A Look Back on the Great Depression of 1936

A Look Back on the Great Depression of 1936

The Great Depression was a time of tremendous poverty and depravation.  It put many hard-working men and women out of their jobs and sources of income.  It left many wholesome, decent, families out on the street, homeless; their pride and dignity stripped of them.  Many people would be left to starve, without money to buy food or pay for shelter.  Some people even turned against their own friends so that they could support their families.  Many became oblivious to the needs of others and thought only of how they  themselves could benefit.

       As the days went by, the number of people with illness and disease increased, and with little money for food or medicine to treat their needs, they had to suffer or die because they could not afford the treatment necessary for them to get better.  Because of the Great Depression, the cost of many items went up to an extreme amount if money, thus, even more people could not afford simple everyday things.

      Though there were many factors that helped cause the Great Depression, the  main cause of it was the huge stock market crash that occurred in 1929.  Many people lost a lot of money when the market crashed.

       Herbert Clark Hoover was president at that time and many people blamed him, and were very upset about his decisions involving the economy.  They dealt with their anger by not reelecting Hoover, but instead, electing Franklin Delano Roosevelt for president the next time around.  He was  the one who helped get the economy back in shape by creating a  program called the "Big Deal."  The Big Deal was a government funded program that gave jobs to the jobless, and homes to the homeless.  In return for getting the economy back in shape, FDR was elected again for another term and yet another four years.

A hands on guid to Ancient china

A hands on guid to Ancient china

China

     An essay on ancient China can be educational but also very

fun and interesting.  China differs from other culteres by its wide range

of topics such as government, religion, and its ethics...... I hope you find

this essay very informative and the info. not to be wrong.

    Geography has always played a important role in Chinas history. Beca-

use of Chinas enormous size it has always been hard to conquer and even

harder to unite.  China is split into three parts by three river vallies,  the

Haung, the Chang, and the Xia.

      Because of heavy rainfall. Major flooding took place all the time and

in reaction to this the floods would wash away good soil used for farming

It would also wash away cities, and villages with records and stuff like that.

     Most of the rest of China is covered with mountains or is very dry and

hilly, and on the northwest border of China there is a huge, cold desert

called the Gobi. Because of this, the north-west part  of China was extre-

mely less populated.

   Alot of the features of China have kept itself isolated so they have really

evulutioned all by itself without much outeside activity. 

     

    Chinas history did not really have (or mention) leaders, it really just

mentioned dynesties. Chinas had three dynasties. The first of which was

the Xia  (2,000 b.c. to 1,500 b.c.) except for ancient legions one really

doesn't know much about the Xia rulers. In 1,500 b.c. the Xia rulers were

overthrown and the Shang dynasty came into focus and into place.

     During the Shang dynasty, Chinese artists were busy making beautiful

art figures, religious stuff, and were making weapons out of bronze.

     Eventhough the Shang dynasty lasted for several hundred years most

of the rulers were extremely viscious and had fun playing games of tort-

ure.  The nobles lived very rich lives and were treated very good in

contrast to the peasents who were extravigatingly poor and were spit

upon as if they were the scum of the earth even though the rich folk

couldn't get along in life without the peasents because the peasents

provided their food.  They rulers of the Shang dynasty were so cruel that

they would not only sacrifice animals for religious sarimonies they would

also have humans sacrificed. Because of the way people were treated the

chinese drove the Shangs out.

        

     After that the Wu Wang dynasty came into play at around 1100-256

b.c. It lasted longer than any other dynesty in the history of china.  The

Wu Wang dynast grew to have land from the eastcoast and from the

Chang river in the south.

       China is a humoungis country stretching for over  1,800 miles from

the mountains and ice in Tubet.  In the west trough lots of trees and

deaserts to the coastline in the east. Chinese root first started at the

mouth of the Yellow river in the midle of the country where the soil is

a rich, yellowish earth named  Loess. 

    Peasents almost allways provided the food for the entire Chineze

empire.  Usually there wasn't enough food for the entire so great famines

were not totally unusual  (some times the peasents even rebelled against

their rich owners.

       Rich people had a pretty cool diet it ranged from ox to bears and

bird soup to dog meet. Some times at great feasts their would even be

over 300 meals to choose from.   While rich people had a "exciting" diet

peasents had often not even enough food to survive. Their "diet" usualy

consisted of only vegetables and rice. People up in the north usually ate

alot of cereal but in the south they usually ate rice, nuddles, bread, and

bean churd.  Most of the time the Chinese ate food out of small bowles

and used chop sticks  as  eating utenciles.

     Rich and poor people of China wore totally differint clothes.  The poor

folk of China wore baggy hemp trousers and a loose shirt underneith and

for shoes they wove together straw.  While rich men and women wore

robes of silk tied together tied at the waist with a large slash at the top of

the robe.  The front of the womens robe opened a little to reveal a differ-

ent colored undershirt made of silk slippers with wooden shoes on their

feet.

                   So as I have shown U a report on China can be ver fun and interesting.

                                              China

     An essay on ancient China can be educational but also very

fun and interesting.  China differs from other culteres by its wide range

of topics such as government, religion, and its ethics...... I hope you find

this essay very informative and the info. not to be wrong.

    Geography has always played a important role in Chinas history. Beca-

use of Chinas enormous size it has always been hard to conquer and even

harder to unite.  China is split into three parts by three river vallies,  the

Haung, the Chang, and the Xia.

      Because of heavy rainfall. Major flooding took place all the time and

in reaction to this the floods would wash away good soil used for farming

It would also wash away cities, and villages with records and stuff like that.

     Most of the rest of China is covered with mountains or is very dry and

hilly, and on the northwest border of China there is a huge, cold desert

called the Gobi. Because of this, the north-west part  of China was extre-

mely less populated.

   Alot of the features of China have kept itself isolated so they have really

evulutioned all by itself without much outeside activity. 

     

    Chinas history did not really have (or mention) leaders, it really just

mentioned dynesties. Chinas had three dynasties. The first of which was

the Xia  (2,000 b.c. to 1,500 b.c.) except for ancient legions one really

doesn't know much about the Xia rulers. In 1,500 b.c. the Xia rulers were

overthrown and the Shang dynasty came into focus and into place.

     During the Shang dynasty, Chinese artists were busy making beautiful

art figures, religious stuff, and were making weapons out of bronze.

     Eventhough the Shang dynasty lasted for several hundred years most

of the rulers were extremely viscious and had fun playing games of tort-

ure.  The nobles lived very rich lives and were treated very good in

contrast to the peasents who were extravigatingly poor and were spit

upon as if they were the scum of the earth even though the rich folk

couldn't get along in life without the peasents because the peasents

provided their food.  They rulers of the Shang dynasty were so cruel that

they would not only sacrifice animals for religious sarimonies they would

also have humans sacrificed. Because of the way people were treated the

chinese drove the Shangs out.

        

     After that the Wu Wang dynasty came into play at around 1100-256

b.c. It lasted longer than any other dynesty in the history of china.  The

Wu Wang dynast grew to have land from the eastcoast and from the

Chang river in the south.

       China is a humoungis country stretching for over  1,800 miles from

the mountains and ice in Tubet.  In the west trough lots of trees and

deaserts to the coastline in the east. Chinese root first started at the

mouth of the Yellow river in the midle of the country where the soil is

a rich, yellowish earth named  Loess. 

    Peasents almost allways provided the food for the entire Chineze

empire.  Usually there wasn't enough food for the entire so great famines

were not totally unusual  (some times the peasents even rebelled against

their rich owners.

       Rich people had a pretty cool diet it ranged from ox to bears and

bird soup to dog meet. Some times at great feasts their would even be

over 300 meals to choose from.   While rich people had a "exciting" diet

peasents had often not even enough food to survive. Their "diet" usualy

consisted of only vegetables and rice. People up in the north usually ate

alot of cereal but in the south they usually ate rice, nuddles, bread, and

bean churd.  Most of the time the Chinese ate food out of small bowles

and used chop sticks  as  eating utenciles.

     Rich and poor people of China wore totally differint clothes.  The poor

folk of China wore baggy hemp trousers and a loose shirt underneith and

for shoes they wove together straw.  While rich men and women wore

robes of silk tied together tied at the waist with a large slash at the top of

the robe.  The front of the womens robe opened a little to reveal a differ-

ent colored undershirt made of silk slippers with wooden shoes on their

feet.

                   So as I have shown U a report on China can be ver fun and interesting.

A Critique on the Impact of Advertising in our Society

Advertising Critique

A critique on the impact of advertising in our society.  Consider visuals and verbal or written language.  (1000 words)

The impact of advertising on our society is a fiercely debated topic, and has been ever since the conception of advertising in its most basic form.  There are negative and positive social and economic impacts upon society from advertising in its various forms.  For instance, advertising promoting public welfare has a positive social impact upon society, whereas advertising portraying women as sex objects has negative social impacts.  There are also positive economic impacts on society such as providing funding for the media and stimulating an active, competitive economy.

There are a number of proven ways to persuade the consumer that he or she needs the product being advertised.  These methods of persuasion, instead of concentrating on the actual product, usually concentrate on the benefits that will be brought to the consumer.  These benefits may include the hope of more money and better jobs, popularity and personal prestige, praise from others, more comfort, social advancement, improved appearance, or better health.  For example, an automobile advertisement, as well as mentioning the mechanical attributes of the car, would most likely focus on the excitement, prestige and social advancement it may bring the buyer.  This social advancement is very often sexual, or involving attraction of the other sex- so the car advertisement may also mention the glamorous women/men that the consumer will attract with his/her fancy car.

Advertising has been blamed for a great variety of negative social impacts.  One of the major criticisms received by advertising is that it forces people to buy things they don't really need, often by projecting negative emotions such as fear, anxiety or guilt upon the consumer.  It is claimed that advertising plays with our basic human emotions and takes advantage of them, using them as merely another technique to sell goods or services.  Advertising also encourages people to buy products by making them think that purchasing and consuming are the major activities of their lives.  It is said to also evoke fears of inferiority upon the consumer by depicting the 'normal' person as young, attractive, wealthy and successful.  This may encourage a person to act on his or her desire for success and, for instance, go out and purchase that particular brand of make-up or deodorant hoping to emulate the seeming success of the person depicted in the advertisement.

In opposition, advertisers state that the public is intelligent enough to, and quite capable of, making up its own mind and will definitely not buy anything they don't want or need.  People are not inclined to be swayed by false claims that they need a particular product, and will usually be very discriminating in what they take as being true, when it comes to advertising.  In fact, advertisers would say that there are many positive social impacts on our society from advertising.  Advertising can be used to increase awareness in society about particular issues, and in so doing, becomes a form of education.  Anti drug advertising such as "It's OK to say NO", and drink driving campaigns are just two examples of how society uses the advertising industry as a means to promote public welfare.  Other forms of socially positive advertising include those advocating safe sex, thereby considerably slowing the spread of deadly STDs throughout the community.

As well as social benefits outlined in the previous paragraph, there are economic benefits experienced by society, as a result of advertising.  Without advertising, the media, including newspaper, television, radio, etc, would be much less vigorous.  Advertising provides revenue for commercial mediums which would otherwise need to be funded by the actual consumer of these mediums.  For example, a newspaper would cost up to three times as much money (since advertising provides two thirds of the revenue of the print media), or all television, bar government funded networks, would be pay-TV (since nearly ALL revenue for television is provided by advertising, while the consumer provides no financial support except for providing the service of watching the advertising messages).  So we can see a major economic infrastructure based around advertising, in which the big companies fund and subsidise the commercial media by way of advertising.  The price a consumer may have to pay to receive very cheap, or even free news and entertainment may include sitting through a 30 second advertisement break while watching a prime-time television program, or flicking a couple of extra pages in a magazine to move through the advertisements to get to the articles.  The Internet is based very heavily around advertising, and this is one of the major incentives for individuals and institutions to provide content online.  Advertising is so important because it is extremely difficult and impractical to attempt to bill the consumer directly.  Security issues involving credit card fraud and the sheer inconvenience and hassle surrounding minor financial transactions over the Internet have made it very undesirable for companies to charge the consumer for content.

Some may argue that the economic drawback of advertising in our society is that it raises the price of goods and services.  The basis of this argument is that, while companies subsidise the mass media with advertising, we, the consumer, subsidise advertising by paying a grossly increased price for heavily advertised goods and services.  For instance, a box of Omo washing powder costs around two or three dollars to produce, but the consumer might pay around seven or eight dollars.  A large proportion of the difference obviously supports the heavy advertising television and print media campaigns.  In response to this argument, it can be said that advertising stimulates a much more active economy, with vigorous competition between institutions, and higher buying rates of products which leads to lower product costs for the consumer anyway.

The effects upon society brought about by advertising come in mixed forms, depending on the purpose and execution of various campaigns.  However, society as we know it is based very heavily upon advertising, and the negative social and economic impacts are not serious enough to outweigh the many positive social and economic effects on our society.

A Continuous Decline in India Without Modernization

Hypothesis: Modernization is the Key to economic growth for India.  If modernization occurs, then the economic status of India will increase tremendously, even if the price India has to pay is a change in culture, and tradition.

      India has remained financially stagnant since its beginnings.  One may argue that non-modernization has plagued this sub-continent in economic growth and development since early times.  One may continue to argue that if modernization occurs, India will achieve in many different ways, including economically, socially, and nationally.  In order for modernization to occur, India must move from small scale industrialization to large scale industrialization.  If this occurs India will become much more financially sound and achieve a higher status in the world.

      Modernization will bring many positive change to India, but people may argue that "modernization" will bring destruction to the Indian civilization.  By bringing modernization, many jobs will be taken over by machines.  Unfortunately, this process will result in the elimination of  jobs done by local peasants.  There are many additional prices India will have to pay to be able to modernize, including:  (1) a loss of culture and tradition; (2) probable religious conflicts;  (3) loss of caste; (4) social divisions; and, of course (5) TAXES.  With modernization, taxes will definitely increase for India to pay for the new advances in industry and technology.  Taxes are the primary means for any government to raise money and support its programs.  However, the overall price that India will have to pay will be relatively small compared to the positive changes modernization will bring.

     

      When India became independent its leaders recognized the urgency of strengthening the Indian economy.  The leaders of new India were determined to raise the standard of living, which was among the lowest of the major nations in the  world.  Indian leaders agreed to establish a "mixed economy,"  which combines the use of private capital and public in he development of industry, mining and farming.   If modernization occurs there will be change from traditional order.  The model of change assumes:  (1) a sharp dichotomy between the traditional and modern order, including the order of mutual exclusiveness, and (2) the change from one to another is predicted in terms of a historically deterministic pattern, that is, it must take place in a certain predetermined sequence.   If this happens, India will have a better economy and a higher standard of living.  Through greater economic prosperity, India will also obtain better health care.  Also  industry will promote a better education system by encouraging students to study for more technical and professional jobs.  Finally modernization will foster a better sense of nationalism, as future generations become healthier, stronger, and more prosperous. 

     

      Today, there are many Indians without jobs or work.  Currently the vast majority of jobs are done by villagers, limiting the number and types of jobs that can be performed.  Specifically, without a coordinated system the only jobs that can be performed are simple ones that can be completed by a relatively few individuals.  No technologically advanced jobs can be performed or created in this type of system.  Modernization will bring factories that will produce many jobs - more  than any village can produce.  In addition, factories will allow for the manufacture of new products not possible for village workers to produce by themselves.

      As mentioned previously, one of the by-products of modernization is advances in health care.  Presently, the life expectancy in India is placed at a low 58, for females, and 57 for males.  This is compared to the United States where the life expectancy is 79 for females, and 72 for males.  If modernization occurred life expectancy should raise considerably.

      Similarly, the literacy rate of India can be expected to dramatically improve with the advent of modernization.  Presently, the literacy rate in India is 41 percent, relative to a 96 percent rate for the United States.  Again, it is expected that India's literacy rate will significantly rise with the introduction of modernization and greater emphasis on educational preparation.

      To help foster modernization foreign companies have established small businesses and technical schools in India to help villagers understand how modernization can help improve their lives.  Certainly economic success, expressed as better pay and better living conditions, is an appealing feature of modernization.  Despite the allure of high wages and good pension plans, the modernization of the village as a whole can not take place without strong modification of its social structure.  Traditional small communities seem to rely upon "total cooperation and consensus in getting things done, whereas urban-influenced communities rely on  public spiritedness, partial cooperationness, and a absence of strong disagreement."   The success of this transformation will require the involvement of the villagers and their active participation in the modernization process.

      India faces the decision of remaining a small scale industrial society or stepping toward the furture by modernizing and developing advanced technological opportunities for its population.  Without modernization India will never be able to excel as a nation and its citizens will continue to dwell in poverty.  Critics of modernization may argue that this process will destroy Indian society and culture.  On the contrary, modernization will save the Indian soceity and allow this proud country to prosper.

 Bibliography

Clark, J. I.  India.  McDougal, Littell & Co., Evanston, Illinois, 1989.

Ishwaran, K., Change and Continuity in India's Villages.  New York: Columbia

      University Press, 1970.

Shady Side Academy. Historical  Perspectives, undated.

The Software Toolworks Multimedia Encyclopedia.  "India."  Grolier  Electronic

      Publishing, Inc., 1992.

A Comparison of Piaget Freud and Erikson

The field of psychology may have grown to be respected as a science.

Objectivity and the scientific method are both part of the psychologist's mode

of operation. However, even the greatest of psychologists can only theorize

about what makes human beings act the way they do. Absolutes are not part

of  psychology . Everything is relative and open to speculation. Theorists give

us their views or ideas about life. 

      In the field of psychology, there have been many different areas of

interest. Human development is one of the most popular areas of interest for

those who study psychology. Freud, Erikson and Piaget are all great theorists

with different ideas concerning human development. Each theorist developed

ideas and stages for human development. Their theories on human

development had human beings passing through different stages. Each theory

differed on what these stages were. These theories also differed with their

respect towards paradigmatic assumptions, learning and development, and

relationship towards educational practice. 

      Freud is known as the father of psychology. Although some of his

work has been dismissed, most of it still holds weight in the world of

psychology. Freud believed that human development was fueled by inner

forces. He believed the most powerful of all inner forces was our sexual

being. Freud linked everything with sex. This includes any bodily pleasure

whatsoever. Thus, when Freud discusses the sexual needs of children, they

are not the same kind of sexual needs that an adult would experience.

Children experienced sexual gratification in different ways. Sucking their

thumbs or retaining their excrement could be seen as sexual gratification for

small children. Freud also specified certain areas of our body as erogenous

zones. Those areas included the mouth and genitals. This all fit in to Freud's

obsession with sex. An obsession that could be linked to the era that Freud

lived in. It was a very conservative period in history. Sexual feelings were

often repressed.

      Freud's theory on human development could be labeled the

psychosexual stages of development. Freud believed human beings passed

through different stages in their life based on which part of their body gave

them sexual gratification. Freud's psychosexual stages of development are

five in total. 

      The Oral stage takes place from birth to about one year. During this

stage, a child is orally oriented. The mouth is the child's erogenous zone.

Everything a child touches is put in his mouth. Freud believes children do

this because it gives them pleasure. When a child sucks his thumb,  it does so

because it gives it gives him gratification. According to Freud, the

gratification is sexual.

      The second stage in Freud's psychosexual development theory takes

place between the ages of two and three years of age. The erogenous zone

shifts location, thus moving from one stage to another. The second erogenous

zone in Freud's stages of human development is the anal region. Freud

believes children experience sexual gratification during bowel movements

and when they withhold bowel movements. Some children may even

experience pleasure handling, looking at, or thinking about their own feces. 

      Once the Anal stage of development has been completed, the next

stage of development for Freud is the Phallic Stage. This usually occurs at

about three years of age. The shift in erogenous zones moves from the anal

region to the genital organs. This stage is also known as the Oedipal Stage of

psychosexual development. This name comes from the legendary king,

Oedipus, who killed his father and married his mother. During this stage

children take interest in their sexual organs. Soon they notice differences and

similarities between themselves and their parents. Each sex wants to be with

the parent of the other sex, for girls this is referred to as the elektra complex.

Once the children realize they can not be with their mother or father, they

identify with the parent of the same sex.

      The next stage is called the stage of Latency. This stage is

characterized by a lack of change or absence of erogenous zones. After the

realization that the child can not be with a parent sexually, the child shifts its

attention to same-sexed relationships. Boys will shift their sexual urges and

drives to something acceptable, such as sports. This is a time of relative calm. 

      The last stage of Freud's psychosexual development is the Genital

Stage. The erogenous zone returns in a very powerful way in the genital

organs. This stage takes place from puberty into adulthood. This stage is

marked by true sexual desire and sexual relationships. 

      Erikson took Freud's ideas and enhanced them. He added stages for the

adult years. He also shifted his attention to identity rather than sexuality.

Erikson developed the psychosocial stages of development. He is known for

his eight stages of life.

      Erikson's first stage is during infancy. It deals with trust versus

mistrust. The child develops an outlook on life and whether the world can be

trusted or not. The child develops trust if the parents give the child something

it can rely on. The child develops a sense of optimism or pessimism during

this stage. according to Erikson.

      The next stage in Erikson's psychosocial development is during early

childhood and is known as autonomy versus shame and doubt. The child

becomes autonomous and realizes he can say yes or no. This stage will

determine whether or not a child develops a sense of self-certainty.

      Erikson's next stage takes place during the ages of  three to six years.

This stage is marked by initiative versus guilt. This stage is important in

developing the child's sense of enterprise. The child develops initiative when

trying out new things and is not scared of failing. 

      The fourth stage of Erikson's developmental theory takes place at about

six years of age and lasts till puberty. This stage deals with industry versus

inferiority. The child learns skills of the culture and must deal with feelings

of inferiority.

      Adolescence brings about the next stage for Erikson. This stage is

known for identity versus identity confusion. During this stage, Erikson

believes adolescents must develop a sense of self and who they are. They

develop a sense of identity.

      The sixth stage for Erikson is known for intimacy versus isolation.

This stage takes place during young adulthood. The person seeks

commitments from others. If he is unsuccessful, he may take on isolation.

Erikson believes this stage is important in learning love.

      The seventh stage for Erikson takes place during adulthood. It is

marked by generativity versus stagnation. During this stage, the adult is

concerned with guiding the next generation. This stage according to Erikson

gives the adult a sense of caring. 

      Erikson's last and eighth stage takes place at a mature age. Old age is

marked by integrity versus despair. During this time, the person may achieve

a sense of acceptance of their own life, which in turn allows for the

acceptance of death. When one passes through this last stage, Erikson

believes that a person has achieved wisdom.

      Piaget also believed in developmental theory. Her stages were

cognitive stages. These stages were based on what the child can do.

According to Piaget a child passes through four stages in its life. Piaget was

interested in the child's abilities and senses, not sexual desires like Freud was.

      Piaget believes the first stage of development should be a cognitive

one. Her first stage is known as the sensorimotor stage. It takes place from

birth to about two years of age. During this time a child learns motor

meaning, object permanence, and Th. beginning of symbolic representation,

also known as language. The child will change from someone who responds

only through reflexes to one who can organize his activities in relation to his

environment. It does this through sensory and motor activity.

      The next stage in Piaget's cognitive development theory is the

preoperational stage. This takes place from about two to seven years of age.

During this stage the child's language develops. He develops a

representational system and uses symbols such as words to represent people,

places, and events.

      From about the ages of seven to thirteen, Piaget believes children enter

the concrete operational stage. They can solve problems logically. They can

understand rules and form concepts. Some children become moralistic.

      The last stage Piaget believes is the formal operational stage. This

stage takes place from about twelve years of age through adulthood. Once

someone has reached this stage, one should be able to think abstractly,

manipulate abstract concepts, use hypothetical reasoning, and use creative

language. Someone should be able to think about the possibilities. 

      These three theories on human development each have their own good

points and bad points. One problem all theories must deal with are

paradigmatic assumptions. These are ideas that the theorist has taken for

granted as facts. An example is Freud's notion that women suffer from a lack

of self esteem or self worth all their lives because of penis envy. Freud's

assumption could have been a product of the times he lived in. It was a time

when women were treated as second class citizens. Today, the idea of penis

envy has lost its worth. Freud's assumption that sex is the driving force

behind everything could also be a product of his times. Sexual feelings were

often repressed. The problem with paradigmatic assumptions is that each

person grows up in a different culture and some theories don't apply to

everyone. The problem with psychology remains that it is not an exact

science. It is difficult to develop good paradigmatic asumptions because of

that. Erikson assumes a child must learn these virtues or skills in this order.

But, what if a child does not? Someone may never has a meaningful

relationship, but they may develop wisdom. This would undercut Erikson's

assumptions that everyone must pass through these stages in this order.

Piaget also has some assumptions in her theory. A man who never learns to

add, may be able to think hypothetically. These mistakes only show that

psychology still has its flaws.

      Each of these theories has some value because they are not totally

wrong. These theories have withstood criticism and are some of the best.

Each theory is similar in its time table and sequence of life events. Where

they differ is in their focus. Freud focuses on sex, Erikson focuses on the self

and social orientation, and Piaget focuses on the child's ability and senses.

    

1984 Report

1984 by George Orwell

Character sketch by Jeffrey Bowerman.

   The two main characters in 1984 are Winston Smith and Julia.  Winston has his beliefs.  It is very hard to make him believe in someone else's ideas or lies.  He is a little paranoid about people watching him. In the story 1984, people can be watched through TVs (telescreens).  Because of this paranoia, he found a place in his apartment were he could sit without being seen.  He spends much of his time sitting in this corner writing in his diary.  In his diary, he writes things that could easily have him killed.  Winston is a quiet person who has a few friends.  He has a strong feeling about how the world is and a stronger feeling about how it should be.

   Here is my example from the book that shows Winston's character: 

   "Just now I held up the fingers of my hand to you.  You saw five fingers.  Do you remember that?"

   "Yes."

   O'Brien held up the fingers of his left hand, with the thumb concealed.

   "There are five fingers there.  Do you see five fingers?"

   "Yes."

   And he did see them, for a fleeting instant, before the scenery of his mind changed.  He saw five fingers, and there was no deformity.  Then everything was normal again, and the old fear, the hatred and the bewilderment came crowding back again.  But there had been a moment - he did not know how long, thirty seconds, perhaps - of luminous certainty, when each new suggestion of O'Brien's had filled up a patch of emptiness and had become absolute truth, and when two and two could have been three as easily as five, if that were what was needed.  It had faded out before O'Brien had dropped his hand; but though he could not recapture it, he could remember it, as one remembers a vivid experience at some remote period of one's life when one was in effect a different person.

    Earlier in that section O'Brien had tortured him into believing two plus two equals five.        

    Julia's feelings are not nearly as strong as Winston's.  She is somewhat sneaky, and she is very good at eluding The Thought Police.  Julia is quiet, and she likes to think of the future and the past rather than the present.  She enjoys small things that are old and simple.  Julia is somewhat interested in the way the world is turning.  She enjoys nature and animals.

   Here is my example from the book that shows Julia's character:

   She fell to her knees, threw open the bag and tumbled out some spanners and a screwdriver that filled the top part of it.  Underneath was number of neat paper packets.  The first packet that she passed to Winston had a strange and yet familiar feelings.  It was filled with some kind of heavy, sand-like stuff which yielded wherever you touched it.

   "It isn't sugar?" he said.

   "Real sugar.  Not saccharine, sugar.  And here's a loaf of bread - proper white bread, not our bloody stuff - and a little pot of jam.  And here's a tin of milk - but look!  This is the one I'm really proud of.  I had to wrap a bit of sacking round it, because---"

   But she did not have to tell him why she had wrapped it up.  The smell was already filling the room, a rich hot smell which seemed like an emanation from his early childhood, but which one did occasionally meet with even now, blowing down a passage-way before a door slammed, or diffusing itself mysteriously in a crowded street, sniffed for an instant and then lost again.

   "It's coffee," she murmured, "real coffee."

   Julia had more interesting things in her bag after the coffee, this example shows her interest in old and simple things.   

   

   If Winston had a flat tire, he would probably sit in his car for a while.  After maybe one half hour, he would get out of the car and deal with it.  When he was dealing with it, he would not think about the work very much.  Winston would definitely write a lot about it in his diary. 

   In 1984, all the dish washing is done by the cooks.   If Winston had to do the dishes, he would probably not be very good at it.  He would take a long time.  He probably would not break very many dishes.  If he had the option to use a dishwasher, he would definitely do it.  Winston would probably have a few dishes that he liked using and would use only them.  Before he met Julia, he would eat without much appetite and was skinny. 

   If Winston were faced with a bully, he would react with anger.  After his first reaction, he would look the person over.  If he thought the person were stronger, he would become afraid and sulky.  Winston would begin to tell the person that he was right, in hope of escaping pain.  Winston does not like trouble; but if he has to deal with it, he does it with force. 

   If Winston had to go grocery shopping, he would be as quick as possible.  He would probably not do the best possible job, and he would probably forget things.  Winston would not use any coupons or go to certain stores because they were cheaper.  He would not enjoy shopping.  Winston would try to get other people to do the shopping for him.   

21 For Everyone

In the United States, the legal drinking age for all 50 States and the District of Columbia is 21 years of age.  The drinking age is 21 because the powers that control our government decided that when one becomes 21, one is magically transformed into a responsible person capable of handling the burden that comes with the right to consume alcohol.  The drinking age is too high in this country.  Why enact laws to prohibit an act that will be ignored by many of our peers?  

      The opposition may say that the higher drinking age discourage teenagers and young adults from consuming alcohol.  They say the laws that force merchants to refuse to sell alcohol to persons under 21 years of age will help stem the "problem" of underage consumption.  They believe this will make it virtually impossible for people under 21 to obtain alcohol.  The opposition also believes that the laws against underage consumption of alcoholic beverages will dissuade young people from drinking alcohol.

      The laws that prohibit merchants from selling alcohol to persons under 21 are hard to enforce.  Even if they are enforced by the authorities, the establishment that breaks that law is rarely punished severely.  For example, in Belmont County in Ohio, the police conducted raids of  5-10 different establishments in 1993 that had liquor licenses and reportedly to sell alcoholic beverages to minors.  It was proven that each business in question had indeed been guilty of the charges.  What would one suspect happen to the business?  Wouldn't one expect for them to lose their liquor license?  On the contrary, these businesses were given probation without so much as a fine.

      Also, even if the person under 21 cannot go buy the alcohol himself because he is refused by a merchant, he can find an adult and give them the money needed to purchase the alcohol and have them purchase it for them.  This is especially active around college campuses, where it seems to be an accepted practice for seniors, who are generally over 21, to go and purchase the alcohol for the underage drinker.  If a person did not want to go through the hassle of asking an older person, they could go someone skilled in the art of making fake ID's.  This is a burgeoning business among the different campuses I visited.  Spending two weeks at Ohio State, one had the offer of three different authentic looking  Ohio driver's licenses.  So, as one can see it is quite easy for an underage drinker to obtain alcohol.

      One may think that the penalties for underage drinking would be severe while in fact they are quite light unless one is unfortunate enough to be arrested for DUI.  The penalty for being convicted of underage consumption is generally a slap on the wrist for offenders.  They usually are required to pay court costs and attend an alcohol rehabilitation counseling session.

      Finally, why can other countries condone the act of consuming alcohol as a young person when it is such an "immoral" act in the United States?  In many other countries it is a widely accepted practice to drink a glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage with their meal.  In this way, they learn moderation.  If people in the United States learned moderation at a young age, then they would be less apt to binge drink (drink just to become drunk).  This would result in far fewer deaths from alcohol related causes since more people would know how to imbibe without excess.  

      Obviously then the law is not working.  Why keep a law that cannot be enforced?  If the repercussions from the act of breaking the law are few and light, Why retain the law at all?  The legal drinking age in the United States must be lowered now.  If young people in other countries can handle the responsibility of drinking, why can't it be the same for our country?