Why Do We Have to Die in Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why Do We Have to Die in Games - Essay Example We may pay an amount, or accept a game setback to come back from the jaws of death, to resume our place in the game. Likewise, at the end of the article too, she suggests that those who play video games and are attacked by laser-gun carrying space-men should realize that being riddled with bullets does imply a finality, and not merely that this eventuality could get them teleported to the local Starbucks for a cappuccino. We may draw the inference from this, that what Bevan suggests is that video-games should (perhaps) not use 'death' but some other means for eliminating players. In the course of discussing video games, Bevan also looks at how other media or means of entertainment/ games deal with the issue of eliminating players. For instance, in traditional 'games'. Team games have set rules and a time frame. According to these rules, players are eliminated so that within the given time a particular team is enabled to be declared 'winner'. This finite time frame copies real life. Though the elimination of players according to the rules of the game in no way resembles death. Also, in a game like a tennis, it is possible to lose a set, yet come back to win a match. Bevan also looks at how the theme of death is played out on stage or on the screen. Here, the audience goes through a process of identification with the protagonist. In the case of an action movie, quite often the 'hero' gets pummeled by the bad guys and is close to death before he suddenly gets energized enough to come back at them, to win the day. However, Bevan does not explicitly mention a vital difference in the roles of a person watching a play and a person playing a video game. In a play, the audience and the player are separate entities. The outcome cannot be affected by the audience. (In a reality show like 'Big Boss-as Bevan mentions-the audience can affect the outcome, but the connection between the vote of a single member of the audience and this outcome-Bevan doesn't mention this is tenuous.) In a video game, the player is both the audience and co-creator of the outcome. This is an important difference between a video game and a play/movie, which leads to different level s of psychological involvement in the game and its outcome, on the part of the player. To that extent, a video game becomes more true-to-life. Bevan mentions the three goals of playing video games-endogenous, exogenous and diegetic. Endogenous goals exist in all games-these are the goals sought to be achieved as per the rules of the game. (For instance, in chess, the endogenous goal of each player is to check-mate her opponent and avoid being checkmated). An exogenous goal comes from without. I may play a game to win money, or to humiliate my opponent and so on. The exogenous motive is not inherent in the game itself. Diegetic goals are those that a player seeks to achieve when he role-plays. When a game has several characters with their own defined personality, the player who assumes a role tries to achieve the goals as if he were actually the role he was playing. This involves subsuming my personality to take on the one as defined by a role, given in the game.

Using an example from the leisure industry, e.g. airline travel, to Essay

Using an example from the leisure industry, e.g. airline travel, to what extent will a high degree of competition in a market result in lower prices for the consumers - Essay Example With such competitions, especially healthy ones, the businesses are forced to jointly manipulate their products’ and services’ prices in order to cope up with the market forces and customer demands (Peter, 1987, p. 57). The end results of such healthy competitions is lowering of commodity or service’s prices, which is a great advantage to the end consumers. This paper will thereby analyse the trends within the entire leisure industry, but narrow down to give a close attention to the airline travel business (Wilkerson, 2003, p. 46), and the market competitions that result to the lowering of prices. With regards to recreation as a business segment within leisure industry, humans tend to spend much of their time in activities of daily work, living, social duties, sleep, and leisure as a whole (Thomas,1970, p. 16). The later outcome being free from aforementioned commitments of social or physiologic needs, which are recreational prerequisites. According to Klaus & Christine (2004, p. 92), leisure increases with increase in longevity, as many people spend more hours on physical and economic survival. Other aspects accounting for the increasing role of recreation within the society include population trends, affluence, as well as the increasing commercialization of leisure activities and offerings (Thomas,1970, p. 19). While several people’s perception is that leisure is simply a spare time or unconsumed time left by the living necessities (McLean& Rogers, 2005, p. 201), most scholars hold that leisure is a strong force that pushes individuals to reconsider and reflect on th e realities and values missed in daily life activities. Thus, recreation or leisure remains the most essential element of individual’s development, as well as civilization (Thomas,1970, p. 21). Another segment of leisure is entertainment, which is a form of activity performed to hold the attention and interest of a target audience, or in simple terms, to give delight and

Irish Potato Famine Causes and Consequences

Irish Potato Famine Causes and Consequences The Irish Potato Famine was a taxing event in Irish history that claimed millions of casualties. Often referred to as the Greatest Disaster to have struck Ireland, the direct cause of the famine was due to the Potato Blight that ruined many harvests and driving the Irish population into hunger and starvation. As a result, many Irish immigrated in large numbers into the mainland of Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. The famine can be attributed as a reason for creating the early foundations of the Irish communities in America (Allan 5). However, the effects of the famine could have been extenuated had the English approached the problem differently. The English dislike for the Irish and establishment of land laws drove the Irish into a financial crisis which led the Irish into being solely dependent on the potato. This continued dependency worsened the impact of the famine (Connell 281). To properly understand why the famine ravaged the Irish population so much, one must fir st understand the historical relationship between the Irish and the English and how the potato fits into the picture. From the very beginning, the Irish and the English conflicted with each other. King Henry II of England in 1171 took advantage of fighting in Ireland to annex the island within the kingdom. However, unlike the Scottish and Welch, Ireland never wanted to coexist under the English rule. Ireland was also geographically, linguistically, and culturally distanced from England which affected its ability to work with lawmakers to keep Irish interests (Allan 7). During the spread of the protestant reformation in the 16th century Europe, religious differences between the Roman Catholic Irish and the eventual Protestant England worsened the mutual perception of each other. This gap in the relationship also had serious international diplomatic consequences as the Catholic Irish favored other Catholic nations who were often Englands enemies in this religious war. Subduing the Catholic Ireland became a very important objective to the Protestant English Crown amidst these religious wars. The period of the Tudor Conquest was a very bloody one and victory to subdue Ireland had been achieved under Elizabeth I. However, enforcing Protestantism proved to be a difficult endeavor for the later regime (Pelling 2). In lieu of using aggressive force like Elizabeth I, James I used more subtle tactics. Instead of forcibly converting the Irish Catholic into Protestants openly, he sent hordes of Protestants from England and Scotland to settle Ireland. Inevitably, this deeply hurt the English-Irish relationship and led to frequent bouts of violence throughout the 17th century. After the defeat of the Catholic James II of Boyne, a ruling Protestant class emerged out of Ireland and was supported by a collection of discriminatory laws passed, between 1620-1728, to repress Catholicism. These laws restricted Catholics from participating in politics, holding official positions, buying or inheriting land. The bishops were also subject to these laws often experiencing banishment or being forced to register and practice preaching in very limited regions. These laws were somewhat successful in converting the Catholics who wanted to escape persecution which reaffirmed the efficacy of James plan (Pelling 3). How ever, the rest of the Catholic population suffered in poverty due to the severity of these penal laws. The penal laws made it nearly impossible for Catholics to own land. As a result, most rented land from Protestant land owners. The landowners generally preferred to live in their estates and left the management of the land to agents. These agents, interested in making a profit, would rent out smaller plots of land at higher prices to the tenants. At the bottom of this hierarchy was the Irish peasant who was burdened with growing enough food for subsistence and paying the highest rent per unit of land. The introduction of the potato allowed poor Irishmen to access nutrients necessary for development not only for themselves but also for their livestock (Wong). The first Irish potatoes, grown by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1588, were introduced to the farming community. Eventually it made its way to Ireland where Irishmen quickly adopted the versatility of this crop. Before the potato, the Irish typically consumed grain and milk. The problem with these is that milk often becomes easily accessible if one has large plots of lands that allow livestock to easily graze. However, this was not the case for the sixteenth century Irish as land was constantly being captured and redistributed. The oats and grains in this case took longer to grow and poor people did not have the means to process these grains. The potato replaced grains and milk as an easy to store, easy to access alternative. Not only that, the potato could also be easily prepared by boiling it. Even in cases when Irish tenants faced confiscation during failure to pay rent, the potato could be easily hidden by burying it underground unlike the grain. Displaced people could re-grow potatoes f aster than they could with grain. Despite their situation, as long as the climate and the soil favored the potato, they could grow it without much difficulty. The potato dependency of the Irish grew out of desperate need to keep oneself and the family alive (Connell 282-3). The potato proved to be a very easily attainable crop whose nourishing effects will be seen on the Irish population over a period of time. For a very long time, the potato grew well enough in Ireland to increase the population. From 1750 to 1840, the population nearly tripled from 2.6 million to 8.5 million people. However, these increases were noticed in areas where Irish peasants grew potatoes because potatoes yielded more food per acre of land compared to any other crop. However, it would be these parts of the population that would be most affected by the potato blight (ONeill 35-6). The main culprit behind the potato famine was the Phytophthora infestans which is an oomycete. An oomycete is a fungus-like eukaryote. Not to be confused with fungus, oomycetes are responsible for some of the most devastating plant diseases-the Potato Blight being one of them (Sleigh 289). The Potato Blight spores favor warm and wet conditions. Rain and wind also play a part in helping the spores travel and infect plants over long distances. Even if the infection sets in, the early stages of blight can be easily missed as not all the plants are infected simultaneously. Signs of the blight can be seen as dark patches on the leaf of the plant. Whitish mold begins to form on the leaves and the infected tubers appear botched. Overall, the plant and its tubers begin to rot (Koepsell and Pscheidt 165). The Phytophthora infestans originated from the highlands to central Mexico. The first recorded incidence involving the blight was in the United States in 1843. The winds from the United Stat es carried the spores toward Nova Scotia which traveled across the Atlantic Ocean with a shipment of seed potatoes in 1845 heading toward Europe (Reader). Once the Blight was in Europe, it spread throughout many parts of Northern and Central Europe. By 1845 Belgium, Holland, northern France and southern England had all been stricken. (Donnelly 42). In 1845, the crops lost to the Blight have been estimated to be 50-60% (Kinealy 32). The Irish rural were hit the hardest in 1846 and that is when deaths were recorded due to starvation. This trend had a catastrophic impact for people who were completely dependent on the potato for food (Kennedy et. al 69). Not only did the Irish starve, they were faced with evictions as a result of failure to come up with proper rent payments. Poor response from the English government did not remedy the problem either. Michel, a political journalist and national activist, wrote on the English Rule on March 7, 1846 that the Irish were expecting famine day by day and owed it not to the rule of heaven as to the greedy and cruel policy of England. In the same article, he continued to write that the people believe that the season as they roll are but ministers of Englands rapacity; that their starving children cannot sit down to their scanty meal but they see the harpy claw of England in their dish. Mitchel wrote that the Irish simply watched as their food rotted away at the same time heavy-laden ships, freighted with the yellow corn their own hands have sown and reaped, spreading all sail for England (Mitchel). In The Last Conquest of Ireland (Perhaps), written by Mitchel in 1861, it treated the British policies toward the famine as a method to deliberately wipe out the Irish and circulated the famous phrase, The Almighty, indeed, send the potato blight, but the English created the Famine (Mitchel). Re cords indicate that Ireland exported food even during the worst of the famine. When Ireland experienced a famine in the early 1780s, the government responded by banning any exports which caused the food prices to drop quickly. However, in the case of this famine, no bans were seen in the 1840s (Kinealy 354). Cecil Woodham-Smith, author of The Great Hunger; Ireland 1845-1849, wrote that food exports in the face of the famine caused greater tensions between the Irish-English relationship. Nothing made the Irish angrier than the indisputable fact that huge quantities of food were exported from Ireland to England throughout the period when the people of Ireland were dying of starvation. Woodham-Smith notes that Ireland continued to be a net exporter of food throughout most of the famine (Ranelagh 115). Not only did the lack of an export ban hurt the Irish condition but the unwillingness of the English government to directly cull the problem made the effects of the famine worse. Lyons describes the English response to the first phase of the famine to be successful (Lyons 30). In response to the crop failure of 1845, Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel bought hundred thousand British pounds worth of corn from America. However, the shipment was delayed by weather conditions and did not arrive until 1846. Once the shipment had arrived, the corn had not been ground into its edible form. In order to do this, it would be a long process and the Irish would not be able to carry it out locally due to the lack of means (Kinealy 38). Peel also motioned to repeal the tariffs on the grain to lower their prices. However, it did not remedy the problem. As the famine continued to grow worse in 1846, the conservative party split on the issue and Peel was forced to resign on June 29 (Ranelagh 115). Peel was succeeded by Lord John Russell who incompetently acted towards the famine and worsening the humanitarian crisis. Russell and his ministry enacted a public works project with the goal of employing as many Irish as possible. However, the project proved to be difficult to handle (Kinealy 80). Under Russells ministry, Sir Charles Trevelyan served in charge of administering famine relief. His lack of action and prejudice toward the Irish was widely believed to worsen the famine (Lyons 30-4) . Trevelyan perceived the famine as mechanism for reducing surplus population and characterized the famine to be The judgment of God sent the calamity to teach the Irish a lesson, that calamity must not be too much mitigatedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The real evil with which we must contend is not the physical evil of the Famine but the moral evil of the selfish, perverse and turbulent character of the people (ORiorden). The new Russell ministry then strictly followed the laissez-faire belief which led to a stop of the government based food and relief which left many people without work, food, or money (Woodham-Smith 408-11) . After abandoning these projects, relief was primarily supplied through workhouses and soup kitchens. However, the cost of carrying these projects fell on local hands, primarily on the landlords who would in turn evict the tenants to avoid carrying out this responsibility (Lyons 33). Landlords were responsible for paying on behalf of tenants who paid less than  £ 4 in annual rent. Consequently, landlords who housed many poorer tenants caused them to be a liability. To solve this issue, landlords began evicting tenants from the smaller plots to clear any debt. According to James Donnelly Jr., almost 250,000 people were evicted between 1849 and 1854 (Poirteir 155). In West Clare alone, landlords evicted families by the thousands. After Clare, County Mayo evictions accounted for 10% of all evictions between this time. One of the worst evictors being Earl of Lucan who purportedly owned over 60,000 acres of land, evicted around 2,000 tenants and used the empty land for grazing (Litton 96). In response to this, violence occasionally broke out against the landlords. Lord Clarendon appealed to Russell out of fear of a revolt but was ignored because Russell held them mostly responsible. Russell was quoted saying It is quite true that landlords in England would not like to be shot like hares and partridgesbut neither does any landlord in England turn out fifty persons at once and burn their houses over their heads, giving them no provision for the future. Despite Russells disagreement over the issue, the Crime and Outrage Act was passed in the December of 1847 to cull any additional rebellions (Litton 98-99). Another example of unwise policy making under Russell ministrys wing was the Gregory clause. Donnelly describes it to be a particularly vicious amendment to the Irish Poor Law which would prevent certain tenants who had more than quarter-acre of land from receiving any assistance. The Gregory clause was welcomed by the poor law commissioners who saw it as an easy way out of administering relief. However, many, including Donnelly, would agree that this clause was indirectly a death-dealing instrument (Donnelly 110). In the light of the circumstances created by the famine, many Irish families resorted to emigration which paved one of the early f oundations of the Irish American communities. During the famine, the Irish emigrated to England, Scotland, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Traveling such distances was not without a price. It is estimated that one out of five died from disease and malnutrition and mortality rates of 30% on the coffin ships were not unusual (The Shiplist). Due to starvation, evictions, and sub-human living conditions, about 2 million left Ireland by 1854. Most Irish immigrants in America made up a significant population in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore by 1850s. The 1851 census report indicated large influx of the Irish in Toronto, Ontario making up over a half of their population. Canadian cities such as Saint John, Quebec city, Montreal, Ottawa, and Hamilton also experienced a sharp influx of Irish immigrants (Gray 97-9). Although some Irish managed to escape the famine, not everyone had the opportunity or the means to do so. Many, unfortunately, lost their lives to the famine. It isnt known how many exactly died during the Famine but it is believed that more died from diseases than from starvation. Official record keeping by the government had not yet started and the Roman Catholic Church records were not complete either (The General Register Office). However, many eye witness accounts suggested some characteristics of the famine and diseases that afflicted the Irish. English Quaker William Bennett in Mayo wrote about three children huddled together, lying there because they were too weak to rise, pale and ghastly, their little limbsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦perfectly emaciated, eyes sunk, voice gone, and evidently in the last stages of actual starvation. Marasmic children, who suffered from a severe form of protein-energy malnutrition, greatly disturbed Quaker Joseph Crosfield who witnessed, in 1846, a heart-rending scene of poor wretches in the last stages of famine imploring to be received into the house. Some of the children were worn to skeletons, their features sharpened with hunger, and their limbs wasted almost to the bone. It has been a difficult task for historians to predict a close number of lives lost to the famine due to poor record keeping. The disputed information gathered by the census commissioners for deaths occurred since 1841 found that there were 21,770 deaths that occurred from starvation and 400,720 deaths from disease. The diseases thought to have caused these deaths were fever, dysentery, cholera, smallpox, and influenza. The census commissioners remarked that The greater the amount of destitution of mortality, the less will be the amount of recorded deaths derived from any household form;-for not only were whole families swept away by disease, but whole villages were effaced from off the land. (Kennedy,et.al 106) Historians also believe that it is a reasonable scenario for disease to be so rampant considering the living conditions of the Irish during the famine. The most important factor towards spreading diseases is enabling human contact under unsanitary conditions. Mass gatherings at the soup kitchens and work houses served as ideal conditions for pathogens to spread from one person to another. Many diseases also afflicted the Irish due to malnutrition. Nutritional induced illnesses were starvation, marasmus (protein deficiency), and Dropsy (Edema). What made these diseases worse is that non-nutritional dependent diseases manifested severely in starved people than they would in otherwise normal individuals (Kennedy, et al. 104). Keeping all these conditions in mind, a likely estimate of deaths were approximated to one million from disease and starvation. Another million have been believed to have emigrated out of Ireland. As a result, some scholars estimate that the Irish population was reduced by 20 to 25 percent (H. Kennedy 43). Even after the famine had past, it still continued to affect the Irish political scene and still continues to be a controversial event in Irish history. The poor British policies toward the famine stirred unforgivable and unforgettable anger within the Irish. Many Irish who emigrated to the United States quickly became part of associations that favored Irelands independence and repeal of the Act of Union. The famine and its causes became the main foundation of Irish emigrant anger. Most of them viewed it to be the reason for leaving Ireland in the first place. John Mitchel, journalist for the Nation, expressed the emigrants angry sentiments when he wrote: The Almighty indeed sent the potato blight but the English created the famine, a million and half men, women, children were carefully, prudently, and peacefully slain by the English government. They died of hunger in the midst of abundance which their own hands created. (Mitchel, English Rule) As a result, these sentiments ignited the desire for Ireland to secede from Englands grasp. After a failed 1848 rebellion (also known as the Famine rebellion) led by the Young Irelanders, some of the members fled to America. In the absence of British restrictions, the Young Irelanders encouraged anti-British sentiments and began another group referred to as the Fenian Brotherhood and its Irish counterpart being the Irish Republican Brotherhood devoted toward eradicating the British rule from Ireland. This Brotherhood also went so far as to recruit the Irish Americans who served in the Civil War to take part in an insurrection in Ireland. However, this plan would fail due to poor communications. However, this did not discourage the Irish from advancing the cause for independence. This time, the Irish Revolutionaries chose to pursue a movement that was grassroots although Irish American help would not be turned away (The History Place). The fight for independence would continue well in to the 20th century still fueled by what the Irish, and some historians, believe to be a man-made famine. Even in modern times, some historians suggest that the British inaction classifies the famine as an attempt to systematically wipe out the Irish. Francis A. Boyle, a law professor of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, wrote in 1996 a report that the English government attempted to ethnically cleanse the Irish through enforcing policies aimed to hurt the Irish as a group (Ritschel). Historian Peter Duffy wrote that The governments crime, which deserves to blacken its name forever was based in the effort to regenerate Ireland by landlord-engineered replacement of tillage plots with grazing lands that took precedence over the obligation to provide food for its starving citizens. It is little wonder that the policy looked to many people like genocide. (Duffy 297-8) However, historians such as Cormac O Grada assert that the Famine should not be considered a genocide because the sentiment to exterminate the Irish as a group of people was absent. O Grada, instead, claims that the F amine was an extreme case of neglect and poor decision making on the English governments part (O Grada 10).

What Is Physics And What Are Its Uses? :: essays research papers

What Is Physics and What Are Its Uses?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Physics, a branch of science, is traditionally defined as the study of matter, energy, and the relation between them. The interaction between matter and energy is found everywhere. In order for matter to move, it requires some form of energy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sports show many good examples of the relationship between matter and energy. For instance, a pitcher requires energy to throw a baseball at the incredible speed and accuracy that is needed to keep the batter from using his energy to try and hit the ball. The batter exhibits the need for a certain trajectory because he/she needs to hit the ball hard enough and keep it high enough to sail over the outfield wall. On the other hand, the batter must be certain to keep the trajectory low enough so that the ball will reach the fence. Trajectory is also seen in basketball, where players must shoot the ball with enough arch to get over the front of the rim, and go through the hoop. The energy required to do this comes from not only the arms, but the legs as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The medical field has seen enormous breakthroughs because of principles of physics. Doctors are now able to use lasers for surgery. Lasers are based on the physical principle of light, and are devices for the creation and amplification of a narrow, intense beam of coherent light. New laser microsurgery can actually alter the shape of the cornea in the eye so the patient's eyesight can return to normal, and he/she will no longer need those bothersome glasses. Ultrasound is used in the medical field for destroying various unwanted substances in the body such as kidney stones. Ultrasound uses sound waves to dissolve these foreign bodies. If not for physics, ultrasounds would never have been discovered and utilized. MRI scans, another new discovery, are able to show a complete three dimensional picture of the interior structure of the body, and are extremely valuable in hospitals. These scans are based on the principles of electromagnetism, and the phenomenon that nuclei of some atoms line up in the presence of an electromagnetic field. Understanding the dark matter of the universe, which has remained a mystery for quite some time, is based primarily on theories of physics. We have yet to see a black hole, but physics has explained what one is, and why we cannot see it. Otherwise we would have never known that it is an extremely

Globalization of Media

Standard Coursework Cover Sheet Section A Please complete ALL parts Module Code Module Title Course Title CW1 CW2 CW3 CW4 Module Instructor Student ID Number Section B Please read the statement, and sign the declaration Plagiarism – work presented in an assessment must be the student's own. Plagiarism is where a student copies from another source, published or unpublished (including work of a fellow student) and fails to acknowledge the influence of another's work or to attribute quotes to the author.Plagiarism in an assessment offence (see actions Section 11: Regulations of the Student Course Handbook, pp. 78-81). Student Declaration: â€Å"I declare that the work submitted is my own† Section C Tutor’s Comments The globalization of the media is endorsing and creating a global village. The media-scape is restructuring itself, forming a singular global body, as opposed a mass of multiple independents. Media globalization is a direct result of technological develop ment, maximisation of corporate media interest, the media's increasing correspondence to the public sphere, and media ownership.It is widely evident that the media is in fact becoming a global conglomerate, which is in turn endorsing the emergence of a single global village ( Jan, 2009). Mass media is a term which highlights the means of delivering impersonal communications to a vast audience. The concept of globalization corresponds to capacity of human social organizations to reach one another across separate regions and continents, whilst expanding power relations. Such allows for the growing integration of the globe as a united entity.Media globalization is a direct result of technological development, maximisation of corporate media interest, the media's increasing correspondence to the public sphere, and media ownership. The global village has evolved to become more than simply a mass media monopoly, but also an endeavour for political dominance, headed by the Untied States of America. It is widely evident that the media is in fact becoming a global conglomerate, which is in turn endorsing the emergence of a single global village ( Jan, 2005).Technological developments and electronic advancements have closed the gap between separate nations, and as a result have aided the mass media in becoming a global body. Faster and cheaper communications have proven imperative towards the developments of globalization, critical to innovation, production, growth and job creation. The 1990's called for the acceleration and rapid advancements in relation to digital transmission. As a result of these developments digital communication networks, including the Internet, are redeveloping the media-scape.It can be argued that the capabilities of technology within the field of communications and the mass media outweigh the potential and expectations of monetary focused monopolizers currently in power. Technology will allow for a more democratic media-scape which calls for pu blic involvement and wider interaction. It is this representation of technology and the public which will support the media as it directs us towards a united global village ( Leary, 2005). [pic]Competition and innovation from a technological point of view have formulated three trends which support the globalization movement.These include; `The Rise of Data' (the growth of data transmission is now beyond traditional `voice traffic'), `The Internet' (emergence of e-commerce and digital network structures), and `Wireless Networking' (affordable and increased connectivity). The Information Revolution and the progression of technology are able to impact upon globalization in such an effective manner, based on their potential to influence a diverse array of international affairs and institutions. These include security, politics, the economy, society and culture, as the roles of government policymakers are altered.Information has become more accessible, decision-making can become either c entralized or decentralized, the monopoly of information has eroded and actions to be considered from a global perspective rather than just a localised one. Although from this perspective International Relations in general are of benefit, such also has an impact on the media for comparable reasons, which then transcends to the community at large. Digital communication and the internet will become and integral aspect of the development of a global communication oligopoly.International Relations can be endorsed and supported by a global mass media, (and vice versa), which then compliments our progression towards a singular global village ( Price, 2008). The media holds a mass level of power and dominance, due to the role it plays within the public sphere, and the intense level of public interest it upholds. As a result, the globalization of the media has a direct influence upon it responders (the public), thus enhancing and developing the creation of a wider global village.Being a spe cific institution of society, it is the responsibility of the media to be informed by interests, normalities and greater values – the media is hence an integral aspect of the meaning-making processes of our global community. That is, that the media is to reflect society based on cohesion with its principles. Thus, a global village can be both formed and shaped by the media, simply as a result of its interaction with and relevance to daily routine and public life. The Media are an indissoluble part of the contexts, the messages and the relationships that create and give shape to politics and public life. † Media have an intrinsic role in the functioning of modern society. Such role is aided by the diversity and mediums of the media, which hold a specific function towards the democratic health of our society. Without the media we would not be able to communicate and interrelate with one another in any manner which compares to both our present and futuristic existence as w e know it.The concept of a global village would not only be unknown, but also unattainable ( Gozzi, 1996). The media and public domain must hence uphold a high level of mutual respect, wherein the nature of modern public life can be understood, presented and influenced. The media are the sites where the meanings of public life are generated, debated and evaluated. Hence, it only seems reasonable that as the globe unites into one village, as will the media. Influences such as technology direct this, but it is the media's interest, involvement and interaction which the public domain that shape and guide it.Prior to the establishment of the media, public interest existed, but had no real means of transmission beyond personal experience. If we compare this scenario to our mediated public life today, we can clearly see that the formation of a global village is not only probable, but in motion (Gozzi, 1996). It is evident that media monopolies have no major concern for what can be deemed as public interest. What appears to be cost effective is sufficient – the media is able to take control of and manage our inner emotions and opinions simply through what is directed towards us. Public interest is in fact dictated by the media itself.While it takes much time and money to find out the truth, the parent companies prefer to cut the necessary costs of journalism, much preferring the sort of lurid fare that can drive endless hours of agitated jabbering ( Bagdikian, 1998). Corporate interest, politics and media ownership are often interrelated. With multi-holdings in the hands of media giants such as Rupert Murdoch, politics and media content can be a highly controversial subject. Favoured audiences can be supplied with mixed messages filled with bias. If a media owner dislikes a political power, it is well within his capabilities to ensure that such party is not elected.It is in this scenario where the media literally has such a power and control over Government bo dies, that distorted messages and corporate bias can twist the truth and subject the public. This can be identified as corruptive journalism and sensationalism. It is the fatal ignorance of a blind public which allows and follows such behaviour ( Bagdikian, 1998). The concern that contemporary politics relies too much on `individuals' and `events' stems from the representational powers of television and its communicative contexts.Television is extraordinary adept at capturing and conveying the nuances of personalities and the physical particularities of action. It is argued that such aptitude occurs at the expense of the reportage of more complex issues and policy, which do not lend themselves to easy and dramatic representation ( Bagdikian, 1998). It can be argued that media ownership simply defends popular culture and public interest, but as A. Ashbolt claims, it is very hard to distinguish between tastes and choice if the public is dictated to and shaped by American saturation.Wh en we are given no option, and no other leads to follow, obedience to media's dominance is inevitable. Hegemony, standardization and the evolution of a global village are a result of the globalization of media, based on the lack of diversity evident within media ownership, the neglect of true public interest and the media's political power to intervene over government ( Bagdikian, 1998). The rise of Trans-National Corporations (TNC's) and the labelling of The United States of America as an `Empire' have both contributed to the globalization of the media leading towards a uniformed global village.Hegemony and standardization across the media-scape is arguably a result of these progressing yet dominating factors. TNC's have been established on the basis of countries having the power and capabilities to communicate and interrelate with one another, thus allowing for standardization and influence. Commercial media has similarly moved abroad, establishing across-nation empires which acqu ire significant holdings across all mediums. However, Hollywood Studios and the United States of America are still the dominant party, even purchasing smaller bodies to guarantee ultimate control.This amplifies the capabilities and intentions of the American empire, not only via the media, but in general political and global terms also. Noam Chomsky argues that for more than half a century the United States of America has been pursuing a `grand imperial strategy' with the aim of staking out the entire globe. Evidence suggests that such task is willing to be followed until the assumed `verge of extinction'. This provides evidence that the globalization of the media is in all certainty creating a global village, which can arguably be labelled as having America as a dominating force.The media orientated global community is dictated beyond simple forces of mass media, but stretches to include corporate TNC's and political strategy ( Denis, 1996). The global entity that is the mass media has created a singular global village. Media globalization is stimulated by technological development, maximisation of corporate media interest, the media's increasing correspondence to the public sphere, and media ownership. The global village has evolved to become more than simply a mass media monopoly, but also an endeavour for political dominance, headed by theUntied States of America. Standardization, condensation and hegemony across nations are the implications that will eventuate from this. It is widely evident that the media is in fact becoming a global conglomerate, which is in turn endorsing the emergence of a single global village. REFERENCES 1. Begdikian, B. (1998). The new media monopoly. Retrieved: April 28, 2010, from: httpmediaresearch. org 2. Denis, E. ( 1996). Media and globalization. Retrieved: April 25, 2010, from: httpwww. corpwatch. org 3. Gozzi, R. (1996). Will the media create a global village?Retrieved: April 26, 2010, from: httpwww. questia. com 4. Jan, M. (2009). Globalization of media issues and dimensions. Retrieved: April 25, 2010, from: httpwww. eurojournals. com 5. Leary, C. (2005). Globalization of media. Retrieved: April 26,2010, from: httpwww. associated. com 6. Price, M. (2008). The global information revolution. Retrieved: April 29, 2010, from: httpideas. repec. org ———————– MEDIA CULTURE AND SOCIETY E101 MEDIA CULTURE AND SOCIETY JENNY PALLA PSY7317 1st Marker 2nd Marker Agreed Mark

Social Influences on Childhood Obesity

Overweight and obese children are a major problem in the United States and the rates are unfortunately rising, especially in children. Obesity is the leading cause for health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, gallstones, depression, anxiety, poor academic performance, and many other long-term health problems especially if obesity occurs early in life. I believe this is a social issue because the major causes of obesity are diet and lifestyle. In America, the diet consists of fried and greasy foods such as fast foods, the lifestyle lacks enough physical activities that are necessary to increase the metabolism and prevent weight gain that leads to obesity. The children of the United States spend much more time watching TV or playing video games than doing activities that include physical exercise, such as sports, running, hiking, biking, or even just walking. Obesity in children in America is a problem. The sociological factors that cause obesity in children include sociocultural evolution and built environments, especially the advancement of technology, and social control which includes media, advertisements, and peer-pressure. More than one in five children between the ages of 6 and 17 are now considered overweight. The issue of obesity is related to the obvious factor of over eating and also the lack of physical activity. American families over feed their children without realizing it because they want to make sure their children are not hungry or starving. Our bodies adjust their need and requirement of food based on the amount we regularly eat, therefore over feeding children in their early years increases their need for food throughout their lifetime. Food and over eating can become an addiction, which leads to obesity and many health problems. â€Å"If the definition of addiction is the habitual use or uncontrollable craving for something, then we (Americans) are addicted to food. Food is the drug of preference in this country. † (Freeman-Fobbs 2003: 95). Other factors also contribute to childhood obesity. Family demographics, parenting beliefs and practices, child television watching and physical activity have all evidenced associations with behaviors that can lead to early obesity. † (Gable and Lutz, 2000: 49). Sociocultural evolution is a factor that contributes to childhood obesity because of the drastic increase in technology or material resources that are replaced with physical activity. Another sociological conce pt is social control; parents conform or go along with the social norms which could be certain behaviors or beliefs that contribute to lifestyles leading to obesity in children. The built environment in today’s American society, children have an abundant amount variety of video games and television shows to choose from for their entertainment. The built environment can both facilitate and hinder physical activity and healthful eating. Sociocultural evolution refers to the changes that human society undergoes over time by developing new means that are used to fulfill necessities and wishes. All the material resources that are available cause the children to stay indoors most of the time and therefore limit physical activities, such as sports or other outdoors activities. Research shows that spending one hour per day in front of the television or playing video games may double the child’s risk for obesity. Screen time is widely blamed for the tripling of obesity rates in children since the 1980s. According to the Surgeon General, in 1999 13% of children aged 6 to 11 years and 14% of adolescents aged 12 to 19 years in the United States were overweight; this prevalence has nearly tripled for adolescents in the past 2 decades, the same time period in which technology has greatly advanced. Technology gives rise to a sedentary lifestyle not only indoor but even in outdoor activities. Children today seem less likely to walk to school and to be traveling more in cars than they were during the early 1970s, perhaps because of changes in the built environment; children also spend more time viewing television and using computers. † (Anderson and Butcher, 2006: 16) Parents drive children to school instead of letting them walk; kids ride motorized car s and scooters rather than pedal bikes; teens manipulate a joystick instead of a baseball bat. One may argue that technology provides value, convenience and entertainment, but it should be utilized in moderation and definitely not take the place of movement and active play. Another sociological factor that contributes to childhood obesity is social control. Social control is the society’s attempt to regulate people’s thoughts and behaviors. Parents are usually guilty of giving in or conforming to certain behaviors that put their children at risk for obesity. For example, a parent might be aware of the fact that video games create an unhealthy sedentary lifestyle. If the child insists that he or she needs those games because all their friends have them as well; the parent is very likely to give in to this peer pressure and buy the video games. These parents don’t want to be different from other parents, or they don’t want to be thought of as ‘bad parents’ because they don’t buy their kids these ‘cool games’ that all the other kids have. Eating unhealthy foods such as fast-foods and a lot of sugars is another factor that leads to childhood obesity. This is also an issue of social control, since the foods that people see as easily available in this country such as fast-food and pre-prepared foods are highly promoted socially via the media. School lunch programs also fail to provide healthy and nutritious foods for children, and many children prefer to buy lunch at school rather than have lunch packed at home, because they might be seen as different if they don’t eat the same thing that all the other kids are eating. Changes in the family, particularly an increase in dual-career or single-parent working families have also increased the demand for food away from home or pre-prepared foods, which can lead to obesity in children. Advertisements for these foods air often during television shows which children watch often, making the children crave and request that their parents get them these foods. Social control regarding the foods that our children eat is therefore manifested in many different ways, with media and peer-pressure being the biggest factors. Childhood obesity is greatly influenced by sociological factors and it must be prevented to avoid illnesses that can become critical in childhood and have damaging effects the rest of one’s life. The sociological factors that cause obesity in children include sociocultural evolution and built environments. These are all very complex sociocultural issues that can sometimes be hard to identify by people who are caught up in everyday life routines. Therefore, there is no simple solution to preventing and ending childhood obesity; it takes a lot of effort and major lifestyle changes for the entire family; for example, cooking more meals at home, using organic foods which can be more expensive sometimes, limiting sweets especially for children, limiting screen time, and increasing outdoor physical activities. Making these changes usually takes a lot of hard work and persistence. Kids may refuse to eat healthier foods and be more active, especially if they are in their middle or late childhood years. Writing this paper has made me even more aware of how the society plays such a big role in the issue of obesity in children. Before writing this paper I would have said that the number one factor leading to obesity in children is bad parenting, but after analyzing all the sociocultural issues I can say that our society and lifestyle are the number one factor. Parents do play a major role by the way they raise their children. The statistics are very sad in terms of how rapidly this issue is increasing in this country.