Nike and “King Consumer”

Popular culture, indeed, has always held athletes in high esteem, dating back to the days of the ancient Greeks and the first Olympiad events, thousands of years ago.   However, in recent decades, talented athletes in sports which had in the past been relegated to the upper class, such as tennis, are now embraced by the masses of all socioeconomic levels.   A case in point is the Russian tennis phenomenon Maria Sharapova.   Admittedly, she is an excellent tennis player, but there are countless other talented tennis players who have not gotten even a fraction of the media attention as has Sharapova. Taking a closer look at this pop culture frenzy, the adoration that has been showered upon Sharapova and many other athletes comes down to how our culture has influenced advertising (USA Today); more specifically, one can clearly argue that Sharapova and others grabbed their biggest share of fame once they began to commercially promote products such as Nike brand clothing and shoes, showing the power of advertising to focus the love of the masses on someone based on an image seen in commercials, as well as the ways that culture has influenced product brands. The Rise of Consumerism As was alluded to in the introduction of this paper, the common denominator in the rise of athletes to god-like status in society, and the growth of companies like Nike into multi billion dollar marketing machines, can all be attributed to the masses, leading to academic studies of consumers in such frequency that terms like consumerism have been coined to identify the analysis of the behavior and power of the consumer to dictate how the business world ultimately operates, what it offers to the public, and how the future of consumer goods will unfold. Experts in the study of consumerism have attributed the rise of consumerism itself to the global spread of what can best be described as material desire; in other words, the economic freedom that many parts of the world have been exposed to for the first time over the last quarter century or so has bred a new generation of consumers, who have the desire to possess consumer goods and finally have the financial means to buy them (Sussman).   Especially desirable are the â€Å"brand name† goods which consumers view as a symbol of affluence; the Nike â€Å"swoosh† symbol, for instance, is something that people consider a sign of success when it appears on their shoes or clothing. This, in itself, speaks volumes about the extent of consumerism with the use of a simple, yet telling example.   Because of the availability of foreign made, inexpensive clothing and shoes, it would make sense that if one merely wanted to keep warm or protect their feet, they would buy the least expensive, yet functional merchandise they could obtain; however, more often than not, consumers will pay much more than they have to for clothing items because of the presence of a Nike symbol or any of a score of others which have universal appeal.   In fairness to Nike and others, they do make products of sufficient quality and functionality, but also in fairness, one can find goods of similar, or even superior quality at lower prices, â€Å"sans swoosh† if you will.   The difference, once again, is the power of consumerism to dictate what one should wear on their bodies to be considered worthy in society. Catering to King Consumer When looking at the role of the consumer, it can fairly be said that we are really looking at â€Å"king† or â€Å"queen†, as marketing efforts target, and effectively reach, both genders.   In the case of Nike, the understated in fact speaks volumes; for example, the previously mentioned Maria Sharapova is presented by Nike as â€Å"just a tennis player† (Nike-United States).   In this case, what is not said actually screams out to the consumer.   The implication on the part of Nike is clear- their products hold the potential to bring out greatness, or to satisfy the highest needs of the most talented athletes like Sharapova.   This speaks volumes not only about the power of advertising, but also a bit about our culture. Culture’s Influence on Advertising The all-powerful consumer also wields a great deal of influence in terms of how companies like Nike advertise their products.   Going back to an example similar to the one in the previous section, Nike, in investing multiple millions of dollars in advertising, could purchase quite literally a ton of advertising year-round, but will spend the same amount for one quick television advertisement during the Super Bowl. The reason why is that the consumer dictates that for Nike and others, Super Bowl advertising is a command performance, much like attendance at a family dinner party to maintain harmony with one’s siblings.   This is indicative of both the power of the consumer to direct marketing strategy, and the power of the media to create powerful companies quite literally overnight in some cases (Kellner).   In the words of our old friends at Nike, consumerism and culture are tied together as such: â€Å"In a commercial culture that blends celebrity, product, and image, it is only natural that the sports shoe transnational Nike – as well as many other corporations – would purchase   star power to promote its products. Accordingly, I argue that the Nike connection calls attention to the extent to which media culture is transforming sports into a spectacle that sells the values, products, celebrities, and institutions of the media and consumer society† (Kellner, p. 64) . Culture is also a powerful ingredient in the consumerism mix; when one takes a look at the styles of clothing and shoes that Nike offers, as well as their advertising, it is clear that urban culture is a strong influence, leading to farm kids in Iowa, for example, wearing Nike gear, even though the closest they may have ever come to city life is seeing graffiti on a tractor trailer rolling through their town, on the way to somewhere else.   The point to be made is that popular culture is a driving force in marketing today. Conclusion In an image-obsessed society such as ours, material goods can, and do, create legendary, larger than life individuals, who in turn sell billions of dollars in products, and the cycle continues.   As a conclusion, perhaps the old saying is the best: â€Å"consumer is king†! Works Cited Kellner, Douglas. Media Spectacle. New York: Routledge, 2003. (Nike-United States  Ã‚   2007)Nike-United States. 2007. Nike, Inc.. 5 Mar. 2007 . Sussman, Charlotte. â€Å"Consumerism in World History: The Global Transformation of Desire.† The Historian 66.1 (2004): 211+. â€Å"Tennis Royalty Crowned by Prince.† USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education) Nov. 2005: 78+.    Nike and â€Å"King Consumer† Popular culture, indeed, has always held athletes in high esteem, dating back to the days of the ancient Greeks and the first Olympiad events, thousands of years ago.   However, in recent decades, talented athletes in sports which had in the past been relegated to the upper class, such as tennis, are now embraced by the masses of all socioeconomic levels.   A case in point is the Russian tennis phenomenon Maria Sharapova.   Admittedly, she is an excellent tennis player, but there are countless other talented tennis players who have not gotten even a fraction of the media attention as has Sharapova. Taking a closer look at this pop culture frenzy, the adoration that has been showered upon Sharapova and many other athletes comes down to how our culture has influenced advertising (USA Today); more specifically, one can clearly argue that Sharapova and others grabbed their biggest share of fame once they began to commercially promote products such as Nike brand clothing and shoes, showing the power of advertising to focus the love of the masses on someone based on an image seen in commercials, as well as the ways that culture has influenced product brands. The Rise of Consumerism As was alluded to in the introduction of this paper, the common denominator in the rise of athletes to god-like status in society, and the growth of companies like Nike into multi billion dollar marketing machines, can all be attributed to the masses, leading to academic studies of consumers in such frequency that terms like consumerism have been coined to identify the analysis of the behavior and power of the consumer to dictate how the business world ultimately operates, what it offers to the public, and how the future of consumer goods will unfold. Experts in the study of consumerism have attributed the rise of consumerism itself to the global spread of what can best be described as material desire; in other words, the economic freedom that many parts of the world have been exposed to for the first time over the last quarter century or so has bred a new generation of consumers, who have the desire to possess consumer goods and finally have the financial means to buy them (Sussman).   Especially desirable are the â€Å"brand name† goods which consumers view as a symbol of affluence; the Nike â€Å"swoosh† symbol, for instance, is something that people consider a sign of success when it appears on their shoes or clothing. This, in itself, speaks volumes about the extent of consumerism with the use of a simple, yet telling example.   Because of the availability of foreign made, inexpensive clothing and shoes, it would make sense that if one merely wanted to keep warm or protect their feet, they would buy the least expensive, yet functional merchandise they could obtain; however, more often than not, consumers will pay much more than they have to for clothing items because of the presence of a Nike symbol or any of a score of others which have universal appeal. In fairness to Nike and others, they do make products of sufficient quality and functionality, but also in fairness, one can find goods of similar, or even superior quality at lower prices, â€Å"sans swoosh† if you will.   The difference, once again, is the power of consumerism to dictate what one should wear on their bodies to be considered worthy in society. Catering to King Consumer When looking at the role of the consumer, it can fairly be said that we are really looking at â€Å"king† or â€Å"queen†, as marketing efforts target, and effectively reach, both genders.   In the case of Nike, the understated in fact speaks volumes; for example, the previously mentioned Maria Sharapova is presented by Nike as â€Å"just a tennis player† (Nike-United States).   In this case, what is not said actually screams out to the consumer.   The implication on the part of Nike is clear- their products hold the potential to bring out greatness, or to satisfy the highest needs of the most talented athletes like Sharapova.   This speaks volumes not only about the power of advertising, but also a bit about our culture. Culture’s Influence on Advertising The all-powerful consumer also wields a great deal of influence in terms of how companies like Nike advertise their products.   Going back to an example similar to the one in the previous section, Nike, in investing multiple millions of dollars in advertising, could purchase quite literally a ton of advertising year-round, but will spend the same amount for one quick television advertisement during the Super Bowl. The reason why is that the consumer dictates that for Nike and others, Super Bowl advertising is a command performance, much like attendance at a family dinner party to maintain harmony with one’s siblings.   This is indicative of both the power of the consumer to direct marketing strategy, and the power of the media to create powerful companies quite literally overnight in some cases (Kellner).   In the words of our old friends at Nike, consumerism and culture are tied together as such: â€Å"In a commercial culture that blends celebrity, product, and image, it is only natural that the sports shoe transnational Nike – as well as many other corporations – would purchase   star power to promote its products. Accordingly, I argue that the Nike connection calls attention to the extent to which media culture is transforming sports into a spectacle that sells the values, products, celebrities, and institutions of the media and consumer society† (Kellner, p. 64) . Culture is also a powerful ingredient in the consumerism mix; when one takes a look at the styles of clothing and shoes that Nike offers, as well as their advertising, it is clear that urban culture is a strong influence, leading to farm kids in Iowa, for example, wearing Nike gear, even though the closest they may have ever come to city life is seeing graffiti on a tractor trailer rolling through their town, on the way to somewhere else.   The point to be made is that popular culture is a driving force in marketing today. Conclusion In an image-obsessed society such as ours, material goods can, and do, create legendary, larger than life individuals, who in turn sell billions of dollars in products, and the cycle continues.   As a conclusion, perhaps the old saying is the best: â€Å"consumer is king†! Works Cited Kellner, Douglas. Media Spectacle. New York: Routledge, 2003. (Nike-United States  Ã‚   2007)Nike-United States. 2007. Nike, Inc.. 5 Mar. 2007 . Sussman, Charlotte. â€Å"Consumerism in World History: The Global Transformation of Desire.† The Historian 66.1 (2004): 211+. â€Å"Tennis Royalty Crowned by Prince.† USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education) Nov. 2005: 78+.   

Spartan Society – Year 12 Ancient History Assignment

Part 1 (a)He was believed to be the creator of the Spartan society and how it functioned. Most of the Spartans thought him as a God-like figure and worshipped him. There is no certain source or a piece of evidence about Lycurgus and archeological records contradicted his existence often. Even Spartans had no idea of what Lycurgus looked like but there were his portraits and statues as what people imagined how a wise lawgiver would look like. (b)The  Hyakinthia festival This was a festival named after Hyakinthos, a youth who was lover of the god Apollo and died when Apollo accidentally hit him with a discus.The flower of the red hyacinth was believed to have sprung from his blood. In his grief, Apollo ordained an annual festival. This festival was held at the ancient shrine of  Amyclae  (about five kilometres from Sparta). This site was the location of a huge statue of Apollo, the tomb of Hyakinthos and an open area for festival dances. The festival took place over three days in the (summer) month of July. Athenaeus, writing in the 2nd  century A. D. , has given an account of this festival, which basically revolves around mourning for Hyakinthos, and praise of Apollo: The festival had two stages: 1.The first stage involved rites of sorrow and mourning in honour of Hyakinthos. There was a ban on the wearing of wreaths and on joyful songs. Offerings were placed at the dead youth’s tomb. The eating of bread and cakes was forbidden; there was a special funeral meal, then a day of ritual grief. 2. The second stage involved rejoicing in honour of Apollo, the wearing of wreaths, the singing of joyful songs, sacrifice to Apollo, a festive meal, a procession to Amyclae, choral song and dance. The historian Hooker has interpreted the festival as a festival for the dead on one hand, combined with a thanksgiving for life on the other.The  Gymnopaediae festival This was ‘The Festival of the Unarmed Boys'. The festival was held in the Spartan  agora  (market place). It commemorated the battle of Thyrea fought against Argos c. 550 B. C. The festival featured: choral performances; the setting up of images of Apollo and Artemis â€Å"boxing† amongst boys and men. Although much has been written about the violent aspect of the festival, it has been interpreted as a ‘rite of passage'; on the way to manhood, an initiation that indicated membership or belonging to the community.The Gymnipaediae were celebrated in July, the hottest part of the year. The festival consisted of a series of athletic competitions and musical events among boys and men. Dancing and running in tough conditions proved the strength of the Spartan citizens to the onlookers. In its early context it was part of the whole warrior code to initiate the young soldier to a life of physical excellence. It was not confined to Sparta. This festival was a thank-offering to Apollo for military success. c)Religion in Sparta, like in many civilizations, had a comm itment to support the ideals of a militaristic society. The Spartan ideal of an elite military state influenced the approach to religion and the ways in which religion would be molded to suite state doctrine, therefore highlighting the importance of religion in upholding the values of Spartan society such as endurance, loyalty, obedience, conformity, and skill. Religion was also use to create social coherence, important in promoting conformity and in controlling the society under the ideals of the military state.At an individual level religion provided a way of ensuring fertility both human and natural as well as averting disaster and ensuring victory in war. Religion was important for the State and this could also be seen in the wartime practices of the Spartan Army. According to Powell, Spartans believed in military divination, following an army to war was a herd of sacrificial animals ready to appease the Gods. Consultative sacrifices were held before embarking on a military camp aign, before a battle and when stepping into the threshold of the enemy.As written by Herodotus, Cleomenes in 494 on an invasion campaign to Argo was sent troops home because he had seen bad omens at the river Erasinus. Spartans also consulted Oracles at Delphi for predictions, famously at the battle of Thermopylae Leonidas was told to give up or fight to the death against Persian troops. The Spartan reliance on divination is reflective of how religion was used for military organisation and was important in supporting the state with battle strategy and on issues of joining battles. The reliance on religion creates a sense of reassurance for warriors if they had een given a good battle prediction and also a justification for retreat with a bad omen, as seen through Cleomenes. The mythology was interwoven with every aspect of Greek life. Each city devoted itself to a particular god or group of gods, for whom the citizens often built temples of worship. They regularly honoured the gods in festivals, which high officials supervised. At festivals and other official gatherings, poets recited or sang great legends and stories. Many Greeks learned about the gods through the words of poets.Spartan mythology was different than any other city-state in the Ancient Greece. Their gods were the same as others but Spartan gods were geared with armors and weapons. This is an example of how militarised Sparta was. Even their lawgiver Lycurgus is believed to be a myth by historians. Many Spartans worshipped as a god and in order to create a perfect city-state, he could be constantly recreated to explain why things were as they were. Although the Greeks had no official church organization, they universally honoured certain holy places.Delphi, for example, was a holy site dedicated to Apollo. A temple built at Delphi contained an  oracle,  or prophet, whom brave travellers questioned about the future. A group of priests represented each of the holy sites. These priests, who al so might be community officials, interpreted the words of the gods but did not possess any special knowledge or power. In addition to prayers, the Greeks often offered sacrifices to the gods, usually of a domestic animal such as a goat. (d) The religious connection to the military can be first seen in the Greek Gods the Spartiates emphasised and worshipped.The principal Spartan Gods were Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Discouri and Zeus. Apollo, Artemis and Athena more explicitly demonstrate the militaristic nature of Sparta with the three Gods associated with victory, wisdom, and skill in battle. Even Gods that were not usually known for battle were given militaristic traits, like the statue of the Armed Aphrodite in Thornax. The worship of Apollo and Artemis and their high status reflects the military value of Spartan society in training the youth for future defence.Such devotion to Apollo and Artemis can be seen in the Sanctuary of Apollo at Amyclae where coins in the likeness of Apollo were found and at the Temple of Artemis Orthia where thousands of votive offerings were found. Rites of passage within Spartan society were also carried out at the Artemis Orthia and can be likened to a vigorous military test of endurance with religious overtones. Young boys endured harsh whippings whilst trying grabbing stringed cheeses off the shrine. Those who could withstand the punishment were given honour and moved onto another stage in their military training.Religion in this case was used to sort out those with better warrior potential. Another function of religion in Spartan society was to train the hoplites. Hoplites were taught religiously devotional dances and songs, but the worship taught in the barracks also had military purpose. The song and dance helped with coordinating war movement, as the musical devotions not only praised the Gods but taught ideas of rhythm that was used in coordinating Phalanx in battle and the ability to move in a manner that was in harmony wi th the other warriors.Other examples of religion being a form of endurance training and test can be seen in the Spartan festivals. In the Carneia, the participants had to live in barracks as though on campaign and were made to run and chase a figure to train, test and celebrate athletic ability. The festival was associated with military success and the state used this festival as a way of glorifying past victories, therefore promoting the successes of the military state.According to Hooker ‘The Principle aim of the Gymnipaediae [another festival] was the habituation of the Spartan manhood to arduous activity’. The festival consisted of athletic competitions, musical events and dancing as displays of strength and endurance. This gave the state the opportunity to train hoplites, and separate the strong from the weak The role of religion was to support the military organisation and was vital to a state, which valued an elite defence force and celebrated skill in battle.As shown above religion was used a form of preparation, training assurance and guide in military situations. It was believed in Sparta that â€Å"a king by virtue of his divine descent should perform all the public sacrifices on the city’s behalf† [Xenophon]. The Kings acted as a priest towards the Gods. Aristotle, â€Å"Dealings with the Gods are assigned to the kings† Ritual responsibility was associated with political power giving kings special authority in religious interpretation or jurisdiction.The kings through public sacrifices first received the divine messages of Gods and Kings could also consult the oracles as they wished. As divination was passed through the kings to the rest of society, the Kings had the power to make the people to bow to the ‘Gods’ will. Religious authority equates to political power an example of such power was when King Cleomenes refused to go into battle but got off trial by saying that the omens were bad so he could n ot fight. If a Spartan King had reasonable religious excuse he could be forgiven for losing battles and refusing battles.Such religious connection was important in gaining, loyalty and obedience in the political arena, the divine status of the Kings was sign of military elitism. Spartan society according to Xenophon depended on the king and was loyal to the King, even believing that if an untitled person occupied the royal seat military disaster and famine would ensue. Spartan society valued conformity, coherence and believed in strong social controls, which religion then reinforced.Sparta’s social organisation was formed to encourage a sense of community and kinship, which in turn intruded on private religious practice. The Spartiate was required to share sacrificial meat with his mess-companions. Religion was interpreted to support the system of shared messes. Other ideals or Social cohesion can be seen in the Spartan religious festivals. In this festival people would commu nally mourn the dead and have a thanksgiving to life, it was to religiously as a community reaffirm the need for a close society.The festival of Carneia also emphasised a communal time of celebration, which honoured heroism and past successes in battles. During this time the Spartans were not allowed to travel to wars or battles, the Carneia being the reason they were late to fight in the Marathon 490BC and the lesser numbers at Thermopylae. Spartans had special departments, which were in charge of dealing with the oracles from Delphi and keeping records of signs from God. The power to consult the Gods however was exclusively among the authoritative forces of the state just as power itself was.Even Ephors had divination powers and all political classes of Sparta had religious duties to perform. It is evident that religion in Sparta functioned as political organisation; religion was used to demonstrate prestige, power and authority which were vital to society that honoured divinity a nd, religion also assisted in creating a way for the governing forces to manipulate the wider society with claims of celestially ordained political decisions. The political connection to religion was a way of promoting the Spartan ideal of an elite warrior society.Part 2 (a) 1- Leonidas (Famous for the Battle of Thermopylae and the Persian Wars. ) 2- Menelaus (Famous for the Trojan Wars and the husband of the Helen of Sparta, later became known as the Helen of Troy. ) (b) According to Plutarch, the council originated when Lycurgus attempted to reduce royal power. More than likely, Gerousia originated as a result of a conflict between the kings and nobles during the first Messenian War. There were 28 members and the two kings in the Gerousia.Membership was restricted to Spartans over 60 years of age that were no longer liable for military service. Thus it was a body of elders who held their office for life. The Assembly elected members by acclamation and although any Spartiate was el igible in practice members probably belonged to highly respected noble families. Aristotle mentions â€Å" the best families†, Plutarch says that they have to be† the best and most deserving. † and the selection was by acclamation (shouting and clapping).The Gerousia was a Probletic body and this meant that they prepared and deliberated on bills to be presented to the Assembly for voting and if the vote was not approved by the Gerousia, it could simply ignore it by adjourning the bill would not be passed. The Gerousia, Kings and Ephors acted as a court of justice and they tried cases of murder and treason and imposed penalties ranging from death to banishment and fines even the prosecution of a king would come before the Gerousia and the 5 Ephors.All these factors ensued that men of conservative opinion had the best chance of getting into the council, staying there and replacing themselves with people of the same outlook. â€Å"It would take a brave and confident king to pursue a policy that did not command the support of the majority of the Gerousia, knowing that in the event of failure, he was likely to be prosecuted upon his return. † T. J Buckley stated in his book â€Å"Aspects of Greek History† to exemplify the power of the Gerousia. (c) The Ephorate was the fourth major institution in the Spartan constitution.Five Ephors were elected each year from the whole citizen body and by the fifth century, they were constitutionally the most powerful public officials. They were in charge of the day-today business; and were also main executive body of state, implementing the decisions of the Assembly, at which they presided. They were also in charge of private lawsuits, which they judged sitting separately. They were combined with the Gerousia in the trial of a king. They supervised the other public officials, having the power to suspend, imprison and even bring capital charges against them.One of their most important responsibilit ies was the supervision of the â€Å"agoge†, the long and tough system of state education that was essential for the high standards of the Spartan army. In the field of foreign affairs, they would receive foreign ambassadors to ascertain their business before presenting them to the Assembly. In time of war, it was their responsibility to organise the call-up of the army, deciding the precise size of the army that was needed for the coming campaign and may even have possessed the power to give orders to commanders (except for the king) in the battlefield.When king set out an expedition with the army, he was accompanied by two of the Ephors who acted as overseers. Aristotle saw the Ephors as the most powerful of the four key institutions of state but also the most corrupt. However, Ephors had disadvantages as well. For example, Ephors did not have a continuous power in the state as they were only elected for a year and could not be re-elected ever again. This caused differences of opinion over policy between successive boards of Ephors, but also between individual members of the same board.There was often disagreement, even personal animosity, between the kings and it is likely that each king would have his supporters among the Ephors. However, Ephors, for all their constitutional powers, only held office for one year and then returned to political obscurity, whereas the prestige of the king was long-standing. Some of their other functions were: * They had the right to declare war on Helots. * They could fine people in the spot for being lazy. * They were the only magistrates who could conduct a civil trial. * They had the absolute power over all the magistrates. They controlled Krypteia and state finances. (d) Spartan government contained elements of monarchy, oligarchy and democracy and this was described as a mixed constitution. Spartan government was consisted of 2 kings and this dual kingship maybe was to prevent one king becoming too powerful. The S partan Kings had ranges of powers and responsibilities. Some of them were; they were the supreme commanders of the army, were the chief priests and decided on the marriages of orphaned heiresses. Spartan kings were the supreme commanders in the battlefield.However, the policy stated that only one king was suppose to lead the army to prevent any differences of opinion about the strategies and tactics during the battle while the other remained at home. This dual kingship ensured that each could keep an eye on the other. The leading king was usually accompanied by 2 Ephors and they kept a close supervision of the king’s leadership and the Kings were blamed if the campaign had failed and severely punished. The king that leads the army had the absolute power in the battlefield and picked bodyguards were to accompany the king.Aside from the kings’ responsibilities for the military, they were also the chiefs of priests. It was believed that Spartan kings were the priests of Z eus and they were to offer solemn sacrifices to Zeus requiring a favourable omen to proceed. Those sacrifices were performed on the frontier and the fire from these sacrifices carried with them throughout the entire campaign. Kings were also expected of to be responsible for the oracles of Delphi. It was believed in Sparta that â€Å"a king by virtue of his divine descent should perform all the public sacrifices on the city’s behalf† [Xenophon].The Kings acted as a priest towards the Gods. Aristotle, â€Å"Dealings with the Gods are assigned to the kings† Ritual responsibility was associated with political power giving kings special authority in religious interpretation or jurisdiction. The kings through public sacrifices first received the divine messages of Gods and Kings could also consult the oracles as they wished. As divination was passed through the kings to the rest of society, the Kings had the power to make the people to bow to the ‘Gods’ will. Source B is an excavation of a portrait in Acropolis area of Sparta in 1925.It is believed that the statue was a portrait of Leonidas. By the look of the statue, it is a typical Spartan man with a helmet, however it does not necessarily indicate that it is Leonidas or even a king. Though in the Spartan religion, Gods were geared up with weapons and armors. This is evident of even if it was a statue of Leonidas, it illustrates what sort of people kings were to the Spartan people. Spartans assumed the kings were descended from Heracles and they are the best kinds of semi-humans, this might be the reason why the king was wearing a helmet, if it really was a statue of Leonidas.

Ceo Overpaid

The topic of my report is the myth about American chief executives being overpaid. To start with, the idea that American bosses are obscenely overpaid dominates in the modern society. For instance, Among the true believers in this consideration are the NY times and Forbes who complain of fat paychecks awarded to CEOs who don’t deserve them. What is the basis of this orthodoxy? Actually it rests on three propositions First and foremost – CEO pay just keeps on going up The second one – the fact that it is not tied to performance of the company and the last but not least – that boards are not restraining their appetite.Altogether these propositions in turn rest on a bigger argument: that CEOs are using their political power to tamper with the system. The article highlights Steven Kaplans opinion as recently he has published a research regarding the problem. Above all, it should be noted that he distinguishes estimated and realized pay. Estimated pay is t Esti mated pay is the estimated value of the CEO’s pay, including stock options, when the board does the hiring. Realised pay is what the CEO actually makes when he exercises his options.In fact Steven Kaplan disproves practically all the arguments given above. First, He questiones the idea that CEO pay always goes up by providing data which shows that, it shot up between 1993 and 2000. But since then it has fallen. Average estimated pay for the bosses of S&P 500 companies has declined by 46% since 2000. Furthermore, turning to relationship between pay and perfomance Mr Kaplan argues that CEOs are clearly paid for improving the performance of their company’s stock.Firms with CEOs in the highest 20% of realised pay generated stock returns 60% greater than those of other firms in their industries over the previous three years. Firms with CEOs in the bottom 20% underperform their industries by almost 20%. CEOs are also kicked out if they fail to perform well. Thus Mr Kaplan pr ovides a valuable corrective to much of the rhetoric that surrounds this subject. But two questions remain troubling. One is about short-termism. Many critics of CEO pay argue that the problem lies not with the size of the pay packets but with the incentives that they create.Many bosses receive options that are worthless unless the company’s shares reach a certain price, but fabulously lucrative if they exceed it. This may spur them to take big risks to boost share prices in the short term, and then cash out. But if their bets go sour, other shareholders suffer. According to the author of the article, it would be better to pay bosses in restricted shares, which they must hold for a specified period rather than choosing when to sell. The second question concerns the political economy of inequality.It is one thing for CEOs to earn $10m a year when the economy is booming, but quite another when unemployment is 8%. For example, the CEOs of such companies as CBS, Oracle and Viacom all earned more than $50m in 2010. Bosses should not underestimate the risk that their riches could provoke a backlash against business. Nevertheless, there is no quick fix. Some fat-cat floggers want governments to regulate pay to reduce inequality within firms. Other reformers say the way to deal with high pay is to give more power to boards or shareholders.The Dodd-Frank law of 2010 required all public firms to hold an annual â€Å"say on pay† vote for top executives. However last year, despite a lot of noise by activists, shareholders voted to uphold 98% of pay proposals. Finally, The evidence suggests that CEO pay is determined mostly by supply and demand, not bad corporate governance. The thing is that Companies compete for scarce talent. They pay what it takes to woo the best bosses, and sack them if they stumble

The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Its Effects on Africa Research Paper

The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Its Effects on Africa - Research Paper Example According to Muriithi, the blacks were not only massively enslaved, but also sold into bondage across the continents . In wanting to know more about slavery and its impacts one, can try to find out what Transatlantic Slave Trade entails (TST). Traditional answers associate transatlantic trade with enslavement and transportation of Africans to the New World through Atlantic Ocean. According to Green, The transatlantic slave trade was a human atrocity that involved transportation of millions of men and women from sub-Saharan Africa. Green further claims that TST began in 15th century when the European kingdoms portrayed some ability to expand overseas and reach Africa. According to him, the Portuguese was among the first Europeans to expand their demand for slaves into Africa. In tandem to this, Rodney asserts that the Portuguese began by kidnapping people from the West Coast of Africa and transporting them to Europe . According to him, by 16th century, almost 10% of Lisbon was filled up be Africans. In their book, Olaniyan and Sweet also expounds on what must have led to increase in the rate of slave capturing. According to them, the demand for slaves rose exponentially when the Europeans discovered the American continent; both the Europeans and the Americans were insufficient .

A Possible Israeli-Palestinian Solution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

A Possible Israeli-Palestinian Solution - Essay Example Many Palestinians continue to live in disastrous situations in Gaza and the West Bank, while the Israelis continue to expand their settlements into Palestinian occupied territories and defying previous resolutions that have been passed. The ongoing negotiations have flirted with a resolution for some time, yet nothing substantial has been reported about resolving the conflict. This analytical research paper will argue that the grand debates on finding a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict still make headlines after a long standstill due to cultural and religious differences between the two parties, nationalistic rhetoric coming from the politicians, and Israel still holding anger over the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recognizing Palestine as a non-member observer in 2012. The Two-State Solution (TSS) focuses on the creation of two separate states and will potentially give rise to a new Palestinian recognized state alongside a Jewish state. On the other hand, a one-sta te solution calls for the reunification of Palestine into a single state and creates a common nationality for both Jews and Palestinians and would ultimately end the current Jewish state (Allegra & Napolitano, 2011). The continued growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, confiscation of Palestinian land in Gaza, building of security barriers, development of Jewish housing estates in East Jerusalem, and proliferation of checkpoints in Gaza and the West Bank have led a number of Palestinians to conclude that a two-state solution may no longer be possible (Kelman, 2011). As a result, many Palestinians, particularly from the Diaspora (not from the West Bank), now advocate for a one-state solution while considering the difficulties of the Jews leaving expanding settlements in Gaza. There are growing fears among Jews, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank, that the possibility of a two-state solution that would force them to leave their settlements and return to Israel in order to pave way for a Palestinian state (Kelman, 2011). However, opposition to a one-state solution dislike the fact that this would place Jews together with Palestinians and likely involve abolishing the Jewish state and merging both entities to create single state for both the Jews and Palestinians to dwell in. This would mean abandonment of the Zionism project that aims to establish a Jewish majority state. It also implies that a one-state solution would have unanimous opposition from both the Palestinians and Jews. Therefore, the chances of a one-state solution are reduced and the likelihood of a two-state solution becomes more viable. In fact, the current Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, publicly declared the necessity of a two-state solution in his Bar-Ilan speech on June 14, 2009 (Kelman, 2011). Consequently, the only viable and possible solution to the Israel- Palestine conflict would be establishment of two parallel states, one each for the Jews and Palestinians, to mak e it possible for each side to achieve complete autonomy in the establishment of Palestinian and Jewish states.  

Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Civil War - Essay Example The civil war between the North and the South served as crossroads for the development of the nation in future. In order to understand the American nation as a whole, the civil war has to be studied as it has been claimed that â€Å"what America is today† is due to the civil war of the nineteenth century. The civil war has played a key role in defining the existence and character of the United States of today. Before the civil war, America was viewed as a nation segregated into different states. The civil war transformed America into a comprehensive nation comprising of several states and is named as the United States of America. The most important cause for the civil war in America from 1861 to 1865 was the issue if slavery (Rhodes, 2009). The civil war is seen as the internal war between the states of America. The Northern states were opponents of slavery and never supported the issue as it did not resemble the true spirits of America. The Northern sates formed the Union. Th e Southern states depended on slavery for sustaining the growth of economy. The civil war gained momentum when the slavery was proposed to be spread to the western states. Due to opposite views, the Southern states of America that were slave states declared secession from the Union. The southern states of America wanted themselves free from the shackles of the Union and wanted a separate existence. The Southern states declared a separate confederation of states in America as a symbol of the secession. The Union wanted to keep United States in tact and had the intentions of setting the states free from slavery. As a result of this, a bloody civil war occurred between the northern and the southern states that continued over a period of four years. There was no intervention of foreign power in the civil war of America. The civil war resulted in huge loss of infrastructure and loss of lives of the people of America. More than 600,000 soldiers were killed in the war and the properties an d infrastructure of the southern states were devastated. The confederation of the southern states ultimately collapsed and it was possible to finally get rid of slavery. The process of reconstruction of the nation led to the restoration of national unity. The slaves were freed and individual were granted fundamental rights of freedom. Thus the civil war was the platform for the formation of national unity and integrity of the states of America (Mitchell, 2001). The abolition of slavery and grant of fundamental rights and freedom to the individuals led to the formation of United States of America. Thus, an analysis of the civil war, its causes and consequences are important to understand the identity, existence and character of today’s United States of America. Cause of victory of North despite resistance of South The civil war that started between the Northern and the Southern states of America observed some fierce encounters. There were fierce resistances put up by the South ern state generals in order to save their confederation of states. The Union under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln sent the forces to capture the southern states as they differed from the policies of the Union. The resistance and fight put up by the southern generals like Robert Lee and Stonewall Jackson were brilliant in order to defend their cause and inflicted huge damage on the Northern states. Under the orders of Abraham Lincoln,

Analysis Cairn Energy PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysis Cairn Energy PLC - Essay Example The headquarters of the company is situated in Edinburg. The company was founded by Sir, Bill Gammel who also happens to be a former rugby player. The initial operations of the company were in USA. However, after the listing of the company on London stock exchange in 1988 the company expanded nationally and internationally into Spain, China, Vietnam, Australia, Bangladesh, Albania, Nepal, Tunisia and Papua New Guinea. The average oil produced by the company is 33,000 per day (approx). However the largest operations of the company are in India as the company has been able to make over 20 discoveries in the state of Rajasthan. This includes one major discovery in Mangala. The main products produced by the company include natural gas, Petroleum and petrochemicals. ... mmunication of performance and strategy Organizational Structure Group Structure Divisional Structure External Environment Analysis PESTEL Analysis Political The government have been very involved in the production and exploration of oil and gas. The geopolitical violence and developments in few countries have lead to a less than suitable and highly risky for foreign investments in production and exploration of oil and gas. Economic The global economy is looking to make a comeback from the economic downturn in Europe and USA. Add to that the western oil and gas market has become extremely competitive. Therefore companies are looking to invest in some of the emerging economies of the countries in the eastern region. Companies also enjoy favourable corporate conditions, tax breaks and relatively low labour rates the market has also witnessed an energy crisis. The crisis has mainly occurred changes in demand and supply side limited resources for production leading to increase in costs o r production. Also the oil prices are decided by the supply and demand factors. Due to the fluctuations in these two factors has lead to instability in the prices. This actually posses a major risk in the times of low oil prices (Henry, 2008, p.201). Social Change in climate has led to a change a change in the lifestyle of the people. This also led to a change in the mindset of the people towards Carbon emission mainly in the developed countries. Due to such developments the corporate social responsibility has become an integral part of the marketing strategy of the companies to develop long relationships with environmental activists and local communities. Technological Innovative drilling technology and exploratory techniques like the 3d seismic processing, improved plant design and 3d

THE NEW MUMBAI COLLEGE PROJECT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

THE NEW MUMBAI COLLEGE PROJECT - Assignment Example This rear connection can either be removable or permanent (Constructions methods and technical specifications of Clinton county Engineer: Online). The backhoe loader is small and versatile. The excavator is earth moving equipment that is used for digging works and demolition of structures. They normally come in different sizes but they all have the same design. They are normally made with a pivotal cab that is located on the undercarriage. An arm that extends from the middle is connected to a bucket and on each side; the excavator has tracks that are normally used for mobility. Thirdly, the bulldozer is an item that comes in the form of a tractor and has an undercarriage in the form of a track (Winch, 2008). It has a metal blade that is connected to the front part of the bulldozer and it is used to push loads that are very heavy including sand and refuse after structures have been demolished. The blades of the bulldozer can be changed from time to time. The dump trucks are earth moving equipments that normally allow the transportation and deposition of materials at construction sites. An important feature of the dump trucks is that they provide an efficient mode of transport. The dump trucks are capable of being driven for distances that are long without causing any conflicts with the flow of the normal traffic (Winch, 2008). Skid steer loaders are also earth moving equipment that are simple and are capable of turning on their own footprints. They have wheels and this increases their traction in surfaces such as mud, snow and this helps to reduce the amount of soil compaction while their trend system prevents any damage to the finished parts (Winch, 2008). Trenchers are heavy equipment that is used to dig trenches for laying down pipe networks. They are very appropriate for trenching asphalt and other hard surfaces (Reese et al, 2004). The trencher normally has a conveyor system that carries the excavated materials and deposits it next to the

Fundamental of finance Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Fundamental of finance - Article Example This portfolio is best suited for Top Choice as they are high risk takers. The investment will yield an average return of (31.6% of ' 2,000,000) ' 632,000 with a standard deviation of (7.14% of ' 2,000,000) ' 142,800. This indicates that the return will be in the range of (' 632,000 - ' 142,800) and (' 632,000 + ' 142,800), i.e., ' 489,200 and ' 774,800 respectively. A company can be financed by a number of different modes. The type of capital financing that has been chosen for the company is referred to as the capital structure of the company. A company can be financed using debentures, equity shares, long term loans, etc. These options however are based on the nature of risk the investors are willing to take. The following sections will discuss the various financing options that are available for investors to finance their companies and the factors that affect the choice have also been discussed. a) Equity Financing: This is the most common mode of financing used by companies. Here companies raise monies for the business by selling stocks of the company. These can either be preferred or common stock and can be sold both to individuals as well as investors. This is also referred to as the share capital of the company. These stocks provide the buyers with an ownership in the company. This is perceived to be 'easy money' as it does not involve any debt. Here the company does not require repaying the amount to the investors, as long as the business makes profits. Equity financing is best suited for people who are risk takers (J Ogilvie & B Koch 2002). b) Debt Financing: This type of financing is when a company borrows money from other sources like banks, etc, under an agreement to pay back within a fixed amount of time. Here the lenders do not get any ownership of the business and the relationship remains active until all the monies are paid back. This can be of two main types a) short term financing, where loans taken are for a period less than one year. These are mostly taken by people who are willing to take risks. b) Long term financing is when loans are taken for period higher

Research assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research assignment - Essay Example In an attempt to curb Iran’s nuclear program, France, Germany, and Britain persuaded Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions in exchange for peaceful civilian energy programs. Under the deal, Iran was to disclose its past nuclear activities, stop enrichment, and ratify additional protocol to the NPT. Tehran accepted the deal and signed the additional NPT protocol in December 2003. It also suspended uranium enrichment in November 2004 in exchange for aid and renewed trade talks. Because the deal appeared to work, America responded by dropping objections on Tehran’s efforts of joining the World Trade Organization. However, in 2005, the agreement broke down following the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Katzman 23). In 2005, Tehran breached the IAEA’s seals by resuming uranium conversion at its Esfahan facility. The move raised concerns about Tehran’s commitment to NPT and also security fears in the region. Because Tehran was no longer committed to the previous agreements, the issue became a great concern to the US. American indeed had some good reasons to worry about security threats from a nuclear-armed Iran. First, president Ahmadinejad pursued an aggressive foreign policy, which was a direct threat to the US interests and its allies in the Middle East. Second, Tehran has links with radical groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, which it can use to attack the US. Third, there is a considerable risk that Iran could share its nuclear technology with Islamic extremists such as al-Qaeda. Lastly, Iran’s missiles pose a significant threat to the US forces, ships, and allies in the Gulf (Katzman 31). Iran’s nuclear program is still prioritized in the US foreign policy because there is no permanent future deal in place. However, the lection of Hassan Rouhani raised hopes of a new nuclear deal that could limit Tehran’s capability to develop

The Stone Carvers Essay Example for Free

The Stone Carvers Essay The Stone Carvers is a book of obsessions. Each one of the characters has their own obsessions that at one point they believe to be a natural and helpful to their lives. However each of the characters in The Stone Carvers learns that these obsessions with perfection, love, adventure, or anything end without them being able to be satisfied and on many occasions without achieving what they were obsessing over. The author Jane Urquhart made a compelling story on the nature obsession and the effects of obsession over any matter. The characters of the novel were fixated on a large range of ideas; they were obsessed with ideas from love to architecture and because of the diversity that Jane has shown that obsession of any form will always end without resolve. The conclusion about obsession can be grasped through the various trials that each character of the story is placed under. In The Stone Carvers Urquhart is able to show that obsession can never lead to a successful happiness, through a few powerful ideas; when someone is fixated on an idea the task may not be able to be completed, a person’s obsession can be counterproductive to their cause, and fixating on one thing can cause the person to lose track of the rest of their life. When someone is fixated on one task or idea their obsession may not ever be complete in their eyes. In Klara’s love affair with Eamon, Klara is obsessed with staying with and caring for Eamon. When Klara was not with Eamon she was thinking of him; â€Å"All the rest of the day she was thinking of the moments when Eamon’s arm was on her shoulder or his hands were in her hair.† (pg. 121) This obsession of love seems like a natural and healthy idea to have however Klara’s work begins to be influenced by their love and she begins to be jealous of anyone with a relationship with Eamon. Klara becomes particularly upset at one point she exclaimed â€Å"I saw you laughing, Eamon, with your friends outside the brewery. I think you’d forgotten me altogether, that’s what I think.† (pg. 117) Klara’s obsession with Eamon was never able to be complete because she would never be able to complete her storybook obsession of loving him and him loving her. Her obsession eventually led to an extended period of grieving her lost lover. Sometimes an obsession with something can actually blind the obsessed person into actually being counterproductive to their goals. In a minor case in The Stone Carvers Refuto, who broke down because he held himself responsible for his brother’s death, ran from his family to not bear with the pain of reuniting with them. Refuto’s reasoning for not going back to his family was that: â€Å"I could not put the burden of a killer on their shoulders.† (pg. 211) Refuto was obsessed with keeping his name clean and his family safe. When he ran away from home however his family was left to fend for themselves and live without his support. When he and Tilman had become friends was the only time that he realized he had been hurting his friends with his own obsession. When Refuto did get over his obsession and went home, his wife and he talked at length about the family and how they were able to get along for so long without him. Refuto said that â€Å"I was gone but Tilman told me to come back.† (pg. 215) Since his departure Refuto was able to â€Å"clear my head in four directions at once.† (pg. 215) This fixation on Refuto’s name had kept him away from his family but finally he was able to go back and correct what his obsession did to him. His obsession had blinded him to the harm that his actions had caused to his family. Instead of helping keep his family safe he was only harming it and only once he accepted that he had an unhealthy obsession was he able to return to his life with his family. When someone is fixated on an idea they tend to lose focus on other important aspects of their lives. In The Stone Carvers an example of this would be in Tilman and Klara’s mother, Helga. Helga had recently mourned what she thought was her son’s death and became obsessed, as soon as Tilman came home, with controlling where Tilman went and how he would live. Tilman however â€Å"responded neither to her questions nor her attempts at incarceration and intimidation but looked at her with confusion on his perfect face.† (pg. 63) Helga became so hysterically obsessed with keeping him with her that eventually she chained Tilman to the house however â€Å"Helga would never recover – not from his imprisonment and not from his escape.†(pg. 67) Tilman screamed and refused to eat while he was chained and his mother only then realized that she had made a mistake in obsessing over keeping Tilman caged. She pushed Tilman away with her passions for keeping him with her. The Stone Carvers shows that someone who is obsessed with an idea or task is more prone to making mistakes or causing a problem in a related aspect of their life. Throughout the book Jane was able to show her views on obsessions in persuasive undertones and themes throughout the entire novel. Jane was able to show that no matter how justified a fixation may seem the outcome is always negative. Throughout the novel the theme of obsession can be seen from the minor characters all the way to the major events of the story. Jane makes her case with many examples of the ways obsession can lead to the destruction of a person. She does this through showing that when someone has an obsession they might never be able to complete, a person’s obsession could be counterproductive to their cause, and fixating on one idea can cause the person to lose track of the important parts in their life. The persuasive undertones in the story are able to clearly convey the message of obsession being something that only harms the obsessed person. Walter Allward once said â€Å"I have been eating and sleeping stone for so long it has become an obsession with me. And incidentally, a nightmare.† (pg. VI) The inspiration for such a great novel and theme can be found in this quote because the amount of emotion that went into Walter’s work on the Vimy Ridge Memorial but also the tragic way Walter was unable to be truly happy after his most amazing creation. Works Cited

Evolution in Skyscraper’s Design Essay Example for Free

Evolution in Skyscraper’s Design Essay The term skyscraper in early times was commonly used in marine services to describe the high erected mast of a ship. This term was coined later to refer to storey buildings. Previously the term referred to very tall buildings of ten to twenty storeys but in the recent past the term now includes high-rises of forty to fifty storeys or even more. However, for a building to be termed as a skyscraper, it should be distinct from other surrounding buildings in its striking feature of high elevation and markedly affecting the normal view of skyline when looked across through its high rise due to its obstruction (Moudry, 2005 pp. 16-18). Evolution of skyscrapers Evolution of skyscrapers can be traced back to early Babylonian civilization with the Tower of Babel erected in the Babylon which was the first city to be established after great flood as it is given in the Biblical narrative, historical context and other extracanonical sources. Down the line, there has been erection of some tall buildings in different cities of the world but have not been such remarkable as those from the beginning of nineteenth century. Prior to this time, relatively tall buildings used to exist that basically employed use of masonry as the oldest material. The 19th Century structural system technological developments have been hallmark to the emergence of super tall buildings in the world. These new advancements from masonry which were the oldest material all through steel work era to use of composite construction have seen the erection of super tall buildings such as the Petronas Towers and the Jin Mao building that we see today. The City Hall in Philadelphia is the tallest masonry building in the world. It is 167 M (548 ft). It was completed in 1901 using masonry bricks and stones. But this technique could not easily allow construction of super tall buildings seen in today’s world because stone and bricks heavy weights were the limiting factor. The first skyscraper was steel- framed ten storeys known as Your Home Insurance Building in Chicago built by Illiam Le Barion Jenney, an engineering officer in 1885. Your Home Insurance Building was among the first buildings to use metal for support. After some sixteen years later, the first concrete 15 storey skyscraper known as Ingalls Building in Cincinnati, Ohio was erected by Elzner, O. A. It had integration of twisted steel bars with concrete as frame with slabs and concrete exterior walls (Haverstock et al, 2000 pp. 105-108). This was a remarkable stride in the realm of construction by 20th Century. However, more improvement in concrete technology has continued to be realized. The innovations of lightweight concrete material enable construction of tall buildings. The One Shell Plaza built in Texas in early 1970s which has 52 stories is a good example of tallest lightweight structure in the world. It can be observed that from early skyscrapers constructors, the technological evolutions were partly necessitated by the dictates of human needs such as residential and office apartment’s architectural arrangements so as to meet people needs wholesomely (Wright, 2007 pp. 77-80). Structural developments have even made it easier to meet these increasingly new demands by innovation of framed tabular structural systems. This has facilitated construction of many stories building. This is because they give three-dimensional robust framework that is able to resist mechanical stresses and compressions. Presently, skyscrapers constructions make use of steel; reinforced concrete, granite and glass. Many of skyscrapers in ancient times were found in parts o f Chicago, New York and London towards close to 19th Century. Today, skyscrapers are not limited to these regions alone, but are found even in Asian continent. In the New York City, at the beginning of 20th Century it was the center of the Beaux Arts architectural movement that made it so progressive having been graced with great architects that enabled it to be land of outstanding skyscrapers in the world. It is generally observed that skyscrapers since the past were associated with elements of nation’s power and economic status. This is because the nature of super tall building built largely depends on the financial capabilities, technological advancements and man power which reflects nation’s supremacy and hence its pride. In about last two decades skyscraper designs are taking latest architectural designs that include former designs but with characteristic features of the geographic elements of where these structures built such as cultural designs like Arabic arts as exhibited in Burj Dubai skyscraper which is yet to be completed. It is evident that, apart from innovations in structural system, geographical changes also markedly did affect the evolution of skyscraper designing especially in twentieth century. Early architects of skyscrapers as it can be seen in World Trade Center, as an example, assumed geometrical shapes like that of a box.

The Role Of Marketing In A Consumer Society Marketing Essay

The Role Of Marketing In A Consumer Society Marketing Essay This report will use Apple Inc as a case study to underline the importance of what is the role of marketing in a consumer society? Also there will be critique of different theorist such as Jean Bauldriard, Raymond William and Stuart Hall to for the marketing concepts. The modern definitions and history of Marketing; During 18th and 19 century Marketers realized that consumers are buying products for the sake of their desires and satisfaction, where as before only selling a product was important and not the need and satisfaction of the customer. When companies realized the needs and want of the customers then they started to change rapidly and started to create an image in customers mind by using advertising/promotion. Technological and social changes are included in this change. Nowadays marketing defined as involving product development, distribution, pricing and communication. Also in developed firms, continuous attention to the development of new products with product modifications and services to meet the changing needs of customers. Peter Drucker states that The aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous as most companies doing marketing to distribute information to seek attention and persuade customers to purchase. As a result we can say that marketing is a process that aims to understand and satisfy the needs of a customer to make sales and maximise revenue. Marketing is not advertising, it is one of the component within marketing, which is used to inform consumers about product or services provided. This report will use marketing techniques and strategies apply it to Apple inc. to explore the concept of marketing and its role in consumer society. Raymond Williams highlighted about advertisement in the Magic System theory, that advertising doesnt means of only selling goods/products. However, advertising in its modern forms operate to maintain the consumption ideal from criticism, that consumption does not address social needs. Consumer society is when people buy new goods and services, it can also be said as consumer behaviour in terms of demand is constantly changing especially for the goods that they do not need, and which leaves high value on owning many things. We are all participants in an existing phenomenon that has been variously called a consumerist culture and a consumer society. Consumerism is a social and economic method that is based on the systematic creation and encouragement of desire to purchase goods and services in increasingly amount. To say that some people have consumerist attitudes or values means that they always want to consume more. The theory states that an increasing consumption of goods is economically beneficial. In long-term historical and social factors influencing consumption. Jean Baudrillard stated the consumption theory in his (The Consumer Society) book, that consumption has become the most important basis of the social order. He explores how consumer products, rather t han modern decisions such as class, made up a system of signs that differentiated the population and those meanings related with products being delivered to customers via. Apple Inc.http://www.hotstocked.com/articles-img/small/apple-inc.jpg Apple Inc is an American multinational company established on April 1st 1976, which designs and produces consumer electronics such as iPones, iPods, iPads and iMacbook and software products and its best known for its computer hardware products including Macintosh personal computer line, Mac OS X, extremely loyal user-base, iTunes media application and the iPod personal music player. The companies head office is based in Cupertino, California. CEO and co-founder is Steve Jobs. Apples popularity increased more in late 1970s with its interesting, forceful and inviting advertisements to inspire individuals. In 1990s Apples advertisements were at the top with the Think Different campaign, it owned its popularity by using famous people in their adverts. Apple has achieved its high targets in its development and growth in 2007 when they first created iPhone, which has changed the fortune of the company. The iPod, iTunes, iPhone and new great Mac computers became the most popular and profitable devices ever for Apple. Apples Marketing Strategies and Techniques Apple has gained successful image in past couple of years with their creative, fresh and progressive way of making business, they create great style and designs, great strategy, innovative marketing, smooth and tempting communications. Apples seductive success is owned by their iPhone, iTunes and iPod products. All these products have presented a combination of an immense hardware, perfect style, and great software, expeditious and speedy performance with a good e-business service. (2007, 2010 Venrtygo team)steve jobs apple computers Apple has exceeded $160 billion in 2008, $210 billion in 2010 and in January 2011 they exceeded $302.47 billion in market capitalization, as Apple Inc. shares has increased by more than seven points. They made huge differences in the market shares and this implies that consumers are more aware of the products, and the right marketing strategy used has reached to right consumers. Apples has made extraordinary campaigns in communication with consumers and extremely modified marketing strategy with particular target section of the market. They appeal to customers needs and wants directly with their great communication, the distribution network and with their quality and price ratios. Apples has several key strategies in marketing which made them successful and come to top of their game in a way like no other. Apple always managed to extend their experience and created a tribe. Apple also communicates in the language of their audience; Apple tries to give information in the way that their customers want to be informed. Their prices are justified, apple customers gladly pay premium for the reason of their good selling quality devices are nowhere else. They ignore critics, any time Apple produce a new device especially for the iPad people say that it will fail. Every time Apple decided make new changes and introduce a new device they prevailed. Steve Jobs did not listen to critiques instead focus on building what they want to build. Albert Einstein said that Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds. Apple turns the ordinary into something beautiful. PC makers constitute a standard hardware for standard applications. Apple is the leading best standard operating system and computer system against to their competitors. Simultaneously they are exploring the design standards as well. Result of this is the multi-wanted iMac, Mac book Air and iPhone 4 Former of Apples marketing executive and consumer marketing expert Steve M. Chazin has revealed the Secrets of the World Best Marketing Machine from Apple.http://www.i-seb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/segmentation.jpg One Dont Sell Products (People buy what other People have) according to Steve M. Chazins point here is that products dont sell people do. For example when looking to the advertisement of the popular product iPod, there is lots of happy, energetic people dancing in shape against a colourful, vibrant and ever-changing background and it is the newest, trendiest features coming on the market, which gives customers the desire to buy as we live in a society that wants things new and improved and different from the regular products. Therefore Apple is showing its customers the difference they have from their competitors, it isnt selling you a simple MP3, its also inviting you to the difference lifestyle of apple. They indicate that if you use MP3 youll hear good music, but if you use apple iPod then you will feel good due its value and ability to play it in many different places. As Raymond Williams talks in The Magic System that in our society advertisements are created to make customers t o believe that the product they buy will make them feel in a different way. Apple makes people believe by the advert that they will feel the same way of those happy dancing, energetic people. Also Apple has an distinctive white headphones (uniquely to Apple), which are produced as pure apple marketing trick, it is designed to make visible part of their product a status symbol, wear white headphones and you are the member of the club. For example the advertisement of iPod shows us the people shadows dancing hold their iPods and showing distinctive white headphone. Accordingly Baudrillard states that, consumption is the most important basis of the social order and sociologically a particular individual belongs to a specific group which consumes a specific product, and the individual consumes such a product because he or she belongs to such a group This theory is related to the marketing that Apple gives to its customers, when customers buys Apple Product because they know that they belong to that society and it add-ups value to them. According to Raymond Williams when people buys more than just the product, as they buy self-respect, beauty, and power in their society throug h this consumption. Raymond also believed that people who have high consumption of products are living high standard life. .http://cdn1.iofferphoto.com/img/item/193/716/718/oZ4Y.jpg Two Never be the First to Market, (Make Something Good Greater) the marketing executive of apple applies that Apple is always leader creating new categories, surely they have never invented anything new such as PCs and MP3s and phones, but iPhone is very successful with functionality of on existing designs such as The Mac, iPod, iTunes and iPhone. Apple makes complex things easy and elegant as it is easy now to get music in to your pocket. Apple dont define you categorize rather they try to occupy shelf space that already exist in prospects mind, apple focuses on the one thing they do better and then make that mater to us. Baudrillard also declares that he can go one better and introduces a third form of exchange which is symbolic exchange in the form of the sign. Baudrillard argues that in addition to the satisfaction of human needs, commodities can also provide social status something of increasing value in modern society. This value is expressed in the form of the sign. Three Empower Early Adopters, this aspect identifies that Early adopters are those who are genuinely Apple Lovers and those who taking a risk to help Apple to succeed. Early adaptors are younger in age and have money to spend. Steve M. Chazin says that they are the first to take Apple product to everywhere. iPhone users feel in the same way the PowerBook users felt in 1993. Early adopters are the first to voice Apples marketing force through word of mouth as these adopters have set apart from the crowd and their gadget is a symbol of their states which they are proud to show off. http://www.dealgiant.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/MacBook_Pro_MB990B-A_offers.jpg Apples glowing apple logo is always upside down to you and it was fixed to be right side up for others to see when you open you open your Macbook you are showing others the brand and selling the brand to others. What this makes is that enables customer to make their choices by seeing it in others. Baudrillard stated that either prior production (polls, market studies) or subsequent to it (advertising, marketing, conditioning), the general idea to shift the locus of decision in the purchase of good from customers where it is beyond control to the firm where it subject to control (p.38). Apples intention is to make customer come to them without any encouragement via the firm. Apples secure customer loyalty by considering its product strong design as it is plain and simple. Many consumers may possibly not ready to buy an Apple computer due to its price, but they are willing to give gadgets to try such as smart iPods or iPhone, as these products are lower price entry to Apple Inc it gives the customer opportunity to be introduces to the brand and its quality products. Customers are more likely to buy apple computer in future if they are happy with these gadgets. According to Baudrillard he described the way of influencing customers desires the infernal round of consumption is based on celebration of needs that supposed to be psychological. These are distinguishes from physiological needs since they are supposedly established through discretionary income and the freedom of choice and consequently manipulate at will (Baudrillard p.39). Apple can influence easily their existing customers who are using iPhone, iPad and iPod to buy their Mac book computers.http://www.itechnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/griffin-powerdock-2-iphone-ipod.jpg Encoding / Decoding in Apple Inc. Stuart Hall developed a theoretical model to clarify the influence of television broadcasts such as advertisements called the encoding and decoding model. Encoder is trying to transfer information in a certain meaning based way to decoder, while decoder is adapting this original meaning into a new version according to their own way of perceiving. Production, here, constructs the message (Hall, 1980). According to iPod advertisements via Halls concepts, arguing that his production-reception model is a useful approach to understanding modern mass media messages, especially advertising. This model assumed that the media tools had an interest in production, circulation, distribution, consumption and reproduction rather than just conveying a message. In the encoding/decoding model of media discourses developed by Stuart Hall, the meaning of the text is located between its producer and the reader (Hall, 1980). Therefore apple produces plain and not confusing adverts towards customers as if the decoder perceiving differently to the encoder, the decoder will create their own version of the message with a totally different intention. When decoder functions under this position hall states that He/she is operating with what we must call an oppositional code (Hall, 1980). Encoding decoding is not a important concept for Apple Inc as their customers all ready knows what to perceive they wont be confused. Apple Branding Marketing executives in a company give values to add services to a product and an attempt to enhance their products like Apple with values and links that are recognised and valuable to their customers which is then a brand.   Identification or distinction from other competitors is the reason for branding which gives them their own identity. Apple is one of the examples which are now leading as a brand in IT arena.   Apple (brand name) which is auspicious had a consumers loyalty by the strength of their services and values which then lead the customers to repeat a purchase from the same company again. Advertisements do have an enormous attraction for a customer to hit on an individual mind for a company.   Apple as compared to other companies is a well recognised brand and it definitely preferable by customers.http://www.damonchernavsky.com/Pictures/Creative_Ads/Evolution_of_Brands/history-of-apple-computers.jpg Critical Analysis and conclusion Conclusion Referances Dougherty, M. (2010) The story of apple Inc. Last accessed on 12.03.2011 [online] http://www.brighthub.com/computing/mac-platform/articles/65346.aspx http://blog.kissmetrics.com/7-strategies-apple-marketing/ 6 Unfair Market Advantages You Should Steal from Apple http://www.vertygoteam.com/apple_marketing_strategy.php http://www.theglaringfacts.com/2010/11/encodingdecodingmodel Williams, Raymond (1962) Advertising, the Magic System. In Problems in Materialism and Culture. London: New Left Books. Baudrillard, J. (1998). The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures. Sage Publications Ltd. London, England. http://mashable.com/2011/01/03/apple-300-billion/

Do I Or Dont I :: essays research papers

Do I still want to teach? Well, I count myself as being one of the luckiest students alive today because I have had some of the most wonderful teachers in the world. They have always inspired me in some way shape or form to either do my best or they pushed me to become the young man I am today. So to teaching I say, â€Å"YES!† whole-heartedly. I love the career and I enjoy helping others like no other does. When the gentleman came in the Wednesday’s class tell us about his experiences about teaching, I had envisioned myself doing those same sorts of things for other schools to make them feel welcome. He didn’t do it because he thought he had to but out of the kindness of his hearts. I want to give that to students, a piece of my heart. No matter how they take it, whether they rip it up and throw it away, if the cherish it with love and tenderness, or whether they take it and then forget about it. To be honest I don’t think any of my students, that is whe n I become a teacher, will ever forget me if they have me!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I understand what kind of energy you must actually put into education for you as a teacher to get something back out of it. You must work almost everyday and night, if you want your kids to succeed or you might just see them fail, and no teacher in their right mind would want that for any of their students. Teaching is not going to be as â€Å"wham bam thank you mam† easy like I thought it was going to be. I know now how hard it is for first year teachers to cope with and deal with all the emotional problems they may face. I remember in the video How Difficult Can This Be? Understanding Learning Disabilities how the guy treated the adults in the room, on how to treat learning disabled children. I learned that they first have to interpret the question, then think about the answer, and then reply to the question. It takes them twice as long in the thinking process, as it does a normal student. At least I would not feel left out in the dust on how to handle a learning disabled child if ever I received one.

The Age of Innocence Essay -- essays research papers

The truth that lies behind fantasies The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton is a book that gave the word â€Å"love† many other meanings, such as impossible, meaningless and incomplete. There were many unbearable obstacles that Countess Ellen Olenska, one of the main characters, had to face because of love. She was treated badly by many people and always longed for love but never obtained it. With everyone cursing her, betraying her and hurting her, there was one person who was always there for her. Newland Archer wasn’t only sympathetic towards her; he also began to fall in love with her. The love she always wanted. He was the man who truly cared for her and always helped her make decisions. Out of all the selfish people in New York who degraded her, including her very close relatives, Newland Archer was one person who was there to listen to her problems and helped her solve them. Countess Olenska had to face many difficulties in her life. After having problems with her husband, Count Olenski, she left her home in Europe and lived with her grandmother, Mrs. Mingott. When she came to New York, Newland Archer was the only one who was there for her and listened to her problems. Furthermore, when she wanted to get a divorce Newland Archer, being a lawyer, talked to her about it and made her change her mind. He fell in love with her, knowing he was engaged to her cousin, and supported her. If he wanted, he could have forced her into getting a divorce and get married to her with...

Colonialism and Dependence Essay -- essays research papers

Colonialism and Dependence In "Imperialism, the Highest State of Capitalism", Lenin warned, in refuting Kautsky, that the domination of finance capital not only does not lessen the inequalities and contradictions present in the world economy, but on the contrary accentuates them. Time has passed and proven him right. The inequalities have become sharper. Historical research has shown that the distance that separated the standard of living in the wealthy countries from that of the poor countries toward the middle of the nineteenth century was much smaller than the distance that separates them today. The gap has widened. In 1850 the per capita income in the industrialized countries was 50 per cent higher than in the underdeveloped countries. To have an idea of the progress that has been achieved in the DEVELOPMENT OF INEQUALITY, we have only to listen to President Richard Nixon: "...and I think about what this hemisphere, the new world, will be like at the end of this century. And I consider that if the present growth rates of the United States and the rest of the hemisphere have not changed, at the end of this century the per capita income in the United States will be 15 times higher than the income per person of our friends, our neighbors, the members of our family in the rest of the Hemisphere."(1) The oppressed nations will have to grow much more rapidly just to MAINTAIN their relative backwardness. Their present low rates of development feed the dynamic of inequality: the oppressor nations are becoming increasingly rich in absolute terms, but they are richer still in relative terms. The overall strength of the imperialist system rests on the necessary inequality of its component parts, and that inequality is achieving ever greater proportions. Capitalism is still capitalism, and unequal development and widespread poverty are still its visible fruits. "Centralized" capitalism can afford the luxury of creating and believing its own myths of opulence, but myths cannot be eaten, and the poor nations that constitute the vast capitalist "periphery" are well aware of this fact. Imperialism has "modernized" itself in its methods and characteristics, but it has not magically turned into a universal philanthropic organisation. The system's greed grows with the system itself. Nowadays imperialism does not req... ... the consumer market, which is increasingly attracted by U.S. advertising, to channel national savings and the economic surplus produced by our countries, to use advertising and the various other ways of creating public opinion, and, also, to exert that political pressure required by imperialism's digestive needs. The new type of imperialism does not make its colonies more prosperous, even though it enriches its "enclaves"; it does not alleviate social tensions, but on the contrary sharpens them; it extends poverty and concentrates wealth; it takes over the internal market and the key parts of the productive apparatus; it appropriates progress for itself, determines its direction, and fixes its limits; it absorbs credit and directs foreign trade as it pleases; it does not provide capital for development, but instead removes it; it encourages waste by sending the greatest part of the economic surplus abroad; it denationalizes our industry and also the profits that our industry produces. Today in Latin America the system has our veins as open as it did in those distant times when our blood first served the needs of primary accumulation for European capitalist development.

Media Influence on Violence in Society

The human condition and its thirst for violence have been around for centuries. Dating back to times of war as early as the crusades and even biblical recordings of Cain and Able. Violence in correlation to evolution has grown and taken different forms to affect the populous. As stated before it was something that was used with a purpose in some respect , one that could be deemed noble, than that of a cause used for pleasure. Entertainment and the promotion of violence have been around for ages.During times of he Ancient Roman Era, slaves that were turned Into warriors also know as Gladiator, were brought into arenas filled with tens of thousands of spectators and force to killed and use violence to be deemed victorious. With that victory came spoils such as status lavish gifts or in some cases their freedom. This example is used as a highlight to showcase that the violent acts that occurred was very popular and was by its nature considered to be entertaining to the citizens that att ended the events and the upper class whom put on the show.In those times the elite that put on the show did so as means o satisfy a burdened lower class whom otherwise due to conditions of hardships would tool of public violence, though in present time by a reasonable person standard can be found to be immoral, was something that the ruling class used to its benefit. The Exploitation of violence still remains a functional tool used for the powers that be, in present times it has evolved from a means of distraction to a tool with which one can exploit and benefit monetarily.Which brings to question is the exploitation and marketing of violence and crime by way of violence in media morally irresponsible? To date some of the greatest media shows and films maintain an aspect of violence that is furthered through acts of criminality. Some of the examples include the all time blockbuster of Surface. With the film it depicts a foreign immigrant that rises the top of success through the use of malicious violence and illegal behaviors including the selling of drugs. The film up to date has earned gross income of over a $150 million worldwide. 1) This statistics goes to show how much people prescribed to the viewing of the movie withstanding the profits of secondary promotions of the films brand through researches and other auxiliary outlets. Another great American depiction of crime is that of a famous fictional Mob family the Sopranos. This popular Television show depicts conducted, and how the use and promotion of violence is a necessary means or bi- product in the road to success. This widely loved brand has went on to gross over $160 dollars as per statistic provided through factual evidences shown through TV station A&E actions where committed to paid 2. Million per episode for the brands whole catalog (2). This large amount that a station was willing to pay can be seen as a perfect gaslight to exactly how popular the show was with society at large and what their valuation was really be esteemed to be. Fast forwarding too recent hit with society can highlight the show Breaking Bad. This show finds it overarching plot showcasing classic everyday middle class individual who is force by outside and internal circumstance to go against societal norms and engage in illegal activity and the use violence in the furtherance of such activities.Through out the show the viewer is enticed by the wins the average man can attain if he Just decided to walk the path of using violence and prescribing to illegal activities. This show more so that the others that proceeded this description is more influential to society at large as society is made up of average people going through problems such as the main character of this show. Hardships coming from economic factors, familial factors, and internal struggles all testify to the connections that bring user back and keep them engaged.The leading show is vague as per available information. It is easily held that the show would be able to net numbers vastly over that of other hits like the Sopranos. With popular culture acceptance that these shows maintain it is easy to see that present day powers that be studios† are making a killing and stand to continue to profit of the back of the tenants of the use of violence in entertainment. Though these worlds and stories are fictional in nature, society and certain cultures have adapted these tenants to success into their realities.Statistics show that in 2012 Number of people arrested in the U. S on drug charges were 1. 55 million (4) Number of Americans incarcerated in 2011 in federal, state and local prisons and jails: 2,266,800 or 1 in every 99. 1 adults, the highest incarceration rate in the world. Two thirds is the Fraction of people incarcerated for a drug offense in state prisons hat are majority represented by black or Hispanics (5) Are the statistics enough to assert that the these offenses are reflective of content that viewers are taking in with regard to movies and TV shows.Though hard to say yes as a definitive answer, the supporting and subsequent information that has been obtain is enough to bring validity to the question itself. Articles pulled from the NY Times express that â€Å"A study set for publication in the December issue of Pediatrics confirms what some of Hollywood sharpest critics have suspected: The level of gun violence in the top- ailing PIG-13 movies has been rising, and it now exceeds that in the most popular R- rated films.Violent encounters with guns occur, on average, more than twice an hour in the best sellers in both ratings categories, according to researchers, who worked with support from the Ennobler Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In all, the researchers examined 945 movies, counting the appearances of overall violence in each five- minute segment of a sampling of films that ranked among the top 30 at the domestic b ox office from 1950 to 2012. Perhaps not surprisingly, the results † reported by Brad J.Bushman of Ohio State University, and Patrick E. Jameson, Lana White and Daniel Roomer of the Ennobler center † showed that violence in American films had more than doubled in that time. But the authors also found that episodes of gun violence in PIG- 13 rated films had been rising since the rating was introduced in the mid-asses, and it now surpasses the violence in R-rated films, which are technically not open to young viewers unless they are accompanied by an adult. Speaking by telephone last week, Mr†¦Roomer, one of the authors, acknowledged that the study, by focusing only on the top- selling movies each year, said as much about audience said. â€Å"We recognize that, and the movie industry realizes it. † Mr†¦ Roomer said he believed that movie studios were â€Å"taking films that have a lot of violence and putting them into the PIG-13 category. † (7) This stands as another highlight to the fact that the powers that be â€Å"studios† exploit the use of violence in their content to rake in revenue. The information provided above sheds specific light on the practices of gearing the violence to a younger audience.Smart tactic from a business standpoint in that it builds legacy and cultures your view to what you would like them to, and in a sense locking in continued sales for a longer period of time. Though a good business tactic to gain profits morally it can be seen by the reasonable man to be irresponsible. Viewer of that age range tend to be more impressionable and violence or depictions of violence should be the last thing that is being fed to them during a movie experience. Supporting information obtained from the Rewets also express the new found statistics on the how violence in PIG-13 movies are at an all time high.The article states Research shows that teens frequently choose to watch extremely violent films. Among the top-grossing films in 2012, rated PIG-13, were such violence- packed dramas as ‘Safely', ‘The Avengers', ‘Taken 2', ‘The Dark Knight Rises' and ‘The Amazing Spider-Man'. According to the study, conducted by the Ennobler Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania and Ohio State University, violence in films has more than doubled since 1950, while gun violence in PIG-13-rated films, especially popular among younger people, has more than tripled since 1985.The article goes on to express that â€Å"Seeing guns in films might also provide youth with scripts for using guns,† the authors of the study ‘Gun Violence Trends in Movies' warn. The article really hammers home the reality that comes with violence in movies when it continues by expressing It's disturbing that PIG-13 movies are filled with so much gun violence, We know that movies teach children how adults behave, and they make gun use appear exciting and attractive,† says study co-author and the director of the Ennobler Center's Adolescent Communication Institute, Dan Roomer. It the goes into the theory of the weapons effect conveying.A number of scientific studies have previously concluded that the mere presence of guns can increase aggression, a phenomenon dubbed the â€Å"weapons effect. † 00†³By including guns in violent scenes, film producers may be strengthening the weapons effect and providing youth with scripts for using guns,† the authors of the study, published in the latest issue of the US Pediatrics Journal, emphasize. The article finally wraps up its case by giving prime example of the effect of violence in movie having real world consequences through the recent case of the James Holmes and the Dark Knight movie massacre.The article states They give an example when movies have served as a catalyst for violence. In July 2012, James Holmes bought a ticket to see the new Batman movie in Colorado. About 20 minutes after th e show started, the 25- year-old left the theater and returned dressed in full tactical gear, equipped with several guns and a huge amount of ammunition. Holmes, who later identified himself to the police as ‘The Joker', launched two canisters that emitted tear gas and began firing into the crowd, killing 12 and wounding 70 others. Rewets. Com) Though that example is a horrific and unthinkable reality, movie influence on sack to times before the ox's. The Hollywood reporter highlights a gang fight that broke out on the scene of a drive in theatre to the movie the Warriors. The article states Ata drive-in theater in Palm Springs, members of the Blue Coats, an African- American gang, got into it with members off white gang, The Family. A 19-year-old member of The Family was shot to death. (Wholeheartedly. Mom) As stated before it is very hard to exactly determine if any of these violent acts can be directly and wholly attributed to violence depicted in films, but a reasonable pe rson would be able to infer that the violence showcased maintains an influential ole in effecting its viewers. It now brings to table the debate on whether acting in this manner should be something that maintains protections under the freedom of speech/expression amendment or if it should Just be deemed negligence on the part of the studios who load the films with violence and market it too public who may later act upon the viewed behaviors and events in the picture.Movie studios may contend that they maintain no liability as to the actions that are later committed by a viewer of a movie, they may also contend that having violence in the movie can help n effort to fuel and evoke emotions and feelings off particular scene. Though true with a valid basis it's hard to find in favor of the studios and their art defenses as they as proven above with information blatantly market their violent content to a younger demographic. One that does not by regulation need a parental figure to be pr esent in order for them to view it.