Influence of American Pop Culture and Media Essay Example for Free

Influence of American Pop Culture and Media Essay Pop culture and the media has firmly imbedded itself into the mindset of todays society resulting in people emulating and interpreting as hard fact everything that they see and hear through TV, magazines or radio. This is due to the fact that popular media has becomes a window into the rest of the world for most people because of its availability, entertaining qualities and popularity with a majority of ones pears. This has caused a mindset to develop wherein individuals believe that what they see in the media and what is being espoused in popular culture is what they should be like. As a result what has been created is a culture of emulation wherein people dress like what they see on T. V. and in magazines, act the same way as their idols, develop systems of beliefs based on what they perceive to be the norm and finally go so far as to change their very bodies all in an effort to become what they perceive to be the way they should be as dictated by pop culture and the media. The novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a depiction of the end result of a cultural attitude of relying too much on popular media as source of information in ones daily life. It portrays a dystopian society where books are illegal and people get all their information from TV or the radio shows resulting in a society where no new ideas are created and suffers from a distinct lack of being able to learn from its mistakes or to think for itself. Compared to todays media based society where people have become increasingly reliant on popular media in the form of TV and radio to nearly the verge of addiction the future described by Bradbury doesnt seem far off. What this paper will seek to examine is the positive and negative effects of popular media on society and how it effects the behavior of society in general. Positive effects of pop culture and the media Cultural Understanding Popular culture and the media has given rise to an assortment of cultural attitudes adopted by different cultures around which are distinctly American. As a result cultures and societies which normally wouldnt have anything to do with the U. S. all of sudden have adopted American customs as their own due the influence of pop culture and the media. This has resulted in the spread of the English language, the creations of a distinct appreciation of the American movie industry as well as a growing dependence on American programming as way to pass the time. Through mass media people have been connected in a way that hasnt been present since the start of civilization. Movie stars have fans in the millions, along with various TV actors and music artists. It has come to a point wherein American pop culture has an almost religious following in the form of the numerous fans who idolize American stars (Hollander 2010). Growth of American business Pop culture and mass media is an ever growing industry brining in hundreds of billions of dollars in annual earnings. In the form of advertising deals, satellite TV fees, merchandising and other forms of money making schemes generated by the industry. As a result the pop culture of American is actually helping to support the U. S. economy since not only are there people willing to buy products that they see on TV or in magazines in the U. S. but there are foreign buyers as well who are just as adamant in buying these products, if not more so (Hollander 2010) . Negative Effects of Media Creation of a materialistic culture Due to the obsession of the public over what they see in magazines and TV the result has been a culture that is obsessed over brand name goods, unique gadgets or anything that their idols on TV are shown to be using whether it be a brand of water or a type of earring the general public becomes so obsessed with trying to look like them that they spend thousands of dollars doing so. No where is this more obvious that with the brand of shoe wear Nike. In order to get specific shoe models like the Air Jordans or other such version associated with a famous star a lot of shoe aficionados are willing to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars just to collect items that for them are associated with a famous individual. This is due to the proliferation of commercials portraying their stars using these sort of products which results in people buying just for the sake of being more like their idols even if the product is grossly overpriced and overrated. Not only that but people in the process of buying these products develop huge credit card debt because of another development of pop culture namely the use of the credit card wherein instead of waiting and saving to obtain a certain product people satiate their immediate desires by using a credit card with its â€Å"buy now pay later† attractiveness. Which unfortunately has resulted in a attitude of bad spending and debt as a result of the America’s credit card culture. Creation of a TV centric culture Pop culture and the media has created a culture literally obsessed with televisions. Individuals spend hours on end watching TV and not moving from a single spot. This is due to the fact that a lot of shows are so entertaining and geared toward keeping an audience riveted in their seats that few people have the inclination to do otherwise. It is due to this that most people prefer watching TV than reading books or even going out for regular exercise resulting in a rise in the number of cases of people being overweight or even being obese due to lack of exercise. Not only that but a slow mental deterioration has occurred with a percentage of the population since instead of books they prefer the convenience of televisions resulting in a population that is actually more insular and less prone to new ideas and concepts as a result of this preference of TV over books. Effects on Society Development of Stereotypes Since popular forms of media such as TV, magazines and radio are thought of as windows to the world most individuals believe that the cultural connotations and the portrayal of individual ethnicities in TV programs as well as their unique characterizations are based on reality. The truth is that most of what is being portrayed is meant to entertain and amuse and audience and not be taken as hard fact. The end result is truth blended with fiction to such an extent that the distinction between the two is blurred and results in false impressions and perceptions. These impressions can cause a negative impact on how a particular ethnic group is thought of in reality. In movies and television series different ethnic groups always seem to have a generic characterization of the way that their particular race is suppose to act. This has resulted in a situation wherein these ethnic groups are rarely seen as anything else even outside of realm of media and popular culture. An example of this sort of perception is the characterization of African Americans in movies and programs. They are shown as loving to wear expensive jewelry, oversized clothes, have gold plated teeth or that nearly all of them are related to gang affiliated violence, have tattoos prominently placed on enjoy sporting shaved heads (Associated Content 2010). In reality this particular perception may not be true at all as evidenced by the current U. S. President who is an African American and does not seem to conform to the image portrayed by the media as what a black person is like. Unfortunately due to their portrayal in the media black Americans are often thought of as having criminal tendencies and being inherently violent with no actual basis on this perception aside from what is in the entertainment industry. Another ethnic group that is often maligned in movies and television shows are Asians. They are commonly associated as possessing the distinct inability to be understood, having a distinct inability in speaking the English language, are in possession of strange accents and strange association with all Asians as being of Chinese origin. As a result of their portrayal in popular media discrepancies occur in what people believe Asians to be and how they really are. Image Issues The power of the media is such that people are easily influenced by what they see. They choose to emulate even when that emulation leads to disastrous consequences. For adolescents the idea of what it means to beautiful is based upon their impressions of what is being portrayed by the media, these days the image that the media has been espousing is the idea that being thin equates to being beautiful. This is shown through the numerous commercial, magazine and billboard models who are all nearly stick thin and shallow faced. This has led to todays popular notion that being thin is in resulting in the numerous cases of eating disorders of adolescents who are desperate to look thin in order to appear beautiful in other people’s eyes (Kendrick 2008). The popularity of dieting is such that based on studies that have been conducted nine out of 10 people have tried dieting in the past in order to lose weight. This obsession with dieting is due to constant references to it via popular media either through magazine articles, sitcom characters and even models quoted during interviews. It is a fact that the media has created the concept that in order for women to attract men they have to be beautiful and since the idea being popularized by the media is that being thin makes you look beautiful a lot of women wind up dieting in order to conform to this image of beauty to attract a potential partner (Perez – Cueto 2009). The media through its proliferation of programs, advertisements and articles that portray thin women as being beautiful and popular is definitely at fault for the growing number of adolescents who have been affected by eating disorders. Adolescents are at the age wherein they are easily influenced by whatever they see and hear. This results that they possess the need to be accepted by others and feel like they are needed. With the media showing that being thin means being popular and well accepted it is no wonder that cases of adolescent anorexia have risen. Conclusion While American pop culture and mass media does have a good side since it does support the proliferation of the American culture to other societies around the world the advantages do not outweigh the disadvantages. Mass media has actually caused a devolution in the way people think since they prefer the mind numbing effects of television than that of mental stimulation from books. That through the spread of popular culture misconceptions arose about the different ethnic groups out there which people believe as the truth due to their reliance on popular media. That people have been becoming lazier, more easily influenced and more likely to cause irreparable damage to their bodies due the influences that have affected their minds. In the end American pop culture and mass media while being immensely popular is also a source of immense deterioration of the common sense and intellect of society.

JC Penney Advertising Essay Example for Free

JC Penney Advertising Essay As time progresses, the world, in terms of business is rather contracting. There is growing communication, interaction and exchange between different parts of the world. Technologies that were once thought of as a far sighted notion are now being used like household commodities and communication mediums that were once considered luxuries available to few are now necessities needed to prosper. And as the world is becoming more integrated and countries are becoming more and more dependent on one another in terms of trade and business the concept of branding, advertising and promotion is becoming more prevalent and widespread. This paper will focus on the marketing of JC penny. It would elaborate on the print as well as online marketing. Moreover it would compare and contrast advertising of online and bricks and mortar companies. Discussion The demand for accountability of marketing is rising and also the pressure of having less absolute dollars to work with so there is utmost need to be sharper, more purposeful and more targeted with marketing. JC Penney is a general retail brand that specializes in clothing, accessories and home furnishing. It has been around for decades and has been catering the needs of consumers of all ages and backgrounds. JC Penneys main target audience at the present times is women as well as youngsters. JC Penney faced criticism for being a brand that accommodated only the high-end and older generation. However, they have been changing their brand image and have been successful in implementing an image that is portraying a more young and trendy vibe. It now focuses on providing products that have the characteristics of being conservative, traditional, modern or trendy. Fundamentally JC Penney has been escalated in the last years is through the fact that it has moved from mass marketing to a more targeted approach. The few reasons for this change is that JC Penney believes that when business is difficult there is a lot greater chance of success with getting the arms around the best customers and increasing frequency share of wallet and trips with the best customers then trying to recruit new customers in tough times that may not shopping the brand. JC Penney has managed to find ways to develop formats that allowed it to get more productivity out the money that is spend. It has also become more targeted in terms of customer selection through becoming much sharper about making sure the right customers get the right format in the right piece. (Fetterman, 2006) JC Penney is one of the brands that hold the significance of being a brick and mortar store as well as an online retailer. Hence, it follows branding through all of the sources of mass media. It publishes magazines and postcards for the promotion of its products. It also advertises it products and offers through newspapers, television ads and online ads. When comparing the online and print media usage it quoted by Mike Boylson the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of JC Penney that In the postcard you can deliver more of a sales message, or more of a discount message these postcards may drive the customers online to see the full assortment online where as the larger brand books of JC Penny show a much richer sense of the style that they have and they portray fundamentally completely different messages. The postcard includes the offer and a link to the website to go see the expanded content where as the book itself that goes out shows the product, the customer can then either come in the store or they can go online or place their order on the phone. Direct mail is very important because through versioning and through customer segmentation the company is able to send out more targeted messages that are highly accountable and are also able to track the results in direct mail to a degree that cannot be possible in a lot of the other traditional mass media used by JC Penney. JC Penney has been focusing a great deal over its brand image and has been trying to diversify and broaden its target audience. It has recently changed to a new brand motif; Every day matters along with the new tag line, the company has been working on enhancing its customers services and the opening of several temporary promotional stores. JC Penney is focusing on increasing the popularity of its brick and mortar stores as well as its online retailing through providing customers with latest offers, discounts and showcasing their product line online for ease of access. Sloan, 2007) As the world is advancing so are the technologies and the ease with which communication is possible among all parts of the world. With the advent of the internet and the upscale increase in its popularity, there has been almost nothing that is not available on the World Wide Web. The phenomenon of e-shopping emerged with the internet. The fact that customers could get what they want in the ease of their ho mes, increased the recognition of the internet and also of online shopping. There are numerous differences and similarities between online shopping and traditional shopping. But what holds more importance is the way the companies market their product online and how different it is from the marketing and promotion of brick and mortar companies. (Lowrey, 2008) Marketing over the internet is considered less costly, as it is holds a lower cost of distributing information on a global platform. More and more business are moving towards online retailing due to its outnumbered advantages in terms of cost, convenience and mobility of information over a great distance. One of the major focuses that companies including JC Penney is on the website. The success of online marketing is highly dependent over the outlook, design and the information provided by the website. Both the online companies as well as brick and mortar companies need to identify their target audience before they implement any marketing strategies. This lets them focus on the type of marketing tool they would benefit them. Brick and mortar companies offer a more traditional aspect of shopping and they also follow a traditional approach of marketing. This is mostly through mass media such as newspapers, television broadcast and magazines. With the passage of time, there are less and less companies that focus solely over brick and mortar business. Most companies are now available online as there is less overheads and larger audience prone to response through the internet. Conclusion In the end it is imperative to recognize the increasing importance of internet in business. Both, online retailing and brick and mortar companies hold their own set of characteristics that make them distinct. As the progress of online shopping is increasing there is still need for brick and mortar stores for traditional shoppers. Most companies, however, imply both the alternatives and hence, carry out their marketing accordingly.

Cultural Phenomenon of the Celebrity: Hermeneutic Analysis

Cultural Phenomenon of the Celebrity: Hermeneutic Analysis New ways of thinking can often illuminate new ideas that would not come to light using our conventional and most natural modes of reasoning. We can be stretched in dynamic ways by altering our methods or approaches to our thinking. Several methods of thinking include exploration of the unconscious, symbolic systems, radical Synthesis, hermeneutic analysis, among others. For me, the hermeneutic form of thinking has the most unsettling effect upon my mind. A hermeneutic approach has experience a revival in recent times in the wake of influential thinkers such as Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, and others. These hold a significant place in the present intellectual climate in the Western world. For this essay, I decided to use a hermeneutic approach to analyze a particular cultural phenomenon. Cultural phenomena are of vital importance for study since they represent aspects of human nature (en masse) that are impossible to extrapolate independently. Not only are they interesting to stu dy, but they maintain continual interest for elites and common people alike. It is not a stretch to state that these phenomena successfully capture the population’s imagination. In this particular essay, I will look at the cultural phenomena of the celebrity using hermeneutic analysis. The hermeneutical way of thinking, in this case, won’t apply to a given text but rather to the social phenomenon of â€Å"celebritydom†. By thinking about social phenomena in a hermeneutical way, one can look at a subject that rarely gets such scrutiny and hopefully begin to find understanding as to why our societies are so enthralled by the celebrity narrative. The development of a new form of â€Å"celebritydom† can be understood in a new way by understanding the context, audience, media sources, and other hermeneutical factors. First of all, we will begin to think about the context of celebrities in the past. There has most obviously been a shift in Western Society in the development of the celebrity. It has not been an overnight shift by any means, but it has been significant. The most outstanding example of recent changes in the nature of celebrity is the professional celebrity—a celebrity with little reason to be revered or famous. The prime example would be the infamous Paris Hilton. Although a notable heiress to her parent’s fortune, she has become a celebrity in her own right through self-promotion. There are countless heirs to various fortunes that will never be known. This kind of character, however, is unprecedented, even in the 20th century. Most celebrities came into being through some sort of accomplishment, i.e. film, music, politics, sports, etc. Or, they became celebrities by association, such as royalty. The amount of coverage allotted to celebrity-esque storylines has grown exponentially. Entire television channels are devoted to the ceaseless coverage of ce lebrity’s lives. A whole subclass of photography has developed in the â€Å"paparazzi,† known for being the epitome of the dog-eat-dog line of work. Not to mention the countless â€Å"tabloids† that line the newsstands. These are some of the basic contextual factors that surround the modern celebrity phenomenon. Another factor for thinking about this social phenomenon is the audience. The audience for the development of new celebrities that must be analyzed if one is to use a hermeneutical strategy. The audience for much of celebrity press and concern has largely not changed in type, but likely has changes in how broad the appeal is. It would have been impossible to imagine that Clark Gable’s personal life would have been known or a concern for Middle East youth fifty years ago. Today, however, in all corners of the world they not only know the names of key celebrities but also their storylines of gossip. I remember being asked in a remote village in Albania about the future of â€Å"J-Lo† and Ben Affleck’s relationship if they got married. Obviously this change has a lot to do with the digital revolution—opening up a large part of the world to a previously unknown celebrity world. It also betrays the fact that the same phenomenon is at work in these non-Western c ountries as is here in the West. Knowledge and a pursuit of information about Western celebrities could also reveal an admiration of the culture of celebrities by the non-West, but often times these elements remain even in countries predisposed to hate the west. Although many citizens of these said countries likely separate the politics and the culture of the West, a large majority still do not. There is an effect of â€Å"can’t help but look† type psychology in regards to coverage of celebrities. Just like in the West, many in these societies likely think the coverage is superfluous and or wrong. Although a judgment has been made concerning the validity and morality of celebrity coverage many remain to have a working knowledge of the ins and outs of Hollywood love life. These ‘stories’ seem to do something for us en masse. Using further hermeneutical strategies, we will now turn to the sources for the coverage of celebrity gossip and the like. If one is to exit the supermarket on a given day he or she is given the opportunity to be swiftly educated in celebritydom. The print media is a key source of information on celebrities. This seems to be chiefly centered on magazines; the newspaper medium seems to inadequately address the goals of celebrity coverage. The magazine provides the opportunity for vivid pictures, small pithy commentary, and quick entertainment. It is glitzy, stylish, and most of all fast. Whereas one may need to have some backround in Middle Eastern politics in order to find parts of the newspaper engaging, the celebrity magazine can bring the glamour and scandal of the celebrity phenomenon with little or no education. The celebrity magazine is an odd mix of â€Å"posed† shots of red carpet entries into various galas, possibly a celebrity interview/photo shoot, and scandalizing pictures kindly provided by the paparazzi. This seems to be a winning combination of glamour, personal interest, and scandal. The second main conduit for the celebrity phenomenon is the television medium. As mentioned before, â€Å"E!† is an entire channel devoted to the coverage of celebrity life. This is not to mention the countless celebrity news shows, and their subsequent spoofs. Celebrity news shows use a similar format compared to that of their magazine cousins. The show usually features some sort of personal interaction with a celebrity, praising the glamour or character of a particular celebrity, and (of course) the mandatory scandal. These shows have produced celebrities in their own right out of the mere reporting on celebrities. The prime example is Ryan Seacrest. Seacrest is the epitome of the ultimate host, having hosted the top twenty for years on a radio station in Los Angeles, been an E! â€Å"anchor,† and most famously the host of American Idol. Seacrest has become a celebrity by merely reporting on celebrities. Both media types—that of magazine and t.v.—have wo rked in conjunction. One reports on the other and vice versa. One makes the other. Using a hermeneutical strategy to look at the social phenomenon of the celebrity has brought to light several profound new ideas for me. The first is what celebrity coverage does for us. I have come to the conclusion at various times that humans have at all times needed a common narrative in their social relationships. In days gone by, this narrative could be sustained by regional parochial concerns. A village would find a bond in the fact that their story was shared, they lived close to one another, married into each other’s families, etc. The gossip and glory of a small town would sustain its people. Yet, as society has diversified, fragmented, pluralized, etc. it has lost that local connection that is vital for human connection. At the most basic social level, we need something to talk about—a common ground. Human connection is essential for the flourishing of human life. Celebrity coverage, professional sports, and other modern social phenomena seek to fill that voi d. In a time when we increasingly find our human contact in less connected or natural ways, such coverage give us a cultural common ground. We can gripe about the fortunes of Liverpool or quip about the Beckham family to absolute strangers and they will likely be able to track with our line of thought. Celebrity narratives give us a common ground for humor, social reflection, and allusions. In order to have fulfilling communication we must have some sort of shared story, even if these stories are plastic in nature. Our society has inevitably become more diverse, global, and connected. This has inevitably lead to an erosion of parochial concerns, and pushed us to socially evolve in order to maintain human connection. We have found common social narrative in the celebrity. Their story has become a common story for us. Their divorces, their cheating, their success, their money, etc., have all become a commentary about our own lives. This line of thought leads me to an additional hermen eutic conclusion concerning celebrity coverage and its reflective nature. We are not interested in celebrities just because they happen to be successful but because they are reflective. Celebrities embody our hopes and dreams, fears and pitfalls, and desire for detachedness. The populace not only celebrates celebrity success, but also celebrates celebrity failure. There is a lust for failure as much as there is for success in the interest in these lives. It is interesting to note that the most famous celebrities are those where there are equal portions success and failure. This is important. Without adjoining failure these celebrities fail to capture people’s imagination. Too much success and too much failure both trigger a lose of interest in the given celebrity. Celebrities find themselves in a proverbial catch-22, trying to allow promotion while not being raked through the coals. The most successful in this respect have allowed both. The reality about celebrity coverage is that we are not interested because these people are necessarily glamorous (there are a lot of unknown glamorous people to be found). We are interested because celebrities create for us a narrative for self reflection and self understanding. Having used hermeneutical techniques such as analyzing the context, audience, media sources, etc., I have come to some interesting new ideas and understanding about a key phenomenon in our society—the celebrity. In previous times, I have been rather perplexed as to why we care so much about these lives. Yet after thinking about the topic using hermeneutical analysis, I have come to several profound reasons as to why this is so.

Sustained Silent Reading Essay -- Education

Sustained Silent Reading Most administrators and educators, if asked what is the area that needs the most improvement in schools today, would answer reading. Children seem to battle with reading at almost every grade level. As reported by Trelease (2006) students do not read very much. In one reported study, 90% of the students studied devoted only 1 percent of their free time to reading and 30% to watching television. Fifty percent of the students read for an average of four minutes or less per day, 30% read two minutes per day, and 10% read nothing at all (p. 1). These statistics only serve to worsen the fear of students low reading abilities. Educators have developed a myriad of programs to improve students’ comprehension, retention, and higher level thinking skills. These skills are especially important in the improvement of scores on the state mandated assessments. Among these programs is Sustained Silent Reading (SSR), which promises that students can improve comprehension, enjoy reading for pleasure, and become life-long readers in fifteen to twenty minutes a day. Sustained Silent Reading is a program where students read any type of printed material for an uninterrupted, specific amount of time. Gardiner (2001) states there are many different names for SSR, such as Drop Everything and Read (DEAR), Uninterrupted Sustained Silent Reading (USSR), and Providing Opportunities with Everyday Reading (POWER) to name a few (p. 32). Each program varies a little from the others, but they share the same guidelines. Students read silently every day, choose their own materials, read for an uninterrupted amount of time, do not have to finish a book or other material, notice the teacher reading as well, and do not have to tak... ...his article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19388070309558400 DEAR me: What does it take to get children reading? By: Lee-Daniels, Sonya L., Murray, Bruce A., Reading Teacher, 00340561, Oct2000, Vol. 54, Issue 2 Teaching of English Language and Literature (TELL) Journal Volume 15, Number 2, November 1999 Anthony Seow The Read aloud Handbook Jim Trelease's 2006 Penguin Books http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr038.shtml "Sustained Silent Reading" Helps Develop Independent Readers (and Writers) Article by Gary Hopkins Education World ® Copyright  © 1997 Education World Originally published 11/19/1997 Updated 10/15/2007 Why Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) Doesn’t Work June 25th, 2011 | Mark Pennington, MA Reading Specialist Pennington Publishing Blog http://penningtonpublishing.com/blog/reading/why-sustained-silent-reading-ssr-doesn%E2%80%99t-work

Hesters Ambivalence in The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Hester's Ambivalence in The Scarlet Letter Throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne's book The Scarlet Letter, Hester's attitudes toward her adultery are ambivalent. This ambivalence is shown by breaking the book into three different parts. In each part her attitudes change significantly. Hester starts by seeing her act as a sin that she is sorry for committing. She changes and no longer feels sorry for the sin. Finally, Hester sees the act as not sinful, but she regrets committing it. In the first part, covering the first six chapters, Hester thinks of her action as a sin. In chapter four she tells her husband that it was her fault for committing adultery when she says, "I have greatly wronged thee" (79). In chapter six Hawthorne writes that Hester knows "her deed had been evil" (92). This evil deed, in Hester's eyes, causes Pearl to act sinful, so Hester feels overwhelming guilt. At this point Hester feels that her actions were evil and were her fault, therefore she is sorry for committing adultery. In chapter five Hester's attitudes are the same but Hawthorne shows that these attitudes are not stable and are susceptible to change. Hester moves to a cottage on the outskirts of Boston, but because her sentence does not restrict her to the limits of the Puritan settlement, Hester could return to Europe to start over. She decides to stay because she makes herself believe that the town "has been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment" (84). This belief gives the impression that she views her action as a sin and feels a need to further punish herself. But this belief only covers her actual feelings. To the contrary, as Hawthorne describes, her real reason for staying is that "There dwelt, there trod the feet of one with whom she deemed herself connected in a union, that, unrecognized on earth, would bring them together before the bar of final judgment, and make their that marriage altar, for a joint futurity of endless retribution" (84). This comment means that the real reason for her staying is that Reverend Dimmsdale, the father of her child, lives there and she hopes to someday marry him.

Religion and Politics in Tibet Essay -- Political

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is the spiritual and political leader of an ancient people without a country, and is the binding and driving force behind Tibetan nonviolent resistance and cultural rebuilding. He was born July 6, 1935, making him 69 years old. He has lived all but 15 of these 69 years in exile from his country, continually being a main reason for their survival. The Dalai Lama is now considering his successor, and plans to do so through democratic means instead of the traditional process of divination. He has also been guiding his country toward a westernized organization of government in recent years, more and more towards a greater separation of church and state. How will Tibet, a country defined by its religious fervor, survive in exile with a separation of religion and politics? The Dalai Lama and Tibet have stood together against one of the largest countries in the world for half a century. Even though Tibet has yet to regain its sovereignty, it has managed to survive and even thrive while in exile, and is slowly making small steps back toward once again ruling the Land of Snows. Tibet’s success so far is due to its unique blend of religion and politics. Their success is evident in the equality of their people, their peaceful nature, and the continued success of their resistance to China for the last 54 years. A Secular Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama is the living incarnation of the Bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokitesvara. The institution of the Dalai Lama was created by a Mongol chief, Altan Khan, in the year 1578. Altan Khan already ruled a great section of the Mongolian empire and parts of northern China when he first came in contact with Tibet. In this first meeting, Altan met t... ...lizes.† Peace Magazine. (Oct-Dec 2002): 6 Ram, Senthil. The Pragmatism in Tibetan Nonviolent Politics [online]. The Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research, June 2004 [cited 18 November 2004]. Available from the World Wide Web: (http://www.transnational.org /forum/Nonviolence/2004/Ram_pragmatismTibet.html) The Government of Tibet in Exile [online]. Available from the World Wide Web: (www.tibet.com) Thurman, Robert A. F, Kenneth Kraft. Inner Peace, World Peace: Tibet and the Monastic Army of Peace. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1992. US Department of State [online]. Available from the World Wide Web: (www.state.gov) Woodward, Kenneth L. â€Å"Dalai Lama: 'My Name, My Popularity' Useful in Promoting Human Values, Harmony Among Religions; 'Next Dalai Lama Could Be Indian or European ... Even A Woman'.† Newsweek. (August 9, 1999)

Blind Date Script Essay

â€Å"Far From The Madding Crowd† Blind Date Script. Graham: It’s Blind Date! And here is your host, Miss Cilla Black! Cilla: Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Blind Date. In a moment we’ll be meeting the lucky lady who gets to pick from one of these gorgeous guys! So, let’s meet the boys! So, hello number 1; what’s your name and where do you come from? Bo: Good Evening, Cilla. My name is William Boldwood, and I am from Weatherbury. C: Nice to meet you, William. So tell everyone a bit about yourself. Bo: Well, Cilla, I am a 42 year old bachelor, I own a large farm, and†¦. I’m incredibly wealthy! C: And, I understand, correct me if I’m wrong love, that you have had a nasty experience involving a Valentine’s card? Bo: That is correct, Cilla. I once received a Valentine’s card through in the mail, and I had no idea who the sender was. I was a little afraid, you see, it could have been anything. So, I erm, placed it on my mantelpiece. Well, then I couldn’t stop thinking of it, so I stared at it for quite some time. C: How long for, love? Bo: For a matter of days, Cilla. C: Oh dear. Well I for one am always scared when the postman comes, I mean, when them bills get posted through my door I know I’m too terrified to open them for a week! C: Alright love, well, best of luck tonight, and please don’t be scared of the date cards if you’re picked ’cause we’ve only got so long, you know. Okay, number two, what’s your name and where do you come from? T: Hello, Cilla, my love, my name’s Frank Troy and I’m from Weatherbury too! C: Hiya Frank. Tell us all a bit about yourself, love. T: Well, I’m 31, I’m a Sergeant in the Army, so I travel a lot, and I enjoy sword fighting, so I spend a lot of my spare time practising that, and, I’m quite skilled if I may say so myself. C: Oh really? Come on, then. Show us some moves! (Troy shows off with sword techniques). C: Wow, I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that lot! Eh, thanks very much love, well done. Best of luck tonight, but if you win, leave the sword at home, won’t you? Hello number three, what’s your name and where do you come from? O: Eh Cilla, me name’s Gabriel Oak an I be from Weatherbury as well. C: Hiya, chuck, why don’t you tell everyone a bit about yourself? O: Well, I’m 28 an I work on a farm in Weatherbury, Cilla. C: And I heard that you used to own your own farm, is that right? O: Ay, that be correct, Cilla, I used to ave some lovely little sheepies, but, sadly, most of em died in a tragic accident. C: Awwwwww†¦ (Sympathy) O: Yer, so maybe, even though I don’t ave a lot, she’ll still be willing to ave me. Then I’ll know she be genuine an all that. An it could get me a few sympathy votes as well, But I wont let on until after the show, just in case. C: A man with a plan! Well, you probably wont even need to use the sheep story Gabriel, I’m sure you’ll be fine. And may the best fella win. Good luck to all of you. Now, guys and girls, lets meet the lucky lady who gets her pick of one of these gorgeous guys! (Bathsheba enters) C: Hello love, and you are Bathsheba, is that right? B: Yes Cilla, that’s right. C: And where are you from, Bathsheba love? B: I’m from Weatherbury Cilla. C: Oh I didn’t see that one coming. Now, what sort of thing are you looking for, and hoping to find tonight in one of our top-class bachelors? B: Well, I’m looking for someone who will flatter me but also stand up to me. I’m very independent. C: Oh, that’s right, you own a farm, dont you? B: I do indeed, Cilla. C: Well, let’s hope those three blokes over there stand up to you more than your farm animals do. And lets hope they smell better an all. B: well I won’t know until the date, but lets hope so. C: Alright love. Let’s get on with your three questions then. Fire away! B: Hello boys! ALL: Hello Bathsheba! B: Okay, my first question is; If I was an animal, I would be a tiger, because I could definitely use a little taming. If you were an animal, what would you be, and why? That goes to number 1, please. Bo: Well, Bathsheba, I would be a snake, a boa constrictor, so I would be able to wrap myself around you, and squeeze you as tight as I can. B: And to number 2, please. T: Well, I would be a fox, most obviously because of my red coat, but also because I hunt my prey and always get what I want. B: And, lastly, to number 3, please. O: Well, I would probably be a sheep, because, apart from being cute n cuddly, I would follow you round as a sheep does and always be with you. B: Okay, 2nd question. If I were a type of food, I would be a curry, because I am hot and spicy! What food would you be, and why? That is to number 2, please. T: Well, I would be Egg and Soldiers, so you could have a dip in me anytime! B: And to number 3, please. O: Okay, if I was a food, I would be Shepherd’s Pie, because I be a shepherd, and I be warm, tasty and simple. So, heat me up, and it’ll be dinner for two. B: And lastly, to number 1, please. Bo: If I was a sort of food, I would most certainly be Toad in the hole, because once you dig down to my deep centre and kiss the toad, I would be your handsome prince. B: And my last question is; I am a woman who likes to be pampered and showered with gifts. If you could give me one thing, what would it be and why? To number 3, please. O: Well, I don’t ave a lot, you see, but I would give you my heart of gold, because that be all I wantin in return. B: And to number 1, please. Bo: I would give you anything you want, anything your heart desires. And the greatest gift any woman could wish for – ME! B: And last but not least, to number 2, please. T: I would give you the sheath to my prized possession, my sword, because then I would be allowed to put my things inside yours. C: Oh well, Bathsheba, that’s all your questions. But don’t make your mind up yet, here’s a bit of help from Our Graham! G: So Bathsheba, will it be Toady number 1, who will give you himself and squeeze you tightly, just don’t send him any mail! Or, will it be foxy number 2, who likes nothing better than putting on his Soldier coat and doing sword tricks – just keep the toast away from his yolk. Or, will you decide on warm and simple number 3, and if on your date his sheepy antics get on your nerves, you could always sell that gold heart he gave you. THE DECISION – IS YOURS! C: So who will it be love – 1, 2 or 3? B: I’m going to have to go with number 3, Cilla. C: Oh, but what about the two you turned down? (introduces Troy, then Boldwood – they leave) C: So here is your Blind Date, you picked number one, that was Gabriel Oak from Weatherbury – come in Gabriel! (Gabriel and Bathsheba meet) C: Alright, are you pleased? (Both nod). Okay then, let’s pick a date! Which one will be picking? O: I’ll let the lovely lady here pick. (Bathsheba picks) B: A sightseeing trip to London! (Hands envelope to Cilla) C: It says here that the two of you will be seeing all the sights of the Famous London! Have either of you been there before? (both say no). Good. Then after that, you’ll be shopping ’til you drop and then staying in a luxury hotel! It says here let’s hope that the two of you aren’t calling each other pigs by the end of the week! Okay, let’s have a round of applause for Bathsheba and Gabriel!