Marketing Communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Communication - Research Paper Example On the other hand, marketers have also realised the benefits brought about by the use of a combined sources of communication in their marketing endeavours which is widely known as integrated marketing communication plan (IMC) and this concept has significantly gained prominence during the current period (Kotler & Armstrong, 2004 ). As such, this essay seeks to evaluate the extent to which Apple Company effectively uses an integrated marketing communication plan. Explanation of IMC In order to evaluate the extent to which Apple utilises an integrated marketing communication plan in its operations, it is imperative to begin by defining the concept in order to get a clear understanding of its meaning. An integrated marketing communication plan is described as â€Å"a concept of marketing communication planning that seeks to evaluate the strategic roles of a variety of communication disciplines such as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, direct marketing and public relations ,† (Cant, 2000 p.285). The aim is to coordinate the messages so that they convey the same thing at the same time to the same audience. Duplessis (2005) also posits to the effect that a company integrates or coordinates the use of these communication channels in order to give a clear and consistent message that is compelling to the customers about the products offered which also reinforces the image of the organisation. Integrated marketing communication strategy by Apple According to Buch (2010), Apple has adopted an iAd platform which is a strategy that is meant to support advertising within the iPhone fraternity. This platform integrates the use of the other applications on the iPhone at the same time and the strategy is good in that it enables the company to market its products to various users who can still enjoy the benefit of the other applications at the same time. Though this strategy has been criticised by other sectors of the society, it can be seen that it is very e ffective in as far as advertising of the products offered by Apple is concerned. The idea behind this strategy is to coordinate advertising with the other applications that can be found on the iPhone with the aim of achieving the intended objectives of remaining the leader in the iPhone and tablet industry by the company. Since 2010, it can be noted that Apple has continued to enjoy high volumes of revenue from the sale of iPhones regardless of the negative impacts in the economy that prevailed. Promotion of the products offered particularly the iPhones significantly contributed to the success of the company in its endeavour to waive negative impacts that were likely to impact on its operations. For instance, the company made efforts to spell the unique features of its products and these appealed to the interests of the customers. Promotional efforts such as the decrease in price of products such as the iPod in 2010 greatly contributed to high levels of customer satisfaction (AAPL, 2012). Other companies found it difficult to imitate and Apple harnessed this strategy in its IMC strategy with the aim of appealing to the interests of the customers. Apple’s operations were significantly impacted by various public relations crises in 2008. Despite being on top in terms of innovations in technology, Apple Inc was badly criticised by

Report about the museum printing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Report about the museum printing - Essay Example This painting exhibits exception for its realism and sensitive handling of the subjects. The painting is remarkable because it conveys the message of the low class occupied by the rural Africans. The workers are represented by as graceful and majestic figures (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 89). The message of feeling sympathy and respect for the peasants is vividly exhibited in this painting. The art is a sculpture designed and constructed by the Tamil sculptors of the Chola dynasty. The sculptor measures 76.20 by 57.15 by 17.78 cm. The designers completed the sculpture to reflect the Siva as the lord of yoga. The sculpture represents the Indian civilization. The physical appearance resonates with the message of the sculptors that Siva is Supreme Being that represents the source of the cosmic dance. In addition, the sculpture’s representation of the source of dance is evident on the upper right hand of Siva, which holds a drum (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 97). The drum represents a primeval sound at the creation of the earth. The artwork is a painting, which is among the first paintings to be acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of art. The painting measures 102.07 by 106.83 cm. This painting is best known and it has been often reproduced in the American painting industry. The painting was designed and constructed by George Bellows in 1913. The painting conveys a message of hard work of the homemakers among the low class urbanites (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 114). The blend of various colours ranging from red to orange conveys all aspects of life and integration in early city life. In conclusion, the artworks discussed in this essay successfully convey the intended message to the audience. The Cotton Pickers painting conveys the message of rural African American lifestyle, the Shiva as the Lord of Dance conveys the message of supremacy and source of dance

Treat the Earth Well Essay Example for Free

Treat the Earth Well Essay Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors; we borrow it from our Children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children is an ancient Indian proverb that is reverberating in my ears. It was articulated by Craig Wing recently at a Global Shapers Johannesburg hub meeting. Its pure simplicity is quite piercing because it shows the effect of our ancestors’ actions on our current situation and it also serves as a warning on our current actions’ impact on our children. The architects of Apartheid effectively created a problem for everyone by creating artificial boundaries that were inherently going to be brought down. Anything that is artificial does not have staying power. The social, political and economic separation that was created took the country towards the extreme right swing of the pendulum. This ensured that the minority population enjoyed the majority of the social, political and economic benefits. When the pendulum swung back in the democratic era, it reversed the exclusivity of the social and political benefits from the minority while the economic ones are still lagging far behind. The constitution of the country has guiding principles that help the pendulum to swing to a neutral position at the centre and not to the extreme left because that is also dangerous. Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment policies are meant to accelerate the swing to the middle point which makes them temporal policies that cannot be allowed to stay on forever because they will swing the country to the extreme left. The greatest blind spot suffered by the architects of apartheid was that they disregarded the circular nature of life where things swing back. The result is their children became adversely affected when their policy of separation unravels. This is also a warning to the architects of transformation policies in South Africa to make sure that they understand the circular nature of life and factor it into the design of the policies. There is currently a lot of resistance in moving the economic pendulum from the status quo where only the minority benefits because of fear of an uncertain future. The problem is that the greater the resistance to economic transformation a greater amount of energy is going to be invested and extreme measures taken to make sure that the economic pendulum swings back but to the other extreme which could have unintended consequences. The reality is that the pendulum will swing back but at what cost to the country and its economic prospects? A variation of the proverb â€Å"Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children† can be applied to the issue of land so brazenly dealt with by Pieter Mulder. Infrastructure is another recent example. The youth today are effectively going to be paying for the infrastructure based on decisions by people who are likely not going to be there when the full impact of the cost will be felt. So the issue of e-tolls provided a victory to the litigants who successfully argued for the interdict to stop the e-tolling system temporarily. It is an important political victory of making sure that people concerns are heard and for the separation of powers between the Executive, Judiciary and the Parliament. It also raised important questions about who benefited from the R20 billion tenders and also questioned the fairness of the tariff structure and who will benefit from these fees. So transparency was the winner principle at the end of the day. However it is a Pyrrhic victory because the ultimate solution sought by the litigants is the shifting of the burden of paying for the roads from the road users to all taxpayers. So the bottom line is that the young people will be bearing the burden of the long term cost of this e-toll through increased taxes or less support from the government while the older people will be enjoying the retirement funds returns generated from this through the bonds they bought. Furthermore this places the user-pays-principle which is much more equitable for future generations at risk which in turn scares away the investors especially in areas where we are suffering from an infrastructure deficit. So we might be solving the infrastructure development problem by borrowing from our children to fight power politics of old people who have no enduring interest in intergenerational equity. Young people are the ones who should be shaping the decisions that affect their future represented by their informed and decisive leaders while making sure that they don’t inherit the unhelpful habits of their ancestors.

Furthering Emotional Intelligence through Video Games

Furthering Emotional Intelligence through Video Games The field of serious digital learning games that aim to develop players empathy along with their cognitive competencies has made tremendous strides in the past decade. Today, virtual simulations and video games for social change have much to offer the field of education. Even though the benefits of these offerings are still making themselves apparent, a growing number of teachers are trying to stay on the front-end. Many teachers are experimenting with new ways to connect with students through the very same technologies that occupy hours of young peoples leisure time. Teachers are increasingly interested in whether and how digital games and simulations might contribute to civic engagement and action. If video gaming and virtual simulations are so appealing to young people, how can we better harness these forms of entertainment to foster emotional intelligence and empathy so that students can exhibit a more caring and active response to relevant social issues? How can computerized sim ulation games help foster global empathy and interest in global civic learning/action? How might simulations help learners to empathize and identify with the lives of global Others? These are just a few questions that contribute to classroom learning in significant ways. Before considering the value of video games and virtual simulations in relation to empathy, it is important to recognize why empathy should be taught in schools. In our era of globalization, there is a growing need to educate for global citizenship, especially as people across the globe become more and more connected. A true global citizen values empathy and the ability to understand other people across borders and cultural divides. As a significant factor of being human, empathy is often defined as an emotional state that involves feeling in oneself the feelings of others. Empathy is emerging as an especially significant disposition for global citizenship because it enables us to perceive the world through others perspectives, experience the emotions of others, and communicate and act in ways that consider others views and needs (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 438). As adults, we come to see ourselves not only as citizens of our local community, country, or ethno-cultural group, but also a s global citizens willing and able to empathize with other peoples and their situations elsewhere in the world. While students can certainly learn about the plight of disadvantaged peoples around the world, adding empathy to the learning experience helps them retain and relate to this knowledge in a more profound way: emotion plays a variety of important roles in thinking and learning. First, when we are processing information, we store it more deeply and integrate with our prior knowledge better when that new information has an emotional charge for us, when we feel something is at stake or matters (Gee, 2008, p. 35). In addition, just as empathy can be used to increase understanding of various global issues, the more students are asked to analyze and relate to global issues through the eyes of an Other, the deeper their empathic response becomes. As a result, empathy is a key component of social justice education. If a primary goal of social justice education is to cultivate a responsibility to take action, then we cannot truly teach social justice without empathy. Social justice education is based on a need to identify and change structural inequalities and disparities worldwide. An effective way to teach this is to provide students with opportunities to not only gain contextual knowledge but also have experiences that create empathic insights into the lives of people who are oppressed. Segal (2011) believes that when there is a shared definition of the empathic insights into discrimination, injustice, or inequality, individuals are better able and more willing to take action that promotes social justice (p. 268). Therefore, the capacity to experience empathy through a true contextual lens deepens our understanding of the society we live in and compels us to feel a social responsibility that can result in social justice. Segal (2011) states that exposing children to others who are different f rom themselves gives them an opportunity to practice affect sharing or mirroring and self/other-awareness while at the same time enhancing their awareness and understanding of different social conditions (p. 274). This awareness, in conjunction with empathy, can lead to a greater desire to take action for social change. Video games and virtual simulations are a simple and effective vehicle to connect students to the lives of people from various social groups. These tools are effective in promoting empathy within a social justice context because they feature compelling narratives that draw players into a given situation. The power of narrative thus serves as a fundamental aspect of educational gaming: Narrative-centered learning environments afford significant opportunities for students to participate in motivating story-based educational experiences. Virtual characters can engage users in a variety of task-oriented educational and entertainment roles. Fantasy contexts in educational games have been shown to provide motivational benefits to learning. Because of the power of story to draw audiences into compelling plots and rich settings through the promotion of suspension of disbelief and increased story involvement, narrative can contribute to learning in important ways. (McQuiggan et al, 2008, p. 1511) Besides hooking students into a story, narrative-based games invite players to adopt the point of view of a person who may be very different from the players own self, which then results in a number of judgments about the Other being altered, as the player exercises empathy: By encouraging us to exercise our moral imagination, we develop our capacity to more fully put ourselves in another persons situations and thus those different to ourselves in circumstance, identity or practice can no longer be dehumanized or Other-ised as disgusting or subhuman' (McRobie, 2014, n.p.). Narrative-based games and simulations forge connections between humans from different parts of the planet, and the player can learn to better identify with and understand the plight of someone whom he or she may never otherwise meet in real life. Furthermore, this role-playing facet of gaming, with all of its imaginative capacity, can result in better identification with the Other as empathy continues to develop in the player: Empathy may be further developed when a player not only takes the perspective of another, but also begins to identify with the character represented (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 440). Increased identification with the media character has further benefit, as Bachen et al. (2012) explain that this leads to greater attention to and retention of messages associated with those characters (p. 440). As a result, educators can exploit games and virtual simulations because they not only connect students to various peoples across the globe, but ultimately can result in deeper learning because students become immersed in their learning and take more away with them by the end of the experience. A key difference between traditional written narratives (stories, novels, etc.) and virtual simulations is the ability to simulate (and virtually live) a real-life experience that a student would otherwise only read about. Video games and virtual simulations open up the possibility to interact with a time and place that can be worlds away: a virtual world provides an experience set within a technological environment that gives the user a strong sense of being there (Warburton, 2009, p. 415). Because of their narrative feature, videos games and virtual simulations present players with a character that they adopt, while living out a set of experiences from the perspective of the character (Gee, 2008). They allow for exposure to authentic content and culture and allow for reproduction of contexts that cannot be reproduced easily in real life: Most games for change simulate real physical casualties so that the player develops an awareness of a situation where war and genocide may be cent ral to everyday life (Huang and Tettagah, 2010, p. 138). This, in turn, allows students to experience complex and potentially dangerous situations without risk, virtually adopting the perils of the characters life, while simultaneously feel[ing] sympathy and/or empathy for the characters in the game (Huang and Tettagah, 2010, p. 138). Raphael et al. (2010) propose that [r]ole playing games permit players to explore institutional, geographical, and temporal settings that would otherwise be inaccessible, allowing players to learn from the consequences of choices made in the world of the game that would be impractical or dangerous to experience directly (p. 200). Within this role-playing context, players exercise agency, as they are given the freedom to experiment according to their own goals. Players are permitted to do and act according to their own judgments. This experimentation can help the player better understand the potential consequences of certain actions or choices. In virtu ally living out the consequences, the player is more likely to empathize with the character in the situation, which hopefully will lead to increased understanding of inequities around the world and the need for action to address issues of social justice. To put my discussion of game-playing, empathy and social justice into an educational context, I would like to present three examples of virtual simulations and video games that can be used in classrooms to encourage empathy and action. The first is called Real Lives (http://www.educationalsimulations.com/), a simulation game designed for middle and high school students in which the player is born into a life from any country in the world. For instance, students can experience life as a peasant farmer in Bangladesh, a factory worker in Brazil, a policeman in Nigeria, or a computer operator in Poland. As players adopt the perspective of the given identity, they apply knowledge to solve real problems while comparing different value systems as they play the game. Students must make a variety of decisions that involve work opportunities, financial standing, health, marriage and family life, and participation in civil society. The game prompts players to engage in ethical reflection, alway s in the context of challenges or opportunities prevalent to the given country (based on real-world statistics for the countrys poverty rate, infant mortality rate, and so on) (Raphael et al, 2010, p. 216). The efficacy of this game in creating empathic insights is evidenced by Bachen et al.s (2012) study, which did show that Real Lives had a considerable effect on players development of global empathy: Comparing students who played the game with those who participated in an alternate computer-assisted learning activity, we found that playing the simulation game was associated with significantly higher levels of global empathy (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 450). Games like Real Lives are well suited to developing personal responsibility or character. Raphael states games for social change lend themselves to exploring individual ethics rather than the ethics of institutions or society although they still introduce students to the dynamics of large-scale structures that shape lives giving them little power to alter those structures but demanding ethical evaluation of them (p. 219). As in Real Lives, games of responsibility can also force players to grapple with the question of how to live a good life in a society that may be imperfect and unjust (Raphael et al, 2010, p. 221). A second virtual simulation video game that evokes player empathy is Darfur is Dying (http://darfurisdying.com/). This online game is based on the genocide in Sudan and is described by the games developers as a narrative-based simulation where the user, from the perspective of the displaced Darfurian, negotiates forces that threaten the survival of his or her refugee camp. It offers a faint glimpse of what its like for the more than 2.5 million who have been internally displaced by the crisis in Sudan (http://www.darfurisdying.com/aboutgame.html). I have used this game in my classroom teaching with grade seven students and have observed that many enjoy the experience because of the game-based challenges that students must be overcome as their characters risk their lives to protect their village while still seeking to maintain survival. Huang and Tettegah (2010) state that the goals of the developers and instructional designers of Darfur is Dying include raising awareness so that the player/user shares fear, empathy, and other emotions associated with victims of war. Darfur is Dying was developed with goals to educate, provide support and inspire (p. 142). Characters depict actual situations that occur in real life, summoning the players emotive capacity as s/he virtually becomes a displaced Darfurian who must take serious risks while completing seemingly mundane daily tasks, such as gathering food and water. I use this game in my classroom with the hope that students develop empathy for the character, based on the experiences portrayed in the game, and that this leads to cultural awareness and a deeper human connection to the peoples of Sudan. In other words, empathy becomes the main learning outcome as opposed to acquiring specific content. Finally, Against All Odds (http://www.playagainstallodds.ca/) is a third internet-based video game simulation for social change that can be used to teach empathy within a social justice framework. The game was developed by the United Nations Refugee Agency and is designed to teach 12- to 15-year-old players about the plight of refugees. Players take on the role of a refugee, and play through stages, from depiction of persecution and flight from their native country to eventual integration into a foreign country as an asylum seeker. I find this game particularly pertinent today, especially in view of our current political climate and the displacement of Syrian refugees. Many students are hearing about these issues in the news and in discussions at home, but do not fully understand what it means to be a refugee, the struggles refugees face, and how individual citizens in Canada might be able to aid in this situation. Raphael et al. (2010) argue that virtual simulation games that promot e empathy, such as Against All Odds, can encourage students to seek out more knowledge beyond the game and make efforts to act rather than merely observe: playing or developing games may increase students motivation to learn and drive them to consult sources outside the game, inspire critical reflection on history and politics and how they are represented, provide multiple viewpoints on contested events and ideas, allow players to draw on distributed knowledge and develop skills in leadership and collective action that can be used to tackle real-world political problems, or afford opportunities to explore ethical choices and develop empathetic understanding by projecting oneself through an avatar into places and times otherwise inaccessible. (p. 200) My ultimate goal in using video game simulations such as Against All Odds is to promote civic action. It is not enough for students to know about a problem, empathize with those affected, and then go on living their normal lives without further reflection. I hope that the empathy that is established by the game playing incites students to take action, even in a small way, so that they understand that global citizenship is an active task and that we are each individually responsible for the Other. Given that a fundamental part of social justice is developing a community of citizens who take action, it is important that students who play video game simulations such as Real Lives, Dying in Darfur, and Against All Odds are provided with an outlet to both show understanding of empathy and take action. The question that remains for me is what can students do with this experience? Based on their experiences playing one or more virtual simulation games, students can now create their own video game simulations presenting a day in the life of a refugee of their choosing. Using online software called Twine, students can create a narrative that allows players to choose various paths, much like a choose-your-own-adventure book. As students create their game, they demonstrate an understanding of the daily struggles faced by a particular refugee, thus exhibiting empathy for lives of people who may be very different from themselves. In order to make this task an activist one, my middle-schoo l students will be asked to create their game for a younger student in our neighbouring elementary school. This allows students to do something with what they have learned, and as they share the game with a younger child, they take on the role of educator and active citizen. Social justice video games can provide real opportunity for reflection and learning in todays classrooms. For teachers who wish to engage students in learning about real world issues, or who are seeking alternative resources to enhance student learning, pairing young peoples interest in games with a serious social justice topic has the potential to result in powerful educational experiences. The narrative component of virtual simulation games is a real hook that can entice students to learn about the lives of people around the world, and the interactive features require students to both become the character while exercising agency to solve authentic civic problems. The problem-solving aspect of these virtual games puts students in the shoes of the Other, allowing them to better understand hardships and hopefully strongly empathize with a life that may otherwise seem distant and irrelevant. While video game simulations are not a magic solution to increasing student engagement or devel oping empathy, they certainly can be a great tool that allows students to realize that they play an important role in making change around the world.

A Critical Essay on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher (1

The twenty first century author Alexandra Iftodi Zamfir (1986- ) argues that ‘architecture and settings are more important in Gothic fiction than in any other type of literature.’ (Zamfir. 2011: 15). The execution and the nature of architectural space performs a significant role within the narrative structure of Gothic fiction as it creates and builds layers of imagery that signify the horrific and gloomy. This is illustrative of a building construction, one in which creates an atmosphere of suspense, a prominent aspect to the Gothic fiction genre. It was the Gothic writer Horace Walpole (1717-1797) who first illustrated in his Gothic novel The Castle of Otranto (1764) an example symbolic to the nature and power of architectural space explored through the composition of his own â€Å"house in Strawberry Hill, which was the most complete neo-Gothic structure of the time. His mansion, as the author admits, stands at the base of architectural design†¦shapes, deco rs, landscapes, were all under one form or another, elements of Gothic construction.† (Zamfir. 2011: 18). This critical essay will explore and analyse the nature of Gothic architecture deployed as a vehicle of construction within the narrative structure of the American author Edgar Allan Poe’s (1809-1849) macabre and fictional prose The Fall of the House of Usher (1839). (Poe. 1987: 1). I shall present and argue how the artistic effects used in the narrative structure create an atmosphere of tension and suspense, through the exploration and investigation of Gothic architecture, demonstrating a close reading and psychological analysis from key passages of the text applying psychoanalytical examples from the nineteenth century theorist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). (Chiriac... ...sign_of_Space_in_Gothic_Architecture. [Accessed 11th May 2012] Giordano, R. (2005-2011) Poestories.com: An Exploration of Short Stories by Edgar Allan Poe. [On-line] Available from: http://www.poestories.com/. [Accessed 24th September 2011] Gunn, A.G. (1997-2002) Cyclopaedia of Ghost Story Writers. [On-line] Available from: http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/~agg/ghosts/#poeea. [Accessed 24th September 2011] Hallqvist, C. (2001) The Poe Decoder. [On-line] Available from: http://www.poedecoder.com/. [Accessed 24th September 2011] Montagna, J.A. (2006) The Industrial Revolution. [On-line] Available from: http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html. [Accessed 11th May 2012] Pridmore, J. (1998-2011) Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849). [On-line] Available from: http://www.literaryhistory.com/19thC/Poe.htm. [Accessed 24th September 2011] A Critical Essay on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher (1 The twenty first century author Alexandra Iftodi Zamfir (1986- ) argues that ‘architecture and settings are more important in Gothic fiction than in any other type of literature.’ (Zamfir. 2011: 15). The execution and the nature of architectural space performs a significant role within the narrative structure of Gothic fiction as it creates and builds layers of imagery that signify the horrific and gloomy. This is illustrative of a building construction, one in which creates an atmosphere of suspense, a prominent aspect to the Gothic fiction genre. It was the Gothic writer Horace Walpole (1717-1797) who first illustrated in his Gothic novel The Castle of Otranto (1764) an example symbolic to the nature and power of architectural space explored through the composition of his own â€Å"house in Strawberry Hill, which was the most complete neo-Gothic structure of the time. His mansion, as the author admits, stands at the base of architectural design†¦shapes, deco rs, landscapes, were all under one form or another, elements of Gothic construction.† (Zamfir. 2011: 18). This critical essay will explore and analyse the nature of Gothic architecture deployed as a vehicle of construction within the narrative structure of the American author Edgar Allan Poe’s (1809-1849) macabre and fictional prose The Fall of the House of Usher (1839). (Poe. 1987: 1). I shall present and argue how the artistic effects used in the narrative structure create an atmosphere of tension and suspense, through the exploration and investigation of Gothic architecture, demonstrating a close reading and psychological analysis from key passages of the text applying psychoanalytical examples from the nineteenth century theorist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). (Chiriac... ...sign_of_Space_in_Gothic_Architecture. [Accessed 11th May 2012] Giordano, R. (2005-2011) Poestories.com: An Exploration of Short Stories by Edgar Allan Poe. [On-line] Available from: http://www.poestories.com/. [Accessed 24th September 2011] Gunn, A.G. (1997-2002) Cyclopaedia of Ghost Story Writers. [On-line] Available from: http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/~agg/ghosts/#poeea. [Accessed 24th September 2011] Hallqvist, C. (2001) The Poe Decoder. [On-line] Available from: http://www.poedecoder.com/. [Accessed 24th September 2011] Montagna, J.A. (2006) The Industrial Revolution. [On-line] Available from: http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html. [Accessed 11th May 2012] Pridmore, J. (1998-2011) Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849). [On-line] Available from: http://www.literaryhistory.com/19thC/Poe.htm. [Accessed 24th September 2011]

Culture Essay -- Anthropology, Durkheim, Functionalism

Throughout the complex yet recognised studies upon sociological phenomena, the term ‘culture’ continues to astound anthropological revisions. Whether or not a definition of ‘culture’ can be determined, or merely the exact forces which bring about such an abstract entity, the concept that culture exists can be acknowledged with focus to structural functionalism. The precise justification for culture itself began to enlighten anthropologists such as Durkheim, who in turn has encouraged studies from Malinowski and Parsons for instance. Still, existing theories suggest intensely dynamic and multifaceted definitions of ‘culture’, those of which ‘explain’ culture with various stances. Within contemporary studies, culture itself is often implied using the notion of functionalism. Durkheim outlines a society as a functional culture; both culture and society encompass systems and institutions which determine their own intentions (Durkheim, 1982). Each institution in a culture or society is a portrayal of the exact functions they have in that specific culture or society. Structural functionalism represents a paradigm of reality which interconnects the facets of civilisation and social order (Parsons, 1973). What’s more, it is these interrelations which may define culture as a system of collective purposes. Those specific purposes are determined by the civilisation of which they are present, thus often localised. Malinowski developed interpretations of functionalism in order to avoid ethnocentric ethnographies, and his work emphasises the impression that biological needs of a community are the forces which generate culture (Malinowski, 1944). The needs of a society encourage the development of institutions which function to fulf... ...xtent to which culture can be explained is very limited. A cultural system entitles the recognition of moral codes, survival mechanisms, cognition and an interaction with the environment. Durkheim revolutionised anthropological thoughts amongst sociological theory but the phenomena of ‘culture’ can scarcely be defined. An explanation of culture may encompass the notion that a specific set of views and behaviours will be adopted by a people and they will respond in certain ways, which is their culture. It is a form of society and believing which deviates towards a state of equilibrium; a state which will incorporate shared ideals and morality. The mere complexity and dynamic structure of culture ensures difficulty when explaining the concept; without properly being able to distinguish what culture is, one is also unable to determine its meaning and purpose.

Nature of the Gods in the Iliad

The Homeric gods know they are better than the mortals that serve them and do not care much when they fight and have quarrels. The gods can always withdraw from the battle and never have to worry about dying or suffering that the humans live with every day during the war. This is where we see the motivations of the gods, their relationships with mortals, relationships with each other and the power and authority of Zeus.The motivations of the gods differ greatly throughout the Iliad, including the legislations they have with soldiers who were fighting in the war. For example, Aphrodite has a special relationship with the Trojan hero, Paris. When he is wounded In a battle with Menelaus, she † whisked Paris away with the sleight of a goddess. (3, 370-400)† She took Paris away from the fighting because she liked him because he chooses her as the prettiest over Hear and Athena in an earlier part of the myth. She saved him out of her own honor, not for Paris' life. Selfishness was one of the motivations of the gods.When the priest of Apollo has his daughter taken by the Greeks and they refuse to give her back he prays to Apollo saying â€Å"Hear me, Silvereye, Protector of Cherry†¦ Grant me this prayer: Let the Damns pay for my tears with your arrows. Apollo heard his prayer and descended Olympus' crags pulsing with fury, bow slung over one soldier, the arrows rattling In their case on his back as the angry god moved Like night down the mountain. † (1 , 45-50) Because Apollo valued prayers to him he sent arrows that rained down on the Greeks for nine days causing many of them to die from the plague.The reason Apollo retaliates is cause he feels insulted that the Greeks do not respect his priest and In return himself. He starts killing the Greeks out of selfishness and the desire of Keels_ Even the gods wanted honor. This motivated them to go to war with the mortals. The gods also value control and power. They use the heroes of each side as paw ns in their war to see which gods will win and see which are stronger. The gods' motivations differed from one god to the next, and this occasionally caused conflict between them. The gods are displayed as one big, dysfunctional family.The gods' relationships with each there are based on distrust and hatred between each other. The gods have conflict about everything Just like most humans do. Their conflict usually plays out in the mortal world and Is willing to fight each other to affect the outcome of the war. Even though Zeus is the most powerful and threatens the others often, they still continue to go against him Just not in fighting him. Hear tricks him, Athena helps some of the heroes, and Poseidon helps the Greek side when Zeus is knocked out. They do this to show that they think they are smarter than Zeus and want power.Zeus realizes this ND says â€Å"Hear you scheming blotch, this trick of yours has taken Hector out and routed his army. (10, 15-MOM' Zeus becomes furious w ith Hear because she tricks him into falling asleep for a long enough time while she and Poseidon help the Greeks, which were against Zeus because he was helping the Trojan. This was only a simple trick and did not Involve fighting Like most of the war. Athena says she will protect Dimmest, son of Études, and she stands on Greeks' side. Athena agrees to do this because she doesn't like Ares because Ares turned Trojan and abandoned theI OFF his spear home to the pit of Ares' belly, where the kilt-piece covered it. † Athena seriously injured the god Ares but could not kill him because he is immortal. This made him back out of the war and gave the Greeks the upper hand once again. The gods were always against each other because of personal reasons and this caused many humans to die because of what they chose to do. The gods seem to have a unique relationship with the mortals in the epic poem. The gods do not actually care much about what happens to the humans.The gods do not allow something to append to the mortals based on this outside force that predestines everything. The gods, especially Zeus, believe heavily in fate. Zeus tells the other gods that fears something may interfere with fate, â€Å"If Achilles is the only fighting out there, the Trojan won't last a minute against him†¦ I fear he may exceed his fate and demolish the wall. (20, 20)† He sent the gods into the war to stop Achilles from destroying the Trojan army before it was foretold. This causes much more death but that does not matter as much as fate to the gods.Not even the all and powerful Zeus would try to sees with fate. Zeus wishes to alter the destiny set for his son, and despite his superiority to the other Olympian (not to mention the other minor gods and goddesses), he is unable to resist the authority of his daughters, the Fates. Hear even makes him not go against fate. Zeus says â€Å"Fate has it that Sarandon, whom I love more than any man, is to be killed by Pat rols. Shall I take him out of the battle while he still lives? (16)† Hear says â€Å"A mortal man, whose fate has long been fixed, and you want to save him from rattling death. 16)† So Zeus understood that he should to change the fate for even his dear Sarandon. This shows us once again that fate is more powerful than all of the gods. Zeus does care some about the Trojan, but he is just repaying a favor to Thesis, Achilles' mother. Thesis begs Zeus â€Å"Give the Trojan the upper hand until the Greeks grant my son the honor he deserves† (1, 540-541) and Zeus does it. He made the Trojan army start winning battles Just because of a personal debt to a goddess. This shows us how much he really cared for the outcome of the war.Zeus was the strongest of all of the gods and the mortals did not mean ere much to him. The power and authority of the leader of the gods, Zeus, is very prevalent throughout the Iliad. Zeus focuses on having the upper hand compared to all the ot her gods when it comes to power and authority. He never gives up the chance to remind the other gods who is the strongest of them all. Zeus was undoubtedly stronger than all of the other gods put together. He is even so certain of his power as to say that he could take them all on without breaking a sweat.Zeus tells the other gods â€Å"These two hands are more powerful than all the gods on Olympus imbibed† (8, 462-463) Zeus bragged throughout the entire myth about his power. All of the other gods knew not to fight against Zeus so they all tried to outsmart him which worked on occasion. [Zeus to the other gods] â€Å"Come on. Hang a gold cable down from the sky. All you gods and goddesses holding the end couldn't drag me down from the sky to earth Zeus the Master, no matter how hard you tried. † (8, 20-30) He knew he was that much stronger than all the others. When he told the gods they could interfere they did.When he told them they couldn't they listened for the most art. His authority was unmatched by any of the other gods. Affect the gods at all except it excites them into doing battle with each other and choosing a favorite side. They gods may have fought the battle but their ability made them unable to die and they did not suffer making them far superior to the mortals that were fighting for their lives on the battlefield. The nature of the gods is seen in the epic through their motivations, how the mortals where treated by the gods, how they saw each other as gods, and Zeus' strength and prowess above all the other gods.