Oil Boom in Nigeria: What are the Socio-Economic Implications for Society from 1999-2014?

Chapter 1: Introduction Nigeria is one of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Nigeria’s economy was largely characterised by agricultural production alongside other consumer goods up to the 1980’s, when oil wealth took over the majority of the country’s economy. For more than three decades, Nigeria has exploited her oil resources for export. The emergence of oil as Nigeria’s main source of revenue has generated a number of questions regarding the significance of the oil wealth to the socio-economic development of Nigeria society. It has been commonly assumed that Nigeria’s large oil deposits would spur socio-economic growth and put the country among the world’s elite nations in terms of economic growth and social prosperity (Ian and Terry, 2003). Since independence from Great Britain in 1960, Nigerians have experienced a number of problems ranging from ethno-religious and sectarian conflicts to corruption. According to Gboyega (1996) the post-independe nt Nigeria is one that has bore the brunt of leadership-induced poverty instigated by corruption scandals, religious charlatanism, war, restiveness, political instability, series of dictatorial regimes, and failure to build basic amenities among other issues. Ironically, these challenges have intensified during the period when Nigeria experienced what is commonly referred to as the ‘oil boom’ (Gboyega, 1996, p.39). Julius-Adeoye (2010) believes that Nigeria’s severe socio-economic crisis started immediately after independence, when the country’s leaders plundered the nation’s resources with massive corruption allegations at the expense of citizens’ wellbeing; excuses that military generals used to mount coups from the civilian rulers. Whilst it was expected that the beginning of Nigeria’s democratically elected government in 1999 under the leadership of President Olesegun Obasanjo would see sudden change of fortunes for Nigerians, the country has not realised much progress in terms of social progress despite the much hyped economic growth (Salawu, 2010). Data indicate that Nigeria’s oil revenue hit US$ 300 billion in the last two decades alone (Balouga, 2009). But it is the rise in revenue (over USD$112 billion between 2004 and 2007 alone) during Obasanjo’s reign that has raised questions about the country’s priorities and socio-economic development plans. One question one would ask is; where did Nigeria got it wrong in terms of socio-economic developmentTo answer this question, there is need to understand how defining regimes of General Ibrahim Babangida and later Olesegun Obasanjo have contributed to the socio-economic slump of the resource-rich Nigeria. 1.1 Aim and Objectives This study aims to establish the implication of two leaders of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida (1985-1993) and President Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007) on Nigeria’s oil and gas resource management and the socio-economic impact with General Babangida setting the pace in the years of misrule and mismanagement of national resources, he set a precedent that would later haunt the economic and social fabric of Nigeria and its people for later years. Sadly, the trend of inequality did not seem to end with military rule but extended with the civilian rule of the democratically elected government (Odebode, 2004).Research objectivesTo establish the role of General Babangida’s regime on the oil resource management and socio-economic development of Nigeria To identify the implication of President Obasanjo’s reign as a democratically elected leader on the oil resource management and socio-economic development of Nigeria To identify ways in which leadership can be used to ba lance Nigeria’s socio-economic development and improve oil resource management 1.2 Research Questions What is the significance of Babangida and Obasanjo’s regimes in the socio-economic development of Nigeria? What is the significance of oil wealth to the socio-economic development of Nigeria’s socio-economic development? What implications do the oil resources have on the local communities’ social integration and economic wellbeing? To what extent has the reigns of these leaders captured in the literature about Nigeria’s developmental agenda? Chapter 2: Literature Review There is a significant body of literature on Nigeria’s development framework. It has been described as having components of corruption, consumerism, failed socio-economic and political policies, and many other issues (Balouga, 2009; Odebode, 2004; Ian and Terry, 2003).Odebode (2004) observes that Nigeria’s socio-economic climate in the past four decades has neither promoted any kind of social and economic welfare that can insulate families from harsh market realities nor help them â€Å"benefit from market developments† (Odebode, 2004, p.12). This is despite massive revenue from oil production. Corruption has been at the core of Nigeria’s political and social developments independence, saddling between military and civilian regimes, which have regrettably institutionalised corruption in almost all government agencies. When General Ibrahim Babangida toppled General Muhammadu Buhari’s regime of less than two years in a bloodless in-house coup on 27th August 1985, the country saw thirteen years of corruption in Nigeria. It is generally agreed that during General Babangida’sregime corruption not only reached alarming high level rate but also became instutionalised. For instance, leaders who were found guilty by tribunals in the previous regimes of Murtala Mohammed and Mohammadu Buharu would later find their way back into the public life; recovering their seized properties allegedly acquired through corrupt means. Maduagwu (cited i n Gboyega, 1996, p.5) observes that that not only did Babangida regime entrench corruption when he pardoned corrupt government officials convicted in the previous regimes and allowed them to reclaim their seized properties, but also â€Å"officially sanctioned corruption in the country, making it difficult to apply the only potent measures, long prison terms and seizure of illegally acquired wealth† for fighting corruption in Nigeria in the future. The successive regimes after Babangida did little to stop corruption (Balouga, 2009). General Sani Abacha in just less than 4 months had ousted the interim government furthering the corruption menace and stagnating the socio-economic growth. The Abacha regime saw corruption reached its peak with plunder of national resources. The International Centre for Asset Recovery (2009) estimated that the Abacha family alone took up to US$ 4 billion from the public coffers. Salawu (2010) observes that the country’s populace is still ma rred with abject poverty, to the extent that it is not only being categorised amongst the world’s poorest nations but also graces the world’s most unequal countries list. Studies have estimated that about 70 percent of Nigeria’s population lives below poverty line, largely due to inequitable distribution of the national resources such as oil revenue limited access to basic amenities and social services such as healthcare (Salawu, 2010). Chapter 3: Research methodology and design The researcher proposes to use qualitative research method to increase the understanding of the attitudes, motivation and other non-numerical information. The study will seek to investigate these phenomena using structured and semi-structured questionnaires, interviews and observation. According to Panneerselvam (2004), qualitative approach to research is the most appropriate research method when studying issues that require in-depth understanding of issues. Panneerselvam (2004) advises that researchers intending to study societal issues such as corruption and governance should immerse themselves into the culture of the society and experience what is in the system. Qualitative research allows the researcher to practice the needed flexibility, thus the ability to amend the emerging sub-questions as they become more familiar with the people, culture and system construct (Panneerselvam, 2004, p.158). Qualitative research methods help researchers to collect non-numerical responses from r espondents using less-structured research instruments such as interviews, observation and ethnography. Ethnography uses fieldwork to provide a descriptive study of human society and presents the results as an organized whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. It is founded on the principle that a system’s individual properties cannot always be accurately understood independent of each other. Qualitative research is thus based on relatively small sample sizes and may evoke inherent challenges when larger sample sizes are needed. In-depth Case study This research will also adopt a case study as a research methodology. The case studies will focus on General Babangida’s regime and Obasanjo’s reign and draw any comparison and similarities in terms of socio-economic development. Case study as a research method is popular due to its ability to draw inspiration from the empirical curiosity and practicality (Stake, 1998). Although the researcher maybe interested in a wider question of socio-economic development of Nigeria, the case study will allow the researcher to specifically focus on issues of oil resource management, corruption, and leadership ideals. Case study is an important research method because it is able to combine other research strategies, hence the reason why it is often referred to as a meta-method (Stake, 1998). Gillham (2001) argues that a case study should not be viewed as more important than other research methodologies but should be seen as more suited for practice-oriented fields. That is, the abili ty of the researcher to act within a professional practice is dependent on the knowledge of a repertoire of cases. 3.1 Scope of the study This research will focus on oil resource management and its impact on socio-economic development in Nigeria. The focus will draw similarities and contrast between General Babangida’s regime (1985-1993) and Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007). References Balouga, J. (2009). The Niger Delta: Defusing the Time Bomb. International Association for Energy Economies 1 (3), 8-11. Gboyega, A. (1996). Corruption and Democratization in Nigeria. Ibadan: Agba Areo Publishers. International Centre for Asset Recovery. (2009, September). Sani Abacha. Retrieved on 25 August, 2014 from http://www.assetrecovery.org/ Gillham, B. (2001). Case Study Research Methods. London, New York: Continuum. Ian, G. and Terry, L. (2003). Bottom of the Barrel: Africa’s Oil Boom and the Poor. Stanford: Catholic Relief Services. Julius-Adeoye, R.J. Nigerian Playwrights and Official Corruption: a study of selected plays. In Oshionebo, B.,Mbachaga, J.D., eds. (2010). Literary Perspectives on Corruption in Africa 1. Markudi: Bookmakers, 2 (1), 5-17. Odebode, S. (2004). Husbands are Crowns: Livelihood Pathways of Low-Income Urban Yoruba Wwomen in Ibadan, Nigeria. The Hague: ISS, 11-12. Panneerselvam, R. (2004). Research Methodology. NY: PHI Learning Pvt. Salawu, B. ( 2010). Ethno-Religious Conflicts in Nigeria: Causal Analysis and Proposals for New Management Strategies. European Journal of Social Sciences 13(3), 345-353. Stake, R. (1998). â€Å"Case Studies† in: Norman Denzin & Yvonna Lincoln. (eds.): Strategies of Qualitative Inquiry. Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage.

Analysis on ZARA

As for the B2C buying behaviour, many perspectives are included. Firstly, take a look at the cultural factors. Buyers of ZARA are influenced by culture, subculture and social factors. ZARA collects information about its customers via staff members, by different observations and also directly from the buyers. Since ZARA is a centralized brand it focuses on the global trends, though it has decided to move towards geocentric orientation and started to adopt local solutions, too.It is also seen that the income factor is one of the biggest determinants as the brand has relatively high prices. However, it provides value to customers; still not every social class could afford it. Secondly, as far as the social factors are mentioned, buyers can be influenced by their memberships, their activities in different groups, relationships as well as their role and status. For instance, working in a business related area can influence customers to buy formal ZARA clothes as well as being part of a sp ort club can make them buy sporty clothes.While the brand has a lot of segments, it also provides items for sport activities. The role and status is a huge influencing factor. It provides elegant, formal clothes and for this reason ZARA clothes can be bought for showing the already gained position in the society. Among personal factors, the occupation is considered to be the most important since blue collar workers are not even motivated to buy ZARA products.That is the reason why it does not targets other members of the society. Lastly, the psychological factors are the main determinants. The ZARA brand is valuable, it understands the latest fashion trends and also follows the customer’s wants. Therefore, their prices are relatively high as mentioned before. We can claim that clothes obviously belong to our basic needs, but this quality brand is more like in relation to the esteem part if Maslow’s pyramid is considered.

Obama and Bush in the Iraq war Essay

On April 11, 1991, the Gulf war ended with a cease fire that was negotiated between the United States and its allies and Iraq. A policy of containment was maintained by the United States and its allies towards Iraq. This policy encompassed various economic sanctions by the United Nations Security Council, the enforcement by the United States and United Kingdom of Iraqi no flying zones and inspections to prevent Iraq from developing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. In October 1998, the United States official policy toward Iraq became regime change with the enactment of the Iraqi liberation act. The act provided for the transition of Iraq to a democracy following the withdrawal of United Nations weapons inspectors. This legislation however did not correspond with the terms that were set out in United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 which basically focused on weapons and weapons programs and made no mention of change of regime. The United States and the United Kingdom launched the Operation Desert Fox one month after the Iraq Liberation Act was passed. The rationale behind the campaign was to restrict the ability of Saddam’s government to produce chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. On the other hand, United States national security personnel hoped that the exercise would weaken Saddam’s grip on power. With the election of Bush as the United States president in 2000, the United States became actively inclined toward the policy of regime change in Iraq. The Republican’s campaign became prior to the elections called for complete implementation of Iraq Liberation Act and the ousting of Saddam. The invasion of Iraq may have been planned since the inauguration with the first National security meeting discussing the invasion (Hamilton, 2004). However, there are also claims that the National Security Council discussions were a continuation of Clinton’s administration’s foreign policy. However, little formal step was made by the Bush’s administration toward invasion despite its stated interest in liberating Iraq until the September 11, 2001 attacks on the twin towers. The rationale behind the invasion of Iraq after the 9/11 attacks has been questioned as there was little to suggest that Saddam had any cooperation with Al Qaeda. Shortly after the attack, President Bush announced the new war on terrorism which was backed by the doctrine of preemptive military action. Why Bush Started the War The Bush’s administration considered Saddam Hussein to be a major distraction and threat not only to American security but also to global peace. As such, the only way to guarantee the global stability and peace was by ousting Saddam’s regime. The administration believed that Saddam possessed weapons of mass destruction and thus rushed to conquer the country before they could fire any weapon. The administration also believed that Saddam was a major sponsor of terrorists and with the 9/11 attacks, the American people were thirsting for some form of action. The electorate of the United States was skillfully convinced that the best solution to the problem of terrorism was to get Saddam Hussein. As such, the main reason that was given by the Bush’s administration as a justification for the invasion was the Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. Other reasons were that Saddam supported terrorism and held the people of Iraq captive. Another primary motive which was however not stated with regard to the invasion of Iraq was the consolidation of oil resources in Iraq (Holtzman, 2006). A report which was commissioned before the September attacks by Dick Cheney indicated unambiguously identifies Iraq as the main destabilizing influence to the flow of oil to the international markets from the Middle East. The report also indicated that Saddam had expressed a willingness to threaten to employ the oil weapon and to use his own export program to influence and manipulate oil markets. Iraq was a destabilizing influence to global oil flow from the Middle East and therefore United States military intervention was inevitable (Moore, 2004). Within the American grand design for the world, oil plays a major role. The Middle East id the only place that is capable of satisfying the demand for oil as it contains the world’s largest reserves. An increase in the demand for oil was conceived by the Bush administration as inevitable, and Iraq was a stumbling block. The invasion was thus necessary for the United States to guarantee its energy needs. By securing a strategic position in the Gulf region through establishing a friendly and compliant government in Iraq, the United States will not only manage check the OPEC but also influence the conduct of other global powers. Why Obama is against the war According to Obama, Iraq’s invasion without any clear rationale and without strong international support had the capacity to lead to instability not only in Iraq but also in the Middle East (Ambinder, 2007). The invasion, according to him, would fuel sectarian warfare. The Sunnis, having been empowered by Saddam, were likely to discover that they were the targets of Shia radicals who sought for revenge for the way that they were treated and power to control Iraq’s future. Iraq’s insurgency will thus be inspired, not only by the desire to kill the Americans but also by the ambition to be in power when the United States leaves. Obama also opposed the war because he envisioned a situation whereby the attacks would increase leading to the death of more American young people. The difference between Obama and Bush with regard to Iraqi war became clear in 2007. The year marked a critical turning point in the war in Iraq. It was during this period that Iraq sunk into a state of savage sectarian chaos with three thousand civilians dying every month. It was also during this period that the American people lost hope in the war and were thus prepared to bring the troops back to America. However, instead of letting the soldiers go back to America, a move that was favored by both Republicans and Democrats, Bush ordered a troop surge to ease the violence, suppress al Qaeda in Iraq and set the stage for political reconciliation. Obama had much to say concerning this issue, predicting that the surge would not be effective (Stone, 2009). Obama was not convinced that the twenty thousand additional troops would not solve the sectarian violence in Iraq. According to him, the effect will instead be reversed (Obama, 2002). This move, in his view, would not solve the long term political strife between the ethnic and religious groups in Iraq. Obama believed that strategic defense is a much more preferable approach to the entire war, an idea that many people seem to agree with. He opposed the war on the premise that the United states did not know how much it was going to cost, what the exit strategy would be and how the invasion itself will affect the relationship of the United States with the rest of the world. Again, he doubted the soundness of the American intelligence and held that capturing Bin Laden ought to have been the priority. Obama felt that because Al Qaeda had not been put to rest, it may act as distraction. Obama conceived of the invasion of Iraq unwise use of the military. According to him, the invasion brought more problems than solutions as more and more money was being used, more American soldiers were being killed and Al Qaeda had grown stronger. With regard to the reduction of the surge due to the deployment of more troops, Obama felt that it the reduction of violence was mainly as a result of the sacrifice by the soldiers. According to Obama, the Bush administration’s judgment concerning the length of the war, the conception of America by the Iraqis as the liberator and the view that there was no history of violence between the Shiite and the Sunni were all wrong. Obama referred to the war in Iraq as a dangerous distraction. His view is that central front in the war on terror was never Iraq but the terrorist themselves. As such, his position is that the terrorists should be attacked directly. His new strategy has therefore been to directly fight Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. His first priority has been to end the war in Iraq as he had opposed it from the onset. With his position that the war in Iraq was unnecessary, Obama has made it his responsibility to redeploy the United States combat troops that propel Iraqi leaders toward a political solution, rebuild the military and refocus on Afghanistan and broader American security interests. His plan is to remove the combat brigades from Iraq by 2010 and to send additional combat brigades to Afghanistan. The worth of Iraqi war Assessing the worth of Iraq war requires that one reflects upon whatever would have happened in the Bush administration would have not gone to war in March 2003. There is no secret concerning the things that have gone wrong ever since the United States invaded Iraq but it cannot also be assumed that everything would have gone right if the United States had not invaded Iraq. It is a fact that there was a heavy casualty which does not go well with the American public. However, there is need to address what the alternative to war would have meant. Many people agree that Saddam was not the best leader. Other individuals like Madeleine Albright compared him to Hitler, a comparison that cannot be far from the truth in many respects. Saddam had contempt for human life, killing thousands of his own citizens beside threatening and butchering his neighbors. It may therefore be argued that removing such a man from power was worth some sacrifice. A more intriguing question is however whether the failure of the United States to go to war with Iraq in 2003 would have produced a lasting peace or would have postponed war. It may be said that Saddam would have pushed toward confrontation and war regardless of what might have been done. He brutally and patiently pushed his way to power in Iraq after which he impatiently and brutally made himself the dominant figure in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. In all these instances, he employed war and the threat of war as his principal tools. In short, Saddam was in every conceivable way a threat not only to his people but also to world peace. However, some individuals have argued that even though Saddam posed a threat to world peace and stability, he would have been contained through sanctions and no-fly zones which would have acted as deterrence (Hunt, 2008). This argument was advanced even before the war even with the belief that he had weapons of mass destruction. For the majority of Americans, the question of whether the war was worth fighting revolves around whether the weapons of mass destruction were recovered or not. However, the major issue is whether Saddam could have been contained. Even though the war in Iraq has remained unpopular, the Iraqi people can claim some success with regard to the introduction of democracy. With the help of the United States, the Iraqi people have been successful in establishing the first Arab democracy. This is a major achievement with regard to the war on terror and for the purpose of liberty. The different ethnic and religious groups can now work together in a national army. They have made important steps in repossessing their country from the insurgents that have invaded their homeland. The Iraqi troops are solely responsible for clearing the Basra and Sadr City. The oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein was ousted. Conclusion The main difference between Obama and Bush on Iraq war lies in the objective of the invasion. The bush’s administration saw it as a war against terrorism while Obama felt that there were better ways of fighting terrorism rather than invading Iraq. A sensible argument for the invasion was not that Saddam was about to attack anyone with a nuclear bomb. It was that the preservation of containment would nit have been indefinite and that Saddam was defying the international community repeatedly and that this defiance seemed to both the Clinton and Bush administration to be succeeding gradually. It may therefore be argued that if the Bush administration would have not gone to war then the United States would have faced a more daring and dangerous Saddam Hussein. References Ambinder, M. (2007, April 21). Obama’s Iraq evolution. National Journal, 39(16), 79-80. Retrieved on March 29, 2009 from EBSCO host database. Hamilton, W. (2004, April 17). Bush began to plan war three months after 9/11. The Washington Post, p. A01. Holtzman, E. (2006). The impeachment of George W. Bush; A handbook for concerned citizens, New York: Nation Books. Hunt, T. (2008. March 18). Bush: Iraq war worth it. The Huffington Post, Moore, J. (2004). Bush’s war for reelection: Iraq, the White House, and the people. John Wiley Obama, B. (2002, October). Barrack Obama’s 2002 speech against the Iraq war. Retrieved on April 23, 2009, Responsibly ending the war in Iraq. (n. d. ). The White House. Stone, M. (2009, May 9). Bush 2007 v. Obama 2009? The Global Buzz. Retrieved on March 29, 2009,

Funding cuts due to technology in educational environments Essay

Funding cuts due to technology in educational environments - Essay Example Yet, many of these employees have worked for your institution for years, some are over the age of 55, several have documented physical disabilities, and 25% are ethnic minorities. About half of these employees are part of a strong union, the other half have worked for senior administrators in the organization who have given them glowing annual reports, and three are personal friends of the Board/individuals who hired the CEO. An unknown senior staff member leaked the report to the media and now the internal and external communities are in an uproar. Your CEO called you to her office and has given you 48 hours to identify and analyze the critical implications and issues if she decides to move forward with this action. She requires a clear, concise and persuasive essay presenting your analysis and your immediate and long-term recommendations. She insists that your recommendations be based on research and theory in leadership, change management, communications, interpersonal effectiveness, and the political realities of implementing this change if she decides to go forward with it. In today’s society, organizations undergoing technology-driven transformations must fully comprehend that technology is only one of a variety of inter-related workings which drive organizational performance. A multi-system viewpoint of organizations highlights the interdependencies between an organizations technology, structure and culture, and how these affect organizational processes and behaviors. Thriving technological innovations necessitate that either the technology be created to fit the organizations current arrangement and culture or that the organizational arrangement and culture be remade to fit the strain of the new technology. Therefore, the desired effects of new technology are most often realized in organizations and are able to execute the further changes that are required to maintain an overall fit. The author, as the recently

Traditional vs Modern Architecture design in Shanghai, China Essay

Traditional vs Modern Architecture design in Shanghai, China - Essay Example which would help China connecting with the world. In the 1930s and 1940s there were only a few buildings being built in Shanghai. During 1970s due to the political unsettlement even those building that had a high traditional value were taken over by the government and given to those people who were in need of houses to live in. (Wong) In Shanghai there are two main types of traditional buildings. The first one is of government buildings or properties owned by corporate workers for example government headquarters, consulate buildings, banks, hotels etc. The other type is of residential buildings. The architecture and structure of these types of buildings were simply based on western concepts with a well-built neo-classical design which was usually found in Europe or the United States. In the old city regions residential houses were spread all over the area, this spots another type of architecture in Shanghai. Under this there were two types. The first were luxurious houses with gardens which were made for the rich, the other was small houses made for common people. High rise apartment buildings started to come into sight in Shanghai in the late 1920s as technology improved. These building usually rose to 15 storeys and had escalators for the convenience of people. (Wong) Shanghai consists of many buildings and structures of many different architectural styles. On the bank of the Huangpa River is The Bund, it contains a rich compilation of early 20th century architecture, which ranges in technique from neo-classical HSBC building to Sassoon House which is based on the theme of art deco. The French Concession which is a previous foreign concession is also well preserved. Even though there is extensive development the old city of Shanghai still holds on to buildings which are of heritage value , for example the Yuyuan Garden, a highly structured garden in the Jiangnan style. The city also consists of

The Effects of The American Civil War Research Paper

The Effects of The American Civil War - Research Paper Example For four consecutive years, the confederate soldiers fought and battled with the union soldiers. The war that is regarded as the bloodiest war in the history of America cannot be swept under the carpet. The depth of loss was felt by both these two sides. The loss of lives and the destroyed infrastructure took the United States several steps back. The immense and sheer number of deaths and tragedy that was brought by the civil war remains as a constant reminder to the American people as a profound insight of the past that they have seen. The economic, psychological and social impacts of the war went on to redefine what the future of the American people.Proclaiming the freedom of slaves and creating national unity was the hardest role that the American government had to play after the recovery from war. A more detailed analysis of the American civil war points to the start of the war being at the 1860 presidential election. The republicans who were led by Abraham Lincoln were not for t he idea of expansion of slavery into the United States territories. After the republicans won and their anti-slavery campaign looked as though it would be successful, seven slave states that were being run of cotton based economies came together right before the inauguration of the president and formed a confederacy that would fight against the anti- slavery campaign. The confederacy was mainly against the idea of the fact that their source of labor for their cotton plantations would have to be paid for (Parish, p. 103).

The U.S. Constitution- Bill of Rights, needed changes and amendments Research Proposal

The U.S. Constitution- Bill of Rights, needed changes and amendments to meet a changing World - Research Proposal Example All these acts have led the Bill of Rights being disregarded in the rush to make it quicker to investigate people after which they are put in jail and tortured if necessary. According to Giraldi, P (2008), a recent executive has authorized the President to get the property of anyone found or suspected of threatening the stabilization efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. To him, the order does not give permission for the concerned party to challenge the information which seizure is based on. According to Giraldi, P (2008) further, the United States will have to deal with home grown terrorists soon and that, for the country to be on the safe side, something has to be done in anticipation so as to neutralize the problem. The bill of rights should deals firmly with this issue by creating of a commission which will be charged with holding hearings, conducting investigations and to determine whether various groups which exist in the country can be called terrorists. To him, this commission should be allowed to propose a new dispensation that will enable the government to take punitive action as it deems fit against the said groups as well as the individuals who are associated with such groups. Unlike in the past, this commission should go around the country holding hearings meant to find the terrorists and root them out completely. This commission will empower its members to prepare for hearings to obtain testimonies while administering oaths to potential witnesses. This translates to more hearings running at the same in various parts of the country. However, homegrown terrorism prevention Act can easily be abused against any group which pressures the political system and be dumped as terrorists. The September 9/11 unleashed American lack of trust towards foreigners. The country has spent billions of dollars while strengthening law enforcement as well as intelligence

Islamic Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Islamic Finance - Essay Example Investments have an element of gambling because of the reality of risks. How can modern financial products be acceptable to Muslims? How can notions like â€Å"interest†, â€Å"speculation†, and â€Å"gambling† be excluded in financial products not only in form but in substance? In particular, how can it be possible for conventional financial products to be acceptable to Muslims? In the opinion of this writer, an important key towards designing financial instruments that are compatible with Islam is an understanding what financial transactions are prohibited and permissible under Islam. According to El-Gamal (2000, p. 2-6, 24), Islam prohibits Riba, Gharar, and financial insurance. Transactions that involve prohibited acts under Islam are invalid (batil) and forbidden (haram) under Islam (El-Gamal 2000, p. 1). On the other hand, El-Gamal (2000, p. 10-17) asserted that Islam permits cost-plus sales (murabaha), credit sales (bay’ bi-thaman ‘ajil), forw ard contracts (salam), and cooperative insurance. More importantly, Islam permits trade even if Riba is a forbidden (El-Gamal 2000, p. 9). According to El-Gamal (2000, p. 9), a trade that is valid from the perspective of Islam takes place â€Å"if the seller and buyer exchange an offer and acceptance which specify the object of sale and the price, and they both agree†. ... 4): Bilal visted the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) with some high quality dates, and the Prophet (pbuh) inquired about their source. Bilal explained that he traded two volumes of lower quality dates for one volume of higher quality. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: â€Å"this is precisely the forbidden Riba. Do not do this. Instead, sell the first type of dates, and use the proceeds to buy the other.† While usury involves exorbitant interest rates, a Riba takes place when an interest rate is charged regardless of its amount (El-Gamal 2000, p. 9). Thus, the charging of interest rate is prohibited under Islamic laws regardless of whether the interest rate is small or large. The preceding discussion pointed out that while inferior dates is prohibited to be exchanged with fine dates, the transaction can proceed nevertheless by selling the inferior dates and then buying the fine dates from the proceeds. Thus, it can be concluded that while Islam can prohibit certain transactions, th e same transactions can essentially proceed by taking certain routes such that the essential of the intended transaction can ultimately take place despite the prohibition under Islam. In short, alternative transactions routes can be executed such that the essentials of the target transaction are eventually realized. According to El-Gamal (2000, p. 6), a good translation of Gharar is â€Å"risk† or â€Å"uncertainty†. Gharar is â€Å"the sale of probable items whose existence or characteristics are not certain, due to risky nature which makes the trade similar to gambling. Selling non-existent objects is categorized as Gharar and is forbidden (El-Gamal 2000, p. 17). At this

Economic Crisis in Argentina Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economic Crisis in Argentina - Essay Example The government’s policies largely focused on addressing the human rights issues and ensuring independence of judiciary thereby strengthening the democratic process. These policies were very effective in increasing Alfonsin’s popularity. However, when the independent judiciary started to hinder the new government’s objectives, government abandoned the policy of judicial independence by promulgating laws such as ‘Full Stop Law’ and ‘Due Obedience Law’ (Tedesco, 2002, p. 472). These policies greatly decreased the popularity of government and provoked military rebellion, guerilla attacks and labour conflicts thereby weakening the government (Tedesco, 2002, p. 473). Hence, the increased confrontation between the labour class and government resulted in a failure of economic policy. Carlos Menem succeeded Alfonsin as president of the Latin American Republic. Menem tried to bring about a consensus between the labour class and the ruling elite an d was somewhat successful. However, he used the power earned from the political consensus to establish a hegemonic rule over the country. He restructured ‘the supreme court of justice’ and inducted his supporters and close aides as judges at the highest level. Similarly, the accountability courts or ‘the Tribunal de Cuentas’ was reformed with government friendly judges. These policies encouraged large-scale corruption by government officials. This resulted in a large scale economic unrest (Tedesco, 2002, p. 476). Different economic factors paved way to the grave economic crisis of Argentina. Alfonsin inherited a country with severe economic issues to be resolved. The government introduced a series of economic reforms including...This essay is one of the best examples of thorough retrospective analysis of the origin, transmission and cessation of the economic crisis in Argentina, with focus on the economic policies, that led to the overcoming of the crisis. The shift from dictatorship to ‘real’ democracy did not yield the anticipated results. Carlos Menen, the Argentinean President from 1989 to 1999, introduced reforms that proved catastrophic for the economy. His policy of privatizing the government owned corporations and encouraging foreign investment in banking and other sectors back-fired. Huge amount of funds were transferred overnight out of the country decreasing substantially the country’s foreign reserves. The government froze all the foreign currency accounts. But this move angered the country’s wealthy middle class. They deemed it as a violation of basic human rights and a pro-elitist policy Different economic factors paved way to the economic crisis of Argentina. The government introduced a series of economic reforms including introducing a new currency. The government has to take huge loans to support this move but could not pay the interest. This decreased the confidence in new currency. The economic bail-out packages offered by international monetary organizations contributed a little towards containing the situation. It was the people’s spirit and its recognition on the part of government that finally led Argentina out of the crisis. The country needs a political culture which strengthens democratic institutions.

Unweeded garden Essay Example for Free

Unweeded garden Essay Although audiences of today have not experienced such a controversy among the royal family as in the 1600s, they would still understand how immoral the marriage between Claudius and Gertrude is and would recognise how it brings instability in the royal household and consequently the state. Although, some of those in a modern audience would see it as an affair too close too home which is likely to cause emotional distress for Hamlet rather than as incestuous. Modern audiences would also understand how the state depends on the control and stability of the royal family. If there is decay and dislocation in the royal family, the state will suffer. Subsequently, the state transforms from a place of peace to an unweeded garden in which there is disorder. This imagery of the unweeded garden clearly illustrates the idea of transformation. Denmark used to be a state where there was control and order, just like a garden. However, the same way a garden that has not been looked after produces weeds, is the same way a country without control creates disorder. This then leads to chaos and finally foul play leaving the state rank and gross in nature. During Hamlet, not only Denmark goes through a transformation, the characters themselves go through a transformation during the course of the play. The language used shows this. Looking at Claudius language in the beginning of the play, it is confident and eloquent. He deals with four items of business: his accession; the threat from young Fortinbras; Laertess suit and Hamlets behaviour. There are no interruptions during the Kings speech other than agreement from his faithful courtiers. However, this only occurs because each of them are involved in the manipulation of the kingdom as they gain great rewards from their king. Each affair is emphasised with a caesura. Taken to wife. underlines that Gertrude is his wife, no questions asked and So much for him. ends all conversation to do with the previous king. Intellectual language is also used filial obligation which shows his authority as king. However, as the play progresses, Claudius character transforms into a different king. During the scene in which Claudius prays for forgiveness, the audience are confronted with a different character. The language here is very unlike the language in the beginning of the play. There are many questions and the character becomes trapped in the language. What then? What rests? What can it not? The language also emphasises the characters now tortured soul as in the syntax Pray can I not instead of I can not pray. It could be argued that as Denmark changes, so does its king. The decay and dislocation of the state has an effect on Claudius and so instead of being in control like before, he is unable to hold the state together. Like Claudius, Hamlet also transforms during the play. One might say that this character is the core concept of transformation. The language in the beginning of the play displays Hamlets weariness conveyed by the listless tempo of the words How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable. The verse starts and stops, punctuated by expressions of pain and confusion: -why, she she married-O most wicked speed! Hamlet transforms from circumstances in which he cannot understand himself or the world he is living in into states of despair or even anger. Hamlet often questions the existence of man what piece of work is a man? and Shakespeare shows the characters incomprehension with long speeches containing long sentences in which there are many questions Hamlet is asking himself such as: What is this quintessence of dust? Shakespeare shows Hamlets despair with dismal consistency of tone and tempo as the character seeks to find out whether he is equal to the task that has been set. This contrasts with scenes in which the language of Hamlet is agitated and irritated. Shakespeare emphasises his disgust with disease imageries referring to prostitutes especially when confronted with Gertrude or Ophelia: you jig, you amble In the closet scene, while Hamlet speaks to his mother, his language transforms once again. The words used are similar to that which a preacher uses for love of grace Confess yourself to heaven repent virtue However, the greatest transformation affecting Hamlet, happens when Hamlet has just returned from England. The encounter with Fortinbras army encourages Hamlet to reflect on the nature of honour and resolves him to have bloody and impulsive thoughts: O, from this time forth My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth. (iv. iv. 65-4) Hamlet announces: This is I, Hamlet the Dane (v. i. 251-2) And in doing so, he demonstrates that he finally understands who he is and what responsibilities he must uphold. Transformation occurs not only through Denmark but also through the characters. The closing action of the play is the removal of the bodies from the field and this could be seen as the finally transformation. The bodies from the Denmark in which there was corruption and dislocation are removed in order to make way for a new Denmark, a Denmark for the living. Whether this final action determines a positive outcome for the state is for the audience to decide, however, the atmosphere at the end of the play contains some element of hope rather than complete despair as in the opening scene. The theme of transformation therefore introduces and concludes Shakespeares play, Hamlet.

The desire for wealth and possessions

The desire for wealth and possessions Materialism in American Society Over the course of the last century America has undergone many societal changes, none of which have had as great an ethical effect as the nations transition towards ever increasing materialism. Materialism, or the desire for wealth and possessions, has faced virulent opposition for thousands of years from both religious institutions and social activists. Throughout time, materialism has been widely slandered not only as spiritually corrupting, but also as a major cause of a multitude of societal ills throughout the world. Although absolute materialism would obviously be awful for all involved, to date materialism has overall been very positive for American society, driving it towards ever-greater productive, intellectual, and ethical heights. First, the most obvious benefit bestowed upon America by materialism is the increased productivity of its people. With the attainment of wealth and possessions as the predominant motivation, it is to be Is American materialism increasing? Is American materialism increasing? To answer this question, we need only look at the current buying trends in present day society. Even a cursory glance at these trends would cause the question to be answered with a resounding YES! The pursuit of the American dream has become rather costly in that it is fraught with a large quantity of material possessions. The requirements to â€Å"keep up with the Joneses† are becoming more and more burdensome. Americans are made to feel that they absolutely must have certain things that had not even been invented just a few years ago. The increase in high tech, computerized, and digitized devices in the areas of electronics and household appliances has altered the landscape of the American home and family. What has fostered and fed these new trends? First and foremost, Americans will continue to subscribe to the pursuit of material goods, especially high tech devices for two basic reasons: the need for comfort and the need for entertainment. The deep, sometimes unspoken desire is to be coddled, catered to, and distracted. Embedded in this need for comfort and entertainment is the need for easy, quick access to information and resources. So, along with popping the family dinner into a microwave oven and eating the meal in a room with perfect temperature control, bill paying can be done from the comfort of home without ever writing a check or mailing an envelope. One can simply place his or her laptop on their laps from the comfort of any room in the house (thanks to a home-based wireless network), type in a few digits and press â€Å"go.† Any topic may be researched from the limitless stores along the information highway from how to treat a skin rash to exploring ancient religion s. Next, a parent can â€Å"talk† back and forth with a son or daughter in college or to an elderly mother halfway across the world. Such things were virtually unheard of many years ago. After the bill paying, research, and e-mailed correspondence, one can relax in the family room and choose from literally hundreds of movies or programs accessed through their cable or satellite TV provider. The picture will be viewed on a screen nearly covering the entire wall while the stereo sounds fill the entire room. These are just a few of the things that have become necessities, along with video games, luxury cars, summer homes, boats, designer clothing, and disposable contact lenses. These are the â€Å"must haves† of the American dream. Families, couples, and individuals expend hours, days, and years of their lives to obtain these things so that they may feel that they have â€Å"arrived† and so that they may be comfortable. This increase in American materialism, unfortunately, exists along with other less fashionable increases; teen suicide, depression, divorce, the disintegration of the family, bankruptcy, and despair. It does not appear that those living by the law of materialism are necessarily happy or fulfilled. The increase in the pursuit of things is evident; satisfaction from possessing these things is suspect and spurious. Jesus declared in John 10:10b, â€Å"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.† He also asked the rhetorical question, â€Å"Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?† (Matthew 6:25b). While Americans continue to search and work for the â€Å"full life† it is urgent that they also discover the real source of full life. Materialism And Consumerism In The 1920s A crucial transformation to the structure of American culture during the 1920s was the rise of consumerism and materialism. As the country experienced an extraordinary economic boom, the outlook of America shifted. People began receiving higher wages, and there was a sudden increase of spending on discretionary goods which advertisements claimed people could not live without. The progress of the automobile industry, radio and motion picture production, and advanced technologies made it possible for this great escalation of the economy. There were many notable critics of the decade that made their opinions known in various ways. One such critic was F. Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote the novel The Great Gatsby. In this novel, he is critical of the 1920s as the obsession of consumerism and materialism flourish throughout the United States. Fitzgerald feels that it is this mindset that ultimately leads to the tragedies and miseries at the end of the novel, as well as at the foreseen end of t he 1920s. The Great Gatsby portrays an image of abundant leisure and excess, which parallels similar ideas with those of the 1920s. To illustrate this, Nick Carraway, the storys narrator, compares his â€Å"eye-sore† of a house with the man In addition to Jay Gatsby, materialistic and consumerist elements are also present in other characters in the novel. Daisy Buchannan becomes conscious of the fact that her husband Tom is cheating on her, yet she does nothing about it. It can be argued that she doesnt confront him, or threaten to leave him because Tom has all the money that she could ever need. That is what truly matters to Daisy and what will always make her happy, not honesty and commitment, but financial benefits. Also all the people in attendance at Gatsbys parties are guilty. They have no problem showing up at his home to party, drink, and dance all night long, but when it came to his funeral, â€Å"the minister glanced several times at his watch so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasnt any use. Nobody came† (p. 182). This shows that all those materialistic party-goers werent really friends of Gatsby, but just there to use him for his wealth with no common courtesy for him. Another character in the novel, Jordan Baker, seems to be rather superficial in her outlook on life. She appears to lie her way out of bad situations she may get herself in, and her lack of honesty and careless attitude are some of the factors that turn Nick away. Nick says â€Å"she wasnt able to endure being at a disadvantage† (p. 63). Another character, Meyer Wolfshiem, Gatsbys business associate, apparently had been the man responsible for fixing the 1919 World Series. It is fitting that Fitzgerald included a Wolfshiem type of character in his novel, for the fixing of the World Series mirrored the idea that money could buy any American utterly anything, even love and happiness. As Americans continued to gain material prosperity, in return, they began to lack spiritual wealth and strong religious faith. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald depicts a world in which value systems have been distorted and religion faded. It illustrates a nation that gets too caught up in the moment to reali 1. The theory or attitude that physical well-being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value in life. Advertising generates new needs and establishes brand loyalties. Ads alert people to both new products and new versions of old ones. Consumption today is not only about keeping up with the Joneses. The labels you wear, the food you eat, the restaurants you frequent, the haircut you flaunt, where you go on holiday, even your spiritual cravings are social symbols. What is happening to the average man, the man who is caught in the web of a consumerist and materialistic culture with all the temptations it offers him? The general scenario is one of utter helplessness and nobody seems to have any control over his future. Added to this is the acquisitive tendency of those who are tempted to go for all kinds of things the market offers. A kind of insatiable greed seems to have taken control of all of us and no effort is being made anywhere to limit ones wants. And this has become a global phenomenon and no country seems to be free from it. Thus the average man finds himself to be tr! In conclusion, most advertisements do not tell the whole story. They neglect to tell you the problems that their car can cause the environment. In most of these cases the advertising agency attempts to gain your interest through certain aesthetics in the ad. I chose to show a car ad because they have so many components that directly effect society and the environment in a harmful way. Because car ads like to show you what the ideal car (without pollution) would be like, society needs to simply keep in mind that what you see is NOT always what you get. Carbon dioxide is another gas released through exhaust emissions. It isnt dangerous directly to humans, but it is considered to be a â€Å"green house gas.† A â€Å"greenhouse gas† is a gas that is associated with global warming. Global warming is the gradual increase of temperature due to human activity. Certain gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone allow radiation from the sun to break through the atmosphere and go to the earths surface. Global warming affects all living things on the entire planet.1 In a few ads, like the Outback commercials, you see the car in the wilderness with green lively trees and wild life flourishing. A true, maybe exaggerated, depiction would be animals suffering from car pollution and the sky covered by smog. One of the most important things that is neglected is the fact that, there may not be a hugely visible affect of pollution where you are but in other parts of the world there is plenty; in other words, we have only one Eart h. The fact that most of society does not care enough about the environment to take a bus, or carpool to minimize the amount of hydrocarbons in the air, only encourages manufacturers. Sure society can say that in a few years we wont have to worry about these emissions and there is nothing to worry about now. That sounds great, except following the trend of the human race thus far, we have only created more harmful and destructive things such as the atom bomb and biological warfare. The thing to keep in mind is that the things that affect the environment now may be gone in a few years, but who is to say there will not be something even worse Materialism: As Seen Through Four Different Authors As defined materialism refers to the theory that physical matter is the only reality and that everything, including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can be explained in terms of matter and physical phenomena. Although it is far too easy to merely look up the definitions of materialism understanding the concept is rather difficult. To help with the comprehension of materialism we take a look at four renowned authors who are tied to the idea of materialism. These four men are Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Morton Fried, and Marvin Harris. First we take a look at Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles, who collaborated to produce Feuerbach: Opposition of the Materialist and Idealist Outlook. Both Marx and Engles were idealist in every sense, they grasp on reality was far reaching. Although they were both idealists, Engles believed that ideas where what shaped people, and that if a person where to think like a wealthy land owner they would indeed start feeling like a wealthy land owner. Marx on the other hand had a more sensible approach he felt that means of production were what drove society not ideas. The things in particular that drove society were not only basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and protection, but also, money, need for material things, division of labor, exchange, and ownership. Ownership is a concept that ties in with materialism, ownership as presented in the article has various forms. The first form of ownership is tribal ownership which is limited to within the family. This is followed by state o wnership which is where there is a collaboration of many tribes which have the power to control the workers only under their state ownership. Finally, there is estate property which gave rise to the concept of princes and peasants. As we can already see these different Materialism I can get no satisfaction There is something perverse about more than enough. When we have more, it is never enough. It is always somewhere out there, just out of reach. The more we acquire, the more elusive enough becomes. -Unknown. Materialism is todays religion. We always value ourselves by what we wear, what we drive or how much we can spend. Brands are taking over the world very fast and today a 3 year old child is more likely to recognize and remember McDonalds than to know his last name. (Lynas, 2007) As the quantity and variety of brands and products grow, so does our need to have it all, apparently we can get no satisfaction. But what is materialism and why is it spreading so quickly around the world? The two most important definitions of materialism include those of Belk (1984,1985) and Richins and Dawson (1992). Belk describes materialism as â€Å"believing the acquisition and possession of thing is the ultimate source of happiness†. Richins and Dawson define materialism as a â€Å"set of centrally held beliefs about the importance of possessions in ones life.† The people who follow this trend are the perfect consumers, willing to buy anything the industry convinces will make them feel better. They are easy prey for advertisement and follow it without further thinking. When buying they are low involved and not pay attention to the product characteristics. But why do people focus so much on their possessions and turn into materialists? Researchers have found that family communication is a decisive factor when determining if a person will become materialistic or not. Families where parents do not fulfill the childrens needs, adolescents who do not have good communication with their parents and who make social Ethics Of Materialism Repercussions of Materialism Materialism and the want of consumer goods, has proved to be a prevalent force in the last century. When superficially thinking about materialism, one would not immediately register that there is a relationship between materialism and ethics; although, under examination, we can see that there is indeed a great association between the two. Are materialism and the obsessive consumer culture we have made for ourselves ethical? Peoples opinion on this question can be polar opposites. Some people believe that materialism has great benefits for the technological and economic growth, while others argue that materialism strips people of their individuality and creates unethical division between the rich and the poor. Its very easy to understand why someone would chose to live a life full of materialism as there is a lot of luxuries, lavishes and comfort. However, looking at it deeper, consumers have now become victims of this never ending cycle of materialism where they always want the newes t and latest goods. Also, people who cannot afford to pay for these products try and find illegal and immoral ways to gain wealth so they can be accepted in society. So, although materialism promotes technology and modernity, excessive amounts of it creates a division between social classes, which causes poor people to act unethically in order to live up to the materialistic standards society has created. The goal of a materialistic life style is to be on the top of the social hierarchy, to be recognized as the most powerful and to be able to flaunt the greatest amount of luxuries. Without consciously realizing it most of us judge others on their status and position in society. This means, that we are internally programmed to look at people based on the amount of materialistic goods they have. This is one of the main reasons why people who can not afford to live up to the materialistic standards set by the privileged, have to resort to unethical means American Materialism Materialism in American Society Over the course of the last century America has undergone many societal changes, none of which have had as great an ethical effect as the nations transition towards ever increasing materialism. Materialism, or the desire for wealth and possessions, has faced virulent opposition for thousands of years from both religious institutions and social activists. Throughout time, materialism has been widely slandered not only as spiritually corrupting, but also as a major cause of a multitude of societal ills throughout the world. Although absolute materialism would obviously be awful for all involved, to date materialism has overall been very positive for American society, driving it towards ever-greater productive, intellectual, and ethical heights. First, the most obvious benefit bestowed upon America by materialism is the increased productivity of its people. With the attainment of wealth and possessions as the predominant motivation, it is to be expected that the majority of Americans go to great lengths to attain material success. Even with such a relatively short lifetime as a nation, Americas capitalist beliefs have catapulted it to the forefront of the world as the only true modern superpower. One of the most significant factors contributing to Americas dramatic rise in power is the capitalistic drive for success and achievement, a love for material possessions that has manifested itself in the typically American value of hard work, both in ones profession and in school. Since education and socioeconomic position are closely correlated, it is not surprising that America is the worldwide leader in higher education. Not only does America produce great thinkers, but it also attracts the best and the brightest of other countries, people who are drawn to Americas freedom of thought and the material possibilities that abound. So many great minds have made America a land of unprecedented innovation. The copious amounts of money Materialism Materialism: Can it make you Happy? Can Greed and Materialism lead to true happiness? â€Å"Greed is good. Greed is right. Greed works and greed will save the USA.† (Wall Street) â€Å"Cause we are living in a material world and I am a material girl† a theme in one of Madonnas most famous songs. Greed and materialism stand in apposition to any manifestation of true happiness. People are under a false perception that money will solve all of their problems and as a result bring them their utmost joy and happiness. Many psychologists, philosophers, and religious figures throughout the ages have refuted this assertion. People in American society take money very seriously because it can either make or break your life choices. In order to fit in todays society Americans feel the need to obtain material assets so that they are looked upon as being â€Å"in style† or being economically sufficient. Money and greed is the main factors that cause people to be in debt. People today work hard to obtain wealth and success not so that they can be happy but just because they want to â€Å"keep up with the Jones†. Money can only make you happy temporally because if you are working hard just so that you can buy material things you really are not going to enjoy them because all o f your time and energy is put into maintaining your material wealth by working extra hard. It is Normal to think that money is not everything in life, although in the world we live in your not going to accomplish anything or get anywhere or even live a life that is considered normal to the world without money. Even though you cannot buy love or happiness you are very unlikely to find either if your living under a bridge. We rely on money, if all the money in the world disappeared tomorrow the world, as we know it would collapse. Everything is connected to money in some way. Everything essentially has a price tag on it if your pocket is fat enough. This is what makes money extremely appealing. But money shouldnt be the Materialism Is The Root Of All Evil There is an old adage which says, â€Å"The root of all evil is money.† This, however, is not true in America. In America, money is not the problem, the love of money, or materialism, is the problem. Materialism is at the core of our American dream. We grow up learning that success is rooted in material wealth and power. We live in a country where material things mean more to the general populous than a good education, where material things dictate the amount of money we spend, and where material things motivate our lives in most every way; something needs to change. Realizing that we are corrupted by materialism is not difficult. What is difficult, however, is finding a solution to the problem. Habits recognizes the difficulty by saying, â€Å"And since we have believed in that dream for a long time and worked very hard to make it come true, it is hard for us to give it up, even though it contradicts another dream that we have- that of living in a society that would really be worth living in.† (Bella, et. Al. 285) Materialism is closely tied to our individualism. We are taught to pursue our materialistic American dream, to get ahead in life, to be somebody, to pursue our own happiness. Even our own Declaration of Independence assumes we are individuals first and for most: â€Å"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. . .† For Americans to be primarily self-reliant and selfish is not surprising. Americans only do what is beneficial to themselves, if it helps someone along the way, then thats great, but helping people is not their initial motive. In order to have the necessary balance between individualism and community, we must be willing to give and then, only after giving, take what has been given to us. If we learn to give, and then take what has been given to us, we Materialism In the oxford English dictionary materialism is described as a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values. This theory is far more than a simple focus on material possessions. It states that everything in the universe is matter, without any true spiritual or intellectual existence. We live in a world surrounded by and composed of matter. It is natural; therefore, that we may become distracted from spiritual or intellectual pursuits by material possessions, but this is frequently where problems occur. We can become obsessed by a desire to obtain them, or simply frustrated by the need to maintain them. In a short play called Rodeo written by Jane Martin, a young girl name Lurlene, becomes unsuitable for the rodeo because she doesnt dress like a showgirl and wear material clothes (Martin 9). In an essay called Super-Size It written by Lisa Colletti, consumer commodity and must need material possessions are major concerns in the daily lives of Americans. Money is a valuable thing and wasting it on unnecessary items is a sin. Contrary to popular belief, Americans spend on average $3500.00 a year on unnecessary products such as a new iPod, a flat screen TV, a computer, clothes, dining out or a vacation. Nowadays, new products advertised on TV make the people watching it feel as if they need to buy that item. This is the problem with Americans; we buy what we dont need just so we can say I have that! And show off to our friends. We spend money we dont have just to be up to date with the latest fashion trends. Its unethical what this world is coming to, what happened to the days were people watched every penny they made and only bought necessary items. Stores that have been in business for decades are being remodeled by new management in order to lour in customers. In the same fashion, Lurlene from the story Rodeo is kicked to the curb by new management because she is not up to date with the new fashion True Materialism It is human nature for people to desire material possessions. Our material yearnings are an attempt to satisfy are need to special and wanted. In a world where most of society defines â€Å"socially acceptable† as the material possessions one owns such as, the latest clothing, the biggest house, or the fastest car one comes to believe that you need all of these things to be viewed as a part of society. For many, work has taken over community life and has had a major effect on happiness. Advertising has also become a primary determinant of our satisfaction, and is only a small part of a larger materialistic culture in which we are not only enticed customers but also prominent consumers. We have been beguiled into believing that material possessions will bring satisfaction and happiness. We imagine ourselves as being more than we are and in this we see how powerful images are. As a teenager I have fallen victim to the web of deceit and lies that has been spun by the stereotypical belief that we need to buy the latest fashion or the best technological devices. I put a lot of effort in my appearance and my material possessions. I watch and look at the advertisements and the images presented within them wishing that I had, or could afford what they are selling. I have come to realize that I am a very materialistic person and that I buy expensive phones, cars and clothing in order to appear better than others who do not have what I have. For instance, I wanted a new cell phone that cost well over four-hundred dollars. So I got a second job just to afford it. Another instance was when I bought my new car. It is a 2006 Phantom. I now have three jobs just to afford the car note, insurance, gas, and general up-keep of the car. This only goes to show that I have become so enamored with the desire for material possessions that I will go to unearthly lengths to obtai n them. Some of the possessions I have show me for what I want to be, but not for who I really am. My cell phone, Has America known its finest hour? Are we losing our religion and sanity as well? What is wrong with our society anyway? These are baffling questions that are frequently being asked by more and more people, even the media. From environmental pollution to spiritual pollution, from artificial food to artificial joy these are the side effects of the pursuit of materialism (a by-product of the American Dream, as we know it). Today, everything is fair game in the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain and personal responsibility, not to mention the absence of morality and a wholesome values system. Is America at risk of reaching a point of no return, or worse becoming a third world nation? According to universal laws, its all a simple matter of cause and effect or as its been said â€Å"as you sow so shall you reap.† What we are witnessing is the powerful consequences of these laws from which no one is exempt. We live in a time characterized by a modern battle between good and evil which can be defined as limited awareness (the norm) and integrity and enlightenment (which are the exception). Its a time when chaos and anarchy are the order of the day. While technologically we may live in a space age, morally we are still living in the stone age as reflected in our social ills, the failure of our systems and institutions and the growing conflicts both domestically and internationally. One of the greatest human tragedies is not the lack of resources and/or control over our own circumstances, but rather the lack of awareness. Whether we realize it or not, the current climate of insanity, including terrorism, is a reflection of a moral and spiritual crisis. Its indicative of our denial of our own spiritual roots and the perception that we are separated, which eventually leads to conflicts and even wars. An engineer can look at the foundation of a building under construction and tell you its eventual height and even fate of a structure. Similarly, a society is as strong and free as the pillars of the spirit upon which its built. Spiritual roots are the foundation upon which total prosperity and peace and harmony are built. When we reject concepts of spirituality, integrity and morality we also deny the greatest part of our existence (our spirit) which enables us to prosper and experience a fuller life of meaning, purpose, real joy, fulfillment and peace (inner and outer). By so doing, we also deny our access to the ultimate real and positive power, the ever-present force (God) that builds and doesnt destroy. Thats because we are spiritual beings experiencing the human experience and not the other way around. As such we were designed and meant to live a life of meaning and purpose through spirit and integrity beyond the narrow boundaries of the material world. In a materialistic-driven society where vanity, not virtue, is worshipped, all the things we used to hold dear like, religion, marriage, family, loyalty, faithfulness, hard work, and being of service to the community are no longer sacred. Instead consumerism, in the spirit of â€Å"He with the most toys lives,† rather then â€Å"He with the most joys lives,† is promoted and driven by profit and greed to the point that even a holiday like Christmas is now more of a marketing concept and devoid of any real meaning. The media, especially Hollywood, is also at fault. Rather than celebrating excellence and the human spirit, by promoting positive concepts such as personal responsibility, making a difference, tolerance, kindness, giving and sensitivity to the human condition, the media produces shows and movies that celebrate human weakness, vanity and perversion. These productions promote social ills such as anti-social behavior, excessive self-indulgence and entitlement, instant gratification, greed, corruption, compromised integrity and obsession with external, shallow values, including the obsession with fame, fortune, and youth. This has led to a significant increase in substance abuse, senseless violence in our schools, and increased teen suicide. You can blame it all on the pursuit of the American Dream, as we know it, which is an illusion based on a materialistic values system characterized by corruption, greed, compromised integrity and the erosion of morality whereby the love of power overcomes the power of love. It certainly does not represent the true spirit of America, which was based on perspiration, innovation, risk and reward and where the focus used to be on a strong work ethic, high integrity, family and community. All of which created a nation of producers with an enviable prosperity that created real joy and fulfillment. Its obvious that America has gone off track and is in desperate need for healing and revival if we are to maintain a free and thriving nation, not to mention our leadership in the international arena. The solution to restoring our spirits and our economy is through increased awareness and by reconnecting with our spiritual roots. Awareness can be used as a useful tool to better understand the unity of life, our place in the universe and ourselves. By understanding ourselves better, we come to understand God as the

attendace is it necessary? Essay -- essays research papers

Does it Matter how its Taught?: Is Attendance Necessary?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first thing that I began to think about is my own personal experience with this question in the first day of class. The reason being is that I have been in college for now 4 years and I am severely behind in terms of a 4-year degree at this point. I have had my times to think about what I like in terms of teaching style, but never had the right teacher to make me believe in the style. In this essay I hope to convince you (the reader) that it is mostly the way the student looks for flaws in the teaching style instead of embracing it. Also I will explain that in certain places across the country that certain teaching styles are easier to students in certain environments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In my early years at school there are many different teaching styles that I encountered. First being the large lecture hall, then the small freshman writing classes, the hands on theatre classes and the many other different style and size classes. The larger lecture style classes were already over filled due to the university’s demand for these classes. The teacher would come in and just sit down, take role and call on the same students who usually understood the material a little better that the rest of the class and then we would leave. Repetition I have learned is a nightmare to some students, this is no learning environment for most students, even in our class the larger percentage of students couldn’t wait until time was up. Only a few got the time and effort of help from the professor, who normally didn’t even answer our question stating that â€Å"This is a lecture class format and if you can’t figure it out I can’t help you†. Now this may not be true for some professors, and perhaps this professor just didn’t have the time or knowledge but the question is how is it taught, and this is not the right way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second style of teaching that I will point too is the smaller more group-oriented classes where discussion is more prevalent. Question and answer from the instructor is more common and group exercises help students understand the basis for argument. Argument is a small tool to help students take different sides to a topic is one of the greatest teaching tools but has a few opponents however. Gerald Graff writes in the Yale University P... ...t colleges, they skate though classes without ever finding their true calling. Without these teachers drawing students into their classes then most of us wouldn’t finish school, we as students have to have something to look forward to something too, in going to class. If it’s a good looking girl, the funny teacher, that guy that sits next to you, whatever it is the most important thing is to listen to what the teacher has to say. These teachers even if their boring, take pride in what they do even if we don’t like it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some say that teaching is an art form, some may like the art it others don’t. What we have to consider is that they way professors teach us isn’t always the right way for the right people. Numerous studies have been conducted as to how teaching styles affects certain students, with this in mind how it’s taught is a direct correlation to how we think.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As we draw the line back to the beginning, the way its taught has everything to do with what I like to learn. If we as students get the opportunity to skip class, because some students like to learn on there own, than that’s a choice we should be able to take.

Self-reliance Essay -- essays research papers

1. The essay that I elected to read and analyze was "Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson. 2. The Transcendental Movement held a strong opinion that one should have complete faith in oneself. Emerson, being an avid transcendentalist, believed in this philosophy. He supported this concept that we should rely on our own intuition and beliefs. "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." Emerson, along with the Transcendental Movement, believed in the vitality of self-reliance. One must have confidence and belief in oneself. "†¦the only right is what is after my constitution; the only wrong what is against it." Once one has reliance upon oneself, he can generate his own set of ideals and morals, not just the ideals bestowed upon him by society. In obeying these principles of life, he has created a constitution of his own. This constitution is the guiding light of his life; it leads the way to truth and ultimate liberation and provides the right path to follow. This idea brings about the transcendental concept of the belief in the worth of the individual. The individual, in transcendental philosophy, has the power to accomplish anything and everything. Social organization and friendship offer a small satisfaction of companionship and structure in life, but one will ultimately succeed based upon his own skills and conviction. In doing so, he will lose interest in the society and concentrate on more individual dependency as he strives to gain ultimate truth in life. "What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think." Once one considers less the social ramifications of his actions and considers more the personal consequences, he will become more apt to discover what he is looking for; in the transcendentalists’ case, it was the meaning of life. 3. a). "To be great is to be misunderstood." This statement was used by Emerson to explain the lagging growth of the conception of ideas and thought of his generation. Original and novel ideas were and still are scorned by those who believe that the best method for learning is repetition and memorization. When one comes up with a groundbreaking idea, it is generally disregarded because so-called "experts" do not agree with it. This is because soci... ...ing is uncomfortable, we should leave. Conformity with society has disabled this aspect of human nature, and I feel that it is something that needs to be addressed. 4. We should not conform to the preconceived laws of society. When we dislike something, we should not hesitate to be different and oppose. Believe in the power of the individual, and learn to depend on yourself, in order to achieve greatness. 5. In reading this essay, I saw many viewpoints on life that I have never seen before. They are opinions that are different from what is normal, and they are sometimes abrupt and shocking. Some of the opinions are opinions that I can relate with; others were completely out of the ballpark. I was surprised, and a little excited to read many of the philosophies that Emerson held to be the great truths of this world. Emerson had many ideas that can benefit the world today; they can help societies evolve into better places for people to live. They also provide a call for humans to evolve from conforming automatons to individuals who do and say what they feel. These thought that Emerson conveyed moved me and made me realize how precious our free will and judgement are.

negative effects of technology :: essays research papers

For a while now, science has been a mystery to man, leading him to want to discover more and more about it. This in many aspects is dangerous to our society, being that scientific developments in new studies have been advancing too quickly for our minds to comprehend. Things such as cloning, organ donation, and pesticides, are things that the world may sometimes find useful, when in reality, it only brings civilization down. â€Å"Raising science to the status of godhood carries with it inherit risks that demand careful consideration.† Developmental experiments such as cloning have been successful, but they bring along with them some very negative results, for example, in some early experiments in animal cloning some potential dangers had been encountered, cloned cows developed faulty immune systems, other projects which created cloned mice, grew obese, and in most studies, cloned animals seemed to grow old faster and die younger than the usual members of the species. When adding on to the human race, not only are we increasing our huge population rate, but we are also adding humans and animals that have defects as well as a short life span. It would be a waste of our government’s money to bring something to life, that we will have to take extra care of, just to have it die in just a matter of weeks as quick as a goldfish dies. When talking about organ donation, people usually think that it is a great discovery and that scientists have made a break through in this portion of the medical field, with out knowing how highly the chances of ineffectiveness this procedure has. â€Å"The immune system attacks anything that lacks histocompatibility antigens or has antigens different from those found in the rest of the body, such as those found on invading viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms.† This recognition system causes the immune system to attack transplanted tissues that have different antigens because it has no way to tell the difference between harmful and helpful organisms, therefore causing the body to reject the organ which causes infection in the person body. Also donated organs go to the patient who is nearest death, even though a healthier patient might benefit more by living longer after the transplant. â€Å"A drug called tacrolimus (FK-506) was found to be even more effective for kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplants. However, patients who take this drug still face some increased risk of infection and

High class students most likely to be successful

Historically, societal categories are common social division in every exited society,Bespeaking assorted positions among its ain people. As for American society, harmonizing to Warner ( 1940s ) societal category is categorized into five groups such as upper category, upper in-between category, lower in-between category, upper lower category and lower category. There is, nevertheless, small uncertainty that affluent category has better resources and agencies to accomplish the coveted end. Students from better societal category must, hence, have better entree to instruction and have higher graduated table of accomplishment in school. Indeed, in order to derive better penetrations into the influence of societal category on school accomplishment, a proposed inquiry is set out on this intent.Learning installationsPart of larning installations is school uniforms. Bray and Seng ( 2005 ) do a clear comparing between affluent and unwealthy pupils, keeping that pupils from comfortable or mediu m-income household normally can afford two new apparels every twelvemonth, whereas pupils in hapless household normally have one uniform or none at all. Students from comfortable, accordingly, derive the upper manus in go toing the school than do the students from less comfortable household since most schools in Cambodia require pupils to have on school uniform to go to the category. Another portion of larning installations is learning stuffs. As Bray and Seng ( 2005 ) outlined in their book â€Å" Household Financing of Basic Education in Cambodia † , pupils spend big amount of money on larning stuffs such as notebooks, exercising books, and other supplies runing from pens, pencils, gum elastics, swayers and the similar. It is logical to reason that lone pupils from comfortable household can to the full afford to purchase such dearly-won stuffs ; hence, they are more likely to be successful than other pupils from less affluent household. Deriving entree to such dearly-won la rning stuffs, in add-on, is a beginning of motive for affluent pupils ; nevertheless, it is unfortunate for hapless students. Burt ( 1945 ) stresses the importance beginning of low motive from lower working category, who is, by tradition, outside educational system ( as cited in Lawton, 2001, P.7 ) . Harmonizing to Burt, if pupils from higher category might, though he did reference, have higher chance in wining in school than those from lower category.Auxiliary TutoringOut-of-school disbursal or auxiliary tutoring, significant private activity, is another major disbursal non merely in Cambodia but besides in other states. Tutoring in Cambodia is taught to pupils by their ain instructor and it take topographic point at pupil ‘s place, particularly at the terminal of the official school twenty-four hours. This pattern is a peculiarly critical point of family outgo ( Bray 1999b, 2003a ; Foondun 2002 ; Yoo 2002 ; Kwok 2004, as cited in Bary and Seng, PP. 11 and ADB 1996a & A ; Bra y 1999a, as cited in Bray, P. 47 ) . It can be inferred that merely more comfortable pupils can afford to engage coach for this out-of-school category. If they receive more excess categories, they would be better informed about their academic public presentation at school.ConveyanceKampuchean students throughout the state usage bike as their chief agencies of transit. Some kids walk to school while others are transported by their parents. Many students, nevertheless, start siting bike as they proceed from one category to another ( Bray and Seng, 2005 ) . Consequently, it might non be lucky for hapless pupils to afford bike. However, having bike, pupils must extra money for buying and keeping. Bray and Seng ( 2005 ) supply a clear evident. In Phnom Penh, students had to pay non merely for initial purchase and care of bikes but besides for day-to-day parking. In Bak Touk school, for illustration Grade 6 students had to pay an norm of 7,200 riels per annum for parking, and grade 9 students paid every bit much as 43,600 riels.DecisionThere is adequate apparent to reason that high category pupils are likely to be more successful in school. As mentioned earlier, larning installations play a critical function in kid ‘s accomplishment in school. As in Kampuchean context, pupils from lower category might non hold plenty resource to back up their acquisition stuffs, except high category pupils with sufficiency of resource. Rich pupils merely have adequate acquisition resource, but many of them besides can afford to hold auxiliary tutoring, doing them even better with their school academic public presentation. Transportation is besides accounted for pupils ‘ success in school. Affluent pupils have better agencies of transit to school, unlike less affluent pupils who have limited agencies to school.

How is Romeo’s growing love for Juliet shown in Romeo and Juliet Essay

There are many stages of love shown by Romeo in this play. At first he seems in pain but as the play goes on, he gradually realises his true love and starts to get happier. As I show in this essay Romeo adores Juliet and likens her to many things. Juliet returns this love as well, showing how happy they are in each other. In Act 1 Scene 1, Romeo is featured throughout, in his â€Å"pain of love.† Shakespeare describes many symptoms of how he is affected. It is shown as being painful and affecting him badly. On line 149 Montague – Romeo’s father – says that Romeo is â€Å"the bud bit by the envious worm† as if to say he has a bug inside him, slowing down his will do normal things by chewing away at his soul represented by a bud of a flower. At this point (Line 149), Montague and Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin) are still unsure as to what is causing his sadness by saying â€Å"We would as willingly give cure as know† (Line 154), meaning that they want to get him out of his sadness as well as know what is causing it. This is a statement backing-up what he earlier said on Line 136, when Montague says â€Å"And private in his chamber pens himself† – He stays in his bedroom and locks the door. This makes Romeo feel wretched. By locking himself in his room doesn’t help either, as this makes him feel worse. Another significant feature is the frequent references to life and death. For instance Romeo says, on line 200, â€Å"A sick man makes his will† to the end of line 202, being ill is mentioned at least twice. He says a â€Å"sick man,† which shows he is, in a sense, that he is not himself because he loves someone. Another point is that he says on line 187 â€Å"Doth add more grief.† The key word is grief, which is usually used with sorrow feelings and death. Something that appears briefly in one speech is the use of some oxymorons. They can be found in Romeo’s lines 173 – 180. A good example is â€Å"O heavy lightness.† This, if used in real context would not make sense as it a contradictory statement. This shows Romeo’s confusing as he is finding it hard that he cannot get the woman he wants and is frustrated with himself. There are further uses of oxymorons later in the play. In Act 3, Scene 2 around lines 75, there are several oxymorons, examples are â€Å"beautiful tyrant† (Line 75) and â€Å"dove-feathered raven† (Line 76). These are good examples as they show complete opposites and demonstrate what Juliet was feeling as she is torn between feeling for Romeo whilst feeling angry at him because of Tybalt. This shows some of the feelings people have to go through when experiencing love as they have to have important feelings. Images of problems of love are also picked up on. In Romeo’s speech around line 190, he says â€Å"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.† This is saying that love is something that will poison you as it ends up with sighs. Shakespeare is making Romeo get out of his state of love and into his normal self. Romeo even says â€Å"I have lost myself.† He knows this isn’t like him and needs to snap out of it but Shakespeare cleverly gets Benvolio involved, so Romeo is forced to tell more, making it even harder for Romeo breakout of his frame of mind. Lastly Romeo and Benvolio mention love and blindness (and the eye) together. In Act 1 Scene 2, Benvolio says â€Å"Take thou some new infection to the eye.† This is saying that Benvolio wants Romeo to look at other women to stop him thinking about the one, who has been keeping him secluded. This line could also mean that Benvolio thinks Romeo has been blind in terms of looking at other women and that â€Å"a new infection† i.e. an infection means an illness that stops you from seeing, so love is a illness for Romeo. From here could be a turning point in two ways for Romeo. He could start being himself again or looking at other women could make him feel worse as he was in Act 1, Scene 1. Romeo would not want this because he may find it harder to get out of his miserable state a second time round. Also the audience may get impatient as they want to see Romeo progress, not rewind into his former conditions. We now start to see Romeo open up as he sees Juliet. This is now the beginning of him becoming happier. This is also the first time the audience see Juliet, in the eyes of Romeo, so is a crucial part of the play. When Romeo firsts sees Juliet, he is truly amazed, and this is shown clearly. In Act 1, Scene 5, Romeo likens her to a â€Å"rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear† (Line 46). This is effective because it gives the audience an image of jewel, which is prominent in the first place, but to be an Ethiopian’s ear, makes it seem all the brighter. This shows that Juliet is already precious, and stood out to him immediately. Another idea to back this up is the use of the word â€Å"torches† shortly afterwards. This could also be interpreted as standing out from the other people. I think could also mean that she is his light. This shows contrast from earlier when it was dark to him. Religion is also used as a theme. On line 94, Romeo says â€Å"This holy shrine,† which could show that Romeo sees her now as his religion, or his light, as I said in the previous paragraph. He almost worships her and, the effect given is they are now lifting their love to sacred or purer ground, not just all the bits that people usually associate with love. It is still in the balance though as Juliet hasn’t spoken a word to Romeo yet, everything he has said proves how strong his love is. Another religious idea is â€Å"blushing pilgrims† used by Romeo on line 95. Pilgrims is used because it shows he is ready to make the journey of love with Juliet. The impression is that Romeo is waiting and that he wants to find the true meaning of his â€Å"religion.† Shakespeare uses pilgrims cleverly as he makes Romeo more romantic than if he put how Romeo felt bluntly. It makes the audience feel that he deserves Juliet. Romeo is skilful in the way he gets to kiss Juliet. As I said before he is not blunt. Instead he uses â€Å"saints† as his way of wooing Juliet. He is shown to the audience that he is a smooth charmer. He also talks of â€Å"sins,† this leads to him challenging Juliet and sort of be against what she should do. This is even more temptation and that is another way of how Romeo managed to get his kiss. Juliet responds by kissing him back, showing the audience that Romeo has been very clever indeed. She says â€Å"You kiss by the book.† This now shows that Juliet has given in and this is where their story starts and the part of the play speeds up a little. This is proven when Juliet finds out she is in love with a Montague, making it doubly interesting for the audience, so they start to get captivated. For Romeo, this is a complete contrast to how he was earlier in the Act. Earlier in the scene on line 53 he said â€Å"I ne’er saw true beauty till this night,† shows that he finally realised he was never in love, just desperate. From now we realise the full extent of Romeo’s love for Juliet. They both almost worship other and we see how much in Act 2. It is almost like they cannot be separated. In Act 2, Scene2, the audience knows for sure that Romeo’s love is now true, unlike in Act 1 and is happy. Romeo compares to Juliet and being bright throughout page 89. The most obvious example is on line 3 – â€Å"Juliet is the Sun.† This shows that he depends on her just as the Earth depends on the Sun. It gives the effect that he cannot live without her. This is backed from line 15 to line 20. A good example is on line 18 where Romeo says â€Å"The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars.† This shows his true affection for her as she shines out to him more than stars, or she shines out to him more than any other woman. Juliet responds to Romeo in the same sort of pattern, which is brightness. Words such as â€Å"bright angel† and heaven are used. I think Shakespeare did this to make sure the audience realised that things have definitely improved for Romeo and that he is now truly in love. Moving away from brightness, Juliet refers to him as â€Å"dear perfection,† this shows the feelings between them are shared. There are strong images used later on the Act. From line 80 to line 84, is a very strong image shown by Romeo. This means that Romeo would travel on a very risky journey to find her. This is again an example of how strong his love has grown for her. Throughout the Act there is a strong presence that Shakespeare is trying to show the contrast of Romeo in Act 1 and Act 2. In Act 1, we hear of Romeo moping saying he is in love, but in Act 2 we now hear he is in love but is lighter and more active than before. I think this is because in Act 1 Romeo could have thought he was in love but was not, so maybe his instinctive reaction was to sulk. Again these lines show a significant contrast to earlier when there were feelings of darkness. Romeo and Juliet are well and truly glued to each other by now. The love they have shown towards each other and is overwhelming. To them they will feel that nothing will tear them apart despite being Capulet and Montague. Their love will rise to unimaginable heights but the audience can tell that Shakespeare will add a cruel twist where something will happen to bring them apart.