Labor union membership Essay Example for Free

Labor union membership Essay Research Question: Is there a relationship between highest year of school completed and socioeconomic index? The two interval/ratio variables are respondent’s highest year of school completed and socioeconomic index. The independent variable is respondent’s highest year of school completed and dependent variable is respondent’s socioeconomic index. The null and alternate hypotheses are Null hypothesis, H0: There is no significant relationship between highest year of school completed and socioeconomic index. Alternate Hypothesis, H1: There is a significant relationship between highest year of school completed and socioeconomic index. The variable highest year of school completed measures respondent’s education in terms of years of schooling completed. The unit of measurement is in years. The variable is a good example for the interval level of measurement, as it has not only a rank but also has meaningful intervals between scale points. The variable socioeconomic index measures respondent socioeconomic index scores reflecting the education, income, and prestige associated with different occupations. There is no unit of measurement for an index value. It is measured in terms of number (or percentage). The variable is a good example for the ratio level of measurement, as it have all the properties of the other three data types (nominal, ordinal and interval), but in addition possess a meaningful zero that represents the absence of the quantity being measured. The average highest year of school completed of respondents is about 13. 15 years and varies from mean by about 3. 04 years. About half of the respondents have highest year of school completed is above 13 years. The range of highest year of school completed is 20 years with minimum and maximum being 0 and 20 years, respectively. A 95% confidence interval for respondent’s highest year of school completed is between 12. 99 to 13. 30 years. Thus, it can be said with 95% confidence that respondent’s highest year of school completed is between 13. 0 to 13. 3 years. The average socioeconomic index of respondents is about 47. 24 and varies from its mean by about 18. 76. About half of the respondents have socioeconomic index above 38. 9. The range of socioeconomic index is 80. 1 with minimum and maximum being 17. 1 and 97. 2, respectively. A 95% confidence interval for respondent’s socioeconomic index is between 46. 26 to 48. 22. Thus, it can be said with 95% confidence that respondent’s socioeconomic index is between 46. 26 to 48. 22. The value of correlation coefficient between highest year of school completed and socioeconomic index is about 0. 585. This indicates a moderately strong positive relationship between highest year of school completed and socioeconomic index. In other words, there appears that as respondent’s highest year of school completed increases, respondent socioeconomic index increases. The regression equation is given by Socioeconomic Index = – 0. 255 + 3. 613(Highest Year of School Completed) The slope regression coefficient is given by 3. 613. This suggests that for every years increase in respondent’s highest year of school completed, increases respondent socioeconomic index by about 3. 613, on average. The intercept regression coefficient is given by – 0. 255 and it has no meaning in given context. The value of coefficient of determination (R2) is 0. 343. This suggests that highest year of school completed explains about 34. 3% variation in respondent socioeconomic index. However, the other 65. 7% variation remains unexplained. Thus, there is moderate effect of highest year of school completed on respondent socioeconomic index. Highest years of school completed significantly predicts respondent socioeconomic index, ? = 0. 59, t(1414) = 27. 15, p . 001. Highest years of school completed also explains a significant proportion of variance in respondent socioeconomic index, R2 = . 34, F(1, 1414) = 737. 24, p . 001. In other words, there is a significant relationship between highest year of school completed and socioeconomic index. We can reject the null hypothesis at the . 05 level of significance as p-value (. 001) is less than . 05. Thus, we can conclude that the research hypothesis is valid for the population of interest and we should generalize to the population level. Since, the sample size is large; therefore, we do not risk any type of error in offering this conclusion. The only concern is that the assumptions (The errors (residuals) are normally distributed, have constant variance and are independent.) related to simple regression analysis is not checked. Research Hypothesis 2 Research Question: Is there a relationship between highest year of school completed and number of hours per day watching television? The two interval/ratio variables are respondent’s highest year of school completed and number of hours per day watching television. The independent variable is respondent’s highest year of school completed and dependent variable is number of hours per day watching television. The null and alternate hypotheses are Null hypothesis, H0: There is no significant relationship between highest year of school completed and number of hours per day watching television. Alternate Hypothesis, H1: There is a significant relationship between highest year of school completed and number of hours per day watching television. The variable highest year of school completed measures respondent’s education in terms of years of schooling completed. The unit of measurement is in years. The variable is a good example for the interval level of measurement, as it has not only a rank but also has meaningful intervals between scale points. The variable number of hours per day watching television measures respondent number of hours per day watching television programs. The unit of measurement is in hours per day. The variable is a good example for the ratio level of measurement, as it have all the properties of the other three data types (nominal, ordinal and interval), but in addition possess a meaningful zero that represents the absence of the quantity being measured. The average highest year of school completed of respondents is about 13. 05 years and varies from mean by about 3. 08 years. About half of the respondents have highest year of school completed is above 12 years. The range of highest year of school completed is 20 years with minimum and maximum being 0 and 20 years, respectively. A 95% confidence interval for respondent’s highest year of school completed is between 12. 89 to 13. 30 years. Thus, it can be said with 95% confidence that respondent’s highest year of school completed is between 12. 9 to 13. 2 years. The average number of hours per day watching television of respondents is about 2. 89 hours and varies from its mean by about 2. 23 hours. About half of the respondent’s number of hours per day watching television is above 2 hours. The range of number of hours per day watching television is 24 hours (may be data error) with minimum and maximum being 0 and 24 hours (may be data error), respectively. A 95% confidence interval for respondent’s number of hours per day watching television is between 2. 78 to 3. 01 hours. Thus, it can be said with 95% confidence that respondent’s number of hours per day watching television is between 2. 8 to 3. 0 hours. The value of correlation coefficient between highest year of school completed and number of hours per day watching television is about -0. 289. This indicates a weak moderate negative relationship between highest year of school completed and number of hours per day watching television. In other words, as respondent’s highest year of school completed increases, number of hours per day watching television decreases. The regression equation is given by Hours per Day Watching TV = 5. 636 – 0. 210(Highest Year of School Completed) The slope of regression coefficients is given by –0. 21. This suggests that for every year increase in respondent’s highest year of school completed, decreases respondent’s number of hours per day watching television by about 0. 21 hours, on average. The intercept of regression coefficients is given by 5. 636, which suggests that individual with no education watches about 5. 6 hours of television each day, on average. The value of coefficient of determination (R2) is 0. 084. This suggests that highest year of school completed only explains about 8. 4% variation in respondent’s number of hours per day watching television. The other 91. 6% variation remains unexplained. Thus, there is very weak effect of highest year of school completed on respondent’s number of hours per day watching television. Highest years of school completed significantly predicts respondent’s number of hours per day watching television, ? = -. 29, t(1483) = -11. 64, p . 001. Highest years of school completed also explains a significant proportion of variance in respondent’s number of hours per day watching television, R2 = . 08, F(1, 1483) = 135. 52, p . 001. In other words, there is a significant relationship between highest year of school completed and number of hours per day watching television. We can reject the null hypothesis at the . 05 level of significance as p-value (. 001) is less than . 05. Thus, we can conclude that the research hypothesis is valid for the population of interest and we should generalize to the population level. Since, the sample size is large; therefore, we do not risk any type of error in offering this conclusion. The only concern is that the assumptions related to simple regression analysis is not checked.

Social Media Is A Growing Phenomenon Media Essay

Social Media Is A Growing Phenomenon Media Essay Social media is a growing phenomenon in our present information age. For many persons, particularly the youth, social media and other newmedia tools provide the platform to create, disseminate and share information among groups and in other cases consolidate existing connections (Lind Zmud, 1995; cited in Haythornthwaite, 2002). The power and influences of the social media phenomenon in shaping our world today cannot be overlooked. Its impact is witnessed as a coordinating tool for a significant number of the worlds political movements. The angry protests that pushed the removal of Philippine President Joseph Estrada (Shirky, 2011; Safranek, 2012) and the political revolutions that took place in the Middle East commonly referred to as the Arab Spring are but some examples of the potency of the social media in empowering citizens and projecting their will. Again in political campaigning, social media is credited to have contributed significantly to the electoral success of then candid ate Barak Obama as his adoption of the technology facilitated his reach to and garnering support from many young voters, and also support his fundraising during the 2008 American presidential elections (YouTube and the 2008 Election Cycle in the United States, 2009; Haley, 2011/12). In Ghana, a number of the presidential and parliamentary candidates for the 2012 elections have created presence on the various social media platforms targeting their campaign messages at the different social groups found on these platforms. Advertisers, marketers as well as other businesses and brands in Ghana are gradually adopting social media to facilitate interactions between themselves and the audiences they seek to reach. The trend in this means of communication is not much different from what is happening globally. The social media fad is believed to have enhanced cultural exchanges (Grincheva, 2012), created, maintained and deepened social ties in a significant number of social settings (Haythornthwaite, 2002). For quite a number of people, it is almost impossible to exist in our present world and not be affected by the social media phenomenon. It has become part of our new world which is driven extensively by information and communication. The importance of civic engagements in democratic dispensations cannot be over emphasised. Various works suggest less civic engagements in many western nations (Banaji Buckingham, 2010). These works imply decreases, especially among Americas young generation, in social and political happenings such as volunteering for community activities and voting to elect political officials. They conclude that such apathy towards civic engagements poses a threat to the countrys democracy. Civic conversation or discourse is a useful measure of civic engagements. Good civic discourse,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦enriches the set of ideals and choices by which citizens govern themselves (Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy, 2006). Thus in a time where Information and Communication Technology tools are facilitating efficient communication and have become an attraction for many, noticeably the youth, understanding its adoption for the promotion of civic discourses in Ghana cannot be overlooked. Background The social media application runs on the foot of the internet technology. The internet in our world today directs the manner in which efficient means of communication is carried from place to place, person to person and culture to culture. There are expectations that the internet will become ubiquitous (Rao, 2012). Researchers and scholars have divergent opinions of the impacts of the internet and new media technology on our world today. Their opinions are expressed broadly in utopian and dystopian perspectives and cover all aspects of life of which the technology is experienced. The utopians appreciate the Internet as a potentially enormous tool for good. The positive possibilities from the Internet include supporting the practice of democracy, human interactions, concerted political action, education, etc. On the other hand the dystopians, the cyberpunks and the alarmists, see danger in every digital project to the extent of its cause to an ultimate loss of our humanity. The many t exts messages, Facebook comments or tweets that pour into radio and television programmes each day according to Utopians proponents are indicative of the internet empowering ordinary citizens to participate and have their voices heard in the discourses on issues that affect their lives in the communities they live in. However, when stories such as the murder of a 25 year old girl by friends she had met on Facebook make the news (Adeboye Ayodeji , 2012),dystopian proponents have cause to warn of the dangers of the internet technology. (Bell, 2001) Understanding the internet and all its associated technology and applications requires an understanding of the dimensions under which the internet can be studied. Bell explains three ways to understanding the internet or its synonym cyberspace: the material, symbolic and experiential. Bell cites Stanley Aronowitz (1996) as providing the terms ontology, phenomenology and pragmatics as other synonyms to discuss ways of thinking about the internet technology. Material stories of the internet technology provide a historical understanding of how the technology came to exist and the transformations it has undergone. Thus the advent of the ARPAnet-a network of geographically separated computers that could exchange information between military installations (Bellis, 2012) is an example material understanding of the internet technology. Symbolic stories of the internet or cyberspace give literary and generic accounts most notably in cyberpunk but also in science fiction and other speculative fiction (Whittaker, 2004). Bell, citing Jordan (1999), provides an explanation to symbolic stories of cyberspace as the ways in which the realm of cyberspace is depicted in films and fiction, e.g. Robocop, Matrix. Robocop treats symbolic representations of the bad cop and the good cop (Newitz, 1997), scenarios which are on-going debates in our material world. Experiential stories, according to Bell, relate to the intersections of the material and symbolic stories of cyberspace in our everyday life. Our daily interactions with the internet technology provide foundations for understanding the internet and its associated new media technologies. Experiential examples of the new media are evident in its ability to allow people: to more easily work from their homes, to form and sustain friendships and romantic attachments, to bank from their homes, to vote and engage in political and social-issue-based discussions and civic discourse, may empower shy people who find it difficult to participate in communication to share their views on issues. A dystopian view sees the advent of theft of personal information, considerable reduction in physical contact and face-to-face communication, virus threats to data and information storage as well as a lack of productivity in work. Broadly, the discussions on the study will be situated more in experiential understandings of cyberspace. New media and social media New media tools, internet based technologies and applications, provide platforms for social media tools to be used for all manner of conversations including civic discourses (Simon, 2007, pp. 258-259). The new media technology is quickly changing the communication and media industry with its study detailing how digital (computer) technology is applied to mass communications (Hoggatt, 1999). Pointedly the new media technology has not completely dislocated the significance of traditional media channels but thus created a convergence making its impact on society, commerce, and governance phenomenal. The Internet, satellite and cable data transmission, computer assisted mediations and research, multimedia publishing, mobile and phone interactions, and word processing are but examples of new media technology. New media technology has become revolutionary in its ability to handle behind the scenes work and become  the finished product (Hoggatt, 1999). Its ability to break down the obstructions of time and space, change the balance of power in equitable opportunities to communicate in the mass media are recorded contributions to the operations of contemporary societies (Nag, 2011; Hoggatt, 1999). A component of the new media technology is social media which is often erroneously used synonymously to represent new media. Social media refers to online technologies and practices that are used to share opinions and information, promote discussion and build relationships (Crown Copyright, 2009). The application shares the features of Participation, Openness, Conversation, Community, and Connectedness (iCrossing, 2008). According to iCrossing, social media can presently be found in the following basic forms: Social Networks:sites which allow people to build personal web pages and then connect with friends to share content and communication. Facebook, Myspace, bebo and Academia.edu are examples of social networks. Blogs: online journals with entries appearing with the most recent first. Wikis: websites which allow people to add content to or edit the information on them, acting as a communal document or database. The best-known wiki is wikipedia Podcasts: audio and video files that are available by subscription, through services like apple itunes. Forums: areas for online discussion, often around specific topics and interests. Forums came about before the term social media and are a powerful and popular element of online communities. Content Communities: organise and share particular kinds of content. The most popular content communities tend to form around photos (flickr), bookmarked links (del.icio.us) and videos (YouTube). Micro blogging: social networking combined with bite-sized blogging, where small amounts of content (updates) are distributed online and through the mobile phone network. Twitter the clear leader in this field.  [1]   Social media and New media in Ghana With about a 10% gain from 5% in internet penetration (Daily Graphic, 2012)Ghana is not likely to be isolated or insulated from global trends in internet and new media use, especially those associated with the social media. Universally, Facebook is noted as the most popular social media platform (eBizMBA, 2012), and is most recognized in Ghana as well. Currently, there are nearly 2 million Facebook users in Ghana ranking the country at number 69in global ranking of Facebook statistics (Socialbakers, 2012). Socialbakers statistics for October 2012 illustrates that Facebook penetration in Ghanais6.77%compared to the countrys population and 126.98%in relation to number of Internet users. The total number of Facebook users in Ghana is reaching 1,646,920 and grew by more than 435,160 in the last 6 months. About 41% of Ghanas Facebook user population is between 18 and 24 years, an age group that can be found typically beginning university education or exiting into the professional world. Chart (Socialbakers, Ghana Facebook Statistics, 2012) Figure : Ghanas Facebook user age distributions as at July 2012 http://api.socialbakers.com/charts/countries/users.html?country=ghanainterval=last-monthstate=0 (Socialbakers, Users Demography for the Ghana, 2012) Figure : Growth pattern of Facebook users in Ghana as at October 2012 YouTube, twitter and LinkedIn are also popular among Ghanaians. Though their popularity is high among the youth and IT savvy persons, statistics on these social media applications are rather low or unavailable. Statistics for twitter presented by Socialbakers present individual followership rather than an assessment on national. No Ghanaian profile or account is listed in the top 200 global accounts. The same applies with YouTube and LinkedIn. Ghana was one of the first African countries to get connected to the Internet between 1989 and 1990. However, the extent of use of the new media technology generally among Ghanaians is limited (Sey, 2011). This is a result of the underdevelopment of existing telecommunications infrastructure, though in recent times significant investments have been in developing them. The investments have been supported by a national communications policy which highlights the Government of Ghanas commitment to accelerating the socio-economic development process of the country through ICT (Republic of Ghana, 2003, p. 14; cited in Sey 2011). In the wake of this policy, there has been considerable improvements in internet connectivity which begun in the early 1990s with the slow bandwidth dial up access to the now high speed broadband connectivity. Mobile phone telephony is not only big on the African Continent but equally the predominate mode of telecommunications in Ghana. This is attributable to the generally poor development of the fixed line infrastructure in the country. As at the year 2007 just over one fixed line existed per 100 inhabitants (Sey, 2011). Ghanas National Communications Authority announced a mobile telephony penetration rate of about 88.6% as at January 2012 with the leading service provider recording over 10 million subscriptions (Myjoyonline, 2012 ). New media uses of in Ghana Several accounts have been given for the varied uses of the new media technology in Ghana. The technology is appropriated to businesses and community development. For some Ghanaians the Internet serves as an escape mechanism to connect with the Western world as a poverty reduction strategy (Sey, 2011 citing Slater Kwami, 2005). The Internet provides a means to connect with people in developed countries who are seen as prospective sources of financial aid for their migration out of Ghana. Those with no intent to physically leave the country enjoy Western life, indirectly, through foreign content online available via new media tools. Other uses of the new media include sending e-mails, finding and communicating with pen pals, applying to schools abroad, watching movies, listening to music, and playing games (Alhassan, 2004; Burrell, 2009; Daily Graphic, 2003; Slater Kwami, 2005; Cited in Sey 2011). Political parties have also embraced the new media technology and are using social med ia particularly to grasp the attention of young people. A Communication official of the New Patriotic Party says the party adopts a writing style suitable for the social media in its messaging as the technology creates a better communication channel between the party and voters. The National Democratic Congress says the interactive nature of social media facilitates incorporating feedback from voters into the partys decision making processes (Boakyewaa Pokua, 2011). Amongst Students of the University of Ghana, the most popular social media tool is Facebook (Oduro, 2011). Oduro says Facebook uses are varied; including meeting new friends, sharing information on academic work, and updating family and friends with what is happening in ones life. With mobile telephony, Ghanaians surf the internet, store music, receive SMS alerts on international and sports news, send funds, chat via instant messaging services like Whats App or BBM, and even watch mobile TV. Some political parties are raising funds for their political activities through the use of SMS systems (Amega-Selorm, n.d). As the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections draw close, civil election monitoring is being promoted via mobile telephony. The African Elections Project is enabling mobile phone users to be part of the election reporting and monitoring (GNA, 2012). Civic discourse and principles of civic discourse Making reference to the Hurricane Katrina which devastated the Gulf Coast of the United States of America, the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy (2006; pp1) suggests that civic discourses may have the potential to help mitigate the impact of crisis and also help prepare for the next. According to the ICDD, energies spent on media discussions following the disaster which focused on blames and accusations could have been used to discuss how victims of the disaster could be helped. The ICDD suggests that focusing on what mattered rather than blame games could have helped address human need during the crisis or its immediate aftermath. Civic discourse is purposeful communication carried out among citizens dedicated to sharing perspectives and constructing possible actions on issues that matter (ICDD 2006). Effective civic discourse ought to establish principles of inclusiveness, reflection, reciprocity, rationality, recognition of difference, and moderation. Thus the following are identified as Good Principles of Civic Discourse: Provide framework for dialogue (establish ground rules; framework should recognize any cultural differences) Provide all with voice (create safe rhetorical space; manage inequalities of access and power) Focus on issues. Invite/encourage a variety of perspectives (inclusiveness) Value evidence variety testimony, statistical evidence, narrative story telling Seek common ground and consensus when possible Avoid personal attacks Resist relying on ideological sloganeering Seek to understand rather than to persuade Problem statement Studies suggest citizens disconnections from civic life in our present information society (Banaji Buckingham, 2010). These are noticeable among younger generations in Western democracies (Putnam, n.d.). The United States, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have all recorded younger peoples withdrawal in participating in conventional politics and government (Bennett, 2008, p. 1)which constitute civic activities, in alarming numbers. Americans in the last three decades of the 20th century has witnessed much less engagements in terms of political participation, charitable contributions, involvement in community organizations, and even participation in social activities with some of these trends obvious among college students (Sander Putnam, 2010; Putnam, n.d.). Despite a withdrawal from offline civic life, studies suggest interests in online civic engagements. Online engagement sites facilitate offline activities permitting the youth to access information about issues that affec t them as well as create and maintain connections with their peers for feedback. Ghana is not insulated from the phenomenon of civic recession. A district director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in an online publication revealed the decline in civic engagements attributing it to polarised political discourses often at the grassroots (GNA, 2012). The long historic periods of military authoritarian government has probable contribution to Ghanas civic recession. These were periods characterised by a stifled atmosphere for free civic discussions without fear of arrest and or detention. However, the new democratic dispensation gives opportunity for civic participation in social and political discourses mainly through traditional media. The younger generation of Ghanaians, a good of whom maybe enrolled in the universities, increasingly seek to master the use of the internet and new media technologies including social media to express themselves, explore their identi ties, and connect with peers the opportunity to utilise social media to promote civic discourses amongst their social networks is not readily known. The study thus seeks to ascertain the use of social media for civic discourses amongst students of the University of Ghana and will speak to the questions: Are students of the University of Ghana engaged in civic discourses? Are the discourses extended to or carried via the social media? Are there any benefits of engaging in civic discourse via the social media? Are the civic interactions on the social media platform guided by principles of civic discourses? Purpose This study looks to identify and assess civic discourses of students of the University of Ghana as carried via the social media site. Traditional media following their innovations have provided channels for civic discourses. Professional journalism may account for education on what is civically and politically relevant (Akilah, 2012). Thus the publication of journals, articles, letters and the broadcast of views from varied perspectives provide opportunities for all manner of citizens to engage and be engaged on issues that affect them and the communities they find themselves in generally. However, Robert Putnams description of a generation of Americans cut off from traditional forms of community life and civic engagement and have become passive consumers of mass media (Theater, 2007) suggest that the traditional media may have lost its lead in facilitating civic engagement amongst American citizens. Until recently, the print and broadcast media were restricted in their ability to provide all the characteristics of openness, participation, conversation, connectedness and community at the same time as the social media provides. With about seven (7) billion of the worlds population online or accessing the internet through its varied sources (Internet World Stats, 2012), the broadcast media particularly incorporates social media tools in programming to encourage contributions from its audiences. The print media has also adopted a presence on the internet and incorporated social media characteristics in order to maintain relevance in our increasingly sophisticated world. Objectives The study objectives are: to evaluate whether civic discourses take place among students of the university of Ghana. to identify the forms of such civic discourses students of the university of Ghana are engaged in. to ascertain whether such discourses conform to the principles for civic discourses. Significance of the study There is a gap in literature detailing or explaining civic interactions among Ghanaian students particularly those in tertiary institutions. With the advent of the phenomenal social media, many a youth who are mostly likely to be in tertiary education are engaged in various activities on social media. This study will thus provide data and contribute to filling the gap on social media uses for civic discourse interactions among students of the University of Ghana and make recommendations on the possibility of nurturing a generation of elites who adopt technology to further discourses that affect how they are governed and their society at large. Findings from the study can help in selecting and developing alternate communication channels for the promotion of civic discourse in Ghana and among an increasing youthful population enchanted by the new media and its varied applications. Structure of the thesis The design, procedure and findings of the study are presented in seven (7) separate chapters. In each chapter an introduction of the chapter details is presented. The first chapter sets the context of the study by introducing the place of social media in our world today. It further presents patterns of understanding the internet technology on which the social media application is delivered. An overview of new media technologies is also presented situating the nature of use in the Ghanaian context. The aim of the study, research questions and significance are all placed in this chapter. Chapter Two (2) presents the theoretical framework for the study. Three theories underpin this study: a) Democratic theories would be discussed, b) Discourse Theory and c) Deliberation Technology Theory. Chapter Three (3) presents a review of some scholarly works conducted around the use of online technologies and tools for civic or citizen conversations and participations in decision making processes. Chapter Four (4) details the methodology used for the study. A detail of the design, data gathering procedure and analysis of the data are explained. The Chapter Five (5) presents findings from the study from which interpretations and discussions are provided in Chapter Six (6). The final Chapter Seven (7) concludes with summarises of the results, limitations of the study and recommendations for further studies in the subject area. A list of sourced work is presented in the appendices section. The section also includes data gathering tools used for the study.

HUMAN BEINGS AND NATURE DURING THE REVOLUTION OF THE MIND Essay

HUMAN BEINGS AND NATURE DURING THE REVOLUTION OF THE MIND "Enlightenment is man's release from his self-incurred tutelage. Tutelage is man's inability to make use of his understanding without direction from another. Self-incurred is this tutelage when its cause lies not in lack of reason but in lack of resolution and courage to use it without direction from another. Dare to Know! Have courage to use your own reason!- that is the motto of enlightenment." -Immanuel Kant, 1784 (1) From the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries, a drastically new way of thinking developed in Western Civilization, a way of thinking that has shaped and defined the modern world. This new mode of thought evolved within two movements, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment. These movements led Western Civilization to a departure from reverence for traditional authority, from a fatalistic view of the world, and from a blending of the spiritual and the secular, allowing the emergence of the individualistic, scientific, progress-oriented attitude that fuels the Western world today. The thinking of the leaders of the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment built upon and revolutionized that of Medieval and classical intellectuals. It introduced a belief that human beings could learn to control and conquer nature, defining their lives in new ways and leaving a fear of the supernatural behind. Departure from Traditional Authority The most obvious form in which this new way of thinking deviated from the norm was its rebellion against traditional authority, particularly the powerful authority of the Church. The rebellion against traditional authority, particularly the powerful authority of the Church. The astronomer Nicolaus Co... ...vilization, ed. Perry M. Rogers (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997): p. 23-24. 19. Marquis de Condorcet, "The Progress of the Human Mind," in Aspects of Western Civilization, ed. Perry M. Rogers (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997): p. 25-26. 20. William Harvey, "I Learn and Teach From the Fabric of Nature," from On the Circulation of the Blood, in Aspects of Western Civilization, ed. Perry M. Rogers (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997): p. 20-21. 21. Voltaire, "If God Did Not Exist, He Would Have To Be Invented," in Aspects of Western Civilization, ed. Perry M. Rogers (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997): p. 35-36. 22. Immanuel Kant, "What Is Enlightenment?" in Aspects of Western Civilization, ed. Perry M. Rogers (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997): p. 32.

The Unwavering Character of James Fenimore Coppers Deerslayer :: Character Analysis, Deerslayer

The Unwavering Character of James Fenimore Copper's Deerslayer James Fenimore Copper presents Deerslayer as a man of integrity, virtue, and honor. He is a warrior who lives by his word. Even if the situation places his life in jeopardy, he refuses to abandon what he believes in and what he says he will do. Deerslayer’s greatest display of character and honor is seen when he refuses to compromise his standards even though it threatens his life. After saving Hist from the Hurons, Deerslayer was taken captive by them. The Hurons respected Deerslayer for his honesty and integrity and therefore treated him accordingly. When the time came for Deerslayer to pay for his crimes the Hurons devised a situation that would spare his life. To pay for the life Deerslayer took the Indians requested that Deerslayer stay among their people and provide for the fallen Indians family and take the widow for his wife. â€Å"Take the gun; go forth and shoot a deer; bring the venison and lay it before the widow†¦feed her children; call yourself her husband† (Cooper 458). To take an Indian wife went against Deerslayer’s beliefs and convictions. Marrying a woman outside his religion and traditions would cause him to compromise his morals and standards. Even though marrying the Indian woman would spare his life he politely objects and refuses their conditions. â€Å"I feared this,† answered Deerslayer,†¦I did dread that it would come to this. He then proceeds to explain to Mingo, â€Å"I ‘m white, and Christian – born; ‘twould ill become me to take a wife, under redskin forms, from among the heathen. That which I wouldn’t do in peaceable time†¦still less would I do behind clouds, in order to save my life† (Cooper 458)

Conditioning and Mind Control Essay

An Orange, a Tomato, and Mind Control: A comparison between Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange; Jonathan Demme’s The Manchurian Candidate; and George Orwell’s 1984 in relation to mind control and human conditioning. Mr. Robinson ENG 4U Nykki Armstrong January 10. 13 The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse – Edmund Burke Muammar Gaddafi, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler all have one vital thing in common; these men all had an overwhelming greed for power and control.It was through fear and subtle conditioning that they won their power, and it was at the height of their power that the societies they had oppressed rebelled. Just as Edmund Burke says â€Å"the greater the power the more dangerous the abuse†, it was their abuse of power that led to their demise. This idea of how achieving complete power over society and the individuals therein through conditioning cannot last forever, and will inevitable lead to a rebellion and retaliation is explored by the novels 1984 by George Orwell and A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, as well Jonathan Demme’s film The Manchurian Candidate.Both A Clockwork Orange and The Manchurian Candidate develop this theme through the use of an unlikely anti-hero (who is also the spokesperson for the authority attempting to gain control), the individual struggle to maintain the most basic control (while the authority counters their every effort), and the juxtaposing symbols (that mirror how society is violating the natural order). In Burgess’ novel the protagonist, Alex, is a typical delinquent; he breaks any and all rules without any concern for the repercussions.Naturally, the reader comes to dislike him. Unexpectedly though, Burgess makes the reader feel Pathos for Alex, as he becomes a test subject for the government’s new Ludovico Technique. In an attempt to rid the streets of teenagers like Alex, they select him – being the worst of them all – to become their spokesman of sorts. The doctors involved in his â€Å"treatment† go to extreme lengths to rid him of any qualities they have deemed unacceptable in a perfect society.The beginnings of their treatment seems to mimic the basis of Skinner’s operant conditioning, although they take things many steps farther than he could, â€Å"Skinner employed punishment in one early experiment and was so disturbed that he never used it again†, whereas the doctors in A Clockwork Orange do anything they feel necessary (Freedman). The doctors turn his every action against him, and cause him seemingly endless mental anguish, eventually conditioning him to conform to essentially anything they decide. The plan of the government backfires as soon as they release him.Once society has seen what the government has done, they vehemently reject the idea. After this, society’s view of Alex changes drastically; he switches from a fearsome troublemaker to a fragile victim: â €Å"Another victim†¦A victim of the modern age† (Burgess 113). This idea of society and the individuals therein rejecting the controversial plans of their government is also prevalent in the film The Manchurian Candidate. In an attempt to gain all the governmental power, Sergeant Raymond Prentiss Shaw has his mind controlled by high authorities.Due to his own ideology, without being under anyone’s control, Sergeant Shaw would be an ideal presidential candidate, but he would be an independent one, â€Å"I believe in freedom†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (The Manchurian Candidate). The people of power in the film believe that in order to achieve a perfect utopia, they must govern everything. When presented with the idea that his thoughts may not be his own, Sergeant Shaw is in disbelief, and thus begins the viewer’s idea of him as a protagonist. Similarly to Alex in A Clockwork Orange he begins an internal struggle to overcome the conditioning and mind control that has been imposed on him.At the end of the film, he successfully overpowers the control that was being held over him, and rebels against it. It is his rebellion that causes the entire plan to fail, thus making him a victimised anti-hero in the same sense as Alex. Contrastingly to both Alex and Sergeant Shaw, the protagonist in Orwell’s 1984 does not become a hero at all. While he does struggle to gain power and the most basic control over his life, Winston does not succeed. Rather than being the force to overthrow the corrupt and suppressive society in which he ives, he becomes yet another powerless victim. In this sense, he mirrors both Alex and Sergeant Shaw; they are all powerless against their oppressors. The key flaw in the strategies of the government in both A Clockwork Orange and The Manchurian Candidate is that they explicitly tried to condition their subjects using physical and intimidation processes. The reason that Big Brother in 1984 was so successful in oppressing nearly everyone is that they did their controlling more implicitly through â€Å"reality control†, and by coercing the citizens to condition themselves.They began using a Hitler-like control method – turning everyone against each other to guarantee that no one will help anyone. The society in 1984 is a mob mentality; everyone is so caught up in the moment that they do not dare counter the group, â€Å"Of course he chanted with the rest [during the two minutes hate]: it was impossible to do otherwise†¦ to do what everyone else was doing, was an instinctive reaction† (Orwell 19). It is through the events that victimised him that Sergeant Raymond Shaw begins to understand his own thoughts and his unclear past.Once he begins to question specific aspects of his life – such as the events that occurred while he was at war – he is able to discover what is really going on. In order for him to be controlled, a specific line must be recited. When Sergeant Shaw is aware of how his mind is being controlled, he is able to attempt to fight it. This is depicting his mental struggle to maintain control over himself. At one point, Rosie, a woman affiliated with Sergeant Shaw’s platoon-mate says â€Å"Maybe I was feeling fragile at the time† (The Manchurian Candidate).This line encapsulates the underlying theme throughout the entire movie – the fragility of the human psyche, especially when one is out of control of themselves. It is Sergeant Shaw’s battle to overcome this fragility that leads to his eventual rebellion. This fragility is mimicked by Alex in Burgess’ novel, through Alex’s reaction his life and his struggle to maintain his personality while undergoing the Ludovico Treatment. Alex views himself as a leader, and therefore he must conserve that powerful role in his gang to continue to have his sense of self.When that power is threatened by George, Alex’s preservation instinct is triggere d and he physically fights to regain the order that had previously been established; â€Å"Now we’re back to where we were, yes? † (Burgess 42). This struggle to cope with a change of power is also seen during his stay in the Ludovico Treatment center when he realizes he has been conditioned, â€Å"‘You are being made sane, you are being made healthy’ ‘That I will not have†¦nor can I understand at all’† (Burgess 81). When all power has been taken by the higher authority, Alex has been â€Å"turned into something other than a human being† (Burgess 115).This sense of dehumanising a person coincides with the theme of countering the natural order to gain ultimate power shown through the symbols used in Burgess’ novel. One of the key symbols is that of the clockwork orange. Creating a clockwork orange is to completely destroy all that is natural about it, thus ruining it, in an effort to create something controllable and m echanised. Bruce Olsen states in his analysis of the novel that â€Å"a clockwork orange applies to the conditioned Alex as well: Though he appears natural from the outside, he is thoroughly unnatural within†.This statement becomes a theme in both the novel and the movie The Manchurian Candidate. Another symbol is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony which is a peaceful song, and for Alex, the only way to feel appropriate emotions. During the Ludovico Treatment, the song is used against him in order to condition him – again, taking something beloved and natural and making it evil, â€Å"Using Ludwig like that†¦ and I was really sick† (Burgess 85). Another reoccurring symbol is that of water. Water is typically associated with renewal and life, which is how it is portrayed in Burgess’ novel.Alex imagines his body â€Å"being like emptied of as it might be dirty water and then filled up again with clean†, symbolizing his new start after his rebelli on against his oppressors (Burgess 127). Another piece of literature in which water is used to wash away sins and aid in the renewal process is Shakespeare’s â€Å"Macbeth†. The main instance in which the symbol of water is used for cleansing the spiritual body is when Lady Macbeth is attempting to wash the blood from her hands in her sleep. Like Alex, she realizes it makes her impure and yearns for an opportunity to remove it from her body and mind.Water is also a prevalent symbol in The Manchurian Candidate. Unlike in A Clockwork Orange the water in the film is juxtaposing its typical meaning. In the film, Sergeant Shaw kills his competitor in the lake. Clearly, murder is unnatural and for Sergeant Shaw, as is the case for most people, it is unthinkable. Unthinkable that is, until the authority controlling him tells him otherwise. This illustrates the complete control held over him by whoever is dictating his actions, leaving him with â€Å"no power of choice any lo nger† (Burgess 115).Coinciding with the clockwork orange motif in Burgess’ novel, there is a tomato motif in Demme’s film. Likewise to an orange, a tomato is natural. In the film, it is used for testing to reconfigure genetics and implantation of memories. The government plans on taking something natural, and using it for their own awful needs in their quest for ultimate power. Finally, though it is natural to want basic control and power over oneself, violating another individual or society’s right to that same control will have dire consequences.As seen through Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange, Demme’s The Manchurian Candidate, and Orwell’s 1984, oppression and gross abuses of power will ultimately lead to the destruction of said power and the rebellion of the oppressed. Referencing what Edmund Burke is quoted as saying above, any large amount of power will eventually cause greed and destruction. Burgess and Demme use the archetypal anti- hero, the internal conflict within that hero, and the reoccurring symbols to explore that theme of the destruction caused by misused power, whereas Orwell offers the alternative – succumbing to the power, and accepting a total loss of control.Works Cited Burgess, Anthony. A Clockwork Orange. London: Penguin Books, 1972. Print. Orwell, George. 1984. London: Penguin Books, 1987. Print. Demme, Jonathan, dir. The Manchurian Candidate. 2004. Paramount Pictures. DVD-ROM. Olsen, Bruce. â€Å"A Clockwork Orange. †Ã‚  Masterplots, Fourth Edition  (2010). Journal. Freedman, David H. â€Å"The Perfected Self. †Ã‚  Atlantic Monthly  June 2012: 42-52. Literary Reference Center. Web. 9 Jan. 2013. .

Sun Chips Case

0817 General Assessment of Sunchips’ test market results. Pros A pro would be that Frito-Lay knows where the majority of their sales are happening. Due to about 90 percent of them being in supermarkets and convenience stores. It is also a pro that they have determined what percentage of each size package and flavor they are selling. In addition they have also determined the percentage of cannibalization that will happen. Another pro is that the cumulative repeat percentage steadily rose every week. Cons A con to these test market results would be that they have only been run for ten months.The results could be ballooned considering that they are introducing a new product. Another con would be that only about 1 in 5 households (less than 20%) have tried the product. And out of that 20 percent only 41. 8 percent had repeat purchases. Continue test market for another six months Pros A pro for continuing test marketing for six additional months would be that they would get even mo re accurate test market results. In addition, they will have the advantage of seeing how much word of mouth can raise their cumulative trial and repeat percentages. ConsThe con to continuing test marketing for six more months would be that if they don’t go ahead and launch nationally a competitor might launch a similar product nationally and upstage Frito-Lay. Therefore, the opportunity to be first-to-market would be lost. Another con could be that if their data is accurate they are losing significant profit for the next six months. Introduce Sunchips nationally with the same introductory strategy. Pros A con to this strategy would be that if the test market results are accurate, then Frito-Lay would profit from their new product and know all the necessary details of cannibalization.Yet, if the test market results are accurate then Frito-Lay should definitely introduce Sunchips nationally. Frito-Lay’s revenue goal for Sunchips 100 million if introduced nationally. Reve nue in the M-St. Paul Minneapolis from triers and repeaters was about 512,000 and 620,000 respectively. The M-St. Paul Minneapolis area accounts for 2. 2 percent of the 90 million snack ship user households in the U. S. By extrapolating the results from M-St. Paul Minneapolis to the U. S. , Frito-Lay can expect revenue to exceed 110 million. ConsA con would be the possibility of the ten month test market results to be inaccurate. In this case Frito-Lay would have launched nationally too soon. In addition, Frito-Lay will be giving up the opportunity to test out different strategies. Introduce Sunchips with some strategy modification (more advertising, larger package sizes, another flavor) Pros More advertising would lead to more brand awareness and possibly more sales. Larger package sizes would be good if sold at the same price per ounce. They would give customers another option.Adding another flavor would increase sales and possibly gain new customers. Cons The con to more advertis ing would be more spending, which takes away from profits. The problem with larger package sizes is that they would have to produce and distribute a whole new package. The con to adding another flavor is that it would increase cannibalization from 30 to 35 percent. There is also a con to the combination of adding a larger package and a new flavor. By adding these two, stock-keeping units would double from six to twelve, therefore going from two flavors and three sizes (6) to three flavors and four sizes (12).

Why Youth Leave the Church

Introduction â€Å"With such an army of workers as our youth, rightly trained, might furnish, how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-coming Savior might be carried to the whole world! † (Education, p. 271). Wow, what a statement. This is probably the most well known statement by Sister Ellen White concerning the youth. These words are so powerful and motivating, that they inspire the imagination to look forward to it’s fulfillment, to the day when this army of dedicated Christian young people will be spread out around the world to bring the message of Jesus’ soon return to everyone.I must confess that simply the thought of this sends shivers down my spine. I am, however, forced to question whether this dream will ever become a reality. The church, it seems, is facing a dilemma, in that we are losing the youth. Many of our young people are leaving the church, and in seeking to answer the question of why this is happening, I would like to share with y ou the resource that I believe to most accurately describe the reason for the youth leaving the church, as well as what to do to stem the flow of this widespread desertion. Recommended Resource(s)The main resource that I believe to be the best and that I would like to recommend, is the book, Why our Teenagers Leave the Church, written by author Roger L. Dudley. I will also be referring to two other resources that I used, both of which is based on the above mentioned book. The first and most important is an article with the same title, and by the same author. It is basically a condensed version of the book, and it covers the basics of the research done, as well as the results and what can be done to prevent the youth from leaving the church. The second is a sermon by Pastor Dwight K.Nelson, titled, Primer for the next generation: XNY 101. In the sermon Pastor Nelson briefly explains how the study was done, the results attained, and the remedy to the problem. I will now proceed to dis cuss the two secondary resources (Article: Why our teenagers leave the church; Sermon: Primer for the next generation: XNY 101), based on the premise of the primary resource (Book: Why our teenagers leave the church). Primary Resource Roger Dudley’s book is the culmination of an expansive 10 year longitudinal study, where the author traced the lives of about 1500 teenagers as they grew up and, often, grew disillusioned.According to his book, Dudley asserts that 40 to 50 percent of Adventist youth leave the church before their mid twenties. Secondary Resources Why our Teenagers leave the Church (Article) As was mentioned previously, the article is a very condensed version of the book, and it goes straight to the point. The purpose of the study was to attempt to discover the extent of the church’s loss of it’s young adults. According to the article, 40 to 50 percent of baptized Seventh Day Adventist teenagers either dropped their membership, or became inactive in the church, in their mid twenties.According to Dudley, there are five influences that determines the continuation or discontinuation of young people in the church, and they are as follows: Home Influences Parochial vs. Public Education Congregational Involvemnet Lifestyle Standards Devotional Practices I am in favor of, and recommend this resource, because it is straight forward and to the point. It provides the needed facts right from the start, allowing the reader to look at the all the determinants and then make a plan on how to proceed to negate or minimize the loss of young people.Primer for the next generation: XNY 101 (Sermon: Audio) Pastor Dwight K. Nelson starts of by explaining the details of the study that was done. He quotes the following from the book: â€Å"Many teenagers and young adults are leaving the church because they perceive it to be behavior centered when they are looking for relationships. † (Why Our Teenagers Leave the Church, P58) â€Å"We have seen that though our youth have heard the words of the gospel of righteousness by grace through faith, . . . [our] emphasis on behavioral standards has led the majority to believe that they must somehow merit salvation. . . Through precept and example, we must do everything possible to clarify grace and to break the hold of legalism. We must communicate a gospel of hope. Without this effort we will never retain our youth. They will not continue to struggle in a contest that they cannot possibly win. † (58, 59 emphasis supplied) I would also gladly recommend this resource, because Paster Nelson identifies the problem from the data, and he then goes on to provide a remedy to the problem. Conclusion â€Å"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future. † Franklin D. RooseveltWhen looking at the data covered in these resources, it is clear that the future is uncertain. It is also clear that the youth are the leaders of tomorrows churc h, and in order for them to lead, they need to be there. We need to realize that we cannot necessarily set everything in place for our youth, but, what we can however do, is to prepare our youth for the future, for the decision’s that they will have to make. We can prepare them for this uncertain future by laying a good foundation in our educational institutions, at church, and most importantly at home. The greatest determinant, by far, is the family.If the family is built on the rock, nothing can shake it. â€Å"With such an army of workers as our youth, rightly trained, might furnish, how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-coming Savior might be carried to the whole world! † (Education, p. 271). — Reference List Ellen G. White, Education ( Washington, D. C. : Review and Herald, 1903). Roger L. Dudley, Why Our Teenagers Leave the Church: Personal Stories from a 10-Year Study (Hagerstown, Md. : Review and Herald, 2000) Roger L. Dudley, Why Our Teen agers Leave the Church (Spectrum, Volume 28, Issue 4, Autumn 2000)