Political party Essay

I. What is a political party? II. Functions of Political Parties in the U. S. III. The Three Faces of a Party IV. Why do we have Two Party system? V. Major and Minor Party Ideologies VI. The role of Minor Parties in the U. S Political Party VII. Differences between Interest Groups and Political Parties I. What is a Political Party? ?Political Party-A group of political activists who organize to win elections, operate the government, and determine public policy. ?Functions of Political Parties in the United States ?Recruiting candidates for public office ?Organizing and running elections†¦ (political parties do not write state laws) ?Presenting alternative policies to the electoral ?Accepting responsibility for operating the government- cannot simply just quit their job ?Acting as the organized opposition to the party in power- acting as the â€Å"watch dog† to the opposite in power II. The Three Faces of a Party ?Party-in-the-Electorate- Those members of the general public who identify with a political party or who express a preference for one party over another. Does not necessarily mean they have to show who they are for, but in their â€Å"heart† they have a preference. ?Party Organization- The formal structure and leadership of a political party, including election committees; local, state, and national executives; and paid professional staff ?Party-in-Government- all of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a political party. Example) President, Vice President, Congress; Federal Judges are not part of a party, goes for State Judges as well. III. Why do we have a Two-Party System? ?Historical foundations (Federalists v. Antifederalists) ?Self-Perpetuation of the two-party system? Political culture of the United States ?The winner-take-all electoral system ?Plurality- the most ?Majority-more than 50%+1% ?Proportional Represenation- example) depending of the percentage of the votes, is the percentage of what they will take in the Parliament. IV. Political Ideologies ?Republicans- Economical and Social Conservative ?Conservatism †¢Conservatives generally support the Republican Party †¢Oppose massive government intervention in politics, economics, and looks instead to market mechanisms, states localities and voluntarism to resolve the country’s problems. †¢Endorse liberty as the primary political value †¢Support traditional moral, religious, and family values and ask government to enforce the ?Democrats- Economical and social Liberal ?Liberals †¢Generally support the Democratic Party †¢Support government intervention in politics and economics to protect and expand civil rights and civil liberties and improve the conditions of the poor, minorities and women, †¢Endorse â€Å"equality† as their primary and political value †¢Favor politics of inclusion that seeks representation and participation for all V. The Role of Minor(Third) Parties (Look at Table 8. 2) ?Act as barometers of changing political mood ?Act as safety valve for dissident groups (Greens splitting from the Democrats) ?Affecting the outcome of an ?Libertarians- Economical Conservative and Social Liberals ?Want to shrink the size of the government to the bare necessities because big government is wrong and non-effective (They agree with Conservatives on that) ?On individual liberties and social issues they agree with liberals. ?Greens-Nader ?Left to Center ?Pro Environmental ?Anti Corporations ?Anti Globalization.

Obesity; Root Cause Of Many Diseases.

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess of fat has accumulated in the body and may give rise to health problems. A person is obese when his body mass index is above 30 kg/m2. Body mass index is ratio of an individual’s weight and height, and can be calculated by dividing person’s weight with square of his height. The most commonly used measure of weight status is body mass index, or BMI. Years of research have shown that BMI provides good estimate of â€Å"fatness† and correlates well with important health outcomes. For adult men and women healthy BMI falls between 18 to 25 kg/m2 .Overweight is defined as a BMI between 25 and 30; and obesity a BMI of 30 or higher. So it is important tool for clinicians trying to screen to determine who may be at risk because of carrying around too much weight for their height. More or less every region of world is facing this problem. Once a problem of wealthy nations, obesity now impacts countries at all economic levels, bringing with it a wave of ill health and lost productivity. Worldwide rate of obesity doubled since 1980, with just over 200 million adult men and just under 300 million adult women obese.Of all high-income countries, the United States has the highest rate of overweight and obesity, with fully a third of population obese, a rate projected to rise around 50 percent by 2030. Obesity is also on the rise in South Asian countries including Pakistan. According to Forbes, Pakistan is ranked 165 (out of 194 countries), with 22. 2% of individuals crossing the threshold of obesity. In Pakistan the highest concentration of the obese lies in the big cities as compared to the rural countryside. At the other times in history obesity was considered as sign of wealth and prosperity, as mankind suffered scarcity of food in the past.But now obesity has been declared as a disease by American Medical Association. Whether or not it is considered a disease, it is also an important risk factor for many c hronic diseases. Obesity is associated with many chronic heart diseases such as angina, myocardial infarction (heart attack), high blood pressure, deep vein thrombosis and more. A 2002 study concluded that 21% of ischemic heart disease is due to obesity, while a 2008 European consensus puts the number at 35%. Obesity has been cited as the main cause of high blood pressure.The risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) is five times higher in the obese as compared to those of normal weight. A definitive link between obesity and hypertension has been found using animal and clinical studies, which have suggested that there are multiple mechanisms for obesity induced hypertension. People who are overweight are at much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus than normal weight individuals . Being overweight puts extra pressure on body’s ability to control blood glucose using insulin and therefore makes it much more likely for you to develop diabetes.Almost 90% of peopl e with type 2 diabetes mellitus are overweight. Many respiratory system diseases may be outcome of obesity such as asthma, obstructive sleep apnea etc. Obesity may be associated with variety of reproductive system diseases for example polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, birth defects, intra-uterine fetal death etc. Gastrointestinal diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, gall stone, fatty liver are predominant in the overweight. Many types of cancers occur with increased frequency in those who are overweight or obese.A study from United Kingdom showed that 5% of cancer is due to excess weight. Certain neurological conditions are also attributed to increased body weight. Apart from associated morbidity and mortality, obesity has many social and economic implications as well. The obese are often subject of ridicule as a result they suffer from depression and lose self-confidence. Obesity reduces man-power thus incurs economic loss. A combination of excessive food energ y intake, lack of exercise is thought to cause most cases of obesity.A limited number of cases are primarily due to genetics, medical reasons and psychiatric illnesses. In contrast, increasing rates of obesity at societal level are felt to be due to easily accessible and palatable diet, increased reliance on cars and mechanized manufacturing. Food energy is calculated in terms of calories, excess of calories when taken are stored in body in the form of fat. Thus energy dense foods increase body fat by supplying extra of calories and ultimately lead to obesity.Sweetened beverages and fast food meals provide more calories than required and are most important contributing factors for obesity in United States and European countries. Lack of regular physical exercise plays significant role in obesity. Worldwide there has been shift to less physically demanding work, significant portion of world’s population doesn’t get sufficient exercise. This is mainly due to invention of machines that save much of the hard work in every field. Obesity may be result of many genetic and environmental factors, as it tends persist in certain families due to inheritance of defective genes.Experts have related increased body weight in children with their time spent on watching television; more they spent their time watching television more they are prone to obesity. Obesity is sometimes clinical feature of some diseases for example Cohen syndrome, Prader Willi syndrome etc. Proper diet and physical exercise has been mainstay of long term management of the obesity. Fiber diet such as wheat, corn and certain vegetables help maintain healthy weight. Regular physical exercise burns extra calories, thus prevents excessive deposition of fat in the body tissues.Certain drugs and surgical procedures are also known to treat obesity, but are less preferred. It is clear that obesity is root cause of many diseases such as angina, myocardial infarction, hypertension, diabetes mellitu s and many more. Once it was prevalent in affluent nations, now it is problem of all nations of the world. Obesity results from high energy foods such as sweetened beverages, fast food meals. It may also result from sedentary life style and other genetic and environmental factors. Obesity can be managed by taking proper diet and regular physical exercise.

Employment law, trade unions (uk) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Employment law, trade unions (uk) - Essay Example Human nature is essentially the same the world over and "man is a social animal at all times" (Bates, April 1888) and in all places. It is this basic nature of man that controls and directs the organization and development of society in all its spheres of activity. The inevitable landmark of social advance has been the family , the tribe, the state and the world organisation. Further advances in world organisation have however to be made if man is to benefit from and not to be destroyed by the power of the atom. Different approaches may be made in this regard. But world organisation has persistently proceeded, ever since the industrial revolution in England, on the basis of social system subjected to industrial modes of production. One of the most fruitful approaches would, therefore to explore the possibilities of the dynamic forces that have already manifested themselves in modern industrial society (Fung, 2003). The industrial system has increased the inter dependence of people ev erywhere and it is constantly emphasising the ever-growing importance of the technique of cooperation. The trade union have, therefore become the greatest economic institution of our times and the future of democracy is closely bound up with the fate of trade unions. TRADE UNION The term 'trade union' is in constant and popular use, and it is usually clear when a body is or is not a union. However, a statutory definition is necessary to determine what organisations are eligible for the various rights and duties accorded such bodies. Thus s.1 of the "Trade union and Labour Relations (consolidation) act 1992 characterizes as a union, 'an organisation(whether permanent or temporary) which.. consists wholly or mainly of workers of one or more descriptions and is an organisation whose principal purposes include the regulation of relations between workers of that description of those descriptions and employers or employers associations" (Trade Unions, n.d.). "The largest organization of trade union members in the world is the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation. it has approximately 309 affiliated organizations in 156 countries and territories today, with a combined membership of 166 million" (Wikipedia, 13 April 2008). PURPOSE OF TRADE UNION The trade unions have, therefore, become the greatest economic institution of our times and the future of democracy closely bound up with the fate of trade unions. The immediate objectives with which trade union have been formed in different parts of the worlds are essentially the same. The objectives and activities of trade unions may differ but general objectives are follows: To ensure the benefits of the worker from unemployment, ill health, old age and working environment. So that they can get professional training,

Innovations and inventions of the 20th century Essay

Innovations and inventions of the 20th century - Essay Example Not only do they try to educate the people on the pros and cons of technology, they also provide solutions on how to minimize its effects on the environment as well as to the lives of the people. Additionally, the invention of the cell phone is equally influential to artists as they discuss the effects that cellphones have on the lives of the people. Some of the artists try imagining of the days when there were no computers or mobile phones, then compare life then and today (Janssen and Anne 12). The computer is one of the most influential technological innovations of the 21st century that has revolutionized the art world and influenced artists in the era. The computer, designed to make work easier for people, has turned them into slaves (Janssen and Anne23). This is the main reason why artists use it as a topic of discussion in their work. The internet is yet another innovation of this century that has influenced artists’ work and activities (Pilcher 470). They look at the advantages and disadvantages of the internet, especially the privacy and authenticity of information available on the internet. While researching, I realized that the audience plays a big role in creating art. The audience inspires artists in their work, especially in the kind of information presented in the artwork. Additionally, I realized that most of the artists today draw their inspiration from the artists of the impressionism. I awed at the impact of these artists have on art today, despite being regarded as failures in the French exhibition gallery. Janssen, Lisa and Anne Nigten. The Revised Artist: A Study into the Influence of the Computer on Art Making and Perception. Creative Development. 2007. Dissertation.

139 DB wk8 ED Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

139 DB wk8 ED - Essay Example Moreover, the duties of the financial manager include preparation of financial statements, overseeing financial services, monitoring cash flows, predicting future trends in business, monitoring the financial system and offering advisory services to the top management on the best strategies of improving financial performance to ensure the growth and success of the organization. These differ from the accountants whose role is to collect financial records, prepare tax returns along side other financial records, monitor and ensure they are up to date and in a compliance to the company policies and legal standards. Nevertheless, while discharging their duties, accountants and financial manager should comply with the codes of ethics governing the preparation of financial records. As the law demands, everything should be done in a transparent manner without defrauding the organization and its stakeholders. In my opinion, people became conscious about transparency after the mega infamous accounting scandal at Enron Inc was unmasked in 2001. It was not until the senior management, accountants and auditors were jailed for engaging in fraudulent accounting activities when accountants started becoming

Business to Business Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business to Business Marketing - Essay Example TCL needs to review its marketing mix strategies in order to have a competitive advantage in the market and make its business sustainable in future. The various changes in the marketing mix strategies that could be helpful for TCL to achieve its objectives are as mentioned below: 2.1 Product Strategy For every marketing strategy of a company the starting point is its product. One cannot set the price or plan for the distribution system of the product without having the knowledge about what product they are offering. Product here refers to both products and services which the company has in offer (Gitman, & McDaniel, 2008, p.295). TCL is a SME which is engaged in the business of providing wide range of services to its clients. Their product or service offerings include mainly four services. They are Media Services, Advertising and Marketing Services. Apart from having its own production unit, TCL also outsources most of its production to another company namely, ‘PJW Media Produc tion’. Hence TCL has a wide variety of products and services in its offerings. Now since TCL is a small business unit with limited workforce its product strategy would be more effective if it concentrates on having a small product line. After narrowing down its product line, TCL should develop the products or services which are highly specialised in nature. It would help TCL to ensure that it provides its customers a service package which is unique in nature (Brock, et al., n.d.). Hence it would be beneficial for TCL to gradually cut down on its product line and concentrate more on those services which are profitable to them and have competitive advantage over its... TCL is a completely service based company situated in Cambridge. The company is running a small business and has a limiting workforce. The recent economic condition had an adverse effect on the performances of the company. The sales revenue of the company has gone down significantly. TCL should look into this issue seriously and various reforms are necessary for the sustainable development of the company in future. Firstly it needs to address its marketing mix strategy. Regarding the product strategy, TCL should think of reducing its wide range of services and concentrate on specialising some of its core services which they are specialised at. Next regarding its pricing strategy, TCL must be flexible in its pricing strategy to cater to the current expectations of its clients. The company should utilise its website to a greater effect for the promotion of its business. Since TCL is a core service agency, public relationships are vital for its development and growth. Developing strong relationships with its clients and forming a strong business network is quite necessary for TCL. Next, the company should think of structuring and developing an effective sales force to boost up its sales and creating strong relationships with its clients. Hence, TCL’s current primary focus would be retaining its existing clients and adding up new clients to its customer base.

Change Model Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Change Model - Research Paper Example The model requires that the implementation plan should begin by encouraging of the nursing staff to identify the practice questions that are either triggered through identification of a new knowledge or problem. In this plan, the model would that practice questions relating to the response to medical adherence to newly diagnosed young male with coronary heart disease be identified first. This will be essential in allocation of supporting resources to the top-most priorities. The next step that the model requires in implementation plan is formation of a team to develop, evaluate and implement the practice change. This team should be made up of stakeholders in the practice change; the team may include unit managers, interdisciplinary colleagues, and the staff nurses that identified the practice questions. Therefore, a team should be formed comprising of the aforementioned persons in order to effectively implement the plan (Reed and Lawrence, 2008). The model further requires that the team that has been formed should select, critique, review, and synthesize all the available research evidence relating to the implementation plan (Titler et al, 2001). In an event that the evidence is not sufficient, the team can make recommendations using lower evidence levels or by conducting additional research. If the evidence is adequate, then the practice can be initiated. After ascertaining this aspect, the team involved in this implementation plan should pilot the practice change in a bid to determine the effectiveness and feasibility. If the results of the pilot projects are positive, the team should facilitate integration and roll-out of the practice through continuous monitoring of outcomes, education, and leadership support. Thereafter, the Iowa Model requires that the reports of the projects to be shared outside and within the organization through publications and presentations. The model emphasizes on this step as it is important in supporting the

Case Study -- Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Case Study -- Report - Essay Example The paper is directly relevant to the case in which management of employee relations and commitment to the organization is the crux of all problems encountered at Ancol. (Wilde, 1985) The second paper is â€Å"Fostering an environment of employee contribution to increase commitment and motivation† by Geoffrey C Lloyd. This paper uses a case study to relay its point. It is in light of British Gas Company which succeeded after they implemented their chief executive’s suggestion. The paper emphasizes on various ways in which an environment of employee contribution can be cultivated in an organization. It lays focus on the importance of empowerment, speeding up of communication process between management and employees and offers advice to companies who are thinking of restructuring their organization. The paper is very relevant to Ancol. Even Ancol is struggling with encouraging work place productivity, curbing absteeniesm and establishing sound relations between management and employees. The paper will offer insight into ways of improving things at Ancol and has a rich literature that will give more room for critical thinking and analysis. (LIoyd, 1996) The third paper is â€Å"Work Structuring for employee motivation† by Lyndon Jones. ... This is a relatively small yet important paper that explains ways in which good healthy relationships can be fostered in a work place environment; on the kind of human resource policies that should be adopted. Analysis: Sims had been only recently appointed as the manager of the Sheparton plant of Ancol. This was a very important point in his career and he wanted to set things straight at Ancol by making effective use of his management expertise. When Sims entered Ancol, he realized that the management and employee relations were severely strained within the organization. There were some major tiffs between them and they were not eye to eye with respect to the organizational goals. Hence, the center of all his focus was improving ties between the management and employees. In this bid to improve ties between the management and the employees, he order the removal of time clocks from the plant. He felt that this gesture will bring about a new level of credibility and strengthen relation s between the employees and the management at the site. The impact of this move was not completely productive. It did prove to be fruitful initially but did not have far reaching positive repercussions. The gesture was appreciated initially and many felt that was a positive effort by the plant manager. But the problems began cropping up two months later. Absteenism in the plant rose, productivity levels declined and other issues started emerging. This problem had to be tackled. Sims tried to solve the problem by giving additional responsibilities to supervisors of looking after emplolyee entrance and leaving problems and discussing it with them. but the supervisors had no prior experience at all this and did not have the

Literature review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Literature review - Essay Example Characteristic Expenditure in Australia average per night average per visitor Length of stay Main source market Age Martial status Travel party Repeat visitation On a travel package Share of accommodation nights Main courses studied Length of course Educational institution Formal $90 $16,000 170 nights 16% Chinese 9% Malaysians 8% Koreans 50% are 20-24 years 20% are 15-19 years 18% are 25-29 years 88% are single 86% traveled alone 59% were return visitors 7% package Rental accommodation (65%) Undergraduate degree (36%) English course ((20%) Post-graduate degree (19%) 58% studied a course with a duration of 1 year or more University (62%) Informal $65 $7000 95 nights 26% Malaysians 20% Indians 10% Koreans 31% are 20-24 years 20% are 35-44 years 19% are 25-29 years 68% are single 80% traveled alone 51% were return visitors 11% package Rental accommodation (42%) English course (36%) Work-related course (11%) On-the-job / Internal training (8%) 82% studied a course with a duration of less than 3 months English language institute (31%) Source: Tourism Research Australia International Visitor Survey 2007 (National Centre, 14) Surname 3 Importance of the Study Tourism Market Foreign education market is known as a significant and growing industry for Australian tourism. In 2006, around 350,000 foreign education visitors stayed for approximately 44 million nights in Australia. In 2007, it grew to almost 500,000 education visitors. Although consisting of just 6% of all international tourists, foreign education tourists contributed around 30% of visitor nights and almost 30% towards total spend in Australia (National Centre, 14). Over time, the international education industry has shown... Per survey results, approximately 500,000 foreign education visitors studied in Australia in 2007. Of these foreign education visitors, 75% were formal study toursits and 25% were informal study tourists. Altogether, foreign education tourists stayed in Australia for 86 million nights and were worth around $7B to the tourism industry in 2007. This sum has not included yet the spending of friends and relatives that visited these foreign education visitors (National Centre, 11-13). Within these previous studies, the characteristics of formal and non-formal foreign education tourists were quite diverse as was the nature of the studies they took. FIGURE 1: Summary of Formal and Informal Study Tourism Market 2007: Foreign education market is known as a significant and growing industry for Australian tourism. In 2006, around 350,000 foreign education visitors stayed for approximately 44 million nights in Australia. In 2007, it grew to almost 500,000 education visitors. Although consisting of just 6% of all international tourists, foreign education tourists contributed around 30% of visitor nights and almost 30% towards total spend in Australia (National Centre, 14). Over time, the international education industry has shown continuous progress. Between 2001 and 2007, the average rate of increase per year was 9%.

Latest measle outbreak in florida Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Latest measle outbreak in florida - Assignment Example Approximately 93% of children in South Florida received measles vaccination when the disease was detected. Then vaccines are mostly administered to children from the age of 12 months to six years (CBS Miami, 2015). Some of the risk factors that contributed to the spread of measles include interaction with other travelers, as well as being in contact with them. Other ways in which the diseases was spread was through sneezing and coughing. When a person contracts measles, they tend to experience a running nose, sore throat, coughing, and moderate fever. The disease is mostly associated with failure to vaccinate children from the measles virus at a young age (CBS Miami, 2015). Currently, the health department in South Florida is working with the CDC, as well as other partners to identify cases of measles in the state. The state government of South Florida is urging all persons who suspect to have contracted the disease to report to the relevant authorities. In addition, South Florida and other states in the United States are conducting immunizations to prevent any cases of measles (CBS Miami,

Obesity and the Media Essay Example for Free

Obesity and the Media Essay Although advertisers and the media have a huge impact on the issue of childhood obesity, the parents have the final call on what their children eat and don’t eat. It is the parents who give in to their children’s whining and give them what they want just to please them. Childhood obesity starts when the children are old enough to realize that they can get their way when they cry for something. It is the parents’ responsibility to lead by example and teach their children healthy eating habits at a young age. If the parents have unhealthy eating habits and include fast food and fried food in their diet on a regular basis, it is likely that their children will do the same. Kids will get accustomed to eating whatever is made available for them in their home. It is the parents’ job to provide healthy snack options so that their children can get used to healthy habits at early ages. When children are first attracted to the fast food ads at a very young age, it is often because they are attracted to the toys such as the ones offered in â€Å"happy meals.† Another reason why fast food is so popular is because it is a quick and easy meal when people are busy or don’t feel like cooking dinner. My solution to these issues would be to create a fast food chain that offered healthier options. That way, when people want to drive through and order something quick, they would be able to do so while still eating healthy. These restaurants would also offer children’s meals that include a toy, which would promote staying active, and eating healthy. The advertisement that I created is for a healthy fast food restaurant called Chick-A-Dees. This restaurant would offer all natural foods, rather than deep-fried options. The ad uses bright colors and cartoon characters to get children’s attention. It also promises a toy with every kid’s meal and advertises a jungle gym for kids to play on when they come to the restaurant. If restaurants opened that made healthy food seem exciting and fun to kids, they would definitely be more likely to want to try it or even like it. The advertising of toys that are included in kids’ meals at fast food restaurants is a main reason that young kids want to go to these places. However, there are many other toys for children that are advertised on television everyday, which encourage unhealthy eating habits. Among these are: the Easy Bake Oven, Popcorn Basketball, Smores Stick, Marshmallow Gun, Girls Gourmet Candy Jewel Factory Oven, 1000 Piece Candy Jigsaw, Counting Cookies, Mix and Match Doughnuts, and McDonalds Drive Through Food Cart. (The Toy Zone) All of these toys cause children to associate unhealthy eating with fun, which is a main contributing factor to the issue of childhood obesity. The KidsHealth article makes a great point about how parents need to act as role models and demonstrate to their kids proper serving size, how to enjoy treats in moderation, and exercising regularly. This is so true; bad habits start when the child is very young, and over time they become more difficult to squash. The article mentions some habits that parents should get their kids used to such as: have regular family meals, serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks, be a role model by eating healthy yourself, avoid battles over food, and involve kids in the process. Regular family meals have a huge impact on preventing unhealthy eating habits. If the family makes it their goal to sit down for dinner together even 4 days a week, it would make all the difference. As the article titled Childhood Obesity states, â€Å"children are getting more of their food away from home.† Making family meals a regular part of the routine would prevent the family from turning to the easy option of fast food, or eating out at restaurants where they serve countless courses and portions that are much to big for one sitting. The KidsHealth website also suggests that parents stock up on healthy foods. Having fattening or sugary snacks available for kids to snack on when they’re hungry will only add to the issue. There are plenty of healthy and organic snacks that are really tasty also, and if kids get used to eating them while they’re young, they will never know the difference. Making sure your child has breakfast is also an important factor to a healthy diet, as stated in Childhood Obesity. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and necessary for a healthy metabolism. The article pretty much covers all the issues and solutions that I would like to obesity in children. If I were to add something to it I would say that it is so important that parents are involved in their child’s life. This gets even more important as they grow into teens, so it should start when they are children. Parents should know if the child is having problems in school, trouble making friends, being bullied, etc. All of these issues can contribute to the child turning to food for comfort. Another idea that the article didn’t mention is parents buying their children toys that encourage healthy activity rather than laziness or unhealthy eating. Instead of buying a videogame or and Easy Bake Oven for example, get them things to play their favorite sport with. If the child isn’t into sports, and would rather play video games, encourage active games like Wii Fit or Dance games. Getting involved in the activity is a great way to encourage it. I don’t think that the media has exaggerated the issue of childhood obesity in our society. It is a huge problem and we see it everyday, no matter where we are. The media needs to start promoting less of the unhealthy habits and show more advertisements for healthy eating and games and toys that involve activity. In order to prevent obesity and diseases that are linked to it, parents must encourage and demonstrate healthy eating habits as well as teaching their children to stay active. The prevention must start when the child is young, and remain steady and continuous as they grow. http://www.aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/ http://www.thetoyzone.com/2010/15-toys-that-will-make-your-children-fat/

The Ongoing Objectification of Woman

The Ongoing Objectification of Woman Men look, women are looked at, said John Berger in his seminal 1972 documentary series Ways of Seeing, and in this one sentence, Berger summarised the relationship between men and women, and the objectification of women by men. From Susannah being looked at by the Elders, to Manets Luncheon on the Grass, women in art have been continually portrayed as not only objects of desire, but objects to be owned. One might like to think that feminism, and women, have come a long way, not only from the bra-burning days of the 60s and 70s, and the power-suited days of the 80s, that saw women in positions of power in the city, and in politics; even from the days of early suffrage. Yet one has only to look at a daily newspaper, a womans magazine, a Hollywood movie, let alone a mans magazine, to realise that the objectification of women is as rampant (and I use that word deliberately) as it has ever been. Even in the world of High Art, paintings such as Lucien Freuds of a pregnant Kate Moss still portray woman as something that can be looked at, desired, owned. One would most definitely like to think that women have come a long way since Rousseau stated, in typically succinct fashion, that the doll is the peculiar amusement of the females; from whence we see their taste plainly adapted to their destination. One presumes Rousseau was talking about baby dolls, little girl dolls, to be played with and dressed up in pretty clothes, to sit quietly, prettily and well dressed in a corner, unobejcting and unobjectionable, good practise not only for motherhood but womanhood; but he could equally as well have been talking about that most contemporary of dolls, the Barbie curvaceous, well dressed and pretty, with a wardrobe of clothes that would enable her to follow any career, from astronaut to vet, sexy but sexless, epitomised by the most recent addition to the sisterhood, Burqa Barbie, so that all girls feel represented in a globalised 21st century. All girls that are curvaceous and well dressed, pretty and sexless and quiet, anyway. Mary Wollstonecraft, the mother of European feminism, believed that as long as men saw women as trophy wives, and took mistresses, that the oppression of women should continue, yet she did not solely blame men, believing also that women were complicit in their own objectification, and referring to them as clay figures to be moulded by men. Girls, Wollstonecraft believed, were enslaved to men through their social training. With the coming of post-feminism, one could hope that women had finally broken this male-oriented patriarchal perception of them, but it seems in fact to be the reverse. Young women expose more and more of themselves, stating that they are in control, and they may show as much flesh as they wish in this post-feminist world, but one cannot help but think that Wollstonecraft was right women still base their worth on how much a man values them, and on precious little else. Barbie may be a 21st century astronaut, but unless she is busty and beautiful, Ken will not be i nterested, and Barbie will be worthless, both in her own eyes and those of society. In this essay, I propose to explore how feminism and post feminism have influenced my development as an artist, and to question how the medias continued portrayal of women as a commodity has affected other contemporary artists, both positively and negatively. The goal of feminism, said an early spokeswoman, was to change the nature of art itself, to transform culture in sweeping and permanent ways by introducing into it the heretofore suppressed perspective of women. Barbie as a symbol of woman as object can be found not only in contemporary art, but also in contemporary literature; she has moved into everyday speech as a contemptuous comment on glamorous women (Shes nothing but a Barbie doll! is a derisive criticism aimed at a woman perceived to be beautiful but dumb, ironic when one considers how it is precisely this image that is being sold to us by the media!) Mattel may market Barbie as a modern career girl, far more independent than the original 1950s clothes horse, but is she as complicit in the objectification of modern women as Mary Wollstonecraft stated over 200 years ago? The London based photographer Alex Kliszynski would seem to agree with Wollstonecraft, and has directly questioned such attitudes in a body of work that combines the imagery of pornography with Barbie dolls. (http://areyoushaved.net/2009/10/art-culture-nude-human-barbie-dolls/) The instant reaction of the spectator is one of revulsion, a feeling that something is not right. Such a highly sexualised childs toy is obscene, but maybe that is the intended point of the artwork? Barbie is the ultimate commodified, sexist, male-fantasy view of what women should look like. She has a tiny waist, long legs, and enormous breasts. However, oddly, if you think about it, this highly sexualized body actually lacks sexual parts, or the parts of the body we would see if she were fully nude. She has no vagina. Her breasts have no nipples. In addition, Action Man, an idealized, sexualized male specimen, has no penis and no scrotum. By placing a sexless doll in a lascivious and crude position that should show all the sexual organs but doesnt, Kliszynski is making a comment on the dehumanising of women (and men) by media led objectification; it is his intention to call attention to that disconnection , to make the viewers aware of the sexualized images of women and men that Bar bie and Action Man dolls trade in. However, I think there is another, yet more sinister, way of reading Kliszynskis art work. The dolls are a monstrous combination of human and plastic; even the title of the work is Human Barbie Dolls, suggesting an abnormal mixture of the two. It is possible to understand Kliszynskis piece as a comment on the modern phenomena of body dysmorphia, a disorder that causes a person to believe there is something terribly wrong with an aspect of their face or body, and which often leads them into a series of cosmetic surgeries. Kliszynskis human Barbies symbolise this body dysmorphic tendency prevalent in so much of (western) society, this desire to turn the human body into a work of art, a perfection of flesh and plastic to match the abnormal perception of idealised beauty encouraged by the media. In her poem, Barbie Doll, Marge Piercy makes much the same point: This girlchild was born as usual and presented dolls that did pee-pee and miniature GE stoves and irons and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy. Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said: You have a great big nose and fat legs. She was healthy, tested intelligent, possessed strong arms and back, abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity. She went to and fro apologizing. Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs. She was advised to play coy, exhorted to come on hearty, exercise, diet, smile and wheedle. Her good nature wore out like a fan belt. So she cut off her nose and her legs and offered them up. In the casket displayed on satin she lay with the undertakers cosmetics painted on, a turned-up putty nose, dressed in a pink and white nightie. Doesnt she look pretty? everyone said. Consummation at last. To every woman a happy ending. Both Kliszynski and Piercy have recognised the detrimental effect on the mental and physical health of women (and men) of societys objectification of the human body. By constantly portraying an idealised myth of not just the body but the very role of women in society, the media (and sections of the art world) have created a culture which views the body in its natural human state as somehow wrong and abnormal. Equally, both Kliszynski and Piercy have recognised the complicity of women in this culture; the girl in the poem is healthy and intelligent, born as usual, presumably normal in all respects, and yet she accepts the truth of her low value in society because she is not perceived as physically perfect. Only in death, with her nose cut off and a cosmetically enhanced putty nose in place instead, can she be seen as pretty. Her value as a strong and useful member of society is non-existent in a world that refuses to see past her face. Kliszynski himself has said that the main body of my work is a number of human-dolls that aim to raise questions about the numerous images of the objectified and idealised body that we see in the mass mediaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I came to make this work as a reaction to the lowest-common-denominator approach to masculinity taken by the media which serves and perpetuates the lad or raunch elements of our culture. Curiously this lad/raunch culture seems also to be embraced by many young women; a phenomenon which seems contrary to a properly progressive understanding of gender and identity in a post-feminist era. (http://lostinasupermarket.com/2010/09/barbie-porn-seriously/) Lad magazines such as Maxim, Stuff and various other UK-based magazines intended for teenage boys and young men are notorious for endorsing a highly commodified view of the world men and boys are encouraged to buy lots of bling like cars, stereo components and expensive suits etc. By their very placement in such magazines, in glamorous soft-porn poses, female models become as much merchandise as the gadgets featured in the articles; and as the reader must own the right phone to attain status, so he must have the right woman. Yet this attitude of the body as commodity is ironically trapping men as much as women, and both sexes are in a crisis of identity. Men are met on a daily basis with conflicting images of themselves, from the traditional Action Man role of husband, father, provider, patriarch, to the more sensitive, metro sexual Ken, whose status, like that of Barbie, is defined by how he looks and what he owns. This crisis is as important for men as for women; statistics show that young male suicides are increasing, there is a high rise in cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in males, crime statistics are rising, divorce rates are going through the roof, and with mothers routinely given custody of the children even the role of fatherhood itself has come into question, exacerbated by the rising number of fertility clinics and the ability for women to so easily be single parents. Role models such as Ken and Action Man are without doubt as harmful to young men as a role model such as Barbie can be to young women. No longer seen as breadwinners, or the head of the family in a patriarchal society, men are frequently represented in the media by characters such as Homer Simpson, a chauvinistic, ignorant man who is depicted as very lazy and obsessed with food; his son Bart, often cruel to his sister, is discourteous and ill behaved. He alternative is often portrayed as Ken, an idealized, de-sexualized male with only the acquisition of material items his goal, fast cars and fashion his only interests. Even television shows like Sex and the City imply that men are just there for the sexual gratification of women. It portrays men as tactless, stupid beings that are only there for female entertainment and pleasure. These negative portrayals are as damaging to both genders as the comparative attitudes to women, rooted as they are in gender objectification and the denial of identity. Alternatively, could we welcome this shake-up of traditional gender images? Could it not be that multiplicities of roles are now establishing themselves in modern society? Toys such as Action Man often stereotype men in aggressive roles, and this convention has been questioned in the work of Susan Hiller, who explores social conditioning and attitudes to childhood in her work Punch and Judy. Punch and Judy looks closely at the brutality of slapstick comedy. First filming segments of live Punch and Judy shows the artist then transposed these images on the walls of a square room inviting the viewer to stand in the room with the puppets images looming over them, the puppets acting out violently as so often seen in their performances. Hiller examines how such stereotypical role-play in toys reinforces the assumptions placed on boys and men and how they should act in society. Where feminism fought against such patriarchal, capitalist belief systems, post-feminism seems to be buying right into the raunch culture that Kliszynski highlights. I would define Raunch culture as the whole juvenile, laddish culture that includes the lads magazines as well as strip clubs, prostitution and the celebration of prostitution, highly sexualized adverts and a general attitude that whats best about female empowerment is that more men get to see more women naked. Berger referred to it as the male gaze, Kliszynski as raunch culture, but I believe they are very similar, and it seems to be embraced by many young women, who accept whole-heartedly the entire condescending nonsense of girl power. According to Wollstonecraft, men have widened what should be merely a biological gap of physical differences into a sociological gap: But not content with this natural pre-eminence, men endeavour to sink us still lower, merely to render us alluring objects for the moment. Women, it follows, cannot help but be intoxicated by the adoration which men, under the influence of their senses, pay them. Has Barbie, in representing the most materialistic aspects of modern day culture, encouraging a stereotypical image of womanhood, become a remorseless goddess of modern society? A doll without any social conscience (or conscious), reliant solely on material belongings to bring her happiness, worshipped by millions, representative of a culture that objectifies and vilifies women, no aspect of her suggests any form of spirituality, or higher morality. When Mary Wollstonecraft accused women of their own complicity in this stereotypical view of their gender she caused ripples of anger and irritation down the centuries. How could a so-called feminist turn on her own sex with such accusations? And yet, when one takes the time to think about it, one can see how right she was. Girls play with Barbie dolls bought for them by mothers and aunts, and will, to echo Rousseau, grow up to give Barbie dolls to their daughters, thus fulfilling their destiny. They are complicit in the encouragement of stereotypical values. But what is the alternative? A girl may play with the stereotypical toys of girlhood such as dollies and prams, all pink and sparkly, mass marketed products imposed on them by a performative oriented society, or she may play with the male version of such consumer items, Action Man, cars, trains, guns . . . But what message is actually being sent? If a girl plays with Barbie dolls, she is viewed with contempt for being a typical girl; if she plays with stereotypical boys toys, she attains value in the eyes of society, for being more like a boy. No matter what she does, Barbie girl can never achieve social value by being a girl, and post-feminism has been complicit in such social values. Consuming Passions  was published in the 80s, author Judith Williamsons theory is hardly common knowledge, most likely because it is threatening. She deduces that, contrary to the ideal posed by Mattel and  Barbie, the desirable shape for a woman . . . is that of a  boy.   The highly idealised Barbie has not been without competitors, however. In 1998, Anita Roddick started an Anti-Barbie campaign, under the guise of self -esteem. Roddick started marketing posters of a doll called Ruby: The Real Deal, with posters in the UK shops she owned, all depicting images of the generously proportioned doll with the attached slogan: There are 3 billion women who dont look like supermodels and only 8 who do. With the intention of challenging stereotypes of beauty and countering the pervasive influence of the cosmetics industry, and with a tongue in cheek approach, the underlying message was far more serious and could easily be applied to the stereotypical image of woman and the way western culture objectifies women. Ruby started a worldwide debate about body image and self-esteem, but she was not universally loved. In the United States, the toy company Mattel sent a cease-and-desist order, demanding the images of Ruby were removed from American shop windows because she was making Barbie look bad, an admission surely, that Barbies impossible to achieve figure was detrimental to girls in comparison to the more realistic Ruby? In Hong Kong, posters of Ruby were banned on the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) because the authorities were concerned they would offend passengers. Like Barbie, Ruby was a de-sexualised toy, having no nipples, genitalia or pubic hair; other advertisements on the MTR whic h showed surgically enhanced, partially dressed female models, were allowed to stay. It is hard not to jump to the conclusion that it was the realistic portrayal of the female body that was offensive (and to whom? the male commuters?); in a world where the female body is perceived to be a purchasable status symbol, the male buyers were presumably offended by the depreciation in value of their idealised fantasy. Feminist artist Helen Chadwick (1954-1996) made many works that dealt directly with the role and image of women in society. In Ego Geometria Sum:The Laborers X created in 1984, she had large replicas of childrens wooden bricks transposed with images of her naked self. One may read many meanings into this artwork: is Chadwick struggling with the weight of her own image? By superimposing her naked image onto a childs brick, is she suggesting that she is nothing but a plaything, a toy? She appears to compare herself to a troll doll, held by the hair in a disembodied fist with an inane grin on its face. The troll doll is ugly and deformed looking, and Chadwick is implying that this is how society views her, and womanhood in general, from childhood onwards, if one does not conform to how society wishes one to be. All is not without hope though; Chadwick also portrays a door on one side of the brick, suggestive not only of closure, but also of the potential to open, to allow something in, or something out; a means of escape. As a Jungian archetype, the door also is representative of the feminine, with all the implications of a symbolic opening. In this artwork, is Chadwick exploring issues of entrapment and escape? Several of her works address the role and image of women in society using a wide range of materials, such as flowers, chocolate and meat. She questioned the role of the female body in art as a decorative object; just as decorative and aesthetic ideas about art themselves had been questioned in the 20th century. In 1990, she worked again on themes of sexual identity and gender with her Cibachrome transparencies entitled Eroticism which depict two brains side by side. On the surface, this is yet another apparently simple, if stunning, piece of work, but like the brain itself, this piece contains a multiplicity of layers, waiting to be explored and teased out. The work shows two brains, side by side, mirroring each other. On the sides adjoining, the brains are enlivened by what appears to be blue sparks, or flashes, suggesting brain activity. According to The Wordsworth Dictionary of Symbolism, blue is the colour of the intellect, and of spirituality; it is the medium of truth. In Eroticism, Chadwick is playing with the idea of a meeting of two minds, an attraction based on the intellect and the emotions. Yet we also associate the colour blue with something a little bit naughty, a bit risque, like a blue movie, and I would suggest that Chadwick was also bearing in mind the idea that the brain is often referred to as the largest sexual organ in the body. For Chadwick, in this piece at least, it is the attraction of two people based on a meeting of i ntellect and commonality that is important, not the outward appearance so vital to society. In the 1790s, when Mary Wollstonecraft was writing A Vindication of The Rights of Women , she argued for the need for more civil rights for women, a cause which she believed could only be achieved by permitting women a better education. She argued that a woman was capable of any intellectual feat that a man was provided with and that her early training should not brainwash her into deference to men. Wollstonecraft believed that men discourage women from achieving the same education that they receive routinely, and as long as women are denied this education, they can never hope to achieve equality with men. She builds on this lack of equal education for women in her argument adding that all men (contemporary to her) have a general lack of respect. Two hundred years later, in the 1970s, women were still fighting to achieve this basic level of respect and equality in the academic and artistic worlds, and it was the 1970s that saw the beginnings of a new art movement, the Contemporary Feminist Art Movement. The movement was inspired by demands for social, economic and political change and by the desire of female artists to try and force art galleries and museums to establish a fair representation of their work; there were very few female art teachers at that time, though the majority of students were female. It was common and widely accepted for art exhibitions to contain the works of men only, women being discriminated against openly, with some having to face the double discriminatory blow of also being black. Faith Ringgold (b.1930), an American artist, was told she could only exhibit in the museums devoted to African American art after all the black male artists had had their shows. By the 1970s, feminists and artists had started forming consciousness awareness groups that demonstrated at galleries and museums to expose some of these sexist practices, and opened galleries together for more exposure of their works. With feminist artists wanting to go further than equal representation, their works were often full of political and social content crying out for political change. The womens movement in America had one such artist by the name of Judy Chicago. Born in 1939, Chicago often reflected on issues relating to the lack of female representation in her work, saying Because we are denied knowledge of our history, we are deprived of standing upon each others shoulders and building upon each others hard earned accomplishments. Many female artists voiced these opinions at that time, wishing to transform traditional fine art and sculpture to include feminist awareness, with many exploring the female body with the intention of reclaiming the sexualised images that had been created by the male artist that preceded them. Chicagos piece Dinner Party called out for both art critics and establishments (and the Establishment?) To readdress the fact that so many female artists had been and were being excluded from art history texts used to educate the (largely female) art students currently attending the art education. This large work depicts a banquet, the settings embroidered representations of the vulva in a style appropriate to the women being represented, women Chicago wished to honour, with a further 999 women engraved in gold on the floor tiles. The geometric shape of this piece is fascinating, with the table laid out at a triangle, representing the tri-partite nature of women, the maiden, the mother and the crone. Indeed, an upside down triangle has long been used in paganism to represent the feminine. This work has gone a long way in encouraging women artists to reclaim their identity in representing the female form, and readdress the frequent degradation of female genitalia previously represented in male-created art. The Dutch artist Christina Camphausen (b. 1953) is another example of a female artist intent on reclaiming for women the representation of the female genitalia, publishing a book of her work with the vulva as sole subject. Entitled Yoni Portraits, it is filled with delicate drawings revealing the vulva in all its beauty and variety, images that are sometimes realistic and sometimes symbolic. Taken from ancient Sanskrit, the word Yoni refers to the vulva and womb and better describes femininity than its clinical counterpart (vagina) or its crude pornographic variants (cunt); in Indias sacred language it carries an inherent respect for this intimate part of a womans body which is lacking in English. In the books accompanying texts, the artist makes clear that there is nothing about the Yoni to be ashamed of. Rather, it is a body-part which in many cultures has had very different connotations of power, beauty, fertility and delight. Of her motivation, Christina says: With my work, I endeavour to assist in restoring the Yoni to her rightful and original place of honour, and to induce everyone to regard her with respect, to recognize her beauty and magical power. Though the last decades make it seem that our modern societies are sexually liberated, there still rests a taboo on this intimate part of our bodies. In general, women enjoy more freedom than they used to have, yet it surely is no advance in self-determination that many contemporary women have their intimate, lower lips corrected in order to conform to some artificial standard prescribed by cosmetic surgeons or professional nude models in glossy magazines. To make artwork with the vagina as your subject is still a very brave act, as it is a subject that is often considered inappropriate and generally thought of within the context of pornography, and, in almost all cases, for the exclusive pleasure of men. Many feminists have attempted to remove these prurient connotations by encouraging us to consider vaginas, something not to be ashamed of, but as powerful and expressive components to be proudly protected as an assertive and positive manifestation of our being. Exhibitions are now starting to show that this has changed dramatically in recent years, with many artists who have incorporated imagery of the Vagina in their works exhibiting together. One such exhibition, organized by Francis M. Naumann and David Nolan, and entitled The Visible Vagina took place on January 28, 2010 at the David Nolan Gallery in New York and included artworks by people ranging from Judy Chicago and Nancy Grossman to Robert Mapplethorpe and Pablo Picasso. The most interesting aspect for me is that there was such a strong male presence in the exhibition, and indeed it was arranged by men, a potent sign of how things have progressed. The most striking work in the exhibition for myself has to be the work of Sarah Davis and the piece Britney (Notorious), for amongst over one hundred artworks, very few of which objectify women or suggest a salacious use of imagery, this piece, a painting identical to a paparazzi-type photograph taken of the music star, hovers between art and porn; indeed, in its representation of both, it beggars the question of how art and porn can be addressed within feminist issues. If we accept that art is intended to stimulate the spectator on many levels, academically and emotionally, and that porn is needed to stimulate on a purely sexual level, I wonder how this transformation from paparazzi photograph and all the connotations of furtiveness, spying and secretiveness to painting can alter ones perception. I would like to believe that the artist who views Britney Spears as a strong, confident, self-made woman is a feminist who has staged the initial photograph to reclaim her identity by exposing her vagina just as in Yoni Portraits, believing there is nothing to be ashamed of by showing the power, beauty, fertility and delight this body part represents. Often in the media gaze, Spears is used as an example to criticise young women today, nothing but a Barbie doll. Her abilities as a mother, her career and social life are frequently held up to public scrutiny. Men that are in the public gaze however, may be criticised for their affairs, heir drug dependency, their fights etc., yet rarely for their dress code or indeed for their roles or abilities as fathers. This is a gender bias that has become commonplace and widely accepted. In addition, when Spears chose to wear a revealing dress and decorate her body with piercings and tattoos, the tabloids turned on her viciously, and accused her of mental illness when she publicly shaved her hair off. I feel though, that Spears was sending a message, via the media, about her sense of identity and her value as a woman. By shaving her hair off Spears was questioning the male perception of femaleness and femininity; she was a Rapunzel trapped by her beauty in a tower created by the male gaze. The only way to take control of the situation and to escape, was, like Rapunzel, to chop off all her hair and reassert her own identity away from social expectations and the medias critical portrayal of women. In Ways of Seeing, John Berger explores the difference between nudity and nakedness, suggesting that when one is nude, the spectator (and there must be one) merely sees the human body unclothed. When one is naked, the spectator (even if that is only oneself) sees the real ess ence of the person. Nakedness is far more intimate than nudity. When Spears cut off all her hair it was as if she had removed a disguise, and showed herself to the world fully naked, expressing her inner self. It is this aspect that Davis has picked up on in her piece of art: Britney Spears as a model of sex positive feminism, the un-Barbie goddess of post-feminism. Sex positive feminism, also known as sexually liberal feminism or sex-radical feminism began as a movement in the 1980s. Many women became involved in a direct response to the efforts of anti-porn feminists such as Andrea Dworkin, as they argued that pornography was the centre of feminist theory for womens oppression. This period is known as the feminist sex wars, a time of heated debate between anti-porn feminists and sex-positive feminists, between the notions of the sex industry as an abusive and violent environment for women and the beliefs in womens ability to choose to be highly sexual beings and raises the question of who is exploiting who? When Spears posed for a statue by American sculptor Daniel Edwards (b.1965) for the pro-life movement, she was once again steeped in the controversy of is it art or is it porn? Entitled Monument to Pro-Life this work is a full size sculpture of a naked Britney Spears in childbirth. The sculpture shows Spears on all fours on a bearskin rug, her mouth slightly open and her eyelids heavy, looking as if she is about to cry out. There is no indication of pain or pleasure; it is not at all indicative of sexual provocation or pornography. Her hands lie wrapped around either side of the head of the bear, as if she is using it to act as a medium to the spirit world communicating with the animalistic urges childbirth conjures up. Yet the media has criticised this piece, stating that: Britneys in a position that most would sooner associate with getting pregnant than with giving birth. I believe that in some ways things have deteriorated rather than progressed: the beauty industry and the porn industry, in their own sometimes-converging ways, have caused a lot of that. Going back to the early 70s, as women began to enter the workforce in larger numbers, some of that earning power was used against them by aggressive beauty product marketing. The result has been an increasing focus in the last three decades on dieting, an explosion in both sexes

The Popularity Of Hollywood Movies Media Essay

The Popularity Of Hollywood Movies Media Essay It is believed that Hollywood is the greatest national source of entertainment for many people of all ages, races, sexes, and ethnicities. Hollywood movie industry depicts numerous images of a variety of races throughout its films for more than nine and a half billion dollars in 2002 (U.S. Census Abstracts, 2002). Despite the wide variety of shows, movies and images produced by Hollywood, audience of various backgrounds are allowed to generate thoughts, views, and opinions that go a long with their own perceptions. Therefore, many films appear to be non-redundant and convenient though they implicitly include wide variety of repeated plots, characters, and specific characteristics. Regardless of the quality level of movies, they last for long times as they are hard to be imitated or changed. Plato states, in the Republic, those who tell the stories also rule society (Shaheen, 2001, p. 5). The most effective images are those left behind contributing in shaping audiences beliefs, opinions and attitudes toward certain events and nations. Arab and Muslim culture was a main target and content for Hollywood movie industry. Savage (2002) believes that Hollywood films have a major influence on the American public, and millions of people have grown up believing that they know Arab and Muslim culture through what they view on the big screen (Savage, 2002, p. 8). Hollywood movie industry has strongly established its popularity in the United States and worldwide. According to Shaheen (2001), Hollywoods motion pictures reach nearly everyone. Cinematic illusions are created, nurtured, and distributed world-wide, reaching more than 100 countriesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦No sooner do contemporary features leave the movie theaters than they are available in video storesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Shaheen, 2001, p. 5). Teenagers and children were one of the most affected audiences by the sustained popularity of Hollywood movies. Shaheen (2001) remarks that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦teenagers are avid moviegoers and nowadays purchase four out of ten movie tickets (Shaheen, 2001, p. 5). It is also noted that Hollywood movies and American media are consumed by 150 nations worldwide (Shaheen, 2002). However, the meanings of images conveyed by Hollywood movies to audiences play a crucial role in shaping various stereotypes of peoples. Paul (1998) comments on research findings saying lat erally, Studies indicate that stereotypes are automatically or unconsciously generated in the mind, and that categorizing is an important part of the mental process of evaluating the world (Paul, 1998, p. 52). Hollywood filmmakers employ various stereotypes as an effective tool that establishes protagonists and antagonists; however, frequent appearance of Arabs in antagonistic roles affects audience to believe that such shows are real and true. The stereotypical myths about Arabs reach beyond ordinary audience to become self-perpetuating when more films adopt the same premises. El-Farra (1996) states, it is the myths about Arabs which often inspire directors, producers and screenwriters to develop a product which is then based on stereotypes (El-Farra, 1996, pp. 4-5). Stereotypes Existence and Harm According to Paul (1998), the stereotypes explain why things are the way they are. Other scholars believe that A person develops stereotypes about a groupà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦from information and disinformation, distortions, and/or opinions made available through family, friends, and the media (Abreu, Ramirez, Kim, Haddy, 2003, p. 693). Generally speaking, stereotypes can negatively affect any race, ethnicity, or a group of people if the negative implications about such groups are synonymous with their members. Abreu et al ( 2003) say that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦when one perceives an individual as a member of a particular stereotyped group, the perceivers mind activates the group-relevant cognitive structure and processesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦judgments and attitudes within the framework of that particular stereotype (Abreu et al., p. 693). Crocker and Major (cited in Pitner, Astor, Benbenishty, Haj-Yahia, Zeira, 2003) report, holding negative beliefs about other groups is functional in that it could bo lster the image and esteem of ones own group. Therefore, Hollywood movie makers can portray some races as favorable for audience whereas others cultures are placed in the negative side of audiences awareness. Several of Hollywoods most blatant patterns of bias fall within the categories of race, ethnicity and/or national origin included in this group are negative and/or stereotypical portrayals of Arabs and Arab-Americansà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Cones, 1998). All races may be shown as negative groups at certain times; however, some races such as Arabs and Arab-Americans are featured negatively all the time. Seen through Hollywoods distorted lenses, Arabs look different and threatening. Projected along racial and religious lines, the stereotypes are deeply ingrained in American cinema. From 1896 until today, filmmakers have collectively indicted all Arabs as Public Enemy #1- brutal, heartless, uncivilized religious fanatics and money-mad cultural others bent on terrorizing civilized Westerners, especially Christians and Jews. (Shaheen, 2001, p. 2) Several terroristic events which took place before September 11 had been exploited by media and Hollywood movie makers to show Arabs as terrorists in spite that Arabs were not involved in those events. For example, Arabs were blame for the bombings of Oklahoma City and World Trade Center even before investigations launched, and all Arabs were blamed for the invasion of Kuwait by only one Arab country (Iraq). These events were used to convey a message to public saying that Arabs cannot be trusted since they support crimes and mass destruction against humanity as a whole. Popular culture of any people is formed in part through their knowledge and experiences which are mostly acquired by mass media. Shaheen (2001) believes that individuals are influenced by a continuous flow of seen one, seen em all headlines (Shaheen, 2001, p. 28). Therefore, Hollywood movie industry depends upon current evets and headlines to influence their desired perception for purposeful goals when producing new movies. According to Goodstein (1998), Each set of villains reflected headlines and anxieties of its eraà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦with Soviet pretensions shattered and aliens from outer space passà ©, the new cinematic enemy is the Muslim extremist. Stereotypes and Myths About Muslims, Arabs and Arab-Americans El-Farra (1996) defines a stereotype as the creation of a biased opinion or view- an individual will take the behavior of one person and state that all people belonging to that particular group, be it an ethnic, religious or social group, behave in the same manner (El-Farra, 1996, p.1). In this sense, Hollywood portrays target groups stereotypes as absolute truths ignoring the fact that there is only some truth born by these stereotypes. However, focusing on and encouraging positive portrays of certain stereotypes make audience view all related members positively. It is believed that in spite of many procedures have been taken to improve stereotypes of certain racial and ethnic stereotypes, Shaheen (2001) thinks that Hollywoods stereotype of Arabs remained the same. Over the last three decades stereotypical portraits have actually increased in number and virulence (Shaheen,2001, p. 28). Portraying Arabs in negative roles all the time even through fictitious stories rather than factual ones whether in movies or TV shows leaves audience more likely to view Arabs as if they really act the roles portrayed in movies and shows and thus public think that all Arabs can only behave accordingly. Therefore, such negative portrayals of Arabs enhance the publics biased judgments, views or attitudes toward Arabs nation and culture. After years of virtual invisibility, Arab-Americans are finally finding prominence in Hollywood movies- as terrorists and villains. They are only the latest in a long line of ethnic groups and nationalities cast in stereotypical bad-guy rolesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Goodstein, 1998). According to Shaheen ( 2001 ), there are four types of myths that pertain to the Arabs and Arab-Americans stereotypes: They are all fabulously wealthy, they are barbarians and uncultured, they are sex maniacs with a penchant for white slavery, and they revel in acts of terrorism (El-Farra,1996, p. 2). Such myths about intentionally imagined Arabs stereotype encourage all participants of Hollywood movie industry including directors, producers, and screenwriters to make their films and TV shows accordingly. In fact, scholars find it hard to explain these representations of Arabs. For example, Shaheen admits such dilemma stating, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I cant say the celluloid Arab has changed. That is the problem. He is what he has always been-the cultural other. In fact Arabs are not the only group that is exposed to negative portrayals of Hollywood. Some critics remark that other minorities stereotypes such as African-Americans and Latinos have been characterized as offensive. Shaheen (2001) stated that History reminds us that the cinemas hateful Arab stereotypes are reminiscent of abuses in earlier times. Not so long ago-and sometimes still-Asians, American Indians, blacks, and Jews were vilified (Shaheen, 2001, p. 4). On the other hand, Cones (1998) believes that there is no such constraint on depicting Arabs as oily and oversexed or shifty-eyed and violent (Cones, 1998). Therefore, it is noted that in spite of the sufferings Arabs and Arab-Americans face as a result of untrue images in the public eyes, Hollywood does nothing to improve or change the current situation of Arabs image in public eyes. This view can be understood and interpreted appropriately if one considers how Hollywood plays a crucial role in directing hatred against Arabs and Arab-Americans. To achieve success in this regard, Hollywood has employed its pre-identified image of Arabs as evils and enemies of humanity in many related media productions (Savage, 2002, p. 7). However, the frequent work of portraying certain stereotypes negatively may not achieve the expected profits for Hollywood movie industry since they would exclude those races and ethnicities members from lists of consumers. Those ethnicities would view such negative images of their cultures as offensive which may reduce their interests in Hollywood productions. Therefore, Hollywood movie makers may think that audience of various backgrounds particularly Arabs would be open-minded enough to view such media campaigns against them as entertainment rather than vicious anti-Arab propaganda. In case that such audiences were not up to Hollywood expectations, Hollywood may have done serious and critical risks in that it would not only threaten its industry but would also contribute to the creation of national and international political struggles that are based on racism and religious discrimination. (Cones, 1998). A group of factors underlie the exposure of Arab stereotype to negative images in Hollywood. These factors include political reasons, profitable box offices, apathy, and the absence of Arab-Americans in the industry. However, Shaheen (2001) ironically says: the fact remains: You can hit an Arab free; theyre free enemies, free villains, where you couldnt do it to a Jew or you cant do it to a black anymore, affirms Sam Keen(Shaheen, 2001, p. 6). The negative image of Arabs in Hollywood productions could also be attributed to what other minorities experienced along the course of forming their cultural awareness and experiences in that Hollywood aims at founding a bad-guy whom exists as battle fuel in movie industry. This is certainly easier for movie makers than attempting to establish other stereotypes in the mentality of the mainstream society. Hollywood audience especially American people have little knowledge about Arabs and Arab-Americans. The main sources of knowledge about Arabs multi-culture are represented for Americans through depictions provided by Hollywood movies and mass media. Convenience of audiences in what is portrayed for them regarding Arabs images may be the most important factor that support the frequent negative productions of Arabs and Arab-Americans. Shaheen believes that convenient stereotypes make it easier for movie producers to create and recreate negative images of Arabs including making good joke of Arabs and inserting a stumbling and bumbling sheikh or an Arab terrorist. Levesque (2002) states, We all know what they look like from watching movies and TV without any thought required. (Levesque, 2002). Reviewing the state of art may reveal that there is a need to create a balance of stereotypes depicted by Hollywood; however, it is believed that such notion is not insistent or pressing since there is no real action to support or at least to reduce the impacts of what is going on in Hollywood movie industry. According to Cones (1998), Hollywood movies involving Arab characters demonstrate that the U.S. film community portrays Arabs in a stereotypical manner and that little or no effort has been made by Hollywood filmmakers to balance portrayals of Arabs with positive portrayalsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Cones, 1998). Historical, Cultural, and Religious background of Muslims, Arabs and Arab-Americans Hollywood industry may have misrepresented most information about Arabs background. It is believed that this industry associate Arabs history with negative attributes such as terrorism and violence which contributes to the process of demonization and dehumanization (Savage, 2002, p. 4). In Fact Hollywood defines the term Arab differently. For example, the word Arab is used to describe any person who is originally from the Middle East countries regardless of their diverse cultures, beliefs and religions El-Farra (1996, p.1). The term limits individuals and countries within a distinct target that is open to stereotypes and bias. However, Shaheen thinks that the term refers to the 265 million people who reside in, and the many more millions around the world who are from the 22 Arab states (Shaheen, 2001, p. 2). Historically speaking, a mixed ethnicity have existed in the Arab world which from 5000 BC to the present. According to Shaheen (2001), The Scots, Greeks, British, French, Romans, English, and others have occupied the area (p. 3). In fact, Arabs have crucially contributed to the development of human civilizations. For example, Shaheen (2001) says that Arabs have developed essential sciences that are considered bases of modern technologies including algebra and the concept of zero, for instance. He adds that many English such as algebra, chemistry and coffee are of Arab roots. Arabs proved to be pioneers in several sciences in the middle age. For example, they created and used astrolabes for navigation, star maps and celestial globes in astronomy. In addition they are the first who used the concept of the center of gravity. Moreover, the water clock is one of their conventions; besides inspired the European Gothic style in architecture. In Agriculture, the Arabs were the first nation to introduced oranges, dates, sugar and cotton and to use water irrigation nets. According to Shaheen (2001), 70 percent of the population is under the age of 30 (p. 3) who are mostly share common language, cultural heritage, and religion (Islam). That does not mean that there is non-Muslims in the Arab world as it has been thought by some. Shaheen states that Though the vast majority of them are Muslims, about 15 million Arab Christians reside there as well (Shaheen, 2001, p. 3). The same can be claimed regarding the Arab-Americans who reside in the United States. Shaheen claims that the majority of the United States Arab-American population is also Christians; about 40 percent are Muslim (Shaheen, 2001, p.3). In spite that mass media keeps attempting to show Islam as a religion of terrorism, Muslims are Americas fastest growing religious group, and they include immigrants from more than 60 nations, as well as African-Americans(Shaheen, 2001, p. 4). Hollywood movie industry and other American media prefer to show all Arabs as Muslims. Shaheen thinks that A majority of the worlds 1.1 billion Muslims are Indonesian, Indian, and Malaysian, but only 12 percent of the worlds Muslims are Arabs. Shaheen indicates that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Moviemakers ignore this realityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Repeatedly, they falsely project all Arabs as Muslims and all Muslims as Arabs. As a result viewers tend to link the same attributes to both peoples (Shaheen, 2001, p. 4). On the other hand, the religion of Islam does not go untarnished. As a result of the representations of stereotypically fanatic Arabs that are bent on destruction, Islam is assumed to be linked with acts of mass destruction and violence. Todays image makers regularly link the Islamic faith with male supremacy, holy war, and acts of terror, depicting Arab Muslims as hostile alien intruders, and as lecherous, oily sheikhs intent on using nuclear weapons (Shaheen, 2001, p. 9). It is noted that portraying Arabs and Arab-Americans by using such negative characteristics has, similarly, led to presenting Islam to most movie viewers. Shaheen (cited in El-Farra, 1996) says, In an attempt to place Islam in a category that Americans can understand, the media portrays images of Muslims as belonging to a faith of 800 million people, consisting of strange, bearded men,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in robes and turbansà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. According to El-Farra, the distortion of Islam leads audience to think that it is a mysterious religion prone that encourages acts of terrorism, violence, and fanaticism. These themes are maintained by movies industry (El-Farra, ). On the other hand, the majority of Hollywood movie makers and other mass media ignore basic facts about Islam including its message that calls for equality and peace. In order to show respect and appreciation for Muslim religious leaders, arabs call them as. Shaheen defines the word sheikh literally as a wise elderly person, the head of the familyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Shaheen, 2001, p.19). However, it has completely misuded by Hollywood and moviemakers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in the 1920s he was a swarthy sheikh, wiggling his eyebrows and chasing the Western heroine around a tiled courtyard. After the 1973 oil crisis producers revitalized the image of the fabulously wealthy and slothful sheikhà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Shaheen,2001, p.19). instead of showing sheikhs as wise men or leaders of society, screenwriters often present them as stooges-in-sheets, slovenly, hook-nosed potentates intent on capturing pale-faced blondes for their harems (Shaheen, 2001, p.19). The negative image of the sheikh appeared to shift, by time, to one of excessive violence. Shaheen (2001) says that earlier movies would depict indolent sheikhs lounging on thrones. But, contemporary films pres ent oily, militant, ostentatious sheikhs reclining in Rolls Royces, aspiring to buy up chunks of America ( p. 21). Further, recent images have completely changed portrays of sheikh even from the Arab definition of the term. According to (Shaheen, 2001, p. 21), current movies introduce anti-Christian and anti-Jewish Arabs armed with nuclear weapons, and plenty of oil and cash. In fact these views are always produced in the context of Islam which is showed to justify violence against the West, Israel, and fellow Arabs. Movie makers have not drop arab women from their similar negative considerations. For example, shaheen (2002) notes that Arab women in the Middle East are portrayed mainly as bundles of black cloth, submissive harem maidens or carrying jugs on their heads. He adds that They have no identities whatsoever, and theyre always mute (Shaheen, 2002). Shaheen(2001) believes that image makers can make personal and political statements depending on the customes and steryptypes women are presented in. he adds that By covering the reel Arab woman in black and relegating her to silence, the costumer links her to oppression. But throughout the Arab world, women wear a variety of apparel. (Shaheen, 2001, p. 23). Shaheen (2001) states that Arab woman are usually portrayed with negative roles in Hollywoods movies. For instance, they usually appear with no effective acts wearing black dresses all time. Shaheen (2001) also emphasizes that even they do not have speaking or working roles. Such extreme negative portrays of Arab women in Hollywood images may lead audience to link Islam with negative message of oppression against women rights. The constant negative portrays of women and their ideology of Islam leave strong effect against the social and cultural life of Arabs and Muslims as a whole among audience. Therefore, Hollywood ignores the fact that Arab and Arab-American women can effectively be positive contributors to their society or humanity in general. Economically, Hollywood images keep drawing Arabs as the only owners and suppliers of oil around the world. Thisw results in making audience believe that arabs life is based on only oil fortune without having other economic resource to live on. On the other hand, Hollywood and in large world audience think that OPEC is an Arab organization despite the fact that only seven of the thirteen OPEC members are Arab nations. Moreover, According to El-Farra, 1996), of the five largest oil-producing countries, only one is an Arab nation, Saudi Arabia (p. 2). However, one may not be sure whether people around the world really believe that. For example, an economic editor states that the worlds supplies of oil and price levels are manipulated and controlled by greedy Arabs (El-Farra, p. 2). Such pre-identified ideas may only contribute to continuing negative attitudes toward Arabs and Arab-Americans. Current Events Involving Muslims, Arabs/Arab-Americans Large amounts of present worldwide events may also have contributed to drawing peoples attitudes, perceptions and feelings toward Arabs and Arab-Americans. Such events may have also affected Arabs image in Hollywoods eyes. For example, the Arab-Israeli conflict is considered one of the most important factors that is used to feed audiences attitudes toward Arabs. This conflict which extended along more than half a century period and still going on may have provided the American media with a rich source to portray Arabs as extremely aggressive while Israelis who are generally supported by west are innocent victims. Kressel (cited in El-Farra, 1996) believes that the American media which be considered the strongest around the world practiced unequal roles in covering the Arab Israeli conflict attempting to put Arab states as powerful ones depending on violence and aggressions in their conflict with Israel who, in turn, is portrayed as a small country found in the midst of aggressive large states. Arabs in this image are shown as those who attack Israel which tries its best to preserve democracy, freedom and its people lives. In this sense, Mark Twain (cited in Shaheen, 2001) says, We are all ignorant, just about different things. However, when it comes to the Middle East, many Americans are ignorant about the history and plight of the Palestinian people (Shaheen, 2001, p. 26). Shaheen thinks the repeated negative images about Palestinians which portrayed by Hollywood movie makers and mass media left a myth among audience that all Palestinians are the enemy of humanity, violent and extremely terrorists. Apart from Israeli-Palestinian movies supported by Hollywood, one notes that human dramas show Palestinians as a normal people who is characterized with universal humanistic attributes like all peoples. These incomparable art works with Hollywoods portray Palestinians as innocent victims whereas Israelis as non-merciful occupiers. One cannot find a Hollywood movie that present reality about Israeli soldiers and settlers who frequently attack Palestinians farms to uproot their olive orchards or threaten Palestinians lives as it appears in some media news. Shaheen (2001) states that there American movies does not show the everyday actual struggle of Palestinian families under the highly pressing occupation, Palestinian refugee camps which are considered the largest in the world, or how Palestinians are exposed to most difficult circumstances in their pursuant to get back to their own home land (Shaheen, 2001, p. 26). Research has indicated that showing Arabs as terrorists repeatedly directs American audiences attitudes to take them as enemies. According to Martin (cited in El-Farra, 1996), the word terrorism was used by the press in describing events and individuals they disapproved of. Yet, when describing these same acts by individuals who are not Arabs, the media was careful to appear neutral and unbiased. On the other hand, Shaheen states that news reports selectively and relentlessly focus on a minority of Arabs, the radical fringe. The seemingly indelible Arab-as-villain image wrongly conveys the message that the vast majority of the 265 million peace-loving Arabs are bad guys (Shaheen, 2001, p. 28). In the 1990s Arabs and Arab-Americans images got worse in American audiences eyes. For example, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, which led to the second Gulf War, and the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center lead some Americans to believe that all Arabs are terrorists and that Arabs do not value human life (Shaheen, 2001, p. 29). This, in turn, strengthens the ideology that Arabs are aggressive and real enemies of America. Moreover, public opinion seems to be influenced directly by the way these events were covered in mass media. Therefore, both the intentional negative use of media against Arabs and the dominant prior stereotypical judgments were the main reasons of the continual Arab-bashing according to Shaheen (2001). Further, some movie makers found that such portrays of arabs provide them with rich opportunities to justify their productions. Shaheen remarks that the news programs which are used by some producers and directors deny that they are actually engaged in stereotyping. Shaheen reports their objection literally when they say, Were not stereotyping, just look at your television set, those are real Arabs (Shaheen, 2002, p. 29). It is noted that the disappointing use of media has been occurred through a prejudicial way presented during the issue of Okalahoma City Bombing. According to El-Farra (1996), In 1995, within minutes of the event, news reporters were insinuating that the bombing was an act of terrorists. Raised with unpopular stereotypes of Arabs, the American public was quick to develop images of Arab terrorists destroying American property (El-Farra, 1996, p.1).Government officials were also quick to point an accusatory finger at Middle Eastern terrorists. An Arab-American spokesman believes that the American people were so quick to blame Arabs for Oklahomas events as a result of Hollywood movies negative influence upon them. Cones (1998) states that most Americans, including politicians and media leaders, have been affected by Hollywood propaganda. According to El-Farra (1996), even experts of terrorism (e.g. Steven Emerson) do not believe Islamic groups when they denied involvement ( p. 1). Consequently, it was hard for the American public to attribute terrorism to Americans themselves that is why El-Farra (1996) states that terrorism appear in movies mostly points out unconsciously to Arab culture and people. El-Farra (cited in Bazzi, 1995) points to the 1995 report of American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee which indicates that 250% increase in hate crimes against Arabs were from the previous year (pp. 1-2). According to (Cajee, 1995), The Oklahoma Hate and Harassment Report states that along the period taken to arrest the suspect Timothy McVeigh all people of middle eastern appearance have become suspects in bombing Alfred Murrah Federal Building. Therefore, Muslims and Arabs, in particular, were the most to suffer from the bombings effects. it was also found that manifistations of arabs and American arabs of suffers i ncluded widespread fear and intimidation, commonplace verbal harassment at school, in public and in the workplace, and a significant number of physical assaults and hate crimes (Cajee, 1995). Cajee (1995) found out that reports of most serious events of hate crimes include: Reports that associated Muslims to terror bombings of Oklahoma led some angry Americans to attack an Iraqi young refugees home in Oklahoma City on April 20th and cause loss of her baby. The windows of a mosque and community center in Stillwater, Oklahoma were caused by drive-by shootings on April 19th and 20th. Using knives to attack Arabs in an apartment parking lot or beating a student in a supermarket parking lot were only some examples of physical assaults reported by students. It was reported by Local Islamic centers and some Arab or Arab-Americans that they were frequently exposed to an onslaught of hate calls. Therefore, Arabs, Arab-Americans, and similar ethnicities were the core subject of unjust and violence in a very short period of time as a result of medias aggressive influence against them. Shaheen (2001) states that Though no American of Arab descent was involved, they were instantly targeted as suspects. He adds that Speculative reporting, combined with decades of harmful stereotyping, resulted in more than 300 hate crimes against them (Shaheen, 2001, p.7). Negative stereotypes may impact the perceptions of the public particularly when they are related to their attitudes toward certain races. Moreover, such stereotypes may also affect the way some races feel about their heritage, culture, religion, and self-esteem. Repeatedly over time, movie makers in Hollywood use some images of stock caricatures to focus on. For instance, American Arabs or Muslims are frequently shown as members of isolated communities until audience believe that Muslims are entirely different from other Americans (Shaheen, 2002). Therefore, movies which include true depiction of Arabs and Islamic culture seems to be nonsexist in Hollywood most of the time. In fact, there is a big need for founding new positive images of Arabs and Muslims in American movies and mass media. However, most Arabs and American Arabs believe that they are a subject of embarrassment whenever they have to replace audiences negative attitudes towards them by more objective ones. This sociological and psychological dilemma is strongly exist among Arabs and Muslims themselves who live in America. The most affected category in this regard in the children. In order to avoid embarrassments resulted from the wide influence of media and Hollywood movies upon Arabs, one can easily note how Arabs avoid introducing themselves as Arabs or Muslims. For example, it is noted that they deny their original identities saying literally, Im not Arab, Im Spanish, or Im Italian. Therefore, the widespread of negative attitudes toward Arabs results in killing Arabic heritage and leaving feelings of shame among Arabs (Shaheen, 2002). According to Monteith (cited in Paul, 1998), by five years of age, many children have definite stereotypes about blacks, women, and other social groups. He adds, Children do not have a choice about accepting or rejecting these conceptions, since theyre acquired well before they have their own cognitive abilities or experiences to form their own beliefsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ they must compete with all the forces that would promote and perpetuate these stereotypes: peer pressure, mass media (p. 58). In the same sense, at a time Arab youth learn negative stereotypes of Hollywood movies, arab children would find it hard to go long with this image as long as they have their own Arabic heritage. According to Shaheen (2001), the persistent images of Arabs in media and movies contributes, to great degree, in shaping their perceptions towards themselves and

Free Glass Menagerie Essays: The Temporary Metamorphosis of Laura :: Glass Menagerie essays

The Temporary Metamorphosis of Laura in The Glass Menagerie Laura Winfield in The Glass Menagerie goes through a temporary metamorphosis during the course of the play. She is a slightly crippled and very shy young girl who is having a hard time finding her way in the world. She is hopeless and beautiful all at the same time. She is trapped in a world that is spiraling quickly into doom. Laura lives in the St. Louis of the Depression with her restless brother Tom and her half-mad, overbearing mother Amanda. Her father left the family for a life on the road. "He worked for the telephone-company and fell in love with long distances." This left Tom as the only breadwinner in the family and her mother in a desperate and touched condition. Tom got a job in a warehouse. He deeply resented this and craved freedom and adventure. He would disappear every night to go to the movies to find his release. This would soon be not enough, though, and both Laura and her mother sensed this. The mother constantly hounded Tom. She would continually point out every flaw he had. They would erupt into fierce arguments that made it difficult to tell if she was deliberating with Tom or his absent father. Her mother was from the south; a place called Blue Mountain. She was a beautiful girl there and had a lot of gentleman callers. She pined bitterly over the loss of this place and time and the poor choice she made in husbands. Even if Laura had no physical defects it would have been hard for her to succeed given these circumstances. At the beginning of the play Laura is wrapped up in her own little world of glass creatures and phonograph records. She is afraid of people and afraid of the world. She is like one of the inceptions in her glass menagerie. She is a thing of fragile beauty in a hard world. She doubts herself and her abilities. Her mother, though, is determined to see that her daughter does not become a victim of her situation. Her mother tries, almost too hard, to see her daughter through. It is, however, through her mother's attempts that we see the temporary metamorphosis of Laura. In scene two we find out that Laura's mother has discovered that she has dropped out of business school.