalty Is Justified1143 Words   |  5 PagesAllison Shu 2/25/16 Period 2 Objective paper on the death penalty Capital punishment is legally authorized killing as punishment for a crime. The death penalty questions the morality of killing a person as justification for their crime. It also brings to question whether the death penalty actually serves as a deterrent for crime, and that some of the people executed are found innocent afterwards. The debates over the constitutionality of the death penalty and whether capital punishment should be usedRead MoreThe Death Penalty For Juveniles946 Words   |  4 Pages The death penalty for minors differs greatly from the death penalty for adult. The law that minor could be put on death row was decided to rule against the eighth amendment. The eighth amendment prohibits the act of â€Å"cruel and unusual punishment† which putting minors on death row breaks. On March 4, 2005 the law that minors could not be put on death row for their actions was set into place. The new laws say, â€Å"They cannot punish a minor by death penalty and they cannot punish someone for a crimeRead MorePro Death Penalty Speech1482 Words   |  6 Pagesintroduce myself before we get started. My name is Slick Perry and if you didn’t already know, I am the state governor of Texas. You are all aware that we are reviewing our recidivism rate to various crimes and reviewing our stance regarding the death penalty as we approach 2009. Everyone here understands that capital punishment is a very controversial topic in the United States. In Texas, from December 1982 through August 2008, only 361 criminals of the millions of Texans in our good state were executedRead MoreShould The Death Penalty Be Mandatory?925 Words   |  4 Pagesopinions on the subject. When we were discussing the death penalty although my opinion didn’t change, after hearing what some of my classmates had to say about the subject during our lab I was able to respectfully see why they had those thoughts and feelings about the subject. I believe that we should have the death penalty, and that it helps prevents more crime from happening. However, during our lab students that thought we should ban the death penalty had some pretty interesting reasons behind theirRead MoreThe Truth About The Death Penalty973 Words   |  4 Pages In her article â€Å"The Truth About The Death Penalty†, Carina Kolodny argues that the death penalty should be abolished in all fifty states due to the fact that it is ineffective and very expensive. Kolodny believes that capital punishment has too many complications and variables that cause it be more of an issue than a real solution for capital offenses. She proposes that the death penalty should be dropped and exchanged for better programs such as Proposition 34, which replaces capital punishmentRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Legal1805 Words   |  8 Pagesthat we all know is the death penalty. This penalty has been going around for years. To many people it might be the best way of punishing a person. On the other hand there are people who think that if you kill a person you should be sentenced to die as well. For me I would say it might not be the best way and it not working as many would like it. When choosing if you are for the death penalty you have to okay with an insect person dyeing or even a family member being in death row. I know that is somethingRead MoreThe Death Penalty : An Effective Reliable Tool904 Words   |  4 Pagesthe death penalty has been a frequent topic of discussion, as our recent technological advancements have evidently led individuals to consider the â€Å"new found† legitimacy of our court systems, as statistics display that our previous racial bias and the apparent morality of the practice itself have a miniscule impact on our conviction rate. Both the advancements and ethics that the death penalty provides become apparent through the utilization of anecdotes and statistics, as the death penalty has prevailedRead MoreThe Bible and Death Penalty Essay example812 Words   |  4 Pagesa person’s view of the Bible influence what they think about the death penalty for murderers.† I would like to see if a person’s view of the bible influence what they think of the death penalty. This is interesting to me because I am interested in the field of criminal justice and the death penalty is a huge topic to this day. There are many journals that talk about studies that were done on religion and views of the death penalty which have to do with my topic of interest. My hypothesis is thatRead More The Death Penalty Is Archaic and Immoral Essays559 Words   |  3 Pages The death penalty is simply a modernized version of the Holy Bible’s â€Å"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot†. Some argue that death is a necessary retribution for murderous cases - but is it effective morally? Revenge only glorifies violence, which is most definitely not the message the world strives to display. The death penalty is a negative form of punishment and insinuates a harsh reflection of society economically, politically, and socially. Read MoreEssay on Death Penalty - Herrera vs Collins1337 Words   |  6 PagesDeath Penalty - Herrera vs Collins The Supreme Court addressed the constitutionality of executing someone who claimed actual innocence in Herrera v. Collins (506 U.S. 390 (1993)). Although the Court left open the possibility that the Constitution bars the execution of someone who conclusively demonstrates that he or she is actually innocent, the Court noted that such cases would be very rare. The Court held that, in the absence of other constitutional violations, new evidence of innocence is no

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Swot Analysis Of L. L Bean - 1092 Words

Introduction: L.L. Bean Inc. or simply L.L. Bean is a retail company that specializes in outdoor recreational equipment. Product selections ranges from tents, sleeping bags, camping packs, hiking gear and outdoor apparel. Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, L.L. Bean remains a privately owned retail company. Leon Bean was an avid outdoors man and enjoyed hunting and fishing. When he initially set up shot L.L. Bean only sold one product the duck boot. This boot was designed to be lightweight and waterproof intended for hunters. Later on Leon Bean started to branch out by selling other outdoors gear such as backpacks and tents and would eventually produce their own clothing line. L.L. Bean has since become a global company but remains†¦show more content†¦Competitive Analysis L.L. Bean is currently in a market where there are few stores that dominate. They face competition from companies such as Columbia, North Face, REI Timberland. In some cases these companies may offer a wider range of products, more appealing design and higher quality. Where L.L. Bean stands out is there in country manufacturing and Discovery School classes. Not only are they selling outdoor gear they are offering outdoor classes as well. The way I look at it is, they offer a product and a way to test it out at the same time so you know whether you are buying a good quality product. But this however may still not be enough to succeed. Below I have included a list of L.L. Bean’s competitors. Columbia Columbia Sportswear may not be one of L.L. Beans strongest competitors as they do not offer equipment but they do have a strong presence in apparel and offer a good quality product. Based on the west coast in Washington County Oregon. Similar to L.L. Bean Columbia is family owned but traded on public stock exchange. Columbia Sportswear takes pride in manufacturing there products and has taken a stance to be environmentally friendly. Since Columbia does notShow MoreRelatedThe Amazing Success Of Starbucks1148 Words   |  5 PagesStarbucks has made drastic changes in their human resource demands, financial requirements, and their marketing strategies (Houston Chronicle 2004). Pricing at Starbucks has been affected by the economy due to a raise in the price of green coffee beans used for espresso drinks, and milk. The result is an increase in the price of their beverages by an average of 11 cents, which has not occurred since August of 2000 (Houston Chronicle 2004). Brazilian Corporate Law does not have the same legal riskRead MoreWhat Is the Relationship Between Swot and Strategy?807 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is the relationship between SWOT and Strategy? Firstly, we will define Strategy and SWOT separately. The definition I found for strategy was â€Å"Strategy is different from vision, mission, goals, priorities, and plans. It is the result of choices executives make, on where to play and how to win, to maximize the long-term value† (Favaro, Rangan Hirsh, 2012, para. 2). So, strategy is defined to 1) target market(s) where the customers and the needs are satisfied, 2) distinguish a company fromRead MoreStarbucks Marketing Strategy For Starbucks1429 Words   |  6 Pages MARKETING CA1 Dylan Nolan â€Æ' Contents Starbucks Marketing Strategy 2 Starbucks SWOT Analysis 4 Starbucks Macro-Environment Forces 5 Starbucks Target Market Segmentation 6 Starbucks Social and Digital Media 7 Bibliography 8 References 8 Table of Figures 8 DECLARATION 9 â€Æ' Starbucks Marketing Strategy 1) Please expand on the various marketing strategies that were implemented in Starbucks at this time and comment on whether you think these strategies worked, and why? ‘To inspire and nurture theRead MorePurpose of a SWOT Analysis1254 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿PURPOSE OF A SWOT ANALYSIS 1 The Purpose of a SWOT Analysis Charles Anderson Joyner III Grantham University PURPOSE OF A SWOT ANALYSIS 2 Abstract Every business to include the largest ones that control their areas of industry--has a limited supply of manpower, productionRead MoreCoffee Me Case Study888 Words   |  4 Pagescoffee shop nationwide. Below is my strategic planning. I will discuss these 8 points. Mission statement, legal structure of business, organization chart or key management, barriers to entry, Core competencies, SWOT, key performance indicators and industry analysis. (Hunger, J. D., Wheelen, T. L. (2014) 1. Mission Statement To give our clients the world s best crisply broiled espressos with brilliant administration at a value that is reasonable for the makers and our clients. Our responsibility regardingRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Donkey Coffee Espresso1128 Words   |  5 PagesSWOT Analyze Donkey Coffee Espresso Introduction: According to Hill (2015), some people are using fair trade coffee as an excuse for making more money. Donkey Coffee Espresso is a unique real fair trade coffee shop in Athens, Ohio. In this paper, our group is going to use SWOT method to identify and evaluate Donkey coffee. SWOT is a personal tool to analyze strength, weakness, and opportunity and threat both within a business and a personal setting. For example, the SWOT analysis can be usedRead MoreStarbucks Swot Analysys1228 Words   |  5 Pageswere in; to be fully accountable to their shareholders; and being an environmental leader. SWOT Analysis The second step in the strategic management process is to do an external analysis and identify any opportunities and/or threats (Coulter amp; Robbins, 2009). One area of opportunity that Schultz identified was in their drip coffee line (Besharov, et al., 2008). The Pikes Place coffee bean was introduced in April 2008 and was received well by the most discerning of coffee drinkers (EngRead MoreStarbucks : Organizational Profile : Starbucks2061 Words   |  9 Pagesinto perspective Starbucks? as an organization using Bolman and Deal?s (1997) Symbolic and Human Resources frames. As we look into this organization?s structure we will also do some research into its weaknesses, strengths, opportunities and threats (SWOT). Symbolic Frame Starbucks began with a single store in Seattle?s Pike Place Market in 1971, it was named after the first mate in Herman Melville?s Moby Dick, and it?s said to ?evoked the romance of the high seas and the seafaring tradition of theRead MoreStarbucks Swot Analysis1821 Words   |  8 PagesPlanning Using SWOTT Analysis Mirror, mirror, on the wall, whos the fairest of them all? Ââ€" The Queen in Snow White. Beauty is only skin deep, companies must also look within to secure longevity. Before a company can successfully bring a mission statement and vision to fruition, they must take a good hard look into the mirror. A company must reflect upon internal strengths and weaknesses, external opportunities and threats, and consider the trends associated with each (SWOT analysis). The fundamentalRead MoreCoffee and Starbucks2057 Words   |  9 PagesEnvironment 4 4.1.1 Main Competitors 4 4.1.2 Customers 5 4.1.3 Suppliers 5 4.2 Macro Environment 6 4.2.1 Economic Factors 6 4.2.2 Technological Factors 6 4.2.3 Political Factors 7 5.0 SWOT analysis 7 5.1 Strengths 7 5.2 Weaknesses 7 5.3 Opportunities 7 5.4 Threats 8 6.0 Product and Branding Strategies 8 7.0 Pricing Strategies 9 8.0 Promotional Strategies 9 9.0 Distribution

Social Responsibility Report Suncor Energy Inc. - 1061 Words

Social Responsibility Report Suncor Energy Inc. Mark 301 – OP95 Fundamentals of Marketing Introduction: Suncor Energy Inc. is a company that was founded in 1967; it is Canada s premier integrated energy company, and the fifth largest North American energy company. Suncor provides thousands of well-paid jobs, puts millions of dollars in Canadian businesses every year, takes action on environment issues and supports our communities by funding local initiatives. (Suncor Website, 2012) Suncor is leading the way in oil sands operations and development while investing in technologies to improve environmental performance. A considerable part of Suncor’s portfolio is invested renewable energy†¦show more content†¦This is not only a benefit to the environment, but it also benefits the shareholders as a more efficient company will turn a better profit. Suncor has made it a goal to improve energy efficiency by 10% by 2015. To do this is had focused on developing technologies to increase energy efficiency and recapture. Carbon capture and storage (CCS), Integrated CO2 Network (IC O2N) and CO2 Capture Project (CCP3) are all developed policy and technology projects that have been deployed throughout the Suncor organization. Suncor is also taking a leadership role in Carbon Management Canada (CMC). Suncor is revisiting future growth project designs to evaluate GHG reduction opportunities. Suncor is also participating in advanced research on GHG abatement technologies through CMC, ICO2N, CCP3 and other groups. There are many by products produced in the oil sands process, many of these are air emissions containing nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and volatile organic compounds. All of these have a detrimental effect on the ecological environment and the employees working around them. Suncor is utilizing complete Environmental Informational Management System (EIMS) implementation for air data for all assets, and investing in equipment and technology to achieve emission reductions. Suncor is continually generating air-related emissions data for reporting purposes, and continues toShow MoreRelatedAn Evaluation Of The Business Lego2310 Words   |  10 PagesThe report being presented will deliver how consumers have an increased aspiration towards buying products from businesses that demonstrate corporate social responsibility (CSR). Legal compliance, environmental sustainability, social and ethical responsibility will be elaborated on and portrayed how they are incorporated throughout various businesses. Operations processes and strategies will be exemplified throughout the report and broken down further into the supply chain management, outsourcingRead MoreDarden Mba Resumes16768 Words   |  68 PagesGraduate School of Business Administration University of Virginia Candidate for Master of Business Administration, May 2011 ï‚ · Awarded Batten Innovation Scholarship (merit-based full tuition scholarship); ï‚ · GMAT: 730; AWA: 5.5 ï‚ · Member of Finance Club, Energy Club and Darden Capital Management Club Charlottesville, VA Nanyang Technological University Singapore Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Engineering) and Minor in Business, June 2006 ï‚ · Awarded full scholarship (among top 50 from over 10,000 candidates)

Compare and contrast two ghost stories Essay Example For Students

Compare and contrast two ghost stories Essay The inclusion of the superstition of Midsummer adds to the suspense of where William actually was on Midsummer night. The grieving within the story is when William goes out of his way to avoid the spring because this is where his son drowned this shows that the theme of grief in ghost stories is prevalent, no matter when written, people will always grieve for loved ones who have died. Similarly in Harry when Mrs. James comes to the realisation that Christine has disappeared she feels grief, this emphasises her love for Christine and how a parent would grieve over a lost child. Grief is also the motivation for Harrys haunting his sister. Symbols are like signposts for the readers. This is because it makes you stop to think. In Harry the shadow of the white bushes symbolises the gap between life and death. Harry is within this gap and is desperate to resume his life with his sister or have his sister in death. Harrys spirit is in purgatory because of the fact that he is so fraught to love his sister again. The white roses are used to symbolise Harrys spirit because he died amongst white roses and whenever Christine saw Harry she was near a rose bush. Rosemary Timperley uses the colour white, which is symbolic because it is generally referred to as a ghostly colour. White is also symbolic of purity and innocence. The white bushes are used to lead you into thinking of the supernatural. As it is white and pale it also symbolises Harry being dead and him being in a different world. At the end of the story when the white roses turn red, a symbol of danger and Mrs. James feels Christine is in danger. The shadows of the rose bushes symbolise the paranormal world. We already know that Mrs. James has a fear of shadows She was in the shadow of the bush now. It was as if shed walked out of the world of light into darkness and the shadow is a symbol of a place of darkness where people do not understand what is happening. The main use of symbolism in Harry is the unexplainable act of the rosebush turning red. This symbolises how Mrs. James has been affected by the loss of Christine. I fell through the redness to blackness to nothingness, this expresses the suspense she goes through and how she slowly broke down after discovering Christine had disappeared. Red could also symbolise a violent death, such as the one of Harry. Thomas Hardy uses symbolism in the form of a miller-moth which symbolises the soul of William flying up into the air, or returning to God to be reunited with his son. Also the spring is a symbol of unification between the father (William) and his son, as the spring took his sons life but now shows the reflection of his face after his (Williams) own death. Dramatic twists at the ends of stories often make the reader realise something that was totally unexpected, and by doing this, the reader is forced to read the whole story. In Harry Rosemary Timperley ends her story with an unsolved mystery of the whereabouts of Christine. Harry picks Christine up from school and she is never seen again. The twist is how he returned for his long lost sister. The reader is left in suspense and wonders how Harry crossed over from the dead to the living world. Rosemary Timperley creates tension and suspense near the end when Mrs. James is frantically screaming and rushing back to school to pick up Christine. The writer knows that the readers are by now gripped by the unfolding story and cleverly heightens the danger towards a conclusion, which we can make educated assumptions about. .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 , .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 .postImageUrl , .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 , .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970:hover , .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970:visited , .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970:active { border:0!important; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970:active , .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970 .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6f52bcf1e23bff489989eb4d7e1e4970:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: a) O2 b) HCl EssayWe care about the child and fear for her safety thus we dread the inevitable ending. Whereas Thomas Hardy concludes his story with William, being seen in two places at once, one was at the spring where his son had previously died, so the reader is lead to believe that he is going to be reunited with his son. It is not very tense, however it is emotional. This is because of the superstition of Midsummers Eve. As a reader I felt that Harry was a successful story. It was an enjoyable ghost story. Rosemary Timperleys clever use of the typical conventions of ghost stories creates a lot of tension; this tension was used hand in hand with our fear of death and the unknown to create suspense in the story. The ending of Harry is also effective because it is a repetition of the beginning of the story. This literary technique gives a silent explanation to what seemed to be a strange statement at the beginning Such ordinary things make me afraid. Sunshine. Sharp shadows on grass. White roses. Children with red hair. And the name Harry. Such an ordinary name. Although the ending is effective, it still leaves the reader wondering what happened to Christine. This leaves room for a sequel, but I feel this story alone is as effective as it needs to be. Overall I felt that The Superstitious Mans Story was more effective than Harry because it was an interesting ghost story with many superstitions related to the era in which it was written. Thomas Hardy linked the conventions of time and superstition in the story. On Midsummers Eve the ghosts of people who will die within the next three days can be seen entering the church but not leaving it. The significance of time is that the ghosts are only seen on Midsummers Eve. With these two conventions going hand in hand within the story, atmosphere and suspense is easily achieved. The last sentence of the story On inquiry it was found that William in body could not have stood by the spring, being in the mead two miles off; and it also came out that the time at which he was seen at the spring was the very time when he died creates efficient atmosphere and leaves the reader puzzled as how William was seen at two places simultaneously and leaves them pondering possibilities of supernatural events.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Media Governance and Public Sphere

Question: Discuss about the Media Governance and Public Sphere. Answer: Introduction: The aim of the study is to analyze a policy document of government and critically evaluate it from the media governance angle. Creative Australia national cultural policy has been selected as the case study. Creative Australia has portrait the essential role of art and culture in Australia and its relationship with the economy and social culture of the nation. Keeping this perspective into consideration, the thesis statement for the discussion can be formulated. Creative Australia reflects the diversity of modern Australia and outlines the cultural heritage and creative industry that happened to be a vital industry in the historic past of Australia and has been helping to create a bright future in the same field (Caust 2014). There is no dilemma to understand the fact that the artists of the nation are not treated the way other professionals are treated. They always remain devoid of certain opportunities in the society. However, in the recent time, it has been observed that the gover nment has been focusing on this part of the society as well and better approach has been made to create the artists and the creative people in a better way. Thus, a critical analysis of the current situation of the governmental policy towards Creative Australia shall be carried out in this study. Policy Summary: It has been evident that the Australian Government has laid foundation to launch Creative Australia as a reform program in the field of art and cultural infrastructure. In order to achieve the strategic goals of the country, the government has been found to invest in the art and cultural infrastructure. Investment has been made in the music industry as a part of the cultural perspective (Caust 2014). Considering the size and scale of Australia, the cultural heritage and identity of the nation plays a vital role in shaping the art and culture of the nation. Australia is always embraced as the home of one of the oldest living people with a unique culture. They have an enduring legacy and robust values build for over two centuries. Keeping all these perspectives into consideration, Australian government has elevated to improve the cultural perspective as a part of the political agenda. Creative Australia has recognized the centrality of creativity, art and culture across the whole nation and how effectively government can play a significant role in improving the condition of the society. Government is focusing on engaging people in the various art and cultural activities. In this respect, the impact and influence of the digital tools and media cannot be denied. The digital tools have helped in fostering and building the socio-cultural perspective of creativity. This in turn has also helped to create more job opportunities and unimaginable participation of people in the field of art and culture (Altman 2013). Keeping all these consequences into consideration, serious actions have been taken by the government of Australia and the Australia Council have been found to redesigned for the purpose of getting better outcome from the overall situation. It has been found that more people have been found that more people engaged in developing a broad peer assessment on the Au stralian artists. A more flexible structure has been designed to form the broad structure for the platform of the artistic talent. Severe discussions were made to make out things in a proper way and create collaboration with other nations or countries (Cowen 2009). This shall help Australia to achieve a strong hold of the overall approach made towards the artistic field. In order to expand the process of the creativity and traditional heritage of the nation, it has been found that there were major organizational bodies that partnered with other and mandate a support of growth in the particular field. In fact, this approach was made towards a business perspective that shall help the nation to gain profit from the overall activities. Therefore, the government at the different level was found to participate in the overall development of the culture and other creative areas. Far sighting this approach of profitability, it was seen that the government had invested more than $1.5 million in these aspects (Caust 2014). It was ensured that the creative and other artistic means such as the songs and the dance shall continue without any kind of hindrance in the process. Further, it was found that in order to make the things acceptable among the population of the country, some practices needed to be carried on that would eventually help the population of the co untry to understand the value of the artistic and creative field of the nation. Thus, investment was made to build a number of museums and other such places that shall reflect the creativity of the nation. In fact, the media also played a significant role in this by informing the population about the advent of these places. Soon these places were popularized and the nation saw a new glace of artistic talent in the era of scientific development (Gray 2004). The art museums, galleries and libraries do not only have huge collection of paintings and figurines but it also contained a huge collection of songs, films and other such divisions of art. Explanation and Evaluation: Evaluating the concept of Creative Culture undertaken by the government of Australia, it can be said that the federal government of Australia has made successful strategic planning by the partnering with the artists, philanthropists, educational institutions and with the community groups as well. This way, the government has been successful in inspiring people and pursued a leadership approach with better diligence and commitment (Mcdowall 2013). A well trained and diligent group of creative partners have been helping in advancing the stages of art and culture in the country. In fact, the Australian artists have also been found to make their domination in the international market as well. The media made them more popular among the other nations. Soon, it was found the popularity and the acceptability of these artists kept on increasing and Australia could be easily known by the name of these famous artists rather than as a country for the best cricket players (Gray 2004). In order to introduce new acts for the purpose of creative Australia, a number of significant steps have been taken. Government has supported the steps by making better funding decisions. For instance, the government has modernized the governance structure for the Australian council that has successfully helped to adapt the changes and the emerging trends of the art and the culture (Throsby 2006). In fact, the Government has been found to invest about $75.3 million for the artists and the art organizations. This has allowed the council to carry out more development and researches in the field of art and creativity. $39 million has been observed to be transferred for the regional touring programs and another $22.8 million for the visual art and craft strategy (Gibson 2014). All these strategies have been undertaken to improve the artistic and the cultural excellence of the nation. Understanding the value of this field and the increasing demand of artists, many people were also found to try out their career in the artistic field. It was not necessarily that the artists had to perform in the live streaming only, but the artists chose any option to present their talent to the public (Rowe et al. 2016). It was found that people recorded their video and made it publicized among the people through the various channels of internet. The power of the social media sites like the Facebook, Twitter, YouTube cannot be declined. It has helped many artists to reach out that point of success that many crave for (Idriss 2016). Another important point of consideration is that the artistic talent was not limited to certain areas like songs or dance but it was found that various artists came up with various themes of serving people (Westwood 2013). For instance, it was found that many artists were focusing on the other aspects of the culture, like the visual arts, design and in f act as a part of comedy show as well. In the later stage, it was evident that Australia welcomed many other artists from around the world to participate in the talent hunt. People started liking these shows and the popularity of these shows increased from time to time. Critique: As commented by Gibson (2014), there has been a drastic change in the traditional artistic and creative means that used to carry on in the nation of Australia. The advent of media and technology has improved the situation to a large extent. With the help of the technological development, it has become easier to reach out people even in the international sphere. This way, the nation has been gaining identity in the sphere of art and creativity. The cultural policy of Australia has shaped the cultural aspect of the country and has helped to gain the things that had been long been remained concealed under the influence of other developments (Dovey et al. 2016). However, there are certain challenges that the new cultural policy of the nation has been facing in the recent time. The challenges include the decision of the government to invest in the field of art and culture instead of advancement in other fields like education and science. Much have been debated on the fact that for the dev elopment of a country, investment shall be made on better research and development and in the scientific technology and not for conserving the art and the heritage of the nation (Bennett et al. 2015). However, keeping the demand of the market into consideration, it has become evident that the demand of artistic talent has been increasing. Thus, if certain approaches are made that would improve the art and culture of the nation, it should be welcomed. If the approach of creative Australia is compared with the other nations of the world, it can be said that many other countries have also been found to invest in the creative field as well (Power 2016). Countries like India, Spain and other European countries as well have well integrated structure for the artists and the creative people. In fact, a good sum of money is kept for improving the creativity and the cultural heritage of the country. Suzor et al. (2014) have commented that for some countries the traditional approach is a part of the culture of the country and thus, the government has to spend on this. However, it might not be same for the case of Australia. Thus, the debate of whether the government should participate in the improvement of the artistic and the cultural aspect of the country still continued (Daniel 2016). There were many reforms that were conducted as a part of increasing the value of the artist and create a better stand for them. In order to change the scen ario, several policies were designed that ultimately created a storm and a change in the overall cultural policy of the country. With all these reforms, the artists also relieved their part of life and they were given the equal rights and opportunities in the society like other professional experts. Conclusion: Adetailed discussion on the governmental policy for improving the approach towards the creative Australians has been carried. It has been observed that the artists and the creative people have been given much opportunity in the recent time to show their talent in front of the nation and the world. Governmental policies have included funding and investing on the various parts that relates to the artistic talent. The government has been helpful enough to provide them the opportunity to come up with their talent and show it to the world. The media has played a significant role in reaching out the public in both domestic and the international forum. The artists who perform on various types of creative activities have been provided with major opportunities that would support their talent and helped them to prosper in life. This way it can be said that the government is supporting all the professions of the nation. References: Altman, Jon. 2013. Indigenous cultural policy: Creative Australia or creative accounting? The Conversation, April 19. Bennett, J., R. Woods, N. Bower, S. Bruce, and G. O'Connor. "Creative councils for creative communities: The Marrickville creativity project." (2015). Caust, Josephine. 2014. 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