The Millers Tale Essay Example For Students

The Millers Tale Essay The Millers Tale is arguably Chaucers best work of humour and it strikes the right balance between bawdiness and vulgarity. The setting of the Millers Tale is very ordinary and therefore we relate to it and is not humorous. The details give verisimilitude to the tale. But the main aspects of humour in The Millers Tale are the four characters and how they react with each other. First John, the carpenter. He is a very stereotypical carpenter in those times who marries a young woman for her beauty so she can share his riches. He is rich but stupid and his stupidity and gullibility provides the chance for the main practical joke of the tale to take place. John can be compared with the Miller an example of Johns stupidity which makes the tale funny is on line 119 He knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude this tells us directly that he was rude. He is also very gullible which also brings humour to the story. We will write a custom essay on The Millers Tale specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We can see this in the way that he believes Nicholas about the flood and builds the boat in the roof (another stupid thing to do because the roof is a stupid place to build a boat!) and how he is completely oblivious to what Alison and Nicholas are doing while he is in the roof building the boat. Another example of Johns stupidity is that instead of trying to find out about Nicholas and Alison, he tries to help Nicholas because he is becoming concerned that he spends all his time in his room which is ironic because Nicholas is actually plotting a way to win Alison (Johns wife) over. On line 354 John actually feels sorry for Nicholas Me reweth soore of hende Nicholas. This convinces us of his gullibility further. As the story goes on, John gets stupider as he is the key person in Nicholass plot. We find Johns antics funnier because we never have a chance to sympathise with him; if we did then we might not find the way that the whole plot revolves around Alison leaving him and the end part when he is publicly ridiculed for being mad as funny because we would be feeling sorry for him too. A character who completely contrasts with John and who is behind the main comical plot of the story is the scholar, Nicholas. Nicholas is very clever. He is supposed to be a respectable scholar who studies astrology but he isnt he is crude and a typical example of British humour. An example of this is when Absolon comes to Alisons window to woo her and Nicholas plays a trick on him. We would expect Nicholas to do something upper class but he doesnt. As it says on line 698 This Nicholas anon leet fle a fart Nicholas is very crude and very unlike how he is supposed to be. The lesson with Nicholass character is dont judge by appearance. We expect him to be a stereotypical scholar but he isnt. Nicholas is a key person in the mockery of Courtly Love in the tale. He is not actually a courtier but he possesses many of the qualities for it. He has boldness and therefore crudeness which we wouldnt expect from a scholar. We can see an example of this on line 168 And prively he caughte hire by the queynte. This means that he grabbed Alison by the thighs and that is very out of character which shows boldness. This makes him a comical character because he is so un stereotypical that it is funny. He is also a pivotal character because he thought of the main comical plot. .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 , .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 .postImageUrl , .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 , .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5:hover , .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5:visited , .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5:active { border:0!important; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5:active , .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5 .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u309dc5492f08f6beb15a8e42ff9b3de5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bean Trees By Kingsolver EssayThe character which the three men are fighting for is Alison. The beautiful wife of John the Carpenter. The description of her in lines 125 to 162 is very detailed. It says that she is therwithal (beautiful), yonge (young), hir mouth was sweet as bragot or the meeth (sweetly spoken) ful brighter was the shynyng of hir hewe (brighter then a new coin) From her description by the miller who is much like the carpenter (her husband), we would think that Alison was some sort of a goddess but she is actually a country wench. Like Nicholas, she is also one who should be a bit more like her description and like a stereotypical rich mans daughter who has had a good upbringing but she is the complete opposite of that. She is very common and crude. We can see an example of Alisons crudeness on line 624 And at the wyndow out she putte hir hole. Which means that she put her bum out of the window for Absolon to kiss instead of her face and that is not something that someone like Alison is supposed to be would do. She then shows us how horrible she is by then laughing at him. Alison also contributes to the Mock Courtliness in the story. When she rejects Nicholas for the first time, she reacts in an over exaggerated melodramatic way exactly like courtly lovers do on lines 176 to 178 I wol nat kisse thee, by my fey! Why, lat be! quod she. Lat be Nicholas, Or I wol crie out, harrow and allas! Alison brings humour to the story by being the woman in the middle that everyone loves and she also plays a big part in Nicholass plot. The last character and therefore the funniest character in A Millers Tale is Absolon. Absolon is the complete opposite of the Carpenter and Miller. He is a key person in the mockery of Courtly Love in the Millers Tale. Absolon is the one suitor that tries to woo Alison that has a traditional romantic attitude to courting. He is the victim of Alisons scorn (on line 600 Go fro the wyndow, Jakke fool) and receives only one kiss which he realises is not what it appears (on line 626 But with his mouth he kiste hir naked ers). Absolons romantic affectations make him appear foolish. The Miller sarcastically notes on how Absolon combed his curly blond hair to prepare himself for Alison, a parody of courtly love and romance and the miller and the carpenter have no use for it.

Family Example

Family Example Family – Coursework Example Family The map indicated that prior to the World War II, the number of households that included married-couple families in the United States added up to 75 percent. Families of married couple with children took up 43 percent while families of married couples without children took up 33 percent. The single parent families were 4 percent of all households while other types of family households represented 9 percent. 10 percent were non family households that were most families of persons living alone. Beginning of 1960, after the Word War II, a change was experienced whereby married couples families with children increased to 44 percent while the percentage of married couple families without children went down to 31 percent (Lerner et al. 67).After a period of twenty years, there was a significant change in household structure. There was a drop in the share of family households to 74 percent. The percentage share of nonfamily households went up to 26 percent while married couples witho ut children went down to 31 percent. The one-person household increased by 10 percent. The transformation of the household structure has continued. There has been a significant decrease in married couples with children while the percentage representation of cohabiting couples. The one-person households have also increased. These changes are assumed to have occurred within the key driving social processes that include divorce, marriage, and marital or no marital childbearing. With response to the changing economic conditions, social norms, and the US law governing marriage, people have experienced some challenges in capturing the new family forms (Lerner et al. 77).Work citedLerner, Richard M, Elizabeth E. Sparks, and Laurie D. MacCubbin. Family Diversity and Family Policy: Strengthening Families for Americas Children. Boston [u.a.: Kluwer Acad. Publ, 1999. Print.

Definition and Examples of Broken-Record Responses

Definition and Examples of Broken-Record Responses Definition In communication studies, the broken-record response is the conversational strategy of forestalling further discussion by repeating the same phrase or sentence over and over. also called the broken-record technique. Depending on the circumstances, the broken-record response may be a negative politeness strategy or a comparatively tactful way of avoiding an argument or a power struggle.With the broken-record technique, says  Suzie Hayman, it is important to use some of the same words over and over again in different sentences. This reinforces the main part of your message and prevents others raising red herrings or diverting you from your central message (Be More Assertive, 2010).   Examples and Observations [The professor] was totally blowing me off. Every time I tried to get the conversation going, all he kept saying was, Well, its a real controversial point.(Peter Taylor, Penny J. Gilmer, and Kenneth George Tobin, Transforming Undergraduate Science Teaching. Peter Lang, 2002) What are you looking for? Terri chirped from above me. Ill help you find it, and you can help me win the contest.Im not listening to you. Im not listening to you. Im not listening to you, I said while I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness.(Mary Carter, Accidentally Engaged. Kensington, 2007) A coworker once recalled sleeping on a couch in the inventors Baltimore home. It was a time when shops were regularly sending delaminated and bent skis back to [Howard] Head. I woke up, the worker said, and I heard Howard in the next room. I know Im right, youre wrong! Im right, youre wrong! Howard never gave up- even in his sleep.(John Fry, Heads Easy-to-Turn Metal Ski Helped Turn America On to Skiing. Ski magazine, November 2006) My family loves actioncontrol freaks, every last one of them. Stagnation, lack of progress, and the loss of a consecutive narrative were all unbearable to them. I could only offer the broken-record response, What more is there to say? I feel exactly the same today as yesterday. I became so disgusted with having the same discussion again and again that I found it easier simply to evade such conversations and so begin a strategy of avoidance.(Lynne Greenberg, The Body Broken: A Memoir. Random House, 2009) The Broken-Record Response in the Classroom The broken record uses a precise statement that explains what the expectation is and the consequence of not following through. An example is: I know you are a social person and really want to talk to your friends now, but this is the time devoted to writing in the journal. You need to go to your desk and write. If you do not write, you do not earn points.The student has been affirmed, given the direction, and knows the consequences when the teacher request is ignored. Separate our emotion and stay with the facts. Decide if you will repeat the broken record response two or more times, but follow through with the consequence.(Robert Wandberg and Roberta Kaufman, Powerful Practices for High-Performing Special Educators. Corwin, 2010) The Broken-Record Response in Medical Settings This technique of calmly repeating your decision is called the broken record response. It will help you stand firm against even the most aggressive person without increasing the level of conflict.The broken record technique may be especially helpful if you ever have to deal with a drug-seeking or otherwise persistent patient.(Robyn Gohsman, Medical Assisting Made Incredibly Easy: Law and Ethics. Lippincott Williams Wilkins, 2008)

Forecasting Alliances Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Forecasting Alliances - Essay Example The two powers have managed to form strong alliances that exist until today. In fact, the two exercise their mutual influences under the frameworks of Western powers across greater part of the world. The influence of the two powers have probably been due to their held ideology of democracy that intends to promote liberalization and thwart communism seen as derailing global economic, political and social integration. Much resistance against the Western powers has been coming from Russia and China, and their allies like Cuba and some Middle East countries. Despite the resistances, Western powers seem to have made significant successes bearing the spontaneous transformation of Russia and China to adopt capitalist ideologies that have seen rise in the number of billionaires found in the two countries. However, there exists consistent strategies and conspiracy by some countries to alliance with intention to challenge the Western powers. The possibility of success of the likely alliances i n challenging Western powers requires careful examination and study. Russia, Cuba and Venezuela share similar history of perpetuating communist ideologies characterized with no democracy. In fact, the three countries were once under the unity of the Soviet Union, which diminished due to unbearable influence of capitalism of the Western powers. Among the three, Russia is the only strongest in the global arena with stronger military, economic and political influence. Russia boasts of endowment of massive natural resources including natural gas, oil and metal among others. Venezuela on the other hand boasts of rich oil reserves that mark the backbone of its economy (Keck). Cuba on the other end boasts of highly trained professionals and unexploited oil reserves. Located just below the southern part of North America, Cuba and Venezuela have been depending on each other in various aspects. For instance, since 2000, Cuba has been exporting

The Use of Women Suicide Bombers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Use of Women Suicide Bombers - Essay Example This gift of life is to cherish not to be thrown away as Islam strictly forbids suicide and killing of innocent people. We must dedicate our lives to please Allah, and to also be kind and generous to our fellow human beings, rather than hurting a single soul, including ours. Human kind is created to revive and perpetuate life and preserve it in its best form. In one verse of the Koran Allah informs mankind, "And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship; Me (Alone)" (Surah Adh-Dhariyat Verse 56)  Ã‚  (Adedimeji, 2011). From this verse, it is evident that the purpose of our life is to worship God, and to live and let live. It is emphasized plenty of times in the Holy Koran, Ahadeeth (Traditions, teachings and Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and the Shariah (Islamic Law and Muslim way of living), that by transgressing the righteous path and the limits and boundaries set by God. Such kind of willful disobedience will only bring abou t displeasure and wrath of God.  These people will have to face the deadliest of punishments predestined for those who go astray and misled by the evil forces. These forces only believe in destruction, which is surely against the teachings and beliefs of Islam, which is a religion of Peace and Prosperity, not blood-shed and deadly war. There are a few very specific punishments expressed in the Koran against self-destruction. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) also assigns suicide to the lower most levels of Hell. Allah says explicitly in the Koran, "And do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you" (Surah An-Nisa Verse 29) (Abdul-Rahman, 2009). In another verse of the Quraan, Allah says: "And do not throw yourselves into destruction" (Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 195) (Kotob, n.d.). The use of women for the purposes of self-sacrifice is new

A Brief History of Operating Systems Essay Example for Free

A Brief History of Operating Systems Essay A History of Operating Systems To understand and to be prepared for the future of computer support it helps to know the history of operating systems. The operating system is the software that links the user to the computer’s hardware. Early mainframes (the predecessor of the personal computer) did not use an operating system. Programs were loaded onto the mainframe by paper punch cards, magnetic or paper tape. The user would start the program and wait for the program to complete, or crash. Debugging of the program was often done by adjusting banks of switches. With every new mainframe shipped, the operation and usability would change. There were no standards. As early operating systems were developed they were generally only designed to operate on that customer’s specific unit. With the development of mass produced microprocessors, computers become more common and more affordable. With the number of computers sold each year increasing there became a need for a standardized operating system. In the beginning there were many companies fighting to produce a viable operating system for the masses. The two most prominent were Microsoft and Apple. Microsoft’s first entry in the operating system foray was MS-Dos or Windows 1. 0 in 1985, a command line operating system that was not the simplest to use but for its time was pretty user friendly. Of course as computing power advanced so did Microsoft’s operating systems. In 1987 Windows 2. 0, then in 1990 there was Windows 3. 0, the first OS that had a desktop and icons to start programs. At this point Microsoft began to separate their operating systems into home user oriented and business oriented. In 1993 Microsoft released Windows NT 3. 1, the first fully 32 bit operating system, it featured better networking support and the NTFS file system. NT progressed through 4. 1 then to Windows 2000. These operating systems were geared toward corporate users and were slightly more robust. On the home front in 1995 Windows 95 was introduced and it was the first version to have the taskbar and the start button. The next version of the home OS was Windows 98, then 98SE followed by Windows ME. The next iteration of Windows was XP; this version of Windows was unique in a couple of ways. XP was the first OS to include activation, which linked the hardware in the pc where it was installed to a unique ID number. The other thing that made XP unique from previous versions of windows was that it came in several versions from home use to corporate use. Windows Vista followed Windows XP but was met with much scrutiny because of its lack of support for legacy devices and software and it’s lackluster performance. Windows 7 followed quickly behind and addressed most of these shortcomings. There are several other choices for operating systems, although none have been able to maintain a sizeable amount of the market share due to the compatibility and popularity of the operating systems offered by Microsoft. Some of the other offerings are Mac OS from Apple, UNIX, Linux (an open source OS based on Linux), Android and IOS just to name a few. While most of these do not offer the support and compatibility that you would find in operating systems from Microsoft, they are quickly gaining ground and acceptance in use from desktop pc’s to handheld devices.

Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy Essay -- Philosophy of E

Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy As children we have many goals and dreams. Eventually, the time comes when we have to make a career decision based on our interests and goals. The choices that we make now will have a lasting effect on our lives. Like most college students I have explored many career options, but I am always lead back to the education field. Teachers have a very difficult job because they have the power to shape and inspire our future nation. Although that can be an intimidating and often scary thought, it also gives me inspiration to move ahead in pursuing my goal of becoming a teacher. I have always had a passion for children. There is nothing like watching a child grow and watching their mind expand as they learn. Teachers play such an important role in a child’s life. They are often the only one who is there to encourage and support them. If I can make a difference in only one child’s life, then I will have fulfilled my purpose of becoming a teacher. Teaching is not only about standing in front of a classroom and showing children how to work a math problem. It involves a whole different element of modeling for children morals such as respect for oneself as well as others, self-discipline, and a positive self-concept. There are many different personalities and levels of learning in a classroom. As a teacher, I plan to know each of my students personality, learning style, and academic level so that I can conform to these needs and create the best learning environment possible for all of my students. The definition of knowledge is the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association. The nature of... ...ssignments efficiently. I plan to graduate from Concord in the Spring 2004. After graduation, I plan to enter the masters program at either Concord or West Virginia University. At some point in my career I plan to continue my education and obtain my doctorate in education. The teaching profession offers many benefits in its teacher union, so I plan to join the teacher’s union wherever I will be employed. Teaching is a very rewarding career. I am very excited about completing my education and going into my own classroom. I hope that I can inspire my students and be a positive role model in their life. I want to be an effective teacher who brings out the best in my students; I want to show my students that they can do anything they put their mind to and I want to give them the confidence and the ambition to achieve their goals.

Neoliberal Policies in the development of the International Economy since the early 1980s Essay

International Economy has always been volatile as it is subject to the activities of the market itself and the market players. Since global in composition, all countries constituting the international arena have a significant effect in the economy as a whole. Neoliberalism is a school of thought that traces its beginnings in Neoliberal Manifesto; it believes that social progress can be attained through economic liberalism. Therefore, it believes that social aggrandizement can be made through transferring the control of the economy from the public (government) to the private sector. It advocates that since the private sector is more adept in handling the economy it is righteous to have them control it so that results will be favourable for all, economy-wise. While this move dismantles competition and espouses oligarchy and monopoly, John Williamson (one of the premier minds behind Neoliberalism) argues that it is for the best interest of the nation as more business and firms will be built. It embraces ten points of contention. The first being the Fiscal policy where deficits are seen to be used only under occasional stabilization purposes, it therefore believes that large deficits should not be run by the government as it will only be paid later on by the citizens. It has a great tendency to lead to low productivity and inflation. And no country would like to experience inflation as it is tantamount to economic suicide. Second is the redirection of subsidies to public spending; while subsidies has is purpose, the truth is there are more people in need of more services and it is the responsibility of the government to aid them. The government spending will focus on education, health care and infrastructure development. This espouses emphasis and control of the government to social sectors. Social Welfare should be one of the key priorities of the government. Third is Tax reform which aims to adopt moderate marginal tax so that citizens will be encouraged to innovate and be efficient. This means that people are actually encouraged to be active participants of the market and not mere observers. Fourth is floating exchange rates which imply that the value of the money is volatile, it can go down or up depending on the performance of the currency. This only means that there are many rooms for development as the exchange rate is not fixed, only it has its equivalent risks. Fifth is trade liberalization which affirms the dismantling of quantitative restrictions in order that competition will be encouraged and the quality of products that will be produced will grow more and more. This does not only motivate people and firms to work hard but also to innovate, to invent new things and develop new ideas so that the buyers will purchase their products. Sixth is Liberalization, while the fifth focuses on trade, this one embraces monetary trade that opens the doors for people to invest their resources overseas and in turn to attract foreign investors as well. It works both ways, letting the market run from one country to another thus strengthening trading tie between and among nations. Privatization of state enterprises is one of the most interesting points of Williamson as it gives more power to the people. It battles monopoly by opening to the private sector the opportunity to create firms and companies that will provide services similar to that provided by governments, it brings about venues for competition and more importantly choices for the people. Deregulation is basically removing market restrictions. As market restrictions tend to limit competition it also promotes standards both for quality and security. Deregulation removes the market restrictions but retains those with lawful justifications and phyto-sanitary standards. Legal security for property rights is the 9th point and is seen as protection for the public as they are given exclusivity to their rights. No one from the government or the government itself can claim ownership over one’s property, which again empowers the people economically and politically. And finally the Financialization of capital. This promotes more power to the economy. Neoliberalism inspired the many changes in the International Economy in the 1980s. As more and more people understand and see the benefits of having an economy that operates on its own more and more people supported and adopted it. The 1980s was a time of Economics transformation. It was the inspiration for the collapse of Communism, countries like Yugoslavia and China freed themselves from the Communist ideology as they embrace liberal policies in economics. Democratic countries further supported the cause of neoliberalism as they focused on economics individual right where not only firms and institutions get to be play and participate in the market but people as well. Governments also prioritized free trade. Since neoliberalism is a rather new idea, nations cannot abruptly turn 360 degrees to embrace it, therefore the changes were implemented in moderation but created great impact in several of the most stable and prolific economies of the world. Two of the most important people in the 1980s were greatly influenced by economic liberalism, they are Margaret Thatcher, United Kingdom’s Iron Lady and United States’ 41st President, Ronald Reagan. Both of them had the same understanding and view with regards to economy, they were determined to propagate neoliberalism as they see it very efficient and effective for majority of the markets. Reagonomics, the term used to refer to the economic policies of then US President Ronald Reagan was anchored greatly in neoliberalism. Its four pillars were close to the ideas promoted by neoliberalism. The four pillars were to reduce government spending, to reduce income and capital marginal taxes, to reduce government regulation of the economy and control money supply to reduce inflation. The four pillars can be found in Williamson’s 10 points of contention as well, only re-affirming that Reagonomics was inspired by neoliberalism. Historically, the United States faced inflation and massive unemployment before Reagan’s presidency. His strategy of reinventing the approaches to the American economy was greatly different from the Presidents before him as they embraced monopoly and state governance instead of free market. Margaret Thatcher worked to the best of her ability to dismantle trade barriers and limit the intervention of the government in the market. This may sound ironic as the n Prime Minister Thatcher is the head of government but she is actually reducing the power of her office. This only tells us that the leadership of Thatcher wanted so badly to rebuild the status quo when it comes to economic policies. This also suggests that the Margaret Thatcher paid emphasis to the importance of economic stability in achieving political stability. At that time, neoliberalism was the key to advancement both socially and more importantly politically. In turn, industries increase its shift from locally to globally. Therefore integrating the different and varied economies of the world to arrive at a compromise and a common ground to negotiate and maximize the utilization of the world’s resources. Not only are the tangible resources shared but the intangible ones as well. Research and development was able to advance because of the collaboration of various minds giving different perspectives to a specific subject. The effects and influence of neoliberalism were vast, not only was it seen and accepted in the West but in all other parts of the world. In key countries like Australia, Canada, Japan, Scandinavian countries, United Kingdom and United States, neoliberalism was greatly accepted even in striving countries like Chile and South Africa. Even Latin American countries which embraced and adopted neoliberalism achieved economic gains as they became less dependent on imports from foreign countries and achieved urbanization. Neoliberalisms’ effects can be summarized in several points. First is the growth in international trade and cross – border capital flow. Since neoliberalism espouses freedom in economy, therefore eliminating and limiting trade barriers nations are given the lee way to trade with whoever they want as long as legal standards are respected. This way, the capitals are maximized and other opportunities for business are explored not only locally but internationally as well. In relation with the first, the elimination of trade barriers is one of the major legacies of neoliberalism. It is perhaps its essential value; people and firms are no longer under the role of government standards. The rules made are made essentially and specifically for economic purposes and aims in mind, unlike the trade barriers which is more government – serving. And last, privatization of public owned companies. Among all the many legacies neoliberalism left us, the privatization of government operated companies is probably the most beneficial for the public. As the private sector handle the previously government owned companies (example: telecommunication, television and water systems) the buyers and purchasers are given more choices, more quality and more products. Since the market is now open and anyone can put up a telephone or television company, the present business owners will be driven and pressured to keep on improving their services as competitors are everywhere, next they need to constantly modernize and innovate so as consumers will have something to look forward to, in the same way that it makes them ahead of the competitors. And lastly, the market is controlled by people who are focused on economy, unlike when a company is controlled by the government the focus of the company is torn between economic purposes and government aims. It is also believed that economic freedom brings about better standards of living, it attracts investors and finally pushes technology to do and achieve more. Political Scientist Thomas Friedman said that political freedom can be achieved when there is economic freedom. As politics and economics are gravely intertwined with another, when the economic composition of a nation is controlled by a certain sector of the society, the political control is on its side. While, if there is economic liberalism, the economic sector and political sector can serve as checks and balances of one another, therefore securing that both sectors are doing what they are supposed to do. Friedman also noted that economic power should be separated from political power as the tendency to abuse and be abused is so vast. However, critics of neoliberalism believe that economic liberalism bastardizes the concept of a nation’s right to self – determination as the government loses its hand over one of the most important divisions, the economy, it assumes that the once a government has limited access over its economy the state itself becomes weaker. Capitalism is also viewed as a tool to exploit; because everything is market and results – driven critics say that the poor will only get poorer and the rich richer because the market is controlled by the rich. However, proponents of neoliberalism that Capitalism only maximizes the resources and provides limitless opportunities for people who are willing to grab them. In summary, the effects of neoliberalism in the movement of the international economy is incomparable. It is one of the few schools of thought that was accepted and supported worldwide and later on became the model of how economies should function. Although perceived by some to be exploitative and conflicting with the government, the benefits it had done to countries and nations which have adopted its policies are clear and surviving, from the 1980s to this day. And more and more economies continue to grow and strengthen as the further enhance the legacies left behind by neoliberalism.

India Luxury Market Essay

Market Trend There was a slow-down in the growth in sales of premium and luxury watches in India in 2008-’09. It prompted the market leader Titan industries to enter the economy market. Following the footsteps, luxury watch brands like Tag Heuer and Rolex introduced low-price models. But in recent years, mobile phones may also have dampened growth in the penetration of watches in India, as they provide a time read-out as well as alarm and other time-related functions. Watch industry experts believe that their product’s original function is increasingly losing importance, and that wristwatches are now being bought as fashion accessories. Owning more than one watch is like owning different pieces of jewellery. Competitive landscape The economy watch demand is being met for the most part by the unorganised sector and by direct imports. The premium segment is increasingly being peppered by fashion brands such as Esprit, Swatch, Fossil and Tommy Hilfiger. There has also been strong value growth for these brands, with growing demand from middle- and upper-income groups in urban India. Titan, HMT and Maxima are the leading Indian players and Timex, Casio and Swatch are now the strong multinational players in the market. More multinationals are entering the retail market, but no new domestic companies have done so, and the multinationals’ share of value sales has increased over the review period. Premium Brand & Product Perception With the watches market in India now becoming fashion and style driven, especially at the premium end, companies now launch models and designs every six months. International brands such as Fossil launch spring/summer and winter ranges. Titan, on the other hand, times its launches to fit in with the Indian festive season – Deepavali and weddings. Companies like Casio and Swatch and luxury brands like Rolex are exploring a niche market for chronographs, but this is currently negligible. Companies also need to respond to product innovations. The Citizen eco-friendly watch has been well received in India and is reportedly selling well in its price bracket, eliminating the trouble of replacing batteries and encouraging the use of multiple watches. Apparel brands such as Esprit, Tommy Hilfiger, Benetton and Levi’s have all gained familiarity among India’s urban youth, who may become more willing to try these brands’ premium watches. Affluent, urban Indians may feel more comfortable about buying premium watches, while continuing to regard luxury watches as examples of overindulgent or insensitive spending. ‘New’ Rich India : The ‘New’ rich India is now indulging into the experience of owning Luxury Brands. India’s rapidly growing high-end retail market is expected to increase from the around $3. 5 billion in 2008 to $30 billion by 2015. Luxury clothing, fragrances, premium wine, high-end watches have achieved good penetration among male Indian consumers. Among women, jewellery and cosmetics can already boast high levels of awareness, followed by categories such as handbags and mobile phones. These items, while not necessarily being better (in quality, performance, or appearance) than their less expensive substitutes, are purchased with the main purpose of displaying wealth or income or status symbol of their owners. There is a distinct shift from ‘Old luxury’ to ‘New luxury’. Old luxury is defined by the attributes, qualities and features of the product, whilst ‘New luxury’ is defined by the consumer’s point of focus on the experience that their purchase stimulates and not in ownership or possession of the product itself. † The customers Redefined luxury as they believe it to be a sign of self worth – â€Å"They are worth it;† it authenticates the buyer’s success and status; it is a signal to others that the owner is a member of an exclusive group; They require flawless performance in this application, the cost of product malfunction is too high to buy anything but the best. Motivation of Study: The matter of wearing and enjoying fine timepieces is a passion that these days must be justified. We like nice expensive watches even though cheap watches exist to do the same thing. Hence like any other luxury good , today modern shoppers buy luxury goods to reward themselves, to satisfy psychological needs or to make themselves feel good to show off their personality or to boost their self-esteem. Contribution of the research: This study aims to understand the above said consumer buying behaviour which will help the present marketing Managers to better reposition their branding and advertising strategy to capture the correct target market for luxury products to boost the sales in times where economy are at a challenge. Literature Review: Research Objective: This study intends to find out if consumer buying behaviour of young purchasers are influenced by factors such as premium price of luxury watches, perceived quality of luxury watches, societal status and brand loyalty associated with the consumption of luxury brand. This study also intends to evaluate whether perceived qualities of the luxury branded watch have influence on the buying decision of consumer. It is also intended to determine whether the high quality standards of luxury watches are the reasoning consumers opt for the luxury watches. Affiliations of social status of acquiring certain luxury branded goods will also be studied to understand whether consumer buying luxury branded goods just for the matter of being affiliate with certain quarters of people having the same luxury brand of goods. This study also will also evaluate whether brand loyalty of luxury brand will influence the buying decision of consumer. This study also aims to uncover whether a person who has been abroad is a reason for the consumer purchasing a luxury watch Research Question: The purpose of this study is to evaluate what motivational factors encourage consumers into purchasing luxury brand watches . In evaluating this statement , this study aims to answer the following questions : †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Is it the price or the type of users of the brand that drives the buying behaviour of the consumer for luxury branded goods? Is it the strong emotion of discriminating themselves with the lower class consumers that drives higher class consumers to turn to luxury brands? Is it the tag name of a mega brand that drives the long term demand for that luxury brand? Is gender a deterministic factor in deciding the purchase of a luxury brand? If yes then what factors are important gender wise ? Is it the product utility or the brand perception that is key for luxury watch brands? Will a person’s visit abroad influence his decision to purchase a luxury watch? Previous Research contribution : Findings of overall previous research indicate that individual’s preferences plays a key role in purchasing luxury goods. Individual’s preferences may be based on desire and non-desires, which are based on experience in purchasing luxury items from their satisfaction, or nondesire such as bias towards brand products. Leibenstein (1950, p. 188) classified demand of goods and services consumption in relevant to motivation into two main aspects: functional and non-functional. Functional demand is â€Å"demand for a commodity which is due to the qualities inherent in the commodity itself†. On the contrary, demand of goods consumption that comes from other factors, which is not the product quality, is defined non-functional demand. The outcome from Leibenstein’s (1950) study especially stresses the role of interpersonal effects towards luxury brands consumption, and derived three main effects; Veblen, Snob, and Bandwagon INTERPERSONAL EFFECTS Perceived Conspicuous Value Perceived unique Value Perceived Social Value Ostentation Non-Conformity Conformity VEBLENIAN SNOB BANDWAGON Interpersonal effects (Vigenron & Johnson) (1999 p. 7) Veblen Effect: The Veblen effect can be explained through conspicuous consumption in which people feel that it is necessary to purchase luxury products because they have a high price tag (Leibenstein, 1950). Conspicuous consumption is use by people to show wealth, power and status (Veblen, 1899). Prices of product have a significant aspect in consumers’ opinion of quality (Vigneron & Johnson, 1999). Studies by Erickson & Johansson (1995) have shown that price is used to judge quality of luxury products between a range of brands. Usually people would associate high prices with better quality. Additionally, those who do associate high prices with better quality would also suggest that high prices show a considerable amount of prestige (Lichtenstein et al. , 1993). Snob Effect: The snob effect takes into account personal and emotional desires (personal effects), and the influence of other people’s behaviour (interpersonal effects) towards the purchasing of luxury brand products (see Figure 1). The snob effect can be further explained through two circumstances. Firstly, the launch on new products which creates exclusivity in which the snob would purchase the product immediately because a minor amount of consumers at that particular time would have acquired it. Snob consumers only purchase â€Å"limited items that have a high value, whereas those readily available are less desirable. Rare items demand respect and prestige† (Solomon, 1994,p. 570). Products that are viewed as unique, popular, and expensive causes a higher demand for consumers (Verhallen & Robben, 1994), especially snob consumers. Snyder and Fromkin (1977) support the statement by Verhallen and Robben (1994) suggesting that people have the desire to be unique. India:The Affluent Masses: Luxury volumes have been spurred by a significant growth in the rich in recent past. The new rich come in varied shapes, sizes and style quotients. Exporters, multinational bankers, college kids earning plum salaries at call centers or BPO operations, well-heeled corporate wives, and successful entrepreneurs. What they have in common is that they have very high purchasing power Bandwagon Effect : The bandwagon effect represents consumers who purchase luxury products because they wish to fit in with a particular group. For example, people would consume products that are fashionable and stylish to associate themselves to similar people (Berry, 1994). Dubois & Duquesne (1993) explains that the snob and bandwagon effect are not alike. Although the similarity between the bandwagon and the snob effect is that people wish to enhance their self-concepts, the differentiation is that they purchase luxury items for different reasons. Bandwagon consumers purchase items to be fit in with others, whereas snob consumers purchase items to be unique and stand out. Individuals who fit in with groups that purchase luxury brand products and/ or wish to differentiate themselves from people who do not purchase luxury brands are influenced by the bandwagon effect (Vigneron & Johnson,1999) Luxury is reward :First time/New Purchasers :They use luxury goods as a status symbol to say â€Å"I’ve made it! †. They are motivated by their desire to be successful and demonstrate this to others. Luxury brands that have widespread recognition are popular; however they don’t wish to appear lavish or hedonistic in their appearance. They want to purchase â€Å"smart† luxury that exhibit importance while not leaving them open to criticism. Personal Effects : Consuming luxury products can also be from personal desires and taste. PERSONAL EFFECTS Perceived Emotional Value Perceived Quality Value Self-Actualization Reassurance HEDONIST PERFECTIONIST Personal effects (Vigenron & Johnson) (1999 p. 8) Hedonic Effect The hedonic effect occurs when consumers purchase luxury products and value the item. People who purchase items for self-fulfillment (e. g.inner direct consumers, Riesman, et al. , 1950, or role relaxed consumers, Kahle, 1995), and those who are not affected by interpersonal influences (e. g. conforming to group norms,Bearden, et al. , 1989) represent the hedonic effect. Dichter (1960) explains that motivation of noncognitive and unconscious is able to persuade consumer preference of products. Products that are consumed are known to have an emotional value that is added to their character (Vigneron & Johnson, 1999). When consumers purchase luxury products they expect that the item will offer benefits such as exclusiveness. Dubois & Laurent, (1994) stated that if products create an emotional value for consumers, it represents that the product is beneficial and holds an important characteristic. Perfectionist Effect The perfectionist effect exists when consumers purchase luxury items and expects superior products and performance as well as quality (Vigneron & Johnson,1999). People who represent the perfectionist effect are those who are associated to personal values and judge a product according to their value of a luxury band product. An example of the perfectionist effect is when consumers are purchasing a luxury watch they expect it to be accurate. According to Groth and McDaniel, (1993, p. 10) stated that â€Å"high prices may even make certain products or service more desirable†, because people view products with high prices with great quality (Rao & Monroe, 1989). Additionally, consumers may assess the level of how luxury a product is by its quality (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999). Methodology Research Method: Quantitative data consists of closed end information that includes numerical figures. The study has collected quantitative data by applying closed-end questions towards a questionnaire. Focus Group Discussion to understand attributes both physical and emotional that influence the purchase of a luxury watch. The group comprised of 7 individuals , 3 female and 4 male participants who have been users of luxury watches. Data Collection: Primary Data collection: Gathering information from consumers of luxury watches through online questionnaire survey Secondary Data Collection: Research insights and hypothesis design with the help of previously published research work on luxury goods buying behaviour. Sampling: Non-probability sampling method is adopted. Since the target audience or respondents of interest are consumers of premium or luxury watches, the sampling method adopted here is convenience sampling and snow-ball sampling. Measurement & Scaling: Measurement Techniques used ? Perception map : ? Utility of features in the watch : Chronograph, Double dial, Indicator light etc. ? Stylish Designs that make the watch a fashion statement Respondents were asked to rate the 10 different brands in order to obtain their perception of these brands on the above defined dimensions Based on two predefined dimensions i. e ? ? ? Exploratory Factor Analysis : To understand the underlying factors influencing the purchase behaviour of luxury watch for men & women and overall Regression: To understand which interpersonal & personal effect is critical when consumers make a luxury watch purchase decision Discriminant Analysis: To understand the group behaviours based on the following discriminating variable ? Gender ? Trip abroad ? Work Experience:Purchasing power ? AMOS : Confirmatory Factor analysis to ascertain the Exploratory Factor Analysis RESULT AND ANALYSIS 1. Discriminant Analysis: Work-Ex & Fresher Inference: Wilk’s lambda (0.627) is more than 0. 4 which is not significant; Box M test is also insignificant However based on analysis top 5 attributes discriminating work ex & fresher are Attributes Q5_7_attribute_analog Q5_2_attribute_alarm Q5_12_attribute_torch Q5_9__attribute_calculator Q4_8_attribute_celebrity_endorsement Variable weight of discriminating function -. 366 . 361 . 331 . 271 . 262 2. Discriminant Analysis: Gender Inference: Wilk’s lambda (0. 578) is more than 0. 4 which is not significant; based on analysis top 5 attributes discriminating males & females Attributes Variable weight of discriminating function. Q4_3_attrifashion_statement Q5_3_attribute_dualclock Q5_13_attribute_barometer Q5_8_attribute_motionsensor Q9_2_buy_in_store .329 -. 285 -. 269 -. 259 -. 255 3. Discriminant Analysis: Abroad Visit Inference: Wilk’s lambda (0. 573) is more than 0. 4 which is not significant; however based on analysis top 5 attributes discriminating foreign visited and not visited people Attributes Q5_9__attribute_calculator Q5_6_attribute_color Q5_16_attribute_warranty Q5_11_attribute_straptype Q4_9_attribute_brand_image Variable weight of discriminating function . 228 . 225 . 221 -. 207 -. 205 3) Exploratory Factor Analysis-(Male & Female) Research Question:- Is gender a deterministic factor in deciding the purchase of the luxury watch. If yes what factors are important gender wise? Hypothesis:- Women while making luxury goods purchase give more importance to emotional factors whereas Men go for Physical Utility features Factor analysis for male respndents(58 males) Results:? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Fac1(Ostentation): o o o o o o o o ? ? ? ? ? ? Sth to remmeber, hand gesture, to be unique Fac2(value added feature) Calculator,digital,compass. Fac3(Generic requirements) Shape, water resistance Fac4(Economic requirements) Discounts Fac 5(Tech savvy) Compass, Motion sensor Fac 6(basic) Analog,water resistance Fac 7(Wrist suitability) Strap type Fac 8(extra feautres):Date and day display, brand image Exploratory factor analysis female Respondents (23 females):Fac1(Economical): o o o o o o Warranty, after sales, analog, emotional satisfaction Fac2(Style) Social status, to be unique, fashion statement Fac3(Special requirements) Alarm,altimeter, digital,dual clock Fac4(value added feature) Calculator,compass,barometer, torch. Fac 5(Tech savvy) Hand gesture,discount Fac 6(Exclusivity) Motion sensor,alarm,brand image Result Analysis:? Men:o Attach importance to Ostentaion, value added feaures and style(veblenian effect and perfectionist effect are dominating) ? Women:o Style, Economic attributes an generic requirements ( Hedonist and snob effects dominate 4. Checking the Interpersonal and personal effects shown by males and female while purchase of luxury watch in Store Research Question:o Is it the price or the type of users of the brand that drives the buying behaviour of the consumer for luxury branded goods? o Is it the strong emotion of discriminating themselves with the lower class consumers that drives higher class consumers to turn to luxury brands? o Is it the product utility or the brand perception that is key for luxury watch brands? Hypothesis:-Luxury watch purchase is primarily to show off and as an indicator of status symbol: veneblian effect. Users also buy luxury watches due to perceived emotional value or for hedonist reasons Veneblian Effect:- Snob Effect Bandwagon Effect Hedonistic effect Type of effect Veneblian snob Bandwagon Hedonistic Coefficient 0. 517 0. 499 0. 274 0. 305. Inference:- As we can clearly observe from the above table that the veneblian effect is very prominent in all cases of interpersonal or personal effects. That means People tend to buy Luxury watches to show off of their Public and Social Status. Snob and Bandwagon effect follows Veneblian effect. 5. Regression Analysis to check whether long term demand for luxury watches is driven by brand image Research Question : Is it the brand image that drives the long term demand for that luxury brand? Hypothesis : Brand Image for lucury brands is responsible for the long term demand of these watches. Inference : Regression is insignificant with respect to the variables that drive brand image. Even the R^square value is 0. 071. Hence we can infer that brand image is not a good factor to explain the long term demand for luxury watches. 6. AMOS The default model is created based on exploratory factor analysis and taking research literature into account. Model Fit Summary Check: Cmin/DF 2-5 OK GFI > 0. 9 Not OK PGFI>0. 5 OK NFI,TLI,CFI>0. 9 Not OK RMSEA max 0. 1 Not OK Model is comparatively fit as such But Goodness of fit index is not holding well. Validity & Construct Reliability S No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Attributes Q4_1_attribute_social_status Q4_3_attribute_fashion_statement Q4_2_attribute_to_be_unique Q4_6_attribute_emotional_satisfaction Q4_9_attribute_brand_image Q5_9__attribute_calculator Q5_10_attribute_compass Q5_12_attribute_torch Q5_13_attribute_barometer Q5_3_attribute_dualclock Q5_4_attribute_altimeter Q5_2_attribute_alarm Q5_5_attribute_digital Q5_7_attribute_analog Q5_8_attribute_motionsensor Q5_16_attribute_warranty Q4_10_attribute_secon_time_brandpurchase Q4_4_attribute_premiumwatch_collection Q4_8_attribute_celebrity_endorsements. Constructs Error e1 e2 Delta 1. 028 1. 079 0. 608 0. 635 1. 282 1. 323 1. 687 1. 473 1. 793 1. 816 1. 032 2. 133 1. 407 1. 074 2. 078 0. 179 1. 402 1. 367 2. 019 Lambda 1 0. 67 0. 922 0. 884 0. 997 1 0. 912 0. 971 0. 774 1 1. 135 1. 005 1. 258 1 0. 876 0. 84 0. 403 1. 231 1 AVE CR Exclusivity e3 e4 e5 e6 e7 0. 81 0. 81 Tech_Savvy e8 e9 e14 0. 84 0. 68 Value_Added _Feature e15 e16 e17 e21 1. 22 0. 75 Reliability e22 e23 e26 0. 82 0. 69 Brand_Perce ption.

Free Essays on Micky D

MICKEY D’s Some say working at McDonald’s is an easy, mediocre, â€Å"Can’t do no better,† low-life, minimum wage job. Frankly, I don’t disagree. However, not everyone can start off an owner or general manager of McDonald’s. Not everyone can start off a school principal or a schoolteacher, for that matter. Nevertheless, McDonald’s was the first job I ever had. I even became good at flippin’ burgers, droppin’ fries, McNuggets, original and Cajun chicken patties. In addition, I believe, if the only job you can get is a McDonald’s job then minimum wage is better than no wage at all. Therefore, since I must retain this job in order to have money and not be miserable, I might as well have fun while I’m there. My McDonald’s saga started when I moved to Decatur, Illinois, about three years ago. I got an offer to play the organ at a church in Decatur. This church was similar to a church I went to in California. This church appreciated my music so much that they were going to take care of my every need while I was playing at this church. Now, I’m living in Cairo, Il, it’s summertime, I’m in high school, I don’t want to go to the school I’m forced to attend, the church I play for doesn’t appreciate my efforts to be the finest musician they’ve ever had, I have none of my own means of transportation, and I’m broke. So what do you think I said when I was offered to move to a bigger city; better school districts, better churches to attend; better stores to shop at, and a lot more job opportunities to seek out? I quickly said okay. I packed my bags as fast as a humming birds heart rate. Moreover, I was glad just to be moving out of my mom’s house. I finally arrive in Decatur, and the dusk is a beautiful sight and a peaceful aroma fills the fresh air. From then on, everything was all right- at least I thought. My aunt went to the church I would be playing for, and it was at her house where I would be stayi... Free Essays on Micky D Free Essays on Micky D\'s MICKEY D’s Some say working at McDonald’s is an easy, mediocre, â€Å"Can’t do no better,† low-life, minimum wage job. Frankly, I don’t disagree. However, not everyone can start off an owner or general manager of McDonald’s. Not everyone can start off a school principal or a schoolteacher, for that matter. Nevertheless, McDonald’s was the first job I ever had. I even became good at flippin’ burgers, droppin’ fries, McNuggets, original and Cajun chicken patties. In addition, I believe, if the only job you can get is a McDonald’s job then minimum wage is better than no wage at all. Therefore, since I must retain this job in order to have money and not be miserable, I might as well have fun while I’m there. My McDonald’s saga started when I moved to Decatur, Illinois, about three years ago. I got an offer to play the organ at a church in Decatur. This church was similar to a church I went to in California. This church appreciated my music so much that they were going to take care of my every need while I was playing at this church. Now, I’m living in Cairo, Il, it’s summertime, I’m in high school, I don’t want to go to the school I’m forced to attend, the church I play for doesn’t appreciate my efforts to be the finest musician they’ve ever had, I have none of my own means of transportation, and I’m broke. So what do you think I said when I was offered to move to a bigger city; better school districts, better churches to attend; better stores to shop at, and a lot more job opportunities to seek out? I quickly said okay. I packed my bags as fast as a humming birds heart rate. Moreover, I was glad just to be moving out of my mom’s house. I finally arrive in Decatur, and the dusk is a beautiful sight and a peaceful aroma fills the fresh air. From then on, everything was all right- at least I thought. My aunt went to the church I would be playing for, and it was at her house where I would be stayi...

Philosophy of Food - An Authentic Approach to Eating

Philosophy of Food - An Authentic Approach to Eating A good philosophical question can arise from anywhere. Did you ever think, for example, that sitting down to dinner or strolling through the supermarket might serve as a good introduction to philosophical thinking? That is the foremost philosopher of food’s credo. What’s Philosophical About Food? Philosophy of food finds its basis on the idea that food is a mirror. You may have heard the saying ‘we are what we eat.’ Well, there is more to say regarding this relation. Eating mirrors the making of a self, that is, the array of decisions and circumstances that bring us to eat the way we do. In them, we can see reflected a detailed and comprehensive image of ourselves. Philosophy of food reflects on the ethical, political, social, artistic, identity-defining aspects of food. It spurs from the challenge to more actively pondering our diets and eating habits so as to understand who we are in a deeper, more authentic way. Food as a Relation Food is a relation. Something is food only with respect to some organism, in a set of circumstances. These, first of all, are bound to vary from moment to moment. For instance, coffee and pastry are a fine breakfast or afternoon snack; yet, to most of us they are unpalatable for dinner. Secondly, circumstances are bound to involve principles that are, at least in appearance, contradictory. Say, you refrain from eating soda at home, but at the bowling alley, you enjoy one. At the supermarket, you buy only non-organic meat, but on vacation, you crave for a McBurger with fries. As such, any given ‘food relation is first and foremost the mirror of an eater: depending on the circumstances, it represents the eater’s needs, habits, convictions, deliberations, and compromises. Food Ethics Probably the most obvious philosophical aspects of our diet are the ethical convictions that shape it. Would you eat a cat? A rabbit? Why or why not? It’s likely that the reasons you give for your stance are rooted in ethical principles, such as: â€Å"I love too much cats to eat them!† or even â€Å"How could you do such a thing!† Or, consider vegetarianism: a large number of those who conform to this diet do so to prevent unjustified violence being done to animals other than human. In Animal Liberation, Peter Singer labeled â€Å"speciesism† the attitude of those who draw unjustified distinctions between Homo sapiens and other animal species (like racism sets an unjustified distinction between one race and all others). Clearly, some of those rules are mingled with religious principles: justice and heaven can come together on the table at, as they do on other occasions. Food as Art? Can food be art? Can a cook ever aspire to be an artist on a par with Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Van Gogh? This question has spurred heated debates over the past years. Some argued that food is (at best) a minor art. For three main reasons. First, because foods are short-lived in comparison to, e.g., chunks of marble. Second, food is intrinsically linked to a practical purpose – nourishment. Third, food depends on its material constitution in a way in which music, painting, or even sculpture are not. A song such as â€Å"Yesterday† has been released on vinyl, cassette, CD, and as a mp3; food cannot be alike transferred. The best cooks would hence be very good artisans; they can be paired with fancy hairdressers or skilled gardeners. On the other hand, some think that this perspective is unfair. Cooks have recently started featuring in art shows and this seems to concretely disprove the previous remarks. Probably the most famous case in point is Ferran Adri, the Catalan chef who revolutionized the world of cooking over the past three decades. Food Experts Americans keep in high esteem the role of food experts; French and Italians notoriously do not. Probably, it’s because of different ways to regard the practice of evaluation of a food. Is that French onion soup authentic? The review says the wine is elegant: is that the case? Food or wine tasting is arguably an entertaining activity, and it’s a conversation starter. Yet, is there a truth when it comes to judgments about food? This is one of the hardest philosophical questions. In his famous essay â€Å"Of the Standard of Taste†, David Hume shows how one can be inclined to answer both â€Å"Yes† and â€Å"No† to that question. On the one hand, my tasting experience is not yours, so it is totally subjective; on the other, provided an adequate level of expertise, there is nothing odd with imagining to challenge a reviewer’s opinion about a wine or a restaurant. Food Science Most foods we buy at the supermarket carry on their labels â€Å"nutritional facts†. We use them in order to guide ourselves in our diet, to stay healthy. But, what do those numbers have to do really with the stuff we have in front of us and with our stomachs? What â€Å"facts† do they help us establishing really? Can nutritionism be regarded as a natural science on a par with – say – cell biology? For historians and philosophers of science, food is a fertile terrain of research because it raises basic questions regarding the validity of laws of nature (do we really know any law regarding metabolism?) and the structure of scientific research (who finances the studies on the nutritional facts you find on the labels?) Food Politics Food is also at the center of a number of funding questions for political philosophy. Here are some. One. The challenges that food consumption poses to the environment. For example, did you know that factory farming is responsible for a higher rate of pollution than airfare travel? Two. Food trades raise issues of fairness and equity in the global market. Exotic goods such as coffee, tea, and chocolate are chief examples: through the history of their commerce, we can reconstruct the complex relationships between continents, States, and people over the past three-four centuries. Three. Food production, distribution, and retail is an opportunity to talk about the condition of workers across the earth. Food and Self-Understanding In the end, as the average person enters at least a few ‘food relations’ per day, a refusal to ponder eating habits in a meaningful manner can be likened to a lack of self-understanding or lack authenticity. Since self-understanding and authenticity are among the chief aims of philosophical inquiry, then food becomes a true key to philosophical insight. The gist of the philosophy of food is hence the quest for an authentic diet, a quest that can be readily furthered by analyzing other aspects of ‘food relations’.

The Effect of Play on Early Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Effect of Play on Early Literacy - Essay Example Research on the relationship between play and literacy emerged as early as 1974, and increased with new insights into the foundations of literacy in the preschool years. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of play in preschool children on early literacy. Further, the theoretical framework provided by Vygotsky and Piaget, and the importance of symbolic play, free play and guided play reinforced by reading from resources rich in vocabulary will be examined. Theoretical Framework for the Play-Literacy Relationship The classic theories of developmental psychologists Piaget and Vygotsky provide strong theoretical frameworks for examining the relationship between play and literacy in early childhood. Piaget’s perspective emphasizes on the value of repeated social pretend play for the acquisition of broad cognitive skills such as symbolic representations and the initiation of literacy skills such as print awareness. Pellegrini and Van Ryzin (2007) state that this approach is based on interactions between individuals and the objects in the physical environment; and has led to the establishment of literacy-enriched play centers as an interventional strategy. Vygotsian theory is based on the role of adults and peers in the acquisition of social literacy practices through play activities. This theory argues that children form literacy concepts and skills through everyday experiences with others including pretend play and bedtime storybook reading. Thus, the young child’s acquisition of literacy is a social, constructive process that begins from early childhood. These classic theories identify behavioral categories apparently shared by play and literacy, including â€Å"pretend transformations, narrative thinking, meta-play talk, and social interaction† (Christie & Roskos, 2009, p.1). On the other hand, they do not explain the dynamics between play and literacy, or the means by which play activity impacts the develo pment of literacy. Learning Through Engagement in Play Activities From birth, children love to learn through play and exploration, which form their primary teachers. In early childhood, mental and physical actions support each other, and learning is a process which engages both the mind and body. It is essential for children to experience life kinesthetically, thereby learning through experiences that utilize all the senses (Dickinson & Tabors, 2001). According to Leong, Bodrova, Hensen & Henninger (1999), play promotes four major skills that are vital for the development of literacy. They include increased ability to learn deliberately with enhancement in cognitive skills, development of symbolic representation, improved oral language, and the introduction of content related literacy skills for play to prepare the way. A valuable aspect of early literacy development is pretend play, which provides extensive opportunities to develop language skills. The amount of time spent by child ren in pretend play corresponds to their performance on language and literacy assessments. Their conversations in the preschool classroom are based on several skills using oral language and print; and the development of these skills is evident by the end of kindergarten (Dickinson & Tabors, 2001). It is clear that play has a great potential for practicing and experimenting