Persuasive speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Persuasive speech - Essay Example They are made to think that they have to look a certain way and fit in a certain mold to be considered a real woman. (Wolf 89) Is this the kind of treatment that we really want? What will become of our society if we continue to feed such insecurities and impossible standards of beauty? Women should not be subject to any form of standard or expectation, because not only does it ruin their confidence in their own bodies, it also creates in them the idea that they are less human if they do not have thigh gaps. It is incredibly unfair to put these kinds of criteria on them, because it limits them from feeling beautiful just the way they are. It also creates in the female race a sort of discriminative separation between the thin and fat. What makes it worse is that the benchmarks of aesthetics never really lasts a long time. If these standards change, women must again adjust and change to fit the society’s new idea of beauty. A long time ago, there was a time when the plump women were considered the most beautiful girls. However, as hundreds of years have passed, we have seen a great shift in the perception of beauty. Now, stick-thin girls are being looked up to as models for aesthetic perfection – girls with twenty-inch waistlines, projecting collarbones, and apparent thigh gaps. (Blood, 11) As we have witnessed in the recent years, more and more young teenage girls have battled with multiple eating disorders, and mental or psychological problems because of the issue on self-image. There is an increasing number of girls today that are suffering from disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Many have also resolved to cutting and even suicide because they can’t handle the bullying that happens in school and the pressure to look like what they see in these magazines, billboards and movies. (Goebels 5) Some girls have even lost their

Focuses of school based instructional supervision

Focuses of school based instructional supervision A further sub-problem in the study was to explore participants perceptions about the focuses of school-based instructional supervision. This section reports the findings regarding the focuses of school-based instructional supervision based on questionnaire and interview data. Questionnaire Findings Twenty-two statements describing the focuses of instructional supervision were listed in each questionnaire instrument (Appendices A and B). The statements addressed the following major aspects regarding instructional supervision focuses: (a) organization of lessons, (b) subject matter, (c) pupils academic development, (d) school curriculum, (e) lesson plan, (f) pupils individual inquiry, (g) teaching guides, (h) course objectives, (i) teachers personality, (j) pupils character development, (k) pupils progress records, (k) records of work covered, (1) teachers dress and appearance, (m) pupils sense of responsibility, (n) instructional course, (o) teachers questioning style, (p) classroom management, (q) extracurricular activities, (r) pupils performance in national examinations, (s) teacher self-evaluation, and (t) teacher-pupil relationship. For details about specific statements regarding supervision focuses, see Appendixes A and B. The respondents were requested to indicate their existing and preferred extent of examination of each aspect by making choices from given alternatives ranging from 1 (never examined) to 5 (very frequently examined). The percentage and frequency distributions as well as mean scores and standard deviations were determined for each of the focuses. The findings on teachers perceptions of the focuses of school-based instructional supervision are presented in this section in terms of existing and preferred frequency of examination of the focuses. I have included only the focuses that ranked highest and lowest in terms of frequency of examination as perceived by teachers. Teachers perceptions of the frequency of examination of existing and preferred focuses of school-based instructional supervision were explored (Appendix D, Table 3.1). The focuses have been ranked from highest to lowest frequency of examination based on mean responses for existing and preferred focuses of school-based instructional supervision (see Table 3.2). The data collected suggest that availability of properly organized pupils progress records ranked first in terms of existing frequency of examination, teachers concern with pupils performance in national examinations ranked second, and availability of up-to-date weakly record of work covered ranked third (Appendix D, Table 3.2). At the other extreme, three focuses ranked lowest in terms of existing frequency of examination: teachers dress and appearance, teachers use of teaching aids, and the manner in which the teacher asks questions in the class (Appendix D, Table 3.2). In terms of preferred frequency of examination, the focus that ranked first was teachers concern with pupils performance in national examinations, followed by availability of properly organized pupils progress records, and, finally, availability of up-to-date weekly record of work covered (Appendix D, Table 3.2). The focuses that ranked lowest in terms of preferred frequency of examination included preparation of an appropriate lesson plan, the manner in which the teacher asks questions in the class, and teachers dress and appearance (Appendix D, Table 3.2). Based on t-test analyses, there were significant differences at the 0.001 level between teachers perceptions of the frequency of examination of existing and preferred focuses of school-based instructional supervision. In general, teachers preferred that the focuses of school-based instructional supervision presented in this study be examined more frequently than was currently being done. Interview Findings Interviews with teachers, headteachers, and education officers indicated five major themes relative to focuses of school-based instructional supervision: (a) curriculum and instruction, (b) student success, (c) teacher performance, (d) teachers artifacts of teaching, and (e) human relations. Curriculum and Instruction Three headteachers cited three focuses of instructional supervision that are primarily concerned with curriculum and instruction: (a) teachers attendance to scheduled lessons, (b) teachers participation in extracurricular activities, and (c) syllabus coverage by the teacher. One teacher, in a general remark, stated as follows: I think it is important to check on attendance of teachers to their scheduled lessons or to their participation in extracurricular activities with pupils. Headteachers should also make sure that teachers cover the syllabuses in good time to prepare students for external exams. Student Success Two teachers agreed that instructional supervisors should endeavor to find out how teachers assess their pupils work. They argued that the various strategies that teachers use to assess students progress will determine how students are prepared for national examinations. As one teacher remarked, It would be helpful to know teachers assess their pupils academic work because this is important for students success in the national examinations. Teacher Performance Another area regarding the focuses of school-based instructional supervision cited by four interviewees was concerned with teacher performance in the classroom. These participants agreed that, to facilitate teaching and learning, the teachers level of preparedness and general effectiveness in teaching should be the major focuses of the supervision of instruction. As one education officer commented, The best thing to do is for supervisors to address areas like effectiveness of their classroom teachers and how they are prepared to teach. Teachers Artifacts of Teaching One headteacher observed that teachers teaching artifacts, such as examination and test papers, should be addressed during supervision process. This headteacher remarked, Instructional supervisors should check the quality of examination and test papers set by teachers because these are important teaching tools that would shape students success in the final examinations. Do they set high quality papers which can promote learning? Human Relations A final area relating to focuses of instructional supervision mentioned by some interviewees was concerned with human relations. One education officer noted that how teachers interact with students should be considered in the practices of instructional supervision and that the teacher-pupil relationship should be a major focus of instructional supervision. Another education officer commented, When you are supervising a teacher, for example in the classroom, you must look at how the teacher interacts with pupils. This interaction is important because it will affect learning. In general, the focuses of school-based instructional supervision cited by interviewees concur with high-ranking focuses relative to the existing and preferred extent of examination by the teacher from the questionnaire data. Synthesis and Discussion of School-based instructional supervision Focuses The findings relating to teachers perceptions of existing and preferred frequency of examination of the focuses of school-based instructional supervision revealed by questionnaire data indicate that three focuses received the highest ranking in both existing and preferred frequency of examination: (a) availability of properly organized pupils progress records, (b) availability of up-to-date weekly record of work covered, and (c) teachers concern with pupils performance in national examinations. Similarly, one focus-the manner in which the teacher asks questions in the class-received the lowest ranking in both existing and preferred frequency of examination as perceived by teachers. The findings from the interview data revealed the following focuses of school-based instructional supervision: (a) teachers attendance to scheduled classes, (b) teachers preparedness, (e) teachers methods of assessment of pupils academic progress, (f) quality of test papers set by the teacher, (g) syllabus coverage by the teacher, (h) teachers participation in extracurricular activities, and (i) teacher-pupil relationship. Indicators of Teacher Preparation The three focuses of school-based instructional supervision that received the highest ranking in terms of existing and preferred frequency of examination by the headteacher- availability of properly organized pupils records, availability of up-to-date records of work covered, and teachers concern with pupils performance in national examinations-were particularly interesting because, in Saudi Arabia, the three focuses are among the indicators of teachers preparedness for effective teaching that the Ministry of Education expects headteachers to ensure. As explained by Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education (1998) headteachers, as managers of approved school curriculum, are expected to ensure that teachers prepare comprehensive tools of work, such as lesson plans and weekly records of work done, and check periodically pupils exercise books, practical work, assignments, and continuous assessment to ensure regular marking and systematic use in guiding learners. Teachers Concern with Pupils Performance Teachers concern with pupils performance in national examinations is an important aspect of Saudi Arabias education system, which seems to put a great deal of emphasis on passing of examinations. As Babtain (2004) noted, the overloaded system of education imposes cut-throat competition among schools, where learners are pushed to cut down others in national examinations, and forces teachers to be busy all year round as they struggle to complete the curriculum. To facilitate students success in national examinations, as noted by Ibrahim (2000), teachers are expected to develop and transmit desired knowledge, skills, and attitudes to pupils, it is hoped, through instructional supervision. Teachers Attendance to Scheduled Classes Teachers attendance to scheduled lessons is an important focus in school-based instructional supervision because it facilitates curriculum implementation. Highlighting the role of the school head as a manager of the school, Hassan (1998) observed that the headteacher should ensure regular teaching of subjects to implement the school curriculum effectively. Teacher attendance to scheduled lessons is a major issue in the Saudi Arabian education system because numerous cases of student unrest in the recent past have been attributed to teachers failure to attend scheduled lessons. For example, Mahmoud (2004), commenting about student protest in one school cited lessons missing as one of the reasons for the student strike that paralyzed the school and led to its closure. Similarly, Attari (2005) cited teachers boycott of scheduled classes as a major reason for the indefinite closure of the school and the temporary removal of students from the school. Teachers attendance to scheduled classes is linked to six other related focuses of school-based instructional supervision revealed by the interview data: (a) teachers presence in the school, (b) teachers effectiveness in the classroom, (c) teachers level of preparedness, (d) teachers methods of assessment of pupils academic progress, (e) quality of test papers set by the teacher, and (f) syllabus coverage by the teacher, because they are all concerned with facilitating effective and quality curriculum implementation in the school. In the Saudi Arabian context, as explained in the Education Act (Saudi Arabia, 1980), curriculum means all the subjects taught and all the activities provided at school, and may include the time devoted to each subject and activity (p. 4), and syllabus means a concise statement of the contents of a course of instruction in a subject or subjects (p. 5). To facilitate curriculum implementation, in particular, Saudi Arabia Ministry of Education (1998) has unde rscored the role of the headteacher in supervising the school curriculum to ensure effective teaching and learning. And Mohammed (2002) has concluded that the quality of curriculum implementation and management may determine student performance in external and school-based examinations. Practices of School-based instructional supervision A further sub-problem in the study was concerned with the perceptions of participants regarding the practices of school-based instructional supervision. This section reports the findings relating to the practices of school-based instructional supervision based on questionnaire and interview data. Sixteen statements describing the practices of school-based instructional supervision as conducted by headteachers were listed in each teacher instrument (Appendices A and B). The statements covered the following major aspects relating to the practices of instructional supervision: (a) conducting teaching, (b) evaluating teachers work, (c) providing information about supervisory process, (d) reducing teachers anxieties regarding supervisory program, (e) collecting information about teachers, (f) pre-observation conferencing, (g) using examination results to indicate teacher performance, (h) interviewing students about teacher performance, (i) conferencing with teachers about classroom practice, (j) encouraging self-evaluation, (k) improving instructional quality, (1) writing supervisory reports, (m) providing supervisory feedback, (n) post-observation conferencing, (o) identifying areas of instructional improvement, and (p) rewarding deserving teachers. For details regarding specific statements about the practices of instructional supervision, see Appendices A and B. The respondents were requested to indicate their preferences for existing and preferred importance given to each practice by making choices from given alternatives ranging from 1 (no importance) to 5 (great). The percentage and frequency distributions, means, and standard deviations were determined for each practice. The data obtained from teachers, headteachers, and education officers relative to the practices of school-based instructional supervision are reported in Appendix D, Tables 4.1 and 4.2. This section reports the findings relating to teachers perceptions regarding the practices of school-based instructional supervision in terms of the importance they attach to the practices. Only the practices that received the highest and lowest rankings as perceived by teachers have been reported. Teachers responses relative to existing and preferred importance of practices of school-based instructional supervision were explored, as were comparisons between the existing and the preferred means and standard deviations of the practices of school-based instructional supervision as perceived by teachers (Appendix D, Tables 4.1). The practices have been ranked from highest to lowest based on the mean responses relating to existing and preferred practices (Appendix D, Table 4.2). Encouraging teachers to evaluate their own teaching (i.e., self-evaluation; n=256) ranked first in order of importance as existing practice, followed by using examination/test results as indicators of teacher performance (n=254; see Appendix D, Table 4.2). Setting up specific sessions with teachers to discuss how teaching should be conducted (n=256) and recognizing and rewarding excellent teachers (n=256) formed a cluster in third position in order of importance as existing practices. At the other end, the practices that received the lowest ranks as existing practices included (a) writing supervisory reports for different audiences (n=250), (b) conducting conferences soon after observing teachers (n=248), and (c) meeting with teachers prior to classroom observation (n=250; see Appendix D, Table 4.2). Regarding preferred practices, recognizing and rewarding excellent teachers (n=256) ranked first in order of importance, encouraging teachers to evaluate their own teaching (i.e., self-evaluation; n=256) ranked second, and providing teachers with an adequate amount of information to become familiar with the supervisory process (n=256) ranked third (Appendix D, Table 4.2). The least preferred practices in order of importance were (a) meeting with teachers prior to classroom observation (n=250), (b) writing different supervisory reports for different audiences, and (c) obtaining information from students about their teachers performance through face-to-face interview (n=252; see Appendix D, Table 4.2). Based on t-test analyses, there were significant differences at both the 0.05 and 0.001 levels between teachers perceptions of existing and preferred practices of school-based instructional supervision, except for one practice, holding face to-face interviews with teachers to obtain information about their classroom practice. In general, teachers preferred that more importance be attached to practices of school-based instructional supervision listed in the instrument than was currently the case. Interview Findings Teachers, headteachers, and education officers interviewed cited the following practices of school-based instructional supervision that they had experienced: (a) checking teachers professional tools of work or artifacts of teaching, such as schemes of work, records of work covered, lesson notes, lesson plans, lesson-focus books, mark books, daily preparation books, and part test papers; (b) examining students exercise books; (c) using students to obtain information about teachers; (d) holding conferences with teachers; (e) observing teachers in their classrooms; and (f) supervision by walking around. Frequency distributions of teachers, headteachers, and education officers regarding their mention of practices of school-based instructional supervision were also synthesized from the interview data (Appendix D, Table 4.3). Eleven teachers, four headteachers/deputy headteachers, and three education officers interviewed mentioned checking teachers tools of work or artifacts of teaching, especially schemes of work and records of work covered, as an important practice of school-based instructional supervision in the schools (Appendix D, Table 4.3). Also, six teachers, three headteachers/deputy headteachers, and two education officers agreed that holding conferences with teachers was one of the practices of school-based instructional supervision. Furthermore, two teachers, three headteachers/deputy headteachers, and two education officers identified observing teachers in their classrooms as one of the practices of school-based instructional supervision. However, a few teachers and headteachers interviewed reported that classroom observation, in particular, was not a common practice in their schools. As one headteacher commented: Visiting teachers in their classrooms to see how they teach is very difficult in our situation. And most teachers resent it so much, and personally I dont think I have done it. I dont think it is a practice. You know how it can be taken. In most cases, those who have attempted it have met with a lot of negativity. It is like you want to find faults from the teacher. Teachers fear it most. Three teacher interviewees concurred that there were no supervisory reports on teachers written by headteachers, to the best of their knowledge. As one teacher remarked, Once teachers have been supervised by the headteacher by whatever means, no supervisory reports are made, not at the school level. Maybe the headteacher would have his or her own reports. The interviewees also gave least emphasis to practices such as examination of students exercise books and using student leaders, commonly referred to as prefects, to obtain information about teachers. As one education officer stated, But I dont think we need children to write anything about teachers for us to know whether or not teachers are on duty. Synthesis and Discussion of Practices of School-based instructional supervision The findings regarding the practices of school-based instructional supervision based on the questionnaire data revealed that recognizing and rewarding excellent teachers was ranked highest by teachers as existing and preferred supervisory practice, whereas writing different supervisory reports for different audiences received low ranking as existing and preferred practice. The interview findings revealed six major practices of school-based instructional supervision: (a) checking teachers artifacts of teaching, (b) examining students exercise books, (c) using students to obtain information about teachers, (d) holding conferences with teachers, and (e) observing teachers in their classrooms. Recognizing and Rewarding Deserving Teachers That recognizing and rewarding excellent teachers ranked highest is noteworthy because it seems to be a viable strategy for motivating teachers, especially when the recognition is initiated by the headteacher as an instructional leader. This finding supports Sergiovannis (2001) belief that one of the school principals responsibilities is to build and to nurture motivation and commitment to teaching and that when teaching is rewarding professionally, teachers are likely to keep improving their effectiveness. The importance of recognizing and rewarding teachers has also been supported elsewhere. For example, Hallinger and Murphy (1985) observed that setting up a work structure that rewards and recognizes teachers for their efforts was an important part of the principals role in creating a positive learning climate. In the Saudi Arabian context, as explained by Saudi Arabia Ministry of Education (1998), the headteachers proper management, especially in recognizing excellent performance, may facilitate high morale, motivation, integrity, and appropriate work ethics. Artifacts of Teaching The practices of school-based instructional supervision revealed by the interview data were also observed. For example, checking teachers artifacts of teaching or tools of work is important in Saudi Arabian schooling because it is concerned with teachers preparedness to teach classes. Whereas the Ministry of Education (1987) expects classroom teachers to prepare artifacts of teaching, it is the responsibility of the headteacher and heads of departments, especially, to ensure that such items are actually prepared appropriately and to check their relevance to the intended subjects. Furthermore, as the Ministry of Education explained, heads of departments, in particular, are responsible for maintaining a record of work of the subjects to be completed weekly by all subject heads. Questionnaire and Interview Findings Compared A comparison of questionnaire and interview findings regarding the practices of school-based instructional supervision revealed some interesting similarities. For example, the practice that ranked lowest in both existing and preferred extent of examination as perceived by teachers-writing different supervisory reports for different audiences-was also viewed by some interviewees as being nonexistent Also, the practice of obtaining information from students about their teachers performance through face-to-face interviews, which received relatively low ranking in both existing and preferred extent of examination as perceived by teachers, was also considered inappropriate by some teachers and education officers interviewed. I can speculate that this practice was perhaps common especially in schools where feedback from students regarding teacher performance was productive. However, several views in the literature supported the involvement of students in evaluation of teachers. For example, Stronge and Ostrander (1997) argued that, because students are the primary consumers of teachers services and have direct knowledge about classroom practices on a regular basis, they are in a key position to provide information about teacher effectiveness. Whereas the questionnaire data indicated that meeting with teachers especially prior to classroom observation ranked lowest in order of importance as existing and preferred practice as perceived by teachers, the interview data indicated that holding conferences with teachers was prevalent in schools. I can speculate that conferencing with teachers was not a popular practice in many schools.

Supremacist Ideologies in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay

Supremacist Ideologies in Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness colludes with the ethnocentric attitude of Europeans towards the native people of Africa. At the turn of the century, European imperialism was viewed as "a crusade worthy of this century of progress" by King Leopold of Belgium. Although Conrad was critical of imperialism, his novella reveals to the reader an undeniable Victorian provenance. It endorses cultural myths of the period and reinforces the dominant ideology of the British gentleman. Its Victorian provenance is revealed in the representation of race, which is constructed through the character Marlow. His powerful narrative viewpoint reinforces what Chinua Achebe called Europe's "comforting myths" about Africa and Africans. The text consistently constructs black people as 'other'. This is achieved primarily by Marlow, who acts to construct the natives from the vantage point of the British gentleman. When he "looked at them", he searched not only for their "impulses, motives, capacities" but also for restraint, a value that he champions throughout the retelling of his story. When he can't find it, he remarks "Restraint? What possible restraint?" Marlow's first encounter with the natives is at the Outer Station, where his ambivalence towards them is foregrounded by his obsession with the miraculously efficient first-class agent. The natives are effectively dehumanised because they are presented as nothing more than "black shadows" and "acute angles"; and Marlow is far more interested in the fact that the accountant kept his books in "apple-pie order" than with the dying black men outside. Similarly, when Marlow stumbles across "a middle-aged negro, with a bullet-hole in the... ...t inexorably associates the continent and its people with darkness. We have the natives described as "black shapes", "strings of dusty niggers" and "a whirl of black limbs". This imagery also often associates Africans with supernatural evil. Near the Inner Station: "A black figure stood up, strode on long black legs, waving long black arms, across the glow. It had horns... some sorcerer, some witch-man, no doubt; it looked fiend-like enough" The African landscape is not only culpable for Kurtz's wrongs, but it is also a place of darkness and of evil, a place of paganism, with "the throb of drums, the drone of weird incantations"; a place of "lurking death", cannibalism, disease and insanity - all of Marlow's reality is filtered through the European consciousness, and all of his narrative serves to endorse European supremacist ideologies.

Commentary on Ten Trillion and Counting

Commentary on â€Å"Ten Trillion and Counting† The video is a well demonstration of debt issues that the U. S. government faces. It starts with the tough economic condition that Obama inherited from Bush. Then, it talks about Bush’s centerpiece economic agenda: cut taxes, as well as the way Bush always put politics ahead of economics. After a serious of expenses related to two big wars; two enormous tax cuts; and a variety of new entitlement program signed by Bush had been spent, the economic began to go down.He not only squandered the entire budget surplus he had inherited, but started to confronting a stubborn recession and a steadily escalating budget deficit. Next, the video shows the bitterly partisan fight over Obama’s expensive economic recovery plan. The Republicans worried about if the plan goes well, they will get no credits for anything they have done. So they strongly disagree with this huge amount of recovery expenses. The main issue regarding of thi s plan is about reform healthcare in order to save money in the long run.However, it is difficult to persuade interest groups and politicians who have been battling over healthcare for a long time. Besides, it is especially tough to talk to Americans about the government are going to spend less on benefits in a recession time. In the end, this video talks about Obama’s budget, and the rigorous debt deficit condition that the U. S. is going through. The reason I think the â€Å"Ten Trillion and Counting† is a well explanation of the debt deficit is because I learned a lot from this video. Before I watched this video I have no idea about the serious debt deficit problem that the U.S. is facing right now. The only thing I realized from my personal experience is that the U. S. government has relaxed the policy regarding to the threshold of international student. Several years ago, it is not easy for Chinese student to go abroad. Which reflects that the U. S. government rea lly wants to stimulate the economy by increase more demand. International student is a good resource of money. Another â€Å"interesting thing† I found in my daily life is that not only numerous retailers put advertisement like â€Å"buy 2 get 2 free,† some luxury brand starts to go on sale as well.It is rarely to see decades ago for a brand like Burberry put promotion in front of its showcase. From this perspective, people’s buying power has decreased sharply. Which results in less investments and staffs cut-off made by companies. In addition, a really serious recession was already happened. The stock market collapse, the banking system is imploded. Although keep borrowing from foreign countries is a way to buffer these problems, it is not a permanent way to solve the economy. So the U. S.Government needs to take some actions to decrease debt deficit. According to the video, there are two ways to reduce deficit, either by higher taxes or lower benefits. Today, forty percent of budget pays for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. However, the first baby boomer is getting retired sooner and they are claiming early retirement for social security. Moreover, as they grow order, they will make claims on Medicare. The U. S. government cannot afford these promises made before, especially in this kind of terrible economic downturn conditions.The Obama’s administration tries to bring deficit down by reforming healthcare in order to save money in the long run. In my opinion, the recovery plan needs to have a try. As Obama said: â€Å" the most important things we can do for our budget crisis right now is to make sure the economy does not continue to tank. And that is why passing the economic recovery plan is the right thing to do. Even though it is expensive. † In the short run, the debt deficit may tend to be bigger than Bush’s time. But after the healthcare has been taken, the economy will benefits in the long run.

Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines Essay

   had three huge barns, nine wives and thirty children. â€Å"(Achebe, 15) These men held titles which gave them a higher status in society. It was the responsibility of the clansmen to watch out for other individuals in their society. We do not ask for wealth because he that has health and children will also have wealth. We do not pray to have more money but to have more kinsmen. We are better than animals because we have kinsmen. An animal rubs its itching flank against a tree, a man asks his kinsmen to scratch him. (Achebe, 145) This exemplifies the values of a traditional Igbo society where the bond between fellow members of the society as well as health was greatly cherished. They held the life of their kinsmen very high. Achebe goes a step further in describing the elaborate family system of the natives. Unlike Haggard’s previously discussed perception implying the underestimated value of money, agriculture played an important role in supporting the polygamous household. The natives grew crops and also reared and tamed animals such as chicken and goats. Achebe’s attitude discretely explains that the native society in the mid 19th century was civilized contrary to the image established by Sir Henry Rider Haggard. Africa is known for its majestic beauty, flora and fauna. King Solomon’s Mines offers wondrous descriptions of the landscape and wilderness found in the untamed, uncivilized, unadulterated land. â€Å"There are the deep kloofs cut in the hills by the rushing rains of centuries, down which the rivers sparkle; there is the deepest green of the bush, growing as God planted it†¦ † (Haggard, 32) The possibility of untold treasures still to be discovered within the hidden parts of the land naturally sparks ideas of heroic adventures. Haggard considers the unexplored land as being dark and evil. â€Å"But here and there you meet †¦ make out a little piece of history of this dark land. † (Haggard, 18) On the other hand, Achebe’s novel is embedded with multitudes of descriptions of the natural environment as well as how people have modeled their economy around it: The last big rains of the year were falling. It was the time for treading red earth with which to build walls. It was not done earlier because the rains were too heavy and would have washed away the heap of trodden earth; and it could not be done later because harvesting would soon set in, and after that the dry season. (Achebe, 142) Similar to Haggard, Achebe has depicted Africans as living in mud huts, but the distinction in their attitude can be easily made through analyzing the following description: Oknonkwo’s prosperity was visible in the household. He had a large compound enclosed by a thick wall of red earth. His own hut, or obi, stood immediately behind the only gate in the red walls†¦ The barn was built against one end of the red walls, and long stacks of yam stood out prosperously in it. (Achebe, 11) Things Fall Apart describes the homes were the representation of the owner’s prosperity and success in the society. The attitudes exhibited by both writers towards the topography of the land are similar, even though Achebe describes the significance of seasons and climatic changes in the natives’ lives. Sir Henry Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart are concise novels which offer insightful descriptions of Africa and Africans as discussed above. They elaborate upon the beliefs, values and harmony of the people with their native land. Haggard’s description of Africa and Africans shows that his attitude is not completely detached from the stereotypical European beliefs. Achebe is successful in offering a credible and historically accurate description of the rich land, diverse culture and unique traditions. His attitude cannot be considered completely just nor unbiased as he is discussing the history of his own people. However, the analysis of the two novels brings out an interesting pattern. The perceptions presented in the novels preserve the thinking of the society when the two novels were each written. The post colonial society of today is much more accepting of the diversity present in indigenous cultures. This acceptance and appreciation was suppressed in the colonial era when strong nations such as Britain were colonizing other parts of the world. Overtime, our global society has prodigiously evolved and continues this progression implicating a growth of acceptance and appreciation of cultural diversity.

Agamemnon and Beowulf essays

Agamemnon and Beowulf essays We should point out from the very beginning that both Agamemnon and Beowulf, as literary works are marked throughout the text by the powerful, decisive personality of the two main characters. In this sense, deciding whether it is one or the other that is a better guide for living will need to partially relate to whether one or the other of the two characters has a better perspective of life, a better approach in finding solutions to the problems that may arise in his path and a better vision of the future actions. Aeschyluss play presents an obviously tragic setting. We are first of all confused by the extreme cautiousness that Agamemnon is walking with in his own home. Obviously, the playwright is working with all characters and all lines in order to emphasize this feeling of non-trust that is present in the palace. Starting with Clytemnestra, all characters seem to be a part of a ploy against the returning and to plot schemes in order to bring his downfall. Obviously, the entire sentiment that is built in the first acts is justified: Clytemnestra murders Agamemnon in the bathtub and Aegisthus, the queens lover can take part of the merits for the murders. Aeschyluss play, just as the main character, Agamemnon, draws a very bleak perspective and approach to life. The playwright creates an environment of distrust and extreme precautions to be taken even into your own home. Additionally, the tragic dimension of life is opened here, the futility of all things. If we think, for example, of the fact that Agamemnon was in fact a glorious victor and defeater of Troy, we might believe that the way he is received back at home is tragic if it would have happened in everyday life. Indeed, in life, you usually expect to receive all merits for a success, while in is play, success is paid for with murder, dishonesty and treachery. A last thing we should relate from the play and character ...

Free Essays on Madness In Macbeth

In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth madness is portrayed in three of the main characters. Macbeth, Macduff, and Lady Macbeth are all people in this play that reveal characteristics that we would not expect. There are many ironic scenes throughout Macbeth that brings action into the play and catches the audience’s attention. The scenes of Banquo’s death, the suicide of Lady Macbeth, and Macduff learning of the murder of his wife and children, are the three main scenes that show madness in the play. Act three, scene four is the scene when Macbeth was at the banquet and started to hallucinate after the murder of Banquo. Prior to this Macbeth had sent two murderers to execute Banquo and Fleance, but they were only successful in the killing of Banquo. When Macbeth hears of Banquos death he is quite pleased, but when he learns of Fleance’s escape he is worried and looks troubled. As guests begin to arrive for the banquet Macbeth greets them, and when he goes to take a seat he sees the ghost of Banquo staring up at him. Macbeth, thinking this is real, begins to speak to him. The crowd is baffled and Lady Macbeth then hurries everyone out and announces that Macbeth has had this illness since he was a child. As it turns out, a banquet is prepared for all the guests, but because of Macbeth’s guilt, the banquet collapses in disorder and confusion before it even gets underway. This insane behavior about Macbeth exposes that he has regrets for what he has done to Banquo. Act four, scene three, is when Macduff learns that his wife and children have been brutally murdered. Knowing this Macduff is enraged and wants with getting even with Macbeth by joining forces with Malcolm. But Macduff soon finds out that Macbeth has no children so no revenge will be equivalent to the pain he felt. Unlike Macbeth, Macduff’s madness is different because things done to him brought on his anger. This mad behavior reveals the darker and more brutal si... Free Essays on Madness In Macbeth Free Essays on Madness In Macbeth In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth madness is portrayed in three of the main characters. Macbeth, Macduff, and Lady Macbeth are all people in this play that reveal characteristics that we would not expect. There are many ironic scenes throughout Macbeth that brings action into the play and catches the audience’s attention. The scenes of Banquo’s death, the suicide of Lady Macbeth, and Macduff learning of the murder of his wife and children, are the three main scenes that show madness in the play. Act three, scene four is the scene when Macbeth was at the banquet and started to hallucinate after the murder of Banquo. Prior to this Macbeth had sent two murderers to execute Banquo and Fleance, but they were only successful in the killing of Banquo. When Macbeth hears of Banquos death he is quite pleased, but when he learns of Fleance’s escape he is worried and looks troubled. As guests begin to arrive for the banquet Macbeth greets them, and when he goes to take a seat he sees the ghost of Banquo staring up at him. Macbeth, thinking this is real, begins to speak to him. The crowd is baffled and Lady Macbeth then hurries everyone out and announces that Macbeth has had this illness since he was a child. As it turns out, a banquet is prepared for all the guests, but because of Macbeth’s guilt, the banquet collapses in disorder and confusion before it even gets underway. This insane behavior about Macbeth exposes that he has regrets for what he has done to Banquo. Act four, scene three, is when Macduff learns that his wife and children have been brutally murdered. Knowing this Macduff is enraged and wants with getting even with Macbeth by joining forces with Malcolm. But Macduff soon finds out that Macbeth has no children so no revenge will be equivalent to the pain he felt. Unlike Macbeth, Macduff’s madness is different because things done to him brought on his anger. This mad behavior reveals the darker and more brutal si...

Could, Should, and Would

Could, Should, and Would Could, Should, and Would Could, Should, and Would By Mark Nichol Is it a coincidence that the etymologically unrelated but closely associated words could, should, and would look and sound nearly the same? Mostly yes, with a little bit of no. Could derives from the Old English word cuà °e, the past tense of cunnan, meaning â€Å"to be able†; the present-tense form is can. The terminal spelling and pronunciation changed to d in the fourteenth century, but unlike in the case of should and would, which naturally developed their similar appearance (they already rhymed), could was manipulated by the insertion of additional letters to match the other words. (The obsolete character in the Old English form is an eth, pronounced like th. Yes, that means that the word was pronounced â€Å"cooth.† That similarity to couth is not a coincidence; couth, also derived from cunnan, originally meant â€Å"known.† Supplanted by could hundreds of years later, couth reemerged in the late nineteenth century as a back-formed antonym of uncouth meaning â€Å"sophisticated.† Cunning is also related.) Should evolved from sceolde, the past tense of the Old English word sceal, which meant â€Å"ought to† or â€Å"must† as well as â€Å"owe† and shifted in sense while still in its Middle English form so that it referred to the future as well as an obligation; the latter Old English word is the derivation of shall. Would comes from the Old English term wolde, past tense and past subjunctive of willan, meaning â€Å"to will,† and is the past tense of will. The phrases â€Å"could have,† â€Å"should have,† and â€Å"would have† are often contracted (in speech if not in writing) to could’ve, should’ve, and would’ve; slang variants are coulda, shoulda, and woulda. Other contractions based on phrases that bring these words together with not are couldn’t, shouldn’t, and wouldn’t. These contractions sometimes puzzle English-language learners because, for consistency, the latter should be styled could’n’t and so on. Couldn’t’ve and the like are natural progressions of this form but should be reserved for informal writing. Could-have, should-have, and would-have are nouns, usually in plural form, that refer to what could, should, or would have happened under different circumstances than those that actually existed. (Note the hyphens that distinguish these nouns from the verb phrases that inspired them.) Another development is the adjective would-be, which denotes someone who wishes to be or pretends to be something other than what he or she is. Could, should, and would can also confound nonnative speakers because they can be used to refer both to the past (as in â€Å"As I child, I would visit my grandparents every summer†) and the future (as in â€Å"I would do it again if I had the chance†). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them)60 Synonyms for â€Å"Trip†How Long Should a Synopsis Be?

Race and power in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Race and power in the US - Essay Example Tule Lake!!! I had to stop making your father’s supper. I have only heard that name in my nightmares for the past thirty years. I know you children have always assumed that during World War II I was in Europe with your father. I was not. My wartime experiences are a matter of deep shame. To start with, all I have told you about your grandmother is true. My mother was born in Tokyo to poor parents. Upon marrying my father, they both dreamed of coming to America. My parents believed that if one worked hard enough in America, one could achieve greatness. They both worked to save the money for the ocean voyage. Upon my mother’s realization that she was pregnant, both my parents made a difficult choice. They had saved enough money for one. My father decided to send my mother ahead to America. They wanted their child born on American soil. My mother arrived in 1924, a few months before I was born. After we arrived in San Francisco, my mother worked as a dishwasher to support both of us. Mother saved every spare penny to bring father to America, but by the time they had saved the money, the restrictions on immigration had tightened. My mother and father were still going through the red tape when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The tensions in Japan had been rising before. I remember as a teenager, the headlines of Japan invading China. I was afraid for the father I had never met. Father’s letters started coming few and far between, then after Pearl Harbor stopped all together. Mother was frantic. Oddly enough, when the flyers calling for â€Å"Japanese Americans† to relocate my mother and I were not too concerned. I do not know if my mother thought we would be returned to Japan or not. She did think we would be reunited with father upon the completion of the war, one way or another. We lived in an apartment away from our Japanese friends in an all white neighborhood. Our landlord pressured us out of

Emergency Response and Promoting Safety Research Paper

Emergency Response and Promoting Safety - Research Paper Example An emergency action plan is crucial because it reduces the number of casualties of a particular emergency. In this case, the severity of injuries is also reduced considerably. The plan also enhances swift evacuation of people and property, which is under threat. The response to an emergency helps calm down an overwrought situation to avoid further havoc. The innovative methods used to keep workers safe and healthy includes training on the response to emergencies. The other method used is continuous evaluation of the emergency plan instituted to grasp the strategies applied during the emergencies. The company can also offer to train the employees on the usage of workplace machines and equipment to reduce the probability of an accident. The methods are useful in a construction company in the sense that they ensure that they enable the employees to take precautions while working. According to Goetsch (2010), a construction company is prone to many risks including falling objects. The methods will ensure that the employees are aware of the guidelines for emergencies and the response actions required. The training carried out ensures that the team promptly responds to an emergency. Training also equips the workforce with proficient skills on safety and health standards. Safety in a construction company is important because machines do most of the construction activities. For that reason, there are high chances of machine accidents owing to power failure, machine faultiness, and employee carelessness. Incentive programs can be employed in a construction company in a bid to promote the safety of the employees (Goetsch, 2010). Incentive programs ensure that employees who complete their tasks without any injury receive rewards. The initiative will ensure that all construction employees work towards minimizing accidents.  

Marketing plan for the healthcare entity (smoking campaign) Assignment

Marketing plan for the healthcare entity (smoking campaign) - Assignment Example This essay discusses the negative impact of smoking to human health. Again and again, many people including the younger generation have become addicted to this extremely dangerous habit. Smoking not only endangers the health of the one who is actually doing it, it also affects the people surrounding the smoking individual. Smoking addiction, passive smoking, and cigarette smoking in public areas are serious matters, which have to be addressed at this point. In the UAE, cigarette smoking is one of the primary causes of lung diseases and death. While there have been reports of increasing rate of smokers in the country, the ages of individuals involved in this unpleasant practice have been getting younger. To address the issue, Healy, et al. has inferred that the challenge for health promotion strategists is to seek for messages, delivery strategies, and techniques that will concentrate on the worsening issue of cigarette smoking and properly link it with the identified targeted areas. The appropriate communication channel has to be identified to reach out to the youth population. There have been reports that in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and in other Middle Eastern countries, ages of people who have been developing certain lung diseases have been getting younger. In the UAE, lung cancer has been identified a common illness among the male population, as well as in other Arab countries. (Abid 2011). Furthermore, experts have projected that this case will be getting worse in the years to come. Experts have considered smoking as the main reason for the quick spreading of lung diseases in the UAE. Middle East patients had garnered the highest percentage of

Maritime Logistics at Hitachi Transport System Company Essay

Maritime Logistics at Hitachi Transport System Company - Essay Example According to the paper supply chain management encompasses bringing together business operations through coordinated activities to ensure that there is flow of input from supplies to manufacturers till goods and services reaches to the final consumer. Therefore, this assessment focuses on providing a sharp insight on the principles of third party logistics, advantages and disadvantages of third party logistics and suggested improvement that could be implemented at Hitachi Company(selected company for assessment) to make maritime logistics more effective and efficient. From this paper it is clear tha in above connection, logistic providers have realized that information technology is a key to success. Therefore, logistic leaders and information technology executive are anticipated to implement the following six principles. The principle of automation to increase business profitability, the principle of leverage technology, the principle of configured solutions, the principle of collab oration with all stakeholders, the principle of measures for improvement and the principle of delivering truth version. The principle of automation entails implementing computerized systems that can perform complex task and allow employees to focus on customer. The principle of leverage technology focuses at preventing time wastage and speed up time to the market.

The FIDIC 1999 Red Book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The FIDIC 1999 Red Book - Essay Example In accordance with the Red and Yellow Books, it is the employer, who essentially assumes responsibility for risks such as changes in law, unforeseeable ground conditions, unpredictable natural calamities, force majeure, and environmental permits. On the other hand, the party assigned with designing, assumes the responsibility for its defects. Nonetheless, the risk sharing principles of the FIDIC are advantageous for both, the Employer and the Contractor. The Construction and Plant & Design-Build Books shed further light on the subject of risk-sharing principles. Overall, risk allocation notions and philosophies recognize standards of fair risk-allocation, like the following: 1. Risks should be allocated to the party that is in a better position to handle them. 2. Risks should not be assigned to a part, which cannot deal with the repercussions in the event of the risk becoming a reality. This paper seeks to explore the distribution of risks as per the FIDIC code between various partie s namely the employer, the contractor and the engineer in order to discover how risks are fairly allocated. Adoption by United Arab Emirates (UAE) In 2007, the UAE government adopted new contracts, based on the broad principles of the FIDIC conditions for construction, plant and design and build form of contracts. These contracts offer two forms, namely, Conditions of Contract for Construction and Conditions of Contract for Design and Build1. However, these contracts exclusively apply to public centre construction entities in UAE; thus, private developers are free to adopt any preferred form of contract. Arguably, while some new provisions are in the Employer’s interest, others tend to favour the Contractor. The Contractor The new contracts entailed subtle changes from the FIDIC forms of contract, that impose more stringent requirements on the Contractor and alleviate the balancing obligations that FIDIC had introduced to foster a more even risk-allocation amongst parties. Fo r instance, a noteworthy amendment was made in the Design and Build form, which originally was based on the Yellow Book. The primary philosophy behind this contract was for the employer to assume responsibility for both, providing accurate information to the contractor and delineating his precise requirements. In the event of discovery of erroneous information as provided by the Employer or unforeseen physical conditions, the Contractor shall have a right to recover additional expenditure and seek an extension. However, these aforementioned provisions regarding remedy have been deleted from the UAE contracts. Not only that, but the UAE law expressly states that the Contractor shall be liable for any subsequent defects in the design, irrespective of the fact that it was prepared by the Employer2. In addition, the Employer is to maintain responsibility for unforeseeable physical conditions. Sub-clause 4.123 serves as a classic illustration to elucidate the above point. It states that normally, a contractor can deal with subsoil problems; although, he might fail to make allowance for the extra costs incurred with regard to this problem.

Native American from the Colonial American Era Research Paper

Native American from the Colonial American Era - Research Paper Example hese relationships altered and shaped the path of history in both cultures, effectively laying the foundation for the contemporary multicultural American society. Archaeological proof places the native tribe of Narragansett at the similarly named Narragansett Bay, currently known as Rhode Island, at least 30000 years ago1. The British colonizers arrived at Narragansett Bay in the year 1635. The tribe chiefs acted very friendly at first2. They even agreed to give Roger William, a Briton rejected by the neighboring native authorities, a track of land to create Providence; a settlement characterized by religious and political non-conformists. Roger William quickly learned the Narragansett language and became popular, spearheading friendly relations between the Narragansett and the British. The Narragansett even sought help from the British to fight against their long time tribal enemies, the Pequot, in an effort to regain territorial dominance. However, the mutual British-Narragansett relationship did not last for more than a decade. In 1675, war erupted between the two. The European attacked Narragansett for resisting their quest for more land. King Philip led the native warriors in fighting the British. However, the Narragansett lost the battle and were thrown out of their land. They later joined other native tribes in retaliation. Indians, unlike their Narragansett counterparts, were very suspicious from the beginning3. They showed mixed reactions; sometimes friendly, sometimes hostile. Part of their corporation is the batter trade that existed between them and the British. The British would give them weapons that they used to fight their native enemies. This case is similar to that of the Narragansett where the British were directly involved in fighting for Narragansett. In return to this favor, the Indians gave out fur. Unlike the Narragansett, they were very careful not to trade their land. The Indian-British relationship also ended in war. The Pequot war of

The FIDIC 1999 Red Book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The FIDIC 1999 Red Book - Essay Example In accordance with the Red and Yellow Books, it is the employer, who essentially assumes responsibility for risks such as changes in law, unforeseeable ground conditions, unpredictable natural calamities, force majeure, and environmental permits. On the other hand, the party assigned with designing, assumes the responsibility for its defects. Nonetheless, the risk sharing principles of the FIDIC are advantageous for both, the Employer and the Contractor. The Construction and Plant & Design-Build Books shed further light on the subject of risk-sharing principles. Overall, risk allocation notions and philosophies recognize standards of fair risk-allocation, like the following: 1. Risks should be allocated to the party that is in a better position to handle them. 2. Risks should not be assigned to a part, which cannot deal with the repercussions in the event of the risk becoming a reality. This paper seeks to explore the distribution of risks as per the FIDIC code between various partie s namely the employer, the contractor and the engineer in order to discover how risks are fairly allocated. Adoption by United Arab Emirates (UAE) In 2007, the UAE government adopted new contracts, based on the broad principles of the FIDIC conditions for construction, plant and design and build form of contracts. These contracts offer two forms, namely, Conditions of Contract for Construction and Conditions of Contract for Design and Build1. However, these contracts exclusively apply to public centre construction entities in UAE; thus, private developers are free to adopt any preferred form of contract. Arguably, while some new provisions are in the Employer’s interest, others tend to favour the Contractor. The Contractor The new contracts entailed subtle changes from the FIDIC forms of contract, that impose more stringent requirements on the Contractor and alleviate the balancing obligations that FIDIC had introduced to foster a more even risk-allocation amongst parties. Fo r instance, a noteworthy amendment was made in the Design and Build form, which originally was based on the Yellow Book. The primary philosophy behind this contract was for the employer to assume responsibility for both, providing accurate information to the contractor and delineating his precise requirements. In the event of discovery of erroneous information as provided by the Employer or unforeseen physical conditions, the Contractor shall have a right to recover additional expenditure and seek an extension. However, these aforementioned provisions regarding remedy have been deleted from the UAE contracts. Not only that, but the UAE law expressly states that the Contractor shall be liable for any subsequent defects in the design, irrespective of the fact that it was prepared by the Employer2. In addition, the Employer is to maintain responsibility for unforeseeable physical conditions. Sub-clause 4.123 serves as a classic illustration to elucidate the above point. It states that normally, a contractor can deal with subsoil problems; although, he might fail to make allowance for the extra costs incurred with regard to this problem.

Research Method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research Method - Essay Example However, the Internet, on the other hand, introduces a new world for unethical behaviour. Whereas e-commerce has undergone extensive growth in last 10 years, consumers concerns about ethical issues continue to increase, as well. Even many businesses and consumers are revelling in e-commerce; business issues linked to online purchasing and selling become the negative side of the matter. E-Commerce is the capability of an organisation to have a lively online presence that allows the organisation to carry out its business electronically, basically having an electronic/online shop. Goods/services can be advertised, vended and paid for all electronically devoid of the need for the buying to be processed by an actual human being (Shivani and Grewal 167). Because of the vastness of online advertising, a website can be open to millions of individuals the world over for almost zero cost and with information being capable of changing almost instantly, the website can, at all times, be updated with all the newest products to match with clients’ demands (Berthon et al 261). The major advantage of E-Commerce is its ability to offer safe shopping transactions through the internet and besides instant authentication, as well as validation of credit card transactions (Shivani and Grewal 167). Ethics, in contrast, is the branch of philosophy, which studies what is right and also what is wrong. Ethical rules are regulations to follow in people interactions with others and in their actions, which impact others. They apply to everyone and are meant to attain fine results for individuals and situations, in general; not only for ourselves, and not only for a single situation (Berthon et al 261). Business ethics is involved with the several ethical questions, which managers must tackle as part of their day to day business decision-making (Shivani and Grewal 167). Acting ethically is normally practical since most of

Impact of the Internet on Relationships of 20-25 Year Olds

Impact of the Internet on Relationships of 20-25 Year Olds An electronic space for meeting new people, staying connected with friends and sharing ideas: Virtual reality or social reality in the age of narcissism? A study of hi5 network as an online community; its connection to offline relationships and motivations and expectations of people that become members. CHAPTER ONE Abstract The internet has changed the lives of many individuals and, with millions of people online it arguably represents the single most influential technological advancement of the Twenty First century (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3). Therefore the world of the internet is one which becomes more and more relevant in the lives of individuals across the world (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19). The internet has touched the lives of most people within the 20-25 age groups, and this it perhaps even more relevant within Greek society, where internet dating and socialising has proven exceptionally popular. It is therefore not surprising that the internet is used effectively as a medium for the formation of relationships. The internet has given us electronic mail; internet blogs; pop-up message advertising; video messaging; smiley faces; on-line dating and friendship services; instant messages and internet threads and all of these have changed the way that individuals communicate with one another (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Jordan, T. (1999) Ch.1). These more contemporary methods of communicating have impacted society at many levels (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3) (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) and this may be seen through an analysis of contemporary communication discourses and methods of socialisation. Specifically, the website www.hi5.com has provided a nexus where all of these technological and communication techniques have recognition and importance. Hi5 is an online community where communication is uniquely confined to electronic means and discourses. Introduction This thesis will explore the relevance of the internet to the formation of key social relationships within the 20-25 age group of Greek society. The fact that the formation of relationships online influences and shapes the nature of relationships offline is an interesting one to approach and it will be focused on throughout the thesis. The nature of the internet and specifically websites such as Hi5 as an electronic space which facilities human interaction and the maintenance of relationships will be considered. The dichotomy between social and virtual reality will be broached within this context and the writer will attempt to comment on which description of the internet is most appropriate. The question of whether the internet is a social reality in an age of narcissism or a virtual reality will also be addressed within the research. The subject matter of the thesis will also involve a consideration of the ways that the internet has indirectly and directly affected offline relationships and the motivations and expectations of people that become members. This is an important perspective; however it is one that could easily be neglected. Therefore one of the most important points which the thesis will seek to express is the pervasiveness of the internet, and specifically the pervasiveness of the online community which engages Greeks in the 20-25 age group, and its ability to influence their offline as well as online lives, self representations, motivations and expectations. The thesis will attempt to argue that the internet is an important mechanism of social interaction, which should not be pigeon-holed to simply make what is anyway a facile critique of the internet (i.e. that the internet simply promotes narcissism), more convenient to articulate. This chapter will provide the skeleton framework through which this argument will be made. The chapter will provide definitions of the internet, communication, language, computer mediated discourse, and semiotics and these definitions will be used as a springboard to discuss how the internet has changed the lives of Greeks within the 20-25 year age category. Wider issues such as globalisation, self representation, creativity and technological advancement (Smith, M. and Kollock, P. (1998) 4) will also be considered in this chapter since these are intrinsic to the ultimate argument of the thesis that internet friendship databases such as Hi5 are crucially important and representative of developments in human socialisation patterns. The effects of these processes will be extrapolated within the context of the research question and they will assist the writer to achieve a more in depth understanding of the significance of the internet within the social circles of Greeks within the 20-25 age group. The models of analysis that will be used will be discourse analysis and semiotic analysis of text and images. The profiles of Greek members of Hi5 will be widely consulted and primary research in the form of interviews and a questionnaire-based study will be consulted and evaluated qualitatively in the analysis of all of the above mentioned issues. Therefore there will be a lexicographical and semiotic extrapolation of both text and imagery to assist the writer in answering the question of whether the internet as a social medium/social hub is a positive development and to comment upon the question title. Computer mediated electronic discourse is the label given to describe electronic discourses (Holt, R. (2004) 129) and the effects which they produce at the level of social interaction between humans. Lexicographical sequences, syntax, the length and structure of sentences, the use of colloquial words and phrases and elaborate uses for punctuation devices may all be considered to be a part of this newly developing discourse which specifically facilitates communication over the internet (Holt, R. (2004) 129-130). These aspects of language and how language is represented have changed to reflect and to facilitate online communication and the development of new relationships through the medium of the internet (Holt, R. (2004) 129-132). Images and self-representations will be looked at in minute detail; these images and representations will be deconstructed and looked at in their most basic terms. It is hoped that this focus will allow the writer to consider the research question in a comprehensive and minutely detailed manner. It is anticipated that such a focus will impart an original and innovative insight into the subject of computer mediated discourses and the increasing importance of the internet in the lives of young people (20-25) in Greece and Greeks abroad in the Twenty First century. CHAPTER TWO Research Question and Theory The Hi5 Website: What is it? This website is an internet community where friendships and romantic attachments are solicited by members. The site enables members to represent themselves and to enable others to view what they have to say about themselves, remotely through the internet. The site itself involves the use of a database of individuals all over the world who have added internet pages describing themselves; their characteristics and interests. These descriptions are referred to as profiles and are added to the database which may be searched by prospective members and member of the Hi5 website alike. Members generally add photographs of themselves, and their friends and sometimes the members can add links and descriptions of the music that they like to listen to. Primarily the website is aimed at individuals from all ethnicities who are in their twenties, and who would like to make friends, stay in touch with friends or form romantic attachments to new people over the internet. The site allows companies and other advertisers to advertise their services on the website, which allows the website to disseminate products and services which may be of interest to young people within the 20-25 age group. The website is also different from online dating services as the romantic connections which may be formed through the internet are not the principal selling point of the website. The ideas of friendship, self representation and companionship are instead emphasised. Certainly, the idea of romantic attachments is something which the website may facilitate, but its capacity to do so is understated and not focused upon. Therefore the website describes and sells itself as primarily designed to enable people to form platonic relationships through using its facilities. What is Communication? Communication, at its most basic level may be understood as a way to convey messages and emotions between human beings (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Jennings, B. and Heath, R. (2000) 91). This is done mainly (although not exclusively as we will see explained below) through the use of language (Kaplan, R. (2002) Ch. 1), which is a complex collection of symbols which have specific meanings and when used collectively may be understood to represent codifications of human emotions and messages. The system of symbols which may be understood as the building blocks of a language do not have meaning in themselves; rather they represent meaning when they are arranged within certain patterns which are objectively recognisable by others who wish to interpret them. Therefore the signals which are relied upon in the context of language are constructed; they are not generic or pre-existing. This complex system of symbols allows humans to make others understand messages which have a generic codified meaning, which may be understood objectively, and cognitively. It is important to understand communication in these terms within the context of this thesis enquiry as it is an understanding of this particular property of communication which will allow the writer to comment upon the language used on Hi5 in an abstracted and theoretical manner. This will facilitate the methodology of discourse analysis and semiotics which underpins the thesis. Communication is therefore a cognitive process (Ellis, D. (1999) 1) (Giora, R. (2003) 13). It is essentially a manipulation of the senses of humans through systematic representations of meaning and images (Ellis, D. (1999) 1). Communication does not just involve language; one can communicate at many levels (Ellis, D. (1999) 1-3) (Giora, R. (2003) 13) (Turkle, S. (1997) Ch.1). Facial expressions; sign language; body language; intonation; voice pitch and just a few mechanisms which may be used to communicate without the use of language. Language may employ these techniques in an integrated manner, as communication rarely adopts a singular mode. Therefore the clothes we wear (their colours and texture); the facial and bodily expressions we adopt; the mannerisms we adopt; various postures and the signals which we give out are all complex and systematic methods of communicating (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25). The underlying system (culture) is what allows one to describe these processes as both communicative and connected with language (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). Language may be described through the idea of a discourse (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124) (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 5). Discourses are particular amalgams of how language has come to be used within particular spheres for specific purposes (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 5). These purposes may be political, sociological and even ideological in nature (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). What makes a discourse a discourse is the style in which the language and communication techniques are manifested. These may be identified objectively and regarded as belonging within one given discourse. It is often the case that a discourse will be uniquely identifiable. Discourse may be understood at the level of lexicographical constructions and syntax (Fairclough, N. (2003) 123-124) (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). In this sense the discourse which is understood is viewed in a more mechanical and objective manner. Discourses of this modality will mainly occupy the methodological framework of the thesis, since this type of discourse analysis allows one to approach the understanding of the subject of electronic communication and socialisation techniques in an effective and simple way. Language also becomes a communication discourse when it is used as a system of communication within a particular community or culture (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). This was Bourdieus viewpoint (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1). Pierre Bourdieu (1990) was one of the most influential communication theorists (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1). Pierre Bourdieu (1990) has attempted to deconstruct the idea of communication (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1) and to assist him he used the analogy of a map and a journey (Schirato and Yell (2000) p1). He argued that communication involved rules, conventions which map a language and that actual acts of communication were akin to the taking of journeys(Schirato and Yell (2000) p1). This broadly fits the writers earlier definition of communication which has been explained above as it explains how language symbols takes on a level of significance when they are arranged within a given structure or amalgam. Semiotics Communication may also be understood through the idea of signs and meanings (Giora, R. (2003) 13). Semiotics is perhaps a more abstract and theoretical way to understand the way that language is used to engender meaning. Saussure (1989) argued that the meaning of language is a subjective exercise whereby individuals read meanings into what he referred to as signs, which do not have any intrinsic meaning of themselves, but have meaning imputed into them by virtue of the meaning which is attached to them by people (Schirato and Yell (2000) p19). Therefore, for Saussure, language was not as important as what he regarded as its most basic constituent part; the sign. The sign is what is represented in relational terms and not in substantive terms through the medium of language and images (Schirato and Yell (2000) p19). Saussure split the idea of communication and meaning into three parts; the sign, the signifier and the signified, with the signifier meaning the actual physical manifestation or form of the sign (an example being a road sign or the written form of a word), and the signified meaning being what this physical form evokes and the sign itself being a combination of both the signified and the signifier (Schirato and Yell (2000) p20). Saussure believed that a sign was a link between a concept and a pattern of sound (Schirato and Yell (2000) p20), and that these linkages came together to comprise a semiotic system which disseminated meaning. What is Culture? Culture may be described in the following functional terms: In any society, culture, in its most general sense, is concerned with individuals in a group. It has four main functions: It determines the various ways open to the individual within the group to develop the self, and hence the group as well. It specifies means for self-preservation. It determines the individuals place within the group. And, it determines the individuals and the groups perception of the world. (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). Culture also constrains the perceptions which an individual may be exposed to and given that this exposure is generally delivered through discourses, it is important to understand the connections between culture and individual perceptions. Chimombo and Roseberry (1998) give us an account of this connection: The specific culture of the group restricts each of these cultural attributes to a range of values or possibilities deemed acceptable to the members of that culture. Thus, the ways in which an individual can achieve self-fulfilment or perceive the world within a given society are limited by that societys cultural norms and practices (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). What is the Internet? The internet is a complex network of technological communication mechanisms (Crystal, D. (2001) 24) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). These enable people to communicate through the use of computers (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). The internet itself is both a communication mechanism and a source of information (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56) as it also allows the user to search vast databases of information using key word searches (Crystal, D. (2001) 24). It has changed the way that business, politics, government, education, communication and commercial affairs are conducted (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56), and has enabled individuals both to access and to disseminate information more quickly and effectively (Crystal, D. (2001) 24) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). In this sense therefore the internet represents a mode of communication which is electronic in nature (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56), and the world is connected through this mode. This electronic characteri stic of the internet means that various modes of media may be enabled through the internet and these media connect people on another level (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). How has the Internet Changed the Lives of Greek 20-25 Year Olds? Greek individuals in the 20-25 categories have been particularly susceptible to the changes which the internet has both precipitated and facilitated. It is often the case that a primary concern of those belonging to this age category will be romantically unattached and seeking to form relationships, both in the form of friendships and sexual partnerships. Therefore, it is important for one to understand that the internet is integrated within the lives of Greeks between 20-25, given the role it plays in allowing for relationships to be instigated and explored. The internet is a forum for these relationships to be instigated and played out (Kendall, L. (2002) 139-141). In the globalised world where technological advancement features strongly in the lives of most individuals this is not a surprising that the internet would be integrated in this way into such a fundamental sphere of the lives of these individuals (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3). It is impossible to integrate the internet to this extent within a persons life, without the integration producing noticeable effects in both the offline and online settings. It is possible to infer from this, that offline relationships as well as the motivations and expectations of people that become members will be moulded and shaped through this process of integration. This rationalisation will be borne out in the next section. The offline relationships of individuals who also have access to online channels of communication will be affected in a number of ways. For example, it is often the case that the internet simply removes the inhibitions which are often experienced at the outset of a relationship (friendship or sexual). In a sense, the approach which may be employed between two people who are interested in one another is made easier and the fact that the feelings of rejection which may be experienced by a person after a spurned advance can be compensated for by that person, through withdrawing communication effectively and efficiently. The person in question can make their profile invisible and can also choose to which members their profiles can be made visible to. In a sense therefore traditional methods of engaging the opposite sex (or the same sex in the case of non heterosexual encounters) in conversation have been redefined through electronic discourse. Crews and Thierer (2003) give us a springboard upon which to elaborate on this point by explaining the system of rules and conventions which underpin the use of the internet: There are rules. Some of them are mechanical in the sense that the architecture of the Internet and the protocols that define its function determine the way in which it operates and the way in which applications like e-mail are or can be supported. Others are a consequence of policies set in a variety of venues and jurisdictions and informed or motivated by a variety of constituencies. (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) vii). Electronic discourse have facilitated the adoption of these rules and protocols to allow for easier and more relaxed connections to be established through the use of friendship databases such as Hi 5. This point will be backed up more thoroughly using primary research in the next section, in which syntax and the formations of language will be deconstructed and extrapolated to show how the language itself is a vehicle for these particular functionalities. For the moment it is enough to point out that these electronic discourses are driven by individual preferences of internet users. Crews and Thierer (2003) reinforce the point: Some rules may even be said to be set by the personal preferences and behaviours of Internet users, almost independent of outside forces. The ensemble of rule sets does not form a consistent or even coherent whole and there are notable conflicts, especially as local jurisdictions seek to enforce local rules on a system that is patently global (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) vii). Another point to be made about how useful the internet has proven in the lives of young Greeks is that fact that in purely logistical terms, traditional forums which are used to meet members of the opposite sex are not very effectual for the person who seeks to meet new people. Nightclubs for example could be a classic example. These venues are often very noisy and crowded. Interaction in such environments may be stressful and cumbersome. Therefore people tend to stick within the groups of people that they are familiar with and it is often difficult, for individuals to penetrate these niches, and thus strike up relationships with new people. The internet, and in particular websites such as Hi5 remove this logistical difficulty. It provides a safe and comfortable venue where relationships may be initiated on neutral terms, and the conventions which have evolved allow for interaction to flow smoothly within this environment. In terms of online and offline relationships, the sphere of socialisation which websites such as Hi5 provides often brings these two settings together, and it is perhaps unusual for a person within the age group to led an online life which is entirely separate from their offline lives. It is perhaps true that there are rules and conventions which govern the behaviour of actors within the two spheres in different ways; however this does not mean that in practical, physical terms the two spheres are separated. In actuality the two spheres have become more integrated than ever, as the internet grows in influence and importance. The impact of globalisation, also has made the internet very important in the lives of people within the age category 20-25 (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Johnson, D. and Turner, C. (2003) Ch.1). The world is more technologically interconnected and cultures and foreign countries are more accessible than ever before (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3), making them more relevant in the lives of Greeks within this age group. This globalisation of culture is of particular relevance in this context, for Greeks within the 20-25 age groups. Given that Greece has become part of the European Union, free movement between European countries has heightened the changes that have taken place on a cultural level to an even greater extent, and this has allowed for greater integration between cultures online. This has changed socialisation processes. In this sense the internet may be understood as a virtual space in which people can meet and exchange ideas. However, the ways in which these outcomes are achieved may not be understood without looking more closely as the way that human relationships are formed through the internet, through electronic means and how this spills over into conventional human interplays. To identify the age of narcissism in the question title is arguably a meaningless endeavour. It is facile to tie narcissism just with contemporary society. The reality is that this is a universal concept which has many applications within both the traditional and the contemporary. We find narcissism everywhere; it is not just a generic feature of the internet, or generically manifested through internet discourses. Therefore the proposition in the thesis title that puts forward the view that the internet represents social reality in an age of narcissism is an over simplification of a process (narcissism) which pervades so ciety at many levels; not just specifically through the internet. Certainly one cannot deny that the internet and the Hi5 site can be a vehicle for narcissism in terms of individual modalities of self-representations. The images of the body, images of self which are communicated through text and image convey narcissistic tendencies. Indeed, this however is perhaps not just a cultural construct, but a more basic survival mechanism. The title proposition which insinuates that narcissism is a purely self indulgent process therefore fails to understand the various applications which narcissism may have within the context of human development (which must be set apart from mere social reality). Let us look for example at human reproduction. This is a natural instinct within most humans, and narcissism assists the human in attracting a mate; the presentation of self within particular terms is therefore not self indulgent, per se (it may be this of course, but the point here is that this is not the only function of narcissism); it is also a tool which is u sed by humans to present and project themselves as attractive potential mates. Therefore narcissism facilitates human socialisation at the most basic of levels. It is not a superfluous mechanism in which social reality is defined as the title implies. It has a base function which assists humans to find and attract partners through the internet and electronic discourses. However, since the title proposition that the Hi5 website is social reality in an age of narcissism has been critiqued here, let us turn to the alternative proposition which is presented in the question title; is the site just virtual reality? This too is far too narrow a definition of what the site may be to be a credible description of the site. The fact is that the site cannot be simply virtual reality, given its function within both online and offline relationships. This has been argued above. The internet site involves a degree of integration between online and offline expectations and motivations which prove that it is therefore not just virtual; it cant be simply this. It is a complex interconnected network which cannot be pigeonholed into either the category of virtual reality or social reality in an age of narcissism. Both of these representations misunderstand the use and importance of the internet site to society. They force the concept of the internet site into a narrow b olthole which cannot accommodate the complexities of a mechanism such as the Hi5. To present this question as if a choice must be made between the two implies that one of the other is an accurate representation of what the internet site is. The argument of this thesis is that this is a false premise to begin from. The internet site and the mode of its dissemination, the internet has become so integrated; so important and so pervasive that to define it in such narrow terms is both to do it a disservice and to misunderstand its function, and use. The next chapter will turn to the methodology of the thesis enquiry. It will discuss the different paradigms of research and it will explain how the research methodology of this thesis has been chosen and the reasons why. An argument will be made that qualitative research is more compatible with the overall aim of the thesis enquiry and therefore it has been the most appropriate means through which the research is the be carried out. CHAPTER THREE Methodology This chapter will firstly ask some questions about the nature, structure and applicability of certain methodologies within the framework of this research project. It will then go on to outline which methodology will be used as the foundation for the thesis and will explain why. In this way the advantages and disadvantages of each methodological framework will be evaluated and explained and the suitability of particular methodological frameworks will for this linguistic and discourse orientated project will be outlined. Firstly, what is methodology? Methodology involves two separate paradigms; qualitative (phenomenological) and quantitative (positivist) (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). The main difference which may be identified between the two paradigms of research is that qualitative method involves a socially constructed matrix of understanding (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). Conversely the quantitative seeks to understand phenomena through objective observation and hypothesising (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). Characteristics of qualitative research therefore are that it tends to be specific, confirmatory, scientific and outcome orientated (Jensen, K. (2002) 230). Characteristics of qualitative research involve explanatory aims and the method involved tends to be more situational than outcome oriented (Bauer, M. (2000) 4). The aim of qualitative research is to understand and interpret viewpoints subjectively whereas qualitative research involves more concrete and deductive foundations of research (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). The methodology which will be used will primarily be qualitative in nature. There will be interviews conducted with interested parties in the field of friendship databases, there will be a semiotic and discourse analysis of the Hi5 website and there will be a questionnaire; the results of which will be interpreted qualitatively. Therefore the research design will be both constructed and interpreted qualitatively. The sampling of data will involve random internet searches of the Hi5 website and the writer will use themselves as a device to take in views and imagery which will be presented in the results chapter and assessed through qualitative means. The targets of the writer in terms of samples for the research will take the form of firstly, the Hi5 website itself, and then profiles will be consulted. The writer will try to focus specifically upon an analysis of just Greek profiles, since the website allows one to narrow ones search on the basis of ethnicity. It must be emphasised that while this does narrow down the pool of profiles, the writer has no control over which profiles are presented, other than to specify that they should be from persons who classify themselves as Greeks. Therefore the integrity of the research in terms of using random data is preserved. Sampling techniques are very important to preserve the qualitative integrity of the research and therefore its credibility. The writer has been careful to attempt to examine profiles from both genders and to examine representations of both the male and female forms, since the factor which the writer would like to control is ethnicity (therefore just Greek profiles will be focused on primarily). The writer has attempted to guarantee that random material has been generated and has relied upon the mechanism on the Hi5 website itself which allows one to generate random searches. Representativeness too was considered throughout the research. As the topics which were under consideration were imagery, self representation and the concept of the self and body, it was important to have sufficient diversity within the constraints of the research variables which were to be controlled (i.e. age (20-25) and ethnicity Greekne Impact of the Internet on Relationships of 20-25 Year Olds Impact of the Internet on Relationships of 20-25 Year Olds An electronic space for meeting new people, staying connected with friends and sharing ideas: Virtual reality or social reality in the age of narcissism? A study of hi5 network as an online community; its connection to offline relationships and motivations and expectations of people that become members. CHAPTER ONE Abstract The internet has changed the lives of many individuals and, with millions of people online it arguably represents the single most influential technological advancement of the Twenty First century (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3). Therefore the world of the internet is one which becomes more and more relevant in the lives of individuals across the world (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19). The internet has touched the lives of most people within the 20-25 age groups, and this it perhaps even more relevant within Greek society, where internet dating and socialising has proven exceptionally popular. It is therefore not surprising that the internet is used effectively as a medium for the formation of relationships. The internet has given us electronic mail; internet blogs; pop-up message advertising; video messaging; smiley faces; on-line dating and friendship services; instant messages and internet threads and all of these have changed the way that individuals communicate with one another (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Jordan, T. (1999) Ch.1). These more contemporary methods of communicating have impacted society at many levels (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3) (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) and this may be seen through an analysis of contemporary communication discourses and methods of socialisation. Specifically, the website www.hi5.com has provided a nexus where all of these technological and communication techniques have recognition and importance. Hi5 is an online community where communication is uniquely confined to electronic means and discourses. Introduction This thesis will explore the relevance of the internet to the formation of key social relationships within the 20-25 age group of Greek society. The fact that the formation of relationships online influences and shapes the nature of relationships offline is an interesting one to approach and it will be focused on throughout the thesis. The nature of the internet and specifically websites such as Hi5 as an electronic space which facilities human interaction and the maintenance of relationships will be considered. The dichotomy between social and virtual reality will be broached within this context and the writer will attempt to comment on which description of the internet is most appropriate. The question of whether the internet is a social reality in an age of narcissism or a virtual reality will also be addressed within the research. The subject matter of the thesis will also involve a consideration of the ways that the internet has indirectly and directly affected offline relationships and the motivations and expectations of people that become members. This is an important perspective; however it is one that could easily be neglected. Therefore one of the most important points which the thesis will seek to express is the pervasiveness of the internet, and specifically the pervasiveness of the online community which engages Greeks in the 20-25 age group, and its ability to influence their offline as well as online lives, self representations, motivations and expectations. The thesis will attempt to argue that the internet is an important mechanism of social interaction, which should not be pigeon-holed to simply make what is anyway a facile critique of the internet (i.e. that the internet simply promotes narcissism), more convenient to articulate. This chapter will provide the skeleton framework through which this argument will be made. The chapter will provide definitions of the internet, communication, language, computer mediated discourse, and semiotics and these definitions will be used as a springboard to discuss how the internet has changed the lives of Greeks within the 20-25 year age category. Wider issues such as globalisation, self representation, creativity and technological advancement (Smith, M. and Kollock, P. (1998) 4) will also be considered in this chapter since these are intrinsic to the ultimate argument of the thesis that internet friendship databases such as Hi5 are crucially important and representative of developments in human socialisation patterns. The effects of these processes will be extrapolated within the context of the research question and they will assist the writer to achieve a more in depth understanding of the significance of the internet within the social circles of Greeks within the 20-25 age group. The models of analysis that will be used will be discourse analysis and semiotic analysis of text and images. The profiles of Greek members of Hi5 will be widely consulted and primary research in the form of interviews and a questionnaire-based study will be consulted and evaluated qualitatively in the analysis of all of the above mentioned issues. Therefore there will be a lexicographical and semiotic extrapolation of both text and imagery to assist the writer in answering the question of whether the internet as a social medium/social hub is a positive development and to comment upon the question title. Computer mediated electronic discourse is the label given to describe electronic discourses (Holt, R. (2004) 129) and the effects which they produce at the level of social interaction between humans. Lexicographical sequences, syntax, the length and structure of sentences, the use of colloquial words and phrases and elaborate uses for punctuation devices may all be considered to be a part of this newly developing discourse which specifically facilitates communication over the internet (Holt, R. (2004) 129-130). These aspects of language and how language is represented have changed to reflect and to facilitate online communication and the development of new relationships through the medium of the internet (Holt, R. (2004) 129-132). Images and self-representations will be looked at in minute detail; these images and representations will be deconstructed and looked at in their most basic terms. It is hoped that this focus will allow the writer to consider the research question in a comprehensive and minutely detailed manner. It is anticipated that such a focus will impart an original and innovative insight into the subject of computer mediated discourses and the increasing importance of the internet in the lives of young people (20-25) in Greece and Greeks abroad in the Twenty First century. CHAPTER TWO Research Question and Theory The Hi5 Website: What is it? This website is an internet community where friendships and romantic attachments are solicited by members. The site enables members to represent themselves and to enable others to view what they have to say about themselves, remotely through the internet. The site itself involves the use of a database of individuals all over the world who have added internet pages describing themselves; their characteristics and interests. These descriptions are referred to as profiles and are added to the database which may be searched by prospective members and member of the Hi5 website alike. Members generally add photographs of themselves, and their friends and sometimes the members can add links and descriptions of the music that they like to listen to. Primarily the website is aimed at individuals from all ethnicities who are in their twenties, and who would like to make friends, stay in touch with friends or form romantic attachments to new people over the internet. The site allows companies and other advertisers to advertise their services on the website, which allows the website to disseminate products and services which may be of interest to young people within the 20-25 age group. The website is also different from online dating services as the romantic connections which may be formed through the internet are not the principal selling point of the website. The ideas of friendship, self representation and companionship are instead emphasised. Certainly, the idea of romantic attachments is something which the website may facilitate, but its capacity to do so is understated and not focused upon. Therefore the website describes and sells itself as primarily designed to enable people to form platonic relationships through using its facilities. What is Communication? Communication, at its most basic level may be understood as a way to convey messages and emotions between human beings (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Jennings, B. and Heath, R. (2000) 91). This is done mainly (although not exclusively as we will see explained below) through the use of language (Kaplan, R. (2002) Ch. 1), which is a complex collection of symbols which have specific meanings and when used collectively may be understood to represent codifications of human emotions and messages. The system of symbols which may be understood as the building blocks of a language do not have meaning in themselves; rather they represent meaning when they are arranged within certain patterns which are objectively recognisable by others who wish to interpret them. Therefore the signals which are relied upon in the context of language are constructed; they are not generic or pre-existing. This complex system of symbols allows humans to make others understand messages which have a generic codified meaning, which may be understood objectively, and cognitively. It is important to understand communication in these terms within the context of this thesis enquiry as it is an understanding of this particular property of communication which will allow the writer to comment upon the language used on Hi5 in an abstracted and theoretical manner. This will facilitate the methodology of discourse analysis and semiotics which underpins the thesis. Communication is therefore a cognitive process (Ellis, D. (1999) 1) (Giora, R. (2003) 13). It is essentially a manipulation of the senses of humans through systematic representations of meaning and images (Ellis, D. (1999) 1). Communication does not just involve language; one can communicate at many levels (Ellis, D. (1999) 1-3) (Giora, R. (2003) 13) (Turkle, S. (1997) Ch.1). Facial expressions; sign language; body language; intonation; voice pitch and just a few mechanisms which may be used to communicate without the use of language. Language may employ these techniques in an integrated manner, as communication rarely adopts a singular mode. Therefore the clothes we wear (their colours and texture); the facial and bodily expressions we adopt; the mannerisms we adopt; various postures and the signals which we give out are all complex and systematic methods of communicating (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25). The underlying system (culture) is what allows one to describe these processes as both communicative and connected with language (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). Language may be described through the idea of a discourse (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124) (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 5). Discourses are particular amalgams of how language has come to be used within particular spheres for specific purposes (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 5). These purposes may be political, sociological and even ideological in nature (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). What makes a discourse a discourse is the style in which the language and communication techniques are manifested. These may be identified objectively and regarded as belonging within one given discourse. It is often the case that a discourse will be uniquely identifiable. Discourse may be understood at the level of lexicographical constructions and syntax (Fairclough, N. (2003) 123-124) (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). In this sense the discourse which is understood is viewed in a more mechanical and objective manner. Discourses of this modality will mainly occupy the methodological framework of the thesis, since this type of discourse analysis allows one to approach the understanding of the subject of electronic communication and socialisation techniques in an effective and simple way. Language also becomes a communication discourse when it is used as a system of communication within a particular community or culture (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). This was Bourdieus viewpoint (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1). Pierre Bourdieu (1990) was one of the most influential communication theorists (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1). Pierre Bourdieu (1990) has attempted to deconstruct the idea of communication (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1) and to assist him he used the analogy of a map and a journey (Schirato and Yell (2000) p1). He argued that communication involved rules, conventions which map a language and that actual acts of communication were akin to the taking of journeys(Schirato and Yell (2000) p1). This broadly fits the writers earlier definition of communication which has been explained above as it explains how language symbols takes on a level of significance when they are arranged within a given structure or amalgam. Semiotics Communication may also be understood through the idea of signs and meanings (Giora, R. (2003) 13). Semiotics is perhaps a more abstract and theoretical way to understand the way that language is used to engender meaning. Saussure (1989) argued that the meaning of language is a subjective exercise whereby individuals read meanings into what he referred to as signs, which do not have any intrinsic meaning of themselves, but have meaning imputed into them by virtue of the meaning which is attached to them by people (Schirato and Yell (2000) p19). Therefore, for Saussure, language was not as important as what he regarded as its most basic constituent part; the sign. The sign is what is represented in relational terms and not in substantive terms through the medium of language and images (Schirato and Yell (2000) p19). Saussure split the idea of communication and meaning into three parts; the sign, the signifier and the signified, with the signifier meaning the actual physical manifestation or form of the sign (an example being a road sign or the written form of a word), and the signified meaning being what this physical form evokes and the sign itself being a combination of both the signified and the signifier (Schirato and Yell (2000) p20). Saussure believed that a sign was a link between a concept and a pattern of sound (Schirato and Yell (2000) p20), and that these linkages came together to comprise a semiotic system which disseminated meaning. What is Culture? Culture may be described in the following functional terms: In any society, culture, in its most general sense, is concerned with individuals in a group. It has four main functions: It determines the various ways open to the individual within the group to develop the self, and hence the group as well. It specifies means for self-preservation. It determines the individuals place within the group. And, it determines the individuals and the groups perception of the world. (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). Culture also constrains the perceptions which an individual may be exposed to and given that this exposure is generally delivered through discourses, it is important to understand the connections between culture and individual perceptions. Chimombo and Roseberry (1998) give us an account of this connection: The specific culture of the group restricts each of these cultural attributes to a range of values or possibilities deemed acceptable to the members of that culture. Thus, the ways in which an individual can achieve self-fulfilment or perceive the world within a given society are limited by that societys cultural norms and practices (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). What is the Internet? The internet is a complex network of technological communication mechanisms (Crystal, D. (2001) 24) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). These enable people to communicate through the use of computers (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). The internet itself is both a communication mechanism and a source of information (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56) as it also allows the user to search vast databases of information using key word searches (Crystal, D. (2001) 24). It has changed the way that business, politics, government, education, communication and commercial affairs are conducted (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56), and has enabled individuals both to access and to disseminate information more quickly and effectively (Crystal, D. (2001) 24) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). In this sense therefore the internet represents a mode of communication which is electronic in nature (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56), and the world is connected through this mode. This electronic characteri stic of the internet means that various modes of media may be enabled through the internet and these media connect people on another level (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). How has the Internet Changed the Lives of Greek 20-25 Year Olds? Greek individuals in the 20-25 categories have been particularly susceptible to the changes which the internet has both precipitated and facilitated. It is often the case that a primary concern of those belonging to this age category will be romantically unattached and seeking to form relationships, both in the form of friendships and sexual partnerships. Therefore, it is important for one to understand that the internet is integrated within the lives of Greeks between 20-25, given the role it plays in allowing for relationships to be instigated and explored. The internet is a forum for these relationships to be instigated and played out (Kendall, L. (2002) 139-141). In the globalised world where technological advancement features strongly in the lives of most individuals this is not a surprising that the internet would be integrated in this way into such a fundamental sphere of the lives of these individuals (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3). It is impossible to integrate the internet to this extent within a persons life, without the integration producing noticeable effects in both the offline and online settings. It is possible to infer from this, that offline relationships as well as the motivations and expectations of people that become members will be moulded and shaped through this process of integration. This rationalisation will be borne out in the next section. The offline relationships of individuals who also have access to online channels of communication will be affected in a number of ways. For example, it is often the case that the internet simply removes the inhibitions which are often experienced at the outset of a relationship (friendship or sexual). In a sense, the approach which may be employed between two people who are interested in one another is made easier and the fact that the feelings of rejection which may be experienced by a person after a spurned advance can be compensated for by that person, through withdrawing communication effectively and efficiently. The person in question can make their profile invisible and can also choose to which members their profiles can be made visible to. In a sense therefore traditional methods of engaging the opposite sex (or the same sex in the case of non heterosexual encounters) in conversation have been redefined through electronic discourse. Crews and Thierer (2003) give us a springboard upon which to elaborate on this point by explaining the system of rules and conventions which underpin the use of the internet: There are rules. Some of them are mechanical in the sense that the architecture of the Internet and the protocols that define its function determine the way in which it operates and the way in which applications like e-mail are or can be supported. Others are a consequence of policies set in a variety of venues and jurisdictions and informed or motivated by a variety of constituencies. (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) vii). Electronic discourse have facilitated the adoption of these rules and protocols to allow for easier and more relaxed connections to be established through the use of friendship databases such as Hi 5. This point will be backed up more thoroughly using primary research in the next section, in which syntax and the formations of language will be deconstructed and extrapolated to show how the language itself is a vehicle for these particular functionalities. For the moment it is enough to point out that these electronic discourses are driven by individual preferences of internet users. Crews and Thierer (2003) reinforce the point: Some rules may even be said to be set by the personal preferences and behaviours of Internet users, almost independent of outside forces. The ensemble of rule sets does not form a consistent or even coherent whole and there are notable conflicts, especially as local jurisdictions seek to enforce local rules on a system that is patently global (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) vii). Another point to be made about how useful the internet has proven in the lives of young Greeks is that fact that in purely logistical terms, traditional forums which are used to meet members of the opposite sex are not very effectual for the person who seeks to meet new people. Nightclubs for example could be a classic example. These venues are often very noisy and crowded. Interaction in such environments may be stressful and cumbersome. Therefore people tend to stick within the groups of people that they are familiar with and it is often difficult, for individuals to penetrate these niches, and thus strike up relationships with new people. The internet, and in particular websites such as Hi5 remove this logistical difficulty. It provides a safe and comfortable venue where relationships may be initiated on neutral terms, and the conventions which have evolved allow for interaction to flow smoothly within this environment. In terms of online and offline relationships, the sphere of socialisation which websites such as Hi5 provides often brings these two settings together, and it is perhaps unusual for a person within the age group to led an online life which is entirely separate from their offline lives. It is perhaps true that there are rules and conventions which govern the behaviour of actors within the two spheres in different ways; however this does not mean that in practical, physical terms the two spheres are separated. In actuality the two spheres have become more integrated than ever, as the internet grows in influence and importance. The impact of globalisation, also has made the internet very important in the lives of people within the age category 20-25 (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Johnson, D. and Turner, C. (2003) Ch.1). The world is more technologically interconnected and cultures and foreign countries are more accessible than ever before (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3), making them more relevant in the lives of Greeks within this age group. This globalisation of culture is of particular relevance in this context, for Greeks within the 20-25 age groups. Given that Greece has become part of the European Union, free movement between European countries has heightened the changes that have taken place on a cultural level to an even greater extent, and this has allowed for greater integration between cultures online. This has changed socialisation processes. In this sense the internet may be understood as a virtual space in which people can meet and exchange ideas. However, the ways in which these outcomes are achieved may not be understood without looking more closely as the way that human relationships are formed through the internet, through electronic means and how this spills over into conventional human interplays. To identify the age of narcissism in the question title is arguably a meaningless endeavour. It is facile to tie narcissism just with contemporary society. The reality is that this is a universal concept which has many applications within both the traditional and the contemporary. We find narcissism everywhere; it is not just a generic feature of the internet, or generically manifested through internet discourses. Therefore the proposition in the thesis title that puts forward the view that the internet represents social reality in an age of narcissism is an over simplification of a process (narcissism) which pervades so ciety at many levels; not just specifically through the internet. Certainly one cannot deny that the internet and the Hi5 site can be a vehicle for narcissism in terms of individual modalities of self-representations. The images of the body, images of self which are communicated through text and image convey narcissistic tendencies. Indeed, this however is perhaps not just a cultural construct, but a more basic survival mechanism. The title proposition which insinuates that narcissism is a purely self indulgent process therefore fails to understand the various applications which narcissism may have within the context of human development (which must be set apart from mere social reality). Let us look for example at human reproduction. This is a natural instinct within most humans, and narcissism assists the human in attracting a mate; the presentation of self within particular terms is therefore not self indulgent, per se (it may be this of course, but the point here is that this is not the only function of narcissism); it is also a tool which is u sed by humans to present and project themselves as attractive potential mates. Therefore narcissism facilitates human socialisation at the most basic of levels. It is not a superfluous mechanism in which social reality is defined as the title implies. It has a base function which assists humans to find and attract partners through the internet and electronic discourses. However, since the title proposition that the Hi5 website is social reality in an age of narcissism has been critiqued here, let us turn to the alternative proposition which is presented in the question title; is the site just virtual reality? This too is far too narrow a definition of what the site may be to be a credible description of the site. The fact is that the site cannot be simply virtual reality, given its function within both online and offline relationships. This has been argued above. The internet site involves a degree of integration between online and offline expectations and motivations which prove that it is therefore not just virtual; it cant be simply this. It is a complex interconnected network which cannot be pigeonholed into either the category of virtual reality or social reality in an age of narcissism. Both of these representations misunderstand the use and importance of the internet site to society. They force the concept of the internet site into a narrow b olthole which cannot accommodate the complexities of a mechanism such as the Hi5. To present this question as if a choice must be made between the two implies that one of the other is an accurate representation of what the internet site is. The argument of this thesis is that this is a false premise to begin from. The internet site and the mode of its dissemination, the internet has become so integrated; so important and so pervasive that to define it in such narrow terms is both to do it a disservice and to misunderstand its function, and use. The next chapter will turn to the methodology of the thesis enquiry. It will discuss the different paradigms of research and it will explain how the research methodology of this thesis has been chosen and the reasons why. An argument will be made that qualitative research is more compatible with the overall aim of the thesis enquiry and therefore it has been the most appropriate means through which the research is the be carried out. CHAPTER THREE Methodology This chapter will firstly ask some questions about the nature, structure and applicability of certain methodologies within the framework of this research project. It will then go on to outline which methodology will be used as the foundation for the thesis and will explain why. In this way the advantages and disadvantages of each methodological framework will be evaluated and explained and the suitability of particular methodological frameworks will for this linguistic and discourse orientated project will be outlined. Firstly, what is methodology? Methodology involves two separate paradigms; qualitative (phenomenological) and quantitative (positivist) (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). The main difference which may be identified between the two paradigms of research is that qualitative method involves a socially constructed matrix of understanding (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). Conversely the quantitative seeks to understand phenomena through objective observation and hypothesising (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). Characteristics of qualitative research therefore are that it tends to be specific, confirmatory, scientific and outcome orientated (Jensen, K. (2002) 230). Characteristics of qualitative research involve explanatory aims and the method involved tends to be more situational than outcome oriented (Bauer, M. (2000) 4). The aim of qualitative research is to understand and interpret viewpoints subjectively whereas qualitative research involves more concrete and deductive foundations of research (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). The methodology which will be used will primarily be qualitative in nature. There will be interviews conducted with interested parties in the field of friendship databases, there will be a semiotic and discourse analysis of the Hi5 website and there will be a questionnaire; the results of which will be interpreted qualitatively. Therefore the research design will be both constructed and interpreted qualitatively. The sampling of data will involve random internet searches of the Hi5 website and the writer will use themselves as a device to take in views and imagery which will be presented in the results chapter and assessed through qualitative means. The targets of the writer in terms of samples for the research will take the form of firstly, the Hi5 website itself, and then profiles will be consulted. The writer will try to focus specifically upon an analysis of just Greek profiles, since the website allows one to narrow ones search on the basis of ethnicity. It must be emphasised that while this does narrow down the pool of profiles, the writer has no control over which profiles are presented, other than to specify that they should be from persons who classify themselves as Greeks. Therefore the integrity of the research in terms of using random data is preserved. Sampling techniques are very important to preserve the qualitative integrity of the research and therefore its credibility. The writer has been careful to attempt to examine profiles from both genders and to examine representations of both the male and female forms, since the factor which the writer would like to control is ethnicity (therefore just Greek profiles will be focused on primarily). The writer has attempted to guarantee that random material has been generated and has relied upon the mechanism on the Hi5 website itself which allows one to generate random searches. Representativeness too was considered throughout the research. As the topics which were under consideration were imagery, self representation and the concept of the self and body, it was important to have sufficient diversity within the constraints of the research variables which were to be controlled (i.e. age (20-25) and ethnicity Greekne