Shakespeares Sonnet 3 Analysis

Shakespeares Sonnet 3 Analysis Shakespeare’s Sonnet 3: Look In Thy Glass, And Tell The Face Thou Viewest is elegantly written and noted for its simplicity and efficacy. The poet reminds us of the fair youth’s self-preoccupation; in the first line, Shakespeare mentions the fair youth looking into a mirror to remind us of his vanity: Look in thy glass, and tell the face thou viewest /  Now is the time that face should form another. The poet informs us that the fair youth is very much like his mother, suggesting that he is quite feminine. This comparison between the fair youth and a woman frequently features in Shakespeare’s sonnets. Shakespeare suggests that his beauty reminds the world and his mother of how pretty she once was. He is in his prime and should act now – if the fair youth continues to be single, his beauty will die with him. This analysis should be read in conjunction with the original text to Sonnet 3  from our collection of Shakespeare’s sonnets. The Facts ofSonnet 3 Sequence: Fair Youth SonnetsKey Themes: Procreation, a child providing evidence of one’s worth and former beauty, to abstain is to deny the world, preoccupation with the fair youth’s feminine features, death prohibiting the continuation of beauty, and obsession with the fair youth’s beautyStyle:  Traditional  sonnet form  in  iambic pentameter  Ã‚   Sonnet 3 Translation Look in the mirror and tell your face that now is the time your face should create another (to have a child). These youthful looks, if you do not procreate, will be lost and the world will be denied, as would the potential mother of your child. The woman who has not been fertilized would not frown upon the way you do the fertilizing. Are you so in love with yourself that you would let yourself perish rather than procreate? You look just like your mother and in you, she is able to see how beautiful she once was in her prime. When you are old you will see that despite your wrinkles, you will be so proud of what you did in your prime. But if you live and you do not breed you will die single and your beauty will die with you. Analysis The poet is frustrated at the Fair Youths refusal to procreate so that his beauty can live on through a child, rather than be lost to aging and death. Furthermore, by refusing to breed, the poet goes as far to suggest that the Fair Youth is denying a woman (or women in general) the pleasure of his beauty. In a later sonnet, it is referred to as a kind of crime to nature! All of this argument is built up to highlight the Fair Youths vanity once again - he was accused once again of self-love.   The poet implores the fair youth to procreate now. This urgency is apparent and the speaker clearly believes there is no time to spare, perhaps because his own feelings for the fair youths beauty are growing and he wants to deny these feelings by urging him into a heterosexual union as soon as possible before his feelings get out of control? The tone of this sonnet is also interesting. It marks the poets growing obsession over the Fair Youth and the intensity of the poet’s feelings towards the Fair Youth floods through. This continues to grow throughout the sonnets.

Oversimplification and Exaggeration Fallacies

Oversimplification and Exaggeration Fallacies Fallacy Name:Oversimplification and Exaggeration Alternative Names:Fallacy of Reduction Fallacy of Multiplication Category:Faulty Causation Explanation The causation fallacies known as oversimplification and exaggeration occur whenever the series of actual causes for an event is either reduced or multiplied to the point where there is no longer a genuine, causal connection between the alleged causes and the actual effect. In other words, multiple causes are reduced to just one or a few (oversimplification) or a couple of causes are multiplied into many (exaggeration). Also known as the reductive fallacy because it involves reducing the number of causes, oversimplification seems to occur more often, perhaps because there are so many ostensibly good reasons for simplifying things. Well-intentioned writers and speakers can readily fall into the trap of oversimplification if they are not careful. One impetus for simplification is the basic advice given to all who want to improve their writing style: dont get bogged down in details. Good writing needs to be clear and precise, thus helping people to understand an issue rather than confusing them even more. In the process, however, a writer can easily leave out too many details, omitting critical information which needs to be included. Another important impetus which can lead to oversimplification is the overuse of an important tool in critical thinking: Occams Razor. This is the principle of not assuming too many factors or causes for an event than are necessary and is often expressed by saying the simpler explanation is preferable. Although it is true that an explanation should be no more complicated than necessary, one must be very careful not to construct an explanation which is less complicated than necessary. A famous quote attributed to Albert Einstein states, Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler. Examples and Discussion of Oversimplification Here is an example of oversimplification which atheists often hear: 1. School violence has gone up and academic performance has gone down ever since organized prayer was banned at public schools. Therefore, prayer should be reintroduced, resulting in school improvement. This argument obviously suffers from oversimplification because it assumes that problems in schools (increasing violence, decreasing academic performance) can be attributed to a single cause: the loss of organized, state-mandated prayers. A myriad of other factors in society are completely ignored as if the social and economic conditions havent changed in any relevant way. One way to reveal the problem in the above example is to reword it slightly: 2. School violence has gone up and academic performance has gone down ever since racial segregation was banned. Therefore, segregation should be reintroduced, resulting in school improvement. Presumably, there are racists around who would agree with the above, but very few of those who make the argument in #1 will also make the argument in #2 - yet, they are structurally the same. The reasons for both examples of oversimplification is actually another Causation Fallacy, known as Post Hoc Fallacy. In the real world, events typically have multiple, intersecting causes which together produce the events we see. Often, however, such complexities are difficult to understand and even more difficult to change; the unfortunate result is that we simplify things. Sometimes that isnt so bad, but sometimes it can be disastrous. Sadly, politics is one field where oversimplification occurs more often than not. 3. The nations current lack of moral standards was caused by the poor example set by Bill Clinton when he was president. Granted, Clinton may not have set the best example imaginable, but it isnt reasonable to argue that his example is responsible for the morality of the entire nation. Once again, there is a wide variety of different factors which can influence the morality of individuals and groups. Of course, not all examples of oversimplification identify as the cause something which is completely irrelevant: 4. Education today isnt as good as it used to be - obviously, our teachers are not doing their jobs.5. Since the new president took office, the economy has been improving - obviously he is doing a good job and is an asset to the nation. Although #4 is a rather harsh statement, it cannot be denied that teacher performance does impact the quality of education which students receive. Thus, if their education isnt very good, one place to look is teacher performance. However, it is a fallacy of oversimplification to suggest that teachers are the sole or even primary cause. With #5, it should also be acknowledged that a president does impact the state of the economy, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. However, no single politician can take sole credit (or sole blame) for the state of a multi-trillion dollar economy. A common reason for oversimplification, especially in the political realm, is a personal agenda. It is a very effective means for either taking credit for something (#5) or for placing blame on others (#4). Religion is also a field where oversimplification fallacies can be readily found. Consider, for example, a response which is heard after anyone survives a major tragedy: 6. She was saved through Gods help! For the purposes of this discussion, we should ignore the theological implications of a god who chooses to save some people but not others. The logical problem here is the dismissal of all the other factors which contribute to a persons survival. What about the doctors who perform the life-saving operations? What about the rescue workers who spend insane amounts of time and money in the rescue effort? What about the product manufacturers who made the safety devices (like seat belts) which protect people? All of these and more are causal factors which contribute to the survival of people in accidents, but they are too often ignored by those who oversimplify the situation and attribute survival to just a single cause: the Will of God. People also tend to commit the fallacy of oversimplification when they simply dont understand what they are talking about. This is a common occurrence in science debates because so much of the material can be comprehended best only by experts in specialized fields. One place where this is seen quite often are the arguments some creationists offer against evolution. Consider this example, a question which Dr. Kent Hovind uses in an attempt to prove that evolution isnt true and isnt possible: 7. Natural selection only works with the genetic information available and tends only to keep a species stable. How would you explain the increasing complexity in the genetic code that must have occurred if evolution were true? For someone unfamiliar with evolution, this question may seem reasonable - but its error lies in vastly oversimplifying evolution to the point where it becomes unrecognizable. It is very true that natural selection operates with the genetic information which is available; however, natural selection is not the only process which is involved in evolution. Ignored are such factors as mutation and genetic drift. By oversimplifying evolution down to just natural selection, however, Hovind is able to portray evolution as a one-dimensional theory which cannot possibly be true. It is in such examples that an oversimplification fallacy can also become a Straw Man Fallacy if a person takes the oversimplified description of a position and then proceeds to criticize it as if it were the genuine position. Examples and Discussion of Exaggeration Related to, but much rarer than, the fallacy of oversimplification is the fallacy of exaggeration. Mirror images of each other, an exaggeration fallacy is committed when an argument tries to include additional causal influences which are ultimately irrelevant to the matter at hand. We can say that committing a fallacy of exaggeration is a consequence of failing to heed Occams Razor, which states that we should prefer the simpler explanation and refrain from adding entities (causes, factors) which are not specifically necessary A good example is one which is related to one of those used above: 8. The rescue workers, doctors and various assistants are all heroes because, with the help of God, they managed to save all of the people involved in that accident. The role of individuals like doctors and rescue workers is obvious, but the addition of God seems gratuitous. Without an identifiable effect of which can be said to be necessarily responsible, the inclusion qualifies as an exaggeration fallacy. Other instances of this fallacy can be found in the legal profession, for example: 9. My client killed Joe Smith, but the cause for his violent behavior was a life of eating Twinkies and other junk food which impaired his judgment. There is no clear link between junk food and violent behavior, but there are other identifiable causes for it. The addition of junk food to that list of causes constitutes a fallacy of exaggeration because the real causes only end up being masked by additional and irrelevant pseudo-causes. Here, the junk food is an entity which is simply not necessary.

Media influence on human papilloma virus (HPV) and vaccines Research Paper

Media influence on human papilloma virus (HPV) and vaccines - Research Paper Example It can lead to cancer infection if the patient has stayed with the virus for a long time (Clifford, Rana, Franceschi, Smith, Gough & Pimenta, 2005). Active men and women can be infected with this virus in their lifetime. Media influence on human papilloma virus (HPV) and vaccines Bennett et al (2012) conducted a study on 143 college age women concerning their intentions to obtain the HPV vaccine. Participants were given a questionnaire, and the predictors showed positive attitudes towards the vaccine. The results indicated that personal beliefs were on the vaccine varied and that people who networked through social media increased their chances of getting vaccinated. This shows that women were able to share on vaccination through their social media networking which had an influence on the intentions on vaccination. Through the media, people are able to get informed and enlightened. They acquire information which may be relevant to their day to day life (Bennett et al 2012). Newspaper s, television, and the Internet have enabled human beings to connect to each other. The world has become a small village since people can connect and share ideas and concerns. It is on this point, which the study revealed that college age women relate with each other through the social media. Human beings have the ability to share and open up to their loved ones. This may be relatives or friends. Such discussions had a significant influence on the aspect of having intentions for HPV vaccination. Women are associated with beauty of their skin and cannot be comfortable with slumps on their bodies (Jamison, Kaplan, Hamman, Eagar, Beach & Douglas, 1995). This shows that such college women, who may be at the prime of their beauty, will develop positive intentions towards this vaccination. Betsch et al (2012) has contributed on this subject of media influence. They indicate that a significant number of people access the Internet. Such people use the Internet to acquire information regardi ng their health. The health information may include vaccines. People interact and share information that may promote vaccination intentions. They use the Internet to communicate theories of effective vaccination. It indicates that media has become a source of information in regard to vaccination. The study reflected that some people become skeptical on the efficiency of vaccine preventable diseases such as HPV. People become worried as a result of the side effects that may come with this activity. Individuals need to be healthy so as to propagate the economy. According to Betsch et al (2012), situations where one is not well informed, the personality may keep off from vaccination. However, the study suggests that such individuals can get their solutions from the Internet. This information may influence their perspective on vaccination from negative to positive. The Internet has some anti-vaccination information which may affect users negatively (Jenkins & Wold, 2012). Therefore, the public health communicators should provide effective information, which would facilitate customized communication. This can help users to access the public health communication websites in an easier way. Useful information enables one to make a rightful decision in regard to vaccination (Palefsky, Gillison & Strickler, 2006). This illustrates that lack of information can have an influence on the choices that

Project (Starbucks corporation) final Assignment

Project (Starbucks corporation) final - Assignment Example From the year 1971 to 1976, Starbucks was at Western Avenue. After the company moved to 1912 Pike Place there has been no relocations. The company used to sell roasted Coffee. In the initial days the company was not selling any brew coffee. During the mid 1980s the company cashed in the opportunity to purchase Peets. However, during this time the company sales begun to fall. At that point of time, Starbucks was bought by Howard Schultz who had the vision of making Starbucks a real global brand. Howard Schultz decided to rebrand Giornale coffee chains as Starbucks. Since then there has been no turning for the company. Today the company has become the largest coffeehouse in the world. The company has 20, 891 stores on a global basis in over sixty countries. This includes over ten thousand stores in USA, over thousand stores in Canada, and over five hundred stores in UK, Japan, China, Mexico, turkey, Thailand, Germany and India. As on 2012 the total revenue of the company was US$13.29 b illion (Keller, 2012). II. Significance and Objective of the Project Research objective One of the major reasons for success of the company has been the branding and marketing strategy of the company. Unlike some of the other major firms Starbucks does not invest heavily in advertising and hence the marketing and branding strategy of the company is unique. The objective of the study: To critically analyze the key brand elements of the company To analyze the overall brand management strategy of the company To provide some recommendation that would help the company in gaining competitive advantage over the competitors. Management problems Starbucks Corporation is a US based global coffeehouse chain headquartered in Washington. It is the largest coffee house organization around the globe. The organization is operating in 62 countries with its 20,891 outlets. Unique organizational value helped Starbucks to increase their core competencies. Earlier the organization’s value was to provide high quality coffee to its customers. Moreover, they committed to provide effective customer service and a good coffee experience to its customers. When Mr. Schultz became the CEO of Starbucks they drifted away from the original organizational value. Lack of effective customer service is affecting the brand image of Starbucks in global market (Roger, 2010). Inadequate pricing strategy is reducing the customer preference. Due to fluctuating economic, political and weather condition in several countries, people are trying to reduce the coffee consumption from Starbucks. Moreover, it has been identified that in some place the quality of Starbucks’ coffee is decreasing. The management of Starbucks is worried about it. It is important for the organization to provide high quality coffee in order to maintain the leading position within the competitive global market place. The organization is lacking effective customer relationship. Several labor issues and internal organizat ional conflicts are reducing the motivation and self confidence level of customers. These issues are decreasing effective customer service activities. Marketing Research problems Starbucks

Mill Locke on Liberty Essay Example for Free

Mill Locke on Liberty Essay Through out history, many philosophers have discussed the rights of mankind such as existence, liberty and especially property. In the work â€Å"The Second Treatise of Civil Government† written by John Locke, mankind’s natural rights are critically examined one by one. This essay aims to discuss whether John Stuart Mill’s harm principle that he mentions in â€Å"On Liberty† can be exercised while not violating the natural rights of mankind or not. First of all, in order to find out the consistency of Mill’s harm principle with Locke’s natural rights, briefly one should examine Locke’s definitions of state of nature and state of war. For Locke, when men live together reasonably and have right to judge each other, without a common authority such as a government it is called state of nature. For Locke, state of nature is a reasonable state that mankind live peacefully. And when men use force, or assert a design of force over other men and threat their lives, where also no common authority is present it is called state of war. Apart from the state of nature, in the state of war, Locke says that â€Å"every man hath a right to punish the offender, and be executioner of the law of nature† which drags men into continuous and endless wars and quarrels. Consequently, because of living in state of war, men could not make use of their natural rights such as right of existence, liberty, property, health, and punishment and judgment. One may instantly, without giving you a chance of defend, kill you, take away your freedom, seize you property and can do many other evil and unlawful actions. In order to prevent the brutal outcomes of state of war, Locke highlights the need of common legislative authority over the members of the community which will lead men to state of society where possessing natural rights would have a meaning and use. From these points, with a general survey, one can establish relations with Mill’s harm principle in consistency with natural rights. Mill’s harm principle lets government or such common legislative authority use power, force or other instruments over persons against their will in order to prevent someone to harm any other. And what Locke is seeking by introducing common legislative power is not much different with Mill’s presentation of harm principle. Let me support my stance by explaining the close relation between the natural rights of mankind and the principle. Right of existence and right of freedom cannot be secured in the state of war. The stronger members of the community would take hold of the others liberty which naturally have to be free from all superior powers and make them his slaves by at the same time threaten their lives, torturing and killing them. And putting forward that they can do anything they want and live in fully satisfied because of the natural right of liberty. But that is not the liberty of men. In such cases, rights of existence and liberty are attached to the willpower of the strongest although they are natural and given by god. True liberty is as Locke defines the freedom of men to follow their own wills and make their choices under the supervision of common legislative powers. So that for Locke such wills and actions that threatens others right of existence will not considered as natural right of freedom and not protected by government and vice-versa government will apply sanctions over whom uses right of freedom in bad faith. Then one shall say that Mill’s harm principle is put into practice over Locke’s natural rights of liberty. They joined together in the state of civilized society holding each other. Another very significant natural right that Locke talks about is property right. Firstly, he says that everything which lies on the earth created by god or nature belongs to the mankind in common. But mankind needs to use those unpossessed crops and fruits of earth in order to satisfy their needs and support and comfort of their being. Inevitably, concept of property is needed. Locke, at that point, says that whoever puts his or her labor on something that belongs to nature and community becomes the owner of that thing and constitutes title on it. The apples which in nature and owned by everybody, when gathered from trees by someone by mixing labor into, becomes the apples of the laborer or gatherer. By that way, I mean by mixing labor on something as Locke signifies, natural right of property can be established over something which is before common. However the question is, can one use Mill’s harm principle without violating Locke’s natural property right? The process of mixing effort on something is unclear. One may exert any kind of force and work to get the property of anything and may say â€Å"I have put my work on it† although actions may not legal, unjust, unfair and not protected by government. Another aspect is how someone can know and set apart the common and the owned property? Again he may put his effort on something which is already owned by another. The rule, first come, first served is not so determining and in practice many conflicts may occur. In both cases someone may get hurt by another’s actions. So in a sense, it seems harm principle is needed to be accepted by the government in order to prevent such harmful actions performed by ones who try to own something. In my opinion, in such cases putting into practice the harm principle is not a violation over property right, seems more like a limitation on behalf of mankind. Moreover, as Locke also explains everyone should not labor more than he could make use of, otherwise indirectly others may be affected by scarcity and lack of resources. At that point again harm principle can step in, and in order to prevent someone to acquire more than what he needs, common authority may exercise power on selfish ones. In conclusion, one may say that harm principle generally can be exercised by community while not violating the natural rights but limiting it on behalf of members of the society. Because as I tried to show that without such instruments, I mean harm principle, people who had bad faith in, can use natural rights in evil things.

Does Money Buy Happiness?, by Don Peck and Ross Douthat :: Money and Happiness Essays

Erika’s sweet sixteen is today, and her parents bought her a brand new car. She pulls into the school’s parking lot and flaunts about how her parents not only got her a car, but also a trip to Italy. People start to walk away, even some of her best friends. As the day goes on, her friends have not talked to her since morning. Fed up, Erika asks them what is wrong. Kristie, one of her friends, tells her how they cannot stand listening to her talk about her ostentatious gifts anymore. When Erika gets home from school, her mom asks her what is wrong. It is then she realizes what her friends were trying to say and tells her mother she does not want the car anymore. Her mother, astounded, asks why not and gets a reply of money cannot buy friends, nor can it buy happiness. According to â€Å"Does Money Buy Happiness,† by Don Peck and Ross Douthat, they disagree with the connection between money and happiness. Happiness is a feeling adults experience when they receive a gift, win something, and various other reasons, but does money buy this happiness everyone experiences? Don Peck and Ross Douthat claim money does buy happiness, but only to a point in their article which originally appeared in the Atlantic Monthly (252). Throughout their article, reasons on why money can sometimes buy happiness are explained. While some of the reasons given are effective, not all are satisfying answers for adults working diligently to make a living. Money is a part of everyone’s life, yet it is not always the cause of happiness. One reason described to be a cause of happiness is income. Don Peck and Ross Douthat indicate how, â€Å"National income appears to be one of the best single predictors of overall well-being, explaining perhaps 40 percent of the difference in contentment among nations† (352). With this statement, comes the explanation of how income can influence happiness in adults who strive to earn a living. Research illustrates how, â€Å"For individual countries, with few exceptions, self-reported happiness has increased as incomes have risen† (Douthat 352). While these two statements provide sufficient evidence for the reason of income bringing happiness, income itself is not relevant.

Sex without Love

Just Sex, Nothing Else â€Å"How do they do it, the ones who make love/ without love† (Olds, 1-2)? As time goes on, the value of love and intimacy in sex diminishes further and further. In the past, becoming intimate with another person had very strong meaning and was frowned upon outside of marriage. Although there are still people who value sex in its purist form and value the meaning of the action, more people desire only the pleasure that comes from sex instead of the love and connection that it creates.In â€Å"Misery and Splendor† by Robert Hass and â€Å"Sex Without Love† by Sharon Olds, both poets present the idea that having sex without love is hard to grasp and ultimately dissatisfying. Hass and Olds argue this idea through the use of imagery and tone. Poets and authors are very careful with the words they choose to be in their pieces. Authors most often paint a verbal picture for the reader that reinforces his or her underlying argument. In â€Å"Mise ry and Splendor† and â€Å"Sex Without Love,† both Hass and Olds create very vivid imagery for their readers to create certain visuals while reading.In â€Å"Misery and Splendor,† Hass describes the man and woman as â€Å"trying to become one creature/ and something will not have it† (13-14). With this description, Robert Hass explains to the reader that the two people in his poem are trying to find love in their physical intimacy, but there remains another unknown force preventing them from finding this love. Hass also paints the image of this relationship being somewhat animalistic. â€Å"So they rub against each other/ their mouths dry, then wet, then dry† (17-18).This image does not create a lovely, romantic scene like sex is most often thought to be. Instead, Hass refers that the two people become intimate in a brutish way. By doing this, Hass makes the point that the man and woman are becoming intimate in the physical manner instead of the emo tional manner. Hass ends the poem by stating that the two are â€Å"huddled against the gate of a garden/ to which they can’t admit they can never be admitted† (23-24). This image gives the reader the image that the couple is waiting for something, but will never be able to find what they are waiting for.These two people are having sex in search for love; however, by strictly becoming physically intimate, they are disappointed by never finding the love they desire. The physical qualities of sex do not come hand-in-hand with the emotional qualities that this couple desires. By making the couple wait for this love after they become intimate, Hass demonstrates that he believes the love must be present before the intimacy and sex can happen between two people.Not only does Hass use imagery in his work, Sharon Olds creates very strong imagery in â€Å"Sex Without Love† to demonstrate the same concept as Hass, which is that sex without love is very disappointing and a hard concept to understand. However, Olds uses a slightly different approach with the imagery in her poem. Throughout the poem, Sharon Olds creates imagery that is very ironic for the reader. The images she creates are meant to be beautiful actions; however, Olds represents them in quite the opposite way.They are â€Å"wet as the/ children at birth whose mothers are going to/ give them away† (6-8). When a mother gives birth to a child, it is most popularly known as the best day of the mother’s life. The occasion is a very happy and celebratory time. However, in the poem, Olds paints the picture of a mother giving her child away. She uses this image to enforce that sex without love could have repercussions that are very negative. Although sex may have physical benefits, it also comes with consequences as well. Olds also depicts these people as runners. They know they are alone/ with the road surface, the cold, the wind/ the fit of their shoes, their over-all-cardio-/ v ascular health-just factors, like the partner/ in the bed, and not the truth† (18-21). Although the people that choose to be intimate without pairing it with love know that they are alone, they do not seem to care. They are like runners; they want the physical aspects of the action but nothing else. Olds also states that the people like runners â€Å"know they are alone† (18). This depicts that these people believe they are capable of doing things on their own, without help.They see their partner as a factor that helps them achieve the goal that they desire. When these people have this viewpoint, Olds describes them as â€Å"a single body in the universe/ against its own best time† (23-24). Until these independent, do-it-yourself people realize that a single person cannot achieve love, Olds claims that the search for the love and intimacy that two individuals share remains to be a very lonely and dissatisfying time. Not only do these poets create vivid imagery, b oth Hass and Olds also form ery distinct tones throughout their poems to convey this thought that love cannot be achieved through sex alone. â€Å"Summoned by conscious recollection, she/ would be smiling, they might be in a kitchen talking/ before or after dinner† (Hass, 1-3). The first three lines set an important tone to this poem â€Å"Misery and Splendor†. In these first lines, Hass claims that the man and woman are conscious of what should be happening. They both know that if they shared love, they would be happy and having a good conversation after dinner.Instead, â€Å"they are in this other room/ the window has many small panes, and they are on a couch/ embracing† (3-5). Hass compares what they should be doing to what they are actually doing to set this yearning tone that makes the couple seem desperate. They are desperate to find this love between them; however, the love is not reachable. â€Å"The light in the room/ does not change† (11-12). Th is statement also creates a somewhat dark and negative tone. By stating that the light stays the same, it seems as though nothing else emotionally between the couple changes either.This dark and unpleasant tone that Hass depicts throughout the poem also reinforces his argument that trying to find love by performing the act of sex alone will be extremely disappointing. Although the man and woman are being intimate with one another, the disappointment still lingers throughout them. â€Å"They are tender/ with each other, afraid/ their brief, sharp cries will reconcile them to the moment/ when they fall away again† (14-17). The couple feels the intimacy in the moment, but as soon as it is over, they go back to feeling nothing.They try to hold on to feeling in the moment, but it is soon stripped away. The couple fears that the love will never be achieved, and they cling to the thought of this love they desire so much. However, because this love is not present, the couple cannot h old on to this artificial feeling that refuses to remain. While Hass conveys his idea in â€Å"Misery and Splendor† through the suggested tone, Olds also advocates her thoughts through the tone created in â€Å"Sex Without Love. † By beginning the poem with a question, Olds sets the tone in a somewhat negative way.She asks, â€Å"how do they do it, the ones who make love/ without love† (1-2). By posing this question, Olds seems baffled by the fact that people can become intimate with another person without loving that person first. Her misunderstanding and amazement of the concept also makes this idea making love without actually having love seem very skeptical and difficult to grasp. â€Å"How do they come to the/ come to the come to the God come to the/ still waters, and not love/ the one who came there with them† (8-11).This second question that Olds presents in her poem, reinforces not only her misunderstanding of these people, but also the tone she h as created. This question that Olds has posed reinforces the idea that these people do not truly love the person they are becoming intimate with. The fact that Olds is questioning this concept creates a negative connotation of this action. This negative tone that Olds uses in this poem is also seen through her metaphor of these people as runners- â€Å"They know they are alone† (18); â€Å"[they are a] single body alone in the universe/ against its own best time† (23-24).Olds implies that these â€Å"runners† are alone. This metaphor creates not only a negative tone, but also implies that these people are ultimately lonely. As Olds indicates that these people are lonely, the negative tone that she fuses through her poem becomes stronger. Love is not intended to be lonely. With these questions inserted in the poem and the implication of the person being â€Å"alone in the universe† (23), the tone of â€Å"Sex Without Love† is negative and disappoint ing, similar to the tone in â€Å"Misery and Splendor. † Both â€Å"Misery and Splendor† and â€Å"Sex Without Love† have very similar underlying meanings.Both Hass and Olds take an â€Å"old-fashioned† stance on the concept of being intimate with another person without feeling love for him or her first. Through the use of imagery and tone, these poets convey their thoughts that having sex before love will lead to disappointing, consequential repercussions. Although that is not the typical viewpoint today, these poets do pose an interesting stance on this topic. Instead of receiving media messages that having â€Å"sex friends† or â€Å"friends with benefits† is a normal occurrence, Hass and Olds both give reasons as to why this could be misleading.They both explain that love cannot be found through the act of sex alone. Love comes from an emotional place before a physical place. Both Robert Hass and Sharon Olds share this idea that the phys ical factors of sex alone will not lead to the emotional benefits of love. Works Cited Hass, Robert. â€Å"Misery and Splendor. † Class Document for English 230-008, Fall 2012. Olds, Sharon. â€Å"Sex Without Love† The Seagull Reader: Poems. Ed. Joseph Kelly. New York: W. W. Norton, 2008. 231-232. Print

Kierkegaard Theory Essay

1. Do you approve of Kierkegaard’s father teaching technique? Explain. Are there similarities between his techniques and virtual reality? Are there differences? Yes, I do approve of Kierkegaard’s teaching technique. Basically Kierkegaard and his father were always having intellectual and emotional conversation wherever they were heading to. I feel that it is a form of simulation for Kierkegaard to get himself involved with God. It makes one feel that no matter where we are, we should always put a leap of faith in God because he is always there for us. So how is it useful? Such teaching will enable kids to grow up to be more innovative and creative. It is the process of turning something non-visual or non-sensory into concrete concepts in our minds. That conversion is crucial for a child’s development. It allows a child to take an abstract concept, like â€Å"democracy† and turn it into real-world things. Schools often teach concepts, and they assume children will naturally create accurate, real-world images in their heads. But they were never taught how to imagine something. Therefore the importance of such teaching produce visionary that may lead to a better future, a better world. For example: politicians and scientists. Yes, there are similarity and difference with his techniques and virtual reality. By definition, virtual reality is an artificial environment which is experienced through sensory stimuli (as sights and sounds) provided by a computer and in which one’s actions partially determine what happens in the environment. The similarity is they both allow people to imagine and picture themselves in the virtual environment and feel it. Gamers enjoy the sensation and â€Å"real-life† battles between monster and them. Similarly, we, who believe in God, enjoy the sensation of knowing that he is by our side. But the difference is virtual reality relies on computers or technology to aid us in producing the images while Kierkegaard’s father chose to describe every fine details and made use of the functionality of brain to imagine the description. Not to forget, everyone think differently, so the projection in the mind would be different from one another. 2. Whom do you think Kierkegaard identifies most with: the friend who doesn’t want to choose or Williams? Or perhaps both? I think that Kierkegaard identifies himself as the friend the most. The friend said: â€Å"Get married, and you’ll regret it. Don’t get married and you’ll regret it.† He is part of what he believes it. Kierkegaard believes that subjectivity is the truth. Either if Kierkegaard should get married or not, he would not know until he finds out himself. There is no objective truth in life, only personal truth which varies for each individual. William said about being refrained from choosing because others have chosen for him. This contradicts to what he said about becoming authentic. A person does not accomplish anything unless he or she accomplishes it by themselves, by making the experience their own. If a person chose not to choose what they want, they will never achieve selfhood and become a true human. 3. Compare the second excerpt with Sartre’s theory of the existential choice. Sartre’s theory of the existential choice believes that everyone always have a choice. Even if we do not choose, we actually made a choice of not choosing. There is always a part of us that we know we are not animals or inert things which allows us to make a choice simply because we know about our own existence and morality. In the second excerpt, it is obvious that Williams’s theory clashed with Sartre’s. By accepting the fact that he has been refrained from choosing, that is his choice of choosing to believe in what others say. Despite, Sartre’s theory does not believe in God, both Kierkegaard and Sartre believe that we should all make our own choices instead of letting them decide our fate. We are who we are only if we make our own choices.

Olbers Paradox - Why the Night Sky Is Dark

Olbers' Paradox - Why the Night Sky Is Dark Question: What Is Olbers Paradox? Why Is Space Dark? Why Is the Night Sky Dark? The universe is so vast (even if not infinite) that no matter which direction we look, we should see a star. If this were the case, then the whole night sky should be nothing but a giant sheet of starlight. This begs the question: Why is the night sky dark? Answer: When I first heard of this paradox, it didnt strike me as something that was really much of a concern. After all, distant stars and galaxies are just so faint that we cant see them with the naked eye, right? Doesnt that alone resolve the paradox? Actually, it turns out that even when you consider that distant stars are fainter, there should still be so many stars that theyd overall be fairly bright. Because each little area of space represents more and more volume of space the further out you go. If you assume a vaguely even distribution of stars throughout the universe, there would still be plenty of light in each little patch to readily light up the night sky. So what prevents it? The paradox rests on the idea of a static and infinite (or nearly infinite) universe. It turns out that while our universe is extremely big, its nowhere near that large. or static. We know this because of the evidence supporting the Big Bang. Because the universe had an origin and is expanding, there is a definite horizon to how far we can see. When we look at a given section of the nights sky, we are not looking infinitely far into space, but a mere 13 or so billion light-years out. Beyond that, theres nothing else to see, except for the faint glow (invisible to the naked eye) of the cosmic microwave background radiation. That is part of why the night sky is dark   because there just isnt enough space and time for this particular paradox to have the room it needs to light up the night sky. Another reason is because space isnt an empty void. While the pressure in space is much lower than that within the atmosphere, its not devoid of ions, atoms, and molecules. These particles can absorb light, as well as scatter it. You can think of space as a dusty  cloud thats almost infinitely thick. Its so thick, not that much light makes it all the way to us. Other reasons for space to be dark include: Some of the stars line up, so their light is hidden behind closer stars and other bodies.The expanding universe red-shifts light from distant stars so their light is outside of the visible spectrum.The universe is young, so light from distant stars hasnt had time to reach us yet. Edited by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Biography of Joseph Stalin, Dictator of Soviet Union

Biography of Joseph Stalin, Dictator of Soviet Union Joseph Stalin (December 18, 1878–March 5, 1953) was an important leader in the Russian Revolution who became the head of the Communist Party and Dictator of the Soviet state known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics  (USSR). During World War II he maintained an uneasy alliance with the United States and Great Britain to fight Nazi Germany, but dropped any illusions of friendship after the war. As Stalin sought to expand Communism throughout Eastern Europe and around the world, he helped spark the Cold War and the subsequent arms race. Fast Facts: Joseph Stalin Known For: Bolshevik leader, Russian revolutionary, Head of the Communist Party in Russia and Dictator of the USSR (1927–1953)Born: December 18, 1878 (official date: December 21, 1879) in Gori, Georgia  Parents: Vissarion Dzhugasvhil and Ekaterina Georgievna GeadzeDied:  March 5, 1953 in Kuntsevo Dacha, RussiaEducation: Gori Church School (1888–1894), Tiflis Theological Seminary (1894–1899)Publications:  Collected WorksSpouse(s): Ekaterina Svanidze (1885–1907, married 1904–1907), Nadezhda Sergeevna Allilueva (1901–1932, m. 1919–1932)  Children: with Ekaterina: Yakov Iosifovich Dzhugashvili (1907–1943), with Nadezhda: Vasily (1921–1962) Svetlana Iosefovna Allilueva (1926–2011)Notable Quote: â€Å"A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.†Ã‚   Early Life Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) at the time when he entered Tiflis seminary. (1894). (Photo by Apic/Getty Images) Joseph Stalin was born Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili in Gori, Georgia (a region annexed by Russia in 1801) on December 6, 1878 by theJulian calendar then in use; using the modern calendar, that converts to December 18, 1878). He later claimed his official birthdate as December 21, 1879). He was the third son of four children born to Ekaterina Georgievna Geadze (Keke) and Vissarion (Beso) Djugashvili, but he was the only one to survive past infancy. Stalin’s parents had a turbulent marriage, with Beso often beating his wife and son. Part of their marital strife came from their very different ambition for their son. Keke recognized that Soso, as Joseph Stalin was known as a child, was highly intelligent and wanted him to become a Russian Orthodox priest; thus, she made every effort to get him an education. On the other hand, Beso, who was a cobbler, felt that working-class life was good enough for his son. Education The argument came to a head when Stalin was 12 years old. Beso, who had moved to Tiflis (the capital of Georgia) to find work, came back and took Stalin to the factory where he worked so that Stalin could become an apprentice cobbler. This was the last time Beso would assert his vision for Stalins future. With help from friends and teachers, Keke got Stalin back and once again got him on the path to attend seminary. After this incident, Beso refused to support either Keke or his son, effectively ending the marriage. Keke supported Stalin by working as a laundress, though she later secured more respectable employment at a womens clothing shop. Keke was right to note Stalins intellect, which soon became apparent to his teachers. Stalin excelled in school and earned a scholarship to the Tiflis Theological Seminary in 1894. However, there were signs that Stalin was not destined for the priesthood. Prior to entering the seminary, Stalin was not only a choirboy, but also the ruthless leader of a street gang. Notorious for his cruelty and use of unfair tactics, Stalin’s gang dominated the rough streets of Gori. Stalin as a Young Revolutionary A card from the register of the St. Petersburg imperial police on Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. (1912). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) While at the seminary, Stalin discovered the works of Karl Marx. He joined the local socialist party and soon his interest in overthrowing Czar Nicholas II and the monarchical system outstripped any desire he might have had to be a priest. Stalin dropped out of school just a few months shy of graduating to become a revolutionary, giving his first public speech in 1900. The Life of a Revolutionary After having joined the revolutionary underground, Stalin went into hiding using the alias â€Å"Koba.† Nevertheless, the police captured Stalin in 1902 and exiled him to Siberia for the first time in 1903. When free from prison, Stalin continued to support the revolution and helped organize peasants in the 1905 Russian Revolution against Czar Nicholas II. Stalin would be arrested and exiled seven times and escape six between 1902 and 1913. In between arrests, Stalin married Ekaterina Svanidze, a sister of a classmate from seminary, in 1904. They had one son, Yacov, before Yekaterina died of typhus in 1907. Yacov was raised by his mothers parents until he was reunited with Stalin in 1921 in Moscow, though the two were never close. Yacov would be among the millions of Russian casualties of World War II. Vladimir Lenin Stalins commitment to the party intensified when he met Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, head of the Bolsheviks in 1905. Lenin recognized Stalins potential and encouraged him. After that, Stalin held the Bolsheviks in any way he could, including committing several robberies to raise funds. Because Lenin was in exile, Stalin took over as editor of Pravda, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, in 1912. That same year, Stalin was appointed to the Bolsheviks Central Committee, cementing his role as a key figure in the Communist movement. The Name Stalin Also in 1912, Stalin, while writing for the revolution while still in exile, first signed an article Stalin, meaning steel man, for the power it connotes. This would continue to be a frequent pen name and, after the successful Russian Revolution in October 1917, his surname. (Stalin would continue to use aliases throughout the rest of his life, though the world would know him as Joseph Stalin.) 1917 Russian Revolution Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Lenin address the proletariat during the Russian Revolution. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Stalin missed much of the activity leading up to the Russian Revolution in 1917, because he was exiled to Siberia from 1913–1917. Upon his release in March of 1917, Stalin resumed his role as a Bolshevik leader. By the time he was reunited with Lenin, who also returned to Russia a few weeks after Stalin, Czar Nicholas II had already abdicated as part of the February Russian Revolution. With the czar deposed, the Provisional Government was in charge. The October 1917 Russian Revolution Lenin and Stalin, however, wanted to topple the Provisional Government and install a Communist one, controlled by the Bolsheviks. Feeling that the country was ready for another revolution, Lenin and the Bolsheviks began a nearly bloodless coup on October 25, 1917. In just two days, the Bolsheviks had taken over Petrograd, the capital of Russia, and thus became the leaders of the country. Not everyone was happy with the Bolsheviks ruling the country, thus Russia was thrust immediately into civil war as the Red Army (the Bolshevik forces) battled the White Army (made up of various anti-Bolshevik factions). The Russian Civil War lasted until 1921. Russian revolutionaries and leaders Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, and Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin at the Congress of the Russian Communist Party. (March 23, 1919). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) In 1921, the White Army was defeated, leaving Lenin, Stalin and Leon Trotsky as the dominant figures in the new Bolshevik government. Although Stalin and Trotsky were rivals, Lenin appreciated their distinct abilities and promoted both. Trotsky vs. Stalin Trotsky was far more popular than Stalin, so Stalin was given the less public role of General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1922. Trotsky, who was a persuasive orator, maintained a visible presence in foreign affairs and was perceived by many as the heir apparent. However, what neither Lenin nor Trotsky foresaw was that Stalins position allowed him to build loyalty within the Communist Party, as an essential factor in his eventual takeover. Head of the Communist Party Tensions between Stalin and Trotsky increased when Lenins health began to fail in 1922 with the first of several strokes, raising the difficult question of who would be Lenin’s successor. From his sickbed, Lenin had advocated for shared power and maintained this vision until his death on January 21, 1924. Ultimately, Trotsky was no match for Stalin because Stalin had spent his years in the party building loyalty and support. By 1927, Stalin had effectively eliminated all of his political rivals (and exiled Trotsky) to emerge as the head of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Stalins Five Year Plans Soviet Communist dictator Joseph Stalin. (circa 1935). (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) Stalins willingness to use brutality to achieve political aims was well established by the time he took power; nevertheless, the Soviet Union (as it was known after 1922) was unprepared for the extreme violence and oppression that Stalin unleashed in 1928. This was the first year of Stalins Five Year Plan, a radical attempt to bring the Soviet Union into the industrial age. Famine In the name of Communism, Stalin seized assets, including farms and factories, and reorganized the economy. However, these efforts often led to less efficient production, ensuring that mass starvation swept the countryside. To mask the disastrous results of the plan, Stalin maintained export levels, shipping food out of the country even as rural residents died by the hundreds of thousands. Any protest of his policies resulted in immediate death or relocation to a gulag (a prison camp in the remote regions of the nation). The Disastrous Effects Kept Secret The first Five Year Plan (1928-1932) was declared completed a year early and the second Five Year Plan (1933-1937) was launched with equally disastrous results. A third Five Year began in 1938, but was interrupted by World War II in 1941. While all of these plans were unmitigated disasters, Stalin’s policy forbidding any negative publicity led the full consequences of these upheavals to remain hidden for decades. To many who were not directly impacted, the Five Year Plans appeared to exemplify Stalins proactive leadership. Stalins Cult of Personality Soviet Communist leader Joseph Stalin (1879-1953), with Galia Markifova, at a reception for the elite of the workers of the Biviato autonomous socialist republic. In later life, Galia was sent to a labor camp by Stalin. (1935). (Photo by Henry Guttmann/Getty Images) Stalin is also known for building an unprecedented cult of personality. Presenting himself as a paternal figure watching over his people, Stalins image and actions could not have been more distinct. While paintings and statues of Stalin kept him in the public eye, Stalin also promoted himself by aggrandizing his past through tales of his childhood and his role in the revolution. However, with millions of people dying, statues and tales of heroics could only go so far. Thus, Stalin made it a policy that showing anything less than complete devotion was punishable by exile or death. Going beyond that, Stalin eradicated any form of dissent or competition. No Outside Influences; No Free Press Not only did Stalin readily arrest anyone remotely suspected of having a different view, he also closed religious institutions and confiscated church lands in his reorganization of the Soviet Union. Books and music that were not to Stalins standards were banned as well, virtually eliminating the possibility of outside influences. No one was allowed to say a negative thing against Stalin, especially the press. No news of the death and devastation in the countryside was leaked to the public; only news and images that presented Stalin in a flattering light were allowed. Stalin also famously changed the name of the city of Tsaritsyn to Stalingrad in 1925 to honor the city for its role in the Russian civil war. Second Wife and Family Nadezhda Alliluyeva Stalin (1901-1932), the second wife of Joseph Stalin and mother of his children, Vassily and Svetlana. They married in 1919 and she killed herself on November 8th, 1932. (circa 1925). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) In 1919, Stalin married Nadezhda (Nadya) Alliluyeva, his secretary and fellow Bolshevik. Stalin had become close with Nadyas family, many of whom were active in the revolution and would go on to hold important positions under Stalin’s government. The young revolutionary captivated Nadya and together they would have two children, a son, Vasily, in 1921, and a daughter, Svetlana, in 1926. As carefully as Stalin controlled his public image, he could not escape the criticism of his wife, Nadya, one of the few bold enough to stand up to him. Nadya often protested his deadly policies and found herself at the receiving end of Stalins verbal and physical abuse. While their marriage began with mutual affection, Stalins temperament and alleged affairs contributed greatly to Nadyas depression. After Stalin berated her particularly harshly at a dinner party, Nadya committed suicide on November 9, 1932. The Great Terror Soviet leader Joseph Stalin after the completion of a series of governmental purges in which most of the Communist Party old guard were dismissed or executed. (1938). (Photo by Ivan Shagin/Slava Katamidze Collection/Getty Images) Despite Stalin’s attempts to eradicate all dissent, some opposition emerged, particularly among party leaders who understood the devastating nature of Stalin’s policies. Nevertheless, Stalin was reelected in 1934. This election made Stalin keenly aware of his critics and he soon began to eliminate anyone he perceived as opposition, including his most substantial political rival, Sergi Kerov. Sergi Kerov was assassinated in 1934 and Stalin, who most believe was responsible, used Kerovs death to extol the dangers of the anti-Communist movement and tighten his grip on Soviet politics. Thus began the period known as the Great Terror. Few leaders have culled their ranks as dramatically as Stalin did in during the Great Terror of the 1930s. He targeted members of his cabinet and government, soldiers, clergy, intellectuals, or anyone else he deemed suspect. Those seized by his secret police would be tortured, imprisoned, or killed (or a combination of these experiences). Stalin was indiscriminate in his targets, and top government and military officials were not immune from prosecution. In fact, the Great Terror eliminated many key figures in government. Widespread Paranoia During the Great Terror, widespread paranoia reigned. Citizens were encourages to turn each other in and those captured often pointed figures at neighbors or coworkers in hopes of saving their own lives. Farcical show trials publicly confirmed the guilt of the accused and ensured that family members of those accused would remain socially ostracized - if they managed to evade arrest. The military was particularly decimated by the Great Terror since Stalin perceived a military coup as the greatest threat. With World War II on the horizon, this purging of the military leadership would later prove a severe detriment to the Soviet Union’s military effectiveness. Death Toll While the estimates of death tolls vary greatly, the lowest numbers credit Stalin with killing 20 million during the Great Terror alone. Beyond being one of the greatest examples of state-sponsored murder in history, the Great Terror demonstrated Stalins obsessive paranoia and willingness to prioritize it over national interests. Stalin and Nazi Germany Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov checks over the plan for the Demarcation of Poland, while Nazi Foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop stands in the background with Joseph Stalin. (August 23, 1939). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Stalin and Hitler Sign a Non-Aggression Pact By 1939, Adolf Hitler was a powerful threat to Europe and Stalin could not help but be concerned. While Hitler was opposed to Communism and had little regard for Eastern Europeans, he appreciated that Stalin represented a formidable force and the two signed a non-aggression pact in 1939. Operation Barbarossa After Hitler drew the rest of Europe into war in 1939, Stalin pursued his own territorial ambition in the Baltic region and Finland. Although many warned Stalin that Hitler intended to break the pact (as he had with other European powers), Stalin was surprised when Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, a full-scale invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. Stalin Joins the Allies The Big Three met in person for the first time in Teheran to discuss the co-ordination of allied war efforts. Left to right: Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, U.S President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. (1943). (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) When Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, Stalin joined the Allied powers, which included Great Britain (led by Sir Winston Churchill) and later the United States (led by Franklin D. Roosevelt). Although they shared a joint enemy, the communist/capitalist rift ensured that mistrust characterized the relationship. However, before the Allies could come help, the German army swept eastward through the Soviet Union. Initially, some Soviet residents were relieved when the German army invaded, thinking that German rule had to be an improvement over Stalinism. Unfortunately, the Germans were merciless in their occupation and ravaged the territory they conquered. Scorched Earth Policy Stalin, who was determined to stop the German army’s invasion at any cost, employed a scorched earth policy. This entailed burning all farms fields and villages in the path of the advancing Germany army to prevent German soldiers from living off the land. Stalin hoped that, without the ability to pillage, the German army’s supply line would run so thin that the invasion would be forced to stop. Unfortunately, this scorched earth policy also meant the destruction of the homes and livelihoods of Russian people, creating massive numbers of homeless refugees. It was the harsh Soviet winter that really slowed down the advancing Germany army, leading to some of the bloodiest battles of World War II. However, to force a German retreat, Stalin needed greater assistance. Although Stalin began to receive American equipment in 1942, what he really wanted was Allied troops deployed to the Eastern Front. The fact that this never happened infuriated Stalin and increased the resentment between Stalin and his allies. The Atomic Bomb Another rift in the relationship between Stalin and the Allies came when the United States secretly developed the nuclear bomb. The mistrust between the Soviet Union and the United States was obvious when the U.S. refused to share the technology with the Soviet Union, causing Stalin to launch his own nuclear weapons program. The Soviets Turn the Nazis Back With supplies provided by the Allies, Stalin was able to turn the tide at the Battle of Stalingrad in 1943 and forced the retreat of the German army. With the tide turned, the Soviet army continued to push the Germans all the way back to Berlin, ending World War II in Europe in May of 1945. Stalin and the Cold War Soviet Communist leader Joseph Stalin (1950). (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) Once World War II ended, the task of rebuilding Europe remained. While the United States and the United Kingdom sought stability, Stalin had no desire to cede the territory he had conquered during the war. Therefore, Stalin claimed the territory he had liberated from Germany as part of the Soviet empire. Under Stalin’s tutelage, Communist parties took control of each country’s government, cut off all communication with the West, and became official Soviet satellite states. The Truman Doctrine While the Allies were unwilling to launch a full-scale war against Stalin, U.S. President Harry Truman recognized that Stalin could not go unchecked. In response to Stalins domination of Eastern Europe, Truman issued the Truman Doctrine in 1947, in which the United States pledged to help nations at risk of a being overtaken by Communists. It was immediately enacted to thwart Stalin in Greece and Turkey, which would ultimately remain independent throughout the Cold War. The Berlin Blockade and Airlift Stalin again challenged the Allies in 1948 when he attempted to seize control of Berlin, a city that had been divided among the victors of World War II. Stalin had already seized East Germany and severed it from the West as part of his post-war conquest. Hoping to claim the entire capital, which was located entirely within East Germany, Stalin blockaded the city in an attempt to force the other Allies to abandon their sectors of Berlin. However, determined to not give in to Stalin, the U.S. organized a nearly year-long airlift that flew massive amounts of supplies into West Berlin. These efforts rendered the blockade ineffective and Stalin finally ended the blockade on May 12, 1949. Berlin (and the rest of Germany) remained divided. This division ultimately manifested in the creation of the Berlin Wall in 1961 during the height of the Cold War. The Cold War Continues While the Berlin Blockade was the last major military confrontation between Stalin and the West, Stalin’s policies and attitude toward the West would continue as Soviet policy even after Stalin’s death. This competition between the Soviet Union and the United States escalated during the Cold War to the point where nuclear war seemed imminent. The Cold War ended only with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Death Soviet Communist leader Joseph Stalin lying in state in the hall of Trade Union House, Moscow. (March 12, 1953). (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) In his final years, Stalin tried to reshape his image to that of a man of peace. He turned his attention to rebuilding the Soviet Union and invested in many domestic projects, such as bridges and canals – most were never completed. While he was writing his Collected Works in an attempt to define his legacy as an innovative leader, evidence suggests that Stalin was also working on his next purge, an attempt to eliminate the Jewish population that remained in Soviet territory. This never came to pass since Stalin suffered a stroke on March 1, 1953 and died four days later. Stalin maintained his cult of personality even after his death. Like Lenin before him, Stalin’s body was embalmed and put on public display. In spite of the death and destruction he inflicted upon those he ruled, Stalin’s death devastated the nation. The cult-like loyalty he inspired remained, although it would dissipate in time. Legacy A crowd of people surround the demolished head of a statue of Joseph Stalin, including Daniel Sego, the man who cut off the head, during the Hungarian Revolt, Budapest, Hungary. Sego is spitting on the statue. (December 1956). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) It took several years for the Communist party to replace Stalin; in 1956, Nikita Khrushchev took over. Khrushchev broke the secrecy regarding Stalin’s atrocities and led the Soviet Union in a period of de-Stalinization, which included beginning to account for the catastrophic deaths under Stalin and acknowledging the flaws in his policies. It wasn’t an easy process for the Soviet people to break through Stalin’s cult of personality to see the real truths of his reign. The estimated numbers of dead are staggering. The secrecy regarding those â€Å"purged† has left millions of Soviet citizens wondering the exact fate of their loved ones. No Longer Idolize Stalin With these new-found truths about Stalin’s reign, it was time to stop revering the man who had murdered millions. Pictures and statues of Stalin were gradually removed and in 1961, the city of Stalingrad was renamed Volgograd. In October of 1961, Stalins body, which had lain next to Lenin’s for nearly eight years, was removed from the mausoleum. Stalin’s body was buried nearby, surrounded by concrete so that he could not be moved again. Sources Rappaport, Helen. Joseph Stalin: A Biographical Companion. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 1999.Radzinsky, Edvard. Stalin: The First In-depth Biography Based on Explosive New Documents from Russias Secret Archives. New York: Doubleday, 1996.Service, Robert. Stalin: A Biography. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Belknap Press, 2005.

American Popular Culture and Comedy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Popular Culture and Comedy - Essay Example This was the overall rating of the TV show. However, individual episodes received ratings that were slightly higher than that of the program. The boyfriend, the Packing Garage, Cheers and Seinfeld are among the greatest sitcoms of all time. The paper wills therefore analyze how these episodes represent the pattern of change in 20 the century TV comedies and TV shows. The paper will also relate the episodes with the work of Joseph Boskin. Seinfeld has been rated among the best TV series in American comedy series. The main aspect that made Seinfeld to have a high rating is its association with American culture. Unlike other comedies and TV series, different episodes of Seinfeld depict or illustrate a pattern of American culture. In addition, the TV show does not mix fiction with reality or emotions and humor. This aspect has enabled Seinfeld to stand out among other American television series or comedy shows aired in the twentieth century. Thus, the differences that stand between Seinf eld and other sitcoms illustrate or depict a pattern through which American comedies and TV series have evolved. Firstly, none of the principal characters in the series is related or has a family connection. This demonstrates a change that came into effect in the first decades of the twentieth century. ... Seinfeld is also among the first TV shows to introduce storylines that are developed during a performance. Although the characters had a pre-written storyline, most of their performance is based on their immediate experience and interaction. This uniqueness also contributed to the popularity of the sitcom. The phenomenon is widely demonstrated in stage performances particular comedy shows. Comedies performed in the last decades of the twentieth century have had a great dependence of the audience (Wiles 67). In addition, comedians in such shows do not act according to a pre written script but most of their performances are based on the present situations. Thus, a comedian will create his jokes according to the expectations of his audience. Criticizing the audience or an issue of current affairs such as news items also formed major subject in TV shows and comedies. The dependence of criticism and current affairs to create a storyline is dependent on the audience expectations. For insta nce, the Packing Garage and The Boyfriend have a significant variation in their usage of current affairs and the audience expectations. In addition, nearly all Seinfeld have unique storyline. This is the second factor that differentiates Seinfeld from other conventional sitcoms and television series. The existence of unique storyline for each episode means that each episode also has independent storyline and screenplay (Wiles 67). This also makes the episodes to have unique themes and have flexibility in relation to the audience. This significant factor differentiates Seinfeld from other TV shows and comedies of the twentieth century. The rise of political humor is another significant aspect depicted in Seinfeld. Although political satire had been a major aspect of TV