Homosexuality, Religion and Atheism

Homosexuality, Religion and Atheism Introduction Homosexuality draws mixed reaction from across the globe. Issues like cultural values, religious context, atheism, political stability, and economic empowerment of the people in a particular setting would play a pivotal role in accepting this sexual orientation. These factors determine homosexual acceptability in the society, although other forces would have a significant role in the determination of its acceptance.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Homosexuality, Religion and Atheism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This topic is common in most popular cultural setting although there is little literature work on the same to dissect adverse opinion and ways of embracing diverse opinion on the same. In this context, the conservatives draw their arguments from religious teachings whereas the atheists or the liberals embrace the need to have a society of diverse cultural orientation. The debate experiences op posing views from philosophers, most of whom are Christian and Muslims. These conclusions come from their spiritual perspective and thus do not clearly stipulate the desire to accommodate diverse religious inclinations on the same ground. Literature review A decade ago religion was the most important predictor in defining the attitude of homosexuality in the society, Adamczyk and Pitt (2009) bring an elaborate diverse opinion on the debate. They believe that acceptance of homosexuality depends on the existing laws that regulate the same sex marriages, possible penalties when viewed as social misfit, and diversity in national or cultural orientation. This last aspect shows the importance of religion in explaining the attitude on the debate. In fact, macro and micro support survival and personal beliefs that carry weight in defining the attitudes of homosexuality (Olson et al., 2006; Yip, 2005). It is from this context that one draws the importance of opinion as the best alternative i n formulating law, shaping the direction of cultural inclination and thus religion. Homosexuality, in respect to religion, is unnatural in the eyes of the Supreme Being; the same philosophy holds this as an impure act. The fear of divine punishment shapes the cultural orientation concerning the direction of a community. Deep rooted-ness to religion would draw disapproval attitudes as opposed to those not deeply rooted in a religion. Muslims are the worse in making such opinions concerning the debate; they have a strong disapproval attitude, unlike members from other religions. This holds true to the cultural orientation in which atheists from this background would disapprove strongly homosexuality than atheists from other cultural background (Adamczyk Pitt, 2009).Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some perception on gays and lesbians evoke different judgments, the survey by Norris (2008), came up with assertion that conservatives were the most judgmental on the perception that sought to allow these people freely mingle with others in the church. This supports several opinions, from this work, some people do not find any reason for branding an individual in that state of action. For instance, when one asserts that there are lesbians, rapists, and gays in the church and that they are decent people, though, living in sin, conservatives do not acknowledge the act of niceness as being polite yet rude to social context. Acknowledgement of homosexuality as impure and dirty is the most vocal opposition from such community. Moral judgment from the liberal and the conservatives are under the influence of different forces in the societal context. This is largely because of their different daily life orientation. While liberals’ demands for openness, inclusivity, and diversity that do not seek to harm any person in the society, counterparts view this as uncouth and punishable by law. The findings from this work elicit different views of liberals and the conservatives on this topic. The conservatives do not imagine how such acts could go free in the society by drawing their argument from their spiritual orientation in Supreme Being. They also believe that it represents cultural decay in the society in which punishments must take place to restore sanity, although they also offer room for repent in case of reform. These opinions are the fundamental framework of enacting laws. Depending on the majority, their way shall take centre stage and dictate the acceptable. This will automatically lock out different views from various groups with diverse sexual orientation in the community (Norris, 2008). According to Edgell et al. (2006), atheists face strong resistance from across corners of the world. The debate in this work is whether the act of the same sex marriage and other related sexual orientation is acceptable in the society or not. Findings from this work show that their acceptance in the community becomes questionable in different perspectives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Homosexuality, Religion and Atheism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is therefore, true to assert that these finding support multiple views on the debate. The gap that exists between the believers and the nonbelievers defines the extent of this acceptance. If there is deep concern of community, some perception on their sexual inclination would define the root of acceptance. In this context atheist, unlike other religious orientations do not easily gain acceptance, either in public, or private domain. This distrust gets its drive from religion prediction factors, social location, and extensive values of orientation. From this context, it is clear that although there is extensive acceptance of various religious contexts, the same does not happen with nonreligious groupi ng. This study, however; goes an extra mile in helping to describe that increasing acceptance of various cultural inclinations and sexual orientation does extend to the levels of known religion. The study’s findings on the role of religion and believes provide sound moral guidance for any membership in cultural acceptance. Clinging onto the religion allows and gives on a better position of acceptance in the societal domain as opposed to lack of religion (Edgell et al., 2006). The attitude plays a significant role in young men and their religious perception in homosexuality. Besen and Zicklin (2007), explore the variations of attitudes on people clinging to same sexual marriages from the complexity of religious definitions, mainly in the young people and how these could support or put to jeopardy on the rights of gays. This research supports multiple views on the perception of gays in the societal context. Its findings show that young men do not have particular attitudes about the homosexuals, but their counterparts in religions do, these varied perception emanates from religious inclination. However, one notable difference in the youth is the varied attitudes on gender, whereas young male showed significant concern and attitude toward the homosexuality, their female counterparts show little concern.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The latter seems to support a diverse cultural perspective. Although the data obtained in this research had multiple study sites, for instance whereas in the military more young men showed their support for and positive attitudes toward these sexual orientation multiple views emerge from without this context. The role of religion is playing a significant role in shaping the youth in taking a certain sexual step, more so it defines the virtues and values for accepting and developing a positive attitude of a given sexual orientation. It is from this perspective that the youth find it hard to go against the norms and virtues of religion in doing contrary to their teaching of sexual orientation. The unsupportive trends by religious group are the basis upon which the youth find solutions and directions of denouncing the homosexuals. This is true because many of them cling to religions that have positive attitudes on the act (Besen Zicklin, 2007). In his work on understanding the differe nt views of homosexuality debate, Sprigg (2011), notes that many people do not consider two important views in an effort of understanding same sexual marriage. The first paradigm shift is the identification of gay identity. This shift is under several believes it states well that when one is born a gay, it makes it hard to change the state; it also states that gays have fewer options of becoming heterosexual. This paradigm also defines sexual orientation as innate feature by likening it to races, it goes ahead to assert that the act is not different from being straight. Finally, the shift stands firm that there is no harm in one adopting gay. The second view defines the practical aspect of sexual orientation. Unlike what many people perceive, this work shows the importance of going out of the cocoons that enslave many conservatives who believes that sexual orientation is purely a unitary phenomenon. The study shows that sexual structure is a three thing affair; this comes from attra ction, conduct, and self identity (Sprigg, 2011). One may get attraction to people of the same sexual orientation, opposite sex, or both. The second part gives liberty of choosing the type of conduct one gets attracted, while the last segment seeks to draw the attention of one’s thought as straight, gay, bisexual, and lesbian. Findings from this studies show that although some people may feel attraction from the same sex, they would otherwise choose the opposite (heterosexual) because if fear of publicity and possible implications. This denies them the option of choosing their desired sexual partners. Study on the debate reveals issues of concern depending on development, industrialisation, and economic powers (Chike, 2007). While in countries like Canada, Belgium, and Netherlands the homosexuals easily go about their culture, in developing nations the act of homosexuality is unthinkable. African Christian leaders are the most conservatives in condemning this act; they strict ly follow biblical teachings that condemn the act of same sexual orientation. From this perspective, it is true that economic empowerment has a major role in shaping the way people think and make decisions. This does not give them room to look at the Bible as historic book that offers alternative teachings that require evaluations and considerations in a contextualization perspective, but rather as a book that offers nourishment that needs integration into their traditional way of life to define their every step. It is very difficult to integrate diverse views and attitudes of accepting homosexuality in the community. This stiffens the possibility of smooth swaying of wave and tides for those having attractions for same sexes. Similarly, philosophers in Europe and North America share the same sentiments with African religious leaders. These are mainly those with imprints of Christianity in the African continent. Contrary to this, industrialized countries assess these issues in diffe rent perception; a god number of religious leaders would allow liberal view. Western churches would be comfortable to accommodate lesbians, rapists, and gays in their churches as opposed to what happens in African states. In this study, the author draws attention of some of the underrated predictors that define religious orientations toward homosexuality. Economic empowerment seems to play a significant role in shaping the way forward in accepting this issue (Chike, 2007). Some researchers believe that the same way religions do not offer accomplishments like honorary degrees, issuance of passports, and academic accomplishments, they should not bother about branding some act as illegal and thus should leave the floor open for individual choices. Homosexuality is in fact, among the many issues that religions oppose. Many religions assert that when one sees atheism in the society he or she sees homosexuality in the same magnitude. However, some religions like Christianity in some devel oped nations have rooms for these people. This came to live after several years of protest and stone throwing to make the field free for navigation. As many would have expected that the church took an active role in ordaining active homosexuals, the move is still in darkness owing to conservative views on the same. Largely it faces resistance from lack of policies from the state to provide provisions that enable people of same sexual orientations to enter into a contractual arrangement. This last aspect include issues like nationhood or citizenship, status of immigration, inheritance of insurance policy, and policies that govern visitations to the hospital (Chike, 2007; Sprigg, 2011). Many states are facing resistance from policy makers in these sectors because people of the same sex marriages would be in a better position of enjoying significant returns from these policies if there is a legal protection of their sexual inclination. This faces resistance from the religious leaders w ho on the same issues assert that protection of moral uprightness in the society is the most important aspect that needs protection than individual aspirations intending to bring down the strong mechanisms of social values and norms. Just as religion is dynamic, homosexuality perception goes along this inclination in different views. The main determinant of religion among others is the age. As people grow older, they tend to cling closer to a religion, this must take into account their dynamic perspectives. This is the basis upon which many people keep changing from churches to churches. This is mainly to find places where their faith in accepting other norms does not welcome rude rebuke. Conflicts in the narrowed thinking aspersions cause most people to move in various religions. Most people will, therefore, identify themselves with religions not against a certain sexual orientation. Embracing complex religious identity is the main predictor that embraces the wellbeing in most athe ists. This is contrary to their intent of aligning themselves to a religion; the aftermath of these wrangles is keeping away from such doctrines that tend to deny their rights. Even though all people under the universe will try as much as, they could identify themselves with spirituality in which many would derive resources, sexual orientation would shift this perception into a totally different point of view (Chike, 2007; Sprigg, 2011). Conclusions Some of these findings are consistent with the public opinions mainly because some studies draw their argument from the religious perspective. The evidence emerging stipulates the importance of this research in drawing the attention of progress in the debate. This implies that more is yet to draw the importance of liberating the society in allowing its people to take their different stand in cultural values. The implications of these researches are that people with distinct sexes, different sexual orientations, and gender identities woul d not have a place in the society not until change covers the earth’s face. This protects policy makers in the insurance, medical fraternity who believe that same sexual marriages would make certain individuals to benefit from the facilities and policies while disadvantaging their counterparts in straight marriages. The research needs to find amicable issues of redress in carrying out their research and offers sound solutions to policy makers to champion methods to drafting policies in which everyone would find refuge. References Adamczyk, A., Pitt, C. (2009). Shaping attitudes about homosexuality: The role of religion and cultural context. Social Science Research, 38, 338–351. Besen, Y., Zicklin, G. (2007). Young Men, Religion, and Attitudes towards Homosexuality. Journal of Men, Masculinities and Spirituality, 1(3), 250†266. Chike, C. (2007). Beyond the homosexuality debate. Retrieved from https://www.anglicancommunion.org/ Edgell, P., Gerteis, J., Hartmann, D. (2006). Atheists as â€Å"Other†: Moral Boundaries and Cultural Membership in American Society. American Sociological Review, 71(3), 211–234. Norris, R.A. (2008). Some Notes on the Current Debate Regarding Homosexuality and the Place of Homosexuals in the Church. Anglican Theological Review, 90(3), 437-512. Olson, R.R., Cadge, W., Harrison, J.T. (2006). Religion and public opinion about same-sex marriage. Social Science Quarterly, 87, 340–360. Sprigg , P. (2011). Debating Homosexuality Understanding Two Views. Retrieved from https://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF11J33.pdf Yip, A. (2005). Queering Religious Texts: An Exploration of British Non-heterosexual Christians’ and Muslims’ Strategy of Constructing Sexuality affirming Hermeneutics. Sociology BSA Publications Ltd, 39(1), 47–65.

How the Vitamin War changed America Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How the Vitamin War changed America - Assignment Example Vietnam War badly shook public confidence in their government and an extraordinary number of Americans openly criticized their public institutions. The Vietnam War was lost inside America, and the victories and achievements on the war turf stood useless (Rother, 2007). The American Engagement in Vietnam took a huge economic toll on the country. The two decades of war necessitated huge human and financial resources. This resulted in a complete stagflation of American and European economies. Since the start of the war, the cost of living increased by 16% in 1970. Inflation led to complete wipe out of any economic gains that Americans could have had from their jobs. Others lost their jobs and still others saw their wages lowered to support the government spending on the war. President Lyndon Johnson asked Congress for extra taxes to help cover up the war expenses. There was only way he was getting this money; by cutting down on domestic spending. During this time, the government shut do wn many social programs to finance the Vietnam War, further incarcerating it in the public’s eyes. In the end, this war cost President Johnson his presidency. It made Americans skeptical about ever going to war again. Vietnam War taught Americans that there are limits to the supremacy of American power. America chose to remain out of world affairs for many years after the war (Rother, 2007). The Vietnam War changed the American presidency forever as well. People became more outspoken about putting a cap of presidential powers especially during war times. The â€Å"War Powers Act† of 1973 put an end to extraordinary presidential powers during wartime. The war also affected our military and Americans had a newfound respect and love for their soldiers that had never been experienced before. General Maxwell Taylor was one of the key figures during the war, he says, "first, we didn't know ourselves. We thought that we were going into another Korean war, but this was a diffe rent country. Secondly, we did not know our South Vietnamese allies †¦ And we knew less about North Vietnam. Who was Ho Chi Minh? Nobody really knew. Therefore, until we know the enemy, know our allies, and know ourselves, we had better keep out of this kind of dirty business. It's very dangerous." Many soldiers of the Vietnam War were young men, mere teenagers. They could not handle the stresses of war and indulged in drugs; marijuana was the drug of choice as it grew freely in Vietnam. At the end of the war, America welcomed thousands of men who had been scarred irreparably by the war. These soldiers could not be re incorporated into the society as they had no education or skills regarding anything but fighting (Brush, 2002; Wells & Gitlin, 2005). American culture during the Vietnam war was largely dictated by its image in media; and this I mage was not a good one. It was the first war in American history that was broadcast on television. This brought the war home for many pe ople as they witnessed the horrors firsthand. The nightly news counted the casualties everyday and people witnessed the bloody terror of bombings in their own living rooms. At the start of the war, the Vietnam War was depicted as a very positive event in American history, but s time passed the media and public view of the war changed drastically. It became a rat race among

Chrysler 'Half time in America', Reverse Engineer through Research Paper

Chrysler 'Half time in America', Reverse Engineer through - Research Paper Example The discussion below thus reengineers the advert in order to earn the advert some relevance with the contemporary society in order to sell the product to the contemporary American Budget The production of the two-minute video clip requires an appropriate budget to facilitate the effective capture of every feature. The budget facilitates the production by ensuring the acquisition of the appropriate production equipment, logistics and the hiring of celebrities among many other production features. Developing the advert in a modern society would require a budget of US$ 500,000. Just as with any other marketing feature, an advert requires effective research in order to facilitate the portrayal of an appropriate and relevant aspect of the product. In doing this, the advertising team must carry out effective research in order to determine the appropriate target market and the target audience for the advert. Additionally, the company must select an appropriate media or the advert in order t o ensure that the advert earns relevance. The budget would therefore facilitate the research thus determining the features of the automobile to portray and the appropriate way of portraying such in order to position the brand appropriately among a target market. Additionally, the budget would include a traveling expense as the cast would travel to the various scenes and sustain the cast. The budget also includes the advert fee payable to the various media institutions that would air the advert. The target audience for the advert is family members who influence the purchasing decision of the families. While the parents in the family often buy commodities, the decision on the products to buy is often a family affair as some parents may incorporate the thoughts of either their children or spouses. This implies that the advert targets the general public but requires appropriate consideration by members of the upper middle class most of who are business people and therefore capable of pu rchasing the product. The timing for such an advert is therefore prime time when televisions charge exorbitant advert fees. The budget would therefore include such among other production miscellaneous. Channels of communication The most appropriate media for the advert is television. Being a video, the advert portrays specific features of the product that requires appropriate video coverage that requires equal depth of television coverage. In the two minutes, the television advert will portray the specific selling points of the products. Additionally, television permits the incorporation of audio, video and texts among other multimedia elements. This provides the developers with an appropriate opportunity for the advert to sell and position the product inn its target market. Besides the television, the contemporary society has witnessed various technological innovation key among which is the social media. Such platforms as the YouTube, Facebook and twitter would prove appropriate in marketing the product and communicating the message of the advert. The new media platforms provide the company with the opportunity to determine the length of the video adverts among many other messages that the advertisers would incorporate. The increasing use of the media in the society validates the need to use such in marketing the product. Involded parties The cast in an advert helps position

Portfolio Project Part 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Portfolio Project Part 5 - Essay Example amiliar with the physical railroad distinctiveness including passenger stations, the decline, and incline the locomotive to the right way and the speed is confined. Alongside conductor, the engineer observes time not to leave the station early, nor fall behind schedule. The speed of the train must be decreased when behind other trains, variable time over road to keep away from arriving early, or approaching route diversions (Patzak, 171). The engineer can assume the conductor’s duties and responsibilities if the conductor is sick or injured. The locomotive engineer is demanded of him to have a clear knowledge of railroad geometry that includes signal positions to control safely the train. Retaining concentration is of significant importance in this role. In various US railroads, the progression of career is one that begins as an assistant brakeman, then conductor and lastly, an engineer. The U S, engineers need accreditation and re-accredited after every 2 to 3 years. The least instructive prerequisite for a locomotive engineer is at least a high school diploma or its equivalent, two years college and another two years of public contact experience. Potential engineers should be at 21 years and above of age and in good bodily condition, not have drug or alcohol addiction troubles. Most training for this profession is on the job, through a simulator experience, hands on instruction and combination of classroom lessons. Students must normally pass training class for a conductor before being permitted to begin the locomotive engineering program (Rajegopal, et al 189). Train engineer is needed with a federal license to drive passenger or freight locomotive. After the completion of training program for engineers, potential applicants pass a written exam that tests their knowledge of train operations and skills performance test. Licensed applicants are required to pass a vision and hearing test, a surprise operational test that measures engineers’ reaction to

The Exploration of Womanhood in All About My Mother Essay Example for Free

The Exploration of Womanhood in All About My Mother Essay In his critically acclaimed 1999 character-driven drama film All About My Mother (1999); writer-director Pedro Almodovar cements his reputation as an expert on the complexities and intricacies of womanhood. The film features several complex and multi-layered female characters that are portrayed with great emotional depth. Throughout the course of the film, these characters are forced to struggle with impediments such as loss, betrayal and societal prejudice. Yet, in the end, they triumph over these obstacles and take control of their lives. The protagonist of the film, Manuela, suffers the loss of her son, Esteban, early in the film and is prompted to go on a journey to Barcelona, where she meets other women who are dealing with their own issues in life. Through the events that take place in Manuela’s life and the relationships she forms with these other female characters following Esteban’s sudden and tragic death, the film explores the trials and tribulations women universally face and the various ways in which they cope and deal with these ordeals. The film also pays homage to two of the most influential representations of female characters in cinematic history: All About Eve (1950) and A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). The plot structure of the film serves to outline the various stages that take place in Manuela’s life at the wake of Esteban’s death, and, by extension, exposes the anatomy of how one in general deals with loss and tragedy. The film follows a linear plot structure that begins right before the death of Esteban and ends a few years later, when Manuela manages to overcome the tragedy. During the exposition, the character of Esteban and his relationship with his mother are introduced and built up. This contributes to the great shock and sympathy the audience feels when he unexpectedly dies in a car accident immediately after. The exposition also addresses the issue of suffering the loss of a loved one through sequences involving the reactions of the family members of recently demised individuals. Manuela’s subsequent journey to Barcelona signifies her immediate reaction to delve into the past and inability to move on in her life. Her goal is to locate Esteban’ s father and inform him of his death. However, upon reaching there, she appears to begin the process of forgetting her sorrows and beginning a new life. When she returns on the same train to Madrid, her priorities shift to her new adopted son, also named Esteban. In the concluding segments of the film, frequent jumps in time are used to display how life begins to move faster once Manuela is no longer holding on to her loss. In the closing sequence, when Manuela visits Barcelona again, all the characters are shown to have overcome the struggles of their past and moved on in life. The structure of the narrative is quite unconventional and serves to explore the intricacies of the characters rather than present much action. Initially, the plot seems to be goal-driven and based on uncovering Manuela’s quest to find Lola – Esteban’s father. From the beginning of the movie, suspense is created about the father, when Esteban repeatedly inquires about him. However, as Manuela reaches Barcelona and her life gets intertwined with other women who are trying to cope with their own problems, the plot loses a sense of purpose a nd no longer has a clear direction. This lack of focus parallels Manuela’s state of mind. Manuela is in a period of self-discovery and does not have a specific goal in life at this point in the narrative. It also allows the film to freely explore the lives of these different women and achieve a level of emotional depth into their characters, and the issues they face. The audience, however, is gradually made aware of Manuela’s past and her relationship with Lola. In addition, she does end up meeting Lola, even though her priorities have changed by this point. Manuela’s past is revealed to be full of betrayal and loss, which puts her struggle to overcome it during the course of the movie into context. It is the struggles and triumphs of the characters in the film, led by the protagonist Manuela, that drive the narrative and keep the audience engaged. The film employs a first-person point of view, as we witness the events of the plot through the eyes of Manuela. This provides an emotional connect between the audience and Manuela while she faces the loss of her son and endeavors to recover from it. During her train journeys between Madrid and Barcelona, Manuela’s inner thoughts are revealed though voice-over narrations. Each time she boards the train, she is at a different stage in her recovery process and her thoughts drastically change over time. The voice-overs help to reveal details from her past to the audience as well as her plans for the future. Although Manuela acts as the protagonist of the narrative, there are several peripheral characters in the film that help to move it forward. Upon reaching Barcelona, Manuela’s life is intertwined with many different female characters that are struggling with their own problems. As Manuela gets progressively more involved in the lives of these characters, she begins to leave her own sorrows behind. These characters also represent the different kinds of problems women face. Manuela, Agrado and Sister Rosa are linked by the fact that the same man, Lola, has adversely affected all three of their lives. Manuela also gets entangled in the lives of Huma and Nina, when she becomes their secretary. The wide variety of problems these women face includes betrayal, neglect, societal prejudice and drug addiction. The ways in which they each deal with these problems also differs. They also end up helping each other in different ways to get over their troubles. These characters represent every woman. They play the roles of mothers, sisters, lovers and friends. They also come from different backgrounds; a prostitute, a nun and an actress. With Manuela at the center, the relationships that develop and grow between these female characters changes the nature of the plot from a search for Esteban’s father to a celebration of womanhood. It also provides hope for the future, through the solidarity of their friendship. At one point, the plot becomes increasingly complex, with Manuela acting as a nurse to Sister Rosa, secretary to Huma and trying to get over her son’s loss all at the same time. Yet, the manner in which these inter-relationships are presented is seamless. The script includes several recurring motifs and cultural allusions that reinstate the challenges faced historically by women and suggest different mechanisms that they have used to cope with these hardships. It is often said that life and art have a reciprocal relationship; while art is usually based on life, life is in turn often influenced by art as well. This idea is highlighted throughout the script of All About My Mother (1999). In particular, two cinematic classics that deal with gender issues; All About Eve (1950) and A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), are strongly woven into the narrative of the film. In fact, the title of the film is a reference to the title All About Eve (1950). Moreover, Almodovar draws numerous parallels between his narrative and the plots of these two films. Manuela is forced to depend on the â€Å"kindness of strangers† on many occasions, just like Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). In addition, she acts as an understudy for the role of S tella, usually played by Nina, and ends up giving a stellar performance; similar to the way Eve steals the role of her idol Margo in All About Eve (1950). Long sequences with scenes from a television broadcast of All About Eve (1950) and enactments of A Streetcar Named Desire also make their way into the script. These works, through the characters of Eve Harrington, Blanche DuBois and Stella Kowalski, represent three diametrically opposite ways of dealing with the injustices faced by women. While Eve displays a ruthless ambition and drive to overcome the traditional prejudices of the theatre establishment against women actors, Blanche distorts her view of the world as a means of escape and Stella displays a submissive acceptance to the status quo tries to adapt with the harsh realities of traditional gender roles. The female characters of All About My Mother, and especially its protagonist Manuela, adopt all three of these different stances at different periods of time in the film. Sister Rosa, much like Stella, accepts her fate without questioning when when she contracts HIV. In contrast, Agrado shows great Eve-like courage when she attempts to take control of her life through plastic surgery and when she remains unaffected by the physical and psychological violence of her clients. Yet, there is a part of each of these fictional icons and their ideologies in all of these characters, and in every woman in general. Art in various forms, such as theatre and cinema, also acts as a structuring motif in the film. The concept of art and storytelling are touched upon through Esteban’s ambitions of becoming a writer, Manuela’s past as an actor and the productions of A Streetcar Named Desire starring Nina and Huma. The role of art as a source of inspiration for women and its power to influence their lives is encapsulated by Huma’s confession, â€Å"I started smoking because of Bette Davis†. Moreover, the potential of art to be used as a means of escapism is exhibited through Manuela’s repeated viewings of A Streetcar Named Desire after the death of Esteban. The idea of escapism as a means to cope with the harsh realities of life is further exemplified through Nina’s heroin addiction. One of the most important motifs presented by the script is the train that Manuela takes to travel between Madrid and Barcelona. Each time she travels in the train, she enters a new phase of her life. The train symbolizes her ability to leave the past behind and move on. Through All About My Mother (1999), Almodovar pays tribute to the female gender and its cultural icons. The film is a celebration of all that it means to be a woman. It is also reminiscent of the strong and influential female characters in film history. In fact, he expressly conveys these sentiments in the acknowledgments at the closing of the film, â€Å"To Bette Davis, Gena Rowlands, Romy Schneider. To all actresses who have played actresses, to all women who act, to men who act and become women, to all people who want to become mothers. To my mother.† By closely blending a unique plot structure, strong character building and the use of cultural allusions, Almodovar creates a film that is unconventional, yet , simple.

Wildlife Preservation Essay -- Environment Nature Ecology Essays Paper

Wildlife Preservation You hear about it all the time, and you read bout it in newspapers and magazines on how some nearby wildlife habitat is going to be torn up by an army of machinery and turned into a Super Wall Mart with a parking lot that’s big enough to fit five thousand cars. Is this really necessary? Is there a need to take every last bit of our wildlife at the expense of our capitalist society? It seems that humanity’s interactions with wildlife has been based on ignorance and the self-interest of the persons involved. The termination of wildlife and it habitats must be reversed for the sake of all of us, the land and wildlife, and future generations to come. If you are a true believer in the preservation of wildlife, here are some organizations that have the same view as you. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is an organization that has currently set aside thousands of acers of land to enhance the habitat of wildlife. Inventors of the National Heritage Project, which was created for protecting threatened and endangered species as well as natural areas in danger of being taken over by the next Wall Mart Corporation so to speak. Over 10,000 acres have been declares TVA land for the use of ecological studies areas, naturel habitat areas, and wildlife observation areas. It takes much time and effort from many people to have the ability and power to preserve and dedicate land for it’s natural growth. And unfortunately, it also takes a lot of money as a key component to make a change in preservation. The Northwest Wildlife Preservation Society runs fund-raising campaigns which contribute to its cash flow and success in preserving land. The Green Ribbon Campaign is one of a few fundraisers that is offered ... ...ttle help from a lot of us to make a difference when it comes down to cological issues like preserving wildlife. If there is some personal desire to help out any local organization in any way shape or form, it should not be shied away from. It’s something that can’t be overlooked. It’s peoples love for their environment that motivates them to take action and make a move towards a healthier, more safe and clean area they live in, along with peotecting all wildlife. The sooner we contribute, the more land we will save not only for the better of our wildlife, but for generations to come. RESOURCES Greenpeace Homepage http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/news/ Tennessee Valley Authority Homepage http://www.tva.gov/environment/land/habitat.htm Wildlife Preservation Trust Canada http://www.wptc.org/ Wildlife Preservation Essay -- Environment Nature Ecology Essays Paper Wildlife Preservation You hear about it all the time, and you read bout it in newspapers and magazines on how some nearby wildlife habitat is going to be torn up by an army of machinery and turned into a Super Wall Mart with a parking lot that’s big enough to fit five thousand cars. Is this really necessary? Is there a need to take every last bit of our wildlife at the expense of our capitalist society? It seems that humanity’s interactions with wildlife has been based on ignorance and the self-interest of the persons involved. The termination of wildlife and it habitats must be reversed for the sake of all of us, the land and wildlife, and future generations to come. If you are a true believer in the preservation of wildlife, here are some organizations that have the same view as you. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is an organization that has currently set aside thousands of acers of land to enhance the habitat of wildlife. Inventors of the National Heritage Project, which was created for protecting threatened and endangered species as well as natural areas in danger of being taken over by the next Wall Mart Corporation so to speak. Over 10,000 acres have been declares TVA land for the use of ecological studies areas, naturel habitat areas, and wildlife observation areas. It takes much time and effort from many people to have the ability and power to preserve and dedicate land for it’s natural growth. And unfortunately, it also takes a lot of money as a key component to make a change in preservation. The Northwest Wildlife Preservation Society runs fund-raising campaigns which contribute to its cash flow and success in preserving land. The Green Ribbon Campaign is one of a few fundraisers that is offered ... ...ttle help from a lot of us to make a difference when it comes down to cological issues like preserving wildlife. If there is some personal desire to help out any local organization in any way shape or form, it should not be shied away from. It’s something that can’t be overlooked. It’s peoples love for their environment that motivates them to take action and make a move towards a healthier, more safe and clean area they live in, along with peotecting all wildlife. The sooner we contribute, the more land we will save not only for the better of our wildlife, but for generations to come. RESOURCES Greenpeace Homepage http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/news/ Tennessee Valley Authority Homepage http://www.tva.gov/environment/land/habitat.htm Wildlife Preservation Trust Canada http://www.wptc.org/

How Money and Appearance Control the World Essay

This is an often discussed topic but I want to talk about both sides ,the supeficial and material Barbie and those who only care about the qualities ,because I can’t decide which side is better and can find both worlds deep in myself. I know judging is a bad thing but most of the people is judging and they just don’t want to admit it. I don’t want to start a debate but I think I need to write this down. I want to start with the supeficial and material people. I classify more and more people to this group. A lot of people say that it’s the society’s mistake, but we are part of the society so when they say this satement it like blaming ourselves, but I know those people who started living their life in a superficial way are part of the society either. We have to care about our body that’s why we have it. I’m not saying that everybody have to be a supermodel with sky-high legs and panther body, but compared to the possibility of everyone should bring out the best of himself or herself. Grooming, dressing sophisticated, stylish and sophisticated look, sport and healthy living†¦ The outside affects the inside and the look has its expressive power. I think that’s enough of the superficiality but I didn’t really talk about the money and what these people think about it. It’ll be weird what I want to say but I think it’s true. It’s better to be rich when you’re superficial. I know it sounds terrible but if someone cannot afford designer clothes and jewellery it can make him or her depression. I know some people like that. They live according to the bigger the better principle, exept clothes. The bigger house, the better car, the remote holiday the valnuable you are. Some of them do things just because these hobbies are make them look richer. I can say that money controls the world. I think that’s enough of this kind of living,but I’m not saying having thousands of clothes, millions and houses in different countries but have no emotions is the life that everybody wants to have but a lot of people is dreaming about a life like that until they find out what it’s like live like when only money can make you smile. Let’s see the other side.These people say that appearance is nothing and only the inside is important. I can partly agree with them, but sometimes they don’t care about their appearance at all. And this is not appealing to me. I think a quote is really needed here.†I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.†I think judging someone by the color of their skin is uncool. And it’s really unfair not to employ someone because he or she is afro-american or came from another country. I also hate stereotypes like chinesee people are like calculators and they eat cats. And this was just one from the hundreds. Some researches proved some interesting facts like blodies get paid more but fat people get less money. If you’re handsome you’re handsomely paid. Nowadays more and more songs and books are about superficial and selfish girls. A classical song about these boys and girls is:Shania Twain: Don’t impress me so much. I think this song expressess all those things that these people think. She says that you don’t need to have a lot of money to get her. I agree with her and those people who think you don’t need to be rich and famous,you should be kind and nice to find a girl. A lot of women are trying to find Prince Charming but he dosen’t exist. I think I wrote enough about both sides and I wrote things which are not insulting. I think there could be a third group in which there are people like I, who can’t decide, who thinks both sides have it’s advanteges and disadvantages. The best thing you can do is be who you are.