Unteachers

Unteachers The more experienced we are, the more unlearning we have to do. We enter this world as creators, curious to discover ways to express ourselves visually, auditorily, kinesthetically. But, over time, we are taught to be more realistic, to be safe and reasonable and normal. When, in truth, we never wanted to be safe or reasonable. Maybe we wanted to be normal, but todays normality template is far from what most of us had in mind at age five. Growing up, we wanted to be ourselves. That was normal. But soon, we were placed in a classroom, told to stand in line and speak when spoken to, and prescribed ADHD medication if we got out of line. This methodology worked great for creating factory workers and farmers, which seemed ideal when 90% of the population was either the former or the latter. Today, however, most people are neither factory workers nor farmers (and even those positions have changed radically in the past few decades), and yet were all graced with the assembly-line mentality, systematically programmed for compliance, expected to adhere to external standards while disregarding whatever our own internal normal was. During this process, our creativity is quashed and replaced with a vast emptiness, a desire to create, even though were told were not creative. Its no coincidence we start focusing more on consuming around the same time, looking for any(material)thing to fill the void. All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. Picasso had this observation a century ago, and, unfortunately, these words ring even truer in todays postindustrial world, a world where our vocations no longer ape the form of quasi-creation (a la farming and factorying), and thus the gap between creation and consumption widens as we attempt to buy what no one can possibly sell: individual creativity. The strange thing about this antiquated system is that most of its gatekeepersâ€"government officials, school administrators, and teachersâ€"arent operating out of malice. If anything, their reaction is birthed from apathy or comfort or both. Many teachers, in fact, are just as disenchanted with the whole mess as we are, though they often feel like just another faceless cog in the wheel, powerless amongst the tyranny of bureaucracy. Thankfully, there are alternatives. For children, there are home schooling and unschooling and wonderful programs like 826 Valencia. And for adults, the options are endless; there are books and blogs and writing classes and conferences. Plus, there are scores of people like The Minimalistsâ€"people whove rejected the system and aligned their lives with their valuesâ€"who function not as teachers, but as unteachers, helping people unlearn the malarkey theyve acquired over the years, so that they, too, can become unteachers and help spread creativity and ideas. Of course, none of these alternatives are easy, per se, but then again it is way too easy to stand in line, to raise a hand when we want to speak, to blindly follow authority, to capitulate, and, above all, to comply. No thanks! The easy route is easy because its a vacuum, devoid of meaning, vacant. It also lacks innovation and beauty and all the unspeakable qualities that makes life exhilarating and worth living. Naturally, the scenic route takes longer to travel, but the experience is worth it. To traverse the windy coastline takes more time, sure, but so does anything worth pursuing. Also worth reading: Seth Godins Stop Stealing Dreams. Subscribe to The Minimalists via email.

Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest - Free Essay Example

Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest takes place in the Victorian Era and follows Jack Worthing, a man who creates a fake identity named Earnest in order to escape his home life and win the heart of Gwendolyn Fairfax, an aristocrat from London. It also follows Jacks friend Algernon Moncrieff, who later also pretends to be named Earnest in order to marry Jacks ward Cecily Cardew. Both Gwendolen and Cecily have a silly belief that they are destined to marry a man named Earnest. Lady Bracknell, the plays antagonist, tries to control their relationships by pointing out that an aristocrat in society must uphold their position in society through marriage. Wilde deliberately makes the characters and the conversations between them humorous and entertaining to appeal to the audience. In the Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde consistently uses humor to highlight the Victorian societys notions on the institution of marriage. Wilde helps the audience better understand Victorian values by hilariously painting an unflattering picture of the aristocracys ridiculous views on marriage. Lady Bracknell is perhaps Wildes most outrageous character in the play, as she tries to take control over each engagement that takes place. When Lady Bracknell is informed of Cecilys engagement to Algernon, her response towards her is cold. She immediately begins asking probing questions such as Mr. Worthing, is Miss Cardew at all connected with any of the larger railway stations in London? Lady Bracknell is gravely concerned about the impact that Algernons marriage to a woman of lower status could do to her familys reputation. The conversation becomes amusing when Jack informs her of Cecilys familys wealth and status. Lady Bracknell comically responds, A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her (Wilde, 1894). Lady Bracknells dramatic change in tone towards Cecily and Algernons engagement is comedic. In a matter of a few seconds, she went from disproving of Cecily to agreeing happily to the engagement purely because of her greed. She is suddenly supportive of the marriage only when she learns that Cecily comes from a respectable family with an inheritance in her name. Marriage, a typically serious topic, is discussed lightly by Lady Bracknell, who discusses several selfish reasons for marriage besides the love between two people. Wilde creates this hilarious contrast in Lady Bracknells attitude to reveal the Victorian eras warped priorities regarding marriage. He creates a character with such eccentric opinions to highlight the absurdities in the mindset of aristocrats. Through Lady Bracknells humorous responses, she reveals her true opinions on marriage, which is marriage for wealth and social status. Gwendolens standards for marriage are absurd in a way that is much different than Lady Bracknells. She is less concerned with wealth and status, but instead infatuated with the name Earnest. Gwendolen says to Jack, The moment Algernon first mentioned to me that he had a friend called Ernest, I knew I was destined to love you. In this line, Gwendolen tells him that just his name was enough for her to fall in love with him. Their conversation becomes even more humorous when Jack asks her what she thinks of the name Jack. She responds, Jack? . . . No, there is very little music in the name Jack, if any at all, indeed. It does not thrill. It produces absolutely no vibrations . . . I have known several Jacks, and they all, without exception, were more than usually plain (Wilde, 1894). The pure irony of her saying she never wants to marry a man named Jack, when she is in love with a man whose real name is Jack, is Wildes way of poking fun at the silly nature behind her thoughts. The utter ridiculousness of what Gwendolen says emphasizes Victorian societys skewed views on marriage. Her concept of love and marriage revolves around a name, instead of their actual personality and compatibility together. The way she speaks about always wanting to marry a man named Earnest is comical and humorous because theres no logic behind her reasoning. Someones name itself shouldnt matter for a commitment as important as Marriage. Wilde uses this ironic and funny interaction to point out how skewed Victorian societys requirements for marriage are. In The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde presents a very humorous approach to commenting on the ideals of marriage in Victorian society. The title of the play itself is satire, as the two people who go by the name of Earnest are far from being Earnest until the end of the play. Wilde creates the most preposterous characters, such as Lady Bracknell, to exaggerate the importance of money and reputation to aristocrats in Victorian society. The conversations between the characters are ironic, and point out their skewed requirements for love and marriage. Through Wildes use of comedy in the play, he was able to comment on Victorian societys beliefs about marriage in a light and entertaining manner, ridiculing them for prioritizing names, wealth, and reputation before love.

The Elderly as a Vulnerable Population Essay - 811 Words

The Elderly as a Vulnerable Population Lauren M. Lorio NUR/440 April 9, 2012 Maria Mendez The Elderly as a Vulnerable Population Vulnerability is defined as susceptibility or increased risk for health problems (DeChesnay, 2008). A group of individuals are considered at higher risk for illness when their physical, emotional, psychological, or social health, is compromised (Aday, 2001). There are many leading causes for why a population is considered at higher risk; socioeconomic, age, gender, demographics, personal, and cultural backgrounds are some of the key factors (Aday, 2001; Sebation, 1996). Individuals can become vulnerable at any time because of change in life circumstances, placing them at higher risk. One group†¦show more content†¦Statistically, the majority of older adults require continual health care for at least one chronic condition, half of this group for multiple chronic conditions, and more than half are managing multiple prescription medications. In older adult groups without chronic illness, there is still a high demand for health care access for â€Å"acute conditions as wel l as for extensive preventative care services recommended by evidence-based guidelines, such as medical screenings and vaccinations† (Thorpe et al., 2011, p. 2). Education from research is necessary to address the efficacy of health care delivery within the communities nationwide, and to mitigate the disparities within a flawed system. â€Å"As this vulnerable population is expected to double by the year 2030, efforts to identify and eliminate disparities in access for older adults are among the most pressing health care issues for the 21st century† (Thorpe et al., 2011, p. 2). Ultimately, through exploration of predictive risk factors in the older adult population, along with implementation of various approaches for intervention and policy, health care accessibility for this vulnerable population can be greatly improved. Experience working in the field of health care lends insight to the growing needs of the older adult population, and the barriers which impede our capacity to meet them. As the Baby Boomer age is approaching older adulthood, the rise for financial,Show MoreRelatedMandated Reporting Laws : The Most Vulnerable Individuals Are Found Within The Elderly And Children Population1322 Words   |  6 PagesMandated Reporting Laws The most vulnerable individuals are found within the elderly and children population. Children can be impacted tremendously when experiencing situations that may affect their emotional, physical, and mental stage. Abuse can be seen in different forms such as sexual, emotional, physical abuse, and neglect. If any child is exposed to any of these abuse, it is the law to reach out to the proper authorities in order to protect the child’s life. Each state has its own mandatedRead MoreThe Health Care-Based Vulnerability of Elderly Populations1586 Words   |  7 PagesThe Health Care-Based Vulnerability of Elderly Populations Megan E. Stratton HCS 531 June 11th, 2012 Dr. Arenz Russell The Health Care-Based Vulnerability of Elderly Populations Vulnerability, or the susceptibility to a form of harm, results from an interaction between the resources available to the elderly and communities and the life challenges they face. Vulnerability results from developmental problems, personal incapacities, disadvantaged social status, inadequate formal healthRead MoreThe Social Determinants Of Food Deserts And Food Insecurity Essay1680 Words   |  7 PagesThe Social Determinants of Food Deserts and Food Insecurity Diverse groups in American society are often the most marginalized and therefore the most vulnerable to issues that undermine the fair and uncomplicated pursuit of health and wellbeing. One of those issues is the lack of access to affordable healthy food and, in many cases, the inaccessibility to food in general. Areas where affordable and healthy foods are largely unavailable are called food deserts and the members of the diverse groupsRead MoreThe Identification Of The Vulnerable Population1311 Words   |  6 PagesThe identification of the vulnerable population In today’s society you will look around and see that elderly single woman is not being represented much at all and all you see is that mainstream is getting younger every day. You can’t turn on your television without seeing young programming that doesn’t cater to an older demographic especially older woman. It is growing problem among elderly single woman with depression. In The Guardian it states, â€Å"Some mental health experts argue that women areRead MoreTwo Vulnerable Populations and Two Nursing Theories Essay674 Words   |  3 Pagesphysical, or sociological standpoint. De Chesnay amp; Anderson (2012) explain the idea of an entire population being vulnerable as â€Å"a public health concept that refers to vulnerability by virtue of status: that is, some groups are at risk at any given point in time relative to other individuals or groups.† The chronically mentally ill and the elderly go under this definition of vulnerable populations and could be helped by two conceptual models of nursing. Because those with mental illness usuallyRead MoreMedicare Funding Crisis1692 Words   |  7 Pagesthe local Medicaid programs. However, premiums have increased for Medicare and also, the coverage has changed in the past few years requiring people to purchase additional supplemental Medicare policies - this is difficult for elderly that have fixed incomes. If the elderly are unable to purchase Medicare, they will go uninsured. The Medicare system is double-funded. It is funded by the taxpayer (federal dollar) as well as the premiums being collected. But, in being double-funded, the coverageRead MoreA Shocking Case Of Elderly Abuse1250 Words   |  5 PagesLast summer, local headlines read, Authorities raid Alzheimer’s personal care home and More Than a Dozen in Custody Following Elder Abuse Investigation. A shocking case of elderly abuse occurred in my own backyard; in a small town just minutes down the road. In the end, the owner and twenty employees of the Alzheimer s Care of Commerce were arrested. Some of the alleged abuse included patients being tied down with bed sheets, being double diapered so that they would not have to be changed asRead MoreThe Aging Process Essay791 Words   |  4 Pagesas our understanding of medicine improves and governments nowadays are doing more for the elderly population in their society. With more emphasis placed on healthcare by governments today and the advancement of our medical technology, people get to live longer. Cancers are not as deadly as in the past and new vaccines are constantly being developed. People, including the elderly, are made less vulnerable to the incapacitation of diseases, and in a way, we become biologically stronger. This alsoRead MoreThe Dangers Of Elderly At Risk And Solutions759 Words   |  4 PagesThis post is about the elderly and the risks that make them be a vulnerable group in our society. I will discuss the causes that put elderly at risk and solutions to avoid some of those risks. Our nation is experiencing an increased growth in the older adult population, this brings the concern for their well-being since they are usually at risk for injuries and poor health in general. The elderly often have decreased and impaired mobility, visual or hearing deficit, numerous chronic health conditionsRead MoreDepression With Elderly Women1603 Words   |  7 Pages Depression with Elderly women Aremelder Johnson Steiner Leigh HDC 542 University of Illinois in Springfield, Illinois What do we still need to know about your vulnerable population and what programs address their needs? What programs and policies are needed? Social and demographic trends are making information and assistance services increasingly important to the average American family. Americans live longer and require more help to cope with chronic conditions

Chaucer s Wife Of Bath - 1592 Words

Although these eighteen of the Wife of Bath Prologue are transcribed into modern English, they are in non-iambic, but rhyming verse. While translating these lines from Middle English to modern English, I did not consider rewriting them in iambic feet because it does not fit in with our contemporary literature. That is, Chaucer most likely felt the need to write in iambic-pentameter because he had competition from other writers like Giovanni Boccaccio and Dante Alighieri. In fact, Chaucer’s Wife of Bath’s Prologue receives major influence from Jean de Meun’s From the Romance of the Rose, i.e. the old woman who gives a speech about men. In other words, I do not need to put my modern translation into iambic pentameter because this style of writing is archaic in the 21st century whereas in 14th century, one wrote in iambic pentameter because of popularity. Not to mention Chaucer’s first message in the General Prologue: â€Å"Whoso shal telle a tale after a ma n,[†¦]/he moot reherce as ny as evere he kan[†¦]/ Or make up things, or find new words† (731-2; 736). Therefore, this modern version of the text is my best translation to the section in the Wife of Bath Prologue. I specifically target my translation for college students because I amplify Chaucer’s satire, deviance, and dark-humor. That is, I emphasize on these themes to produce a raunchy-comical version that those who look in between the lines will be able to fully understand the wife’s character. First, I begin my translationShow MoreRelatedGeoffrey Chaucer s The Wife Of Baths1171 Words   |  5 Pages Short Creative Essay Draft The Prologue to the Wife of Baths Tale is a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer s that provides a satirical insight on the experience of Alice, the wife, and her response to autocratic judgement. The prologue takes a stance against the view of women and uses the life style of Alice as a way of dismantling stereotypical ideology of women. The very beginning of the poem Alice is stated to have five husbands. This is especially unconventional because of the timeRead MoreWilliam Chaucer s The Wife Of Bath1347 Words   |  6 PagesGod. British literature begins to introduce a new archetype for women that writers follow in stories by describing them with motherly characteristics and taboo ideas in texts, such as the epic poem, Beowulf, Geoffrey Chaucer’s â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Prologue† and â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Tale† in The Canterbury Tales, and the play named The Beggar’s Opera, which brings forth the idea of what is morally acceptable characteristic s for women in literature and why writers portray women as antagonist or protagonistRead MoreGeoffrey Chaucer s The Wife Of Bath2255 Words   |  10 PagesGeoffrey Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath Prologue, we are told the story of the wife of bath Alyson and her many marriages. The role of the woman in this time period was to follow what her husband’s rules, and to obey the men in her life since a woman was considered incapable of running her own life and making decisions. When Alyson married her first husband, she was only twelve years old by the time she married her last husband she was forty. Although it was frowned upon for a woman to remarry AlysonRead MoreAnalysis Of Geoffrey Chaucer s The Wife Of Bath 1371 Words   |  6 PagesTa Lor Mr. Kaplan ELA 12 Period 1 27 February 2015 Pilgrim Evaluation Geoffrey Chaucer, the Father of English Literature, was the first to write in English for folks to read. One of his best known works of art would be The Canterbury Tales, which was written between 1380 and 1400 in England, but was never completed due to his death. It was composed in Middle English and portrays a great example of frame narrative. The Canterbury Tales begins with a group of pilgrims traveling from England to CanterburyRead MoreThe Wife Of Bath s Prologue By Geoffrey Chaucer1694 Words   |  7 Pagesthis was the socially accepted norm. Quite often, however, this was not the case as seen in the â€Å"Wife of Bath’s Prologue† written by Geoffrey Chaucer. The Wife of Bath was an unconventional woman who acted like the men of the age in multiple ways. The male pilgrims in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales were uncomfortable with her behavior because she was manlier than they were. The prologue begins with the wife, Alys, immediately stepping out of line and asserting herself as an expert on a subject matterRead MoreChaucer s Canterbury Tales And The Wife Of Bath s Tale1167 Words   |  5 Pagesof society in a moral basis. The reason it targets a part of society is because didactic literature has an audience of origin that the moral applies to. For example, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales: â€Å"The Wife of Bath s Prologue† and â€Å"The Wife of Bath s Tale† , which is written by Geoffrey Chaucer, takes place during the late 5th and early 6th century during King Arthur’s reign of Great Britain. During this era, society was structured in a totally different manner than the society another piece ofRead MoreThe Wife Of Bath s Prologue By Geoffrey Chaucer1324 Words   |  6 Pagesnoteworthy difference in reference to other works. The first literary work that will be examined is The Wife of Bath’s Prologue, written by Geoffrey Chaucer. Throughout this work it is clear that the focus is that of the plight of a woman. The Prologue begins with the story of a woman whose name we later find out is Alisoun, before that however, she is simply referred to as the Wife. When Chaucer was planning out this particular character, he â€Å"drew upon a centuries old tradition of misogynist writingRead MoreWilliam Chaucer s Wife Of Bath s Tale1523 Words   |  7 Pagesshared code that dictates how one should act in any possible situation that may arise. While embarking on their epic journeys, knights are often put through trials that test the strength they have to uphold the Knightly Code. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s Wife of Bath’s Tale, the nameless knight disregards his duty to the Knightly Code in several instances throughout the tale. The knight in question is brought into Arthur’s court labeled wi th charges of rape. Posed a question by the queen the knight wasRead MoreChaucer s The Wife Of Bath s Prologue And Tale1358 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tactics Chaucer Uses in â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale: To Point Out the Faults in His Society After reading Chaucer’s work: â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Tale†, and having been exposed to different interpretations of it, it is now to my knowledge that there have been many critical works that suggests opinions and thoughts about how to interpret both the tale and prologue. There have also been questions asked─one being, â€Å"so, did we actually figure out what women really want†, and the answer toRead MoreThe Wife Of Bath s Tale By Geoffrey Chaucer And Le Morte D Arthur1133 Words   |  5 Pageshusband and take care of the home. They were treated very unfairly compared to men. The stories, â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Tale† by Geoffrey Chaucer and â€Å"Le Morte d’ Arthur† by Sir Thomas Malory reveal the values of society by adding satire and characterization. Chaucer incorporates satire in â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Tale† to highlight the values of gender roles in society. Throughout the story, Chaucer demonstrates courtly love, sovereignty, and loyalty. In â€Å"Medieval Women†, women did not live â€Å"comfortable

Essay about On Emotion and Value in David Hume and Max...

On Emotion and Value in David Hume and Max Scheler ABSTRACT: While some philosophers tend to exclude any significance of emotion for the moral life, others place them in the center of both the moral life and the theory of value judgment. This paper presents a confrontation of two classic positions of the second type, namely the position of Hume and Scheler. The ultimate goal of this confrontation is metatheoretical — particularly as it concerns the analysis of the relations between the idea of emotion and the idea of value in this kind of theory of value judgment. In conclusion, I point to some important theoretical assumptions which underlie the positions of both thinkers despite all the other differences between them. In at least†¦show more content†¦Hume on Passion and Value The relation between passion and value in Humes philosophy has been repeatedly discussed. (3) In contrast to some contemporary writers, Hume devoted a lot of effort and space to the theory of passion before presenting his, based on emotion moral theory, in Book III of the Treatise. (4) However, as I believe, Humes philosophy on the whole, contains not one, but two theories of passion. One of them is a theory of the genesis of passions from pains and pleasures. The second theory, on the other hand, refers to the group of passions which are after N. Kemp Smith called primary passions; and I will call it the descriptive theory of passion. The Treatise is dominated almost exclusively by the theory of genesis but the role of the descriptive theory in Enquiries is more important, and particularly in those places where Hume argues against hedonism and egoism in his theory of motivation. On the theory of genesis, passions are produced from pains and pleasures either directly or indirectly which, as it is well known, leads to Humes distinction between direct and indirect passions. According to the descriptive theory, however, the situation is quite different. In their existence, the primary passions do not depend on pleasures and pains, on the contrary, pains and pleasures are produced by them. There is an interesting tension between these two theories in Humes philosophy but this problem cannot be discussed here.

The Genocide And The Holocaust Of Night By Elie Wiesel

Man loves to kill. In response to the question asked, man will continue to commit such atrocities as a genocide. Man will never learn from past mistakes or all of a sudden stop mass killings or genocides. Humans have always killed and they will continue to do it. Humans will not all of a sudden be pacifists and stop killing. This has happened with the Rwandan genocide and with the Holocaust in Night by Elie Wiesel. Man will not stop committing such atrocities and have a brighter future and these are only a few reasons why. First of all, man has been killing since the beginning of time. Even in the Bible, Cain killed Abel and that was in the very beginning of time thousands and thousands of years ago. It seems it is human nature to kill and†¦show more content†¦800,000 people were murdered within 100 days, making it the fastest killing spree the world has ever seen. In 1990, Civil War broke out in Rwanda which heightened the animosity between the Tutsi and the Hutu tribes. The war began when Rwandan exiles composed a group called the Rwandan Patriotic Front. The group then launched an attack against Rwanda from their home base located in Uganda. The Rwandan Patriotic Front, better known as the RPF, blamed the government for not addressing the Tutsi refugee problem. All Tutsis in the country were characterized as accomplices of the of the RPF and all Hutu members of the parties were deemed as traitors. On April 6, 1994, the Rwandan president was returning from Tanzania when his plane was shot down and he was killed. The death of the president was the spark needed for a campaign of violence against the Tutsi and moderate Hutu civilians across the country. In hours, Hutu rebels surrounded the capital and took over the streets. As the weeks advanced, Tutsis and anyone suspected of having connections to a Tutsi member was killed. The loss of government control allowed Hutus to take control of the country. Lists of Tutsi targets were prepared and radio stations called Rwandans to murder their neighbors. These lists of Tutsi targets contained names, addresses, and even license plates. Through the radio, Rwandan peopleShow MoreRelatedNight by Ellie Wiesel: The Experience of a Young Boy Trapped in the Holocaust843 Words   |  4 PagesThe book â€Å"Night† by Elie Wiesel is non-fiction, which is based on Elie’s experience throughout the Holocaust as a young boy. Evidently the protagonist of this book is Elie, and he explains in detail everything that happens as he was a young â€Å"normal† child, to when he escapes from the concentration camp years later. His life before the Holocaust was very different from his life during the Holocaust. This experience led him to grow quickly and have a different perspective of life and society. EverythingRead MoreEssay about Elie Wiesels Night881 Words   |  4 Pagesof the holocaust forever altered history. One of the most detailed accounts of the horrific events from the Nazi regime comes from Elie Wiesel’s Night. He describes his traumatic experiences in German concentration camps, mainly Buchenwald, and engages his readers from a victim’s point of view. He bravely shares the grotesque visions that are permanently ingrained in his mind. His autobiography gives readers vivid, unforgettable, and shocking images of the past. It is beneficial that Wiesel publishedRead MoreThe Horrors of Genocide: Night, by Elie Wiesel1699 Words   |  7 Pagesis equal. They often believe that they were superior to others because of their physical attributes and beliefs that they had. The Holocaust is a major example of the ignorance of some in history. This ignorance often resulted in the murders and mistreatment of many. Elie Wiesel was one of the six million plus people who were wrongfully mistreated during the Holocaust. Many belie ve that this sort of event could not occur in the current time period because people have become more civilized and tolerableRead MoreGenocides Past and Present Essay1298 Words   |  6 PagesGenocides Past and Present Genocide, a dire event, has been recurring time and time again throughout history. In the past, there was the Holocaust, where Hitler exterminated over six million Jews based on his anti-semitic views. Elie Wiesel, a Jewish author, has become a very influential man in educating the world of the true events of the Holocaust due to his involvement in the disaster. Presently, a genocide is occurring in the Darfur region of southern Sudan, in which according to Cheryl GoldmarkRead MoreThe World s Leading Spokesman On The Holocaust908 Words   |  4 Pages Wiesel once said, â€Å"†¦I swore never to be silent whenever wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim† (Wiesel par. 9). The inspiring man known as Elie Wiesel was born on September 30, 1928 in Sighet, Romania. He was declared chairman of â€Å"The President’s Commission on the Holocaust†. Wiesel earned the reputation of †Å"world’s leading spokesman on the Holocaust† because of his extensive discussions about the Holocaust andRead MoreRoad Rage1653 Words   |  7 Pagesduring the Holocaust: Life in the ghettos, Dr. Mengele’s medical care, and food in the camps Genocide during WWII was unbelievably cruel and awful. The Holocaust was sure to be remembered from this time period and have permanently engraved horrible memories into those who survived. During the Holocaust many victims suffered while living in the ghettos, soon to reach the camps they also suffered there as well. The encounters with Dr. Mengele were unbearable too. Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night is very importantRead More Holocaust Essay3093 Words   |  13 Pagesbetween day and night is defined by an absolute line of division. For the Jewish culture in the twentieth century, the dissimilarity between life and death is bisected by a definitive line - the Holocaust. Accounts of life during the genocide of the Jewish culture emerged from within the considerable array of Holocaust survivors, among of which are Elie Wiesel’s Night and Simon Wiesenthal’s The Sunflower. Both accounts of the Holocaust diverge in the main concepts in each work; Wiesel and WiesenthalRea d MoreThe Destruction Of The Holocaust1203 Words   |  5 Pagespreventing it. Elie Wiesel’s fulfilled his purpose of showing the heinous crimes of the Holocaust through the change of characterization of Elie before, during and after the events of Wiesel s 1940 memoir-Night. The Holocaust is remembered as a stain on history, where a massive genocide occurred. but we must also recognize the souls and personalities that were killed and burned. Wiesel trembling hands picked up these ashes, personifying their ebony remains into a young child-Elie. For every soulRead MoreElie Wiesel s The Holocaust1315 Words   |  6 PagesThe Holocaust appeared to be a time of darkness and it seemed like on Earth and in heaven, each doorway of humanity, empathy, and kindness had been closed down. Those who did not encounter the Holocaust cannot begin to comprehend what it was like, however, those who did cannot begin to express it. Torture, genocide, and cruel acts started to fill brains and souls. The Holocaust was an event where millions of people were being murdered during World War II. The memoir, Night by Elie Wiesel is basedRead MoreImagery Essay from the Book Night1329 Words   |  6 PagesThe Power of Imagery in Night Imagery is a portrait that is painted in your mind, a portrait that makes you feel you are there. The Holocaust is full of disturbing and horrible images of death. Pictures of inhumanity that just make you sick looking at them. In many images you see the pale, unemotional faces whose lives were changed for eternity, and yet with these images some believe that the Holocaust did not happen. In the Holocaust there was mass genocide of over six million Jews. Also

Is terrorism a serious threat to international and national security Free Essays

Introduction The notion of ‘terrorism’ began to attain a great deal of relevance to the international community during the 1970s. To be sure, political organisations, such as the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Irish Republican Army, began to use violent methods for the purposes of voice out their grievances and force certain political outcomes (Gupta, 2008: 33). In the context of globalisation, it could be argued that terrorism has become a force of high magnitude, since it threatens to disrupt the viability of nation-states as well as the whole foundations of the international political system. We will write a custom essay sample on Is terrorism a serious threat to international and national security or any similar topic only for you Order Now It must be underlined that the modern manifestations of the phenomenon of terrorism exceed the scope of the propagation of violent acts by extremist groups of Islamic extract. Instead, terrorism must be examined in broader terms, to encompass the aspects of nuclear proliferation, natural disasters and the spread of epidemics (Bobbitt, 2008: 190). In order to assess to what extent terrorism constitutes a serious threat to international and national security, this essay begins by appraising the argument put forward by James and Brenda Lutz, who argue that this phenomenon constitutes a ‘continuing threat to state security’ (Lutz., Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 61). This essay then tackles the formulation presented by Ian Lustick, who maintains that the magnitude of the threat posed by terrorism appears to be much smaller than realised (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 66). The evaluation of both arguments will be made by referring to the ways in which the War on Terror has altered the manner in which states and the international community as a whole is dealing with the phenomenon of terrorism. Terrorism as a continuing threat to national and international security James and Brenda Lutz put forward the view that terrorism actualises the threat it poses to the viability of nation-states by referring to the way in which extremist movements, such as Fascism and Nazism, managed to topple the existing order of things in democratic countries, such as Italy and Germany. In addition, the tactics of terrorism was successfully implemented by the liberation movements that ridded Algeria, Jewish Palestine and Cyprus of French and British colonial rule (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 61-2). Nevertheless, the increased access to digital technologies that facilitate instantaneous communications and the wider availability of weapons of mass destruction magnify the scope of the threat posed by terrorism (Silverstone, 2007: 17). The authors also outline that the modern notion of terrorism differs from past manifestations as it can contribute to the profound alteration of the political foundations of the states that are compelled to deal with the phenomenon (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 64). It must be underlined that enhanced magnitude of the terrorist threat impels states to commit a large amount of resources to the fight against terror and; in some cases, enter into a diplomatic framework of negotiation which might result in bestowing a modicum of legitimacy to terrorist organisations (Elshtain, 2004: 96). States are forced to respond to the threat of terrorism by recalibrating their judicial systems in a way that reflects the changed nature of the crimes committed by terrorist organisations (Napoleoni, 2004: 70). These states of affairs can in turn lead to an enhanced perception of the threat posed by extremism and inject a measure of authoritarian legalism into the democratic system of states (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 65). The threat posed by Al-Qaeda in the context of the War on Terror exemplifies the augmented threat of terrorism. To be gin with, terrorist organisations affiliated to Al-Qaeda do not abide by the international legislation regarding the conduct of war. These organisations target civilians as part of their grand political strategy, geared towards creating an environment of terror in democratic societies (Fotion, 2007: 77). In addition, the War on Terror has resulted in the militarisation of the political discourse, by which the notion of the enemy is reformulated by including domestic ideologies that are hesitant to confront the phenomenon of terrorism. This situation has been outlined by the authors, who argue that the threat of terrorism compels states to react to extremist violence, as not doing so would eventually enhance the ability of terrorist organisations to inflict damage on the populations affected (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 65). These arguments seem to be quite persuasive in describing not only the threats posed by terrorist organisations, but also the d angers related to the fight against the phenomenon of extremism. In order to assess the validity of these claims, they will be parried against the opposite view regarding the nature and extent of the terrorist threat. Is terrorism a continuing threat to national and international security Ian Lustick poses the view that even if there is an acknowledged threat of terrorism, the magnitude of the threat presented by this phenomenon is much smaller than realised (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 66). The author maintains that the enhanced ‘perception of the threat’ has enabled the United States to articulate clear cut moral demarcations in the context of the War in Terror, in which the ‘enemy’ (Islamic extremism) is portrayed as a-moral and deemed to be extirpated. Furthermore, this stance entails that Washington claims the right use of pre-emptive tactics against terrorism, even if the threat is perceived as infinitesimally small (Crawford in Rosenthal and Barry (eds.), 2009: 41). Accordingly, preventive force has been deployed by the United States in Afghanistan (2001), of Iraq (2003), as Washington claimed that those states harboured terrorist organisations in their midst (Frum and Perle, 2004: 118). Citing the smal l occurrence of terrorist activity, the author emphasises the fact that the United States is committing a substantial amount of resources to defend itself from a threat which is relatively small in nature and magnitude (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 67). Lustick also highlights the fact that the response to the terrorist phenomenon, marked by a visceral attitude on the part of the authorities, might serve narrow political agendas (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 69). In this context, it is important to underline that the War on Terror entails the possibility that the United States might utilise the fight against terrorism for the sake of ensuring that the process of globalisation remains firmly tied to the American ideations of liberal democracy, the rule of law and free market economics being spread to the wider world (Chan, 2012: 72). Lustick also underlines how the media is responsible for portraying the threat of terro rism in an imbalanced way. To be sure, the mainstream media devotes more time to the coverage of news related to putative threats than to issues which affect citizens in a more visible manner. In addition, the author notes how ‘threat inflation’ is used as a political tool by the two parties of government in the United States, which have become accustomed to pinning the blame for the so-called pervasiveness of these threats to either the Republican or Democratic Party, as the case might be (Patterson, 2007: 38). The author argues that the augmented perception of the threat, which serves narrow political and economic interests, constitutes an additional threat to be imputed to the phenomenon of terrorism (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 70-71). It is possible to argue that these views on the threat of terrorism relativise the claims put forward by James and Brenda Lutz. The existence of a terrorist threat has the potential to be magnified out of proportion and establish itself as an added political element to be borne in mind in the context of the war of West against Islamic extremism (Hewitt, 2008: 88). It is now incumbent upon us to draw some conclusions pertaining to the views espoused by the author and see which ones has a higher degree of validity. Conclusion In conclusion, it is possible to argue that whilst the threat of terrorism is an important phenomenon to be reckoned with in the grand political chessboard of the twenty-first century, its magnitude might not be as extensive as purported (Halper and Clarke, 2005: 73). The radical forces of terrorism that managed to induce change in the past did so for the sake of fighting for causes which were seen by many in the international spectrum as politically legitimate, as in the case of the PLO and the IRA. Whilst people condemned the methods used by these organisations, they questioned their political motivations less stringently. At the same time, since globalisation has created a convergence of ideas, there is a reduced scope for the type terrorist attacks seen in 9/11 (Held and McGrew, 2002: 119). Lustick rightly postulates that the spectrum of the threat posed by the phenomenon of terrorism has been artificially enhanced in order to serve narrow political and economic interests. Conseq uently, it may be posited that terrorism does not threaten the foundations of international and national security in the way depicted by James and Brenda Lutz. Bibliography Bobbitt, P. (2008) Terror and Consent-The Wars for the Twenty-First Century, Alfred Knopf, New York, NY Chan, D. (2012) Beyond Just War: A Virtue Ethics Approach, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke and New York, NY Crawford, N. (2009) The Slippery Slope to Preventive War in Rosenthal, J. and Barry, C. (eds.) 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